Kausitaki Upanishad: Book I

1. OM. Citra Gangyayani, about to offer a sacrifice, chose Arum as priest. Aruni sent his son, Svetaketu, telling him to perform the sacrifice.

When he had arrived, Gangyayani asked him, 'Son of Gautama, is there a dosed place in the world in which you will set me? Or is there some other path there, by which you will set me in a world?'This passage is deliberately riddling and obscure. The closed place (samvrta.) is ambiguous: is it a barrier which will prevent the patron of the sacrifice from going further, so that he has to come back, or one which will prevent him from having to come back? In either case, the reference is to the two paths to the other world

He said, 'I do not know this: come, I must ask my teacher.' He approached his father and asked him, 'He asked me such-and-such: how should I reply?'

He said, 'I do not know this either. Let us study at his house and take what others give us. Come, we both will go.' With fuel in hand he went up to Citra Gangyayani saying, 'I must come to you as a student.

Gangyayani said, 'You are worthy of the sacred knowledge (brahman), Gautama, for you have not fallen into conceit. Come, I will explain it to you.’

2. He said, 'All those who depart from this world go to the moon. In the former half of the month it waxes by their breaths, and with its latter half it causes them to be born again. This, the moon, is the door to the heaven world: the one who answers it, it sends onward, but the one who does not answer becomes rain here, and it rains him down. He is reborn here in one place after another as a worm, a flying thing, a fish, a bird, a lion, a boar, a snake, a tiger, a person, or something else, according to his actions, according to his knowledge.

'When he gets there, the moon asks him, "Who are you?"
'He should answer it,

'"From the shining, 0 seasons, the seed was brought, From the fifteenfold begotten, from the ancestors' realm. The shining (or 'wise'—vicaksana) and fifteenfold is the moon, where the ancestors live.

You caused me to arise in a male as agent: Through a man as agent, sprinkle me in a mother.

"As such I was born, being reborn as the twelfth or thirteenth succeeding month through a twelve- or thirteenfold father. I know that: I know the reverse of that. Seasons, you have brought me to immortality. By that truth, by that asceticism, I am a season: I am of the seasons. Who am I? I am you." It sends him onward.

3. 'Entering the path that leads to the gods, he comes to Agni's world; to Vayu's world; to Varuna's world; to Indra's world; to Prajapati's world; to Brahma's world. This world has the lake, Ara; watchmen^ the Muhurtas; the river, Vijara; the tree, Ilya; the public square, Salajya; the dwelling, Aparajita; the two door-guardians, Indra and Prajapati; the palace, Vibhu; the throne, Vicaksana; the couch, Amitaujas; the beloved, Manasi, and her pair, Caksusi, who take flowers and weave the two worlds; the apsarases, the Ambas and the Ambayavis;31 the rivers, Ambaya. The one who knows this arrives there. Brahma33 says, "Run to him! By my glory he has reached the river Vijara, and he will not grow old."

4. 'Five hundred apsarases approach him, a hundred with fruit in their hands, a hundred with unguents in their hands, a hundred with garlands in their hands, a hundred with garments in their hands, a hundred with perfumed powders in their hands. They adorn him with the adornment of Brahma. Once adorned with the adornment of Brahma, the knower of brahman approaches brahman. He comes to the lake, Ara, and crosses it by mind. When they get there, those who know only what is in front of them sink. He comes to the watchmen, the Muhurtas, and they run away from him. He comes to the river, Vijara, and crosses it, too, by mind.

'Then he shakes off his good deeds and bad deeds. His dear relations get his good deeds and those who are not dear his bad deeds. Then just as one driving a chariot looks down on the two chariot wheel, he looks down on day and night, good deeds and bad deeds, and all dualities. Free from good deeds, free from bad deeds, the knower of brahman approaches brahman.

5. 'He comes to the tree, Ilya, and the smell of Brahma enters him. He comes to the public square, Salajya, and the taste of Brahma enters him. He comes to the dwelling, Aparajita, and the brightness of Brahma enters him. He comes to the two door-guardians, Indra and Prajapati, and they run away from him. He comes to the hall, Vibhu, and the glory of Brahma enters him.

