The Upanishads
S >>
Swami Paramananda >> The Upanishads
This etext was produced by J. C. Byers.
The Upanishads
Translated and Commentated
by
Swami Paramananda
From the Original Sanskrit Text
This volume is reverently dedicated to all seekers of truth and
lovers of wisdom
Preface
The translator's idea of rendering the Upanishads into clear
simple English, accessible to Occidental readers, had its origin
in a visit paid to a Boston friend in 1909. The gentleman, then
battling with a fatal malady, took from his library shelf a
translation of the Upanishads and, opening it, expressed deep
regret that the obscure and unfamiliar form shut from him what he
felt to be profound and vital teaching.
The desire to unlock the closed doors of this ancient treasure
house, awakened at that time, led to a series of classes on the
Upanishads at The Vedanta Centre of Boston during its early days
in St. Botolph Street. The translation and commentary then given
were transcribed and, after studious revision, were published in
the Centre's monthly magazine, "The Message of the East," in 1913
and 1914.. Still further revision has brought it to its present
form.
So far as was consistent with a faithful rendering of the
Sanskrit text, the Swami throughout his translation has sought to
eliminate all that might seem obscure and confusing to the modern
mind. While retaining in remarkable measure the rhythm and
archaic force of the lines, he has tried not to sacrifice
directness and simplicity of style. Where he has been obliged to
use the Sanskrit term for lack of an exact English equivalent, he
has invariably interpreted it by a familiar English word in
brackets; and everything has been done to remove the sense of
strangeness in order that the Occidental reader may not feel
himself an alien in the new regions of thought opened to him.
Even more has the Swami striven to keep the letter subordinate to
the spirit. Any Scripture is only secondarily an historical
document. To treat it as an object of mere intellectual curiosity
is to cheat the world of its deeper message. If mankind is to
derive the highest benefit from a study of it, its appeal must be
primarily to the spiritual consciousness; and one of the salient
merits of the present translation lies in this, that the
translator approaches his task not only with the grave concern of
the careful scholar, but also with the profound reverence and
fervor of the true devotee.
Editor
Boston, March, 1919
Contents
Introduction
Isa-Upanishad
Katha-Upanishad
Kena-Upanishad
Introduction
The Upanishads represent the loftiest heights of ancient
Indo-Aryan thought and culture. They form the wisdom portion or
Gnana-Kanda of the Vedas, as contrasted with the Karma-Kanda or
sacrificial portion. In each of the four great Vedas--known as
Rik, Yajur, Sama and Atharva--there is a large portion which
deals predominantly with rituals and ceremonials, and which has
for its aim to show man how by the path of right action he may
prepare himself for higher attainment. Following this in each
Veda is another portion called the Upanishad, which deals wholly
with the essentials of philosophic discrimination and ultimate
spiritual vision. For this reason the Upanishads are known as the
Vedanta, that is, the end or final goal of wisdom (Veda, wisdom;
anta, end).
The name Upanishad has been variously interpreted. Many claim
that it is a compound Sanskrit word Upa-ni-shad, signifying
"sitting at the feet or in the presence of a teacher"; while
according to other authorities it means "to shatter" or "to
destroy" the fetters of ignorance. Whatever may have been the
technical reason for selecting this name, it was chosen
undoubtedly to give a picture of aspiring seekers "approaching"
some wise Seer in the seclusion of an Himalayan forest, in order
to learn of him the profoundest truths regarding the cosmic
universe and God. Because these teachings were usually given in
the stillness of some distant retreat, where the noises of the
world could not disturb the tranquillity of the contemplative
life, they are known also as Aranyakas, Forest Books. Another
reason for this name may be found in the fact that they were
intended especially for the Vanaprasthas (those who, having
fulfilled all their duties in the world, had retired to the
forest to devote themselves to spiritual study).
The form which the teaching naturally assumed was that of
dialogue, a form later adopted by Plato and other Greek
philosophers. As nothing was written and all instruction was
transmitted orally, the Upanishads are called Srutis, "what is
heard." The term was also used in the sense of revealed, the
Upanishads being regarded as direct revelations of God; while the
Smritis, minor Scriptures "recorded through memory," were
traditional works of purely human origin. It is a significant
fact that nowhere in the Upanishads is mention made of any author
or recorder.
