PRASNA UPANISAD

PRASNA UPANISAD

With the Commentary of

SANKARACARYA

Translated by
SWAMI GAMBHIRANANDA

Advaita Ashrama.
(Publication Department)
5 DEH! ENTALLY ROAD
Catcutra 700 014
 Published by
Swami Mumukshananda
President, Advaita Ashrama *
‘Mayavati, Champawat, Himalayas
from its Publication Department, Calcutta

© All Rights Reserved

Fourth Impression, July 1998
3M3C

ISBN 81-7505-023-3

Printed in India at
Trio Process
P 128, CI T Road
Calcutta 700 014
 PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION

This new edition of the Prasna Upanisad has been

thoroughly revised by the author himself. In the
matter of printing, to facilitate things for the
reader, more space is given between the trans-
lation of the text and the translation of the bhasya.
In the references, where only the figures without
the name of any book occur, they refer to the s/oka
of this particular Upanisad.

PUBLISHER
 ; ‘published by " id J J. ai m +
/ i 7

Swami Mumvkshanatia —
_ President; Advaita Ashrama
VOItiet GUOdae ANT OT FOATT AI
from its Publication Department, Caicutia

a axed zndbaainng(S akan’ ot Towoitibe won eid T

ott al Qoamid torts onlteyd bosiver yidguorods
orl} 102 agri? stetiliogt of gaining 10 1 r
- <enett oft asowted novig ei sosqe s1om .19bso1
eit otomany aa 2
iw estwgi: ait yine oxedwi es0agteior od}
naar aecnkeyo dood yas tosarsa edt
eee ;

ISBN. 81-7505-023-3._
 PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION

The Prasna Upanisad is fourth in the series of Upanisads

being published separately, taking each of them in its
entirety from the earlier two-volume edition, Eight Upani-
sads, published by us. This has been preceded by the
Aitareya Upanisad, wwe Mundaka Upanisad, and the
Mandikya Upanisad with the K&rikad, thus completing
the publication of the four Upanisads in the second volume
_ of Eight Upanisads.
In the translation of the commentary, the words quoted
from the text by Sri Sankaracdrya are given in italics.
These are followed by commas and the English equiva-
lents. Informative explanatory footnotes have been added
wherever necessary.
This Upanisad derives its name from the six prasnas
or questions it contains. It belongs to the AtharvaVeda,
and very probably is of the Pippalada sakha. Sri San-
kara refers to it as a Brahmana, complementary to the
Mantra Upanisad, i.e. the Mundaka Upanisad, which also
belongs to the same Veda.
As the very name implies, the Prasna Upanisad dis-
cusses philosophical problems through the medium of
questions and answers between six students and a sage,
Pippalada. The students approach him in accordance
with the Vedic tradition, with sacrificial fuel in hand, in all
humility, and with a desire to know the ultimate Truth.
They are genuine seekers after Truth. They ask him various
questions relating to the source of all beings, the number
of deities, and the chief among them, the nature and
Vili PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION

function of Prana, the vital force, the nature of waking,

dream, and sleep states and the function of the senses in
each of the states, meditation on the sacred syllable Om,
and what it leads to, and finally the nature of the Supreme
‘Persons, the conscious Being in man, Brahman, higher
than whom there is nothing to be known. And to each of
these. questions, the sage gives a suitable answer, making
it intelligible and easy of comprehension by means of
interesting analogies and similes.
Like. the Taittiriya Upanisad, it leads the aspirant
gradually from the gross to the subtle principles of life
and eventually points to the acme of spiritual perfection.
_It is our hope that the Prasna Upanisad in this form
will be welcomed by all lovers of our philosophical and
spirituai lore.

Mayavati PUBLISHER
 KEY TO TRANSLITERATION AND
PRONUNCIATION

Sounds like Sounds like

ao in son s dd
a a in master @ dh dh in godhood
ii in if UW nn in under
1 ee in feel @ t Frencht
u u in full qth th in thumb
a oo in boot @ d th in then
r somewhat between @ dh theh in breathe here
r and ri T nn
e a in evade | .Prp
ai y in my % ph ph in loop-hole
oO oO in over qa bb
au ow in now wa. bh bh in abhor
kk YF mm
kh ckh in blockhead qiey
g g (hard) tat
gh gh in log-hut a7 11
n ng qv in avert
c ch (not k) ‘wy ssh
ch chh in catch him ys sh in show
jj qa oss
jh dgeh in hedgehog Si fh
ni n (somewhat) m m in hum
tt h half h in huh !
IAI
Bad
HII
ANAAREAVA
AdI
wag
w th th in ant-hill
 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

A.G. Ananda Giri

Ai. Aitareya Upanisad
Ai.A. Aitareya Aranyaka
Ap. Apastarnba Dharma-Sitras
Br. Brhadaranyaka Upanisad
Ch. Chandogya Upanisad
G. Bhagavad Gita
1s. 14 Upanisad
Ja. Jabala Upanisad
Ka. Katha Upanisad
Kau. Kausitaki Upanisad
Ke. Kena Upanisad
M. Manu Samhita
Mai. Maitrayani Upanisad
Ma.Na. Mahanarayana Upanisad
Ma. Mandikya Upanisad
Mbh. Mahabharata
Mu. Mundaka Upanisad
Muk. Muktika Upanisad
Np. Narada-Parivrajaka Upanisad
bs Prasna Upanisad
S. Sankarananda
Sv. Svetasvatara Upanisad
Tai. Taittiriya Upanisad
Tai.A. Taittiriya Aranyaka
Tai.B. Taittiriya Brahmana
Tai.S. Taittiriya Samhita
Y; Yajur-Veda
PRASNA UPANISAD
 ae ahr: supe zat
We TAATAASTAT: |
feartz segues saretah-
oan sated Feary: 1
cated A eal FST:
tafea a: qoT fasader:|
vafer aerreat afwseate:
cafet at aeeriacurg1
a ante: ater: aTfea:
Om! O gods, may we hear auspicious words with
the ears; while engaged in sacrifices, may we see
auspicious things with the eyes; while praising
(the gods) with steady limbs, may we enjoy a life
_ that is beneficial to the gods.
May Indra of ancient fame be auspicious to
us; may the supremely rich (or all-knowing)
Pisa (god of the earth) be propitious to us; may
Garuda, the destroyer of evil, be well-disposed
towards us; may Brhaspati ensure our welfare.

Om! Peace! Peace! Peace!

 PRASNA UPANISAD
FIRST QUESTION

This brahmana’ is begun as an elaborate reiteration of the

subject-matter already dealt with in the mantra portion.?
The story in the form of questions and answers by the rsis,
however, is meant for eulogising the knowledge. Knowledge
is thus praised by showing that it can be acquired by those
who are endowed with self-control and who undergo such
disciplines as living in the teacher’s house for a year under
the vow of brahmacarya* and that it can be imparted by
people who are almost omniscient like Pippalada and others
but not by a non-descript person. Moreover, brahmacarya
and other disciplines become obligatory from their ref-
erence (in the story):

a apa 4 Wart: terre acara: atatacit

' i.e. this Upanisad occurring as the brahmana or Vedic explanation of
the mantras of the Mundaka Upanisad.
2 i.e. in the Mundaka Upanisad which presented the knowledge of the
Self and talked of two kinds of knowledge—the higher and the lower.
The latter relates to both rites and meditation. Of these two kinds of lower
‘knowledge, the first is dealt with in the samhita portion of the Vedas, the
second is elaborated in the Second and Third Questions of this Upanisad.
The First Question clarifies the result of both rites and meditation so as
to generate a dislike for them. The Fourth Question is meant as an elab-
oration of the two verses in the Mundaka starting with ‘As from a blazing
fire’ (Mu.II.i.1). The Fifth Question expands the meditation stated in the
verse, "Om is the bow,’ etc, (Mu.II.ii.4). The Sixth Question is for eluci-
dating the remaining portion beginning with ‘From this emerges Prana’
(Mu.1L.i.3)—A.G.
3 Celibacy and study of the Vedas with a pious attitude.
4 PRASNA UPANISAD [I. 1

4 Wd: placmaracraal
welal daha: Haat. wT-
arated et TAIT Telfer: TC TATA UT
eo aed aeadtts ¢ @ afar wad frcqete-
ATTA! UU

1. Sukesa, son of Bharadvaja; Satyakama, son of Sibi;

the grandson of Surya, born ofthe family of Garga; Kausa-
lya, son of Asvala; a scion of the line of Bhrgu, born in
Vidarbha; and Kabandhi, descendant of Katya— all these,
who were devoted to (the inferior) Brahman, engaged in
realizing (the inferior) Brahman, and intent on a search of
the supreme Brahman, approached with faggots in hand,
the venerable Pippalada with the belief, ‘This one will
certainly tell us all about It.’

Sukesa by name, and (known as) bharadvajah, (because

he was) the son of Bharadvaja. Saibyah, the son of Sibi,
who was Satyakama by name. The son of Stirya is Saurya,
and Saurya’s son is Sauryayani, the lengthening of i. in
Sauryayani being a Vedic licence; (and he was a) Gargya,
born in the line of Garga, Kausalya by name (and called)
Asvalayana (because he was) the son of Agvala. Bhargava
is one who was a scion of the line of Bhrgu; and he was
Vaidarbhi, being born in Vidarbha. Kabandhi by name;
and he was Katyayana, a descendant (i.e. great-grandson)
of Katya, and had his great-grandfather living, the suffix
in the word being used to imply that sense. Te ha ete, these
people who were such; were brahmaparah, ever devoted
to the inferior Brahman, mistaking that for the superior
One; and they were brahmanisthah, engaged in practices
 1.2] PRASNA UPANISAD 5

leading to Its attainment; and they were param brahma

anvesamanah, intent on a search of the supreme Brahman.
What is that (Brahman)? That which is eternal and a thing
to be realized. They, who searched for that Brahman with
the idea, ‘For the sake of attaining It, we shall make efforts
to our hearts content’, approached a teacher for knowing
about It, with the belief: ‘Esah ha vai tat sarvam vaksyati,
this one will certainly tell us everything regarding It.’ How
did they go? Samitpdnayah, with loads of faggot in hand;
te ha, those people; upasannah, approached; bhagavantam
pippaladam, the venerable Pippalada, the teacher.

aad & a wfyeara we was amar aerator TguT

aaet aaerT aaTETH Wea Gear ate fasrer:
aa @ at aeara efa an
2. Tothem the seer said, ‘Live (here) for a year in a fitting
manner, again with control over the senses and with
brahmacarya and faith. Then put questions as you please.
If we know, we shall explain all that you ask.’!

Tan, to them, who had approached (him) thus; sah, he;

the rsih, seer ;uvadca ha, said; — ‘Although you have already
practised control of the senses, still bhiiyah eva, over again;
you samvatsyatha, dwell here in a fitting manner; whole-
heartedly serving your teacher, samvatsaram, for the period
of a year ; tapasd, with control of the senses; and especially
brahmacaryena, with brahmacarya; and Sraddhaya, with
faith, endowed with earnest belief in the truth (of the

1 §. interprets vah as ‘to you’—‘we shall explain everything to you.’

6 PRASNA UPANISAD [I. 2

scriptures and the teacher’s words). After that prechata

prasnan, put questions, with regard to anything that anyone
(of you) may desire to know; yvathakamam, as you please,
in accordance with the desire that each of you may enter-
tain. Yadi vijfiasyamah, if we happento know, what you
ask; vaksyamah, we shall explain; sarvam ha vah, all, that
you ask.’ The word ‘if’ is used to express the absence of
conceit, but not to betray ignorance or doubt, which fact
is obvious from the solution of the questions (by him).

WT FAG BAIT GIT Wes! Wad Hdl gs

at Sat: WaT: Weaet
Sf 3
3. After that Kabandhi, descendant of Katya, having ap-
proached (him) asked, ‘Venerable sir, from what indeed are
all these beings born?’

Atha, after that, after the lapse of a year; kabandhi-

katydyanah, Kabandhi, great-grandson of Katya; upetya,
having approached (him); papraccha, asked; ‘Bhagavan;
O venerable sir; kutah ha va, from what indeed; imah
prajah, these beings, counting from the Brahmanas; praja-
yante, are born?’ The result obtained and the course merited
by following the rites etc. in combination with the lower
knowledge have to be stated; and hence this question.

wet a sara sorarat & sorafe: a adic a

areca a fayaqeread) Ua a ot Aaat F
agar som: afeera efe ¥i
I. 4] PRASNA UPANISAD 7

4. To him he said: As is well known, the Lord of all

creatures, having become desirous of progeny, He delib-
erated on (past Vedic) knowledge. Having brooded on
that knowledge, He created a couple—food and Prana—
under the idea, ‘These two will produce creatures for me
in multifarious ways.’ .

Tasmai, to him, who had inquired thus; sah ha uvdaca, he

said; in order to solve that question: Vai, as is well known,
having become prajakamah, desirous of creating progeny,
for Himself— being filled with the idea, ‘I shall create by
becoming the soul of all’; prajapatih, the Lord of creatures
—who had practised (meditation and rites conjointly in
his earlier life) as already mentioned, and was full of that
thought—evolved, at the commencement of a cycle (of
creation), as Hiranyagarbha’ by becoming the Lord of all
moving and motionless creatures that were being created.
(And having become Hiranyagarbha,) sah tapah atapyata,
He practised, deliberated on; the tapas, consisting in the
knowledge which was acquired in the past life and which
related to objects revealed by the Vedas. Then, tapas-
taptva, after having practised tapas in that way, having
revolved in His mind the Vedic knowledge; sah, He; ut-
padayate, created; mithunam, a couple that is instrumental
to creation; (the couple, viz) rayim ca, the moon, the food;
pranam ca, and Prana, fire, the eater (the sun). After

! In His previous life He was a human aspirant meditating on Prajapati

(Hiranyagarbha) with the belief, ‘I am Prajapati, identified with all.’
That intense meditation made Him Prajapati at the beginning of the
present cycle of creation. Even then the belief that He is Prajapati per-
sisted, and He had still in His mind all the Vedic knowledge acquired
earlier.
2
 8 PRASNA UPANISAD [I. 4

creating the cosmic egg, He created the sun and the moon,
under the idea, ‘Etau, these two, viz fire and moon, which
' are the eater and the eaten; prajah karisyatah, will produce
creatures; bahudha, multifariously; me, for me.”!

afeant @ + srt cata aaar carat

waq ad
aad art a aerate TT 4M
5. The sun is verily Prana, and food is verily the moon.
Whatever is gross or subtle is but food. The gross, as
distinguished from that (subtle), is certainly food (of the
subtle).

Of these, adityah ha vai, the sun, verily; is pranah,

Prana—the eater, fire; rayih eva, the food is verily; can-
_ drama, the moon; rayih is certainly the food and it is the
moon. That which is the eater and that which is the food
are but one; they are but Prajapati who has become the
couple, the distinction being made from the standpoint of
superiority and inferiority. How? Etat sarvam, all this;
rayih vai, is but food. All of what? Yat martam, whatever
is formed, gross; ca amurtam, and whatever is formless,
subtle; all gross and subtle things, which constitute the food
and the eater, are but rayih, food. That miirtih, gross;
which is different tasmat, from that, from the subtle, which

1 He projectedthe couple, the sun and the moon, and became identified
with it. Then He created the year that is dependent on that couple, and
became identified with the year. Thus successively He produced and
became identified with the half-year,.month, fortnight, day and night;
rice, barley, and other foodstuff; semen and creatures. Prana and rayi
convey the ideas of energy and matter.
I. 6] PRASNA UPANISAD 9

is wholly distinct; is indeed rayih, food, since it is eaten

up by the formless.'

Similarly, the formless Prana (life), the eater, is also

everything that is eaten, and hence it is all. How?

sor tea afta) aeferort aq stat ager

aan aged garter feat aq ad serrata aq aala
srry Ua Peg eH
6. Now then, the fact that the sun, while rising, enters
into the eastern direction, thereby it absorbs into its rays
all the creatures in the east. That it enters into the south,
that it enters into the west, that it enters into the north,
that it reaches the nadir and the zenith, that it enters the
intermediate points of the zodiac, that it illumines alk
thereby it absorbs all living things into its rays.

Atha, now then; yat, the fact that; adityah udayan, the
sun, as it rises up, as it comes within the vision of creatures;
pravisati, enters (that is to say,) pervades through its own
light; pracim disam, the eastern quarter; tena, thereby, by
that self-expansion— because these are pervaded by it, it
samnidhatte, absorbs; rasmisu, into its rays which are but
its own pervasive light; prdcyadn prdanan, all that lives in,
all creatures that happen to be included in, the eastern

1 When no distinction of superior or inferior is made, then everything

may be classed as food, for everything is absorbed by something else.
But when the distinction is made, the gross gets absorbed in the subtle
and is to be considered as food.
10 PRASNA UPANISAD [I. 6

quarter, they being pervaded by its light; that is to say,

it makes them one with itself. Similarly, yat, the fact that;
it enters into the daksinam, southern direction; yat prati-
cim, that it enters into the western direction; yat udicim,
that it enters into the northern direction; yat, that it enters
into; adhah urdhvam, the nadir, the zenith; yat antarah
disah, that it enters into the inter-spaces, the other points
of the zodiac; yat ca prakasayati, and the fact that it il-
lumines; sarvam, all other things; tena, thereby, by that
pervasion through its own light; it samnidhatte, absorbs;
rasmisu, into the rays; sarvan prandan, all living things that
exist in the different directions.

aq uy aearaat faeaer: srnisfiaeead | aeaga4-

STATA SU
7. That very one rises up who is Prana and fire, who is
identified with all creatures and who is possessed of all
forms. This very one that has been referred to, is spoken
of by the mantra:
Sah esah, that very one, the eater; who is pranah vais-
vanarah, Prana (life) identified with all creatures; and who
is visvarupah, possessed of all forms, being embodied in
the universe; that is Prana and agnih, fire. That eater, again,
udayate, rises, every day, absorbing into himself all the
cardinal points. Etat tat, this very entity that has been ref-
erred to above; is also abhyuktam, spoken of; rca, by the
(following) mantra:

ee
TTA SAT
ATT |
 1.9] PRASNA UPANISAD 1]

wean: saat aaars:

TTT: WATTSAa: ist
8. (The realizers of Brahman knew) the one that is pos-
sessed of all forms, full of rays, endowed with illumination,
the resort of all, the single light (of all), and the radiator
of heat. It is the sun that rises—the sun that possesses
a thousand rays, exists in a hundred forms and is the life
of all creatures.

