Aitareya Upanishad

Atma vai, the absolute [Vai is used to present the absolute by way of ruling out the conditioned.] Self. The word atma, Self, is derived in the sense of comprehending, engulfing or pervading, and by it is signified one that is the highest, omniscient, omnipotent, and devoid of all such worldly attributes as hunger; by nature eternal, pure, conscious, and free; birthless, undecaying, immortal, deathless, fearless, and without a second. Idam, this --- all that has been referred to as this world, diversified through the differences of name, form, and action; asit, was; agre, in the beginning, before the creation of this world; atma ekah eva, but the one Self. Objection:- Has It ceased to be the same one entity ? Answer:- No. Objection:- Why is it then said, `It was'? Answer:- Though even now that very same single entity endures, still there is some distinction. The distinction is this:- The universe in which the differences of name and form were not manifest before creation, which was then one with the Self, and which was denotable by the single word and idea `Self', has now become denotable by many words and concepts as well as by the single word and concept `Self', because of its diversification through the multiplicity of names and forms. Foam is denoted by the single word and concept `water', before the manifestation of names and forms distinct from water; but when that foam becomes manifested as (an entity) distinct from water, owing to the difference of name and form, then the very same foam becomes denotable by many words and concepts, viz foam and water, as well as by only one word and one concept, viz water. The same is the case here. Na anyat kimcana, there was nothing else whatsoever; misat, winking, that was active or tractive. Unlike the Pradhana of the Samkhyas, which is an independent entity and not of the same class as the selves, and unlike the atoms of the followers of Kanada, there remained here nothing whatsoever apart from the Self. What (existed) then? The Self alone existed. This is the idea Sah, that Self; being naturally omniscient, iksata, thought; even though It was but one. Objection:- Since the Self was devoid of body and senses, how could It think before creation? Answer:- This is no fault, because of Its nature of omniscience, in support of which fact is the mantra text, `Without hands and feet He goes and grasps' etc. (Sv. III. 19). With what motive (did He think)? The answer is:- srjai, let Me create; lokan, the worlds --- (viz) ambhas etc., which are the places for the enjoyment of the fruits of work done by creatures. Having visualized, i.e. deliberated, thus,

Sah, that Self; asrjata, created; iman lokan, these worlds; just as in the world an intelligent architect or others think, `I shall construct a palace etc. according to this plan', and build up the palace etc. after that deliberation. Objection:- It is logical that architects and others, possessed of materials, should raise up palaces etc. But how can the Self, devoid of materials, create the worlds? Answer:- This is nothing wrong. Name and form --- which remain identified with the Self in their unmanifested state just like the (undiversified) foam with water, and are hence denotable by the word `Self' --- can become the material cause of the universe, as water becomes that of the manifested foam. Therefore, there is nothing incongruous in saying that the omniscient Being creates the universe by virtue of Its oneness with the materials --- viz name and form --- which are identified with Itself. Or the more reasonable position is this:- Just as an intelligent juggler, who has no material, transforms himself, as it were, into a second self ascending into space, similarly the omniscient and omnipotent Deity, who is a supreme magician, creates Himself as another in the form of the universe. On this view, the schools that hold such beliefs as the unreality of both cause and effect have no legs to stand on and are totally demolished. Which are the worlds that He created? They are being enumerated:- Ambhas, maricih, maram, apah. Starting with space, he created in due order the cosmic egg, and then created the worlds --- ambhas etc. As for these, the Upanishad itself explains the words ambhas etc. Adah, that one --- the world that is there; parena divam, beyond heaven; is ambhas, is denoted by the word ambhas. It is called ambhas because it holds ambhas, water (cloud). Of that world, viz ambhas, dyauh pratistha, heaven is the support. Antariksam, the sky, which is there below heaven, is the (world called) marici (lit. sunrays). Though this (last) world is one, it is used in the plural number as maricih (or rather maricayah) because of the diversity of the space covered by it. Or it is so used because of its association with the maricayah, rays (of the sun). Prthivi, the earth, is marah since beings die (mriyante) on it. Yah adhastat, the worlds that are below --- below the earth; tah, they (are); apah, called apah, (lit. water) the word being derived (from the root ap) in the sense of being attained [Attained by the denizens of the nether worlds.]. Though the worlds are constituted by the five elements, still, because of the predominance of water (etc. in them), they are referred to, by the synonyms of water (etc.) as ambhas, maricih, maram, apah.

Having created the four worlds that provide support for the fruits of action as well as the materials for those fruits [And the accessories for achieving those fruits.] of all creatures, sah, He, God; iksata, deliberated; again iti, thus:- `Ime nu lokah, these then are the worlds, viz ambhas etc., created by Me, which will perish if they are devoid of protectors. According, for their preservation, nu srjat, let Me create; lokapalan, the protectors of the worlds.' After deliberating thus, sah, He; samuddhrtya, having gathered up; purusam, a human form, possessed of head, hands, etc.; adbhyah, from the water, itself --- from the five elements in which water predominated, and from which He had created (the worlds, viz) ambhas etc. --- just as a potter gathers up a lump of clay from the earth; amurchayat, (He) gave shape to it --- that is to say, fashioned it by endowing it with limbs [He created Virat].

