Sri Vajra-sucika Upanisad


INVOCATION

harih om. apyayantu mamangani vak pranas caksuh srotram atho balam indriyani
ca sarvani. sarvam brahmopanisadam maham brahma nirakuryam. ma ma brahma
nirakarot. anirakaranam astu. anirakaranam me 'stu. tad-atmani nirate ya
upasinatsu dharmas te mayi santu. te mayi santu. om santih santih santih.

harih om - O Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Hari; apyayantu - may become 
strong; mama - my; angani - limbs; vak - words; pranas - breath; caksuh - 
eyes; srotram - ears; atho - then; balam - strength; indriyani - senses; ca - 
and; sarvani - all; sarvam - all; brahma - the Supreme; upanisadam - the 
Upanisad; ma - may not; aham - I; brahma - the Supreme; nirakuryam - reject; 
ma - may not; ma - may not; brahma - the Supreme; nirakarot - reject; 
anirakaranam - without rejection; astu - may be; anirakaranam - without 
rejection; me - of me; astu - may be; tad-atmani - in the Supreme; nirate - 
engaged; ya - which; upanisatsu - in the Upanisads; dharmas - religious 
truths; te - they; mayi - in me; santu - may be; te - they; mayi - in me; 
santu - may be; om - Om; santih-peace; santih - peace; santih - peace.

Hari Om. O Lord Hari, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, I pray that by Your 
mercy my limbs, words, life breath, eyes, ears, bodily strength, and all my 
senses may become strengthened and enlivened. I pray that I may never abandon 
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is described in the Upanisads, and who 
is the source of everything that exists. I pray that the Supreme Personality 
of Godhead may never abandon me. I pray that I may never abandon Him. I pray 
that He may never abandon me. I pray that the truths of the Upanisads may 
always be present within me, who am faithfully devoted to the Supreme 
Personality of Godhead. I pray that the truths of the Upanisads may always be 
present within me. Om. Peace. Peace. Peace.


Text 1

vajra-sucim pravaksyami
     sastram ajnana-bhedanam
dusanam jnana-hinanam
     bhusanam jnana-caksusam

vajra-sucim - Vajra-suci; pravaksyami - I shall now speak; sastram - 
scripture; ajnana - ignorance; bhedanam - destroying; dusanam - refutation; 
jnana - knowledge; hinanam - without; bhusanam - decoration; jnana-caksusam - 
of they who have eyes of knowledge.

Now I will speak the Vajra-sucika Upanisad, which destroys ignorance, refutes 
the fallacies of the foolish, and decorates the wise whose eyes are filled 
with knowledge.


Text 2

brahma-ksatriya-vaisya-sudra iti catvaro varnas tesam varnanam brahmana eva
pradhana iti veda-vacananurupam smrtibhir apy uktam. tatra codyam asti ko va
brahmano nama kim jivah kim dehah kim jatih kim jnanah kim karma kim
dharmika iti.

brahma-ksatriya-vaisya-sudra - brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, and sudra; iti - 
thus; catvarah - four; varnah - varnas; tesam - of these; varnanam - varnas; 
brahmana - brahmana; eva - indeed; pradhana - the most important; iti - thus; 
veda-vacananurupam - according to the words of the Vedas; smrtibhih - by the 
Smrti-sastras; apy - also; uktam - said; tatra - there; codyam - to be asked; 
asti - is; kah - who?; va - or; brahmanah - a brahmana; nama - indeed; kim - 
whether?; jivah - the living entity; kim - whether?; dehah - the body; kim - 
whether?; jatih - birth; kim - whether?; jnanam - knowledge; kim - whether?; 
karma - activity; kim - whether?; dharmikah - pious deeds; iti - thus.

The four varnas are: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, and sudra. Of these varnas 
the most important are the brahmanas. This is confirmed by both the Vedas and 
the Smrti-sastras. Here someone may ask: "How is it that a certain person 
becomes a brahmana? Is it that some spirit souls are brahmanas by nature and 
other spirit souls are not? Is it that some bodies are brahmana bodies and 
others not? Is it that one is a brahmana by birth in a brahmana family? Is it 
that one is a brahmana because he is a learned scholar? Is one a brahmana 
because of his past karma? Is one a brahmana because he performs pious deeds?

