अथ यदि गन्धमाल्यलोककामो भवति सङ्कल्पादेवास्य गन्धमाल्ये समुत्तिष्ठतस्तेन गन्धमाल्यलोकेन सम्पन्नो महीयते
Now, if one desires the world of perfumes and garlands, then by mere intention perfumes and garlands arise for him; endowed with the world of perfumes and garlands, he is exalted.
अथ यद्यन्नपानलोककामो भवति सङ्कल्पादेवास्यान्नपाने समुत्तिष्ठतस्तेनान्नपानलोकेन सम्पन्नो महीयते
Now, if one desires the world of food and drink, then by mere intention food and drink arise for him; endowed with the world of food and drink, he is exalted.
अथ यदि गीतवादित्रलोककामो भवति सङ्कल्पादेवास्य गीतवादित्रे समुत्तिष्ठतस्तेन गीतवादित्रलोकेन सम्पन्नो महीयते
Now, if one desires the world of song and music, then by mere intention song and music arise for him; endowed with the world of song and music, he is exalted.
अथ यदि स्त्रीलोककामो भवति सङ्कल्पादेवास्य स्त्रियः समुत्तिष्ठन्ति तेन स्त्रीलोकेन सम्पन्नो महीयते
Now, if one desires the world of women, then by mere intention women arise for him; endowed with the world of women, he is exalted.
यं यमन्तमभिकामो भवति यं कामं कामयते सोऽस्य सङ्कल्पादेव समुत्तिष्ठति तेन सम्पन्नो महीयते
Whatever end one desires, whatever wish he wishes, that arises for him by mere intention; endowed with that, he is exalted.
त इमे सत्याः कामा अनृतापिधानास्तेषाꣳ सत्यानाꣳ सतामनृतमपिधानं यो यो ह्यस्येतः प्रैति न तमिह दर्शनाय लभते
These true desires are covered by the untrue; among these true ones, the untrue is the covering. Whoever departs from here without knowing these, does not obtain them for seeing here.
अथ ये चास्येह जीवा ये च प्रेता यच्चान्यदिच्छन्न लभते सर्वं तदत्र गत्वा विन्दतेऽत्र ह्यस्यैते सत्याः कामा अनृतापिधानास्तद्यथापि हिरण्यनिधिं निहितमक्षेत्रज्ञा उपर्युपरि सञ्चरन्तो न विन्देयुरेवमेवेमाः सर्वाः प्रजा अहरहर्गच्छन्त्य एतं ब्रह्मलोकं न विन्दन्त्यनृतेन हि प्रत्यूढाः
But whatever living beings are his here, and those who have departed, and whatever else he desires but does not obtain, all that he, going there, finds; for here his true desires are covered by the untrue. Just as people who do not know the place, passing again and again over a hidden treasure of gold, do not find it, so too all these beings, day by day, go to that world of Brahman but do not find it, being turned away by the untrue.
स वा एष आत्मा हृदि तस्यैतदेव निरुक्तꣳ हृद्ययमिति तस्माद्धृदयमहरहर्वा एवंवित्स्वर्गं लोकमेति
This indeed is the self within the heart; its precise name is 'heart'—for it is in the heart. Therefore, one who knows thus, day by day, attains the heavenly world.
अथ य एष सम्प्रसादोऽस्माच्छरीरात्समुत्थाय परं ज्योतिरुपसम्पद्य स्वेन रूपेणाभिनिष्पद्यत एष आत्मेति होवाचैतदमृतमभयमेतद्ब्रह्मेति तस्य ह वा एतस्य ब्रह्मणो नाम सत्यमिति
And this serene one, having arisen from this body, attains the highest light and manifests in his own form—this is the self, he declared; this is the immortal, the fearless, this is Brahman. Of this Brahman, the name is 'Truth.'
तानि ह वा एतानि त्रीण्यक्षराणि सतीयमिति तद्यत्सत्तदमृतमथ यत्ति तन्मर्त्यमथ यद्यं तेनोभे यच्छति यदनेनोभे यच्छति तस्माद्यमहरहर्वा एवंवित्स्वर्गं लोकमेति
Indeed, these are the three syllables: 'sat-ti-yam.' That which is 'sat' is the immortal; that which is 'ti' is the mortal; and by 'yam' he unites both. By this union, day by day, one who knows thus attains the heavenly world.
