Kauṣītaki Upaniṣad 3.8

3.8.1

na vācaṃ vijijñāsīta /

8. Speech is not what one should desire to understand. One should know the speaker.

3.8.2

vaktāraṃ vidyāt /

3.8.3

na gandhaṃ vijijñāsīta /

Smell is not what one should desire to understand. One should know the smeller.

3.8.4

ghrātāraṃ vidyāt /

3.8.5

na rūpaṃ vijijñāsīta /

Form is not what one should desire to understand. One should know the seer.

3.8.6

draṣṭāraṃ vidyāt /

3.8.7

na śabdaṃ vijijñāsīta /

Sound is not what one should desire to understand. One should know the hearer.

3.8.8

śrotāraṃ vidyāt /

3.8.9

nānnarasaṃ vijijñāsīta /

Taste is not what one should desire to understand. One should know the discerner of taste.

3.8.10

annarasasya vijñātāraṃ vidyāt /

3.8.11

na karma vijijñāsīta /

The deed is not what one should desire to understand. One should know the doer.

3.8.12

kartāraṃ vidyāt /

3.8.13

na sukhaduḥkhe vijijñāsīta /

Pleasure and pain are not what one should desire to understand. One should know the discerner of pleasure and pain.

3.8.14

sukhaduḥkhayor vijñātāraṃ vidyāt /

3.8.15

nānandaṃ na ratiṃ na prajātiṃ vijijñāsīta /

Bliss, delight, and procreation are not what one should desire to understand. One should know the discerner of bliss, delight, and procreation.

3.8.16

ānandasya rateḥ prajāter vijñātāraṃ vidyāt /

3.8.17

netyāṃ vijijñāsīta /

Going is not what one should desire to understand. One should know the goer.

3.8.18

etāraṃ vidyāt /

3.8.19

na mano vijijñāsīta /

Mind (manas) is not what one should desire to understand. One should know the thinker (mantṛ).

3.8.20

mantāraṃ vidyāt /

3.8.21

tā vā etā daśaiva bhūtamātrā adhiprajñam /

These ten existential elements (bhūta-mātrā), verily, are with reference to intelligence (adhi-prajña). The ten intelligential elements (prajñā-mātrā) are with reference to existence (adhi-bhūta.) For truly, if there were no elements of being, there would be no elements of intelligence. Verily, if there were no elements of intelligence, there would be no elements of being. For truly, from either alone no appearance (rūpa) whatsoever would be effected.

3.8.22

daśa prajñāmātrā adhibhūtam /

3.8.23

yad dhi bhūtamātrā na syur na prajñāmātrāḥ syuḥ /

3.8.24

yad vā prajñāmātrā na syur na bhūtamātrāḥ syuḥ /

3.8.25

na hy anyatarato rūpaṃ kiñcana sidhyet /

3.8.26

no etan nānā /

And this is not a diversity. But as of a chariot the felly is fixed on the spokes and the spokes are fixed on the hub,

3.8.27

tad yathā rathasyāreṣu nemir arpitā /

3.8.28

nābhāv arā arpitā /

3.8.29

evam evaitā bhūtamātrāḥ prajñāmātrāsv arpitāḥ /

even so these elements of being (bhūta-mātrā) are fixed on the elements of intelligence (prajñā-mātrā), and the elements of intelligence are fixed on the breathing spirit (prāṇa).

3.8.30

prajñāmatrāḥ prāṇe 'rpitāḥ /

3.8.31

sa eṣa prāṇa eva prajñātmānanto 'jaro 'mṛtaḥ /

This same breathing spirit, in truth, is the intelligential self (prajñātman); [it is] bliss, ageless, immortal.

3.8.32

na sādhunā karmaṇā bhūyān bhavati no evāsādhunā kanīyān /

He does not become greater (bhūyas) with good action, nor indeed lesser (kanīyas) with bad action.

3.8.33

eṣa hy eva sādhu karma kārayati taṃ yam ebhyo lokebhya unninīṣate /

This one, truly, indeed, causes him whom he wishes to lead up from these worlds, to perform good action. This one, also, indeed, causes him whom he wishes to lead downward, to perform bad action.

3.8.34

eṣa u evāsādhu karma kārayati taṃ yam adho ninīṣate /

3.8.35

eṣa lokapālaḥ /

He is the world-protector (loka-pāla). He is the world-sovereign (lokādhipati). He is the lord of all.

3.8.36

eṣa lokādhipatiḥ /

3.8.37

eṣa lokeśaḥ /

3.8.38

sa ma ātmeti vidyāt /

‘He is my self (ātman)’—this one should know. ‘He is my self’—this one should know.

3.8.39

sa ma ātmeti vidyāt //8//