THE PRASNA UPANISHAD

CHAPTER - 1

 
p#ÆaEp¢nxd
 
PEACE   INVOCATION

` Bd#|    kNI¢B:    S¦N¤yam    dEva:    Bd#|    pÜyEmaX¢ByIjæOa: ,
¢ÞTrWr|HWÞt¤¾¤va|sÞtn¥¢Br ÛySEm    dEv¢ht|    yday¤:   
Þv¢Þt    n    iÓd#aE    v¦ÑG½va:    sv¢Þt    n:    p¥xa    ¢vávEda:
Þv¢Þt    nÞtar ßyaE    A¢r¾nE¢m:    Þv¢Þt    naE    b¦hÞp¢tdIDat¤
`    Sa¢Ót:         Sa¢Ót:    .       Sa¢Ót:    
`   Om
Bd#|   that which is auspicious
kNI¢B:   with the ears
S¦N¤yam   let us hear
dEva:   O Gods
Bd#|   that which is auspicious
pÜyEm   may we see
AX¢B:   with our eyes
yjæOa:   keen in worship
¢ÞTrW   : sound
A|HW:   limbs
t¤¾¤va|s:   singing in praise
tn¥¢B:   bodies
ÛySEm   may we get
dEv¢ht|   allotted by the Lord
yday¤:   life span
Þv¢Þt   prosperity
n:   for us
iÓd#:   the supreme Lord
v¦ÑG½va:   He who is glorified by ancient seers
Þv¢Þt   prosperity
n:   on us
p¥xa   Pusan (Sun)
¢vávEda:   the allknowing
Þv¢Þt   prosperity
taßyI:   celestial bird
A¢r¾nE¢m:   protector from harm
Þv¢Þt   welfare
n:   on us
b¦hÞp¢t   : Lord of prayers
dDat¤   (may he) confer
` Sa¢Ót:  Sa¢Ót:  Sa¢Ót: Om Peace, Om Peace, Om Peace

Om,   O!   Gods,   may   our   ears   hear   that   which   is   auspicious.
May   we,   keen   in   worship,   see   all   that   is   auspicious.   May we,  
who   sing   your   praise,   live   our   allotted   life   span   in good   health.
 May   Indra,   the   Lord   praised   by   our   ancients, Pusan   the  
all-knowing,   Tarksya   the   protector   from   harm, Brhaspati   the   lord 
 of   our   prayers,  confer  on   us   prosperity (through   our   study   and  
practice   of   our   scriptures)
Om,   Peace,   Peace,   Peace  .
p#Tm:    p#Æ:     First   Question
 
`   s¤kESa   c   Bar¹aj: SWÖyà    sÏykam: ,
saWyaIyN£    c    gaÂyI: , kaWsÚyàaálaynaE,  
BagIvaE    vWd¢BI: ,   kbÓD£    kaÏyaynÞtE    hWtE

b#'pra    b#'¢n¿a:    pr|    b#'aÓvExmaNa
,   ex    h    vW    tÏsvI|
vßyt£¢t ,   tE    h
   s¢mÏpaNyaE    BgvÓt|¢pÔpladm¤ps°a:   . 1 .

s¤kESa   Sukesa
c   and
Bar¹aj:   son of Bharadvaja
SWÖyà   and Saibya
sÏykam:   Satyakama
saWyaIyN£à   and the grandson of Surya
gaÂyI:   of the clan of Garga
kaWsÚyà   and Kausalya
Aaálayn   the son of Asvalayana
BagIv:       Bhargava (of the clan of Bhrgu)
vWd¢BI:   of Vidharbha
kbÓD£   Kabandhi
kaÏyayn:   the son of Katya
h   it is said
tE   they
b#'pra:   devoted to Brahman
b#Øh¢n¿a:   rooted in Brahman
pr|   the Supreme
AÓvExmaNa:   seeking
ex:      this person
h   vW   surely
tt¯   that
svI|   all
vßy¢t   would tell
i¢t   thus
tE   they
h   indeed
s¢mÏpaNy:   with sacrificial fuel in hand
BgvÓt|   the venerable
¢pÔplad|   Pippalada
ups°a:   approached