अथ य आत्मा स सेतुर्धृतिरेषां लोकानामसम्भेदाय नैतꣳ सेतुमहोरात्रे तरतो न जरा न मृत्युर्न शोको न सुकृतं न दुष्कृतꣳ सर्वे पाप्मानोऽतो निवर्तन्तेऽपहतपाप्मा ह्येष ब्रह्मलोकः
Now, this self is the bridge, the support of these worlds, to prevent their merging. Neither day nor night, nor old age, nor death, nor sorrow, nor good deed, nor evil deed crosses this bridge; all evils turn back from it. This is the world of Brahman, free from evil.
तस्माद्वा एतꣳ सेतुं तीर्त्वान्धः सन्ननन्धो भवति विद्धः सन्नविद्धो भवत्युपतापी सन्ननुपतापी भवति तस्माद्वा एतꣳ सेतुं तीर्त्वापि नक्तमहरेवाभिनिष्पद्यते सकृद्विभातो ह्येवैष ब्रह्मलोकः
Therefore, having crossed this bridge, though blind, one becomes not blind; though wounded, one becomes not wounded; though afflicted, one becomes not afflicted. Therefore, even having crossed this bridge, one manifests only as day, not as night; for this world of Brahman is ever manifest.
तद्य एवैतं ब्रह्मलोकं ब्रह्मचर्येणानुविन्दन्ति तेषामेवैष ब्रह्मलोकस्तेषाꣳ सर्वेषु लोकेषु कामचारो भवति
Those who seek out this world of Brahman through brahmacharya—chastity—this world of Brahman belongs to them; for them, in all worlds, there is freedom of movement according to their will.
अथ यद्यज्ञ इत्याचक्षते ब्रह्मचर्यमेव तद्ब्रह्मचर्येण ह्येव यो ज्ञाता तं विन्दतेऽथ यदिष्टमित्याचक्षते ब्रह्मचर्यमेव तद्ब्रह्मचर्येण ह्येवेष्ट्वात्मानमनुविन्दते
Now, if they say, 'It is sacrifice,' it is brahmacharya alone; for by brahmacharya alone one who knows attains that. And if they say, 'It is offering,' it is brahmacharya alone; for by brahmacharya alone, having sought, one finds the self.
अथ यत्सत्त्रायणमित्याचक्षते ब्रह्मचर्यमेव तद्ब्रह्मचर्येण ह्येव सत आत्मनस्त्राणं विन्दतेऽथ यन्मौनमित्याचक्षते ब्रह्मचर्यमेव तब्ब्रह्मचर्येण ह्येवात्मानमनुविद्य मनुते
Now, what is called 'sattrāyaṇa' is indeed celibacy; for by celibacy alone one attains protection for the self. And what is called 'silence' is also celibacy; for by celibacy alone, having known the self, one contemplates.
अथ यदनाशकायनमित्याचक्षते ब्रह्मचर्यमेव तदेष ह्यात्मा न नश्यति यं ब्रह्मचर्येणानुविन्दतेऽथ मित्याचक्षते ब्रह्मचर्यमेव तदरश्च ह वै ण्यश्चार्णवौ ब्रह्मलोके तृतीयस्यामितो दिवि तदैरं मदीयꣳ सरस्तदश्वत्थः सोमसवनस् प्रभुविमितꣳ हिरण्मयम्
And what is called 'anāśakāyana' is indeed celibacy; for this self does not perish—whom one attains through celibacy. And what is called 'miti' is also celibacy. There are, indeed, two lakes in the world of Brahman: Ara and Nya. The third, beyond this heaven, is the lake Airam, mine; that is the Asvattha tree, the Soma pressing ground, the golden boundary.
