Upanishads

Paramahamsa-parivrajaka-upanishad

Atharvaveda
upanishad group - sannyasa

Oh! O Devas, may we hear with our ears what is auspicious;
May we see with our eyes what is auspicious, O ye worthy of worship!
May we enjoy the term of life allotted by the Devas,
Praising them with our body and limbs firmly!
May the glorious Indra bless us!
May the all-knowing Sun bless us!
May Garuda, the thunderer of evil, bless us!
May Brihaspati grant us well-being!
Om! May there be Peace in me!
May there be Peace in my surroundings!
May there be Peace in the forces that act upon me!

1. Now the god Brahma, approaching his father Adi (the original) Narayana, the Supreme Being, and offering obeisances, asked him: Lord, from your lips everything regarding the nature of castes and orders has been heard, known and understood. Now I wish to know the characteristics of a paramahamsa mendicant. Who has the right to renounce? What are the characteristics of a paramahamsa mendicant? Who is a paramahamsa monk? What is his mendicancy? (Please) explain all this to me. Lord Adi Narayana then replied:

(A person eligible for renunciation) is a wise man who has undergone the arduous path of learning sacred lore from a good preceptor; has understood all the efforts required for happiness in this world and the next; has understood the necessity of giving up, like vomit, the three (primary) desires, the three primary tendencies (respect for the body, etc.), the 'mine' and egoism; has completed his celibate discipleship, which is the means to the path of liberation, and has become a householder. From the householder stage he should become a forest dweller (vanaprastha) and then renounce (the worldly life). Or he may renounce from the stage of a celibate disciple or from the stage of a householder or forest dweller. Or, whether he observes the vows, or has completed the course of study, or has ceased his fire ritual or has not maintained the sacred fire, he should renounce on the very day on which he becomes dissatisfied with the world. Thus, dissatisfied with all worldly affairs, whether as a celibate disciple, a householder or a forest dweller, he should obtain the approval of his father, mother, wife, near relatives and, in the absence of such, a disciple or a flatmate (and then renounce the world).

2. Some (legislators) prescribe the sacrifice called Prajapatya (whose presiding deity is the god Brahma, before the twice-born take renunciation). But (though it is prescribed) he cannot do it. He should perform only the Agneya sacrifice (whose presiding deity is Agni, the fire-god). For Agni is the vital breath (prana). By this he makes (i.e. strengthens) the vital breath. (Then) he should perform the Traidhatavya sacrifice (whose presiding deity is the god Indra). By this (sacrifice) the three vital fluids, namely, sattva (semen), rajas (blood) and tamas (dark), (become strong like fire). (Having performed the sacrifice in the prescribed manner, he should smell the sacred fire, reciting the following mantra):

"O Fire, this (vital breath) is your source; because you are born at the proper time (of the year), you put on the effulgence. Having known it (Atman, your supreme source), may you merge (into prana, your source). May you increase our wealth (of transcendental knowledge)." Thus, reciting the mantra, he should smell the fire. This is the source of fire, the vital air. May you go to prana, may you go to your source. Svaha. Thus alone does the mantra declare.

Having procured the sacred fire from the house of a learned Vedic scholar, he should smell the sacred fire in the manner previously described. If he is afflicted (by disease) or does not obtain the sacred fire, he should offer the oblation in the waters. For water is (under the protection of) all the gods. Saying, "I offer oblation to all the gods, Svaha," he should offer the oblation and taking (a small portion of) the oblation offered mixed with ghee, he should eat it, for it is beneficial. (In the case of Kshatriyas and others not entitled to renunciation) the rule is that they may seek liberation) by the path of bravery (seeking death on the battlefield) or by fasting (until death as a discipline) or by entering water (not to rise again) or by entering fire or by undertaking a great journey (in which they fall from exhaustion). If he has been afflicted (by illness), he can renounce mentally or verbally (by repeating mantras). This is the path (of their renunciation).

