'ŚĀṆDILYA-UPANISHAḌ'
OF
'AṬHARVAṆAVEḌA'
Chapter I
Om. Śāṇdilya questioned
Aṭharvan thus: "Please tell me about the eight aṅgas (parts) of Yoga
which is the means of attaining to Āṭmā."
Aṭharvan replied: "The eight aṅgas of yoga are yama, niyama, āsana,
prāṇāyāma, praṭyāhāra, ḍhāraṇā, ḍhyāna, and samāḍhi. Of these, yama is
of ten kinds: and so is niyama. There are eight āsanas. Prāṇāyāma is of
three kinds; praṭyāhāra is of five kinds: so also is ḍhāraṇā. Ḍhyāna is
of two kinds, and samāḍhi is of one kind only.
"Under yama (forbearance) are ten: Ahimsā, Saṭya, Asṭeya Brahmacharya, Dayā, Arjava, Kshamā, Dhṛṭi, Miṭāhāra, and Saucha. Of these,
Ahimsā is the not causing of any pain to
any living being at any time through the actions of one's mind, speech,
or body.
Saṭya is the speaking of the truth that conduces to the
well-being of creatures, through the actions of one's mind, speech, or
body.
Asṭeya is not coveting of another's property through the actions
of one's mind, speech, or body.
Brahmacharya is the refraining from
sexual intercourse in all places and in all states in mind, speech or
body.
Ḍayā is kindliness towards all creatures in all places.
Ārjava is
the preserving of equanimity of mind, speech, or body in the performance
or non-performance of the actions ordained or forbidden to be done.
Kshamā is the bearing patiently of all pleasant or unpleasant things,
such as praise or blow.
Dhṛṭi is the preserving of firmness of mind during the period of gain or loss
of wealth or relatives.
Miṭāhāra is the taking of oily and sweet food,
leaving one-fourth of the stomach empty.
Śaucha is of two kinds,
external and internal. Of these, the external is the cleansing of the
body by earth and water; the internal is the cleansing of the mind. This
(the latter) is to be obtained by means of the aḍhyāṭma-viḍyā (science
of Self).
"Under niyama (religious observances), are ten, viz., ṭapas,
sanṭosha, āsṭikya, ḍāna, Īśvarapūjana, siḍḍhānṭa-śravaṇa, hrīḥ, maṭi,
japa, and vraṭa. Of these
Tapas, is the emancipation of the body through
the observances of such penances as kṛchchhra, chānḍrāyaṇa, etc.,
according to rules.
Sanṭosha is being satisfied with whatever comes to
us of its own accord. Āsṭikya is the belief in the merits or demerits of
actions as stated in the Veḍas.
Ḍāna is the giving with faith to
deserving persons, money, grains, etc., earned lawfully. Īśvarapūjana is
the worshiping of Vishṇu, Ruḍra, etc., with pure mind according to
one's power. Siḍḍhānṭa-śravaṇa is the inquiry into the significance of
Veḍānṭa.
Hrīḥ is the shame felt in the performance of things contrary to
the rules of the Veḍas and of society.
Maṭi is the faith in the paths
laid down by the Veḍas.
Japa is the practicing of the manṭras into which
one is duly initiated by his spiritual instructor, and which is not
against (the rules of) the Veḍas. It is of two kinds—the spoken and the
mental. The mental is associated with contemplation by the mind. The
spoken is of two kinds—the loud and the low. The loud pronunciation
gives the reward as stated (in the Veḍas): (while) the low one (gives) a
reward thousand times (that). The mental (gives) a reward a crore (of
times that).
Vraṭa is the regular observance of or the refraining from
the actions enjoined or prohibited by the Veḍas.
"Āsanas (the postures) are (chiefly) eight, viz., svasṭika, gomukha, paḍma, vīra, simha, bhaḍra, mukṭa, and mayūra.
"Svasṭika is the sitting at ease with the body erect, placing each
foot between the thighs and knees of the other.
Gomukha is (the sitting
at ease with the body erect,) placing the hollow of the left foot under the side of the right posteriors and the
hollow of the right foot under the side of the left posteriors,
resembling Gomukha (cow's face).
Paḍma is (the sitting at ease with the
body erect) placing the back of each foot in the thigh of the other, the
right hand grasping the right toe and the left hand the left toe. This,
O Śāṇdilya, is praised by all.
Vīra is the sitting at ease (with the
body erect), placing one foot (on the thigh of the other and the other
foot underneath the corresponding (opposite thigh.)
Simha is (the
sitting at ease with the body erect,) pressing the right side (of the
thigh) with the hollow of left heel and vice versa. Rest your
hands on the knees, spread out the fingers, open your mouth and
carefully fix your gaze on the tip of your nose. This is always praised
by the yogins.
Siḍḍha
is (the sitting at ease with the body erect), pressing the perineum
with the left heel and placing the heel of the right foot above the
genital organ, concentrating the mind between the two eyebrows.
Bhaḍra
is (the sitting at ease with the body erect,)pressing the two ankles of
the two feet firmly together against the Sīvinī (viz., lower part
of the seed) and binding the knees firmly with the hands. This is the
bhaḍra which destroys all diseases and poisons.
Mukṭa is (the sitting at
ease with the body erect,) pressing with the left heel the right side
of the tender part of the Sīvinī, and with the right heel the left side
of the tender part of the Sīvinī.
Mayūra (lit., peacock). Rest your body
upon the ground with both palms and place your elbows on the sides of
the navel, lift up the head and feet and remain like a stick in the air,
(like the plant balance in gymnastics). This is the mayūra posture
which destroys all sins. By these, all the diseases within the body are
destroyed; all the poisons are digested. Let the person who is unable to practice all these postures be take himself to any one (of these) which
he may find easy and pleasant. He who conquers (or gets mastery over)
the postures—he conquers the three worlds. A person who has the practice
of yama and niyama should practice prāṇāyāma; by that the nādis become
purified."
Then Śāṇdilya questioned Aṭharvan thus: "By what means are the nādis purified? How many are they in number?
How do they arise? What vāyus (vital airs) are located in them? What
are their seats? What are their functions? Whatever is worthy of being
known in the body, please tell me." To that Aṭharvan replied (thus):
"This body is ninety-six digits in length. Prāṇa extends twelve digits
beyond the body. He who through the practice of yoga reduces his prāṇa
within his body to make it equal to or not less than the fire in it
becomes the greatest of the yogins. In men, the region of fire which is
triangular in form and brilliant as the molten gold is situated in the
middle of the body. In four-footed animals, it (fire) is quadrangular.
In birds, it is round. In its (the region of fire's) center, the
purifying, beneficial, and subtle flame is situate. Two digits above the
anus and two digits below the sexual organ is the center of the body
for men. For four-footed animals, it is the middle of the heart. For
birds, it is the middle of the body. Nine digits from (or above) the center of the body and four digits in length and breadth is situated an
oval form. In its midst is the navel. In it, is situated the chakra (viz.,
wheel) with twelve spokes. In the middle of the chakra, the jīva (Āṭmā)
wanders, driven by its good and bad deeds. As a spider flies to and fro
within a web of fine threads, so prāṇa moves about here. In this body,
the jīva rides upon prāṇa. Lying in the middle of the navel and above
it, is the seat of kunḍalinī. The kunḍalinī śakṭi is of the form of
eight prakṛṭis (matter) and coils itself eight ways or (times). The
movement of vāyus (vital airs) checks duly the food and drink all round
by the side of skanḍha.
It closes by its head (the opening of) the brahmaranḍhra, and during
the time of (the practice of) yoga is awakened by the fire (in the
apāna); then it shines with great brilliancy in the ākāś of the heart in
the shape of wisdom. Depending upon kunḍalinī which is situated in the center, there are fourteen principal nādis (viz.,) Idā, Piṅgalā,
Sushumnā, Sarasvaṭī, Vāruṇī, Pūshā, Hasṭijihvā, Yaśasvinī, Viśvoḍharī,
Kuhūḥ, Śāṅkhinī, Payasvinī, Alambusā, and Gānḍhārī. Of them, Sushumnā is
said to be the sustain er of the universe and the path of salvation. Situated at the
back of the anus, it is attached to the spinal column and extends to the
brahmaranḍhra of the head and is invisible and subtle and is vaishṇavī
(or has the śakṭi force of Vishṇu). On the left of Sushumnā is situated
Idā, and on the right is Piṅgalā. The moon moves in Idā and the sun in
Piṅgalā. The moon is of the nature of ṭamas and the sun of rajas. The
poison share is of the sun and the nectar of the moon. They both direct
(or indicate) time and Sushumnā is the enjoyer (or consumer) of time. To
the back and on the side of Sushumnā are situate Sarasvaṭī and Kuhūḥ
respectively. Between Yaśasvinī and Kuhūḥ stands Vāruṇī. Between Pasha
and Sarasvaṭī lies Payasvinī. Between Gānḍhārī and Sarasvaṭī is situated Yaśasvinī.
In the centre of the navel is Alambusā. In front of Sushumnā there is
Kuhūḥ, which proceeds as far as the genital organ. Above and below
kunḍalinī is situated Vāruṇī, which proceeds everywhere. Yaśasvinī which
is beautiful (or belonging to the moon), proceeds to the great toes.
Piṅgalā goes upwards to the right nostril. Payasvinī goes to right ear.
Sarasvaṭī goes to the upper part or the tongue and Śāṅkhinī to the left
ear, (while) Gānḍhārī goes from the back of Idā to the left eye.
Alambusā goes upwards and downwards from the root of the anus. From
these fourteen nādis, other (minor) nādis spring; from them springing
others, and from them springing others; so it should be known. As the
leaf of the aśvaṭṭha tree (ficus religiosa) etc., is covered with minute fibers so also is this body permeated with nādis.
"Prāṇa, Apāna, Samāna, Uḍāna, Vyāna, Naga, Karma, Kṛkara, Devaḍaṭṭa,
and Ḍhanañjaya—these ten vāyus (vital airs) move in all the nādis. Prāṇa
moves in the nostrils, the throat, the navel, the two great toes and
the lower and the upper parts of kunḍalinī. Vyāna moves in the ear, the
eye, the loins, the ankles, the nose, the throat and the buttocks. Apāna
moves in the anus, the genitals, the thighs, the knees. the stomach,
the seeds, the loins, the calves, the navel, and the
seat of the anus of fire. Uḍāna lives in all the joints and also in
the hands and legs. Samāna lives, permeating in all parts of the body.
Along with the fire in the body, it causes the food and drink taken in,
to spread in the body. It moves in the seventy-two thousand nādis and
pervades all over the body along with the fire. The five vāyus beginning
with Naga go towards the skin, the bones, etc. The Prāṇa which is in
the navel separates the food and drink which is there and brings about
the rasas (juices) and others.
Placing the water above the fire and the food above (or in) the water,
it goes to the Apāna and along with it, fans up the fire in the center
of the body. The fire thus fanned up by the Apāna gradually increases in
brightness in the middle of the body. Then it causes through its flames
the water which is brought in the bowels by the Prāṇa to grow hot. The
fire with the water causes the food and condiments, which are placed
above, to be boiled to a proper degree. Then Prāṇa separates these into
sweat, urine, water, blood, semen, the feces and the like. And along
with the Samaria, it takes the juice (or essence) to all the nādis and
moves in the body in the shape of breath. The vāyus excrete the urine,
the feces, etc., through the nine openings in the body which are
connected with the outside air. The functions of Prāṇa are inspiration,
expiration, and cough. Those of Apāna are the excretion of the feces and
the urine. Those of Vyāna are (such actions as) giving and taking.
Those of Uḍāna are keeping the body straight, etc. Those of Samāna are
nourishing the body. Those of Nāga are vomiting, etc.; of Kūrma, the
movement of the eyelids; of Kṛkara, the causing of hunger, etc., of
Ḍevaḍaṭṭa, idleness, etc., and Ḍhanañjaya, phlegm.