No date for the origin of the Upanishads can be fixed, because
the written text does not limit their antiquity. The word Sruti
makes that clear to us. The teaching probably existed ages before
it was set down in any written form. The text itself bears
evidence of this, because not infrequently in a dialogue between
teacher and disciple the teacher quotes from earlier Scriptures
now unknown to us. As Professor Max Mller states in his lectures
on the Vedanta Philosophy: "One feels certain that behind all
these lightning-flashes of religious and philosophic thought
there is a distant past, a dark background of which we shall
never know the beginning." Some scholars place the Vedic period
as far back as 4000 or 5000 B.C.; others from 2000 to 1400 B.C.
But even the most conservative admit that it antedates, by
several centuries at least, the Buddhistic period which begins in
the sixth century B.C.
The value of the Upanishads, however, does not rest upon their
antiquity, but upon the vital message they contain for all times
and all peoples. There is nothing peculiarly racial or local in
them. The ennobling lessons of these Scriptures are as practical
for the modern world as they were for the Indo-Aryans of the
earliest Vedic age. Their teachings are summed up in two
Maha-Vakyam or "great sayings":--Tat twam asi (That thou art) and
Aham Brahmasmi (I am Brahman). This oneness of Soul and God lies
at the very root of all Vedic thought, and it is this dominant
ideal of the unity of all life and the oneness of Truth which
makes the study of the Upanishads especially beneficial at the
present moment.
One of the most eminent of European Orientalists writes: "If we
fix our attention upon it (this fundamental dogma of the Vedanta
system) in its philosophical simplicity as the identity of God
and the Soul, the Brahman and the Atman, it will be found to
possess a significance reaching far beyond the Upanishads, their
time and country; nay, we claim for it an inestimable value for
the whole race of mankind. .
Whatever new and unwonted paths the philosophy of the future may
strike out, this principle will remain permanently unshaken and
from it no deviation can possibly take place. If ever a general
solution is reached of the great riddle . . . the key can only be
found where alone the secret of nature lies open to us from
within, that is to say, in our innermost self. It was here that
for the first time the original thinkers of the Upanishads, to
their immortal honor, found it...."
The first introduction of the Upanishads to the Western world was
through a translation into Persian made in the seventeenth
century. More than a century later the distinguished French
scholar, Anquetil Duperron, brought a copy of the manuscript from
Persia to France and translated it into French and Latin.
Publishing only the Latin text. Despite the distortions which
must have resulted from transmission through two alien languages,
the light of the thought still shone with such brightness that it
drew from Schopenhauer the fervent words: "How entirely does the
Oupnekhat (Upanishad) breathe throughout the holy spirit of the
Vedas! How is every one, who by a diligent study of its Persian
Latin has become familiar with that incomparable book, stirred by
that spirit to the very depth of his Soul! From every sentence
deep, original and sublime thoughts arise, and the whole is
pervaded by a high and holy and earnest spirit." Again he says:
"The access to (the Vedas) by means of the Upanishads is in my
eyes the greatest privilege which this still young century (1818)
may claim before all previous centuries." This testimony is borne
out by the thoughtful American scholar, Thoreau, who writes:
"What extracts from the Vedas I have read fall on me like the
light of a higher and purer luminary which describes a loftier
course through a purer stratum free from particulars, simple,
universal."
The first English translation was made by a learned Hindu, Raja
Ram Mohun Roy (1775-1833). Since that time there have been
various European translations--French, German, Italian and
English. But a mere translation, however accurate and
sympathetic, is not sufficient to make the Upanishads accessible
to the Occidental mind. Professor Max Mller after a lifetime of
arduous labor in this field frankly confesses: "Modern words are
round, ancient words are square, and we may as well hope to solve
the quadrature of the circle, as to express adequately the
ancient thought of the Vedas in modern English."
Without a commentary it is practically impossible to understand
either the spirit or the meaning of the Upanishads. They were
never designed as popular Scriptures. They grew up essentially as
text books of God-knowledge and Self-knowledge, and like all text
books they need interpretation. Being transmitted orally from
teacher to disciple, the style was necessarily extremely
condensed and in the form of aphorisms. The language also was
often metaphorical and obscure. Yet if one has the perseverance
to penetrate beneath these mere surface difficulties, one is
repaid a hundredfold; for these ancient Sacred Books contain the
most precious gems of spiritual thought.
