Chapter 4: Yajnavalkya teaches Janaka the light of man
इति षष्ठं ब्राह्मणम् ॥
91 verses · 4 of 6
What happens in this chapter
Yajnavalkya teaches Janaka the light of man
Yajnavalkya weighs six definitions of Brahman Janaka has heard and points beyond them. Then the great question: what is the light of a man? The sun; when the sun sets, the moon; then fire, then speech; when all these are gone, the Self is his light. The Self, made of understanding, moves between this world and the next through dream and in deep sleep embraced by the Self it knows nothing within or without. At death the soul moves on like a caterpillar to the next leaf. As a man acts, so he becomes; as is his desire, so is his will and deed. He who is without desire, whose desire is the Self, being Brahman goes to Brahman. Janaka offers his kingdom and himself.
Janaka, king of Videha, was seated giving audience when Yajnavalkya arrived. The king asked him, "Yajnavalkya, why have you come? Do you want cattle, or subtle questions?" "Both, Your Majesty," he replied.
yatte kaścidabravīttacchṛṇavāmeti | abravīnme jitvā śailiniḥ vāgvai brahmeti | yathā mātṛmān pitṛmānācāryavān brūyāttathā tacchailinirabravīdvāgvai brahmeti | avadato hi kiṃ syāditi | abravīttu te tasyāyatanaṃ pratiṣṭhām | na me'bravīditi | ekapādvā etatsamrāḍiti | sa vai no brūhi yājñavalkya | vāgevāyatanamākāśaḥ pratiṣṭhā prajñetyenadupāsīta | kā prajñatā yājñavalkya | vāgeva samrāḍiti hovāca | vācā vai samrāḍbandhuḥ prajñāyate | ṛgvedo yajurvedaḥ sāmavedo'tharvāṅgirasa itihāsaḥ purāṇaṃ vidyā upaniṣadaḥ ślokāḥ sūtrāṇyanuvyākhyānāni vyākhyānānīṣṭaṃ hutamāśitaṃ pāyitamayaṃ ca lokaḥ paraśca lokaḥ sarvāṇi ca bhūtāni vācaiva saṃrāṭprajñāyante | vāgvai samrāṭparamaṃ brahma | nainaṃ vāgjahāti | sarvāṇyenaṃ bhūtānyabhikṣaranti | devo bhūtvā devānapyeti | ya evaṃ vidvānetadupāste | hastyṛṣabhaṃ sahasraṃ dadāmīti hovāca janako vaidehaḥ | sa hovāca yājñavalkyaḥ pitā me'manyata nānanuśiṣya hareteti
"Let me hear what anyone has told you." Janaka: "Jitvan Shailini told me speech is Brahman." Yajnavalkya: "He said it as one well taught by mother, father and teacher would, for what could a speechless man gain? But did he tell you its abode and support?" "No." "Then it stands on one foot only. Speech is its abode, space its support; meditate on it as knowledge. By speech every kinsman is known, and the Vedas, Itihasa, Purana, Upanishads, sacrifices, this world and the next. Speech is the highest Brahman." Janaka offered a thousand cows with a bull like an elephant; Yajnavalkya said, "My father held that one should not take a gift without having fully taught."
यदेव ते कश्चिदब्रवीत्तच्छृणवामेति । अब्रवीन्म उदङ्कः शौल्बायनः । प्राणो वै ब्रह्मेति । यथा मातृमान् पितृमानाचार्यवान् ब्रूयात्तथा तच्छौल्बायनोऽब्रवीत्प्राणो वै ब्रह्मेति । अप्राणतो हि किं स्यादिति । अब्रवीत्तु ते तस्यायतनं प्रतिष्ठाम् । न मेऽब्रवीदिति । एकपाद्वा एतत्सम्राडिति । स वै नो ब्रूहि याज्ञवल्क्य । प्राण एवायतनमाकाशः प्रतिष्ठा । प्रियमित्येनदुपासीत । का प्रियता याज्ञवल्क्य । प्राण एव सम्राडिति होवाच । प्राणस्य वै सम्राट्कामायायाज्यं याजयति । अप्रतिगृह्यस्य प्रतिगृह्णाति । अपि तत्र वधाशङ्का भवति यां दिशमेति प्राणस्यैव सम्राट्कामाय । प्राणो वै सम्राट्परमं ब्रह्म । नैनं प्राणो जहाति । सर्वाण्येनं भूतान्यभिक्षरन्ति । देवो भूत्वा देवानप्येति । य एवं विद्वानेतदुपास्ते । हस्त्यृषभं सहस्रं ददामीति होवाच जनको वैदेहह् । स होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यः पिता मेऽमन्यत नाननुशिष्य हरेतेति
yadeva te kaścidabravīttacchṛṇavāmeti | abravīnma udaṅkaḥ śaulbāyanaḥ | prāṇo vai brahmeti | yathā mātṛmān pitṛmānācāryavān brūyāttathā tacchaulbāyano'bravītprāṇo vai brahmeti | aprāṇato hi kiṃ syāditi | abravīttu te tasyāyatanaṃ pratiṣṭhām | na me'bravīditi | ekapādvā etatsamrāḍiti | sa vai no brūhi yājñavalkya | prāṇa evāyatanamākāśaḥ pratiṣṭhā | priyamityenadupāsīta | kā priyatā yājñavalkya | prāṇa eva samrāḍiti hovāca | prāṇasya vai samrāṭkāmāyāyājyaṃ yājayati | apratigṛhyasya pratigṛhṇāti | api tatra vadhāśaṅkā bhavati yāṃ diśameti prāṇasyaiva samrāṭkāmāya | prāṇo vai samrāṭparamaṃ brahma | nainaṃ prāṇo jahāti | sarvāṇyenaṃ bhūtānyabhikṣaranti | devo bhūtvā devānapyeti | ya evaṃ vidvānetadupāste | hastyṛṣabhaṃ sahasraṃ dadāmīti hovāca janako vaidehah | sa hovāca yājñavalkyaḥ pitā me'manyata nānanuśiṣya hareteti
"Udanka Shaulbayana told me prana, the life-breath, is Brahman." "What could one without breath gain? Did he tell you its abode and support?" "No." "Then it stands on one foot. Breath is its abode, space its support; meditate on it as the dear. For love of life a man performs sacrifice for the unworthy and accepts gifts from those he should not, and fears for his life wherever he goes. Breath is the highest Brahman. Breath never leaves the one who knows this; all beings come to him; becoming a deva, he goes to the devas." Janaka again offered the thousand cows; Yajnavalkya again declined until his teaching was complete.
