Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.5

1.5.1

yatsaptānnāni medhayā tapasājanayatpitā ekamasya sādhāraṇaṃ dve devānabhājayat trīṇyātmane'kuruta paśubhya ekaṃ prāyacchat tasminsarvaṃ pratiṣṭhitaṃ yacca prāṇiti yacca na kasmāttāni na kṣīyante'dyamānāni sarvadā yo vaitāmakṣitiṃ veda so'nnamatti pratīkena sa devānapigacchati sa ūrjamupajīvati iti ślokāḥ

That the father produced seven kinds of food through meditation and rites (I shall disclose). One is common to all eaters. Two he apportioned to the gods. Three he designed for himself. And one he gave to the animals. On it rests everything—what lives and what does not. Why are they not exhausted, although they are always being eaten? He who knows this cause of their permanence, eats food with Pratīka (pre-eminence). He attains (identity with) the gods and lives on nectar. These are the verses.

1.5.2

yatsaptānnāni medhayā tapasājanayatpiteti medhayā hi tapasājanayatpitaikamasya sādhāraṇamitīdamevāsya tatsādhāraṇamannaṃ yadidamadyate sa ya etadupāste na sa pāpmano vyāvartate miśram̐ hyetat | dve devānabhājayaditi hutaṃ ca prahutaṃ ca tasmāddevebhyo juhvati ca pra ca juhvatyatho āhurdarśapūrṇamāsāviti | tasmānneṣṭiyājukaḥ syāt | paśubhya ekaṃ prāyacchaditi tatpayaḥ | payo hyevāgre manuṣyāśca paśavaścopajīvanti tasmātkumāraṃ jātaṃ ghṛtaṃ vai vāgre pratilehayanti stanaṃ vānudhāpayantyatha vatsaṃ jātamāhuratṛṇāda iti | tasminsarvaṃ pratiṣṭhitaṃ yacca prāṇiti yacca neti payasi hīdam̐ sarvaṃ pratiṣṭhitaṃ yacca prāṇiti yacca na | tadyadidamāhuḥ saṃvatsaraṃ payasā juhvadapa punarmṛtyuṃ jayatīti na tathā vidyādyadahareva juhoti tadahaḥ punarmṛtyumapajayatyevaṃ vidvānsarvam̐ hi devebhyo'nnādyaṃ prayacchati | kasmāttāni na kṣīyante'dyamānāni sarvadeti puruṣo vā akṣitiḥ sa hīdamannaṃ punaḥ punarjanayate | yo vaitāmakṣitiṃ vedeti puruṣo vā akṣitiḥ sa hīdamannaṃ dhiyā dhiyā janayate | karmabhiryaddhaitanna kuryātkṣīyeta ha so'nnamatti pratīkeneti mukhaṃ pratīkaṃ mukhenetyetatsa devānapigacchati sa ūrjamupajīvatītipraśam̐sā

'That the father produced seven kinds of food through meditation and rites,' means that the father indeed produced them through meditation and rites. 'One is common to all eaters,' means, this food that is eaten is the common food of all eaters. He who adores

1.5.3

trīṇyātmane'kuruteti mano vācaṃ prāṇaṃ tānyātmane'kurutānyatramanā abhūvaṃ nādarśamanyatramanā abhūvaṃ nāśrauṣamiti manasā hyeva paśyati manasā śṛṇoti | kāmaḥ saṃkalpo vicikitsā śraddhāśraddhā dhṛtiradhṛtirhrīrdhīrbhīrityetatsarvaṃ mana eva tasmādapi pṛṣṭhata upaspṛṣṭo manasā vijānāti yaḥ kaśca śabdo vāgeva saiṣā hyantamāyattaiṣā hi na prāṇo'pāno vyāna udānaḥ samāno'na ityetatsarvaṃ prāṇa evaitanmayo vā ayamātmā vāṅmayo manomayaḥ prāṇamayaḥ

‘Three he designed for himself,’ means: The mind, the organ of speech and the vital force; these he designed for himself. (They say), ‘I was absent-minded, I did not see it,’ ‘I was absent-minded, I did not hear it.’ It is through the mind that one sees and hears. Desire, deliberation, doubt, faith, want of faith, patience, impatience, shame, intelligence and fear—all these are but the mind. Even if one is touched from behind, one knows it through the mind; therefore (the mind exists). And any kind of sound is but the organ of speech, for it serves to.determine a thing, but it cannot itself be revealed. Prâna, Apâna, Vyâna, Udâna, Samâna and Ana—all these are but the vital force. This body is identified with these—with the organ of speech, the mind and the vital force.

