Śāṅkhāyana (Kauṣītaki) Āraṇyaka 8.7

8.7

ŚĀ 8,7
candramā ivādityo dṛśyate na raśmayaḥ prādur bhavanti | lohinī dyaur bhavati yathā mañjiṣṭhāḥ | vyastaḥ pāyur bhavati | saṃpareto 'syātmā na ciram iva jīviṣyatīti vidyāt | sa yat karaṇīyaṃ manyeta tat kuryāt | athāpyādarśe vodake vā jihmaśirasaṃ vāśirasaṃ vātmānaṃ paśyen na vā paśyet | tad apy evam eva vidyāt | athāpi cchidrā chāyā bhavati na vā bhavati tad apy evam eva vidyāt | athāpi cchidra ivādityo rathanābhir ivākhyāyet tad apy evam eva vidyāt | athāpi nīla ivāgnir dṛśyeta yathā mayūragrīvā mahāmeghe vā marīcīr iva paśyet | anabhre vā vidyutaṃ paśyet | abhra enāṃ mna paśyet tad apy evam eva vidyāt | athāpy apidhāyākṣiṇī upekṣeta tatraitad varāṭakānīva na paśyet tad apy evam eva vidyāt | athāpy apidhāya karṇā upāsīta | ya eṣo 'gner iva jvalataḥ śabdo rathasyevopabdis taṃ na yadā śṛṇuyāt tad apy evam eva vidyāt | athāpi viparyaste kanyake dṛśyete dvijihmevā na vā dṛśyetetad apy evam eva vidyāt | sa yo 'to 'śruto 'mato 'vijñāto 'dṛṣṭo 'nādiṣṭo 'ghuṣṭaḥ śrotā mantā vijñātā draṣṭādeṣṭā ghoṣṭā sarveṣāṃ bhūtānām āntaraḥ puruṣaḥ sa ma ātmeti
vidyāt | sa utkrāmann evaitam aśarīraṃ prajñātmānam abhisaṃpadyate vijahātītaraṃ dauhikam | saiṣā sarvasyai vāca upaniṣat | sarvā haivemāḥ sarvasyai vācaupaniṣadaḥ | imāṃ tv evam ācakṣate ||

The sun is seen like the moon; rays do not appear. The sky becomes red like madder. The anus becomes prolapsed. One should know: 'His self has departed; he will not live much longer.' Whatever he thinks ought to be done, he should do it. Furthermore, if he should see himself in a mirror or in water with his head crooked or headless, or if he should not see [it at all], he should know it in just this way. Furthermore, when his shadow is perforated, or when it is not [cast at all], he should know it in just this way. Furthermore, if the sun should appear perforated, like the hub of a chariot-wheel, he should know it in just this way. Furthermore, if fire should appear blue like the neck of a peacock, or if he should see mirages in a great cloud, or if he should see lightning when the sky is cloudless, or if he should not see it in a cloud, he should know it in just this way. Furthermore, having closed his eyes, if he should look closely and not see there those [spots] like cowrie-shells, he should know it in just this way. Furthermore, having covered his ears, if he should sit and not hear that sound like blazing fire or the rumbling of a chariot, he should know it in just this way. Furthermore, if his pupils are seen inverted, or as if double-tongued, or are not seen at all, he should know it in just this way. The one who is unheard, unthought, unknown, unseen, unindicated, unproclaimed, the hearer, thinker, knower, seer, indicator, proclaimer, the inner person of all beings—he should know: 'He is my self.' Rising up [at death], he attains this bodiless conscious self; he leaves behind the other, which belongs to the body. This is the secret teaching (upaniṣad) of all speech. For indeed, all these are secret teachings of all speech; but this one they declare in this way.