Every Upanishad begins with a Peace Chant (Shanti-patha) to
create the proper atmosphere of purity and serenity. To study
about God the whole nature must be prepared, so unitedly and with
loving hearts teacher and disciples prayed to the Supreme Being
for His grace and protection. It is not possible to comprehend
the subtle problems of life unless the thought is tranquil and
the energy concentrated. Until our mind is withdrawn from the
varied distractions and agitations of worldly affairs, we cannot
enter into the spirit of higher religious study. No study is of
avail so long as our inner being is not attuned. We must hold a
peaceful attitude towards all living things; and if it is
lacking, we must strive fervently to cultivate it through
suggestion by chanting or repeating some holy text. The same
lesson is taught by Jesus the Christ when He says: "If thou bring
thy gift to the altar and there rememberest that thy brother hath
aught against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar and go
thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and
offer thy gift."
Bearing this lofty ideal of peace in our minds, let us try to
make our hearts free from prejudice, doubt and intolerance, so
that from these sacred writings we may draw in abundance
inspiration, love and wisdom.
Paramananda
Isa-Upanishad
This Upanishad desires its title from the opening words
Isa-vasya, "God-covered." The use of Isa (Lord)--a more personal
name of the Supreme Being than Brahman, Atman or Self, the names
usually found in the Upanishads--constitutes one of its
peculiarities. It forms the closing chapter of the Yajur-Veda,
known as Shukla (White).
Oneness of the Soul and God, and the value of both faith and
works as means of ultimate attainment are the leading themes of
this Upanishad. The general teaching of the Upanishads is that
works alone, even the highest, can bring only temporary happiness
and must inevitably bind a man unless through them he gains
knowledge of his real Self. To help him acquire this knowledge
is the aim of this and all Upanishads.
Isa-Upanishad
Peace Chant
OM! That (the Invisible-Absolute) is whole; whole is this (the
visible phenomenal); from the Invisible Whole comes forth the
visible whole. Though the visible whole has come out from that
Invisible Whole, yet the Whole remains unaltered.
OM! PEACE! PEACE! PEACE!
The indefinite term "That" is used in the Upanishads to designate the
Invisible-Absolute, because no word or name can fully define It. A finite
object, like a table or a tree, can be defined; but God, who is infinite and
unbounded, cannot be expressed by finite language. Therefore the Rishis or
Divine Seers, desirous not to limit the Unlimited, chose the indefinite term
"That" to designate the Absolute.
In the light of true wisdom the phenomenal and the Absolute are inseparable.
All existence is in the Absolute; and whatever exists, must exist in It; hence
all manifestation is merely a modification of the One Supreme Whole, and
neither increases nor diminishes It. The Whole therefore remains unaltered.
I
All this, whatsoever exists in the universe, should be covered by
the Lord. Having renounced (the unreal), enjoy (the Real). Do
not covet the wealth of any man.
We cover all things with the Lord by perceiving the Divine Presence
everywhere. When the consciousness is firmly fixed in God, the conception of
diversity naturally drops away; because the One Cosmic Existence shines
through all things. As we gain the light of wisdom, we cease to cling to the
unrealities of this world and we find all our joy in the realm of Reality.
The word "enjoy" is also interpreted by the great commentator Sankaracharya as
"protect," because knowledge of our true Self is the greatest protector and
sustainer. If we do not have this knowledge, we cannot be happy; because
nothing on this external plane of phenomena is permanent or dependable. He
who is rich in the knowledge of the Self does not covet external power or
possession.
II
If one should desire to live in this world a hundred years, one
should live performing Karma (righteous deeds). Thus thou mayest
live; there is no other way. By doing this, Karma (the fruits of
thy actions) will not defile thee.
If a man still clings to long life and earthly possessions, and
is therefore unable to follow the path of Self-knowledge
(Gnana-Nishta) as prescribed in the first Mantram (text), then he
may follow the path of right action (Karma-Nishta). Karma here
means actions performed without selfish motive, for the sake of
the Lord alone. When a man performs actions clinging blindly to
his lower desires, then his actions bind him to the plane of
ignorance or the plane of birth and death; but when the same
actions are performed with surrender to God, they purify and
liberate him.
