जनकोह वैदेहो बहुदक्षिणेन यज्ञेनेजे॥ तत्र ह कुरुपङ्चालानां ब्राह्मणाअभिसमेता बभूवुः॥ तस्य ह जनकस्य वैदेहस्य विजिज्ञासा . 2, 142[16] +\` बभूवः कः स्विदेषां ब्राह्मणानामनूचानतम इति
Janaka, the king of Videha, performed a sacrifice with many gifts. There, the Brahmins of the Kurus and Panchalas assembled. Then Janaka of Videha had a desire to know: 'Who among these Brahmins is the most learned?'
सह गवाँ सहस्रमवरुरोध; दश-दश पादा एकैकस्याः शृङ्गयोराबद्धा बभूवुः
He had a thousand cows penned up, and on the horns of each were tied ten gold pieces.
तान्होवाचः ब्राह्मणा भगवन्तो, योवो ब्रह्मिष्ठः, सएतागाउदजतामिति॥ तेह ब्राह्मणानदधृषुः
He said to the Brahmins: 'Revered ones, whoever among you is the most learned in Brahman, let him drive away these cows.' But the Brahmins did not dare.
अथ ह याज्ञवल्क्यः स्वमेवब्रह्मचारिणमुवाचैताः, सौम्योदज, षामश्रवा३ इति॥ ताहोदाचकार॥ तेह ब्राह्मणाश्चुक्रुधुः कथं नुनो ब्रह्मिष्ठो ब्रुवीतेति
Then Yajnavalkya said to his own student: 'Dear Samashrava, drive these cows away.' So he drove them away. The Brahmins became angry, saying, 'How can he claim to be the most learned among us?'
अथ ह जनकस्य वैदेहस्य होताश्वलोबभूव॥ सहैनं पप्रच्छः त्वं नुखलु नो, याज्ञवल्क्य, ब्रह्मिष्ठोऽसी३ इति॥ सहोवाचः नमो वयं ब्रह्मिष्ठाय कुर्मो; गोकामा एववयँ स्म इति॥ तँ ह तत एवप्रष्टुं दध्रे होताश्वलः
Then Asvala, the chief priest of Janaka of Videha, questioned him: 'Surely, Yajnavalkya, you are the most learned among us?' He replied: 'We bow to the most learned; we are only seekers of cattle.' Then Asvala prepared to question him further.
याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच, यदिदँ सर्वं मृत्युनाप्तँ, सर्वं मृत्युनाभिपन्नं, केन यजमानो मृत्योराप्तिमतिमुच्यत इति॥ होत्रर्त्विजाग्निना वाचा; वाग्वैयज्ञस्य होता॥ तद्येयं वाक्सोऽयमग्निः सहोता सामुक्तिः सातिमुक्तिः
Yajnavalkya was asked: 'Since all this is seized by death, all is overtaken by death, by what does the sacrificer free himself from death's grasp?' He replied: 'By the officiating priest, the Hotṛ, by speech, by fire; for speech is the Hotṛ of the sacrifice.' Thus, this speech, this fire, this Hotṛ—this is the means of release, this is the means of complete release.
याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच, यदिदँ सर्वमहोरात्राभ्यामाप्तँ, सर्वमहोरात्राभ्यामभिपन्नं, केन यजमानोऽहोरात्रयोराप्तिमतिमुच्यत इति॥ अध्वर्युणर्त्विजा चक्षुषादित्येन; चक्षुर्वैयज्ञस्याध्वर्युः॥ तद्यदिदं चक्षुः, सोऽसावादित्यः; सोऽध्वर्युः सामुक्तिः सातिमुक्तिः
Yajnavalkya was asked: 'Since all this is seized by day and night, all is overtaken by day and night, by what does the sacrificer free himself from the grasp of day and night?' He replied: 'By the officiating priest, the Adhvaryu, by the eye, by the sun; for the eye is the Adhvaryu of the sacrifice.' Thus, this eye, this sun, this Adhvaryu—this is the means of release, this is the means of complete release.
याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच, यदिदँ सर्वं पूर्वपक्षापरपक्षाभ्यामाप्तँ, सर्वं पूर्वपक्षापरपक्षाभ्यामभिपन्नं, केन यजमानः पूर्वपक्षापरपक्षयोराप्तिमतिमुच्यत इति॥ ब्रह्मणर्त्विजा मनसा चन्द्रेण; मनो वैयज्ञस्य ब्रह्मा॥ तद्यदिदं मनः, सोऽसौचन्द्रः सब्रह्मासामुक्तिः सातिमुक्तिः
Yajnavalkya was asked: 'Since all this is seized by the waxing and waning fortnights, all is overtaken by the waxing and waning fortnights, by what does the sacrificer free himself from their grasp?' He replied: 'By the officiating priest, the Brahman, by the mind, by the moon; for the mind is the Brahman of the sacrifice.' Thus, this mind, this moon, this Brahman—this is the means of release, this is the means of complete release.
याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच, यदिदमन्तरिक्षमनारम्बणमिव; केनाक्रमेण यजमानः स्वर्गं लोकमाक्रमत इति॥ उद्गात्रर्त्विजा वयुना प्राणेन; प्राणोवैयज्ञस्योद्गाता॥ तद्योऽयं प्राणः सवायुः सउद्गातासामुक्तिः सातिमुक्तिः॥ इत्यतिमोक्षा, अथ संपदः
Yājñavalkya, he said, this intermediate space is as if without a support; by what means does the sacrificer ascend to the heavenly world? By the udgātṛ priest, with the method, with the breath; for the breath is truly the udgātṛ of the sacrifice. That which is this breath, that indeed is the wind, that is the utterance of the udgātṛ, that is the release, that is the supreme release. Thus is the supreme release; now, the attainments.
याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच, कतिभिरयमद्यर्ग्भिर्होतास्मिन्यज्ञेकरिष्यतीति॥ तिसृभिरिति॥ कतमास् तास् तिस्र इति॥ पुरोनुवाक्याच याज्याच शस्यैवतृतीया॥ किं ताभिर्जयतीति॥ पृथिवीलोकमेवपुरोनुवाक्यया जयति अन्तरिक्षलोकं याज्यया, द्यौर्लोकँ शस्यया
Yājñavalkya, he said, with how many verses does the hotṛ today perform the sacrifice? With three, he said. Which are those three? The puronuvākyā, the yājyā, and the śasyā as the third. What does he win with these? With the puronuvākyā he wins the earth-world, with the yājyā the intermediate world, with the śasyā the heavenly world.
याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच, कत्ययमद्याध्वर्युरस्मिन्यज्ञआहुतीर्होष्यतीति॥ तिस्रइति॥ कतमास् तास् तिस्र इति॥ याहुताउज्ज्वलन्ति, याहुताअतिनेदन्ति, याहुताअधिशेरते॥ किं ताभिर्जयतीति॥ याहुताउज्ज्वलन्ति, देवलोकमेवताभिर्जयतिः दीप्यत इव हिदेवलोको॥ याहुताअतिनेदन्ति, मनुष्यलोकम् \^ एवताभिर्जयति अतीव हिमनुष्यलोको \^ याहुताअधिशेरते, पितृलोकम् एवताभिर्जयति अधइव हिपितृलोकः \`
Yājñavalkya, he said, with how many offerings does the adhvaryu today pour into this sacrifice? With three, he said. Which are those three? The offering that blazes up, the offering that overflows, the offering that settles down. What does he win with these? With the offering that blazes up, he wins the world of the gods, for the world of the gods is as if blazing; with the offering that overflows, he wins the world of humans, for the world of humans is indeed overflowing; with the offering that settles down, he wins the world of the ancestors, for the world of the ancestors is indeed below.
याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच, कतिभिरयमद्यब्रह्मायज्ञं दक्षिणतोदेवताभिर्गोपायिष्यतीत्य् एकयेति॥ कतमासैकेति॥ मन एवेति॥ अनन्तं वैमनो, अनन्ताविश्वे देवा॥ अनन्तमेवसतेन लोकं जयति
Yājñavalkya, he said, with how many deities does the brahman priest today protect the sacrifice on the southern side? With one, he said. Which is that one? The mind, indeed. The mind is infinite, and all the gods are infinite. With the infinite alone, he wins the world of reality.
याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच, कत्ययमद्योद्गातास्मिन्यज्ञेस्तोत्रियाः स्तोष्यतीति॥ तिस्रइति॥ कतमास् तास् तिस्र इति॥ पुरोनुवाक्याच याज्याच शस्यैवतृतीयाधिदेवतम् अथाध्यत्मं . ॥. कतमास् तायाअध्यात्ममिति॥ प्राणएवपुरोनुवाक्यापानोयाज्या, व्यानः शस्या॥ किं ताभिर्जयतीति॥ यत्किङ्चेदं प्राणभृदिति \`॥. \^ ततो ह होताश्वलउपरराम॥ 2
Yājñavalkya, he said, with how many stotras does the udgātṛ today chant in this sacrifice? With three, he said. Which are those three? The puronuvākyā, the yājyā, and the śasyā as the third, with their respective deities, and with reference to the self. Which are those with reference to the self? The puronuvākyā is the breath, the yājyā is the downward breath, the śasyā is the vyāna. What does he win with these? Whatever here is possessed of breath. Then the hotṛ named Āśvala ceased questioning.
अथ हैनं जारत्कारवआर्तभागः पप्रच्छ॥ याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच, कति ग्रहाः, कत्यतिग्रहाइति॥ अष्टौग्रहा, अष्टावतिग्रहाइति॥ येतेऽष्टौग्रहा, अष्टावतिग्रहाः, कतमेतइति
Then Jāratkārava Ārtabhāga questioned him: Yājñavalkya, he said, how many grahas and how many atigrahas are there? There are eight grahas and eight atigrahas. These are the eight grahas and eight atigrahas; which are they?
प्राणोवैग्रहः॥ सोऽपानेनातिग्रहेण गृहीतो॥ अपानेन हिगन्धाङ्जिघ्रति
The breath is indeed a graha; it is seized by the atigraha called apāna. By apāna, indeed, one perceives smells.
जिह्वावैग्रहः॥ सरसेनातिग्रहेण गृहीतो; जिह्वया हिरसान्विजानाति
The tongue is indeed a graha; it is seized by the atigraha called rasa. By the tongue, indeed, one perceives tastes.
वाग्वैग्रहः॥ सनाम्नातिग्रहेण गृहीतो; वाचाहिनामान्यभिवदति
Speech is indeed a graha; it is seized by the atigraha called name. By speech, indeed, one utters names.
चक्षुर्वैग्रहः॥ सरूपेणातिग्रहेण गृहीतश्; चक्षुषा हिरूपाणि पश्यति
The eye is indeed a graha; it is seized by the atigraha called form. By the eye, indeed, one sees forms.
श्रोत्रं वैग्रहः॥ सशब्देनातिग्रहेण गृहीतः; श्रोत्रेण हिशब्दाङ्छृणोति
The ear is indeed a graha; it is seized by the atigraha called sound. By the ear, indeed, one hears sounds.
मनो वैग्रहः॥ सकामेनातिग्रहेण गृहीतो; मनसा हिकामान्कामयते
The mind is indeed a graha; it is seized by the atigraha called desire. By the mind, indeed, one desires desires.
हस्तौ वैग्रहः॥ सकर्मणातिग्रहेण गृहीतो; हस्ताभ्याँ हिकर्म करोति
The hands are indeed a graha; they are seized by the atigraha called action. By the hands, indeed, one performs actions.
त्वग्वैग्रहः॥ सस्पर्शेनातिग्रहेण गृहीतस्; त्वचाहिस्पर्शान्वेदयत॥ इत्यष्टौग्रहा, अष्टावतिग्रहाः
The skin is indeed a graha; it is seized by the atigraha called touch. By the skin, indeed, one perceives touches. Thus, there are eight grahas and eight atigrahas.
याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच, यदिदँ सर्वं मृत्योरन्नं, कास्वित्सादेवता, यस्या मृत्युरन्नमिति॥ अग्निर्वैमृत्युः, सोऽपामन्नम् अप पुनर्मृत्युं जयति
Yājñavalkya, he said, since all this is food for death, is there any deity for whom death is food? Fire is indeed death; having taken food, he again conquers death.
याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच, यत्रायं पुरुषो म्रियते, किमेनं नजहातीति॥ नामेति अनन्तं वैनामानन्ताविश्वे देवा; अनन्तमेवसतेन लोकं जयति
Yājñavalkya, he said, when this person dies, what is it that does not leave him? Name, he said. Name is infinite, and all the gods are infinite; with the infinite alone, he wins the world of reality.
याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच, यत्रायं पुरुषो म्रियत, उदस्मात्प्राणाः क्रामन्ति आहो नेति॥ नेति होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यो, अत्रैवसमवनीयन्ते, सउच्छ्वयति आध्मायति आध्मातो मृतः शेते
Yājñavalkya, he said, when this person dies, do the breaths depart from him or not? Not so, said Yājñavalkya; they are gathered here itself. He swells, he is inflated, and, being inflated, he lies dead.
याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच, यत्रास्य पुरुषस्य मृतस्याग्निं वागप्येति, वातं प्राणश्, चक्षुरादित्यं, मनश्चन्द्रं, दिशः श्रोत्रं, पृथिवीँ शरीरम् आकाशमात्मौषधीर्लोमानि, वनस्पतीन्केशा, अप्सुलोहितं च रेतश्च निधीयते, क्वायं तदापुरुषो भवतीति॥ आहर, सौम्य, हस्तम्
Yājñavalkya, he said, when the speech of this dead person goes to fire, the breath to wind, the eye to the sun, the mind to the moon, the directions to the ear, the earth to the body, space to the self, the plants to the hair, the trees to the head-hair, the blood and semen are placed in the waters, then what does this person become? Bring, dear one, your hand.
आर्तभागेति होवाचावाम् . एवैतद् वेदिष्यावो; ननावेतत्सजनइति॥ तौहोत्क्रम्य मन्त्रयां चक्रतुस् तौह यदूचतुः, कर्म हैवतदूचतुः अथ ह यत्प्रशँसतुः, कर्म हैवतत्प्रशँसतुः पुण्यो वैपुण्येन कर्मणा भवति, पापः पापेनेति॥ ततो ह जारत्कारवआर्तभाग उपरराम॥ 3
Ārtabhāga spoke: 'Let us know this together.' 'Is this not so, is it not united?' They withdrew and deliberated. Whatever they said, it was action; whatever they praised, it was action. One becomes virtuous through virtuous action, sinful through sinful action.' Then Jāratkārava Ārtabhāga ceased questioning.
अथ हैनं भुज्युर्लाह्यायनिः पप्रच्छ॥ याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच, मद्रेषु चरकाः पर्यव्रजाम; तेपतङ्चलस्य काप्यस्य गृहानैम॥ तस्यासीद्दुहितागन्धर्वगृहीता; तमपृच्छामः कोऽसीति॥ सोऽब्रवीत् षुधन्वाङ्गिरसइति॥ तं यदालोकानामन्तानपृच्छामाथैतद् अब्रूमः क्वपारिक्षिताअभवन्निति॥ क्वपारिक्षिताअभवन्निति॥ . तत् त्वा पृच्छामि, याज्ञवल्क्यः क्वपारिक्षिताअभवन्निति
Then Bhujyu Lāhyāyani questioned him: 'Yājñavalkya,' he said. 'We wandered among the Madras as mendicants. We came to the house of Patañcala Kāpya. He had a daughter possessed by a Gandharva. We asked him, "Who are you?" He replied, "I am Śudhanvan Āṅgiras." When we asked about the boundaries of the worlds, he said: "Where did Parikṣit dwell?" I now ask you, Yājñavalkya: Where did Parikṣit dwell?'