यदेव ते कश्चिदब्रवीत्तच्छृणवामेति । अब्रवीन्मे बर्कुर्वार्ष्णः । चक्षुर्वै ब्रह्मेति । यथा मातृमान् पितृमानाचार्यवान् ब्रूयात्तथा तद्वार्ष्णोऽब्रवीच्चक्षुर्वै ब्रह्मेति । अपश्यतो हि किं स्यादिति । अब्रवीत्तु ते तस्यायतनं प्रतिष्ठाम् । न मेऽब्रवीदिति । एकपाद्वा एतत्सम्राडिति । स वै नो ब्रूहि याज्ञवल्क्य । चक्षुरेवायतनमाकाशः प्रतिष्ठा । सत्यमित्येतदुपासीत । का सत्यता याज्ञवल्क्य । चक्षुरेव सम्राडिति होवाच । चक्षुषा वै सम्राट्पश्यन्तमाहुरद्राक्षीरिति । स आहाद्राक्षमिति तत्सत्यं भवति । चक्षुर्वै सम्राट्परमं ब्रह्म । नैनं चक्षुर्जहाति । सर्वाण्येनं भूतान्यभिक्षरन्ति । देवो भूत्वा देवानप्येति । य एवं विद्वानेतदुपास्ते । हस्त्यृषभं सहस्रं ददामीति होवाच जनको वैदेहः । स होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यः पिता मेऽमन्यत नाननुशिष्य हरेतेति
yadeva te kaścidabravīttacchṛṇavāmeti | abravīnme barkurvārṣṇaḥ | cakṣurvai brahmeti | yathā mātṛmān pitṛmānācāryavān brūyāttathā tadvārṣṇo'bravīccakṣurvai brahmeti | apaśyato hi kiṃ syāditi | abravīttu te tasyāyatanaṃ pratiṣṭhām | na me'bravīditi | ekapādvā etatsamrāḍiti | sa vai no brūhi yājñavalkya | cakṣurevāyatanamākāśaḥ pratiṣṭhā | satyamityetadupāsīta | kā satyatā yājñavalkya | cakṣureva samrāḍiti hovāca | cakṣuṣā vai samrāṭpaśyantamāhuradrākṣīriti | sa āhādrākṣamiti tatsatyaṃ bhavati | cakṣurvai samrāṭparamaṃ brahma | nainaṃ cakṣurjahāti | sarvāṇyenaṃ bhūtānyabhikṣaranti | devo bhūtvā devānapyeti | ya evaṃ vidvānetadupāste | hastyṛṣabhaṃ sahasraṃ dadāmīti hovāca janako vaidehaḥ | sa hovāca yājñavalkyaḥ pitā me'manyata nānanuśiṣya hareteti
"Barku Varshna told me the eye is Brahman." "What could one who cannot see gain? Did he tell you its abode and support?" "No." "Then it stands on one foot. The eye is its abode, space its support; meditate on it as truth. When someone sees with his eyes and is asked, 'Did you see?', he says, 'I saw,' and that is held true. The eye is the highest Brahman. The eye never leaves the one who knows this; all beings come to him; becoming a deva, he goes to the devas." Janaka offered a thousand cows; Yajnavalkya replied that his father forbade taking a gift before teaching fully.
yadeva te kaścidabravīttacchṛṇavāmeti | abravīnme gardabhīvipīto bhāradvājaḥ | śrotraṃ vai brahmeti | yathā mātṛmān pitṛmānācāryavān brūyāttathā tadbhāradvājo'bravīcchrotraṃ vai brahmeti | aśṛṇvato hi kiṃ syāditi | abravīttu te tasyāyatanaṃ pratiṣṭhām | na me'bravīditi | ekapādvā etatsamrāḍiti | sa vai no brūhi yājñavalkya | śrotramevāyatanamākāśaḥ pratiṣṭhānantamityenadupāsīta | kānantatā yājñavalkya | diśa eva samrāḍiti hovāca | tasmādvai samrāḍapi yāṃ kāñca diśaṃ gacchati naivāsyā antaṃ gacchati | anantā hi diśaḥ | diśo vai samrāṭśrotram | śrotraṃ vai samrāṭparamaṃ brahma | nainaṃ śrotraṃ jahāti | sarvāṇyenaṃ bhūtānyabhikṣaranti | devo bhūtvā devānapyeti | ya evaṃ vidvānetadupāste | hastyṛṣabhaṃ sahasraṃ dadāmīti hovāca janako vaidehaḥ | sa hovāca yājñavalkyaḥ pitā me'manyata nānanuśiṣya hareteti
"Gardabhivipita Bharadvaja told me the ear is Brahman." "What could one who cannot hear gain? Did he tell you its abode and support?" "No." "Then it stands on one foot. The ear is its abode, space its support; meditate on it as the endless. The endlessness is the quarters of space: whichever direction one travels, one never reaches its end, for the quarters are endless. The quarters are the ear, and the ear is the highest Brahman. It never leaves the one who knows this; becoming a deva, he goes to the devas." Janaka offered a thousand cows; Yajnavalkya again declined, citing his father's rule.
यदेव ते कश्चिदब्रवीत्तच्छृणवामेति । अब्रवीन्मे सत्यकामो जाबालः मनो वै ब्रह्मेति । यथा मातृमान् पितृमानाचार्यवान् ब्रूयात्तथा तज्जाबालोऽब्रवीन्मनो वै ब्रह्मेति । अमनसो हि किं स्यादिति । अब्रवीत्तु ते तस्यायतनं प्रतिष्ठाम् । न मेऽब्रवीदिति । एकपाद्वा एतत्सम्राडिति । स वै नो ब्रूहि याज्ञावल्क्य । मन एवायतनमाकाशः प्रतिष्ठानन्द इत्येनदुपासीत । कानन्दता याज्ञवल्क्य । मन एव सम्राडिति होवाच मनसा वै सम्राट्स्त्रियमभि हार्यति तस्यां प्रतिरूपः पुत्रो जायते । स आनन्दः । मनो वै सम्राट्परमं ब्रह्म । नैनं मनो जहाति । सर्वाण्येनं भूतान्यभिक्षरन्ति । देवो भूत्वा देवानप्येति । य एवं विद्वानेतदुपास्ते । हस्त्यृषभं सहस्रं ददामीति होवाच जनको वैदेहः । स होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यः पिता मेऽमन्यत नाननुशिष्य हरेतेति
yadeva te kaścidabravīttacchṛṇavāmeti | abravīnme satyakāmo jābālaḥ mano vai brahmeti | yathā mātṛmān pitṛmānācāryavān brūyāttathā tajjābālo'bravīnmano vai brahmeti | amanaso hi kiṃ syāditi | abravīttu te tasyāyatanaṃ pratiṣṭhām | na me'bravīditi | ekapādvā etatsamrāḍiti | sa vai no brūhi yājñāvalkya | mana evāyatanamākāśaḥ pratiṣṭhānanda ityenadupāsīta | kānandatā yājñavalkya | mana eva samrāḍiti hovāca manasā vai samrāṭstriyamabhi hāryati tasyāṃ pratirūpaḥ putro jāyate | sa ānandaḥ | mano vai samrāṭparamaṃ brahma | nainaṃ mano jahāti | sarvāṇyenaṃ bhūtānyabhikṣaranti | devo bhūtvā devānapyeti | ya evaṃ vidvānetadupāste | hastyṛṣabhaṃ sahasraṃ dadāmīti hovāca janako vaidehaḥ | sa hovāca yājñavalkyaḥ pitā me'manyata nānanuśiṣya hareteti
"Satyakama Jabala told me the mind is Brahman." "What could one without a mind gain? Did he tell you its abode and support?" "No." "Then it stands on one foot. Mind is its abode, space its support; meditate on it as bliss. By the mind a man is drawn to a woman, and a son like him is born of her; that is bliss. Mind is the highest Brahman. It never leaves the one who knows this; all beings come to him; becoming a deva, he goes to the devas." Janaka offered a thousand cows; Yajnavalkya declined until he had taught fully.
yadeva te kaścidabravīttacchṛṇavāmeti | abravīnme vidagdhaḥ śākalyaḥ | hṛdayaṃ vai brahmeti | yathā mātṛmān pitṛmānācāryavān brūyāttathā tacchākalyo'bravīddhṛdayaṃ vai brahmeti | ahṛdayasya hi kiṃ syāditi | abravīttu te tasyāyatanaṃ pratiṣṭhām | na me'bravīditi | ekapādvā etatsamrāḍiti | sa vai no brūhi yājñavalkya | hṛdayamevāyatanamākāśaḥ pratiṣṭhā | sthitirityenadupāsīta | kā sthititā yājñavalkya | hṛdayameva samrāḍiti hovāca | hṛdayaṃ vai samrāṭsarveṣāṃ bhūtānāmāyatanam | hṛdayaṃ vai samrāṭsarveṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ pratiṣṭhā | hṛdaye hyeva samrāṭsarvāṇi bhūtāni pratiṣṭhitāni bhavanti | hṛdayaṃ vai samrāṭparamaṃ brahma | nainaṃ hṛdayaṃ jahāti | sarvāṇyenaṃ bhūtānyabhikṣaranti | devo bhūtvā devānapyeti | ya evaṃ vidvānetadupāste | hastyṛṣabhaṃ sahasraṃ dadāmīti hovāca janako vaidehaḥ | sa hovāca yājñavalkyaḥ pitā me'manyata nānanuśiṣya hareteti
"Vidagdha Shakalya told me the heart is Brahman." "What could one without a heart gain? Did he tell you its abode and support?" "No." "Then it stands on one foot. The heart is its abode, space its support; meditate on it as steadiness. The heart is the abode of all beings and their support; in the heart all beings are established. The heart is the highest Brahman. It never leaves the one who knows this; all beings come to him; becoming a deva, he goes to the devas." Janaka offered a thousand cows with an elephant-like bull; Yajnavalkya said his father held that one should not take without fully teaching.
