पुरुषविधब्राह्मणम्

1.       

आत्मैवेदमग्र आसीत्। पुरुषविधः सोऽनुवीक्ष्य नान्यदात्मनोऽपश्यत्सोऽहमस्मीत्यग्रे व्याहरत्ततोऽहं नामाऽभवत्तस्मादप्येतर्ह्यामन्त्रितोऽहमयमित्येवाग्र उक्त्वाऽथान्यन्नाम प्रब्रूते यदस्य भवति - १४.४.२.[१] स यत्पूर्वोऽस्मात् सर्वस्मात्सर्वान्पाप्मन औषत्तस्मात्पुरुष ओषति ह वै स तं योऽस्मात्पूर्वो बुभूषति य एवं वेद - १४.४.२.[२]

1. In the beginning this was Self alone, in the shape of a person (purusha). He looking round saw nothing but his Self. He first said, ‘This is I;’ therefore he became I by name. Therefore even now, if a man is asked, he first says, ‘This is I,’ and then pronounces the other name which he may have. And because before (ptirva) all this, he (the Self) burnt down (ush) all evils, therefore he was a person (pur-usha). Verily he who knows this, burns down every one who tries to be before him.

2.

सोऽबिभेत्। तस्मादेकाकी बिभेति स हायमीक्षां चक्रे यन्मदन्यन्नास्ति कस्मान्नु बिभेमीति तत एवास्य भयं वीयाय कस्माद्ध्यभेष्यद्द्वितीयाद्वै भयम्भवति - १४.४.२.[३]

2. He feared, and therefore anyone who is lonely fears. He thought, ‘As there is nothing but myself, why should I fear?’ Thence his fear passed away. For what should he have feared? Verily fear arises from a second only.

3.

स वै नैव रेमे। तस्मादेकाकी न रमते स द्वितीयमैच्छत्स हैतावानास यथा स्त्रीपुमांसौ सम्परिष्वक्तौ - १४.४.२. [४] स इममेवात्मानं द्वेधापातयत्। ततः पतिश्च पत्नी चाभवतां तस्मादिदमर्धवृगलमिव स्व इति ह स्माह याज्ञवल्क्यस्तस्मादयमाकाशः स्त्रिया पूर्यत एव तां समभवत्ततो मनुष्या अजायन्त - १४.४.२.[५]

3. But he felt no delight. Therefore a man who is lonely feels no delight. He wished for a second. He was so large as man and wife together. He then made this his Self to fall in two (pat), and thence arose husband (pati) and wife (patnl). Therefore Yajnavalkya said : ‘We two are thus (each of us) like half a shell .’ Therefore the void which was there, is filled by the wife. He embraced her, and men were born.

4.

सो हेयमीक्षां चक्रे। कथं नु माऽऽत्मन एव जनयित्वा सम्भवति हन्त तिरोऽसानीति - १४.४.२. [६] सा गौरभवत्। वृषभ इतरस्तां समेवाभवत्ततो गावोऽजायन्त - १४.४.२.[७] वडवेतराऽभवत्। अश्ववृष इतरो गर्दभीतरा गर्दभ इतरस्तां समेवाभवत्तत एकशफमजायत - १४.४.२.[८] अजेतराभवत्। वस्त इतरोऽविरितरो मेष इतरस्तां समेवाभवत्ततोऽजावयोऽजायन्तैवमेव यदिदं किं च मिथुनमापिपीलिकाभ्यस्तत्सर्वमसृजत - १४.४.२.[९]

4. She thought, how can he embrace me, after having produced me from himself? I shall hide myself.’  She then became a cow, the other became a bull and embraced her, and hence cows were born.  The one became a mare, the other a stallion; the one a male ass, the other a female ass. He embraced her, and hence one-hoofed animals were born.  The one became a she-goat, the other a he-goat; the one became a ewe, the other a ram. He embraced her, and hence goats and sheep were born. And thus he created everything that exists in pairs, down to the ants.

5.

सोऽवेत्। अहं वाव सृष्टिरस्म्यहं हीदं सर्वमसृक्षीति ततः सृष्टिरभवत्सृष्ट्यां हास्यैतस्यां भवति य एवं वेद - १४.४.२. [१०]

5. He knew, ‘I indeed am this creation, for I created all this.’ Hence he became the creation, and he who knows this lives in this his creation.

