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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

THIRD VALLĪ

(Bhṛigu Vallī, ‘Chapter concerning Bhṛigu’)

Bhṛigu’s progressive learning through austerity of five phases of Brahma

1. Bhṛigu Vāruṇi, verily, approached his father Varuṇa, and said: ‘Declare Brahma, Sir!’1

To him he taught that as food, as breath, as sight, as hearing, as mind, as speech.

Then he said to him: ‘That, verily, whence beings here are born, that by which when born they live, that into which on deceasing they enter—that be desirous of understanding. That is Brahma.’

He performed austerity. Having performed austerity, [2] he understood that Brahma is food. For truly, indeed, beings here are born from food, when born they live by food, on deceasing they enter into food.

Having understood that, he again approached his father Varuṇa, and said: ‘Declare Brahma, Sir!’

Then he said to him: ‘Desire to understand Brahma by austerity. Brahma is austerity (tapas).’

He performed austerity. Having performed austerity, [3] he understood that Brahma is breath (prāṇa). For truly, indeed, beings here are born from breath, when born they live by breath, on deceasing they enter into breath.

Having understood that, he again approached his father Varuṇa, and said: ‘Declare Brahma, Sir!’

Then he said to him: ‘Desire to understand Brahma by austerity. Brahma is austerity!’

He performed austerity. Having performed austerity, [4] he understood that Brahma is mind (manas). For truly, indeed, beings here are born from mind, when born they live by mind, on deceasing they enter into mind.

Having understood that, he again approached his father Varuṇa, and said: ‘Declare Brahma, Sir!’

Then he said to him: ‘Desire to understand Brahma by austerity. Brahma is austerity.’

He performed austerity. Having performed austerity, [5] he understood that Brahma is understanding (vijñāna). For truly, indeed, beings here are born from understanding, when born they live by understanding, on deceasing they enter into understanding.

Having understood that, he again approached his father Varuṇa, and said: ‘Declare Brahma, Sir!’

Then he said to him: ‘Desire to understand Brahma by austerity. Brahma is austerity.’

He performed austerity. Having performed austerity, [6] he understood that Brahma is bliss (ānanda). For truly, indeed, beings here are born from bliss, when born they live by bliss, on deceasing they enter into bliss.

This is the knowledge of Bhṛigu Vāruṇi, established in the highest heaven. He who knows this, becomes established. He becomes an eater of food, possessing food. He becomes great in offspring, in cattle, in the splendor of sacred knowledge, great in fame.

7. One should not blame food. That is the rule.

The reciprocal relations of food, supporting and supported, illustrated; the importance of such knowledge

Breath (prāṇa), verily, is food. The body is an cater of food. The body is established on breath; breath is established on the body. So food is established on food.

He who knows that food which is established on food, becomes established. He becomes an eater of food, possessing food. He becomes great in offspring, in cattle, in the splendor of sacred knowledge, great in fame.

8. One should not despise food. That is the rule.

Water, verily, is food. Light is an eater of food. Light is established on water; water is established on light. So food is established on food.

He who knows that food which is founded on food, becomes established. He becomes an eater of food, possessing food. He becomes great in offspring, in cattle, in the splendor of sacred knowledge, great in fame.

9. One should make for himself much food. That is the rule.

The earth, verily, is food. Space is an eater of food. Space is established on the earth; the earth is established on space. So food is established on food.

He who knows that food which is established on food, becomes established. He becomes an eater of food, possessing food. He becomes great in offspring, in cattle, in the splendor of sacred knowledge, great in fame.

A giver of food, prospered accordingly

10. (1) One should not refuse any one at one’s dwelling. That is the rule.

Therefore in any way whatsoever one should obtain much food. Of such a one people say: ‘Food has succeeded (arādhi) for him!’

This food, verily, being prepared (rāddha) [for the suppliant] at the beginning, for him1 food is prepared at the beginning.

This food, verily, being prepared in the middle, for him food is prepared in the middle. This food, verily, being prepared at the end, for him food is prepared at the end—(2) for him who knows this.

Manifestations of Brahma as food

As preservation (kṣema) in speech, acquisition and preservation (yoga-kṣema) in the in-breath and the off-breath (prāṇaapāna), work in the hands, motion in the feet, evacuation in the anus: these are the human recognitions [of Brahma as food].

Now the divine: satisfaction in rain, strength in lightning, (3) splendor in cattle, light in the stars, procreation immortality, and bliss in the generative organ, the all in space.

The worshiper thereof appropriates the object of his worship

One should worship It as a foundation; one [then] becomes possessed of a foundation.

One should worship It as greatness; one becomes great.

One should worship It as mind (manas); one becomes possessed of mindfulness.

(4) One should worship It as adoration; desires make adoration to one.

One should worship It as magic formula (brahma); one becomes possessed of magic formula.

One should worship It as ‘the dying around the magic formula’ (brahmaṇaḥ parimara)1 ; around one die his hateful rivals, and those who are his unfriendly foes.2

The knower of the unity of the human person with the personality in the world attains unhampered desire

Both he who is here in a person and he who is yonder in the sun—he is one.

(5) He who knows this, on departing from this world, proceeding on to that self which consists of food, proceeding on to that self which consists of breath, proceeding on to that self which consists of mind, proceeding on to that self which consists of understanding, proceeding on to that self which consists of bliss, goes up and down these worlds, eating what he desires, assuming what form he desires. He sits singing this chant (sāman):—

A mystical rapture of the knower of the universal unity

• • Oh, wonderful! Oh, wonderful! Oh, wonderful!

  • (6)

    I am food! I am food! I am food!
  • I am a food-eater! I am a food-eater! I am a food-eater!
  • I am a fame-maker (śloka-kṛt)! I am a fame-maker! I am a fame-maker!
  • I am the first-born of the world-order (ṛta),3
  • Earlier than the gods, in the navel of immortality!
  • Who gives me away, he indeed has aided me!
  • I, who am food, eat the eater of food!
  • I have overcome the whole world!
• • He who knows this, has a brilliantly shining light.
  • Such is the mystic doctrine

  • (upaniṣad)!

AITAREYA UPANISHAD

[1 ]Another course of instruction to Bhṛigu by his father Varuṇa occurs at Śat. Br. 11. 6. 1. 1-13.

[1 ]That is, for the giver.

[1 ]An incantation described in Ait. Br. 8. 28. A philosophical interpretation of ‘dying around Brahma’ occurs at Kaush. 2. 12.

[2 ]The word bhrātrvya, ‘foes,’ is of sociological significance, because etymologically it means ‘cousin (father’s brother’s son).’

[3 ]A phrase occurring more than once in both RV. and AV., e.g. RV. 10. 61. 19 and AV. 6. 122. 1.