"Having thus acquired a thorough knowledge of the seat of the nādis
and of the vāyus with their functions, one should begin with the
purification of the nādis. A person possessed of yama and niyama,
avoiding all company, having finished his course of study, delighting in
truth and virtue, having conquered (his) anger, being engaged in the
service of his spiritual instructor and having been obedient to his
parents
and well instructed in all the religious practices and the knowledge
of his order of life, should go to a sacred grove abounding in fruits,
roots, and water. There he should select a pleasant spot always
resounding with the chanting of the Veḍas, frequented by the knowers of
Brahman that persevere in the duties of their orders of life and filled
with fruits, roots, flowers, and water. (Else) either in a temple or on
the banks of a river or in a village or in a town, he should build a
beautiful monastery. It should be neither too long nor too high, should
have a small door, should be besmeared well with cow-dung and should
have every sort of protection. There listening to the exposition of veḍānṭa, he should begin to practise yoga, In the beginning having worshipped Vināyaka
(Gaṇeśa), he should salute his Ishta-Ḍevaṭā (tutelary deity) and
sitting in any of the above-mentioned postures on a soft seat, facing
either the east or the north and having conquered them, the learned man
keeping his head and neck erect and fixing his gaze on the tip of his
nose, should see the sphere of the moon between his eyebrows and drink
the nectar (flowing therefrom through his eyes. Inhaling the air through
Idā for the space of twelve māṭrās, he should contemplate on the sphere of fire
situated in the belly as surrounded with flames and having as its seed र
(ra); then he should exhale it through Piṅgalā. Again inhaling it
through Piṅgalā and retaining it (within), he should exhale it through Idā. For the period of twenty-eight months, he should practice six times at every sitting through the three sanḍhyās (morning, noon, and evening) and during the intervals. By this, the nādis become purified. Then
the body becomes light and bright, the (gastric) fire is increased
(within) and there is the manifestation of nāḍa (internal sound).
"Prāṇāyāma is said to be the union of Prāṇa and Apāna. It is of three
kinds—expiration, inspiration, and cessation. They are associated with
the letters of the (Samskṛṭ) alphabet (for the right performance of prāṇāyāma). Therefore Praṇava (Om)
only is said to be Prāṇāyāma. Sitting in the paḍma posture, the person
should meditate that there is at the tip of his nose Gāyaṭrī,
a girl of red complexion surrounded by the numberless rays of the image
of the moon and mounted on a hamsa (swan) and having a mace in her
hand. She is the visible symbol of the letter A. The letter U has as its
visible symbol Sāviṭrī,
a young woman of white color having a disk in her hand and riding on a
garuda (eagle). The letter M has as its visible symbol Sarasvaṭī,
an aged woman of black color riding on a bull, having a trident in her
hand. He should meditate that the single letter—the supreme light—the
praṇava (Om)—is the origin
or source of these three letters A, U, and M. Drawing up the air
through Idā for the space of sixteen māṭrās, he should meditate on the
letter A during that time; retaining the inspired air for the space of
sixty-four māṭrās, he should meditate on the letter U during the time;
he should then exhale the inspired air for the space of thirty-two
māṭrās, meditating on the letter M during that time. He should practice
this in the above order over and over again.
"Then having become firm in the posture and preserved perfect
self-control, the yogin should, in order to clear away the impurities of
the Sushumnā, sit in the paḍmāsana (paḍma posture), and having inhaled
the air through the left nostril, should retain it as long as he can and
should exhale it through the right. Then drawing it again through the
right and having retained it, he should exhale it through the left in
the order
that he should draw it through the same nostril by which he exhaled
it before and retained it. In this context, occur (to memory) the
following verses: "In the beginning having inhaled the breath (Prāṇa)
through the left nostril, according to the rule, he should exhale it
through the other; then having inhaled the air through the right
nostril, should retain it and exhale it through the other." To those who practice according to these rules through the right and left nostrils,
the nādis become purified within three months. He should practice
cessation of breath at sunrise, in the midday, at sunset and at midnight
slowly till eighty (times a day) for four weeks. In the early stages,
perspiration is produced; in the middle stage the tremor of the body,
and in the last stage levitation in the air. These (results) ensue out
of the repression of the breath, while sitting in the paḍma posture.
When perspiration arises with effort, he should rub his body well. By
this, the body becomes firm and light. In the early course of his
practice, food with milk and ghee is excellent. One sticking to this
rule becomes firm in his practice and gets no ṭāpa (or burning sensation
in the body). As lions, elephants and tigers are gradually tamed, so
also the breath, when rightly managed (comes under control); else it
kills the practitioner.
"He should (as far as is consistent with his health and safety)
properly exhale it, properly inhale it or retain it properly. Thus
(only) will he attain success. By thus retaining the breath in an
approved manner and by the purification of the nādis, the brightening of
the (gastric) fire, the hearing distinctly of (spiritual) sounds and
(good) health result. When the nervous centers have become purified
through the regular practice of Prāṇāyāma, the air easily forces its way
up through the mouth of the Sushumnā which is in the middle. By the
contraction of the muscles of the neck and by the contraction of the one
below (viz.,) Apāna, the Prāṇa (breath) goes into the Sushumnā which is in the middle from the west nādi. Drawing up the Apāna and forcing down the Prāṇa from the throat, the yogin free from old age becomes a youth of sixteen.
"Seated in a pleasant posture and drawing up the air through the
right nostril and retaining it inside from the top of the hair to the
toe nails, he should exhale it through the same nostril. Through it, the
brain becomes purified and the diseases in the air nādis are destroyed.
Drawing up the air through the nostrils with noise (so as to fill the
space) from the heart to the neck, and having retained it (within) as
long as possible, he should exhale it through the nose. Through this,
hunger, thirst, idleness and sleep do not arise.
"Taking in the air through the mouth (wide open) and having retained
it as long as possible, he should expel it through the nose. Through
this, (such diseases as) gulma, pleeha (both being splenetic diseases),
bile and fever as also hunger, etc., are destroyed.
"Now we shall proceed to kumbhaka (restraint of breath). It is of two
kinds—sahiṭa and kevala. That which is coupled with expiration and
inspiration is called sahiṭa. That which is devoid of these is called
kevala (alone). Until you become perfect in kevala, practice sahiṭa. To
one who has mastered kevala, there is nothing unattainable in the three
worlds. By kevala-restraint of breath, the knowledge of kunḍalinī
arises. Then he becomes lean in body, serene in face and clear-eyed,
hears the (spiritual) sounds distinctly, becomes free from all diseases
and conquers his (binḍu) seminal fluid, his gastric fire being increased.
"Centering one's mind on an inward object whilst his eyes are looking
outside without the shutting and opening of his eyelids, has been called
Vaishṇavīmuḍrā. This is kept hidden in all the
ṭānṭric works. With his mind and breath absorbed in an internal object,
the yogin, though he does not really see the objects outside and under
him, still (appears to) see them with eyes in which the pupils are
motionless. This is called Khecharīmuḍrā. It has as its sphere of
extension one object and is very beneficial. (Then) the real seat of
Vishṇu, which is void and non-void, dawns on him. With eyes half closed
and with a firm mind, fixing his eyes on the tip of his nose and
becoming absorbed in the sun and moon, he after remaining thus unshaken
(becomes conscious of) the thing which is of the form of light, which is
free from all externals, which is resplendent, which is the supreme
truth and which is beyond. O Śāṇdilya, know this to be Ṭaṭ (That).
Merging the sound in the light and elevating the brows a little, this is
of the way of (or is a part of) the former practice. This brings about
the state of Unmani which causes the destruction of the mind. Therefore
he should practice the Khecharīmuḍrā. Then he attains to the state of
Unmanī and falls into the yoga sleep (trance). To one who obtains this
yoga sleep, time does not exist. Placing the mind in the midst of śakṭi
and śakṭi
in the midst of the mind and looking on the mind with the mind, O
Śāndilya be happy. Place the Āṭma in the midst of ākāś and ākāś in the
midst of Āṭmā, and having reduced everything to ākāś, do not think of
anything else. You should not (then) entertain thoughts, either external
or internal. Abandoning all thoughts, become abstract thought itself.
As camphor in fire and salt in water become absorbed, so also the mind
becomes absorbed in the Ṭaṭṭva (Truth). What is termed manas (mind) is
the knowledge of everything that is known and its clear apprehension.
When the knowledge and the object cognised are lost alike, there is no
second path (or that is the only path). By its giving up all cognition
of objects, it (the mind) is absorbed and when the mind is absorbed,
kaivalya (isolation) alone remains.
"For the destruction of the chiṭṭa, there are two ways—yoga and jñāna. O prince of sages! yoga is the (forcible)
repression of the modifications of the mind, and jñāna is the
thorough inquiry into them. When the modifications of the mind are
repressed, it (the mind) verily obtains peace. Just as the actions of
the people cease with the stopping of the fluctuations of the sun (viz.,
with sunset), so when the fluctuations of the mind cease, this cycle of
births and deaths comes to an end. (Then) the fluctuations of prāṇa are
prevented, when one has no longing for this mundane existence or when
he has gratified his desires therein—through the study of religious
books, the company of good men, indifference (to enjoyments), practice
and yoga or long contemplation with intentness on any desired (higher)
object or through practicing one truth firmly.
"By the repression of the breath through inhalation, etc., by
continual practice therein which does not cause fatigue, and by
meditating in a secluded place, the fluctuations of the mind are
arrested. Through the right realization of the true nature of the sound
which is at the extreme end of the pronunciation of the syllable Om (viz.,
Arḍhamāṭrā), and when sushupṭi (dreamless sleeping state) is rightly
cognised through consciousness, the fluctuations of prāṇa are repressed.
When the passage at the root of the palate which is like the bell, viz.,
uvula, is closed by the tongue with effort and when the breath goes up
through (the upper hole), then the fluctuations of prāṇa are stopped.
When the consciousness (samviṭ) is merged in prāṇa, and when through
practice the prāṇa goes through the upper hole into the ḍvāḍasānṭa (the twelfth centre) above the palate, then the fluctuations of prāṇa are stopped. When the eye of consciousness (viz.,
the spiritual or third eye) becomes calm and clear so as to be able to
distinctly see in the transparent ākāś at a distance of twelve digits
from the tip of his nose, then the fluctuations of prāṇa are stopped.
When the thoughts arising in the mind are bound up in the calm
contemplation of the world of ṭāraka (star or eye) between one's
eyebrows and are (thus) destroyed, then the fluctuations cease. When the
knowledge which is of the form of the knowable, which is beneficent and which is untouched by any modifications
arises in one and is known as OM only and no other, then the
fluctuations of prāṇa cease. By the contemplation for a long time of the
ākāś which is in the heart, and by the contemplation of the mind free
from vāsānās, then the fluctuations of prāṇa cease. By these methods and
various others suggested by (one's) thought and by means of the contact
of the many (spiritual) guides, the fluctuations cease.
"Having by contraction opened the door of kunḍalinī, one should force
open the door of moksha. Closing with her mouth the door through which
one ought to go, the kuṇdalinī sleeps spiral in form and coiled up like a
serpent. He who causes this kunḍalinī to move—he is an emancipated
person. If this kunḍalinī were to sleep in the upper part of the neck of
any yogin, it goes towards his emancipation. (If it were to sleep) in
the lower part (of the body), it is for the bondage of the ignorant.
Leaving the two nādis, Idā and the other (Piṅgalā), it (prāṇa) should
move in the Sushumnā. That is the supreme seat of Vishṇu. One should practice control of breath with the concentration of the mind. The mind
should not be allowed by a clever man to rest on any other thing. One
should not worship Vishṇu during the day alone. One should not worship
Vishṇu during the night alone; but should always worship Him, and should
not worship Him merely during day and night. The wisdom-producing
opening (near uvula) has five passages. O Śāṇdilya this is the
khecharīmuḍrā; practise it. With one who sits in the khecharīmuḍrā, the
vāyu which was flowing before through the left and right nādis now flows
through the middle one (Sushumnā). There is no doubt about it. You
should swallow the air through the void (Sushumnā) between Idā and
Piṅgalā. In that place is khecharīmuḍrā situated, and that is the seat
of Truth. Again that is khecharīmuḍrā which is situated in the
ākāśa-chakra (in the head) in the nirālamba (supportless) seat between
the sun and moon (viz., Idā and Piṅgalā). When the tongue has
been lengthened to the length of a kalā (digit) by the incision (of the
frænum lingum) and by rubbing and milking it (viz., the tongue), fix the gaze between the two eyebrows and close the hole in the skull with
the tongue reversed. This is khecharīmuḍrā. When the tongue and the
chiṭṭa (mind) both move in the ākāś (khecharī), then the person with his
tongue raised up becomes immortal. Firmly pressing the yoni (perineum)
by the left heel, stretching out the right leg, grasping the feet with
both hands and inhaling the air through the nostrils, practice
kaṇtha-banḍha,
retaining the air upwards. By that, all afflictions are destroyed; then
poison is digested as if it were nectar. Asthma, splenetic disease, the
turning up of the anus and the numbness of the skin are removed. This
is the means of conquering prāṇa and destroying death. Pressing the yoni
by the left heel, place the other foot over the left thigh: inhale the
air, rest the chin on the chest, contract the yoni and contemplate, (as
far as possible), your Āṭmā as situated within your mind. Thus is the
direct perception (of truth) attained.
