Section 4.1
Original Sanskrit
4.1.1 जनको ह वैदेह आसां चक्रे ।अथ ह याज्ञवल्क्य आवव्राज ।तं होवाच याज्ञवल्क्य किमर्थमचारीः पशूनिच्छनण्वन्तानीति ।उभयमेव संराडिति होवाच
4.1.2 यत्ते कश्चिदब्रवीत्तच्छृणवामेति ।अब्रवीन्मे जित्वा शैलिनिः वाग्वै ब्रह्मेति ।यथा मातृमान् पितृमानाचार्यवान् ब्रूयात्तथा तच्छैलिनिरब्रवीद्वाग्वै ब्रह्मेति ।अवदतो हि किं स्यादिति ।अब्रवीत्तु ते तस्यायतनं प्रतिष्ठाम् ।न मेऽब्रवीदिति ।एकपाद्वा एतत्सम्राडिति ।स वै नो ब्रूहि याज्ञवल्क्य ।वागेवायतनमाकाशः प्रतिष्ठा प्रज्ञेत्येनदुपासीत ।का प्रज्ञता याज्ञवल्क्य ।वागेव सम्राडिति होवाच ।वाचा वै सम्राड्बन्धुः प्रज्ञायते ।ऋग्वेदो यजुर्वेदः सामवेदोऽथर्वाङ्गिरस इतिहासः पुराणं विद्या उपनिषदः श्लोकाः सूत्राण्यनुव्याख्यानानि व्याख्यानानीष्टं हुतमाशितं पायितमयं च लोकः परश्च लोकः सर्वाणि च भूतानि वाचैव संराट्प्रज्ञायन्ते ।वाग्वै सम्राट्परमं ब्रह्म ।नैनं वाग्जहाति ।सर्वाण्येनं भूतान्यभिक्षरन्ति ।देवो भूत्वा देवानप्येति ।य एवं विद्वानेतदुपास्ते ।हस्त्यृषभं सहस्रं ददामीति होवाच जनको वैदेहः ।स होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यः पिता मेऽमन्यत नाननुशिष्य हरेतेति
4.1.3 यदेव ते कश्चिदब्रवीत्तच्छृणवामेति ।अब्रवीन्म उदङ्कः शौल्बायनः ।प्राणो वै ब्रह्मेति ।यथा मातृमान् पितृमानाचार्यवान् ब्रूयात्तथा तच्छौल्बायनोऽब्रवीत्प्राणो वै ब्रह्मेति ।अप्राणतो हि किं स्यादिति ।अब्रवीत्तु ते तस्यायतनं प्रतिष्ठाम् ।न मेऽब्रवीदिति ।एकपाद्वा एतत्सम्राडिति ।स वै नो ब्रूहि याज्ञवल्क्य ।प्राण एवायतनमाकाशः प्रतिष्ठा ।प्रियमित्येनदुपासीत ।का प्रियता याज्ञवल्क्य ।प्राण एव सम्राडिति होवाच ।प्राणस्य वै सम्राट्कामायायाज्यं याजयति ।अप्रतिगृह्यस्य प्रतिगृह्णाति ।अपि तत्र वधाशङ्का भवति यां दिशमेति प्राणस्यैव सम्राट्कामाय ।प्राणो वै सम्राट्परमं ब्रह्म ।नैनं प्राणो जहाति ।सर्वाण्येनं भूतान्यभिक्षरन्ति ।देवो भूत्वा देवानप्येति ।य एवं विद्वानेतदुपास्ते ।हस्त्यृषभं सहस्रं ददामीति होवाच जनको वैदेहह् ।स होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यः पिता मेऽमन्यत नाननुशिष्य हरेतेति
4.1.4 यदेव ते कश्चिदब्रवीत्तच्छृणवामेति ।अब्रवीन्मे बर्कुर्वार्ष्णः ।चक्षुर्वै ब्रह्मेति ।यथा मातृमान् पितृमानाचार्यवान् ब्रूयात्तथा तद्वार्ष्णोऽब्रवीच्चक्षुर्वै ब्रह्मेति ।अपश्यतो हि किं स्यादिति ।अब्रवीत्तु ते तस्यायतनं प्रतिष्ठाम् ।न मेऽब्रवीदिति ।एकपाद्वा एतत्सम्राडिति ।स वै नो ब्रूहि याज्ञवल्क्य ।चक्षुरेवायतनमाकाशः प्रतिष्ठा ।