Principal Upanishads

Minor Upanishads

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad part 13

VI-i-1: Om. He who knows that which is the oldest and greatest, becomes the oldest and greatest among his relatives. The vital force is indeed the oldest and greatest. He who knows it to be such becomes the oldest and greatest among his relatives as well as among those of whom he wants to be such.

   VI-i-2: He who knows the Vasistha (that which best helps to dwell or cover) becomes the Vasistha among his relatives. The organ of speech is indeed the Vasistha. He who knows it as such becomes the Vasistha among his relatives as well as among those of whom he wants to be such.

   VI-i-3: He who knows Pratistha (that which has steadiness) lives steadily in difficult as well as smooth places and times. The eye indeed is Pratistha, for through the eye one lives steadily in difficult as well as smooth places and times. He who knows it as such lives steadily in difficult as well as smooth places and times.

   VI-i-4: He who knows Sampad (prosperity) attains whatever object he desires. The ear indeed is Sampad, for all these Vedas are acquired when one has the ear (intact). He who knows it to be such attains whatever object he desires.

   VI-i-5: He who knows the abode becomes the abode of his relatives as well as of (other) people. The Manas indeed is the abode. He who knows it to be such becomes the abode of his relatives as well as of (other) people.

   VI-i-6: He who knows Prajati (that which has the attribute of generation) is enriched with children and animals. The seed (organ) has this attribute. He who knows it to be such is enriched with children and animals.

   VI-i-7: These organs, disputing over their respective greatness, went to Brahman and said to him, ‘Which of us is the Vasistha ?’ He said, ‘That one of you will be the Vasistha, who departing from among yourselves, people consider this body far more wretched’.

   VI-i-8: The organ of speech went out. After staying a whole year out it came back and said, ‘How did you manage to live without me ?’ They said, ‘We lived just as dumb people do, without speaking through the organ of speech, but living through the vital force, seeing through the eye, hearing through the ear, knowing through the mind and having children through the organ of generation.’ So the organ of speech entered.

   VI-i-9: The eye went out. After staying a whole year out it came back and said, ‘How did you manage to live without me ?’ They said, ‘We lived just as blind people do, without seeing through the eye, but living through the vital force, speaking through the organ of speech, hearing through the ear, knowing through the mind and having children through the organ of generation.’ So the eye entered.

   VI-i-10: The ear went out. After staying a whole year out it came back and said, ‘How did you manage to live without me ?’ They said, ‘We lived just as deaf people do, without hearing through the ear, but living through the vital force, speaking through the organ of speech, seeing through the eye, knowing through the mind and having children through the organ of generation.’ So the ear entered.

   VI-i-11: The mind went out. After staying a whole year out it came back and said, ‘How did you manage to live without me ?’ They said, ‘We lived just as idiots do, without knowing through the mind, but living through the vital force, speaking through the organ of speech, seeing through the eye, hearing through the ear and having children through the organ of generation.’ So the mind entered.

   VI-i-12: The organ of generation went out. After staying a whole year out it came back and said, ‘How did you manage to live without me ?’ They said, ‘We lived just as eunuchs do, without having children through the organ of generation, but living through the vital force, speaking through the organ of speech, seeing through the eye, hearing through the ear and knowing through the mind.’ So the organ of generation entered.

   VI-i-13: Then as the vital force was about to go out, it uprooted those organs just as a great, fine horse from Sind pulls out the pegs to which his feet are tied. They said, ‘Please do not go out, sir, we cannot live without you’. ‘Then give me tribute.’ ‘All right’.

   VI-i-14: The organ of speech said, ‘That attribute of the Vasistha which I have is yours’. The eye: ‘That attribute of steadiness which I have is yours’. The ear: ‘That attribute of prosperity which I have is yours’. The mind: ‘That attribute of abode which I have is yours’. The organ of generation: ‘That attribute of generation which I have is yours’. (The vital force said:) ‘Then what will be my food and my dress ?’ (The organs said:) ‘Whatever is (known as) food, including dogs, worms, insects and moths, is your food, and water your dress’. He who knows the food of the vital force to be such, never happens to eat anything that is not food, or to accept anything that is not food. Therefore wise men who are versed in the Vedas sip a little water just before and after eating. They regard it as removing the nakedness of the vital force.

   VI-ii-1: Svetaketu, the grandson of Aruna, came to the assembly of the Panchalas. He approached Pravahana, the son of Jivala, who was being waited on (by his servants). Seeing him the King addressed him, ‘Boy !’ He replied, ‘Yes, sir’. ‘Have you been taught by your father ?’ He said, ‘Yes’.