"Inhaling the prāṇa from outside and filling the stomach with it, center the prāṇa with the mind in the middle of the navel, at the tip of
the nose and at the toes during the sanḍhyās (sunset and sunrise) or at
all times. (Thus) the yogin is freed from all diseases and fatigue. By centering his prāṇa at the tip of his nose, he obtains mastery over the
element of air; by centering it at the middle of his navel, all diseases
are destroyed; by centering it at the toes, his body becomes light. He
who drinks the air (drawn) through the tongue destroys fatigue, thirst
and diseases. He who drinks the air with his mouth during the two
sanḍhyās and the last two hours of the night, within three months the
auspicious Sarasvaṭī (goddess of speech) is present in his vāk (speech) viz.,
(he becomes eloquent and learned in his speech). In six months, he is
free from all diseases. Drawing the air by the tongue, retain the air at
the root of the tongue. The wise man thus drinking nectar enjoys all
prosperity. Fixing the Āṭmā in the Āṭmā itself in the middle of the
eyebrows, (having inhaled) through Idā and breaking through that
(center) thirty times, even a sick man is freed from disease. He who
draws the air through the nādis and retains it for twenty-four minutes
in the navel and in the sides of the stomach becomes freed from disease. He who for the
space of a month during the three sanḍhyās (sunset, sunrise, and
midnight or noon) draws the air through the tongue, pierces thirty times
and retains his breath in the middle of his navel, becomes freed from
all fevers and poisons. He who retains the prāṇa together with the mind
at the tip of his nose even for the space of a muhūrṭa (forty-eight
minutes), destroys all sins that were committed by him during one
hundred births.
"Through the samyama of ṭāra (Om), he knows all things. By retaining the mind at the tip of his nose, he acquires a knowledge of Inḍra-world; below that, he acquires a knowledge of Agni-(fire) world.
Through the samyama of chiṭṭa in the eye, he gets a knowledge of all
worlds: in the ear, a knowledge of Yama-(the god of death) world: in the sides of the ear, a knowledge of Nṛṛṭi-world: in the back of it (the ear), a knowledge of Varuṇa-world: in the left ear, a knowledge of Vāyu-world: in the throat, a knowledge of Soma-(moon) world: in the left eye, a knowledge of Śiva-world: in the head, a knowledge of Brahmā-world: in the soles of the feet, a knowledge of Aṭala world:
in the feet, a knowledge of Viṭala world: in the ankles, a knowledge of
Niṭala (rather Suṭala) world: in the calves, a knowledge of Suṭala
(rather Ṭalāṭāla world): in the knees, a knowledge of Mahāṭala world: in
the thighs, a knowledge of Rasāṭala world: in the loins, a knowledge of
Ṭalāṭala (rather Pāṭāla) world: in the navel, a knowledge of Bhūrloka
(earth-world): in the stomach, a knowledge of Bhuvar (world): in the
heart, a knowledge of Suvar (world): in the place above the heart, a
knowledge of Mahar world: in the throat, a knowledge of Jana world: in
the middle of the brows, a knowledge of Ṭapa world: in the head, a
knowledge of Saṭya world.
"By conquering ḍharma and aḍharma, one knows the past and the future.
By centering it on the sound of every creature, a knowledge of the cry
(or language) of the
animal is produced. By centering it on the sañchiṭa-karma (past karma
yet to be enjoyed), a knowledge of one's previous births arises in him.
By centering it on the mind of another, a knowledge of the mind (or
thoughts) of others is induced. By centering it on the kāya-rūpa (or form
of the body), other forms are seen. By fixing it on the bala
(strength), the strength of persons like Hanūmān is obtained. By fixing
it on the sun, a knowledge of the worlds arises. By fixing it on the
moon, a knowledge of the constellation is produced. By fixing it on the
Ḍhruva (Polar star) a perception of its motion is induced. By fixing it
on his own (Self), one acquires the knowledge of Purusha; on the navel,
he attains a knowledge of the kāya-vyūha (mystical arrangement of all
the particles of the body so as to enable a person to wear out his whole
karma in one life): on the well of the throat, freedom from hunger and
thirst arises: on the Kūrma nādi (which is situated in the well of the
throat), a firmness (of concentration) takes place. By fixing it on the
tārā (pupil of the eye), he obtains the sight of the siḍḍhas (spiritual
personages). By conquering the ākāś in the body, he is able to soar in
the ākāś: (in short) by centering the mind in any place, he conquers the
siḍḍhis appertaining to that place.
"Then comes praṭyāhāra, which is of five kinds. It is the drawing
away of the organs from attaching themselves to the objects of senses.
Contemplating upon everything that one sees as Āṭmā is praṭyāhāra.
Renouncing the fruits of one's daily actions is praṭyāhāra. Turning away
from all objects of sense is praṭyāhāra. Ḍhāraṇā in the eighteen
important places (mentioned below) is praṭyāhāra, (viz.,) the
feet, the toes, the ankles, the calves, the knees, the thighs, the anus,
the penis, the navel, the heart, the well of the throat, the palate,
the nose, the eyes, the middle of the brows, the forehead, and the head
in ascending and descending orders.
"Then (comes) ḍhāraṇā. It is of three kinds, (viz.,) fixing
the mind in the Āṭmā, bringing the external ākāś into the ākaś of the
heart and contemplating the five mūrṭis (forms of ḍevaṭās) in the five
elements—earth, āpas, fire, vāyu, and ākaś.
"Then comes ḍhyāna. It is of two kinds, saguṇa (with guṇas or
quality) and nirguṇa (without quality). Saguṇa is the meditation of a
mūrṭi. Nirguṇa is on the reality of Self.
"Samāḍhi is the union of the Jīvāṭmā (individual self) and the Paramāṭmā (higher self) without the threefold state, (viz., the knower, the known, and the knowledge). It is of the nature of extreme bliss and pure consciousness.
"Thus ends the first chapter of Śāṇdilya Upanishaḍ."
Chapter II
Then the Bṛahmarshi Śāṇdilya not obtaining the knowledge of Brahman
in the four Veḍas, approached the Lord Aṭharvan and asked him: "What is
it? Teach me the science of Brahman by which I shall obtain that which
is most excellent."
Aṭharvan replied: "O Śāṇdilya, Brahman is saṭya, vijñāna and ananṭa
in which all this (world) is interwoven, warp-wise and woof-wise, from
which all originated and into which all are absorbed, and which being
known makes everything else known. It is without hands and feet, without
eyes and ears, without tongue or without body, and is unreachable and
undefinable. From which, vāk (speech) and mind return, being unable to
obtain (or reach) It. It is to be cognised by jñāna and yoga.
From which, prajñā of old sprang. That which is one and non-dual, that
which pervades everything like ākāś, which is extremely subtle, without a
blemish, action less, saṭ (be-ness) only, the essence of the bliss of
consciousness, beneficent, calm and immortal and which is beyond. That
is Brahman. Thou art That. Know That by wisdom. He who is the one, the
shining, the giver of the power of Āṭmā, the omniscient, the lord of
all, and the inner soul of all beings, who lives in all beings, who is
hidden in all beings and the source of all beings, who is reachable only
through yoga and who creates, supports and destroys everything—He is
Āṭmā. Know the several worlds in the Āṭma. Do not grieve, O knower of
Āṭmā, thou shalt reach the end of pains."
Chapter III
Then Śāṇdilya questioned Aṭharvan thus: "From the Brahman that is Om,
imperishable, action less, beneficial, saṭ (be-ness) only and supreme,
how did this universe arise? How does it exist in It? And how is it
absorbed in It? Please solve me this doubt."
Aṭharvan replied: The Supreme Brahman, the Truth, is the imperishable
and the action less. Then from the formless Brahman, three forms (or
aspects) arose, (viz.,) nishkalā (part less,) sakalā (with parts),
and sakalā-nishkalā (with and without parts). That which is saṭya,
vijñāna and ānanḍa, That which is action less, without any impurity,
omnipresent, extremely subtle, having faces in every direction,
undefinable and immortal—that is His nishkalā aspect. Maheśvara (the
great Lord) who is black and yellow rules, with aviḍyā, mūlaprakṛṭi or
māyā that is red, white, and black, and that is co-existent with Him.
This is his sakalā-nishkalā aspect. Then the Lord desired (or willed) by
his spiritual wisdom (thus): May I become many?; may I bring forth?
Then from this Person who was contemplating and whose desires are
fulfilled, three letters sprang up. Three vyāhṛṭis, the three-footed Gāyaṭrī,
the three Veḍas, the three ḍevas, the three varṇas (colors or castes)
and the three fires sprang. That Supreme Lord who is endowed with all
kinds of wealth, who is all pervading, who is situated in the hearts of
all beings, who is the Lord of māyā and whose form is māyā—He is Brahma.
He is Vishṇu: He is Ruḍra: He is Inḍra: He is all the ḍevas: He is all
the bhūṭas (elements or beings): He only is before: He only is behind:
He only is on our left: He only is on our right: He only is below: He
only is above: He only is the all. That form of him as Ḍaṭṭāṭreya,
who sports with his Śakṭi, who is kind to his devotees, who is
brilliant as fire, resembling the petals or a red lotus and is of four
hands, who is mild and shines sinlessly—this is His sakalā form."
Then Śāṇdilya questioned Aṭharvan, "O Lord, that which is Saṭ only
and the essence of the bliss of consciousness—why is He called
Parabrahman?"
Aṭharvan replied: "Because He increases bṛhaṭi and causes to increase everything (bṛhanṭi); so he is called Parabrahman. Why is He called Āṭmā? Since He obtains (āpnoṭi)
everything, since He takes back everything and since He is everything,
so he is called Āṭmā. Why is He called Maheśvara (the great Lord)? Since
by the sound of the words Mahaṭ-Īśa (the great Lord) and by His own
power, the great Lord governs everything. Why is He called Ḍaṭṭāṭreya?
Because the Lord being extremely pleased with Aṭri (Ṛshi) who was
performing a most difficult penance and who had expressed his desire to
see Him who is light itself, offered Himself (ḍaṭṭa) as their son, and
because the woman Anasūyā was his mother and Aṭri was his father.
Therefore he who knows the (secret) meaning knows everything. He who
always contemplates on the supreme that It is himself becomes a knower
of Brahman. Here these ślokas (stanzas) occur (to memory). 'He who
contemplates always the Lord of Lords and the ancient thus—as
Ḍaṭṭāṭreya, the beneficent, the calm, of the color of sapphire, one who
delights in his own māyā and the Lord who has shaken off everything, as
naked and as one whose whole body is besmeared with the holy ashes, who
has matted hair, who is the Lord of all, who has four arms, who is
bliss in appearance, whose eyes are like full-blown lotus, who is the
store of jñāna and yoga, who is the spiritual instructor of all the
worlds and who is dear to all the yogins, and one who is merciful
towards His devotees, who is the witness of all and who is worshiped by
all the siḍḍhas is freed from all sins and will attain (the Spirit).'
"Om Saṭyam (truth). Thus ends the Upanishaḍ."
