सयदाहासतो मा सद्गमयेति, मृत्युर्वाअसत् सदमृतम् मृत्योर्मामृतं गमयामृतं मा कुर्वित्य् एवैतदाह
When he says, 'From the unreal lead me to the real,' the unreal is death, the real is immortality; 'from death lead me to immortality'—thus he says, 'Do not make me mortal.'
तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमयेति, मृत्युर्वैतमो, ज्योतिरमृतम् मृत्योर्मामृतं गमयामृतं मा कुर्वित्य् एवैतदाह॥ मृत्योर्मामृतं गमयेति, नात्र तिरोहितमिवास्ति
'From darkness lead me to light'—death is indeed darkness, light is immortality; 'from death lead me to immortality'—thus he says, 'Do not make me mortal.' 'From death lead me to immortality'—there is nothing concealed here.
अथ यानीतराणि स्तोत्राणि, तेष्वात्मनेऽन्नाद्यमागायेत्; तस्मादु तेषु वरं वृणीत, यं कामं कामयेत, तँ॥ सएषएवंविदुद्गातात्मने वा यजमानाय वा यं कामं कामयते, तमागायति॥ तद्धैतल् लोकजिदेव, नहैवालोक्यताया आशास्ति, यएवमेतत्साम वेद॥ 4 = 14.4.2.1-31 =
As for the other hymns, in them one should sing for oneself what is to be eaten and drunk; therefore, among them, one should choose whatever desire one wishes. Thus, the singer who knows thus, for himself or for the sacrificer, sings whatever desire he wishes. This, indeed, is the conqueror of worlds; he does not hope for what is seen, whoever knows this Sāman.
आत्मैवेदमग्र आसीत्पुरुषविधः॥ सोऽनुवीक्ष्य नान्यदात्मनोऽपश्यत्॥ सोऽहमस्मीत्यग्रे व्याहरत्॥ ततोऽहंनामाभवत्॥ तस्मादप्य् एतर्ह्य् आमन्त्रितोः अहमयमित्य् एवाग्र उक्त्वाथान्यन्नाम प्रब्रूते यदस्य भवति
In the beginning, this was the Self alone, in the form of a person. Looking around, he saw nothing else but himself. He first said, 'I am.' Therefore, he became 'I' by name. Hence, even now, when one is addressed, one first says 'I am,' and then speaks whatever other name one has.
सयत्पूर्वोऽस्मात्सर्वस्मात्सर्वान्पाप्मन औषत् तस्मात्पुरुष॥ ओषति ह वैसतं, योऽस्मात्पूर्वो बुभूषति, यएवं वेद
Because he burned up all evil before this, he is called person (puruṣa). He who wishes to burn up what is before him, whoever knows thus, indeed burns it up.
सोऽबिभेत्; तस्मादेकाकीबिभेति॥ सहायमीक्षां चक्रेः यन्मदन्यन्नास्ति, कस्मान्नुबिभेमीति॥ तत एवास्य भयं वीयाय॥ कस्माद्ध्यभेष्यद् द्वितीयाद्वैभयं भवति
He was afraid; therefore, one who is alone is afraid. Then he thought, 'Since there is nothing else but myself, of what should I be afraid?' From that, his fear departed; for, truly, fear arises from a second.
सवैनैवरेमे; तस्मादेकाकीनरमते॥ सद्वितीयमैच्छत्॥ सहैतावानास यथा स्त्रीपुमाँसौ सम्परिष्वक्तौ
He was indeed alone; therefore, one who is alone does not delight. He desired a second. He became as large as a man and woman in close embrace.
सइममेवात्मानं द्वेधापातयत्; ततः पतिश्च पत्नी चाभवतां॥ तस्मादिदमर्धबृगलमिव स्व इति ह स्माह याज्ञवल्क्यः॥ तस्मादयमाकाशः स्त्रियापूर्यत एव॥ ताँ समभवत् ततो मनुष्याअजायन्त
He divided himself in two; from that, husband and wife arose. Therefore, Yājñavalkya used to say, 'This is like one side of a split pea.' Therefore, this space is filled by a woman. He united with her, and from that, human beings were born.
