Upanishads

VARAHA UPANISHAD

Krishnayajurveda,
group of Upanishads – yoga

Om! May He protect us both together; may He nourish us both together;
May we work together with great energy,
Let our teaching be energetic and effective;
Let us not argue with each other (or hate anyone).
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!

CHAPTER I

The great sage Ribhu performed penance for twelve divine (deva) years. At the end of the time, the Lord appeared before him in the form of a boar. He said, "Arise, arise and choose your good." The sage stood up and, prostrated before him, said, "O Lord, I will not desire from you in my sleep those things which the worldly desire. All the Vedas, shastras, itihasas and all the many other sciences, as well as Brahma and all the other devas, speak of liberation as the result of knowing your nature. So impart to me that science of Brahman which treats of your nature."

Then Bhagavan (Lord) in the form of a boar said:

1. Some disputants hold that there are twenty-four tattvas (principles), and some thirty-six, while others maintain that there are ninety-six.

2. I will tell them in their order. Listen with an attentive mind. The sense organs are five, namely, the ear, the skin, the eye, and others.

3. The organs of action are five, namely: the mouth, the hand, the foot, and others. The pranas (vital forces) are five; the sound and others (i.e., the elementary principles) are five.

4. Manas, buddhi, chitta and ahamkara are four; thus those who know Brahman know that these are the twenty-four tattvas.

5. In addition, the sages believe that there are five quinary elements, namely: earth, water, fire, vayu (wind, air) and akasha (space);

6. The bodies are three, namely, the gross, the subtle, and the karana or causal; the states of consciousness are three, namely, waking, dreaming, and deep dreamless sleep.

7-8. The Munis know that the total collection of tattvas is thirty-six (including jiva). With these tattvas there are six changes, namely, existence, birth, growth, transformation, decay and destruction.

9. It is said that hunger, thirst, grief, delusion, old age and death are the six ailments.

10. It is said that skin, blood, flesh, fat, marrow, and bones are the six sheaths. Passion, anger, greed, delusion, pride, and malice are the six types of enemies.

11. Vishva, taijasa and prajna are the three aspects of jiva. Sattva, rajas and tamas are the three gunas (qualities).

12. Prarabdha, sanchita and agamin are the three karmas. Talking, rising, walking, excreting and enjoying are the five actions (organs of action);

13. And there is also thought, confidence, egoism, compassion, memory (functions of manas, etc.), complacency, sympathy and indifference;

14. Dik (quarters), Vayu, the Sun, Varuna, the Ashvini Devas, Agni, Indra, Upendra and Mrityu (death); and then the moon, the four-faced Brahma, Rudra, Kshetrajna and Ishvara.

15-16. Thus these are the ninety-six tattvas. Those who worship me with devotion in the form of the boar, who is distinct from the aggregate of these tattvas and is not subject to decay, become freed from ajnana (ignorance) and its consequences and become jivanmuktas.

17. Those who know these ninety-six tattvas will attain salvation in any order of life, whether with matted hair or a shaved head or (only) a topknot. There is no doubt about this."

Thus ends the first chapter of the Varaha Upanishad.

CHAPTER II

1. The great Ribhu (again) addressed Lord Lakshmi (i.e. Vishnu) in the form of a boar thus: "O Lord, please initiate me into the supreme Brahma-vidya (or science)."

2-3. Then the Lord, who removes the miseries of His devotees, being thus questioned, replied thus: "Through (proper observance of) the duties of one's caste and order of life, through religious austerities and through pleasing the guru (through proper service to him), four qualities arise in men - vairagya, etc. These are discrimination between the eternal and the non-eternal; indifference to the enjoyments of this and other worlds;

4-5(a). Acquisition of the six virtues, sama (equanimity), etc., and the desire for liberation. This should be practiced. Having subdued the sense organs and given up the conception of 'mine' in all objects, you should place your 'I' consciousness in (or identify yourself with) me, who is the witness chaitanya (consciousness).