'BHIKSHUKA - UPANISHAḌ'
OF
'ŚUKLA-YAJURVEḌA'
Among bhikshus (religious mendicants) who long for moksha (salvation), there are four kinds, viz.,
'Kutīchaka',
'Bahūḍaka',
'Hamsa', and
'Paramahamsa'
. Gauṭama, Bhāraḍvāja,
Yājñavalkya, Vasishtha and others belong to the first kind. They take
eight mouthfuls (of food daily) and strive after moksha alone through
the path of yoga. The second kind carry three (bamboo) staves (tied
together) and a water pot, and wear tuft of hair (śikhā), sacred thread
(yajñopavīṭa) and red-colored cloth. They take eight mouthfuls of food
in the house of Brahmaṛshis, abstain from flesh and alcohol and strive
after emancipation alone through the path of yoga. Then the Hamsas
should live not more than a night in a village, five nights in a town,
and seven nights in a sacred place, partaking daily of cow's urine and
cow's dung, observing Chānḍrāyaṇa
and striving after moksha alone through the path of yoga. Paramahamsas
like Samvarṭaka, Āruṇī, Sweṭakeṭu, Jadabharaṭa, Ḍaṭṭāṭreya, Śuka,
Vāmaḍeva, Hārīṭaka and others take eight mouthfuls and strive after
moksha alone through the path of yoga. They live clothed or naked at the
foot of trees, in ruined houses, or in burning grounds. With them, there are no dualities as ḍharma and aḍharma, gain and loss,
and purity and impurity. They look upon gold and stone and clod of earth
with the same eye (of indifference), live on alms, begging from all
without any distinction of caste and look upon everything as Āṭmā alone.
Being (naked) as nature made them, being free from the sense of duality
and from covetousness, being engaged in pure contemplation
(śuklaḍhyāna), meditating on Āṭmā, and begging at stated times, simply
to keep the body and soul together, they reside in ruined houses,
temples, straw-huts, ant-hills, the foot of trees, potteries, the places
of agnihoṭra, the sand in the bed of rivers, mountain-caves, cavities,
the hollows of trees, waterfalls, and sṭhaṇdila (the level square piece
of ground prepared for sacrifice). Having advanced far in the path of
Brahman, and being pure in mind, they quit this body through the methods
prescribed for Paramahamsa Sannyāsins. These are the Paramahamsas. Such
is the Upanishaḍ.
'KALISANṬĀRAṆA UPANISHAḌ'
OF
'KṚSHṆA-YAJURVEḌA'
At the end of Ḍvāpara yuga, Nāraḍa went to Brahma and addressed him thus: "O Lord, how shall I, roaming
over the earth, be able to cross Kali?" To which Brahma thus replied:
"Well asked. Hearken to that which all Śruṭis (the Veḍas) keep secret
and hidden, through which one may cross the samsāra (mundane existence)
of Kali. He shakes off (the evil effects of) Kali through the mere
uttering of the name of the Lord Nārāyaṇa, who is the primeval Purusha."
Again Nāraḍa asked Brahma: "What is the name?" To which Hiraṇyagarbha
(Brahma) replied thus: (the words are:) "1. Harē, 2. Rāma, 3. Harē, 4.
Rāma, 5. Rāma, 6. Rāma, 7. Harē, 8. Harē; 9. Harē 10. Kṛshṇa, 11. Harē,
12. Kṛshṇa, 13. Kṛshṇa, 14. Kṛshṇa 15. Harē, 16. Harē. These sixteen
names (words) are destructive of the evil effects of Kali. No better
means than this is to be seen in all the Veḍas. These (sixteen names)
destroy the āvaraṇa (or the centripetal force which produces the sense
of individuality) of jīva surrounded by the sixteen kalās (rays). Then
like the sphere of the sun which shines fully after the clouds (screening it) disperse, Parabrahman (alone) shines."
Nāraḍa asked: "O Lord, what are the rules to be observed with
reference to it?" To which Brahma replied that there were no rules for
it. Whoever in a pure or an impure state, utters these always, attains
the same world of, or proximity with, or the same form of, or absorption
into Brahma. Whoever utters three and a half kotis
(or thirty-five millions) times this manṭra composed of sixteen names
(or words) crosses the sin of the murder of a Brāhmaṇa. He becomes
purified from the sin of the theft of gold. He becomes purified from the
sin of cohabitation with a woman of low caste. He is purified from the
sins of wrong done to piṭṛs, ḍevas, and men. Having given up all
ḍharmas, he becomes freed at once from all sins. He is at once released
from all bondage. That he is at once released from all bondage is the
Upanishaḍ.
'ṬEJOBINḌU-UPANISHAḌ'
OF
'KṚSHṆA-YAJURVEḌA'
Chapter I
Param-Ḍhyāna (the
supreme meditation) should be upon ṭejo binḍu, which is the Āṭmā of the
universe, which is seated in the heart, which is of the size of an atom,
which pertains to Śiva, which is quiescent and which is gross and
subtle, as also above these qualities. That alone should be the ḍhyāna
of the Munis as well as of men, which is full of pains, which is
difficult to meditate on, which is difficult to perceive, which is the
emancipated one, which is decayless and which is difficult to attain.
One whose food is moderate, whose anger has been controlled, who has
given up all love for society, who has subdued his passions, who has
overcome all pairs (heat and cold etc.), who has given up his egoism,
who does not bless anyone nor take anything from others, and also who
goes where they naturally ought not to go, and naturally would not go
where they like to go—such persons also obtain three 2
in the face. Hamsa is said to have three seats. Therefore know it is
the greatest of mysteries, without sleep and without support. It is very
subtle, of the form of Soma, and is the supreme seat of Vishṇu. That
seat has three faces, three guṇas and three ḍhāṭus, and is formless,
motionless, changeless, size less, and support less. That seat is without
upāḍhi, and is above the reach of speech and mind. It is Svabhāva (Self or nature) reachable only by bhāva
(being). The indestructible seat is associate less, without bliss, beyond
mind, difficult to perceive, emancipated and changeless. It should be
meditated upon as the liberated, the eternal, the permanent and the
indestructible. It is Brahman, is aḍhyāṭma (or the deity presiding as
Āṭmā) and is the highest seat of Vishṇu. It is inconceivable, of the
nature of Chiḍāṭmā and above the ākāś, is void and non-void, and beyond
the void, and is abiding in the heart. There is (in It) neither
meditation nor meditator, nor the meditated, nor the non-meditated. It
is not the universe. It is the highest space; it is neither supreme nor
above the supreme. It is inconceivable, unknowable, non-truth, and not
the highest. It is realized by the Munis, but the Ḍevas do not know the
supreme One. Avarice, delusion, fear, pride, passion, anger, sin, heat,
cold, hunger, thirst, thought and fancy—(all these do not exist in It).
(In It) there is no pride of (belonging to) the Brāhmaṇa caste, nor is
there the collection of the knot of salvation. (In It) there is no fear,
no happiness, no pains, neither fame nor disgrace. That which is
without these states is the supreme Brahman.
Yama,
(forbearance), niyama (religious observance), tyāga (renunciation),
mouna (silence) according to time and place, āsana (posture),
mūlabanḍha, seeing all bodies as equal, the position of the eye,
prāṇa-samyamana (control of breath), praṭyāhāra (subjugation of the
senses), ḍhāraṇa, āṭma-ḍhyāna and samāḍhi—these are spoken of as the
parts (of yoga) in order. That is called yama in which one controls all
his organs (of sense and actions) through the vijñāna that all is
Brahman; this should be practiced often and often. Niyama, in which
there is the supreme bliss enjoyed through the flowing (or inclination)
of the mind towards things of the same (spiritual) kind, (viz.,
Brahman) and the abandoning of things differing from one another is practiced by the sages as a rule. In tyāga (renunciation), one abandons
the manifestations (or objects) of the universe through the cognition of
Āṭmā that is Saṭ and Chiṭ. This is practiced by the great and is the
giver of immediate salvation.
Mouna (the silence), in which, without reaching That, speech returns
along with mind, is fit to be attained by the Yogins and should be ever
worshipped by the ignorant (even). How is it possible to speak of
"That", from which speech returns? How should it be described as the
universe as there is no word to describe it? It is "That" which is
(really) called silence, and which is naturally understood (as such).
There is silence in children, but with words (latent); whereas the
knowers of Brahman have it (silence) but without words. That should be
known as "the lonely seat" in which there is no man in the beginning,
middle, or end, and through which all this (universe) is fully pervaded.
The illusion of Brahmā and all other beings takes place within one
twinkling (of His eye). That should be known as āsana (posture), in
which one has with ease and without fatigue (uninterrupted) meditation
of Brahman; that is described by the word kāla (time), that is endless
bliss and that is secondless. Everything else is the destroyer of
happiness. That is called siḍḍhāsana (siḍḍha-posture) in which the
siḍḍhas (psychical personages) have succeeded in realising the endless
One as the support of the universe containing all the elements, etc.
That is called the mūlabanḍha, which is the Mūla (root) of all worlds,
and through which the root Chiṭṭa is (baṇdha) bound. It should be always practiced by the Rājayogins.
One after having known the equality of the aṅgas (or parts of yoga)
point to one and the same Brahman, should be absorbed in that equal (or
uniform) Brahman; if not, there is not that equality (attained). Then
like a dry tree, there is straightness (or uniformity throughout).
Making one's vision full of spiritual wisdom, one should look upon the
world as full of Brahman. That vision is very noble. It is (generally)
aimed at the tip of the nose; but it should be directed towards that
seat (of Brahman) wherein the cessation of seer, the seen, and sight
will take place, and not towards the tip of the nose. That is called
prāṇāyāma (the control of breath), in which there is the control of the
modifications (of mind) through the cognition of Brahman in all the
states of chiṭṭa, and others. The checking of (the conception of the reality of) the universe, is said to be
expiration. The conception of "I am Brahman" is inspiration. The holding
on (long) to this conception without agitation is cessation of breath.
Such is the practice of the enlightened. The ignorant close their nose.
That should be known as praṭyāhāra, through which one sees Āṭmā (even)
in the objects of sense, and pleases chiṭṭa through manas. It should be practiced often and often. Through seeing Brahman wherever the mind
goes, the ḍhāraṇa of the mind is obtained. Ḍhāraṇā is thought of highly
by the wise. By ḍhāraṇa is meant that state where one indulges in the
good thought, "I am Brahman alone," and is without any support. This
ḍhyāna is the giver of supreme bliss. Being first in a state of
changelessness, and then thoroughly forgetting (even) that state owing
to the cognition of the (true) nature of Brahman—this is called samāḍhi.
This kind of bliss should be practiced (or enjoyed) by a wise person
till his cognition itself united in a moment with the state of praṭyag
(Āṭmā). Then this King of Yogins becomes a Siḍḍha, and is without any
aid (outside himself). Then he will attain a state, inexpressible and
unthinkable.
When samāḍhi is practiced, the following obstacles arise with great
force—absence of right inquiry, laziness, inclination to enjoyment,
absorption (in material object), ṭamas, distraction, impatience, sweat,
and absent-mindedness. All these obstacles should be overcome by
inquirers into Brahman. Through bhāvavṛṭṭis (worldly thoughts), one gets
into them. Through śūnya-vṛṭṭis (void or empty thoughts), one gets into
them. But through the vṛṭṭis of Brahman, one gets fullness. Therefore
one should develop fullness through this means (of Brahman). He who
abandons this vṛṭṭi of Brahman, which is very purifying and supreme—that
man lives in vain like a beast. But he who understands this vṛṭṭi (of
Brahman), and having understood it makes advances in it, becomes a good
and blessed person, deserving to be worshiped by the three worlds.
Those who are greatly developed through the ripening (of their past
karmas) attain the state of Brahman; others are simply reciters of
words.
Those who are clever in arguments about Brahman, but are without the
action pertaining to Brahman, and who are greatly attached to the
world—those certainly are born again and again (in this world) through
their ajñāna; (the former) never remain, even for half a moment—without
the vṛṭṭi of Brahman, like Brahma and others, Sanaka, etc., Śuka and others. When a cause is subject to changes, it (as an
effect) must also have its cause. When the cause ceases to exist in
truth, the effect perishes through right discrimination. Then that
substance (or principle) which is beyond the scope of words, remains
pure. After that, vṛṭṭi jñāna arises in their purified mind; through
meditation with transcendental energy, there arises a firm certitude.
After reducing the visible into the invisible state, one should see
everything as Brahman. The wise should ever stay in bliss with their
understanding full of the essence of Chiṭ. Thus ends the first chapter
of Ṭejobinḍu.