जनको ह वैदेहः कूर्चादुपावसर्पन्नुवाच नमस्तेऽस्तु याज्ञवल्क्य । अनु मा शाधीति । स होवाच यथा वै सम्राण्महान्तमध्वानमेष्यन् रथं वा नावं वा समाददीतैवमेवैताभिरुपनिषद्भिः समाहितात्मासि । एवं वृन्दारक आढ्यः सन्नधीतवेद उक्तोपनिषत्क इतो विमुच्यमानः क्व गमिष्यसीति । नाहं तद्भगवन् वेद यत्र गमिष्यामीति । अथ वै तेऽहं तद्वक्ष्यामि यत्र गमिष्यसीति । ब्रवीतु भगवानिति
janako ha vaidehaḥ kūrcādupāvasarpannuvāca namaste'stu yājñavalkya | anu mā śādhīti | sa hovāca yathā vai samrāṇmahāntamadhvānameṣyan rathaṃ vā nāvaṃ vā samādadītaivamevaitābhirupaniṣadbhiḥ samāhitātmāsi | evaṃ vṛndāraka āḍhyaḥ sannadhītaveda uktopaniṣatka ito vimucyamānaḥ kva gamiṣyasīti | nāhaṃ tadbhagavan veda yatra gamiṣyāmīti | atha vai te'haṃ tadvakṣyāmi yatra gamiṣyasīti | bravītu bhagavāniti
Janaka rose from his seat, came near and said, "Salutation to you, Yajnavalkya. Teach me." Yajnavalkya said, "As a man setting out on a long road would take a chariot or a boat, so your mind is well furnished with these secret teachings. You are honoured and wealthy, you have studied the Vedas and heard the Upanishads. When you depart from this body, where will you go?" "Revered sir, I do not know where I shall go." "Then I shall tell you where you will go." "Tell me, revered sir."
इन्धो ह वै नामैष योऽयं दक्षिणेऽक्षन् पुरुषः । तं वा एतमिन्धं सन्तमिन्द्र इत्याचक्षते परोक्षेणैव । परोक्षप्रिया इव हि देवाः प्रत्यक्षद्विषः
indho ha vai nāmaiṣa yo'yaṃ dakṣiṇe'kṣan puruṣaḥ | taṃ vā etamindhaṃ santamindra ityācakṣate parokṣeṇaiva | parokṣapriyā iva hi devāḥ pratyakṣadviṣaḥ
"The person in the right eye is named Indha, the kindler. Being Indha, he is called Indra in a veiled way, for the devas love what is hidden and dislike the openly stated."
"The form of a person in the left eye is his wife, Viraj. Their meeting place is the space within the heart. Their food is the red mass inside the heart, their covering is the net-like web within it, and their path is the channel that rises upward from the heart. Fine as a hair split a thousandfold, the nadis called hita lie within the heart, and through them the food passes on. So this inner self takes, as it were, finer food than the bodily self."
तस्य प्राची दिक्प्राञ्चः प्राणाः । दक्षिणा दिग्दक्षिणे प्राणाः । प्रतीची दिक्प्रत्यञ्चः प्राणाः । उदीची दिगुदञ्चः प्राणाः । ऊर्ध्वा दिगूर्ध्वाः प्राणाः । अवाची दिगवाञ्चः प्राणाः । सर्वा दिशः सर्वे प्राणाः । स एष नेति नेत्यात्मा । अगृह्यो न हि गृह्यते । अशीर्यो न हि शीर्यते । असङ्गो न हि सज्यते । असितो न व्यथते । न रिष्यति । अभयं वै जनक प्राप्तोऽसीति होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यः । स होवाच जनको वैदेहोऽभयं त्वा गच्छताद्याज्ञवल्क्य यो नो भगवन्नभयं वेदयसे । नमस्तेऽस्तु । इमे विदेहा अयमहमस्मीति
tasya prācī dikprāñcaḥ prāṇāḥ | dakṣiṇā digdakṣiṇe prāṇāḥ | pratīcī dikpratyañcaḥ prāṇāḥ | udīcī digudañcaḥ prāṇāḥ | ūrdhvā digūrdhvāḥ prāṇāḥ | avācī digavāñcaḥ prāṇāḥ | sarvā diśaḥ sarve prāṇāḥ | sa eṣa neti netyātmā | agṛhyo na hi gṛhyate | aśīryo na hi śīryate | asaṅgo na hi sajyate | asito na vyathate | na riṣyati | abhayaṃ vai janaka prāpto'sīti hovāca yājñavalkyaḥ | sa hovāca janako vaideho'bhayaṃ tvā gacchatādyājñavalkya yo no bhagavannabhayaṃ vedayase | namaste'stu | ime videhā ayamahamasmīti
"For him the east is the eastern breaths, the south the southern, the west the western, the north the northern, the zenith the upward, the nadir the downward; all quarters are all the breaths. This Self is not this, not this (neti neti). It is ungraspable, for it is never grasped; indestructible, for it never decays; unattached, for it never clings; unbound, it does not suffer and is not harmed. Janaka, you have reached fearlessness." Janaka said, "May fearlessness come to you, revered Yajnavalkya, who make us know the fearless. Salutation to you. Here are the Videhas, and here am I, at your service."
(jyotirbrāhmaṇam) janakaṃ ha vaidehaṃ yājñavalkyo jagāma | samenena vadiṣya iti | atha ha yajjanakaśca vaideho yājñavalkyaścāgnihotre samūdāte | tasmai ha yājñavalkyo varaṃ dadau | sa ha kāmapraśnameva vavre | taṃ hāsmai dadau | taṃ ha samrāḍeva pūrvaḥ papraccha
Yajnavalkya went to Janaka of Videha, intending not to speak. But once before, when Janaka and Yajnavalkya had discussed the Agnihotra, Yajnavalkya had granted him a boon, and the king had chosen the right to ask whatever he wished. Yajnavalkya had granted it. So now the king questioned him first.
"Yajnavalkya, what light does a person have?" "The sun is his light, Your Majesty. By the light of the sun he sits, goes about, does his work and returns." "So it is, Yajnavalkya."
"When the sun has set, Yajnavalkya, what light does a person have?" "The moon is then his light. By the moon's light he sits, goes about, does his work and returns." "So it is, Yajnavalkya."
"When the sun has set and the moon has set, Yajnavalkya, what light does a person have?" "Fire is then his light. By firelight he sits, goes about, does his work and returns." "So it is, Yajnavalkya."
"When the sun and moon have set and the fire has gone out, what light does a person have?" "Speech is then his light. By speech he sits, goes about, does his work and returns. That is why, Your Majesty, when a man cannot see even his own hand, he goes towards a voice wherever it sounds." "So it is, Yajnavalkya."
"When the sun and moon have set, the fire has gone out and speech is silent, what light does a person have?" "The Self, the Atman, is then his light. By the light of the Self he sits, goes about, does his work and returns."
