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The Thirteen Principal Upanishads, translated from the Sanskrit with an outline of the philosophy of the Upanishads and an annotated bibliography, by Robert Ernest Hume (Oxford University Press, 1921).

Author: Misc (Upanishads)
Translator: Robert Ernest Hume

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THIRD PRAPĀṬHAKA

Brahma as the sun of the world-all

First Khaṇḍa

The sun as the honey extracted from all the Vedas

1. Verily, yonder sun is the honey of the gods. The cross-beam1 for it is the sky. The honeycomb is the atmosphere. The brood are the particles of light.

2. The eastern rays of that sun are its eastern honey-cells. The bees are the Rig verses. The flower is the Rig-Veda. The drops of nectar fluid [arose as follows].

Verily, these Rig verses [3] brooded upon that Rig-Veda; from it, when it had been brooded upon, there was produced as its essence splendor, brightness, power, vigor, and food.

4. If flowed forth. It repaired to the sun. Verily, that is what that red appearance of the sun is.

Second Khaṇḍa

1. So its southern rays are its southern honey-cells. The bees are the Yajus formulas. The flower is the Yajur-Veda. The drops of nectar fluid [arose as follows].

2. Verily, these Yajus formulas brooded upon that Yajur-Veda; from it, when it had been brooded upon, there was produced as its essence splendor, brightness, power, vigor, and food.

3. It flowed forth. It repaired to the sun. Verily, that is what that white appearance of the sun is.

Third Khaṇḍa

1. So its western rays are its western honey-cells. The bees are the Sāman chants. The flower is the Sāma-Veda. The drops of nectar fluid [arose as follows].

2. Verily, those Sāman chants brooded upon that Sāma-Veda. From it, when it had been brooded upon, there was produced as its essence splendor, brightness, power, vigor, and food.

3. It flowed forth. It repaired to the sun. Verily, that is what that dark appearance of the sun is.

Fourth Khaṇḍa

1. So its northern rays are its northern honey-cells. The bees are the [Hymns] of the Atharvans and Aṅgirases.1 The flower is Legend and Ancient Lore (itiliāsa-purāṇa). The drops of nectar fluid [arose as follows].

2. Verily, those [Hymns] of the Atharvans and Aṅgirases brooded upon that Legend and Ancient Lore. From it, when it had been brooded upon, there was produced as its essence splendor, brightness, power, vigor, and food.

3. It flowed forth. It repaired to the sun. Verily, that is what that exceedingly dark appearance of the sun is.

Fifth Khaṇḍa

1. So its upward rays are its upper honey-cells. The bees are the Hidden Teachings [i.e. the Upanishads]. The flower is Brahma. The drops of nectar fluid [arose as follows].

2. Verily, those Hidden Teachings brooded upon that Brahma; from it, when it had been brooded upon, there was produced as its essence splendor, brightness, power, vigor, and food.

3. It flowed forth. It repaired to the sun. Verily, that is what seems to tremble in the middle of the sun.

4. Verily, these are the essences of the essences, for the Vedas are essences and these are their essences. Verily, these are the nectars of the nectars, for the Vedas are nectars and these are their nectars.

Sixth Khaṇḍa

The knower of the cosmic significance of the sacred scriptures advances to the world-sun, Brahma

1. The Vasus live upon that which is the first nectar [i.e. the Rig-Veda] through Agni as their mouth. Verily, the gods neither eat nor drink. They are satisfied merely with seeing that nectar.

2. These enter that [red] form of the sun and come forth from that form.

3. He who knows thus that nectar becomes one of the Vasus themselves and through Agni as his mouth is satisfied merely with seeing that nectar. He enters that very form and comes forth from that form.

4. As long as the sun shall rise in the east and set in the west, so long will he compass the overlordship and the chief sovereignty (svārājya) of the Vasus.

Seventh Khaṇḍa

1. Now, the Rudras live upon what is the second nectar [i. e. the Yajur-Veda] through Indra as their mouth. Verily, the gods neither eat nor drink. They are satisfied merely with seeing that nectar.

