Section 3.1
Original Sanskrit
3.1.1 जनको ह वैदेहो बहुदक्षिणेन यज्ञेनेजे ।तत्र ह कुरुपञ्चालानां ब्राह्मणा अभिसमेता बभूवुः ।तस्य ह जनकस्य वैदेहस्य विजिज्ञासा बभूव कः स्विदेषां ब्राह्मणानामनूचानतम इति ।स ह गवां सहस्रमवरुरोध ।दशदश पादा एकैकस्याः शृङ्गयोराबद्धा बभूवुः
3.1.2 तान् होवाच ब्राह्मणा भगवन्तो यो वो ब्रह्मिष्ठः स एता गा उदजतामिति ।ते ह ब्राह्मणा न दधृषुः ।अथ ह याज्ञवल्क्यः स्वमेव ब्रह्मचारिणमुवाच एताः सौम्योदज सामश्रवा३ इति ।ता होदाचकार ।ते ह ब्राह्मणाश्चुक्रुधुः कथं नु नो ब्रह्मिष्ठो ब्रुवीतेति ।अथ ह जनकस्य वैदेहस्य होताश्वलो बभूव ।स हैनं पप्रच्छ त्वं नु खलु नो याज्ञवल्क्य ब्रह्मिष्ठोऽसी३ इति ।स होवाच नमो वयं ब्रह्मिष्ठाय कुर्मो गोकामा एव वयं स्म इति ।तं ह तत एव प्रष्टुं दध्रे होताश्वलः
3.1.3 याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच यदिदं सर्वं मृत्युनाप्तं सर्वं मृत्युनाभिपन्नं केन यजमानो मृत्योराप्तिमतिमुच्यत इति ।होत्रर्त्विजाग्निना वाचा ।वाग्वै यज्ञस्य होता ।तद्येयं वाक्सोऽयमग्निः स होता सा मुक्तिः सातिमुक्तिः
3.1.4 याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच यदिदं सर्वमहोरात्राभ्यामाप्तं सर्वमहोरात्राभ्यामभिपन्नं केन यजमानोऽहोरात्रयोराप्तिमतिमुच्यत इति ।अध्वर्युणर्त्विजा चक्षुषादित्येन ।चक्षुर्वै यज्ञस्याध्वर्युः ।तद्यदिदं चक्षुः सोऽसावादित्यः ।सोऽध्वर्युः सा मुक्तिः सातिमुक्तिः
3.1.5 याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच यदिदं सर्वं पूर्वपक्षापरपक्षाभ्यामाप्तं सर्वं पूर्वपक्षापरपक्षाभ्यामभिपन्नं केन यजमानः पूर्वपक्षापरपक्षयोराप्तिमतिमुच्यत इति ।उद्गात्रर्त्विजा वयुना प्राणेन ।प्राणो वै यज्ञस्योद्गाता ।तद्योऽयं प्राणः स वायुः स उद्गाता ।स मुक्तिः सातिमुक्तिः
3.1.6 याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच यदिदमन्तरिक्षमनारम्बणमिव केनाक्रमेण यजमानः स्वर्गं लोकमाक्रमत इति ।ब्रह्मणर्त्विजा मनसा चन्द्रेण ।मनो वै यज्ञस्य ब्रह्मा ।तद्यदिदं मनः सोऽसौ चन्द्रः स ब्रह्मा स मुक्तिः सातिमुक्तिरित्यतिमोक्षा ।अथ संपदः
3.1.7 याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच कतिभिरयमद्यर्ग्भिर्होतास्मिन् यज्ञे करिष्यतीति ।तिसृभिरिति ।कतमास्तास्तिस्र इति ।पुरोनुवाक्या च याज्या च शस्यैव तृतीया ।किं ताभिर्जयतीति ।यत्किञ्चेदं प्राणभृदिति
3.1.8 याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच कत्ययमद्याध्वर्युरस्मिन् यज्ञ आहुतीर्होष्यतीति ।तिस्र इति ।कतमास्तास्तिस्र इति ।या हुता उज्ज्वलन्ति या हुता अतिनेदन्ति या हुता अधिशेरते ।किं ताभिर्जयतीति ।या हुता उज्ज्वलन्ति देवलोकमेव ताभिर्जयति ।दीप्यत इव हि देवलोको ।या हुता अतिनेदन्ते पितृलोकमेव ताभिर्जयति ।अतीव हि पितृलोकः ।या हुता अधिशेरते मनुष्यलोकमेव ताभिर्जयत्यि ।अध इव हि मनुष्यलोकः
3.1.9 याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच कतिभिरयमद्य ब्रह्मा यज्ञं दक्षिणतो देवताभिर्गोपायतीति ।एकयेति ।कतमा सैकेति ।मन एवेति ।अनन्तं वै मनोऽनन्ता विश्वे देवाः ।अनन्तमेव स तेन लोकं जयति
3.1.10 याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच कत्ययमद्योद्गातास्मिन् यज्ञे स्तोत्रियाः स्तोष्यतीति ।तिस्र इति ।कतमास्तास्तिस्र इति ।पुरोनुवाक्या च याज्या च शस्यैव तृतीया ।कतमास्ताः ।या अध्यात्ममिति ।प्राण एव पुरोनुवाक्यापानो याज्या व्यानः शस्या ।किं ताभिर्जयतीति ।पृथिवीलोकमेव पुरोनुवाक्यया जयत्यन्तरिक्षलोकं याज्यया द्युलोकं शस्यया ।ततो ह होताश्वल उपरराम
Musean translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from Sanskrit and checked passage by passage against the Kāṇva text.
