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• Preface
• Remarks Concerning the Translation Its Method and Arrangement
• List of Abbreviations
• Errata
• An Outline of the Philosophy of the Upanishads
• Chapter I: The Place of the Upanishads In the History of Philosophy
• Chapter II: The Upanishads and Their Place In Indian Philosophy
• Chapter III: First Attempts At the Conception of a Unitary World-ground
• Chapter IV: The Development of the Conception of Brahma
• Chapter V: The Development of the Conception of the Atman and Its Union With Brahma
• Chapter VI: The Realistic Conception of the Ultimate Unity, and the Doctrine of Illusion
• Chapter VII: Idealism and the Conception of Pure Unity
• Chapter VIII: The Outcome On Religion and On the Doctrine of Karma
• Chapter IX: The Outcome On Practical Life and On Morals
• Chapter X: The Artificial Method of Unity In Renunciation and In Yoga
• Chapter XI: Concluding Estimate
• BṚihad-ĀraṆyaka Upanishad
• First AdhyĀya
• Second AdhyĀya
• Third AdhyĀya
• Fourth AdhyĀya
• Fifth AdhyĀya
• Sixth AdhyĀya
• ChĀndogya Upanishad
• First PrapĀṬhaka a Glorification of the Chanting of the Sāma-veda 1
• Second PrapĀṬhaka the Significance of the Chant In Various Forms
• Third PrapĀṬhaka Brahma As the Sun of the World-all
• Fourth PrapĀṬhaka Conversational Instructions
• Fifth PrapĀṬhaka Concerning Breath, the Soul, and the Universal Soul
• Sixth PrapĀṬhaka the Instruction of Śvetaketu By Uddālaka Concerning the Key to All Knowledge
• Seventh PrapĀṬhaka the Instruction of Nārada By Sanatkumāra
• Eighth PrapĀṬhaka Concerning the Nature of the Soul
• TaittirĪya Upanishad
• First VallĪ (Śikshā Vallī, ‘chapter Concerning Instruction’)
• Second VallĪ (brahmānanda Vallī, ‘bliss-of-brahma Chapter’)
• Third VallĪ (bhṛigu Vallī, ‘chapter Concerning Bhṛigu’)
• Aitareya Upanishad
• First AdhyĀya
• Second AdhyĀya
• Third AdhyĀya
• KaushĪtaki Upanishad 1
• First AdhyĀya the Course of Reincarnation, and Its Termination Through Metaphysical Knowledge 2
• Second AdhyĀya the Doctrine of Prāṇa, Together With Certain Ceremonies
• Third AdhyĀya Doctrine of Prāṇa (the Breathing Spirit)
• Fourth AdhyĀya a Progressive Definition of Brahma 2
• Kena Upanishad 1
• (first KhaṆḌa)
• (second KhaṆḌa)
• (third KhaṆḌa) 3
• (fourth KhaṆḌa)
• KaṬha Upanishad
• First VallĪ 1
• Second VallĪ
• Third VallĪ
• Fourth VallĪ
• Fifth VallĪ
• Sixth VallĪ
• ĪŚĀ Upanishad 1
• MuṆḌaka Upanishad
• First MuṆḌaka Preparation For the Knowledge of Brahma
• Second MuṆḌaka the Doctrine of Brahma-Ātman
• Third MuṆḌaka the Way to Brahma
• PraŚna Upanishad 1
• First PraŚna
• Second PraŚna
• Third PraŚna
• Fourth PraŚna
• Fifth PraŚna
• Sixth PraŚna
• MĀṆḌŪkya Upanishad
• ŚvetĀŚvatara Upanishad
• First AdhyĀya
• Second AdhyĀya
• Third AdhyĀya
• Fourth AdhyĀya
• Fifth AdhyĀya
• Sixth AdhyĀya
• Maitri Upanishad
• First PrapĀṬhaka
• Second PrapĀṬhaka
• Third PrapĀṬhaka
• Fourth PrapĀṬhaka
• Fifth PrapĀṬhaka
• Sixth PrapĀṬhaka
• Seventh PrapĀṬhaka
• A Bibliography of the Upanishads Selected, Classified, and Annotated

FIRST VALLĪ

(Śikshā Vallī, ‘Chapter concerning Instruction’)

First Anuvāka

Invocation, adoration, and supplication

Om!

• Propitious unto us, Mitra! Propitious, Varuṇa!
• Propitious unto us let Aryaman be!
• Propitious unto us, India! Bṛihaspati!
• Propitious unto us, Vishṇu, the Wide-strider!1

Adoration to Brahma! Adoration to thee, Vāyu!