कतम आत्मेति योऽयं विज्ञानमयः प्राणेषु हृद्यन्तर्ज्योतिः पुरुषः । स समानः सन्नुभौ लोकावनुसंचरति ध्यायतीव लेलायतीव । स हि स्वप्नो भूत्वेमं लोकमतिक्रामति अद्द्. मृत्यो रूपाणि
katama ātmeti yo'yaṃ vijñānamayaḥ prāṇeṣu hṛdyantarjyotiḥ puruṣaḥ | sa samānaḥ sannubhau lokāvanusaṃcarati dhyāyatīva lelāyatīva | sa hi svapno bhūtvemaṃ lokamatikrāmati add. mṛtyo rūpāṇi
"Which is the Self?" "The person made of knowing, among the senses, the light within the heart. Remaining the same, he moves through both worlds, seeming to think, seeming to stir. Becoming dream, he passes beyond this world and beyond the forms of death."
तस्य वा एतस्य पुरुषस्य द्वे एव स्थाने भवतः । इदं च परलोकस्थानं च । सन्ध्यं तृतीयं स्वप्नस्थानम् । तस्मिन्सन्ध्ये स्थाने तिष्ठनुभे स्थाने पश्यतीदं च परलोकस्थानं च । अथ यथाक्रमोऽयं परलोकस्थाने भवति । तमाक्रममाक्रम्योभयान् पाप्मन आनन्दांश्च पश्यति । स यत्र प्रस्वपित्यस्य लोकस्य सर्वावतो मात्रामपादाय स्वयं विहत्य स्वयं निर्माय स्वेन भासा स्वेन ज्योतिषा प्रस्वपिति । अत्रायं पुरुषः स्वयंज्योतिर्भवति
tasya vā etasya puruṣasya dve eva sthāne bhavataḥ | idaṃ ca paralokasthānaṃ ca | sandhyaṃ tṛtīyaṃ svapnasthānam | tasminsandhye sthāne tiṣṭhanubhe sthāne paśyatīdaṃ ca paralokasthānaṃ ca | atha yathākramo'yaṃ paralokasthāne bhavati | tamākramamākramyobhayān pāpmana ānandāṃśca paśyati | sa yatra prasvapityasya lokasya sarvāvato mātrāmapādāya svayaṃ vihatya svayaṃ nirmāya svena bhāsā svena jyotiṣā prasvapiti | atrāyaṃ puruṣaḥ svayaṃjyotirbhavati
This person has just two states: this world and the other world. Dream is a third, the junction between them. Standing in that junction he sees both, this world and the next. Whatever provision he has for the next world, by that he sees both evils and joys. When he falls asleep, he takes material from this all-containing world, himself takes it apart and himself builds anew, and dreams by his own brightness, his own light. There the person becomes his own light.
न तत्र रथा न रथयोगा न पन्थानो भवन्ति । अथ रथान् रथयोगान् पथः सृजते । न तत्रानन्दा मुदः प्रमुदो भवन्ति । अथानन्दान्मुदः प्रमुदः सृजते । न तत्र वेशान्ताः पुष्करिण्यः स्रवन्त्यो भवन्ति । अथ वेशान्तान् पुष्करिणीः स्रवन्तीः सृजते । स हि कर्ता
na tatra rathā na rathayogā na panthāno bhavanti | atha rathān rathayogān pathaḥ sṛjate | na tatrānandā mudaḥ pramudo bhavanti | athānandānmudaḥ pramudaḥ sṛjate | na tatra veśāntāḥ puṣkariṇyaḥ sravantyo bhavanti | atha veśāntān puṣkariṇīḥ sravantīḥ sṛjate | sa hi kartā
There are no chariots there, no teams, no roads; he creates chariots, teams and roads. There are no joys, pleasures or delights; he creates joys, pleasures and delights. There are no pools, lakes or rivers; he creates pools, lakes and rivers. For he is the maker.
On this there are these verses: Striking down the body in sleep, himself sleepless, he looks upon the sleeping senses. Taking up the bright element, he returns again to his place, the golden person, the lone swan.
Guarding his lower nest, the body, with the breath, the immortal one roams outside the nest. The immortal goes wherever he wishes, the golden person, the lone swan.
In the realm of dream, rising and falling, the shining one makes many forms for himself, now as if rejoicing with women, now as if laughing, now as if seeing fearful things.
People see his playground, but no one sees him. So it is said one should not wake a sleeper suddenly, for hard to heal is the one to whom he does not return. Others say dream is just the waking state, since what one sees awake one sees asleep. No: there the person is his own light. Janaka said, "I give you a thousand cows, revered sir. Speak further for my liberation."
स वा एष एतस्मिन् संप्रसादे रत्वा चरित्वा दृष्ट्वैव पुण्यं च पापं च पुनः प्रतिन्यायं प्रतियोन्याद्रवति स्वप्नायैव । स यत्तत्र किञ्चित्पश्यत्यनन्वागतस्तेन भवति । असङ्गो ह्ययं पुरुष इति । एवमेवैतत्याज्ञवल्क्य । सोऽहं भगवते सहस्रं ददामि । अत ऊर्ध्वं विमोक्षायैव ब्रूहीति
sa vā eṣa etasmin saṃprasāde ratvā caritvā dṛṣṭvaiva puṇyaṃ ca pāpaṃ ca punaḥ pratinyāyaṃ pratiyonyādravati svapnāyaiva | sa yattatra kiñcitpaśyatyananvāgatastena bhavati | asaṅgo hyayaṃ puruṣa iti | evamevaitatyājñavalkya | so'haṃ bhagavate sahasraṃ dadāmi | ata ūrdhvaṃ vimokṣāyaiva brūhīti
Having enjoyed and roamed in deep sleep, and having seen good and evil, he hurries back the same way to his starting place, to dream. Whatever he sees there does not follow him, for this person is unattached. "So it is, Yajnavalkya. I give you a thousand cows. Speak further for my liberation."
स वा एष एतस्मिन् स्वप्ने रत्वा चरित्वा दृष्ट्वैव पुण्यं च पापं च पुनः प्रतिन्यायं प्रतियोन्याद्रवति बुद्धान्तायैव । स यत्तत्र किञ्चित्पश्यत्यनन्वागतस्तेन भवति । असङ्गो ह्ययं पुरुष इति । एवमेवैतत्याज्ञवल्क्य । सोऽहं भगवते सहस्रं ददामि । अत ऊर्ध्वं विमोक्षायैव ब्रूहीति
sa vā eṣa etasmin svapne ratvā caritvā dṛṣṭvaiva puṇyaṃ ca pāpaṃ ca punaḥ pratinyāyaṃ pratiyonyādravati buddhāntāyaiva | sa yattatra kiñcitpaśyatyananvāgatastena bhavati | asaṅgo hyayaṃ puruṣa iti | evamevaitatyājñavalkya | so'haṃ bhagavate sahasraṃ dadāmi | ata ūrdhvaṃ vimokṣāyaiva brūhīti
Having enjoyed and roamed in dream, and having seen good and evil, he hurries back the same way to his starting place, to waking. Whatever he sees there does not follow him, for this person is unattached. "So it is, Yajnavalkya. I give you a thousand cows. Speak further for my liberation."
As a hawk or a falcon, tired from flying about in the sky, folds its wings and drops down to its nest, so this person hastens to that state where, asleep, he desires nothing and sees no dream.
In him are the nadis called hita, fine as a hair split a thousandfold, filled with white, blue, tawny, green and red. When in dream it seems men are killing him or overpowering him, an elephant chases him or he falls into a pit, he imagines through ignorance the dangers he sees when awake. But when, like a deva or a king, he feels 'I alone am all this', that is his highest world.
tadvā asyaitadaticchando'pahatapāpmābhayaṃ rūpam | tadyathā priyayā striyā saṃpariṣvakto na bāhyaṃ kiṃ cana veda nāntaram | evamevāyaṃ puruṣaḥ prājñenātmanā saṃpariṣvakto na bāhyaṃ kiṃ cana veda nāntaram | tadvā asyaitadāptakāmamātmakāmamakāmaṃ rūpaṃ śokāntaram
This is his form beyond desire, free from evil, without fear. As a man embraced by his beloved wife knows nothing without and nothing within, so this person, embraced by the knowing Self (prajna), knows nothing without and nothing within. This is his form in which every desire is fulfilled, in which the Self is the only desire, in which there is no desire and no sorrow.