Sukesa,   son   of   Bharadvaja,   Satyakama,   son   of   Sibi,   Sauryanin,
the   grandson   of   Surya   of   the   Garga   clan,   Kausalya,   son   of Asvala,
  Bhargava   of   Vidharbha,   Kabandhi,   the   son   of   Katya, all   of   them
  devoted   to   and   rooted   in   Brahman,   with sacrificial   fuel   in   hand,
  approached   Pippalada,   hoping that   he would   tell them  about all That.

   
taÓh    s    §¢xâvac    B¥y    ev    tpsa
b#'cyIN    ½dqDya     s|vÏsr|
s|vÏÞyT    yTakam|    p#ÆaÓp¦ÅCt
y¢d    ¢våOaÞyam:    svI|    h    vaE    vßyam    i¢t   .  2  .  
tan¯   to them
h   verily
s:   that
§¢x:   Rishi
uvac   replied
B¥y:   again
ev   indeed
tpsa   by penance
b#'cyIN   by continence
½dqDya   by devotion
s|vÏsr|   a year
s|vÏÞyT   after living
yTakam|   according to your desire
p#Æan¯   questions
p¦ÅCt   may ask
y¢d   if
¢våOaÞyam:   (we) know
svI|   all
h   certainly
v:   to you
vßyam:   shall tell
i¢t   thus
 
The   Rishi   said   to   them   :  " Live   for   another   year   in   penance,
 continence   and   devotion,   and   then   you   may   ask   me   what   you

desire.   If   I   know   the   answers,   then   I   shall   certainly   give
them   to   you. "  
AT    kbÓD£    kaÏyayn    upEÏy    pp#ÅC ,
BgvÓk¤taE    h    va    ima:    p#ja:    p#jayÓtE    i¢t      .     3     .  
AT   then
kbÓD£   Kabandhi
kaÏyayn:   son of Katya
upEÏy   approaching
pp#ÅC   asked
Bgvn¯   Revered Sir
k¤t:       from where
h   vW   as it is said
ima:   these
p#ja:   creatures
p#jayÓtE   are born
i¢t   thus
 
Then   Kabandhi,   son   of   Katya,   approached   the   Rishi   (Pippalada)
and   asked   :   Revered   Sir,  from where   are   these   creatures   born   ?
 
tÞmW   s   haEvac    p#jakamaE    vW    p#jap¢t: s
tpaE{tÔyt    s   tpÞtçva   s   ¢mT¤nm¤ÏpadytE ,
r¢y|    c
p#aN|    cEÏyEtaW    mE    bh^Da    p#ja:
  k¢rÝyt   i¢t   4  .
 
tÞmW   to him
s:   he
haEvac   replied
p#jakam:   desirous of having creatures
p#jap¢t:   the creator
s:   he
tp:   austerities
AtÔyt   observed
s:   he
tp:   meditiation
tçva   having performed
s:   he
¢mT¤n|   a pair
uÏpadytE   created
r¢y|   food (Matter)
c   and
p#aN|   vital energy
c   and
etaW   together
mE   for me
bh^Da   manifold
p#ja:   creatures
k¢rÝyt:   will do
i¢t   thus
 
To   him,   he   (Pippalada)   replied   :   Desirous   of   having creatures ,
the Creator   observed   austerities   through   meditation , and after such
observance a   pair,   Matter   and Energy,   who   would   be the source
for  creatures   in   various  forms.

 
Aa¢dÏyaE   h   vW   p#aNaE   r¢yrEv   cÓd#ma r¢yvaI
etÏsvI|   yÓm¥tI|   cam¥tI|   c
tÞmaÓm¥¢tIrEv   r¢y:    .  5  . 
Aa¢dÏy:   the sun
h   vW   verily
p#aN:   Energy
r¢yrEv   Matter indeed
cÓd#ma:   Moon
r¢yvaI   Matter verily
ett¯   that
svIm¯|   all
yÓm¥tI|   with form
c   and
Am¥tIm¯   formless
c   and
tÞmat¯   therefore
m¥¢tI :      form
ev   indeed
r¢y:   matter

 Really ,  Energy is Sun   and   Moon  is matter.  All those with form and
without    are  nothing but matter. As such form is matter.

