Section 6.1
Original Sanskrit
6.1.1 यो ह वै ज्येष्ठं च श्रेष्ठं च वेद ज्येष्ठश्च श्रेष्ठश्च स्वानां भवति ।प्राणो वै ज्येष्ठश्च श्रेष्ठश्च ।ज्येष्ठश्च श्रेष्ठश्च स्वानां भवति ।अपि च येषां बुभूषति ।य एवं वेद
6.1.2 यो ह वै वसिष्ठां वेद वसिष्ठः स्वानां भवति ।वाग्वै वसिष्ठा ।वसिष्ठः स्वानां भवति ।अपि च येषां बुभूषति ।य एवं वेद
6.1.3 यो ह वै प्रतिष्ठां वेद प्रतितिष्ठति समे ।प्रतितिष्ठति दुर्गे ।चक्षुर्वै प्रतिष्ठा ।चक्षुषा हि समे च दुर्गे च प्रतितिष्ठति ।प्रतितिष्ठति समे प्रतितिष्ठति दुर्गे ।य एवं वेद
6.1.4 यो ह वै संपदं वेद सं हास्मै पद्यते यं कामं कामयते ।श्रोत्रं वै संपत् ।श्रोत्रे हीमे सर्वे वेदा अभिसंपन्नाः ।सं हास्मै पद्यते यं कामं कामयते ।य एवं वेद
6.1.5 यो ह वा आयतनं वेदायतनं स्वानां भवत्यायतनं जनानाम् ।मनो वा आयतनम् ।आयतनं स्वानां भवत्यायतनं जनानाम् ।य एवं वेद
6.1.6 यो ह वै प्रजातिं वेद प्रजायते ह प्रजया पशुभिः ।रेतो वै प्रजातिः ।प्रजायते ह प्रजया पशुभिः ।य एवं वेद
6.1.7 ते हेमे प्राणा अहंश्रेयसे विवदमाना ब्रह्म जग्मुः ।तद्धोचुः को नो वसिष्ठ इति ।तद्धोवाच यस्मिन् व उत्क्रान्त इदं शरीरं पापियो मन्यते स वो वसिष्ठ इति
6.1.8 वाग्घोच्चक्राम ।सा संवत्सरं प्रोष्यागत्योवाच कथमशकत मदृते जीवितुमिति ।ते होचुः यथाकला अवदन्तो वाचा प्राणन्तः प्राणेन पश्यन्तश्चक्षुषा शृण्वन्तः श्रोत्रेण विद्वांसो मनसा प्रजायमाना रेतसैवमजीविष्मेति ।प्रविवेश ह वाक्
6.1.9 चक्षुर्होच्चक्राम ।तत्संवत्सरं प्रोष्यागत्योवाच कथमशकत मदृते जीवितुमिति ।ते होचुः यथान्धा अपश्यन्तश्चक्षुषा प्राणन्तः प्राणेन वदन्तो वाचा शृण्वन्तः श्रोत्रेण विद्वांसो मनसा प्रजायमाना रेतसैवमजीविष्मेति ।प्रविवेश ह चक्षुः
6.1.10 श्रोत्रं होच्चक्राम ।तत्संवत्सरं प्रोष्यागत्योवाच कथमशकत मदृते जीवितुमिति ।ते होचुः यथा बधिरा अशृण्वन्तः श्रोत्रेण प्राणन्तः प्राणेन वदन्तो वाचा पश्यन्तश्चक्षुषा विद्वांसो मनसा प्रजायमाना रेतसैवमजीविष्मेति ।प्रविवेश ह श्रोत्रम्
6.1.11 मनो होच्चक्राम ।तत्संवत्सरं प्रोष्यागत्योवाच कथमशकत मदृते जीवितुमिति ।ते होचुः यथा मुग्धा अविद्वांसो मनसा प्राणन्तः प्राणेन वदन्तो वाचा पश्यन्तश्चक्षुषा शृण्वन्तः श्रोत्रेण प्रजायमाना रेतसैवमजीविष्मेति ।प्रविवेश ह मनः
6.1.12 रेतो होच्चक्राम ।तत्संवत्सरं प्रोष्यागत्योवाच कथमशकत मदृते जीवितुमिति ।ते होचुः यथा क्लीबा अप्रजायमाना रेतासा प्राणन्तः प्राणेन वदन्तो वाचा पश्यन्तश्चक्षुषा शृण्वन्तः श्रोत्रेण विद्वांसो मनसैवमजीविष्मेति ।प्रविवेश ह रेतः
6.1.13 अथ ह प्राण उत्क्रमिष्यन् यथा महासुहयः सैन्धवः पड्वीशशङ्खून्त्संवृहेदेवं हैवेमान् प्राणान्त्संववर्ह ।ते होचुः मा भगव उत्क्रमीः ।न वै शक्ष्यामस्त्वदृते जीवितुमिति ।तस्यो मे बलिं कुरुतेति ।तथेति
6.1.14 सा ह वागुवाच यद्वा अहं वसिष्ठास्मि त्वं तद्वसिष्ठोऽसीति ।यद्वा अहं प्रतिष्ठास्मि त्वं तत्प्रतिष्ठोऽसीति चक्षुः ।यद्वा अहं संपदस्मि त्वं तत्संपदसीति श्रोत्रम् ।यद्वा अहमायतनमस्मि त्वं तदायतनमसीति मनः ।यद्वा अहं प्रजातिरस्मि त्वं तत्प्रजातिरसीति रेतः ।तस्यो मे किमन्नं किं वास इति ।यदिदं किञ्चा श्वभ्य आ कृमिभ्य आ कीटपतङ्गेभ्यस्तत्तेऽन्नम् ।आपो वास इति ।न ह वा अस्यानन्नं जग्धं भवति नानन्नं प्रतिगृहीतं य एवमेतदनस्यान्नं वेद ।तद्विद्वांसः श्रोत्रिया अशिष्यन्त आचामन्त्यशित्वाचामन्ति ।एतमेव तदनमनग्नं कुर्वन्तो मन्यन्ते
Musean translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from Sanskrit and checked passage by passage against the Kāṇva text.
6.1.1 Whoever knows the eldest and the best becomes the eldest and the best among his own people. Breath is the eldest and the best. Whoever knows this becomes the eldest and the best among his own people, and among any others whose foremost member he wishes to be.
