ॐ शौनको ह चै महाशालोऽङ्गिरसं भगवन्तं पिप्पलादमपृच्छत् । दिव्ये ब्रह्मपुरे संप्रतिष्टिता भवन्ति कथं सृजन्ति कस्यैष महिमा बभूव यो ह्मषे महिमा बभूव क एषः । तस्मै स होवाच ब्रह्मविद्यं वरिष्ठाम् । प्राणो ह्यषे आत्मा । आत्मनो महिमा बभुव देवानामायुः स देवानां निधनमनिधनं दिव्ये ब्रह्मपुरे विरजं निष्कलं शुभ्रमक्षरं यद्ब्रह्म विभाति स नियच्छति मघुकरराजानं माक्षिकवदिति । यथा माक्षीकैकेन तन्तुना जालं वक्षिपति तेनापकर्षति तथैवैष प्राणो यदा याति संसृष्टमाकृष्य । प्राणदेवतास्ताः सर्वा नाड्यः । सुष्वपे श्येनाकाशवद्यथा खं श्येनमाश्रित्य याति स्वमालयमेवं सुषुप्तो ब्रूते यथैवैष देवदत्तो यष्ट्याऽपि ताड्यमानो न यत्येवमिष्टापूर्तैः शुभाशुभैर्न लिप्यते । यथा कुमारो निष्काम आनन्दमुपयाति तथैवैष देवदत्तः स्वप्न आनन्दमभियाति । वेद एव परं ज्योतिः ज्योतिष्कामो ज्योतिरानन्दयते । भूयस्तेनैव स्वप्नाय गच्छति जलौकावत् । यथा जलौकाऽग्रमग्रं नयत्यात्मानं नयति परं संधय । यत्परं नापरं त्यजति स जाग्रदभिधियते । यथैवैष कपालाष्टकं संनयति । तमेव स्तन इव लम्बते वेददेवयोनः । यत्र जाग्रति शुभाशुभं निरुक्तमस्य देवस्य स संप्रसारोऽन्थर्यामी खगः कर्कटकः पुष्करः पुरुषः ग्राणो हिंसा परापरं ब्रह्म आत्मा देवता वेदयति । य एवं वेद स परं ब्रह्म धं क्षेत्रज्ञमुपैति ॥ १॥ अथास्य पुरुषस्य चत्वारि स्थानानि भवन्ति नाभिर्हृदयं कण्ठं भूर्धेति । तत्र चतुष्पादं ब्रह्म विभाति । जागरितं स्वप्नं सुषुप्तं तुरीयमिति । जागरिते ब्रह्मा स्वप्ने विष्णुः सुषुप्तौ रुद्रस्तुरीयं परमाक्षरं आदित्यश्च विष्णुश्चेश्वरश्च स पुरुषः स प्राणः स जीवः सोऽग्निः सेश्वरश्च जाग्रत्तेषं मध्ये यत्परं ब्रह्म विभाति । स्वयममनस्कमश्रोत्रमपाणिपादं ज्योतिर्वर्जितं न तत्र लोका न लोका वेदा न वेदा देवा न देवा यज्ञा न यज्ञ माता न माता पिता न पिता स्नुष न स्नुष चाण्डालो न चाण्डालः पैल्कसो न पैल्कसः श्रमणो न श्रमणः पशवो न पशवस्तापसो न तापस इत्येकमेव परं ब्रह्म विभाति । हृद्याकाशे तद्विज्ञानमाकाशं तत्सुषिरमाकाशं तद्वेद्यं हृद्याकाशं यस्मिन्निदं संचरति वचरति यस्मिन्निदं सर्वमोतं प्रोतं । सं विभोः प्रजा ज्ञायेरन् । न तत्र देवा ऋषयः पितर रिशते प्रतिबुद्धः सर्वविदिति ॥ २॥ हृदिस्था देवथाः सर्वा हृदि प्राणाः प्रतिष्ठिताः । हृदि प्राणश्च ज्योतिश्च त्रिवृत्सूत्रं च यन्महत् ॥ हृदि चैतन्ये तिष्ठति यज्ञोपवीतं परमं पवित्रं प्रजापतेर्यत्सहजं पुरस्तात् । आयुष्यमग्रपं प्रतिमुञ्च शुभ्रं यज्ञोपवीतं बलमस्तु तेजः ॥ सशिखं वपनं कृत्वा बहिःसूत्रं त्यजेद्बुधः । यदक्षरं परं ब्रह्म तत्सूत्रमिति धारयेत् ॥ सूचनात्सूत्रमित्याहुः सूत्रं नाम परं पदम् । तत्सूत्रं विदितं येन स विप्रो वेदपारगः ॥ तेन सर्वमिदं प्रोतं सूत्रे मणिगणा इव । तत्सूत्रं धारयेद्योगी योगवित्तत्त्वदर्शिवान् ॥ बहिःसूत्रं त्यजेद्विद्वान्योगमुत्तममास्थितः । ब्रह्मभावमयं सूत्रं धारयेद्यः स चेतनः ॥ धारणात्तस्य सूत्रस्य नोच्छिष्ठो नाशुचिर्भवेत् । सूत्रमन्तर्गतं येषां ज्ञानयज्ञोपवीतिनाम् ॥ ते चै सूत्रविदो लोके ते च यज्ञोपवीतिनः । ज्ञानशिखिनो ज्ञाननिष्ठा ज्ञानयज्ञोपवीतिहः ॥ ज्ञानमेव परं तेषां पवित्रं ज्ञानमुत्तमम् । अग्नेरिव शिखा नान्या यस्य ज्ञानमयी शिखा ॥ स शिखीत्युच्यते विद्वानितरे केशधारिणः ॥ ३॥ कर्मण्यधिकृता ये तु वैदिके ब्राह्मणादयः । तैः संधार्यमिद सूत्रं क्रियाङ्गं तद्धि वै स्मृतम् ॥ शिखा ज्ञानमयी यस्य उपवीतं च तन्मयम् । ब्राह्मण्यं सकलं तस्य इति ब्रह्मविदो विदुः ॥ इदं यज्ञोपवीतं तु पवित्रं यत्परायणम् । स विद्वान्यज्ञोपवीती स्यात्स यज्ञः स च यज्ञवित् ॥ एको देवः सर्वभूतेषु गूढः सर्वव्यापी सर्वभूतान्तरात्मा । कर्माध्यक्षः सर्वभूताधिवासः साक्षी चेता केवलो निर्गुणश्च ॥ एको मनीषी निष्कियाणां बहूनामेकं सन्तं बहुधा यः करोति । तमात्मानं येऽनुपष्यन्ति धीरास्तेषं शान्तिः शाश्वती नेतरेषाम् ॥ आत्मानमरणिं कृत्वा प्रणवं चोत्तरारणिम् । ध्याननोर्मथनाभ्यासाद्देवं पश्येन्निगूढवत् ॥ तिलेषु तैलं दधिनीव सर्पिरापः स्त्रोतःस्वरणीषु चान्निः । एवमात्माऽऽत्मनि गृह्मतेऽसौ सत्येनैनं तपसा योऽनुपश्यति ॥ ऊर्णनाभिर्यथा तन्तून्सृजते संहरत्यपि । जाग्रत्स्वप्ने तथा जीवो गच्छत्यागच्छते पुनः ॥ पद्मकोशप्रतीकाशं सुषिरं चाप्यधोमुखम् । हृदयं तद्विजानीयाद्विश्वस्याऽऽयतनं महत् ॥ नेत्रस्थं जाग्रतं विद्यात्कण्ठे स्वप्नं विनिर्दिषेत् । सुषुप्तं हृदयस्थं तु तुरीयं मूर्ध्नि संस्थितम् ॥ यदात्मा प्रज्ञयाऽऽत्मानं संधत्ते परमात्मनि । तेन संध्या ध्यानमेव तस्मात्सन्ध्याभिवन्दनम् ॥ निरोदकाध्यानसंध्या वाक्कायक्लेशवर्जिता । संधिनी सर्वभूतानां सा संध्या ह्येकदण्डिनाम् ॥ यतो वाचो निवर्तन्ते अप्राप्य मनसा सह । आन्नन्दमेतज्जीवस्य यं ज्ञात्वा मुच्यते बुधः ॥ सर्वव्यापिनमात्मानं क्षीरे सर्प्रिवार्पितम् । आत्मातपोमूलं तद्ब्रह्मोपनिषत्परम् । सर्वात्मैकत्वरीपेण तद्ब्रह्मोपनिषत्परमिति ॥ ४॥ इत्यथर्ववेदे ब्रह्मोपनिषत्समाप्ता ॥
Om ! May He protect us both together; may He nourish us both together; May we work conjointly with great energy, May our study be vigorous and effective; May we not mutually dispute (or may we not hate any). Om ! Let there be Peace in me ! Let there be Peace in my environment ! Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me ! 1. Om ! Shaunaka, householder of fame, once asked Bhagavan Pippalada of Angira’s family: In this body, the divine city of Brahman, installed, how do they create ? Whose glory does this constitute ? Who is he who became all this glory ? 2. Unto him (Shaunaka) he (Pippalada) imparted the supreme Wisdom of Brahman: That is Prana, the Atman. He constitutes the glory of the Atman, the life of the Devas. He represents both the life and the death of the Devas. That Brahman who shines within the divine Brahmapura (or body) as the faultless One, devoid of manifested effects, self-effulgent, all-pervading, He (it is who) controls (the Jiva), like a spider controlling the king of bees. Just as spiders by means of one thread project and withdraw the web, so also the Prana, (who) retires drawing back his creation. Prana belongs to the Nadis or subtle nerve-chords as their Devata or indwelling deity. One in dreamless sleep goes through that state to one’s own Abode, like a falcon and the sky – just as a falcon goes (to its nest) borne on the sky. He states: — Just as this Devadatta (in dreamless sleep) runs not away even when struck with a stick, even so he does not also attach himself to good or evil consequences of the life’s ordained activities; just as a child enjoys itself (spontaneously) without motive or desiring fruit, even so this Devadatta (the subject of dreamless sleep) enjoys happiness in that state. He knows being the Light Supreme. Desiring Light he enjoys the Light. So also he returns by the same way to the dream-state, like a leech: just as a leech carries itself on to the other points in front – (first) fixing upon the next point. And that state which he does not give up for a next one is