3.1.1 Janaka of Videha offered a sacrifice with lavish gifts.Brahmins from the Kurus and Panchalas had gathered there.Janaka of Videha wished to discover which of these Brahmins was most deeply versed in sacred learning.He set apart a thousand cows.Ten gold padas were bound to the horns of each cow.
3.1.2 He said to them, "Honored Brahmins, let the one among you who knows Brahman best drive these cows away."The Brahmins did not dare.Then Yajnavalkya said to his own student, "My dear Samashravas, drive these away."He drove them away.The Brahmins grew angry. "How can he declare himself the greatest knower of Brahman among us?"Ashvala was Janaka of Videha's Hotri priest.He asked him, "Yajnavalkya, are you truly the greatest knower of Brahman among us?"He replied, "We bow to the greatest knower of Brahman. We merely want the cows."From that moment the Hotri priest Ashvala resolved to question him.
3.1.3 "Yajnavalkya," he said, "all this is seized by death, all this is overcome by death. Through what does the sacrificer escape death's grasp?""Through the Hotri priest, through fire, through speech.Speech is the Hotri of the sacrifice.This speech is this fire; it is the Hotri. It is release, it is release beyond release."
3.1.4 "Yajnavalkya," he said, "all this is seized by day and night, all this is overcome by day and night. Through what does the sacrificer escape the grasp of day and night?""Through the Adhvaryu priest, through sight, through the sun.Sight is the Adhvaryu of the sacrifice.This sight is that sun.It is the Adhvaryu. It is release, it is release beyond release."
3.1.5 "Yajnavalkya," he said, "all this is seized by the waxing and waning fortnights, all this is overcome by the waxing and waning fortnights. Through what does the sacrificer escape their grasp?""Through the Udgatri priest, through wind, through breath.Breath is the Udgatri of the sacrifice.This breath is wind; it is the Udgatri.It is release, it is release beyond release."
3.1.6 "Yajnavalkya," he said, "this space between heaven and earth seems to offer nothing to hold on to. By what ascent does the sacrificer ascend to the heavenly world?""Through the Brahman priest, through mind, through the moon.Mind is the Brahman of the sacrifice.This mind is that moon; it is the Brahman. It is release, it is release beyond release." So much for the ways beyond bondage.Now the attainments.
3.1.7 "Yajnavalkya," he said, "with how many Rig verses will the Hotri perform this sacrifice today?""Three.""Which three?""The verse of invitation, the verse of offering, and the verse of praise as the third.""What does he win through them?""Everything here that bears breath."
3.1.8 "Yajnavalkya," he said, "how many kinds of offering will the Adhvaryu make in this sacrifice today?""Three.""Which three?""Those that blaze up when offered, those that roar when offered, and those that settle below when offered.""What does he win through them?""Through those that blaze up when offered, he wins the world of the gods,for the world of the gods seems to blaze.Through those that roar when offered, he wins the world of the ancestors,for the world of the ancestors lies far away.Through those that settle below when offered, he wins the human world,for the human world seems to lie below."
3.1.9 "Yajnavalkya," he said, "with how many gods does the Brahman guard the sacrifice from the south today?""One.""Which one?""Mind alone.Mind is infinite; the All-Gods are infinite.Through it he wins an infinite world."