सोहेयमीक्षां चक्रेः कथं नुमात्मन एवजनयित्वासम्भवति॥ हन्त तिरोऽसानीति
She thought, 'How can he unite with me after producing me from himself?' She concealed herself.
सागौरभवद् वृषभइतरस्; ताँ समेवाभवत् ततो गावोऽजायन्त
He became a bull, and she a cow; he united with her, and from that, cattle were born.
वडवेतराभवद् अश्ववृषइतरो; गर्दभीतरा, गर्दभइतरस्; ताँ समेवाभवत् तत एकशफमजायत
He became a stallion, she a mare; he became a donkey, she a she-donkey; he united with her, and from that, single-hoofed animals were born.
अजेतराभवद् बस्तइतरो; अविरितरा, मेषइतरस्; ताँ समेवाभवत् ततोऽजावयोऽजायन्तैवमेवयदिदं किङ्च मिथुनमापिपीलिकाभ्यः तत्सर्वमसृजत
He became a he-goat, she a she-goat; he became a ram, she a ewe; he united with her, and from that, goats and sheep were born. In the same way, whatever pairs there are, down to ants, he created them all.
सोऽवेद् अहं वावसृष्टिरस्मि अहँ हीदँ सर्वमसृक्षीति॥ ततः सृष्टिरभवत्॥ सृष्ट्याँ हास्यैतस्यां भवति, यएवं वेद
He knew, 'I am indeed the creation, for I created all this.' Therefore, creation arose. Whoever knows thus, for him, in this creation, there is indeed creation.
अथेत्यभ्यमन्थत्॥ समुखाच्च योनेर्हस्ताभ्यां चाग्निमसृजत॥ तस्मादेतदुभयमलोमकमन्तरतो, अलोमका हियोनिरन्तरतः
Then he rubbed himself; from his mouth and from his hands, he produced fire. Therefore, both the inside of the mouth and the inside of the yoni are hairless; the yoni is hairless inside.
तद्यदिदमाहुः अमुं यजामुं यजेत्य् एकैकं देवम् एतस्यैवसाविसृष्टिः एषउ ह्य् एवसर्वे देवा
Therefore, when people say, 'Let us worship this god, let us worship that god,' each one is but a partial manifestation of this very one; for indeed, all the gods are only this.
अथ यत्किङ्चेदमार्द्रं, तद्रेतसोऽसृजत; तदु सोम॥ एतावद्वाइदँ सर्वमन्नं चैवान्नादश्च; सोम एवान्नम् अग्निरन्नादः
And whatever here is moist, that he created as semen; that is Soma. Thus, all food and the eater of food are encompassed: Soma is indeed food, Agni is the eater of food.
सैषाब्रह्मणोऽतिसृष्टिः यच्छ्रेयसो देवानसृजताथ यन्मर्त्यः सन्नमृतानसृजत, तस्मादतिसृष्टिः अतिसृष्ट्याँ हास्यैतस्यां भवति, यएवं वेद
This is the supreme creation of Brahman: that, being superior, he created the gods; then, being mortal, he created mortals. Therefore, this is the supreme creation. By knowing this supreme creation, one attains joy in it.
तद्धेदं तर्ह्यव्याकृतमासीत्॥ तन्नामरूपाभ्यामेवव्याक्रियतासौनामायमिदँरूप इति॥ तदिदमप्य् एतर्हि नामरूपाभ्यामेवव्याक्रियत असौनामायमिदँरूप इति
Then, indeed, this was undifferentiated. It was distinguished only by name and form: 'He is such by name, such by form.' Even now, it is distinguished only by name and form: 'He is such by name, such by form.'
सएषइहप्रविष्ट आनखाग्रेभ्यो॥ यथा क्षुरः क्षुरधानेऽवहितः स्याद् विश्वम्भरोवा विश्वम्भरकुलाये, तं नपश्यन्ति अकृत्स्नो हिसः;
He has entered here, down to the tips of the nails. Just as a razor is placed in its case, or the earth is in its nest, him they do not see, for he is not fully manifest.