1.5.4

trayo lokā eta eva vāgevāyaṃ loko mano'ntarikṣalokaḥ prāṇo'sau lokaḥ

These are the three worlds. The organ of speech is this world (the earth), the mind is the sky, and the vital force is that world (heaven).

1.5.5

trayo vedā eta eva vāgevargvedo mano yajurvedaḥ prāṇaḥsāmavedaḥ

These are the three Vedas. The organ of speech is the Rig-Veda, the mind is the Yajur-Veda and the vital force the Sâma-Veda.

1.5.6

devāḥ pitaro manuṣyā eta eva vāgeva devā manaḥ pitaraḥ prāṇo manuṣyāḥ

These are the gods, the Manes and men. The organ of speech is the gods, the mind the Manes, and the vital force men.

1.5.7

pitā mātā prajaita eva mana eva pitā vāṅmātāprāṇaḥ prajā

These are the father, mother and child. The mind is the father, the organ of speech the mother, and the vital force the child.

1.5.8

vijñātaṃ vijijñāsyamavijñātameta eva yatkiṃca vijñātaṃ vācastadrūpaṃ vāgghi vijñātā vāgenaṃ tadbhūtvāvati

These are what is known, what it is desirable to know, and what is unknown. Whatever is known is a form of the organ of speech, for it is the knower. The organ of speech protects him (who knows this) by becoming that (which is known).

1.5.9

yatkiṃca vijijñāsyaṃ manasastadrūpaṃ mano hi vijijñāsyaṃ mana enaṃ tadbhūtvāvati

Whatever it is desirable to know is a form of the mind, for the mind is what it is desirable to know. The mind protects him (who knows this) by becoming that (which it is desirable to know).

1.5.10

yatkiṃcāvijñātaṃ prāṇasya tadrūpaṃ prāṇo hyavijñātaḥ prāṇa enaṃ tadbhūtvāvati

Whatever is unknown is a form of the vital force, for the vital force is what is unknown. The vital force protects him (who knows this) by becoming that (which is unknown).

1.5.11

tasyai vācaḥ pṛthivī śatīraṃ jyotīrūpamayamagnistadyāvatyeva vāktāvatī pṛthivī tāvānayamagniḥ

The earth is the body of that organ of speech, and this fire is its luminous organ. And as far as the organ of speech extends, so far extends the earth and so far does this fire.

1.5.12

athaitasya manaso dyauḥ śarīraṃ jyotīrūpamasāvādityastadyāvadeva manastāvatī dyaustāvānasāvādityastau mithunam̐ samaitāṃ tataḥ prāṇojāyata sa indraḥ sa eṣo'sapatno dvitīyo vai sapatno nāsya sapatno bhavati ya evaṃ veda

Heaven is the body of this mind, and that sun is its luminous organ. And as far as the mind extends, so far extends heaven, and so far does that sun. The two were united, and from that the vital force emanated. It is the Supreme Lord.footnote{This is said for the purpose of meditation.} It is without a rival. A second being is indeed a rival. He who knows it as such has no rival.

1.5.13

athaitasya prāṇasyāpaḥ śarīraṃ jyotīrūpamasau candrastadyāvāneva prāṇastāvatya āpastāvānasau candrasta ete sarva eva samāḥ sarve'nantāḥ sa yo haitānantavata upāste'ntavantam̐ sa lokaṃ jayatyatha yo haitānanantānupāste'nantam̐ sa lokaṃ jayati

Water is the body of this vital force, and that moon is its luminous organ. And as far as the vital force extends, so far extends water, and so far does that moon. These are all equal, and all infinite. He who meditates upon these as finite wins a finite world, but he who meditates upon these as infinite wins an infinite world.

1.5.14

sa eṣa saṃvatsaraḥ prajāpatiḥ ṣoḍaśakalastasya rātraya eva pañcadaśa kalā dhruvaivāsya ṣoḍaśī kalā sa rātribhirevā ca pūryate'pa ca kṣīyate so'māvāsyām̐ rātrimetayā ṣoḍaśyā kalayā sarvamidaṃ prāṇabhṛdanupraviśya tataḥ prātarjāyate tasmādetām̐ rātriṃ prāṇabhṛtaḥ prāṇaṃ na vicchindyādapi kṛkalāsasyaitasyā eva devatāyā apacityai

This Prajâpati (Hiranyagarbha) has sixteen digits and is represented by the year. The nights (and days) are his fifteen digits, and the constant one is his sixteenth digit. He (as the moon) is filled as well as wasted by the nights (and days). Through this sixteenth digit he permeates all these living beings on the new moon night and rises the next morning. Therefore on this night one should not take the life of living beings, not even of a chameleon, in adoration of this deity alone.