6.1.2 Whoever knows the most excellent becomes the most excellent among his own people. Speech is the most excellent. Whoever knows this becomes the most excellent among his own people, and among any others whose foremost member he wishes to be.
6.1.3 Whoever knows the firm foundation stands firm on level ground and stands firm on rough ground. The eye is the firm foundation, for by the eye one stands firm on level ground and on rough ground. Whoever knows this stands firm on level ground and stands firm on rough ground.
6.1.4 Whoever knows attainment attains whatever he desires. The ear is attainment, for in the ear all these Vedas come together. Whoever knows this attains whatever he desires.
6.1.5 Whoever knows the dwelling place becomes a dwelling place for his own people, a dwelling place for others. The mind is the dwelling place. Whoever knows this becomes a dwelling place for his own people, a dwelling place for others.
6.1.6 Whoever knows generation increases through offspring and livestock. Semen is generation. Whoever knows this increases through offspring and livestock.
6.1.7 These vital powers, disputing which of them was best, went to Brahma. They said to him, “Which of us is the most excellent?” He told them, “The one whose departure leaves this body worse off is the most excellent among you.”
6.1.8 Speech departed. After staying away for a year, it returned and asked, “How were you able to live without me?” They said, “As the mute live without speaking through speech: breathing through breath, seeing through the eye, hearing through the ear, knowing through the mind, and reproducing through semen. That is how we lived.” Speech entered again.
6.1.9 The eye departed. After staying away for a year, it returned and asked, “How were you able to live without me?” They said, “As the blind live without seeing through the eye: breathing through breath, speaking through speech, hearing through the ear, knowing through the mind, and reproducing through semen. That is how we lived.” The eye entered again.
6.1.10 The ear departed. After staying away for a year, it returned and asked, “How were you able to live without me?” They said, “As the deaf live without hearing through the ear: breathing through breath, speaking through speech, seeing through the eye, knowing through the mind, and reproducing through semen. That is how we lived.” The ear entered again.
6.1.11 The mind departed. After staying away for a year, it returned and asked, “How were you able to live without me?” They said, “As the witless live without knowing through the mind: breathing through breath, speaking through speech, seeing through the eye, hearing through the ear, and reproducing through semen. That is how we lived.” The mind entered again.
6.1.12 Semen departed. After staying away for a year, it returned and asked, “How were you able to live without me?” They said, “As the impotent live without reproducing through semen: breathing through breath, speaking through speech, seeing through the eye, hearing through the ear, and knowing through the mind. That is how we lived.” Semen entered again.
6.1.13 Then breath was about to depart. As a great, fine Sindhu horse might wrench out the pegs to which its feet are tethered, so it wrenched these vital powers from their places. They said, “Lord, do not depart! We will not be able to live without you.”
“Then pay me tribute.”
