THE UPANISHADS

THE PRASNA UPANISHAD (Contd)

CHAPTER - 4

ct¤TI: p#Æ: QUESTION 4

AT hWn| saWyaIyN£ gaÂyI: pp#ÅC
Bgv°Et¢ÞmÓp¤âxE ka¢n Þvp¢Ót
kaÓy¢Þm¸ag#¢t ktr ex dEv:
Þvp"aÓpÜy¢t kÞyWtÏs¤K| Bv¢t k¢Þm°¤
svEI s|p#¢t¢¿ta BvÓt£¢t ; . 1 .

AT	thereafter

verily

enm¯

him (Pippalada)

saWyaIyN£

the grandson of Surya

gaÂyI:

of the clan of garga

pp#ÅC

enquired

Bgvn¯

Revered Sir

et¢Þmn¯

in this

p¤âxE

person

ka¢n

what

Þvp¢Ót

sleeps

ka¢n

what

A¢Þmn¯

in him

jag#¢t

remains awake

ktr:

which

ex:

of these

dEv:

senses

Þvp"an¯

dreams

pÜy¢t

sees

kÞy

whose

ett¯

this

s¤K|

happiness

Bv¢t

k¢Þmn¯

on which

n¤

verily

svEI

all

s|p#¢t¢¿ta:

firmly fixed

Bv¢Ót

are

i¢t

Sauryayani ,the descendant of Gargya , enquired (the sage Pippalada):
"Revered   Sir ,   pray tell me what   sleep   in a person and   what remain
awake   in   him ? Among these which of the senses perceives   dreams   ?
And then happiness belongs to whom ? On what principle is all these firmly laid.
tÞmW s    haEvac , yTa gaÂyI mr£cyaE{kIÞyaÞt|
gÅCt: svaI et¢ÞmÓtEjaEmÎfl ek£Bv¢Ót , ta: p¤n:
p¤nâdyt: p#crÓÏyEv| h vW tÏsvI| prE dEvE
mnÞyEk£Bv¢t , tEn t/EIx p¤âxaE n ½¦NaE¢t n pÜy¢t
n ¢jG#¢t n rsytE n Þp¦StE na¢BvdtE na{{däOE
nanÓdytE n ¢vs¦jtE nEyaytE Þv¢pt£ÏyacXtE . 2 .

tÞmW

to him

s:	he (Pippalada)

uvac

replied

yTa

gaÂyI

O Gargya

mr£cy:

rays

AkIÞy|

of the sun

AÞt| gÅCt:

the setting

svaI :

all

et¢Þmn¯

in this

tEjaEmÎflE

the zone of brilliance

ek£Bv¢Ót

become united

ta:

those(rays)

p¤n:

again

udyt:

the rising

p#cr¢Ót

issue forth

ev|

in this manner

in fact

tt¯

that

svI|

all(senses)

prE

higher

dEvE

in god

mn¢s

in mind

ek£Bv¢t

become one

tEn

thus

tr¯¢h

then

ex: p¤âx:

this being

n ½¦NaE¢t

hears not

n pÜy¢t

sees not

n ¢jG#¢t

smells not

n rsytE

tastes not

n Þp¦StE

touches not

n A¢BvdtE

speaks not

n AadäOE

takes not

n AanÓdytE

enjoys not

n ¢vs¦jtE

discharges not

n iyaytE

moves not

Þv¢p¢t

sleeps

i¢t

thus

AacXtE

says

He (Pippalada) replied to him : ' O ! Gargya ! Just like the rays merge
in the solar disc at the time of setting of the Sun and these rays again issue
forth when the sun rises , so also during the sleeping stage everything
becomes one in the superior of the senses, the mind. Therefore this person
does not hear, does not see, does not smell , does not taste, does not feel
the touch, does not speak , does not enjoy , does not discharge and does
not move. In this state, they say
( the person) sleeps.
p#Nag"y evWt¢ÞmÓp¤rE jag#¢t , gahIpÏyaE h va
exaE{panaE ÛyanaE{ÓvahayIpcnaE yéahIpÏyaÏp#N£ytE
p#Nynadahvn£y: p#aN: . 3 .

p#Nag"y:

the fires of Prana

alone

et¢Þmn¯

in this

p¤rE

human body

jag#¢t

remain awake

gahIpÏy:

the fire tended by the householder , which is the source of all domestic requirements

h va

indeed

ex:

this

Apan:

Apana

Ûyan:

Vyana

AÓvahayIpcn:

the fire into which the offerings to the manes are made

yt¯

because

gahIpÏyat¯

from the Garhapatya fire

p#N£ytE

is taken

p#Nynat¯

that from which it is taken

Aahvn£y:

the fire

p#aN:

Prana

In this body the fires   of   Prana remain   awake . Apana represents the
Garhapatya   fire, Vyana the Anvaharyapacana fire and the   Prana ,
the   Ahavaniya   fire, as it derives its existence from the   Garhapatya fire.
yÑ¤ÅCvas¢n:áasavEtavah^t£ sm| nyt£¢t s    sman: ,
mnaE h vav yjman i¾PlmEvaEdan: ,
s    en|    yjmanmhrhb#'I gmy¢t . 4 .

