Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad ("Great Forest Teaching") 4.5

4.5.1

atha ha yājñavalkyasya dve bhārye babhūvaturmaitreyī ca kātyāyanī ca tayorha maitreyī brahmavādinī babhūba strīprajñaiva tarhi kātyāyanyatha ha yājñavalkyo'nyadvṛ ttamupākariṣyan

Yâgñavalkya had two wives, Maitreyî and Kâtyâyanî. Of these Maitreyî was conversant with Brahman, but Kâtyâyanî possessed such knowledge only as women possess. And Yâgñavalkya, when he wished to get ready for another state of life (when he wished to give up the state of a householder, and retire into the forest),

4.5.2

maitreyīti hovāca yājñavalkyaḥ pravrajiṣyanvā are'hamasmātsdhānādasmi hanta te'nayā kātyāyanyāntaṃ karavāṇīti

Said, 'Maitreyî, verily I am going away from this my house (into the forest). Forsooth, let me make a settlement between thee and that Kâtyâyanî.'

4.5.3

sā hovāca maitreyī yannu ma iyaṃ bhagoḥ sarvā pṛthivī vittena pūrṇā syātsyāṃ nvahaṃ tenāmṛtāho3 neti neti hovāca yājñavalkyo yathaivopakaraṇavatāṃ jīvitaṃ tathaiva te jīvitam̐ syādamṛtatvasya tu nāśāsti vitteneti

Maitreyî said: 'My Lord, if this whole earth, full of wealth, belonged to me, tell me, should I be immortal by it, or no?'
'No,' replied Yâgñavalkya, 'like the life of rich people will be thy life. But there is no hope of immortality by wealth.'

4.5.4

sā hovāca maitreyī yenāhaṃ nāmṛtā syāṃ kimahaṃ tena kuryāṃ yadeva bhagavānveda tadeva me brūhīti

And Maitreyî said: 'What should I do with that by which I do not become immortal? What my Lord knoweth (of immortality), tell that clearly to me.'

4.5.5

sa hovāca yājñavalkyaḥ priyā vai svalu no bhavatī satī priyamavṛdhaddhanta tarhi bhavatyetadvyākhyāsyāmi te vyācakṣāṇasya tu me nididhyāsasveti

Yâgñavalkya replied: 'Thou who art truly dear to me, thou hast increased what is dear (to me in thee). Therefore, if you like, Lady, I will explain it to thee, and mark well what I say.'

4.5.6

sa hovāca na vā are patyuḥ kāmāya patiḥ priyo bhavatyātmanastu kāmāya patiḥ priyo bhavati na vā are jāyāyai kāmāya jāyā priyā bhavatyātmanastu kāmāya jāyā priyā bhavati | na vā are putrāṇāṃ kāmāya putrāḥ priyā bhavantyātmanastu kāmāya putrāḥ priyā bhavanti | na vā are vittasya kāmāya vittaṃ priyaṃ bhavatyātmanastu kāmāya vittaṃ priyaṃ bhavati | na vā are paśūnāṃ kāmāya paśavaḥ priyā bhavantyātmanastu kāmāya paśavaḥ priyā bhavanti | na vā are brahmaṇaḥ kāmāya brahma priyaṃ bhavatyātmanastu kāmāya brahma priyaṃ bhavati | na vā are kṣatrasya kāmāya kṣatraṃ priyaṃ bhavatyātmanastu kāmāya kṣatraṃ priyaṃ bhavati | na vā are lokānāṃ kāmāya lokāḥ priyā bhavantyātmanastu kāmāya lokāḥ priyā bhavanti | na vā are devānāṃ kāmāya devāḥ priyā bhavantyātmanastu kāmāyadevāḥ priyā bhavanti | na vā are vedānāṃ kāmāya vedāḥ priyā bhavantyātmanastukāmāya vedāḥ priyā bhavanti | na vā are bhūtānāṃ kāmāya bhūtāni priyāṇi bhavantyātmanastu kāmāya bhūtāni priyāṇi bhavanti | na vā are sarvasya kāmāya sarvaṃ priyaṃ bhavatyātmanastu kāmāya sarvaṃ priyaṃ bhavati | ātmā vā are draṣṭavyaḥśrotavyo mantavyo nididhyāsitavyo maitreyyātmani khalvare dṛṣṭe śrute mate vijñāta idam̐ sarvaṃ viditam