1.5.15

yo vai sa saṃvatsaraḥ prajāpatiḥ ṣoḍaśakalo'yameva sa yo'yamevaṃvitpuruṣastasya vittameva pañcadaśa kalā ātmaivāsya ṣoḍaśī kalā sa vittenaivā ca pūryate'pa ca kṣīyate tadetannabhyaṃ yadayamātmā pradhirvittaṃ tasmādyadyapi sarvajyāniṃ jīyata ātmanā cejjīvati pradhināgādityevāhuḥ

That Prajâpati who has sixteen digits and is respresented by the year is indeed this man who knows as above. Wealth constitutes his fifteen digits, and the body his sixteenth digit. He is filled as well as wasted by wealth. This body stands for a nave, and wealth is the felloe. Therefore if a man loses everything, but he himself lives, people say that he has only lost his outfit.

1.5.16

atha trayo vāva lokā manuṣyalokaḥ pitṛloko devaloka iti so'yaṃ manuṣyalokaḥ putreṇaiva jayyo nānyena karmaṇākarmaṇā pitṛloko vidyayā devaloko devaloko vai lokānām̐ śreṣṭhastasmādvidyāṃ praśam̐santi

There are indeed three worlds, the world of men, the world of the Manes and the world of the gods. This world of men is to be won through the son alone, and by no other rite; the world of the Manes through rites; and the world of the gods through meditation. The world of the gods is the best of the worlds. Therefore they praise meditation.

1.5.17

athātaḥ saṃprattiryadā praiṣyanmanyate'tha putramāha tvaṃ brahma tvaṃ yajñastvaṃ loka iti sa putraḥ pratyāhāhaṃ brahmāhaṃ yajño'haṃ loka iti yadvai kiṃcānūktaṃ tasya sarvasya brahmetyekatā | ye vai ke ca yajñāsteṣām̐ sarveṣāṃ yajña ityekatā ye vai ke ca lokāsteṣām̐ sarveṣāṃ loka ityekataitāvadvā idam̐ sarvametanmā sarvam̐ sannayamito'bhunajaditi tasmātputramanuśiṣṭaṃ lokyamāhustasmādenamanuśāsati sa yadaivaṃvidasmāllokātpraityathaibhireva prāṇaiḥ saha putramāviśati | sa yadyanena kiṃcidakṣṇayākṛtaṃ bhavati tasmādenam̐ sarvasmātputro muñcati tasmātputro nāma sa putreṇaivāsmim̐lloke pratitiṣṭhatyathainamete devāḥ prāṇā amṛtā āviśanti

Now therefore the entrusting: When a man thinks he will die, he says to his son, 'You are Brahman, you are the sacrifice, and you are the world.' The son replies, 'I am Brahman, I am the sacrifice, and I am the world.' (The father thinks:) 'Whatever is studied is all unified in the word "Brahman." Whatever sacrifices there are, are all unified in the word "sacrifice." And whatever worlds there are, are all unified in the word "world." All this (the duties of a householder) is indeed this much. He, being all this, will protect me from (the ties of) this world.' Therefore they speak of an educated son as being conducive to the world. Hence (a father) teaches his son. When a father who knows as above departs from this world, he penetrates his son together with the organ of speech, the mind and the vital force. Should anything be left undone by him through any slip, the son exonerates him from all that. Therefore he is called a son. The father lives in this world through the son. Divine and immortal speech, mind and vital force permeate him.

1.5.18

pṛthivyai cainamagneśca daivī vāgāviśati sā vai daivī vāgyayā yadyadeva vadati tattadbhavati

The divine organ of speech from the earth and fire permeates him. That is the divine organ of speech through which whatever he says is fulfilled.