5(b)-7(a). To be born as a human being is difficult - still more difficult to be born as a man - and still more difficult to be born as a Brahmin. Even then, if a fool does not know by means of hearing, etc., of the Vedanta the true nature of Satchidananda (Brahman), which is all-pervading and which is beyond all castes and orders of life, when will he attain Moksha?

7(b)-8. I alone am happiness. There is no other. If it is said that there is another, then it is not happiness. There is no such thing as love except for my sake. Love that is for my sake is unnatural to me. Since I am the abode of the highest love, there is no such thing as "I am not."

9. That which all seek, saying, "I must become like this," is myself, the all-pervading. How can non-light affect the Atman, the self-luminous, which is nothing but light, whence the words "I am not light" come.

10-12(a). My firm conviction is that he who knows for certain that (Atman), which is self-effulgent and has no basis (for rest), has attained vijnana (transcendent wisdom). The universe, jiva, Ishvara, maya and others do not really exist except my all-pervading Atman.

12(b)-13(a) I do not have their characteristics - karma with its dharana and other attributes in the form of darkness and ajnana (ignorance) cannot touch me (affect me), since I am Atman, self-luminous.

13(b)-14(a). That man who sees (his) Atman, which is all-seeing and is beyond all castes and orders of life as the nature of Brahman, himself becomes Brahman.

14(b)-15(a). He who sees, through the evidence of Vedanta, this visible universe as the Supreme Place having the form of light, attains moksha at once.

15(b)-16(a) When this knowledge, which dispels the idea that this body (only) is Atman, arises firmly in the mind, as it did before the knowledge that this body (only) is Atman, then that person, even if he does not desire moksha, gets it.

16(b)-17(a). Therefore, how will a person be bound by karma who always enjoys the bliss of Brahman, which has the characteristics of Satchidananda and which is different from ajnana?

17(b)-18. People with spiritual eyes see Brahman, who is the witness of the three states, who has the characteristics of being, wisdom and bliss, who is the deep meaning of the words "You" (Tvam) and "I" (Aham), and who is untouched by any impurities.

19. As a blind man does not see the shining sun, so an ignorant man does not see (Brahman). Prajnana (primordial highest wisdom) alone is Brahman. Truth and Prajnana are its qualities.

20. Thus, by knowing Brahman well, one becomes immortal. He who knows his own Atman as Brahman, which is bliss and without duality and gunas (qualities), and which is truth and absolute consciousness, fears nothing.

21. That alone which is consciousness, which is all-pervading, eternal, all-pervading, has the form of bliss and is indestructible, is the only true Brahman.

22-23(a). It is the firm determination of the Brahma-jnani (the knower of Brahman) that there is nothing else. As the world appears dark to the blind and bright to those with good eyes, so this world, full of manifold sufferings for the ignorant, is full of happiness for the wise.

23(b)-24(a). If in me, who has the form of a boar, who is infinite and the Bliss of absolute Consciousness, there is the concept of non-duality, where is the bondage? And who is it that is to be liberated?

24(b)-25(a). The true nature of all embodied objects is always absolute Consciousness. Like a pot seen by the eyes, the body and its components do not exist (i.e., do not really exist).

25(b)-26. Knowing all the moving and unmoving worlds as Atman, which (only) appear to be different from Atman, meditate on them as "This Self (Atman) am." Such a person then enjoys his true nature. There is nothing else to enjoy except his Self.

27. If there is anything that is, then Brahman alone has that quality. He who is perfect in Brahma-jnana, though he always sees this established universe, does not see it as different from his Atman.

28-30. Knowing my form clearly, he is not bound by karma. He is the fearless one who knows by his own experience as his own true nature all that (the universe and Brahman) which is beyond the body and the senses, which is all-seeing (all-observing), which is the one noumenal (understood only by the mind, as opposed to the phenomenal world, understood through the senses) vijnana, which is the blissful Atman (as opposed to the jivatma or lower self), and which is self-effulgent. He is the one to be known as the Self (as myself). O Ribhu, may you become Him.

