अथ यत्रैतत्पुरुषः पिपासति नाम तेज एव तत्पीतं नयते तद्यथा गोनायोऽश्वनायः पुरुषनाय इत्येवं तत्तेज आचष्ट उदन्येति तत्रैतदेव शुङ्गमुत्पतितँ सोम्य विजानीहि नेदममूलं भविष्यतीति
And when this person is thirsty, fire carries what is drunk to the appropriate place. Just as cows, horses, and humans are called by their respective names, so too, fire is called 'drink.' From this, the shoot arises. Understand, my dear, that this does not arise without a root.
तस्य क्व मूलँ स्यादन्यत्राद्भ्य्ऽद्भिः सोम्य शुङ्गेन तेजो मूलमन्विच्छ तेजसा सोम्य शुङ्गेन सन्मूलमन्विच्छ सन्मूलाः सोम्येमाः सर्वाः प्रजाः सदायतनाः सत्प्रतिष्ठा यथा नु खलु सोम्येमास्तिस्रो देवताः पुरुषं प्राप्य त्रिवृत्त्रिवृदेकैका भवति तदुक्तं पुरस्तादेव भवत्यस्य सोम्य पुरुषस्य प्रयतो वाङ्मनसि सम्पद्यते मनः प्राणे प्राणस्तेजसि तेजः परस्यां देवतायाम्
Where could its root be, except in water? Thus, my dear, by means of the shoot, seek the root in fire; by means of the shoot, seek the root in Being. All these creatures, my dear, have Being as their root, Being as their abode, Being as their foundation. Just as, my dear, these three elements, having entered the person, each become threefold, so it was said before: when this person departs, speech merges in the mind, mind in the breath, breath in fire, and fire in the highest deity.
स य एषोऽणिमैतदात्म्यमिदँ सर्वं तत्सत्यँ स आत्मा तत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो इति भूय एव मा भगवान्विज्ञापयत्विति तथा सोम्येति होवाच
That which is this subtle essence, all this has that as its self. That is the true. That is the Self. That you are, Svetaketu.' 'Revered sir, please explain further.' 'So be it, dear one,' he said.
यथा सोम्य मधु मधुकृतो निस्तिष्ठन्ति नानात्ययानां वृक्षाणाँरसान्समवहारमेकताँरसं गमयन्ति
Just as, dear one, bees collect honey by gathering the juices of various trees and blend them into one essence,
ते यथा तत्र न विवेकं लभन्तेऽमुष्याहं वृक्षस्य रसोऽस्म्यमुष्याहं वृक्षस्य रसोऽस्मीत्येवमेव खलु सोम्येमाः सर्वाः प्रजाः सति सम्पद्य न विदुः सति सम्पद्यामह इति
There, they do not distinguish: 'I am the juice of this tree, I am the juice of that tree.' In the same way, dear one, all these creatures, having merged with Being, do not know: 'We have merged with Being.'
त इह व्याघ्रो वा सिँहो वा वृको वा वराहो वा कीटो वा पतङ्गो वा दँशो वा मशको वा यद्यद्भवन्ति तदाभवन्ति
Here, whether they become a tiger, a lion, a wolf, a boar, an insect, a moth, a gnat, or a mosquito—whatever they become, that they become.
स य एषोऽणिमैतदात्म्यमिदँ सर्वं तत्सत्यँ स आत्मा तत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो इति भूय एव मा भगवान्विज्ञापयत्विति तथा सोम्येति होवाच
That which is this subtle essence, all this has that as its self. That is the true. That is the Self. That you are, Svetaketu.' 'Revered sir, please explain further.' 'So be it, dear one,' he said.
सोम्य नद्यः पुरस्तात्प्राच्यः स्यन्दन्ते पश्चात्प्रतीच्यस्ताः समुद्रात्समुद्रमेवापियन्ति स समुद्र एव भवति ता यथा तत्र न विदुरियमहमस्मीयमहमस्मीति
Dear one, the rivers in the east flow eastward, and those in the west flow westward; all of them, coming from the ocean, merge into the ocean and become the ocean itself. There, they do not know: 'I am this one, I am that one.'
एवमेव खलु सोम्येमाः सर्वाः प्रजाः सत आगम्य न विदुः सत आगच्छामह इति त इह व्याघ्रो वा सिँहो वा वृको वा वराहो वा कीटो वा पतङ्गो वा दँशो वा मशको वा यद्यद्भवन्ति तदाभवन्ति
In the same way, dear one, all these creatures, having come from Being, do not know: 'We have come from Being.' Here, whether they become a tiger, a lion, a wolf, a boar, an insect, a moth, a gnat, or a mosquito—whatever they become, that they become.
स य एषोऽणिमैतदात्म्यमिदँ सर्वं तत्सत्यँ स आत्मा तत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो इति भूय एव मा भगवान्विज्ञापयत्विति तथा सोम्येति होवाच
That which is this subtle essence, all this has that as its self. That is the true. That is the Self. That you are, Svetaketu.' 'Revered sir, please explain further.' 'So be it, dear one,' he said.