Tam, with regard to Him, (Virat of) that human form; He abhyatapat, undertook tapas (lit. austerity), i.e. He deliberated over, or resolved about, Him; for a Vedic text says, `Whose tapas is constituted by knowledge' (Mu. I. i. 9). Tasya abhitaptasya, of that (Virat), of the lump (that was Virat's body), when subjected to the tapas or resolution of God; mukham nirabhidyata, the mouth parted --- a hole in the shape of the mouth emerged, just as the bird's egg bursts. Mukhat, from that mouth emerged, which had parted; was brought into existence vak, the organ of speech; vacah, from that vak; was produced agnih, Fire, (the deity) that presides over vak and is a regional protector. Similarly nasike nirabhidyetam, the nostrils parted; nasikabhyam pranah, from the nostrils, emerged the sense of smell (The sense of smell together with Prana); pranat vayuh, from the sense of smell was formed Vayu, Air. Thus, in all cases, the seat of the organs, the organs, and the deity --- these, three emerged in succession. Aksini, the two eyes; karnau, the two orifices of the ears; tvak, skin --- (all these which are the seats of the organs), (and) hrdayam, heart (which is the) seat of the internal organ; manah, mind, the internal organ; nabhih, the navel (i.e. the root of the anus [See A.G]), which is the focal point of the vital forces. The organ of ejection (seated at the anus) is called apanah, because of its association with Apana (the vital force that moves down). From that originated its presiding deity mrtyuh, Death. As in the other cases, so sisnam, the seat of the organ of generation was formed. Its organ is retas, semen --- the organ, meant for discharging semen being called semen from the fact of its association with semen. From semen (i.e. the procreative organ) emerged (its deity) apah, Water.

Tah etah devatah, these deities --- Fire and others; srstah, that had been created as the rulers of the regions, by God after deliberation; (fell) asmin, into this; mahati arnave, vast ocean --- the world which is like a vast ocean, that is filled with the water of sorrow arising from ignorance, desire, and action; that is infested with huge sea animals in the form of acute disease, and age, and death; that has no beginning, end, and limit, and provides on resting place; that affords only momentary respite through the little joys arising from the contact of senses and objects; that is full of the high waves in the shape of hundreds of evils, stirred up by the gale of hankering for the objects of the five senses; that resounds with the noise of cries and shrieks of `alas! alas!' etc., issuing from the beings condemned to various hells like Maharaurava; that has the raft of knowledge --- which is furnished with such provisions for the way as truth, simplicity, charity, compassion, non-injury, control of inner and outer organs, fortitude, etc. that are the embellishments of the heart, and which has good company and renunciation of everything as its course --- and that has emancipation as its shore. Into this vast ocean, prapatan, (they) fell. Hence, the idea sought to be imparted here is that even the attainment of the state of merger in the deities, viz Fire and others, which was explained (earlier), and which is the result of the combined practice of meditation and karma --- (even this) is not adequate for the removal of the sorrows of the world. Since this is so, therefore, after having grasped this fact, one should, for the eradication of all the worldly miseries, realize the supreme Brahman as the Self of one's own as also of all beings --- the Self which is possessed of the characteristics to be mentioned hereafter, and which has been introduced as the source of the origination, continuance, and dissolution of the universe. Therefore in accordance with the Vedic text, `There is no other path for reaching there' (Sv. III. 8, VI. 15), it follows that, `This that is the knowledge of the oneness of Brahman and the Self, is the path, this is the karma, this is Brahman, this is truth' (Ai. A. II. i. 1). (He, the Creator) anvavarjat, suffused, i.e. endowed; tam, Him --- who was the source of the organs, their seats, and their deities, the Being (i.e. Virat) who was the first begotten and the Self in the form of a lump; asanayapipasabhyam, with hunger and thirst. Since He (the first begotten), the source of all, was afflicted with the defects of hunger etc. His products, the deities are also subject to hunger etc. Thereafter, tah, those (deities); being afflicted with hunger and thirst; abruvan, said; iti, this; enam, to Him, to the grandsire, to the Creator (of the body of Virat); `Prajanihi, provide; nah, for us; ayatanam, an abode; pratisthitah yasmin, staying where --- and becoming able; annam adama, we can eat food.'

God, having been told so, tabhyah, for them, for the deities; anayat gam, brought a cow; having gathered up a lump of the size of a cow from that very water, just as before, and having fashioned it, He showed it (to them). Tah, they, on their part, having seen the bovine form; abruvan, said; `Ayam, this one --- this lump; na vai, is certainly not; alam, adequate; nah, for us --- not fit to serve as a seat while eating food; that is to say, it is not sufficient so far as eating is concerned.' The cow having been rejected, He anayat, brought; asvam, a horse; tabhyah, for them. Tah, they; abruvan, said; iti, this --- just as before; `Ayam na vai alam nah, this is certainly not enough for us.'