'He comes to the throne, Vicaksana. The Brhat and Rathantara samans are its front feet; the ^yaita and Naudhasa its back feet; the Vairupa and Vairaja its side-pieces; the Sakvara and Raivata its cross-pieces. It is awareness, for by awareness one discerns.

'He comes to the couch, Amitaujas. That is the breath. What has been and what is to be are its front feet; splendour (sri) and refreshment (ira) its back feet; the Bhadra and Yajnayajftiya its head-pieces; the Brhat and Rathantara its side-pieces; the re verses and sdman verses its lengthwise cords; the yajus verses its crosswise ones; the Soma-stems its mattress; the Udgitha its coverlet; and glory its pillow. On it Brahma sits. The one who knows this at first sets just one foot on it.

'Brahma asks him, "Who are you?"

'He should reply to him:

6. '"I am a season: I am of the seasons. From space as womb I came into being as seed for a wife:38 as the brightness of the year; as the self of being after being. You are the self of being after being. What you are, I am."

'He says to him, "Who am I?"

'He should say, "Truth (satya)."

'What is that truth?'

'"What is other than the gods and the breaths is being (sat), and what is the gods and the breaths is yonder (tyam), which is why 'truth' is called by this name. So much is all this. You are all this." This is what he tells him. This is taught in a verse:

7. '"He whose belly is the yajus, whose head is the saman, Whose form is the re, unfailing one.

Should be known as Brahma, Great Rsi, made of brahman.

He says to him, "By what does one win my masculine names?"

'He should say, "By the breath (prana, masc.)."

'"By what my neuter names?"

'"By mind (manas, neut.)."

'"By what my feminine names?"

'"By speech (vac, fern.)."

'"By what my smells?"

'"By the breath."

'"By what my forms?"

'"By the eye."

'"By what my sounds?"

'"By the ear."

'"By what my tastes of food?"

'"By the tongue."

'"By what my actions?"

'"By the hands."

'"By what my joy and sorrow?"

'"By the body."

'"By what my delight, pleasure and procreation?"

'"By the loins."

'"By what my movements?"

'"By the feet."

'"By what my thoughts, that which is to be known, and desires?"

'He should say, "By awareness."

'Brahma says to him, "The waters are my world: that world is yours." He wins as his victory th


Kausitaki Upanishad: Book II

1. OM. 'Breath is brahman': so said Kausitaki. Mind is the messenger of the breath, of brahman: the eye is its watchman, the ear its herald, speech its maid. A has the servants in a different order

The one who knows the mind as the messenger of the breath, of brahman, comes to have a messenger. Or messengersThe one who knows the eye as the watchman comes to have a watchman. The one who knows the ear as the herald comes to have a herald. The one who knows speech as the maid comes to have a maid.

All these deities bring tribute to the breath, to brahman, without its asking: likewise all beings bring tribute to it, without its asking. The secret teaching (upanisad} for the one who knows this is that one should not ask. just as one who had begged in a village without getting anything might sit down, saying, 'I would not eat anything from here if it were given.' Those who refused him before, now invite him. This is the dharma of the one who does not ask; Dharma presumably in the sense of what naturally happens to such a person, as well as of the right way for him to behave. A has 'of the one who asks'. givers of food invite him, saying, 'Let us give to you,'

2. 'Breath is brahman': so said Paingya. The eye .of the breath, of brahman, is shut behind speech; the ear is shut behind the eye; the mind is shut behind the ear; the breath is shut behind the mind. All these deities bring tribute to the breath, to brahman, without its asking: likewise all beings bring tribute to it, without its asking. The secret teaching for the one who knows this is that one should not ask, just as one who had begged in a village without getting anything might sit down, saying, 'I would not eat anything from here if it were given.' Those who refused him before, now invite him. This is the dharma of the one who does not ask: givers of food invite him, saying, 'Let us give to you.'

