हाकल्येति होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यः त्वाँ स्विदिमेब्राह्मणाअङ्गारावक्षयणमक्रता३ इति
Hākalya, said Yājñavalkya, the Brāhmaṇas here have made you a heap of embers for me.
याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच हाकल्यो, यदिदं कुरुपङ्चालानां ब्राह्मनानत्यवादीः, किं ब्रह्म विद्वानिति॥ दिशो वेद सदेवाः सप्रतिष्ठा इति॥ यद्दिशो वेत्थ सदेवाः सप्रतिष्ठाः,
Yājñavalkya, said Hākalya, since you have out-argued the Brāhmaṇas of the Kurus and Pañcālas, what is Brahman, knowing which? He knows the quarters, with their deities and supports. If you know the quarters, with their deities and supports—
किंदेवतोऽस्यां प्राच्यां दिश्यसीति॥ आदित्यदेवत इति॥ सआदित्यः कस्मिन्प्रतिष्ठित इति॥ चक्षुषीति॥ कस्मिन्नुचक्षुः प्रतिष्ठितं भवतीति . रूपेष्विति; चक्षुषा हिरूपाणि पश्यति॥ कस्मिन्नुरूपाणि प्रतिष्ठितानि भवन्तीति . हृदय इति होवाच; हृदयेन हिरूपाणि जानाति, हृदये ह्य् एवरूपाणि प्रतिष्ठितानि भवन्तीति॥ एवमेवैतद् याज्ञवल्क्य
What is the deity of the eastern quarter? The deity is the sun. In what is the sun established? In the eye. In what is the eye established? In forms; for with the eye one sees forms. In what are forms established? In the heart, he replied; for with the heart one knows forms, and in the heart indeed forms are established. So it is, Yājñavalkya.
किंदेवतोऽस्यां दक्षिणायां दिश्यसीति॥ यमदेवत इति॥ सयमः कस्मिन्प्रतिष्ठित इति॥ . . दक्षिणायामिति॥ कस्मिन्नुदक्षिणा प्रतिष्ठिता भवतीति . श्रद्धायामिति; यदाह्य् एवश्रद्धत्ते, अथ दक्षिणां ददाति; श्रद्धायाँ ह्य् एवदक्षिणा प्रतिष्ठिता भवतीति . कस्मिन्नुश्रद्धाप्रतिष्ठिता भवतीति . हृदय इति होवाच; हृदयेन हिश्रद्धत्ते हृदये ह्य् एवश्रद्धाप्रतिष्ठिता ! भवतीति॥ एवमेवैतद् याज्ञवल्क्य
What is the deity of the southern quarter? The deity is Yama. In what is Yama established? In giving. In what is giving established? In faith; for when one has faith, then one gives. In faith indeed giving is established. In what is faith established? In the heart, he replied; for with the heart one has faith, and in the heart indeed faith is established. So it is, Yājñavalkya.
किंदेवतोऽस्यां प्रतीच्यां दिश्यसीति॥ वरुणदेवत इति॥ सवरुणः कस्मिन्प्रतिष्ठित इति॥ अप्स्विति॥ कस्मिन्न्वापः प्रतिष्ठिता भवन्तीति . रेतसीति॥ कस्मिन्नुरेतः प्रतिष्ठितं भवतीति . हृदय, इति . तस्मादपि प्रतिरूपं जातमाहुः हृदयादिव सृप्तो, हृदयादिव निर्मित इति; हृदये ह्य् एवरेतः प्रतिष्ठितं भवतीति॥ एवमेवैतद् याज्ञवल्क्य
What is the deity of the western quarter? The deity is Varuṇa. In what is Varuṇa established? In the waters. In what are the waters established? In seed. In what is seed established? In the heart. Therefore, they say of a child born, 'fashioned from the heart, created from the heart'; for in the heart indeed seed is established. So it is, Yājñavalkya.
किंदेवतोऽस्यामुदीच्यां दिश्यसीति॥ सोमदेवत इति॥ ससोमः कस्मिन्प्रतिष्ठित इति॥ दीक्षायामिति॥ कस्मिन्नुदिक्षाप्रतिष्ठिता भवतीति . सत्यइति; तस्मादपि दीक्षितमाहुः सत्यं वदेति; सत्येह्य् एवदीक्षाप्रतिष्ठिता भवतीति . कस्मिन्नुसत्यं प्रतिष्ठितम्भवतीति . हृदये इति . हृदयेन हिसत्यं जानाति; हृदये ह्य् एवसत्यं प्रतिष्ठितं भवतीति॥ एवमेवैतद् याज्ञवल्क्य
What is the deity of the northern quarter? The deity is Soma. In what is Soma established? In consecration. In what is consecration established? In truth; therefore, they say of one consecrated, 'He speaks the truth'; for in truth indeed consecration is established. In what is truth established? In the heart. For with the heart one knows truth, and in the heart indeed truth is established. So it is, Yājñavalkya.