When all else had been rejected, tabhyah, for them; anayat, (He) brought; purusam, a man, their progenitor [Who conformed in features to Virat, their origin]. Having seen that man, who was their source, they became free from misery, and tah, they; abruvan, said; iti, this; `This abode is sukrtam bata, well created, to be sure.' As a result purusah vava, man is indeed; sukrtam, virtue itself --- he having become the source of all virtuous deeds [Since they pronounced man as sukrta, therefore man acts virtuously even today]. Or, he is called sukrta, (lit.) created by oneself, because God created man by Himself, through His own Maya [Man was a good product since God created him independently of servants and accessories. Sukrta is thus explained in three senses --- good product, virtue, created by oneself (sva)]. God thought that this abode was liked by them, since all beings love the source (from which they spring); and so He abravit, said; tah, to them, to the deities; iti, this; `Pravisata, enter; yathayatanam, into the respective abode --- into the dwelling that suits each for such activities as speaking etc.'

Just as the commander and others of armies etc. (enter) into a city (at the bidding of the king), so having got the permission of God with the words, `Let this be so', agnih, Fire, the deity that identifies himself with the organ of speech; bhutva, becoming; vak, speech itself; pravisat, entered; mukham, into the mouth, which was his source. Similarly are the rest to be explained. Vayuh, Air, entered nasike, into the nostrils. Adityah, the Sun; aksini, into the eyes; disah, the Directions; karnau, into the ears; osadhivanaspatayah, the Herbs and Trees; tvacam, into the skin; candramah, the Moon; hrdayam, into the heart; mrtyuh, Death; nabhim, into the navel (i.e. the root of the anus); apah, Water; sisnam, into the generative organ.

When the gods had thus found their abodes, asanayapipase, Hunger and Thirst, being without abodes; abrutam, said, to that God; `Avabhyam, for us; abhiprajanihi, think of, i.e. provide; some abode.' He, God, having been told thus, abravit, said, te, to those two --- to Hunger and Thirst:- `Since you are but feelings, you cannot possibly eat food without being supported by some conscious being. Therefore etasu eva, among these beings themselves; devatasu, among the deities, viz Fire etc. --- in the corporeal context, as also in the divine context; abhajami vam, I favour you by apportioning your livelihood. Karomi, I make you; bhaginyau, sharers; etasu, among these gods. Whatever allotment, consisting of oblation etc., is assigned to any deity, I make you share in that very portion.' Since God ordained thus in the beginning of creation, tasmat, therefore; even today; yasyai kasyai ca devatayai, for whichsoever deity; havih, an oblation --- such as porridge, cake, etc.; grhyate, is taken up; ; asyam, with that deity; asanaya-pipase, Hunger and Thirst; bhaginyau eva bhavatah, become sharers indeed; asyam.

Sah, He, God; iksata, thought thus. How? `Ime nu, these then are; lokah ca lokapalah ca, the senses and their deities --- which have been created by Me and dowered with hunger and thirst; therefore these cannot subsist without food. Accordingly, srjai (which is the same as srje), let Me create; annam, food; ebhyah, for these--- the deities of the senses.' Thus is seen in the world the independence of lordly persons with regard to extending favor or disfavor to their own people. Therefore, the supreme Lord, too, has independence in the matter of favoring or disfavouring all, since He is the Lord of all.

Sah, He, God; being desirous of creating food; abhyatapat, deliberated with regard to; apah, the water, already mentioned. Tabhyah abhitaptabhyah, from the water that was brooded over, and that formed the material; ajayata, evolved; murtih, a solid form --- which could provide support (for others) and which comprised the moving and the unmoving. Ya vai sa murtih ajayata, the form that evolved; tat annam vai, that formed thing is verily food.

Tat enat annam, this aforesaid food; that was srstam, created --- in the presence of the senses and their deities. As a mouse, for instance, when in the presence of a cat, thinks, `This is an eater of food and is Death to me', and moves back, similarly, this food turned parak, back; and atyajighamsat, wanted to go beyond the reach of the devourers; it began to run away. When that aggregate of the organs and their deities, that mass (Virat) in the form of the body and senses (of Virat), realized that intention of the food, but did not notice other eaters of food, He Himself being the first begotten, He ajighrksat, tried to take up; tat, that food; vaca, through speech, through the act of speaking. Na asaknot, He did not succeed; grahitum tat, to take up that; vaca, through speech, through speaking. Yat, if; sah, He, the First Born, the first embodied Being; agrahaisyat, had taken up; enat, this food; vaca, through speech; then everyone, being a product of the First Born; atrapsyat, would have become satisfied; abhivyahrtya ha eva annam, merely by talking of food. But, as a mater of fact, this is not the case. Hence we understand that the First Born, too, did not succeed in grasping (food) through speech. The remaining portions are to be similarly explained.

Being unable to take up the food through the nose, the eye, the ear, the skin, the mind and the generative apparatus, that is to say, through the activity of the respective organs, at last He ajighrksat, wanted to take up the food; apanena, by Apana (the indrawing energy of) air --- through the cavity of the mouth. Tat avayat, (He) took up that food thus; He ate it. Therefore sah esah, this Apana air; annasya grahah, (is) the seizer of food, i.e. the devourer of food. Yat vayuh (should be rather yah vayuh), the vital energy that is; annayuh vai, well known as dependent of food, for its subsistence; is esah, this one; yat vayuh, which is the vital energy, called Apana [The eater of food is not the Self, but the vital energy that manifests itself as inhaling etc].