3. Now the claiming of a special treasure:

If someone longs for a special treasure, then at one of these junctures — the full moon day, the new moon day, or an auspicious constellation in the bright fortnight—he builds a fire, sweeps around, strews, and sprinkles;Grass and water respectively. A adds: 'and purifies' bending the right knee, he makes offerings of melted butter with the spoon,A add? 'or with a bowl or with a metal cup' saying: 'The deity named "Speech" is the Claimer. May it claim this for me from . To it, SVAHA!

'The deity named "Breath" is the Claimer. May it claim this for me from . To it, SVAHA!

'The deity named "Eye" is the Claimer. May it daim this for me from . To it, SVAHA!

'The deity named "Ear" is the Claimer. May it claim this for me from . To it, SVAHA!

'The deity named "Mind" is the Claimer. May it claim this for me from . To it, SVAHA!

'The deity named "Awareness" is the Claimer. May it claim this for me from . To it, SVAHA!'

Then he should smell the scent of the smoke, anoint his limbs with an ointment of melted butter, and go forth restraining his speech. He should state his purpose, or send a messenger: and he gets his wish.

4. Now the longing that belongs to the gods: Daioa smara, desire (smara=kSma) as connected with the devas of the bodily functions.

If someone wishes to become beloved of any man, or woman, or persons, then at one of these same junctures, by the same method, he makes offerings of melted butter, A has 'builds a fire and makes offerings.' saying: 'I offer up your speech in me, . SVAHA!
'I offer up your breath in me, . SVAHA!
'I offer up your eye in me, . SVAHA!
'I offer up your ear in me, . SVAHA!
'I offer up your mind in me, . SVAHA!
'I offer up your awareness in me, . SVAHA!'

Then he should smelt the scent of the smoke, anoint his limbs with an ointment of melted butter, and go forth restraining his speech. He should seek to touch the person or stand to windward, conversing with them. He becomes beloved, and they long for him.

5. Now Pratardana's method of self-restraint—folk call it the 'inner Agnihotra':

So long as a person is speaking, he cannot breathe: at that time he offers up the breath in speech. So long as a person is breathing, he cannot speak: at that time he offers up speech in the breath. Waking or sleeping, one constantly A adds 'unceasingly'. makes these two unending, immortal offerings. Other offerings have an end, for they are made of actions. The ancients, knowing this, used not to offer the Agnihotra.

6. 'The Uktha is brahman': so said 6uskabhmgara. One should worship it as re: then all beings praise (re-) one, to one's betterment. One should worship it as yajus: then all beings are yoked (yuj-) to one, to one's betterment. One should worship it as sdman: all beings then bow (sam-nam-) to one, to one's betterment. One should worship it as splendour: one should worship it as fame: one should worship it as brightness. As it is the most splendid, the most famous, the brightest among the recitations, the one the brightest among all beings.

The Adhvaryu makes ready the self of the sacrifice, which is made of actions. On it he weaves that which is made of the yajus. On that which is made of the yajus, the Hotr weaves that which is made of the re. On that which is made of the re, the Udgatr weaves that which is made of the saman. This is the self of the threefold knowledge. The one who knows this becomes the self of Indra.

7. Now there are three contemplations (upasana) of the all-conquering Kausitaki.

The all-conquering Kausitaki used to worship (upas-} the sun at rising, having put on the sacred thread, fetched water and three times sprinkled with the water pot, saying, 'You are the drawer: draw evil from me.' By the same method he worshipped it in the middle of its course, saying, 'You are the drawer-up: draw up evil from me.' By the same method he worshipped it at setting, saying, 'You are the drawer-together: draw together evil from me.' So it draws together whatever evil he has done by day or by night. In the same way, the one who knows this worships the sun by this method: it draws together whatever evil he does, by day or by night.

8. Now each month, when the new moon night comes round, when the moon appears in the west, one should worship it by this method, or cast two green grass blades at it, saying,

'Since my well-formed heart Rests in the moon in the sky, I think myself a knower of it.

May I not mourn for harm to a son.'

Then his offspring do not pass away before him. That is for one to whom a son has been born. Now for one to whom a son has not yet been born: after muttering the three re verses,
'Wax! May well-being come to you!'
'May juices, may strength come to you, 'Stem that the Adityas cause to wax!

he says, 'Do not wax by our breath, offspring, animals. Wax by the breath, offspring, animals of the one who hates us, of the one that we hate. I turn the turn of Indra: I turn with the sun's turn.' And he turns towards the right hand.

