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FIFTH PRAPĀṬHAKA Concerning breath, the soul, and the Universal Soul - Misc (Upanishads), The Thirteen Principal Upanishads [1921]

Edition used:

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).

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FIFTH PRAPĀṬHAKA

Concerning breath, the soul, and the Universal Soul

First Khaṇḍa

The rivalry of the five bodily functions, and the superiority of breath

1.Om! Verily, he who knows the chiefest and best, becomes the chiefest and best. Breath, verily, is the chiefest and best.

2. Verily, he who knows the most excellent, becomes the most excellent of his own [people]. Speech, verily, is the most excellent.

3. Verily, he who knows the firm basis, has a firm basis both in this world and in the yonder. The eye, verily, is a firm basis.

4. Verily, he who knows attainment—for him wishes are attained, both human and divine. The ear, verily, is attainment.

5. Verily, he who knows the abode, becomes an abode of his own [people]. The mind, verily, is the abode.

6. Now, the Vital Breaths (prāṇa)1 disputed among themselves on self-superiority, saying [in turn]: ‘I am superior!’ ‘I am superior!’

7. Those Vital Breaths went to Father Prajāpati, and said: ‘Sir! Which of us is the most superior?’

He said to them: ‘That one of you after whose going off the body appears as if it were the very worst off—he is the most superior of you.’

8. Speech went off. Having remained away a year, it came around again, and said: ‘How have you been able to live without me?’

‘As the dumb, not speaking, but breathing with the breath, seeing with the eye, hearing with the ear, thinking with the mind. Thus.’

Speech entered in.

9. The Eye went off. Having remained away a year, it came around again, and said: ‘How have you been able to live without me?’

‘As the blind, not seeing, but breathing with the breath, speaking with speech, hearing with the ear, thinking with the mind. Thus.’

The Eye entered in.

10. The Ear went off. Having remained away a year, it came around again, and said: ‘How have you been able to live without me?’

‘As the deaf, not hearing, but breathing with the breath, speaking with speech, seeing with the eye, thinking with the mind. Thus.’

The Ear entered in.

11. The Mind went off. Having remained away a year, it came around again, and said: ‘How have you been able to live without me?’

‘As simpletons, mindless, but breathing with the breath, speaking with speech, seeing with the eye, hearing with the ear. Thus.’

The Mind entered in.

12. Now when the Breath was about to go off—as a fine horse might tear out the pegs of his foot-tethers all together, thus did it tear out the other Breaths all together. They all came to it, and said: ‘Sir! Remain. You are the most superior of us. Do not go off.’

13. Then Speech said unto that one: ‘If I am the most excellent, so are you the most excellent.’

Then the Eye said unto that one: ‘If I am a firm basis, so are you a firm basis.’

14. Then the Ear said unto that one: ‘If I am attainment, so are you attainment.’

Then the Mind said unto that one: ‘If I am an abode, so are you an abode.’

15. Verily, they do not call them ‘Speeches,’ nor ‘Eyes,’ nor ‘Ears,’ nor ‘Minds.’ They call them ‘Breaths’ (prāṇa), for the vital breath is all these.

Second Khaṇḍa

1. It said: ‘What will be my food?’

‘Whatever there is here, even to dogs and birds,’ they said.

So this, verily, is the food (anna) of breath (ana). Verily, breath is its evident name. Verily, in the case of one who knows this, there is nothing whatever that is not food.

2. It said: ‘What will be my garment?’

‘Water,’ they said.

Therefore, verily, when people are about to eat, they enswathe it [i.e. the breath] with water both before and after.1 It is accustomed to receive a garment; it becomes not naked.

3. When Satyakāma Jābāla told this to Gośruti Vaiyāgrapadya, he also said: ‘Even if one should tell this to a dried-up stump, branches would be produced on it and leaves would spring forth.’