Having thus made the existence of the congress of the senses and their deities dependent on food, like the existence of a city, its citizens, and its rulers, sah, He; iksata, thought --- like the ruler of the city while cogitating thus:- `Katham nu, how indeed; mat-rte, without Me, the master of the city; syat, can there be; idam, this thing --- this activity belonging to the body and the senses that will be spoken of --- since it is meant for somebody else? Yadi vaca abhivyahrtam, if speaking is encompassed by the organ of speech, and so on, then use of speech etc. will become useless, will not take place in any way, just as offerings and praises that are made and sung by citizens and bards in honor of their lord become useless when the lord is not there. Therefore, just as a king is with regard to a city, so I should by there as the supreme lord, the ruler, the witness of whatever has been done or not done as also their results, and the enjoyer. It is a logical necessity that the combination of the products (i.e. the body and the organs) should be meant for somebody else. If this necessity can be fulfilled even without Myself --- who am a conscious being and by whom enjoyment through them is sought for --- just as much as the activities of a city and its citizens can be without their lord, atha, then; kah aham, who or what, and whose lord am I? If, after entering into the combination of the body and the organs, I do not witness of the fruits of utterances, etc. made by speech, etc., just as a king, after entering a city, observes the omissions and commissions of the officers, then nobody will understand or think of Me as, ``This one is a reality and is of this kind." Contrariwise, I shall become cognizable as the conscious reality who knows as His objects such activities as utterance etc. of the organs of speech etc., and for whose sake exist these utterances etc. of such composite things as speech and so on, just as the pillars, walls, etc., that enter into the construction of a palace etc. exist for the sake of somebody else who (is sentient and) does not form a part of that structure.' Having reasoned thus, sah, He; iksata, thought; iti, thus; `Katarena prapadyai, through which shall I enter? There are two ways of entrance into this composite thing --- the forepart of the foot and the head. Katarena, by which of these two paths; prapadyai (or rather, prapadyeyam), should I enter; into this city of the aggregate of body and organs?' Having considered thus, `That being so, I should not enter through the lower way --- viz the two tips of the feet --- that is the path of entry for My servant Prana (the Vital Force), that is commissioned to act in every way on My behalf. What then (should I do)? As a last resort, let me enter by splitting up (the crown of ) its head', (He entered) just like a human being who performs what he thinks.

Sah, He, the Creator god; etam eva simanam vidarya, having cleft this very end, having made a hole at the farthest point where the hair is parted; etaya dvara, through this gate, this entrance; prapadyata, entered --- into this world, i.e. into this conglomeration of body and organs. This one is that entrance that becomes well known from the fact of the perception inside (the mouth) of the taste etc. of oil and other things when these are applied on the crown of the head (for a long time). Sa esa dvah, this door; vidrtih nama, is well known as vidrti (the cleft one), because of its having been cleft. As for the other entrances --- viz the ear etc.--- they are not rich, i.e. not sources of joy, since they are common passages meant for those occupying the places of servants etc. But this passage is only for the supreme Lord; tat, hence; etat nandanam, this one is productive of joy. Nandana is the same as nandana, the lengthening being a Vedic licence. It is called because one revels (nandati) by going to the supreme Brahman through this door. Tasya, of Him, who, after having created thus, entered (the body) as an individual soul, like a king entering a city; there are trayah avasathah, three abodes --- viz the right eye, the seat of the sense (of vision), during the waking state; the mind inside, during the dream state; and the space within the heart, during the state of deep sleep. Or the three abodes may be the ones that will be enumerated, viz the body of the father, the womb of the mother, and one's own body. (He has) trayah svapnah, three (states of) dream, known as waking, dream, and deep sleep. Objection:- The waking state is not a dream, it being a state of consciousness. Answer:- Not so, it is verily a dream. Objection:- How? Answer:- Since there is no consciousness of one's own supreme Self, and in it are perceived unreal things as in a dream. Ayam, this one --- the right eye; is the first avasathah, abode; the second is the mind inside, and the space within the heart is the third. `Ayam avasathah, this is an abode' is only a recounting of what has been already enumerated. Residing alternately as identified with those abodes, this individual soul sleeps deeply for long through natural ignorance and does not wake up, though experiencing the blows of sorrow which arise from the concurrence of many hundreds of thousands of calamities and which fall like the thumps of a heavy club.

Sah jatah, He being born, having entered into the body as the individual soul; abhivyaikhyat, manifested; bhutani, the beings. When, by good luck, a teacher of supreme compassion beat near his ears the drum of the great sayings of the Upanisads whose notes were calculated to wake up the knowledge of the Self, then the individual apasyat, realized; etam eva, this very; purusam, Purusa (as Brahman) --- the Purusa that is being discussed as the Lord of creation etc., who is called Purusa because of residence (sayana, i.e. existence) in the city (puri) (of the heart). (He realized Him) as brahma, Brahman, the Great; which is tatamam (by adding the missing ta, and taking the form tatatamam, the word means) the most pervasive, the fullest, like space. How (did he realize) ? `Iti, O!; I adarsam, have seen; idam, this one --- this Brahman, that is the real nature of my Self.' The elongation (of i in iti) is in accordance with the rule that in the case of a word suggesting deliberation, the vowel gets lengthened. [The elongation suggests that he first considered whether Brahman had been fully realized or not and then got the conviction, `It is fully realized'. This conviction led to full satisfaction, expressed through the exclamation, `O!'].