9. Now on the full moon night, when the moon appears , in the east, one should worship it by this method, saying, 'You are King Soma, the shining. You are the five-mouthed Prajapati.

'The Brahmana is one mouth of you. With that mouth you eat the kings. With that mouth make me an eater of food.

'The king is one mouth of you. With that mouth you eat the people. With that mouth make me an eater of food.

'The hawk is one mouth of you. With that mouth you eat the birds. With that mouth make me an eater of food.

'Fire is one mouth of you. With that mouth you eat this world. With that mouth make me an eater of food.

'There is a fifth mouth in you. With that mouth you eat all beings. With that mouth make me an eater of food.

'Do not wane with our breath, offspring, animals. Wane with the breath, offspring, animals of the one who hates us, of the one we hate. I turn the turn of the gods: I turn with the sun's turn.' And he turns towards the right hand.

10. Now when one is about to lie with one's wife, one should stroke her heart, saying,

'0 well-formed one, by that which rests In your heart, in Prajapati, Mistress of immortality, May you not endure suffering from a son.'

Then her offspring do not pass away before her.

11. On coming back when one has been away, one should sniff one's son's head, saying,

'You arise from every limb:

You spring from the heart. Indeed, son, you are my self.

Live a hundred autumns, . He utters his name, saying,
Be a rock, be an axe,
Be invincible gold.
Indeed, son, you are brightness.
Live a hundred autumns, .'

He speaks his name, then embraces him, saying, 'As Prajapati has embraced his creatures for their safety, I embrace you, .' Then he mutters in his right ear:

'Give to him, Maghavan, who receive the remnant.

and in his left:

'Bestow on him, Indra, the finest goods. 'Do not be cut off. Do not suffer. Live a hundred autumns of life. Son, with your name I sniff your head.' So saying, he sniffs his head three times. 'I low over you with the lowing of cows.' So saying, he lows over his head three times.

12. Now the dying-around (parimara) of the gods:

Brahman shines when fire burns, and it dies when it does not burn. Its brightness {tejas} goes to the sun, its breath to the air. Brahman shines when the sun is seen, and it dies when it is not seen. Its brightness goes to the moon, its breath to the air. Brahman shines when the moon is seen, and it dies when it is not seen. Its brightness goes to lightning, its breath to the air. Brahman shines when lightning lightens, and it dies when it does not lighten. Its brightness goes to the air, its breath to the air. Though all these deities enter the air and die in the air, they do not perish, and so they arise again.

So much regarding deities. Now regarding oneself:

13. Brahman shines when one speaks with speech, and it dies when one does not speak. Its brightness goes to the eye, its breath to the breath. Brahman shines when one sees with the eye, and it dies when one does not see. Its brightness goes to the ear, its breath to the breath. Brahman shines when one hears with the ear, and it dies when one does not hear. Its brightness goes to the mind, its breath to the breath. Brahman shines when one thinks with the mind, and it dies when one does not think. Its brightness goes to the breath, its breath to the breath. Though all these deities enter the breath and die in the breath, they do not perish, and so they arise again. So when someone knows this, even if both mountains, the southern and the northern, were to roll towards him. intending to crush him, they would not crush him. But those who hate him, and those whom he himself hates, die around (pari-mr-) him.

14.Now the attaining of supremacy: The deities, disputing over who was the best, left the body. It lay there, not breathing, dry, become a log. Speech entered it, and it still lay there, speaking with speech. The eye entered it, and it still lay there, speaking with speech, seeing with the eye. The ear entered it, and it still lay there, speaking with speech, seeing with the eye, hearing with the ear. The mind entered it, and it still lay there, speaking with speech, seeing with the eye, hearing with the ear, thinking with the mind. The breath entered it, and it at once stood up.

All the deities, having acknowledged supremacy in the breath, and understood the breath as the self of awareness, left the body, all of them together. Entering the air, with space as self, they went to heaven.