3.1.10 "Yajnavalkya," he said, "how many verses will the Udgatri chant in this sacrifice today?""Three.""Which three?""The verse of invitation, the verse of offering, and the verse of praise as the third.""Which are these?""Those within the self.The inward breath is the verse of invitation; the downward breath is the verse of offering; the breath that spreads through the body is the verse of praise.""What does he win through them?""Through the verse of invitation he wins the earthly world; through the verse of offering, the world between heaven and earth; through the verse of praise, the heavenly world."Then the Hotri priest Ashvala fell silent.
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Plain English edition, translated independently from Sanskrit and checked passage by passage against the Kāṇva text.
3.1.1 Janaka of Videha held a sacrifice with rich gifts for the priests. Brahmins from Kuru and Panchala gathered there. Janaka of Videha wanted to find out which of these Brahmins was the most learned. He penned up a thousand cows. Ten quarter-coins were tied to the horns of each cow.
3.1.2 He said to them, "Honored Brahmins, whoever among you knows Brahman best may drive these cows away." The Brahmins did not dare. Then Yajnavalkya said to his own student, "Dear Samashravas, drive them away." He drove them away. The Brahmins grew angry. "How can he claim to know Brahman best among us?" Now Ashvala was Janaka of Videha's reciting priest. He asked him, "Yajnavalkya, do you really know Brahman best among us?" He replied, "We bow to the one who knows Brahman best. We only want the cows." At that, Ashvala, the reciting priest, began to question him.
3.1.3 "Yajnavalkya," he said, "everything here is held by death. Everything is overcome by death. How does the person offering the sacrifice escape death's hold?""Through the reciting priest, through fire, through speech. Speech is the sacrifice's reciting priest. This speech is fire. It is the reciting priest. It is release. It is complete release."
3.1.4 "Yajnavalkya," he said, "everything here is held by day and night. Everything is overcome by day and night. How does the person offering the sacrifice escape the hold of day and night?""Through the priest who performs the ritual, through sight, through the sun. Sight is the sacrifice's ritual priest. This sight is the sun up there. It is the ritual priest. It is release. It is complete release."
3.1.5 "Yajnavalkya," he said, "everything here is held by the waxing and waning halves of the month. Everything is overcome by the waxing and waning halves of the month. How does the person offering the sacrifice escape their hold?""Through the chanting priest, through wind, through breath. Breath is the sacrifice's chanting priest. This breath is wind. It is the chanting priest. It is release. It is complete release."
3.1.6 "Yajnavalkya," he said, "this space between earth and heaven seems to offer nothing to stand on. By what means of ascent does the person offering the sacrifice climb to the heavenly world?""Through the supervising priest, through the mind, through the moon. The mind is the sacrifice's supervising priest. This mind is the moon up there. It is the supervising priest. It is release. It is complete release."These are the ways to complete release. Now come the correspondences.
3.1.7 "Yajnavalkya," he said, "how many verses will the reciting priest use in this sacrifice today?""Three.""Which three?""The invitation verse, the offering verse, and, third, the praise verse.""What does he win through them?""Everything here that bears breath."
3.1.8 "Yajnavalkya," he said, "how many offerings will the ritual priest make in this sacrifice today?""Three.""Which three?""Those that blaze up when offered, those that make a loud noise when offered, and those that sink down when offered.""What does he win through them?""Through those that blaze up when offered, he wins the world of the gods. The world of the gods seems to shine. Through those that make a loud noise when offered, he wins the world of the ancestors. The world of the ancestors is far beyond. Through those that sink down when offered, he wins the human world. The human world seems to lie below."
3.1.9 "Yajnavalkya," he said, "with how many deities will the supervising priest guard this sacrifice from the south today?""One.""Which one?""The mind. The mind has no limit, and all the gods have no limit. Through it he wins a world without limits."
3.1.10 "Yajnavalkya," he said, "how many chants will the chanting priest sing in this sacrifice today?""Three.""Which three?""The invitation verse, the offering verse, and, third, the praise verse.""Which are they?""Those within a person. The breath moving in is the invitation verse. The breath moving out is the offering verse. The breath spreading through the body is the praise verse.""What does he win through them?""With the invitation verse he wins the world of earth. With the offering verse he wins the world between earth and heaven. With the praise verse he wins the world of heaven."Then Ashvala, the reciting priest, stopped questioning him.
About this section
Section 3.1 is part of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad by Unknown. This page sets the Sanskrit original beside 2 direct-source translations, so any line can be checked against the source. It is section 13 of 47 in the work, which is kept in the Hindu tradition.
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