सहोवाचोवाच वैसतद् अगच्छन्वैतेतत्र, यत्राश्वमेधयाजिनो गच्छन्तीति॥ क्वन्वश्वमेधयाजिनो गच्छन्तीति॥ द्वात्रिँशत वैदेवरथाह्न्यान्ययं लोकस्; तँ समन्तं लोकं द्विस्तावत्पृथिवी \^ पर्येति; ताँ . पृथिवीं द्विस्तावत्समुद्रः पर्येति॥ तद्यावती क्षुरस्य धारा, यावद्वा मक्षिकायाः पत्त्रं, तावानन्तरेणाकाशः॥ तान्९न्द्रः सुपर्णोभूत्वावायवे प्रायच्छत्; तान्वायुरात्मनि धित्वातत्रागमयद्यत्र परिक्षिता अभवन्निति॥ एवमिव वैसवायुमेवप्रशशँस; तस्माद्वायुरेवव्यष्टिः वायुः समष्टिः॥ अप पुनर्मृत्युं जयति, सर्वमायुरेति . यएवं वेद॥ ततो ह भुज्युर्लाह्यायनिरुपरराम॥ 4/
He replied: 'They went to the place where those who perform the horse sacrifice go.' 'Where do those who perform the horse sacrifice go?' 'Thirty-two chariots of the Videhas travel each day around this world; they circle the world twice as much as the earth; the ocean circles the earth twice as much. The space between is as thin as a razor's edge or a fly's wing. Indra, becoming a great bird, carried them to Vāyu; Vāyu, placing them in himself, brought them to the place where Parikṣit dwelled. Thus, Vāyu alone was praised; therefore, Vāyu is the individual and the totality. Whoever knows this conquers death again, attains all life. Thus Bhujyu Lāhyāyani ceased questioning.'
अथ हैनं कहोडः कौषीतकेयः पप्रच्छः याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच, यद् . साक्षादपरोक्षाद्ब्रह्म यआत्मासर्वान्तरः तं मे व्याचक्ष्वेति॥ एषत आत्मासर्वान्तरः॥ कतमो, याज्ञवल्क्य, सर्वान्तरो॥ योऽशनायापिपासेशोकं मोहं जरां मृत्युमत्येति॥ एतं वैतमात्मानं विदित्वा, ब्राह्मणाः पुत्रैषणायाश्च वित्तैषणायाश्च लोकैषणायाश्च व्युत्थायाथ भिक्षाचर्यं चरन्ति॥ याह्य् एवपुत्रैषणासावित्तैषणा, यावित्तैषणासालोकैषणोभेह्य् एतेएषणे एवभवतः॥ तस्माद्पण्डितः पाण्डित्यं निर्विद्य, बाल्येन तिष्ठासेद्; बाल्यं च पाण्डित्यं च निर्विद्याथ मुनिः अमौनं च मौनं च निर्विद्याथ ब्राह्मणः॥ सब्राह्मणः केन स्याद्॥ येन स्यात् तेनेदृश एवभवति, यएवं वेद . ततो ह कहोडः कौषीतकेय उपरराम॥ 5/
Then Kahoda Kauṣītakeya questioned him: 'Yājñavalkya,' he said, 'Explain to me that Brahman which is directly perceived, not indirect, that Self which is the innermost of all.' 'This is that Self, the innermost of all.' 'Which, Yājñavalkya, is the innermost of all?' 'That which transcends hunger, thirst, sorrow, delusion, old age, and death.' Knowing this Self, the Brahmins renounce the desire for sons, wealth, and worlds, and take up the life of mendicancy. The desire for sons is the desire for wealth; the desire for wealth is the desire for worlds; both are merely desires. Therefore, the wise, having attained wisdom, remain as children; having renounced both childhood and wisdom, the sage remains; having renounced both speech and silence, the Brahmin remains. How does one become a Brahmin? By whatever means one becomes, so he is; whoever knows thus. Then Kahoda Kauṣītakeya ceased questioning.