6.

अथेत्यभ्यमन्थत्। स मुखाच्च योनेर्हस्ताभ्यां चाग्निमसृजत तस्मादेतदुभयमलोमकमन्तरतोऽलोमका हि योनिरन्तरतः - १४.४.२.[११] तद्यदिदमाहुः। अमुं यजामुं यजेत्येकैकं देवमेतस्यैव सा विसृष्टिरेष उ ह्येव सर्वे देवाः - १४.४.२.[१२] अथ यत्किं चेदमार्द्रम्। तद्रेतसोऽसृजत तदु सोम एतावद्वा इदं सर्वमन्नं चैवान्नादश्च सोम एवान्नमग्निरन्नादः - १४.४.२.[१३] सैषा ब्रह्मणोऽतिसृष्टिः। यच्छ्रेयसो देवानसृजताथ यन्मर्त्यः सन्नमृतानसृजत तस्मादतिसृष्टिरतिसृष्ट्यां हास्यैतस्यां भवति य एवं वेद - १४.४.२.[१४]

6. Next he thus produced fire by rubbing. From the mouth, as from the fire-hole, and from the hands he created fire a . Therefore both the mouth and the hands are inside without hair, for the fire-hole is inside without hair.

And when they say, * Sacrifice to this or sacrifice to that god,’ each god is but his manifestation, for he is all gods.

Now, whatever there is moist, that he created from seed; this is Soma? So far verily is this universe either food or eater. Soma indeed is food, Agni eater. This is the highest creation of Brahman, when he created the gods from his better part, and when he, who was (then) mortal, created the immortals. Therefore it was the highest creation. And he who knows this, lives in this his highest creation.

2 He blew with the mouth while he rubbed with the hands.

7.

तद्धेदं तर्ह्यव्याकृतमासीत्। तन्नामरूपाभ्यामेव व्याक्रियतासौनामाऽयमिदंरूप इति तदिदमप्येतर्हि नामरूपाभ्यामेव व्याक्रियतेऽसौनामाऽयमिदंरूप इति - १४.४.२.[१५] स एष इह प्रविष्टः। आ नखाग्रेभ्यो यथा क्षुरः क्षुरधानेऽवहितः स्याद्विश्वम्भरो वा विश्वम्भरकुलाये तं न पश्यन्त्यकृत्स्नो हि सः - १४.४.२.[१६] प्राणन्नेव प्राणो नाम भवति। वदन्वाक्पश्यंश्चक्षुः शृण्वञ्छ्रोत्रं मन्वानो मनस्तान्यस्यैतानि कर्मनामान्येव स योऽत एकैकमुपास्ते न स वेदाकृत्स्नो ह्येषोऽत एकैकेन भवति - १४.४.२.[१७] आत्मेत्येवोपासीत। अत्र ह्येते सर्व एकं भवन्ति तदेतत्पदनीयमस्य सर्वस्य यदयमात्माऽनेन ह्येतत्सर्वं वेद यथा ह वै पदेनानुविन्देदेवं कीर्तिं श्लोकं विन्दते य एवं वेद - १४.४.२.[१८]

7. Now all this was then undeveloped. It became developed by form and name, so that one could say, ‘ He, called so and so, is such a one 3 .’ Therefore at present also all this is developed by name and form, so that one can say,‘He, called so and so, is such a one.’

He (Brahman or the Self) entered thither, to the very tips of the finger-nails, as a razor might be fitted in a razor-case, or as fire in a fire-place.

He cannot be seen, for, in part only, when breathing, he is breath by name; when speaking, speech by name; when seeing, eye by name; when hearing, ear by name; when thinking, mind by name. All these are but the names of his acts. And he who worships (regards) him as the one or the other, does not know him, for he is apart from this (when qualified) by the one or the other (predicate). Let men worship him as Self, for in the Self all these are one. This Self is the footstep of everything, for through it one knows everything. And as one can find again by footsteps what was lost, thus he who knows this finds glory and praise.

8.