किंदेवतोऽस्यां ध्रुवायां दिश्यसीति॥ अग्निदेवत इति॥ सोऽग्निः कस्मिन्प्रतिष्ठितो भवतीति . वाचीति॥ कस्मिन्नुवाक्प्रतिष्ठिता भवतीति . मनसीति \^ कस्मिन्नुमनस् \^ प्रतिष्ठितं भवतीति .
What is the deity of the fixed (upper) quarter? The deity is Agni. In what is Agni established? In speech. In what is speech established? In the mind. In what is the mind established?
अहल्लिकेति होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यो, यत्रैतदन्यत्रास्मन्मन्यासै॥ यत्रैतद् अन्यत्रास्मत्स्याच्, छ्वानो वैनदद्युः वयाँसि वैनद्विमथ्नीरन्निति
Ahallika, said Yājñavalkya, if this were found elsewhere than in us, then dogs would have attained heaven, and birds would have attained heaven.
कस्मिन्नुत्वं चात्माच प्रतिष्ठितौ ! स्थ इति॥ प्राणइति॥ कस्मिन्नुप्राणः प्रतिष्ठित इति॥ अपानइति॥ कस्मिन्न्वपानः प्रतिष्ठित इति॥ व्यानइति॥ कस्मिन्नुव्यानः प्रतिष्ठित इति॥ उदानइति॥ कस्मिन्नूदानः प्रतिष्ठित इति॥ समानइति
On what, then, are you and the self established? On the breath. On what is the breath established? On the downward breath. On what is the downward breath established? On the diffused breath. On what is the diffused breath established? On the upward breath. On what is the upward breath established? On the equalizing breath.
सएषः नेति, नेत्य् आत्मागृह्यो, नहिगृह्यते; अशीर्यो, नहिशीर्यते; असङ्गोऽसितो नसज्यते, नव्यथत इत्य् असितो न व्यथते, एतान्यष्टावायतनानि अष्टौलोका, . अष्टौपुरुषाः॥ सयस् तान्पुरुषान्व्युदुह्य प्रत्युह्यात्यक्रामीत् तं त्वौपनिषदं पुरुषं पृच्छामि॥ तं चेन्मे नविवक्ष्यसि, मूर्धाते विपतिष्यतीति॥ तँ ह हाकल्यस् नमेने . तस्य ह मूर्धाविपपात; तस्य हाप्यन्यन्मन्यमानाः परिमोषिणोऽस्थिन्यपजह्रुः .\`
This self is not this, not this; it cannot be grasped, for it is not grasped; it does not decay, for it does not decay; it is unattached, for it does not attach; it is not afflicted, for it does not suffer. These are the eight abodes, the eight worlds, the eight persons. Having set aside those persons, he transcended. I ask you about that person taught in the Upaniṣad. If you do not explain him to me, your head will fall off. Then Hākalya was silent, and his head fell off. The others, fearing the same, left and departed.
अथ याज्ञवल्क्यो होवाच ब्राह्मणा भगवन्तो, योवः कामयते, समा पृच्छतु, सर्वे वा मा पृच्छत; योवः कामयते, तं वः पृच्छामि, सर्वान्वा वः पृच्छामीति॥ तेह ब्राह्मणानदधृषुः
Then Yājñavalkya said: Venerable Brāhmaṇas, let whoever among you desires, ask; or let all of you ask; whoever desires, I will question him, or I will question all of you. But the Brāhmaṇas did not dare.
तान्हैतैः श्लोकैः पप्रच्छः यथा वृक्षोवनस्पतिः तथैवपुरुषोऽमृषाः तस्य पर्णानि लोमानि त्वगस्योत्पाटिका बहिः
He questioned them with these verses: As a tree is a forest tree, so too is a person not false; his hairs are its leaves, and the outer skin is the bark.