2. These enter that [white] form and come forth from that form.

3. He who knows thus that nectar becomes one of the Rudras themselves and through Indra as his mouth is satisfied merely with seeing that nectar. He enters that very form and comes forth from that form.

4. As long as the sun shall rise in the east and set in the west, twice so long will it rise in the south and set in the north, and just that long will he compass the overlordship and the chief sovereignty of the Rudras.

Eighth Khaṇḍa

1. Now, the Ādityas live upon what is the third nectar [i. e. the Sāma-Veda] through Varuṇa as their mouth. Verily, the gods neither eat nor drink. They are satisfied merely with seeing that nectar.

2. These enter that [dark] form and come forth from that form.

3. He who knows thus that nectar becomes one of the Ādityas themselves and through Varuṇa as his mouth is satisfied merely with seeing that nectar. He enters that very form and comes forth from that form.

4. So long as the sun shall rise in the south and set in the north, twice so long will it rise in the west and set in the east, and just that long will he compass the over-lordship and the chief sovereignty of the Ādityas.

Ninth Khaṇḍa

1. Now, the Maruts live upon what is the fourth nectar [i.e. the Atharva-Veda] through Soma as their mouth. Verily, the gods neither eat nor drink. They are satisfied merely with seeing that nectar.

2. These enter that [exceedingly dark] form and come forth from that form.

3. He who knows thus that nectar becomes one of the Maruts themselves and through Soma as his mouth is satisfied merely with seeing that nectar. He enters that very form and comes forth from that form.

4. As long as the sun shall rise in the west and set in the east, twice so long will it rise in the north and set in the south, and just that long will he compass the the overlordship and the chief sovereignty of the Maruts.

Tenth Khaṇḍa

1. Now, the Sādhyas live upon what is the fifth nectar [i. e. the Upanishads] through Brahma as their mouth. Verily, the gods neither eat nor drink. They are satisfied merely with seeing that nectar.

2. These enter that form [which seems to tremble in the middle of the sun] and come forth from that form.

3. He who knows thus that nectar becomes one of the Sādhyas themselves and through Brahma as his mouth is satisfied merely with seeing that nectar. He enters that very form and comes forth from that form.

4. As long as the sun shall rise in the north and set in the south, twice so long will it rise in the zenith and set in the nadir, and just that long will he compass the overlordship and the chief sovereignty of the Sādhyas.

Eleventh Khaṇḍa

1. Henceforth, after having risen in the zenith, it will no more rise nor set. It will stand alone in the middle. On this point there is this verse:—

2.
In yonder sphere it has not set,1
Nor ever has it risen up;
And by the truth of this, ye gods,
Of Brahma let me not be robbed.

3. Verily, it neither rises nor sets for him, it is evermore day for him, who knows thus this mystic doctrine (upaniṣad) of Brahma.

4. Brahma told this to Prajāpati; Prajāpati, to Manu; Manu, to his descendants. To Uddālaka Āruṇi, as being the eldest son, his father declared this Brahma.

5. Verily, a father may teach this Brahma to his eldest son or to a worthy pupil, [6] [but] to no one else at all. Even if one should offer him this [earth] that is encompassed by water and filled with treasure, [he should say]: ‘This, truly, is more than that! This, truly, is more than that!’

Twelfth Khaṇḍa

The Gāyatrī meter as a symbol of all that is

1. Verily, the Gāyatrī meter is everything here that has come to be, whatsoever there is here. Verily, the Gāyatrī is speech. Verily, speech both sings of (gāyati) and protects (trāyate) everything here that has come to be.

2. Verily, what this Gāyatrī is—that is the same as what this earth is; for on it everything here that has come to be is established. It does not extend beyond it.

3. Verily, what this earth is—that is the same as what the body in man here is; for in it these vital breaths are established. They do not extend beyond it.

4. Verily, what the body in man is—that is the same as what the heart within man here is; for on it these vital breaths are established. They do not extend beyond it.