तदेतत्प्रेयः पुत्रात्। प्रेयो वित्तात्प्रेयोऽन्यस्मात्सर्वस्मादन्तरतरं यदयमात्मा स योऽन्यमात्मनः प्रियं ब्रुवाणं ब्रूयात्प्रियं रोत्स्यतीतीश्वरो ह तथैव स्यादात्मानमेव प्रियमुपासीत स य आत्मानमेव प्रियमुपास्ते न हास्य प्रियं प्रमायुकं भवति - १४.४.२. [१९]

8. This, which is. Nearer to us than anything, this Self, is dearer than a son, dearer than wealth, dearer than all else.  And if one were to say to one who declares another than the Self dear, that he will lose what is dear to him, very likely it would be so. Let him worship the Self alone as dear. He who worships the Self alone as dear, the object of his love will never perish.

9.

तदाहुः। यद्ब्रह्मविद्यया सर्वं भविष्यन्तो मनुष्या मन्यन्ते किमु तद्ब्रह्मावेद्यस्मात्तत्सर्वमभवदिति १४.४.२. [२०]

9. Here they say: ‘If men think that by knowledge of Brahman they will become everything, what then did that Brahman know, from whence all this sprang? ’

10.

ब्रह्म वा इदमग्र आसीत्। तदात्मानमेवावेदहं ब्रह्मास्मीति तस्मात्तत्सर्वमभवत्तद्यो यो देवानां प्रत्यबुध्यत स सऽएव तदभवत्तथर्षीणां तथा मनुष्याणाम् - १४.४.२.[२१] तद्धैतत्पश्यन्नृषिर्वामदेवः प्रतिपेदे। अहं मनुरभवं सूर्यश्चेति तदिदमप्येतर्हि य एवं वेदाहं ब्रह्मास्मीति स इदं सर्वं भवति तस्य ह न देवाश्चनाभूत्या ईशत आत्मा ह्येषां स भवत्यथ योऽन्यां देवतामुपास्तेऽन्योऽसावन्योऽहमस्मीति न स वेद यथा पशुरेवं स देवानां यथा ह वै बहवः पशवो मनुष्यं भुञ्ज्युरेवमेकैकः पुरुषो देवान्भुनक्त्येकस्मिन्नेव पशावादीयमानेऽप्रियं भवति किमु बहुषु तस्मादेषां तन्न प्रियं यदेतन्मनुष्या विद्युः - १४.४.२.[२२]

10. Verily in the beginning this was Brahman, that Brahman knew (its) Self only, saying, ‘I am Brahman.’ From it all this sprang. Thus, whatever Deva was awakened (so as to know Brahman), he indeed became that (Brahman); and the same with Rishis and men. The Rishi Vamadeva saw and understood it, singing, I was Manu (moon), I was the sun.’ Therefore now also he who thus knows that he is Brahman, becomes all this, and even the Devas cannot prevent it, for he himself is their Self.

Now if a man worships another deity, thinking the deity is one and he another, he does not know.

He is like a beast for the Devas. For verily, as many beasts nourish a man, thus does every man nourish the Devas. If only one beast is taken away, it is not pleasant; how much more when many are taken! Therefore it is not pleasant to the Devas that men should know this.

11.

ब्रह्म वा इदमग्र आसीत्। एकमेव तदेकं सन्न व्यभवत्तच्छ्रेयो रूपमत्यसृजत क्षत्रं यान्येतानि देवत्रा क्षत्राणीन्द्रो वरुणः सोमो रुद्रः पर्जन्यो यमो मृत्युरीशान इति तस्मात्क्षत्रात्परं नास्ति तस्माद्ब्राह्मणः क्षत्रियमधस्तादुपास्ते राजसूये क्षत्र एव तद्यशो दधाति सैषा क्षत्रस्य योनिर्यद्ब्रह्म तस्माद्यद्यपि राजा परमतां गच्छति ब्रह्मैवान्तत उपनिश्रयति स्वां योनिं य उ एनं हिनस्ति स्वां स योनिमृच्छति स पापीयान्भवति यथा श्रेयांसं हिंसित्वा - १४.४.२. [२३]

11. Verily in the beginning this was Brahman, one only. That being one, was not strong enough. It created still further the most excellent Kshatra (power), viz. those Kshatras (powers) among the Devas, — Indra, Varuna, Soma, Rudra, Parjanya, Yama, Martu, Isana. Therefore there is nothing beyond the Kshatra, and therefore at the Rastiya sacrifice the Brahmawa sits down below the Kshatriya. He confers that glory on the Kshatra alone. But Brahman is (nevertheless) the birth-place of the Kshatra.

