Upanishads

Yajnavalkya Upanishad

Shuklayadjurveda, group of Upanishads – sannyasa

Om! That (Brahman) is infinite, and this (universe) is infinite.
The infinite comes from the infinite.
(Then) accepting the infinity of the infinite (universe),
It remains as the infinite (Brahman) alone.
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!

1. Now King Janaka of Videha approached the sage Yajnavalkya with respect and said, "Respected sir, explain renunciation to me." Yajnavalkya said: Having completed the stage of a celibate disciple, one may become a householder. From the stage of a householder, one may become a forest dweller (Vanaprastha) and then renounce. Or he may become a mendicant monk from the stage of a celibate disciple or a householder or a forest dweller. (There is also a proposition that) a man may renounce worldly life on the very day on which disgust for it dawns upon him, whether he observes the vows (before the stage of renunciation) or observes them, whether he has taken the prescribed bath on completion of disciplined discipleship or not, whether he is one who has ceased to maintain the ritual fire after the death of his wife (Utsannagni) or one who does not maintain the ritual fire (anagnika).

2. Some (legislators) prescribe the sacrifice called Prajapatya (whose presiding deity is the god Brahma, before the twice-born take to renunciation). But (though it is prescribed) he cannot do it. He must perform only the sacrifice of Agneya (whose presiding deity is Agni, the fire-god). For Agni is the life-breath (Prana). Thus he helps (strengthens) the life-breath. (Then) he should perform the Traidhatavya sacrifice (whose presiding deity is the god Indra). By this sacrifice the three vital fluids (become strong like fire), namely Sattva (semen), Rajas (blood) and Tamas (dark).

(Having performed the sacrifice in the prescribed manner, he should smell the sacred fire, reciting the following mantra): “O Fire, this (vital breath) is thy source; because thou art born at the proper time (of the year), thou art endowed with effulgence. Knowing it (the Atman, thy supreme source), thou canst merge (into Prana, thy source). May thou increase our wealth (of transcendental knowledge).” Thus reciting the mantra, he should smell the fire. This is the source of the fire, this vital air. "(May you go) to the fire (your source). Svaha." Thus alone does the mantra say.

3. Having procured the sacred fire (from the house of a learned Vedic scholar) in the village, he should send it to smell as described before. If he does not obtain the ritual fire, he may offer oblations in the waters. For water (is governed by) all the gods. Saying "I offer oblations to all the gods, Svaha," he should offer the oblations and taking (a small portion of) the offered oblation mixed with ghee, he should eat it, for it is beneficial. (Before eating the offered oblation, he should recite) the mantra of liberation (namely Om), which he should realize to be (the essence of) the three Vedas. He should worship Brahman (Existence, Knowledge and Bliss) as that which (is signified by Om). Having cut off his topknot and sacred thread, he should thrice pronounce, "I have renounced." (The royal sage Janaka accepted this explanation, saying), "Verily, so it is, venerable Yajnavalkya."

4. (Then, prompted by King Janaka) the sage Atri asked Yajnavalkya: How can a man without the sacred thread (by wearing which alone he can perform rituals) be a Brahmin? Yajnavalkya replied: This alone is his sacred thread (conviction), "That (Self-luminous) Atman (I am)." He should then ceremoniously drink water (thrice with the mantra, "Reach the sea, Svaha," having previously discarded his topknot and sacred thread). This is the method (to be adopted by those who have renounced the world).

5. Then (in the case of those eligible for renunciation) a mendicant monk, wearing (ochre) robes, with his head shaved, taking nothing (except food for subsistence), pure, harming no one (in thought, word and deed), (ascetically) living on alms, becomes fit for realising Brahman. This is the path of the mendicant monks. (In the case of Kshatriyas and others not eligible for renunciation, they may seek liberation) by bravery (by going to their 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). (For those eligible for renunciation) this path has been prescribed by the god Brahma; the ascetic who has renounced the world (Sannyasin), following this path, realises Brahman. Thus (is stated in the Vedanta). "So it is, venerable sir, Yajnavalkya," (the royal sage Janaka appreciated).

6. There are famous sages called Paramahamsas (as in former times the sages) Samvartaka, Aruni, Shvetaketu, Durvasas, Ribhu, Nidagha, Dattatreya, Suka, Vamadeva, Harita and others, without any distinguishing marks, with behavior beyond the understanding (of worldly people) and who behaved as if they were deprived of their senses, although (perfectly) sane.

7. Having given up the wives of others and (the desire to live in) cities, and having abandoned all these, namely, the triple staff (bamboo), the water-vessel, (the earthen plate) used for eating, the ceremonial purification by water, the bunch and the sacred thread, both internally and externally, in the waters, uttering "Bhuh, Svaha," (Paramahamsa) will seek the Atman.