called the waking state. (He carries all these states within himself) just as a (Vedic) deity bears the eight sacrificial cups simultaneously. It is from Him that the source of the Vedas and the Devas hang like breasts. In this waking state particularly good and evil obtain for the shining being (i.e. man’s Self) as ordained. This being or Self is fully self-extended (into world-forms), he is the indwelling controller of things and beings, he is the Bird, the Crab, the Lotus, he is the Purusha, the Prana, the destroyer, the cause and the effect, the Brahman and the Atman, he is the Devata making everything known. Whoever knows all this attains to the transcendent Brahman, the underlying support, the subjective principle. 3. Now this Purusha has four seats, the navel, the heart, the throat, and the head. In these shines forth the Brahman with four aspects: the state of wakefulness, of dream, of dreamless sleep, and the fourth or transcendental state. In the wakeful state, He is Brahma; in the dreaming state, He is Vishnu; in dreamless sleep He is Rudra; and the fourth state is the Supreme Indestructible One; and He again is the Sun, the Vishnu, the Ishwara, He is the Purusha, He the Prana, He the Jive or the animate being, He the Fire, The Ishwara, and the Resplendent; (yea) that Brahman which is transcendent shines within all these ! In Itself, It is devoid of mind, of ears, of hands and feet, of light. There neither are the worlds existing nor non-existing, neither are the Vedas or the Devas or the sacrifices existing nor non-existing, neither is the mother or father or daughter-in-law existing nor non-existing, neither is Chandala’s son or Pulkasa’s son existing nor non-existing, neither is the mendicant existing nor non-existing, so neither all the creatures or the ascetics; and thus only the One Highest Brahman shines there. Within the recess of the heart is that Akasa of consciousness – that with many openings, the aim of knowledge, within the space of the heart – in which all this (universe outside) evolves and moves about, in which all this is warped and woofed (as it were). (Who knows this), knows fully all creation. There the Devas, the Rishis, the Pitris have no control, for being fully awakened, one becomes the knower of all truth. 4. In the heart the Devas live, in the heart the Pranas are installed, in the heart exist the supreme Prana and Light as also the immanent Cause with threefold constituents and the Mahat principle. 5. It exists within this heart, that is, in the consciousness. “Put on the sacrificial thread which is supremely sacred, which became manifest of yore with Prajapati (the first created Being) Himself, which embodies longevity, eminence and purity, and may it be strength and puissance to you !” 6. The enlightened one should discard the external thread putting it off with the sacred tuft of hair on the head; the Supreme Brahman as the all-pervading one is the thread, and he should put this on. 7. The Sutra (or thread) is so called because of its having pierced through and started (the process of becoming). This Sutra verily constitutes the Supreme State. By whom this Sutra is known, he is the Vipra (sage), he has reached beyond the Vedas. 