The enlightened realizers of Brahman knew, as their own

soul, that sun that is visvariipam, possessed of all forms;
harinam, full of rays; jatavedasam, endowed with enlighten-
ment; paradyanam, the resort of all lives; ekam jyotih, the
only one light, which is the ‘eye’ of all beings; and tapan-
tam, the radiator of heat. Who is that whom they knew?
It is esah, this; suryah, sun; that udayati, rises;—(the sun
that is) sahasrarasmih, possessed of a thousand rays;
Satadha vartamanah, that exists in a hundred (i.e. many)
ways, in conformity with the difference of the creatures;
and that is pranah prajanam, the life of creatures.

It is being explained how this single pair—constituted

by that which is the moon, the gross, the food (on the one
hand), and that which is the formless Prana, the eater, the
sun (on the other)—could produce the creatures:

aaat ¢ sorafedearad afer arat al da

ea afecergd safecuread ad arsqada alan-
fasaed i at wa yaad aTeaTea AVA: TSATHTAT
12 PRASNA UPANISAD ins

fat sfc ws esa cee: frat: ne

9. The year is verily the Lord of creatures. Of Him there
are two Courses, the Southern and the Northern. As to
that, those who follow in that way the sacrifices and public
good etc. that are products of action, conquer, verily, the
world of the moon. It is they who come back. (Since this
is so), hence these seers of heaven, who are desirous of
progeny, attain the Southern Course. This which is the
Course of the Manes is verily food.

That (coupie) itself is the time called samvatsarah, the

year ; (and that again is) prajapatih, the Lord of creatures;
for the year is brought about by that (pair), the year being
but a collection of the lunar days (tithi) and solar days
and nights, caused by the moon and the sun. Being non-
different from the food and Prana, the year is said to be
verily identical with that couple. How is that so? Tasya;
of that Lord of the creatures, who the year is; there are
ayane, two Courses; daksinam ca uttaram ca, the Southern
and the Northern. These, indeed, are the two well-known
Courses consisting each of six months, along which the
sun moves to the south and the north, ordaining the results
for those who perform rites alone as well as for those who
undertake rites along with meditation. How is that? Tat,
as to that; ye ha vai, those who, from among people count-
ing from the Brahmanas; updsate, follow; tat, in that way;
istapurte, sacrifices and public good; iti, etc.; that are
krtam, products of action, but who do not follow the
uncreated Eternal—the second tat, meaning ‘in that way,’
being used adverbially—; (they) abhijayante, conquer;
candramasam lokam, world of the moon, the world con-
I. 10] PRASNA UPANISAD 13

stituted by food which is a portion, called rayi (food), of

the Lord of the creatures who comprises a pair. This is so
because the moon is krta, a result of action. When the result
of action is exhausted there, te eva punah Gvartante, it is
they who come back again; for it has been said, ‘They enter
into this or an inferior world’ (Mu.I.ii.10). Since in this
way ete, these; rsayah, seers of heaven; prajakamah, who
are desirous of progeny, the householders; attain (the
world of) the moon—-the Lord of creatures who is identified
with food—as the result of their sacrificial and pious acts;
tasmat, therefore; they pratipadyante, attain; daksinam, the
Southern Course, that is to say, the moon, suggested by
the (term) Southern Course, which is earned by them-~
selves. Esah ha vai rayih, this indeed is food; yah pitryanah,
which is the path of the Manes, that is to say, the (world
of the) moon, as suggested by the (term) Path of the Manes.

rar ara sarador agar frearssaaafaca-

faanhisaed | Ude =aad
TAT aa aRA
TMAVTAAEATA FATA TAT PTAATST FHTH: Ll
10. Again, by searching for the Self through the control
of the senses, brahmacarya, faith and meditation, they
conquer the sun (by proceeding) along the Northern
Course. This is the resort of all that lives; this is indestruct-
ible; this is fearless; this is the highest goal, for from this
they do not come back. This is unrealizable (to the
ignorant). Pertaining to this here is a verse:

Atha, again ;uttarena, by proceeding along the Northern

Course; they abhijayante, conquer; that part of the Lord
14 PRASNA UPANISAD {I. 10

of creatures which is Prana, the eater, the sun. Through

what? Anvisya, by searching for, i.e. knowing; adtmdanam,
the Self, that is Prana, the sun, the Self of the moving and
unmoving; as ‘I am this (Prana that is the sun)’; tapasd,
through the control of the senses; and especially brahma-
caryena, through brahmacarya; sraddhaya, through faith;
and vidyayd, through meditation, with the idea of the ident-
ity of oneself with the Lord of creatures; they abhijayante,
conquer, attain; Gdityam, the sun. Etat vai, this indeed;
is the common dyatanam, resort; pranadnam, of all that
lives.! Etat, this one; is amrtam, indestructible; and be-
cause of that fact, this is abhayam, free from fear, not
subject to the fear of waxing and waning like the moon.
Etat parayanam, this one is the supreme goal, for the»
meditators as well as for the men who combine meditation
with rites; iti, for; etasmat na punah avartante, from this
(they) do not return, like the others who perform rites alone.
Esah, this one; is nirodah, unrealizable, to the ignorant;
for the ignorant are shut off from the sun. These people
do not attain the year, the sun, the Self, which is Prana.
For that year, identical with time, proves an obstruction
to the ignorant. Tat, pertaining to this idea; esah Slokah,
here is a verse:
dl pa ;
fea are: ot oe To frory |
aa sears It faeaert
aaah Tex arectrahata 12 V1
11. Some talk of (this sun) as possessed of five feet, as

! Or ‘all the organs—eyes etc.’, according to S.

I. 11] PRASNA UPANISAD 15

the father, as constituted by twelve limbs, and as full of

water in the high place above the sky. But there are these
others who call him the omniscient and say that on him,
as possessed of seven wheels and six spokes, is fixed (the
whole universe).

The calculators of time ahuh, call him; pancapaddam,

possessed of five feet, the five seasons being the feet, as
it were, of the sun as identified with the year ;for he revolves
with the help of those seasons, which are as though his feet.
In this imagery, late autumn and winter are taken as but
one season. (They call him) pitaram, father. He is the father
because he is the generator of all. (They call him) dvadasa-
krtim, as possessed of twelve forms —he who has the
twelve months as his limbs, or he who is made an embodied
being by the twelve months. They call him purisinam, full
of water; ardhe pare dive, in the place above heaven (i.e. _
sky), that is to say, in the third place which is above the
sky. U, but; on the other hand anye ime pare, these others,
other calculators of time; (Ghuh, call) that very one, vicak-
sanam, adept, omniscient. (And they) ahuh, say; that like
spokes fixed on the nave of a wheel the whole universe is
arpitam, fixed; on him who, as the embodiment of time,
is ever on the move;—on him saptacakre, who is possessed
of seven wheels, in the form of seven horses; and sadare,
who is endowed with six spokes, the six seasons. Whether
he be possessed of five feet and twelve limbs or seven wheels
and six spokes, from either point of view it is the year, the
1 The sun causes clouds, from which rain comes.
? It is third counting from this earth, the second being the sky. Heaven
in this context does not mean the dwelling place of the gods, but the sky;
else, there will be a conflict with the commentary—‘in the third place
which is above the sky.’ —A.G.
16° PRASNA UPANISAD ff. 11

embodiment of time, the Lord of all creatures, constituted

even by the sun and the moon, which is the cause of the
world.

He by whom the whole world is sustained is called the

year, the Lord of all creatures; and He is wholly evolved
into the twelve months which are His limbs:

Amat &¢ sorafaeter Soe wa Ue: ae: ITT

RAAT VT: Yas BS Haeilae Tachers ULV
12. The month verily is the Lord of all creatures. The
dark fortnight is His food, and the bright His Prana. There-
fore these seers perform the sacrifices in the bright fortnight.
The others perform it in the other.

Masah vai, the month verily; which is also prajapatih,

the Lord of all creatures, as described before; is consti-
tuted by a pair. Tasya, of him, of that Lord of creatures
who is marked by the month; one part, viz krsnapaksah,
the dark fortnight; is rayih, food, the moon; the other
part, viz suklah, the bright (fortnight); is Prana, the sun,
the eater, fire. Since they look upon Prana, identified with
the bright fortnight, as everything, therefore, ete rsayah,
these seers, who realize Prana; sukle istam kurvanti, per-
form their sacrifice (really) in the bright fortnight, even
though they may be performing it in the dark half, because
they do not perceive any dark fortnight existing apart from
Prana. On the other hand, whereas the others do not see
Prana, and as a result see only that which is marked by
darkness and obstructs vision. Therefore itare, the others;
EN3] PRASNA UPANISAD 17

kurvanti, perform; (their sacrifice, really) itarasmin, in the

other half, in the dark fortnight, although they may be
doing so in the bright half.

w@rrat 4 sarafrereneta sit ufata <i

aT at Ud seperate A feat cat aga werasaa
ATARTAT
CAT AASHT 2 3
13. Day and night are verily the Lord of all creatures.
Day is surely His prana and night is certainly the food.
Those who indulge in passion during the day, waste away
Prana. That they give play to passion at night is as good
as celibacy.

The Lord of all creatures, marked by the month, gets

again circumscribed by the day and night which are His
own limbs. Ahordatrah vai prajapatih, day and night are
verily the Lord of all creatures, just as before. Tasya, of
Him, too; ahar eva pranah, the day is surely Prana, the eater
and fire; ratrih eva rayih, night is certainly the food, just
as before. Ete, these people; praskandanti, eject, exhaust,
waste away by separating from themselves; pranam,
Prana, identified with day. Who are they? Ye, those who,
the fools who; diva, during the day time; samyujyante ratya,
indulge ir passion, that is to say unite with women who
cause passion. ... Since this is so, therefore that should
not be done. This is a prohibition enjoined by the way.
The fact that they samyujyante ratya, give play to passion;
ratrau, at night, at (the proper) time; tat, that; is brahma-
caryam eva, as good as continence. Since this has been
praised, therefore, this too isan injunction enunciated in
18 PRASNA UPANISAD {I. 13

passing, that it is one’s duty to unite with one’s wife in due

time. As for the relevant topic, it is this: That Lord of all
creatures, who has evolved into day and night, exists as
identified with such food as rice and barley.

at qf serosa ¢ 4 asaedearieat: oT:

maraed
Sf evi
14. Food is nothing but the Lord of all creatures. From
that indeed issues that human seed. From that are born
these beings.

Evolving thus in succession, prajapatih, the Lord of ail

creatures; became that annam vai, food to be sure. How?
Tatah ha vai, from that (food) indeed, is formed; tat retas,
that human seed, which is the origin of creatures. Tasmat,
from that (seed), when deposited in a woman; prajayante,
are born; imah prajah, these creatures, distinguished as
men and others. The question that was raised, ‘From what
indeed are the beings born?’, has thus been answered by
saying that these creatures are born by passing in succes-
sion through the pairs starting with the sun and the moon
and ending-with day and night, and then by proceeding
through food, blood and semen.

qt gt aq wefaad acta o faaqqereaed|

TaN
15. This being so, those who undertake the well-known
I. 16] PRASNA UPANISAD 19

-vow of the Lord of all creatures, beget both sons and

daughters. For them alone is this world of the moon in
whom there are that vow and continence, and in whom is
found for ever avoidance of falsehood.

Tat, this being so; ye, those, the householders who—

ha and vai are two indeclinables calling up to mind some
well-known fact —; caranti, undertake; tat prajapativratam,
that vow of the Lord of all creatures, consisting in uniting
with one’s wife at the proper time, for them this is the
visible result. What is that? Te, they; utpddayante, beget;
mithunam, a pair, both son and daughter. This unseen
result consisting in esah brahmalokah, this world of Brah-
man, the world of the moon, that is indicated by the Path
of the Manes; is tesam eva, for those people alone, for those
who undertake sacrifices and public good and offer gifts;
yesam, in whom; there are tapas, vows as for instance those
vows undertaken by one who has completed his study;
brahmacaryam, continence, consisting in not living with
one’s wife at times other than the proper season; yesu,
in whom, again; satyam, truthfulness, avoidance of false-
hood, pratisthitam, exists invariably for ever.

asraat fect waerat + ay ferrad a Ara

fa
ne ei
sta seatrirafe
Ser: SRA: I

16. For them is that taintless world of Brahman, in

whom there is no crookedness, no falsehood, and no dis-
simulation.
20 PRASNA UPANISAD [I. 16

As for the Northern Course,:marked out by the sun,

which consists of self-identification with Prana; and is
virajah, pure, not tainted like the lunar Brahmaloka and
not subject to waxing and waning; asau, that one; is tesam,
for them. For whom? That is being said: (For those) na
yesu jihmam, in whom there is no fraud, no crookedness,
unlike the householders in whom it becomes inevitable
owing to the exigencies of many contradictory social
situations. Also, those in whom anrtam, falsehood, does
not become unavoidable as it is with of householders in
the course of play or merriment. Similarly, those in whom,
unlike the householders, there does not exist any maya.
Maya, dissimulation, is a kind of false behaviour con-
sisting in showing oneself publicly in some way and acting
quite contrariwise. For those competent persons—the
brahmacaris (celibates), forest-dwellers, and mendicants—
in whom such blemishes as ma@yd do not exist because there
is no occasion for them; is this untainted world of Brah-
man, just in consonance with the disciplines they under-
take. This is the goal for those who undertake rites in con-
junction with meditation. But the Brahmaloka indicated
by the moon, mentioned earlier, is for those who perform
rites alone.
 SECOND QUESTION

It has been said that Prana is the eater and the Lord of
all creatures. It has to be determined how He is the Lord
of all creatures as well as the eater in this body. Hence is
the Question begun.?

ay et wetal
dete weg wraq ada ear:
wat frat Fat Wad waTaad # Gatat afess
aft 2
1. Next a scion of the line of Bhrgu, born in Vidarbha,
asked him, ‘Adorable sir, how many in fact are the deities
that sustain a creature? Which among them exhibit this
glory? Which, again, is the chief among them?’

Atha ha, next in order; bhargavah vaidarbhih, a scion of

the line of Bhrgu, who was born in Vidarbha; papraccha,
asked; enam, this one: Bhagavan, O adorable sir; kati eva
devah, how many deities indeed; vidharayante, chiefly sus-
tain; prajam, a creature, so far-as the body is concerned.
Katare, which of them, which of those deities divided
among the organs of sense and action; prakasayante,
exhibit; etat, this, this manifestation of their own glory;
kah punah, which, again; is varisthah, the chief; esdm,
among these that exist as body and organs.

aa a grarararea fF aA UT eat agate:

1 In this chapter it will be shown that Prana is the chief, the eater, and
the Lord of all creation. The next chapter will enjoin His meditation.
22 PRASNA UPANISAD [Il. 2

qfaat arena: att aT a warearfactar aande-

aryyacery faareara: WRU

2. To him he said: Space in fact is this deity, as also are

air, fire, water, earth, the organ of speech, mind, eye, and
ear. Exhibiting their glory they say, ‘Unquestionably it is
we who hold together this body by not allowing it to
disintegrate.’

Tasmai, to him, who had asked thus; sah, he; uvdca ha,
said: Akasah ha vai esah devah, space is in fact this deity; as
also are vayuh, air; agnih, fire; dpah, water ;prthivi, earth—
these five elements that are the material causes of the body;
(and) vak, speech; manas, mind; caksuh, eye; Srotram, ear.
These and others that are the organs of action and knowl-
edge, te, they (that is to say), the gods (presiding over these
and) identifying themselves with the body and organs;
abhivadanti prakasya, speak by way of exhibiting their own
glory, while vying for pre-eminence. How do they speak?
‘It is vayam, we; who, like the pillars of a palace, vidhara-
yamah, unquestionably hold together; etat banam, this -
aggregate of body and organs; avastabhya, by holding it
aloft, and not allowing it to be disintegrated.’ The idea of
each one is this: ‘It is indeed by me alone that this aggregate
is upheld.’ This is the idea.

aq afess: oT vara AT ATeRTTETSEAaAT

TaTassart Tarsdagarrmasery
frarcanitht asAe-
AAT TAT: 31
II. 4] _ PRASNA UPANISAD 23

3. To them the chief Prana said, ‘Do not be deluded.

it is I who do not allow it to disintegrate by sustaining it
by dividing myself fivefold.’ They remained incredulous.

Tan, to them, to those who had such egotism; varisthah

pranah, the chief Prana; uvdca, said: ‘Ma Gpadyatha
moham, do not fall into delusion, do not cherish in this way
any vanity resulting from non-discrimination; for aham
eva, it is I who; vidharayami etat banam avastabhya, sustain
this aggregate of body and organs by not allowing it to
disintegrate; I support it; paficadha atmanam pravibhajya,
by dividing myself fivefold, by dividing my functions into
those of the outgoing breath etc.’ Although he said so,
still te, they; babhuvuh, remained; asraddadhanah, in-
credulous, thinking, ‘How can this be so?’

aferees sfresart aat va srfteot ud are

at a a star: srr eeatet uve
4. He appeared to be rising up (from the body) out of
indignation. As he ascended, all the others without ex-
ception ascended immediately; and when he remained
eaiet, all others too remained in position. Just as in the
world, all the bees take to flight in accordance as the king
of the bees takes to his wings, and they settle down as he
does so, similarly, did speech, mind, eye, ear, etc. behave.
Becoming delighted, they (began to) praise Prana.

