Maitri Upanishad

स वा एष सूक्ष्मोऽग्राह्योऽदृश्यः पुरुषसंज्ञको बुद्धिपूर्वमिहैवावर्ततेंऽशेन सुषुप्तस्यैव बुद्धिपूर्वं निबोधयत्यथ योह खलु वावाइतस्यांशोऽयं यश्चेतनमात्रः प्रतिपूरुषं क्षेत्रज्ञः सङ्कल्पाध्यवसायाभिमानलिङ्गः प्रजापतिर्विश्वक्षस्तेन चेतनेनेदं शरीरं चेतनवत्प्रतिष्ठापितं प्रचोदयिता चैषोऽस्येति ते होचुर्भगवन्नीदृशस्य कथमंशेन वर्तनमिति तान्होवाच

This, indeed, is subtle, ungraspable, invisible, called the Person. With intention, it revolves here, and by a part, as in deep sleep, it awakens with intention. Now, that part of it, which is pure consciousness in each person, the knower of the field, marked by resolve, determination, and ego, is Prajāpati, the all-seer. By this consciousness, the body is established as sentient, and this is its impeller. They asked: 'Lord, how does such a one function by a part?' He said to them:

प्रजापतिर्वा एषोऽग्रेऽतिष्ठत्स नारमतैकः स आत्मनमभिध्यायद्बव्हीः प्रजा असृजत्त अस्यैवात्मप्रबुद्धा अप्राणा स्थाणुरिव तिष्ठमाना अपश्यत्स नारमत सोऽमन्यतैतासं प्रतिबोधनायाभ्यन्तरं प्राविशानीत्यथ स वायुमिवात्मानं कृत्वाभ्यन्तरं प्राविशत्स एको नाविशत्स पञ्चधात्मानं प्रविभज्योच्यते यः प्राणोऽपानः समान उदानो व्यान इति

In the beginning, Prajāpati alone existed. He was not content. He contemplated himself and created many beings. These, though awakened from himself, were without breath, standing like pillars. He saw this and was not content. He thought, 'To awaken them, I will enter within.' So, making himself like wind, he entered within. He did not enter alone; dividing himself fivefold, he is called prāṇa, apāna, samāna, udāna, and vyāna.

अथ योऽयमूर्ध्वमुत्क्रामतीत्येष वाव स प्राणोऽथ योयमावञ्चं संक्रामत्वेष वाव सोऽपानोऽथ योयं स्थविष्ठमन्नधातुमपाने स्थापयत्यणिष्ठं चाङ्गेऽङ्गे समं नयत्येष वाव स समानोऽथ योऽयं पीताशितमुद्गिरति निगिरतीति चैष वाव स उदानोऽथ येनैताः शिरा अनुव्याप्ता एष वाव स व्यानः

Now, that which rises upward is prāṇa; that which moves downward is apāna; that which holds the gross food in apāna and distributes the undesirable equally in each limb is samāna; that which expels what is eaten and drunk, and what is swallowed, is udāna; and that which pervades all the veins is vyāna.

अथोपांशुरन्तर्याम्यमिभवत्यन्तर्याममुपांशुमेतयोरन्तराले चौष्ण्यं मासवदौष्ण्यं स पुरुषोऽथ यः पुरुषः सोऽग्निर्वैश्वानरोऽप्यन्यत्राप्युक्तमयमग्निर्वैश्वानरो योऽयमनन्तः पुरुषो येनेदमन्नं पच्यते यदिदमद्यते तस्यैष घोषो भवति यदेतत्कर्णावपिधाय शृणोति स यदोत्क्रमिष्यन्भवति नैनं घोषं शृणोति

Now, when prāṇa and apāna are in a subtle, internal state, there is warmth between them, like the warmth of a month. That person—who is the person—is the fire Vaiśvānara. Elsewhere too, it is said: this fire Vaiśvānara is the person within, by whom food is cooked and digested. The sound of this is what one hears when the ears are closed. When one is about to depart, this sound is not heard.