“So be it.”
6.1.14 Speech said, “Whatever excellence is mine, that excellence is yours.” The eye said, “Whatever firm foundation I am, that firm foundation is yours.” The ear said, “Whatever attainment I am, that attainment is yours.” The mind said, “Whatever dwelling place I am, that dwelling place is yours.” Semen said, “Whatever generation I am, that generation is yours.”
“Then what is my food, and what is my clothing?”
“Whatever food there is, down to that of dogs, worms, insects, and flying creatures, is your food. Water is your clothing.”
For one who knows the food of breath in this way, nothing he eats is nonfood, and nothing he accepts is nonfood. Knowing this, those learned in the Vedas sip water before eating and sip water after eating. They believe that by doing this they clothe this very breath, leaving it no longer naked.
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Plain English edition, translated independently from Sanskrit and checked passage by passage against the Kāṇva text.
6.1.1 Anyone who knows the oldest and the best becomes the oldest and the best among their own people.Breath is the oldest and the best.Anyone who knows this becomes the oldest and the best among their own people,and among whatever people they wish to hold that position.
6.1.2 Anyone who knows the most prosperous becomes the most prosperous among their own people.Speech is the most prosperous.Anyone who knows this becomes the most prosperous among their own people,and among whatever people they wish to hold that position.
6.1.3 Anyone who knows the foundation stands firmly on level groundand stands firmly on difficult ground.Sight is the foundation.Through sight a person stands firmly on both level and difficult ground.Anyone who knows this stands firmly on level ground and stands firmly on difficult ground.
6.1.4 Anyone who knows success succeeds in obtaining whatever they desire.Hearing is success,because all these Vedas come together in hearing.Anyone who knows this succeeds in obtaining whatever they desire.
6.1.5 Anyone who knows the dwelling place becomes a dwelling place for their own people and a dwelling place for others.Mind is the dwelling place.Anyone who knows this becomes a dwelling place for their own people and a dwelling place for others.
6.1.6 Anyone who knows reproduction has children and livestock.Semen is reproduction.Anyone who knows this has children and livestock.
6.1.7 These vital powers went to Brahma, arguing over which of them was best.They asked, "Which of us is the most prosperous?"Brahma told them, "Whichever of you makes this body worse off by leaving it is the most prosperous."
6.1.8 Speech left.After staying away for a year, it returned and asked, "How were you able to live without me?"They answered, "We lived like people unable to speak: without speaking through speech, but breathing through breath, seeing through sight, hearing through hearing, knowing through mind, and reproducing through semen."Speech went back in.
6.1.9 Sight left.After staying away for a year, it returned and asked, "How were you able to live without me?"They answered, "We lived like blind people: without seeing through sight, but breathing through breath, speaking through speech, hearing through hearing, knowing through mind, and reproducing through semen."Sight went back in.
6.1.10 Hearing left.After staying away for a year, it returned and asked, "How were you able to live without me?"They answered, "We lived like deaf people: without hearing through hearing, but breathing through breath, speaking through speech, seeing through sight, knowing through mind, and reproducing through semen."Hearing went back in.
6.1.11 Mind left.After staying away for a year, it returned and asked, "How were you able to live without me?"They answered, "We lived like people without understanding: without knowing through mind, but breathing through breath, speaking through speech, seeing through sight, hearing through hearing, and reproducing through semen."Mind went back in.
6.1.12 Semen left.After staying away for a year, it returned and asked, "How were you able to live without me?"They answered, "We lived like impotent men: without reproducing through semen, but breathing through breath, speaking through speech, seeing through sight, hearing through hearing, and knowing through mind."Semen went back in.
6.1.13 Then breath was about to leave. As a great, fine horse from Sindhu might pull out the stakes to which its feet are tied, breath pulled up these vital powers.They said, "Please do not leave.We will not be able to live without you.""Then pay me tribute," it said."Yes," they agreed.
6.1.14 Speech said, "The prosperity that makes me most prosperous is yours."Sight said, "The foundation that I am is yours."Hearing said, "The success that I am is yours."Mind said, "The dwelling place that I am is yours."Semen said, "The reproduction that I am is yours."Breath asked, "Then what is my food, and what is my clothing?""Whatever there is, down to what dogs, worms, insects, and moths eat, is your food.Water is your clothing."Anyone who knows the food of this breath in this way neither eats nor accepts anything that is not food.Knowing this, Vedic scholars sip water before eating and sip water after eating.They think that in doing so they are keeping this breath clothed.
About this section
Section 6.1 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 43 of 47 in the work, which is kept in the Hindu tradition.
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