Therefore though a king is exalted, he sits down at the end (of the sacrifice) below the Brahman, as his birth-place. He who injures him, injures his own birth-place. He becomes worse, because he has injured one better than himself.

12. विशमसृजत

 
स नैव व्यभवत्। स विशमसृजत यान्येतानि देवजातानि गणश आख्यायन्ते वसवो रुद्रा आदित्या विश्वे देवा मरुत इति - १४.४.२.[२४]

12. He was not strong enough. He created the Vis (people), the classes of Devas which in their different orders are called Vasus [Pleasure] , Rudras [Rage], Adityas [Enjoying Subject], Vishvedeva [Senses and senses’s subject], Marut [Zeaal].

वसवो=Pleasure

रुद्रा = Rage

आदित्या=Enjoy the subject

विश्वेदेवा=Senses and their subject

 मरुत =Zealness

It may be he created Vis with five great element …

13. शौद्रं वर्णमसृजत

स नैव व्यभवत्। स शौद्रं वर्णमसृजत पूषणमियं वै पूषेयं हीदं सर्वं पुष्यति यदिदं किं च - १४.४.२. [२५]

13. He was not strong enough. He created the. Saudra, as Pushan (as Nourisher). This earth verily is Pushan (the Nourisher); for the earth nourishes all this whatsoever.

14.

स नैव व्यभवत् । तच्छ्रेयो रूपमत्यसृजत धर्मं तदेतत्क्षत्रस्य क्षत्रं यद्धर्मस्तस्माद्धर्मात्परं नास्त्यथो अबलीयान्बलीयांसमाशंसते धर्मेण यथा राज्ञैवं यो वै स धर्मः सत्यं वै तत्तस्मात्सत्यम्वदन्तमाहुर्धर्मं वदतीति धर्मं वा वदन्तं सत्यम्वदतीत्येतद्ध्येवैतदुभयं भवति - १४.४.२. [२६]

14. He was not strong enough. He created still further the most excellent Law (dharma). Law is the Kshatra (power) of the Kshatra 2 , therefore there is nothing higher than the Law. Thenceforth even a weak man rules a stronger with the help of the Law, as with the help of a king. Thus the Law is what is called the true. And if a man declares what is true, they say he declares the Law; and if he declares the Law, they say he declares what is true. Thus both are the same.

15.

तदेतद्ब्रह्म क्षत्रं विट्शूद्रः। तदग्निनैव देवेषु ब्रह्माभवद्ब्राह्मणो मनुष्येषु क्षत्रियेण क्षत्रियो वैश्येन वैश्यः शूद्रेण शूद्रस्तस्मादग्नावेव देवेषु लोकमिच्छन्ते ब्राह्मणे मनुष्येष्वेताभ्यां हि रूपाभ्यां ब्रह्माऽभवत् - १४.४.२.[२७] अथ यो ह वा अस्माल्लोकात्स्वं लोकमदृष्ट्वा प्रैति। स एनमविदितो न भुनक्ति यथा वेदो वाऽननूक्तोऽन्यद्वा कर्माकृतं यदु ह वा अप्यनेवम्विन्महत्पुण्यं कर्म करोति तद्धास्यान्ततः क्षीयत एवात्मानमेव लोकमुपासीत स य आत्मानमेव लोकमुपास्ते न हास्य कर्म क्षीयतेऽस्माद्ध्येवात्मनो यद्यत्कामयते तत्तत्सृजते - १४.४.२.[२८]

15; There are then this Brahman, Kshatra, Vish, and Saudra. Among the Devas that Brahman existed as Agni (fire) only, among men as Brahmana, as Kshatriya through the (divine) Kshatriya, as Vai-sya through the (divine) Vaisya, as. Saudra through the (divine) Saudra.