Chapter II
Then the Kumāra
asked Śiva: "Please explain to me the nature of Chinmāṭra, that is the part less non-dual essence." The great Śiva replied: "The part less
non-dual essence is the visible. It is the world, it is the existence,
it is the Self, it is manṭra, it is action, it is spiritual wisdom, it
is water. It is the earth, it is ākāś, it is the books, it is the three
Veḍas, it is the Brahman, it is the religious vow, it is Jīva, it is Aja
(the unborn), it is Brahma, it is Vishṇu, it is Ruḍra; it is I, it is
Āṭma, it is the Guru. It is the aim, it is sacrifice, it is the body, it
is manas, it is chiṭṭa, it is happiness, it is viḍyā; it is the
undifferentiated, it is the eternal, it is the supreme, it is
everything. O six-faced one, different from It there is nothing. None,
none but It; It is I. It is gross, it is subtle, it is knowable, it is
thou; it is the mysterious; it is the knower; it is existence, it is
mother, it is father, it is brother, it is husband, it is Sūṭra (Āṭmā),
it is Virāt.
It is the body, it is the head, it is the internal, it is the external,
it is full, it is nectar, it is goṭra (clan), it is gṛha (the house),
it is the preservable, it is the moon, it is the stars, it is the sun,
it is the holy seat. It is forgiveness, it is patience, it is the guṇas,
it is the witness. It is a friend, it is a relative, it is an ally, it
is the king, town, kingdom and subjects. It is Om, japa, meditation, the
seat, the one worthy to be taken (in), the heart, the Jyoṭis, Swarga
(heaven) and Self."
"All the part less and non-dual essence should be regarded as
Chinmāṭra. Chinmāṭra alone is the Absolute Consciousness; and this
partless non-dual essence alone is the (real) essence. All having
consciousness alone except those having changes, are Chinmāṭra. All this
is Chinmāṭra. He is Chinmaya; the state of Āṭmā is known as Chinmāṭra
and the partless non-dual essence. The whole world is Chinmāṭra. Your
state and my state are Chinmāṭra. Ākāś, earth, water, vāyu, agni,
Brahmā, Vishṇu, Śiva and all else that exist or do not, are Chinmāṭra.
That which is the partless non-dual essence is Chinmāṭra. All the past,
present, and future are Chinmāṭra. Substance and time are Chinmāṭra.
Knowledge and the knowable are Chinmāṭra. The knower is Chinmāṭra.
Everything is Chinmāṭra. Every speech is Chinmāṭra. Whatever else is
Chinmāṭra. Asaṭ and Saṭ are Chinmāṭra. The beginning and end are
Chinmāṭra; that which is in the beginning and end is Chinmāṭra ever. The
Guru and the disciple are Chinmāṭra. If the seer and the seen are
Chinmāṭra, then they are always Chinmaya. All things wondrous are
Chinmāṭra. The (gross) body is Chinmāṭra, as also the subtle and causal
bodies. There is nothing beyond Chinmāṭra. I and thou are Chinmāṭra.
Form and non-form are Chinmāṭra. Virtue and vice are Chinmāṭra. The body
is a symbol of Chinmāṭra. Saṅkalpa, knowing, manṭra, and others, the
gods invoked in manṭras, the gods presiding over the eight quarters, the
phenomenal and the supreme Brahman are nothing but Chinmāṭra. There is
nothing without Chinmāṭra. Māyā is nothing without Chinmāṭra. Pūjā
(worship) is nothing without Chinmāṭra. Meditation, truth, sheaths and
others, the (eight) valus, silence, non-silence, and indifference to
objects —are nothing without Chinmāṭra. Everything is from Chinmāṭra. Whatever
is seen and however seen—it is Chinmāṭra so far. Whatever exists and
however distant, is Chinmāṭra. Whatever elements exist, whatever is
perceived, and whatever is veḍānṭa—all these are Chinmāṭra. Without
Chinmāṭra, there is no motion, no Moksha and no goal aimed at.
Everything is Chinmāṭra. Brahman that is the partless non-dual essence
is known to be nothing but Chinmāṭra. Thou, O Lord, art the partless
non-dual essence (stated) in the books, in me, in Thee, and in the
ruler. He who thus perceives 'I' as of one homogeneity (pervading
everywhere) will at once be emancipated through this spiritual wisdom.
He is his own Guru with this profound spiritual wisdom. Thus ends the
second chapter of Ṭejobinḍu."
Chapter III
The Kumāra addressed his father (again): "Please explain to me the realization of Āṭma." To which the great Śiva said: "I am of the nature
of the Parabrahman. I am the supreme bliss. I am solely of the nature of
divine wisdom. I am the sole supreme, the sole quiescence, the sole
Chinmaya, the sole unconditioned, the sole permanent and the sole
Saṭṭva. I am the 'I' that has given up 'I'. I am one that is without
anything. I am full of Chiḍākāś. I am the sole fourth one. I am the sole
one above the fourth (state of ṭurya). I am of the nature of (pure)
consciousness. I am ever of the nature of the bliss-consciousness. I am
of the nature of the non-dual. I am ever of a pure nature, solely of the
nature of divine wisdom, of the nature of happiness, without fancies,
desires or diseases, of the nature of bliss, without changes or
differentiations, and of the nature of the eternal one essence and
Chinmāṭra. My real nature is indescribable, of endless bliss, the bliss
above Saṭ and Chiṭ and the interior of the interior. I am beyond reach
of manas and speech. I am of the nature of Āṭmic bliss, true bliss and
one who plays with (my) Āṭmā. I am Āṭmā and Saḍāśiva. My nature is Āṭmic
spiritual effulgence. I am the essence of the jyoṭis of Āṭmā. I am
without beginning, middle, or end. I am like the sky. I am solely Saṭ, Ānanḍa, and Chiṭ which is unconditioned and
pure. I am the Sachchiḍānanḍa that is eternal, enlightened and pure. I
am ever of the nature of the eternal Śesha (serpent-time). I am ever
beyond all. My nature is beyond form. My form is supreme ākāś. My nature
is of the bliss of earth. I am ever without speech. My nature is the
all-seat (foundation of all). I am ever replete with consciousness,
without the attachment of body, without thought, without the
modifications of chiṭṭa, the sole essence of Chiḍāṭma, beyond the
visibility of all and of the form of vision. My nature is ever full. I
am ever fully contented, the all, and Brahman, and the very
consciousness; I am 'I'. My nature is of the earth. I am the great Āṭmā
and the supreme of the supreme; I appear sometimes as different from
myself; sometimes as possessing a body, sometimes as a pupil and
sometimes as the basis of the worlds. I am beyond the three periods of
time, am worshiped by the Veḍas, am determined by the sciences and am
fixed in the chiṭṭa. There is nothing left out by me, neither the earth
nor any other objects here. Know that there is nothing which is out of
myself. I am Brahma, a Siḍḍha, the eternally pure, non-dual one,
Brahman, without old age or death. I shine by myself; I am my own Āṭmā,
my own goal, enjoy myself, play in myself, have my own spiritual
effulgence, am my own greatness, and am used to play in my own Āṭmā,
look on my own Āṭmā and am in myself happily seated. I have my own Āṭmā
as the residue, stay in my own consciousness, and play happily in the
kingdom of my own Āṭmā. Sitting on the real throne of my own Āṭmā, I
think of nothing else but my own Āṭma. I am Chiḍrūpa alone, Brahman
alone, Sachchiḍānanḍa, the second-less, the one replete with bliss and
the sole Brahman and ever without anything, have the bliss of my own
Āṭmā, the unconditioned bliss, and am always Āṭma-Ākāś. I alone am in
the heart like Chiḍāḍiṭya (the consciousness-sun). I am content in my
own Āṭmā, have no form, or no decay, am without the number one, have the
nature of an unconditioned and emancipated one, and I am subtler than
ākāś; I am without the existence of beginning or end, of the nature of
the all-illuminating, the bliss greater than the great, of the sole
nature of Saṭ, of the nature of pure Moksha, of the nature of truth and
bliss, full of spiritual wisdom and bliss, of the nature of wisdom
alone, and of the nature of Sachchiḍānanḍa. All this is Brahman alone.
There is none other than Brahman and that is 'I'.
"I am Brahman that is Saṭ, and bliss, and the ancient. The word
'thou' and the word 'that' are not different from me. I am of the nature
of consciousness. I am alone the great Śiva. I am beyond the nature of
existence. I am of the nature of happiness. As there is nothing that can
witness me, I am without the state of witness. Being purely of the
nature of Brahman, I am the eternal Āṭmā. I alone am the Āḍiśesha (the
primeval Śesha). 1
I alone am the Śesha. I am without name and form, of the nature of
bliss, of the nature of being unperceivable by the senses, and of the
nature of all beings; I have neither bondage nor salvation. I am of the
form of eternal bliss. I am the primeval consciousness alone, the part less and non-dual essence, beyond reach of speech and mind, of the
nature of bliss everywhere, of the nature of fullness everywhere, of the
nature of earthly bliss, of the nature of contentment everywhere, the
supreme nectar y essence, and the one and second less Saṭ, (viz.,)
Brahman. There is no doubt of it. I am of the nature of all-void. I am
the one that is given out by the Veḍas. I am of the nature of the
emancipated and emancipation, of Nirvāṇic bliss, of truth and wisdom, of
Saṭ alone and bliss, of the one beyond the fourth, of one without
fancy, and ever of the nature of Aja (the unborn). I am without passion
or faults. I am the pure, the enlightened, the eternal, the
all-pervading and of the nature of the significance of Om, of the
spotless, and of Chiṭ. I am neither existing nor non-existing. I am not
of the nature of anything. I am of the nature of the action less. I am
without parts. I have no semblance, no manas, no sense, no buḍḍhi, no
change, none of the three bodies, neither the waking, dreaming, or
dreamless sleeping states. I am neither of the nature of the three pains
nor of the three desires. I have neither śravaṇa nor manana in Chiḍāṭma in order to attain salvation. There is
nothing like me or unlike me. There is nothing within me. I have none of
the three bodies.
"The nature of manas is unreal, the nature of buḍḍhi is unreal, the
nature of aham (the 'I') is unreal; but I am the unconditioned, the
permanent and the unborn. The three bodies are unreal, the three periods
of time are unreal, the three guṇas are unreal, but I am of the nature
of the Real and the pure. That which is heard is unreal, all the Veḍas
are unreal, the Śāsṭras are unreal, but I am. the Real and of the nature
of Chiṭ. The Mūrṭis (Brahma, Vishṇu, and Ruḍra having limitation) are
unreal, all the creation is unreal, all the ṭaṭṭvas are unreal, but know
that I am the great Saḍāśiva. The master and the disciple are unreal,
the manṭra of the Guru is unreal, that which is seen is unreal, but know
me to be the Real. Whatever is thought of is unreal, whatever is lawful
is unreal, whatever is beneficial is unreal, but know me to be the
Real. Know the Purusha (ego) to be unreal, know the enjoyments to be
unreal, know things seen and heard are unreal as also the one woven
warp-wise and woof-wise, viz., this universe; cause and non-cause
are unreal, things lost or obtained are unreal. Pains and happiness are
unreal, all and non-all are unreal, gain and loss are unreal, victory
and defeat are unreal. All the sound, all the touch, all the forms, all
the taste, all the smell, and all ajñāna are unreal. Everything is
always unreal—the mundane existence is unreal—all the guṇas are unreal. I
am of the nature of Saṭ.
"One should cognize his own Āṭmā alone. One should always practice
the manṭra of his Āṭmā. The manṭra (Ahambrahmāsmi) 'I am Brahman'
removes all the sins of sight, destroys all other manṭras, destroys all
the sins of body and birth, the noose of Yama, the pains of duality, the
thought of difference, the pains of thought, the disease of buḍḍhi, the
bondage of chiṭṭa, all diseases, all griefs and passions
instantaneously, the power of anger, the modifications of chiṭṭa,
saṅkalpa, crores of sins, all actions and the ajñāna of Āṭmā. The manṭra
'I am Brahman' gives indescribable bliss, gives the state of ajada (the
non-inertness or the undecaying) and kills the demon of non-Āṭmā. The thunderbolt 'I am Brahman' clears
all the hill of not-Āṭmā. The wheel 'I am Brahman' destroys the asuras
of not-Āṭmā. The manṭra 'I am Brahman' will relieve all (persons). The
manṭra 'I am Brahman' gives spiritual wisdom and bliss. There are seven
crores of great manṭras and there are vraṭas (vows) of (or yielding)
hundred crores of births. Having given up all other manṭras, one should
ever practice this manṭra. He obtains at once salvation, and there is
not even a particle of doubt about it. Thus ends the third chapter of
the Ṭejobinḍu-Upanishaḍ."
