Adhyatma Upanishad
Translated by Dr. A. G. Krishna Warrier
Published by The Theosophical Publishing House, Chennai
Om! That (Brahman) is infinite, and this
(universe) is infinite. The infinite proceeds from the
infinite. (Then) taking the infinitude of the infinite
(universe), It remains as the infinite (Brahman) alone.
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!
In the cave of the body is eternally set
the one unborn. The earth is His body. (Though) moving within
the earth, the earth knows Him not. The eater is His body.
(Though) moving within the water, the water knows Him not. The
fire is His body. (Though) moving within the fire, the fire
knows Him not. The air is His body. (Though) moving within the
air, the air knows Him not. The ether is His body. (Though)
moving within the ether, the ether knows Him not. The mind is
His body. (Though) moving within the mind, the mind knows Him
not. The intellect is His body. (Though) moving within the
intellect, the intellect knows Him not. The ego is His body.
(Though) moving within the ego, the ego knows Him not. The
mind-stuff is His body. (Though) moving within the mind-stuff,
the mind-stuff knows Him not. The unmanifest is His body.
(Though) moving within the unmanifest, the unmanifest knows Him
not. The imperishable is His body. (Though) moving within the
imperishable, the imperishable knows Him not. The Death is His
body. (Though) moving within Death, Death knows Him not. He,
then, is the inner-self of all beings, sinless, heaven-born,
luminous, the sole Narayana.
1. Superimposition is the thought, ‘I am
and mine are the body, the senses, etc., which are all other
than the Self. Through devotion to Brahman, the wise man should
repudiate it.
2. Knowing oneself to be the subject, the
witness of intellect and its operations, reject the idea of the
Self being other than the subject, identifying the ‘I’ with
that (the subject).
3. Rejecting conformity with the world, the
body, and the Shastras, remove superimposition on the Self.
4. The mind of the Yogin perishes as he stays
without intermission in the Self alone, knowing, through
reasoning, Shruti, and experience, that one is the Self of all
beings.
5. Without granting for a moment even a
toe-hold for sleep, gossip, verbal exchanges, etc., and
self-forgetfulness, meditate on the Self in the self.
6. Casting the body far aside, the offspring
of parental exudations, as its status is no better than that of
an outcast, and becoming Brahman, seek fulfilment.
7. Dissolve the self in the supreme Self as
the pot-space is dissolved in infinite space; then, as the
Infinite be silent for ever, O sage!
8. Having become the self-luminous
Substratum, as Being, reject both the macrocosm and the
microcosm which are but abodes of impurities.
9. Locating the body-bound I-sense in the
ever-blissful spiritual Self, renounce the subtle body;
eternally be the Absolute.
10. Knowing ‘I am that Brahman’ in which this
world appearance (exists) like a city reflected in a mirror,
find fulfilment, O sinless one!
11. Liberated from the grip of egoism, like
the moon (after the eclipse), full, ever blissful,
self-luminous, one attains one’s essence.
12. The destruction of actions leads to that
of thought; thence results the dwindling of innate impulses (to
act). The obliteration of innate impulses is liberation; it is
held to be freedom in life.
13. At all places and by all means,
perceiving everything as Spirit, one achieves the dissolution
of innate impulses as it strengthens the attitude of universal
good will.
14. Never should one be heedless in devotion
to Brahman; ‘heedlessness is death’ so aver the philosophers of
Brahman in regard to (this) science.
15. Just as a pulled-up water-reed stays not
still, even for a moment, so does Maya (ceaselessly) envelop
even a wise man if he averts his face (from the Truth).
16. Whosoever wins absoluteness while alive
continues to be absolute even after death. Rooted in
concentration, O sinless one, remain steadfast.
17. With the vision of the non-dual Self
through unwavering concentration comes the dissolution without
residue of the knots of ignorance in the heart.
18. Strengthening the sense of Self vis-à-vis
this vision, and rejecting it vis-à-vis the ego, etc., remain
indifferent to them all, as to objects like pots and
clothes.
19. All things from Brahma down to clumps of
grass are nothing but unreal adjuncts. Distinct from the, see
one’s Self existing as the immutable plenum.
20. One’s Self is Brahma, Vishnu, Indra and
Shiva; this entire world is one’s Self; other than this Self,
there is nothing.
21. After repudiating all objective
appearances superimposed on one’s Self, one remains alone as
the supreme Brahman, full, non-dual, stirless.
22. The world is a postulation, as good as
non-existent, in the one Reality that is immutable, formless,
unqualified; whence is difference?
23. (In the one Reality) devoid of
distinctions like the percipient, perception, and the
perceived, and of all sufferings, in the absolutely full,
spiritual, Self, like unto the ocean at the time of cosmic
dissolution, (whence is difference)?
24. Darkness implicit in It as in light is
the cause of delusion. Whence is difference in the supreme
non-dual and unqualified Reality?
25. In this uniform and supreme Reality, how
can the agent of differences dwell? In deep sleep that is
nothing but bliss who has perceived difference?
26. This perception of difference is rooted
in the mind (of the percipient); there is none of it in the
absence of the mind. Therefore, concentrate the mind on the
supreme Self as the subject.
27. Upon realizing the Self that is impartite
bliss as one’s own essence (there follows) the savouring of the
timeless bliss that is the Self, both externally and
internally.
28. Of detachment the fruit is knowledge: of
knowledge the fruit is withdrawal. Experience of Self as bliss
leads to peace; again, peace is the fruit of withdrawal.
29. Without the consequent states, the
precedent ones are fruitless, indeed. Cessation is supreme
satisfaction; matchless bliss is spontaneous.