स वा एष पञ्चधात्मानं प्रविभज्य निहितो गुहायां मनोमयः प्राणशरीरो बहुरूपः सत्यसं कल्प आत्मेति स वा एषोऽस्य हृदन्तरे तिष्ठन्नकृतार्थोऽमन्यतार्थानसानि तत्स्वानीमानि भित्त्वोदितः पञ्चभी रश्मिभिर्विषयानत्तीति बुद्धीन्द्रियाणि यानीमान्येतान्यस्य रश्मयः कर्मेन्द्रियाण्यस्य हया रथः शरीरं मनो नियन्ता प्रकृतिमयोस्य प्रतोदनेन खल्वीरितं परिभ्रमतीदं शरीरं चक्रमिव मृते च नेदं शरीरं चेतनवत्प्रतिष्ठापितं प्रचोदयिता चैषोऽस्येति

Thus, having divided himself fivefold, he is placed in the cave, made of mind, with the body as breath, of many forms, the Self of true resolve. He, dwelling within the heart, finding no purpose, thinks of other purposes. Then, breaking through his own walls, he rises up and, by five rays, enjoys the objects—these rays are the organs of knowledge, and the organs of action are his horses, the body is the chariot, the mind is the charioteer. By the goad of nature, this body, like a wheel, revolves. When dead, this body is no longer established as sentient, nor is it impelled.

स वा एष आत्मेत्यदो वशं नीत इव सितासितैः कर्मफलैरभिभूयमान इव प्रतिशरीरेषु चरत्यव्यक्तत्वात्सूक्ष्मत्वाददृश्यत्वादग्राह्यत्वान्निर्ममत्वा च्चानवस्थोऽकर्ता कर्तेवावस्थितः

This, indeed, is the Self—seemingly led by the results of white and black actions, moving in each body, yet, due to its unmanifest, subtle, invisible, and unattached nature, it is not established, is not an agent, yet appears as if it were.

स वा एष शुद्धः स्थिरोऽचलश्चालेपोऽव्यग्रो निःस्पृहः प्रेक्षकवदवस्थितः स्वस्य चरितभुग्गुणमयेन पटेनात्मानमन्तर्धीयावस्थित इत्यवस्थित इति

This, indeed, is pure, firm, unmoving, untouched, undisturbed, without desire, established as a witness, enjoying its own conduct, veiled by the garment of qualities, and thus remains hidden.

इति द्वितीयः प्रपाठकः ॥ ते होचुर्भगवन्यद्येवमस्यात्मनो महिमानं सूचयसीत्यन्यो वा परः कोऽयमात्मा सितासितैः कर्मफलैरभिभूयमानः सदसद्योनिमापद्यत इत्यवाचीं वोर्ध्वां वा गतं द्वन्द्वैरभिभूयमानः परिभ्रमतीति कतम एष इति तान्होवाच

Thus ends the second section. They said: 'Revered one, since you reveal the greatness of this self, who else is this self? Who is this, overcome by the fruits of actions, white and black, who attains good and bad births, who, subdued by dualities, wanders, going downward or upward? Which is this?' He replied to them:

अस्ति खल्वन्योऽपरो भूतात्मा योऽयं सितासितैः कर्मफलैरभिभूयमानः सदसदयोनिमापद्यत इत्यवाचीं वोर्ध्वां गतिं द्वन्द्वैरभिभूयमानः परिभ्रमतीत्यस्योपव्याख्यानं पञ्च तन्मात्राणि भूतशब्देनोच्यन्ते पञ्च महाभूतानि भूतशब्देनोच्यन्तेऽथ तेषां यः समुदायः शरीरमित्युक्तमथ यो ह खलु वाव शरीरमित्युक्तं स भूतात्मेत्युक्तमथास्ति तस्यात्मा बिन्दुरिव पुष्कर इति स वा एषोऽभिभूतः प्राकृत्यैर्गुणैरित्यतोऽभिभूतत्वात्संमूढत्वं प्रयात्यसंमूढस्त्वादात्मस्थं प्रभुं भगवन्तं कारयितारं नापश्यद्गुणौघैस्तृप्यमानः कलुषीकृतास्थिरश्चञ्चलो लोलुप्यमानः सस्पृहो व्यग्रश्चाभिमानत्वं प्रयात इत्यहं सो ममेदमित्येवं मन्यमानो निबध्नात्यात्मनात्मानं जालेनैव खचरः कृतस्यानुफलैरभिभूयमानः परिभ्रमतीति

Indeed, there is another, a different elemental self, who, being overcome by the fruits of actions, white and black, attains good and bad births, who, subdued by dualities, wanders, going downward or upward. Its explanation is this: the five subtle elements are called 'elements'; the five great elements are also called 'elements'; and their aggregate is called 'body.' That which is called 'body' is called the elemental self. And it has a self, like a drop in a lotus. This is overcome by the qualities of nature; due to being overcome, it becomes deluded. Not deluded, it does not see the lord, the blessed one, the creator, established in the self. Satisfied by the multitude of qualities, made impure, unstable, restless, greedy, desirous, distracted, it attains egotism, thinking, 'I am this, this is mine.' Thus, it binds itself with its own self, like a bird in a net, being overcome by the fruits of actions, wandering without result.

