Chapter 3: The abode of heaven and earth

द्युभ्वाद्यायतनं स्वशब्दात्

dyubhvādyāyatanaṃ svaśabdāt

The abode of heaven, earth and the rest is Brahman, because of the word 'Self'. In the Mundaka, That on which heaven, earth and sky are woven is called 'the one Self', so it is Brahman.

मुक्तोपसृप्यव्यपदेशात्

muktopasṛpyavyapadeśāt

Because it is declared to be the goal of the liberated. The freed attain That, 'the bridge to immortality', which can only be Brahman.

नानुमानमतच्छब्दात्

nānumānamatacchabdāt

Not the inferred Pradhana, because there is no word denoting it. Nothing in the passage names insentient matter.

प्राणभृच्च

prāṇabhṛcca

Nor the one who bears breath, the individual soul. The all-knowing support of the worlds cannot be the limited jiva.

भेदव्यपदेशात्

bhedavyapadeśāt

Because of the declaration of difference. 'Know that one Self', says the text, setting the knower apart from the Self to be known.

प्रकरणात्

prakaraṇāt

Because of the context. The whole Mundaka section concerns the highest Brahman, by knowing which all is known.

स्थित्यदनाभ्यां च

sthityadanābhyāṃ ca

And because of abiding and eating. Of the two birds on one tree, one eats the fruit and the other only looks on; the onlooker is the Supreme, distinct from the eating soul.

भूमा सम्प्रसादादध्युपदेशात्

bhūmā samprasādādadhyupadeśāt

The Bhuman, the Plenitude, is Brahman, because it is taught as beyond deep serenity (prana). In the Chandogya Narada is led up the steps to the Infinite, which is above even Prana.

धर्मोपपत्तेश्च

dharmopapatteśca

And because the attributes fit. Where one sees nothing else and hears nothing else, that is Bhuman; it is immortal and rests in its own greatness.

अक्षरमम्बरान्तधृतेः

akṣaramambarāntadhṛteḥ

The Imperishable (Akshara) is Brahman, because it supports all up to space. In the Brihadaranyaka, Gargi is told that space is woven on the Akshara.

सा च प्रशासनात्

sā ca praśāsanāt

And this support comes from command. By the Imperishable's command sun and moon stand apart; command belongs to the Supreme alone.

अन्यभावव्यावृत्तेश्च

anyabhāvavyāvṛtteśca

And because other natures are excluded. The Akshara is the unseen seer and unheard hearer, which rules out Pradhana and the soul.

ईक्षतिकर्मव्यपदेशात्सः

īkṣatikarmavyapadeśātsaḥ

Because He is spoken of as the object of seeing, He is Brahman. In the Prashna, the highest Person seen through Om of three matras is the Supreme, not Brahma of the lower world.

दहर उत्तरेभ्यः

dahara uttarebhyaḥ

The small space (dahara) in the heart is Brahman, because of the following reasons. The Chandogya's small lotus-dwelling within the body is the Supreme, as the next sutras show.

गतिशब्दाभ्यां तथा हि दृष्टं लिङ्गं च

gatiśabdābhyāṃ tathā hi dṛṣṭaṃ liṅgaṃ ca

Because of the going and the word; so it is seen, and there is the mark. Beings daily go into it in sleep and the text calls it 'Brahma-world'; elsewhere too sleep is entry into Being.

धृतेश्च महिम्नोऽस्यास्मिन्नुपलब्धेः

dhṛteśca mahimno'syāsminnupalabdheḥ

And because of holding, since this greatness is found in Him. The dahara is called the dam holding the worlds apart, a glory seen only in Brahman.

प्रसिद्धेश्च

prasiddheśca

And because the word 'space' is well known as Brahman. Akasha is widely used in scripture for Brahman.

इतरपरामर्शात्स इति चेन्नासम्भवात्

itaraparāmarśātsa iti cennāsambhavāt

If it be said the soul is meant because it is referred to, no, because that is impossible. The qualities of being sinless and of true resolve cannot belong to the bound soul.

उत्तराच्चेदाविर्भूतस्वरूपस्तु

uttarāccedāvirbhūtasvarūpastu

If it be said the later passage shows the soul, the reply is that it is the soul with its true nature revealed. Prajapati's teaching to Indra leads to the Self in its own form.

अन्यार्थश्च परामर्शः

anyārthaśca parāmarśaḥ

And the reference to the soul has another purpose. It is made to point the soul to its true nature, Brahman, not to make the soul the dahara.

अल्पश्रुतेरिति चेत्तदुक्तम्

alpaśruteriti cettaduktam

If it be said it cannot be Brahman because of the mention of smallness, that has been answered. Smallness is for meditation, as said in 1.2.7.

अनुकृतेस्तस्य च

anukṛtestasya ca

Because of acting after Him, and of His. In the Mundaka, 'Him shining, everything shines after'; that light is Brahman, not some luminous object.

अपि च स्मर्यते

api ca smaryate

And Smriti also says this. The Gita says the sun does not illumine That, nor moon nor fire.

