Chapter 2: Ajatashatru and Yajnavalkya with Maitreyi
इति षष्ठं ब्राह्मणम् ॥
66 verses · 2 of 6
What happens in this chapter
Ajatashatru and Yajnavalkya with Maitreyi
Gargya Balaki offers to teach Brahman to king Ajatashatru of Kashi and names persons in the sun, moon and lightning; the king rejects each. The king then shows him, by a sleeping man, where the conscious self goes in sleep and how all comes from it like sparks from fire. Brahman has two forms, the formed and the formless; its description is neti neti, not this, not this. Yajnavalkya, about to leave home, offers to divide his wealth. Maitreyi asks whether wealth can make her immortal. He teaches that all things are dear for the sake of the Self; the Self is to be seen, heard, reflected on and meditated upon. Where all has become the Self, by what would one know the knower? The honey teaching closes the adhyaya.
द्वितीयोऽध्यायः । प्रथमं ब्राह्मणम् (अजातशत्रुब्राह्मणं वा पर्यंकविद्याब्राह्मणम्) दृप्तबालाकिर्हानूचानो गार्ग्य आस । स होवाचाजातशत्रुं काश्यं ब्रह्म ते ब्रवाणीति । स होवाचाजातशत्रुः सहस्रमेतस्यां वाचि दद्मः, जनको जनक इति वै जना धावन्तीति
dvitīyo'dhyāyaḥ | prathamaṃ brāhmaṇam (ajātaśatrubrāhmaṇaṃ vā paryaṃkavidyābrāhmaṇam) dṛptabālākirhānūcāno gārgya āsa | sa hovācājātaśatruṃ kāśyaṃ brahma te bravāṇīti | sa hovācājātaśatruḥ sahasrametasyāṃ vāci dadmaḥ, janako janaka iti vai janā dhāvantīti
There was Dripta-Balaki of the Garga clan, proud and well versed in the Veda. He said to Ajatashatru, king of Kashi, "Let me teach you Brahman." Ajatashatru replied, "For these words alone I give a thousand cows. People run about crying 'Janaka, Janaka' as if he alone were generous."
स होवाच गार्ग्यः य एवासावादित्ये पुरुष एतमेवाहं ब्रह्मोपास इति । स होवाचाजातशत्रुर् मा मैतस्मिन्संवदिष्ठाः । अतिष्ठाः सर्वेषां भूतानां मूर्धा राजेति वा अहमेतमुपास इति । स य एतमेवमुपास्तेऽतिष्ठाः सर्वेषां भूतानां मूर्धा राजा भवति
sa hovāca gārgyaḥ ya evāsāvāditye puruṣa etamevāhaṃ brahmopāsa iti | sa hovācājātaśatrur mā maitasminsaṃvadiṣṭhāḥ | atiṣṭhāḥ sarveṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ mūrdhā rājeti vā ahametamupāsa iti | sa ya etamevamupāste'tiṣṭhāḥ sarveṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ mūrdhā rājā bhavati
Gargya said, "The person in the sun, him I worship as Brahman." Ajatashatru said, "Do not speak to me of him. I worship him as the one who stands above all, the head and king of all beings." Whoever worships him so becomes the foremost of all beings, their head and their king.
स होवाच गार्ग्यः य एवासौ चन्द्रे पुरुष एतमेवाहं ब्रह्मोपास इति । स होवाचाजातशत्रुः मा मैतस्मिन्संवदिष्ठाः । बृहन् पाण्दरवासाः सोमो राजेति वा अहमेतमुपास इति । स य एतमेवमुपास्तेऽहरहर्सुतः प्रसुतो भवति । नास्यान्नं क्षीयते
sa hovāca gārgyaḥ ya evāsau candre puruṣa etamevāhaṃ brahmopāsa iti | sa hovācājātaśatruḥ mā maitasminsaṃvadiṣṭhāḥ | bṛhan pāṇdaravāsāḥ somo rājeti vā ahametamupāsa iti | sa ya etamevamupāste'haraharsutaḥ prasuto bhavati | nāsyānnaṃ kṣīyate
Gargya said, "The person in the moon, him I worship as Brahman." Ajatashatru said, "Do not speak to me of him. I worship him as the great king Soma, clad in white." Whoever worships him so has Soma pressed for him day after day, and his food never fails.
स होवाच गार्ग्यः य एवासौ विद्युति पुरुष एतमेवाहं ब्रह्मोपास इति । स होवाचाजातशत्रुः मा मैतस्मिन् संवदिष्ठाः । तेजस्वीति वा अहमेतमुपास इति । स य एतमेवमुपास्ते तेजस्वी ह भवति । तेजस्विनी हास्य प्रजा भवति
sa hovāca gārgyaḥ ya evāsau vidyuti puruṣa etamevāhaṃ brahmopāsa iti | sa hovācājātaśatruḥ mā maitasmin saṃvadiṣṭhāḥ | tejasvīti vā ahametamupāsa iti | sa ya etamevamupāste tejasvī ha bhavati | tejasvinī hāsya prajā bhavati
Gargya said, "The person in the lightning, him I worship as Brahman." Ajatashatru said, "Do not speak to me of him. I worship him as the radiant one." Whoever worships him so becomes radiant, and his children become radiant too.
