चित्तं वाव सङ्कल्पाद्भूयो यदा वै चेतयतेऽथ सङ्कल्पयतेऽथ मनस्यत्यथ वाचमीरयति तामु नाम्नीरयति नाम्नि मन्त्रा एकं भवन्ति मन्त्रेषु कर्माणि
Awareness is indeed greater than intention. When one is aware, then 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 चित्तैकायनानि चित्तात्मानि चित्ते प्रतिष्ठितानि तस्माद्यद्यपि बहुविदचित्तो भवति नायमस्तीत्येवैनमाहुर्यदयं वेद यद्वा अयं विद्वान्नेत्थमचित्तः स्यादित्यथ यद्यल्पविच्चित्तवान्भवति तस्मा एवोत शुश्रूषन्ते चित्तँह्येवैषामेकायनं चित्तमात्मा चित्तं प्रतिष्ठा चित्तमुपास्स्वेति
All these indeed have awareness as their one course, are of the nature of awareness, are established in awareness. Therefore, even if a person has much awareness, people say of him, 'He is not present,' if he does not know. Or, if he is knowledgeable, but lacks awareness, then, if he has little awareness, only to that extent do people attend to him. For awareness alone is their one course, awareness is the self, awareness is the foundation. Meditate on awareness.
स यश्चित्तं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्ते चित्तान्वै स लोकान्ध्रुवान्ध्रुवः प्रतिष्ठितान्प्रतिष्ठितोऽव्यथमानानव्यथमानोऽभिसिध्यति यावच्चित्तस्य गतं तत्रास्य यथाकामचारो भवति यश्चित्तं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्तेऽस्ति भगवश्चित्ताद्भूय इति चित्ताद्वाव भूयोऽस्तीति तन्मे भगवान्ब्रवीत्विति
Whoever meditates upon awareness as Brahman, truly he attains the worlds that are established and firm, and he himself becomes established and unshaken. To the extent that awareness reaches, there he moves as he wishes. One who meditates upon awareness as Brahman says: 'Venerable one, is there something greater than awareness?' 'Indeed, there is something greater than awareness,' is the reply. 'Please, venerable one, tell that to me.'
ध्यानं वाव चित्ताद्भूयो ध्यायतीव पृथिवी ध्यायतीवान्तरिक्षं ध्यायतीव द्यौर्ध्यायन्तीवापो ध्यायन्तीव पर्वता देवमनुष्यास्तस्माद्य इह मनुष्याणां महत्तां प्राप्नुवन्ति ध्यानापादाँशा इवैव ते भवन्त्यथ येऽल्पाः कलहिनः पिशुना उपवादिनस्तेऽथ ये प्रभवो ध्यानापादाँशा इवैव ते भवन्ति ध्यानमुपास्स्वेति
Meditation is indeed greater than awareness. The earth seems to meditate, the atmosphere seems to meditate, the sky seems to meditate, the waters seem to meditate, the mountains seem to meditate, the gods and humans seem to meditate. Therefore, among humans, those who attain greatness appear to do so through meditation; those who are small, quarrelsome, slanderous, and talkative are not so; but those who are powerful appear to be so through meditation. Meditate on meditation.
स यो ध्यानं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्ते यावद्ध्यानस्य गतं तत्रास्य यथाकामचारो भवति यो ध्यानं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्तेऽस्ति भगवो ध्यानाद्भूय इति ध्यानाद्वाव भूयोऽस्तीति तन्मे भगवान्ब्रवीत्विति
Whoever meditates upon meditation as Brahman, to the extent that meditation reaches, there he moves as he wishes. One who meditates upon meditation as Brahman says: 'Venerable one, is there something greater than meditation?' 'Indeed, there is something greater than meditation,' is the reply. 'Please, venerable one, tell that to me.'