Text 3

tatra prathamo jivo brahmana iti cet tan na. atetanagataneka-dehanam
jivasyaika-rupatvat ekasyapi karma-vacad aneka-deha-sambhavat
sarva-sariranam jivasyaika-rupatvac ca. tasman na jivo brahmana iti.

tatra - there; prathamah - first; jivah - spirit soul; brahmana - brahmana; 
iti - thus; cet - if; tat - that; na - no; ateta - passed; anagata - yet to 
come; aneka - many; dehanam - of bodies; jivasya - of the spirit soul; eka - 
one; rupatvat - because of the form; ekasya - of one; api - also; karma-vacat 
- impelled by karma; aneka - many; deha - of bodies; sambhavat - because of 
birth; sarva-sariranam - of all bodies; jivasya - of the spirit soul; eka - 
one; rupatvat - because of the form; ca - also; tasmat - therefore; na - not; 
jivah - the spirit soul; brahmana - brahmana; iti - thus.

If someone says: "A particular person is a brahmana because he is a brahmana 
spirit soul", then the scripture replies: "No. That is not so. The soul 
remains the same, even though because of karma it transmigrates into many 
different kinds of material bodies. Therefore it is not that certain spirit 
souls are brahmanas by nature and others are not."


Text 4

tarhi deho brahmana iti cet tan na. a-candaladi-paryantanam manusyanam
panca-bhautikatvena dehasyaika-rupatvat jara-marana-dharmadharmadi-samya-
darsanat. brahmanah sveta-varnah ksatriyo rakta-varno vaisyah pita-varnah
sudrah krsna-varna iti niyamabhavat pitr-adi-sarira-dahane putradinam
brahma-hatyadi-dosa-sambhavac ca. tasman na deho brahmana iti.

tarhi - then; dehah - body; brahmana - brahmana; iti - thus; cet - if; tat - 
that; na - not; a-candaladi-paryantanam - from candalas on; manusyanam - of 
human beings; panca-bhautikatvena - because of being made of five elements; 
dehasya - of the body; eka-rupatvat - because of one nature; jara - old age; 
marana - death; dharma - piety; adharma - impiety; adi - beginning with; samya 
- equality; darsanat - because of the sight; brahmanah - a brahmana; 
sveta-varnah - white color; ksatriyah - ksatriya; rakta-varnah - red color; 
vaisyah - vaisya; pita-varnah - yellow color; sudrah - sudra; krsna-varna - 
black color; iti - thus; niyama - restraint; abhavat - because of the absence; 
pita - father; adi - beginning; sarira - body; dahane - in burning; putra - 
son; adinam - beginning with; brahma-hatyadi-dosa-sambhavat - from the sins 
that begin with killing a brahmana; ca - and; tasmat - therefore; na - not; 
dehah - the body; brahmana - brahmana; iti - thus.

If someone says: "A particular person is a brahmana because he has the body of 
a brahmana," then the scripture replies: "No. That is not so. All classes of 
human beings, down to the lowest outcaste, have the same kind of material body 
made of five material elements, and subject to old age, death, and other 
changes in exactly the same ways. Neither is it true that brahmanas have fair 
complexions, ksatriyas ruddy complexions, vaisyas yellow complexions, and 
sudras dark complexions. Also, by burning the body of a dead brahmana on a 
pyre, his son does not become contaminated with the sin of killing a brahmana. 
Therefore there is no such thing as a brahmana body. It is not the body that 
is a brahmana."


Text 5

tarhi jatir brahmana iti cet tan na. tatra jaty-antara-jantusv
aneka-jati-sambhavat. maharsayo bahavah santi. rsyasrngo mrgyah. kausikah
kusat. jambuko jambukat. valmiko valmikat. vyasah kaivarta-kanyayam.
sasa-panohat gautamah. vasistha urvasyam. agastyah kalase jata iti
srutatvat. etesam jatya vinapy agre jnana-pratipadita rsayo bahavah santi.
tasman na jatir brahmana iti.

tarhi - then; jatih - birth; brahmana - brahmana; iti - thus; cet - if; tan - 
that; na - not; tatra - there; jaty - birth; antara - another; jantusu - in 
living entities; aneka-jati-sambhavat - because of many births; maharsayah - 
great sages; bahavah - many; santi - are; rsyasrngah - Rsyasrnga; mrgyah - 
from a doe; kausikah - Kausika; kusat - from a kusa grass; jambukah - Jambuka; 
jambukat - from a jackal; valmikah - Valmiki; valmikat - from an ant-hill; 
vyasah - Vyasa; kaivarta-kanyayam - from a fisherman's daughter; sasa-panohat 
- from the hinder of a rabbit; gautamah - Gautama; vasistha - Vasistha; 
urvasyam - from Urvasi; agastyah - Agastya; kalase - in a waterpot; jata - 
born; iti - thus; srutatvat - because of the sruti-sastra; etenam - of them; 
jatya - by birth; vina - without; apy - also; agre - before; jnana - by 
knowledge; pratipadita - established; rsayah - sages; bahavah - many; santi - 
are; tasman - therefore; na - not; jatih - birth; brahmana - brahmana; iti - 
thus.