स होवाच गार्ग्यः य एवायमाकाशे पुरुष एतमेवाहं ब्रह्मोपास इति । स होवाचाजातशत्रुः मा मैतस्मिन् संवदिष्ठाः । पूर्णमप्रवर्तीति वा अहमेतमुपास इति । स य एतमेवमुपास्ते पूर्यते प्रजया पशुभिर्नास्यास्माल्लोकात्प्रजोद्वर्तते
sa hovāca gārgyaḥ ya evāyamākāśe puruṣa etamevāhaṃ brahmopāsa iti | sa hovācājātaśatruḥ mā maitasmin saṃvadiṣṭhāḥ | pūrṇamapravartīti vā ahametamupāsa iti | sa ya etamevamupāste pūryate prajayā paśubhirnāsyāsmāllokātprajodvartate
Gargya said, "The person in space, him I worship as Brahman." Ajatashatru said, "Do not speak to me of him. I worship him as the full and the unmoving." Whoever worships him so is filled with offspring and cattle, and his line does not die out from this world.
स होवाच गार्ग्यः य एवायं वायौ पुरुष एतमेवाहं ब्रह्मोपास इति । स होवाचाजातशत्रुः मा मैतस्मिन्संवदिष्ठाः । इन्द्रो वैकुण्ठोऽपराजिता सेनेति वा अहमेतमुपास इति । स य एतमेवमुपास्ते जिष्णुर्हापराजिष्णुर्भवत्यन्यतस्त्यजायी
sa hovāca gārgyaḥ ya evāyaṃ vāyau puruṣa etamevāhaṃ brahmopāsa iti | sa hovācājātaśatruḥ mā maitasminsaṃvadiṣṭhāḥ | indro vaikuṇṭho'parājitā seneti vā ahametamupāsa iti | sa ya etamevamupāste jiṣṇurhāparājiṣṇurbhavatyanyatastyajāyī
Gargya said, "The person in the wind, him I worship as Brahman." Ajatashatru said, "Do not speak to me of him. I worship him as Indra Vaikuntha, the unconquered army." Whoever worships him so becomes victorious and unconquerable, and overcomes his enemies.
स होवाच गार्ग्यः य एवायमग्नौ पुरुष एतमेवाहं ब्रह्मोपास इति । स होवाचाजातशत्रुः मा मैतस्मिन्संवदिष्ठाः । विषासहिरिति वा अहमेतमुपास इति । स य एतमेवमुपास्ते विषासहिर्ह भवति । विषासहिर्हास्य प्रजा भवति
sa hovāca gārgyaḥ ya evāyamagnau puruṣa etamevāhaṃ brahmopāsa iti | sa hovācājātaśatruḥ mā maitasminsaṃvadiṣṭhāḥ | viṣāsahiriti vā ahametamupāsa iti | sa ya etamevamupāste viṣāsahirha bhavati | viṣāsahirhāsya prajā bhavati
Gargya said, "The person in fire, him I worship as Brahman." Ajatashatru said, "Do not speak to me of him. I worship him as the forbearing one, who endures and overpowers." Whoever worships him so becomes forbearing, and his children become so too.
स होवाच गार्ग्यः य एवायमप्सु पुरुष एतमेवाहं ब्रह्मोपास इति । स होवाचाजातशत्रुः मा मैतस्मिन्संवदिष्ठाः । प्रतिरूप इति वा अहमेतमुपास इति । स य एतमेवमुपास्ते प्रतिरूपं हैवैनमुपगच्छति नाप्रतिरूपम् । अथो प्रतिरुपोऽस्माज्जायते
sa hovāca gārgyaḥ ya evāyamapsu puruṣa etamevāhaṃ brahmopāsa iti | sa hovācājātaśatruḥ mā maitasminsaṃvadiṣṭhāḥ | pratirūpa iti vā ahametamupāsa iti | sa ya etamevamupāste pratirūpaṃ haivainamupagacchati nāpratirūpam | atho pratirupo'smājjāyate
Gargya said, "The person in the waters, him I worship as Brahman." Ajatashatru said, "Do not speak to me of him. I worship him as the fitting likeness." Whoever worships him so receives what is fitting and never what is unfitting, and from him are born children who are like him.
स होवाच गार्ग्यः य एवायमादर्शे पुरुष एतमेवाहं ब्रह्मोपास इति । स होवाचाजातशत्रुः मा मैतस्मिन् संवदिष्ठाः । रोचिष्णुरिति वा अहमेतमुपास इति । स य एतमेवमुपास्ते रोचिष्णुर्ह भवति । रोचिष्णुर्हास्य प्रजा भवति । अथो यैः संनिगच्छति । सर्वांस्तानतिरोचते
sa hovāca gārgyaḥ ya evāyamādarśe puruṣa etamevāhaṃ brahmopāsa iti | sa hovācājātaśatruḥ mā maitasmin saṃvadiṣṭhāḥ | rociṣṇuriti vā ahametamupāsa iti | sa ya etamevamupāste rociṣṇurha bhavati | rociṣṇurhāsya prajā bhavati | atho yaiḥ saṃnigacchati | sarvāṃstānatirocate
Gargya said, "The person in the mirror, him I worship as Brahman." Ajatashatru said, "Do not speak to me of him. I worship him as the shining one." Whoever worships him so becomes shining, his children shine, and he outshines all whom he meets.