8. By It all this (universe) is transfixed, as a collection of gems is stringed together on a thread. The Yogi who is the knower of all Yogas and the seer of truth should put on this thread. 9. Established in the state of highest Yoga, the wise one should put off the external thread. One who is really self-conscious must put on the thread constituted by awareness of Brahman. 10. On account of wearing this Sutra or thread, they can neither become contaminated nor unclean, those (namely) who have this thread existing within them – those, with this sacrificial thread of knowledge. 11. They, among men, (really) know the Sutra, they (really) wear the sacrificial thread (on themselves), who are devoted to Jnana (the highest knowledge), who have this Jnana for their sacred hair-tuft, this Jnana for their sacred thread. 12. For them Jnana is the greatest purifier – Jnana, that is the best as such. Those who have this Jnana for their tufted hair are as non-different from it as is fire from its flame. This wise one is (really) said to be a Shikhi (or wearer of the tufted hair), while others are mere growers of hair (on the head). 13. But those belonging to the three castes (Brahmanas, Kshatriyas and Vaisyas) who have the right of performing Vedic works have to put on this (i.e. the common) sacred thread, as surely this thread is ordained to be part of such works. 14. One who has the Jnana for his tufted hair, and the same for his sacred thread, has everything about him characterised by Brahmanahood – so know the knowers of the Vedas ! 15. This sacred thread (of Yajna, i.e. of the all-pervading Reality) is, again, the purification (itself) and that which is the end-all (of Vedic works); and the wearer of this thread is the wise one – is Yajna himself as well as the knower of Yajna. 16. The One Lord (self-effulgent) in all beings remaining hidden, all-pervading and the Self of all beings, controlling and watching over all works (good or bad), living in all creatures and the Witness (i.e. neither the doer of any acts nor the enjoyer), the Supreme Intelligence, the One without a second, having no attributes. 17. The one Intelligent (active) Being among the many inactive, He who makes the many from what is one – the wise men who find out this Self, theirs is the eternal peace, not of others. 18. Having made oneself the Arani, and the Pranava the upper Arani and rubbing them together through the practice of meditation, see the Lord in His hidden reality. 19. As in the oil in the sesamum seed, the butter in the curd, water in the flowing waves, and fire in the Shami wood, so is the Atman in one’s self to be discovered by one who searches for It through truth and austere practice. 20. As the spider weaves out the web and again withdraws it, so the Jiva comes out to and goes back again to the wakeful and dreaming states respectively. 21. The heart (i.e. the inner chamber of heart) resembles the calyx of a lotus, full of cavities and also with its face turned downwards. Know that to be the great habitat of the whole universe. 