   VI-ii-2: ‘Do you know how these people diverge after death ?’ ‘No’, said he. ‘Do you know how they return to this world ?’ ‘No’, said he. ‘Do you know how the other world is never filled by so many people dying thus again and again ?’ ‘No’, said he. ‘Do you know after how many oblations are offered water (the liquid offerings) rises up possessed of a human voice (or under the name of man) and speaks ?’ ‘No’, said he. ‘Do you know the means of access to the way of the gods, or that to the way of the manes – doing which people attain either the way of the gods or the way of the manes ? We have heard the words of the Mantra: ‘I have heard of two routes for men, leading to the manes and the gods. Going along them all this is united. They lie between the father and the mother (earth and heaven)."’ He said, ‘I know not one of them’.

   VI-ii-3: Then the King invited him to stay. The boy, disregarding the invitation to stay, hurried away. He came to his father and said to him, ‘Well, did you not tell me before that you had (fully) instructed me ?’ ‘How (did you get hurt), my sagacious child ?’ ‘That wretch of a Kshatriya asked me five questions, and I knew not one of them.’ ‘Which are they ?’ ‘These’, and he quoted their first words.

   VI-ii-4: The father said, ‘My child, believe me, whatever I knew I told you every bit of it. But come, let us go there and live as students’. ‘You go alone, please’. At this Gautama came to where King Pravahana, the son of Jivala, was giving audience. The King gave him a seat, had water brought for him, and made him the reverential offering. Then he said, ‘We will give revered Gautama, a boon’.

   VI-ii-5: Aruni said, ‘You have promised me this boon. Please tell me what you spoke to my boy about’.

   VI-ii-6: The King said, ‘This comes under heavenly boons, Gautama. Please ask some human boon’.

   VI-ii-7: Aruni said, ‘You know that I already have gold, cattle and horses, maid-servants, retinue, and dress. Be not ungenerous towards me alone regarding this plentiful, infinite and inexhaustible (wealth).’ ‘Then you must seek it according to form, Gautama’. ‘I approach you (as a student)’. The ancients used to approach a teacher simply through declaration. Aruni lived as a student by merely announcing that he was at his service.

   VI-ii-8: The King said: Please do not take offence with us, Gautama, as your paternal grandfathers did not (with ours). Before this, this learning never rested with a Brahmana. But I shall teach it to you; for who can refuse you when you speak like this ?

   VI-ii-9: That word (heaven), O Gautama, is fire, the sun is its fuel, the rays its smoke, the day its flame, the four quarters its cinder, and the intermediate quarters its sparks. In this fire the gods offer faith (liquid oblations in subtle form). Out of that offering King Moon is born (a body is made in the moon for the sacrificer).

   VI-ii-10: Parjanya (the god of the rain), O Gautama, is fire, the year is its fuel, the clouds its smoke, lightning its flame, thunder its cinder, and the rumblings its sparks. In this fire the gods offer King Moon. Out of that offering rain is produced.

   VI-ii-11: This world, O Gautama, is fire, the earth is its fuel, fire its smoke, the night its flame, the moon its cinder, and stars its sparks. In this fire the gods offer rain. Out of that offering food is produced.

   VI-ii-12: Man, O Gautama, is fire, the open mouth is its fuel, the vital force its smoke, speech its flame, the eye its cinder, and the ear its sparks. In this fire the gods offer food. Out of that offering the seed is produced.

   VI-ii-13: Woman, O Gautama, is fire. In this fire the gods offer the seed. Out of that offering a man is born. He lives as long as he is destined to live. Then, when he dies --

   VI-ii-14: They carry him to be offered in the fire. The fire becomes his fire, the fuel his fuel, the smoke his smoke, the flame his flame, the cinder his cinder, and the sparks his sparks. In this fire the gods offer the man. Out of that offering the man emerges radiant.

   VI-ii-15: Those who know this as such, and those others who meditate with faith upon the Satya-Brahman in the forest, reach the deity identified with the flame, from him the deity of the day, from him the deity of the fortnight in which the moon waxes, from him the deities of the six months in which the sun travels northward, from them the deity identified with the world of the gods, from him the sun, and from the sun the deity of lightning. (Then) a being created from the mind (of Hiranyagarbha) comes and conducts them to the worlds of Hiranyagarbha. They attain perfection and live in those worlds of Hiranyagarbha for a great many superfine years. They no more return to this world.

   VI-ii-16: While those who conquer the worlds through sacrifices, charity and austerity, reach the deity of smoke, from him the deity of the night, from him the deity of the fortnight in which the moon wanes, from him the deities of the six months in which the sun travels southward, from them the deity of the world of the manes, and from him the moon. Reaching the moon they become food. There the gods enjoy them as the priests drink the shining Soma juice (gradually, saying, as it were), ‘Flourish, dwindle’. And when their past work is exhausted, they reach (become like) this ether, from the ether air, from air rain, and from rain the earth. Reaching the earth they become food. Then they are again offered in the fire of man, thence in the fire of woman, whence they are born (and perform rites) with a view to going to other worlds. Thus do they rotate. While those others who do not know these two ways become insects and moths, and these frequently biting things (gnats and mosquitoes).

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