स होवाच गार्ग्यः य एवायं यन्तं पश्चाच्छब्दोऽनूदेत्येतमेवाहं ब्रह्मोपास इति । स होवाचाजातशत्रुः मा मैतस्मिन् संवदिष्ठाः । असुरिति वा अहमेतमुपास इति । स य एतमेवमुपास्ते सर्वं हैवास्मिंल्लोक आयुरेति । नैनं पुरा कालात्प्राणो जहाति
sa hovāca gārgyaḥ ya evāyaṃ yantaṃ paścācchabdo'nūdetyetamevāhaṃ brahmopāsa iti | sa hovācājātaśatruḥ mā maitasmin saṃvadiṣṭhāḥ | asuriti vā ahametamupāsa iti | sa ya etamevamupāste sarvaṃ haivāsmiṃlloka āyureti | nainaṃ purā kālātprāṇo jahāti
Gargya said, "The sound that follows a man as he walks, that I worship as Brahman." Ajatashatru said, "Do not speak to me of it. I worship it as life." Whoever worships it so reaches his full span of life in this world, and breath does not leave him before his time.
स होवाच गार्ग्यः य एवायं दिक्षु पुरुष एतमेवाहं ब्रह्मोपास इति । स होवाचाजातशत्रुः मा मैतस्मिन् संवदिष्ठाः । द्वितीयोऽनपग इति वा अहमेतमुपास इति । स य एतमेवमुपास्ते द्वितीयवान् ह भवति । नास्माद्गणश्छिद्यते
sa hovāca gārgyaḥ ya evāyaṃ dikṣu puruṣa etamevāhaṃ brahmopāsa iti | sa hovācājātaśatruḥ mā maitasmin saṃvadiṣṭhāḥ | dvitīyo'napaga iti vā ahametamupāsa iti | sa ya etamevamupāste dvitīyavān ha bhavati | nāsmādgaṇaśchidyate
Gargya said, "The person in the quarters of space, him I worship as Brahman." Ajatashatru said, "Do not speak to me of him. I worship him as the companion who never leaves." Whoever worships him so always has companions, and his band of people is never cut off from him.
स होवाच गार्ग्यः य एवायं छायामयः पुरुष एतमेवाहं ब्रह्मोपास इति । स होवाचाजातशत्रुः मा मैतस्मिन्संवदिष्ठाः । मृत्युरिति वा अहमेतमुपास इति । स य एतमेवमुपास्ते सर्वं हैवास्मिंल्लोक आयुरेति । नैनं पुरा कालान्मृत्युरागच्छति
sa hovāca gārgyaḥ ya evāyaṃ chāyāmayaḥ puruṣa etamevāhaṃ brahmopāsa iti | sa hovācājātaśatruḥ mā maitasminsaṃvadiṣṭhāḥ | mṛtyuriti vā ahametamupāsa iti | sa ya etamevamupāste sarvaṃ haivāsmiṃlloka āyureti | nainaṃ purā kālānmṛtyurāgacchati
Gargya said, "The person made of shadow, him I worship as Brahman." Ajatashatru said, "Do not speak to me of him. I worship him as death." Whoever worships him so reaches his full span of life in this world, and death does not come to him before his time.
स होवाच गार्ग्यः य एवायमात्मनि पुरुष एतमेवाहं ब्रह्मोपास इति । स होवाचाजातशत्रुः मा मैतस्मिन् संवदिष्ठाः । आत्मन्वीति वा अहमेतमुपास इति । स य एतमेवमुपास्त आत्मन्वी ह भवति । आत्मन्विनी हास्य प्रजा भवति । स ह तूष्णीमास गार्ग्यः
sa hovāca gārgyaḥ ya evāyamātmani puruṣa etamevāhaṃ brahmopāsa iti | sa hovācājātaśatruḥ mā maitasmin saṃvadiṣṭhāḥ | ātmanvīti vā ahametamupāsa iti | sa ya etamevamupāsta ātmanvī ha bhavati | ātmanvinī hāsya prajā bhavati | sa ha tūṣṇīmāsa gārgyaḥ
Gargya said, "The person in the body, him I worship as Brahman." Ajatashatru said, "Do not speak to me of him. I worship him as the one possessed of self." Whoever worships him so becomes self-possessed, and so do his children. Then Gargya fell silent.
स होवाचाजातशत्रुः एतावन्नू३ इति । एतावद्धीति । नैतावता विदितं भवतीति । स होवाच गार्ग्यः उप त्वायानीति
sa hovācājātaśatruḥ etāvannū3 iti | etāvaddhīti | naitāvatā viditaṃ bhavatīti | sa hovāca gārgyaḥ upa tvāyānīti
Ajatashatru asked, "Is that all?" "That is all," said Gargya. "With that much, Brahman is not known," said the king. Then Gargya said, "Let me come to you as a disciple."
