Çré Vajra-sücika Upaniñad

Invocation

hariù oà. äpyäyantu mamäìgäni väk präëaç cakñuù çrotram atho balam indriyäëi ca sarväëi. sarvaà brahmopaniñadaà mähaà brahma niräkuryäm. mä mä brahma niräkarot. aniräkaraëam astu. aniräkaraëaà me 'stu. tad - ätmani nirate ya upaniñatsu dharmäs te mayi santu. te mayi santu. oà çäntiù çäntiù çäntiù.

hariù oà - O Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Hari; äpyäyantu - may become strong; mama - my; äìgäni - limbs; väk - words; präëaç - breath; cakñuù - eyes; çrotram - ears; atho - then; balam - strength; indriyäëi - senses; ca - and; sarväëi - all; sarvaà - all; brahma - the Supreme; upaniñadaà - the Upaniñad; mä - may not; ahaà - I; brahma - the Supreme; niräkuryäm - reject; mä - may not; mä - may not; brahma - the Supreme; niräkarot - reject; aniräkaraëam - without rejection; astu - may be;  aniräkaraëaà - without rejection; me - of me; astu - may be; tad - ätmani - in the Supreme; nirate - engaged; ya - which; upaniñatsu - in the Upaniñads; dharmäs - religious truths; te - they; mayi - in me; santu - may be; te - they; mayi - in me; santu - may be; oà - Oà; çäntiù - peace; çäntiù - peace; çäntiù - peace.

Hari Oà. 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 Upaniñads 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 Upaniñads may always be present within me, who am faithfully devoted to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I pray that the truths of the Upaniñads may always be present within me. Oà. Peace. Peace. Peace.

Text 1

vajra-sücià pravakñyämi
çästram ajïäna-bhedanam
düñaëaà jïäna-hénänäà
bhüñaëaà jïäna-cakñuñäm

vajra-sücim - Vajra-süci; pravakñyämi - I will speak; çästram - scripture; ajïäna - ignorance; bhedanam - destroying; düñaëam - refutation; jïäna - knowledge; hénänäm - without; bhüñaëam - decoration; jïäna-cakñuñäm - of they who have eyes of knowledge.

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

Text 2

brahma-kñatriya-vaiçya-çüdrä iti catväro varëäs teñäà varëänäà brähmaëa eva prädhäna iti veda-vacanänurüpaà småtibhir apy uktam. tatra codyam asti ko vä brähmaëo näma kià jévaù kià dehaù kià jätiù kià jïänaà kià karma kià dharmika iti.

brahma-kñatriya-vaiçya-çüdrä - brähmaëa, kñatriya, vaiçya and çüdra; iti - thus; catväraù - four; varëäù - varëas; teñäm - of these; varëänäm - varëas; brähmaëa - brähmaëa; eva - indeed; prädhäna - the most important; iti - thus; veda-vacanänurüpam - according to the words of the Vedas; småtibhiù - by the småti-çästras; apy - also; uktam - said; tatra - there; codyam - to be asked; asti - is; kaù - who?; vä - or; brähmaëaù - a brähmaëa; näma - indeed; kim - whether?; jévaù - the living entity; kim - whether?; dehaù - the body; kim - whether?; jätiù - birth; kim - whether?; jïänam - knowledge; kim - whether?; karma - karma; kim - whether?; dharmikaù - pious deeds; iti - thus.

The four varëas are: brähmaëa, kñatriya, vaiçya and çüdra. Of these varëas the most important are the brähmaëas. This is confirmed by both the Vedas and the småti-çästras. Here someone may ask: "How is it that a certain person becomes a brähmaëa? Is it that some spirit souls are brähmaëas by nature and other spirit souls are not? Is it that some bodies are brähmaëa bodies and others not? Is it that one is a brähmaëa by birth in a brähmaëa family? Is it that one is a brähmaëa because he is a learned scholar? Is one a brähmaëa because of his past karma? Is one a brähmaëa because he performs pious deeds?