सत्यमित्येतदुपासीत ।का सत्यता याज्ञवल्क्य ।चक्षुरेव सम्राडिति होवाच ।चक्षुषा वै सम्राट्पश्यन्तमाहुरद्राक्षीरिति ।स आहाद्राक्षमिति तत्सत्यं भवति ।चक्षुर्वै सम्राट्परमं ब्रह्म ।नैनं चक्षुर्जहाति ।सर्वाण्येनं भूतान्यभिक्षरन्ति ।देवो भूत्वा देवानप्येति ।य एवं विद्वानेतदुपास्ते ।हस्त्यृषभं सहस्रं ददामीति होवाच जनको वैदेहः ।स होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यः पिता मेऽमन्यत नाननुशिष्य हरेतेति
4.1.5 यदेव ते कश्चिदब्रवीत्तच्छृणवामेति ।अब्रवीन्मे गर्दभीविपीतो भारद्वाजः ।श्रोत्रं वै ब्रह्मेति ।यथा मातृमान् पितृमानाचार्यवान् ब्रूयात्तथा तद्भारद्वाजोऽब्रवीच्छ्रोत्रं वै ब्रह्मेति ।अशृण्वतो हि किं स्यादिति ।अब्रवीत्तु ते तस्यायतनं प्रतिष्ठाम् ।न मेऽब्रवीदिति ।एकपाद्वा एतत्सम्राडिति ।स वै नो ब्रूहि याज्ञवल्क्य ।श्रोत्रमेवायतनमाकाशः प्रतिष्ठानन्तमित्येनदुपासीत ।कानन्तता याज्ञवल्क्य ।दिश एव सम्राडिति होवाच ।तस्माद्वै सम्राडपि यां काञ्च दिशं गच्छति नैवास्या अन्तं गच्छति ।अनन्ता हि दिशः ।दिशो वै सम्राट्श्रोत्रम् ।श्रोत्रं वै सम्राट्परमं ब्रह्म ।नैनं श्रोत्रं जहाति ।सर्वाण्येनं भूतान्यभिक्षरन्ति ।देवो भूत्वा देवानप्येति ।य एवं विद्वानेतदुपास्ते ।हस्त्यृषभं सहस्रं ददामीति होवाच जनको वैदेहः ।स होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यः पिता मेऽमन्यत नाननुशिष्य हरेतेति
4.1.6 यदेव ते कश्चिदब्रवीत्तच्छृणवामेति ।अब्रवीन्मे सत्यकामो जाबालः मनो वै ब्रह्मेति ।यथा मातृमान् पितृमानाचार्यवान् ब्रूयात्तथा तज्जाबालोऽब्रवीन्मनो वै ब्रह्मेति ।अमनसो हि किं स्यादिति ।अब्रवीत्तु ते तस्यायतनं प्रतिष्ठाम् ।न मेऽब्रवीदिति ।एकपाद्वा एतत्सम्राडिति ।स वै नो ब्रूहि याज्ञावल्क्य ।मन एवायतनमाकाशः प्रतिष्ठानन्द इत्येनदुपासीत ।कानन्दता याज्ञवल्क्य ।मन एव सम्राडिति होवाच मनसा वै सम्राट्स्त्रियमभि हार्यति तस्यां प्रतिरूपः पुत्रो जायते ।स आनन्दः ।मनो वै सम्राट्परमं ब्रह्म ।नैनं मनो जहाति ।सर्वाण्येनं भूतान्यभिक्षरन्ति ।देवो भूत्वा देवानप्येति ।य एवं विद्वानेतदुपास्ते ।हस्त्यृषभं सहस्रं ददामीति होवाच जनको वैदेहः ।स होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यः पिता मेऽमन्यत नाननुशिष्य हरेतेति