स होवाचाजातशत्रुः प्रतिलोमं चैतद्यद्ब्राह्मणः क्षत्रियमुपेयाद्ब्रह्म मे वक्ष्यतीति । व्येव त्वा ज्ञपयिष्यामीति । तं पाणावादायोत्तस्थौ । तौ ह पुरुषं सुप्तमाजग्मतुः । तमेतैर्नामभिरामन्त्रयां चक्रे बृहन् पाण्दरवासः सोम राजन्निति । स नोत्तस्थौ । तं पाणिनापेषं बोधयां चकार । स होत्तस्थौ
sa hovācājātaśatruḥ pratilomaṃ caitadyadbrāhmaṇaḥ kṣatriyamupeyādbrahma me vakṣyatīti | vyeva tvā jñapayiṣyāmīti | taṃ pāṇāvādāyottasthau | tau ha puruṣaṃ suptamājagmatuḥ | tametairnāmabhirāmantrayāṃ cakre bṛhan pāṇdaravāsaḥ soma rājanniti | sa nottasthau | taṃ pāṇināpeṣaṃ bodhayāṃ cakāra | sa hottasthau
Ajatashatru said, "It is against the usual order that a brahmana should come to a kshatriya expecting to be taught Brahman. Yet I will make you know it." He took him by the hand and rose. They came to a man asleep. The king called to him by those names, "Great one, clad in white, King Soma!" The man did not rise. Then he woke him by pressing him with his hand, and the man rose.
Ajatashatru said, "When this man was asleep, this person made of consciousness gathered in the knowing power of the senses by his own consciousness and lay in the space within the heart. When he draws them in, the man is said to sleep. Then breath is held in, speech is held in, the eye, the ear and the mind are held in."
स यत्रैतत्स्वप्न्यया चरति ते हास्य लोकाः । तदुतेव महाराजो भवत्युतेव महाब्राह्मणः । उतेवोच्चावचं निगच्छति । स यथा महाराजो जानपदान् गृहीत्वा स्वे जनपदे यथाकामं परिवर्तेतैवमेवैष एतत्प्राणान् गृहीत्वा स्वे शरीरे यथाकामं परिवर्तते
sa yatraitatsvapnyayā carati te hāsya lokāḥ | taduteva mahārājo bhavatyuteva mahābrāhmaṇaḥ | utevoccāvacaṃ nigacchati | sa yathā mahārājo jānapadān gṛhītvā sve janapade yathākāmaṃ parivartetaivamevaiṣa etatprāṇān gṛhītvā sve śarīre yathākāmaṃ parivartate
When he moves about in dream, those are his worlds. There he becomes a great king, as it were, or a great brahmana, and he goes to high and low states. Just as a great king takes his people with him and moves about as he wishes within his own kingdom, so this one takes the senses with him and moves about as he wishes within his own body.
Then, when he is in deep sleep and knows nothing at all, he goes back through the seventy-two thousand channels called hita, which spread from the heart through the body, and rests in the body. As a child, a great king or a great brahmana might lie down having reached the height of bliss, so he lies there.
As a spider moves out along its thread, and as small sparks fly up from a fire, so from this Self come forth all the vital powers, all the worlds, all the devas and all beings. Its secret name is the Truth of truth. The vital powers are truth, and the Self is their truth.
(sarvānnabrāhmaṇaṃ vā śiśubrāhmaṇam) yo ha vai śiśuṃ sādhānaṃ sapratyādhānaṃ sasthūṇaṃ sadāmaṃ veda sapta ha dviṣato bhrātṛvyānavaruṇaddhi | ayaṃ vāva śiśuryo'yaṃ madhyamaḥ prāṇaḥ | tasyedamevādhānamidaṃ pratyādhānaṃ prāṇaḥ sthūṇānnaṃ dāma
Whoever knows the young calf with its housing, its covering, its post and its tether keeps away seven hateful rivals. This calf is the middle breath, the life within the body. The body is its housing, the head its covering, breath its post and food its tether.
Seven imperishable powers attend upon it. Through the red streaks in the eye Rudra is joined to it; through the water in the eye, Parjanya; through the pupil, Aditya the sun; through the black, Agni; through the white, Indra. Through the lower eyelash the earth is joined to it, through the upper the sky. Whoever knows this, his food never fails.
On this there is a verse: "A bowl with its mouth below and its base above; in it is placed glory of every form. On its rim sit the seven rishis, and speech is the eighth, joined with Brahman." The bowl is the head, mouth below and base above. The glory of every form is the vital powers. The seven rishis are the vital powers. Speech is the eighth, for speech is joined with Brahman, the Veda.
These two ears are Gotama and Bharadvaja; this one is Gotama, that one Bharadvaja. These two eyes are Vishvamitra and Jamadagni; this one is Vishvamitra, that one Jamadagni. These two nostrils are Vasishtha and Kashyapa. The tongue, speech, is Atri, for by speech food is eaten, and Atri is really Atti, the eater. Whoever knows this becomes the eater of all, and all becomes his food.
tadetanmūrtaṃ yadanyadvāyoścāntarikṣācca | etanmartyam | etatsthitam | etatsat | tasyaitasya mūrtasyaitasya martyasyaitasya sthitasyaitasya sata eṣa raso ya eṣa tapati | sato hyeṣa rasaḥ
The formed is whatever is other than air and the sky between. It is mortal, it is fixed, it is the actual. The sap of this formed, mortal, fixed and actual is the sun that shines yonder, for that is the sap of the actual.
