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.'
सोऽहं भगवो मन्त्रविदेवास्मि नात्मविच्छ्रुतँ ह्येव मे भगवद्दृशेभ्यस्तरति शोकमात्मविदिति सोऽहं भगवः शोचामि तं मा भगवाञ्छोकस्य पारं तारयत्विति तँ होवाच यद्वै किञ्चैतदध्यगीष्ठा नामैवैतत्
'Revered one, I am a knower of mantras, but not a knower of the Self. I have heard that only the knower of the Self crosses sorrow. I, revered one, grieve. May the revered one lead me beyond sorrow.' He said, 'Whatever you have studied is only name.'
नाम वा ऋग्वेदो यजुर्वेदः सामवेद आथर्वणश्चतुर्थ इतिहासपुराणः पञ्चमो वेदानां वेदः पित्र्यो राशिर्दैवो निधिर्वाकोवाक्यमेकायनं देवविद्या ब्रह्मविद्या भूतविद्या क्षत्रविद्या नक्षत्रविद्या सर्पदेवजनविद्या नामैवैतन्नामोपास्स्वेति
'Name is 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. All this is name alone. Meditate on name.'
स यो नाम ब्रह्मेत्युपास्ते यावन्नाम्नो गतं तत्रास्य यथाकामचारो भवति यो नाम ब्रह्मेत्युपास्तेऽस्ति भगवो नाम्नो भूय इति नाम्नो वाव भूयोऽस्तीति तन्मे भगवान्ब्रवीत्विति
Whoever meditates upon name as Brahman, to the extent that name reaches, there he moves as he wishes. One who meditates upon name as Brahman says: 'Venerable one, is there something greater than name?' 'Indeed, there is something greater than name,' is the reply. 'Please, venerable one, tell that to me.'
वाग्वाव नाम्नो भूयसी वाग्वा ऋग्वेदं विज्ञापयति यजुर्वेदँ सामवेदमाथर्वणं चतुर्थमितिहासपुराणं पञ्चमं वेदानां वेदं पित्र्यँराशिं दैवं निधिं वाकोवाक्यमेकायनं देवविद्यां ब्रह्मविद्यां भूतविद्यां क्षत्रविद्याँ सर्पदेवजनविद्यां दिवं च पृथिवीं च वायुं चाकाशं चापश्च तेजश्च देवाँश्च मनुष्याँश्च पशूँश्च वयाँसि च तृणवनस्पतीञ्छ्वापदान्याकीटपतङ्गपिपीलकं धर्मं चाधर्मं च सत्यं चानृतं च साधु चासाधु च हृदयज्ञं चाहृदयज्ञं च यद्वै वाङ्नाभविष्यन्न धर्मो नाधर्मो व्यज्ञापयिष्यन्न सत्यं नानृतं न साधु नासाधु न हृदयज्ञो नाहृदयज्ञो वागेवैतत्सर्वं विज्ञापयति वाचमुपास्स्वेति
Speech is indeed greater than name. Speech makes known the Rigveda, the Yajurveda, the Samaveda, the Atharvaveda as the fourth, the Itihasa and Purana as the fifth Veda, the Veda of the Vedas, the rites for ancestors, the collections for the gods, the treasury, the words of speech, the single course, the knowledge of the gods, the knowledge of Brahman, the knowledge of beings, the knowledge of rulers, the knowledge of stars, the knowledge of serpents and divine beings, the heaven and the earth, the wind and the space, the waters and the fire, the gods and humans, the animals and birds, the grass and trees, the wild beasts, the insects, the flying creatures, the ants, righteousness and unrighteousness, truth and falsehood, good and not good, what is pleasing to the heart and what is not, for if there were no speech, neither righteousness nor unrighteousness would be made known, nor truth nor falsehood, nor good nor not good, nor what is pleasing to the heart nor what is not. By speech all this is made known. Meditate on speech.
स यो वाचं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्ते यावद्वाचो गतं तत्रास्य यथाकामचारो भवति यो वाचं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्तेऽस्ति भगवो वाचो भूय इति वाचो वाव भूयोऽस्तीति तन्मे भगवान्ब्रवीत्विति
Whoever meditates upon speech as Brahman, to the extent that speech reaches, there he moves as he wishes. One who meditates upon speech as Brahman says: 'Venerable one, is there something greater than speech?' 'Indeed, there is something greater than speech,' is the reply. 'Please, venerable one, tell that to me.'