शब्दादेव प्रमितः

śabdādeva pramitaḥ

From the very word the one measured is Brahman. In the Katha, the thumb-sized Person is called 'lord of past and future', so the word itself shows He is the Supreme.

हृद्यपेक्षया तु मनुष्याधिकारत्वात्

hṛdyapekṣayā tu manuṣyādhikāratvāt

But the thumb-size is with reference to the heart, since humans are entitled to the teaching. Brahman is spoken of by the size of the human heart in which He is meditated on.

तदुपर्यपि बादरायणः सम्भवात्

taduparyapi bādarāyaṇaḥ sambhavāt

Badarayana holds that beings above humans too are entitled, because it is possible. Devas also have bodies, desire freedom and can pursue the knowledge of Brahman.

विरोधः कर्मणीति चेन्नानेकप्रतिपत्तेर्दर्शनात्

virodhaḥ karmaṇīti cennānekapratipatterdarśanāt

If it be said embodied devas conflict with sacrifice, no, because one being can take many forms, as is seen. A deva can be present at many yajnas at once.

शब्द इति चेन्नातः प्रभवात्प्रत्यक्षानुमानाभ्याम्

śabda iti cennātaḥ prabhavātpratyakṣānumānābhyām

If it be said this conflicts with the eternal word, no, because beings arise from the word, as perception and inference show. Shruti and Smriti say the world is created after the Vedic words.

अत एव च नित्यत्वम्

ata eva ca nityatvam

And for this very reason the Veda is eternal. The words name eternal types, not passing individuals, so the Veda stands unchanged.

समाननामरूपत्वाच्चावृत्तावप्यविरोधो दर्शनात्स्मृतेश्च

samānanāmarūpatvāccāvṛttāvapyavirodho darśanātsmṛteśca

And because names and forms are the same, there is no conflict even through repeated cycles, as Shruti and Smriti show. Each new creation follows the former one.

मध्वादिष्वसम्भवादनधिकारं जैमिनिः

madhvādiṣvasambhavādanadhikāraṃ jaiminiḥ

Jaimini holds the devas are not entitled to meditations like the Madhu Vidya, because it is impossible. A deva cannot meditate on itself as the object.

ज्योतिषि भावाच्च

jyotiṣi bhāvācca

And because the words sun and the rest denote spheres of light. Jaimini argues that such deities are only luminous bodies, without bodies capable of knowing.

भावं तु बादरायणोऽस्ति हि

bhāvaṃ tu bādarāyaṇo'sti hi

But Badarayana holds their entitlement exists, for there are such passages. Scripture speaks of devas with bodies, so they may seek Brahman.

शुगस्य तदनादरश्रवणात्तदाद्रवणात्सूच्यते हि

śugasya tadanādaraśravaṇāttadādravaṇātsūcyate hi

His grief is indicated by his rushing to Raikva on hearing the swans' slighting words. In the Chandogya, King Janashruti is called 'shudra' because grief (shuk) drove him, not by birth.

क्षत्रियत्वगतेश्चोत्तरत्र चैत्ररथेन लिङ्गात्

kṣatriyatvagateścottaratra caitrarathena liṅgāt

And because his Kshatriya status is shown later by the mark of Chaitraratha. He appears alongside a known Kshatriya line, confirming he was not a Shudra by birth.

संस्कारपरामर्शात्तदभावाभिलापाच्च

saṃskāraparāmarśāttadabhāvābhilāpācca

Because purificatory rites like upanayana are referred to for learning, and their absence is stated for the Shudra. The sutra holds that formal Vedic study requires these rites.

तदभावनिर्धारणे च प्रवृत्तेः

tadabhāvanirdhāraṇe ca pravṛtteḥ

And because the teacher proceeds only after confirming the absence of Shudra birth. Gautama initiated Satyakama Jabala once satisfied by his truthful answer.

श्रवणाध्ययनार्थप्रतिषेधात्स्मृतेश्च

śravaṇādhyayanārthapratiṣedhātsmṛteśca

And because Smriti forbids hearing, studying and acting on the Veda for them. So the sutra holds; acharyas add that the fruit of knowledge is open to all through Itihasa and Purana.

कम्पनात्

kampanāt

Because of trembling. In the Katha, the whole world trembles in the Prana from which it came forth, 'a great terror, a raised thunderbolt'; that Prana is Brahman.

ज्योतिर्दर्शनात्

jyotirdarśanāt

Because Light is seen. In the Chandogya, the serene soul rises from the body and reaches the highest Light; that Light is Brahman.

आकाशोऽर्थान्तरत्वादिव्यपदेशात्

ākāśo'rthāntaratvādivyapadeśāt

Akasha is Brahman, because it is said to be different from name and form and so on. The Chandogya calls it the revealer of name and form, the immortal Self.

सुषुप्त्युत्क्रान्त्योर्भेदेन

suṣuptyutkrāntyorbhedena

Because He is described as different in deep sleep and departure. In the Brihadaranyaka the soul, embraced by the wise Self, knows nothing outside; the embracing Self is Brahman.

पत्यादिशब्देभ्यः

patyādiśabdebhyaḥ

Because of words like 'Lord'. The same passage calls that Self the lord, ruler and controller of all, which fits Brahman alone.