Text 3

tatra prathamo jévo brähmaëa iti cet tan na. atétänägatäneka-dehänäà jévasyaika-rüpatvät ekasyäpi karma-vaçäd aneka-deha-sambhavät sarva-çaréräëäà jévasyaika-rüpatväc ca. tasmän na jévo brähmaëa iti.

tatra - there; prathamaù - first; jévaù - spirit soul; brähmaëa - brähmaëa; iti - thus; cet - if; tat - that; na - no; atéta - passed; anägata - yet to come; aneka - many; dehänäm - of bodies; jévasya - of the spirit soul; eka - one; rüpatvät - because of the form; ekasya - of one; api - also; karma-vaçät - impelled by karma; aneka - many; deha - of bodies; sambhavät - because of birth; sarva-çaréräëäm - of all bodies; jévasya - of the spirit soul; eka - one; rüpatvät - because of the form; ca - also; tasmät - therefore; na - not; jévaù - the spirit soul; brähmaëa - brähmaëa; iti - thus.

If someone says: "A particular person is a brähmaëa because he is a brähmaëa 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 brähmaëas by nature and others are not."

Text 4

tarhi deho brähmaëa iti cet tan na. ä-cäëòälädi-paryantänäà manuñyänäà païca-bhautikatvena dehasyaika - rüpatvät jarä-maraëa-dharmädharmädi-sämya-darçanät. brähmaëaù çveta-varëaù kñatriyo rakta-varëo vaiçyaù péta-varëaù çüdraù kåñëa-varëa iti niyamäbhävät pitr-ädi-çaréra-dahane puträdénäà brahma-hatyädi-doña - sambhaväc ca. tasmän na deho brähmaëa iti.

tarhi - then; dehaù - body; brähmaëa - brähmaëa; iti - thus; cet - if; tat - that; na - not; ä-cäëòälädi-paryantänäm - from caëòälas on; manuñyänäm - of human beings; païca-bhautikatvena - because of being made of five elements; dehasya - of the body; eka-rüpatvät - because of one nature; jarä - old age; maraëa - death; dharma - piety; adharma - impiety; ädi - beginning with; sämya - equality; darçanät - because of the sight; brähmaëaù - a brähmaëa; çveta-varëaù - white color; kñatriyaù - kñatriya; rakta-varëaù - red color; vaiçyaù - vaiçya; péta-varëaù - yellow color; çüdraù - çüdra; kåñëa-varëa - black color; iti - thus; niyama - restraint; abhävät - because of the absence; pitå - father; ädi - beginning; çaréra - body; dahane - in burning; putra - son; ädénäm - beginning with; brahma-hatyädi-doña-sambhavät - from the sins that begin with killing a brähmaëa; ca - and; tasmät - therefore; na - not; dehaù - the body; brähmaëa - brähmaëa; iti - thus.

If someone says: "A particular person is a brähmaëa because he has the body of a brähmaëa," 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 brähmaëas have fair complexions, kñatriyas ruddy complexions, vaiçyas yellow complexions and çüdras 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 brähmaëa body. It is not the body that is a brähmaëa."

Text 5

tarhi jätir brähmaëa iti cet tan na. tatra jäty-antara-jantuñv aneka-jäti-sambhavät. maharñayo bahavaù santi. åçyaçåìgo mågyaù. kauçikaù kuçät. jämbüko jambükät. välméko valmékät. vyäsaù kaivarta-kanyäyäm. çaça-påñöhät gautamaù. vasiñöha urvaçyäm. agastyaù kalase jäta iti çrutatvät. eteñäà jätyä vinäpy agre jïäna-pratipäditä åñayo bahavaù santi. tasmän na jätir brähmaëa iti.