मनो वाव वाचो भूयो यथा वै द्वे वामलके द्वे वा कोले द्वौ वाक्षौ मुष्टिरनुभवत्येवं वाचं च नाम च मनोऽनुभवति स यदा मनसा मनस्यति मन्त्रानधीयीयेत्यथाधीते कर्माणि कुर्वीयेत्यथ कुरुते पुत्राँश्च पशूँश्चेच्छेयेत्यथेच्छत इमं च लोकममुं चेच्छेयेत्यथेच्छते मनो ह्यात्मा मनो हि लोको मनो हि ब्रह्म मन उपास्स्वेति
Mind is indeed greater than speech. Just as two amalaka fruits, or two kola fruits, or two bilva fruits are grasped in a fist, so speech and name are grasped by the mind. When one contemplates with the mind, one studies the mantras; when one wills, one acts; when one desires sons or cattle, one desires; when one desires this world or the next, one desires. Mind is indeed the self; mind is indeed the world; mind is indeed Brahman. Meditate on mind.
स यो मनो ब्रह्मेत्युपास्ते यावन्मनसो गतं तत्रास्य यथाकामचारो भवति यो मनो ब्रह्मेत्युपास्तेऽस्ति भगवो मनसो भूय इति मनसो वाव भूयोऽस्तीति तन्मे भगवान्ब्रवीत्विति
Whoever meditates upon mind as Brahman, to the extent that mind reaches, there he moves as he wishes. One who meditates upon mind as Brahman says: 'Venerable one, is there something greater than mind?' 'Indeed, there is something greater than mind,' is the reply. 'Please, venerable one, tell that to me.'
सङ्कल्पो वाव मनसो भूयान्यदा वै सङ्कल्पयतेऽथ मनस्यत्यथ वाचमीरयति तामु नाम्नीरयति नाम्नि मन्त्रा एकं भवन्ति मन्त्रेषु कर्माणि
Intention is indeed greater than mind. When one intends, then one contemplates; then one utters speech; then one utters name; in name the mantras become one; in the mantras, the actions.
तानि ह वा एतानि सङ्कल्पैकायनानि सङ्कल्पात्मकानि सङ्कल्पे प्रतिष्ठितानि समकॢपतां द्यावापृथिवी समकल्पेतां वायुश्चाकाशं च समकल्पन्तापश्च तेजश्च तेषाँ सङ्कॢप्त्यै वर्षँ सङ्कल्पते वर्षस्य सङ्कॢप्त्या अन्नँ सङ्कल्पतेऽन्नस्य सङ्कॢप्त्यै प्राणाः सङ्कल्पन्ते प्राणानाँ सङ्कॢप्त्यै मन्त्राः सङ्कल्पन्ते मन्त्राणाँ सङ्कॢप्त्यै कर्माणि सङ्कल्पन्ते कर्मणां सङ्कॢप्त्यै लोकः सङ्कल्पते लोकस्य सङ्कॢप्त्यै सर्वँ सङ्कल्पते स एष सङ्कल्पः सङ्कल्पमुपास्स्वेति
All these indeed have intention as their one course, are of the nature of intention, are established in intention. Heaven and earth are established by intention; wind and space are established by intention; waters and fire are established by intention. For the sake of intention, rain is intended; for the sake of rain, food is intended; for the sake of food, breath is intended; for the sake of breath, mantras are intended; for the sake of mantras, actions are intended; for the sake of actions, the world is intended; for the sake of the world, everything is intended. This is intention. Meditate on intention.
स यः सङ्कल्पं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्ते सङ्कॢप्तान्वै स लोकान्ध्रुवान्ध्रुवः प्रतिष्ठितान् प्रतिष्ठितोऽव्यथमानानव्यथमानोऽभिसिध्यति यावत्सङ्कल्पस्य गतं तत्रास्य यथाकामचारो भवति यः सङ्कल्पं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्तेऽस्ति भगवः सङ्कल्पाद्भूय इति सङ्कल्पाद्वाव भूयोऽस्तीति तन्मे भगवान्ब्रवीत्विति
Whoever meditates upon intention as Brahman, truly he attains the worlds that are established and firm, and he himself becomes established and unshaken. To the extent that intention reaches, there he moves as he wishes. One who meditates upon intention as Brahman says: 'Venerable one, is there something greater than intention?' 'Indeed, there is something greater than intention,' is the reply. 'Please, venerable one, tell that to me.'