Let us journey through the sacred teachings of the Maitrāyaṇī Upaniṣad, as they unfold in a continuous stream of wisdom. It is taught that within the human body, the vital breath ascends through the channel known as Suṣumnā, which is interrupted at the palate. This breath, when united with Om and the mind, rises upward. By turning the tip below the palate and withdrawing the senses, one perceives the greatness of the Great. In this state, the self dissolves, and the person becomes free from pleasure and pain, attaining absolute unity. First, one must establish the supreme, restrain the breath, and then, by the highest means, direct it upward. Brahman, the ultimate reality, is said to have two aspects for contemplation: sound and soundless. Through sound, the soundless is revealed. Om is the sound; by meditating upon it, one ascends and merges into the soundless. This is the path to immortality, union, and liberation. Just as a spider climbs its thread to reach the sky, so does the yogi ascend by Om to freedom. Those who follow the doctrine of sound listen within the heart-space, hearing seven kinds of sounds—like rivers, bells, bronze discs, frogs, crickets, rain, and wind. By passing beyond these, they reach the soundless, unmanifest Brahman, where all distinctions vanish, like honey from many flowers becoming one. Thus, the Brahman of sound leads to the supreme Brahman. Om, the sacred syllable, is itself the sound. Its beginning is peaceful, soundless, fearless, without sorrow, blissful, satisfied, stable, unmoving, immortal, constant, and called Viṣṇu for supreme transcendence. One should worship these qualities. Om is both supreme and not supreme, the deity known by name. Practiced at the crown, it becomes void and soundless. The body is likened to a bow, Om is the arrow, and the mind its point. Piercing the mark of darkness, one enters what lies beyond. Piercing further, like a revolving fire-wheel, one beholds the radiant, powerful Brahman shining in the sun, moon, fire, and lightning. Having seen this, one attains immortality. Meditation placed within the supreme essence and its marks leads from undifferentiated knowledge to differentiation. When the mind dissolves, the happiness witnessed by the self is Brahman—immortal, pure, the path, the world itself. When, like one asleep, the senses are withdrawn and the mind is purified, a person perceives within the cavity of the senses—like in a dream—the one called Pranava, the mover, the form of weight, free from sleep, old age, death, and sorrow. He too becomes identified with Pranava, the mover, the form of weight, free from all limitations. Breath, Om, and all things are joined together; this is yoga. The unity of breath, mind, and senses, along with the renunciation of all states of being, is yoga. Just as a bird-catcher draws birds from water and offers them into the fire in his belly, so does one, by means of Om, draw the breaths and offer them into the fire of the body. Heated gold glows when touched by grass or wood; so too does breath glow when touched by breath. This glowing is the form of Brahman, the supreme abode of Viṣṇu, and the Rudra-ness of Rudra. Dividing itself countless ways, it fills all worlds. Just as sparks arise from fire and rays from the sun, so do breaths and others arise from him, ascending in order. The radiance of Brahman, the supreme, immortal, bodiless one, is the heat of the embodied; this is its clarified butter. When manifest in the sky, with one-pointedness, one pierces the inner space of the heart and attains a state like its light. Just as a lump of earth placed in the ground becomes earth, so too the mind, when placed with the potters, perishes with its support. The sheath made of the space of the heart, bliss, the supreme abode—this is our own yoga, the radiance of fire and the sun. Going beyond the elements, senses, and their objects, taking up the staff of resolve and the bow of renunciation, with an arrow of non-attachment, one strikes down Brahman—the guardian of the gate, root delusion, crowned with thirst and envy, coiled with sloth, wielding the whip of anger, holding the bow of pride, and the arrow of desire. Having struck down these beings, crossing to the far shore of the heart-space by the raft of Om, when the inner space becomes manifest, like a bird entering its nest, the one desiring the elements enters the hall of Brahman. Breaking through the fourfold net, the Brahman-sheath, by the teacher’s guidance, one becomes pure, empty, peaceful, without breath, without self, infinite, imperishable, stable, eternal, unborn, independent, standing in one’s own greatness. Seeing oneself thus established, one beholds the wheel of return as if it were