The ‘mixed potion’ incantation for the attainment of greatness

4. Now, if one should wish to come to something great, let him on the night of a new moon perform the Preparatory Consecration Ceremony (Dīkshā), and on the night of the full moon mix a mixed potion of all sorts of herbs with sour milk and honey.

‘Hail to the chiefest and best!’—with these words he should offer a libation of melted butter in the fire and pour the residue into the potion.

5. ‘Hail to the most excellent!’—with these words he should offer a libation of melted butter in the fire and pour the residue into the potion.

‘Hail to the firm basis!’—with these words he should offer a libation of melted butter in the fire and pour the residue into the potion.

‘Hail to the abode!’—with these words he should offer a libation of melted butter in the fire and pour the residue into the potion.

6. Then, creeping back [from the fire], and taking the potion in his hollowed hands, he mutters: ‘Thou art He (ama) by name, for this whole world is at home (amā) in thee, for thou art pre-eminent and supreme (śreṣṭha), king and overlord. Let him bring me to pre-eminence and supremacy (śraiṣṭhya), kingship and overlordship! Let me be all this!’2

7. Verily then with this Rig verse3 he takes a sip at each hemistich:—

‘The food which is god Savitṛi’s,’

—here he takes a sip—

‘That for ourselves do we prefer,’

—here he takes a sip—

‘The best, the all-refreshing food;’

—here he takes a sip—

‘The Giver’s strength may we attain!’

—here he takes a sip.

8. After having cleansed the drinking-vessel or goblet, he lies down to the west of the fire either on a skin or on the bare ground with voice restrained and self-possessed. If he should see a woman, he may know that the rite is successful.

9. As to this there is the following verse:—

  • If during rites done for a wish
  • One sees a woman in his dream,
  • Success he there may recognize
  • In this appearance of his dream
  • —In this appearance of his dream.

Third Khaṇḍa1

The course of the soul in its reincarnations

1. Śvetaketu Āruṇeya attended an assembly of the Pañcālas. Then Pravāhaṇa Jaibali said to him: ‘Young man, has your father instructed you?’

‘He has indeed, Sir.’

2. ‘Do you know unto what creatures go forth hence?’

‘No, Sir.’

‘Do you know how they return again?’

‘No, Sir.’

‘Do you know the parting of the two ways, one leading to the gods, and one leading to the fathers?’

‘No, Sir.’

3. ‘Do you know how [it is that] yonder world is not filled up?’

‘No, Sir.’

‘Do you know how in the fifth oblation water comes to have a human voice?’

‘No, indeed, Sir.’

4. ‘Now, pray, how did you say of yourself that you had been instructed? Indeed, how could one who would not know these things speak of himself as having been instructed?’

Distressed, he then went to his father’s place. Then he said to him: ‘Verily, indeed, without having instructed me, you, Sir, said: “I have instructed you.”

5. Five questions a fellow of the princely class (rājanyabandhu) has asked me. I was not able to explain even one of them.’

Then he [i.e. the father] said: ‘As you have told them to me here, I do not know even one of them. If I had known them, how would I not have told them to you?’

6. Then Gautama1 went to the king’s place. To him, when he arrived, he [i.e. the king] had proper attention shown. Then on the morrow he went up to the audience-hall. Then he [i.e. the king] said to him: ‘Honored Gautama, you may choose for yourself a boon of human wealth.’

Then he said: ‘Human wealth be yours, O king! The word which you said in the presence of the young man, even that do you speak to me.’

Then he became troubled.

7. ‘Wait a while,’ he commanded him. Then he said: ‘As to what you have told me, O Gautama, this knowledge has never yet come to Brahmans before you; and therefore in all the worlds has the rule belonged to the Kshatriya only.’ Then he said to him:—

Fourth Khaṇḍa

1. ‘Yonder world, verily, O Gautama, is a sacrificial fire. In this case the sun is the fuel; the light-rays, the smoke; the day, the flame; the moon, the coals; the stars, the sparks.