If someone says: "One becomes a brahmana by taking birth in a brahmana 
family," then the scripture replies: "No. That is not so. A brahmana may be 
born in any kind of family. Indeed, many great brahmana sages were not born 
from brahmanas. Rsyasrnga Muni was born from a doe. Kausika Muni was born from 
kusa grass. Jambuka Muni was born from a jackal. Valmiki Muni was born from an 
ant-hill. Vyasa Muni was born from a fisherman's daughter. Gautama Muni was 
born from the hinder of a rabbit. Vasistha Muni was born from Urvasi. Agastya 
Muni was born from a pot of water. All this is described in the sruti-sastra. 
Thus many great brahmana sages, although not born in brahmana families, are 
accepted as great brahmanas because of their spiritual wisdom. Therefore it is 
not birth in a brahmana family that makes one a brahmana."


Text 6

tarhi jnanam brahmana iti cen na. ksatriyadayo 'pi paramartha-darsino
'bhijna bahavo santi. tasman na jnanam brahmana iti.

tarhi - then; jnanam - knowledge; brahmana - brahmana; iti - thus; cet - if; 
na - not; ksatriyadayah - beginning with ksatriyas; api - also; paramartha - 
the ultimate goal of life; darsinah - seeing; abhijna - wise; bahavah - many; 
santi - are; tasmat - from that; na - not; jnanam - knowledge; brahmana - 
brahmana; iti - thus.

If someone says: "A particular person is a brahmana because he has knowledge," 
then the scripture replies: "No. That is not so. Many ksatriyas and others 
have true knowledge and understand the final goal of life, but they are still 
not brahmanas. Therefore it is not knowledge alone that makes one a brahmana."


Text 7

tarhi karma brahmana iti cet tan na. sarvesam praninam
prarabdha-sancitagami-karma-sadharmya-darsanat karmabhir preritah santo
janah kriyah kurvantiti. tasman na karma brahmana iti.

tarhi - then; karma - karma; brahmana - brahmana; iti - thus; cet - if; tan - 
then; na - not; sarvesam - of all; praninam - living entities; prarabdha - 
begun; sancita - accumulated; agami - arriving; karma - karma; sadharmya - the 
same nature; darsanat - because of seeing; karmabhih - by karma; preritah - 
impelled; santah - saintly; janah - persons; kriyah - pious deeds; kurvanti - 
do; iti - in this way; tasmat - therefore; na - not; karma - karma; brahmana - 
brahmana; iti - thus.

If someone says: "A particular person is a brahmana because he performs his 
prescribed duties," then the scripture replies: "No. That is not so. Many 
pious living entities alike perform the prescribed duties resulting from their 
previous karma, but that does not make them all brahmanas. Therefore it is not 
performance of prescribed duties that makes one a brahmana."


Text 8

tarhi dharmiko brahmana iti cet tan na. ksatriyadayo hiranya-dataro bahavah
santi. tasman na dharmiko brahmana iti.

tarhi - then; dharmikah - pious deeds; brahmana - brahmana; iti - thus; cet - 
if; tan - then; na - not; ksatriyadayah - beginning with ksatriyas; 
hiranya-datarah - giving gold in charity; bahavah - many; santi - are; tasman 
- therefore; na - not; dharmikah - pious deeds; brahmana - brahmana; iti - 
thus.

If someone says: "A particular person is a brahmana because he performs pious 
deeds," then the scripture replies: "No. That is not so. Many ksatriyas and 
others gave gold in charity and performed many pious deeds, but that did not 
make them brahmanas. Therefore pious deeds alone do not make one a brahmana."