4.1.7 यदेव ते कश्चिदब्रवीत्तच्छृणवामेति ।अब्रवीन्मे विदग्धः शाकल्यः ।हृदयं वै ब्रह्मेति ।यथा मातृमान् पितृमानाचार्यवान् ब्रूयात्तथा तच्छाकल्योऽब्रवीद्धृदयं वै ब्रह्मेति ।अहृदयस्य हि किं स्यादिति ।अब्रवीत्तु ते तस्यायतनं प्रतिष्ठाम् ।न मेऽब्रवीदिति ।एकपाद्वा एतत्सम्राडिति ।स वै नो ब्रूहि याज्ञवल्क्य ।हृदयमेवायतनमाकाशः प्रतिष्ठा ।स्थितिरित्येनदुपासीत ।का स्थितिता याज्ञवल्क्य ।हृदयमेव सम्राडिति होवाच ।हृदयं वै सम्राट्सर्वेषां भूतानामायतनम् ।हृदयं वै सम्राट्सर्वेषां भूतानां प्रतिष्ठा ।हृदये ह्येव सम्राट्सर्वाणि भूतानि प्रतिष्ठितानि भवन्ति ।हृदयं वै सम्राट्परमं ब्रह्म ।नैनं हृदयं जहाति ।सर्वाण्येनं भूतान्यभिक्षरन्ति ।देवो भूत्वा देवानप्येति ।य एवं विद्वानेतदुपास्ते ।हस्त्यृषभं सहस्रं ददामीति होवाच जनको वैदेहः ।स होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यः पिता मेऽमन्यत नाननुशिष्य हरेतेति
Musean translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from Sanskrit and checked passage by passage against the Kāṇva text.
4.1.1 Janaka of Videha was seated.Then Yajnavalkya came to him.He said to him, "Yajnavalkya, what has brought you here—a desire for cattle, or for subtle questions?""Both, Your Majesty," he replied.
4.1.2 "Let us hear what anyone has told you.""Jitvan Shailini told me, ‘Speech is Brahman.’""As someone taught by a mother, a father, and a teacher should speak, so Shailini spoke when he said, ‘Speech is Brahman.’For what could someone without speech have?But did he tell you its dwelling and its foundation?""He did not tell me.""Then this has only one foot, Your Majesty.""Tell us yourself, Yajnavalkya.""Speech itself is its dwelling; space is its foundation. One should contemplate it as understanding.""What is this understanding, Yajnavalkya?""Speech itself, Your Majesty," he said."Through speech, Your Majesty, a kinsman is recognized.The Rigveda, the Yajurveda, the Samaveda, the Atharvangiras, history, ancient lore, the sciences, the Upanishads, verses, aphorisms, explanations, commentaries, sacrifices, offerings, food given, drink given, this world, the other world, and all beings are known through speech alone, Your Majesty.Speech, Your Majesty, is the highest Brahman.Speech does not desert the one who knows this and contemplates it.All beings stream toward him.Becoming a god, he reaches the gods."Janaka of Videha said, "I give you a thousand cows, with a bull as large as an elephant."Yajnavalkya said, "My father held that one should not accept anything without fully instructing."