There a father is no father, a mother no mother, worlds no worlds, devas no devas, Vedas no Vedas. There a thief is no thief, the killer of an embryo no killer, a Chandala no Chandala, a Paulkasa no Paulkasa, a wandering monk no monk, an ascetic no ascetic. He is untouched by merit and untouched by sin, for then he has crossed beyond all the sorrows of the heart.
यद्वै तन्न पश्यति पश्यन् वै तन्न पश्यति । न हि द्रष्टुर्दृष्टेर्विपरिलोपो विद्यतेऽविनाशित्वान् । न तु तद्द्वितीयमस्ति ततोऽन्यद्विभक्तं यत्पश्येत्
yadvai tanna paśyati paśyan vai tanna paśyati | na hi draṣṭurdṛṣṭerviparilopo vidyate'vināśitvān | na tu taddvitīyamasti tato'nyadvibhaktaṃ yatpaśyet
That he does not see there: though seeing, he does not see. For the seeing of the seer is never lost, since it cannot perish. But there is no second, nothing other and separate from him, that he could see.
यद्वै तन्न जिघ्रति जिघ्रन् वै तन्न जिघ्रति । न हि घ्रातुर्घ्रातेर्विपरिलोपो विद्यतेऽविनाशित्वात् । न तु तद्द्वितीयमस्ति ततोऽन्यद्विभक्तं यज्जिघ्रेत्
yadvai tanna jighrati jighran vai tanna jighrati | na hi ghrāturghrāterviparilopo vidyate'vināśitvāt | na tu taddvitīyamasti tato'nyadvibhaktaṃ yajjighret
That he does not smell there: though smelling, he does not smell. For the smelling of the smeller is never lost, since it cannot perish. But there is no second, nothing other and separate from him, that he could smell.
यद्वै तन्न रसयति रसयन् वै तन्न रसयति । न हि रसयितू रसयतेर्विपरिलोपो विद्यतेऽविनाशित्वात् । न तु तद्द्वितीयमस्ति ततोऽन्यद्विभक्तं यद्रसयेत्
yadvai tanna rasayati rasayan vai tanna rasayati | na hi rasayitū rasayaterviparilopo vidyate'vināśitvāt | na tu taddvitīyamasti tato'nyadvibhaktaṃ yadrasayet
That he does not taste there: though tasting, he does not taste. For the tasting of the taster is never lost, since it cannot perish. But there is no second, nothing other and separate from him, that he could taste.
यद्वै तन्न वदति वदन् वै तन्न वदति । न हि वक्तुर्वक्तेर्विपरिलोपो विद्यतेऽविनाशित्वात् । न तु तद्द्वितीयमस्ति ततोऽन्यद्विभक्तं यद्वदेत्
yadvai tanna vadati vadan vai tanna vadati | na hi vakturvakterviparilopo vidyate'vināśitvāt | na tu taddvitīyamasti tato'nyadvibhaktaṃ yadvadet
That he does not speak there: though speaking, he does not speak. For the speech of the speaker is never lost, since it cannot perish. But there is no second, nothing other and separate from him, to whom he could speak.
यद्वै तन्न शृणोति शृण्वन् वै तन्न शृणोति । न हि श्रोतुः श्रुतेर्विपरिलोपो विद्यतेऽविनाशित्वात् । न तु तद्द्वितीयमस्ति ततोऽन्यद्विभक्तं यच्छृणुयात्
yadvai tanna śṛṇoti śṛṇvan vai tanna śṛṇoti | na hi śrotuḥ śruterviparilopo vidyate'vināśitvāt | na tu taddvitīyamasti tato'nyadvibhaktaṃ yacchṛṇuyāt
That he does not hear there: though hearing, he does not hear. For the hearing of the hearer is never lost, since it cannot perish. But there is no second, nothing other and separate from him, that he could hear.
यद्वै तन्न मनुते मन्वानो वै तन्न मनुते । न हि मन्तुर्मतेर्विपरिलोपो विद्यतेऽविनाशित्वात् । न तु तद्द्वितीयमस्ति ततोऽन्यद्विभक्तं यन्मन्वीत
yadvai tanna manute manvāno vai tanna manute | na hi manturmaterviparilopo vidyate'vināśitvāt | na tu taddvitīyamasti tato'nyadvibhaktaṃ yanmanvīta
That he does not think there: though thinking, he does not think. For the thinking of the thinker is never lost, since it cannot perish. But there is no second, nothing other and separate from him, of which he could think.
यद्वै तन्न स्पृशति स्पृशन् वै तन्न स्पृशति । न हि स्प्रष्टुः स्पृष्टेर्विपरिलोपो विद्यतेऽविनाशित्वात् । न तु तद्द्वितीयमस्ति ततोऽन्यद्विभक्तं यत्स्पृशेत्
yadvai tanna spṛśati spṛśan vai tanna spṛśati | na hi spraṣṭuḥ spṛṣṭerviparilopo vidyate'vināśitvāt | na tu taddvitīyamasti tato'nyadvibhaktaṃ yatspṛśet
That he does not touch there: though touching, he does not touch. For the touch of the toucher is never lost, since it cannot perish. But there is no second, nothing other and separate from him, that he could touch.
यद्वै तन्न विजानाति विजानन् वै तन्न विजानाति । न हि विज्ञातुर्विज्ञातेर्विपरिलोपो विद्यतेऽविनाशित्वात् । न तु तद्द्वितीयमस्ति ततोऽन्यद्विभक्तं यद्विजानीयात्
yadvai tanna vijānāti vijānan vai tanna vijānāti | na hi vijñāturvijñāterviparilopo vidyate'vināśitvāt | na tu taddvitīyamasti tato'nyadvibhaktaṃ yadvijānīyāt
That he does not know there: though knowing, he does not know. For the knowing of the knower is never lost, since it cannot perish. But there is no second, nothing other and separate from him, that he could know.
यत्र वा अन्यदिव स्यात्तत्रान्योऽन्यत्पश्येदन्योऽन्यज्जिघ्रेदन्योऽन्यद्रसयेदन्योऽन्यद्वदेदन्योऽन्यच्छृणुयादन्योऽन्यन्मन्वीतान्योऽन्यत्स्पृशेदन्योऽन्यद्विजानीयात्
Where there seems to be another, there one may see another, smell another, taste another, speak to another, hear another, think of another, touch another and know another.
"Like clear water, the seer becomes one, without a second. This is the world of Brahman, Your Majesty." So Yajnavalkya taught him. "This is his highest goal, his highest treasure, his highest world, his highest bliss. On a small portion of this very bliss all other beings live."