yt¯

which

uÅCvas¢nvasaW

inhaling and exhaling

etaW

these

Aah^t£

two oblations

sm|

equally

ny¢t

leads

i¢t

thus

sman:

the priest officiating the sacrifice

mn:

the mind

verily

vav

yjman:

the sacrificer

i¾Plm¯

the desired end of the sacrifice (liberation)

indeed

udan:

the Udana

s:	he (the Udana)

en|

this

yjmanm¯

the sacrificer

Ah: Ah:

everyday

b#'

Brahman

gmy¢t

takes

The Samana takes with it the two oblations of inhaling and exhaling evenly
into the system. The Samana is said to be the priest officiating at the
sacrifice i.e. the hota . The mind is indeed the sacrificer and Udana is the
desired end of the sacrifice (liberation). It (Udana) causes the sacrificer
to attain Brahman every day.
AæOWx dEv: Þvp"E m¢hmanmn¤Bv¢t , ydqè¾| è¾mn¤pÜy¢t
½¤t| ½¤tmEvaTImn¤½¤NaE¢t dES¢dgÓtrWà p#Ïyn¤B¥t|
p¤n: p¤n: p#Ïyn¤Bv¢t , è¾| caè¾| c ½¤t| ca½¥t|
can¤B¥t| cann¤B¥t| c sÅcasÅc svI| pÜy¢t svI: pÜy¢t . 5 .

AæO

in this flux

ex:

this

dEv:

mind

Þvp"E

in dream

m¢hmanm¯

greatness

An¤Bv¢t

experiences

yt¯

what

è¾| è¾|

whatever is seen

An¤pÜy¢t

sees again

½¤t| ½¤t| ev

whatever is heard

ATI|

object

An¤½¤NaE¢t

hears again

dES¢dgÓtrW:

in varying places and directions

also

p#Ïyn¤B¥t|

experienced

p¤n: p¤n:

repeatedly

p#Ïyn¤Bv¢t

is experienced

è¾|

what is seen

and

Aè¾|

what is not seen

½¤t|

what is heard

and

A½¤t|

what is not heard

An¤B¥t|

what is experienced

and

Ann¤B¥t|

what is not experienced

and

st¯

what is existent

and

Ast¯

what is not existent

and

svIm¯

all

pÜy¢t

sees

svI:

all

pÜy¢t

see

In this dreamy state, the mind enjoys its power and repeatedly sees
what has seen before , hears what has been heard before, enjoys again what
has been enjoyed in different places and directions. Being all it sees all that
is seen and not seen , heard and not heard , experienced and not experienced,
existing and non existing .

s yda tEjsa{¢BB¥taE BvÏyæOWx ,
dEv: Þvp"a° pÜyÏyT
tdWt¢ÞmÉCr£rE etÏs¤K| Bv¢t . 6 .

s:	he (the mind)

yda

whenever

tEjsa

with the power

A¢BB¥t:

infused

Bv¢t

becomes

AæO

in that state

ex:

this

dEv:

the self

Þvp"an¯

dreams

n pÜy¢t

does not see

AT	thereafter

tda

then

et¢Þmn¯ Sr£rE

in this body

ett¯

this

bliss

Bv¢t

ensues

yTa

hE saEØy

O pleasant looking one

vya|¢s

the birds

vasaEv¦X|

the tree where they say

s|p#¢t¿ÓtE

stay put

ev|

h	it is said

really

tt¯

that

svI|

all these

prE

in the superior

AaÏm¢n

in the Atman

s|p#¢t¿tE

stay resting

O ! Pleasant looking one ! just as birds stay put in trees , so it is said that
all these stay in the superior self.

p¦¢Tv£ c p¦¢Tv£maæOa ca{{pàa{{paEmaæOa ; c
tEjà tEjaEmaæOa    c vay¤à vay¥maæOa
ca{{kaSàa{{kaSmaæOa c cX¤à
d#¾Ûy| c     ½aEæO| c ½aEtÛy| c G#aN| c
G#atÛy|    c rsà rs¢ytÛy| c
ÏvÀc ÞpSI¢ytÛy| c vaÀc v³Ûy| c
hÞtaW ca{{datÛy| caEpÞTà{{nÓd¢ytÛy|
c pay¤à ¢vsjI¢ytÛy| c padaW c
gÓtÛy| c mnà mÓtÛy| ; c b¤¢dqDà
baEdqDÛy| cah|karàah|ktIÛy| c    ¢cäO| c
cEt¢ytÛy| c tEjà ¢vïaEt¢ytÛy| c
p#aNà    ¢vDar¢ytÛy|    c . 8 .