3. A healthy man (if he desires to renounce the world) should, in due order (of the stages of life), perform the sraddha ceremony for himself and the fire rite for ridding himself of passions (viraja-homa). He should infuse the ritual fire so that it is symbolically present in his person. His mastery over the affairs of the world and the Vedic teaching, as well as the fourteen means of action under his control (karanas), should be imparted to his son (symbolically). In the absence (of the son) this should be done to the disciple; in his absence it should be imparted to his Atman. Then he should meditate on Brahman as identical with his Self, uttering the words, "Brahman Thou (Are)", "Sacrifice Thou (Are)". The mother Veda, the support of Brahmanism and the embodiment of the essence of all knowledge, should be surrendered to the waters, uttering the three vyahritis (Om Bhur-bhuva-svaha), and the three vyahritis to the letters a, u and m (pranavas). He should then drink the water with ceremony, keeping his attention on it (pranava); draw out the bunch, silently repeating the pranava; break the sacred thread; throw off the clothes either on the ground or in the water; undress, uttering the mantra "Om Bhuh Svaha, Om Bhuvah Svaha and Om Suvah Svaha"; meditate on his own form; again mentally or verbally pronounce the pranava and the vyahritis separately and pronounce three times the three farewell words, "I have renounced, I have renounced, I have renounced" in a soft, medium and sharp tone; go deeply into meditation on the pranava and raise his hand, saying, "Freedom from fear is for all from me, Svaha." Then he should go north, contemplating the meaning of the great sacred texts such as "Brahman I Am," "That Thou Art," and proceed in a naked state. This is renunciation.

If anyone is not eligible for this (path of renunciation), he should first recite the householder's prayer and then the texts, "Liberation from fear for all beings, everything comes from me, you are my friend and you protect me. You are the (source of) strength. You are the vajra (weapon) of Indra, who killed (the demon) Vritra. Be a blessing to me. Avert that which is sin." Repeating this mantra, preceded by the pranava, he should take the symbolic bamboo staff and water-pot and put on the belt, loincloth and bleached (i.e. ochre-coloured) robe; then go to a good Guru, bow down to him and receive from the Guru's mouth the great sacred text, "That Thou Art," preceded by the pranava. He should then put on a torn robe or a robe of bark or a deerskin; avoiding the landing place on the bank of the river (for bathing, to avoid mixing with the crowd), ascending (by stairs) and receiving alms from a house. He should bathe during the three prescribed periods, listen to the explanation of the Vedanta and practise Pranava; be well established in the path (of realising) Brahman; absorb his favourite desire in the Atman; become free from 'mine' and established in the Self; give up passion, anger, greed, delusion, intoxication, rivalry, false pride, arrogance, egoism, intolerance, arrogance, desires, hatred, gloating, impulsiveness, 'mine', etc.; endowed with wisdom and dispassion, he should turn away from wealth and women and endowed with a pure mind, he should reflect on the truths of all the Upanishads; guard, paying special attention to one's celibacy, non-covetousness, attitude harmful to the universe and truthfulness; subdue one's senses and become free from attachment externally and internally; secure alms for the maintenance of the body, like a harmless cow, from the members of the four castes, except those who are accursed and fallen; such a person is considered worthy of realizing Brahman. He should look with equanimity on the gain or loss (of alms) at all times; eat food (received as alms from many places) like a bee, using the hand as a vessel; not increase fat (but) become lean; feel that he is Brahman; approach a village for (the service of the preceptor). He should, steady in conduct, walk alone for eight months and should not travel as two (i.e. with a companion).

When he has attained sufficient common sense (i.e. dispassion), he may become a kuticaka or bahudaka or hamsa or paramahamsa ascetic. Reciting the appropriate mantras, he should throw into the water his belt, loincloth, staff and water vessel and walk naked. He should spend one night in a village, three nights in a holy place, five nights in a city and seven nights in a place of pilgrimage (kshetra). He should be without (a fixed) abode, of a steady mind, not resort to fire (for warmth), be free from emotion, renounce both rituals and non-rituals, accept alms for the maintenance of life in solitude with equanimity to its gain or loss, like a cow, have his water vessel (only) in (the form of) a watering-place and his abode in a solitary place free from disturbances. He should not think of gain or loss, but be interested in the eradication of both good and bad deeds; always sleep on the floor; Give up shaving, give up the restrictions imposed by the observance of Chaturmasya, be deeply engaged in pure meditation, be averse to wealth, women and city (life), behave like a madman, though perfectly sane, have no distinguishing features or special behavior, do not dream, for day and night are the same for him, and be attentive to the path of deep meditation on Brahman in the form of Pranava, investigating the nature of the Self. He who thus gives up his body by resorting to renunciation is a paramahamsa mendicant monk.

