Adhyaya 3

1 Through battle and manly courage, Pratardana, son of Divodasa, reached Indra’s beloved dwelling. Indra said to him, “Pratardana, let me give you a boon.” Pratardana answered, “Choose for me yourself what you judge most beneficial to a human being.” Indra said, “A boon is not chosen for another. Choose it yourself.” “Then I have no boon,” Pratardana replied. Yet Indra did not depart from truth, for Indra is truth. He said, “Know me alone. This is what I judge most beneficial to a human being: that he should know me. I slew Tvashtar’s three-headed son. I gave the Yatis, head downward, to the wolves. Breaking many compacts, I crushed the descendants of Prahlada in heaven, the descendants of Puloma in the middle air, and the Kalakhanjas on earth. Yet not a hair of mine was harmed there. For one who knows me, no deed diminishes his world—not the killing of a mother, not the killing of a father, not theft, not the killing of an unborn child. Even if he has done evil, no dark stain is seen in his face.”

2 He said, “I am breath, the Self of awareness. Meditate on me as life, as immortality. Life is breath; breath is life; breath itself is immortality. As long as breath dwells in this body, there is life. Through breath one reaches immortality in that other world; through awareness, the fulfillment of one’s resolve. One who meditates on me as life and immortality reaches the full span of life in this world and attains immortality, unfailing life in the heavenly world. Some say that the powers of life become one. For no one could at one moment make known a name through speech, a form through sight, a sound through hearing, and a thought through mind. The powers of life are one: each makes all these known. When speech speaks, all the powers of life speak with it. When sight sees, all the powers of life see with it. When hearing hears, all the powers of life hear with it. When mind thinks, all the powers of life think with it. When breath breathes, all the powers of life breathe with it.” Indra said, “That is indeed so. Yet among the powers of life there is an attainment of what is highest.”

3 “A person lives when speech is gone, for we see people who cannot speak. A person lives when sight is gone, for we see the blind. A person lives when hearing is gone, for we see the deaf. A person lives without a mature mind, for we see infants. A person lives with an arm cut off; a person lives with a thigh cut off. This is what we see. But it is breath, the Self of awareness, that takes hold of this body and raises it up. Therefore one should meditate on this alone. What is breath is awareness; what is awareness is breath. Together they dwell in this body; together they depart. This is the vision of it, the understanding of it: when a person sleeps and sees no dream, he becomes one in this breath. Then speech enters him with all names; sight enters him with all forms; hearing enters him with all sounds; mind enters him with all thoughts. When he wakes, just as sparks from a blazing fire scatter in every direction, so the powers of life scatter from this Self, each to its own dwelling; from the powers of life come the deities, and from the deities the worlds. This is the proof of it, the understanding of it: when a person is ill and near death, not sinking into weakness or entering delusion, people say, ‘His thought has departed. He does not hear; he does not see; he speaks, but he does not think.’ Then he becomes one in this breath. Speech enters him with all names; sight enters him with all forms; hearing enters him with all sounds; mind enters him with all thoughts. When he wakes, just as sparks scatter from a blazing fire, so the powers of life scatter from this Self, each to its own dwelling; from the powers of life come the deities, and from the deities the worlds.”

4 “When he leaves this body, he leaves together with all these. Speech releases from him all names, sends them forth; through speech he reaches all names. Breath releases from him all smells; through breath he reaches all smells. Sight releases from him all forms; through sight he reaches all forms. Hearing releases from him all sounds; through hearing he reaches all sounds. Mind releases from him all thoughts; through mind he reaches all thoughts. This is the attainment of all things in breath. What is breath is awareness; what is awareness is breath. Together they dwell in this body; together they depart. Now we will explain how all beings become one for this awareness.

5 “Speech is one outstretched limb of awareness; facing it outside is name, its corresponding element of being. Smell is one outstretched limb of awareness; facing it outside is odor, its corresponding element of being. Sight is one outstretched limb of awareness; facing it outside is form, its corresponding element of being. Hearing is one outstretched limb of awareness; facing it outside is sound, its corresponding element of being. The tongue is one outstretched limb of awareness; facing it outside is the taste of food, its corresponding element of being. The hands are one outstretched limb of awareness; facing them outside is action, their corresponding element of being. The body is one outstretched limb of awareness; facing it outside are pleasure and pain, its corresponding element of being. The organ of generation is one outstretched limb of awareness; facing it outside are joy, delight, and procreation, its corresponding element of being. The feet are one outstretched limb of awareness; facing them outside is movement, their corresponding element of being. Awareness itself is one outstretched limb; facing it outside are thoughts, what is to be known, and desires, its corresponding element of being.

6 “Through awareness one mounts speech, and through speech reaches all chants. Through awareness one mounts breath, and through breath reaches all smells. Through awareness one mounts sight, and through sight reaches all forms. Through awareness one mounts hearing, and through hearing reaches all sounds. Through awareness one mounts the tongue, and through the tongue reaches all tastes of food. Through awareness one mounts the hands, and through the hands reaches all actions. Through awareness one mounts the body, and through the body reaches pleasure and pain. Through awareness one mounts the organ of generation, and through that organ reaches joy, delight, and awareness. Through awareness one mounts the feet, and through the feet reaches all movements. Through awareness alone one mounts understanding, and through awareness alone reaches thoughts, what is to be known, and desires.