तद्य एवैतावरं च ण्यं चार्णवौ ब्रह्मलोके ब्रह्मचर्येणानुविन्दन्ति तेषामेवैष ब्रह्मलोकस्तेषाꣳ सर्वेषु लोकेषु कामचारो भवति
Those who, through celibacy, attain these lakes Ara and Nya in the world of Brahman, for them alone is the world of Brahman; for them, in all worlds, there is freedom of movement according to their desire.
अथ या एता हृदयस्य नाड्यस्ताः पिङ्गलस्याणिम्नस्तिष्ठन्ति शुक्लस्य नीलस्य पीतस्य लोहितस्येत्यसौ वा आदित्यः पिङ्गल एष शुक्ल एष नील एष पीत एष लोहितः
Now, those channels of the heart rest in the subtle body of the reddish, the white, the blue, the yellow, and the red. That sun is reddish, this is white, this is blue, this is yellow, this is red.
तद्यथा महापथ आतत उभौ ग्रामौ गच्छतीमं चामुं चैवमेवैता आदित्यस्य रश्मय उभौ लोकौ गच्छन्तीमं चामुं चामुष्मादादित्यात्प्रतायन्ते ता आसु नाडीषु सृप्ता आभ्यो नाडीभ्यः प्रतायन्ते तेऽमुष्मिन्नादित्ये सृप्ताः
Just as a great highway stretches between two villages, so do the rays of the sun traverse both worlds—this and that. From that sun, they return; they are poured into these channels, and from these channels, they return; they are poured into that sun.
समस्तः सम्प्रसन्नः स्वप्नं न विजानात्यासु तदा नाडीषु सृप्तो भवति तं न कश्चन पाप्मा स्पृशति तेजसा हि तदा सम्पन्नो भवति
When one is completely tranquil and serene, one does not perceive dreams; at that time, one is poured into those channels. No evil touches him then, for he is filled with radiance.
अथ यत्रैतदबलिमानं नीतो भवति तमभित आसीना आहुर्जानासि मां जानासि मामिति स यावदस्माच्छरीरादनुत्क्रान्तो भवति तावज्जानाति
Now, when one is led to this state of weakness, those sitting nearby ask, 'Do you know me? Do you know me?' He knows as long as he has not departed from this body.
अथ यत्रैतदस्माच्छरीरादुत्क्रामत्यथैतैरेव रश्मिभिरूर्ध्वमाक्रमते स ओमिति वा होद्वा मीयते स यावत्क्षिप्येन्मनस्तावदादित्यं गच्छत्येतद्वै खलु लोकद्वारं विदुषां प्रपदनं निरोधोऽविदुषाम्
Now, when he departs from this body, he ascends upward by these very rays. He is carried with the sound 'Om.' As long as the mind is swift, so long he goes to the sun. This, indeed, is the gateway to the worlds: the path for the wise, the closure for the unwise.
तदेष श्लोकः। शतं चैका च हृदयस्य नाड्यस्तासां मूर्धानमभिनिःसृतैका । तयोर्ध्वमायन्नमृतत्वमेति विष्वङ्ङन्या उत्क्रमणे भवन्त्युत्क्रमणे भवन्ति
There is this verse: 'A hundred and one are the channels of the heart; one of them rises up to the crown of the head. By ascending through it, one attains immortality; all the others serve for departure, serve for departure.'
य आत्मापहतपाप्मा विजरो विमृत्युर्विशोको विजिघत्सोऽपिपासः सत्यकामः सत्यसङ्कल्पः सोऽन्वेष्टव्यः स विजिज्ञासितव्यः स सर्वाꣳश्च लोकानाप्नोति सर्वाꣳश्च कामान्यस्तमात्मानमनुविद्य विजानातीति ह प्रजापतिरुवाच
The self that is free from evil, ageless, deathless, sorrowless, without hunger or thirst, whose desires are true, whose intentions are true—that is to be sought, that is to be understood. He attains all worlds and all desires, who, having known that self, understands it—so said Prajāpati.