4. Lord Brahma asked (Narayana): Lord, what is Brahma-pranava? (Lord) Narayana replied: Brahma-pranava consists of sixteen parts and is known in fours in four states (waking, etc.). In the waking state there are four states, wakefulness in wakefulness, etc. (jagrat-jagrat); in the dream state there are four states, wakefulness in dream, etc. (svapna-jagrat); in deep sleep there are four states, wakefulness in deep sleep, etc. (sushupti-jagrat); in the fourth state (turiya) there are four states, wakefulness in turiya, etc. (turiya-jagrat). In the waking state of expansion (vyashti) there is a quadruple of vishvas, namely vishva-vishva, vishva-taijasa, vishva-prajna and vishva-turiya. In the dream state in which expansion of distribution takes place, there is a quadruple of taijasa, namely taijasa-vishva, taijasa-taijasa, taijasa-prajna and taijasa-turiya. In the deep sleep state of prajna there is a quadruple, namely prajna-vishva, prajna-taijasa, prajna-prajna and prajna-turiya. In the fourth state (turiya) there is a quadruple of turiyas, namely turiya-vishva, turiya-taijasa, turiya-prajna (and turiya-turiya). In the proper order these make sixteen parts. In the letter "a" (Om - Aum) there is jagrat-vishva, in the letter "u" - jagrat-taijasa, in the letter "m" - jagrat-prajna, in the ardha-matra (Om) - jagrat-turiya, in bindu - svapna-vishva, in nada - svapna-taijasa, in kala - svapna-prajna, in kalatita - svapna-turiya, in shanti - sushupta-vishva, in shantyatita - sushupta-taijasa, in pashyanti - turiya-prajna, in para - turiya-turiya. The four parts of jagrat belong to the letter "a", the four parts of svapna belong to the letter "u", the four parts of sushupti belong to the letter "m", the four parts of turiya belong to the ardha-matra. This is Brahma-pranava. This should be worshipped by the paramahamsa, turiyatita and avadhuta ascetics. By this Brahman is illuminated. (This is) liberation in the disembodied state (videha-mukti).

5. Lord, how can a person without the sacred thread and bundle be a person who has renounced all (worldly) activities? How is he exclusively devoted to absorption in Brahman? How is he a brahmana? Thus asked the god Brahma (Narayana). Lord Vishnu then replied: O child, he who has knowledge of the non-dual Atman possesses the real sacred thread (i.e., this knowledge itself is the sacred thread). His deep absorption in meditation is itself the bundle. This activity (itself) is the possession of the sanctifying ring of sacred grass (pavitra). He does all actions, he is Brahman, he is deeply absorbed in Brahman, he is the enlightened being (deva), he is the sage, he practices penance, he is the noblest, he surpasses all; know that he is I. A mendicant who is a paramahamsa is very rare in this world. If there is one, he is ever pure, he alone is the Purusha (famous) in the Vedas. The mind of the great man (maha-purusha) rests in me. I also remain in him alone. He is ever contented. He is free from (the effects of) cold and heat, happiness and unhappiness, honour and dishonour. He tolerates insult and anger. He is devoid of the six human infirmities (hunger and thirst, sorrow and delusion, old age and death) and free from the six qualities (body, birth, existence, change, growth, decay and death). He is undisturbed (i.e. he is not limited) by the state of old age or otherwise. He sees nothing else except the Self. Unclothed (literally clothed according to the cardinal directions), bowing to no one, not uttering 'Svaha' (for he does not worship any gods), not uttering 'Svadha' (to propitiate the Manas), without having to send back (the gods, for they have not been invoked), free from blame and praise, not resorting to mantras and rituals, not meditating on other gods (except the supreme God), abstaining from aims and their absence, with all actions ceased, firmly established in the Consciousness consisting of Existence, Knowledge and Bliss, realising the one supreme bliss, he always meditates on the Brahma-pranava (in the sense) that he is Brahman alone and thus realises himself; such a person is the Paramahamsa mendicant monk. Thus ends the Upanishad.

Thus ends the Paramahamsa-parivrajakopanishad, which pertains to the Atharvaveda.

Om! O Devas, may we hear with our ears what is auspicious;
May we see with our eyes what is auspicious, O ye worthy of worship!
May we enjoy the term of life allotted by the Devas,
Praising them with our body and limbs firmly!
May the glorious Indra bless us!
May the all-knowing Sun bless us!
May Garuda, the thunderer of evil, bless us!
May Brihaspati grant us well-being!
Om! Let there be Peace in me!
Let there be Peace in my surroundings!
Let there be Peace in the forces that act upon me!