Section 1.4

1.4.1 In the beginning this was the Self alone, in the form of a person. Looking around, he saw nothing other than himself. First he declared, "I am." From this came the name "I." Therefore even now, when someone is addressed, they first say, "It is I," and then give whatever other name they have. Because before all this he burned up all evils, he is called Purusha, the person. Whoever knows this burns up anyone who wishes to stand before them.

1.4.2 He was afraid. Therefore one who is alone is afraid. Then he considered, "Since there is nothing other than me, what am I afraid of?" At that very thought, his fear departed. For what could he have feared? Fear comes from a second.

1.4.3 Yet he found no delight. Therefore one who is alone finds no delight. He desired a second. He was as large as a woman and a man in close embrace. He split this very self in two. From that arose husband and wife. "Therefore one's own body is like half of a split pea," Yajnavalkya used to say. Therefore this empty space is filled by a woman. He united with her. From that human beings were born.

1.4.4 She considered, "How can he unite with me after bringing me forth from himself? Come, let me hide." She became a cow, and the other became a bull. He united with her. From that cattle were born. She became a mare, and the other a stallion; she became a female donkey, and the other a male donkey. He united with her. From that the single-hoofed animals were born. She became a she-goat, and the other a he-goat; she became a ewe, and the other a ram. He united with her. From that goats and sheep were born. In this very way he created everything that exists in pairs, down to the ants.

1.4.5 He knew, "I myself am creation, for I created all this." From that he became creation. Whoever knows this comes to have a place in this creation of his.

1.4.6 Then he churned like this, and from his mouth as the womb and from his hands he created fire. Therefore both are hairless on the inside, for the womb is hairless within. When people say, "Sacrifice to this god; sacrifice to that god," naming one god after another, each is only a distinct creation of his. For he himself is all the gods. Then whatever is moist here he created from his seed: that is Soma. All this is only so much: food and the eater of food. Soma is food, and fire is the eater of food. This is Brahman's surpassing creation: he created gods superior to himself; mortal himself, he created immortals. Therefore it is a surpassing creation. Whoever knows this comes to have a place in this surpassing creation of his.

1.4.7 At that time this was undifferentiated. It was differentiated only by name and form: "This one has this name; this one has this form." Even now this is differentiated only by name and form: "This one has this name; this one has this form." This Self has entered here, to the very tips of the nails, as a razor lies in its case, or the all-sustaining fire in its nest. They do not see him, for he is incomplete in any single function. When breathing, he is called breath; when speaking, speech; when seeing, sight; when hearing, hearing; when thinking, mind. These are merely names for his activities. Whoever contemplates one or another of these does not know, for through any one of these he is incomplete. One should contemplate him only as the Self, for in the Self all these become one. This Self is the track by which to discover all this, for through it one knows all this. Just as one finds something by following a track, so whoever knows this finds fame and renown.

1.4.8 This Self is dearer than a son, dearer than wealth, dearer than everything else, and more inward than all. If someone says that something other than the Self is dear, and another says to that person, "You will lose what you hold dear," it may indeed be so. One should contemplate the Self alone as dear. For one who contemplates the Self alone as dear, what is dear does not perish.

1.4.9 They ask, "Since people think that through knowledge of Brahman they will become all, what did Brahman know by which it became all?"

1.4.10 In the beginning this was Brahman. It knew only itself: "I am Brahman." Therefore it became all. Whichever of the gods awakened to this became that; so too among the seers, and so too among human beings. Seeing this, the seer Vamadeva declared:

"I was Manu, and I was the sun."

Even now, whoever knows in this way, "I am Brahman," becomes all this. Not even the gods can prevent that person's becoming so, for that person becomes their Self. But whoever contemplates another deity, thinking, "That one is one, and I am another," does not know. Such a person is like an animal belonging to the gods. As many animals sustain a human being, so each person sustains the gods. Even when a single animal is taken away, it is unwelcome—how much more when many are taken! Therefore it is unwelcome to the gods that human beings should know this.

1.4.11 In the beginning this was Brahman alone. Being alone, it did not flourish. It brought forth beyond itself a superior form, ruling power: those ruling powers among the gods—Indra, Varuna, Soma, Rudra, Parjanya, Yama, Mrityu, and Ishana. Therefore nothing is higher than ruling power. Therefore at the royal consecration the Brahmin sits below the Kshatriya, bestowing that glory on ruling power alone. Yet Brahman, the priestly power, is the womb of ruling power. Therefore, although a king attains supremacy, in the end he takes refuge in the priestly power as his own womb. Whoever harms it strikes at his own womb. He becomes worse, as one does after harming a superior.

1.4.12 Still it did not flourish. It created the common people: those kinds of gods who are named in groups—the Vasus, Rudras, Adityas, All-Gods, and Maruts.

1.4.13 Still it did not flourish. It created the Shudra class, Pushan. This earth is Pushan, for it nourishes all this, whatever exists.

