Invocation

Invocation Om. May Brahman protect us both (the preceptor and the disciple)! May Brahman bestow upon us both the fruit of Knowledge! May we both obtain the energy to acquire Knowledge! May what we both study reveal the Truth! May we cherish no ill feeling toward each other!
Om. Peace! Peace! Peace!

Verse 1-1

1 The disciple asked: Om. By whose will directed does the mind proceed to its object? At whose command does the prana, the foremost, do its duty? At whose will do men utter speech? Who is the god that directs the eyes and ears? 

Verse 1-2

2 The teacher replied: It is the Ear of the ear, the Mind of the mind, the Speech of speech, the Life of life and the Eye of the eye. Having detached the Self from the sense-organs and renounced the world, the Wise attain to Immortality. 

Verse 1-3

3 The eye does not go thither, nor speech, nor the mind. We do not know It; we do not understand how anyone can teach It.

Verse 1-4

4 It is different from the known; It is above the unknown. Thus we have heard from the preceptors of old who taught It to us. 

Verse 1-5

5 That which cannot be expressed by speech, but by which speech is expressed-That alone know as Brahman and not that which people here worship. 

Verse 1-6

6 That which cannot be apprehended by the mind, but by which, they say, the mind is apprehended-That alone know as Brahman and not that which people here worship. 

Verse 1-7

7 That which cannot be perceived by the eye, but by which the eye is perceived-That alone know as Brahman and not that which people here worship. 

Verse 1-8

8 That which cannot he heard by the ear, but by which the hearing is perceived-That alone know as Brahman and not that which people here worship.

Verse 1-9

9 That which cannot be smelt by the breath, but by which the breath smells an object-That alone know as Brahman and not that which people here worship. 

Verse 2-1

1 The teacher said: If you think: “I know Brahman well,” then surely you know but little of Its form; you know only Its form as conditioned by man or by the gods. Therefore Brahman, even now, is worthy of your inquiry.

Verse 2-2

2 The disciple said: I think I know Brahman. I do not think I know It well, nor do I think I do not know It. He among us who knows the meaning of “Neither do I not know, nor do I know”-knows Brahman.

Verse 2-3

3 He by whom Brahman is not known, knows It; he by whom It is known, knows It not. It is not known by those who know It; It is known by those who do not know It.

Verse 2-4

4 Brahman is known when It is realised in every state of mind; for by such Knowledge one attains Immortality. By Atman one obtains strength; by Knowledge, Immortality 

Verse 2-5

5 If a man knows Atman here, he then attains the true goal of life. If he does not know It here, a great destruction awaits him. Having realised the Self in every being, the wise relinquish the world and become immortal. 

Verse 3-1

1 Brahman, according to the story, obtained a victory for the gods; and by that victory of Brahman the gods became elated. They said to themselves: “Verily, this victory is ours; verily, this glory is ours only.”

Verse 3-2

2 Brahman, to be sure, understood it all and appeared before them. But they did not know who that adorable Spirit was. 

Verse 3-3

3 They addressed Agni; “O Jātaveda, please find out who this yaksha is”; “Yes” said Agni.

Verse 3-4

4 He (Agni) hastened (to the yaksha). (The yaksha) asked him who he was; (Agni) replied: “I am verily, Agni; I am also known as Jātaveda (near omniscient)”.

Verse 3-5

5 What energy do you possess—you of such fame?” (asked the yaksha). I can burn everything, whatever there on this earth,” (replied Agni).

Verse 3-6

6 The yaksha placed a straw before him (and said): “Burn this!” (Agni) approached it with all speed; he was however, unable to burn it. So he withdrew from there (and returned to the gods), saying, “I could not ascertain who the yaksha was.”

Verse 3-7

7 Then they addressed Vāyu: “O Vāyu, please ascertain this, who this yaksha is.” “Yes”, said Vāyu.

Verse 3-8

8 (Vāyu) hastened (to the yaksha). (The yaksha) asked him who he was; Vāyu replied: “I am verily, Vāyu; I am also known as Mātarishvā (courser of the atmosphere)”.

Verse 3-9

9 “What energy do you possess—you of such fame?” (asked the yaksha). I can verily blow away everything, whatever there on this earth,” replied Vāyu.

Verse 3-10

10 The yaksha placed a straw before him and said; “blow this away!” Vāyu approached it with all speed; he was however, unable to blow it away. So he withdrew from there (and returned to the gods) saying, “I could not ascertain who the yaksha was.”

Verse 3-11

11 Then the gods addressed Indra: “O Maghavan, please ascertain who this yaksha is.” “Yes,” said Indra, and hastened to the yaksha. But the yaksha disappeared from his view.

Verse 3-12

12 And in that very spot he (Indra) beheld a woman, the wondrously effulgent Umā, the daughter of the snow clad mountain, Himavat. And of her he asked, “Who could this yaksha be?”

Verse 4-1

1 “That yaksha was Brahman,” said She. “It was through the victory of Brahman, indeed, that you achieved this glory.” It was from that (from the words of Umā) that he (Indra) understood that the yaksha was Brahman.

Verse 4-2

2 Therefore verily, these gods—Agni, Vāyu and Indra—excel the other gods; for they approached the yaksha nearest; they were the first to know Him as Brahman.

Verse 4-3

3 And therefore indeed, Indra excels the other gods; for he approached the yaksha nearest; He was the first to know Him as Brahman.

Verse 4-4

4 This is the teaching regarding That (Brahman): It is like a flash of lightning; it is like a wink of the eye; this is with reference to the ādihidaivatam (Its aspect as cosmic manifestation).

Verse 4-5

5 Now Its description with reference to the adhyātma (Its aspect as manifested in man); mind proceeds to Brahman in all speed, as it were; by his mind also, this Brahman is remembered and imagined as always near.

Verse 4-6

6 That Brahman is called Tadvana, the Adorable of all; It should be worshipped by the name of Tadvana. All beings love Him who knows Brahman as such.

Verse 4-7

7 “Sir teach me Upanishad.” “The Upanishad has been imparted to you; we have, verily, imparted to you the Upanishad relating to Brahman.”

Verse 4-8

8 Of the Upanishad, tapas (Concentration of the energies of the mind and the senses), damah (self-restraint), and karma (dedicated work) form the support; the Vedas (Knowledge) are its limbs; and Truth its abode.

Verse 4-9

9 One who realizes It (knowledge of Brahman) thus, destroys sin and is well established in Brahman, the infinite, the blissful and the highest.