Chapter 4: The wise turn their sight within

पराञ्चि खानि व्यतृणत् स्वयम्भू-
स्तस्मात्पराङ्पश्यति नान्तरात्मन् ।
कश्चिद्धीरः प्रत्यगात्मानमैक्ष-
दावृत्तचक्षुरमृतत्वमिच्छन्

parāñci khāni vyatṛṇat svayambhū-
stasmātparāṅpaśyati nāntarātman |
kaściddhīraḥ pratyagātmānamaikṣa-
dāvṛttacakṣuramṛtatvamicchan

The Self-existent made the senses turn outward, so a man looks outward and not into the inner Self. Some wise man, seeking immortality, turned his eyes inward and saw the Self within.

पराचः कामाननुयन्ति बाला-
स्ते मृत्योर्यन्ति विततस्य पाशम् ।
अथ धीरा अमृतत्वं विदित्वा
ध्रुवमध्रुवेष्विह न प्रार्थयन्ते

parācaḥ kāmānanuyanti bālā-
ste mṛtyoryanti vitatasya pāśam |
atha dhīrā amṛtatvaṃ viditvā
dhruvamadhruveṣviha na prārthayante

The childish run after outward pleasures and fall into the wide-spread net of death. But the wise, knowing what is immortal, do not seek the lasting among the passing things of this world.

येन रूपं रसं गन्धं शब्दान् स्पर्शाँश्च मैथुनान् ।
एतेनैव विजानाति किमत्र परिशिष्यते ।
एतद्वै तत्

yena rūpaṃ rasaṃ gandhaṃ śabdān sparśām̐śca maithunān |
etenaiva vijānāti kimatra pariśiṣyate |
etadvai tat

That by which one knows form, taste, smell, sounds, touches and the joys of union, by That alone one knows. What remains here that It does not know? This is That which you asked about.

स्वप्नान्तं जागरितान्तं चोभौ येनानुपश्यति ।
महान्तं विभुमात्मानं मत्वा धीरो न शोचति

svapnāntaṃ jāgaritāntaṃ cobhau yenānupaśyati |
mahāntaṃ vibhumātmānaṃ matvā dhīro na śocati

That by which one perceives both dream and waking, knowing It as the great, all-pervading Self, the wise man does not grieve.

य इमं मध्वदं वेद आत्मानं जीवमन्तिकात् ।
ईशानं भूतभव्यस्य न ततो विजुगुप्सते ।
एतद्वै तत्

ya imaṃ madhvadaṃ veda ātmānaṃ jīvamantikāt |
īśānaṃ bhūtabhavyasya na tato vijugupsate |
etadvai tat

He who knows this Self, the eater of honey, the fruits of action, as the living self close at hand and the lord of past and future, no longer shrinks from anything. This is That.

यः पूर्वं तपसो जातमद्भ्यः पूर्वमजायत ।
गुहां प्रविश्य तिष्ठन्तं यो भूतेभिर्व्यपश्यत ।
एतद्वै तत्

yaḥ pūrvaṃ tapaso jātamadbhyaḥ pūrvamajāyata |
guhāṃ praviśya tiṣṭhantaṃ yo bhūtebhirvyapaśyata |
etadvai tat

He who sees the First-born, born of tapas before the waters, who entered the cave of the heart and dwells there with the elements, sees That. This is That.

या प्राणेन संभवत्यदितिर्देवतामयी ।
गुहां प्रविश्य तिष्ठन्तीं या भूतेभिर्व्यजायत ।
एतद्वै तत्

yā prāṇena saṃbhavatyaditirdevatāmayī |
guhāṃ praviśya tiṣṭhantīṃ yā bhūtebhirvyajāyata |
etadvai tat

Aditi, the mother of the devas, who comes forth as prana, who was born with the elements and dwells in the cave of the heart: she is That. This is That.

अरण्योर्निहितो जातवेदा गर्भ इव सुभृतो गर्भिणीभिः ।
दिवे दिवे ईड्यो जागृवद्भिर्हविष्मद्भिर्मनुष्येभिरग्निः ।
एतद्वै तत्

araṇyornihito jātavedā garbha iva subhṛto garbhiṇībhiḥ |
dive dive īḍyo jāgṛvadbhirhaviṣmadbhirmanuṣyebhiragniḥ |
etadvai tat

Agni, the knower of all, hidden in the two fire-sticks like the unborn child well guarded by its mother, is praised day after day by watchful people bearing offerings. This is That.

यतश्चोदेति सूर्योऽस्तं यत्र च गच्छति ।
तं देवाः सर्वेऽर्पितास्तदु नात्येति कश्चन ।
एतद्वै तत्

yataścodeti sūryo'staṃ yatra ca gacchati |
taṃ devāḥ sarve'rpitāstadu nātyeti kaścana |
etadvai tat

That from which the sun rises and into which it sets, in That all the devas are fixed, and no one goes beyond It. This is That.

यदेवेह तदमुत्र यदमुत्र तदन्विह ।
मृत्योः स मृत्युमाप्नोति य इह नानेव पश्यति

yadeveha tadamutra yadamutra tadanviha |
mṛtyoḥ sa mṛtyumāpnoti ya iha nāneva paśyati

What is here is there; what is there is here. He who sees difference here goes from death to death.

मनसैवेदमाप्तव्यं नेह नानाऽस्ति किंचन ।
मृत्योः स मृत्युं गच्छति य इह नानेव पश्यति

manasaivedamāptavyaṃ neha nānā'sti kiṃcana |
mṛtyoḥ sa mṛtyuṃ gacchati ya iha nāneva paśyati

By the mind alone is this to be grasped: there is no difference here at all. He who sees difference here goes from death to death.

अङ्गुष्ठमात्रः पुरुषो मध्य आत्मनि तिष्ठति ।
ईशानं भूतभव्यस्य न ततो विजुगुप्सते ।
एतद्वै तत्

aṅguṣṭhamātraḥ puruṣo madhya ātmani tiṣṭhati |
īśānaṃ bhūtabhavyasya na tato vijugupsate |
etadvai tat

The Purusha, the size of a thumb, dwells in the middle of the body, in the heart. Knowing Him as lord of past and future, one no longer shrinks from anything. This is That.

अङ्गुष्ठमात्रः पुरुषो ज्योतिरिवाधूमकः ।
ईशानो भूतभव्यस्य स एवाद्य स उ श्वः ।
एतद्वै तत्

aṅguṣṭhamātraḥ puruṣo jyotirivādhūmakaḥ |
īśāno bhūtabhavyasya sa evādya sa u śvaḥ |
etadvai tat

The Purusha, the size of a thumb, is like a flame without smoke. He is the lord of past and future. He is the same today and the same tomorrow. This is That.

यथोदकं दुर्गे वृष्टं पर्वतेषु विधावति ।
एवं धर्मान् पृथक् पश्यंस्तानेवानुविधावति

yathodakaṃ durge vṛṣṭaṃ parvateṣu vidhāvati |
evaṃ dharmān pṛthak paśyaṃstānevānuvidhāvati

As rain falling on a mountain peak runs down the slopes in all directions, so he who sees things as separate from the Self runs after them in all directions.

यथोदकं शुद्धे शुद्धमासिक्तं तादृगेव भवति ।
एवं मुनेर्विजानत आत्मा भवति गौतम

yathodakaṃ śuddhe śuddhamāsiktaṃ tādṛgeva bhavati |
evaṃ munervijānata ātmā bhavati gautama

As pure water poured into pure water becomes the same, so, O Gautama, becomes the Self of the sage who knows.