Therefore people wish for their future state among the Devas through Agni (the sacrificial fire) only; and among men through the Brahmana, for in these two forms did Brahman exist.

Now if a man departs this life without having seen his true future life (in the Self), then that Self, not being known, does not receive and bless him, as if the Veda had not been read, or as if a good work had not been done. Nay, even if one who does not know that (Self), should perform here on earth some great holy work, it will perish for him in the end. Let a man worship the Self only as his true state. If a man worships the Self only as his true state, his work does not perish, for whatever he desires that he gets from that Self.

16.

अथो अयं वा आत्मा। सर्वेषां भूतानां लोकः स यज्जुहोति यद्यजते तेन देवानां लोकोऽथ यदनुब्रूते तेनर्षीणामथ यत्प्रजामिच्छते यत्पितृभ्यो निपृणाति तेन पितॄणामथ यन्मनुष्यान्वासयते यदेभ्योऽशनं ददाति तेन मनुष्याणामथ यत्पशुभ्यस्तृणोदकं विन्दति तेन पशूनां यदस्य गृहेषु श्वापदा वयांस्यापिपीलिकाभ्य उपजीवन्ति तेन तेषां लोको यथा ह वै स्वाय लोकायारिष्टिमिच्छेदेवं हैवम्विदे सर्वदा सर्वाणि भूतान्यरिष्टिमिच्छन्ति तद्वा एतद्विदितं मीमांसितम् - १४.४.२. [२९]

16. Now verily this Self (of the ignorant man) is the world 1 of all creatures. In so far as man sacrifices and pours out libations, he is the world of the Devas; in so far as he repeats the hymns, &c., he is the world of the Rishis ; in so far as he offers cakes to the Fathers and tries to obtain offspring, he is the world of the Fathers; in so far as he gives shelter and food to men, he is the world of men; in so far as he finds fodder and water for the animals, he is the world of the animals; in so far as quadrupeds, birds, and even ants live in his houses, he is their world. And as every one wishes his own world not to be injured, thus all beings wish that he who knows this should not be injured. Verily this is known and has been well reasoned.

17.

आत्मैवेदमग्र आसीत्। एक एव सोऽकामयत जाया मे स्यादथ प्रजायेयाथ वित्तं मे स्यादथ कर्म कुर्वीयेत्येतावान्वै कामो नेच्छंश्चनातो भूयो विन्देत्तस्मादप्येतर्ह्येकाकी कामयते जाया मे स्यादथ प्रजायेयाथ वित्तं मे स्यादथ कर्म कुर्वीयेति स यावदप्येतेषामेकैकं न प्राप्नोत्यकृत्स्न एव तावन्मन्यते तस्यो कृत्स्नता - १४.४.२.[३०] मन एवास्यात्मा। वाग्जाया प्राणः प्रजा चक्षुर्मानुषं वित्तं चक्षुषा हि तद्विन्दति श्रोत्रं दैवं श्रोत्रेण हि तच्छृणोत्यात्मैवास्य कर्मात्मना हि कर्म करोति स एष पाङ्क्तो यज्ञः पाङ्क्तः पशुः पाङ्क्तः पुरुषः पाङ्क्तमिदं सर्वं यदिदं किं च तदिदं सर्वमाप्नोति यदिदं किं च य एवं वेद - १४.४.२.[३१]

17. In the beginning this was Self alone, one only. He desired, ‘ Let there be a wife for me that I may have offspring, and let there be wealth for me that I may offer sacrifices.’ Verily this is the whole desire, and, even if wishing for more, he would not find it.

Therefore now also a lonely person desires, ‘Let there be a wife for me that I may have offspring, and let there be wealth for me that I may offer sacrifices.’

And so long as he does not obtain either of these things, he thinks he is incomplete. Now his completeness (is made up as follows): mind is his self (husband); speech the wife; breath the child; the eye all worldly wealth, for he finds it with the eye; the ear his divine wealth, for he hears it with the ear. The body (Atman) is his work, for with the body he works. This is the five-fold 1 sacrifice, for five-fold is the animal, five fold man, five fold all this whatsoever. He who knows this, obtains all this.