विज्ञानं वाव ध्यानाद्भूयः विज्ञानेन वा ऋग्वेदं विजानाति यजुर्वेदँ सामवेदमाथर्वणं चतुर्थमितिहासपुराणं पञ्चमं वेदानां वेदं पित्र्यँराशिं दैवं निधिं वाकोवाक्यमेकायनं देवविद्यां ब्रह्मविद्यां भूतविद्यां क्षत्रविद्यां नक्षत्रविद्याँ 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 चान्नं च रसं चेमं च लोकममुं च विज्ञानेनैव विजानाति विज्ञानमुपास्स्वेति
Understanding is indeed greater than meditation. By understanding, one knows 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, food and its taste, this world and the next—by understanding alone one knows all this. Meditate on understanding.
स यो विज्ञानं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्ते विज्ञानवतो वै स लोकाञ्ज्ञानवतोऽभिसिध्यति यावद्विज्ञानस्य गतं तत्रास्य यथाकामचारो भवति यो विज्ञानं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्तेऽस्ति भगवो विज्ञानाद्भूय इति विज्ञानाद्वाव भूयोऽस्तीति तन्मे भगवान्ब्रवीत्विति
Whoever meditates upon understanding as Brahman, truly he attains the worlds of those who possess understanding, not those who lack understanding. To the extent that understanding reaches, there he moves as he wishes. One who meditates upon understanding as Brahman says: 'Venerable one, is there something greater than understanding?' 'Indeed, there is something greater than understanding,' is the reply. 'Please, venerable one, tell that to me.'
बलं वाव विज्ञानाद्भूयोऽपि ह शतं विज्ञानवतामेको बलवानाकम्पयते । स यदा बली भवत्यथोत्थाता भवत्युत्तिष्ठन्परिचरिता भवति परिचरन्नुपसत्ता भवत्युपसीदन्द्रष्टा भवति श्रोता भवति मन्ता भवति बोद्धा भवति कर्ता भवति विज्ञाता भवति । बलेन वै पृथिवी तिष्ठति बलेनान्तरिक्षं बलेन द्यौर्बलेन पर्वता बलेन देवमनुष्या बलेन पशवश्च वयाँसि च तृणवनस्पतयः श्वापदान्याकीटपतङ्गपिपीलकं बलेन लोकस्तिष्ठति बलमुपास्स्वेति
Strength is indeed greater than understanding. Even a hundred people with understanding cannot shake a single person with strength. When one is strong, one rises; rising, one moves about; moving about, one approaches; approaching, one sits; sitting, one sees; one hears; one thinks; one knows; one acts; one understands. By strength the earth stands, by strength the atmosphere, by strength the sky, by strength the mountains, by strength the gods and humans, by strength the animals and birds, the grass and trees, the wild beasts, the insects, the flying creatures, the ants; by strength the world stands. Meditate on strength.
स यो बलं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्ते यावद्बलस्य गतं तत्रास्य यथाकामचारो भवति यो बलं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्तेऽस्ति भगवो बलाद्भूय इति बलाद्वाव भूयोऽस्तीति तन्मे भगवान्ब्रवीत्विति
Whoever meditates upon strength as Brahman, to the extent that strength reaches, there he moves as he wishes. One who meditates upon strength as Brahman says: 'Venerable one, is there something greater than strength?' 'Indeed, there is something greater than strength,' is the reply. 'Please, venerable one, tell that to me.'
अन्नं वाव बलाद्भूयस्तस्माद्यद्यपि दश रात्रीर्नाश्नीयाद्यद्यु ह जीवेदथवाद्रष्टाश्रोतामन्ताबोद्धाकर्ताविज्ञाता भवत्यथान्नस्यायै द्रष्टा भवति श्रोता भवति मन्ता भवति बोद्धा भवति कर्ता भवति विज्ञाता भवत्यन्नमुपास्स्वेति
Food is indeed greater than strength. Therefore, even if one does not eat for ten nights, yet lives, one becomes a seer, a hearer, a thinker, a knower, a doer, an understander; but when one eats, one becomes a seer, a hearer, a thinker, a knower, a doer, an understander for the sake of food. Meditate on food.