1.4.14 Still it did not flourish. It brought forth beyond itself a superior form: right. Right is the ruling power of ruling power. Therefore nothing is higher than right. Through right a weaker person hopes to prevail over a stronger, as if through a king. This right is truth. Therefore, of someone speaking truth, people say, "He speaks what is right," or of someone speaking what is right, "He speaks truth." For these two are the same.

1.4.15 Thus there were priestly power, ruling power, the common people, and the Shudra. Among the gods, Brahman became priestly power through fire, and among human beings through the Brahmin; it became a Kshatriya through the Kshatriya, a Vaishya through the Vaishya, and a Shudra through the Shudra. Therefore among the gods people seek a world in fire, and among human beings in the Brahmin, for in these two forms Brahman appeared. Whoever leaves this world without having seen their own world finds no benefit in it, since it remains unknown, just as an unrecited Veda or a deed left undone brings no benefit. Even if someone without this knowledge performs a great and meritorious deed, in the end it wastes away. One should contemplate the Self alone as one's world. The work of one who contemplates the Self alone as one's world does not waste away, for from this very Self that person creates whatever they desire.

1.4.16 Moreover, this self is a world for all beings. By making offerings and performing sacrifices, one is a world for the gods. By reciting the sacred texts, one is a world for the seers. By making offerings to the ancestors and desiring offspring, one is a world for the ancestors. By giving people shelter and food, one is a world for human beings. By finding grass and water for animals, one is a world for animals. To the extent that wild creatures and birds, down to ants, live upon one's household, one is a world for them. Just as one desires the safety of one's own world, so all beings at all times desire the safety of one who knows this. This indeed has been known and examined.

1.4.17 In the beginning this was the self alone, just one. It desired, "Let me have a wife, so that I may have offspring. Let me have wealth, so that I may perform works." Desire extends this far; even wishing for it, one could find nothing beyond this. Therefore even now someone who is alone desires, "Let me have a wife, so that I may have offspring. Let me have wealth, so that I may perform works." As long as someone has not obtained even one of these, that person thinks themself incomplete. Yet this is that person's completeness: mind is the self, speech the wife, breath the offspring. Sight is human wealth, for through sight one finds it. Hearing is divine wealth, for through hearing one hears it. The body itself is one's work, for with the body one performs work. This sacrifice is fivefold; the sacrificial animal is fivefold; the person is fivefold; all this, whatever exists, is fivefold. Whoever knows this attains all this.

1.4.1 At first all this was only the Self, shaped like a person.Looking around, it saw nothing other than itself.Its first words were, "I am."That is how it came to be called "I."That is why, even now, someone who is addressed first says, "It is I," and then gives whatever other name they have.Because he burned away all evils before everything else—pura, before, and ush, burn—he is called Purusha.Anyone who knows this burns away whoever tries to come before them.

1.4.2 He was afraid. That is why someone alone feels afraid.Then he thought, "There is nothing other than me. What am I afraid of?"At that, his fear disappeared.What could he have feared?Fear comes from a second thing.

1.4.3 He felt no pleasure.That is why someone alone feels no pleasure.He wanted a second being.He was as large as a woman and a man holding each other in a close embrace.He divided this very self into two.Then there were a husband and a wife.That is why, as Yajnavalkya used to say, each of us is like one half of a split seed.That is why this empty space is filled by a woman.He had sex with her.Human beings were born from that.

1.4.4 She thought, "How can he have sex with me when he produced me from himself?I must hide."She became a cow, and he became a bull.He had sex with her.Cattle were born from that.She became a mare, and he became a stallion.She became a female donkey, and he became a male donkey.He had sex with her.Single-hoofed animals were born from that.She became a female goat, and he became a male goat.She became a ewe, and he became a ram.He had sex with her.Goats and sheep were born from that.In this way he created every pair of creatures that exists, down to the ants.

1.4.5 He knew, "I am creation, because I created all this."So he became creation.Anyone who knows this takes part in this creation of his.

1.4.6 Then he rubbed back and forth in this way.From the mouth as the source, and from his hands, he created fire.That is why both the inside of the mouth and the palms have no hair.A womb has no hair inside.When people say, "Sacrifice to this god; sacrifice to that god," naming the gods one by one, each is an expression of this being.He himself is all the gods.He created everything moist here from his seed.That is Soma.Everything here amounts to these two: food and the eater of food.Soma is food, and fire is the eater of food.This was Brahman's creation that surpassed himself.He created gods greater than himself. Although he was mortal, he created immortals. That is why this creation surpassed him.Anyone who knows this takes part in this creation of his that surpassed him.