Now the formless: it is air and the sky between. It is immortal, it is moving, it is the beyond. The sap of this formless, immortal, moving beyond is the person within the orb of the sun, for that is the sap of the beyond. So much with regard to the devas.
Now with regard to the self. The formed is whatever is other than breath and the space within the body. It is mortal, fixed and actual. The sap of this formed, mortal, fixed and actual is the eye, for that is the sap of the actual.
Now the formless: it is breath and the space within the body. It is immortal, moving and beyond. The sap of this formless, immortal, moving beyond is the person within the right eye, for that is the sap of the beyond.
tasya haitasya puruṣasya rūpam | yathā māhārajanaṃ vāso yathā pāṇḍvāvikaṃ yathendragopo yathāgnyarciryathā puṇḍarīkaṃ yathā sakṛdvidyuttam | sakṛdvidyutteva ha vā asya śrīrbhavati ya evaṃ veda | athāta ādeśo neti neti | na hyetasmāditi netyanyatparamasti | atha nāmadheyaṃ satyasya satyamiti | prāṇā vai satyam | teṣāmeṣa satyam
The form of this person is like a saffron-dyed cloth, like white wool, like the red indragopa beetle, like a tongue of flame, like a white lotus, like a sudden flash of lightning. Whoever knows this, his glory flashes forth like lightning. Now the teaching: neti neti, not this, not this. There is nothing higher than this "not this". Its name is the Truth of truth. The vital powers are truth, and this is their truth.
sā hovāca maitreyī yannu ma iyaṃ bhagoḥ sarvā pṛthivī vittena pūrṇā syātkathaṃ tenāmṛtā syāmiti | neti hovāca yājñavalkyaḥ | yathaivopakaraṇavatāṃ jīvitaṃ tathaiva te jīvitaṃ syāt | amṛtatvasya tu nāśāsti vitteneti
Maitreyi said, "Venerable one, if this whole earth filled with wealth were mine, would I become immortal by it?" "No," said Yajnavalkya. "Your life would be like the life of the wealthy. Through wealth there is no hope of immortality."
स होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यः प्रिया बतारे नः सती प्रियं भाषसे । एह्यास्स्व । व्याख्यास्यामि ते । व्याचक्षाणस्य तु मे निदिध्यासस्वेति
sa hovāca yājñavalkyaḥ priyā batāre naḥ satī priyaṃ bhāṣase | ehyāssva | vyākhyāsyāmi te | vyācakṣāṇasya tu me nididhyāsasveti
Yajnavalkya said, "You have always been dear to me, and now you speak what is dear. Come, sit down. I will explain it to you. As I explain, meditate on it."
स होवाच न वा अरे पत्युः कामाय पतिः प्रियो भवत्यात्मनस्तु कामाय पतिः प्रियो भवति । न वा अरे जायायै कामाय जाया प्रिया भवत्यात्मनस्तु कामाय जाया प्रिया भवति । न वा अरे पुत्राणां कामाय पुत्राः प्रिया भवन्त्यात्मनस्तु कामाय पुत्राः प्रिया भवन्ति । न वा अरे वित्तस्य कामाय वित्तं प्रियं भवत्यात्मनस्तु कामाय वित्तं प्रियं भवति । न वा अरे ब्रह्मणः कामाय ब्रह्म प्रियं भवत्यात्मनस्तु कामाय ब्रह्म प्रियं भवति । न वा अरे क्षत्रस्य कामाय क्षत्रं प्रियं भवत्यात्मनस्तु कामाय क्षत्रं प्रियं भवति । न वा अरे लोकानां कामाय लोकाः प्रिया भवन्त्यात्मनस्तु कामाय लोकाः प्रिया भवन्ति । न वा अरे देवानां कामाय देवाः प्रिया भवन्त्यात्मनस्तु कामाय देवाः प्रिया भवन्ति । न वा अरे भूतानां कामाय भूतानि प्रियाणि भवन्त्यात्मनस्तु कामाय भूतानि प्रियाणि भवन्ति । न वा अरे सर्वस्य कामाय सर्वं प्रियं भवत्यात्मनस्तु कामाय सर्वं प्रियं भवति । आत्मा वा अरे द्रष्टव्यः श्रोतव्यो मन्तव्यो निदिध्यासितव्यो मैत्रेयि । आत्मनो वा अरे दर्शनेन श्रवणेन मत्या विज्ञानेनेदं सर्वं विदितम्