Chapter IV
The Kumāra asked the great Lord: "Please explain to me the nature of
Jīvanmukṭi (embodied salvation) and viḍehamu.kti (disembodied
salvation)." To which the great Śiva replied: "I am Chiḍāṭmā. I am
Para-Āṭmā. I am the Nirguṇa, greater than the great. One who will simply
stay in Āṭmā is called a Jivanmukṭa. He who realizes: 'I am beyond the
three bodies, I am the pure consciousness and I am Brahman,' is said to
be a Jivanmukṭa. He is said to be a Jivanmukṭa, who realizes: 'I am of
the nature of the blissful and of the supreme bliss, and I have neither
body nor any other thing except the certitude "I am Brahman" only'. He
is said to be a Jivanmukṭa who has not at all got the 'I' in myself, but
who stays in Chinmāṭra (absolute consciousness) alone, whose interior
is consciousness alone, who is only of the nature of Chinmāṭra, whose
Āṭma is of the nature of the all-full, who has Āṭmā left over in all,
who is devoted to bliss, who is undifferentiated, who is all-full of the
nature of consciousness, whose Āṭmā is of the nature of pure
consciousness, who has given up all affinities (for objects), who has
unconditioned bliss, whose Āṭmā is tranquil, who has got no other
thought (than Itself), and who is devoid of the thought of the existence
of anything. He is said to be a Jivanmukṭa who realises: I have no
chiṭṭa, no buḍḍhi, no ahaṅkāra, no sense, no body at any time, no
prāṇas, no Māyā, no passion and no anger, I am the great, I have nothing
of these objects or of the world, and I have no sin, no characteristics, no eye, no
manas, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no hand, no waking, no dreaming, or
causal state in the least or the fourth state.' He is said to be a
Jivanmukṭa, who realizes: 'All this is not mine, I have no time, no
space, no object, no thought, no snāna (bathing), no sanḍhyās
(junction-period ceremonies), no deity, no place, no sacred places, no
worship, no spiritual wisdom, no seat, no relative, no birth, no speech,
no wealth, no virtue, no vice, no duty, no auspiciousness, no Jīva, not
even the three worlds; no salvation, no duality, no Veḍas, no mandatory
rules, no proximity, no distance, no knowledge, no secrecy, no Guru, no
disciple, no diminution, no excess, no Brahma, no Vishṇu, no Ruḍra, no
moon, no earth, no water, no vāyu, no ākāś, no agni, no clan, no lakshya
(object aimed at), no mundane existence, no meditator, no object of
meditation, no manas, no cold, no heat, no thirst, no hunger, no friend,
no foe, no illusion, no victory, no past, present, or future, no
quarters, nothing to be said or heard in the least, nothing to be gone
(or attained) to, nothing to be contemplated, enjoyed or remembered, no
enjoyment, no desire, no yoga, no absorption, no garrulity, no quietude,
no bondage, no love, no joy, no instant joy, no hugeness, no smallness,
neither length nor shortness, neither increase nor decrease, neither
aḍhyāropa (illusory attribution) nor apavāḍa (withdrawal of that
conception) no oneness, no manyness, no blindness, no dullness, no
skill, no flesh, no blood, no lymph, no skin, no marrow, no bone, no
skin, none of the seven ḍhāṭus, no whiteness, no redness, no blueness,
no heat, no gain, neither importance nor non-importance, no delusion, no
perseverance, no mystery, no race, nothing to be abandoned or received,
nothing to be laughed at, no policy, no religious vow, no fault, no
bewailments, no happiness, neither knower nor knowledge nor the
knowable, no Self, nothing belonging to you or to me, neither you nor I,
and neither old age nor youth nor manhood; but I am certainly Brahman.
"I am certainly Brahman. I am Chiṭ, I am Chiṭ "' He is said to be a
Jivanmukṭa who cognizes: I am Brahman alone, I am Chiṭ alone, I am the
supreme.' No doubt need be entertained about this; 'I am Hamsa itself, I
remain of my own will, I can see myself through myself, I reign happy in the kingdom of Āṭmā and enjoy
in myself the bliss of my own Āṭmā.' He is a Jivanmukṭa who is himself,
the foremost and the one undaunted person who is himself the lord and
rests in his own Self.
"He is a Viḍehamukṭa who has become Brahman, whose Āṭma has attained
quiescence, who is of the nature of Brāhmic bliss, who is happy, who is
of a pure nature, and who is a great mouni (observer of silence). He is a
Viḍehamukṭa who remains in Chinmāṭra alone without (even) thinking
thus: 'I am all Āṭmā, the Āṭmā that is equal (or the same) in all, the
pure, without one, the non-dual, the all, the self only, the birth-less
and the deathless—I am myself the undecaying Āṭmā that is the object
aimed at, the sporting, the silent, the blissful, the beloved and the bond less salvation—I am Brahman alone—I am Chiṭ alone.' He is a
Viḍehamukṭa who having abandoned the thought: 'I alone am the Brahman'
is filled with bliss. He is a Viḍehamukṭa who having given up the
certainty of the existence or non-existence of all objects is pure
Chiḍānanḍa (the consciousness-bliss), who having abandoned (the
thought): 'I am Brahman' (or) 'I am not Brahman' does not mingle his
Āṭmā with anything, anywhere or at any time, who is ever silent with the
silence of Saṭya, who does nothing, who has gone beyond guṇas, whose
Āṭmā has become the All, the great, and the purifier of the elements,
who does not cognize the change of time, matter, place, himself or other
differences, who does not see (the difference of) 'I,' 'thou,' 'this'
or 'that,' who being of the nature of time is yet without it, whose Āṭmā
is void, subtle and universal, but yet without (them), whose Āṭmā is
divine and yet without Ḍevas, whose Āṭma is measurable and yet without
measure, whose Āṭmā is without inertness and within every one, whose
Jima is devoid of any saṅkalpa, who thinks always: 'I am Chinmāṭra, I am
simply Paramāṭman, I am only of the nature of spiritual wisdom, I am
only of the nature of Saṭ, I am afraid of nothing in this world,' and
who is without the conception of Ḍevas, Veḍas and sciences, 'All this is
consciousness, etc.,' and regards all as void. He is a Viḍehamukṭa who
has realized himself to be Chaiṭanya alone, who is remaining at ease in
the pleasure-garden of his own Āṭmā, whose Āṭmā is of an illimitable nature, who is
without the conception of the small and the great, and who is the fourth
of the fourth state and the supreme bliss. He is a Viḍehamukṭa whose
Āṭmā is nameless and formless, who is the great spiritual wisdom of the
nature of bliss, and of the nature of the state beyond ṭurya, who is
neither auspicious nor inauspicious, who has yoga as his Āṭmā, whose
Āṭmā is associated with yoga, who is free from bondage or freedom,
without guṇa or non-guṇa, without space, time, etc., without the
witnessable and the witness, without the small or the great, and without
the cognition of the universe or even the cognition of the nature of
Brahman, but who finds his spiritual effulgence in his own nature, who
finds bliss in himself, whose bliss is beyond the scope of words and
mind, and whose thought is beyond the beyond. He is said to be a
Viḍehamukṭa who has gone beyond (or mastered quite) the modifications of
chiṭṭa, who illumines such modifications, and whose Āṭmā is without any
modifications at all. In that case, he is neither embodied nor
disembodied. If such a thought is entertained (even), for a moment, then
he is surrounded (in thought) by all. He is a Viḍehamukṭa whose
external Āṭmā invisible to others is the supreme bliss aiming at the
highest veḍānṭa, who drinks of the juice of the nectar of Brahman, who
has the nectar of Brahman as medicine, who is devoted to the juice of
the nectar of Brahman, who is immersed in that juice, who has the
beneficent worship of the Brāhmic bliss, who is not satiated with the
juice of the nectar of Brahman, who realises Brāhmic bliss, who cognizes
the Śiva bliss in Brāhmic bliss, who has the effulgence of the essence
of Brāhmic bliss, who has become one with it, who lives in the household
of Brāhmic bliss, has mounted the car of Brāhmic bliss, who has an
imponderable Chiṭ being one with it, who is supporting (all), being full
of it, who associates with me having it, who stays in Āṭmā having that
bliss and who thinks: 'All this is of the nature of Āṭmā, there is
nothing else beside Āṭmā, all is Āṭmā, I am Āṭma, the great Āṭmā, the
supreme Āṭmā, and Āṭmā of the form of bliss.' He who thinks: 'My nature
is full, I am the great Āṭmā, I am the all-contented and the permanent
Āṭmā. I am
the Āṭmā pervading the heart of all, which is not stained by
anything, but which has no Āṭmā; I am the Āṭmā whose nature is
changeless, I am the quiescent Āṭmā; and I am the many Āṭmā.' He who
does not think this is Jīvāṭmā and that is Paramāṭmā, whose Āṭmā is of
the nature of the emancipated and the non-emancipated, but without
emancipation or bondage, whose Āṭmā is of the nature of the dual and the
non-dual one, but without duality and non-duality; whose Āṭmā is of the
nature of the All and the non-All, but without them; whose Āṭmā is of
the nature of the happiness arising from objects obtained and enjoyed,
but without it; and who is devoid of any saṅkalpa—such a man is a
Viḍehamukṭa. He whose Āṭmā is part less, stainless, enlightened, Purusha,
without bliss, etc., of the nature of nectar, of the nature of the
three periods of time, but without them; whose Āṭmā is entire and
non-measurable, being subject to proof though without proof; whose Āṭmā
is the eternal and the witness, but without eternity and witness;
whose Āṭmā is of the nature of the second less, who is the self-shining
one without a second, whose Āṭmā cannot be measured by viḍyā and aviḍyā
but without them; whose Āṭmā is without conditionedness or
unconditionedness, who is without this or the higher worlds, whose Āṭmā
is without the six things beginning with śama, who is without the
qualifications of the aspirant after salvation, whose Āṭmā, is without
gross, subtle, causal, and the fourth bodies, and without the anna,
prāṇa, manas, and vijñāna sheaths; whose Āṭmā is of the nature of ānanḍa
(bliss) sheath, but without five sheaths; whose Āṭmā is of the nature
of nirvikalpa, is devoid of saṅkalpa, without the characteristics of the
visible or the audible, and of the nature of void, owing to unceasing
samāḍhi, who is without beginning, middle, or end; whose Āṭmā is devoid
of the word Prajñāna, who is without the idea 'I am Brahman,' whose Āṭmā
is devoid (of the thought) of 'thou art', who is without the thought
'this is Āṭmā', whose Āṭmā is devoid of that which is described by Om,
who is above the reach of any speech or the three states, and is the
indestructible and the Chiḍāṭmā, whose Āṭmā is not the one which can be
known by Āṭmā and whose Āṭma has neither light nor darkness. Such a personage is a Viḍehamukṭa. Look only upon
Āṭmā; know It as your own. Enjoy your Āṭmā yourself, and stay in peace.
O six-faced one, be content in your own Āṭma, be wandering in your own
Āṭmā, and be enjoying your own Āṭmā. Then you will attain Viḍehamukṭi."