Thou, indeed, art the perceptible Brahma. Of thee, indeed, the perceptible Brahma, will I speak. I will speak of the right (ṛta). I will speak of the true. Let that favor me! Let that favor the speaker! Let it favor me! Let it favor the speaker!

Om! Peace! Peace! Peace!

Second Anuvāka

Lesson on Pronunciation

Om! We will expound Pronunciation2 :

• the sound (varṇa);
• the accent (svara);
• the quantity (mātrā);
• the force (bala);
• the articulation (sāma);
• the combination (santāna).

—Thus has been declared the lesson on Pronunciation.2

Third Anuvāka

The mystic significance of combinations

1. Glory (yaśas) be with us two1 !

Pre-eminence in sacred knowledge (brahma-varcasa) be with us two1 !

Now next, we will expound the mystic meaning (upaniṣad) of combination (saṁhitā) in five heads:

• with regard to the world;
• with regard to the luminaries;
• with regard to knowledge;
• with regard to progeny;
• with regard to oneself.

Now, with regard to the world.—

The earth is the prior form; the heaven, the latter form. Space is their conjunction; [2] wind, the connection.—Thus with regard to the world.

Now, with regard to the luminaries.—

Fire is the prior form; the sun, the latter form. Water is their conjunction; lightning, the connection.—Thus with regard to the luminaries.

Now, with regard to knowledge.—

The teacher is the prior form; [3] the pupil, the latter form. Knowledge is their conjunction; instruction, the connection.—Thus with regard to knowledge.

Now, with regard to progeny.—

The mother is the prior form; the father, the latter form. Progeny is their conjunction; procreation, the connection.—Thus with regard to progeny.

4. Now, with regard to oneself.—

The lower jaw is the prior form; the upper jaw, the latter form. Speech is their conjunction; the tongue, the connection.—Thus with regard to oneself.

These are the great combinations. He who knows these combinations thus expounded, becomes conjoined with offspring, with cattle, with pre-eminence in sacred knowledge, with food, with the heavenly world.

Fourth Anuvāka

A teacher’s prayer

1. He who is pre-eminent among the Vedic hymns (chandas), who is the all-formed (viśva-rūpa),

Who has sprung into being from immortality above the Vedic hymns—

Let this India save (√spṛ) me with intelligence!

O God (deva), I would become possessor of immortality!

• May my body be very vigorous!
• May my tongue be exceeding sweet!
• May I hear abundantly with my ears!
• Thou art the sheath of Brahma,
• With intelligence covered o’er!
• Guard for me what I have heard!
• [It is Prosperity] who brings, extends,

[2] And long1 makes her own—

• My garments and cows,
• And food and drink alway.
• Therefore bring me prosperity (śrī)
• In wool, along with cattle!
• Hail!

May students of sacred knowledge (bralimacārin) come unto me! Hail!

May students of sacred knowledge come apart unto me! Hail!

May students of sacred knowledge come forth unto me! Hail!

May students of sacred knowledge subdue themselves! Hail!

May students of sacred knowledge tranquillize themselves! Hail!

3. May I become glorious among men! Hail!

May I be better than the very rich! Hail!

Into thee thyself, O Gracious Lord (bhaga), may I enter! Hail!

Do thou thyself, O Gracious Lord, enter into me! Hail!

In such a one, a thousandfold ramified—O Gracious Lord, in thee I am cleansed! Hail!

As waters run downward, as months into the year, so, O Establisher (dhātṛ), may students of sacred knowledge run unto me from all sides! Hail!

Thou art a refuge! Shine upon me! Come unto me!

Fifth Anuvāka

The fourfold mystic Utterances

1.Bhūr! Bhuvas! Suvar! Verily, these are the three Utterances (vyāhṛti). And beside these, too, Māhācamasya made known a fourth, namely Mahas (Greatness)! That is Brahma. That is the body (ātman); other divinities are the limbs.

Bhūr, verily, is this world; Bhuvas, the atmosphere; Suvar, yonder world; [2] Mahas, the sun. Verily, all worlds are made greater (mahīyante) by the sun.

Bhūr, verily, is Agni (Fire); Bhuvas, Vāyu (Wind); Suvar, Āditya (Sun); Mahas, the moon. Verily, all lights are made greater by the moon.

Bhūr, verily, is the Rig verses; Bhuvas, the Sāman chants; Suvar, the Yajus formulas; [3] Mahas, sacred knowledge (brahma). Verily, all the Vedas are made greater by sacred knowledge.