31. There will never be any experience of the world after this. There will always be the experience of the wisdom of one's own true nature after this. He who has fully known this Atman has neither liberation nor bondage.

32. He who meditates on Him through the knowledge of his own true form even for just one muhurta (48 minutes), who dances as the all-seeing, is freed from all bondage.

33. Prostrations - prostrations to me who am in all the elements, who is chidatma (i.e. Atman, the nature of which is wisdom), who is eternal and free, and who is pratyagatman.

34-35. O devata, you are Me. I am you. Prostrations for me and you, which are endless and which are chidatma, I am the supreme Isha (Lord), and you are Shiva (of beneficent nature). What should I do? Where should I go? What should I reject?

36. (Nothing, because) the universe is filled with Me, like the waters of the universal flood. He who renounces (the tenderness of) external love, internal love and love of the body and thus renounces all associations, merges in Me. There is no doubt about this.

37. That paramahamsa (ascetic) who, although living in the world, keeps aloof from human society as from a serpent, who considers a beautiful woman to be a (living) corpse and the infinite sense objects to be poison, and who has renounced all passions and is indifferent to all objects, is none other than Vasudeva, (namely) the Self.

38. This is satya (truth). This is nothing but truth. Truth alone is spoken now. I am Brahman, truth. There is nothing else but me.

39. (The word) 'upavasa' (literally, dwelling near) means dwelling near (or union) of the jivatma and Paramatman, and not (the religious observance adopted by laymen) emaciation of the body by fasting.

40. For the ignorant, what is the use of the mere drying up (wasting away) of the body? Can it be said that by beating against the hole of a snake, we have killed the big snake inside?

41. A man is said to attain paroksha (indirect) wisdom when he knows (theoretically) that Brahman exists; but he is said to attain sakshatkara (direct awareness) when he realizes that he himself is Brahman.

42. When a yogi knows that his Atman is the Absolute, then he becomes a jivanmukta.

43. For the Mahatmas, to always be in the state of "I am Brahman" is to attain salvation. There are two words for bondage and moksha. They are "mine" and "not mine."

44. Man is bound by the concept of 'mine', but is liberated by the concept of 'not mine'. He should give up all thoughts relating to the external as well as references to the internal. O Ribhu, having given up all thoughts, you should remain satisfied (in your Atman) always."

45. The entire universe is generated only through the sankalpa (the volition of Brahman). Only through the sankalpa does the universe manifest. Leaving the universe, which has the form of sankalpa, and fixing your mind on nirvikalpa (that which is unchangeable), meditate on My abode in your heart.

46. O most intelligent being, spend your time in meditating on Me, glorifying Me in songs, talking about Me with one another, and thus completely dedicating yourself to Me as the Supreme.

47. Whatever Chit (consciousness) in the universe is only chinmatra. This universe is only chinmaya. You are Chit. I am Chit; think of the worlds also as Chit.

48-49(a). Eliminate desires. Be always without any stain. How then can the bright lamp of Atmic Vijnana, arising through the Vedas, be affected by karma arising from the ignorance of the doer and the agent?

49(b)-50(a). Having given up the non-Atman and being in the world untouched by it, enjoy only the chinmatra within, ever directed towards the One.

50(b)-51(a). As the akasha of the pot and the akasha of the house are in the all-pervading akasha, so the jivas and Ishvara evolve only from me, the chidakasha (the one akasha of universal consciousness).

51(b)-52(a). Therefore that which did not exist before the evolution of Atma (jiva) (and Ishvara) and that which is rejected at the end (namely, the universal flood), the Brahma-jnanis (those who have known Brahman) due to their discrimination call Maya.

52(b)-53(a). If maya and its effects (the universe) are destroyed, then there is no state of Ishvara, no state of jiva. Therefore, as akasha without its vehicle, I am immaculate, and I am Chit.