III
After leaving their bodies, they who have killed the Self go to
the worlds of the Asuras, covered with blinding ignorance.
The idea of rising to bright regions as a reward for well-doers, and of
falling into realms of darkness as a punishment for evil-doers is common to
all great religions. But Vedanta claims that this condition of heaven and
hell is only temporary; because our actions, being finite, can produce only a
finite result.
What does it mean "to kill the Self?" How can the immortal Soul ever be
destroyed? It cannot be destroyed, it can only be obscured. Those who hold
themselves under the sway of ignorance, who serve the flesh and neglect the
Atman or the real Self, are not able to perceive the effulgent and
indestructible nature of their Soul; hence they fall into the realm where the
Soul light does not shine. Here the Upanishad shows that the only hell is
absence of knowledge. As long as man is overpowered by the darkness of
ignorance, he is the slave of Nature and must accept whatever comes as the
fruit of his thoughts and deeds. When he strays into the path of unreality,
the Sages declare that he destroys himself; because he who clings to the
perishable body and regards it as his true Self must experience death many
times.
IV
That One, though motionless, is swifter than the mind. The
senses can never overtake It, for It ever goes before. Though
immovable, It travels faster than those who run. By It the
all-pervading air sustains all living beings.
This verse explains the character of the Atman or Self. A finite
object can be taken from one place and put in another, but it can
only occupy one space at a time. The Atman, however, is present
everywhere; hence, though one may run with the greatest swiftness
to overtake It, already It is there before him.
Even the all-pervading air must be supported by this Self, since
It is infinite; and as nothing can live without breathing air,
all living things must draw their life from the Cosmic Self.
V
It moves and It moves not. It is far and also It is near. It is
within and also It is without all this.
It is near to those who have the power to understand It, for It dwells in the
heart of every one; but It seems far to those whose mind is covered by the
clouds of sensuality and self-delusion. It is within, because It is the
innermost Soul of all creatures; and It is without as the essence of the whole
external universe, infilling it like the all-pervading ether.
VI
He who sees all beings in the Self and the Self in all beings, he
never turns away from It (the Self).
VII
He who perceives all beings as the Self' for him how can there be
delusion or grief, when he sees this oneness (everywhere) ?
He who perceives the Self everywhere never shrinks from anything, because
through his higher consciousness he feels united with all life. When a man
sees God in all beings and all beings in God, and also God dwelling in his own
Soul, how can he hate any living thing? Grief and delusion rest upon a belief
in diversity, which leads to competition and all forms of selfishness. With
the realization of oneness, the sense of diversity vanishes and the cause of
misery is removed.
VIII
He (the Self) is all-encircling, resplendent, bodiless, spotless,
without sinews, pure, untouched by sin, all-seeing, all-knowing,
transcendent, self-existent; He has disposed all things duly for
eternal years.
This text defines the real nature of the Self. When our mind is cleansed from
the dross of matter, then alone can we behold the vast, radiant, subtle,
ever-pure and spotless Self, the true basis of our existence.
IX
They enter into blind darkness who worship Avidya (ignorance and
delusion); they fall, as it were, into greater darkness who
worship Vidya (knowledge).
X
By Vidya one end is attained; by Avidya, another. Thus we have
heard from the wise men who taught this.
XI
He who knows at the same time both Vidya and Avidya, crosses over
death by Avidya and attains immortality through Vidya.
Those who follow or "worship" the path of selfishness and pleasure (Avidya),
without knowing anything higher, necessarily fall into darkness; but those who
worship or cherish Vidya (knowledge) for mere intellectual pride and
satisfaction, fall into greater darkness, because the opportunity which they
misuse is greater.
In the subsequent verses Vidya and Avidya are used in something the same sense
as "faith" and "works" in the Christian Bible; neither alone can lead to the
ultimate goal, but when taken together they carry one to the Highest. Work
done with unselfish motive purifies the mind and enables man to perceive his
undying nature. From this he gains inevitably a knowledge of God, because the
Soul and God are one and inseparable; and when he knows himself to be one with
the Supreme and Indestructible Whole, he realizes his immortality.
XII
They fall into blind darkness who worship the Unmanifested and
they fall into greater darkness who worship the manifested.
