(1) He divided himself (atmanam) threefold: [fire (agni) one third], the sun (aditya) one third, wind (vayii) one third. He also is Life (prdna) divided threefold. The eastern direction is his head. Yonder one and yonder one are the foie quarters. Likewise the western direction is his tail. Yonder one and yonder one 5 are the hind quarters. South and north are the flanks. The sky is the back. The atmosphere is the belly. This [earth] is the chest. He stands firm in the waters. He who knows this, stands firm wherever he goes.

(2) All this is Brahman; this Self is Brahman. This Self has four quarters.

(3) [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? '

(4) Fire (the sky) is his head, his eyes the sun and the moon, the quarters his ears, his speech the Vedas disclosed, the wind his breath, his heart the universe; from his feet came the earth; he is indeed the inner Self of all things.

(5) If one should receive these three worlds full, he would receive that first line of it [i.e. the Gayatri]. If one should receive as much as is this threefold knowledge, he would receive that second line of it. If one should receive as much as there is breathing here, he would receive that third line of it. But that fourth (turlyd), sightly foot, the one above-the-darksome, who glows yonder, is not obtainable by any one whatsoever. Whence, pray, would one receive so much '

(4) ' Let us hear what anybody may have told you,' [con- tinued Yajnavalkya]. c Gardabhivipita Bharadvaja told me: "Brahma, verily, is hearing.'" c As a man might say that he had a mother, that he had a father, that he had a teacher, so did that Bharadvaja say, " Brahma is hearing." For he might have thought, " What can one have who can not hear?" But did he tell you Its seat and support? J < He did not tell me.' £ Forsooth, your Majesty, that is a one-legged [Brahma].' e Verily, Yajnavalkya, do you here tell us.' c Its seat is just hearing; Its support, space. One should worship It as the endless (ananta).' fore, verily, your Majesty, to whatever quarter one goes, he does not come to the end of it, for the quarters of heaven are endless. Verily, your Majesty, the quarteis of heaven are 1 K hearing. Verily, your Majesty, the highest Brahma is hearing. Hearing does not desert him who, knowing this, worships it as such. All things run unto him. He, becoming a god, goes to the gods. c I will give you a thousand cows with a bull as large as an elephant, said Janaka, [king] of Videha. Yajnavalkya replied: ' My father thought that without having instructed one should not accept.'

(2) It is — as, from a fire laid with damp fuel, clouds of smoke separately issue forth, so, lo, verily, from this great Being (bkutd) has been breathed foith that which is Rig- Veda, Yajur- Veda, Sama-Veda, [Hymns] of the Atharvans and Angirascs, Legend (itihasa), Ancient Lore (pitrand)> Sciences (vidya), Mystic Doctrines (^m^rf), Verses (sloka), Aphorisms (sutra), desert '; so also in all the following similar sentences. Cf. Bnh. 4. 5. 7. 2 A designation of the Atharva-Veda. Explanations (amivydkkydua)> and Commentaries (vyakhyana). From it, indeed, are all these breathed foith. ii. It is — as of all waters the uniting-point is the sea, so of all touches the uniting-point is the skin, so of all tastes the uniting-point is the tongue, so of all smells the uniting-point is the nostrils, so of all forms the uniting-point is the eye, so of all sounds the uniting-point is the ear, so of all intentions (samkalpa) the uniting-point is the mind (manas\ so of all knowledges the uniting-point is the heart, so of all acts (karma) the uniting-point is the hands, so of all pleasures (ananda) the uniting-point is the generative organ, so of all evacuations the uniting-point Is the anus, so of all journeys the uniting-point is the feet, so of all the Vedas the uniting-point is speech. 12,. It is — as a lump of salt cast in water would dissolve right- into the water; there would not be [any] 2 of it to seize forth, as it were (iva), but wherever one may take, it is salty indeed — so, lo, verily, this great Being (bhuta\ infinite, limitless, is just a mass of knowledge (vijnana-ghana). Arising out of these elements (bkuta), into them also one vanishes away. After death there is no consciousness (na pretya samjna *sti). Thus, lo, say I.' Thus spake Yajnavalkya.

(4) The eastern breaths are his eastern quarter. The southern breaths are his southern quarter. The western breaths are his western quarter. The northern breaths are his northern quarter. The upper breaths are his upper quarter [i.e. the zenith]. The lower breaths are his lower quarter [i.e. the nadir]. All the breaths are all his quarters. But the Soul (Atman) is not this, it is not that (neti, neti). It is unseizable, for it cannot be seized. It is indestructible, for it cannot be destroyed. It is unattached, for it does not attach itself. It is unbound. It does not tremble. It is not injured. Verily, Janaka, you have reached fearlessness/ — Thus spake Yajnavalkya. Janaka, [king] of Videha, said: ' May fearlessness come unto you, noble Sir, you who make us to know fearlessness. Adora- tion to you! Here are the Videhas, here am I [as your servants].'