स योऽन्नं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्तेऽन्नवतो वै स लोकान्पानवतोऽभिसिध्यति यावदन्नस्य गतं तत्रास्य यथाकामचारो भवति योऽन्नं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्तेऽस्ति भगवोऽन्नाद्भूय इत्यन्नाद्वाव भूयोऽस्तीति तन्मे भगवान्ब्रवीत्विति
Whoever meditates upon food as Brahman, he attains the worlds that are rich in food and drink; wherever there is food, there he moves as he wishes. He who meditates upon food as Brahman—'Sir, is there something greater than food?' 'Yes, indeed, there is something greater than food.' 'Please, revered one, tell that to me.'
आपो वावान्नाद्भूयस्तस्माद्यदा सुवृष्टिर्न भवति व्याधीयन्ते प्राणा अन्नं कनीयो भविष्यतीत्यथ यदा सुवृष्टिर्भवत्यानन्दिनः प्राणा भवन्त्यन्नं बहु भविष्यतीत्याप एवेमा मूर्ता येयं पृथिवी यदन्तरिक्षं यद्द्यौर्यत्पर्वता यद्देवमनुष्या यत्पशवश्च वयाँसि च तृणवनस्पतयः श्वापदान्याकीटपतङ्गपिपीलकमाप एवेमा मूर्ता अप उपास्स्वेति
Water is indeed greater than food. Therefore, when there is no good rainfall, living beings become distressed, thinking, 'Food will become scarce.' But when there is good rainfall, living beings rejoice, thinking, 'There will be much food.' All these forms—this earth, the sky, heaven, mountains, gods, humans, cattle, birds, grass, trees, wild animals, insects, and ants—are all forms of water. Meditate on water.
स योऽपो ब्रह्मेत्युपास्त आप्नोति सर्वान्कामाँस्तृप्तिमान्भवति यावदपां गतं तत्रास्य यथाकामचारो भवति । योऽपो ब्रह्मेत्युपास्तेऽस्ति भगवोऽद्भ्यो भूय इत्यद्भ्यो वाव भूयोऽस्तीति तन्मे भगवान्ब्रवीत्विति
Whoever meditates upon water as Brahman, he attains all desires and becomes satisfied; wherever there is water, there he moves as he wishes. He who meditates upon water as Brahman—'Sir, is there something greater than water?' 'Yes, indeed, there is something greater than water.' 'Please, revered one, tell that to me.'
तेजो वावाद्भ्यो भूयस्तद्वा एतद्वायुमागृह्याकाशमभितपति तदाहुर्निशोचति नितपति वर्षिष्यति वा इति तेज एव तत्पूर्वं दर्शयित्वाथापः सृजते तदेतदूर्ध्वाभिश्च तिरश्चीभिश्च विद्युद्भिराह्रादाश्चरन्ति तस्मादाहुर्विद्योतते स्तनयति वर्षिष्यति वा इति तेज एव तत्पूर्वं दर्शयित्वाथापः सृजते तेज उपास्स्वेति
Fire is indeed greater than water. When fire seizes air, it pierces the sky; then people say, 'It flashes, it thunders, it will rain.' Fire first reveals itself, and then produces water. These lightnings, with their upward and crosswise flashes, move about with thunder. Therefore, people say, 'It lightens, it thunders, it will rain.' Fire first reveals itself, and then produces water. Meditate on fire.
स यस्तेजो ब्रह्मेत्युपास्ते तेजस्वी वै स तेजस्वतो लोकान्भास्वतोऽपहततमस्कानभिसिध्यति यावत्तेजसो गतं तत्रास्य यथाकामचारो भवति यस्तेजो ब्रह्मेत्युपास्तेऽस्ति भगवस्तेजसो भूय इति तेजसो वाव भूयोऽस्तीति तन्मे भगवान्ब्रवीत्विति
Whoever meditates upon fire as Brahman, he becomes radiant; he attains luminous worlds free from darkness. Wherever there is fire, there he moves as he wishes. He who meditates upon fire as Brahman—'Sir, is there something greater than fire?' 'Yes, indeed, there is something greater than fire.' 'Please, revered one, tell that to me.'
