Maitri (Maitrāyaṇīya) Upaniṣad 6.29

6.29

evamuktvā'ntarhṛdayaḥ śakāyanyastasmai namaskṛtvā'nayā brahmavidyayā rājan brahmaṇaḥ panthānamārūḍhāḥ putrāḥ prajāpateriti santoṣaṃ dvandvatitikṣāṃ śāntatvaṃ yogābhyāsādavāpnotīti etadguhyatamaṃ nāputrāya nāśiṣyāya nāśāntāya kīrtayediti ananyabhaktāya sarvaguṇasampannāya dadyāt ||

29. Having spoken thus, absorbed in thought, Sākāyanya did obeisance to him and said: ‘By this Brahma-knowledge,

O king, did the sons of Prajāpati ascend the path of Brahma.

By the practise of Yoga one gains contentment, endurance of the pairs of opposites (_dvandva_), and tranquillity (_śāntatva_).

This profoundest mystery one should not mention to any one who is not a son, or who is not a pupil, or who is not tranquil. However, to one who is devoted to none other [than to his teacher] or to one who is supplied with all the qualifications (_guṇa_), one may give it.

6.29.p1

oṃ śucau deśe śuciḥ sattvasthaḥ sadadhīyānaḥ sadvādī saddhyāyī sadyājī syāditi | ataḥ sadbrahmaṇi satyabhilāṣiṇi nirvṛttyo'nastatphalacchinnapāśo nirāśaḥ pareṣvātmavadvigatabhayo niṣkāmo'kṣayyamaparimitaṃ sukhamākramya tiṣṭhati | paramaṃ vai śevadheriva parasyoddharaṇaṃ yanniṣkāmatvam | sa hi sarvakāmamayaḥ puruṣo'dhyavasāyasaṅkalpābhimānaliṅgo baddaḥ | atastadviparīto muktaḥ |
atraika āhurguṇaḥ prakṛtibhedavaśāsadhyavasāyātmabandhamupāgato|
adhyavasāyasya doṣakṣayāddhi mokṣaḥ manasā hyeva paśyati manasā śṛṇoti kāmaḥ saṅkalpo vicikitsā śraddhā'śraddhā dhṛtiradhṛtirhrīrdhīrbhīrityetatsarvaṃ mana eva guṇaughairuhyamānaḥ kaluṣīkṛtaścāsthiraścalo lupyamānaḥ saspṛho vyagraścābhimānitvaṃ prayāta iti ahaṃ so mamedamityevaṃ manyamāno nibadhnātyātmanātmānṃ jāleneva khecaraḥ | ataḥ puruṣo'dhyāvasāyasaṅkalpābimānaliṅgo baddaḥ atastadviparīto muktaḥ tasmānniradhyavasāyo niḥsaṅkalpo nirabhimānastiṣṭhet etanmokṣalakṣaṇam eṣātra brahmapadavī eṣo'tra dvāravivaro'nenāsya tamasaḥ pāraṃ gamiṣyati | atra hi sarve kāmāḥ samāhitā ityatrodāharanti yadā pañcāvatiṣṭhante jñānāni manasā saha |
buddhiśa na viceṣṭate tāmāhuḥ paramāṃ gatim ||

30. _Om!_ One should be in a pure place, himself pure (_śuci_), abiding in pureness (_sattva_), studying the Real (_sat_), speaking of the Real, meditating upon the Real, sacrificing to the Real. Henceforth, in the real Brahma which longs for the Real, he becomes completely other. So he has the reward (_phala_) of having his fetters cut; becomes void of expectation, freed from fear in regard to others [as fully] as in regard to himself, void of desire. He attains to imperishable, immeasurable happiness, and continues [therein].

Verily, freedom from desire (_niṣkāmatva_) is like the choicest extract from the choicest treasure. For, a person who is made up of all desires, who has the marks of determination, conception, and self-conceit, is bound. Hence, in being the opposite of that, he is liberated.

6.29.p2

etaduktvāntarhṛdayaḥ śākāyanyastasmai namaskṛtvā yathāvadupacārī kṛtakṛtyo maruduttarāyaṇaṃ gato na hyatrodvartmanā gatiḥ eṣo'tra brahmapathaḥ sauraṃ sdvāraṃ bhittvorddhvena vinirgatā ityatrodāharanti anantā raśmayastasya dīpavadyaḥ sthito hṛdi |
sitāsitāḥ kadrunīlāḥ kapilā mṛdulohitāḥ ||

Having spoken thus, Śākāyanya became absorbed in thought.

Marut, having done obeisance and shown proper honor to him, having attained his end, departed by the northern course of the sun, for there is no approach by a side-path here in the world. This is the path to Brahma here in the world. Piercing through the door of the sun, he departed aloft. On this point they quote :—

Unending are the rays of him
Who like a lamp dwells in the heart.
They're white and black and brown and blue;
They're tawny and of pale red hue.

6.29.p3

ūrdhvamekaḥ sthitasteṣāṃ yo bhibhitvā sūryamaṇḍalam |
brahmalokamatikramya tena yānti parāṃ gatim ||

Aloft arises one of these, Which, piercing through the sun’s round disk, On to the Brahma-world extends. Thereby men go the highest course.

6.29.p4

yadasyānyadraśmiśatamūrdhvameva vyavasthitam |
tena devanikāyānāṃ svadhāmāni prapadyate ||

What are its other hundred rays,
Are similarly upwards ranged;
Thereby unto the various gods’
Abiding-places one arrives.