5. This is the four-quartered sixfold Gāyatrī. With reference to it a Rig verse states:—

6.
His greatness is of such extent,
Yet Purusha is greater still.
All beings are one fourth of him;
Three fourths, the immortal in the sky.1

7. Verily, what is called Brahma—that is the same as what the space outside of a person is. Verily, what the space outside of a person is—[8] that is the same as what the space within a person is. Verily, what the space within a person is—[9] that is the same as what the space here within the heart is. That is the Full, the Non-active.2 Full, non-active prosperity he obtains who knows this.

Thirteenth Khaṇḍa

The five door-keepers of the heavenly world

1. Verily, indeed, this heart here has five openings for the gods.

As for its eastern opening—that is the Piāṇa breath, that is the eye, that is the sun. One should reverence that as glow and as food. He becomes glowing and an eater of food who knows this.

2. Now, as for its southern opening—that is the Vyāna breath, that is the ear, that is the moon. One should reverence that as prosperity and splendor. He becomes prosperous and splendid who knows this.

3. Now, as for its western opening—that is the Apāna breath, that is speech, that is fire. One should reverence that as eminence in sacred knowledge and as food. He becomes eminent in sacred knowledge and an eater of food who knows this.

4. Now, as for its northern opening—that is the Samāna breath, that is mind, that is the rain-god (Parjanya). One should reverence that as fame and beauty. He becomes famous and beauteous who knows this.

5. Now as for its upper opening—that is the Udāna breath, that is wind, that is space. One should reverence that as vigor and greatness. He becomes vigorous and great who knows this.

6. Verily, these same are five Brahma-men, door-keepers of the heavenly world. Who knows these thus as five Brahma-men, as door-keepers of the heavenly world, in his family a hero is born. He reaches the heavenly world who knows these thus as five Brahma-men, door-keepers of the heavenly world.

The ultimate exists within oneself

7. Now, the light which shines higher than this heaven, on the backs of all, on the backs of everything, in the highest worlds, than which there are no higher—verily, that is the same as this light which is here within a person.

There is this seeing of it—[8] when one perceives by touch this heat here in the body. There is this hearing of it—when one closes his ears and hears as it were a sound, as it were a noise, as of a fire blazing. One should reverence that light as something that has been seen and heard. He becomes one beautiful to see, one heard of in renown, who knows this—yea, who knows this!

Fourteenth Khaṇḍa1

The individual soul identical with the infinite Brahma

1. ‘Verily, this whole world is Brahma. Tranquil, let one worship It as that from which he came forth, as that into which he will be dissolved, as that in which he breathes.2

Now, verily, a person consists of purpose (kratu-maya). According to the purpose which a person has in this world, thus does he become on departing hence. So let him form for himself a purpose.

2. He who consists of mind, whose body is life (prāṇa), whose form is light, whose conception is truth, whose soul (ātman) is space, containing all works, containing all desires, containing all odors, containing all tastes, encompassing this whole world, the unspeaking, the unconcerned—[3] this Soul of mine within the heart is smaller than a grain of rice, or a barley-corn, or a mustard-seed, or a grain of millet, or the kernel of a grain of millet; this Soul of mine within the heart is greater than the earth, greater than the atmosphere, greater than the sky, greater than these worlds.

4. Containing all works, containing all desires, containing all odors, containing all tastes, encompassing this whole world, the unspeaking, the unconcerned—this is the Soul of mine within the heart, this is Brahma. Into him I shall enter on departing hence.

If one would believe this, he would have no more doubt.—Thus used Śāṇḍilya to say—yea, Śāṇḍilya!

Fifteenth Khaṇḍa

The universe as a treasure-chest and refuge

1.
The chest whose space is atmosphere,
With earth for bottom, ne’er decays.
Its corners are the poles of heaven.
Its upper opening is the sky.
This chest is one containing wealth.
Within it everything here rests.

2. Its eastern quarter is named Sacrificial Ladle (juhū).1 Its southern quarter is named Over-powering.2 Its western quarter is named Queen (rājñī).3 Its northern quarter is named Wealthy.4 The wind is the child of these quarters of heaven. He who knows this wind thus as the child of the quarters of heaven mourns not for a son.

‘I here know this wind thus as the child of the quarters of heaven. Let me not mourn for a son.’