And he said: 'Verily, a husband is not dear, that you may love the husband; but that you may love the Self, therefore a husband is dear.
'Verily, a wife is not dear, that you may love the wife; but that you may love the Self, therefore a wife is dear.
'Verily, sons are not dear, that you may love the sons; but that you may love the Self, therefore sons are dear.
'Verily, wealth is not dear, that you may love wealth; but that you may love the Self, therefore wealth is dear.
'Verily, cattle are not dear, that you may love cattle; but that you may love the Self, therefore cattle are dear.
'Verily, the Brahman-class is not dear, that you may love the Brahman-class; but that you may love the Self, therefore the Brahman-class is dear.
'Verily, the Kshatra-class is not dear, that you may love the Kshatra-class; but that you may love the Self, therefore the Kshatra-class is dear.
'Verily, the worlds are not dear, that you may love the worlds; but that you may love the Self, therefore the worlds are dear.
'Verily, the Devas are not dear, that you may love the Devas; but that you may love the Self, therefore the Devas are dear.
'Verily, the Vedas are not dear, that you may love the Vedas; but that you may love the Self, therefore the Vedas are dear.
'Verily, creatures are not dear, that you may love the creatures; but that you may love the Self, therefore are creatures dear.
'Verily, everything is not dear, that you may love everything; but that you may love the Self, therefore everything is dear.
'Verily, the Self is to be seen, to be heard, to be perceived, to be marked, O Maitreyî! When the Self has been seen, heard, perceived, and known, then all this is known!

4.5.7

brahma taṃ parādādyo'nyatrātmano brahma veda kṣatraṃ taṃ parādādyo'nyatrātmanaḥ kṣatraṃ veda lokāstaṃ parāduryo'nyatrātmano lokānveda devāstaṃ parāduryo'nyatrātmano devānveda vedāstaṃ parāduryo'nyatrātmanovedānveda bhūtāni taṃ parāduryo'nyatrātmano bhūtāni veda sarvaṃ taṃ parādādyo'nyatrātmanaḥ sarvaṃ vededaṃ brahmedaṃ kṣatramime lokā ime devā ime vedā imāni bhūtānīdam̐ sarvaṃ yadayamātmā

'Whosoever looks for the Brahman-class elsewhere than in the Self, was abandoned by the Brahman-class. Whosoever looks for the Kshatra-class elsewhere than in the Self, was abandoned by the Kshatra-class. Whosoever looks for the worlds elsewhere than in the Self, was abandoned by the worlds. Whosoever looks for the Devas elsewhere than in the Self, was abandoned by the Devas. Whosoever looks for the Vedas elsewhere than in the Self, was abandoned by the Vedas. Whosoever looks for the creatures elsewhere than in the Self, was abandoned by the creatures. Whosoever looks for anything elsewhere than in the Self, was abandoned by anything.
'This Brahman-class, this Kshatra-class, these worlds, these Devas, these Vedas, all these beings, this everything, all is that Self.

4.5.8

sa yathā dundubherhanyamānasya na bāhyāñchabdāñchaknuyādgrahaṇāya dundumestu grahaṇena dundubhyāghātasya vā śabdo gṛhītaḥ

'Now as the sounds of a drum, when beaten, cannot be seized externally (by themselves), but the sound is seized, when the drum is seized, or the beater of the drum;

4.5.9

sayathā śaṅgasya dhmāyamānasya na bāhyañchabdāñchaknuyādgrahaṇāya śaṅkhasya tu grahaṇena śaṅkhadhmasya vā śabdo gṛhītaḥ

'And as the sounds of a conch-shell, when blown, cannot be seized externally (by themselves), but the sound is seized, when the shell is seized, or the blower of the shell;

4.5.10

sa yathā vīṇāyai vādyamānāyai na bāhmāñchabdāñchaknuyādgrahaṇāya vīṇāyai tu grahaṇena vīṇāvādasya vā śabdo gṛhītaḥ

'And as the sounds of a lute, when played, cannot be seized externally (by themselves), but the sound is seized, when the lute is seized, or the player of the lute;

4.5.11

sa yathārdraidhāgneramyāhitasya pṛthagdhūmā viniścarantyevaṃ vā are'syamahato bhūtasya niśvasitametadyadṛgvedo yajurvedaḥ sāmavedo'tharvāṅgirasa itihāsaḥ purāṇaṃ vidyā upaniṣadaḥ ślokāḥ sūtrāṇyanuvyākhyānāni vyākhyānānīṣṭam̐ hutamāśitaṃ pāyitamayaṃ ca lokaḥ paraśca lokaḥ sarvāṇi ca bhūtānyasyaivaitāni sarvāṇi niśvasitāni

'As clouds of smoke proceed by themselves out of lighted fire kindled with damp fuel, thus verily, O Maitreyî, has been breathed forth from this great Being what we have as Rig-veda, Yagur-veda, Sâma-veda, Atharvâṅgirasas, Itihâsa, Purâna, Vidyâ, the Upanishads, Slokas, Sûtras, Anuvyâkhyânas, Vyâkhyânas, what is sacrificed, what is poured out, food, drink, this world and the other world, and all creatures. From him alone all these were breathed forth.