त्वचएवास्य रुधिरं प्रस्यन्दि त्वचउत्पटस्; तस्मात्तदातुन्नात् \^ प्रैति, रसो वृक्षादिवाहतात्
His blood flows as sap from the skin; therefore, when it is cut, it flows out, just as sap flows from a tree when it is wounded.
माँसान्यस्य शकराणि, किनाटँ स्नाव, तत्स्थिरम्; अस्थीन्यन्तरतो दारुणि, मज्जामज्जोपमाकृता
His flesh is like the pulp, his sinews are the fibers, firm in him; his bones are like the wood within, and his marrow is shaped like the pith.
यद्वृक्षोवृक्णोरोहति मूलान्नवतरः पुनः मर्त्यः स्विन्मृत्युना वृक्णः कस्मान्मूलात्प्ररोहति
As a tree, when cut, grows again from its root, so too, when a mortal is cut down by death, from what root does he spring forth again?
3-4 9-10 रेतस इति मावोचतः जीवतस् तत्प्रजायते; जातएवनजायते, कोन्वेनं जनयेत्पुनः धानारुह . वैवृक्षो अन्यतः ~ प्रेत्य सम्भवो॥ यत्समूलमुद्वृहेयुर् \^ वृक्षं, नपुनराभवेद्; मर्त्यः स्विन्मृत्युना वृक्णः कस्मान्मूलात्प्ररोहति॥ विज्ञानमानन्दं ब्रह्म, रातेर् दातुः, परायणं तिष्ठमानस्य तद्विद इति॥ 4 1 = 14.6.10?? =
Do not say it is from seed; while living, offspring are born from that, but once dead, who could beget him again? Like a tree that springs from another root, so is rebirth after death. If a tree is uprooted, it does not grow again; so, when a mortal is cut down by death, from what root does he spring forth? Consciousness, bliss, Brahman—the support of the giver of seed, the final resort of the one who stands firm—such is known by those who know.
जनकोह वैदेह आसां चक्रे॥ अथ ह याज्ञवल्क्य आवव्राज॥ सहोवाच जनकोवैदेहो . याज्ञवल्क्य, किमर्थमचारीः, पशूनिच्छनण्वन्तानीति॥ उभयमेव, सँराड्, इति होवाच
Then Janaka, the king of Videha, arranged these things. Then Yājñavalkya approached. Janaka, the king of Videha, said: Yājñavalkya, for what purpose have you come—seeking cattle or seeking knowledge? Both, O king, he replied.
. . \^. अब्रवीन्म ऊदङ्कः हौल्वायनः प्राणोवैब्रह्मेति॥ यथा मातृमान्पितृमानाचार्यवान्ब्रूयात् तथा तच्छौल्वायनो अब्रवीत् प्राणोवैब्रह्मेति, अप्राणतो हिकिँ स्यादिति॥ अब्रवीत्तुते तस्यायतनं प्रतिष्ठां॥ नमेऽब्रवीदिति॥ एकपाद्वाएतत् सम्राड्, इति
Udaṅka Houlvāyana told me: Breath indeed is Brahman. As one who has a mother, a father, and a teacher would say, so did Houlvāyana say: Breath indeed is Brahman; without breath, nothing would exist. But he did not tell me its abode and support. He said, I do not know. This, O king, is only one part.
सवैनो ब्रूहि, याज्ञवल्क्य॥ स एवायतनम् आकाशः प्रतिष्ठा, प्रियमित्य् एनदुपासीत॥ काप्रियता, याज्ञवल्क्य॥ प्राणएव, सम्राड्, इति होवाच; प्राणस्य वै, सम्राट्, कामायायाज्यं याजयति अप्रतिगृह्यस्य प्रतिगृह्णाति अपि तत्र वधाशङ्गा \^ भवति, यां दिशमेति प्राणस्यैव, सम्राट्, कामाय; प्राणोवै, सम्राट्, परमं ब्रह्म॥ नैनं प्राणोजहाति, सर्वाण्य् एनं भूतान्यभिक्षरन्ति
Tell me, Yājñavalkya. Its abode is space, its support is love; meditate on it as love. What is love, Yājñavalkya? Breath itself, O king, he replied. For the sake of breath, O king, one offers sacrifices and receives gifts; even when there is fear of death, it is for the sake of breath that one acts. Breath, O king, is the supreme Brahman; breath does not abandon him, all beings approach him.