30. The expressed sense of the word tat (God)
has Maya for His adjunct; He is the world-cause. He is
characterised by omniscience, etc.; is tinged by transcendence,
and is essentially Truth and so forth.
31. The expressed sense of the word ‘Tvam’
shines forth as the content of the idea and expression ‘I’; it
is awareness blended with the mind (the inner organ of
perception).
32. Only through the exclusion of Maya and
avidya, the adjuncts of God and Jiva is the supreme Spirit, the
impartite Being, Consciousness and Bliss, indicated.
33. ‘To listen’, thus is to pursue by means
of sentences their import. On the other hand, ‘thinking’
consists in perceiving its consistency with reason.
34. ‘Meditation’ is indeed the exclusive
attention of the mind fixed on (the import) rendered
indubitable through listening and thinking.
35. ‘Concentration’ is said to be the mind
which, outgrowing the dualism between the meditator and
meditation, gradually dwells exclusively on the object (of
meditation) and is like a flame in a windless spot.
36. Mind’s modifications in regard to the
Self are uncognized in that state; they are (only) inferred as
past, after quitting the state of Samadhi.
37. Crores of karmans, accumulated in this
beginningless transmigratory life, are dissolved by means of
concentration: (then) pure virtue begins to flourish.
38. The best knowers of Yoga call this
concentration the cloud of virtues, since it rains the
flood-waters of virtue in a thousand streams.
39-40. When the load of innate impulses is
dissolved without residue by means of this (cloud of virtues)
and heaps of karmans, good and evil, are totally eradicated,
the major text, which at first shone forth immediately, now
unobstructed, yields immediate awareness as (clear) as the
myrobalan in the palm (of one’s hand).
41. The non-occurrence of the impulse (to
enjoy, etc.,) in regard to the objects of enjoyment marks the
acme of detachment. The highest pitch of awareness is (marked
by) the non-occurrence of the egoistic sense.
42(a). The acme of withdrawal is (marked by)
the non-occurrence of (even) the latent impulse (to enjoy).
42(b). He is the ascetic of steadfast wisdom
who enjoys bliss for ever;
43-44(a). Whose self is merged in Brahman
alone; who is immutable and quiescent. Wisdom (prajna) is
defined as the unwavering spiritual mode whose content is the
unity of Brahman and Atman purged (of all adjuncts).
44(b). Whosoever possesses it (wisdom)
without a break is liberated in life;
45. Who has no conceit of ‘I’ in regard to
body and senses; nor the conceit of objects in regard to things
other than them – who is free from these two conceits in regard
to anything whatsoever is liberated-in-life;
46. Who, in his wisdom, perceives no
difference between the subject and Brahman; who neither refers
to the creator nor creation is liberated in life.
47. Whose attitude is the same both when he
is honoured by the virtuous and when he is persecuted by the
wicked is liberated in life.
48. He who has realized the truth of Brahman
no longer transmigrates, as hitherto; if he does, this truth
has not been realized by him; he is but an extrovert.
49. As long as the experience of pleasure,
etc., lasts, so long operative karmans from the past are held
to persist. (Causal) actions precede the occurrence of effects;
never is this unpreceded by actions.
50. Consequent on the experience ‘I am
Brahman’, karmans accumulated in the course of aeons are
dissolved, even as the actions in dreams are, upon waking
up.
51. Just as nothing clings to space, so to
the sage, who knows the Self to be unattached and indifferent,
future actions cling not in the least degree.
52. Just as space is unaffected by the smell
of liquor though it touches the pot (containing the liquor), so
is Self unaffected by the attributes of Its adjuncts.
53. Karmans done before the dawn of knowledge
perish not as a result of that knowledge; they must produce
their proper effect even as an arrow shot to hit a target
(stops not before hitting it).
54. The arrow discharged (to hit) what was
taken for a tiger stops not, though, alter, (the target) is
known to be a cow; the target is hit with full force.
55. ‘I am un-ageing’; ‘I am immortal’ – how
can one who knows his Self to be such and lives that knowledge
fabricate operative past actions?
56. Then only is operative past action real
when one mistakes one’s Self to be the body. The treatment of
the body as Self is improper; therefore reject (the notion) of
operative past action.
57. The fabrication of operative past actions
is also, indeed, a delusion due to this body.
58. How can the superimposed be real? How can
the unreal be born? How can the unborn perish? How can the
unreal own operative past actions?
59-60. To answer the dull-witted (who)
doubtfully ask how this body persists if the entire effects of
nescience with their cause are destroyed by knowledge, Shruti,
with an outward eye, propounds the theory of operative past
actions; not to suggest to the wise that the body, etc., are
real.
61. A total plenum, without beginning and
end, measure and change. Massed being and intelligence, massed
eternal bliss, undiminishing,
62. With the sole savour of the subject,
full, endless, behold all, Neither to be shunned nor seized,
neither to be held nor propped;
63. Beyond inert forces and actions, subtle,
certain, unblemished; Whose essence is beyond thought, beyond
mid and words;
64. Existent, a plenitude, self-proven, pure,
awake and matchless. One only is non-dual Brahman; here is no
plurality at all.
To Apantaratamas was this science
imparted. He imparted it to Brahma, who passed it on to
Ghorangiras. The latter gave it to Raikva and Raikva to Rama.
Rama imparted it to all beings. This is the injunction in
regard to Nirvana; this is the injunction of the Vedas, of the
Vedas. This is the secret teaching.
Om! That (Brahman) is infinite, and this
(universe) is infinite. The infinite proceeds from the
infinite. (Then) taking the infinitude of the infinite
(universe), It remains as the infinite (Brahman) alone.
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 Adhyatmopanishad belonging to the
Sukla-Yajur-Veda.
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