XIII
By the worship of the Unmanifested one end is attained; by the
worship of the manifested, another. Thus we have heard from the
wise men who taught us this.
XIV
He who knows at the same time both the Unmanifested (the cause of
manifestation) and the destructible or manifested, he crosses
over death through knowledge of the destructible and attains
immortality through knowledge of the First Cause (Unmanifested).
This particular Upanishad deals chiefly with the Invisible Cause and the
visible manifestation, and the whole trend of its teaching is to show that
they are one and the same, one being the outcome of the other hence no perfect
knowledge is possible without simultaneous comprehension of both. The wise
men declare that he who worships in a one-sided way, whether the visible or
the invisible, does not reach the highest goal. Only he who has a
co-ordinated understanding of both the visible and the invisible, of matter
and spirit, of activity and that which is behind activity, conquers Nature and
thus overcomes death. By work, by making the mind steady and by following the
prescribed rules given in the Scriptures, a man gains wisdom. By the light of
that wisdom he is able to perceive the Invisible Cause in all visible forms.
Therefore the wise man sees Him in every manifested form. They who have a
true conception of God are never separated from Him. They exist in Him and He
in them.
XV
The face of Truth is hidden by a golden disk. O Pushan
(Effulgent Being)! Uncover (Thy face) that I, the worshipper of
Truth, may behold Thee.
XVI
O Pushan! O Sun, sole traveller of the heavens, controller of
all, son of Prajapati, withdraw Thy rays and gather up Thy
burning effulgence. Now through Thy Grace I behold Thy blessed
and glorious form. The Purusha (Effulgent Being) who dwells
within Thee, I am He.
Here the sun, who is the giver of all light, is used as the symbol of the
Infinite, giver of all wisdom. The seeker after Truth prays to the Effulgent
One to control His dazzling rays, that his eyes, no longer blinded by them,
may behold the Truth. Having perceived It, he proclaims: "Now I see that that
Effulgent Being and I are one and the same, and my delusion is destroyed." By
the light of Truth he is able to discriminate between the real and the unreal,
and the knowledge thus gained convinces him that he is one with the Supreme;
that there is no difference between himself and the Supreme Truth; or as
Christ said, "I and my Father are one."
XVII
May my life-breath go to the all-pervading and immortal Prana,
and let this body be burned to ashes. Om! O mind, remember thy
deeds! O mind, remember, remember thy deeds! Remember!
Seek not fleeting results as the reward of thy actions, O mind! Strive only
for the Imperishable. This Mantram or text is often chanted at the hour of
death to remind one of the perishable nature of the body and the eternal
nature of the Soul. When the clear vision of the distinction between the
mortal body and the immortal Soul dawns in the heart, then all craving for
physical pleasure or material possession drops away; and one can say, let the
body be burned to ashes that the Soul may attain its freedom; for death is
nothing more than the casting-off of a worn-out garment.
XVIII
O Agni (Bright Being)! Lead us to blessedness by the good path.
O Lord! Thou knowest all our deeds, remove all evil and delusion
from us. To Thee we offer our prostrations and supplications
again and again.
Here ends this Upanishad
This Upanishad is called Isa-Vasya-Upanishad, that which gives
Brahma-Vidya or knowledge of the All-pervading Deity. The
dominant thought running through it is that we cannot enjoy life
or realize true happiness unless we consciously "cover" all with
the Omnipresent Lord. If we are not fully conscious of that
which sustains our life, how can we live wisely and perform our
duties? Whatever we see, movable or immovable, good or bad, it is
all "That." We must not divide our conception of the universe;
for in dividing it, we have only fragmentary knowledge and we
thus limit ourselves.
He who sees all beings in his Self and his Self in all beings, he
never suffers; because when he sees all creatures within his true
Self, then jealousy, grief and hatred vanish. He alone can love.
That AH-pervading One is self- effulgent, birthless, deathless,
pure, untainted by sin and sorrow. Knowing this, he becomes free
from the bondage of matter and transcends death. Transcending
death means realizing the difference between body and Soul and
identifying oneself with the Soul. When we actually behold the
undecaying Soul within us and realize our true nature, we no
longer identify ourself with the body which dies and we do not
die with the body.