In the same way, the one who knows this, having acknowledged supremacy in the breath, and understood the breath as the self of awareness, leaves the body with all of them together. Entering the air, with space as self, he goes to heaven. He goes where the gods are. Reaching that, he becomes immortal as the gods are immortal: the one who knows this.

15. Now the Father-and-Son Ceremony—folk call it the handing-on.

When the father is about to depart, he calls his son.

Having strewn the house with fresh grass, built a fire and placed nearby a water-pot with a dish, and covered himself with a new garment, the father lies there. The son comes and lies down over him.

The father should hand on to him, either by touching faculties with faculties, or with the son sitting facing him. Then he hands on to him;
The father says, I must place my speech in you.'
The son says, I place your speech in me.'
The father says, I must place my breath in you.'
The son says, I place your breath in me.'
The father says, I must place my eye in you.'
The son says, I place your eye in me,
The father says, I must place my ear in you.'
The son says, I place your ear in me.'
The father says, I must place my tastes of food in you.'
The son says, 'I place your tastes of food in me.'
The father says, I must place my actions in you.'
The son says, I place your actions in me.'
The father says, 'I must place my joy and sorrow in you.'
The son says, 'I place your joy and sorrow in me.'

The father says, 'I must place my delight, pleasure and procreation in you.'

The son says, "I place your delight, pleasure and procreation in me,'

The father says, 'I must place my movement in you,

The son says, 'I place your movement in me.'

The father says, 'I must place my mind in you.'

The son says, 'I place your mind in me.'

The father says, 'I must place my awareness in you.'

The son says, 'I place your awareness in me.'

But if he is not able to say much, the father should say in brief, 'I must place my breaths in you.'

The son should say, 'I place your breaths in me.'

Then the son gets up and goes out, turning to the right. The father calls after him: 'May glory, may the radiance of brahman may fame favour you!'

The other looks back over his left shoulder, hiding his face with his hand or covering it with the end of his garment, and says: 'Win heavenly worlds and desires!'

If he gets well, the father should either live under his son's authority or go forth. If he passes away, they should provide him with those funeral rites with which he ought to be provided—with which he ought to be provided.


Kausitaki Upanishad: Book III

1. OM. Pratardana Daivodasi reached the beloved home of Indra through battle and manly deeds. Indra said to him, 'Pratardana, choose a boon (vara).'

Pratardana said, 'You choose for me what you think best for a human being,

Indra said to him, 'A superior (vara) does not choose for an inferior (avara). You choose.'

Pratardana said, 'That is no favour (avara) to me.'

But Indra did not depart from truth, for Indra is truth. Indra said to him, 'Know me; I think this is best for a human being, that he should know me. I slew the three-headed son of Tvastr; I gave the Arunmukha sorcerers up to the wolves; breaking many treaties I destroyed the Prahladiyas in the sky, the Paulomas in middle-air, and the Kalakanjas on earth: yet, such though I was, not a hair of mine grows less. If someone knows me, his world does not grow less by any action of his, not by theft, not by murder, not by the killing of his mother, not by the killing of his father. Though he has commited any evil, the dark colour does not leave his face.'

2. He said, 'I am the breath, the self of awareness: so worship me as immortal life. The life is the breath, the breath is the life. As long as the breath dwells in the body, there is life. By the breath one attains immortality in this world: by awareness one attains true resolve. The one who worships me as immortal life attains a full life-span in this world: he attains immortality, imperishability, in the heavenly world.'

Some say; 'The breaths become a unity, or no-one would be able at once to be made aware of a name with speech, a form with the eye, a sound with the ear, a thought with the mind: but becoming a unity, the breaths make one aware of all these, one by one. When the speech speaks, all the breaths speak with it; when the eye sees, all the breaths see with it; when the ear hears, all the breaths hear with it; when the mind thinks, all the breaths think with it; when the breath breathes, all the breaths breathe with it.'

'So it is,' said Indra, 'but there is a supremacy among the breaths.