3
24 PRASNA UPANISAD [Il. 4

Noticing their incredulity, sah, that Prana; on his part,

became indifferent, and utkramate iva, seemed to rise up,
seemed to have risen up from this (body); abhimanat, out
of indignation. What followed his ascent is being made
vivid with the help of an illustration. Tasmin utkramati,
when he began to rise up; atha, then, immediately after;
itare sarve eva, all the others without exception, all the
organs such as the eye; utkramante, ascend(ed); ca tasmin
pratisthamane, and when he, the Prana, stayed on, remained
quiet, did not rise up; sarve- eva pratisthante, all of them
remain(ed) quietly in position. Tat, with regard to this
matter, the illustration is: Yathd, as; loke, in the world;
maksikah,. bees; sarvah eva, all of them; utkramante, take
to flight; madhukararajanam utkramantam, as the king of
bees, their own king, takes to his wings; ca sarvah eva
pratisthante, and all settle down; tasmin pratisthamane, as
he settles down—. As is this illustration, so (did) vak,
speech ;manah, mind; caksuh, eye; Srotram, ear; and others
(behave). Te, they; having given up their lack of faith, and
having realized the greatness of Prana, and becoming
pritah, delighted; stunvanti pranam, praise Prana.

How did they praise?

UaIshTeaTTaTet
UE TAA FTAA
AT: |

aeaearyd
FT AT UA
5. This one (i.e. Prana) burns as fire, this one is the sun,
this one is the cloud, this one is Indra and air, this one is
II. 6] PRASNA UPANISAD 25

the earth and food. This god is the gross and the subtle,
as well as that which is nectar.

Esah, this one, this Prana; in the form of agnih, fire;

tapati, burns. Similarly; he shines as suryah, the sun. So
also, as parjanyah, cloud; he varsati, rains. Moreover, as
maghavan, Indra, he protects the creatures and endeavours
to kill the demons and ogres. Esah, this one; is vayuh, air,
diversified as different currents like Gvaha, pravaha. Further-
more, esah devah, this deity; is prthivi, the earth; (and)
rayih, food, of the whole world;' sat, the gross; asat, the
subtle; ca, and; yat amrtam, that which is nectar that
ensures the sustenance of the gods. The point needs no
further elaboration.

aT SF Taal wt ad swfafsoaq |
aa agefe ararts
aa: at Tal TUNE
6. Like spokes on the hub of a chariot wheel, are fixed
on Prana all things—rks, yajus, samas, sacrifice, Ksatriya
and Brahmana.

Arah iva rathanabhau, as spokes are fixed on the hub of

a chariot wheel; so sarvam, everything, starting from faith
and ending with name (VI.4); pratisthitam, is fixed; verily,
prane, on Prana; during the time of the existence of the
world. Similarly, the three kinds of mantras—rcah, rks;
yajumsi, yajus; samani, samas—(metrical, prose, and
musical Vedic texts); and the yajfah, sacrifice that is

1 As the earth, He supports all; and as food, He nourishes all.

26 PRASNA UPANISAD [II. 6

performed with those mantras; and the ksatram, Ksatriya

caste that protects all; ca, and; even brahma, the Brah-
mana caste that is qualified for the performance of duties
like sacrifice. This Prana is everything.

sartfasacta
wet cata sfasnraa |
Ta srt sorfeaar
ates acted
aq srt: sfefasafa
iii

7. It is verily you who move about in the womb as the

Lord of creation, and it is you who take birth after the
image of the parents. O Prana, it is for you, who reside
with the organs, that all these creatures carry presents.

Moreover, even He who is called prajapatih, the Lord of

creatures; tvam, eva, is but you. It is you who carasi, move;:
garbhe, in the womb—of the father (as seed) and of the
mother (as child); and (it is you, again, who) pratijayase,
take birth after the image of (the parents). Since you are
the Lord of creatures, your parenthood is a pre-established
fact. The purport is this: You, Prana, who are one, are
identical with all in the guise of the form of all bodies and
embodied beings. Prana, O Prana; it is tubhyam, to you
alone; that imah prajah, all these creatures that there are,
counting from human beings; balim haranti, carry presents,
through the eyes etc. Since it is you yah, who; pratitisthasi,
reside ; pranaih, with the organs, eyes etc., in all the bodies,
therefore it is proper that they should carry presents to you.
As you are in fact the eater, so all else is food for youonly.

eararafea afeca: fret seat caer |

aa atid aerate arate tsi
II. 9] PRASNA UPANISAD é 27

8. You are the best transmitter (of libation) to the

celestials. You are the food-offering to the manes that
precedes other offerings. You are the right conduct of the
organs that constitute the essence of the body and which
are known as the atharvas.

Moreover, you asi, are; vahnitamah, the best carrier, the

best transmitter, of libations; devanadm, to the celestials,
beginning with Indra. The svadha, food-offering; made
pitrnam, to the manes, in the obsequial rite called Nandi-
mukha in honour of the manes; that is the prathama, first,
that takes precedence over the other offerings in which the
deities dominate’—of that food-offering also, it is you
alone who carry it to the manes. This is the idea. Further-
more, it is you who asi, are; the satyam caritam, true, right,
conduct, consisting in maintaining the body etc.; rsinam,
of the organs, such as the eyes etc.; atharva- angirasam,
which constitute the essence of the body, and which are
called the atharvas according to the Vedic text, ‘Prana
is indeed atharva.”?

Zegea STMT doar eaista ofecterar |

caneaica ata qaea satfoat ofa: Weil

9. O Prana, you are Indra. Through your valour you

are Rudra; and you are the preserver on all sides. You

! The reading is deva-pradhana or deva-pradana. The first reading is

adopted in the translation. The second reading would give the meaning,
‘Over the offering to the gods’. The Nandi-mukha has to be performed
before making the sacrifices to gods.
? Though Prana is atharva according to this quotation yet the sense-
organs, which are but manifestations of Prana, are also atharva.
28 PRASNA UPANISAD [II. 9

move in the sky

— you are the sun, the Lord of all lumin-
aries.

Further, prana, O Prana; tvam, you; are indrah, Indra,

the supreme Lord. Tejasa, by valour; asi, you are; rudrah,
Rudra, engaged in destroying the world. Again, during the
time of the existence of the universe, you, in your benign
aspect, are the pariraksita, preserver (of the universe) on
every side. Tvam, you; carasi, move, for ever; antarikse,
in the sky, by rising and setting. Tvam, you; are the suryah,
sun; the patih, lord; joytisam, of all the luminaries.

Wer ateqgay:
can WTA SAT:
arareceqiteasater
Srarara whawrattfe 112 of!

10. O Prana, when you pour down (as rain), then these
creatures of yours continue to be in a happy mood under
the belief, ‘Food will be produced to our hearts’ content.’

Yada, when; tvam, you; abhivarsasi, pour down by be-

coming a rain cloud; atha, then; getting food, imah prajah,
these creatures; prdanate, live, that is to say, resort to
activities characteristic of vitality. Or (reading prana te,
in place of pranate), prana, O Prana; at the very sight of
the rain you pour down, imah prajah te, these creatures
of yours—which are one with you and which are nourished
by your food; tisthanti, continue to be; anandaripah, like
people possessed of happiness; their idea being this: ‘Annam
bhavisyati, food will be produced; kamdaya, to our hearts’
content.’
11.12] PRASNA UPANISAD 29

araeea otafacar fasaeq acre: |

aqaraen arare: frat ef arateeg 4 112 2h

11. O Prana, you are unpurified, you are the fire Ekarsi,
(you are) the eater, andyou are the lord of all that exists.
We are the givers of (your) food. O MaAtarisva, you are
our father.

Besides, prdna, O Prana; tvam, you; are vratyah, unpuri-

fied — having been born first, you had none to baptise you;
the idea is that you are naturally pure. As the fire called
ekarsih, Ekarsi, that is well known among the followers of
the Atharva-veda; you become the atta, eater, of all obla-
tions. You are the satpatih visvasya, the lord of all that
exists—satpatih, being derived in the sense of the lord
(pati) of what exists (sat). Or satpatih may mean holy lord.
Vayam, we, again; are datarah, the givers, to you; ddyasya,
of food, of oblations that you partake of. Matarisva,
O Matarisva (Air); tvam, you; are nah pita, our father
(the word md@tarisva being taken as a Vedic use for mataris-
van). Or, if the reading be mdtarisvanah, the meaning (of
the sentence) will be: Tvam, you; are the pita, father;
matarisvanah, of Matarisva (Air)'. Hence also is estab-
lished your fatherhood of the whole Universe.

att agatha sfaftear ar art ar a erie

a a wate sedan farat at He AHA: ULM
! Since you are identified with akasa (space), the source of air.
30 PRASNA UPANISAD {II. 12

12. Make calm that aspect of yours that is lodged in

speech, that which is in the ear, that which is in the eye,
and that which permeates the mind. Do not rise up.

To be brief, ya tanith te, that aspect of yours; which is

pratisthita, lodged; vaci, in speech, which makes the effort
of speaking as a speaker; yd Srotre, that which is in the
ear; ca ya caksusi, and that which is in the eye; ca ya,
and that which, the aspect which; is santata, pervasive;
manasi, in the mind, as acts of thinking etc.; kuru, make;
tam, that (aspect); sivam, calm. Ma utkramih, do not
ascend, that is to say, do not make it inactive! by ascending.

sree aat ad fafet aq sfafeecq |

ada ary waea See vat a fasts a sta esi
sta seatatrate
facta: set: 1
13. All this (in this world), as also all that in heaven
is under the control of Prana. Protect us just as a mother
does her sons, and ordain for us splendour and intelligence.

In short, whatever enjoyable thing there is in this world,

sarvam idam, all this; is verily pranasya vase, under the
control of Prana. And Prana is even the ruler and protector
of yat, whatever—in the form of enjoyment for gods and
others; is pratisthitam, located; tridive, in the third heaven,
in the form of enjoyment for gods and others. Hence,
raksasva, protect us; mata iva putran, as a mother does her
sons. Since all the glories natural to the Brahmanas and
'This is according to A.G. Some translate it as unholy.
II. 13] PRASNA UPANISAD 31

Ksatriyas are at your disposal, therefore vidhehi nah,

ordain for us; Srih ca (is the same as Sriyah ca), all splen-
dour; prajfiam ca, and intelligence, that accrue from
your continuance. This is the meaning. Thus, inasmuch
as the greatness of Prana has been disclosed by the organs
such as speech through His praise as the all-pervasive
entity, therefore, Prana is ascertained as the Lord of
creatures and the eater.
 THIRD QUESTION

aT et HAARAS AT: TS | Wat HT UT

TTT sat SATA TATA oT fase
ay wfased parwad HA arerahrard HarqeaTay-
fafa eu

1. Then Kausalya, son of Asvala, asked him, *O ven-

erable sir, from where is this Prana born? How does he
come into this body? How again does he dwell by dividing
himself? How does he depart? How does he support the
external things and how the physical?’

Atha ha, next; kausalyah ca @svalayanah, Kausalya, the

son of Asvala; papraccha enam, asked him, ‘Although the
greatness of Prana has thus been perceived by the organs
which ascertained his true nature, yet he may be an effect,
inasmuch as he forms a part of a composite thing. There-
fore I ask: Bhagavan, O venerable sir; kutah, from what
source; esah, this one, Prana, as ascertained; jdyate, is
bern? And being born, katham, how, through what special
function; does he dyati, come; asmin Sarire, to this body?
What is the cause of his being embodied? This is the idea.
And having entered into the body, katham, how; does
he pratisthate, dwell (in the body); pravibhajya atmanam,
by dividing himself; kena, how, through what special
function; does he utkramate, depart; asmat sarirat, from
this body? katham, how; does he abhidhatte, support; the
bahyam, external things, in the context of the elements
ITT. 3] PRASNA UPANISAD 33

and in the divine context; and how (does he support)

adhyatmam, in the (individual) physical context?’ The verb
‘support’ has to be supplied.

qe a grarataseart qeafe afarcstsdtit arent

U5 TAHT UU
2. To him he said: You are putting supernormal ques-
tions since you are preeminently a knower of Brahman.
Hence I speak to you.

Being asked thus, sah, he, the teacher; uvdca ha, said;
tasmai, to him: To begin with, Prana himself, being in-
scrutable, is a subject-matter of intricate questioning. You
inguire about the birth etc. even of that Prana. Hence
prechasi, you ask; atiprasndn, supernormal questions;'
brahmisthah asi iti, for you are preeminently a knower of
Brahman.” Thereby I am pleased. Tasmat, hence; aham
bravimi, I speak; te, to you, what you ask for. Listen:

ATUT IMT Tad) ate Jer wadafersaay-

Te HaHa SAT 131
3. From the Self is born this Prana. Just as there can be
this shadow when a man is there, so this Prana is fixed on
the self. He comes to this body owing to the actions of the
mind.

1 Questions about transcendental verities.

2*You know the supreme Brahman which transcends the inferior
Brahman.’ This is only by way of encouragement.—A.G.
34 PRASNA UPANISAD {III. 3

Atmanah, from the Self — from the supreme Purusa, the

Immutable, (or) Reality; jayate, is born; esah, this Prana
spoken of before (Mu.II.i.2-3). Here is an illustration to
show how. Yathd, as, in the world; there issues esd, this;
chaya, shadow, as an effect; puruse, when a man, possessed
of head, hands, etc. is there as the cause; similarly, etasmin,
on this, on Brahman, on Purusa, on Reality; atatam, is
spread, i.e. fixed; etat, this one, this principle that.is false
by nature, is analogous to a shadow, and is called Prana,
just as a shadow is linked to a body. He daydati, comes;
asmin Sarire, to this body; mano-krtena, owing to the
actions of the mind, that is to say, as the result of actions
accomplished through the thought or wish of the mind,
for the text will say later, “Virtue results from virtue’ etc.
(III.7); and there is another Vedic text (on this point):
‘Being attached, he, together with the work, attains (that
result to which the subtle body or mind is attached)’
(Br.IV.iv.6).

4. As it is the king alone who employs the officers saying,

‘Rule over these villages, (and) these villages’, just so this
Prana engages the other organs separately indeed.

In the world, yathd, as, in the way in which; samrat eva,

it is the king alone; who viniyunkte, employs; adhikrtan,
the officers, in the villages etc.—how?—by ordering,
‘Adhitisthasva, preside over; etan graman, these villages;
III. 5] PRASNA UPANISAD 35

etan graman, these villages’ ; evam eva, just so, as is the case
in the illustration, so ;pranah, this chief Prana; samnidhatte,
places, engages ;prthak prthak eva, separately indeed, in the
respective posts; itaran pranan, the other organs, the eye
etc. which are its own manifestations.

Tess BEATA Teasers sry: carat orfea-

wed Wet I Aa WT Magaaa aa vata aen-
Sat: AtaTaST
Aaa U4II
5. He places Apana in the two lower apertures. Prana
himself, issuing out of the mouth and nostrils, resides in
the eyes and ears. In the middle, however, is Samana. Since
this one distributes equally all this food that is eaten,
therefore these issue out of these seven flames.

To turn now to the divisions. Padyupasthe, in the two

lower appertures; he places apadnam, Apana, which is a.
division of himself and which exists engaged in the work
of ejecting faeces, urine, etc. So also pranah svayam, Prana
himself, who occupies the place of the sovereign; pratis-
thate, resides ;caksuhsSrotre, in the eyes and the ears; issuing
out mukha-nasikabhyam, through the mouth and nostrils.
Madhye tu, in the middle, however, in between the places
of Prana and Apana, in the navel; there is samdnah,
Samana, which is so called because it assimilates all that
is eaten or drunk. Hi, since; esah, this one; nayati samam,
distributes equally (in all parts of the body); etat hutam
annam, all this that is eaten or drunk, the food that is
poured (as a libation) on one’s bodily fire; tasmmat, there-
fore; from the burning of what is eaten and drunk, from
36 PRASNA UPANISAD {tl 5

the fire in the stomach, when it has reached the region of

the heart,' bhavanti, there issue; eta sapta arcisah, these
seven flames, that are lodged in the head. The idea is that
the revelation of objects like form (or colour) etc, that
constitutes what is known as seeing, hearing, etc, is caused
by Prana.

aaa areafastaate: wererastegartt wa-

ATT ATAT UU
6. This self (i.e. the subtle body) is surely in the heart. .
There are a hundred and one of the (chief) nerves. Each
of them has a hundred (divisions). Each branch is divided
into seventy-two thousand sub-branches. Among them
moves Vyana.

Hi esah Gtma, this Self—this subtle body associated

with the Self—is in fact; Ardi, in the heart, in the space
in the heart, which is circumscribed by the lump of flesh
shaped like a lotus. Aira, in this heart; there are in number,
etat ekaSatam, this one hundred and one; nadindm, of the
chief nerves. Tasdm, of those chief nerves; ekaikasyah,
each one has; Satam Satam, a hundred divisions. Again,
prati Sakh@nddi-sahasrani, the thousands of sub-branches
into which each of the (one hundred of) branch nerves
‘ The imagery is thus brought out: The digestive power in the stomach
is the sacrificial fire; food is the oblation; and sense-knowledge is the
flame. The seven organs in the head are: two eyes, two ears, two nostrils,
and the mouth. These derive their capacity to act from the energy supplied
by food.
UL. 7) PALA UPAMIGAD 37

is sub-divided are, in cach case: dvisuptatih, dvasaptatih,

seventy-two, seventy-two. Each of the hundred branches
of the main nerves becomes (seventy-two) thousand in
number.’ Asu, among these nerves; carati, moves; the
vital energy called vyinah, Vyana, the name being derived
in the sense ofpervasiveness. Vy4ana exists wholly pervading
the body through the nerves, which like rays from the sun,
issue in ai) directions from the heart. And by becoming
particularly active in the joints, shoulders, and vital parts,
and in the interim between the functioning of Prana and
Apana, i becomes the performer of deeds requiring
mrength.

WAVATAA BATTATEA 1911

J. Now then, Udina, when it is in its upward trend
through the one (nerve), leads to 2 virtuous world as a
result of virtuc, to a sinful world as 2 result of sin, and to
the human world as 2 result of both.

Atha, now then; ckayi, through that one among those

one hundred and one nerves, which proceeds upward and
is known 2s Susumnd ; the vital force called udanah, Udana,
which moves everywhere from the sole of the feet to the
head; irdhyoh (san), when it has an upward trend; it
nayotl, \eads; punyam lokam, to 4 virtuous world, such as
the world ofthe gods; punyena karmani,, asa resultof deeds
*To sum up: There are 101 main nerves; cach is divided into one
hundred branches; end each of these branches i: sub-divided into 72,09)

A ah nexves & 721256201.

