Maitri (Maitrāyaṇīya) Upaniṣad 4.1

4.1

te ha khalvathordhvaretaso'tivismitā atisametyocurbhagavannamaste tvaṃ naḥ śādhi tvamasmākaṃ gatiranyā na vidyata ityasya ko'tithirbhūtātmano yenedaṃ hitvāmanyeva sāyujyamupaiti tānhovāca ||

1. Then, indeed, assuredly, those chaste [Vālakhilyas], exceedingly amazed, united and said: "Sir, adoration be to you! Instruct us further. You are our way [of escape]. There is no other.

What is the rule (vidhi) for this elemental soul, whereby, on quitting this body, it may come to complete union (sāyujya) with the Soul (Ātman)?"

Then he said to them:—

4.1.p1

athānyatrāpyuktaṃ mahānadīṣūrmaya iva nivartakamasya yatpurākṛtaṃ samudraveleva durnivāryamasya mṛtyorāgamanaṃ sadasatphalamayairhi pāśaiḥ paśuriva baddhaṃ bandhanasthasyevāsvātantryaṃ yamaviṣayasthasyaiva bahubhayāvasthaṃ madironmatta ivāmodamamadironmattaṃ pāpmanā gṛhīta iva bhrāmyamāṇaṃ mahoragadaṣṭa iva vipadṛṣṭaṃ mahāndhakāra iva rāgāndhamindrajālamiva māyāmayaṃ svapnamiva mithyādarśanaṃ kadalīgarbha ivāsāraṃ naṭa iva kṣaṇaveṣaṃ citrabhittiriva mithyāmanoramamityathoktam ||

2. "Now, it has elsewhere been said: 'Like the waves in great rivers, there is no turning back of that which has previously been done. Like the ocean tide, hard to keep back is the approach of one's death. Like a lame man—bound with the fetters made of the fruit of good and evil (sad-asad); like the condition of one in prison—lacking independence; like the condition of one in the realm of death—in a condition of great fear; like one intoxicated with liquor—intoxicated with delusion (moha); like one seized by an evil being—rushing hither and thither; like one bitten by a great snake—bitten by objects of sense; like gross darkness—the darkness of passion; like jugglery (indrajāla)—consisting of illusion (māyā-maya); like a dream—falsely apparent; like the pith of a banana-tree—unsubstantial; like an actor—in temporary dress; like a painted scene—falsely delighting the mind.'