3. 'One lives without speech, for we see the dumb. One lives without the eye, for we see the blind. One lives without the ear, for we see the deaf. One lives without the mind, for we see the foolish. One lives with arms cut off, one lives with legs cut off, for we see it is so. But when the breath, the self of awareness, seizes the body, it causes it to stand up (ut-tha): so one should contemplate it as the Uktha. This is all-attainment in the breath. What the breath is, awareness is, and what awareness is, the breath is: they dwell in the body together and they leave it together.' This is the seeing of it, this is the knowing of it:

When the person, asleep, sees no dream, he becomes unified in the breath. Speech enters it with all names; the eye enters it with all forms; the ear enters it with all sounds,- the mind enters it with all thoughts. When he wakes up, just as sparks from a burning fire might scatter in all directions, the breaths scatter from the self, each to its proper place; the gods from the breaths, the worlds from the gods.

But when the breath, the self of awareness, seizes the body, it makes it stand up, so one should contemplate it as the Uktha. This is all-attainment in the breath. What the breath is, awareness is, and what awareness is, the breath is.

This is the proof of it, this is the understanding of it:

When the person, ailing and about to die, becomes weak and falls into unconsciousness, folk say of him, 'His consciousness has left him: he does not hear, he does not see, he does nor speak with speech, he does not think.' He becomes unified in the breath. Speech enters it with all names; the eye enters it with all forms; the ear enters it with all sounds; the mind enters it with all thoughts.

When it leaves the body, it leaves with all these together.

4. Speech releases all names into it; by speech it attains all names. The breath releases all smells into it: by the breath it attains all smells. The eye releases all forms into it: by the eye it attains all forms. The ear releases all sounds into it: by the ear it attains all sounds. The mind releases all thoughts into it: by the mind it attains all thoughts. This is all—attainment in the breath. What the breath is, awareness is, and what awareness is, the breath is. These two live in the body together, and leave it together.

Now we will explain how all beings become one with this awareness.

5. Speech is one part taken out of it, and name is the external element of being which corresponds to it. The breath is one part taken out of it, and smell is the external element of being which corresponds to it. The eye is one part taken out of it, and form is the external element of being which corresponds to it. The ear is one part taken out of it, and sound is the external element of being which corresponds to it. The tongue is one part taken out of it, and the taste of food is the external element of being which corresponds to it. The hands are one part taken out of it, and action is the external element of being which corresponds to them. The body is one part taken out of it, and joy and sorrow are the external element of being which corresponds to it. The loins are one part taken out of it, and delight, pleasure and procreation are the external element of being which corresponds to them. The feet are one part taken out of it, and movements are the external element of being which corresponds to them. The mind is one part taken out of it, and thoughts and desires are the external element of being which corresponds to them.

6. Rising to speech through awareness, by speech one wins all names. Rising to the breath through awareness, by the breath one wins all smells. Rising to the eye through awareness, by the eye one wins all forms. Rising to the ear through awareness, by the ear one wins all sounds. Rising to the tongue through awareness, by the tongue one wins all tastes of food. Rising to the hands through awareness, by the hands one wins all actions. Rising to the body through awareness, by the body one wins all joy and sorrow. Rising to the loins through awareness, by the loins one wins all delight, pleasure and procreation. Rising to the feet through awareness, by the feet one wins all movements. Rising to the mind through awareness, by the mind one wins ail thoughts.

7. Without awareness, speech cannot make one aware of any name. One says, 'My mind was elsewhere: I was not aware of this name,' Without awareness, the breath cannot make one aware of any smell. One says, 'My mind was elsewhere: I was not aware of this smell.' Without awareness, the eye cannot make one aware of any form. One says, 'My mind was elsewhere: I was not aware of this form.' Without awareness, the ear cannot make one aware of any sound. One says, 'My mind was elsewhere: I was not aware of this sound.' Without awareness, the tongue cannot make one aware of any taste of food. One says, 'My mind was elsewhere: I was not aware of this taste of food.' Without awareness, the hands cannot make one aware of any action. One says, 'My mind was elsewhere: I was not aware of this action.' Without awareness, the body cannot make one aware of any joy or sorrow. One says, 'My mind was elsewhere: I was not aware of this joy or sorrow.' Without awareness, the loins cannot make one aware of any delight, pleasure or procreation. One says, 'My mind was elsewhere:

I was not aware of this delight, pleasure or procreation, Without awareness, the feet cannot make one aware of any movement. One says, 'My mind was elsewhere: I was not aware of this movement.' Without awareness, thought cannot be effective, or be aware of that of which it should be aware.