Since He realized Brahman as `this', i.e. directly --- `the Brahman that is immediate and direct, the Self that is within all' (Br. III. iv. 1) --- therefore, from the fact of seeing as `idam, this', the supreme Self is idandrah nama, called Idandra. God is idandrah ha vai nama, verily known as Idandra; in the world. Tam idandram santam, Him who is Idandra; they, the knowers of Brahman, acaksate, call; paroksena, indirectly, by an indirect name; indrah iti, as Indra. (They call Him thus) for the sake of conventional dealings, they being afraid of referring by a direct name, since He is the most adorable. So it follows that, hi, inasmuch as; devah, the gods; are paroksapriyah iva, verily fond of the use of indirect names; it needs no mention that the great Lord, the God of all the gods, must be much more so. The repetition (in paroksapriyah etc.) is to indicate the end of the present Part (I) that is being dealt with.

This very man performs such karmas as sacrifice etc. owing to his self-identification with ignorance, desire, and action; then he reaches the lunar region after passing from this world through smoke and the rest in succession; and then, when the fruits of his action become exhausted, he reaches this world to become food after passing in succession through rain etc.; then he is poured as a libation in the fire that is man. Puruse ha vai, in that man indeed; ayam, that, transmigrating soul; aditah garbhah bhavati, is first conceived, in the form of semen after passing through the (state of being the) essence of food etc. This is being stated by saying that he takes birth in that form, in the text, `Yat etat retah.' Tat etat retah, that which is this semen; sambhutam, is accomplished, (extracted); as tejah, vigour, essence, of the body; sarvebhyah angebhyah, from all the limbs, from all the component parts, such as the juice of the body which is the product of food. Being identified with the man himself, this (semen) is called his self. He bibharti, bears; that atmanam, self that has been conceived in the form of semen; atmani eva, in his own self; (in other words) he holds his own self (the semen) in his own body. Yada, when --- when his wife is in the proper state; he sincati, sheds, while in union; tat, that semen; striyam, in the wife --- in the fire of the woman; atha, then; the father janayati, procreates; enat, this one --- the semen that was conceived by him as identified with himself. Asya, of that transmigrating soul; tat, that, that issuing out of its own place, in the form of semen, when it is being poured out; is the prathamam janma, the first birth --- the first manifested state. This fact was stated earlier by the text, `This self (that is the man), (offers) this self of his (that is the semen), to that self of his (that is the wife).'

Tat, that, the semen; gacchati, becomes; atmabhuyam, non-different --- from the wife into whom it is shed; yatha svam angam tatha, just like her own limb --- her breast etc. --- as it was in the case of the father. Tasmat, because of this fact; the fetus na hinasti, does not hurt --- like a boil; enam, this one --- the mother. Since it has become a part of herself just like her breast etc., therefore it does not hurt her; this is the idea. Sa, she, that pregnant women; understanding etam atmanam, this self, on her husband; atra gatam, as having entered here --- into her womb; bhavayati, nourishes, protects it --- by avoiding food, etc. that are injurious to the fetus and by accepting such food, etc. as are favorable to it.

Sa, she; the bhavayitri, nourisher, of the self of her husband, conceived in her womb; bhavayitavya bhavati, becomes fit to be nourished, to be protected, by the husband for, in this world, on one can have any relation with another unless it be through the reciprocity of benefit. Stri, the wife; bibharti, bears; tam garbham, that fetus; agre, before its birth, by following the method of protecting the fetus mentioned earlier. Sah, he, the father; bhavayati, protects, through natal rites etc.; kumaram, the son; agre eva, at the very start, as soon as he is born; janmanah adhi, after the birth. Yat, that; sah, he, the father; bhavayati, protects; kumaram, the son, through natal rites etc.; agre janmanah adhi, at the very start, just after the birth; tat, thereby; he bhavayati atmanam eva, protects his own self. For it is the father's self that takes birth as the son. And so has it been said, `The husband enters into the wife' (Hair. III. 1xxiii. 31). Now is being stated why the father protects after having begotten himself as the son:- esam lokanam santatyai, for the continuance of these worlds. This is the idea. For these worlds will cease to continue if everyone should stop procreating sons etc. The idea is this:- Since these worlds thus continue to flow like a current through the continuity of such acts as the begetting of sons, therefore these acts should be undertaken for the non-stoppage of the worlds, but not for the sake of emancipation. Tat, that fact, the issuing out; asya, of him, of the transmigrating soul, as a son from the mother's womb; is the dvitiyam janma, second birth, the manifestation of the second state, relatively to his form as semen.

