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Max Muller / Sacred Books of the EastLanguageEnglishEspañol‹Chandogya Upanishad First PrapathakaChandogya Upanishad Second PrapathakaChandogya Upanishad Third PrapathakaChandogya Upanishad Fourth PrapathakaChandogya Upanishad Fifth PrapathakaChandogya Upanishad Sixth PrapathakaChandogya Upanishad Seventh PrapathakaChandogya Upanishad Eighth PrapathakaTalavakara / Kena Upanishad First KhandaTalavakara / Kena Upanishad Second KhandaTalavakara / Kena Upanishad Third KhandaTalavakara / Kena Upanishad Fourth KhandaAitareya Aranyaka / Upanishad First AdhyayaAitareya Aranyaka / Upanishad Second AdhyayaAitareya Aranyaka / Upanishad Third AdhyayaAitareya Aranyaka / Upanishad Fourth AdhyayaAitareya Aranyaka / Upanishad Fifth AdhyayaAitareya Aranyaka / Upanishad Sixth AdhyayaAitareya Aranyaka / Upanishad Seventh AdhyayaKaushitaki Brahmana Upanishad First AdhyayaKaushitaki Brahmana Upanishad Second AdhyayaKaushitaki Brahmana Upanishad Third AdhyayaKaushitaki Brahmana Upanishad Fourth AdhyayaVagasaneyi Samhita / Isha UpanishadKatha Upanishad First AdhyayaKatha Upanishad Second AdhyayaMundaka Upanishad First KhandaMundaka Upanishad Second KhandaTaittiriya Upanishad First ValliTaittiriya Upanishad Second ValliTaittiriya Upanishad Third ValliBrihadaranyaka Upanishad First AdhyayaBrihadaranyaka Upanishad Second AdhyayaBrihadaranyaka Upanishad Third AdhyayaBrihadaranyaka Upanishad Fourth AdhyayaBrihadaranyaka Upanishad Fifth AdhyayaBrihadaranyaka Upanishad Sixth AdhyayaSvetasvatara Upanishad First AdhyayaSvetasvatara Upanishad Second AdhyayaSvetasvatara Upanishad Third AdhyayaSvetasvatara Upanishad Fourth AdhyayaSvetasvatara Upanishad Fifth AdhyayaSvetasvatara Upanishad Sixth AdhyayaPrasna Upanishad First QuestionPrasna Upanishad Second QuestionPrasna Upanishad Third QuestionPrasna Upanishad Fourth QuestionPrasna Upanishad Fifth QuestionPrasna Upanishad Sixth QuestionMaitrayana Brahmana Upanishad First PrapathakaMaitrayana Brahmana Upanishad Second PrapathakaMaitrayana Brahmana Upanishad Third PrapathakaMaitrayana Brahmana Upanishad Fourth PrapathakaMaitrayana Brahmana Upanishad Fifth PrapathakaMaitrayana Brahmana Upanishad Sixth PrapathakaMaitrayana Brahmana Upanishad Seventh Prapathaka›Chandogya Upanishad: Sixth Prapathaka - First KhandaChandogya Upanishad Sixth PrapathakaListenPlay this chapter in spoken English.Save chapterListen to chapter439i. Hari/z, Om. There lived once 6Vetaketu A Aru/zeya (the grandson of Aru^a). To him his father (Uddalaka, the son of Aru^a) said: ‘ 6Vetaketu, go to school; for there is none belonging to our race, darling, who, not having studied (the Veda), is, as it were, a Brahma^a by birth only.’ 4Having begun his apprenticeship (with a teacher) when he was twelve years of age 1,.SVetaketu returned to his father, when he was twentyfour, having then studied all the Vedas,—conceited, considering himself well-read, and stern. 3His father said to him: ‘ SVetaketu, as you are so conceited, considering yourself so well-read, and so stern, my dear, have you ever asked for that instruction by which we hear what cannot be heard, by which we perceive what cannot be per¬ ceived, by which we know what cannot be known?’ 4‘What is that instruction, Sir?’ he asked. The father replied: ‘ My dear, as by one clod of clay all that is made of clay is known, the dif¬ ference 2 being only a name, arising from speech, but the truth being that all is clay; 5‘And as, my dear, by one nugget of gold 3 all that is made of gold is known, the difference being only a name, arising from speech, but the truth being that all is gold? 6‘ And as, my dear, by one pair of nail-scissors all that is made of iron (karsh^ayasam) is known, the difference being only a name, arising from speech, but the truth being that all is iron,—thus, my dear, is that instruction.’ 7The son said: ‘ Surely those venerable men (my teachers) do not know that. For if they had known it, why should they not have told it me? Do you, Sir, therefore tell me that.’ ‘ Be it so,’ said the father. Second KttAivnA h 1‘In the beginning,’ my dear, ‘there was that only which is (to op ), one only, without a second. Others say, in the beginning there was that only which is not (to fir) 6p) y one only, without a second; and from that which is not, that which is was born. 2‘But how could it be thus, my dear?’ the father continued. ‘ How could that which is, be born of that which is not? No, my dear, only that which is, was in the beginning, one only, without a second. 