देवोभूत्वादेवानप्येति, यएवं विद्वानेतदुपास्ते॥ हस्त्य्\. सहस्रं ददामीति होवाच जनकोवैदेहह्॥ सहोवाच याज्ञवल्क्यः पितामेऽमन्यत, नाननुशिष्य हरेतेति॥ कएवते किमब्रवीदिति . \`॥.
Having become a god, he attains the gods, whoever knows and meditates thus. I will give a thousand cows, said Janaka, king of Videha. Yājñavalkya replied: My father thought, 'He should not take without instructing.' What did he say to you?
. .\^. अब्रवीन्मे जित्वा हैलिनो वाग्वैब्रह्मेति॥ यथा मातृमान्पितृमानाचार्यवान्ब्रूयात् तथा तच्छैलिनो अब्रवीद् वाग्वैब्रह्मेति अवदतो हिकिँ स्यादिति॥ अब्रवीत्तुते तस्यायतनं प्रतिष्ठां॥ नमेऽब्रवीदिति॥ एकपाद्वाएतत् सम्राड्, इति
Jitvā Hailina told me: Speech indeed is Brahman. As one who has a mother, a father, and a teacher would say, so did Hailina say: Speech indeed is Brahman; without speech, nothing would exist. But he did not tell me its abode and support. He said, I do not know. This, O king, is only one part.
सवैनो ब्रूहि, याज्ञवल्क्य॥ वागेवायतनम् आकाशः प्रतिष्ठा, प्रज्ञेत्य् एनदुपासीत॥ काप्रज्ञता, याज्ञवल्क्य॥ वागेव, सम्राड्, इति होवाच; वाचावै, सम्राड्, बन्धुः प्रज्ञायत; ऋग्वेदोयजुर्वेदः सामवेदोऽथर्वाङ्गिरस इतिहासः पुराणं विद्याउपनिषदः श्लोकाः सूत्राण्यनुव्याख्यानानि व्याख्यानानि . . वाचैव, संराट्, प्रज्ञायन्ते; वाग्वै, सम्राट्, परमं ब्रह्म; नैनं वाग्जहाति, सर्वाण्य् एनं भूतान्यभिक्षरन्ति
Tell me, Yājñavalkya. Its abode is speech, its support is space; meditate on it as knowledge. What is knowledge, Yājñavalkya? Speech itself, O king, he replied. Through speech, O king, one recognizes a relative; the Ṛgveda, Yajurveda, Sāmaveda, Atharvāṅgiras, history, legend, knowledge, Upaniṣad, verses, aphorisms, explanations, and commentaries—all are known through speech. Speech, O king, is the supreme Brahman; speech does not abandon him, all beings approach him.
देवोभूत्वादेवानप्येति, यएवं विद्वानेतदुपास्ते॥ हस्त्य्\. सहस्रं ददामीति होवाच जनकोवैदेहः॥ सहोवाच याज्ञवल्क्यः पितामेऽमन्यत, नाननुशिष्य हरेतेति॥ कएवते किमब्रवीदिति . \`॥.
Having become a god, he attains the gods, whoever knows and meditates thus. I will give a thousand cows, said Janaka, king of Videha. Yājñavalkya replied: My father thought, 'He should not take without instructing.' What did he say to you?
. .\^. अब्रवीन्मे बर्कुर्वार्ष्णश्: चक्षुर्वैब्रह्मेति॥ यथा मातृमान्पितृमानाचार्यवान्ब्रूयात् तथा तद्वार्ष्णोऽब्रवीच्: चक्षुर्वैब्रह्मेति अपश्यतो हिकिँ स्यादिति॥ अब्रवीत्तुते तस्यायतनं प्रतिष्ठां॥ नमेऽब्रवीदिति॥ एकपाद्वाएतत् सम्राड्, इति
Barku Vārṣṇa told me: The eye indeed is Brahman. As one who has a mother, a father, and a teacher would say, so did Vārṣṇa say: The eye indeed is Brahman; without seeing, nothing would exist. But he did not tell me its abode and support. He said, I do not know. This, O king, is only one part.
सवैनो ब्रूहि, याज्ञवल्क्य॥ चक्षुरेवायतनम् आकाशः प्रतिष्ठा, सत्यमित्य् एतदुपासीत॥ कासत्यता, याज्ञवल्क्य॥ चक्षुरेव, सम्राड्, इति होवाच; चक्षुषा वै, सम्राट्, पश्यन्तमाहुः अद्राक्षीरिति॥ सआहाद्राक्षमिति, तत्सत्यं भवति; चक्षुर्वै, सम्राट्, परमं ब्रह्म; नैनम्चक्षुर्जहाति, सर्वाण्य् एनं भूतान्यभिक्षरन्ति
Tell me, Yājñavalkya. Its abode is the eye, its support is space; meditate on it as truth. What is truth, Yājñavalkya? The eye itself, O king, he replied. By the eye, O king, one is said to see; when one says, 'I have seen,' that is truth. The eye, O king, is the supreme Brahman; the eye does not abandon him, all beings approach him.