2. In this fire the gods offer faith (śraddhā). From this oblation arises King Soma.

Fifth Khaṇḍa

1. The rain-cloud, verily, O Gautama, is a sacrificial fire. In this case wind is the fuel; mist, the smoke; lightning, the flame; the thunderbolt, the coals; hailstones, the sparks.

2. In this fire the gods offer King Soma. From this oblation arises rain.

Sixth Khaṇḍa

1. The earth, verily, O Gautama, is a sacrificial fire. In this case the year is the fuel; space, the smoke; night, the flame; the quarters of heaven, the coals; the intermediate quarters of heaven, the sparks.

2. In this fire the gods offer rain. From this oblation arises food.

Seventh Khaṇḍa

1. Man, verily, O Gautama, is a sacrificial fire. In this case speech is the fuel; breath, the smoke; the tongue, the flame; the eyes, the coals; the ear, the sparks.

2. In this fire the gods offer food. From this oblation arises semen.

Eighth Khaṇḍa

1. Woman, verily, O Gautama, is a sacrificial fire. In this case the sexual organ is the fuel; when one invites, the smoke; the vulva, the flame; when one inserts, the coals; the sexual pleasure, the sparks.

2. In this fire the gods offer semen. From this oblation arises the fetus.

Ninth Khaṇḍa

1. Thus indeed in the fifth oblation water comes to have a human voice.

After he has lain within for ten months, or for however long it is, as a fetus covered with membrane, then he is born.

2. When born, he lives for as long as is his length of life. When deceased, they carry him hence to the appointed place for the fire from whence indeed he came, from whence he arose.

Tenth Khaṇḍa

1. So those who know this, and those too who worship in a forest with the thought that “Faith is austerity,” pass into the flame1 ; from the flame, into the day; from the day, into the half-month of the waxing moon; from the half-month of the waxing moon, into the six months during which the sun moves northward; [2] from those months, into the year; from the year, into the sun; from the sun, into the moon; from the moon, into the lightning. There there is a Person (purusa) who is non-human (a-mānava). He leads them on to Brahma. This is the way leading to the gods.1

3. But those who in the village reverence a belief in sacrifice, merit, and almsgiving—they pass into the smoke2 ; from the smoke, into the night; from the night, into the latter half of the month; from the latter half of the month, into the six months during which the sun moves southward—these do not reach the year; [4] from those months, into the world of the fathers; from the world of the fathers, into space; from space, into the moon. That is King Soma. That is the food of the gods. The gods eat that.

5. After having remained in it as long as there is a residue [of their good works], then by that course by which they came they return again, just as they came, into space; from space, into wind. After having become wind, one becomes smoke. After having become smoke, he becomes mist.

6. After having become mist, he becomes cloud. After having become cloud, he rains down. They are born here as rice and barley, as herbs and trees, as sesame plants and beans. Thence, verily, indeed, it is difficult to emerge; for only if some one or other eats him as food and emits him as semen, does he develop further.

7. Accordingly, those who are of pleasant conduct here—the prospect is, indeed, that they will enter a pleasant womb, either the womb of a Brahman, or the womb of a Kshatriya, or the womb of a Vaiśya. But those who are of stinking conduct here—the prospect is, indeed, that they will enter a stinking womb, either the womb of a dog, or the womb of a swine, or the womb of an outcast (caṇḍāla).

8. But on neither of these ways are the small, continually returning creatures,3 [those of whom it is said:] “Be born, and die”—theirs is a third state.

Thereby [it comes about that] yonder world is not filled up.

Therefore one should seek to guard himself. As to this there is the following verse:—

  • 9.

    The plunderer of gold, the liquor-drinker,
  • The invader of a teacher’s bed, the Brahman-killer—
  • These four sink downward in the scale,
  • And, fifth, he who consorts with them.

10. But he who knows these five fires thus, is not stained with evil, even though consorting with those people. ‘He becomes pure, clean, possessor of a pure world, who knows this—yea, he who knows this!’