3. ‘I take refuge in the imperishable chest with this one, with this one, with this one.’5

‘I take refuge in breath (prāṇa)1 with this one, with this one, with this one.’

‘I take refuge in bhūr with this one, with this one, with this one.’

‘I take refuge in bhuvas with this one, with this one, with this one.’

‘I take refuge in svar with this one, with this one, with this one.’

4. When I said, ‘I take refuge in breath’—breath, verily, is everything here that has come to be, whatsoever there is. So it was in this I took refuge.

5. So when I said, ‘I take refuge in bhūr,’ what I said was: ‘I take refuge in earth; I take refuge in atmosphere; I take refuge in sky.’

6. So when I said, ‘I take refuge in bhuvas,’ what I said was: ‘I take refuge in Agni (Fire); I take refuge in Vāyu (Wind); I take refuge in Āditya (Sun).’

7. So when I said, ‘I take refuge in svar,’ what I said was: ‘I take refuge in the Rig-Veda; I take refuge in the Yajur-Veda; I take refuge in the Sāma-Veda.’ That was what I said.

Sixteenth Khaṇḍa

A person’s entire life symbolically a Soma-sacrifice

1. Verily, a person is a sacrifice. His [first] twenty-four years are the morning Soma-libation, for the Gāyatrī meter has twenty-four syllables and the morning Soma-libation is offered with a Gāyatrī hymn. The Vasus are connected with this part of the sacrifice. Verily, the vital breaths (prāṇa) are the Vasus, for they cause everything here to continue (√vas).

2. If any sickness should overtake him in this period of life, let him say: ‘Ye vital breaths, ye Vasus, let this morning libation of mine continue over to the mid-day libation. Let not me, the sacrifice, be broken off in the midst of the vital breaths, of the Vasus.’ He arises from it; he becomes free from sickness.

3. Now the [next] forty-four years are the mid-day libation, for the Trishṭubh meter has forty-four syllables and the mid-day libation is offered with a Trishṭubh hymn. The Rudras are connected with this part of the sacrifice. Verily, the vital breaths are the Rudras, for [on departing] they cause everything here to lament (√rud).1

4. If any sickness should overtake him in this period of life, let him say: ‘Ye vital breaths, ye Rudras, let this mid-day libation of mine continue over to the third libation. Let not me, the sacrifice, be broken off in the midst of the vital breaths, of the Rudras.’ He arises from it; he becomes free from sickness.

5. Now, the [next] forty-eight years are the third libation, for the Jagatī meter has forty-eight syllables and the third libation is offered with a Jagatī hymn. The Ādityas are connected with this part of the sacrifice. Verily, the vital breaths are the Ādityas, for [on departing] they take everything to themselves (ādadate).

6. If any sickness should overtake him in this period of life, let him say: ‘Ye vital breaths, ye Ādityas, let this third libation of mine continue to a full length of life. Let not me, the sacrifice, be broken off in the midst of the vital breaths, of the Ādityas.’ He arises from it; he becomes free from sickness.

7. Verily, it was this that Mahidāsa Aitareya knew when he used to say: ‘Here, why do you afflict me with this sickness—me, who am not going to die with it?’ He lived a hundred and sixteen years. He lives to a hundred and sixteen years who knows this.2

Seventeenth Khaṇḍa

1. When one hungers and thirsts and does not enjoy himself—that is a Preparatory Consecration Ceremony (dīkṣā).

2. When one eats and drinks and enjoys himself—then he joins in the Upasada ceremonies.3

3. When one laughs and eats and practises sexual intercourse—then he joins in the Chant and Recitation (stuta-śastra).

4. Austerity, alms-giving, uprightness, harmlessness, truthfulness—these are one’s gifts for the priests.

5. Therefore they say: ‘He will procreate (soṣyati)! He has procreated (asoṣṭa)!’1 —that is his rebirth (punar-utpādana). Death is an ablution after the ceremony.

Eighteenth Khaṇḍa

The fourfold Brahma in the individual and in the world

1. One should reverence the mind as Brahma.—Thus with reference to the self.

Now with reference to the divinities.—One should reverence space as Brahma.