22. Know the wakeful state to have for its centre the eyes; the dreaming state should be assigned to the throat; the state of dreamless sleep is in the heart; and the transcendental state is in the crown of the head. 23. From the fact of an individual holding his self by means of Prajna or spiritual understanding in the Supreme Self, we have what is called Sandhya and Dhyana, as also the worshipping associated with Sandhya. 24. The Sandhya by meditation is devoid of any offering of liquids and so also of any exertion of body and speech; it is the unifying principle for all creatures, and this is really the Sandhya for Ekadandis. 26. From which without reaching It, the speech falls back with the mind, that is the transcendental Bliss of this embodied being, knowing which the wise one is released (from all bondage). 26. (And this Bliss is verily) the Self which pervades the whole universe, as the butter diffused within the milk. This is the Brahmopanishad, or the supreme wisdom of Brahman, in the form of a unity of the Atman of all, founded on the spiritual discipline (Tapas) which is (nothing but) the Vidya or science of the Atman. Om ! May He protect us both together; may He nourish us both together; May we work conjointly with great energy, May our study be vigorous and effective; May we not mutually dispute (or may we not hate any). Om ! Let there be Peace in me ! Let there be Peace in my environment ! Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me ! Here ends the Brahmopanishad belonging to the Krishna-Yajur-Veda.
oṃ śaunako ha cai mahāśālo'ṅgirasaṃ bhagavantaṃ pippalādamapṛcchat । divye brahmapure saṃpratiṣṭitā bhavanti kathaṃ sṛjanti kasyaiṣa mahimā babhūva yo hmaṣe mahimā babhūva ka eṣaḥ । tasmai sa hovāca brahmavidyaṃ variṣṭhām । prāṇo hyaṣe ātmā । ātmano mahimā babhuva devānāmāyuḥ sa devānāṃ nidhanamanidhanaṃ divye brahmapure virajaṃ niṣkalaṃ śubhramakṣaraṃ yadbrahma vibhāti sa niyacchati maghukararājānaṃ mākṣikavaditi । yathā mākṣīkaikena tantunā jālaṃ vakṣipati tenāpakarṣati tathaivaiṣa prāṇo yadā yāti saṃsṛṣṭamākṛṣya । prāṇadevatāstāḥ sarvā nāḍyaḥ । suṣvape śyenākāśavadyathā khaṃ śyenamāśritya yāti svamālayamevaṃ suṣupto brūte yathaivaiṣa devadatto yaṣṭyā'pi tāḍyamāno na yatyevamiṣṭāpūrtaiḥ śubhāśubhairna lipyate । yathā kumāro niṣkāma ānandamupayāti tathaivaiṣa devadattaḥ svapna ānandamabhiyāti । veda eva paraṃ jyotiḥ jyotiṣkāmo jyotirānandayate । bhūyastenaiva svapnāya gacchati jalaukāvat । yathā jalaukā'gramagraṃ nayatyātmānaṃ nayati paraṃ saṃdhaya । yatparaṃ nāparaṃ tyajati sa jāgradabhidhiyate । yathaivaiṣa kapālāṣṭakaṃ saṃnayati । tameva stana iva lambate vedadevayonaḥ । yatra jāgrati śubhāśubhaṃ niruktamasya devasya sa saṃprasāro'ntharyāmī khagaḥ karkaṭakaḥ puṣkaraḥ puruṣaḥ grāṇo hiṃsā parāparaṃ brahma ātmā devatā vedayati । ya evaṃ veda sa paraṃ brahma dhaṃ kṣetrajñamupaiti ॥ 1॥ athāsya puruṣasya catvāri sthānāni bhavanti nābhirhṛdayaṃ kaṇṭhaṃ bhūrdheti । tatra catuṣpādaṃ brahma vibhāti । jāgaritaṃ svapnaṃ suṣuptaṃ turīyamiti । jāgarite brahmā svapne viṣṇuḥ suṣuptau rudrasturīyaṃ paramākṣaraṃ ādityaśca viṣṇuśceśvaraśca sa puruṣaḥ sa prāṇaḥ sa jīvaḥ so'gniḥ seśvaraśca jāgratteṣaṃ madhye yatparaṃ brahma vibhāti । svayamamanaskamaśrotramapāṇipādaṃ jyotirvarjitaṃ na tatra lokā na lokā vedā na vedā devā na devā yajñā na yajña mātā na mātā pitā na pitā snuṣa na snuṣa cāṇḍālo na cāṇḍālaḥ pailkaso na pailkasaḥ śramaṇo na śramaṇaḥ paśavo na paśavastāpaso na tāpasa ityekameva paraṃ brahma vibhāti । hṛdyākāśe tadvijñānamākāśaṃ tatsuṣiramākāśaṃ tadvedyaṃ hṛdyākāśaṃ yasminnidaṃ saṃcarati vacarati yasminnidaṃ sarvamotaṃ protaṃ । saṃ vibhoḥ prajā jñāyeran । na tatra devā ṛṣayaḥ pitara riśate pratibuddhaḥ sarvaviditi ॥ 2॥ hṛdisthā devathāḥ sarvā hṛdi prāṇāḥ pratiṣṭhitāḥ । hṛdi prāṇaśca jyotiśca trivṛtsūtraṃ ca yanmahat ॥ hṛdi caitanye tiṣṭhati yajñopavītaṃ paramaṃ pavitraṃ prajāpateryatsahajaṃ purastāt । āyuṣyamagrapaṃ pratimuñca śubhraṃ yajñopavītaṃ balamastu tejaḥ ॥ saśikhaṃ vapanaṃ kṛtvā bahiḥsūtraṃ tyajedbudhaḥ । yadakṣaraṃ paraṃ brahma tatsūtramiti dhārayet ॥ sūcanātsūtramityāhuḥ sūtraṃ nāma paraṃ padam । tatsūtraṃ viditaṃ yena sa vipro vedapāragaḥ ॥ tena sarvamidaṃ protaṃ sūtre maṇigaṇā iva । tatsūtraṃ dhārayedyogī yogavittattvadarśivān ॥ bahiḥsūtraṃ tyajedvidvānyogamuttamamāsthitaḥ । brahmabhāvamayaṃ sūtraṃ dhārayedyaḥ sa cetanaḥ ॥ dhāraṇāttasya sūtrasya nocchiṣṭho nāśucirbhavet । sūtramantargataṃ yeṣāṃ jñānayajñopavītinām ॥ te cai sūtravido loke te ca yajñopavītinaḥ । jñānaśikhino jñānaniṣṭhā jñānayajñopavītihaḥ ॥ jñānameva paraṃ teṣāṃ pavitraṃ jñānamuttamam । agneriva śikhā nānyā yasya jñānamayī śikhā ॥ sa śikhītyucyate vidvānitare keśadhāriṇaḥ ॥ 3॥ karmaṇyadhikṛtā ye tu vaidike brāhmaṇādayaḥ । taiḥ saṃdhāryamida sūtraṃ kriyāṅgaṃ taddhi vai smṛtam ॥ śikhā jñānamayī yasya upavītaṃ ca tanmayam । brāhmaṇyaṃ sakalaṃ tasya iti brahmavido viduḥ ॥ idaṃ yajñopavītaṃ tu pavitraṃ yatparāyaṇam । sa vidvānyajñopavītī syātsa yajñaḥ sa ca yajñavit ॥ eko devaḥ sarvabhūteṣu gūḍhaḥ sarvavyāpī sarvabhūtāntarātmā । karmādhyakṣaḥ sarvabhūtādhivāsaḥ sākṣī cetā kevalo nirguṇaśca ॥ eko manīṣī niṣkiyāṇāṃ bahūnāmekaṃ santaṃ bahudhā yaḥ karoti । tamātmānaṃ ye'nupaṣyanti dhīrāsteṣaṃ śāntiḥ śāśvatī netareṣām ॥ ātmānamaraṇiṃ kṛtvā praṇavaṃ cottarāraṇim । dhyānanormathanābhyāsāddevaṃ paśyennigūḍhavat ॥ tileṣu tailaṃ dadhinīva sarpirāpaḥ strotaḥsvaraṇīṣu cānniḥ । evamātmā''tmani gṛhmate'sau satyenainaṃ tapasā yo'nupaśyati ॥ ūrṇanābhiryathā tantūnsṛjate saṃharatyapi । jāgratsvapne tathā jīvo gacchatyāgacchate punaḥ ॥ padmakośapratīkāśaṃ suṣiraṃ cāpyadhomukham । hṛdayaṃ tadvijānīyādviśvasyā''yatanaṃ mahat ॥ netrasthaṃ jāgrataṃ vidyātkaṇṭhe svapnaṃ vinirdiṣet । suṣuptaṃ hṛdayasthaṃ tu turīyaṃ mūrdhni saṃsthitam ॥ yadātmā prajñayā''tmānaṃ saṃdhatte paramātmani । tena saṃdhyā dhyānameva tasmātsandhyābhivandanam ॥ nirodakādhyānasaṃdhyā vākkāyakleśavarjitā । saṃdhinī sarvabhūtānāṃ sā saṃdhyā hyekadaṇḍinām ॥ yato vāco nivartante aprāpya manasā saha । ānnandametajjīvasya yaṃ jñātvā mucyate budhaḥ ॥ sarvavyāpinamātmānaṃ kṣīre sarprivārpitam । ātmātapomūlaṃ tadbrahmopaniṣatparam । sarvātmaikatvarīpeṇa tadbrahmopaniṣatparamiti ॥ 4॥ ityatharvavede brahmopaniṣatsamāptā ॥