=
38 ' PRASNA UPANISAD [III 7

that are virtuous, that are enjoined by the scriptures; (it

leads) papam, to a sinful world, to hell, to birth among
beasts and so on; pdapena, as a result of sin, which is opposed
to those (virtuous deeds); (and it leads) manusyalokam,
to the human world; ubhadbhyam eva, as a result of both
virtue and vice, when they predominate equally. The verb
‘leads’ has to be supplied (everywhere).

arfecat & Ft Area: IT VaaayT SA AA IMTAA-

Tet: Treat aT saa SUT FRNA aS TTT
wera: A AATAT ASAT: ISH
8. The sun is indeed the external Prana. It rises up
favouring this Prana in the eye. That deity that is in the
earth, favours by attracting Apana in a human being. The
space (i.e. air) that is in the middle, is Samana. The (com-
mon) air is Vyana.

Adityah ha vai, it is the well-known sun indeed, in the

divine context; that is the bahyah pranah, external Prana
(i.e. Prana in external manifestation). Esah, this one, that
is such; udayati, rises up; it is this one indeed (that rises)
anugrhnanah, favouring; enam pranam, this Prana; cak-
susam, that exist in the eye, in the bodily context; that is
to say, it favours by vouchsafing light for the eye in the
matter of its perception of form. Similarly, ya devata
prthivyam, the deity that is well known as identified with
the earth; s@ esd, that very one, exists by vouchsafing
favour; avastabhya, by attracting, keeping under control—
by the fact of{pulling down; apanam purusasya, the vital
function called Apana in a human being; this is the idea.
III. 9] PRASNA UPANISAD 39

For otherwise the body would fall because of its weight

or would fly up into the sky if left free. Yat (rather yah)
antara, that which is in the middle, in the space that exists
in between heaven and earth, the air there being referred
to by the word space on the analogy of one sitting on a
scaffolding;* sah, it, that air; which is samanah Samana—
that exists there, helping the vital function called Samana;
this is the-idea. For, in common with the air (in the inter-
space), Samana has the similarity of existing in the space
within.? And vayuh, the air in general, that exists externally
is Vyana, because of the similarity of pervasiveness.* That
is to say, it stays there helping the (vital function called)
Vyana.

ast f A Varedenreranracts: | Gatatateza-

Hate APTTATT: EM
9. That which is well known as luminosity, is Udana.
Therefore, one who gets his light extinguished, attains
rebirth together with the organs that enter into (his) mind.

That which is tejah ha yai, well known as common*

luminosity outside; is udanah, Udana, in the body; that is
to say, it favours the vital function called Udana with its

1 In the sentence, ‘The scaffolding is shouting’, ‘scaffolding’ stands for

the men sitting on it. Similarly ‘space’ here stands for the ‘air’ in space.
? Vayu resides in the space between earth and heaven, and Samana
in the space within the body. The point of resemblance is residence within
space.
3 Air pervades the world, and Vyana pervades the body.
4 As distinguished from its special manifestation as the sun.
40 PRASNA UPANISAD (lll. 9

light. Since the agency (viz Udana) that causes one’s leaving
the body is of the nature of luminosity, and (while staying
in the body) it is favoured by external light, tasmat, there-
fore; when an ordinary man upasantatejah, gets his natural
light extinguished, then it is to be understood that his life
is exhausted and he is about to die. Sah, he; attains punar-
bhavam, another body (rebirth). How? Indriyaih, together
with the organs, counting from speech; sampadyamanaih
manasi, which enter into the mind.

afeateday STATA | SToeASTAT Ath: ARICHAT

Tare ferd BH Aas Wo
10. Together with whatever thought he had (at the time
of death), he enters into Prana. Prana, in association with
Udana and along with the soul, leads him to the world de-
sired by him.

Yaccittah, whatever thought he might have had, at the

time of death; tena, together with that very thought, and
together with the organs; dydati pranam, he (the creature)
enters into Prana, the chief vital function. The purport is
that at the time of death, the activities of the organs having
declined, he continues to live only through the functioning
of the chief Prana (vital energy). Then the relatives say, ‘He
breathes’, ‘He is alive.’ That pranah, Prana, again; yuktah
tejasa, in association with the function called Udana;
and saha atmana, along with the soul, the master that
enjoys ;—that Prana, thus associated only with the function
called Udana—, nayati, leads—that enjoyer (of the fruits
of work)—, makes him reach, under the influence of
III. 12] PRASNA UPANISAD 41

virtuous and vicious actions; lokam yathadsamkalpitam, a

world as was desired by him.!

a ud faery srt ae at area sor dadsqat wate

AST: TAHA .

il. The line of progeny of any man of knowledge who

knows Prana thus, certainly sustains no break. He becomes
immortal. Pertaining to this there occurs this mantra.

Yah vidvan, any illumined man who; veda, knows;

pranam, Prana; evam, thus, as possessed of the descrip-
tions set forth before, viz origin etc.; for that man is being
stated this result accruing in this world and the next. Asya,
for him, for that man of knowledge; prajah, line of progeny
consisting of sons, grandsons, etc.; na ha hiyate, certainly
sustains no break. And when his body falls, he bhavati,
becomes; amriah, immortal, through his identity with
Prana. Tat, pertaining to this idea; bhavati, there occurs;
esah Slokah, this mantra, in the form of brief statement
expressive of this idea:

sataaratd
cart fart Aa ara |
rear sta crea frararaaaead ec ~~}

fasrararastt Sta 12 211

ofa saqtafrate sata:
c
Wet: II
1 As an aspirant, he had desired heaven etc. when engaged in sacrifices
and meditation. That thought becomes again prominent at the time of
death and results in the attainment of that very world.
42 PRASNA UPANISAD [IIl. 12

12. Having known the origin, coming, lodgment and

fivefold overlordship and the physical existence of Prana,
one achieves immortality. Having known, one achieves
immortality.

Vijnaya, having known the Prana thus: utpattim, the

origin of Prana, from the supreme Self (III.3); ayatim,
(his) coming to this body, through the actions of the mind
(III.3); sthanam, (his) lodgment, in such places as the lower
apertures (III.5); ca paficadha vibhutvam, and (his) fivefold
overlordship, (his) ordering, like a sovereign, of the different
functions of Prana in five ways like a sovereign (III.4); his
existence externally in the form of the sun etc., and adhyat-
mam, in the body as the eye etc. ;—(one) asnute, achieves;
amrtam, immortality. The repetition of ‘vijiaya amrtam
asnute, having known, he achieves immortality’ is by way
of concluding the Question.
 FOURTH QUESTION

ay et aaa aed: gies) wradafea gee

ait carta arafersamta
Fat uy ta cay

Waraha 1.211
1. Then the grandson of Siirya, born of the family of
Garga, asked him, ‘O adorable sir, which are the organs
that go to sleep in this person? Which keep awake in him?
Which is the deity who experiences dream? To whom occurs
this happiness? In whom do all get merged?’

Atha, next; saurydyani gargyah, the grandson of Surya,

born of the family of Garga; papraccha ha, asked; enam,
this one. All about the impermanent, mundane existence,
that relates to manifested things, that is comprised within
the domain of lower knowledge (i.e. of ignorance), and
that consists of ends and means, have been fully dealt with
in the three (previous) Questions; now are begun the suc-
ceeding three Questions, since it is necessary to speak about
that auspicious, calm, unchanging, immutable Truth which
is called Purusa, who cannot be thought of in terms of
ends and means, is beyond the vital force, the mind and the
senses, exists everywhere internally and externally, and is
birthless and the subject-matter of superior knowledge.
As to that, the questions are now being raised with a view
to stating of what characteristics is that Immutable, from
which supreme Immutable, as stated in the second
a4 PRASNA UPANISAD [IV. 1

Mundaka, all objects are born like sparks from a blazing

fire, and into which they merge again (Mu.II.i.1); which are
all those things that emanate from the Immutable; and
how, becoming separated, they merge there itself. Bhaga-
van, O adorable sir; kani (karanani), which organs; asmin
puruse, in this person, possessed of head, hands, etc.;
svapanti, go to sleep, desist from their own functions. And
kani, which; asmin, in this one; jagrati, keep awake, con-
tinue in the state of sleeplessness, go on performing their
functions? Among those characterized as body and organs,!
katarah esah devah, which is this deity, who; pasyati
svapnan, experiences dreams? Dream means the perception
(of objects) within the body, like those in the waking state,
by one who has ceased from the perception of the waking
state. The idea is this: Is that activity performed by a deity
identified with the effect (viz body or Prana), or by some-
one identified with the senses (and mind)? Kasya, to whom;
bhavati, occurs; etat sukham, this happiness, that is calm
(i.e. taintless), effortless (i.e. undisturbed), and unobstruct-
ed,” and that emerges on the cessation of the activities of
the dream and waking states? At that time, kasmin nu sarve
sampratisthitah bhavanti, in whom do they all remain com-
pletely unified, after desisting from the activities of the
dream and waking states? The idea is this: like the juices
(collected from various flowers) merging in the honey (of a

! Karya, effect, is the body or Prana, and karanani, the organs, with the
mind at their head. In the reading karya-karandani, karanani, cause, means
the elements from which the body eic. are produced.
? Taintless, untouched by external objects; effortiess, expressing itself
when all disturbances cease, as does the light of a lamp placed in a windless
place; unobstructed, unending, it being one with the supreme Bliss.
IV. 1] PRASNA UPANISAD 45

beehive), or the rivers entering into the sea, they bhavanti,

become; sampratisthitah, blended without the possibility
of being distinguished.!
Objection: Since on the analogy of a discarded imple-
ment, a scythe for instance, it can be held that the organs
desist from their respective duties and rest separately, each
in itself, during sleep, therefore, whence can arise in the
questioner the surmise that the organs of the sleeping person
get merged somewhere?
Answer: The surmise (of the questioner in the text) is
quite reasonable. Since in relation to the objects of the
waking state the organs (are seen to) stand as a composite
whole for the benefit of a master and are not independent,
therefore, in consonance with the very fact that composite
things are dependent on someone else, it is but reasonable
to assume that they become unified in someone even in
sleep. Hence this question is quite in keeping with that
conjecture. In the present context the question, ‘In whom
do they all remain completely unified,’ is meant to imply,
“Who may he be?’—the question being put by one who
wants to know something special about the entity in which
all the aggregate of body and organs get merged during
sleep and cosmic dissolution.”
' There are five questions here: The first relates to the perceiver of the
waking state. That entity whose cessation from activity leads to dream,
must be the actor in the waking state. The second question is, ‘Whose
function is it to maintain the body in all the three states?’ The third relates
to the perceiver of the dream; the fourth to the enjoyer of sleep. The fifth
asks about the Turiya, the Fourth, the Self, free from the three states of
wakefulness, dream, and sleep.
2 It is the absolute Self that the questioner wants to know, and not the
conditioned Self that supports ail.
46 PRASNA UPANISAD [TV.2

aa
W gaara WaT AT AthaaisHeaed
Wea:
wat udieretiss watvafer) ot: Ja: yaeead:
ward = Ft ad ad at ea AaeHlaata | aa Te
gear a aqutia a ceata a fafa a caad a ead
aftaat wet area a faq aarad cafactar-
AT URE
2. To him he said, O Gargya, just as all the rays of the
setting sun become unified in this orb of light, and they
disperse from the sun as it rises up again, similarly all that
becomes unified in the high deity, the mind. Hence this
person does not then hear, does not see, does not smell,
does not taste, does not touch, does not speak, does not
grasp, does not enjoy, does not eject, does not move. People
say, “He is sleeping.’

Tasmai, to him; sah, he, the teacher; uvadca ha, said:

‘O Gargya, hear what you asked about. Yatha, as; the
maricayah, rays; arkasya, of the sun; astam gacchatah,
that is setting, becoming invisible; sarvah, all, without
exception; eki-bhavanti, become unified, inseparable, in-
distinguishable; etasmin tejomandale, ia this luminous orb,
in this sun that is like a mass of light; punah, again; tah,
they, the rays of that very sun; udayatah punah, while it is
rising again ;pracaranti, disperse ;— as is this illustration—,
evam ha yai, in a similar way indeed; sarvam tat; all that,
all the senses and their objects ;eki-bhavati, become unified;
pare deve manasi, in the high deity, in the fully luminous
mind—since the deities of the eye etc. are dependent on
IV. 3] PRASNA UPANISAD 47

(that of) the mind, the latter is their high deity; in that
(mind) they become united, lose their distinction, during
dream (and sleep), like the rays in the solar orb. And when
a man is about to wake up, they emanate—they proceed
to their respective functions—from the mind itself just
like the rays radiating from the orb. Since the ears etc.,
which are the organs of perception of sound etc., desist
from their function as organs, and thus seem to be unified
in the mind,' tena, therefore; tarhi, at that time, during
the time of sleep; esah purusah, this person—to wit, a person
named Devadatta; na Srnoti, does not hear; na pasyati,
does not see; na jighrati, does not smell; na rasayate,
does not taste; na sprsate, does not touch; na abhivadate,
does not converse; na ddatte, does not grasp; na adnanda-
yate, does not enjoy; na visrjate, does not eject ;na iydyate,
does not move; dcaksate, they, the common people, say:
svapiti iti, he is asleep.

sre vada ot osraft) mera = at

WaTersaaay:
HTT: 13
3. It is the fires (i.e. the functions resembling fire) of
Prana that really keep awake in this city of the body. That
which is this Apana really resembles the Garhapatya,
Vyana resembles the Anvaharyapacana. Since the Aha-
-vaniya is obtained from Garhapatya which is the (former’s)
1 The senses cannot actually become identified with the mind, since the
mind is not their material cause. They simply give up their activities and
continue to exist in their dependence on the mind.
48 PRASNA UPANISAD [IV. 3

source of extraction, therefore Prana conforms to Aha-

vaniya (because of its issuing out of Apana’).

When the organs, such as the ear, sleep etasmin pure,

in this city of the body, which is possessed of nine gates;
pranagnayah, the five divisions of the vital function count-
ing from Prana, which are comparable to fires; jagrati,
keep awake. The resemblance with fire is being stated:
Esah apanah ha vai garhapatyah, this Apana is really (the
sacrificial fire called) Garhapatya. How that can be so is
being stated: Since the other fire called Ahavaniya is
praniyate, obtained (extracted)—at the time of the Agni-
hotra sacrifice—; gdarhapatyat pranayanat, from the Gar-
hapatya fire which is the (former’s) source of extraction, .
therefore, from the derivative sense of ‘that from which
something is taken away’, Garhapatya fire is the pranayana,
the source of extraction. Similarly, for a man in sleep,
Prana moves through the mouth and nostrils, having been
extracted, as it were, from the function called Apana.
Therefore Prana is comparable to Ahavaniya. As for
vyanah, Vyana, since it moves out from heart through the
daksina, right, orifice, and is thus associated with the
daksina, southern direction, therefore it is (the fire called)
Daksinagni, known otherwise as Anvaharyapacana.

ager avaradiatedt aa aati A AAT: |

Wal & Aa AMA: | WeHesalerat:
| A UA AMAA-
Aetestel Tafa Wi

" Apana draws in the breath and fills up the lungs; from that inner air
Prana comes out as the outgoing breath.
IV. 4] PRASNA UPANISAD 49

4. That Samana (is the priest called Hota), because it

strikes a balance between exhalation and inhalation which
are but (comparable to) two oblations. The mind is verily
the sacrificer. The desired fruit is Udana, which leads this
sacrificer every day to Brahman.

The two oblations consisting of ucchvdsa-nihsvasau,

exhaling and inhaling; are the Ghuti, two oblations, of the
Agnihotra sacrifice, as it were, just because of the similarity
of being two in number. Yat, since—since these are
oblations; and since that vital function (called Samana)
samam nayati, strikes a balance, for ever; between etau
ahuti, these two oblations, so as to ensure the maintenance
of the body; iti, therefore, it is here verily the priest called
the Hota, because of the similarity of carrying the oblations
(like the priest), and this despite the fact that it is called a
fire (in the earlier paragraph). Which is it? Sah samanah,
it is Samana. And therefore, the sleep of an illumined man
is verily a performance of the Agnihotra sacrifice. There-
fore the idea implied is that the illumined man is not to be
considered a non-performer of rites. It is thus that in the
Vajasaneyaka it is said that all the component parts of
the body and organs of this illumined man perform sacri-
fices at all times even while he sleeps.’ Such being the case,

1 By the text, ‘Vak citah, pranah citah, caksuh citah,’ etc. in the Vaja-
saneyaka, it is enjoined that one should think of the activity of each
function of the Prana as a performance of sacrifice. And so it is pointed
out that the organs of knowledge and action continue their sacrifices even
during the sleep of a man who knows thus. The text there is meant as a
praise of this knowledge. Similarly, in the present context the purpose is
not to enjoin a meditation, it being out of place under this topic of tran-
scendental knowledge, but to eulogise illumination.
50 PRASNA UPANISAD [IV. 4

manah ha vava yajamanah, it’is the mind that is the sacri-

ficer, which keeps awake after having poured (as oblation)
the external organs and their objects into the wakeful fires
of Prana, and which seeks to reach Brahman, like (an
actual yajamana, sacrificer, seeking to reach) heaven which
is the result of Agnihotra. The mind is imagined to be the
sacrificer, because, like the sacrificer, it acts as the chief
among the aggregate of body and senses, and because it
sets out for Brahman, just as the sacrificer does for heaven.
Istaphalam eva, the result itself of the sacrifice; is udanah,
the vital function called Udana, because the achievement
of the result of a sacrifice depends on Udana. How? Sah, he,
Udana; ahah ahah, every day; gamayati, leads; yajamanam,
the sacrificer, called the mind; to brahma, Brahman, the.
Immutable, as though to heaven, during the time of sleep,
after causing the mind to cease even from the dream
activities. Hence Udana takes the place of the result of the.
sacrifice. :

Thus is praised the illumination of the enlightened man

by showing that, starting from the time of cessation from
activity of the ear etc., till the time that he rises up from
sleep, he enjoys the fruit of all sacrifices, and his sleep is
not a source of evil as it is in the case of an unenlightened
man; (and all this is meant as a praise), for (on a con-
trary view) it cannot be held that in the enlightened man
alone the ears etc. sleep, or that the fires of the Pranas keep
awake, or that (only) his mind alone enjoys freedom in the
dream and wakeful states and then goes to sleep every day;
for the fact of passing through the three states of waking,
dream, and sleep is similar for all creatures. Hence it is
reasonable to say that this is only a eulogy of enlighten-
IV. 5] PRASNA UPANISAD 51

ment. As for the question, ‘Which is the deity who ex-

periences dream?’, that is being answered:

Way sa: tated Bienes | AaaeS gueH-

Tat a aaah tater sep
Ot: Gt: seareatt see Bes TF Ad aA ATT
add 4A aeared ad cesta ad: veafs 4

5. In this dream state this deity (i.e. the mind) experiences

greatness. Whatever was seen, it sees again; whatever was
heard, it hears again; whatever was perceived in the dif-
ferent places and directions, it experiences again and
again; it perceives all by becoming all that was seen or
not seen, heard or not heard, perceived or not perceived,
and whatever is real or unreal.