Eleventh Khaṇḍa1

The Universal Soul

1. Prācīnaśāla Aupamanyava, Satyayajña Paulushi, Indradyumna Bhāllaveya, Jana Śārkarākshya, and Buḍila Āśvatarāśvi—these great householders, greatly learned in sacred lore (śrotriya), having come together, pondered: ‘Who is our Ātman (Soul)? What is Brahma?’

2. Then they agreed among themselves: ‘Verily, Sirs, Uddālaka Āruṇi here studies exactly this Universal (vaiśvānara) Ātman (Soul). Come, let us go unto him.’

Then unto him they went.

3. Then he agreed with himself: ‘These great householders, greatly learned in sacred lore, will question me. I may not be able to answer them everything. Come! Let me direct them to another.’

4. Then he said to them: ‘Verily, Sirs, Aśvapati Kaikeya studies just this Universal Ātman (Soul). Come! Let us go unto him.’

Then unto him they went.

5. Then to them severally, when they arrived, he had proper attentions shown. He was indeed a man who, on rising, could say2 :—

  • ‘Within my realm there is no thief,
  • No miser, nor a drinking man,
  • None altarless, none ignorant,
  • No man unchaste, no wife unchaste.’

‘Verily, Sirs, I am about to have a sacrifice performed. As large a gift as I shall give to each priest, so large a gift will I give to you, Sirs. Remain, my Sirs.’

6. Then they said: ‘With whatever subject a person is concerned, of that indeed he should speak. You know just this Universal Ātman (Soul). Him indeed do you tell to us.’

7. Then he said to them: ‘On the morrow will I make reply.’ Then with fuel in their hands1 in the morning they returned. Then, without having first received them as pupils, he spoke to them as follows:—

Twelfth Khaṇḍa

1. ‘Aupamanyava, whom do you reverence as the Ātman (Soul)?’

‘The heaven indeed, Sir, O King, said he.

‘The Universal Ātman (Soul) is, verily, that brightly shining one (sutejas) which you reverence as the Ātman (Soul). Therefore Soma is seen pressed out (suta) and continually pressed out in your family.

2. You eat food; you see what is pleasing. He eats food; he sees what is pleasing. There is eminence in sacred knowledge in the family of him who reverences the Universal Ātman (Soul) thus. That, however, is only the head of the Ātman (Soul),’ said he. ‘Your head would have fallen off, if you had not come unto me.’

Thirteenth Khaṇḍa

1. Then he said to Satyayajña Paulushi: ‘Prācīnayogya! Whom do you reverence as the Ātman (Soul)?’

‘The sun indeed, Sir, O King,’ said he.

‘The Universal Ātman (Soul) is, verily, that manifold one which you reverence as the Ātman (Soul). Therefore much of all sorts is seen in your family, [2] [e.g.] a chariot drawn by a she-mule rolled up [before your door], a female slave, a gold necklace. You eat food; you see what is pleasing. He eats food; he sees what is pleasing. There is eminence in sacred knowledge in the family of him who reverences that Universal Ātman (Soul) thus. That, however, is only the eye of the Ātman (Soul),’ said he. ‘You would have become blind, if you had not come unto me.’

Fourteenth Khaṇḍa

1. Then he said to Indradyumna Bhāllaveya: ‘Vaiyāghrapadya! Whom do you reverence as the Ātman (Soul)?’

‘The wind indeed, Sir, O King,’ said he.

‘The Universal Ātman (Soul) is, verily, that which possesses various paths, which you reverence as the Ātman (Soul). Therefore offerings come unto you in various ways; rows of chariots follow you in various ways.

2. You eat food; you see what is pleasing. He eats food; he sees what is pleasing. There is eminence in sacred knowledge in the family of him who reverences that Universal Ātman (Soul) thus.

That, however, is only the breath of the Ātman (Soul),’ said he. ‘Your breath would have departed, if you had not come unto me.’