आकाशो वाव तेजसो भूयानाकाशे वै सूर्याचन्द्रमसावुभौ विद्युन्नक्षत्राण्यग्निराकाशेनाह्वयत्याकाशेन शृणोत्याकाशेन प्रतिशृणोत्याकाशे रमत आकाशे न रमत आकाशे जायत आकाशमभिजायत आकाशमुपास्स्वेति
Space is indeed greater than fire. In space, both the sun and the moon, lightning, stars, and fire are set. By space one calls, by space one hears, by space one responds, in space one delights, in space one does not delight, in space one is born, and into space one is born. Meditate on space.
स य आकाशं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्त आकाशवतो वै स लोकान्प्रकाशवतोऽसम्बाधानुरुगायवतोऽभिसिध्यति यावदाकाशस्य गतं तत्रास्य यथाकामचारो भवति य आकाशं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्तेऽस्ति भगव आकाशाद्भूय इति आकाशाद्वाव भूयोऽस्तीति तन्मे भगवान्ब्रवीत्विति
Whoever meditates upon space as Brahman, he attains worlds that are vast, luminous, and unobstructed; wherever there is space, there he moves as he wishes. He who meditates upon space as Brahman—'Sir, is there something greater than space?' 'Yes, indeed, there is something greater than space.' 'Please, revered one, tell that to me.'
स्मरो वावाकाशाद्भूयस्तस्माद्यद्यपि बहव आसीरन्न स्मरन्तो नैव ते कञ्चन शृणुयुर्न मन्वीरन्न विजानीरन्यदा वाव ते स्मरेयुरथ शृणुयुरथ मन्वीरन्नथ विजानीरन्स्मरेण वै पुत्रान्विजानाति स्मरेण पशून्स्मरमुपास्स्वेति
Memory is indeed greater than space. Therefore, even if many people are present, if they do not remember, they neither hear, nor think, nor know anything. But when they remember, then they hear, then they think, then they know. By memory one knows sons, by memory one knows cattle. Meditate on memory.
स यः स्मरं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्ते यावत्स्मरस्य गतं तत्रास्य यथाकामचारो भवति यः स्मरं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्तेऽस्ति भगवः स्मराद्भूय इति स्मराद्वाव भूयोऽस्तीति तन्मे भगवान्ब्रवीत्विति
Whoever meditates upon memory as Brahman, wherever there is memory, there he moves as he wishes. He who meditates upon memory as Brahman—'Sir, is there something greater than memory?' 'Yes, indeed, there is something greater than memory.' 'Please, revered one, tell that to me.'
आशा वाव स्मराद्भूयस्याशेद्धो वै स्मरो मन्त्रानधीते कर्माणि कुरुते पुत्राँश्च पशूँश्चेच्छत इमं च लोकममुं चेच्छत आशामुपास्स्वेति
Hope is indeed greater than memory. Even if one does not remember the sacred texts, by hope one performs rituals, desires sons and cattle, desires this world and the next. Meditate on hope.
स य आशां ब्रह्मेत्युपास्त आशयास्य सर्वे कामाः समृध्यन्त्यमोघा हास्याशिषो भवन्ति यावदाशाया गतं तत्रास्य यथाकामचारो भवति य आशां ब्रह्मेत्युपास्तेऽस्ति भगव आशाया भूय इत्याशाया वाव भूयोऽस्तीति तन्मे भगवान्ब्रवीत्विति
Whoever meditates upon hope as Brahman, all his desires are fulfilled by hope, and his wishes do not fail. Wherever there is hope, there he moves as he wishes. He who meditates upon hope as Brahman—'Sir, is there something greater than hope?' 'Yes, indeed, there is something greater than hope.' 'Please, revered one, tell that to me.'
प्राणो वा आशाया भूयान्यथा वा अरा नाभौ समर्पिता एवमस्मिन्प्राणे सर्वँ समर्पितं प्राणः प्राणेन याति प्राणः प्राणं ददाति प्राणाय ददाति प्राणो ह पिता प्राणो माता प्राणो भ्राता प्राणः स्वसा प्राण आचार्यः प्राणो ब्राह्मणः
Life-breath is indeed greater than hope. Just as the spokes are fixed in the hub, so everything is fixed in the life-breath. Life-breath moves by life-breath, life-breath gives to life-breath, life-breath gives for the sake of life-breath. Life-breath is father, life-breath is mother, life-breath is brother, life-breath is sister, life-breath is teacher, life-breath is the Brahmin.