स यो मनूष्याणां राद्धः समृद्धो भवत्यन्येषामधिपतिः सर्वैर्मानुष्यकैर्भोगैः सम्पन्नतमः स मनुष्याणां परम आनन्दः । अथ ये शतं मनुष्याणामानन्दाः स एकः पितॄणां जितलोकानामानन्दः । अथ ये शतं पितॄणां जितलोकानामानन्दाः स एको गन्धर्वलोक आनन्दः । अथ ये शतं गन्धर्वलोक आनन्दाः स एकः कर्मदेवानामानन्दो ये कर्मणा देवत्वमभिसम्पद्यन्ते । अथ ये शतं कर्मदेवानामानन्दाः स एक आजानदेवानामानन्दः । यश्च श्रोत्रियोऽवृजिनोऽकामहतः । अथ ये शतमाजानदेवानामानन्दाः स एकः प्रजापतिलोक आनन्दः । यश्च श्रोत्रियोऽवृजिनोऽकामहतः । अथ ये शतं प्रजापतिलोक आनन्दाः स एको ब्रह्मलोक आनन्दः । यश्च श्रोत्रियोऽवृजिनोऽकामहतः । अथैष एव परम आनन्दः । एष ब्रह्मलोकः सम्राट् । इति होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यः । सोऽहं भगवते सहस्रं ददामि । अत ऊर्ध्वं विमोक्षायैव ब्रूहीति । अत्र ह याज्ञवल्क्यो बिभयां चकार मेधावी राजा सर्वेभ्यो मान्तेभ्य उदरौत्सीदिति
sa yo manūṣyāṇāṃ rāddhaḥ samṛddho bhavatyanyeṣāmadhipatiḥ sarvairmānuṣyakairbhogaiḥ sampannatamaḥ sa manuṣyāṇāṃ parama ānandaḥ | atha ye śataṃ manuṣyāṇāmānandāḥ sa ekaḥ pitṝṇāṃ jitalokānāmānandaḥ | atha ye śataṃ pitṝṇāṃ jitalokānāmānandāḥ sa eko gandharvaloka ānandaḥ | atha ye śataṃ gandharvaloka ānandāḥ sa ekaḥ karmadevānāmānando ye karmaṇā devatvamabhisampadyante | atha ye śataṃ karmadevānāmānandāḥ sa eka ājānadevānāmānandaḥ | yaśca śrotriyo'vṛjino'kāmahataḥ | atha ye śatamājānadevānāmānandāḥ sa ekaḥ prajāpatiloka ānandaḥ | yaśca śrotriyo'vṛjino'kāmahataḥ | atha ye śataṃ prajāpatiloka ānandāḥ sa eko brahmaloka ānandaḥ | yaśca śrotriyo'vṛjino'kāmahataḥ | athaiṣa eva parama ānandaḥ | eṣa brahmalokaḥ samrāṭ | iti hovāca yājñavalkyaḥ | so'haṃ bhagavate sahasraṃ dadāmi | ata ūrdhvaṃ vimokṣāyaiva brūhīti | atra ha yājñavalkyo bibhayāṃ cakāra medhāvī rājā sarvebhyo māntebhya udarautsīditi
The man prosperous among men, lord of others, richest in human enjoyments, has the highest human bliss. A hundred such equal one bliss of the ancestors who have won their world; a hundred of those, one bliss of the Gandharva world; a hundred of those, one bliss of devas who became devas by works; a hundred of those, one bliss of devas born so, and of a Vedic scholar free from sin and desire; a hundred of those, one bliss of Prajapati's world; a hundred of those, one bliss of Brahma's world, also his. This is the highest bliss, the Brahma-world. Janaka gave a thousand cows and asked more. Then Yajnavalkya grew uneasy: the wise king had drawn out all his answers.
As a heavily loaded cart goes creaking along, so this bodily self, mounted by the knowing Self (prajna), goes creaking when a man is breathing his last.
स यत्रायमणिमानं न्येति जरया वोपतपता वाणिमानं निगच्छति । तद्यथाम्रं वोदुम्बरं वा पिप्पलं वा बन्धनात्प्रमुच्यते । एवमेवायं पुरुष एभ्योऽङ्गेभ्यः संप्रमुच्य पुनः प्रतिन्यायं प्रतियोन्याद्रवति प्राणायैव
When he grows thin through old age or illness, then, as a mango, a fig or a pipal fruit comes loose from its stalk, so this person frees himself from these limbs and hurries back the same way to his starting place, to a new life.
As, when a king is coming, the officers, magistrates, charioteers and village heads wait for him with food, drink and lodgings, saying, "Here he comes, here he arrives", so all beings wait for the one who knows this, saying, "Here comes Brahman, here he arrives."
As, when a king is about to depart, the officers, magistrates, charioteers and village heads gather round him, so at the time of death all the senses gather round this Self, when a man is breathing his last.
(शारीरकब्राह्मणम्) स यत्रायमात्माबल्यं न्येत्य संमोहमिव न्येति । अथैनमेते प्राणा अभिसमायन्ति । स एतास्तेजोमात्राः समभ्याददानो हृदयमेवान्ववक्रामति । स यत्रैष चाक्षुषः पुरुषः पराङ्पर्यावर्तते । अथारूपज्ञो भवति
(śārīrakabrāhmaṇam) sa yatrāyamātmābalyaṃ nyetya saṃmohamiva nyeti | athainamete prāṇā abhisamāyanti | sa etāstejomātrāḥ samabhyādadāno hṛdayamevānvavakrāmati | sa yatraiṣa cākṣuṣaḥ puruṣaḥ parāṅparyāvartate | athārūpajño bhavati
When this self grows weak and seems to fall into a swoon, the senses gather round him. Drawing these particles of light into himself, he descends into the heart. When the person in the eye turns away, he no longer knows forms.
एकीभवति न पश्यतीत्याहुः । एकीभवति न जिघ्रतीत्याहुः । एकीभवति न रसयतीत्याहुः । एकीभवति न वदतीत्याहुः । एकीभवति न शृणोतीत्याहुः । एकीभवति न मनुत इत्याहुः । एकीभवति न स्पृशतीत्याहुः । एकीभवति न विजानातीत्याहुः । तस्य हैतस्य हृदयस्याग्रं प्रद्योतते । तेन प्रद्योतेनैष आत्मा निष्क्रामति । चक्षुष्टो वा मूर्ध्नो वान्येभ्यो वा शरीरदेशेभ्यः । तमुत्क्रामन्तं प्राणोऽनूत्क्रामति । प्राणमनूत्क्रामन्तं सर्वे प्राणा अनूत्क्रामन्ति । सविज्ञनो भवति । संजानमेवान्ववक्रामति । तं विद्याकर्मणी समन्वारभेते पूर्वप्रज्ञा च
ekībhavati na paśyatītyāhuḥ | ekībhavati na jighratītyāhuḥ | ekībhavati na rasayatītyāhuḥ | ekībhavati na vadatītyāhuḥ | ekībhavati na śṛṇotītyāhuḥ | ekībhavati na manuta ityāhuḥ | ekībhavati na spṛśatītyāhuḥ | ekībhavati na vijānātītyāhuḥ | tasya haitasya hṛdayasyāgraṃ pradyotate | tena pradyotenaiṣa ātmā niṣkrāmati | cakṣuṣṭo vā mūrdhno vānyebhyo vā śarīradeśebhyaḥ | tamutkrāmantaṃ prāṇo'nūtkrāmati | prāṇamanūtkrāmantaṃ sarve prāṇā anūtkrāmanti | savijñano bhavati | saṃjānamevānvavakrāmati | taṃ vidyākarmaṇī samanvārabhete pūrvaprajñā ca
"He is becoming one; he does not see," they say. "He does not smell, does not taste, does not speak, does not hear, does not think, does not touch, does not know," they say, for he is becoming one. Then the tip of his heart lights up, and by that light the self departs, through the eye, the crown of the head or another part of the body. As he departs, prana follows; as prana departs, all the senses follow. He becomes conscious and goes to what is conscious. His knowledge and his deeds take hold of him, and his past impressions too.
As a caterpillar, reaching the end of one blade of grass, takes hold of another and draws itself across, so this self, having cast off this body and let go of ignorance, takes hold of another support and draws itself over.
As a goldsmith takes a piece of gold and fashions another form, newer and more beautiful, so this self, having cast off this body and let go of ignorance, makes for itself another form, newer and more beautiful: that of the ancestors, of the Gandharvas, of the devas, of Prajapati, of Brahma, or of other beings.