3‘It thought 1 2, may I be many, may I gro w forth. It sent forth fire 3. ‘ That fire * 1 thought, may I be many, may I grow forth. It sent forth water 2. ‘ And therefore whenever anybody anywhere is hot and perspires, water is produced on him from fire alone. 4‘ Water thought, may I be many, may I grow forth. It sent forth earth 3 (food). c Therefore whenever it rains anywhere, most food is then produced. From water alone is eatable food produced. 1‘Of all living things there are indeed three origins only 4, that which springs from an egg (oviparous), that which springs from a living being (viviparous), and that which springs from a germ. 2‘ That Being 5 (i. e. that which had produced fire, water, and earth) thought, let me now enter those three beings 5 (fire, water, earth) with this living accurately translating te^as are not removed by rendering it by fire, as may be seen immediately afterward in VI, 4, 1, where te^as is said to supply the red colour of agni, the burning fire, not the god of fire. See also VI, 8, 6. In later philosophical treatises the meaning of te^as is more carefully determined than Sdf (^iva atma ) l * *, and let me then reveal (develop) names and forms. 3‘ Then that Being having said, Let me make each of these three tripartite (so that fire, water, and earth should each have itself for its principal ingredient, besides an admixture of the other two), entered into those three beings (devata) with this living self only, and revealed names and forms. 4‘ He made each of these tripartite; and how these three beings become each of them tripartite, that learn from me now, my friend! 14 The red colour of burning fire (agni) is the colour of fire, the white colour of fire is the colour of water, the black colour of fire the colour of earth. Thus vanishes what we call fire, as a mere variety, being a name, arising from speech. What is true (satya) are the three colours (or forms). 2‘ The red colour of the sun (aditya) is the colour of fire, the white of water, the black of earth. Thus vanishes what we call the sun, as a mere variety, being a name, arising from speech. What is true are the three colours. 3‘ The red colour of the moon is the colour of fire, the white of water, the black of earth. Thus vanishes what we call the moon, as a mere variety, being a name, arising from speech. What is true are the three colours. 4‘The red colour of the lightning is the colour of fire, the white of water, the black of earth. Thus and as the sun, reflected in the water, does not suffer from the movement of the water, the real Self does not suffer pleasure or pain on earth, but the living self only. vanishes what we call the lightning, as a mere variety, being a name, arising from speech. What is true are the three colours. 5‘ Great householders and great theologians of olden times who knew this, have declared the same, saying, “No one can henceforth mention to us any¬ thing which we have not heard, perceived, or known 1.” Out of these (three colours or forms) they knew all. 6‘ Whatever they thought looked red, they knew was the colour of fire. Whatever they thought looked white, they knew was the colour of water. Whatever they thought looked black, they knew was the colour of earth. 7‘ Whatever they thought was altogether un¬ known, they knew was some combination of those three beings (devata). ‘ Now learn from me, my friend, how those three beings, when they reach man, become each of them tripartite. 1‘ The earth (food) when eaten becomes three¬ fold; its grossest portion becomes feces, its middle portion flesh, its subtilest portion mind. 2f Water when drunk becomes threefold; its grossest portion becomes water, its middle portion blood, its subtilest portion breath. 3‘Fire (i.e. in oil, butter, &c.) when eaten be¬ comes threefold; its grossest portion becomes bone, its middle portion marrow, its subtilest portion speech 2. 4‘For truly, my child, mind comes of earth, breath of water, speech of fire/ ‘ Please, Sir, inform me still more,’ said the son. ‘ Be it so, my child/ the father replied. 1‘That which is the subtile portion of curds, when churned, rises upwards, and becomes butter. 