4.5.12

sa yathā sarvāsāmapām̐ samudra ekāyanamevam̐ sarveṣām̐ sparśānāṃ tvagekāyanamevam̐ sarveṣāṃ gandhānāṃ nāsike ekāyanamevam̐ sarveṣām̐ rasānāṃ jihvaikāyanamevam̐ sarveṣām̐ rūpāṇāṃ cakṣurekāyanamevam̐ sarveṣām̐ śabdānām̐ śrotramekāyanamevam̐ sarveṣām̐ saṃkalpānāṃ mana ekāyunamevam̐ sarvāsāṃ vidyānām̐ hṛdayamekāyanamevam̐ sarveṣāṃ karmaṇām̐ hastāvekā-yanamevam̐ sarveṣāmānandānāmupastha ekāyanamevam̐ sarveṣāṃ visargāṇāṃ pāyurekā-yanamevam̐ sarveṣāmadhvanāṃ pādāvekāyanamevam̐ sarveṣāṃ vedānāṃ vāgekāyanam

'As all waters find their centre in the sea, all touches in the skin, all tastes in the tongue, all smells in the nose, all colours in the eye, all sounds in the ear, all percepts in the mind, all- knowledge in the heart, all actions in the hands, all movements in the feet, and all the Vedas in speech,--

4.5.13

sa yathā saindhavaghano'nantaro'bāhmaḥ kṛtsro rasaghana evaivaṃ vā are'yamātmānantaro'bāhmaḥ kṛtsraḥprajñānaghana evaitebhyo bhūtebhyaḥ samutthāya tānyevānuvinaśyati na pretya saṃjñāstītyare bravīmīti hovāca yājñavalkyaḥ

'As a mass of salt has neither inside nor outside, but is altogether a mass of taste, thus indeed has that Self neither inside nor outside, but is altogether a mass of knowledge; and having risen from out these elements, vanishes again in them. When he has departed, there is no more knowledge (name), I say, O Maitreyî,'--thus spoke Yâgñavalkya.

4.5.14

sā hovāca maitreyyatraiva mā bhagavānmohāntamāpīpipanna vā ahamimaṃ vijānāmīti sa hovāca na vā are'haṃ mohaṃ bravīmyavināśī vā are'yamātmānucchittidharmā

Then Maitreyî said: 'Here, Sir, thou hast landed me in utter bewilderment. Indeed, I do not understand him.'
But he replied: 'O Maitreyî, I say nothing that is bewildering. Verily, beloved, that Self is imperishable, and of an indestructible nature.

4.5.15

yatra hi dvaitamiva bhavati taditara itaraṃ paśyati taditara itaraṃ jighrati taditara itaram̐ rasa-yate taditara itaramabhivadati taditara itaram̐ śṛṇoti taditara itaraṃ manute taditara itaram̐ spṛśati taditara itaraṃ vijānāti yatra tvasya sarvamātmaivābhūttatkena kaṃ paśyettatkena kaṃ jighrettatkena kam̐ rasayettatkena kamabhivadettatkena kam̐ śṛṇuyāttatkena kaṃ manvīta tatkena kam̐ spṛśettatkena kaṃ vijānīyādyenedam̐ savaṃ vijānātitaṃ kena vijānīyātsa eṣa neti netyātmāgṛhmo na hi gṛhmate'śīryo na hi śīryate'saṅgo na hi sajyate'sito na vyathate na riṣyati vijñātāramare kena vijānīyādityuktānuśāsanāsi maitreyyetāvadare khalvamṛtatvamiti hoktvā yājñavalkyo vijahāra

'For when there is as it were duality, then one sees the other, one smells the other, one tastes the other, one salutes the other, one hears the other, one perceives the other, one touches the other, one knows the other; but when the Self only is all this, how should he see another, how should he smell another, how should he taste another, how should he salute another, how should he hear another, how should he touch another, how should he know another? How should he know Him by whom he knows all this? That Self is to be described by No, no! He is incomprehensible, for he cannot be comprehended; he is imperishable, for he cannot perish; he is unattached, for he does not attach himself; unfettered, he does not suffer, he does not fail. How, O beloved, should he know the Knower? Thus, O Maitreyî, thou hast been instructed. Thus far goes immortality.' Having said so, Yâgñavalkya went away (into the forest).

4.5.15.p1

iti caturthādhyāye pañcamaṃ brāhmaṇam