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.'
यदा वै करोत्यथ निस्तिष्ठति नाकृत्वा निस्तिष्ठति कृत्वैव निस्तिष्ठति कृतिस्त्वेव विजिज्ञासितव्येति । कृतिं भगवो विजिज्ञास इति
When one acts, then one is steadfast; without acting, one is not steadfast. It is only by acting that one is steadfast. Therefore, action alone must be sought to be known. 'Revered sir, I wish to know action.'
यदा वै सुखं लभतेऽथ करोति नासुखं लब्ध्वा करोति सुखमेव लब्ध्वा करोति सुखं त्वेव विजिज्ञासितव्यमिति । सुखं भगवो विजिज्ञास इति
When one attains happiness, then one acts; without attaining happiness, one does not act. It is only by attaining happiness that one acts. Therefore, happiness alone must be sought to be known. 'Revered sir, I wish to know happiness.'
यो वै भूमा तत्सुखं नाल्पे सुखमस्ति भूमैव सुखं भूमा त्वेव विजिज्ञासितव्य इति भूमानं भगवो विजिज्ञास इति
That which is vast is happiness; there is no happiness in the small. The vast alone is happiness. Therefore, the vast alone must be sought to be known. 'Revered sir, I wish to know the vast.'
यत्र नान्यत्पश्यति नान्यच्छृणोति नान्यद्विजानाति स भूमाथ यत्रान्यत्पश्यत्यन्यच्छृणोत्यन्यद्विजानाति तदल्पं यो वै भूमा तदमृतमथ यदल्पं तन्मर्त्य्ँ स भगवः कस्मिन्प्रतिष्ठित इति स्वे महिम्नि यदि वा न महिम्नीति
Where one does not see another, does not hear another, does not know another—that is the vast. But where one sees another, hears another, knows another—that is the small. That which is the vast is immortal; but what is small is mortal. 'Revered sir, in what does it rest?' 'In its own greatness, or not even in greatness.'
गो-अश्वमिह महिमेत्याचक्षते हस्तिहिरण्यं दासभार्यं क्षेत्राण्यायतनानीति नाहमेवं ब्रवीमि ब्रवीमीति होवाचान्योह्यन्यस्मिन्प्रतिष्ठित इति
Here, people say greatness is cattle and horses, elephants and gold, servants, wives, fields, and houses. But I do not say so.' 'What then do you say?' 'One thing is established in another.'
स एवाधस्तात्स उपरिष्टात्स पश्चात्स पुरस्तात्स दक्षिणतः स उत्तरतः स एवेदँ सर्वमित्यथातोऽहङ्कारादेश एवाहमेवाधस्तादहमुपरिष्टादहं पश्चादहं पुरस्तादहं दक्षिणतोऽहमुत्तरतोऽहमेवेदँ सर्वमिति
He is below, he is above, he is behind, he is before, he is to the right, he is to the left; he alone is all this. Therefore, the instruction concerning the self is: I am below, I am above, I am behind, I am before, I am to the right, I am to the left; I alone am all this.
अथात आत्मादेश एवात्मैवाधस्तादात्मोपरिष्टादात्मा पश्चादात्मा पुरस्तादात्मा दक्षिणत आत्मोत्तरत आत्मैवेदँ सर्वमिति । स वा एष एवं पश्यन्नेवं मन्वान एवं विजानन्नात्मरतिरात्मक्रीड आत्ममिथुन आत्मानन्दः स स्वराड् भवति तस्य सर्वेषु लोकेषु कामचारो भवति । अथ येऽन्यथातो विदुरन्यराजानस्ते क्षय्यलोका भवन्ति तेषाँ सर्वेषु लोकेष्वकामचारो भवति
Therefore, the instruction concerning the self is: The self is below, the self is above, the self is behind, the self is before, the self is to the right, the self is to the left; the self alone is all this. One who sees thus, thinks thus, knows thus—he delights in the self, sports in the self, mates with the self, rejoices in the self—he becomes sovereign. In all worlds, he moves as he wishes. But those who know otherwise, others rule them; their worlds are perishable, and in all worlds, they do not move as they wish.
तस्य ह वा एतस्यैवं पश्यत एवं मन्वानस्यैवं विजानत आत्मतः प्राण आत्मत आशात्मतः स्मर आत्मत आकाश आत्मतस्तेज आत्मत आप आत्मत आविर्भावतिरोभावावात्मतोऽन्नमात्मतो बलमात्मतो विज्ञानमात्मतो ध्यानमात्मतश्चित्तमात्मतः सङ्कल्प आत्मतो मन आत्मतो वागात्मतो नामात्मतो मन्त्रा आत्मतः कर्माण्यात्मत एवेदँसर्वमिति
For one who sees thus, thinks thus, knows thus, from the self arises life, from the self hope, from the self memory, from the self space, from the self fire, from the self water, from the self appearance and disappearance, from the self food, from the self strength, from the self knowledge, from the self meditation, from the self understanding, from the self intention, from the self mind, from the self speech, from the self name, from the self mantras, from the self actions; all this is indeed the self.
तदेष श्लोको न पश्यो मृत्युं पश्यति न रोगं नोत दुःखताँ सर्वँ ह पश्यः पश्यति सर्वमाप्नोति सर्वश इति । स एकधा भवति त्रिधा भवति पञ्चधा सप्तधा नवधा चैव पुनश्चैकादशः स्मृतः शतं च दश चैकश्च सहस्राणि च विँशतिराहारशुद्धौ सत्त्वशुद्धौ ध्रुवा स्मृतिः स्मृतिलम्भे सर्वग्रन्थीनां विप्रमोक्षस्तस्मै मृदितकषायाय तमसस्पारं दर्शयति भगवान्सनत्कुमारस्तँ स्कन्द इत्याचक्षते तँ स्कन्द इत्याचक्षते
On this there is this verse: He does not see death, nor sickness, nor pain; he who sees sees all, he attains all everywhere. He becomes one, threefold, fivefold, sevenfold, ninefold, and again elevenfold; a hundred, ten, and one, and also twenty thousand are said. When food is pure, the mind becomes pure; when the mind is pure, memory is steady; when memory is steady, all knots of the heart are loosened. To him, whose stains are washed away, the venerable Sanatkumara shows the further shore of darkness. They call him Skanda; they call him Skanda.
अथ यदिदमस्मिन्ब्रह्मपुरे दहरं पुण्डरीकं वेश्म दहरोऽस्मिन्नन्तराकाशस्तस्मिन्यदन्तस्तदन्वेष्टव्यं तद्वाव विजिज्ञासितव्यमिति
Now, in this city of Brahman, there is a small lotus-like dwelling, and within it is a small space. That which is within it should be sought; that, indeed, should be known.