2‘In the same manner, my child, the subtile portion of earth (food), when eaten, rises upwards, and becomes mind. 3‘ That which is the subtile portion of water, when drunk, rises upwards, and becomes breath. 44 That which is the subtile portion of fire, when consumed, rises upwards, and becomes speech. 5‘For mind, my child, comes of earth, breath of water, speech of fire.’ ‘ Please, Sir, inform me still more/ said the son. ‘ Be it so, my child,’ the father replied. 1‘Man (purusha), my son, consists of sixteen parts. Abstain from food for fifteen days, but drink as much water as you like, for breath comes from water, and will not be cut off, if you drink water.’ 2Yvetaketu abstained from food for fifteen days. Then he came to his father and said: ‘ What shall I say?’ The father said: ‘Repeat the Rik, Ya^us, and Saman verses.’ He replied: ‘ They do not occur to me, Sir/ 3The father said to him: ‘ As of a great lighted fire one coal only of the size of a firefly may be left, which would not burn much more than this (i.e. very little), thus, my dear son, one part only of the sixteen parts (of you) is left, and therefore with that one part you do not remember the Vedas. Go and eat! 4‘ Then wilt thou understand me.’ Then Svetaketu ate, and afterwards approached his father. And whatever his father asked him, he knew it all by heart. Then his father said to him: 5‘ As of a great lighted fire one coal of the size of a firefly, if left, may be made to blaze up again by putting grass upon it, and will thus burn more than this, 64 Thus, my dear son, there was one part of the sixteen parts left to you, and that, lighted up with food, burnt up, and by it you remember now the Vedas/ After that, he understood what his father meant when he said: ‘ Mind, my son, comes from food, breath from water, speech from fire.’ He understood what he said, yea, he understood it 1. 476AI. Uddalaka Arum said to his son 6Vetaketu: own (Self). Therefore they say, svapiti, he sleeps, because he Is gone (apita) to his own (sva ) 1. 2‘ As a bird when tied by a string flies first in every direction, and finding no rest anywhere, settles down at last on the very place where it is fastened, exactly in the same manner, my son, that mind (the ^iva, or living Self in the mind, see VI, 3, 2), after flying in every direction, and finding no rest anywhere, settles down on breath 2; for indeed, my son, mind is fastened to breath. 3‘ Learn from me, my son, what are hunger and thirst. When a man is thus said to be hungry, water is carrying away (digests) what has been eaten by him. Therefore as they speak of a cow-leader (go-naya), a horse-leader (arva-naya), a man-leader (purusha-nclya), so they call water (which digests food and causes hunger) food-leader (a^anaya). Thus (by food digested &c.), my son, know this offshoot (the body) to be brought forth, for this (body) could not be without a root (cause). 4‘ And where could its root be except in food (earth) 3? And in the same manner, my son, as II 2 IOO food (earth) too is an offshoot, seek after its root, viz. water. And as water too is an offshoot, seek after its root, viz. fire. And as fire too is an off¬ shoot, seek after its root, viz. the True. Yes, all these creatures, my son, have their root in the 'True, they dwell in the True, they rest in the True. 5‘ When a man is thus said to be thirsty, fire carries away what has been drunk by him. There¬ fore as they speak of a cow-leader (go-naya), of a horse-leader (asva-naya), of a man-leader (purushanaya), so they call fire udanya, thirst, i.e. waterleader. Thus (by water digested &c.), my son, know this offshoot (the body) to be brought forth: this (body) could not be without a root (cause). 6‘ And where could its root be except in water? As water is an offshoot, seek after its root, viz. fire. As fire is an offshoot, seek after its root, viz. the True. Yes, all these creatures, O son, have their root in the True, they dwell in the True, they rest in the True. ‘ And how these three beings (devata), fire, water, earth, O son, when they reach man, become each of them tripartite, has been said before (VI, 4, 7). When a man departs from hence, his speech 1 is merged and from seed and blood combined the new body is produced. We must always have before us the genealogical table:— Sat, TO OV. I Te^-as (fire) = Va/£ (speech). Ap (water) = Prana (breath). Anna (earth) = Manas (mind). IOI in his mind, his mind in his breath, his breath in heat (fire), heat in the Highest Being. 