1.5.19

divaścainamādityācca daivaṃ mana āviśati tadvai daivaṃ mano yenānandyeva bhavatyatho na śocati

The divine mind from heaven and the sun permeates him. That is the divine mind

1.5.20

atścainaṃ candramasaśca daivaḥ prāṇa āviśati sa vai daivaḥ prāṇo yaḥ saṃcaram̐ścāsaṃcaram̐śca na vyathate'tho na riṣyati sa evaṃvitsarveṣāṃ bhūtānāmātmā bhavati yathaiṣā devataivam̐ sa yathaitāṃ devatām̐ sarvāṇi bhūtānyavantyevam̐ haivaṃvidam̐ sarvāṇi bhūtānyavanti | yadu kiṃcemāḥ prajāḥ śocantyamaivāsāṃ tadbhavati puṇyamevāmuṃ gacchati na ha vai devān pāpaṃ gacchati

The divine vital force from water and the moon permeates him. That is the divine vital force which, when it moves or does not move, feels no pain nor is injured. He who knows as above becomes the self of all beings. As is this deity (Hiraṇyagarbha), so is he. As all beings take care of this deity, so do they take care of him. Howsoever these beings may grieve, that grief of theirs is connected with them. But only merit goes to him. No demerit ever goes to the gods.

1.5.21

athāto vratamīmām̐sā prajāpatirha karmāṇi sasṛje tāni sṛṣṭānyanyonyenāspardhanta vadiṣyāmyevāhamiti vāgdadhre drakṣyāmyahamiti cakṣuḥ śroṣyāmyahamiti śrotramevamanyāni karmāṇi yathākarma tāni mṛtyuḥ śramo bhūtvopayemetānyāpnottā nyāptvā mṛtyuravārunddha tasmācchrāmyatyeva vāk śrāmyati cakṣuḥ śrāmyati śrotramathemameva nāpnodyo'yaṃ madhyamaḥ prāṇastāni jñātuṃ dadhrire ayaṃ vai naḥ śreṣṭho yaḥ saṃcaram̐ścāsaṃcaram̐śca na vyathate'tho na riṣyati hantāsyaiva sarve rūpamasāmeti ta etasyaiva sarve rūpamabhavam̐stasmādeta etenākhyāyante prāṇā iti tena ha vāva tatkulamācakṣate yasminkule bhavati ya evaṃ veda ya u haivaṃvidā spardhate'nuśuṣyatyanuśuṣya haivāntato mriyata ityadhyātmam

Now a consideration of the vow: Prajāpati projected the organs. These, on being projected, quarrelled with one another. The organ of speech took a vow, 'I will go on speaking.' The eye: 'I will see.' The ear: 'I will hear.' And so did the other organs according to their functions. Death captured them in the form of fatigue—it overtook them, and having overtaken them it controlled them. Therefore the organ of speech invariably gets tired, and so do the eye and the ear. But death did not overtake this vital force in the body. The organs resolved to know it. 'This is the greatest among us that, when it moves or does not move, feels no pain nor is injured. Well, let us all be of its form.' They all assumed its form. Therefore they are called by this name of 'Prâṇa.' That family in which a man is born who knows as above, is indeed named after him. And he who competes with one who knows as above shrivels, and after shrivelling dies at the end. This is with reference to the body.

1.5.22

athādhidaivataṃ jvaliṣyāmyevāhamityagnirdadhre tapsyāmyahamityādityo bhāsyāmyahamiti candramā evamanyā devatā yathādaivatam̐ sa yathaiṣāṃ prāṇānāṃ madhyamaḥ prāṇa evametāsāṃ devatānāṃ vāyurnimlocanti hyanyā devatā na vāyuḥ saiṣānastamitā devatā yadvāyuḥ

Now with reference to the gods: Fire took a vow, 'I will go on burning.' The sun: 'I will give heat.' The moon: 'I will shine.' And so did the other gods according to their functions. As is the vital force in the body among these organs, so is Vāyu (air) among these gods. Other gods sink, but not air. Air is the deity that never sets.

1.5.23

athaiṣa śloko bhavati yataścodeti sūryo'staṃ yatra ca gacchatīti prāṇādvā eṣa udeti prāṇe'stameti taṃ devāścakrire dharmam̐ sa evādya sa u śva iti yadvā ete'murhyadhriyanta tadevāpyadya kurvanti | tasmādekameva vrataṃ caretprāṇyāccaivāpānyācca nenmā pāpmā mṛtyurāpnuvaditi yadyu caretsamāpipayiṣetteno etasyai devatāyai sāyujyam̐ salokatāṃ jayati

Now there is this verse: ‘The gods observed the vow of that from which the sun rises and in which he sets. It is (followed) to-day, and it will be (followed) to-morrow.’ The sun indeed rises from the vital force and also sets in it. What these (gods) observed then, they observe to this day. Therefore a man should observe a single vow—do the functions of the Prāṇa and Apāna (respiration and excretion), lest the evil of death (fatigue) should overtake him. And if he observes it, he should seek to finish it. Through it he

1.5.23.p1

iti prathamādhyāye pañcamaṃ brāhmaṇam