Fifteenth Khaṇḍa

1. Then he said to Jana: ‘Śārkarākshya! Whom do you reverence as the Ātman (Soul)?’

‘Space indeed, Sir, O King,’ said he.

‘The Universal Ātman (Soul) is, verily, that expanded one, which you reverence as the Ātman (Soul). Therefore you are expanded with offspring and wealth.

2. You eat food; you see what is pleasing. He eats food; he sees what is pleasing. There is eminence in sacred knowledge in the family of him who reverences that Universal Ātman (Soul) thus.

That, however, is only the body (saṁdelia) of the Ātman (Soul),’ said he. ‘Your body would have fallen to pieces, if you had not come unto me.’

Sixteenth Khaṇḍa

1. Then he said to Buḍila Āśvatarāśvi: ‘Vaiyāghrapadya! Whom do you reverence as the Ātman (Soul)?’

‘Water indeed, Sir, O King,’ said he.

‘The Universal Ātman (Soul) is, verily, that wealth, which you reverence as the Ātman (Soul). Therefore you are wealthy and thriving.

2. You eat food; you see what is pleasing. He eats food; he sees what is pleasing. There is eminence in sacred knowledge in the family of him who reverences that Universal Ātman (Soul) thus.

That, however, is only the bladder of the Ātman (Soul),’ said he. ‘Your bladder would have burst, if you had not come unto me.’

Seventeenth Khaṇḍa

1. Then he said to Uddālaka Āruṇi: ‘Gautama! Whom do you reverence as the Ātman (Soul)?’

‘The earth indeed, Sir, O King,’ said he.

‘The Universal Ātman (Soul) is, verily, that support, which you reverence as the Ātman (Soul). Therefore you are supported with offspring and cattle.

2. You eat food; you see what is pleasing. He eats food; he sees what is pleasing. There is eminence in sacred knowledge in the family of him who reverences that Universal Ātman (Soul) thus.

That, however, is only the feet of the Ātman (Soul),’ said he. ‘Your feet would have withered away, if you had not come unto me.’

Eighteenth Khaṇḍa

1. Then he said to them: ‘Verily, indeed, you here eat food, knowing this Universal Ātman (Soul) as if something separate. He, however, who reverences this Universal Ātman (Soul) that is of the measure of the span1 —thus,2 [yet] is to be measured by thinking of oneself3 —he eats food in all worlds, in all beings, in all selves.

2. The brightly shining [heaven] is indeed the head of that Universal Ātman (Soul). The manifold [sun] is his eye. That which possesses various paths [i. e. the wind] is his breath. The extended [space] is his body. Wealth [i. e. water] is indeed his bladder. The support [i. e. the earth] is indeed his feet. The sacrificial area is indeed his breast. The sacrificial grass is his hair. The Gārhapatya fire is his heart. The Anvāhāryapacana fire is his mind. The Āhavanīya fire is his mouth.

Nineteenth Khaṇḍa

The mystical Agnihotra sacrifice to the Universal Soul in one’s own self

1. Therefore the first food which one may come to, should be offered. The first oblation which he would offer he should offer with “Hail to the Prāṇa breath!” The Prāṇa breath is satisfied.

2. The Prāṇa breath being satisfied, the eye is satisfied. The eye being satisfied, the sun is satisfied. The sun being satisfied, the heaven is satisfied. The heaven being satisfied, whatever the heaven and the sun rule over is satisfied. Along with the satisfaction thereof, he is satisfied with offspring, with cattle, with food, with the glow of health, and with eminence in sacred knowledge.

Twentieth Khaṇḍa

1. Then the second oblation which he would offer he should offer with “Hail to the Vyāna breath!” The Vyāna breath is satisfied.

2. The Vyāna breath being satisfied, the ear is satisfied. The ear being satisfied, the moon is satisfied. The moon being satisfied, the quarters of heaven are satisfied. The quarters of heaven being satisfied, whatever the moon and the quarters of heaven rule over is satisfied. Along with the satisfaction thereof, he is satisfied with offspring, with cattle, with food, with the glow of health, and with eminence in sacred knowledge.