This Self is Brahman, made of knowing, of mind, of breath, of sight and hearing, of earth, water, air, space, light and no light, desire and no desire, anger and no anger, dharma and adharma; made of everything, of this and of that. As one acts and behaves, so one becomes: doing good, one becomes good; doing evil, evil. One becomes virtuous by virtuous deeds, sinful by sinful ones. So it is said: a person is made of desire. As his desire, so his resolve; as his resolve, so his deed; and whatever deed he does, that he attains.
tadeṣa śloko bhavati tadeva saktaḥ saha karmaṇaiti liṅgaṃ mano yatra niṣaktamasya | prāpyāntaṃ karmaṇastasya yatkiñceha karotyayam | tasmāllokātpunaraityasmai lokāya karmaṇe | iti nu kāmayamānaḥ | athākāmayamāno yo'kāmo niṣkāma āptakāma ātmakāmo na tasya prāṇā utkrāmanti | brahmaiva san brahmāpyeti
On this there is a verse: Attached, he goes with his deeds to that on which his mind and subtle body are set. Having reached the end of whatever deeds he did here, he returns from that world to this world, to act again. So it is for the one who desires. But the one who does not desire, who is free from desire, whose desires are fulfilled, whose only desire is the Self: his pranas do not depart. Being Brahman, he goes to Brahman.
On this there is a verse: When all the desires lodged in the heart are let go, the mortal becomes immortal and attains Brahman here itself. As the cast-off skin of a snake lies lifeless on an anthill, so this body lies. But this bodiless, immortal life is Brahman alone, light alone. Janaka of Videha said, "I give you a thousand cows, revered sir."
On this there are these verses: The narrow ancient path stretches far; it has touched me, I have found it myself. By it the wise, the knowers of Brahman, go upward from here to the heavenly world, set free.
On it, they say, are white, blue, tawny, green and red. This path was found by Brahman, and by it goes the knower of Brahman, the doer of good, the one full of light.
यस्यानुवित्तः प्रतिबुद्ध आत्मास्मिन् संदेह्ये गहने प्रविष्टः । स विश्वकृत्स हि सर्वस्य कर्ता तस्य लोकः स उ लोक एव
yasyānuvittaḥ pratibuddha ātmāsmin saṃdehye gahane praviṣṭaḥ | sa viśvakṛtsa hi sarvasya kartā tasya lokaḥ sa u loka eva
Whoever has found and awakened to the Self that has entered this perilous, tangled body, he is the maker of all, for he is the creator of everything. The world is his; indeed, he is the world itself.
manasaivānudraṣṭavyaṃ neha nānāsti kiṃ cana | mṛtyoḥ sa mṛtyumāpnoti ya iha nāneva paśyati | bṛha. 4,4.19 || ekadhaivānudraṣṭavyametadapramayaṃ dhruvam | virajaḥ para ākāśādaja ātmā mahān dhruvaḥ
By the mind alone it is to be seen: there is no diversity here at all. From death to death goes the one who sees diversity here. It is to be seen as one only, this immeasurable, unchanging reality: stainless, beyond space, unborn, the great and abiding Self. (This passage also carries verse 4.4.19.)
This great, unborn Self, made of knowing among the senses, lies in the space within the heart. He is the controller of all, lord of all, ruler of all. He does not grow greater by good deeds nor lesser by bad. He is lord of all, sovereign of beings, protector of beings, the dam that holds these worlds apart so they do not merge. Brahmanas seek to know Him by Vedic study, sacrifice, charity and austerity without harm. Knowing Him one becomes a muni. Longing for Him as their world, monks leave home.
A Rig verse says: This is the eternal greatness of the knower of Brahman: it neither grows by deeds nor diminishes. One should know its ground; knowing it, one is not stained by evil deeds. So the one who knows this becomes calm, restrained, withdrawn, patient and collected, and sees the Self in the Self, sees all as the Self. Evil does not overcome him; he overcomes all evil. Evil does not burn him; he burns all evil. Free from sin, from stain and from doubt, he becomes a true Brahmana. "This is the world of Brahman, Your Majesty; you have reached it." Janaka said, "I give you the Videhas, and myself too, to serve you."
स वा एष महानज आत्माजरोऽमरोऽमृतोऽभयो ब्रह्म । अभयं वै ब्रह्म । अभयं हि वै ब्रह्म भवति य एवं वेद
sa vā eṣa mahānaja ātmājaro'maro'mṛto'bhayo brahma | abhayaṃ vai brahma | abhayaṃ hi vai brahma bhavati ya evaṃ veda
This great, unborn Self is undecaying, undying, immortal, fearless: it is Brahman. Brahman is fearlessness itself. Whoever knows this becomes the fearless Brahman.
(yājñavalkyamaitreyīsaṃvādabrāhmaṇam) atha ha yājñavalkyasya dve bhārye babhūvaturmaitreyī ca kātyāyanī ca | tayorha maitreyī brahmavādinī babhūva | strīprajñaiva tarhi kātyāyanī | atha ha yājñavalkyo'nyadvṛttamupākariṣyan
Yajnavalkya had two wives, Maitreyi and Katyayani. Of the two, Maitreyi was given to discussion of Brahman, while Katyayani had only the understanding common among women of that time. Now Yajnavalkya was about to take up another way of life.
"Maitreyi," said Yajnavalkya, "I am about to leave this home and go forth as a wandering monk. Come, let me make a settlement between you and Katyayani."
Maitreyi said, "Revered sir, if this whole earth filled with wealth were mine, would I become immortal by it, or not?" "No," said Yajnavalkya. "Your life would be like the life of those who have plenty. But there is no hope of immortality through wealth."
स होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यः प्रिया वै खलु नो भवती सती प्रियमवृधत् । हन्त तर्हि । भवत्येतद्व्याख्यास्यामि ते । व्याचक्षाणस्य तु मे निदिध्यासस्वेति
sa hovāca yājñavalkyaḥ priyā vai khalu no bhavatī satī priyamavṛdhat | hanta tarhi | bhavatyetadvyākhyāsyāmi te | vyācakṣāṇasya tu me nididhyāsasveti
Yajnavalkya said, "You were always dear to me, and now you speak what is dearer still. Come, then, I will explain it to you. While I explain, dwell on it in meditation."
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 पशूनां कामाय पशवः प्रियं भवत्यात्मनस्तु कामाय पशवः 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 वेदानां कामाय वेदाः प्रिया भवन्त्यात्मनस्तु कामाय वेदाः 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 । आत्मनि खल्वरे दृष्टे श्रुते मते विज्ञात इदं 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 paśūnāṃ kāmāya paśavaḥ priyaṃ bhavatyātmanastu kāmāya paśavaḥ 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 vedānāṃ kāmāya vedāḥ priyā bhavantyātmanastu kāmāya vedāḥ 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 | ātmani khalvare dṛṣṭe śrute mate vijñāta idaṃ sarvaṃ viditam
He said: "A husband is dear not for the husband's sake, but for the sake of the Self. A wife is dear not for her own sake, but for the Self. So too sons, wealth, cattle, the Brahmana, the Kshatriya, the worlds, the devas, the Vedas, all beings: none is dear for its own sake; each is dear for the sake of the Self. Everything is dear for the sake of the Self. The Self, Maitreyi, is to be seen, heard about, reflected on and meditated upon. When the Self is seen, heard, reflected on and known, all this is known."
brahma taṃ parādādyo'nyatrātmano vedān veda | kṣatraṃ taṃ parādādyo'nyatrātmanaḥ kṣatraṃ veda | lokāstaṃ parāduryo'nyatrātmano lokān veda | devāstaṃ parāduryo'nyatrātmano devān veda | vedāstaṃ parāduryo'nyatrātmano vedān veda | bhūtāni taṃ parāduryo'nyatrātmano bhūtāni veda | sarvaṃ taṃ parādādyo'nyatrātmanaḥ sarvaṃ veda | idaṃ brahmedaṃ kṣatramime lokā ime devā ime vedā imāni bhūtānīdaṃ sarvaṃ yadayamātmā
"The Brahmana class turns away from one who thinks it lies elsewhere than in the Self; so too the Kshatriya class, the worlds, the devas, the Vedas, the beings, and everything, from one who thinks they lie apart from the Self. This Brahmana, this Kshatriya, these worlds, these devas, these Vedas, these beings, all this, is this Self."