8. Possessing the form of a new-born child (i.e. unclothed), unaffected by the pairs (opposites such as heat and cold, pleasure and pain); accepting nothing (except alms as mere sustenance); firmly established in the path of the truth of Brahman; with a pure mind; receiving alms in the mouth (literally in the vessel of the belly) at the prescribed time for the sustenance of life, becoming unperturbed at the gain and loss (of alms), drinking water from the vessel of the hand or from a water vessel, begging alms but keeping it in the belly; deprived of any other vessel; a watering place serving as a vessel for water; taking refuge, unperturbed at the gain and loss of it, in a dwelling that is free from disturbance and is solitary (such as) an unoccupied house, a temple, a bunch of (tall) grass (or a haystack), an anthill, the shade of a tree, a potter's hut, a hut where a ritual fire is kept, the sandy bank of a river, a mountain thicket, a cave, a hollow in a tree, the proximity of a waterfall, or a patch of pure land, without residing in a permanent dwelling; Without exerting himself (in profitable activity) and deeply intending to eradicate good and bad actions, such a sage who finally gives up his body in the state of renunciation is indeed a Paramahamsa. Thus (it has been declared).

9. The mendicant monk who is unclothed (literally: clothed according to the cardinal directions), who salutes no one, desires neither wife nor son, and is above aim and non-aim, becomes the supreme God. Here are the verses:

10. To him who has become an ascetic before and who is equal to him in characteristics, he should render obeisance (to the ascetic) and never to anyone else.

11. Even ascetics are careless, whose minds are fixed on external phenomenal things, gossips, eager for quarrels and whose views are condemned by the Veda.

12. If the ascetic remains in identity with the supreme self-effulgent Brahman, which is beyond name etc., then to whom should he, the knower of the Atman, render obeisance? Then the act (of bowing) should not be performed.

13. (If the ascetic is convinced that) the Supreme God has entered into beings as the individual Self, then he can fall down completely on the ground before a dog, an outcast, a cow or an ass.

14. What can be charming in a woman who is a doll of flesh, in a cage of limbs, which is moved by machinery, and who is a conglomerate of sinews, bones and joints?

15. Are the eyes (of a woman) charming when we look at them after being cut into skin, flesh, blood and tears? Why then are you vainly carried away?

16. Similarly, O sage, a glittering pearl necklace (adored by women) is seen in the swift flow of the Ganges waters down the shining slopes of Mount Meru.

17. In the cemeteries (situated) in remote places, the same breast of a woman is in due course devoured by dogs, as if it were a small piece of food.

18. Having (attractive) locks of hair and applying eye salve, women who are difficult to touch but pleasing to the eye, are (indeed) the flame of the fire of sin and they burn men as if they were straw.

19. Women who are pleasant and cruel are fuel for the fires of hell, which flare up even at a distance and, although juicy (sweet), are devoid of moisture (taste).

20. Foolish women are nets set by the hunter named Cupid to entangle the bodies of men in the form of birds.

21. Woman is the bait stuck in the fishhook on the line of evil propensity to catch men in the form of fishes who are in the pond of worldly life and who are active in the mud of the mind.

22. Enough for me, forever, of women, who are strong boxes (for keeping) all the jewels of evil and are the chains of misery.

23. He who has a woman desires enjoyment; where is the scope for enjoyment for him who has no woman? Giving up a woman is giving up worldly life; a man will be happy by giving up worldly life.

24. An unborn son troubles the (future) parents for a long time; when he appears (in the womb), he causes trouble through miscarriage or the pangs of labor.

25. When a male child is born, there is worry about evil plans, diseases, etc., and then his inclination to evil ways. When he is invested with the sacred thread, he does not become learned, and if he becomes wise, he renounces marriage.

26. In his youth he resorts to adultery, etc., and has (the curse of) poverty when he has a family. There is no end to anxiety on account of his son, and if he is rich, he may (suddenly) die.

27. A (good) ascetic has no fickleness of hands and feet; he is not unsteady in his eyes, nor careless in his speech; by subduing his senses, he becomes one with Brahman.

28. When the man of discrimination sees equality and unity between the enemy, the captive, and his own body, where is (the place) for anger, as in relation to the members of one's own body?

29. If you have anger against the sinner, how have you no anger against the anger that forcibly obstructs (the path to) duty, wealth, love and liberation?

30. My salutations to anger against anger, which well sets fire to its substratum and which gives a man dispassion and awakens him to his faults.

31. Where men are ever asleep, the man of self-control is awake; where they are alert, O sage, the prince among yogis, is in deep sleep. Be sure that there is consciousness here, that (all) is consciousness only and permeated by consciousness, that you are consciousness and I am consciousness and all these worlds are consciousness.

32. Ascetics should assume this highest position of being a Paramahamsa. O best of sages, there is nothing higher than this. Thus (ends) the Upanishad.

Om! That (Brahman) is infinite, and this (universe) is infinite.
The infinite proceeds from the infinite.
(Then) accepting the infinity of the infinite (universe),
It remains as the infinite (Brahman) alone.
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!

Thus ends the Yajnavalkya Upanishad, belonging to the Shuklayajurveda.