स यदि पितरं वा मातरं वा भ्रातरं वा स्वसारं वाचार्यं वा ब्राह्मणं वा किञ्चिद्भृशमिव प्रत्याह धिक्त्वास्त्वित्येवैनमाहुः पितृहा वै त्वमसि मातृहा वै त्वमसि भ्रातृहा वै त्वमसि स्वसृहा वै त्वमस्याचार्यहा वै त्वमसि ब्राह्मणहा वै त्वमसीति
If one were to speak harshly to his father, mother, brother, sister, teacher, or a Brahmin, people would say, 'Fie, you are a slayer of your father, a slayer of your mother, a slayer of your brother, a slayer of your sister, a slayer of your teacher, a slayer of a Brahmin.'
अथ यद्यप्येनानुत्क्रान्तप्राणाञ्छूलेन समासं व्यतिषंदहेन्नैवैनं ब्रूयुः पितृहासीति न मातृहासीति न भ्रातृहासीति न स्वसृहासीति नाचार्यहासीति न ब्राह्मणहासीति
But even if one were to strike them with a spear while their life-breath has not departed, people would not call him a slayer of his father, nor a slayer of his mother, nor a slayer of his brother, nor a slayer of his sister, nor a slayer of his teacher, nor a slayer of a Brahmin.
प्राणो ह्येवैतानि सर्वाणि भवति स वा एष एवं पश्यन्नेवं मन्वान एवं विजानन्नतिवादी भवति तं चेद्ब्रूयुरतिवाद्यसीत्यतिवाद्यस्मीति ब्रूयान्नापह्नुवीत
For it is indeed the life-breath that is all these. Therefore, one who sees, thinks, and knows thus becomes one who speaks beyond others. If someone says to him, 'You speak beyond others,' he should reply, 'I do speak beyond others,' and he should not deny it.
एष तु वा अतिवदति यः सत्येनातिवदति सोऽहं भगवः सत्येनातिवदानीति सत्यं त्वेव विजिज्ञासितव्यमिति सत्यं भगवो विजिज्ञास इति
But truly, he speaks beyond others who speaks with truth. 'Sir, I wish to speak beyond others with truth.' 'One should desire to know truth.' 'Sir, I desire to know truth.'
यदा वै विजानात्यथ सत्यं वदति नाविजानन्सत्यं वदति विजानन्नेव सत्यं वदति विज्ञानं त्वेव विजिज्ञासितव्यमिति विज्ञानं भगवो विजिज्ञास इति
When one knows, then one speaks the truth; not knowing, one does not speak the truth. Knowing alone, one speaks the truth. One should desire to know knowledge. 'Sir, I desire to know knowledge.'
यदा वै मनुतेऽथ विजानाति नामत्वा विजानाति मत्वैव विजानाति मतिस्त्वेव विजिज्ञासितव्येति । मतिं भगवो विजिज्ञास इति
When one thinks, then one knows; not by name does one know, but by thinking alone one knows. One should desire to know thought. 'Sir, I desire to know thought.'
यदा वै श्रद्दधात्यथ मनुते नाश्रद्दधन्मनुते श्रद्दधदेव मनुते श्रद्धा त्वेव विजिज्ञासितव्येति श्रद्धां भगवो विजिज्ञास इति
When one has faith, then one reflects; without faith, one does not reflect. It is only with faith that one reflects. Therefore, faith alone must be sought to be known. 'Revered sir, I wish to know faith.'
यदा वै निस्तिष्ठत्यथ श्रद्दधाति नानिस्तिष्ठञ्छ्रद्दधाति निस्तिष्ठन्नेव श्रद्दधाति निष्ठा त्वेव विजिज्ञासितव्येति निष्ठां भगवो विजिज्ञास इति
When one is steadfast, then one has faith; without steadfastness, one does not have faith. It is only with steadfastness that one has faith. Therefore, steadfastness alone must be sought to be known. 'Revered sir, I wish to know steadfastness.'