tarhi - then; jätiù - birth; brähmaëa - brähmaëa; iti - thus; cet - if; tan - that; na - not; tatra - there; jäti - birth; antara - another; jantuñu - in living entities; aneka - jäti - sambhavät - because of many births; maharñayaù - great sages; bahavaù - many; santi - are; åñyaçåìgaù - Åñyaçåìga; mågyaù - from a doe; kauçikaù - Kauçika; kuçät - from a kuça grass; jämbükaù - Jämbüka; jambükät - from a jackal; välmékaù - Välméki; valmékät - from an ant-hill; vyäsaù - Vyäsa; kaivarta-kanyäyäm - from a fisherman's daughter; çaça-påñöhät - from the side of a rabbit; gautamaù - Gautama;. vasiñöha - Vasiñöha; urvaçyäm - from Urvaçé; agastyaù - Agastya; kalase - in a waterpot; jäta - born; iti - thus; çrutatvät - because of the çruti-çästra; eteñäm - of them; jätyä - by birth; vinä - without; apy - also; agre - before; jïäna - by knowledge; pratipäditä - established; åñayaù - sages; bahavaù - many; santi - are; tasmän - therefore; na - not; jätiù - birth; brähmaëa - brähmaëa; iti - thus.

If someone says: "One becomes a brähmaëa by taking birth in a brähmaëa family," then the scripture replies: "No. That is not so. A brähmaëa may be born in any kind of family. Indeed, many great brähmaëa sages were not born from brähmaëas. Åñyaçåìga Muni was born from a doe. Kauçika Muni was born from kuça grass. Jämbüka Muni was born from a jackal. Välméki Muni was born from an ant-hill. Vyäsa Muni was born from a fisherman's daughter. Gautama Muni was born from the side of a rabbit. Vasiñöha Muni was born from Urvaçé. Agastya Muni was born from a pot of water. All this is described in the çruti-çästra. Thus many great brähmaëa sages, although not born in brähmaëa families, are accepted as great brähmaëas because of their spiritual wisdom. Therefore it is not birth in a brähmaëa family that makes one a brähmaëa."

Text 6

tarhi jïänaà brähmaëa iti cen na. kñatriyädayo 'pi paramärtha-darçino 'bhijïä bahavo santi. tasmän na jïänaà brähmaëa iti.

tarhi - then; jïänam - knowledge; brähmaëa - brähmaëa; iti - thus; cet - if; na - not; kñatriyädayaù - beginning with ksatriyas; api - also; paramärtha - the ultimate goal of life; darçinaù - seeing; abhijïä - wise; bahavaù - many; santi - are; tasmät - from that; na - not; jïänam - knowledge; brähmaëa - brähmaëa; iti - thus.

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

Text 7

tarhi karma brähmaëa iti cet tan na. sarveñäà präëinäà prärabdha-saïcitägami-karma-sädharmya-darçanät karmabhir preritäù santo janäù kriyäù kurvantéti. tasmän na karma brähmaëa iti.

tarhi - then; karma - karma; brähmaëa - brähmaëa; iti - thus; cet - if; tan - then; na - not; sarveñäm - of all; präëinäm - living entities; prärabdha - begun; saïcita - accumulated; ägami - arriving; karma - karma; sädharmya - the same nature; darçanät - because of seeing; karmabhiù - by karma; preritäù - impelled; santaù - saintly; janäù - persons; kriyäù - pious deeds; kurvantéti - do; tasmät - therefore; na - not; karma - karma; brähmaëa - brähmaëa; iti - thus.

If someone says: "A particular person is a brähmaëa 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 brähmaëas. Therefore it is not performance of prescribed duties that makes one a brähmaëa."

Text 8

tarhi dharmiko brähmaëa iti cet tan na. kñatriyädayo hiraëya-dätäro bahavaù santi. tasmän na dharmiko brähmaëa iti.

tarhi - then; dharmikaù - pious deeds; brähmaëa - brähmaëa; iti - thus; cet - if; tan - then; na - not; kñatriyädayaù - beginning with ksatriyas; hiraëya-dätäraù - giving gold in charity; bahavaù - many; santi - are; tasmän - therefore; na - not; dharmikaù - pious deeds; brähmaëa - brähmaëa; iti - thus.