Atra svapne, in this state of dream, when the organs,

such as that of hearing, cease to function, and the vital
forces, counting from Prana, keep awake for the main-
tenance of the body—zin this intermediate state (between
waking and sleep) before entering into deep sleep; esah
devah, this deity (the mind), that has withdrawn into itself
all the organs such as the ear, like the rays of the setting
sun; anubhavati, experiences, attains; mahimanam, great-
ness, consisting in assuming diverse forms of subject and
object.
Objection: The mind is an instrument of the perceiver
in the matter of experiencing greatness. Hence, how is it
said that the mind experiences independently? It is, indeed,
the soul, (conscious of the body), that can be free (in dream).
52 PRASNA UPANISAD [IV.5

Answer: That is no defect, for that freedom of the soul

is a result of its being conditioned by the mind, inasmuch
as the soul by itself does not in reality either dream or
keep wake. That its wakefulness and dream are caused by
the limiting adjunct of the mind has been statedin the
(following text of the) Vajasaneyaka Upanisad: ‘Being
associated with the mind, and being identified with dream’,
‘it (i.e. the soul) thinks, as it were, and it shakes, as it were’,
etc. (Br.IV.iii.7). Therefore it is quite logical to speak of the
independence of the mind in the matter of experiencing
diverse manifestations. Some assert that if the soul is con-
ditioned by the mind in dream, its self-luminosity! will
remain unestablished. (But) that is not so. That is a false
notion of theirs, caused by non-comprehension of the drift
of the Upanisads, inasmuch as even all such talk about
the Self—starting with (the texts dealing with) self-
luminosity and ending with emancipation—is within the
range of ignorance. It is caused by such conditioning
factors as the mind. And this conclusion is arrived at
according to such Vedic text as: ‘When there is something
else, as it were, then one can see something... . (Br.IV.
iii.31); ‘For him there is no contact with sense-objects’ ;
‘But when to the knower of Brahman everything has be-
come the Self, then what should one see and through what?’
(Br.IL.iv.14). Accordingly, this doubt arises only in those

' As shown in Brhadaranyaka, IV.iii.14: ‘When he dreams, he takes

away a little of the impressions of this all-embracing world (the waking
state), he himself puts the body aside and himself creates (a dream body)
revealing his own lustre by his own light....In this state he becomes
self-effulgent.’ If the Self continues to be conditioned by the mind in
dream, one may well suspect that the effulgence of knowledge revealed
there does not belong to-the Self.
IV. 5] PRASNA UPANISAD 53

who have imperfect knowledge of Brahman, but not in

those who have realized the non-dual Self.
Objection: If such be the explanation, the specific state-
ment, ‘In this state (i.e. dream) he becomes self-effulgent’
(Br.IV.iii.9), becomes meaningless.
The answer to this is being given: This objection of yours
falls far short of your mark, since the self-effulgence will
be much more meaningless if the Self is (really) delimited
within the heart according to the Vedic text, ‘lies.in the
Space’ that is within the heart’ (Br.II.i.17).
Objection: Though, as a matter of fact, this defect does
arise from that point of view, yet half the weight (of this
defect) is removed in dream by the fact that the Self be-
comes then self-effulgent in Its isolation (i.e. dissociation
from the mind).?
Answer: Not so; for even there (in sleep), persists the
association (of the Self) with the nerves extending up to
the pericardium (i.e. the whole body) in accordance with
the Vedic text, ‘(When it becomes fast asleep, . . . it comes
back along the seventy-two thousand nerves, called Hita,
which extend from the heart to the pericardium), and sleeps
(i.e. remains) in the body’ (Br.II.i.19); and therefore it is a
vain intention to remove the (remaining) half weight even
in sleep through your reliance on the argument of the self-
effulgence of the person.
Objection: What then is meant by saying that ‘the
person becomes self-effulgent in this state’ (Br. IV. iii. 9)?

' The ‘Space’ (akaSa) here stands really for the supreme Self; but a
literal interpretation leads us astray.
2 The remaining defect will be removed in the state of sleep, where the
Self alone exists—this is the implied idea.
54 PRASNA UPANISAD IV. 5

Pseudo-Vedantin: That Vedic text has no application

here, since it belongs to a different branch (of the Vedas).
Objection: Not so, since it is desirable that the Vedic
texts should all lead to an identical conclusion, for it is the
one Self that is the subject-matter of the Upanisads and
that is sought to be taught and understood. Hence it is
necessary that the self-effulgence of the Self in dream should
be upheld, for the Vedas serve to reveal the real truth.
Vedantin: In that case, hear the purport of the Vedic
passage by giving up all conceit, for not through conceit
can the meaning of the Vedas be mastered even ina hundred
years by all the people who pose to be learned. As the Self,
sleeping in the space within the heart and in the nerves,
spreading from the heart to the pericardium, can be shown
to be distinct from them just because It has no (natural)
association with them, and thus the Self’s self-effulgence
does not become negated, similarly, although the mind
persists (in dream), together with the impressions activated
by ignorance, desire, and past actions, yet the most arrogant
sophist cannot deny then the self-effulgence of the Self
which, while remaining totally dissociated from the entire
group of body and organs, witnesses through ignorance
the mental impressions created by past actions like some-
thing different from Itself; for the witnessing Self(then)
remains distinct from the impressions that form the objects
visualized (by It). Hence it has been well said that when
the organs merge into the mind which, however, remains
unabsorbed, (the Self,) as identified with the mind, sees
dreams.
How the mind experiences its diverse manifestations is
being said: Being under the influence of the impressions
of any object—be it of a friend or of a son etc. —yat, which;
IV. 6] PRASNA UPANISAD 55

drstam purvam, was seen earlier; it pasyati, sees; it seems

to think through ignorance that it sees the vision resembling
the son or the friend, called up by those impressions of
the son, friend, etc. So also, Srutam artham, whatever was
heard; anusrnoti, it seems to hear thereafter, under the in-
fluence of its impressions. Similarly, whatever was pratya-
nubhitam desadigantaraih, perceived as belonging to the
different places and quarters; it pratyanubhavati, experi-
ences, appears to experience, through ignorance; punah
punah, time and again. So also whatever was drstam, seen,
in this birth; and adrstam, not seen, that is to say, seen
in another birth; for no impression can be left by what is
absolutely unseen. Similarly, with regard to Srutam ca
asrutam ca, whatever was heard and not heard; anubhitam,
what was perceived, in this life through the mind alone;
ananubhiitam ca, and whatever was not perceived, that is
to say, was perceived by the mind itself in another birth;
ca sat, and what is true, for instance the real water etc.;
ca asat, and what is false, for instance, water in a mirage
etc. To be brief, it pasyati, sees; sarvam, ali, enumerated
or not; sarvah (san), by becoming all, by becoming con-
ditioned by all the mental impressions. Thus the deity, the
mind, sees the dreams in its unification with all the organs.

a var asenshryadt watt! aay ea: eaqcaqra

Tay aca Tage afar ue
6. When that deity, (the mind,) becomes overwhelmed
by (the solar) rays (called bile), then in this state the deity
does not see dreams. Then, at that time, threre occurs this
happiness in this body.
56 PRASNA UPANISAD [IV. 6

Yada, when, at the time when; tejasa, by the light, by

the solar light, called bile’; that is lodged in the nerves;
sah, the deity, called mind; bhavati, becomes; completely
abhibhitah, overwhelmed
— when the doors? for its ten-
dencies are closed down; then the rays of the mind, together
with the organs, get collected in the heart. The mind is in
sleep when, like fire in wood, it exists in the body, per-
vading it as a whole, in the form of general (as opposed to
particularized) consciousness. Atra, at this time; esah,
this; devah, deity (lit. the luminous one), called the mind;
na pasyati svapnan, does not see dreams, the doors of vision
having been closed by the light. Atha tada, then at that
time; etasmin Sarire, in this body; bhavati, occurs; etat
sukham, this happiness that is of the nature of unobstructed
Consciousness; that is to say, Bliss then pervades the whole
body in a general way and it remains undisturbed.
At this time, the body and organs that depend on
ignorance, desire, and the result of past actions, become
inactive. When these become quiet, the nature of the Self,
that appears distorted owing to the limiting adjuncts,
becomes non-dual, one, auspicious, and calm. In order to
indicate this state through a process of (successively)
merging into it the subtle forms of earth etc. that are-
creations of ignorance, the text cites an illustration:

a mar arr aaife areata asfaced |vt g 4

aq ad Te areata asfasad ii
‘ As also by the Consciousness, called Brahman, where the mind
merges. °
? Impressions of past actions that can produce dream.
IV. 8] PRASNA UPANISAD 57

7. To illustrate the point: As the birds, O goodlooking

one, proceed towards the tree that provides lodging, just so
all these proceed to the supreme Self.

Sah, that illustration, is this: Yatha, as; somya, O good-

looking one; vayamsi, birds; sampratisthante, proceed to-
wards; vasovrksam, the tree that provides lodging; evam
ha yai, just so, just as it is in the illustration; sarvam, all—
that will be enumerated; sampratisthate, proceeds; pare
atmani, to the supreme Self, to the Immutable.

qhrat a ofratarat aissaeatssararar

a aes
AMATAT A ATTA ATTATAT AISSHTAPATSSHITATAT
Tey wey TTA A ata a aM T ode FT
wed tala 4 cara erifadet 4 at ado FT
Beal Assad WIeIeaaded A Tas faasi-
fart a oot T Wee W Aa Hate a afees
qigat weneagedea «a fad a Aaftad =
asa fasta a sea faarefaaer qc
8. Earth and the rudiment of earth, water and the rudi-
ment of water, fire and the rudiment of fire, air and the
rudiment of air, space and the rudiment of space, the
organ and object of vision, the organ and object of hearing,
the organ and object of smell, the organ and object of taste,
the organ and object of touch, the organ and content of
speech, the hands and the object grasped, sex and enjoy-
ment, the organ of excretion and the excreta, the feet and
the space trodden, the mind and the content of thought,
58 PRASNA UPANISAD [IV.8

understanding and the content of understanding, egoism

and the content of egoism, awareness and the content of
awareness, the shining skin and the object revealed by that,
Prana and all that has to be held by Prana.

What are all those things? Prthivi, the gross earth, pos-
sessed of the five attributes; ca, and; its cause, the prthivi-
matrd, rudiment of earth, the fine form of smell. Similarly
Gpah ca Gpo-matra ca, water and the rudiment of water;
tejah ca tejo-matra ca, fire and the rudiment of fire; vayuh
ca vayu-matra ca, air and the rudiment of air; Gkasah ca
akasa-matra ca, space and the rudiment of space. That is
to say, all the gross and subtle elements. So also caksuh,
eye, the organ; ca rupam, and the object of sight; srotram
ca srotavyam ca, ear and the object of hearing; ghranam
ca ghratavyam ca, the organ and the object of smell; rasah
ca rasayitavyam ca, the organ and the object of taste; tvak
ca sparsayitavyam ca, the organ and the object of touch;
vak ca vaktavyam ca, speech and the content of speech;
hastau ca adatavyam ca, the two hands and the objects to
be grasped ;upasthah ca Gnandayitavyam ca, sex and what is
enjoyed ;payuh ca visarjayitavyam ca, the organ of excretion
and what is excreted; padau ca gantavyam ca, the two feet
and the place walked over. Thus (it is to be understood)
that the organs of knowledge and the organs of action
have been enumerated. Manah ca, the mind, that has been
already mentioned; mantavyam ca, and the object of the

! Sound, touch, colour, taste, and smell, the last one being the essential
attribute of earth. The four others are the essential qualities of space, air,
fire and water respectively. These rudimentary elements combine to form
the gross composite elements, their names being given according to the
predominance of one or the other. i
IV. 9] PRASNA UPANISAD 59

mind (what is thought of); buddhih, understanding, the

faculty of ascertaining; ca boddhavyam, and. the object to
be ascertained. Ahamkarah, the internal organ charac-
terized by egoism; ca, and; ahamkartavyam, the object of
egoism. ‘Cittam, the internal organ possessed of conscious-
ness; ca cetayitavyam, and the object to be conscious of.
Tejah, the skin—as distinc! from the organ of touch, and
possessed of lustre; the object! revealed by it is vidyota-
yitavyam. Pranah is what }s called Sitra (Hiranyagarbha,
who strings together everything); vidhdrayitavyam, is all
that is held, strung together by Him. (All these merge in
the supreme Seif) for, the etire range of body and organs,
combining for the sake of some one else and consisting of
name and form, extends thus far only.

Next in order is that reality of the Self that has entered

/

here (in the body)— like a reflecticn of the sun in water,

etc.—as the enjoyer and the agent of action.

uy f& seer exer ata area <afaar wea ata.

pal faararcan Fer: | a Teserx aretht awfased 11801
9. And this one is the seer, feeler, hearer, smeller, taster,
thinker, ascertainer, doer—the Purusa (pervading the
body and organs), who is a knower by nature. He becomes
wholly established i: the supreme, immutable Self.

Hi, and;* esah, this one (this Self); is the drasta, seer;
sprasta, toucher (fecler); srota, hearer; ghratd, smelier;

'T.e. the skin itself that is the seat of the organ of touch.
? According to A.G.
60 PRASNA UPANISAD [IV.9

rasayita, taster; manta, thinker; boddhd, ascertainer; kartd, .

doer: The word vijfdna, when derived in the (instrumental)
sense of ‘that by which anything is known’, means such
instruments as the intellect; but the word here is derived
in the nominative sense of ‘that which knows’. So vijnanat-
ma means the reality which has that nature or which is a
knower by nature. He is purusah, because he fills up, in
its entirety, the aggregate of the body and organs that has
been spoken of as a limiting adjunct. And as the reflections
—of the sun in water, etc. — enters into the sun etc. (when
the water etc. is removed), so this Self gets wholly estab-
lished pare aksare Gtmani, in the supreme immutable Self,
which persists as the last resort of the universe.

The result achieved by one who realizes his identity with

that supreme Self is being stated:

Taareat sfarad a at es ftaeeomerdicaaed

qarat saad seq aT a ada: wat wala aay
TGR: WON
10. He who realizes that shadowless, bodiless, colour-
less, pure, Immutable attains the supreme Immutable
Itself. O amiable one, he, again, who realizes,! becomes
omniscient and all. Illustrative of this there occurs this
verse:

It is being stated that he pratipadyate, attains; param

eva aksaram, the supreme Immutable Itself, which has

1 This translation follows A.G.

IV. 11] PRASNA UPANISAD 61

the characteristics going to be stated. Sah, he; (attains

the Immutable) ; yah ha vai, who perchance, having become
free from all desires; vedayate, realizes; tat, that which
is ;acchayam, free from shadow, from ignorance; asariram,
bodiless, devoid of a body conditioned by all the limiting
adjuncts constituted by name and form; alohitam, devoid
of redness, free from all such qualities as redness. Since
this is so, therefore (It is) Subhram, pure; being free from
all attributes. It is aksaram, the immutable, the True, called
Purusa (the all-pervading, indwelling Entity)—without
Prana, not conceivable by the mind, auspicious, calm,
coexisting with all that is within and without, and birthless.
Tu, again; somya, O amiable one; yah, he, the renouncer
of everything, who knows, becomes sarvajhah, omniscient ;
nothing can possibly remain unknown to him. Formerly
he was not omniscient owing to ignorance; again, when
ignorance is removed by knowledge, sah bhavati sarvah,
he becomes all. Tat, with regard to that point; bhavati
esah Slokah, there occurs this verse, which sums up the
above idea.

fasrateaT
ag ear ae:
srr watts aatasatet
aa
qaat Feat AY AAT
a aaa: aararfaaette
112 211
ofa seatofrate
age: Set: 1
11. O amiable one, he who knows that Immutable into
which the cognizing,Self—(the Purusa who is naturally
a knower)—as also the organs and the elements together
62 PRASNA UPANISAD {IV. 11

with all the deities merge, that omniscient one enters into
everything. :

Somya, O amiable (or good-looking) one; yah tu veda-

yate, he who knows; tat aksaram, that Immutable; yatra,
into which; vijfiandtma, the entity that is by nature a knower
(IV.9); and pranah, the organs, such as the eye; bhutani,
and the elements such as earth; saha devaih, together with
the deities, such as Fire etc.; sampratisthanti, merge; sah
sarvajrah, that omniscient one; Gvivesa (is the same as
avisati) enters; into sarvam, everything.
 FIFTH QUESTION

a4 et te Waa: Tel aM ea ae
TATA STARE
TIUTaTH | AIA ala a aA
arp Sadia | wet Te AAT LAI
1. Next, Satyakama, son of Sibi, asked him, ‘O venerable
sir, which world does he really win thereby, who among
men, intently meditates on Om in that wonderful way till
death?’ To him he said:

Atha ha, next; satyakamah saibyah, Satyakama, son of

Sibi; papraccha enam, asked him. Now then, this Question
is begun in order to enjoin the meditation on Om as a means
to the realization of the inferior and the superior Brahman.
Bhagavan, O venerable sir; sah yah ha vai, anyone, any rare
person; manusyesu, among men; who, after withdrawing
the organs from external objects and concentrating his
mind on Om, on which he superimposes the idea of Brah-
man through devotion; abhidhydayita, should intently
meditate; omkadram, on Om; tat, in that wonderful way;
prayanantam, till death, that is to say, for the whole life;
(which world does he conquer)? The meaning of the term
‘abhidhyana, intense meditation’, is to have such an un-
broken current of the idea of self-identification (with the
object of meditation) as is not vitiated by other states of
consciousness of a different order, and which is com-
parable to the (unflickering) flame of a lamp in a windless
place. There being many worlds that can be achieved
through meditation and rites, kKatamam vava lokam, which
64 PRASNA UPANISAD [V.I

of the worlds; sah jayati tena, does he conquer thereby,

by that meditation on Om, who undertakes such a lifelong
vow, aided by such multifarious forms of yama and niyama
(i.e. control of body and organs, and observance of moral
injunctions) as truthfulness, abstinence from sexual pleas-
ure, noninjury, non-acceptance of presents, dispassion,
monasticism, cleanliness, contentment, absence of dis-
simulation, etc.? To him who had asked thus, sah, he,
Pippalada; uvdca ha, said:

Uae AAHTATL AT A Fal AarHie |

aeatfegrtddarssaaathacaeate
211

2. O Satyakama, this very Brahman, that is (known as)

the inferior and superior, is but this Om. Therefore the
illumined soul attains either of the two through this one
means alone.