at rest. For one always disciplined for six months, liberated in body, the infinite, supreme, secret, true yoga arises; but not for one pierced by rajas and tamas, attached to family and household. Having spoken thus, Śākāyanya, with his heart turned inward, bowed and said, “With this knowledge of Brahman, O King, the sons of Prajāpati have ascended the path to Brahman. Contentment, endurance of opposites, tranquility—these are attained through yoga. This is the most secret teaching; it should not be recited to one who is not a son, disciple, or peaceful. It should be given only to one who is devoted and virtuous.” Om. In a pure place, being pure, established in sattva, always studying, speaking truth, reciting, and performing sacrifice—thus one should be. One who desires true Brahman, fulfilled, whose bonds of fruit are cut, without hope, seeing others as himself, free from fear and desire, having attained imperishable, boundless happiness, remains. Supreme is desirelessness, the means to the highest. The person made of desires is bound by resolve, intention, and pride; the opposite is liberation. Some say qualities arise from difference of nature, and resolve is the cause of bondage; liberation comes from destroying the faults of resolve. By mind alone one sees, hears, and experiences: desire, intention, doubt, faith, lack of faith, firmness, lack of firmness, modesty, intelligence, fear—all are mind alone. Driven by qualities, it becomes impure, unstable, restless, torn, desirous, distracted, and pride arises. Thinking “I am this, this is mine,” one binds oneself, like a bird in a net. Therefore, bound by resolve, intention, and pride, one is bound; the opposite is liberated. One should remain without resolve, intention, or pride. This is the mark of liberation, the path to Brahman, the opening of the door—by this, one crosses over darkness. Here, all desires are gathered. When the five senses rest with the mind, and intellect does not move, that is the supreme state. Having spoken thus, Śākāyanya bowed, performed the rites, fulfilled his purpose, and went to the northern wind. For there is no movement by the upward path; this is the path to Brahman. Having pierced the solar gate, he departs upward. Countless rays, like lamps, are established in the heart—white, black, tawny, blue, brown, soft red. Among them, one stands upright; piercing the solar orb, transcending the world of Brahma, by that one attains the highest state. Of the hundred rays standing upright, by those, he attains the abodes of the divine hosts. Those rays below, of gentle light, are for enjoyment of action; by them, he wanders helplessly. Therefore, the Lord Sun is the cause of creation, heaven, and liberation. What is the nature of the senses? Do they act on their own, and who controls them? They are of the nature of the self; the self is their origin. The rays called apsaras and solar are their forms. With five rays, the self experiences objects. Which is the self? It is pure, purified, empty, marked by peace and other qualities, grasped by its own marks. Its mark is as the heat in fire, the essence in water, the bliss in darkness, say some. Others say it is speech, hearing, sight, mind, breath. Others say it is intellect, firmness, memory, wisdom. Others say, as from a seed the sprout arises, as smoke, flame, and sparks from fire, so from it. Just as sparks from fire and rays from the sun, so from it, breath and others arise, each in their own order. Therefore, from this self arise all breaths, all worlds, all Vedas, all gods, and all beings. Its Upaniṣad is the truth of truth. As from a moist fire distinct smoke arises, so from this great being, its exhalation is the Ṛgveda, Yajurveda, Sāmaveda, Atharvāṅgiras, history, Purāṇa, knowledge, Upaniṣads, verses, aphorisms, explanations, commentaries—all these beings are its own. This fire is fivefold, namely the year; its bricks are spring, summer, rainy season, autumn, and winter—these are its head, wings, sides, and tail. This is the fire of those who know the Person; this is the first altar of Prajapati. By means of these, the sacrificer is lifted up to the midspace and offered to Vayu. Breath is Vayu, breath is fire; its bricks are prana, vyana, apana, samana, and udana—these are its head, wings, sides, and tail. This is the fire of those who know the Person; this is the second altar of Prajapati. By means of these, the sacrificer is lifted up to heaven and offered to Indra. That Aditya is Indra, and this is his fire; its bricks are the Rig, Yajus, Sama, Atharvan-Angiras, Itihasa, and Purana—these are its head, wings, tail, and sides. This is the fire of those who know the Person; this is the third altar of Prajapati.