53(b)-54. The creation of (all) sentient and insentient - from ikshana (thinking) to pravesha (entry) - of those who have the forms of jiva and Ishvara, is due to the creation (or illusion) of Ishvara; while samsara (worldly existence) from the waking state to salvation is due to the creation of jiva.

55. Thus the karmas (actions) prescribed in the sacrifice (called) Trinachaka (so named after Nachiketas of the Katha Upanishad) for Yoga depend on the illusion of Ishvara; while (the systems from) Lokayata (the atheistic system) to Sankhya rest on the illusion of the jiva.

56. Therefore, those who aspire for salvation should never cause their minds (heads) to enter into the field of disputes regarding the jiva and Ishvara. But with an unperturbed mind the tattvas (principles) of Brahman should be investigated.

57. All those who have not realized the tattva of the non-dual Brahman are only deluded people. Where then is their salvation? Where then is their happiness in this universe?

58. What if they have thoughts of superiority and inferiority (of Ishvara and jiva respectively)? Will the superiority and inferiority (experienced by a person) in the dream state affect him in his waking state?

59. When buddhi is absorbed in ajnana, then the wise call it sleep. Where then is sleep for Me, who has no ajnana and its manifestations?

60. When the buddhi is in full bloom, then it is said to be jagrat (the waking state). Since I have no changes, etc., there is no waking state for Me.

61. The movement of buddhi in the subtle nadis (energy channels of the subtle body) constitutes the state of sleep. In Me, without the act of movement, there are no dreams.

62. Then, during sushupti (deep dreamless sleep), when all things are absorbed, enveloped in tamas, he enjoys the supreme bliss of his own nature in an invisible state.

63. If he sees everything as Chit without any distinction, he alone is the real Vijnani. He alone is Shiva. He alone is Hari. He alone is Brahma.

64. This worldly existence, which is an ocean of sorrow, is nothing but a long-lived dream, or an illusion of the mind, or a long-lived realm of the mind. From waking from sleep until going to sleep, one should contemplate only the one Brahman.

65. By causing this universe, which is a mere superposition, to be absorbed, the chitta assumes my nature. Having destroyed all the six powerful enemies, through their destruction become the non-dual One.

66. If I have only Chit as my body, what does it matter to me whether the body perishes now or lasts as long as the moon and stars exist? What does it matter to the akasha in the pot whether it (the pot) is destroyed now or lasts for a long time.

67. When the lifeless skin of a snake lies discarded in its hole, it (the snake) shows no affection for it.

68. In the same way, the wise do not identify themselves with their gross and subtle bodies. If the delusive knowledge (that the universe is real) with its cause is to be destroyed by the fire of Atma-jnana, the wise man becomes incorporeal through the idea, "It (Brahman) is not this; It is not this."

69. Shastras, the knowledge of reality (the universe) perishes. Through direct perception of truth, one's fitness for action (in this universe) ceases. With the cessation of prarabdha (the ripened past karma that manifests in this life), there is destruction of the manifestation (the universe). Maya is thus destroyed in a threefold manner.

70. If there is no identification (of the jiva) with Brahman within it, then the state (of separateness) of the jiva does not disappear. If the non-dual is truly recognized, then all attractions (towards objects) disappear.

71. With the cessation of prarabdha, the attraction to the body also ceases. Therefore it is certain that maya thus disappears entirely. If this whole universe is said to exist, then Brahman alone is of the nature of Sat (this being, existence).

72. If the universe is said to shine, then Brahman alone shines. (The mirage) of all the water in an oasis is in reality nothing but the oasis itself (the reflection of the real oasis in the layers of air). By enquiry into the Self, the three worlds (upper, lower and middle) are of the nature of Chit alone.

73. In Brahman, which is one and only, whose essence of nature is absolute consciousness, and which is far from the distinctions of jiva, Ishvara and guru, there is no ajnana. In that case, where is the reason for the universe there? I am that Brahman which contains everything (is filled with everything).

(to be continued)