O Satyakama; etat brahma vai, this very Brahman;

yat, that is; param ca aparam ca, both superior and in-
ferior—the superior being that which is Truth and Im-
mutable and is called Purusa, and the inferior being the
First Born, called Prana; omkarah eva, is but Om, is
identical with Om, since Om is Its symbol.' As the supreme
Brahman cannot be (directly) indicated by words etc. and
is devoid of all distinctions created by attributes—and as
It is (on that account) beyond the organs—therefore the
mind by itself cannot explore It. But to those who meditate
on Om, which is comparable to the images of Visnu and

1 Etat and yat, being neuter, are construed with Brahman, rather than
with omkarah which is masculine.—A.G.
V. 3] PRASNA UPANISAD 65

others and on which is fixed the idea of Brahman with

devotion, that Brahman becomes favourable (and reveals
Itself). This is understood on the authority of scriptures.
Similar is the case with the inferior Brahman. Hence it is
said in a secondary sense that, that Brahman which is both
inferior and superior is but Om. Tasmat, therefore ;vidvan,
one who knows, thus; anveti, attains; ekataram, either of
the two—the superior or the inferior Brahman; etena
dyatanena eva, through this means alone, through this that
is a means for the attainment of the Self, consisting in
meditation on Om; for Om is the nearest symbol of
Brahman.

aq qaenraahreamia
a data aatecequaa scat-
arava | Tea Aaa A AA ATAT aeT-
aa agar arat Afearraaaate
11311
3. Should he meditate on Om as consisting of one letter
he becomes enlightened even by that and very quickly
attains a human birth on the earth. The Rk mantras lead
him to the human birth. Being endued there with self-
control, continence and faith he experiences greatness.

Yadi, even though; sah, he; may not know all the letters
by which Om is constituted, still through the influence of
the (partial) meditation on Om, he attains an excellent
goal; one who resorts to Om does not fall into evil by being
denied the fruits of both rites and meditation as a con-
sequence of the defect of such partial knowledge. What
ensues then? Being merely a knower of only one part con-
sisting of one letter, abhidhyayita, should he thus meditate,
66 PRASNA UPANISAD [V. 3

constantly; on Om itself as comprising one letter; sah, he;

samveditah, becoming enlightened; tena eva, by that alone
— by that meditation on Omas possessed of one letter only;
turnam eva, very quickly; abhi-sampadyate, attains; jagat-
yam, on the earth. What does he attain? Manusyalokam,
the human birth (i.e. human body). As many kinds of birth
are possible on this earth, so, among these, rcah, the Rk
mantras ;upanayante, conduct; tam, him, that aspirant; to
manusyalokam, a human birth, on the earth; for the first
single letter (viz a) of Om was meditated on (by him) as the
Rk mantras, which stand for the Rg-veda. Thereby, in
that human birth, he becomes a prominent Brahmana,
and being sampannah, endued; tapasa, with self-control;
brahmacaryena, with continence; sraddhayd, with faith;
anubhavati, experiences; mahimanam, greatness; he does
not become faithless or wilful in his action. He does not
ever come to grief because of any deviation—(consisting
in partial knowledge)—from Yoga (i.e. application of his
mind to Brahman).

ay afe fear wafa avad ats aeht-

walad aaa a dass fear Gatadd
oi

4. Now again, if he meditates.on Om with the help of

the second letter (u)', he becomes identified with the mind.
By the Yajur mantras he is lifted to the intermediate space,
the world of the Moon. Having experienced greatness in
the lunar world, he turns round again.

"1 See A.G.

V. 5] PRASNA UPANISAD 67

Atha, now again; yadi, if, anyone conversant with Om

as constituted by its second letter (viz u); abhidhydyita,
should meditate on Om; dvimatrena, as possessed of the
second letter; then as a result of that concentration, one
sampadyate, becomes unified ; manasi, in the mind, of which
the Moon is the presiding deity, which is conceived of as
the state of dream, which is identified with the Yajur man-
tras, and which is the object of meditation. When sah, that
man, who has become thus identified, dies; he is unniyate,
lifted; yajurbhih, by the Yajur mantras; which are verily
identical with the second letter; antariksam, to the inter-
mediate space (between heaven and earth); somalokam,
to the world of the Moon, which is supported by the inter-
mediate space and is represented by the second letter. That
is to say, the Yajur mantras lead him to a birth in the world
of the Moon. Sah, he; anubhiya vibhitim, having experi-
enced greatness there; somaloke, in the world of the Moon; '
avartate punah, turns round again, towards the human
world.!

a Tre farnireaddtarearcy 7 Genta

aq anf qf ara.) war qeteceaar fataterd va
24 a crea fated: a araftediad galore a
UAATSAM TTA TACT Fhears Gaatert | Taat arHt
WaT: WAU
! According to Sankarananda, the first portion of the text means this:
If anyone manasi sampadyate, resorts to the mind, that is, meditates;
dvimatrena, for two moments or on the two letters a, and u of Om. Ac-
cording to some, this text enjoins a meditation on Hiranyagarbha who
embodies Himself in the subtle cosmos conceived of as a subtle dream
state; the earlier text similarly enjoins a meditation on Virat, embodying
Himself in the gross universe, conceived of as the waking state.
68 PRASNA UPANISAD [V.5

5. Again, anyone who meditates on the supreme Purusa

with the help of this very syllable Om, as possessed of three
letters, becomes unified in the Sun, consisting of light.
As a snake becomes freed from its slough, exactly in a
similar way, he becomes freed from sin, and he is lifted
up to the world of Brahma (Hiranyagarbha) by the Sama
mantras. From this total mass of creatures (that Hiranya-
garbha is) he sees the Purusa who penetrates every being
and is higher than the higher One (viz Hiranyagarbha).
Bearing on this, there occur two verses:

Punah, again; yah abhidhyayita, should anyone meditate;

etam, on this—on Om; as param purusam, the supreme
Purusa, residing within the solar orb; Om iti etena eva
aksarena, with the help of the very syllable Om; trimatrena,
as associated with the knowledge of the three letters (a, u,
m), and serving as a symbol; (he becomes unified in the
Sun) as the result of that meditation. In this context Om
is (presented as) a symbol to aid (meditation), whica con-
clusion is drawn from the following Vedic text implying
identity: ‘That which is known as the superior and inferior
Brahman (is but Om)’ (V.2). Moreover, on any other sup-
position, the frequently used accusative case in omkadram
in the text will become unjustifiable. Although from the
use of the instrumental case (in trimdatrena), an interpreta-
tion in the instrumental sense is quite in order, still in con-
formity with the context, trimdtrena etc. should be con-
verted to the accusative form’ thus: ‘trimatram param
purusam—(meditate) on Om, associated with the knowl-
edge of the three letters, as the supreme Purusa’, so as to
' One might object that the instrumental case indicates that Om is not
a symbol (or icon); but Sankara says it is so.
V. 5] PRASNA UPANISAD 69

accord with the adage, “The individual should be sacrificed

for the family’! (Ma.Na. 37.17). By that meditation, sah,
he; becomes sampannah, absorbed—being engaged in
meditation, he becomes identified with the third letter (m)
and becomes unified; tejasi suérye, in the sun consisting
of light. Even after death»he does not return from the Sun
as one does from the lunar world; but he continues in his
identity with the Sun. Yathda, just as; a padodarah, snake;
vinirmucyate tvaca, is freed from its slough, the dead skin,
to become new again; evam ha vai, exactly in the same way,
as in this illustration, so; becoming vinirmuktah, freed;
papmana, from sin, which is a kind of impurity comparable
to the slough; sah, he; unniyate, is lifted up; sdmabhih,
by the Sama mantras—that are identical with the third
letter (m of Om); brahmalokam, to the world of Brahma,
i.e. of Hiranyagarbha, which is called Satya (Truth). That
Hiranyagarbha is identified with all the creatures that are
subject to birth and death; for as (the sum total of all) the
subtle bodies, He constitutes the inner soul of all; and in
Him, as comprising the (cosmic) subtle body, are strung
together all the creatures.2 Hence He is jivaghanah, a mass
of creatures. Etasmat jivaghanat, from this totality of crea-
tures, that Hiranyagarbha is; sah, he, the enlightened man,
who has known Omas possessed of the three letters ;iksate,
sees through meditation ;purusam, Purusa; purisayam, who
has entered into all the bodies and who is called the supreme
Self; being param parat, superior to the higher One, that
is to say, to Hiranyagarbha.* Tat, bearing on this

1 That is to say, for the sake of the majority.

2Creatures that identify themselves with their subtle bodies.
3 Hiranyagarbha is higher than all other creatures.
70 PRASNA UPANISAD [V. 5

expressive of the foregoing idea; bhavatah, there occur;

etau Slokau, these two verses:

fast ATAT AHA:

TAHT
arava aaPameeRT:
FRAY ATRIA ATTA
WITH TAT TA HPT FT USM
6. The three letters (by themselves) are within the range
of death. But if they are closely joined, one to another,
are not divergently applied to different objects, and are
applied to the three courses of action—external, internal,
and intermediate — that are properly resorted to, then the
man of enlightenment does not shake (i.e. remains un-
disturbed).

Tisrah matrah, the three letters, viz a, u, m, of Om;

mrtyumatyah, are encompassed by death, not outside the
pale of death, that is to say, surely within the grasp of
death.’ But when they are prayuktah, applied; kriyasu,
in actions, in the acts of meditation on the Self; and
further, (when they are) anyonyasaktah, joined one to
another; anaviprayuktah, are not applied divergently to

! Visva, the conscious Self in the waking state, is identical with Vaisva-
nara (Virat), and his residence is in the gross body and the waking state.
Taijasa, identical with Hiranyagarbha, has his lodging in the subtle body
and dream. Praja, identical with Isvara, has his locus in the Unmani-
fested and sleep. The yogic processes consist in meditating on them in
identification with a, u, m, respectively. If these are resorted to separately,
and without the idea of Brahman, they cannot lead one beyond death.
V.7] PRASNA UPANISAD 71

different objects, (then the yogi does not shake). Viprayuk-

tah are those that are specifically applied to a single object
alone; those that are not applied thus are aviprayukiah,
(i.e. diversely used) ; those that are not thus diversely applied
are anaviprayuktah. What follows from that? When (they
are applied thus) specially at the time of a single (con-
tinuous) meditation during the three kriyadsu, courses of
action ;bahyabhyantaramadhyamasu, external, internal, and
intermediate—in the course of the yogic actions consisting
in the meditation on the Purusas as associated with the
states of waking, dream, and sleep; samyak prayuktasu,
which processes are properly resorted to during the time
of meditation; then the jfiah, enlightened one, that is to
say, the yogi who knows the aforesaid divisions of Om;
na kampate, does not shake. He who knows thus, cannot
possibly be deflected, since the Purusas in the waking,
dream, and sleep states, together with the states, have been
seen by him as identical with the three letters and as
identical with Om. Since a man who is thus enlightened
has become the Self of all and one with Om, therefore from
where can he deviate and to where?

The second verse is-meant to sum up all the (fore-

going) ideas:
DD a
aratedaq Haat Fayed |
aAraTMassadsareatt
fas
TAHT
TATATTTAA TE AT U9
afa searfrefe
Tar: Tet:I
1p PRASNA UPANISAD - IF

7. The intelligent know this world that is attainable by

Rk mantras, the intermediate space achievable ‘by the
Yajur mantras, and that which is reached by the Sama
mantras. The enlightened man attains that (threefold)
world through Om alone; and through Om as an aid, he
reaches that also which is the Supreme (Reality) that is
quiet and beyond old age, death; and fear.

Only kavayah, the intelligent, the enlightened, and not

the ignorant; vedayante, know; etam, this, this world as-
sociated with men; that is attainable rgbhih, through the
Rk mantras; antariksam, the intermediate space, presided
over by the Moon; that is attainable yajurbhih, by the Yajur
mantras; and tat, that, the third, i.e. the world of Brahma;
yat, which; is attainable samabhih, by the Sama mantras.
Vidvan, the enlightened one; anveti, reaches; tam, that,
that threefold world indicative of the inferior Brahman;
omkarena, through Om, with the aid of Om. And with the
help of that very Om, he attains tat, that; yat, which is the
Supreme— Brahman, the Immutable, Truth, called Purusa,
(the All-pervasive); which is Sa@ntam, quiet, free, devoid of
all such distinctions as waking, dream, and sleep, and is
transcendental to the whole universe; and is therefore
ajaram, free from old age; amrtam, beyond death, since
untouched by such changes as old age; and consequently
abhayam, fearless; just because It is fearless, therefore
param, unsurpassing. The idea is that he reaches this One
also, omka@rena dyatanena, with the aid of Om, which is a
vehicleof advance. The word ‘iti, this’, is used to imply
the end of the sentence.
 SIXTH QUESTION

TT St THM WET: TSR) way fewaare:

Saco UAT ATA TAT eee | Wee ATK.
amt FRU aa ae Haaqa area aqi a7ae-
aaat
fran es
aqaraent ata | aqet ar uy cheat
aisqaatraatt aerated THT! FT Teil Trar-
ee Waa a cal Gear zara gee efa ue
1. Then Sukesa, son of Bharadvaja, asked him, ‘Vener-
able sir, Hiranyanabha, a prince of Kosala, approached me
and put this question, ‘“Bharadvaja, do you know the
Purusa possessed of sixteen limbs?’’ To that prince I said,
“I do not know him. Had I known him, why should I not
- have told you? Anyone who utters a falsehood dries up root
and all. Therefore I cannot afford to utter a falsehood”.
Silently he went away riding on the chariot. Of that Purusa
I ask you, Where does He exist?’

Atha ha, next; sukesa bharadvajah, Sukesa, son of

Bharadvaja; papraccha, asked; enam, him. It has been said
that the entire world, consisting of cause and effect, to-
gether with the conscious soul, gets unified in the supreme
Immutable during sleep (IV.11). From the logic of cir-
cumstances it follows that even during cosmic dissolution,
the world merges into that Immutable alone and originates
from that alone; for an effect cannot reasonably get
absorbed into anything other than its origin. Besides, it has
been said, ‘From the Self is born this Prana’ (III.3). And it
74 PRASNA UPANISAD [VI. 1

is the well ascertained purport of all the Upanisads that the

highest good results from the full realization of that which
is the source of creation; and it has just been declared,
‘he becomes omniscient and all’ ([V.10). It remains now to
point out where that Immutable, that Truth, called Purusa
(the all-pervasive, indwelling entity) is to be realized. This
question is begun for that purpose. And by pointing out
the difficulty involved in acquiring the knowledge, the
narration of the anecdote aims at inducing a special effort
in those who hanker after freedom. Bhagavan, O revered
sir; a rajaputrah, prince, Ksatriya by caste, named Hiranya-
nabha; who was kausalyah, born in Kosala; upetya mam,
approaching me; aprcchata, asked; etam prasnam, this
question—which is being stated: ‘Bhadradvaja, O son of
Bharadvaja; vettha, do you know; the purusam, Purusa,
(the Reality pervading the body); which is sodasakalam,
possessed of sixteen digits (limbs)?’ That conscious Being,
the soul, is sodasakalah, on which, through ignorance, are
superimposed sixteen parts that appear like limbs. Aham,
I; abruvam, said; tam kumaram, to that prince, who had
put the question: ‘Aham, I; na veda, do not know; imam,
this one that you inquire about.’ As he thought it impos-
sible that there could be any ignorance in me, despite that
statement of mine, I told him as a proof of my ignorance:
‘Yadi, if, perchance; aham, I; avedisam, happened to know;
imam, this one, the Purusa inquired about by you; katham,
why; na avaksyam, should I not have told, that is to say,
should not tell you, inquisitive and eminently fitted as a
disciple as you are.’ Noticing his disbelief over again, I
said furthermore to carry conviction to him: ‘Yah, any-
one who; abhivadati, utters; anrtam, a falsehood, that
does not accord with what is—speaks of himself as some-
VI. 2] PRASNA UPANISAD 75

what other than what he really is; esah, such a man;

parisusyati, dries up; samilah, together with roots; he is
deprived of this world and the next, he is destroyed. As
I know this fact, tasmat, therefore; na arhami anrtam
vaktum, I cannot afford to utter a falsehood, like an ig-
noramus.’ Aruhya ratham, riding on the chariot; sah, he,
the prince, who was thus convinced; pravavraja, went
away; to where he had come from; tisnim, silently, with
abashment. From this the conclusion is drawn that one
who knows must impart knowledge toa disciple who is
competent and approaches duly, but one should not utter
a falsehood under any condition whatsoever. Tam purusam,
about that Purusa—which, as an object still to be ascer-
tained, sticks to my heart like a thorn; prcchami tva, 1 ask
you; “Kva asau purusah, where does that Purusa (who is
to be known) exist?’

weetF slaral searagate

APT a Teat afen-
aa: TieaHor: Waseda UU
2. To him he (Pippalada) said: O amiable one, here it-
self inside the body is that Purusa in whom originate these
sixteen digits (or limbs).