7‘Now that which is that subtile essence (the root of all), in it all that exists has its self. It is the True. It is the Self, and thou, O Jfvetaketu, art it.’ ‘ Please, Sir, inform me still more,’ said the son. ‘ Be it so, my child,’ the father replied. 1‘As the bees 1, my son, make honey by col¬ lecting the juices of distant trees, and reduce the juice into one form, 2‘ And as these juices have no discrimination, so that they might say, I am the juice of this tree or that, in the same manner, my son, all these crea¬ tures, when they have become merged in the True (either in deep sleep or in death), know not that they are merged in the True. 3‘ Whatever these creatures are here, whether a lion, or a wolf, or a boar, or a worm, or a midge, or a gnat, or a musquito, that they become again and again. 4‘ Now that which is that subtile essence, in it all that exists has its self. It is the True. It is the Self, and thou, O 6Vetaketu, art it.’ ‘ Please, Sir, inform me still more,’ said the son. ‘ Be it so, my child,’ the father replied. 1‘ These rivers, my son, run, the eastern (like the Ganga) toward the east, the western (like the Sindhu) toward the west. They go from sea to sea (i.e. the clouds lift up the water from the sea to the sky, and send it back as rain to the sea). They become indeed sea. And as those rivers, when they are in the sea, do not know, I am this or that river, 2‘In the same manner, my son, all these crea¬ tures, when they have come back from the True, know not that they have come back from the True. Whatever these creatures are here, whether a lion, or a wolf, or a boar, or a worm, or a midge, or a gnat, or a musquito, that they become again and again. 3‘ That which is that subtile essence, in it all that exists has its self. It is the True. It is the Self, and thou, O SVetaketu, art it.’ ‘ Please, Sir, inform me still more,’ said the son. ‘ Be it so, my child,’ the father replied. 1‘ If some one were to strike at the root of this large tree here, it would bleed, but live. If he were to strike at its stem, it would bleed, but live. If he were to strike at its top, it would bleed, but live. Pervaded by the living Self that tree stands firm, drinking in its nourishment and rejoicing; 2‘ But if the life (the living Self) leaves one of its branches, that branch withers; if it leaves a second, that branch withers; if it leaves a third, that branch withers. If it leaves the whole tree, the whole tree withers 1. In exactly the same manner, my son, know this.’ Thus he spoke: 3‘ This (body) indeed withers and dies when the living Self has left it; the living Self dies not. ‘ That which is that subtile essence, in it all that exists has its self. It is the True. It is the Self, and thou, ^SVetaketu, art it/ ‘ Please, Sir, inform me still more/ said the son. ‘ Be it so, my child/ the father replied. AAANDOGYA-UPANISIiAD. 1‘ Fetch me from thence a fruit of the Nyagrodha tree.’ ‘ Here is one, Sir.’ ‘ Break it.’ ‘ It is broken, Sir/ ‘ What do you see there? ’ ‘ These seeds, almost infinitesimal/ ‘ Break one of them/ ‘ It is broken, Sir/ ‘ What do you see there? ’ ‘ Not anything, Sir/ 2The father said: ‘ My son, that subtile essence which you do not perceive there, of that very essence this great Nyagrodha tree exists. 3‘ Believe it, my son. That which is the subtile essence, in it all that exists has its self. It is the True. It is the Self, and thou, O SVetaketu, art it/ ‘ Please Sir, inform me still more/ said the son. ‘ Be it so, my child/ the father replied. 1‘ Place this salt in water, and then wait on me in the morning/ The son did as he was commanded. The father said to him: ‘ Bring me the salt, which you placed in the water last night/ The son having looked for it, found it not, for, of course, it was melted. 2The father said: ‘Taste it from the surface of the water. How is it? The son replied: ‘ It is salt/ ‘ Taste it from the middle. How is it? ’ The son replied: ‘ It is salt/ ‘ Taste it from the bottom. How is it? The son replied: ‘ It is salt/ The father said: ‘ Throw it away 1 and then wait on me/ He did so; but salt exists for ever. Then the father said: ‘ Here also, in this body, forsooth, you do not perceive the True (Sat), my son; but there indeed it is. 3‘ That which is the subtile essence, in it all that exists has its self. It is the True. It is the Self, and thou, O />Vetaketu, art it/ ‘ Please, Sir, inform me still more,’ said the son. ‘ Be it so, my child/ the father replied. 