Chapter V
The Sage named Niḍāgha addressed the venerable Ṛbhu: "O Lord please
explain to me the discrimination of Āṭmā from non-Āṭmā." The Sage
replied thus: "The furthest limit of all vāk (speech) is Brahman; the furthest limit to all thoughts is the Guru. 1
That which is of the nature of all causes and effects but yet without
them, that which is without saṅkalpa, of the nature of all bliss and the
auspicious, that which is the great one of the nature of bliss, that
which illuminates all luminaries and that which is full of the bliss of
nāḍa (spiritual sound), without any enjoyment and contemplation and
beyond nāḍas and kalās (parts)—that is Āṭmā, that is the 'I', the
indestructible. Being devoid of all the difference of Āṭmā and non-Āṭmā,
of heterogeneity and homogeneity, and of quiescence and
non-quiescence—that is the one Jyoṭis at the end of nāḍa. Being remote
from the conception of Mahā-vakyārṭha (i.e., the meaning of
Maha-vākyas) as well of 'I am Brahman,' being devoid of or without the
conception of the word and the meaning, and being devoid of the
conception of the destructible and indestructible—that is the one Jyoṭis
at the end of nāḍa. Being without the conception 'I am the p artless
non-dual essence' or 'I am the blissful,' and being of the nature of the
one beyond all—that is one Jyoṭis at the end of nāḍa. He who is devoid
of the significance of Āṭmā (viz. motion) and devoid of
Sachchiḍānanḍa—he is alone Āṭmā, the eternal. He who is undefinable and
unreachable by the words of the Veḍas, who has neither externals nor
internals, and whose symbol is either the universe or Brahman—he is
undoubtedly Āṭmā. He who has no body, nor is a Jīva made up of the elements and their compounds, who has
neither form nor name, neither the enjoyable nor the enjoyer, neither
Saṭ nor asaṭ, neither preservation nor regeneration, neither guṇa nor
non-guṇa—that is undoubtedly my Āṭmā. He who has neither the described
nor description, neither śravaṇa nor manana, neither Guru nor disciple,
neither the world of the Ḍevas nor the Ḍevas nor Asuras, neither duty
nor non-duty, neither the immaculate nor non-immaculate, neither time
nor non-time, neither certainty nor doubt, neither manṭra nor
non-manṭra, neither science nor non-science, neither the seer nor the
sight which is subtle, nor the nectar of time—that is Āṭmā. Rest assured
that not-Āṭmā is a misnomer. There is no manas as not-Āṭmā. There is no
world as not-Āṭma. Owing to the absence of all saṅkalpas and to the
giving up of all actions, Brahman alone remains, and there is no
not-Āṭmā. Being devoid of the three bodies, the three periods of time,
the three guṇas of Jīva, the three pains and the three worlds, and
following the saying 'All is Brahman,' know that there is nothing to be
known through the absence of chiṭṭa; there is no old age through the
absence of body; no motion through the absence of legs; no action
through the absence of hands; no death through the absence of creatures;
no happiness through the absence of buḍḍhi; no virtue, no purity, no
fear, no repetition of manṭras, no Guru nor disciple. There is no second
in the absence of one. Where there is not the second, there is not the
first. Where there is truth alone, there is no non-truth possible; where
there is non-truth alone, there is no truth possible. If you regard a
thing auspicious as inauspicious, then auspiciousness is desired (as
separate) from inauspiciousness. If you regard fear as non-fear, then
fear will arise out of non-fear. If bondage should become emancipation,
then in the absence of bondage will be no emancipation. If birth should
imply death, then in the absence of birth, there is no death. If 'thou'
should imply 'I,' then in the absence of 'thou' there is no 'I'. If
'this' should be 'that,' 'this' does not exist in the absence of 'that'.
If being should imply non-being, then non-being will imply being. If an
effect implies a cause, then in the absence of effect, there is no cause. If duality implies non-duality, then in
the absence of duality, there is no non-duality. If there should be the
seen, then there is the eye (or sight); in the absence of the seen,
there is no eye. In the absence of the interior, there is no exterior.
If there should be fullness, then non-fullness is possible. Therefore
(all) this exists nowhere. Neither you nor I, nor this nor these exist.
There exists no (object of) comparison in the true one. There is no
simile in the unborn. There is (in it) no mind to think. I am the
supreme Brahman. This world is Brahman only. Thou and I are Brahman
only. I am Chinmāṭra simply, and there is no not-Āṭmā. Rest assured of
it. This universe is not (really at all). This universe is not (really)
at all. It was nowhere produced and stays nowhere. Some say that chiṭṭa
is the universe. Not at all. It exists not. Neither the universe nor
chiṭṭa nor ahaṅkāra nor Jīva exists (really). Neither the creation of
Māyā nor Māyā itself exists (really). Fear does not (really) exist.
Actor, action, hearing, thinking, the two samāḍhis, the measurer, the
measure, ajñāna and aviveka—none of these exists (truly) anywhere.
Therefore the four moving 1
considerations and the three kinds of relationship exist not. There is
no Gaṅgā, no Gaya, no Seṭu (bridge), no elements or anything else, no
earth, water, fire, vāyu, and ākas anywhere, no Ḍevas, no guardians of
the four quarters, no Veḍas, no Guru, no distance, no proximity, no
time, no middle, no non-duality, no truth, no untruth, no bondage, no
emancipation, no Saṭ, no asaṭ, no happiness, etc., no class, no motion,
no caste, and no worldly business. All is Brahman only and nothing
else—all is Brahman only and nothing else. There exists then nothing (or
statement) as that 'consciousness alone is'; there is (then) no saying
such as 'Chiṭ is I'. The statement 'I am Brahman' does not exist (then);
nor does exist (then) the statement: 'I am the eternally pure'.
Whatever is uttered by the mouth, whatever is thought by manas, whatever
is determined by buḍḍhi, whatever is cognized by chiṭṭa—all these do
not exist. There is no Yogin or
yoga then. All are and are not. Neither day nor night, neither
bathing nor contemplating, neither delusion nor non-delusion—all these
do not exist then. Know that is no not-Āṭmā.
The Veḍas, Sciences, Purāṇas, effect and cause, Īśvara and the world
and the elements and mankind—all these are unreal. There is no doubt of
it. Bondage, salvation, happiness, relatives, meditation, chiṭṭa, the
Ḍevas, the demons, the secondary and the primary, the high and the
low—all these are unreal. There is no doubt of it. Whatever is uttered
by the mouth, whatever is willed by saṅkalpa, whatever is thought by
manas—all these are unreal. Whatever is determined by the buḍḍhi,
whatever is cognized by chiṭṭa, whatever is discussed by the religious
books, whatever is seen by the eye and heard by the ears, and whatever
exists as Saṭ, as also the ear, the eye, and the limbs—all these are
unreal. Whatever is described as such and such, whatever is thought as
so-and-so, all the existing thoughts such as 'thou art I', 'that is
this,' and 'He is I,' and whatever happens in moksha, as also all
saṅkalpas, delusion, illusory attribution, mysteries and all the
diversities of enjoyment and sin—all these do not exist. So is also
not-Āṭmā. Mine and thine, my and thy, for me and for thee, by me and by
thee—all these are unreal. (The statement) that Vishṇu is the preserver,
Brahmā is the creator, Ruḍra is the destroyer—know that these
undoubtedly are false. Bathing, uttering of manṭras, japas (religious
austerities) homa (sacrifice), study of the Veḍas, worship of the Ḍevas,
manṭra, ṭanṭra, association with the good, the unfolding of the faults
of guṇas, the working of the internal organ, the result of aviḍyā, and
the many crores of mundane eggs—all these are unreal. Whatever is spoken
of as true according to the verdict of all teachers, whatever is seen
in this world and whatever exists—all these are unreal. Whatever is
uttered by words, whatever is ascertained, spoken, enjoyed, given or
done by anyone, whatever action is done, good or bad, whatever is done
as truth—know all these to be unreal. Thou alone art the transcendental
Āṭmā and the supreme Guru of the form of ākāś, which is devoid of
fitness (for it) and of the nature of all creatures.
Thou art Brahman; thou art time; and thou art Brahman, that is ever and
imponderable. Thou art everywhere, of all forms, and full of
consciousness. Thou art the truth. Thou art one that has mastered the
siḍḍhis, and thou art the ancient, the emancipated, emancipation, the
nectar of bliss, the God, the quiescent, the disease less, Brahman the
full, and greater than the great. Thou art impartial, Saṭ and the
ancient knowledge, recognized by the words 'Truth, etc'. Thou art devoid
of all parts. Thou art the ever-existing—thou appear est as Brahmā,
Ruḍra, Inḍra, etc.—thou art above the illusion of the universe—thou shin est in all elements—thou art without saṅkalpa in all—thou art known
by means of the underlying meaning of all scriptures; thou art ever
content and ever happily seated (in thyself); thou art without motion;
etc. In all things, thou art without any characteristics; in all things
thou art contemplated by Vishṇu and other Ḍevas at all times; thou hast
the nature of Chiṭ, thou art Chinmāṭrā unchecked, thou stayest in Āṭmā
itself, thou art void of everything and without gums, thou art bliss,
the great, the one second less, the state of Saṭ and asaṭ, the knower,
the known, the seer, the nature of Sachchiḍānanḍa, the lord of Ḍevas,
the all-pervading, the deathless, the moving, the motionless, the all
and the non-all with quiescence and non-quiescence, Saṭ alone, Saṭ
commonly (found in all), of the form of Niṭya-Siḍḍha (the unconditioned
developed one), and yet devoid of all siḍḍhis. There is not an atom
which thou dost not penetrate; but yet thou art without it. Thou art
devoid of existence and non-existence as also the aim and object aimed
at. Thou art changeless, decayless, beyond all nāḍas, without kāla or
kāshta (divisions of time) and without Brahmā, Vishṇu, and Śiva. Thou
lookest into the nature of each and art above the nature of each. Thou
art immersed in the bliss of Self. Thou art the monarch of the kingdom
of Self, and yet without the conception of Self. Thou art of the nature
of fullness and incompleteness. There is nothing that thou seest which
is not in thyself. Thou dost not stir out of thy nature. Thou attest
according to the nature of each. Thou art nothing but the nature of
each. Have no doubt 'thou art I'.
"This universe and everything in it, whether the seer or the seen,
resembles the horns of a hare (or are illusory). Earth, water, agni,
vāyu, ākāś, manas, buḍḍhi, ahaṅkāra, ṭejas, the worlds and the sphere of
the universe, destruction, birth, truth, virtue, vice, gain, desires,
passion, anger, greed, the object of meditation, wisdom, guru, disciple,
limitation, the beginning and end, auspiciousness, the past, present,
and future, the aim and the object of aim, mental restraint, inquiry,
contentment, enjoyer, enjoyment, etc., the eight parts of yoga, yama,
etc., the going and coming (of life), the beginning, middle and end,
that which can be taken and rejected, Hari, Śiva, the organs, manas, the
three states, the twenty-four ṭaṭṭvas, the four means, one of the same
class or different classes, Bhūḥ and other worlds, all the castes and
orders of life with the rules laid down for each, manṭras and tanṭras,
science and nescience, all the Veḍas, the inert and the non-inert,
bondage and salvation, spiritual wisdom and non-wisdom, the enlightened
and the non-enlightened, duality and non-duality, the conclusion of all
Veḍānṭas and Śāsṭras, the theory of the existence of all souls and that
of one soul only, whatever is thought by chiṭṭa, whatever is willed by
saṅkalpa, whatever is determined by buḍḍhi, whatever one hears and sees,
whatever the guru instructs, whatever is sensed by all the organs,
whatever is discussed in mīmāmsā, whatever is ascertained by nyāya
(philosophy) and by the great ones who have reached the other side of
the Veḍas, the saying 'Śiva destroys the world, Vishṇu protects it, and
Brahma creates it', whatever is found in the purāṇas, whatever is
ascertained by the Veḍas, and is the signification of all the Veḍas—all
these resemble the horns of a hare. The conception 'I am the body' is
spoken of as the internal organ; the conception 'I am the body' is
spoken of as the great mundane existence; the conception 'I am the body'
constitutes the whole universe. The conception 'I am the body' is
spoken of as the knot of the heart, as non-wisdom, as the state of asaṭ,
as nescience, as the dual, as the true Jīva and as with parts, is
certainly the great sin, and is the disease generated by the fault of
thirst after desires. That
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which is saṅkalpa, the three pains, passion, anger, bondage, all the
miseries, all the faults and the various forms of time—know these to be
the result of manas. Manas alone is the whole world, the ever-deluding,
the mundane existence, the three worlds, the great pains, the old age
and others, death and the great sin, the saṅkalpa, the Jīva, the chiṭṭa,
the ahaṅkāra, the bondage, the internal organ and earth, water, agni,
vāyū, and ākāś. Sound, touch, form, taste, and odor, the five sheaths,
the waking, the, dreaming, and dreamless sleeping states, the guardians
of the eight quarters, Vasus, Ruḍras, Āḍiṭyas, the seen, the inert, the
pairs and non-wisdom—all these are the products of manas. Rest assured
that there is no reality in all that is saṅkalpa. The whole world, the
guru, disciple, etc., do not exist, yea, do not exist. Thus ends the
fifth chapter of this Upanishaḍ."