Tasmai, to him; sah, he; uvaca ha, said; iha eva, here
itself; antahSarire, inside the body, within the space inside
the lotus of the heart; somya, O amiable one; exists sah
purusah, that Purusa—and He is not to be sought some-
where else—; yasmin, in whom; prabhavanti, originate;
etah sodasa-kalah, these sixteen parts—Prana and the rest
that are being enumerated. The Purusa who is partless
 76 PRASNA UPANISAD [VI. 2

appears through ignorance to be possessed of limbs as a

consequence of His association with the sixteen parts that
are His limiting adjuncts. But this Purusa has to be shown
as an absolute entity by eliminating, through knowledge,
those parts that condition Him. That is why the parts are
spoken of as originating from the Purusa. Since no em-
pirical pronouncement as to attainability and the means
of attainment can be made unless there be the superim-
position of Prana and the rest on the totally attributeless,
non-dual, pure principle, therefore, the origin, existence,
and absorption of the parts that are within the domain
of ignorance, are superimposed (on the Purusa); for the
parts are always seen to exist in identity with Conscious-
ness at the times of origin, continuation, and dissolution.
And this is why some deluded people say, ‘Just as ghee
(clarified butter) melts through contact with fire, so it is
consciousness that originates every moment as pot etc. and
_ gets destroyed.’ Others (e.g. the nihilists) say, “When that
" consciousness stops, all things appear as void.’ Still others
(e.g. the logicians) say, ‘The knowledge of pot and the rest
arises and gets destroyed as a temporary phenomenon on
the eternal Self which imparts consciousness.’ The materi-
alists say, ‘Consciousness belongs to matter.’ But Con-
sciousness that knows no decrease or increase, and yet
appears diversely through the attributes of the limiting
adjuncts, is nothing but the Self, which fact is borne out
by such Vedic texts as ‘Brahman is truth, knowledge, in-
finite’ (Tai.IJ.i.1), ‘Brahman is Consciousness’ (Ai.III.i.3),
‘Knowledge, Bliss, Brahman’ (Br.III.ix.28.7), ‘The infinite
Reality is but pure intelligence’ (Br.I].iv.12). Consciousness
is proved to be invariable from the fact that Consciousness
remains unchanged even when objects change in their
VI. 2] PRASNA UPANISAD 77

essence, and because anything that is known in any way,

emerges to consciousness only as such an object of knowl-
edge.’ It does not stand to reason to say that some external
thing exists substantially and still remains unknown, for
this is like averring that colour is perceived while the eye
is non-existent. A knowable thing may be inconstant in
relation to knowledge, but knowledge is never inconstant
in relation to objects, for knowledge persists in relation
to some knowable thing even though/a particular object
may not be there; indeed, nobody can have such a thing
as an object unless he has knowledge.
Objection: Since even consciousness is not perceived in
sleep just because it does not exist there then, therefore it
follows that knowledge, in itself, is inconstant just like an
object.
Answer: No, for in so far as knowledge that reveals its
objects is an illuminator of its object just like a light, the
absence of knowledge during sleep cannot logically be
inferred, just as the absence of light cannot be inferred
from the absence of the thing to be lighted up. Certainly,
the nihilist cannot imagine the absence of the eye when it
fails to perceive colour in darkness.

' That things are apprehended to be what they are is owing to the fact
of the apparent diversification of the underlying Consciousness by the
limiting adjuncts; and things would cease to be known unless Conscious-
ness lay behind them. This proves that things vary, while Consciousness
remains unchanged. A pot may not exist even when there is consciousness
of it, or objects may vary essentially, while knowledge persists; but
there can be no object of knowledge without Consciousness. Objection:
We have no knowledge of a jar at the time that we know a cloth; so know!-
edge also is variable. Answer: Knowledge may vary as coloured by its
objects, but not essentially, whereas things vary essentially.
78 PRASNA UPANISAD [VI. 2

Objection: The nihilist does, as a matter of fact, imagine

the absence of knowledge where there is no knowable thing.
Answer: The nihilist should explain how he would argue
away the presence of that knowledge by which he imagines
the non-existence of that knowledge; for the non-existence
of the knowledge being itself a knowable object, it cannot
be cognized unless there is knowledge of it.
Objection: Since knowledge is non-different from the
knowable, non-existence of knowledge follows from the
non-existence of the knowable object.
Answer: Not so, because non-existence too is admitted
as cognizable. By the (Buddhist) nihilist it is admitted that
non-existence is also known and that it is everlasting. Now,
if knowledge be non-different from (the knowable) non-
existence, it also will become eternal ex hypothesi; and
because the non-existence of knowledge becomes essential-
ly a knowledge, non-existence (of knowledge) is reduced
to a meaningless term. In reality, knowledge is neither a
non-existence, nor is it non-eternal. Nor do we lose any-
thing if the mere epithet of non-existence is applied to
knowledge that is (really) eternal.
If it be now argued that although non-existence is know-
able, it is distinct from knowledge, then in that case, the
non-existence of the knowable will not lead to the non-
existence of knowledge.!

1 By such a theory you nullify your view that knowledge and the know-
able are identical. Hence by depending on the assumptions that knowable
objects are absent in sleep and that knowledge is non-different from the
knowable, you cannot argue that knowledge is non-existent in sleep.
Moreover, if the non-existing knowable thing be different from knowl-
edge, why should not an existing knowable thing be different also?
VI. 2] PRASNA UPANISAD 79

Objection: An object is different from knowledge, but

knowledge is not different from its object.
Answer: No, since it is all mere talk that does not lead
to any real distinction, for if it be held that object and
knowledge are identical, then it is meaningless talk to say
that the knowable object’is distinct from knowledge, while
knowledge is not distinct from its content; and it is com-
parable to the thesis that vahni (fire) is distinct from
agni (fire), while agni is not distinct from vahni. If, however,
knowledge be different from the content of knowledge, the
conclusion arrived at is that the absence of any knowable
object does not logically imply the absence of knowledge
(as such).
Objection: Since there can be no awareness (of knowl-
edge) when there is no object to be known, it follows that
knowledge itself is absent in the absence of any object.
Answer: Not so, for awareness is admitted in sleep in-
asmuch as it is held by the (Buddhist) nihilists that con-
sciousness persists even in sleep.
Objection: Even there it is held that consciousness is
known to itself.
Answer: No, since the distinction of the two (viz knowl-
edge and object) is already postulated. Inasmuch as the
knowledge that pertains to an object of the form of non-
existence is different from that non-existent object, the
difference between the knowable and the knowledge stands
as an established fact. That fact having been proved, it
cannot be revivified like a dead man, nor can it be reversed
by even a hundred nihilistic Buddhists.
Objection: In so far as knowledge is known by some
other knowledge, there crops up an infinite regress from
your point of view, since that knowledge must have another
80 PRASNA UPANISAD [VI. 2

knowledge to know it, and that again another.

Answer: Not so, for a logical distinction between all
(knowledge and objects) is possible. On the admission
that everything is knowable to some knowledge, that
knowledge which is different from its content remains what
it is for ever.’ This is a second category that is admitted by
all who are not nihilists, and no third category to com-
prehend it is admitted. Thus there is no scope for infinite
regress.
Objection: If knowledge remains unknown to itself, then
omniscience becomes untenable.
Answer: That defect, too, should affect him (i.e. the
Buddhists) alone. What need have we to remove it??
Besides, (for him) there is the fault of infinite regress arising.
from the admission that knowledge is an object of knowl-
edge, for knowledge is certainly knowable according to the
(Buddhist) nihilist. And because (a particular) knowledge
cannot be known by itself, an infinite regress is inevitable.
Objection: This fault is equally in evidence (in your
theory as well).

' We hold that things knowable are objects of knowledge, but knowl-
edge itself is not known. The knowable are ever knowable, and so is
knowledge ever knowledge.
? The Buddhist believes that knowledge is known. So if it can be proved
that knowledge is unknowable, /mniscience of Buddha, for instance,
can no longer be sustained. But the Vedantin is not open to that charge,
as according to him knowledge can cognize only those things that are fit
to be known, as otherwise non-omniscience would result from the non-
comprehension of such an imaginary thing as the horn of a hare. The
Vedantin may also reply that since the very conception of omniscience
is within the domain of ignorance, he is not under any obligation to prove
its reality. Or he may argue that omniscience follows from the fact of one’s
possessing the capacity to know everything that exists, but not necessarily
from the actual awareness of everything.
VI. 2] PRASNA UPANISAD 81

Answer: Not so, for Consciousness (according to us) can

logically be shown to be but one. Since it is but one Con-
sciousness, existing in al! places, times, persons, etc., that
appears diversely because of the differences in the multi-
farious limiting adjuncts constituted by name, form, etc.,
just like the reflections of the sun etc. on water etc., there-
fore that objection has no force; and the statement that
is under consideration here agrees with this.’
Objection: From the Upanisadic text, (‘here itself inside
the body’—VI.2), it follows that the Purusa is contained
here inside the body, like a jujube fruit in a vessel.
Answer: No. (this is wrong), because the Purusa is the
cause of such parts as Prana, and because nobody will
understand the Purusa as the source of such parts as
Prana, faith, etc., if He be delimited by a mere body. And
this follows from the further fact that the body is an effect
of those parts; because the body, which is constituted by
the parts—Prana and the rest, which (in their turn) are
the products of the Purusa—cannot contain within itself,
like a jujube in a vessel, the Purusa who is the origin of
its Own source.
Objection: This is possible on the analogy of the seed
and the tree. Just as a tree is the effect of a seed, and the
effect of that tree is a fruit, a mango for instance, which
holds within itself the (stone that is the) cause of its cause
(viz the tree), similarly the body can contain within itself
even the Purusa, though He is the cause of its own cause
(viz Prana etc.).
Answer: This is untenable, because it implies difference
and divisibility. In the analogy, the seeds contained in the
1 On the strength of the fact that Consciousness as an eternal entity
is the basis of all appearances, the Upanisad talks of the superimposition
of the parts (or limbs) on that Consciousness.
82 PRASNA UPANISAD [VI. 2

fruits of the tree are different from the seed that produced
the tree, whereas in the case to which the analogy applies,
the very same Purusa who is the cause of the causes of the
body, is heard of in the Upanisad to be confined within
the body. Moreover, things like the tree and the seeds can
be related by way of the container and the thing contained,
because they are composite by nature, whereas the Purusa
is not divisible, though the parts (viz Prana etc.) and the
body are. Hereby it is shown that inasmuch as even space
cannot be contained within the body,! much less can the
Purusa, who is the cause of space, be confined within it.
Therefore the illustration is inapt.
Objection: Leave alone the analogy. The point is born
out by the text itself.
Answer: That cannot be, for texts cannot create things
anew, since a text is not meant to reverse anything. What
is its function then? It is concerned with expressing things
as they are. Therefore the text ‘inside the body’ is to be
understood in the same sense as the statement that space
exists within the Cosmic Egg.” Besides, that text conforms
only to empirical experience in so far as from such logical
grounds as (the experiences of) seeing, hearing, thinking;
knowing, etc., the Purusa is experienced within the body,
as though He is a limited being. And since (it is within the
body that) He is realized, therefore it is said, ‘O amiable
one, that Purusa is inside the body.’ When not even a fool
wishes to conceive mentally that the Purusa, who is the

' Objection: The body produced from indivisible space contains space
within itself. Answer: There too space does not enter into the body, but
seems to be existing in the shape of a body as pervading the pores and
empty regions there.
2 Space is the cause of the universe, but since space pervades every-
thing, it is perceived as confined within the universe.
VI. 3] PRASNA UPANISAD 83

cause of space, can be encompassed by the body like a

jujube in a vessel, much less can a Vedic text which is-a
valid means of knowledge do so.
As a description of the Purusa, it has been said, ‘that
Purusa in whom originate those sixteen parts’ (VI. 2).
Though that origination of the parts was stated (there) in
the Upanisad in another connection, still the present text
(dealing with creation) is meant to recount the order in
which the origination occured as also to show that creation
is preceded by intelligence.

a garat| arasqeard sera wfacart

aferar stato sfasorearatte
11311
a He deliberated: ‘As a result of whose departure shall
I rise. up? And as a result of whose continuance shall I
remain established?’

Sah, He, the Purusa endued with sixteen parts, about

whom the son of Bharadvaja inquired; iksam cakre, made
this deliberation on, that is to say, penetrated into, the
subject of creation, result, order, etc.1 How he did so is
being stated: Kasmin utkrante, which particular agent
having risen up, from the body; bhavisyami aham, shall
I Myself become; utkrantah, separated? Va, or; kasmin
pratisthite, which continuing to be established in the body:

1 Creation—of Prana etc.; result—such as their departure ftom the

body; order—emergence of faith from Prana and so on; efc — the re-
lation of the container and the contained, as subsisting between the world
and name etc.
84 PRASNA UPANISAD [VI. 3

pratisthasyami aham, shall I remain esiablished? This is

the purport.
Objection: Is it not a fact that the Self is not an abeas
of action, while the Pradhana (Primal Nature) is? Hence
it is the Pradhana that evolves as Mahat (i.e. the principle
of intelligence) and the rest by setting before itself the needs
of the Purusa (conscious soul). Therefore, in the face of the
facts that Pradhana, existing in a state of balance of its
(three) constituents of sattva etc., has to be assumed on
valid authority to be the creator; that there exist the mi-
nutest atoms which act according to Divine .Will; that the
Self has not the wherewithal to create, It being non-dual;
and that the Self cannot be the author of evil to Itseif, be-
cause a conscious being that acts intelligently cannot do
any evil to itself; it is unjustifiable to talk of any agentship
of the Purusa, preceded by independent deliberation. Ac-
cordingly, when, to serve the purposes of the Purusa, the
insentient Pradhana evolves in a regular order, as though
out of deliberation, the Pradhana is figuratively spoken
of as intelligent in the statement, ‘He deliberated’ etc.,
just as one might say, ‘He is the king’, with regard to an
officer who does everything for the king.
Answer: No, since it is as logical to look upon the Self
as the doer, as to conceive of It as the enjoyer. Just as from
the Samkhya standpoint the Self which is a mere changeless
Consciousness can still be the enjoyer, similarly, from the
standpoint of the followers of the Vedas, Its creatorship
of the world through deliberation can be justified on the
authority of the Vedas.
Objection: Any transformation, sonsisting in a change
of (the essence of) the Self into a different category, causes
Its impermanence, impurity, and multiplicity; but-a mere
VI. 3] PRASNA UPANISAD 85

variation within Its very nature of Consciousness does not

do so. Accordingly, if enjoyership is inherent in the Purusa
Himself, any change within that Consciousness (of enjoy-
ment)? is not opén to any charge (of mutation of the Self),
whereas from your standpoint, who are followers of the
Vedas and admit that the Self is the creator, there does
occur an essential mutation,” and therefore the Self be-
comes subject to all such faults as impermanence etc.
Answer: No, for it is held by us that though the Self is
but one, still, in the state of ignorance, there occur to
It apparent distinctions created by the presence or absence
of the limiting adjuncts constituted by names and forms
of objects. Some sort of a distinction in the Self, created
through the limiting adjuncts of name and form that are
caused by ignorance, is admitted (as a concession), so that
talk about the bondage and freedom of the Self in the
scriptures may be possible. In reality, however, what is
desired is that one should stand by the unconditioned Entity
which is one without a second, which is beyond the reach
of all sophists, and which is fearless and auspicious.
There can be no agentship, no enjoyership, nor any action,
instrument, or result, where everything is reduced to non-
duality. The Samkhyas, however, first imagine that agent-
ship, as well as action, instrument, and result, is super-
amposed on the Self; but as they are outside the pale of
the Vedas, they recoil from such a (monistic) position and
hold that erijoyership is a real characteristic of the Self.
Again, fancying that the Pradhana is a real substance,
! Enjoyment (or suffering) consists in a direct experience of joy (or
sorrow). This experience is the very nature of the soul, whereas action
belongs to the intellect and the rest.
2 By becoming the intellect etc. for the purposes of creation.
86 PRASNA UPANISAD [VI. 3

essentially different from the Self, they fall into the snares
woven by the intellect of other (dualistic) sophists and
lose their bearing. Similarly are the other sophists led astray
by Samkhyas. Thus by postulating theories opposed to
each other, like carnivores (fighting for a piece of flesh),
they continually drift away from the supreme Reality owing
to their proneness to discover such (distorted) interpreta-
tions of the conclusions arrived at by valid means of proof
as may demolish each other’s point of view. Therefore we
disclose a few flaws in the theories of the sophists not in
the spirit of the sophists, but in order that people desirous
of liberation may become devoted to the true import of
the Upanisads, viz the realization of the non-duality of the
Self, by ignoring those other theories. Thus has it been
said in this connection: ‘Leaving the cause of the origina-
tion of all disputes’ amongst the disputants themselves,
and keeping his good sense well protected by their exam-
ple,? the knower of the Vedas reposes happily.’
Moreover, no distinction can be made between the two
kinds of modification (in the Self) called enjoyership and
agentship. What indeed is that modification characterized
as enjoyership which belongs to a class by itself and is
different from agentship, depending on which the Purusa
can be conceived of as merely the enjoyer and not the agent,
while the Pradhana can be thought of as merely an agent
and not an enjoyer?
Samkhya: Did we not say that the Purusa consists merely
of intelligence and that He changes not by being trans-