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

Text 9

tarhi ko vä brähmaëo näma. yaù kaçcid ätmänam advitéyaà jäti-guëa-kriyä-hénaà ñaò-ürmi-ñaò-bhävety-ädi-sarva-doña-rahitaà satya-jïänänandänanta-rüpaà seyaà nirvikalpam açeña-kalpädhäram açeña-bhütäntaryämitvena vartamänam antar bahiç cäkäça-vad anusyütam akhaëòänanda-svabhävam aprameyam anubhavaika-vedyam aparokñatayä bhäsamänaà kara-talämalaka-vat säkñäd aparokñé-kåtya kåtärthatayä käma-rägädi-doña-rahitaù çama-dämädi-sampanno bhäva-mätsarya-tåñëäçä-mohädi-rahito dambhähaìkärädibhir asaàspåñöa-cetä vartata evam ukta-lakñaëo yaù sa eva brähmaëa iti çruti-småti-puräëetihäsänäm abhipräyaù. anyathä hi brähmaëatva-siddhir nästy eva. sac-cid-änandam ätmänam advitéyaà brahma bhävayed ätmänaà sac-cid-änandaà brahma bhävayed ity upaniñat. 

tarhi - then; kaù - who?; vä - or; brähmaëaù - a brähmaëa; näma - indeed; yaù - who; kaçcit - someone; ätmänam - the Supreme; advitéyam - one without a second; jäti-guëa-kriyä-hénam - without birth, qualities, or actions; ñaò-ürmi - the six waves; ñaò-bhäva - the six states of existence; iti - thus; ädi - beginning; sarva - all; doña - faults; rahitam - without; satya - eternal existence; jïäna - knowledge; änanda - bliss; ananta - limitless; rüpam - form; sa iyam - this; nirvikalpam - transcendental; açeña-kalpädhäram - the resting place of all; açeña-bhütäntaryämitvena - because of being the Supersoul present in everyone's hearts; vartamänam - being so; antaù - within; bahiç - without; ca - and; äkäça-vat - like the sky; anusyütam - woven together; akhaëòa - unbroken; änanda - bliss; svabhävam - nature; aprameyam - beyond conception; anubhava - direct perception; eka - only; vedyam - to be known; aparokñatayä - by being invisible; bhäsamänam - manifested; kara-talämalaka-vat - like a walnut in one's hand; säkñät - directly; aparokñé-kåtya - becoming invisible; kåtärthatayä - by success; käma-rägädi-doña-rahitaù - free of lust, attachment and other vices; çama-dämädi-sampannaù - endowed with peacefulness, self-control and other virtues; bhäva-mätsarya-tåñëäçä-mohädi-rahitaù - free of envy, hankering, bewilderment and other faults; dambhähaìkärädibhiù - free of pride and ego; asaàspåñöa-cetä - his heart untouched by matter; vartate - is; evam - thus; ukta - described; lakñaëaù - qualities; yaù - who; sa - he; eva - indeed; brähmaëa - a brähmaëa; iti - thus; çruti-småti-puräëetihäsänäm - of the çruti, småti, Puräëas and Itihäsas; abhipräyaù - to be known; anyathä - otherwise; hi - indeed; brähmaëatva-siddhiù - the perfection of being a brähmaëa; na - not; asti - is; eva - indeed; sac-cid-änandam - eternal and full of knowledge and bliss; ätmänam - the Supreme Personality of Godhead; advitéyam - without any rival; brahma - the Supreme; bhävayet - should meditate; ätmänam - the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sac-cid-änandam - eternal and full of knowledge and bliss; brahma - the Supreme; bhävayet - should meditate; ity - thus; upaniñat - the Upaniñad. 

Then someone may ask: "Who is a brähmaëa, then?" The scriptures answer: "A brähmaëa 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.
A brähmaëa is also 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 çruti, småti, Puräëas and Itihäsas declare that such a person is a brähmaëa. A person who does not have these qualities cannot be a brähmaëa. A brähmaëa always meditates on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has no rival and is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss. A brähmaëa always meditates on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss. Thus the Upaniñad is spoken.