sa hovāca na vā are patyuḥ kāmāya patiḥ priyo bhavatyātmanastu kāmāya patiḥ priyo bhavati | na vā are jāyāyai kāmāya jāyā priyā bhavatyātmanastu kāmāya jāyā priyā bhavati | na vā are putrāṇāṃ kāmāya putrāḥ priyā bhavantyātmanastu kāmāya putrāḥ priyā bhavanti | na vā are vittasya kāmāya vittaṃ priyaṃ bhavatyātmanastu kāmāya vittaṃ priyaṃ bhavati | na vā are brahmaṇaḥ kāmāya brahma priyaṃ bhavatyātmanastu kāmāya brahma priyaṃ bhavati | na vā are kṣatrasya kāmāya kṣatraṃ priyaṃ bhavatyātmanastu kāmāya kṣatraṃ priyaṃ bhavati | na vā are lokānāṃ kāmāya lokāḥ priyā bhavantyātmanastu kāmāya lokāḥ priyā bhavanti | na vā are devānāṃ kāmāya devāḥ priyā bhavantyātmanastu kāmāya devāḥ priyā bhavanti | na vā are bhūtānāṃ kāmāya bhūtāni priyāṇi bhavantyātmanastu kāmāya bhūtāni priyāṇi bhavanti | na vā are sarvasya kāmāya sarvaṃ priyaṃ bhavatyātmanastu kāmāya sarvaṃ priyaṃ bhavati | ātmā vā are draṣṭavyaḥ śrotavyo mantavyo nididhyāsitavyo maitreyi | ātmano vā are darśanena śravaṇena matyā vijñānenedaṃ sarvaṃ viditam
He said, "It is not for the husband's sake that the husband is dear, but for the sake of the Self. Not for the wife's sake is the wife dear, nor sons, wealth, the brahmana, the kshatriya, the worlds, the devas or beings for their own sake; all these are dear for the sake of the Self. Indeed nothing at all is dear for its own sake, but for the sake of the Self. The Self, Maitreyi, is to be seen, heard of, reflected on and meditated upon. When the Self is seen, heard, reflected on and known, all this is known."
brahma taṃ parādādyo'nyatrātmano brahma veda | kṣatraṃ taṃ parādādyo'nyatrātmanaḥ kṣatraṃ veda | lokāstaṃ parāduryo'nyatrātmano lokān veda | devāstaṃ parāduryo'nyatrātmano devān veda | bhūtāni taṃ parāduryo'nyatrātmano bhūtāni veda | sarvaṃ taṃ parādādyo'nyatrātmanaḥ sarvaṃ veda | idaṃ brahmedaṃ kṣatramime lokā ime devā imāni bhūtānīdaṃ sarvaṃ yadayamātmā
The brahmana rejects whoever knows the brahmana as other than the Self. The kshatriya rejects whoever knows the kshatriya as other than the Self. The worlds, the devas, beings, and all things reject whoever knows them as other than the Self. This brahmana, this kshatriya, these worlds, these devas, these beings, all this, is this Self.
स यथा दुन्दुभेर्हन्यमानस्य न बाह्याञ्छब्दाञ्छक्नुयाद्ग्रहणाय । दुन्दुभेस्तु ग्रहणेन दुन्दुभ्याघातस्य वा शब्दो गृहीतः
sa yathā dundubherhanyamānasya na bāhyāñchabdāñchaknuyādgrahaṇāya | dundubhestu grahaṇena dundubhyāghātasya vā śabdo gṛhītaḥ
When a drum is being beaten, one cannot grasp the sounds going out from it one by one; but by grasping the drum, or the one who beats it, the sound is grasped.
स यथा शङ्खस्य ध्मायमानस्य न बाह्याञ्छब्दाञ्छक्नुयाद्ग्रहणाय शङ्खस्य तु ग्रहणेन शङ्खध्मस्य वा शब्दो गृहीतः
sa yathā śaṅkhasya dhmāyamānasya na bāhyāñchabdāñchaknuyādgrahaṇāya śaṅkhasya tu grahaṇena śaṅkhadhmasya vā śabdo gṛhītaḥ
When a conch is being blown, one cannot grasp the sounds going out from it one by one; but by grasping the conch, or the one who blows it, the sound is grasped.
स यथा वीणायै वाद्यमानायै न बाह्याञ्छब्दाञ्छक्नुयाद्ग्रहणाय वीणायै तु ग्रहणेन वीणावादस्य वा शब्दो गृहीतः
sa yathā vīṇāyai vādyamānāyai na bāhyāñchabdāñchaknuyādgrahaṇāya vīṇāyai tu grahaṇena vīṇāvādasya vā śabdo gṛhītaḥ
When a vina is being played, one cannot grasp the sounds going out from it one by one; but by grasping the vina, or the one who plays it, the sound is grasped.
As clouds of smoke pour out separately from a fire laid with damp fuel, so, Maitreyi, the Rigveda, the Yajurveda, the Samaveda, the Atharvangirasa, the itihasa, the purana, the sciences, the Upanishads, the verses, the sutras, the explanations and the commentaries are the breathing out of this great Being. All these are breathed out by it alone.