Sah ayam atma, that self which is the son; asya, of his, of the father; pratidhiyate, is deputed, by the father, in his own place; punyebhyah karmabhyah, for the performance of virtuous deeds, as prescribed by the scriptures, i.e. for the accomplishment of all that was the father's duty. Similarly it is seen in the Vajasaneyaka, in the portion dealing with the substitution (of the son), that on being instructed by the father, the son admits thus :- `I am Brahman (i.e. the Vedas), I am the sacrifice [The father's idea is this :- `Let the study of the Vedas (Brahman) which so long was my duty, devolve on you, for you are Brahman. Similarly, whatever sacrifices there are, that were to be performed by me, be henceforth performed by you, for you are the sacrifices.' All this the son accepts.] (Br. I. v. 17). Atha, after that, after the father's responsibility has been entrusted to the son; ayam itarah atma, this other self that is the father; asya, of this one, of the son; krtakrtyah, becoming freed from duties, from the three debts (to the gods, to the seers, and to the manes), i.e. having got all his duties fulfilled; vayogatah, having advanced in age, being afflicted with decrepitude; praiti, dies. Sah itah prayan eva, as soon as he departs from here, no sooner does he leave the body than; he punah jayate, takes birth again, by adopting another body according to the results of his actions (by moving from one body to the other) just like a leech. Tat, that, the birth that he gets after death; is asya trtiyam janma, the third birth of this one. Objection :- Is it not a fact that for the transmigrating soul the first birth is in the form of semen from the father? And his second birth has been stated to be as a son from the mother. The turn now being for stating the third birth of that very soul (which became the son), why is the birth of the dead father enumerated as the third? Answer :- That is not wrong, for the intention is to speak of the identity of the father and the son. That son, too, just like his father, entrusts his responsibility to his son (in his own turn) and then departing from here takes birth immediately after. The Upanisad thinks that this fact which is stated with regard to another (viz the father) is implied here (with regard to the son) also; for the father and the son are same self.

Transmigrating in this way, involved in the chain of birth and death through the manifestation of the three states, everyone remains merged in the ocean of this world. If he ever succeeds somehow, in any of the states, to realize the Self as revealed in the Vedas, he becomes freed then and there from all worldly bondages and accomplishes his object. The Upanisad says that tat, this fact; uktam, was declared; rsina, by the seer, by the (following) mantra, also; `Garbhe nu san, while still in the womb, of my mother --- the indeclinable word nu implies deliberation; by virtue of the fruition of my meditations in many previous births, aham, I; anvavedam, knew, i.e. had the knowledge of; visva janimani, all the births; esam devanam, of these gods --- of Speech, Fire, etc. What a good luck! Satam, a hundred, many; ayasuh (or rather ayasyah) purah, citadels made of iron, araksan ma, kept me guarded; adhah, in the lower worlds; guarded me from getting freed from the meshes of the world. (Or adhah, later on [Ananda Giri gives these two alternative explanations of the word adhah occuring in the commentary. There are two readings, adho' dhah and adho' tha.] ); syenah, like a hawk; javasa, forcefully, through the power generated by the knowledge of the Self; niradiyam, I came out, by tearing through the net. O! the wonder!' Vamadevah, Vamadeva, the seer; garbhe eva sayanah, while still lying in the womb; uvaca, said; etat, this; evam, in this way.

Sah, he, the seer Vamadeva; evam vidvan, having known thus, known the Self as spoken of earlier; asmat sarirabhedat, after the destruction of this body --- of this body that is conjured up by ignorance, that is impenetrable like iron; on the dissolution of the bondage of the bodies --- subject to hundreds of multifarious evils consisting in birth, death, etc. --- through the power generated by the tasting of the nectar of knowledge of the supreme Self; that is to say, on the destruction of the body following the destruction of such causes as ignorance that are the seeds of the creation of the body; he urdhvah (san), having already become identified with the supreme Self; (then) utkramya, having ascended higher up as compared with the lowly worldly state, becoming established in the state of the pure, all-pervasive Self, shining with knowledge; amusmin, in that Reality, which was declared as ageless, deathless, immortal, fearless, and omniscient, which has no cause or effect; inside or outside, which is of the nature of the unalloyed nectar of consciousness; he became merged like the blowing out of a lamp. He samabhavat, became; amrtah, immortal; svarge loke, in his own Self, in his own reality; sarvan kaman aptva, after the attainment of all desires; that is to say, after having got all the desirable things, even earlier (when still living), by virtue of his becoming desireless through the knowledge of the Self. The repetition in `he became', is to show the end of the knowledge of the Self together with its fruit and its illustration.