1 Apprehension of duality as true.

? Having this firm conviction, ‘Since the dualistic theories lead only to
conflict, non-dualism alone is true.’
VI. 3] PRASNA UPANISAD 87

formed into some other category, but in the course of ex-

perience while still remaining what He is in essence? On
the other hand, the Pradhana changes by being evolved
into some other principle, and hence it is possessed of such
attributes as multiplicity, impurity, insentience, etc. The
Purusa is the opposite of it.
Vedantin: That is a distinction which is not real but
merely verbal. If to the Purusa, who is (conceived of as)
mere intelligence before the emergence of enjoyership,
there accrues some special attribute called experience at
the time of the occurrence of enjoyment, and if after the
cessation of the enjoyment, the Purusa is freed from that
peculiarity and becomes pure intelligence again, (then one
may: argue that during enjoyment, the enjoying) Pradhana
also evolves as Mahat etc., and then reversing the process
(after that experience) it exists in its own nature as Prad-
hana. Hence the supposition does not serve to. point out
any difference. Accordingly, the distinction that is sought
to be made between! the transformations of the Purusa and
the Pradhana is merely a verbal one.
If now it is held that the Purusa continues as before to
be pure intelligence even during enjoyment, then there is
no experience, in the real sense, by the Purusa.
Samkhya: The change in the Pure Intelligence during
enjoyment is certainly real. Hence, enjoyment is by the
Purusa.
Vedantin: That cannot be. Since the Pradhana too under-
goes change during enjoyment, it may as well become the
enjoyer.
amkhya: Change in the pure intelligence alone consti-
tutes enjoyership.
Vedantin: In that case there is no valid reason why fire
 88 PRASNA UPANISAD [VI. 3

and the rest that are possessed of distinct attributes like

heat etc. should not be enjoyers.1 .
Objection: Enjoyership may belong simultaneously to
both Pradhana and Purusa.
Vedantin: No, since in that case the (Samkhya) theory
that Pradhana acts for the benefit of another (viz the
Purusa) falls through; for among two co-enjoyers there
can be no such relationship as overlordship and subor-
dination, just as two lights cannot be so related by way
of illuminating each other.
Objection: The enjoyment of the unchanging Purusa
consists in the production of a reflection of the Purusa
on the mind-stuff in which the sattva quality predominates
and which is by nature an enjoyer.
Vedantin: It cannot be so; for if the Purusa is not affected
thereby in any way, it is meaningless to posit an enjoyership
for Him. If the Purusa has no evil in the form of experience,
He being ever without attributes, then for removing what
(evil) is the (Samkhya) scripture written as a means for
emancipation?
Objection: The scripture is written for the sake of re-
moving the evil superimposed through ignorance.
Answer: In that case the hypotheses that in reality the
“? ‘Change in Pure Intelligence alone’, may mean two things: (i) change
“in Intelligence irrespective of any change in another substance; (ii) some
uncommon change in the Intelligence alone. The first position is untenable,
since the Purusa cannot enjoy unless there be corresponding changes in the
form of happiness etc. in the Pradhana. As for the second alternative, there
is no special reason why an uncommon change in an uncommon factor,
viz Intelligence, should be called enjoyment; for if enjoyment is defined
as ‘an uncommon change within the thing itself’, the definition becomes
’ too wide; and thus fire may also become an enjoyer by a mere uncommon
change within its uncommon quality of heat.
VI. 3] PRASNA UPANISAD 89

Purusa is only an enjoyer and not an agent, that the Pra-

dhana is only a doer and not an enjoyer, and that the
Pradhana is a really existing entity different from the
Purusa—which (suppositions) are outside the Vedic pale—
are useless and unwarranted, and hence need not be taken
into consideration by people craving for Liberation.
Objection: Even from the standpoint of non-duality,
such activity as the compilation of scriptures is futile.
Answer: No, for no such thing is possible in the state
of non-duality. The conflicting thought as, to whether the
compilatior of scriptures is useful or useless can arise only
when there are the compilers of the scriptures and others
who want to derive some benefit from them; but in the
state of non-duality of the Self, apart from the Self there
can be no compiler of the scriptures, nor anyone else. And
in their absence, this kind of hypothesis itself is altogether
unjustifiable. From the very fact of your firm affirmation
of the unity of the Self it is admitted by you pari passu
(from your personal experience) that scriptures serve the
valid purpose (of revealing the non-duality of the Self).
And the following scriptural text declares with regard to
that unity of the Self, to which you subscribe, that when
the conviction arises, there is no scope for doubt: ‘When
to the knower of Brahman everything has become the Self,
then what should one see and through what?’ (Br.II.iv.14).
Similarly in the Vajasaneyaka Upanisad it is shown elab-
orately how in the domain of ignorance which comprises
things other than the supreme Reality, it is possible to do
such things as the compilation of scriptures: ‘Because
when there is duality, as it were, (then one sees some-
thing)’ etc. (ibid). Here again, at the very commencement
of the scripture (the Upanisad of the Atharva Veda, viz
90 PRASNA UPANISAD [VI. 3

Mundaka. 1.1.4), knowledge and ignorance have been

separated by calling them higher and lower. Accordingly,
the army at the command of sophistic theories cannot
enter here into this domain of the non-duality of the Self
that is protected by the hands! of the king who is none
other than the valid proof adduced by Vedanta. It is to be
understood that hereby is refuted the fault imputed by
others that Brahman lacks the necessary equipment etc.
for becoming an agent in the matter of creation etc.; for
Brahman can (be imagined to) be associated with dif-
ferences caused by diverse powers and accessories that
emerge from the limiting adjuncts created through name
and form which are called up by ignorance. And so also
is set aside the other objection raised by others that the
Self (of the non-dualists) becomes the originator of Its own
misery.”
As for the illustration of an officer who does everything
for the king and is called by courtesy a king or a master,
that has no application here because it runs counter to
the (obvious) primary meaning of the Vedic text, ‘He
deliberated’, which is meant to impart valid knowledge;
for a secondary meaning of a word is called for only where
the primary meaning is inadmissible. But here it does not
stand to reason that an insentient entity (viz Pradhana)
should engage in well-regulated activity for the purpose of
bondage, liberation, etc. in relation to the Purusa, keeping
in view the difference between bound and freed souls?

‘The reasoning found in Vedanta.

? For God is fancied to be the creator of a world ignorantly super-
imposed on Him, and He is fancied to ordain good and evil for the souls
which have no real separate existence.
3 That the free souls are to be left apart, and actions are to-relate to the
bound ones alone.
VI. 4] PRASNA UPANISAD 91

and taking note of such distinctions as of subject, object,

space, time, and causation. On the otherhand, this becomes
justifiable from the standpoint already stated that omnis-
cient God is the creator.

By Purusa alone, as by a king,’ is created Prana the

director of all. How?

awa
weet a arqsatfree: ofret-
faa Wa | waaaett AIT Ae: HH SlaT TAY
aT TUPI

4. He created Prana; from Prana (He created) faith,

space, air, fire, water, earth, organs, mind, food; from
food (He created) vigour, self-control, mantras, rites,
worlds, and name in the worlds.

Having deliberated in the way stated before, sah, He,

the Purusa; asrjata, created; pranam, Prana, (the sum
total of all Pranas,) called Hiranyagarbha,> that is the
repository of the organs of all beings, and is the inner soul
of all.+ From this Prana, He created sraddham, faith, that
is the source of stimulus for_all beings for good action.

' This is according to the reading ‘/svarena iva’. An alternative reading

is, “Isvarena eva, by God Himself (who is Purusa).’
? Energy, both mental (i.e. intellectual) and physical.
3 That is to say, the limiting adjunct through which the Self appears
to be individualized and comes to be known as Hiranyagarbha A.G.
4 As the sum total of all the subtle bodies, this limiting adjunct, called
Hiranyagarbha, resides inside the gross bodies and is thought of as one’s
self. Hence it;js antar, inside, and adtman, self.
 92 PRASNA UPANISAD [VI. 4

From that He created the great elements that support by

becoming the material constituents of the (physical body
that is the) vehicle of enjoyment of the fruits of actions.
(He created) kham, space, possessed of the quality of sound;
vayuh, air, possessed of two attributes, its own attribute
of touch and the atiribute (sound) of its scurce (space);
similarly jyotih, fire, possessed of three qualities—its own
quality of colour and ihe qualities of sound and touch
belonging to the earlier two; similarly Gpah, water, pos-
sessed of four attributes—its own individual quality of
taste and the infusion of the three earlier qualities (sound,
touch, colour); similarly prtnivi, earth, endowed with five
qualities by virtue of its possession of smell, and the per-
meation of the four earlier qualities (sound, touch, colour,
iaste). So aiso (He created) indriyam, the organs—con-
stituted by those elements themselves—, which are of two
kinds and are ten in number for the purposes of perception
and action; and (He created) manah, the mind, the lord of
those organs, which resides inside and is characterized by
doubt and thought. Having thus created the body and the
organs of the creatures, He created for their sustenance
annam, food, constituted by paddy, barley, etc. Anndt,
from that food, when eaten; (He created) viryam, ability,
vigour that is at the root of engaging in all works. After
that (He creaied) .apah, self control, for the sake of the
. purification of those strong creatures who get involved in
the intermixiure of casies (through sin). Then (He created)
mantrah, wantras, comprising the Rk, Yajur, Sama, and
Atharva texts, which are the meanis of (religious) activities
for those who have purified their internal and external
organs with the help of self-control; then karma, rites,
such as Agnihotra; then /okah, the worlds, the results of
rites. And in these worlds He created nama, names, for
VI. 5] PRASNA UPANISAD 93

instance Devadatta or Yajiiadatta, of the created beings.

Thus, in conformity with’ the seeds constituted by such
defects of the creatures as ignorance, these parts were
created—like two moons, mosquitoes, bees, etc. created
by the blurred vision of a man suffering from the disease
called Timira, or like all sorts of things created by a
dreamer—, and these again merge into that very Purusa
by giving up such distinctions of name, form, etc.’

How?

a aaa aad: ISAT: AAT: ays sored

weafa fridt aat amet wag aq sad
wadarer ofeacetear: WS FET ger: yay
srared wear Prett arat amet gey aa
wread a waisasisge watt qew wa KI
5. The illustration is this: Just as these flowing rivers
that have the sea as their goal, get absorbed after reaching
the sea, and their names and forms are destroyed, and they
are called merely the sea, so also these sixteen parts (i.e.
the constituents) of the all-seeing Purusa, that have the
Purusa as their goal, disappear on reaching the Purusa,
when their names and forms are destroyed and they are
simply called as Purusa. Such a man of realization becomes
free from the parts and is immortal. On this point there
occurs this verse:

Sah, the illustration is this: In the worid, yathd. as;

' Taking them as His aid.

94 PRASNA UPANISAD [V1.5

imah, these; syandamanah nadyah, flowing rivers; samu-

drayanah, that have the sea as their goal, the place where
they get absorbed; samudram prapya, after reaching the
sea; gacchanti astam, court disappearance, lose their names
and forms;—and tasam nama-rupe, the names of those
(rivers), for instance, Ganga, Yamuna, etc., that have be-
come absorbed; bhidyete, get eliminated; and, as a result
of that merger, their substance that is water, samudrah
iti evam procyate, is called merely by the word sea;—
evam, similarly, as is this illustration, so; asya, of that
Purusa, who is possessed of the attributes mentioned before,
and who is being considered here; paridrastuh, of Him
who is the seer on all sides, who is the agent of a vision that
is identical with His real nature, just as the sun is every-
where the agent of the light that is identical with itself; imah
sodasa-kalah, these sixteen parts—the parts, counting
from Prana, that have been mentioned ;purusdyanah, which
have the Purusa as their goal, the place where they get
identified, as the sea is with relation to the rivers; prapya
purusam, on reaching the Purusa, on getting identified
with the Purusa; astam gacchanti, disappear, in that very
manner; ca, and; dsdm, of them, of the parts; the respective
nama-riipe, names such as Prana, as well as forms; bhi-
dyete, get destroyed. When names and forms are eliminated,
the entity that remains undestroyed, procyate, is called, by
the knowers of Brahman; purusah iti evam, as Purusa. Sah,
he, who has become thus enlightened after being shown
by his teacher the process of the absorption of the parts;
bhavati, becomes; akalah, free from the parts, when the
parts, viz Prana and the rest that are the creation of ig-
norance, desire, and action, are absorbed through knowl-
edge; (and he becomes amrtah, immortal). Death is a
creation of the parts originating from nescience. When
VI. 7] PRASNA UPANISAD 95

those parts are gone, one becomes immortal just because

of one’s partlessness. Tat, with regard to this matter;
bhavati, there occurs; esah Slokah, this verse:

AU So Vaart Hot aferesfaftear:|

at aa ger ae ae a at ae: ohteet aft ig
6. You should know that Purusa who is worthy to be
known and in whom are transfixed the parts like spokes
in the nave of a chariot wheel, so that death may not
afflict you anywhere.

_. Iva, as; arah, spokes, which are, as it were, the de-

pendants of a chariot wheel; pratisthitah, are transfixed;
rathanabhau, in the nave of a chariot wheel; that is to say,
as they are dependent on the hub, so; veda, one should
know; tam vedyam purusam, that knowable Purusa, who
is the self of the, parts (imbs) and who is called Purusa
because of all-pervasiveness or existence in the city (i.e.
pur of the body); yasmin, in whom, in which Purusa;
pratisthitah, are transfixed; the kalah, parts (limbs), during
the states of origin, continuance, and dissolution. (You
know Him) yathad, so that; O disciples, mrtyuh, death;
ma vah parivyathah, may not afflict you on any side. If the
Purusa remains unknown, you will continue to be mis-
erable under pain inflicted by death. Hence, may that not
fall to your lot. This is the idea.

aq grarddraeaeadd I A acl Ala: TWH-

Tatfes UWS
96 PRASNA UPANISAD [VI. 7

7. To them he said, ‘I know this supreme Brahman

thus far only. Beyond this. there is nothing.’

Having thus instructed them (i.e. the disciples), Pip-

palada uvdca ha, said; tan, to them, to those disciples;
‘Veda, I know; etdvat eva, thus far only; etat, this; param
brahma, supreme Brahman, that is worthy to be known.
Atah param, beyond this; na asti, there is not— anything
higher to be. known.’ Thus did he say this in order to
remove from the disciples any doubt that there might still
remain something unknown; and also in order to generate
in them the conviction that they had attained the final goal.
It is being stated what those disciples did when they
found no recompense for their knowledge after being taught
by the teacher and getting their purposes fuifilled:

at aadadecd fe a: frat atseareafaerar:

Te ax
areata
| ae: Torsten wa: Toa: 11!

aft seattfrats ge: ORT: |

8. While worshipping him they said, ‘You indeed are our

father who have ferried us across nescience to the other
shore. Salutation to the great seers. Salutation to the great
seers.’

It is being stated what; te, they said; arcayantah, while

worshipping his feet by offering handfuls of flowers
and saluting him with their heads: ‘Tvam hi, you indeed
are; nah, our; pita, father, since you have generated through
VI. 8] PRASNA UPANISAD 97

knowledge a (fresh) birth in Brahman that is eternal, age-

less, deathless, and fearless. Since it is you who, with the
help of the raft of knowledge, have ferried us avidyayah
param param, across ignorance or false knowledge—as
though across an ocean itself, infested with birth, old age,
death, disease, sorrow, etc., which are like sea animals—,
to the other shore of the boundless ocean of nescience,
called emancipation, consisting in absolute cessation of
rebirth; therefore your fatherhood towards us is more
justifiable than that of the others (i.e. our real fathers).
The other father, who begets the body alone, is yet the
most worshipful in the world, what to speak of one who
guarantees absolute fearlessness? This is the purport.
Namah, salutation; paramarsibhyah, to the great seers, the
originators of the line of traditional transmission of the
knowledge of Brahman. The repetition of namah parama-
rsibhyah is for showing respect.

a ae Huh: AAA sat

We TeraTAHaSay: |

aera cated aerg: i

a ated: atfet: atte:1

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sveqeot gniwode rot ai Loy
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 INDEX TO THE SECTIONS

fared Toor Ill. Wes Il. 5

way eq: ay IV. aa =a aq yf
ay Hardt I. aet a sara 1.4, 17.2,
aa afe fear V. W1.2,1V.2,VI.2
ar at alaer Ill. ary afess: sor II. 3
ap ga artat II. ay glara VI. 7
HT
st aeT: ¥ ay = a Bears £2
aT ga THAT VI. faat arat FAT: «= s«WV.C6
aa et Ararat IV. aaraat fact I. 16
wafer Seay I. aa = a Jaret Ill. 9
Ta Teg Ill. —§
SB
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aa @ serrate: 1.14 gear frat rhs Bak
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mera 4 1. 13 oT Il. 5
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a ofidtarar CIV. 8
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arfecat =4 1.5, 118 mearafaeacta mt i eg
axed IT Il. 9 reas sat II. 13
| aTeaATAT
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serrarrarh
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fered agit: Vv. 7 q wa fray st Ill. 11
Uae ATT VW. 2 aferredag sry CTT. 10
we fe zeeT EIseT IV. 9 qar aarsarfasard =I. 4
100 INDEX TO THE SECTIONS

wer fradeqean:
aa II. 10 TMT TT VI.
ageearata ara IV. 4 aaa & sarafa:
a: Gata fray Nay D a aa ara aaifa IV.
a a aaa II. 12 UY AAA AT: VI.
faararcar ae taeq IV. 11 a aar awar- IV.
faraeq eft I. 8 a WHAT
arenes srebp- Il. 11 Gea FAT:
a sarah VI. 3 aishrarargeay II.
a@ wy agaraat I. 7 ge ay areat lil. fh
wo
W
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 bhagavad zits
With the Commentary of Shankaracharya
Translated by Swami Gambhirananda

pp. 848 Rs. 85

OHANKARA’S commentary on the Gita is, without

doubt, one of the greatest examples of Indian
scholarship. This translation is particularly im-
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the original without in any way losing its spirit
and clarity. In the Introduction the translator dis-
cusses various topics such as the Mahabharata
War, which provided the background for the Gita;
the historicity of Krishna; the importance and
influence of the Gita; and the date of nkara.
A Sanskrit ‘Word Index’ to the Gita, i be)ct

the end, is an invaluable addition to th

i

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