प्राणन्नेवप्राणोनाम भवति, वदन्वाक् पश्यंश्चक्षुः, शृण्वङ्छ्रोत्रं, मन्वानोमनः॥ तान्यस्यैतानि कर्मनामान्य् एव॥ सयोऽत एकैकमुपास्ते, नसवेदाकृत्स्नो ह्य् एषोऽत एकैकेन भवति
When breathing, he is called 'breath'; speaking, 'speech'; seeing, 'eye'; hearing, 'ear'; thinking, 'mind.' These are his names according to their functions. Whoever worships each one separately does not know the whole; he becomes only as each one.
आत्मेत्य् एवोपासीतात्र ह्य् एतेसर्व एकं भवन्ति॥ तदेतत्पदनीयमस्य सर्वस्य यदयमात्मानेन ह्य् एतत्सर्वं वेद॥ यथा ह वैपदेनानुविन्देद् एवं कीर्तिँ श्लोकं विन्दते, यएवं वेद
One should meditate upon the Self alone, for here all these become one. This is the foundation of all: that this Self is the means by which all is known. Just as one finds a track by following footprints, so one who knows thus attains fame and verse.
तदेतत्प्रेयः पुत्रात् प्रेयो वित्तात् प्रेयोऽन्यस्मात्सर्वस्माद् अन्तरतरं, यदयमात्मा॥ सयोऽन्यमात्मनः प्रियं ब्रुवाणं ब्रूयात् प्रियँ रोत्स्यतीतीश्वरोह तथैवस्याद्॥ आत्मानमेवप्रियमुपासीत॥ सयआत्मानमेवप्रियमुपास्ते, नहास्य प्रियं प्रमायुकं भवति
This is dearer than a son, dearer than wealth, dearer than anything else, more inward: this Self. If one were to say to another who claims something else is dear, 'That which you call dear will perish,' let it be so. One should meditate upon the Self alone as dear. Whoever meditates upon the Self alone as dear, for him the dear does not perish.
तदाहुः यद्ब्रह्मविद्यया सर्वं भविष्यन्तो मनुष्यामन्यन्ते, किमु तद्ब्रह्मावेद् यस्मात्तत्सर्वमभवदिति
They say: 'By knowledge of Brahman, all will become,' and people think thus. But what is that Brahman, since all became from it?
ब्रह्म वाइदमग्र आसीत्॥ तदात्मानमेवावेद् अहं ब्रह्मास्मीति; तस्मात्तत्सर्वमभवत्॥ तद्यो-यो देवानां प्रत्यबुध्यत, सएवतदभवत् तथर्षीनां, तथा मनुष्याणाम्
Verily, Brahman was this in the beginning, one alone. It knew itself: 'I am Brahman.' Therefore, all became from it. Whoever among the gods awakened to this, he became that; so among the sages, so among humans.
तद्धैतत्पश्यन्नृषिर्वामदेवः प्रतिपेदेः अहं मनुरभवँ सूर्यश्चेति॥ तदिदमप्य् एतर्हि यएवं वेदाहं ब्रह्मास्मीति, सइदँ सर्वं भवति, तस्य ह नदेवाश्चनाभूत्या ईशत, आत्माह्य् एषाँ सभवति॥ अथ योऽन्यां देवतामुपास्तेः अन्योऽसाउ अन्योऽहमस्मीति, नसवेद॥ यथा पशुरेवँ सदेवानां॥ यथा ह वैबहवः पशवो मनुष्यं भुङ्ज्युः एवमेकैकः पुरुषो देवान्भुनक्ति॥ एकस्मिन्नेवपशावादीयमानेऽप्रियं भवति, किमु बहुषु; तस्मादेषां तन्नप्रियं यदेतन्मनुष्याविद्युः
Seeing this, the sage Vāmadeva declared: 'I became Manu, I became the Sun.' Even now, whoever knows thus, 'I am Brahman,' he becomes all. Neither gods nor ancestors rule over him, for he becomes the Self. But whoever worships another deity, thinking 'He is one, I am another,' does not know. He is like cattle for the gods. Just as many cattle serve a human, so each person serves the gods. When a single animal is taken, it is unpleasant; how much more when many are taken. Therefore, what is unpleasant for them is that which humans know.