देवोभूत्वादेवानप्येति, यएवं विद्वानेतदुपास्ते॥ हस्त्य्\. सहस्रं ददामीति होवाच जनकोवैदेहः॥ सहोवाच याज्ञवल्क्यः पितामेऽमन्यत, नाननुशिष्य हरेतेति॥ कएवते किमब्रवीदिति . \`॥.
Having become a god, he attains the gods, whoever knows and meditates thus. I will give a thousand cows, said Janaka, king of Videha. Yājñavalkya replied: My father thought, 'He should not take without instructing.' What did he say to you?
. . \^. अब्रवीन्मे गर्दभीविपीतो भारद्वाजः श्रोत्रं वैब्रह्मेति; यथा मातृमान्पितृमानाचार्यवान्ब्रूयात् तथा तद्भारद्वाजोऽब्रवीच्: छ्रोत्रं वैब्रह्मेति अशृण्वतो हिकिँ स्यादिति॥ अब्रवीत्तुते तस्यायतनं प्रतिष्ठां॥ नमेऽब्रवीदिति॥ एकपाद्वाएतत् सम्राड्, इति
Bharadvāja, who had drunk donkey's milk, told me: 'The ear is indeed Brahman.' Just as one would speak with the authority of a mother, father, or teacher, so Bharadvāja declared: 'The ear is indeed Brahman; for without the ear, one would be as if without hearing.' He was then asked about its abode and support, but he did not answer. This, O King, is but one aspect.
सवैनो ब्रूहि, याज्ञवल्क्य॥ श्रोत्रमेवायतनम् आकाशः प्रतिष्ठानन्तमित्य् एनदुपासीत॥ कानन्तता, याज्ञवल्क्य॥ दिश एव, सम्राड्, इति होवाच; तस्माद्वै, सम्राड्, . \` यां काङ्च दिशं गच्छति नैवास्या अन्तं गच्छति अनन्ताहिदिशः, श्रोत्रँ हिदिशः , सम्राट्, . श्रोत्रं वै, सम्राट्, परमं ब्रह्म॥ नैनं श्रोत्रं जहाति, सर्वाण्य् एनं भूतान्यभिक्षरन्ति
Now, you tell us, Yājñavalkya. 'The ear is the abode; space is its support—one should meditate thus, as infinite.' What is this infinitude, Yājñavalkya? 'The directions themselves, O King,' he replied. Therefore, O King, whichever direction one goes, one never reaches its end; the directions are indeed infinite, and so is the ear, O King. The ear, O King, is the supreme Brahman; the ear never abandons him, and all beings approach him.
देवोभूत्वादेवानप्येति, यएवं विद्वानेतदुपास्ते॥ हस्त्य्\. सहस्रं ददामीति, होवाच जनकोवैदेहः॥ सहोवाच याज्ञवल्क्यः पितामेऽमन्यत, नाननुशिष्य हरेतेति॥ कएवते किमब्रवीदिति . \`॥.
He who knows and meditates thus, having become a god, attains the gods. 'I will give a thousand cows,' said Janaka, King of Videha. Yājñavalkya replied, 'My father considered that one should not take without instructing.' 'What did he say to you?'
. . \^. अब्रवीन्मे षत्यकामो जाबालोः मनो वैब्रह्मेति; यथा मातृमान्पितृमानाचार्यवान्ब्रूयात् तथा तत्षत्यकामो अब्रवीद् मनो वैब्रह्मेति अमनसो हिकिँ स्यादिति॥ अब्रवीत्तुते तस्यायतनं प्रतिष्ठां॥ नमेऽब्रवीदिति॥ एकपाद्वाएतत् सम्राड्, इति
Śatyakāma Jābāla told me: 'The mind is indeed Brahman.' Just as one would speak with the authority of a mother, father, or teacher, so Śatyakāma declared: 'The mind is indeed Brahman; for without the mind, one would be as if without mind.' He was then asked about its abode and support, but he did not answer. This, O King, is but one aspect.