8. One should not seek, to know speech: one should know the speaker. One should not seek to know smell: one should know the smeller. One should not seek to know form: one should know the seer. One should not seek to know sound: one should know the hearer. One should not seek to know the taste of food: one should know the knower of the taste of food. One should not seek to know action: one should know the doer. One should not seek to know joy and sorrow: one should know the knower of joy and sorrow. One should not seek to know delight, pleasure or procreation:

one should know the knower of delight, pleasure and procreation. One should not seek to know movement: one should know the mover. One should not seek to know mind:

one should know the thinker.

Those are the ten elements of being in relation to awareness. There are ten elements of awareness in relation to being. For if there were no elements of being there would be no elements of awareness, and if there were no elements of awareness there would be no elements of being, since form cannot be realised from either one of them alone.

It is not various. Just as the rim is fixed to the spokes of a chariot wheel, and the spokes are fixed to the hub, the elements of being are fixed to the elements of awareness, and the elements of awareness are fixed to the elements of being. Breath is the self of awareness, delight, unageing, immortal.

It does not grow greater by right action or less by wrong action. The one that it wishes to lead up out of these worlds it impels to right action, and the one it wishes to lead down it impels to wrong action. It is the guardian of the world, the overlord of the world, the ruler of the world.119 One should know: it is my self. One should know: it is my self.


Kausitaki Upanishad: Book IV

1. OM. Gargya Balaki was famed as being learned, since he had lived among the Usinaras, among the Matsyas, among the Kurus and Pancalas, and among the Kasis and Videhas. He approached Ajatasatru of Kasi and said to him, 'I must teach you about brahman. '

Ajatasatru said to him, 'We will give you a thousand cows.' He thought, 'On such a teaching, people will run, crying, "A Janaka, a Janaka!"'

2. In the sun, the great; in the moon, food; in lightning, truth; in thunder, sound; in the air, Indra Vaikuntha: in space, the full; in fire, the courageous; in the waters, brightness: so much regarding deities. Regarding oneself: in the mirror, likeness; in the shadow, the companion; in the echo, life; in sound, death; in sleep, Yama: in the body, Prajapati; in the right eye, the self of speech; in the left eye, the self of truth,

3. Balaki said, 'I worship the person who is in the sun, Ajatasatru said to him, 'Do not make me talk about him. I worship him as the topmost, the great one dressed in white, the head of all beings. Whoever worships him as such becomes the topmost, the head of all beings.'

4. Balaki said, '1 worship the person who is in the moon.' Ajatasatru said to him, 'Do not make me talk about him. 1 worship him as King Soma, the self of food. Whoever worships him as such becomes the self of food.'

5. Balaki said, 'I worship the person who is in the lightning-' Ajatasatru said to him, 'Do not make me talk about him. I worship him as the self of truth. Whoever worships him as such becomes the self of truth.'

6. Balaki said, 'I worship the person who is in the thunder.' Ajatasatru said to him, 'Do not make me talk about him. I worship him as the self of sound. Whoever worships him as such becomes the self of sound.'

7. Balaki said, 'I worship the person who is in the air.' Ajatasatru said to him, 'Do not make me talk about him. I worship him as Indra Vaikuntha, the unvanquished army. Whoever worships him as such becomes victorious, unvanquished, a conqueror of foes.'

8. Balaki said, 'I worship the person who is in space.' Ajatasatru said to him, 'Do not make me talk* about him. I worship him as the full, the unmoving. Whoever worships him as such is filled with offspring, with animals, with fame, with the radiance of brahman, with the heavenly world: he attains his full life span,

9. Balaki said, 'I worship the person who is in fire.' Ajatasatru said to him, 'Do not make me talk about him. I worship him as the courageous. Whoever worships him as such becomes courageous among others.'