अथान्यत्राप्युक्तं यः कर्ता सोऽयं वै भूतात्मा करणैः कारयितान्तःपुरुषोऽथ यथाग्निनायःपिण्डो वाभिभूतः कर्तृभिर्हन्यमानो नानात्वमुपैत्येवं वाव खल्वसौ भूतात्मान्तःपुरुषेणाभिभूतो गुणैर्हन्यमानो नानात्वमुपैत्यथ यत्त्रिगुणं चतुरशीतिलक्षयोनिपरिणतं भूतत्रिगुणमेतद्वै नानात्वस्य रूपं तानि ह वा इमानि गुणानि पुरुषेणेरितानि चक्रमिव चक्रिणेत्यथ यथायःपिण्डे हन्यमाने नाग्निरभिभूयत्येवं नाभिभूयत्यसौ पुरुषोऽभिभूयत्ययं भूतात्मोपसंश्लिष्टत्वादिति

Elsewhere it is said: The doer is this elemental self, acting through the instruments, the inner person as the agent. Just as a lump of iron, when struck by agents, is overcome and becomes manifold, so too, the elemental self, overcome by the inner person and struck by qualities, becomes manifold. That which is transformed into eighty-four lakh species by the three qualities is the elemental self, and this is the form of manifoldness. These qualities, impelled by the person, revolve like a wheel around its hub. Just as, when the iron lump is struck, the fire is not overcome, so the person is not overcome; it is the elemental self that is overcome due to its association.

अथान्यत्राप्युक्तं शरीरमिदं मैथुनादेवोद्भूतं संविदपेतं निरय एव मूत्रद्वारेण निष्क्रामन्तमस्थिभिश्चितं मांसेनानुलिप्तं चर्मणावबद्धं विण्मूत्रपित्तकफमज्जामेदोवसाभिरन्यैश्च मलैर्बहुभिः परिपूर्णं कोश इवावसन्नेति

Elsewhere it is said: This body arises from sexual union, devoid of consciousness, destined for hell, exiting through the urinary passage, covered with bones, smeared with flesh, bound with skin, filled with excrement, urine, bile, phlegm, marrow, fat, and other impurities, like a sack stuffed full.

अथान्यत्राप्युक्तं संमोहो भयं विषादो निद्रा तन्द्री व्रणो जरा शोकः क्षुत्पिपासा कार्पण्यं क्रोधो नास्तिक्यमज्ञानं मात्सर्यं वैकारुण्यं मूढत्वं निर्व्रीडत्वं निकृतत्वमुद्धातत्वमसमत्वमिति तामसान्वितस्तृष्णा स्नेहो रागो लोभो हिंसा रतिर्दृष्टिव्यापृतत्वमीर्ष्या काममवस्थितत्वं चञ्चलत्वं जिहीर्षार्थोपार्जनं मित्रानुग्रहणं परिग्रहावलम्बोऽनिष्टेष्विन्द्रियार्थेषु द्विष्टिरिष्टेश्वभिषङ्ग इति राजसान्वितैः परिपूर्ण एतैरभिभूत इत्ययं भूतात्मा तस्मान्नानारूपाण्याप्नोतीत्याप्नोतीति

Elsewhere it is said: Delusion, fear, despair, sleep, lethargy, wounds, old age, sorrow, hunger and thirst, misery, anger, atheism, ignorance, envy, cruelty, stupidity, shamelessness, deceit, arrogance, inequality—these are associated with darkness. Thirst, affection, passion, greed, violence, pleasure, attachment to views, jealousy, desire, instability, longing, pursuit of wealth, favoring friends, dependence on possessions, hatred for unpleasant sense objects, attachment to pleasant ones—these are associated with passion. Filled and overcome by these, the elemental self attains manifold forms.