4.1.3 "Let us hear whatever anyone has told you.""Udanka Shaulbayana told me,‘Breath is Brahman.’""As someone taught by a mother, a father, and a teacher should speak, so Shaulbayana spoke when he said, ‘Breath is Brahman.’For what could someone without breath have?But did he tell you its dwelling and its foundation?""He did not tell me.""Then this has only one foot, Your Majesty.""Tell us yourself, Yajnavalkya.""Breath itself is its dwelling; space is its foundation.One should contemplate it as what is dear.""What is this dearness, Yajnavalkya?""Breath itself, Your Majesty," he said."For the sake of his breath, Your Majesty, a man serves as priest for someone he should not sacrifice for.He accepts a gift from someone whose gifts should not be accepted.Even when there is danger of death in the direction he travels, it is for the sake of his breath that he goes, Your Majesty.Breath, Your Majesty, is the highest Brahman.Breath does not desert the one who knows this and contemplates it.All beings stream toward him.Becoming a god, he reaches the gods."Janaka of Videha said, "I give you a thousand cows, with a bull as large as an elephant."Yajnavalkya said, "My father held that one should not accept anything without fully instructing."
4.1.4 "Let us hear whatever anyone has told you.""Barku Varshna told me,‘Sight is Brahman.’""As someone taught by a mother, a father, and a teacher should speak, so Varshna spoke when he said, ‘Sight is Brahman.’For what could someone without sight have?But did he tell you its dwelling and its foundation?""He did not tell me.""Then this has only one foot, Your Majesty.""Tell us yourself, Yajnavalkya.""Sight itself is its dwelling; space is its foundation.One should contemplate it as truth.""What is this truth, Yajnavalkya?""Sight itself, Your Majesty," he said."When someone has seen something, Your Majesty, people ask him, ‘Did you see it?’He says, ‘I saw it,’ and that is true.Sight, Your Majesty, is the highest Brahman.Sight does not desert the one who knows this and contemplates it.All beings stream toward him.Becoming a god, he reaches the gods."Janaka of Videha said, "I give you a thousand cows, with a bull as large as an elephant."Yajnavalkya said, "My father held that one should not accept anything without fully instructing."
4.1.5 "Let us hear whatever anyone has told you.""Gardabhivipita Bharadvaja told me,‘Hearing is Brahman.’""As someone taught by a mother, a father, and a teacher should speak, so Bharadvaja spoke when he said, ‘Hearing is Brahman.’For what could someone without hearing have?But did he tell you its dwelling and its foundation?""He did not tell me.""Then this has only one foot, Your Majesty.""Tell us yourself, Yajnavalkya.""Hearing itself is its dwelling; space is its foundation. One should contemplate it as the boundless.""What is this boundlessness, Yajnavalkya?""The directions themselves, Your Majesty," he said."Whatever direction someone travels in, Your Majesty, he never reaches its end.For the directions are boundless.The directions, Your Majesty, are hearing.Hearing, Your Majesty, is the highest Brahman.Hearing does not desert the one who knows this and contemplates it.All beings stream toward him.Becoming a god, he reaches the gods."Janaka of Videha said, "I give you a thousand cows, with a bull as large as an elephant."Yajnavalkya said, "My father held that one should not accept anything without fully instructing."
4.1.6 "Let us hear whatever anyone has told you.""Satyakama Jabala told me, ‘Mind is Brahman.’""As someone taught by a mother, a father, and a teacher should speak, so Jabala spoke when he said, ‘Mind is Brahman.’For what could someone without mind have?But did he tell you its dwelling and its foundation?""He did not tell me.""Then this has only one foot, Your Majesty.""Tell us yourself, Yajnavalkya.""Mind itself is its dwelling; space is its foundation. One should contemplate it as joy.""What is this joy, Yajnavalkya?""Mind itself, Your Majesty," he said. "With his mind, Your Majesty, a man desires a woman; a son resembling him is born from her.That is joy.Mind, Your Majesty, is the highest Brahman.Mind does not desert the one who knows this and contemplates it.All beings stream toward him.Becoming a god, he reaches the gods."Janaka of Videha said, "I give you a thousand cows, with a bull as large as an elephant."Yajnavalkya said, "My father held that one should not accept anything without fully instructing."