तद्धोभये देवासुरा अनुबुबुधिरे ते होचुर्हन्त तमात्मानमन्वेच्छामो यमात्मानमन्विष्य सर्वाꣳश्च लोकानाप्नोति सर्वाꣳश्च कामानितीन्द्रो हैव देवानामभिप्रवव्राज विरोचनोऽसुराणां तौ हासंविदानावेव समित्पाणी प्रजापतिसकाशमाजग्मतुः
Both the gods and the demons heard this. They said, 'Come, let us seek that self, by knowing which one attains all worlds and all desires.' Indra, chief of the gods, and Virocana, chief of the demons, approached Prajāpati, each with fuel in hand, as students.
तौ ह द्वात्रिꣳशतं वर्षाणि ब्रह्मचर्यमूषतुस्तौ ह प्रजापतिरुवाच किमिच्छन्तावास्तमिति । तौ होचतुर्य आत्मापहतपाप्मा विजरो विमृत्युर्विशोको विजिघत्सोऽपिपासः सत्यकामः सत्यसङ्कल्पः सोऽन्वेष्टव्यः स विजिज्ञासितव्यः स सर्वाꣳश्च लोकानाप्नोति सर्वाꣳश्च कामान्यस्तमात्मानमनुविद्य विजानातीति भगवतो वचो वेदयन्ते तमिच्छन्ताववास्तमिति
They practiced celibacy for thirty-two years. Prajāpati said to them, 'What do you seek?' They replied, 'That self which is free from evil, ageless, deathless, sorrowless, without hunger or thirst, whose desires are true, whose intentions are true—that is to be sought, that is to be understood. He attains all worlds and all desires, who, having known that self, understands it. We seek this, O venerable one, as you have spoken.'
तौ ह प्रजापतिरुवाच य एषोऽक्षिणि पुरुषो दृश्यत एष आत्मेति होवाचैतदमृतमभयमेतद्ब्रह्मेत्यथ योऽयं भगवोऽप्सु परिख्यायते यश्चायमादर्शे कतम एष इत्येष उ एवैषु सर्वेष्वन्तेषु परिख्यायत इति होवाच
Prajāpati said to them, 'That person who is seen in the eye, that is the self,' he said. 'This is immortal, fearless, this is Brahman.' Then they asked, 'O venerable one, that which is discerned in water and that which is discerned in a mirror—which of these is it?' He replied, 'It is the same in all these; it is discerned in all.'
उदशराव आत्मानमवेक्ष्य यदात्मनो न विजानीथस्तन्मे प्रब्रूतमिति तौ होदशरावेऽवेक्षाञ्चक्राते तौ ह प्रजापतिरुवाच किं पश्यथ इति तौ होचतुः सर्वमेवेदमावां भगव आत्मानं पश्याव आ लोमभ्यः आनखेभ्यः प्रतिरूपमिति
Having looked at themselves in a water vessel, they said, 'If we do not know the self, tell us.' They looked in the water vessel. Prajāpati asked, 'What do you see?' They replied, 'We see our entire self, O venerable one, from the hair to the nails, as a reflection.'
तौ ह प्रजापतिरुवाच साध्वलङ्कृतौ सुवसनौ परिष्कृतौ भूत्वोदशरावेऽवेक्षेथामिति तौ ह साध्वलङ्कृतौ सुवसनौ परिष्कृतौ भूत्वोदशरावेऽवेक्षाञ्चक्राते तौ ह प्रजापतिरुवाच किं पश्यथ इति
Prajāpati said to them, 'Adorn yourselves well, dress in fine garments, decorate yourselves, then look in the water vessel.' They did so, and looked in the water vessel. Prajāpati asked, 'What do you see?'
तौ होचतुर्यथैवेदमावां भगवः साध्वलङ्कृतौ सुवसनौ परिष्कृतौ स्व एवमेवेमौ भगवः साध्वलङ्कृतौ सुवसनौ परिष्कृतावित्येष आत्मेति होवाचैतदमृतमभयमेतद्ब्रह्मेति तौ ह शान्तहृदयौ प्रवव्रजतुः
They replied, 'Just as we are, O venerable one, adorned, well-dressed, decorated, so are we in the reflection.' 'This is the self,' he said. 'This is immortal, fearless, this is Brahman.' With peaceful hearts, they departed.