तृतीयः प्रपाठकः ॥ ते ह खल्वथोर्ध्वरेतसोऽतिविस्मिता अतिसमेत्योचुर्भगवन्नमस्ते त्वं नः शाधि त्वमस्माकं गतिरन्या न विद्यत इत्यस्य कोऽतिथिर्भूतात्मनो येनेदं हित्वामन्येव सायुज्यमुपैति तान्होवाच

Third section. Then those with upward-flowing seed, greatly astonished, approached and said: 'Revered one, we salute you. Teach us, for you are our refuge; we know no other. Who is the guest of the elemental self, by whom, leaving this, one attains union with another?' He replied to them:

अथान्यत्राप्युक्तं महानदीषूर्मय इव निवर्तकमस्य यत्पुराकृतं समुद्रवेलेव दुर्निवार्यमस्य मृत्योरागमनं सदसत्फलमयैर्हि पाशैः पशुरिव बद्धं बन्धनस्थस्येवास्वातन्त्र्यं यमविषयस्थस्यैव बहुभयावस्थं मदिरोन्मत्त इवामोदममदिरोन्मत्तं पाप्मना गृहीत इव भ्राम्यमाणं महोरगदष्ट इव विपदृष्टं महान्धकार इव रागान्धमिन्द्रजालमिव मायामयं स्वप्नमिव मिथ्यादर्शनं कदलीगर्भ इवासारं नट इव क्षणवेषं चित्रभित्तिरिव मिथ्यामनोरममित्यथोक्तम् ॥ शब्दस्पर्शादयो येऽर्था अनर्था इव ते स्थिताः । येष्वासक्तस्तु भूतात्मा न स्मरेच्च परं पदम्

Elsewhere it is said: Like waves in great rivers, the return of what was done before is inevitable, like the arrival of death, hard to resist, like the ocean. Bound by the cords of good and evil fruits, like a beast, one lacks freedom, like one in bondage; in the realm of Yama, one is surrounded by many fears; like a drunkard, one delights in intoxication; seized by sin, one wanders; bitten by a great serpent, one sees danger; blinded by passion, one is in great darkness; like an illusion, one is in a world of magic; like a dream, one sees false visions; like the core of a banana, one is without substance; like an actor, one wears a momentary costume; like a painted wall, one delights in false beauty. Thus it is said: The sense objects, sound, touch, etc., though appearing as meaningful, are in fact meaningless. When the elemental self is attached to them, it does not remember the supreme state.

अयं वा व खल्वस्य प्रतिविधिर्भूतात्मनो यद्येव विद्याधिगमस्य धर्मस्यानुचरणं स्वाश्रमेष्वानुक्रमणं स्वधर्म एव सर्वं धत्ते स्तम्भशाखेवेतराण्यनेनोर्ध्वभाग्भवत्यन्यथधः पतत्येष स्वधर्माभिभूतो यो वेदेषु न स्वधर्मातिक्रमेणाश्रमी भवत्याश्रमेष्वेवावस्थितस्तपस्वी चेत्युच्यत एतदप्युक्तं नातपस्कस्यात्मध्यानेऽधिगमः कर्मशुद्धिर्वेत्येवं ह्याह ॥ तपसा प्राप्यते सत्त्वं सत्त्वात्सम्प्राप्यते मनः । मनसा प्राप्यते त्वात्मा ह्यात्मापत्त्या निवर्तत इति

Indeed, this is the remedy for the elemental self: the attainment of knowledge, the practice of virtue, the observance of one's own order, the following of one's own duty. Like a trunk and branches, all else depends on this; otherwise, one falls downward. He who is overcome by his own duty, who does not transgress his own duty in the Vedas, who remains established in his own order, is called an ascetic. It is also said: Without asceticism, there is no attainment of self-meditation; purity of action is required. Thus it is said: 'By asceticism, purity is attained; from purity, mind is attained; by mind, the self is attained; by attainment of the self, one turns back.'

अत्रैते श्लोका भवन्ति ॥ यथा निरिन्धनो वह्निः स्वयोनावुपशाम्यति । तथा वृत्तिक्षयाच्चित्तं स्वयोनावुपशाम्यति

Here these verses are recited: Just as fire without fuel returns to its source, so, by the cessation of activity, the mind returns to its source.