Chapter VI
Ṛbhu continued again: "Know everything as Sachchinmaya (full of Saṭ
and consciousness). It pervades everything. Sachchiḍānanḍa is non-dual,
decayless, alone and other than all. It is 'I'. It alone is ākāś and
'thou'. It is I. There is (in it) no manas, no buḍḍhi, no ahaṅkāra, no
chiṭṭa, or the collection of these—neither 'thou' nor I, nor anything
else nor everything. Brahman alone is. Sentence, words, Veḍas, letters,
beginning, middle, or end, truth, law, pleasure, pain, existence, māyā,
prakṛṭi, body, face, nose, tongue, palate, teeth, lip, forehead,
expiration and inspiration, sweat, bone, blood, urine, distance,
proximity, limb, belly, crown, the movement of hands and feet, Śāsṭras,
command, the knower, the known, and the knowledge, the waking, dreaming
and dreamless sleeping and the fourth state—all these do not belong to
me. Everything is Sachchinmaya interwoven. No attributes pertaining to
body, elements and spirit, no root, no vision, no Ṭaijasa, no Prājña, no
Virāt, no Sūṭrāṭma, no Īśvara, and no going or coming, neither gain nor
loss, neither the acceptable nor the reject able, nor the censurable,
neither the pure nor the impure, neither the stout nor the lean, no
sorrow, time, space, speech, all, fear, duality, tree, grass or mountain, no meditation, no siḍḍhi
of yoga, no Brāhmaṇa, Kshaṭṭriya or Vaiśya, no bird or beast, or limb,
no greed, delusion, pride, malice, passion, anger or others, no woman,
Śūḍra, castes or others, nothing that is eatable or enjoyable, no
increase or decrease, no belief in the Veḍas, no speech, no worldliness
or unworldliness, no transaction, no folly, no measure or measured, no
enjoyment or enjoyed, no friends, son, etc., father, mother, or sister,
no birth or death, no growth, body or 'I', no emptiness or fullness, no
internal organs or mundane existence, no night, no day, no Brahmā,
Vishṇu, or Śiva, no week, fortnight, month, or year, no unsteadiness, no
Brahmaloka, Vaikuṇtha, Kailāsa and others, no Swarga, Inḍra, Agniloka,
Agni, Yamaloka, Yama, vāyuloka, guardians of the world, three
worlds—Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, Svaḥ, Pāṭāla or surface of earth, no science,
nescience, māyā, prakṛṭi, inertness, permanency, transience,
destruction, movement, running, object of meditation, bathing, manṭra or
object, no adorable object, anointment or sipping with water, no
flower, fruit, sandal, light waved before god, praise, prostrations or
circumambulation, no entreaty, conception of separateness even, oblation
of food, offered food, sacrifice, actions, abuse, praise, Gāyaṭrī and
sanḍhi (period of junction, such as twilight, etc.), no mental state,
calamity, evil desire, bad soul, chaṅdāla (low caste person) pulkasa,
unbearableness, unspeakableness, kirāṭa (hunter), kaiṭava (demon),
partiality, partisanship, ornament, chief, or pride, no manyness, no
oneness, durability, triad, tetrad, greatness, smallness, fullness, or
delusion, no kaiṭava, Benares, ṭapas, clan, family, sūṭra, greatness,
poverty, girl, old woman or widow, no pollution, birth, introvision or
illusion, no sacred sentences, identity, or the siḍḍhis, aṇimā, etc.
"Everything being consciousness alone, there is no fault in anything.
Everything being of the nature of Saṭ alone, is Sachchiḍānanḍa only.
Brahman alone is everything and there is nothing else. So 'That' is 'I'.
'That' is 'I'. 'That' alone is 'I'. 'That' alone is 'I'. 'That' alone
is 'I'. The eternal Brahman alone is 'I'. I am Brahman alone without
being subject to mundane existence. I am Brahman alone without any manas, any buḍḍhi, organs or body. I am Brahman alone not
perceivable. I am Brahman alone and not Jīva. I am Brahman alone and
not liable to change. I am Brahman alone and not inert. I am Brahman
alone and have no death. I am Brahman alone and have no prāṇas. I am
Brahman alone and greater than the great. This is Brahman. Great is
Brahman. Truth is Brahman. It is all-pervading. Time is Brahman. Kāla is
Brahman. Happiness is Brahman. It is self-shining. One is Brahman. Two
is Brahman. Delusion is Brahman. Kāma and others are Brahman. Badness is
Brahman. Goodness is Brahman. It is of the form of restraint,
quiescence, the all-pervading and the all-powerful. The Loka (world) is
Brahman. Guru is Brahman. Disciple is Brahman. It is Saḍāśiva. (That
which) is before is Brahman. (That which will be) hereafter is Brahman.
Purity is Brahman. Auspiciousness and inauspiciousness are Brahman. Jīva
always is Brahman. I am Sachchiḍānanḍa. All are of the nature of
Brahman. The universe is said to be of the nature of Brahman. Brahman is
itself. There is no doubt of it. There is nothing out of itself. The
letter Om of the form of consciousness is Brahman alone. Everything is
itself. I alone am the whole universe and the highest seat, have crossed
the guṇas and am greater than the great, the supreme Brahman, Guru of
Gurus, the support of all and the bliss of bliss. There is no universe
besides Āṭmā. The universe is of the nature of Āṭmā. There is nowhere
(or no place) without Āṭmā. There is not even grass different from Āṭmā.
There is not husk different from Brahman. The whole universe is of the
nature of Āṭmā. All this is of the nature of Brahman. Asaṭ is not of the
nature of Brahman. There is not a grass different from Brahman. There
is not a seat different from Brahman; there is not a Guru different from
Brahman; there is not a body different from Brahman. There is nothing
different from Brahman like I-ness or you-ness. Whatever is seen in this
world, whatever is spoken of by the people, whatever is enjoyed
everywhere—all these are asaṭ (unreal) only. The differences arising
from the actor, action, qualities, likes, taste and gender—all these
arise from asaṭ and are (but) pleasurable.
The differences arising from time, objects, actions, success or defeat
and whatever else—all these are simply asaṭ. The internal organ is asaṭ.
The organs are asaṭ. All the prāṇas, the collections of all these, the
five sheaths, the five deities, the six changes, the six enemies, the
six seasons, and the six tastes, are asaṭ. I am Sachchiḍānanḍa. The
universe is rootless. I am Āṭmā alone, Chiṭ and Ānanḍa. The scenes of
mundane existence are not different. I am the Truth of the nature of
Ānanḍa and of the nature of the imponderable Chiṭ. All this is of the
nature of jñāna.
"I am the secondless, having jñāna and bliss. I am of the nature of
an illuminator of all things. I am of the nature of all non-being. I
alone shine always. Therefore how can I with such a nature become asaṭ?
That which is called 'thou' is the great Brahman of the nature of the
bliss of consciousness and of the nature of chiṭ having chiḍākāś and
chiṭ alone as the great bliss. Āṭmā alone is 'I'. Asaṭ is not 'I'. I am
Kūtasṭha, the great guru and Sachchiḍānanḍa alone. I am this born
universe. No time, no universe, no māyā, no prakṛṭi (in me). I alone am
the Hari. Personally, I alone am the Saḍāśiva. I am of the nature of
pure consciousness. I am the enjoyer of pure saṭṭva. I am the only
essence full of chiṭ. Everything is Brahman and Brahman alone.
Everything is Brahman and is chiṭ alone. I am of the nature of the
all-latent and the all-witness. I am the supreme Āṭmā, the supreme
Jyoṭis, the supreme wealth, the supreme goal, the essence of all
veḍānṭas, the subject discussed in all the Śāsṭras the nature of yogic
bliss, the ocean of the chief bliss, the brightness of all wisdom, of
the nature of chief wisdom, the brightness of the fourth state and the
non-fourth but devoid of them, the indestructible chiṭ, truth, Vāsuḍeva,
the birthless, and the deathless Brahmā, Chiḍākāś, the unconditioned,
the stainless, the immaculate, the emancipated, the utterly emancipated,
the soulless, the formless and of the nature of the non-created
universe.
"The universe which is assumed as truth and non-truth does not really exist. Brahman is of the nature of eternal bliss and is even by itself. It is endless, decayless, quiescent and of one
nature only. If anything is other than myself, then it is as unreal as
the mirage in an oasis. If one should be afraid of the son of a barren
woman, or if a powerful elephant be killed by means of the horns of a
hare, then the world (really is). If one (person) can quench his thirst
by drinking the waters of the mirage, or if one should be killed by the
horns of a man, then the universe really is. The universe exists always
in the true Ganḍharva city (merely unreal). When the blueness of the,
sky really exists in it, then the universe really is. When the silver in
mother-of-pearl can be used in making an ornament, when a man is bitten
by (the conception of) a snake in a rope, when the flaming fire is
quenched by means of a golden arrow, when milky food is obtained in the
(barren) forest of Vindhya (mountains), when cooking can take place by
means of the fuel of (wet) plantain trees, when a female (baby) just
born begins to cook, when curds resume the state of milk, or when the
milk (milked) goes back through the teats of a cow, then will the
universe really be. When the dust of the earth shall be produced in the
ocean, when the maddened elephant is tied by means of the hair of a
tortoise, when (mountain) Meru is shaken by the thread in the stalk of a
lotus, when the ocean is bound by its rows of tides, when the fire
flames downwards, when flame shall become (really) cold, when the lotus
shall grow out of flaming fire, when Inḍranīla (sapphire) arises in the
great mountains, when Meru comes and sits in the lotus-eye, when a
mountain can become the offspring of a black bee, when Meru shall shake,
when a lion is killed by a gnat, when the three worlds can be found in
the space of the hollow of an atom, when the fire which burns a straw
shall last for a long time, when the objects seen in a dream shall come
in the waking state, when the current of a river shall stand still (of
itself), when the delivery of a barren woman shall be fruitful, when the
crow shall walk like a swan, when the mule shall fight with a lion,
when a great ass shall walk like an elephant, when the full moon shall
become a sun, when Rāhu (one of the nodes) shall abandon the sun and the
moon, when a good crop shall arise out of the waste (burnt) seeds, when the poor shall enjoy the happiness of the
rich, when the lions shall be conquered by the bravery of dogs, when the
heart of Jñānīs is known by fools, when the ocean is drunk by the dogs
without any remainder, when the pure ākāś shall fall upon men, when
heaven shall fall on the earth, when the flower in the sky shall emit
fragrance, when a forest appearing in pure ākāś shall move, and when
reflection shall arise in a glass simply (without mercury or anything
else in its back), then the world really is. There is no universe in the
womb of Aja (the unborn Brahman)—there is no universe in the womb of
Āṭma. Duality and non-duality, which are but the results of
differentiation, are really not. All this is the result of māyā.
Therefore, there should be Brahma-Bhāvanā. If misery should arise from
the conception of 'I am the body,' then it is certain 'I am Brahman.'
The knot of the heart is the wheel of Brahman, which cuts asunder the
knot of existence. When doubt arises in one, he should have faith in
Brahman. That non-dual Brahman, which is eternal and of the form of
unconditioned bliss, is the guard of Āṭmā against the chief of the form
of not-Āṭmā. Through instances like the above is established the nature
of Brahman. Brahman alone is the all-abode. Abandon the name even of the
universe. Knowing for certain 'I am Brahman,' give up the 'I'.
Everything disappears as the flower from the hands of a sleeping person.
There is neither body nor karma. Everything is Brahman alone. There are
neither objects, nor actions, nor the four states. Everything which has
the three characteristics of vijñāna is Brahman alone. Abandoning all
action, contemplate 'I am Brahman,' 'I am Brahman'. There is no doubt of
this. I am Brahman of the nature of chiṭ. I am of the nature of
Sachchiḍānanḍa.
"This great science of Śaṅkara should never be explained to any
ordinary person, to an atheist or to a faithless, ill-behaved or
evil-minded person. It should be, after due examination, given to the
high-souled ones whose minds are purified with devotion to their gurus.
It should be taught for a year and a half. Leaving off thoroughly and
entirely the practice recommended by the (other) Upanishaḍs, one should study the
Ṭejobinḍu-Upanishaḍ always with delight. By once studying it, he becomes
one with Brahman. Thus ends the sixth chapter. Thus ends the
Upanishaḍ."