अस्य सोम्य महतो वृक्षस्य यो मूलेऽभ्याहन्याज्जीवन्स्रवेद्यो मध्येऽभ्याहन्याज्जीवन्स्रवेद्योऽग्रेऽभ्याहन्याज्जीवन्स्रवेत्स एष जीवेनात्मनानुप्रभूतः पेपीयमानो मोदमानस्तिष्ठति
Dear one, if someone strikes the root of this great tree, it will bleed sap while living; if they strike the middle, it will bleed sap while living; if they strike the top, it will bleed sap while living. Pervaded by the living self, it stands rejoicing, drinking in nourishment.
अस्य यदेकाँ शाखां जीवो जहात्यथ सा शुष्यति द्वितीयां जहात्यथ सा शुष्यति तृतीयां जहात्यथ सा शुष्यति सर्वं जहाति सर्वः शुष्यत्येवमेव खलु सोम्य विद्धीति होवाच
If the life leaves one branch, that branch withers; if it leaves a second, that one withers; if it leaves a third, that one withers; if it leaves all, all wither. In the same way, dear one, understand this.' Thus he spoke.
जीवापेतं वाव किलेदं म्रियते न जीवो म्रियते इति स य एषोऽणिमैतदात्म्यमिदँ सर्वं तत्सत्यँ स आत्मा तत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो इति भूय एव मा भगवान्विज्ञापयत्विति तथा सोम्येति होवाच
When life departs from it, indeed, it dies; life itself does not die. That which is this subtle essence, all this has that as its self. That is the true. That is the Self. That you are, Svetaketu.' 'Revered sir, please explain further.' 'So be it, dear one,' he said.
न्यग्रोधफलमत आहरेतीदं भगव इति भिन्द्धीति भिन्नं भगव इति किमत्र पश्यसीत्यण्व्य इवेमा धाना भगव इत्यासामङ्गैकां भिन्द्धीति भिन्ना भगव इति किमत्र पश्यसीति न किञ्चन भगव इति
'Bring a fruit of the banyan tree, dear one.' 'Here it is, revered sir.' 'Break it.' 'It is broken, revered sir.' 'What do you see there?' 'Very small seeds, revered sir.' 'Break one of them.' 'It is broken, revered sir.' 'What do you see there?' 'Nothing at all, revered sir.'
तँ होवाच यं वै सोम्यैतमणिमानं न निभालयस एतस्य वै सोम्यैषोऽणिम्न एवं महान्यग्रोधस्तिष्ठति श्रद्धत्स्व सोम्येति
He said: 'Somya, you do not see this subtle essence; yet, truly, from this subtle essence alone, this great banyan tree stands. Believe this, Somya.'
स य एषोऽणिमैतदात्म्यमिदद्ँ सर्वं तत्सत्यँ स आत्मा तत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो इति भूय एव मा भगवान्विज्ञापयत्विति तथा सोम्येति होवाच
That which is this subtle essence, all this has that as its self. That is the true, that is the Self. You are that, Śvetaketu.' He said, 'Please, revered one, explain further.' 'So be it, Somya,' he replied.
लवणमेतदुदकेऽवधायाथ मा प्रातरुपसीदथा इति स ह तथा चकार तँ होवाच यद्दोषा लवणमुदकेऽवाधा अङ्ग तदाहरेति तद्धावमृश्य न विवेद
Place this salt in water, and come to me in the morning.' He did so. 'Bring the salt you placed in the water last night.' He searched, but did not find it.
यथा विलीनमेवाङ्गास्यान्तादाचामेति कथमिति लवणमिति मध्यादाचामेति कथमिति लवणमित्यन्तादाचामेति कथमिति लवणमित्यभिप्रास्यैतदथ मोपसीदथा इति तद्ध तथा चकार तच्छश्वत्संवर्तते तँ होवाचात्र वाव किल तत्सोम्य न निभालयसेऽत्रैव किलेति
'Taste the water from the edge—how is it?' 'Salty.' 'Taste from the middle—how is it?' 'Salty.' 'Taste from the other edge—how is it?' 'Salty.' 'Now return to me.' He did so. The salt remained dissolved. He said, 'Somya, though you do not see it here, it is truly present.'
स य एषोऽणिमैतदात्म्यमिदँ सर्वं तत्सत्यँ स आत्मा तत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो इति भूय एव मा भगवान्विज्ञापयत्विति तथा सोम्येति होवाच
That which is this subtle essence, all this has that as its self. That is the true, that is the Self. You are that, Śvetaketu.' He said, 'Please, revered one, explain further.' 'So be it, Somya,' he replied.
यथा सोम्य पुरुषं गन्धारेभ्योऽभिनद्धाक्षमानीय तं ततोऽतिजने विसृजेत्स यथा तत्र प्राङ्वोदङ्वाधराङ्वा प्रत्यङ्वा प्रध्मायीताभिनद्धाक्ष आनीतोऽभिनद्धाक्षो विसृष्टः
Somya, suppose a man is blindfolded and brought from Gandhāra, then released among people. He would blow in every direction—east, west, south, north—blindfolded, brought, blindfolded, released.