1.4.7 At that time all this was undifferentiated.It became differentiated by name and form: "This one has this name and this form."Even now it becomes differentiated by name and form: "This one has this name and this form."The Self has entered here right to the tips of the nails, as a razor is put in its case or fire in its holder.People do not see it.For it is incomplete when seen in this way. When breathing, it is called breath;when speaking, speech; when seeing, sight; when hearing, hearing; and when thinking, mind.These are only names for its activities.Anyone who worships just one of them does not know the Self.In each one of these it is incomplete.A person should worship it as the Self.For in the Self all these become one.This Self is the track by which all this can be found.Through it, a person knows all this.Just as someone finds something by following its tracks, anyone who knows this finds fame and praise.

1.4.8 This Self is dearer than a son, dearer than wealth, dearer than anything else. It is closer within.If someone tells a person who says that something other than the Self is dear, "You will lose what you love," that is likely to happen.A person should worship the Self alone as what is dear.Anyone who worships the Self alone as what is dear does not lose what they love to death.

1.4.9 People ask, "Human beings think that through knowledge of Brahman they will become everything.What did Brahman know that made it become everything?"

1.4.10 At first all this was Brahman.It knew only itself:"I am Brahman."That is why it became everything.Whichever of the gods woke up to this became Brahman.The same was true of the seers.The same was true of human beings.Seeing this, the seer Vamadeva understood, "I was Manu, and I was the sun."Even now, anyone who knows, "I am Brahman," becomes all this.Not even the gods can prevent that person from becoming this,because that person becomes their Self.But someone who worships another god, thinking, "He is one being and I am another," does not know.That person is like an animal belonging to the gods.Just as many animals support a human being, each human being supports the gods.Losing even one animal is unpleasant. What about losing many?That is why the gods do not like human beings to know this.

1.4.11 At first all this was Brahman alone.Being alone, it could not flourish.It created a form that surpassed itself: ruling power, the ruling powers among the gods—Indra, Varuna, Soma, Rudra, Parjanya, Yama, Death, and Ishana.That is why nothing is above ruling power.That is why a Brahmin sits below a Kshatriya at the royal consecration.He places that glory in ruling power.But Brahman is the source of ruling power.That is why, even when a king reaches the highest position, in the end he relies on Brahman as his own source.Anyone who harms a Brahmin strikes at their own source.They become worse off, as someone does after harming a superior.

1.4.12 Still it could not flourish.It created the common people:the groups of gods called the Vasus, Rudras, Adityas, All-Gods, and Maruts.

1.4.13 Still it could not flourish.It created the Shudra class as Pushan.This earth is Pushan,because it nourishes absolutely everything here.

1.4.14 Still it could not flourish.It created a form that surpassed itself: right order, dharma.Dharma is the ruling power over ruling power.That is why nothing is above dharma.Through dharma, a weaker person can hope to overcome a stronger one,as though helped by a king.This dharma is truth.That is why people say of someone speaking the truth, "He speaks dharma."And of someone speaking dharma, they say, "He speaks the truth."These two are the same.

1.4.15 These, then, are the priestly class, the ruling class, the common people, and the Shudra.Brahman became the priestly power among the gods through fire, and the Brahmin among human beings; through the Kshatriya, it became a Kshatriya; through the Vaishya, a Vaishya; and through the Shudra, a Shudra.That is why people look for a world through fire among the gods and through a Brahmin among human beings.Brahman took these two forms.Anyone who leaves this world without having seen their own world gains no benefit from it while it remains unknown, just as they gain none from a Veda they have not recited or a deed they have not done.Even if someone without this knowledge does a great and meritorious deed, in the end its benefit runs out.A person should worship the Self as their world.For anyone who worships the Self as their world, the benefit of their deeds does not run out.From this Self they create whatever they desire.

1.4.16 This self is also a world for all beings.By making offerings into the fire and performing sacrifices, a person is a world for the gods.By reciting the Veda, they are a world for the seers.By making offerings to the ancestors and wanting children, they are a world for the ancestors.By giving human beings a place to stay and food to eat, they are a world for human beings.By finding grass and water for animals, they are a world for animals.By supporting wild animals, birds, and creatures down to the ants in their home, they are a world for those creatures.Just as a person wants their own world to remain unharmed,all beings always want someone with this knowledge to remain unharmed.This is known and has been carefully considered.

1.4.17 At first all this was the self alone.It desired, "Let me have a wife, so I can have children.Let me have wealth, so I can perform deeds."This is the whole extent of desire.Even someone who wishes for more cannot find anything beyond it.That is why, even now, a person alone desires, "Let me have a wife, so I can have children. Let me have wealth, so I can perform deeds."As long as a person has not obtained each of these, they think they are incomplete.But here is their completeness:the mind is their self;speech is their wife;breath is their child;sight is their human wealth,because they find that wealth through sight;hearing is their divine wealth,because they hear about it through hearing;the body is their action,because they act through the body.This sacrifice has five parts.The sacrificial animal has five parts.A person has five parts.Absolutely everything here has five parts.Anyone who knows this obtains all of it.