Upanishads

Nadabindu Upanishad

Rigveda
group of Upanishads – yoga

Oh! Let my speech be in accordance with the mind;
Let my mind be based on speech.
O Radiant One, reveal Thyself to me.
May both of them^[1] bring to me the knowledge of the Vedas.
May all that I have learned not leave me.
I will join the day to the night^[2] by these studies.
I will utter what is verbally true;
I will utter what is mentally true.
May That^[3] protect me;
May That protect the speaker^[4], may That protect me;
May That protect the speaker – may That protect the speaker.

Om! Let there be Peace in me!
Let there be Peace in my neighbors!
Let there be Peace in the forces acting on me!

   1. The syllable "A" is considered to be its (the bird "Om") right wing, "U" – the left; "M" – its tail; and the ardha-matra (half a meter of poetry) is considered to be its head.

   2. The (rajasic and tamasic) qualities (gunas) are her (dimensional) feet; sattva is her torso; dharma is her right eye, and adharma is her left.

   3. Bhur-loka is located in her feet; bhuvar-loka is in her knees; svar-loka is in her waist; and mahar-loka is in the navel.

   4. In her heart is located jana-loka; tapo-loka (tapar-loka) is in its throat, and (tu) satya-loka is situated (vyavasthita) on the forehead (lalaata) in the centre between (madhya) the eyebrows (bhruvor).

   5(a). Then the matra (or mantra) beyond the sahasrara (thousand-rayed) is explained, it should be explained.

   5(b)-6(a). The yoga expert, seated on the hamsa (swan) in this way (i.e. contemplating Om), is not subject to karmic influences or tens of crores of sins (hundreds of millions).

   6(b)-7. The first matra (measure, also the measure of the time of pronunciation of a short vowel) has as its presiding deity (devata) Agni (the god of Fire); the second has Vayu (the Blower); the next matra shines like the solar disk, and the last, the ardha-matra, is known by the sages as belonging to Varuna (the god of water, Perun).

   8. Each of these matras truly has three kalas (parts). This is called Omkara. Know this through dharanas, i.e. concentration on each of the twelve kalas (or varieties of matras, generated by the difference in svaras, or intonations).

   9-11. The first matra is called ghoshini; the second is vidyunmali (or vidyunmatra); the third is patangini; the fourth is vayuvegini; the fifth is namadheya; the sixth is aindri; the seventh is vaishnavi; the eighth is sankari; the ninth is mahati; the tenth is dhriti (dhruva); the eleventh is nari (mauni); and the twelfth is brahmi.

   12. If a person happens to die in the first matra (while contemplating it), he will be reborn as a great emperor in Bharata-varsha (India).

   13. If in the second matra, he becomes an outstanding yaksha (dwarf); if in the third matra, then a vidyadhara (mystic magicians of Tibet); if in the fourth, then a gandharva (heavenly singers-musicians, keepers of soma).

   14. If he happens to die in the fifth, i.e., in the ardha-matra, he lives in the lunar world with the status of a deity (deva), highly glorified there.

   15. If in the sixth, he dissolves in Indra; if in the seventh, then he reaches the abode of Vishnu; if in the eighth, then Rudra, the Lord of all beings.

   16. If in the ninth, then he goes to the mahar-loka; if in the tenth, then to the jana-loka (dhruva-loka?); if in the eleventh, then to the tapo-loka; and if in the twelfth, he attains the eternal state (sasvatam) of Brahma.

   17. That which is beyond them, (i.e.) Parabrahman, which is beyond (the above-mentioned matras), pure, all-pervading, beyond kalas, eternally shining and the source of all jyoti (light), should be known.

   18. When the mind transcends the sense organs and the gunas (qualities) and dissolves, having no separate existence and no mental activity, then (the guru) should give it prescriptions (regarding the course of its further development).

   19. Such a being (jantu), always engaged in his contemplation and always absorbed in it, should gradually (sanair) eliminate (chet) the notion "I am the body" (kalevara), adhering (sansthita) to the practice of yoga (yoga-carena) and withdrawing from (vivarjita) all association with society (sarva-sangha).

   20. Then he, being freed from the bondage of karma and existence as a jiva (individual soul), and being pure, enjoys the transcendental bliss through his attainment of the state of Brahma (God the Creator).

   21. O intelligent man, spend your life always in worthy conduct – the knowledge of the supreme bliss, enjoying all your prarabdha (ripened karma), without complaining about anything (of that prarabdha).

   22-23(a). Even after the awakening of Atma-jnana (realization of the Atman, or the Supreme Self), prarabdha does not disappear; but he does not feel prarabdha after the illumination of tattva-jnana (knowledge of the tattva, or essence of truth), because the body and other things are asat (unreal), like things seen in a dream by one who has already awakened.

   23(b)-24. That karma (its portion) which is formed in previous births and is called prarabdha, does not affect such a sage (tattva-jnani) at all, since he will not have reincarnation. Just as the body which exists in a dream is unreal, so is this body.

   25(a). Where then is reincarnation for that which is illusory? How can that have any existence which has no birth?