Text 9

tarhi ko va brahmano nama. yah kascid atmanam advitiyam jati-guna-kriya-
hinam sad-urmi-sad-bhavety-adi-sarva-dosa-rahitam satya-jnananandananta-
rupam seyam nirvikalpam asesa-kalpadharam asesa-bhutantaryamitvena
vartamanam antar bahis cakasa-vad anusyutam akhandananda-svabhavam aprameyam
anubhavaika-vedyam aparoksataya bhasamanam kara-talamalaka-vat saksad
aparoksi-krtya krtarthataya kama-ragadi-dosa-rahitah sama-damadi-sampanno
bhava-matsarya-trsnasa-mohadi-rahito dambhahankaradibhir asamsprsta-ceta
vartata evam ukta-laksano yah sa eva brahmana iti
sruti-smrti-puranetihasanam abhiprayah. anyatha hi brahmanatva-siddhir nasty
eva. sac-cid-anandam atmanam advitiyam brahma bhavayed atmanam
sac-cid-anandam brahma bhavayed ity upanisat.

tarhi - then; kah - who?; va - or; brahmanah - a brahmana; nama - indeed; yah 
- who; kascit - someone; atmanam - the Supreme; advitiyam - one without a 
second; jati-guna-kriya-hinam - without birth, qualities, or actions; sad-urmi 
- the six waves; sad-bhava - the six states of existence; iti - thus; adi - 
beginning; sarva - all; dosa - faults; rahitam - without; satya - eternal 
existence; jnana - knowledge; ananda - bliss; ananta - limitless; rupam - 
from; sa iyam - this; nirvikalpam - transcendental; asesa-kalpadharam - the 
resting place of all; asesa-bhutantaryamitvena - because of being the 
Supersoul present in everyone's hearts; vartamanam - being so; antah - within; 
bahis - without; ca - and; akasa-vat - like the sky; anusyutam - woven 
together; akhanda - unbroken; ananda - bliss; svabhavam - nature; aprameyam - 
beyond conception; anubhava - direct perception; eka - only; vedyam - to be 
known; aparoksataya - by being invisible; bhasamanam - manifested; 
kara-talamalaka-vat - like a walnut in one's hand; saksat - directly; 
aparoksi-krtya - becoming invisible; krtarthataya - by success; 
kama-ragadi-dosa-rahitah - free of lust, attachment, and other vices; 
sama-damadi-sampannah - endowed with peacefulness, self-control, and other 
virtues; bhava-matsarya-trsnasa-mohadi-rahitah - free of envy, hankering, 
bewilderment, and other faults; dambhahankaradibhih - free of pride and ego; 
asamsprsta-ceta - His heart untouched by matter; vartate - is; evam - thus; 
ukta - described; laksanah - qualities; yah - who; sa - he; eva - indeed; 
brahmana - a brahmana; iti - thus; sruti-smrti-puranetihasanam - of the sruti, 
smrti, Puranas, and Itihasas; abhiprayah - to be known; anyatha - otherwise; 
hi - indeed; brahmanatva-siddhih - the perfection of being a brahmana; na - 
not; asti - is; eva - indeed; sac-cid-anandam - eternal and full of knowledge 
and bliss; atmanam - the Supreme Personality of Godhead; advitiyam - without 
any rival; brahma - the Supreme; bhavayet - should meditate; atmanam - the 
Supreme Personality of Godhead; sac-cid-anandam - eternal and full of 
knowledge and bliss; brahma - the Supreme; bhavayet - should meditate; ity - 
thus; upanisat - the Upanisad.

Then someone may ask: "Who is a brahmana, then?" The scriptures answer: "A 
brahmana directly sees the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has no rival, 
who is never born, never touched by the modes of material nature, and never 
trapped in material actions, who is free of the six material waves and the six 
material states of being, who is free of all defects, whose form is eternal, 
limitless, and full of knowledge and bliss, who is free of material dualities, 
who is the resting place of all that exists, who is the Supersoul residing in 
the hearts of all living beings, who is everywhere, within and without 
everything, like the great sky, who is a loom on which everything is woven, 
whose bliss never ends, who is invisible, who is seen only by His own consent, 
and who voluntarily appears before His devotees and becomes like a walnut 
grasped in their hands. Also, a brahmana is free of lust, attachment, and 
other vices, is endowed with peacefulness, self-control and other virtues, is 
free of envy, hankering, illusion, and other defects, and has a heart 
untouched by pride and false ego. The sruti, smrti, Puranas, and Itihasas 
declare that such a person is a brahmana. A person who does not have these 
qualities cannot be a brahmana. A brahmana always meditates on the Supreme 
Personality of Godhead, who has no rival and is eternal and full of knowledge 
and bliss. A brahmana always meditates on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, 
who is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss. Thus the Upanisad is spoken.