10. Balaki said, 'I worship the person who is in the waters.' Ajatasatru said to him, 'Do not make me talk about him. I worship him as the self of brightness. Whoever worships him as such becomes the self of brightness.' So much regarding deities: now regarding oneself:

11. Balaki said, 'I worship the person who is in the mirror.' Ajatasatru said to him, 'Do not make me talk about him. I worship him as likeness. For whoever worships him as such, likeness is born in his offspring, not unlikeness.'

12. Balaki said, 'I worship the person who is in the shadow, Ajatasatru said to him, 'Do not make me talk about him. I worship him as the companion who never leaves us. Whoever worships him as such gets offspring from a companion and has a companion.'

13. Balaki said,, 'I worship the person who is in the echo.' Ajatasatru said to him, 'Do not make me talk about him. I worship him as life. Whoever worships him as such does not fall into unconsciousness before his time.'

14. Balaki said, 'I worship the person who is in sound.' Ajatasatru said to him, 'Do not make me talk about him. I worship him as death. Whoever worships him as such does not pass away before his time.'

15. Balaki said, 'I worship the person who, asleep, moves about in dream.' Ajatasatru said to him, 'Do not make me talk about him. I worship him as King Yama. For whoever worships him as such, all this is controlled (yam-) for his betterment,'

16. Balaki said, 'I worship the person who is in the body.' Ajatasatru said to him, 'Do not make me talk about him. I worship him as Prajapati. Whoever worships him as such becomes fruitful in offspring, in animals, in fame, in the glory of brahman, in a heavenly world: he attains his full life Span.

17. Balaki said, 'I worship the person who is in the right eye' Ajatasatru said to him, 'Do not make me talk about him. I worship him as the self of speech, the self of fire, the self of light. Whoever worships him as such becomes the self of all these.'

18. Balaki said, 'I worship the person who is in the left eye.' Ajatasatru said to him, 'Do not make me talk about him. I worship him as the self of truth, the self of lightning, the self of brightness. Whoever worships him as such becomes the self of all these.'

19. 'Then Balaki fell silent. Ajatasatru said to him, 'Is that all, Balaki?'

Balaki said, 'That is all.'

Ajatasatru said to him, 'You make me talk to no purpose. I must teach you about brahman. What one needs to know, Balaki, is who is the maker of these persons, whose work it is.'

Then Bataki approached him, fuel in hand, and said, 'I must come to you as your student.'

Ajatasatru said to him, 'I think it contrary to the proper form that a Ksatriya should initiate a Brahmana. But come, I shall make it known to you.' He seized him by the hand and set off. They came to a person who was asleep, and Ajatasatru called him: '0 great King Soma, dressed in white!' He just lay there. But then Ajatasatru prodded him with a stick, and he got up.

Ajatasatru said to Balaki, 'Where did the person lie then, Balaki? Where was he? Where has he come from?'

Balaki did not know.

Ajatasatru said to him, 'As to where the person lay then^ Balaki, where he was, and where he has come from; the channels of a person, called hiia, stretch from the heart to the citadel of the heart. As subtle as a hair a thousand fold divided, they exist on a subtle essence of tawny, white, black, and yellow. When, asleep, he sees no dream, he is in those channels.

20. 'He becomes unified in the breath. Speech enters it with all names; the eye enters it with all forms; the ear enters it with all sounds; the mind enters it with all thoughts. When he wakes up, just as sparks from a burning fire might scatter in all directions, the breaths scatter from the self, each to its proper place; the gods from the breaths, the worlds from the gods. The breath, the self of awareness, enters the self that is the body right to the hairs and the nails. Like a razor hidden in a razor-case, or a scorpion in a scorpion's nest, the breath, the self of awareness, enters the self that is the body right to the hairs and the nails. These selves depend on that self just as his people receive benefit from a chief. Just as a chief receives benefit from his people or his people receive benefit from a chief, these selves receive benefit from that self.

As long as Indra did not understand the self the demons used to overcome him. When he understood it, slaying and conquering the demons he encompassed chiefship, sovereignty and over lordship over all gods and all beings.

Likewise, knowing this, defeating all evils, one encompasses chief ship, sovereignty and over lordship over all beings—the one who knows this: the one who knows this.