The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• 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 MUṆḌAKA

Preparation for the knowledge of Brahma

First Khaṇḍa

The line of tradition of this knowledge from Brahmā himself

1. Brahmā arose as the first of the gods—

The maker of all, the protector of the world.

He told the knowledge of Brahma (brahma-vidyā), the foundation of all knowledge,

To Atharva[n], his eldest son.

2. What Brahmā taught to Atharvan,

Even that knowledge of Brahma, Atharvan told in ancient time to Aṅgir.

He told it to Bhāradvāja Satyavāha;

Bhāradvāja, to Aṅgiras—both the higher and the lower [knowledge].

Śaunaka’s quest for the clue to an understanding of the world

3. Śaunaka, verily, indeed, a great householder, approached Aṅgiras according to rule, and asked: ‘Through understanding of what, pray, does all this world become understood, Sir?’1

Two kinds of knowledge: the traditions of religion, and the knowledge of the eternal

4. To him then he said: ‘There are two knowledges to be known—as indeed the knowers of Brahma are wont to say2 : a higher (para) and also a lower (apara).

Now, the higher is that whereby that Imperishable (akṣara) is apprehended.

The imperishable source of all things

6. That which is invisible, ungraspable, without family, without caste (a-varṇa)—

Without sight or hearing is It, without hand or foot,

Eternal, all-pervading, omnipresent, exceedingly subtile;

That is the Imperishable, which the wise perceive as the source of beings.

7. As a spider emits and draws in [its thread],

As herbs arise on the earth,

As the hairs of the head and body from a living person,

Second Khaṇḍa

All the ceremonies of religion scrupulously to be practised

1. This is the truth:—

The works which the sages (kavi) saw in the sacred sayings (mantra, i.e. Vedic hymns)

Are manifoldly spread forth in the triad [of the Vedas].

Follow them (ācaratha) constantly, ye lovers of truth (satyakāma)!

This is your path to the world of good deeds.

• 2.

  When the flame flickers,
• After the oblation fire has been kindled,

Then, between the two portions of melted butter, his oblations.

One should throw—an offering made with faith (śraddhā).

3. If one’s Agnihotra sacrifice is not followed by the sacrifice of the new moon and of the full moon, by the four-months sacrifice, by the harvest sacrifice, if it is unattended by guests, or not offered at all, or without the ceremony to all the gods, or not according to rule, it destroys his seven worlds.

4. The Black (kālī), and the Terrible, and the Swift-as-Thought,

The Very-red, and the Very-smoky-colored,

The Scintillating, and the All-formed,1 divine one,

Are the seven so-called flickering tongues [of flame].2

Rewards of ceremonial observances

5. If one performs sacrifices when these are shining,

Offering the oblations at the proper time, too,

These (flames) as rays of the sun lead him

To where is resident the one lord (pati) of the gods.

6. Saying to him “Come! Come!” the splendid offerings

Carry the sacrificer with the rays of the sun,

Addressing pleasant speech, praising, and saying:

“This is your meritorious (puṇya) Brahma-world, gained by good works.”

Sacrificial forms ineffective against rebirth

7. Unsafe boats, however, are these sacrificial forms,

The eighteen,3 in which is expressed the lower work.

The fools who approve that as the better,

Go again to old age and death.

The consequences of ignorance

8. Those abiding in the midst of ignorance,

Self-wise, thinking themselves learned,

Hard smitten, go around deluded,

Like blind men led by one who is himself blind.4

9. Manifoldly living in ignorance,

They think to themselves, childishly: “We have accomplished our aim!”

Since doers of deeds (karmin) do not understand, because of passion (rāga),

Therefore, when their worlds are exhausted, they sink down wretched.

10. Thinking sacrifice and merit is the chiefest thing,

Naught better do they know—deluded!

Having had enjoyment on the top of the heaven won by good works,

They re-enter this world, or a lower.

But unstriving, retiring knowers, without sacrifice, reach the eternal Person

11. They who practise austerity (tapas) and faith (śraddhā) in the forest,

The peaceful (śānta) knowers who live on alms,

Depart passionless (vi-rāga) through the door of the sun,

To where is that immortal Person (Purusha), e’en the imperishable Spirit (Ātman).

This knowledge of Brahma to be sought properly from a qualified teacher

12. Having scrutinized the worlds that are built up by work, a Brahman

Should arrive at indifference. The [world] that was not made1 is not [won] by what is done.

For the sake of this knowledge let him go, fuel in hand,2

To a spiritual teacher (guru) who is learned in the scriptures and established on Brahma.

13. Such a knowing [teacher], unto one who has approached properly,

Whose thought is tranquilized, who has reached peace,

Teaches in its very truth that knowledge of Brahma

Whereby one knows the Imperishable, the Person, the True.

[1 ]The very same knowledge which Yājñavalkya declared to Maitreyī, Bṛih. 2. 4. 5 (end).

[2 ]Cf. Maitri 6. 22.

[2 ]A Sanskrit idiom for the modern term ‘individuality.’

[1 ]A variant reading is viśva-rucī, ‘All-gleaming.’

[2 ]Cf. ‘the seven-rayed Fire’ in RV. 1. 146. 1. Seven was an early sacrosanct number.

[3 ]That is, the four Vedas, each including Saṁhitā, Brāhmaṇa, and Sutra, and in addition the six Vedāṅgas which are enumerated at Muṇḍ. 1. 1. 5.

[4 ]With slight variation = Kaṭha 2. 5. and Maitri 7. 9.

[1 ]Cf. ‘the uncreated Brahma-world,’ Chānd. 8. 13.

[2 ]The token of pupilship.