1‘As one might lead a person with his eyes covered away from the Gandharas 3, and leave him Cm io6 then in a place where there are no human beings; and as that person would turn towards the east, or the north, or the west, and shout, “ I have been brought here with my eyes covered, I have been left here with my eyes covered,” 2‘ And as thereupon some one might loose his bandage and say to him, “ Go in that direction, it is Gandhara, go in that direction; ” and as there¬ upon, having been informed and being able to judge for himself, he would by asking his way from village to village arrive at last at Gandhara,—in exactly the same manner does a man, who meets with a teacher to inform him, obtain the true knowledge h For him IO 7 there is only delay so long as he is not delivered (from the body); then he will be perfect * 1. 3'That which is the subtile essence, in it all that exists has its self. It is the True. It is the Self, and thou, O 6Vetaketu, art it.’ ‘ Please, Sir, inform me still more/ said the son. ' Be it so, my child/ the father replied. 1'If a man is ill, his relatives assemble round him and ask: " Dost thou know me? Dost thou know me?” Now as long as his speech is not that we love in this world. We then withdraw ourselves from all worldly pleasures. We learn that we are not mere creatures of the world, the son of so and so, &c., but that we are that which is the True (Sat). The bands of our ignorance and blindness are removed, and, like the man of Gandhara, we arrive at our own home, the Self, or the True. Then we are happy and blessed. The delay (the &ra or kshepa) of which he speaks is the time which passes between the attainment of true knowledge and death, or freedom from the effects of actions performed before the at¬ tainment of knowledge. The actions which led to our present embodiment must be altogether consumed, before the body can perish, and then only are we free. As to any actions performed after the attainment of knowledge, they do not count; otherwise there would be a new embodiment, and the attainment of even true knowledge would never lead to final deliverance. merged in his mind, his mind in breath, breath in heat (fire), heat in the Highest Being (devata), he knows them. 2‘ But when his speech is merged in his mind, his mind in breath, breath in heat (fire), heat in the Highest Being, then he knows them not. ‘ That which is the subtile essence, in it all that exists has its self. It is the True. It is the Self, and thou, O.Svetaketu, art it/ *' Please, Sir, inform me still more/ said the son. ‘ Be it so, my child/ the father replied. Sixteenth K rand a * 1. i. ‘ My child, they bring a man hither whom they have taken by the hand, and they say: “He has taken something, he has committed a theft.” (When know, return again to a new form of existence. It is important to observe that the commentator denies that he who knows, passes at his death through the artery of the head to the sun, and then to the Sat. He holds that with him who knows there is no further cause for delay, and that as soon as he dies, he returns to the Sat. he denies, they say), “ Heat the hatchet for him.” If he committed the theft, then he makes himself to be what he is not Then the false-minded, havingcovered his true Self by a falsehood, grasps the heated hatchet—he is burnt, and he is killed. 2‘ But if he did not commit the theft, then he makes himself to be what he is. Then the trueminded, having covered his true Self by truth, grasps the heated hatchet—he is not burnt, and he is delivered. ‘ As that (truthful) man is not burnt, thus has all that exists its self in That. It is the True. It is the Self, and thou, O Yvetaketu, art it.’ He under¬ stood what he said, yea, he understood it. ‹Previous chapterChandogya Upanishad Fifth PrapathakaNext chapterChandogya Upanishad Seventh Prapathaka›Similar passagesBy tradition and source labelFind similarCompare selectedCompare with similarAsk Deep ThoughtSelect passages to search for parallels.Tap any verse to select it, then compare selected passages or ask Deep Thought. Public-domain 1879/1884/1900 English translation