Bhūr, verily, is the in-breath (prāṇa); Bhuvas, the outbreath (apāna); Suvar, the diffused breath (vyāna); Mahas, food (anna). Verily, all the vital breaths (prāṇa) are made greater by food.

Verily, these four are fourfold. The Utterances are four and four. He who knows these, knows Brahma; to him all the gods bring strength.

Sixth Anuvāka

A departing person’s attainment with the four Utterances

1. This space that is within the heart—therein is the person, consisting of mind (mano-maya), immortal, resplendent. That which hangs down between the palates like a nipple—that is Indra’s1 place of exit.

Piercing the head at the point where is the edge of the hair, with the word Bhūr he stands upon Agni (Fire); with the word Bhuvas, upon Vāyu (Wind); [2] with the word Suvar, upon Āditya (the Sun); with the word Mahas, upon Brahma. He obtains self-rule (svā-rājya). He obtains the lord of the mind Lord of the voice, lord of the eye, lord of the ear, lord of the understanding—this and more he becomes, even Brahma, whose body is space (ākāśa-śarīra), whose soul is the real (satyātman), whose pleasure-ground is the breathing spirit, whose mind is bliss (mana-ānanda), abounding in tranquillity (śānti-samṛddha), immortal.—Thus, O Prācĩnayogya (Man of the Ancient Yoga), worship.1

Seventh Anuvāka

The fivefoldness of the world and of the individual

—Thus with regard to material existence (adhi-bhūta).

Now with regard to oneself (adhy-ātma).—

Having analyzed in this manner, a seer has said: ‘Fivefold, verily, is this whole world. With the fivefold, indeed, one wins the fivefold.’2

Eighth Anuvāka

Glorification of the sacred word ‘Om’

Om is brahma.3

Om is this whole world.

Om—that is compliance. As also, verily, it is well known—upon the words ‘O! Call forth!’1 they call forth.

With ‘Om’ they sing the Sāman chants.

With ‘Om! Śom!’ they recite the Invocations of Praise (śāstra).

With ‘Om’ the Adhvaryu priest utters the Response.

With ‘Om’ the Brahman priest (brahma) utters the Introductory Eulogy (pra + √stu).

With ‘Om’ one2 assents to the Agni-oblation (agnihotra).

‘Om,’ says a Brahman (brāhmaṇa) about to recite, ‘may I get the sacred word (brahma)!’ He does get the sacred word.3

Ninth Anuvāka

Study of the sacred word the most important of all duties

The right (ṛta), and also study and teaching.4

The true (satya), and also study and teaching.

Austerity (tapas), and also study and teaching.

Self-control (dama), and also study and teaching.

Tranquillity (śama), and also study and teaching.

The [sacrificial] fires, and also study and teaching.

The Agnihotra sacrifice, and also study and teaching.

Guests, and also study and teaching.

Humanity (mānuṣa), and also study and teaching.

Offspring, and also study and teaching.

Begetting, and also study and teaching.

Procreation, and also study and teaching.

‘The true!’—says Satyavacas (‘Truthful’) Rathītara.

‘Austerity!’—says Taponitya (‘Devoted-to-austerity’) Pauruśishti.

‘Just study and teaching!’—says Nāka (‘Painless’) Maudgalya, ‘for that is austerity—for that is austerity.’

Tenth Anuvāka

The excellence of Veda-knowledge—a meditation

• I am the mover1 of the tree!
• My fame is like a mountain’s peak!

Exaltedly pure, like the excellent nectar in the sun,2

• I am a shining treasure,
• Wise, immortal, indestructible3 !

This is Triśaṅku’s recitation on Veda-knowledge.4

Eleventh Anuvāka

Practical precepts to a student

1. Having taught the Veda, a teacher further instructs a pupil:—

• Speak the truth.
• Practise virtue (dharma).
• Neglect not study [of the Vedas].

Having brought an acceptable gift to the teacher, cut not off the line of progeny.

• One should not be negligent of truth.
• One should not be negligent of virtue.
• One should not be negligent of welfare.
• One should not be negligent of prosperity.
• One should not be negligent of study and teaching.

2. One should not be negligent of duties to the gods and to the fathers.

• Be one to whom a mother is as a god.
• Be one to whom a father is as a god.
• Be one to whom a teacher is as a god.
• Be one to whom a guest is as a god.

Those acts which are irreproachable should be practised, and no others.