ब्रह्म वाइदमग्र आसीदेकमेव॥ तदेकँ सन्नव्यभवत्॥ तच्छ्रेयो रूपमत्यसृजत क्षत्रं, यान्य् एतानि देवत्राक्षत्राणीन्द्रो वरुणः सोमो रुद्रः पर्जन्यो यमोमृत्युरीशान इति॥ तस्मात्क्षत्रात्परं नास्ति; तस्माद्! ब्राह्मणः क्षत्रियं अधस्तादुपास्ते राजसूये॥ क्षत्रएवतद्यशो दधाति, सैषाक्षत्रस्य योनिर्यद्ब्रह्म॥ तस्माद्यद्यपि राजा परमतां गच्छति, ब्रह्मैवान्ततउपनिश्रयति स्वां योनिं॥ यउ एनँ हिनस्ति, स्वाँ सयोनिमृच्छति॥ सपापीयान्भवति, यथा श्रेयाँसँ हिँसित्वा
Verily, Brahman was this in the beginning, one alone. Being one, it differentiated itself. It created the best form, Kṣatra (sovereignty): these are the divine Kṣatras—Indra, Varuṇa, Soma, Rudra, Parjanya, Yama, Mṛtyu, Īśāna. Therefore, there is nothing higher than Kṣatra. Thus, the Brāhmaṇa worships the Kṣatriya from below in the Rājasūya. Kṣatra alone grants him fame. The womb of Kṣatra is Brahman. Therefore, even if the king reaches supremacy, he ultimately resorts to Brahman, his own womb. Whoever injures him, he attains his own womb. He becomes more sinful, just as one who departs from the best.
सनैवव्यभवत्॥ सविशमसृजत, यान्य् एतानि देवजातानि गणशआख्यायन्ते, वसवो रुद्राआदित्याविश्वे देवामरुत इति
He differentiated himself. He created those divine classes which are spoken of in groups: the Vasus, Rudras, Ādityas, Viśve Devas, Maruts.
सनैवव्यभवत्॥ सशौद्रं वर्णमसृजत पूषणम्॥ इयं वैपूषेयँ हीदँ सर्वं पुष्यति यदिदं किङ्च
He differentiated himself. He created the Śūdra class, Pūṣan. Indeed, this Pūṣan nourishes all that exists here.
सनैवव्यभवत्॥ तच्छ्रेयो रूपमत्यसृजत धर्मं॥ तदेतत्क्षत्रस्य क्षत्रं यद्धर्मः॥ तस्माद्धर्मात्परं नास्ति॥ अथो अबलीयान्बलीयाँसमाशँसते धर्मेण यथा राज्ञैवं॥ योवैसधर्मः, सत्यं वैतत्॥ तस्मात्सत्यं वदन्तमाहुः धर्मं वदतीति, धर्मं वा वदन्तँ: सत्यं वदतीति एतद्ध्य् एवैतदुभयं भवति
He differentiated himself. He created the best form, Dharma. This is the sovereignty of sovereignty: Dharma. Therefore, there is nothing higher than Dharma. Thus, the weaker submit to the stronger by Dharma, as to a king. What is Dharma is truth. Therefore, they say to one who speaks truth, 'He speaks Dharma'; and to one who speaks Dharma, 'He speaks truth.' Both are indeed the same.
तदेतद्ब्रह्म क्षत्रं विट् शूद्रः॥ तदग्निनैवदेवेषु ब्रह्माभवद् ब्राह्मणोमनुष्येषु, क्षत्रियेण क्षत्रियो, वैश्येन वैश्यः, शूद्रेण शूद्रः॥ तस्मादग्नावेवदेवेषु लोकमिच्छन्ते, ब्राह्मणेमनुष्येषु एताभ्याँ हिरूपाभ्यां ब्रह्माभवत्
This is Brahman, Kṣatra, Vaiśya, Śūdra. Among the gods, Brahman became Agni; among humans, Brāhmaṇa; by Kṣatriya, Kṣatriya; by Vaiśya, Vaiśya; by Śūdra, Śūdra. Therefore, among the gods, they seek the world through Agni; among humans, through Brāhmaṇa. By these two forms, Brahman became.