   25(b)-26(a). As clay is the material cause of the pot, so man learns from the Vedanta that ajnana (ignorance) is the material cause of the universe; and when ajnana disappears, where is the cosmos?

   26(b)-27. Just as a man, through illusion, mistakes a rope for a snake, so the fool, ignorant of the truth, sees this world (as true). When he knows it to be a piece of rope, the illusory idea of a snake disappears.

   28-29(a). And therefore, when the eternal essence of everything is known to him, and the whole universe becomes (therefore) empty (shunyata) (for him), where is the prarabdha for him? – since the body is also a part of the world. Therefore the word 'prarabdha' is accepted (only) for the enlightenment of the ignorant.

   29(b)-30. Then, when prarabdha, in the course of time, is worked out and worn out, he who is the sound resulting from the union of pranava (Om) with Brahman, who is the absolute effulgence itself, and who is the bestower of all good, shines by himself like the sun when the clouds disperse.

   31. The yogi, situated in siddhasana (half-lotus posture) and performing the Vaishnavi mudra, should always hear the inner sound directly in (dakshina) the ears (karna).

   32. The sound he thus practices makes him deaf to all external sounds. Overcoming all obstacles, he enters the state of consciousness called turiya (the "fourth," after waking, dream, and deep sleep) within fifteen days.

   33. At the beginning of his practice he hears many loud sounds. Gradually they increase in pitch and are heard more and more subtly.

   34. At first these sounds are like those emanating from the ocean, clouds, kettledrums, and rainstorms; in the middle stage they are like the sounds of the mardala (tabla, drums), bell, and whistle.

   35. In the last stage these sounds resemble the sound of a bell, a flute, a vina (a stringed instrument), and a bee. In this way he hears many similar sounds, more and more subtle.

   36. When he reaches the stage where the sound of a large kettledrum is heard, he should strive to discern only more and more subtle sounds.

   37. He may change his concentration from gross sounds to subtle ones, or from subtle ones to gross ones, but he should not allow his mind to be distracted from one sound to another.

   38. The mind, first concentrated on any single sound, should remain firmly fixed on it and dissolve in it.

   39. It (the mind) becomes insensible to external impressions, becomes one with the sound, like milk with water, and then becomes quickly absorbed in the chidakasha (akasha-space, where the chit-consciousness predominates).

   40. Being indifferent to all objects, the yogi, who has curbed his passions, should by continuous practice concentrate his attention on this sound, which destroys the mind.

   41. Having abandoned all thoughts, and being free from all actions, he should always concentrate his attention on that sound, and then his chitta (consciousness-substance) becomes absorbed in it (i.e. the sound).

   42-43(a). Just as a bee sucking the nectar of a flower does not care for the bad smell, so the chitta, which is always absorbed in the sound, does not crave for sense objects, because it is attracted by the pleasant aroma of the nada (sound) and has given up its restless nature.

   43(b)-44(a). The snake-citta, through hearing the nada, is completely absorbed in it and becomes oblivious to everything, concentrating on the sound.

   44(b)-45(a). The sound acts as a sharp stick for urging on animals (stimulus), which controls the enraged elephant-citta, which wanders in the garden of pleasures derived from sense objects.

   45(b)-46(a). It acts as a trap for tying up the deer-citta. It also serves as a shore for the ocean waves of the chitta.

   46(b)-47(a). Sound emanating from pranava (Om), which is Brahman, is of the nature of effulgence; the mind becomes absorbed in it; it is the supreme abode of Vishnu.

   47(b)-48(a). Sound exists as long as the concept of akasha (akasha-sankalpa) persists. Beyond it is ashabda, the soundless Parabrahman, which is Paramatman.

   48(b). The mind exists as long as there is sound, but with this (cessation of sound) comes the state called unmani-manas (i.e. the state of being above the mind).

   49(a). This sound dissolves in the akshara (indestructible), and the soundless state is the transcendental abode.

   49(b)-50(a). The mind, which along with prana (vayu) has (its) karmic properties destroyed by constant concentration on nada, is absorbed in the unblemished One. There is no doubt about this.

   50(b)-51(a). Many myriads of nadas (sounds), and many more bindus (subtle inaudible sounds, vanishing points) – (all of them) become absorbed in the sound of Brahma-pranava.

   51(b)-52(a). Being free from all states and any thoughts whatsoever, the yogi abides like a dead man. He is mukta (liberated). There is no doubt about this.

   52(b). After this, he never hears the sounds of the conch or the dundubhi (kettle drum, large drum).

   53. In the state of unmani, the body is undoubtedly like a log, and it does not feel heat or cold, joy or grief.

   54. The chitta of such a yogi, having abandoned fame and dishonor, abides in samadhi, above the three states.

   55. Being freed from the states of wakefulness and sleep, he attains his true state.

   56. When the (spiritual) vision becomes steady without any object seen, when the vayu (prana, breath) becomes motionless without any effort, and when the chitta becomes steady without any support, it attains the form of the inner sound Brahma-pranava.

   Thus ends the Nadabindu Upanishad of the Rig Veda.

   Original published version of the translation: scriptures.ru/upanishad/nadabindu.htm.