स यथा सर्वासामपां समुद्र एकायनम् । एवं सर्वेषां स्पर्शानां त्वगेकायनम् । एवं सर्वेषां गन्धानां नासिके एकायनम् । एवं सर्वेषां रसानां जिह्वैकायनम् । एवं सर्वेषां रूपाणां चक्षुरेकायनम् । एवं सर्वेषं शब्दानां श्रोत्रमेकायनम् । एवं सर्वेषां संकल्पानां मन एकायनम् । एवं सर्वासां विद्यानां हृदयमेकायनम् । एवं सर्वेषां कर्मणां हस्तावेकायनम् । एवं सर्वेषामानन्दानामुपस्थ एकायनम् । एवं सर्वेषां विसर्गाणां पायुरेकायनम् । एवं सर्वेषामध्वनां पादावेकायनम् । एवं सर्वेषां वेदानां वागेकायनम्
As the ocean is the one meeting place of all waters, so the skin is the meeting place of all touches, the nose of all smells, the tongue of all tastes, the eye of all forms, the ear of all sounds, the mind of all resolves, the heart of all knowledge, the hands of all actions, the organ of generation of all joys, the organ of excretion of all elimination, the feet of all journeys on the road, and speech of all the Vedas.
स यथा सैन्धवखिल्य उदके प्रास्त उदकमेवानुविलीयेत न हास्योद्ग्रहणायेव स्यात् । यतोयतस्त्वाददीत लवणम् । एवं वा अर इदं महद्भूतमनन्तमपारं विज्ञानघन एव । एतेभ्यो भूतेभ्यः समुत्थाय तान्येवानुविनश्यति । न प्रेत्य संज्ञास्तीत्यरे ब्रवीमि । इति होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यः
sa yathā saindhavakhilya udake prāsta udakamevānuvilīyeta na hāsyodgrahaṇāyeva syāt | yatoyatastvādadīta lavaṇam | evaṃ vā ara idaṃ mahadbhūtamanantamapāraṃ vijñānaghana eva | etebhyo bhūtebhyaḥ samutthāya tānyevānuvinaśyati | na pretya saṃjñāstītyare bravīmi | iti hovāca yājñavalkyaḥ
As a lump of salt dropped in water dissolves into the water, and cannot be picked out again, yet wherever one takes the water it tastes of salt, so, Maitreyi, this great Being, endless and boundless, is a mass of consciousness alone. Rising out of these elements, it vanishes again with them. After departing there is no particular awareness. So I say," said Yajnavalkya.
सा होवाच मैत्रेयी अत्रैव मा भगवानमूमुहन्न प्रेत्य संज्ञास्तीति । स होवाच न वा अरेऽहं मोहं ब्रवीमि । अलं वा अर इदं विज्ञानाय
sā hovāca maitreyī atraiva mā bhagavānamūmuhanna pretya saṃjñāstīti | sa hovāca na vā are'haṃ mohaṃ bravīmi | alaṃ vā ara idaṃ vijñānāya
Maitreyi said, "Venerable one, here you have bewildered me by saying that after departing there is no awareness." He said, "I say nothing bewildering, Maitreyi. This is enough for understanding."
Where there is duality, as it were, there one smells another, sees another, hears another, speaks to another, thinks of another and knows another. But where everything has become the Self alone, then by what and whom would one smell, see, hear, speak to, think of or know? By what should one know That by which all this is known? By what, Maitreyi, should one know the knower?
This earth is honey for all beings, and all beings are honey for this earth. The radiant, immortal person in this earth, and the radiant, immortal person in the body, are the same as this Self. This is the immortal, this is Brahman, this is all.
These waters are honey for all beings, and all beings are honey for these waters. The radiant, immortal person in the waters, and the radiant, immortal person in the body who dwells in the seed, are the same as this Self. This is the immortal, this is Brahman, this is all.
This fire is honey for all beings, and all beings are honey for this fire. The radiant, immortal person in the fire, and the radiant, immortal person in the body who dwells in speech, are the same as this Self. This is the immortal, this is Brahman, this is all.
This wind is honey for all beings, and all beings are honey for this wind. The radiant, immortal person in the wind, and the radiant, immortal person in the body who is breath, are the same as this Self. This is the immortal, this is Brahman, this is all.
This sun is honey for all beings, and all beings are honey for this sun. The radiant, immortal person in the sun, and the radiant, immortal person in the body who dwells in the eye, are the same as this Self. This is the immortal, this is Brahman, this is all.
These quarters of space are honey for all beings, and all beings are honey for them. The radiant, immortal person in the quarters, and the radiant, immortal person in the body who dwells in the ear and in the echo, are the same as this Self. This is the immortal, this is Brahman, this is all.
This moon is honey for all beings, and all beings are honey for this moon. The radiant, immortal person in the moon, and the radiant, immortal person in the body who dwells in the mind, are the same as this Self. This is the immortal, this is Brahman, this is all.
This lightning is honey for all beings, and all beings are honey for this lightning. The radiant, immortal person in the lightning, and the radiant, immortal person in the body who dwells in its inner fire, are the same as this Self. This is the immortal, this is Brahman, this is all.
This thunder is honey for all beings, and all beings are honey for this thunder. The radiant, immortal person in the thunder, and the radiant, immortal person in the body who dwells in sound and voice, are the same as this Self. This is the immortal, this is Brahman, this is all.
This space is honey for all beings, and all beings are honey for this space. The radiant, immortal person in space, and the radiant, immortal person in the space within the heart, are the same as this Self. This is the immortal, this is Brahman, this is all.