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
"as, when a conch is blown, one cannot grasp its outward sounds by themselves, 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 ग्र्हीतः
sa yathā vīṇāyai vādyamānāyai na bāhyāñchabdāñchaknuyādgrahaṇāya | vīṇāyai tu grahaṇena vīṇāvādasya vā śabdo grhītaḥ
"as, when a vina is played, one cannot grasp its outward sounds by themselves, but by grasping the vina or the player the sound is grasped, so too all things are known by knowing the Self."
"As clouds of smoke spread out separately from a fire laid with damp fuel, so, my dear, from this great Being has been breathed out the Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, Atharvangirasa, Itihasa, Purana, the sciences, the Upanishads, verses, sutras, explanations and commentaries, sacrifice, offering, food, drink, this world, the next world and all beings. All these are His breath."
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 one meeting place of all touches, the nostrils of all smells, the tongue of all tastes, the eye of all forms, the ear of all sounds, the mind of all intentions, the heart of all knowledge, the hands of all actions, the organ of generation of all pleasures, the organ of excretion of all elimination, the feet of all journeys, and speech of all the Vedas."
स यथा सैन्धवघनोऽनन्तरोऽबाह्यः कृत्स्नो रसघन एव । एवं वा अरेऽयमात्मानन्तरोऽबाह्यः कृत्स्नः प्रज्ञानघन एव । एतेभ्यो भूतेभ्यः समुत्थाय तान्येवानुविनयति । न प्रेत्य संज्ञास्तीत्यरे ब्रवीमि । इति होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यः
sa yathā saindhavaghano'nantaro'bāhyaḥ kṛtsno rasaghana eva | evaṃ vā are'yamātmānantaro'bāhyaḥ kṛtsnaḥ prajñānaghana eva | etebhyo bhūtebhyaḥ samutthāya tānyevānuvinayati | na pretya saṃjñāstītyare bravīmi | iti hovāca yājñavalkyaḥ
"As a lump of salt has no inside and no outside, being salty through and through, so this Self has no inside and no outside; it is pure consciousness through and through. Arising out of these elements, it vanishes again with them. After death there is no particular awareness. This, my dear, is what I say." So said Yajnavalkya.
सा होवाच मैत्रेयी अत्रैव मा भगवान्मोहान्तमापीपदत् । न वा अहमिमं विजानामीति । स होवाच न वा अरेऽहं मोहं ब्रवीमि । अविनाशी वा अरेऽयमात्मानुच्छित्तिधर्मा
sā hovāca maitreyī atraiva mā bhagavānmohāntamāpīpadat | na vā ahamimaṃ vijānāmīti | sa hovāca na vā are'haṃ mohaṃ bravīmi | avināśī vā are'yamātmānucchittidharmā
Maitreyi said, "Here, revered sir, you have brought me to utter bewilderment. I do not understand this." He said, "I am not saying anything bewildering, my dear. This Self is indestructible; its nature is never to be cut off."
यत्र हि द्वैतमिव भवति तदितर इतरं पश्यति, तदितर इतरं जिघ्रति, तदितर इतरं रसयते, तदितर इतरमभिवदति, तदितर इतरं शृणोति, तदितर इतरं मनुते. तदितर इतरं स्पृशति, तदितर इतरं विजानाति । यत्र त्वस्य सर्वमात्मैवाभूत्तत्केन कं पश्येत्तत्केन कं जिघ्रेत्तत्केन कं रसयेत्तत्केन कमभिवदेत्तत्केन कं शृणुयात्तत्केन कं मन्वीत तत्केन कं स्पृशेत्तत्केन कं विजानीयात् । येनेदं सर्वं विजानाति तं केन विजानीयात् । स एष नेति नेत्यात्मा । अगृह्यो न हि गृह्यते । अशीर्यो न हि शीर्यते । असङ्गो न हि सज्यते । असितो न व्यथते न रिष्यति । विज्ञातारमरे केन विजानीयादित्युक्तानुशासनासि मैत्रेयि । एतावदरे खल्वमृतत्वमिति होक्त्वा याज्ञवल्क्यो विजहार
yatra hi dvaitamiva bhavati taditara itaraṃ paśyati, taditara itaraṃ jighrati, taditara itaraṃ rasayate, taditara itaramabhivadati, taditara itaraṃ śṛṇoti, taditara itaraṃ manute. taditara itaraṃ spṛśati, taditara itaraṃ vijānāti | yatra tvasya sarvamātmaivābhūttatkena kaṃ paśyettatkena kaṃ jighrettatkena kaṃ rasayettatkena kamabhivadettatkena kaṃ śṛṇuyāttatkena kaṃ manvīta tatkena kaṃ spṛśettatkena kaṃ vijānīyāt | yenedaṃ sarvaṃ vijānāti taṃ kena vijānīyāt | sa eṣa neti netyātmā | agṛhyo na hi gṛhyate | aśīryo na hi śīryate | asaṅgo na hi sajyate | asito na vyathate na riṣyati | vijñātāramare kena vijānīyādityuktānuśāsanāsi maitreyi | etāvadare khalvamṛtatvamiti hoktvā yājñavalkyo vijahāra
"Where there is duality, as it were, one sees another, smells another, tastes another, speaks to another, hears another, thinks of another, touches another, knows another. But where everything has become the Self alone, by what and whom should one see, smell, taste, speak to, hear, think of, touch or know? By what should one know That by which all this is known? This Self is not this, not this. It is ungraspable, indestructible, unattached, unbound; it does not suffer, is not harmed. By what should one know the knower? Now you have the teaching, Maitreyi. This much is immortality." Having said this, Yajnavalkya departed.
Now the line of teachers. Pautimashya received this from Gaupavana; Gaupavana from Pautimashya; Pautimashya from Gaupavana; Gaupavana from Kaushika; Kaushika from Kaundinya; Kaundinya from Shandilya; Shandilya from Kaushika and Gautama; Gautama (continued in the next passage).
(Gautama received it) from Agniveshya; Agniveshya from Gargya; Gargya from Gargya; Gargya from Gautama; Gautama from Saitava; Saitava from Parasharyayana; Parasharyayana from Gargyayana; Gargyayana from Uddalakayana; Uddalakayana from Jabalayana; Jabalayana from Madhyandinayana; Madhyandinayana from Saukarayana; Saukarayana from Kashayana; Kashayana from Sayakayana; Sayakayana from Kaushikayani; Kaushikayani (continued in the next passage).
(Kaushikayani) from Ghritakaushika; from Parasharya; Parasharya from Parasharya; from Jatukarnya; Jatukarnya from Asurayana and Yaska; Asurayana from Traivani; from Aupajandhani; from Asuri; Asuri from Bharadvaja; from Atreya; from Manti; Manti from Gautama; from Gautama; from Vatsya; Vatsya from Shandilya; from Kaishorya Kapya; from Kumaraharita; from Galava; from Vidarbhi Kaundinya; from Vatsanapat Babhrava; from Panthah Saubhara; from Ayasya Angirasa; from Abhuti Tvashtra; from Vishvarupa Tvashtra; from the Ashvins; they from Dadhyanch Atharvana; from Atharvan Daiva; from Mrityu Pradhvamsana; from Pradhvamsana; from Ekarshi; from Viprajitti; from Vyashti; from Sanaru; from Sanatana; from Sanaga; from Parameshthin; from Brahma. Brahma is self-existent. Salutation to Brahma.