तस्य यथाभिनहनं प्रमुच्य प्रब्रूयादेतां दिशं गन्धारा एतां दिशं व्रजेति स ग्रामाद्ग्रामं पृच्छन्पण्डितो मेधावी गन्धारानेवोपसम्पद्येतैवमेवेहाचार्यवान्पुरुषो वेद तस्य तावदेव चिरं यावन्न विमोक्ष्येऽथ सम्पत्स्य इति
If someone removes his blindfold and tells him, 'Gandhāra is in this direction, go this way,' then, asking from village to village, a wise and intelligent man would reach Gandhāra. In the same way, a man who has a teacher knows, but only for as long as he is not freed; then he attains.
स य एषोऽणिमैतदात्म्यमिदँ सर्वं तत्सत्यँ स आत्मा तत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो इति भूय एव मा भगवान्विज्ञापयत्विति तथा सोम्येति होवाच
That which is this subtle essence, all this has that as its self. That is the true, that is the Self. You are that, Śvetaketu.' He said, 'Please, revered one, explain further.' 'So be it, Somya,' he replied.
पुरुषँ सोम्योतोपतापिनं ज्ञातयः पर्युपासते जानासि मां जानासि मामिति । तस्य यावन्न वाङ्मनसि सम्पद्यते मनः प्राणे प्राणस्तेजसि तेजः परस्यां देवतायां तावज्जानाति
Somya, when a man is afflicted, his relatives gather around him, saying, 'Do you know me? Do you know me?' As long as his speech has not merged in his mind, his mind in breath, breath in fire, fire in the supreme deity, he knows them.
अथ यदास्य वाङ्मनसि सम्पद्यते मनः प्राणे प्राणस्तेजसि तेजः परस्यां देवतायामथ न जानाति
But when his speech merges in his mind, his mind in breath, breath in fire, fire in the supreme deity, then he does not know them.
स य एषोऽणिमैतदात्म्यमिदँ सर्वं तत् सत्यँ स आत्मा तत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो इति भूय एव मा भगवान्विज्ञापयत्विति तथा सोम्येति होवाच
That which is this subtle essence, all this has that as its self. That is the true, that is the Self. You are that, Śvetaketu.' He said, 'Please, revered one, explain further.' 'So be it, Somya,' he replied.
पुरुषँ सोम्योत हस्तगृहीतमानयन्त्यपहार्षीत्स्तेयमकार्षीत्परशुमस्मै तपतेति स यदि तस्य कर्ता भवति तत एवानृतमात्मानं कुरुते सोऽनृताभिसन्धोऽनृतेनात्मानमन्तर्धाय परशुं तप्तं प्रतिगृह्णाति स दह्यतेऽथ हन्यते
Somya, when a man is brought holding something stolen, people say, 'He stole, he committed theft, the axe burns him.' If he is the doer, he makes himself false. With intent on falsehood, hiding himself with falsehood, he accepts the burning axe; he is burned, then killed.
अथ यदि तस्याकर्ता भवति ततेव सत्यमात्मानं कुरुते स सत्याभिसन्धः सत्येनात्मानमन्तर्धाय परशुं तप्तं प्रतिगृह्णाति सन दह्यतेऽथ मुच्यते
But if he is not the doer, he makes himself true. With intent on truth, hiding himself with truth, he accepts the burning axe; he is not burned, then released.
स यथा तत्र नादाह्येतैतदात्म्यमिदँ सर्वं तत्सत्यँ स आत्मा तत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो इति तद्धास्य विजज्ञाविति विजज्ञाविति
Just as he would not be burned there, so all this has that as its self. That is the true, that is the Self. You are that, Śvetaketu.' Thus he understood, thus he understood.
अधीहि भगव इति होपससाद सनत्कुमारं नारदस्तँ होवाच यद्वेत्थ तेन मोपसीद ततस्त ऊर्ध्वं वक्ष्यामीति स होवाच
Nārada approached Sanatkumāra and said, 'Revered one, teach me.' He replied, 'Approach me with what you know; then I will speak further.' Thus he spoke.
ऋग्वेदं भगवोऽध्येमि यजुर्वेदँ सामवेदमाथर्वणं चतुर्थमितिहासपुराणं पञ्चमं वेदानां वेदं पित्र्यँ राशिं दैवं निधिं वाकोवाक्यमेकायनं देवविद्यां ब्रह्मविद्यां भूतविद्यां क्षत्रविद्यां नक्षत्रविद्याँ सर्पदेवजनविद्यामेतद्भगवोऽध्येमि
'Revered one, I study the Ṛgveda, Yajurveda, Sāmaveda, Atharva as the fourth, history and ancient lore as the fifth Veda, the Veda of the Vedas, the science of ancestors, numbers, divination, treasure, speech, single texts, knowledge of the gods, knowledge of Brahman, knowledge of beings, knowledge of warriors, knowledge of stars, knowledge of serpents and spirits. This, revered one, I study.'