This dharma, the law of right order, is honey for all beings, and all beings are honey for this dharma. The radiant, immortal person in dharma, and the radiant, immortal person in the body who abides by dharma, are the same as this Self. This is the immortal, this is Brahman, this is all.
This truth is honey for all beings, and all beings are honey for this truth. The radiant, immortal person in truth, and the radiant, immortal person in the body who abides by truth, are the same as this Self. This is the immortal, this is Brahman, this is all.
This humankind is honey for all beings, and all beings are honey for humankind. The radiant, immortal person in humankind, and the radiant, immortal person in the body as a human being, are the same as this Self. This is the immortal, this is Brahman, this is all.
This Self is honey for all beings, and all beings are honey for this Self. The radiant, immortal person in this Self, and the radiant, immortal person who is the Self within, are the same as this Self. This is the immortal, this is Brahman, this is all.
स वा अयमात्मा सर्वेषां अधिपतिः सर्वेषां भूतानां राजा । तद्यथा रथनाभौ च रथनेमौ चाराः सर्वे समर्पिताः । एवमेवास्मिन्नात्मनि सर्वाणि भूतानि सर्वे देवाः सर्वे लोकाः सर्वे प्राणाः सर्व एत आत्मानः समर्पिताः
sa vā ayamātmā sarveṣāṃ adhipatiḥ sarveṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ rājā | tadyathā rathanābhau ca rathanemau cārāḥ sarve samarpitāḥ | evamevāsminnātmani sarvāṇi bhūtāni sarve devāḥ sarve lokāḥ sarve prāṇāḥ sarva eta ātmānaḥ samarpitāḥ
This Self is the lord of all beings and the king of all beings. As all the spokes are held together in the hub and the rim of a chariot wheel, so in this Self are held together all beings, all devas, all worlds, all vital powers and all these individual selves.
This is the honey that Dadhyanch of the Atharvana line taught the Ashvins. Seeing it, the rishi said: "O heroes, I make known that mighty deed of yours done for gain, as thunder makes known the rain: how Dadhyanch, son of Atharvan, taught you the honey through the head of a horse."
tadetadṛṣiḥ paśyannavocat ātharvaṇāyāśvinau dadhīce'śvyaṃ śiraḥ pratyairayatam | sa vāṃ madhu pra vocadṛtāyan tvāṣṭraṃ yaddasrāvapikakṣyaṃ vāmiti
Seeing this, the rishi said: "O Ashvins, you set a horse's head on Dadhyanch, son of Atharvan. True to his word, he taught you the honey of Tvashtri, and the secret of it too, O wonder-workers."
Seeing this, the rishi said: "He made bodies with two feet, he made bodies with four feet. Having first become a bird, he entered them as the Purusha." This Purusha dwells in all bodies, the cities of the soul. There is nothing not covered by him, nothing not filled by him.
tadetadṛṣiḥ paśyannavocat rūpaṃrūpaṃ pratirūpo babhūva tadasya rūpaṃ praticakṣaṇāya | indro māyābhiḥ pururūpa īyate yuktā hyasya harayaḥ śatā daśeti | ayaṃ vai harayo'yaṃ vai daśa ca sahasraṇi bahūni cānantāni ca | tadetadbrahmāpūrvamanaparamanantaramabāhyam | ayamātmā brahma sarvānubhūḥ | ityanuśāsanam
Seeing this, the rishi said: "He became the counterpart of every form, and that form is for revealing him. Indra, through his powers of maya, moves in many forms; yoked to him are ten hundred steeds." He is the steeds; he is the tens and thousands, the many and the endless. This Brahman has nothing before it and nothing after, nothing inside and nothing outside. This Self is Brahman, the experiencer of all. Such is the teaching.
Now the line of teachers. Pautimashya received it from Gaupavana, Gaupavana from Pautimashya, Pautimashya from Gaupavana, Gaupavana from Kaushika, Kaushika from Kaundinya, Kaundinya from Shandilya, Shandilya from Kaushika and Gautama, and Gautama...
...from Agniveshya. Agniveshya received it from Shandilya and Anabhimlata, Anabhimlata from Anabhimlata, and he from Gautama. Gautama received it from Saitava and Prachinayogya, they from Parasharya, Parasharya from Bharadvaja, Bharadvaja from Bharadvaja and Gautama, Gautama from Bharadvaja, Bharadvaja from Parasharya, Parasharya from Baijavapayana, Baijavapayana from Kaushikayani, and Kaushikayani...
...from Ghritakaushika. The line runs on through Parasharyayana, Parasharya, Jatukarnya, Asurayana and Yaska, Traivani, Aupajandhani, Asuri, Bharadvaja, Atreya, Manti, Gautama, Vatsya, Shandilya, Kaishorya Kapya, Kumaraharita, Galava, Vidarbhi-Kaundinya, Vatsanapat Babhrava, Pathin Saubhara, Ayasya Angirasa, Abhuti Tvashtra, Vishvarupa Tvashtra, the Ashvins, Dadhyanch Atharvana, Atharvan Daiva, Mrityu Pradhvamsana, Pradhvamsana, Ekarshi, Viprachitti, Vyashti, Sanaru, Sanatana, Sanaga and Parameshthin, who received it from Brahman. Brahman is self-existent. Salutation to Brahman.