4.1.7 "Let us hear whatever anyone has told you.""Vidagdha Shakalya told me,‘The heart is Brahman.’""As someone taught by a mother, a father, and a teacher should speak, so Shakalya spoke when he said, ‘The heart is Brahman.’For what could someone without a heart have?But did he tell you its dwelling and its foundation?""He did not tell me.""Then this has only one foot, Your Majesty.""Tell us yourself, Yajnavalkya.""The heart itself is its dwelling; space is its foundation.One should contemplate it as stability.""What is this stability, Yajnavalkya?""The heart itself, Your Majesty," he said."The heart, Your Majesty, is the dwelling of all beings.The heart, Your Majesty, is the foundation of all beings.For in the heart, Your Majesty, all beings are firmly established.The heart, Your Majesty, is the highest Brahman.The heart does not desert the one who knows this and contemplates it.All beings stream toward him.Becoming a god, he reaches the gods."Janaka of Videha said, "I give you a thousand cows, with a bull as large as an elephant."Yajnavalkya said, "My father held that one should not accept anything without fully instructing."
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Plain English edition, translated independently from Sanskrit and checked passage by passage against the Kāṇva text.
4.1.1 Janaka of Videha was seated.Then Yajnavalkya came to him.He asked, "Yajnavalkya, why have you come? Do you want cattle, or subtle discussions?""Both, Your Majesty," he said.
4.1.2 "Let us hear what anyone has told you.""Jitvan Shailini told me, 'Speech is Brahman.'""Shailini spoke as someone taught by a mother, a father, and a teacher would speak: 'Speech is Brahman.'For what could someone who could not speak have?But did he tell you its dwelling place and its foundation?""He did not.""Then that is only one quarter, Your Majesty.""Please tell us, Yajnavalkya.""Speech is its dwelling place, and space its foundation. A person should worship it as understanding.""What does understanding mean here, Yajnavalkya?""Speech itself, Your Majesty," he said."Through speech a person recognizes a relative, Your Majesty.Through speech, Your Majesty, people come to know the Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, Atharvangiras, histories, ancient lore, branches of knowledge, Upanishads, verses, aphorisms, detailed explanations, explanations, sacrifices, offerings, food and drink, this world, the world beyond, and all beings.Speech is the highest Brahman, Your Majesty.Speech does not leave a person who knows this.All beings flow toward that person.They become a god and reach the gods.This happens to anyone who knows this and worships in this way.""I give you a thousand cows, with a bull as large as an elephant," said Janaka of Videha.Yajnavalkya said, "My father held that one should not accept a gift without teaching."
4.1.3 "Let us hear whatever anyone else has told you.""Udanka Shaulbayana told me,'Breath is Brahman.'""Shaulbayana spoke as someone taught by a mother, a father, and a teacher would speak: 'Breath is Brahman.'For what could someone who could not breathe have?But did he tell you its dwelling place and its foundation?""He did not.""Then that is only one quarter, Your Majesty.""Please tell us, Yajnavalkya.""Breath is its dwelling place, and space its foundation.A person should worship it as what is dear.""What does being dear mean here, Yajnavalkya?""Breath itself, Your Majesty," he said."For the sake of breath, Your Majesty, a person performs a sacrifice for someone for whom they should not perform it.They accept a gift from someone from whom they should not accept it.Even when there is a risk of being killed in the direction they go, they go for the sake of breath, Your Majesty.Breath is the highest Brahman, Your Majesty.Breath does not leave a person who knows this.All beings flow toward that person.They become a god and reach the gods.This happens to anyone who knows this and worships in this way.""I give you a thousand cows, with a bull as large as an elephant," said Janaka of Videha.Yajnavalkya said, "My father held that one should not accept a gift without teaching."