7 “Without awareness, speech could make no name known. One says, ‘My mind was elsewhere; I did not recognize that name.’ Without awareness, breath could make no smell known. One says, ‘My mind was elsewhere; I did not recognize that smell.’ Without awareness, sight could make no form known. One says, ‘My mind was elsewhere; I did not recognize that form.’ Without awareness, hearing could make no sound known. One says, ‘My mind was elsewhere; I did not recognize that sound.’ Without awareness, the tongue could make no taste of food known. One says, ‘My mind was elsewhere; I did not recognize that taste of food.’ Without awareness, the hands could make no action known. One says, ‘My mind was elsewhere; I did not recognize that action.’ Without awareness, the body could make no pleasure or pain known. One says, ‘My mind was elsewhere; I did not recognize that pleasure or pain.’ Without awareness, the organ of generation could make no joy, delight, or procreation known. One says, ‘My mind was elsewhere; I did not recognize that joy, delight, or procreation.’ Without awareness, the feet could make no movement known. One says, ‘My mind was elsewhere; I did not recognize that movement.’ Without awareness, no thought could be accomplished and nothing to be known could be known.

8 “Do not seek to know speech; know the speaker. Do not seek to know smell; know the one who smells. Do not seek to know form; know the one who knows form. Do not seek to know sound; know the hearer. Do not seek to know the taste of food; know the one who knows the taste of food. Do not seek to know action; know the doer. Do not seek to know pleasure and pain; know the one who knows pleasure and pain. Do not seek to know joy, delight, or procreation; know the one who knows joy, delight, and procreation. Do not seek to know movement; know the one who moves. Do not seek to know mind; know the thinker. These ten elements of being rest upon awareness, and the ten elements of awareness rest upon being. If there were no elements of being, there would be no elements of awareness; if there were no elements of awareness, there would be no elements of being.

9 “From either side alone, no form could be established. Nor are these separate. As the rim of a chariot wheel rests upon its spokes and the spokes rest upon the hub, so these elements of being rest upon the elements of awareness, and the elements of awareness rest upon breath. This breath is the Self of awareness: blissful, ageless, immortal. It does not become greater through a good deed, nor smaller through an evil deed. It makes the person whom it wishes to raise from these worlds perform a good deed; it makes the person whom it wishes to lead downward perform an evil deed. It is the guardian of the world, the ruler of the world, the lord of all. Know: ‘It is my Self.’ Know: ‘It is my Self.’”

1 Through fighting and courage, Pratardana, the son of Divodasa, reached Indra's favorite home. Indra told him, “Pratardana, let me grant you a gift.”

Pratardana said, “Choose for me yourself. Choose what you think is most helpful to a human being.”

Indra told him, “The person giving a gift does not choose it for the person receiving it. Choose for yourself.”

Pratardana said, “Then I have no gift at all.” But Indra did not move away from truth, because Indra is truth. He said, “Know me. That is what I think is most helpful to a human being: knowing me. I killed Tvashtar's three-headed son. I handed the ascetics over to the wolves with their faces down. I broke many agreements and destroyed the people of Prahlada in heaven, the descendants of Puloma in the space between heaven and earth, and the Kalakhanjas on earth. Not even a hair of mine was harmed by that. When someone knows me, no deed diminishes that person's world: not killing a mother, not killing a father, not theft, not killing an unborn child. No evil from a deed he has done darkens his face.”

2 He said, “I am breath, the Self that is aware. Worship me as life and immortality. Life is breath; breath is life. Breath is also immortality. As long as breath stays in this body, there is life. Through breath one gains immortality in the other world; through awareness one's purposes become true. Someone who worships me as life and immortality lives out their full life in this world and gains immortality and freedom from decay in the heavenly world.

“Some say that the vital faculties become one. No one could at the same instant make a name known through speech, a shape through the eye, a sound through the ear, and a thought through mind. The vital faculties become one. One at a time, each of them makes all these things known. When speech speaks, all the vital faculties speak with it. When the eye sees, all the vital faculties see with it. When the ear hears, all the vital faculties hear with it. When mind thinks, all the vital faculties think with it. When breath breathes, all the vital faculties breathe with it.”

“That is certainly how it is,” Indra said. “Yet there is a highest power that takes up the vital faculties.”

3 A person lives without speech: we see people who cannot speak. A person lives without sight: we see blind people. A person lives without hearing: we see deaf people. A person lives without mind: we see young children. A person lives with an arm cut off; a person lives with a thigh cut off. We see this happen. But breath, the Self that is aware, takes hold of this body and makes it stand up. So this alone should be worshiped. Breath is awareness, and awareness is breath. These two live together in this body and leave it together.

Here is how to see this; here is how to recognize it. When someone is asleep and has no dreams, that person becomes one in breath. Speech enters breath with all names; the eye enters it with all shapes; the ear enters it with all sounds; mind enters it with all thoughts. When the person wakes up, the vital faculties leave this Self for their own places, like sparks from a burning fire flying out in every direction. From the vital faculties come the gods, and from the gods come the worlds.