The Self which vayam upasmahe, we worship; directly ayam atma iti, as this Self; kah, which is It? And we worship that very Self, by meditating on which directly as `This is the Self', Vamadeva became immortal. Which indeed is that Self? When they were thus questioning one another with such eagerness to know, then from the impressions formed by having heard about the (two) specific entities dealt with earlier, there flashed in their minds the memory that here in the text, `Brahman [Prana, the inferior Brahman, Hiranyagarbha.] entered into this person through the two ends of the feet', and `Having split up this end, He entered through this door' (I. iii. 12), have been mentioned two Brahmans which have entered into this very person from the opposite sides. And these two are the souls in this body. One of these selves is fit to be worshipped. While still engaged in discussion, they again asked one another with a view to determining clearly the Self that was to be worshipped out of the two. As they were discussing, there arose in them another thought regarding the one that should be the object of close inquiry. How? Two entities are perceived in this body:- One is the instrument (Prana), diversified into many forms, through which one perceives; and the other is the perceiver, inferable from the fact of the occurrence of recognition through memory of what was perceived with different senses [A man, with eyes, plucked out, remembers the color he had perceived before with his eyes. So also he thinks, `I who saw before am hearing now.' This is impossible unless the perceiver is the same in different situations.]. Of these two, that through which one perceives cannot be the Self. Through what, again, does one perceive? That is being stated:- Yena va pasyati, is it that by which, transformed as eye, one sees color; yena va, that by which, transformed as the ear; srnoti, one hears sound; yena va, also, that by which, transformed as the sense of smell; ajighrati gandhan, one smells the odors; yena va, and that by which, transformed as the organ of speech; one vyakaroti vacam, utters speech, consisting of names, such as `cow', `horse', etc., and `good', `bad', etc.; yena va, and that by which, transformed as the sense of taste; vijanati, one perceives; svadu ca asvadu ca, the sweet and the sour (tastes). Which, again, is that one organ that has become diversely differentiated? That is being answered:-

Etat, it is; hrdayam manah ca, the heart and the mind [The entity you asked about is the same as was referred to earlier as the heart (i.e. intellect), or the mind. This entity is the Prana that assumes various aspects. It entered through the tip of the feet, whereas Brahman entered through the crown of the head.]; yat, that were spoken of earlier in `The essence (i.e. the product) of all beings is the heart; the essence of the heart is the mind; by the mind was created water and Varuna; from the heart came the mind; and from the mind, Moon.' That very thing, which is but one, has become multi formed. Through this single internal organ, as transformed into the eye, one sees color; through this, transformed into the ear, one hears; through this, transformed into the sense of smell, one smells; through this, transformed into the sense of taste, one tastes; through this very one, in its aspect as the organ of deliberation, one deliberates; and in its aspect as the heart (i.e. the intellect), one decides. Therefore this is the one single organ that acts with regard to all objects of the senses, so that the perceiver may perceive everything. Similar is the text of the Kausitaki Upanisad:- `Becoming identified with the organ of speech through the intellect (as reflecting the consciousness of the Self), the Self reaches (i.e. becomes identified with) the names [The intellect becomes transformed into the organ of speech, and speech into words. The Self, too, through superimposed self-identification, seems to assume those forms, though It still remains as their illuminator.] etc.' (III. 6). And in the Vajasaneyaka occur these:- `It is through the mind that one hears' (Br. I. v. 3), `for one knows colors through the heart' (Br. III. ix. 19), etc. Accordingly, the entity that is called the heart and the mind is well known as the agent producing all perceptions. And the Prana consists of these two, for there occurs the brahmana text:- `That which is the Prana is the intellect; that which is the intellect is the Prana (Kau. III. 3). And we said in the texts dealing with the conversations with the Prana is of the form of a combination of the organs. Therefore the entity, (in the form of which) Brahman entered through the feet, cannot be the Self to be worshipped, since it is a subsidiary thing, being an instrument of perception for the perceiver. As a last resort, they arrived at this certitude:- `That witnessing Self is worthy of worship by us, for whose perception the functions of this instrument, in its aspects as the heart and the mind, are being stated.' The functions of that inner organ --- with regard to internal and external objects --- which take place for bearing witness to the witnessing Brahman [Brahman cannot be perceived since It is not an object of cognition, and It is an attributeless. Still, without being objectified, It is perceivable as the witness of mental states --- A.G.] that is consciousness by nature and that exists in the midst of Its limiting adjunct, viz the internal organ, are (these that are) being enumerated:- Samjnanam, sentience, the state of consciousness; ajnanam, rulership, the state of lordliness; vijnanam, (secular) knowledge of arts etc.; prajnanam, presence of mind; medha, ability to understand and retain the purport of books; drstih, perception, of all objects through the senses; dhrtih, fortitude, by which the drooping body and senses are buoyed up --- for they say, `By fortitude, they buoyed up the body'; matih, thinking; manisa, independent thinking (genius); jutih, mental suffering, owing to disease etc.; smrtih, memory; samkalpah, ascertainment, of colors etc. as white, black, etc.; kratuh, resolution; asuh, any function calculated to sustain life's activity, such as breathing etc.; kamah, desire for a remote object, hankering; vasah, passion for the company of women; iti, etc., and other functions of the inner organ. Since these are the means for the perception of the witness who is mere Consciousness, they are the limiting adjuncts of Brahman that is pure Consciousness, and therefore samjnana etc. become the indirect names of Brahman, created by limiting adjuncts. Sarvani eva etani, all these verily; bhavanti, become; namadheyani, the names; prajnanasya, of Consciousness; but not so naturally and directly. And so has it been said, `When It does the function of living. It is called the vital force' (Br. I. iv. 7) etc.

