Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
Brahmana 9
Then Vidagdha Sakalya questioned him. ' How many gods are there, Yajfiavalkya? ' He answered in accord with the following Nivid (invoca- tionary formula): ' As many as are mentioned in the Nimd of the Hymn to All the Gods, namely, three hundred and three, and three thousand and three [=3,306].' ( Yes/ said he, ' but just how many gods are there, Yajna- valkya? ' 'Thuty-three/ valkya? ' valkya? ' ' Yes,' said he, ' but just how many gods are there, Yajna- valkya? ' valkya? ' valkya? 3 and those three thousand and three? ' a. He [i.e. Yajnavalkya] said: ' Those are only their powers (ma/nman). There are just thirty- three gods/ ' Which are those thirty-three? ' ' Eight Vasus, eleven Rudras, twelve Adityas. Those are thirty-one. Indra and Prajapati make thirty-three/
* Which are the Vasus? ' These are Vasus, for upon them this excellent (vasu) world is set, (for they give a dwelling (vasayante) to the world), There- fore they are called Vasus/
' Which are the Rudras? ' ' These ten breaths in a person, and the self as the eleventh. When they go out from this mortal body, they make us lament. So, because they make us lament (Vrztd), therefore they are Rudras/ 5- ' Which are the Adityas? ' ' Verily, the twelve months of the year. These are Adityas, for they go carrying along this whole world. Since they go 1 A Madhyamdma addition. Cf. Chand. 3. 16. I. (yanti) carrying along (d-da) this whole world, therefore they are called Adityas/
4 Which is Indra? Which is Prajapati? ' f Which is the thunder? ' ' The thunderbolt/ ' The sacrificial animals.'
* Which are the six [gods]? ' ' Fire, earth, wind, atmosphere, sun, and sky. These are the six, for the whole world is these six.'
' Which are the three gods? ' 'They, verily, are the three worlds, for in them all these gods exist.' s Which are the two gods? J
Then they say: ' Since he who purifies is just like one,, how then is he one and a half? ' ' Because in him this whole world did prosper (adhyardhnoi)* Therefore he is one and a half (adhyardhd)? ' Which is the one god? ' Eight different Persons and their corresponding divinities
[Sakalya said:] 4 Verily, he who knows that Person whose abode is the earth, whose world is fire, whose light is mind, who is the last source of every soul — he, verily, would be a knower, O Yajnavalkya/ [Yajnavalkya said:] 4 Verily, I know that Person, the last source of every soul, of whom you speak. This very person who is in the body is He. Tell me, Sakalya, who is his god? ' The Immortal/ said he. IT. [Sakalya said:] 4 Verily, he who knows that Person whose abode is desire, whose world is the heart, whose light ismind, who is the last source of every soul— he, verily, would be a knower, O Yajnavalkya/ [Yajnavalkya said:] < Verily, I know that Person, the last source of every soul, of whom you speak. This very person who is made of desire is He Tell me, Sakalya, who is his god? '
[Sakalya said:] * Verily, he who knows that Person whose abode is forms (rupd), whose world is the eye, whose light is mind, who is the last source of every soul he, verily, would be a knower, O Yajnavalkya.' whom you speak. That very person who is in the sun is He. Tell me, Sakalya, who is his god? ' 'Truth/ said he.
[Sakalya said:] 'Verily, he who knows that Person whose abode is space (akasa), whose world is the ear, whose light is mind, who is the last source of every soul — he, verily, would be a knower, O Yajfiavalkya.' whom you speak. This very person who is in hearing and who is in echo is He. Tell me, Sakalya, who is his god? '
[Sakalya said:] 'Verily, he who knows that Personwhose abode is darkness (tamas\ whose world is the heart, whose light is mind, who is the last source of every soul — he, verily, would be a knower, O Yajfiavalkya.' ' Verily, I know that Person, the last source of every soul, of whom you speak. This very person who is made of shadow is He. Tell me, Sakalya, who is his god?; 'Death, said he.