Here is the proof of this; here is how to recognize it. When someone is ill and dying, does not fall into weakness and does not become confused, people say, “His consciousness has gone out. He does not hear or see. He speaks with his voice; he does not think.” Then that person becomes one in breath. Speech enters breath with all names; the eye enters it with all shapes; the ear enters it with all sounds; mind enters it with all thoughts. When the person wakes up, the vital faculties leave this Self for their own places, like sparks flying out from a burning fire. From the vital faculties come the gods, and from the gods come the worlds.

4 When he leaves this body, he leaves with all these faculties. Speech releases all names to him; through speech he grasps all names. Breath releases all smells to him; through breath he grasps all smells. The eye releases all shapes to him; through the eye he grasps all shapes. The ear releases all sounds to him; through the ear he grasps all sounds. Mind releases all thoughts to him; through mind he grasps all thoughts. This is the grasping of everything in breath. Breath is awareness, and awareness is breath. These two live together in this body and leave it together. Now we will explain how all beings become one for this awareness.

5 Speech is one branch extended from awareness. Name is the element of being set opposite it. The nose is one branch extended from awareness. Smell is the element of being set opposite it. The eye is one branch extended from awareness. Shape is the element of being set opposite it. The ear is one branch extended from awareness. Sound is the element of being set opposite it. The tongue is one branch extended from awareness. The flavor of food is the element of being set opposite it. The hands are one branch extended from awareness. Action is the element of being set opposite them. The body is one branch extended from awareness. Pleasure and pain are the element of being set opposite it. The sexual organ is one branch extended from awareness. Enjoyment, sexual pleasure, and reproduction are the element of being set opposite it. The feet are one branch extended from awareness. Movement is the element of being set opposite them. Awareness is one branch extended from this awareness. Thoughts, what is to be known, and desires are the element of being set opposite it.

6 Using awareness to take up speech, one grasps all chants through speech. Using awareness to take up breath, one grasps all smells through breath. Using awareness to take up the eye, one grasps all shapes through the eye. Using awareness to take up the ear, one grasps all sounds through the ear. Using awareness to take up the tongue, one grasps all the flavors of food through the tongue. Using awareness to take up the hands, one grasps all actions through the hands. Using awareness to take up the body, one grasps pleasure and pain through the body. Using awareness to take up the sexual organ, one grasps enjoyment, sexual pleasure, and awareness through the sexual organ. Using awareness to take up the feet, one grasps all movements through the feet. Using awareness itself to take up thought, one grasps thoughts, what is to be known, and desires through awareness itself.

7 Without awareness, speech would not make any name known. Someone says, “My mind was somewhere else. I did not recognize that name.” Without awareness, breath would not make any smell known. Someone says, “My mind was somewhere else. I did not recognize that smell.” Without awareness, the eye would not make any shape known. Someone says, “My mind was somewhere else. I did not recognize that shape.” Without awareness, the ear would not make any sound known. Someone says, “My mind was somewhere else. I did not recognize that sound.” Without awareness, the tongue would not make any flavor of food known. Someone says, “My mind was somewhere else. I did not recognize that flavor of food.” Without awareness, the hands would not make any action known. Someone says, “My mind was somewhere else. I did not recognize that action.” Without awareness, the body would not make any pleasure or pain known. Someone says, “My mind was somewhere else. I did not recognize that pleasure or pain.” Without awareness, the sexual organ would not make any enjoyment, sexual pleasure, or reproduction known. Someone says, “My mind was somewhere else. I did not recognize that enjoyment, sexual pleasure, or reproduction.” Without awareness, the feet would not make any movement known. Someone says, “My mind was somewhere else. I did not recognize that movement.” Without awareness, no thought would succeed, and nothing that is to be known would be known.

8 Do not try to understand speech; know the speaker. Do not try to understand smell; know the one who smells. Do not try to understand shape; know the one who knows shapes. Do not try to understand sound; know the listener. Do not try to understand the flavor of food; know the one who knows its flavor. Do not try to understand action; know the doer. Do not try to understand pleasure and pain; know the one who knows pleasure and pain. Do not try to understand enjoyment, sexual pleasure, or reproduction; know the one who knows enjoyment, sexual pleasure, and reproduction. Do not try to understand movement; know the one who moves. Do not try to understand mind; know the thinker. These are the ten elements of being in relation to awareness, and the ten elements of awareness in relation to being. Without the elements of being there would be no elements of awareness; without the elements of awareness there would be no elements of being.

9 No form could exist on either side alone. Nor are these separate things. A chariot's rim is fixed to its spokes, and its spokes are fixed to its hub. In the same way, these elements of being are fixed to the elements of awareness, and the elements of awareness are fixed to breath. This breath is the Self that is aware: it is happiness, it does not grow old, and it does not die. Good action does not make it greater; bad action does not make it less. It makes the person it wishes to raise up from these worlds do good. It makes the person it wishes to lead downward do bad. It guards the world. It rules the world. It is the lord of all. Know that it is my Self. Know that it is my Self.