p¦¢Tv£

earth

also

p¦¢Tv£maæOa

the subtle element of earth

Aap: c

and water

AapaEmaæOa c

and the subtle element of water

tEj:

light

and

tEjaEmaæOa

the subtle element of light

and

vay¤:

the air

and

vay¥maæOa

the subtle element

and

AakaS:

the ether

and

AakaSmaæOa

the subtle element

and

cX¤:

the eye

and

d#¾Ûy|

object of sight

and

½aEæO|

the ear

and

½aEtÛy|

the object of hearing

and

G#aN|

the nose

and

G#tÛy|

the object of smell

and

rs:

tongue

and

rs¢ytÛy|

the object of taste

and

Ïvk

the skin

and

ÞpSI¢ytÛy| c

and the object of touch

vak

speech

and

v³Ûy|

the object of speech

c	and (i.e., what can be spoken)

hÞtaW

the two hands

and

AdatÛy|

what can be taken

and

upÞT:

the organ of generation

and

AanÓd¢ytÛy|

the object of enjoyment

and

pay¤:

the organ of excretion

and

¢vsjI¢ytÛy|

the object of excretion

and

padaW

the two feet

and

gÓtÛy|

what can be walked

and

mn:

the mind

and

mÓtÛy|

the object of thought

and

b¤¢ÑG

: the intellect

and

baEÑGÛy|

the object of intellect

and

Ah|kar:

the ego

and

Ah|ktIÛy|

the object of ego

and

¢cäO|

the memory

and

cEt¢ytÛy|

the object of memory

and

tEj:

the light

and

¢vÑGaEt¢ytÛy|

what is to be lighted up

and

p#aN:

the Prana(energy)

and

¢vDar¢ytÛy|

what can be held

and

etE svI AaÏm¢n s|p#¢t¿ÓtE

( all these rest in the Atman )

The earth, water, light ,air , ether and their subtle elements ; the eyes,
the nose, the tongue, the skin, the tongue, the hands, the generative
organs, the organs of excretion, the feet, the mind, the intellect, the ego,
the memory, the light, the prana and all their objects and objectives where
they reside get lodged in the superior self, in the state of deep sleep.
ex ¢h d#¾a Þp#¾a ½aEEta G#ata rs¢yta mÓta baEdqDa ktaI
¢våOanaÏma p¤âx: , s prE{XrE AaÏm¢n sØp#¢t¾tE . 9 .

ex:

¢h

indeed

d#¾a

the seer

s¯p#¾a

he who feels

½aEEta

he who hears

G#ata

he who smells

rs¢yta

he who tastes

mÓta

the thinker

baEÑGa

the perceiver, the knower

ktaI

the doer

¢våOanaÏma

the source of intelligence

p¤âx:

the person(with all the qualifying adjuncts)

prE

supreme

AXrE

in the indestructible

AaÏm¢n

in the Atman

s|p#¢t¾tE

is established

It   is indeed the dweller who   sees,   feels,   hears,   smells,   tastes,
thinks, knows;   he   is   the   one who acts,   the   intelligent   soul,   the
Purusa. He   is   established   in   the   supreme   indestructible   Atman.
prmEvaXr| p#¢tpïtE s yaE h vW
tdÅCaymSr£rmlaE¢ht| S¤B#mXr| vEdytE ,
yÞt¤ saEØy s svIåO: svaI Bv¢t ,
tdEx ÜlaEk: . 10 .

h vW

verily

tt¯

that

prm¯

the supreme

AXr|

the indestructible

p#¢tpïtE

attains

who

AÅCaym¯

without shadow

ASr£rm¯

without body

AlaE¢ht|

colourless(lit. not of red colour)

S¤B#m

pure

AXr|

the indestructible

vEdytE

knows

whoever

t¤

saEØy

one of pleasant looks

svIåO:

all knowing

svI:

all

Bv¢t

becomes

tt¯

that

ex:

this

ÞlaEk:

verse (bhavati is)

He who knows That one who undecimating, taintless, shadowless, bereft
of physical body, and colour becomes the highest un-diminishing one and
all knowing. O ! One of pleasant looks here is the following verse on it.
¢våOanaÏma sh dEvWà svI:
p#aNa B¥ta¢n sØp#¢t¿¢Ót yæO ,
tdXr| vEdytE yÞt¤ saEØy s svIåO:
svImEva{{¢vvESE¢t . 11 .

¢våOanaÏma

the intellect

sh	along with

dEvW:

the senses

svI:

all

p#aNa:

the vital airs

B¥ta¢n

the gross elements

s|p#¢t¿¢Ót

lapse

yæO

where

tt¯

that

AXr|

the imperishable

vEdytE

knows

y: t¤

who again

saEØy

one of pleasant looks

svIåO:

all knowing

svIm¯

everything

truly

A¢vvES

enters

i¢t

thus

One of pleasant looks! He who realises that imperishable one into which
lapse the mind, the sense organs, the gross elements and the vital airs,
becomes all-knowing and enters into everything.

i¢t ct¤TI: p#Æ: Thus ends fourth question.
PROCEED TO CHAPTER - 5 OF THE PRASNA UPANISHAD RETURN TO CHAPTER - 3 OF THE PRASNA UPANISHAD RETURN TO INDEX OF UPANISHADS