—This is the twofold instruction with reference to the self and with reference to the divinities.

2. That Brahma has four quarters.4 One quarter is speech. One quarter is breath. One quarter is the eye. One quarter is the ear.—Thus with reference to the self.

Now with reference to the divinities.—One quarter is Agni (Fire). One quarter is Vāyu (Wind). One quarter is Āditya (the Sun). One quarter is the quarters of heaven.

—This is the twofold instruction with reference to the self and with reference to the divinities.

3. Speech, truly, is a fourth part of Brahma. It shines and glows with Agni as its light. He shines and glows with fame, with splendor, and with eminence in sacred knowledge who knows this.

4. Breath, truly, is a fourth part of Brahma. It shines and glows with Vāyu as its light. He shines and glows with fame, with splendor, and with eminence in sacred knowledge who knows this.

5. The eye, truly, is a fourth part of Brahma. It shines and glows with Āditya as its light. He shines and glows with fame, with splendor, and with eminence in sacred knowledge who knows this.

6. The ear, truly, is a fourth part of Brahma. It shines and glows with the quarters of heaven as its light. He shines and glows with fame, with splendor, and with eminence in sacred knowledge who knows this—yea, who knows this!

Nineteenth Khaṇḍa

The cosmic egg

1. The sun is Brahma—this is the teaching. A further explanation thereof [is as follows].

In the beginning this world was merely non-being. It was existent. It developed. It turned into an egg. It lay for the period of a year. It was split asunder. One of the two eggshell-parts became silver, one gold.

2. That which was of silver is this earth. That which was of gold is the sky. What was the outer membrane is the mountains. What was the inner membrane is cloud and mist. What were the veins are the rivers. What was the fluid within is the ocean.

3. Now, what was born therefrom is yonder sun. When it was born, shouts and hurrahs, all beings and all desires rose up toward it. Therefore at its rising and at its every return shouts and hurrahs, all beings and all desires rise up toward it.

4. He who, knowing it thus, reverences the sun as Brahma—the prospect is that pleasant shouts will come unto him and delight him—yea, delight him!

[1 ]The beam from which the honeycomb hangs.

[1 ]A designation of the Atharva-Veda.

[1 ]Adopting Bohtlingk’s emendation, nimumloca, for the impossible na nimloca.

[1 ]RV. 10. 90. 3, with slight variations.

[2 ]This same characterization is found at Bṛih. 2. 1. 5.

[1 ]This section, which occurs also as Śat. Br. 10. 6. 3, constitutes the famous Śāṇḍilya-vidyā, or Doctrine of Śāṇḍilya.

[2 ]Thus Śankara explains the threefold mystic epithet taj-ja-lān.

[1 ]For one faces the east when one offers a sacrifice for oneself (juhute).

[2 ]For it is the region of Yama, the god of the dead.

[3 ]For it is the region of King (rājan) Varuṇa, or because of the red (rāga) of twilight.

[4 ]For it is the region presided over by Kubera, the god of wealth.—These are Śaṅkara’s explanations of the four epithets.

[5 ]Śaṅkara explains that the son’s name is here to be said three times.

[1 ]That is, in wind, the breath of the world-all.

[1 ]This same etymological explanation occurs at Bṛih. 3. 9. 4.

[2 ]That is, who knows this doctrine of the 24 + 44 + 48 years.

[3 ]The ceremonies which constitute a part of the Jyotiṣtoma (Praise of Light) form of the Soma sacrifice and during which the sacrificer is allowed a certain amount of food.

[1 ]In this exposition of the similarities between man and the sacrifice these two words are used in a double signification. They mean also, in relation to the sacrifice: ‘He will press out [the Soma juice]! He has pressed [it] out!’

[2 ]SV. 1. 1. 10, varying slightly from RV. 8. 6. 30.

[3 ]VS. 20. 21, varying slightly from RV. 1. 50. 10.

[4 ]Referring to RV. 10. 90. 3, already quoted at Chānd. 3. 12. 5.