4.1.4 "Let us hear whatever anyone else has told you.""Barku Varshna told me,'Sight is Brahman.'""Varshna spoke as someone taught by a mother, a father, and a teacher would speak: 'Sight is Brahman.'For what could someone who could not see have?But did he tell you its dwelling place and its foundation?""He did not.""Then that is only one quarter, Your Majesty.""Please tell us, Yajnavalkya.""Sight is its dwelling place, and space its foundation.A person should worship it as truth.""What does truth mean here, Yajnavalkya?""Sight itself, Your Majesty," he said."When people ask someone who sees with their eyes, 'Did you see it?'and that person says, 'I saw it,' that is true.Sight is the highest Brahman, Your Majesty.Sight does not leave a person who knows this.All beings flow toward that person.They become a god and reach the gods.This happens to anyone who knows this and worships in this way.""I give you a thousand cows, with a bull as large as an elephant," said Janaka of Videha.Yajnavalkya said, "My father held that one should not accept a gift without teaching."
4.1.5 "Let us hear whatever anyone else has told you.""Gardabhivipita Bharadvaja told me,'Hearing is Brahman.'""Bharadvaja spoke as someone taught by a mother, a father, and a teacher would speak: 'Hearing is Brahman.'For what could someone who could not hear have?But did he tell you its dwelling place and its foundation?""He did not.""Then that is only one quarter, Your Majesty.""Please tell us, Yajnavalkya.""Hearing is its dwelling place, and space its foundation. A person should worship it as infinity.""What does infinity mean here, Yajnavalkya?""The directions, Your Majesty," he said."Whatever direction a person goes in, Your Majesty, they never reach its end.For the directions have no end.The directions are hearing, Your Majesty.Hearing is the highest Brahman, Your Majesty.Hearing does not leave a person who knows this.All beings flow toward that person.They become a god and reach the gods.This happens to anyone who knows this and worships in this way.""I give you a thousand cows, with a bull as large as an elephant," said Janaka of Videha.Yajnavalkya said, "My father held that one should not accept a gift without teaching."
4.1.6 "Let us hear whatever anyone else has told you.""Satyakama Jabala told me, 'Mind is Brahman.'""Jabala spoke as someone taught by a mother, a father, and a teacher would speak: 'Mind is Brahman.'For what could someone without a mind have?But did he tell you its dwelling place and its foundation?""He did not.""Then that is only one quarter, Your Majesty.""Please tell us, Yajnavalkya.""Mind is its dwelling place, and space its foundation. A person should worship it as joy.""What does joy mean here, Yajnavalkya?""Mind itself, Your Majesty," he said. "Through the mind, Your Majesty, a man desires a woman. A son in his likeness is born to her.That is joy.Mind is the highest Brahman, Your Majesty.Mind does not leave a person who knows this.All beings flow toward that person.They become a god and reach the gods.This happens to anyone who knows this and worships in this way.""I give you a thousand cows, with a bull as large as an elephant," said Janaka of Videha.Yajnavalkya said, "My father held that one should not accept a gift without teaching."
4.1.7 "Let us hear whatever anyone else has told you.""Vidagdha Shakalya told me,'The heart is Brahman.'""Shakalya spoke as someone taught by a mother, a father, and a teacher would speak: 'The heart is Brahman.'For what could someone without a heart have?But did he tell you its dwelling place and its foundation?""He did not.""Then that is only one quarter, Your Majesty.""Please tell us, Yajnavalkya.""The heart is its dwelling place, and space its foundation.A person should worship it as stability.""What does stability mean here, Yajnavalkya?""The heart itself, Your Majesty," he said."The heart is the dwelling place of all beings, Your Majesty.The heart is the foundation of all beings, Your Majesty.All beings rest in the heart, Your Majesty.The heart is the highest Brahman, Your Majesty.The heart does not leave a person who knows this.All beings flow toward that person.They become a god and reach the gods.This happens to anyone who knows this and worships in this way.""I give you a thousand cows, with a bull as large as an elephant," said Janaka of Videha.Yajnavalkya said, "My father held that one should not accept a gift without teaching."
About this section
Section 4.1 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 22 of 47 in the work, which is kept in the Hindu tradition.
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