(1) 'There is that ancient tree, whose roots grow upward and whose branches grow downward;--that indeed is called the Bright, that is called Brahman, that alone is called the Immortal. All worlds are contained in it, and no one goes beyond. This is that.'

(3) 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.

(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) [Yajnavalkya continued:] ' On this point there are these verses: — The ancient narrow path that stretches far away Has been touched by me, has been found by me. By it the wise, the knowers of Brahma, go up Hence to the heavenly woild, released.

(6) Then he takes a sip, saying: — 'On this desired [glory] of Savitri — 'Tis sweetness, winds for pious man — "Tis sweetness, too, the streams pour forth. Sweet-filled for us let be the herbs' To Earth (b/iur), hail! [On this desired] glory of the god let us meditate. Sweet be the night and morning glows! Sweet be the atmosphere of earth ' And sweet th' Heaven-father (dyaus pita) be to us! To Atmosphere (bhuvas), hail! And may he himself inspire our thoughts' 6 The tree be full of sweet for us! And let the sun be full of sweet! Sweet-filled the cows become for us 1 7 To the Sky (svar\ hail! ' He repeats all the Savitri Hymn and all the « Sweet-verses/ and says: 'May I indeed become this world -all! O Earth (bhnr) and Atmosphere (bhuvas) and Sky (svar) \ Hail!' Finally, having taken a sip, having washed his hands, he lies down behind the fire, head eastward. In the morning he worships the sun, and says: c Of the quarters of heaven thou art the one lotus-flower! s May I of men become the one lotus-flower! ' s bear some lesemblance to the phrase which involves a play on words m the corresponding passage in Chand. 5. 2. 6, amo ndmd 'si ama hi te sarvam zdam, c Thou art He (ama) by name, for this whole world is at home (ama) m thee.' 8 A symbolic expression for ' pre-eminent.' Then he goes back the same way that he came, and, seated behind the fire, mutters the Line of Tradition (vamsa)* 7- This, indeed, did Uddalaka Arurn tell to his pupil Vaja- saneya Yajnavalkya, and say: « Even if one should pour this on a dry stump, branches would be produced and leaves would spring forth.

(2) Gargya said: cThe sound here which follows after one as he goes — him, indeed, I worship as Brahma ' ' Ajatas'atru said: 'Talk not to me about him! I worship him, verily, as Life (asu). To him who worships him as such there comes a full length of life (dyu) in this world. Breath (prdna) leaves him not 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.

(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'

(5) On this point, verily, Janaka, [king] of Videha, spoke as follows to Budila Asvatarasvi: f^io! Now if you spoke of yourself thus as a knower of the Gayatri, how then have you come to be an elephant and are carrying? ' ' Because, great king, I did not know its mouth/ said he. Its mouth is fire. Verily, indeed, even if they lay very much 1 RV. 3. 62. 1: On this, of Savitri the god, The choicest glory let us think. Our thoughts may he himself inspire! on a fire, it burns it all. Even so one who knows this, al- though he commits very much evil, consumes it all and becomes clean and puie, ageless and immortal

(1) Brahmâ (Hiranyagarbha or Paramesvara) told this to Pragâpati (Kasyapa), Pragâpati to Manu (his son), Manu to mankind. He who has learnt the Veda from a family of teachers, according to the sacred rule, in the leisure time left from the duties to be performed for the Guru, who, after receiving his discharge, has settled in his own house, keeping up the memory of what he has learnt by repeating it regularly in some sacred spot, who has begotten virtuous sons, and concentrated all his senses on the Self, never giving pain to any creature, except at the tîrthas (sacrifices, &c.), he who behaves thus all his life, reaches the world of Brahman, and does not return, yea, he does not return.

(2) The father said: 'My son, that subtile essence which you do not perceive there, of that very essence this great Nyagrodha tree exists.

(1) 'If some one were to strike at the root of this large tree here, it would bleed, but live. If he were to strike at its stem, it would bleed, but live. If he were to strike at its top, it would bleed, but live. Pervaded by the living Self that tree stands firm, drinking in its nourishment and rejoicing;

(6) This, indeed, did Vajasaneya Yajnavalkya tell to his pupil Madhuka Paingya, and say: 'Even if one should pour this on a dry stump, branches would be produced and leaves would spring forth. 9- This, indeed, did Madhuka Paingya tell to his pupil Cula Bhagavitti, and say: < Even if one should pour this on a dry stump, branches would be produced and leaves would spring- forth/ ^ * _ 10. This, indeed, did Cula Bhagavitti tell to his pupil Janaki Ayasthuna, and say: 'Even if one should pour this on a dry stump, branches would be produced and leaves would spring- forth. * 5 ii. This, indeed, did Janaki Ayasthuna tell to his pupil Satyakama Jabala, and say: < Even if one should pour this on a dry stump, branches would be produced and leaves would spring forth.'

(1) Verily, in the beginning this world was Brahma, It knew only itself (atmanam): is the source of Kshatrahood. Therefore, even if the king attains supremacy, he rests finally upon Brahmanhood as his own source, So whoever injures him [i.e. a Brahman] attacks his own source. He fares worse in proportion as he injures one who is better. is. He was not yet developed. He created the Vis (the commonalty),those kinds of gods that are mentioned in numbers: the Vasus, the Rudras, the Adityas, the Vi^vadevas, the Maruts.

(5) 'He who knows, let me think this, he is the Self, the mind is his divine eye . He, the Self, seeing these pleasures (which to others are hidden like a buried treasure of gold) through his divine eye, i. e. the mind, rejoices. 'The Devas who are in the world of Brahman meditate on that Self (as taught by Pragâpati to Indra, and by Indra to the Devas). Therefore all worlds belong to them, and all desires. He who knows that Self and understands it, obtains all worlds and all desires.' Thus said Pragâpati, yea, thus said Pragâpati.

(6) 'Such is the greatness of it (of Brahman, under the disguise of Gâyatrî ); greater than it is the Person (purusha). His feet are all things. The immortal with three feet is in heaven (i. e. in himself).'

(5) He said: 'Breath (prâna). For all these beings merge into breath alone, and from breath they arise. This is the deity belonging to the prastâva. If, without knowing that deity, you had sung forth your hymns, your head would have fallen off, after you had been warned by me.'

(15) Yama said: 'That word (or place) which all the Vedas record, which all penances proclaim, which men desire when they live as religious students, that word I tell thee briefly, it is Om.'

(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.'

(3) [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? '