(4) ' Let us hear what anybody may have told you/ [con- tinued Yajnavalkya]. ' Barku Varshna told me: " Brahma, verily, is sight."' 'As a man might say that he had a mother, that he had a father, that he had a teacher, so did that Varshna say, « Brahma is sight (caksti)" For he might have thought, " What can one have who can not see? " But did he tell you Its seat and support? ' < He did not tell me.' ' Forsooth, your Majesty, that is a one-legged [Brahma].' ' Verily, Yajnavalkya, do you here tell us/ £Its seat is just sight; Its support, space. One should worship It as the true (satya)' ' What is Its truthfulness, Yajnavalkya?' when they say to a man who sees with his eyes, " Have you seen? " and he says, " I have seen," that is the truth. Verily, your Majesty, the highest Brahma is sight. Sight leaves not him who, knowing this, worships it as such. All things run unto him. He, becoming a god, goes to the gods. elephant, said Janaka, [king] of Videha. Yajnavalkya replied: ' My father thought that without having instructed one should not accept.'

(4) f Let us hear what anybody may have told you/ [con- tinued Yajfiavalkya]. ' Udanka Saulbayana told me: "Brahma, verily, is the breath of life (prana)" ' As a man might say that he had a mother, that he had a father, that he had a teacher, so did that Saulbayana say, f< Brahma is the breath of life." For he might have thought, " What can one have who is without the breath of life? " But did he tell you Its seat and support? ' I He did not tell me. c Forsooth, your Majesty, that is a one-legged [Brahma].' c Verily, Yajfiavalkya, do you here tell us. should worship It as the dear (przya).' £The breath of life itself, your Majesty/ said he. c Verily, out of love for the breath of life, your Majesty, one has sacrifice offered for him for whom one should not offer sacrifice, one accepts from him from whom one should not accept. Out of love of just the breath of life, your Majesty, there arises fear of being killed wherever one goes. The highest Brahma, your Majesty, is in truth the breath of life. The breath of life leaves not him who, knowing this, worships it as such. All things run unto him. He, having become a god, goes even to the gods/ I 1 will give you a thousand cows with a bull as large as an elephant/ said Janaka, [king] of Videha. Yajnavalkya replied: c My father thought that without having instructed one should not accept/

(11) That immortal Brahman is before, that Brahman is behind, that Brahman is right and left. It has gone forth below and above; Brahman alone is all this, it is the best.

(3) 'Yajfiavalkya/ said he, 'with how many divinities does the Brahman protect the sacrifice on the right today?; ' With one,' ' Which is that one? ' 'The mind. Verily, endless is the mind. Endless are the All-gods. An endless world he wins thereby.'

(3) 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

(3) [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

(4) ' Let us hear what anybody may have told you,' [con- tinued Yajnavalkya]. 'Jitvan Sailini told me: " Brahma, verily, is speech (vac)"' [said Janaka]. 'As a man might say that he had a mother, that he had a father, that he had a teacher, so did that Sailina say, " Brahma, verily, is speech." For he might have thought (iti), '* What can one have who can not speak? " But did he tell you Its seat and support?' ' He did not tell me.' ' Forsooth, your Majesty, that is a one-legged [Brahma].' ' Its seat is just speech; Its support, space (akasa). One should worship It as intelligence (prajna)' ' What is Its quality of intelligence, Yajnavalkya? ' 'Just speech, your Majesty,' said he. c Verily, by speech, your Majesty, a friend is recognized. By speech alone, your Majesty, the Rig- Veda, the Yajur-Veda, the Sama-Veda, the [Hymns] of the Atharvans and Angirases, Legends (itika$a\ Ancient Lore (pur and], Sciences (vidya), Mystic Doctrines (upanisad)) Verses (sloka), Aphorisms (sutra\ Explanations (anuvyakhyand)) Commentaries (uyakkyana), what is offered in sacrifice and as oblation, food and drink, this world and the other, and all beings are known. The highest Brahma, your Majesty, is in truth speech. Speech does not desert him be noted, takes the active bruyat as if it were middle voice — a late epic usage. 2 A designation of the Atharva-Veda. who, knowing this, worships it as such. All things run unto him. He, having become a god, goes even to the gods/ { I will give you a thousand cows with a bull as large as an elephant/ said Janaka, [king] of Videha. Yajfiavalkya replied: 'My father thought that without having instructed one should not accept'

(2) Gargya said: 'The Person who is here in the quarters of heaven — him, indeed, I worship as Brahma! ' Ajatas'atru said: 'Talk not to me about him' I worship him, verily, as the Inseparable Companion. He who worships him as such has a companion. His company is not separated from him.' ia. Gargya said. ' The Person here who consists of shadow — him, indeed, I worship as Brahma! ' Ajatasatru said: 'Talk not to me about him! I worship him, verily, as Death. To him who worships him as such there comes a full length of life in this world. Death docs not come to him before the time.'

(4) On whom the five peoples And space are established — Him alone I, the knowing, I, the immortal, Believe to be the Soul, the immortal Brahma. 1 8. They who know the breathing of the breath, The seeing of the eye, the hearing of the ear, (The food of food), the thinking of the mind — They have recognized the ancient, primeval Brahma. 3 A variation of this stanza is found at Isa 3.

(3) ' 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/

(5) The veneration of it: ' O Gayatri, you are one-footed, two-footed, three-footed, four-footed. You are without a foot, because you do not go afoot Adoration to your fourth, sightly foot, the one above-the-darksome! — Let not so-and-so obtain such-and-such! ' — namely, the one whom one hates. Or, not prospered for him in regard to whom one venerates thus. Or, ' Let me obtain such-and-such! '

(3) The first quarter is the universal consciousness (vaiśvānara) the wakeful state of external perception having seven limbs and nineteen mouths that enjoy gross objects.