Esah, this One, the Self, which is essentially Consciousness; is brahma, Brahman, the inferior one (who is Hiranyagarbha and) who as Prana (possessed of the power of action) and the conscious soul (possessed of the power of knowledge) exists in (the sum total of) all the bodies (i.e. in the cosmic gross body) after having entered into all the limiting adjuncts of the internal organs (i.e. into the cosmic subtle body) like the reflection of the sum on diverse waters. He is the power of action and knowledge (in the individual). Esah, this One; is verily indrah, Indra, who is called so because He possesses the qualities (mentioned earlier in I. iii. 13-14); or `Indra' means the lord of the gods. Esah, this One; is prajapatih, Prajapati (Virat) who is the first embodied Being [Hiranyagarbha identifies Himself with the cosmic subtle body, but Virat with the cosmic gross body]. That Prajapati, from whom the presiding deities of the organs, viz Fire and others, were born after the formation of the cavity of the mouth etc., is verily this One. And ete sarve devah, all these gods, viz Fire and others, that there are, are but this One; ca, and; imani panca mahabhutani, these five great elements; viz etani, these --- starting with earth --- which are the materials of all the bodies and which constitute the foods and the eaters; besides, ca imani, these also, e.g. snakes etc.; ksudramisrani iva, together with the tiny creatures --- the word iva being meaningless; and which are bijani, the seeds, causes (of others); ca itarani itarani, as well as those others and others, that are mentionable in pairs (e.g. the moving and the stationary). Which are they ? They are being enumerated:-- andajani, born of eggs --- birds and others; jarujani, born of wombs --- men and others; svedajani, born of moisture --- lice etc.; and udbhijjani, born of earth --- e.g. trees etc.; asvah, horses; gavah, cattle; purusah, human beings; hastinah, elephants; yat kim ca idam, and whatever living creature there may be. Which are they ? Whichever is jangamam, moving on feet; and whichever is jangamam, moving on feet; and whichever is patatri, flying in the sky; and whatever is sthavaram, motionless --- all that is but this One. Tat sarvam, all that, without exception; is prajnanetram, made to exist by Consciousness --- (the phrase being derived thus):-- Prajna is Consciousness that is the same as Brahman; netra is that by which one is dowered with substance, or that by which one is impelled (to one's natural activity):-- therefore that which has Consciousness as the giver of its substance or as its impeller is prajnanetram. Prajnane pratisthitam, on Consciousness it is established, that is to say, it is supported by Brahman during creation, existence, and dissolution. The sentence, `prajnanetrah lokah, the universe has Consciousness as its impeller', is to be understood as before; or the meaning is that all the universe has got consciousness as its netra, eye (i.e. the source of revelation). Prajna, Consciousness; is pratistha, the support, of the whole universe [Consciousness is self-revealing and is not dependent on any other factor for the revelation of Itself or of others. Or the sentence may mean that Consciousness is the one reality in which all phenomenal things end, just as the superimposed snake etc. end in their bases, the rope etc., after the dawn of knowledge.]. Therefore prajnanam brahma, Consciousness is Brahman. That Entity, thus dealt with, when freed from all distinctions created by the limiting adjuncts, is without stain, without taint, without action, quiescent, one without a second, to be known as `Not this, not this' (Br. III. ix. 26), by the elimination of all attributes, and (It is) beyond all words and thoughts. That very Entity which is the omniscient God --- because of the association with the limiting adjunct of very pure intelligence --- and is the ordainer of the common seed of all unmanifested universe, assumes the name of antaryami (the Inner Controller) by virtue of being the Guide. That Entity Itself assumes the name of Hiranyagarbha, who identifies Himself with (cosmic) intelligence which is the seed of the manifested world. That Entity Itself gets the name of Virat, Prajapati, who has as His limiting adjunct the (gross, cosmic) body born first within the cosmic egg; and It comes to be known as the deities, Fire, etc., by assuming their (respective) limiting adjuncts (viz speech etc.) born from that egg. Similarly, Brahman gets the respective names and forms as conditioned by the divergent bodies, ranging from that of Brahma to that of a clump of grass. It is the same Entity that has become diversified according to the variety of the limiting adjuncts and is known in every way and is thought of multifariously by all creatures as well as the logicians. And there are the Smrti texts, `Some call this very Entity Fire, some call It Manu, and some Prajapati. Some call It Indra, while others call It Prana and still others, the eternal Brahman', etc. (M. XII. 123).

Sah, he, Vamadeva, or somebody else, knew thus the Brahman as described, through the Self that is Consciousness --- through that very conscious Self by which the seers of old became immortal. Similarly, this enlightened one, too, etena prajnena atmana, through (i.e. in identification with) this (very) Self that is Consciousness; asmat lokat utkramya, ascending higher up from this world --- the portion starting from here was explained before (II. i. 6). Ascending higher up from this world and sarvam kaman aptva, attaining all the desires; amusmin svarge loke, in that heavenly world; (he) samabhavat, became; amrtah, immortal; samabhavat, (he) became (immortal). Om.