[Sakalya said:] 'Verily, he who knows that Personwhose abode is forms (rilpa), whose world is the eye, whose light is mind, who is the last source of every soul — he, verily, would be a knower, 0 Yajfiavalkya/ whom you speak. This very person who is in the mirror is He, Tell me, Sakalya, who is his god? ' 'Life (*WH)/ said he. 1 6. [Sakalya said:] 'Verily, he who knows that Personwhose abode is water, whose world is the heart, whose light is -mind, who is the last source of every soul — he, verily, would be a knower, O Yajnavalkya.' whom you speak. This very person who is in the waters is He. Tell me, Sakalya, who is his god? 3 1 7. [Sakalya said:] f Verily,he who knows that Person whose abode is semen, whose world is the heart, whose light is mind, who is the last source of every soul— he, verily, would be a knower, O Yajnavalkya/ ' Verily, I know that Person, the last source of every soul, of whom you speak. This very person who is made of a son is He. Tell me, Sakalya, who is his god? J 'Prajapati/ said he. 1 8. 'Sakalya/ said Yajnavalkya, 'have those Brahmans made you their coal-destroyer? ' l Mve directions in space, their regent gods, and their bases
' Yajnavalkya/. said Sakalya, t by knowing what Brahma is it that you have talked down the Brahmans of the Kurupafi- calas? ' ' I know the quarters of heaven together with their gods and their bases.' their gods and their bases, [20] what divinity have you in this eastern quarter? ' < The sun/ ' On the eye/ c And on what is the eye based? ' { On the heart/ he said, ' for with the heart one knows appear- ances, for on the heart alone appearances are based/ ' Quite so, Yajnavalkya/
[Sakalya said:] * What divinity have you in this southern (daksina) quarter? ' ' That Yama — on what is he based? ' ' On sacrifice.' t And on what is sacrifice based? ' f On gifts to the priests (daksind}' priests. Verily, on faith the gifts to the priests are based/ ' On the heart,' he said, ' for with the heart one knows faith. Verily, on the heart alone faith is based/
[Sakalya said:] ' What divinity have you in this western quarter? ' ' Varuna/ ' On semen.* his father, " He has slipped out from his heart, as it were. He is built out of his heart." For on the heart alone semen is based/ 'Quite so, Yajnavalkya/
[Sakalya said:] c What divinity have you in this northern quarter? ' 'Sorna/ ' And on what is the Diksha rite based? ' ' On truth. Therefore they say to one who is initiated, c< Speak the truth! " For on truth alone the Diksha rite is based/ f And on what is truth based? ' f On the heart/ he said, ' for with the heart one knows truth. Verily, on the heart alone truth is based/
[Sakalya said:] f What divinity have you in this fixed quarter [L e. the zenith]? ' ' The god Agni/ ' That Agni — on what is he based? ' ' On speech/ ' And on what is speech based? '
< You idiot,' said Yajfiavalkya, * that you will think that it could be anywhere else than in ourselves! for if it were any- where else than in ourselves, the dogs might eat it or the birds might tear it to pieces.' The Soul, the Person taught in the Upanishads 26, ' On what are you and your soul (dtman) based? ' e On the in-breath (fraud)? ' And on what is the out-breath based? ' ' On the diffused breath (vyana)! ' On the up-breath (ndana)? f And on what is the up-breath based * ' c On the middle [or equalizing] breath (samana)? ( That Soul (Atman) is not this, it is not that (neti, neti). It is unseizable, for it is not seized. It is indestructible, for it is not destroyed. It is unattached, for it does not attach itself. It is unbound. It does not tremble. It is not injured. These * are the eight abodes, the eight worlds, the eight gods, the eight persons. He who plucks apait and puts together these persons and passes beyond them — that is the Person taught in the Upanishads about whom I ask you. If him to me ye \\ill not tell, Your head indeed will then fall off.' But him £akalya did not know, And so indeed his head fell off. Indeed, robbers carried off his bones, thinking they were some- thing else. Man, a tree growing from Brahma
Then he [i.e. Yajfiavalkya] said: 'Venerable Brahmans, let him of you that desires question me. Or do ye all question me. Or I will question him of you that desires [to be questioned]; or I will question all of you/ Those Brahmans, however, durst not.
Then he [i.e. Yajnavalkya] questioned them with these verses: — As a tree of the forest, Just so, surely, is man. His hairs are leaves. His skin the outer bark. From his skin blood, Sap from the bark flows forth. From him when pierced there comes forth A stream, as from the tree when struck. His pieces of flesh are under-layers of wood. The fibre is muscle-like, strong. The bones are the wood within. The marrow is made resembling pith. A tree, when it is felled, grows up From the root, more new again; A mortal, when cut down by death — From what root does he grow up? Say not 'from semen/ For that is produced from the living, As the tree, forsooth, springing from seed, Clearly arises without having died. If with its roots they should pull up The tree, it would not come into being again. A mortal, when cut down by death — From what root does he grow up? When born, indeed, he is not born [again]. Who would again beget him? Brahma is knowledge, is bliss, The final goal of the giver of offerings, Of him, too, who stands still and knows It. J For a similar comparison in Hebrew literature see Job 14, 7-10.