Chapter 1
17 verses
Section 117 verses
0प्रश्न उपनिषद् प्रथम प्रश्न
1सुकेशा च भारद्वाजः शैब्यश्च सत्यकामः सौर्यायणी च गार्ग्यः कौशल्यश्चाश्वलायनो भार्गवो वैदर्भिः कबन्धी कात्यायनस्ते हैते ब्रह्मपरा ब्रह्मनिष्ठाः परं ब्रह्मान्वेषमाणा एष ह वै तत्सर्वं वक्ष्यतीति ते ह समित्पाणयो भगवन्तं पिप्पलादमुपसन्नाःSukesa, the son of Bharadvaja, and Satyakama, son of Sibi, and Gargya, the grandson of Surya, Kausalya, son of Asvala, Bharadvaja, the son of Vidarbhi, and Kabandhi, son of Katya — all these devoted to Brahman and centred in Brahman, seeking the Highest Brahman, approached the revered Pippalada with fuel (Samit) in their hands, thinking that he would explain all to them.
2तान्ह स ऋषिरूवाच भूम एव तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण श्रद्धया संवत्सरं संवत्स्यथ यथाकामं प्रश्नान्पृच्छत यदि विज्ञास्यामः सर्वं ह वो वक्ष्याम इतिThat Rishi said to them: Stay here another year with austerity, celibacy and faith; then you may ask estions as you please and if I know them, I will surely explain all to you.
3अथ कबन्धी कात्यायन उपेत्य पप्रच्छ। भगवन्कुतो ह वा इमाः प्रजाः प्रजायन्त इतिThen Katyayana Kabandhi approached Pippalada and asked: Venerable Master, whence are these creatures born ?
4तस्मै स होवाच प्रजाकामो वै प्रजापतिः स तपोऽतप्यत स तपस्तप्त्वा स मिथुनमुत्पादयते। रयिं च प्राणं चेत्यैतौ मे बहुधा प्रजाः करिष्यत इतिHe replied: Prajapati (the Lord of creatures) was desirous of offspring. He performed penance (thought) and having performed penance he created a pair, Rayi and Prana (matter and life or food and eater), thinking that they together would produce creatures for him in many ways.
5आदित्यो ह वै प्राणो रयिरेव चन्द्रमा रयिर्वा एतत्सर्वं यन्मूर्तं चामूर्तं च तस्मान्मूर्तिरेव रयिःThe sun is verily life (Prana) and the moon, the food (matter), all this having form and formless is food, and therefore form is indeed food.
6अथादित्य उदयन्यत्प्राचीं दिशं प्रविशति तेन प्राच्यान्प्राणान्रश्मिषु संनिधत्ते। यद्दक्षिणां यत्प्रतीचीं यदुदीचीं यदधो यदूर्ध्वं यदन्तरा दिशो यत्सर्वं प्रकाशयति तेन सर्वान्प्राणान् रश्मिषु संनिधत्तेNow the sun rising pervades the East. By that he bathes in his rays, all Pranas in the East. When he lights up the Southern, the Western, the Northern arters, the Nadir, the zenith, the intermediate arters and all, by that he takes up into his rays all creatures.
7स एष वैश्वानरो विश्वरूपः प्राणोऽग्निरुदयते। तदेतदृचाभ्युक्तम्This is he (Vaisvanara), the sum total of all living beings, assuming all forms, life and fire, who rises every day. This has been said in the following Mantra of the Rig-Veda.
8विश्वरूपं हरिणं जातवेदसं परायणं ज्योतिरेकं तपन्तम्। सहस्ररश्मिः शतधा वर्तमानः प्राणः प्रजानामुदयत्येष सूर्यःAssuming all forms, resplendent, omniscient, the highest goal, the one light, the heat-giver, the thousand-rayed, existing in hundred forms, life of all creatures, this sun rises.
9संवत्सरो वै प्रजापतिस्तस्यायने दक्षिणं चोत्तरं च। तद्ये ह वै तदिष्टापूर्ते कृतमित्युपासते ते चान्द्रमसमेव लोकमभिजयन्ते। त एव पुनरावर्तन्ते तस्मादेत ऋषयः प्रजाकामा दक्षिणं प्रतिपद्यन्ते। एष ह वै रयिर्यः पितृयाणःThe year is indeed Prajapati (the Lord of the creation), and there are two paths thereof, the Southern and the Northern. Those who follow the path of Karma alone, by the performance of sacrificial and pious acts, obtain only the world of the moon and certainly return again. Therefore, those sages who desire offspring, take the Southern route. This food is verily the path of the forefathers.
10अथोत्तरेण तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण श्रद्धया विद्ययात्मानमन्विष्यादित्यमभिजयन्ते। एतद्वै प्राणानामायतनमेतदमृतमभयमेतत्परायणमेतस्मान्न पुनरावर्तन्त इत्येष निरोधस्तदेष श्लोकःBut those who have sought the Atman by penance, celibacy, faith and knowledge, gain the Northern route, the sun. This is the home of all lives, the immortal, fearless, the highest goal. Thence they do not return, for this is the end. This is unattainable (to the ignorant). About that, there is this verse.
11पञ्चपादं पितरं द्वादशाकृतिं दिव आहुः परे अर्धे पुरीषिणम्। अथेमे अन्य उ परे विचक्षणं सप्तचक्रे षडर आहुरर्पितमितिHaving five feet (the five seasons), the father, having twelve forms (twelve months), the giver of rain, they (sages) say, he is seated in a place higher than heaven. Others call him all-wise, upon whom, like a chariot (drawn by seven horses) with seven wheels and six spokes, the whole world is founded.
12मासो वै प्रजापतिस्तस्य कृष्णपक्ष एव रयिः शुक्लः प्राणस्तस्मादेत ऋषयः शुक्ल इष्टिं कुर्वन्तीतर इतरस्मिन्The month is Prajapati (the Lord of creation), its dark half is indeed the food, its bright half, the Prana. Therefore, these Rishis perform sacrifices in the bright half, the others in the dark half.
13अहोरात्रो वै प्रजापतिस्तस्याहरेव प्राणो रात्रिरेव रयिः प्राणं वा एते प्रस्कन्दन्ति ये दिवा रत्या संयुज्यन्ते ब्रह्मचर्यमेव तद्यद्रात्रौ रत्या संयुज्यन्तेDay and night are Prajapati; the day is the Prana and the night indeed is food. Those who unite in love by day waste their Prana, those who unite in love by night are considered verily as Brahmacharis.
14अन्नं वे प्रजापतिस्ततो ह वै तद्रेतस्तस्मादिमाः प्रजाः प्रजायन्त इतिFood indeed is Prajapati, from that indeed proceeds semen, from that all these creatures are born.
15तद्ये ह वै तत्प्रजापतिव्रतं चरन्ति ते मिथुनमुत्पादयन्ते। तेषामेवैष ब्रह्मलोको येषां तपो ब्रह्मचर्यं येषु सत्यं प्रतिष्ठितम्Thus, therefore, those who observe this rule of Prajapati (as laid down in verse 13) produce a pair. To them alone is this Brahmaloka, in whom penance, celibacy and truth abide.
16तेषामसौ विरजो ब्रह्मलोको न येषु जिह्ममनृतं न माया चेतिThat pure Brahmaloka belongs to them only in whom there is no deceit, falsehood or dissimulation. Here ends the First Prasna. OM