स्वयोनावुपशान्तस्य मनसः सत्यगामिनः । इन्द्रियार्थाविमूढस्यानृताः कर्मवशानुगाः

For the mind that has returned to its source, that follows truth, and is not deluded by sense objects, actions driven by falsehood do not bind.

चित्तमेव हि संसारस्तत्प्रयत्नेन शोधयेत् । यच्चित्तस्तन्मयो भवति गुह्यमेतत्सनातनम्

The mind alone is indeed the cycle of birth and death; therefore, one should purify it with effort. As is the mind, so one becomes; this is the ancient secret.

चित्तस्य हि प्रसादेन हन्ति कर्म शुभाशुभम् । प्रसन्नात्मात्मनि स्थित्वा सुखमव्ययमश्नुते

By the clarity of the mind, actions, good and bad, are destroyed. The serene self, established in the self, enjoys imperishable happiness.

समासक्तं यदा चित्तं जन्तोर्विषयगोचरे । यद्येवं ब्रह्मणि स्यात्तत्को न मुच्येत बन्धनात्

When the mind of a creature is attached to the domain of sense objects, it is bound; but if it is so attached to Brahman, who would not be freed from bondage?

मनो हि द्विविधं प्रोक्तं शुद्धं चाशुद्धमेव च । अशुद्धं कामसङ्कल्पं शुद्धं कामविवर्जितम्

The mind is said to be of two kinds: pure and impure. The impure is filled with desire and imagination; the pure is devoid of desire.

लयविक्षेपरहितं मनः कृत्वा सुनिश्चलम् । यदा यात्यमनीभावं तदा तत्परमं पदम्

Making the mind free from dissolution and distraction, firmly steady, when it attains the state of no-mind, then it reaches the supreme state.

तावदेव निरोद्धव्यं हृदि यावत्क्षयं गतम् । एतज्ज्ञानं च मोक्षं च शेषास्तु ग्रन्थविस्तराः

The mind should be restrained in the heart until it is destroyed. This is knowledge and liberation; all else is mere elaboration of texts.

समाधिनिर्धूतमलस्य चेतसो निवेशितस्यात्मनि यत्सुखं लभेत् । न शक्यते वर्णयितुं गिरा तदा स्वयं तदन्तःकरणेन गृह्यते

The happiness obtained by the mind, purified of impurity through absorption and established in the self, cannot be described by speech; then it is grasped by one's own inner faculty.

अपामपोऽग्निरग्नौ वा व्योम्नि व्योम न लक्षयेत् । एवमन्तर्गतं चित्तं पुरुषः प्रतिमुच्यते

Water is not seen in water, nor fire in fire, nor space in space. In the same way, when the mind is merged within, the person is released.

मन एव मनुष्याणां कारणं बन्धमोक्षयोः । बन्धाय विषयासक्तं मुक्त्यै निर्विषयं स्मृतमिति

The mind alone is the cause of bondage and liberation for human beings; attached to sense objects, it leads to bondage, but free from sense objects, it is regarded as leading to liberation.

अथ यथेयं कौत्सायनिस्तुतिः ॥ त्वं ब्रह्मा त्वं च वै विष्णुस्त्वं रुद्रस्त्वं प्रजापतिः । त्वमग्निर्वरुणो वायुस्त्वमिन्द्रस्त्वं निशाकरः

Now follows the praise by Kautsāyana: You are Brahmā, you are also Viṣṇu, you are Rudra, you are Prajāpati; you are Agni, Varuṇa, Vāyu, you are Indra, you are the moon.

त्वं मनुस्त्वं यमश्च त्वं पृथिवी त्वमथाच्युतः । स्वार्थे स्वाभाविकेऽर्थे च बहुधा तिष्ठसे दिवि

You are Manu, you are Yama, you are the earth, and you are the imperishable; for your own sake and for your natural purpose, you stand in many forms in the heavens.

विश्वेश्वर नमस्तुभ्यं विश्वात्मा विश्वकर्मकृत् । विश्वभुग्विश्वमायस्त्वं विश्वक्रीडारतिः प्रभुः

Lord of the universe, salutations to you; soul of the universe, creator of the universe; enjoyer of the universe, you are the cosmic illusion, you are the delight in the play of the universe, O master.