Twenty-first Khaṇḍa

1. Then the third offering which he would offer he should offer with “Hail to the Apāna breath!” The Apāna breath is satisfied.

2. The Apāna breath being satisfied, speech is satisfied. Speech being satisfied, fire is satisfied. Fire being satisfied, the earth is satisfied. The earth being satisfied, whatever the earth and fire rule over is satisfied. Along with the satisfaction thereof, he is satisfied with offspring, with cattle, with food, with the glow of health, and with eminence in sacred knowledge.

Twenty-second Khaṇḍa

1. Then the fourth offering which he would offer he should offer with “Hail to the Samāna breath!” The Samāna breath is satisfied.

2. The Samāna breath being satisfied, the mind is satisfied. The mind being satisfied, the rain-god (Parjanya) is satisfied. The rain-god being satisfied, lightning is satisfied. Lightning being satisfied, whatever the rain-god and lightning rule over is satisfied. Along with the satisfaction thereof, he is satisfied with offspring, with cattle, with food, with the glow of health, and with eminence in sacred knowledge.

Twenty-third Khaṇḍa

1. Then the fifth offering which he would offer he should offer with “Hail to the Udāna breath!” The Udāna breath is satisfied.

2. The Udāna breath being satisfied, wind is satisfied.1 Wind being satisfied, space is satisfied. Space being satisfied, whatever wind and space rule over is satisfied. Along with the satisfaction thereof, he is satisfied with offspring, with cattle, with food, with the glow of health, and with eminence in sacred knowledge.

Twenty-fourth Khaṇḍa

1. If one offers the Agnihotra (fire) sacrifice without knowing this—that would be just as if he were to remove the live coals and pour the offering on ashes.

2. But if one offers the Agnihotra sacrifice knowing it thus, his offering is made in all worlds, in all beings, in all selves.

3. So, as a rush-reed laid on a fire would be burned up, even so are burned up all the evils of him who offers the Agnihotra sacrifice knowing it thus.

4. And therefore, if one who knows this should offer the leavings even to an outcast (caṇḍāla), it would be offered in his Universal Ātman (Soul). As to this there is the following verse:—

  • As hungry children sit around
  • About their mother here in life,
  • E’en so all beings sit around
  • The Agnihotra sacrifice.’

[1 ]The word might almost be translated ‘Senses’; but ‘Functions’ would perhaps more accurately represent the quaint old idea in the modern scientific terminology.—Cf. the other accounts of this rivalry at Bṛih. 6. 1. 7-14 and Kaush. 3. 3.

[1 ]By sipping at the commencement of a meal and by rinsing out the mouth at the close of the meal—the familiar custom in India.

[2 ]Or, ‘this world-all.’

[3 ]RV. 5 82. 1.

[1 ]With the instruction of Śvetaketu in Khaṇḍas 3-10 compare the parallel account at Bṛih. 6. 2.

[1 ]That is, Gautama Āruṇi, the father.

[1 ]That is, into the flame of the cremation fire.

[1 ]This same way has already been described in 4. 15. 5-6.

[2 ]That is, into the smoke of the cremation fire.

[3 ]Such as flies, worms, etc.

[1 ]Another version is found at Śat. Br. 10. 6. 1.

[2 ]Deussen’s interpretation.

[1 ]As a token of discipleship. Compare 4. 4. 5.

[1 ]From earth to heaven—as Śaṅkara suggests.

[2 ]Deictically.

[3 ]abhi-vi-māna, a word of not altogether certain meaning, either from √mā ‘to measure,’ or from √man ‘to think,’ like the immediately preceding prādeśamātia, or perhaps pregnantly referring to both.

[1 ]According to the Poona and Madras editions of the Chāndogya Upanishad the first part of this paragraph would read: ‘The Udāna breath being satisfied, the skin is satisfied. The skin being satisfied, wind is satisfied,’ etc.