Those things which among us are good deeds should be revered by you, [3] and no others.

Whatever Brahmans (brāhmaṇa) are superior to us, for them refreshment should be procured by you with a seat.1

• One should give with faith (śraddhā).
• One should not give without faith.
• One should give with plenty (śrī).2
• One should give with modesty.
• One should give with fear.
• One should give with sympathy (sam-vid).3

Now, if you should have doubt concerning an act, or doubt concerning conduct, [4] if there should be there Brahmans competent to judge, apt, devoted, not harsh, lovers of virtue (dharma)—as they may behave themselves in such a case, so should you behave yourself in such a case.

Now, with regard to [people] spoken against, if there should be there Brahmans competent to judge, apt, devoted, not harsh, lovers of virtue—as they may behave themselves with regard to such, so should you behave yourself with regard to such.

This is the teaching. This is the admonition. This is the secret doctrine of the Veda (veda-upaniṣad). This is the instruction. Thus should one worship. Thus, indeed, should one worship.

Twelfth Anuvāka4

Invocation, adoration, and acknowledgment

• Propitious unto us, Mitra! Propitious, Varuṇa!
• Propitious unto us let Aryaman be!
• Propitious unto us, Indra! Bṛihaspati!
• Propitious unto us, Vishṇu the Wide-strider!

Adoration to Brahma! Adoration to thee, Vāyu!

Thou, indeed, art the perceptible Brahma. Of thee, indeed, the perceptible Brahma, have I spoken. I have spoken of the right. I have spoken of the true. That has favored me. That has favored the speaker. It has favored me. It has favored the speaker.

Om! Peace! Peace! Peace!

[1 ]This stanza=RV. 1. 90. 9, a hymn to the All-Gods.

[2 ]In the summary title of the chapter, which includes various instructions, the word śikṣā probably has its general meaning of ‘Instruction.’ But here—as also in Muṇḍ. 1. 1. 5—it has a specialized, technical meaning, ‘the Science of Pronunciation.’ As the first stage in the ‘instruction’ concerning the Vedas, this is elaborated as the formal discipline named Śikshā, the first of the six Vedāṅgas (‘Limbs of the Veda’).

[1 ]That is, the teacher and the pupil.

[1 ]If the reading should be ’ciram instead of ciram, then ‘shortly.’ The two following lines, whose grammatical structure is not evident, seem to interrupt this sentence.

[1 ]A name for the individual soul, as in Ait. 1. 3. 12, 14.

[1 ]That is, the conditioned (sa-guṇa) Brahma, who may be worshiped. The absolute, unconditioned Brahma is the object of intellectual appreciation, i.e. of knowledge, not of worship.

[2 ]A similar theory is expressed at Bṛih. 1. 4. 17.

[3 ]Perhaps with a double meaning: both ‘sacred word’ and the philosophical ‘Brahma.’

[1 ]In the ritual, the signal from the Adhvaryu priest for a response from the sacrificer.

[2 ]That is, the person instituting the sacrifice.

[3 ]That is, the Veda.—Com.

[4 ]That is, of the Veda.—Com.

[1 ]That is, ‘I am the feller of the tree of world-delusion (saṁsāra)’ according to Śaṅkara. He also proposes, as a synonym for ‘mover,’ antaryāmin, ‘inner controller’—which suggests to Deussen the (less likely) interpretation. ‘I am the moving (or, animating) spirit of the tree of life.’

[2 ]Literally ‘courser’; a reference here perhaps to the ‘honey in the sun’ of Chānd. 3. 1.—So Śaṅkara divides the words, vājinī ’va sv-amrtaṁ. But if vājinīvasv amṛtaṁ, as BR. suggest, then ‘the Immortal, possessing [possibly, ‘bestowing’—according to BR.] power.’

[3 ]amṛto ’kṣitaḥ. If amṛtokṣitaḥ, then ‘sprinkled with immortality (or, with nectar).’

[4 ]Or, ‘Veda-repetition’ (veda-anuvacana). The whole paragraph is an obscure, mystical meditation, either a preparatory invocation for the study of the Vedas, or a summary praise of its exalting and enlightening effect.

[1 ]Or, ‘in their presence not a word should be breathed by you.’

[2 ]Or, ‘according to one’s plenty.’ BR. and MW.; hardly ‘with grace.’

[3 ]With these exhortations on giving compare the ‘Ode on Liberality,’ RV. 10. 117.

[4 ]Identical with the First Anuvāka, except for certain changes of tense which are appropriate here in the conclusion.