 
ATa¢dÏy    udyÓyt¯p#ac£|    ¢dS|    p#¢vS¢t
tEn    p#aÅyaÓp#aNaÓr¢Ümx¤    s¢°DäOE ,
yÑG¢XNa|    yt¯p#t£c£|    yѤd£c£|    ydDaE    yÑ¥ÒvI|
ydÓtra    ¢dSaE    yÏsvI|    p#kaSy¢t
tEn    svaIÓp#aNaÓr¢Ümx¤    s¢°DäOE      .     6
AT    then
Aa¢dÏy:   the sun
udyn¯   having risen
yt¯   when
p#ac£|   the eastern
¢dS|   quarter
p#¢vS¢t   enters
tEn   by that
p#aÅyan¯   eastern
p#aNan¯   Pranas
r¢Ümx¤   in the rays
s¢°DäOE   holds
yt¯   when
d¢XNa|   southern
yt¯   when
p#t£c£|   western
yt¯   when
ud£c£   northern
yt¯   when
AD:   lowest point
yt¯   when
uÒvI:       highest point
yt¯   when
AÓtra   middle
¢dS:   quarters
yt¯   when
svI|   all
p#kaSy¢t   illuminates
tEn   by that
svaIn¯   every
p#aNan¯   Pranas
r¢Ümx¤   in the rays
s¢°DäOE   holds
 
Then when the sun , after   rising   enters   the   East, the  Pranas   of  
the   east are taken  in   his   rays.   When   he lights  up  the   southern
 quarter ,  the   west and the   northern quarters ,   the   highest  , the
lowest and   the  middle space,   he   holds   all   the   pranas in his beams .

s    ex    vWáanraE    ¢váãp:    p#aNaE{¢g"âdytE ,
tdWtd¦ca{×y¤³m¯      .     7     . 
s:       He
ex:   this
vWáanr:   of universal life
¢váãp:   of universal form
p#aN:   Prana
A¢g":   Fire
udytE   rises
tt¯   that
ett¯   this
§ca   by the rkchant
A×y¤³m¯   declared
 
The fire which is the form and energy of the universe rises in this way. This
is  described   in   the   following   Rk chant.  
¢váãp|   h¢rN|   jatvEds|    prayN|   ÇyaE¢trEk|   tpÓtm¯   ,
sh*r¢Üm:   StDa   vtIman:   p#aN:   p#janam¤dyÏyEx   s¥yI:  ; .  8  .
 
¢váãp|   of universal form
h¢rN|   full with rays
jatvEds|   knowledgable at birth
parayN|   the refuge of life
ÇyaE¢t:   luminary
ek:   one
tpÓtm¯   scorching
sh*r¢Üm:   of a thousand rays
StDa   in a hundred ways
vtIman:   existing
p#aN:   life
p#janam¯   of the creatures
udy¢t   rises
ex:   this
s¥yI:   the sun
 
The  realised Ones recognise   the sun as the form of the   universe  , all
knowing ,full of brilliant rays , sustainer of all life  , one luminary and
providing heat, energy , of innumerable rays, existing in a hundred ways .

s|vÏsraE    vW    p#jap¢tÞtÞyaynE    d¢XN|    caEäOr|    c .
tÑGE    h    vW    t¢d¾ap¥rtE    k]t¢mÏy¤pastE ,
tE    caÓd#msmEv    laEkm¢BjyÓtE t    ev    p¤nravtIÓtE .
tÞmadEt    §xy:    p#jakama    d¢XN|    p#¢tpïÓtE ,
ex    h    vW    r¢yyI:    ¢pt¦yaN:      .     9     .  
s|vÏsr:   The whole year
vW   verily
p#jap¢t:   Lord of the creatures
tÞy   his
AynE   two paths
d¢XN|   the southerly
uäOr|     the northerly
c   and
tt¯   therefore
yE   who
h vW   verily
tt¯   therefore
i¾ap¥rtE   the perfomance of Vedic rituals
k]tm¯   slaking the thirst of people. work worth doing or of permanent value
i¢t   thus
upastE   do devoutly
tE   they
caÓd#msm¯   the lunar
ev   verily
laEkm¯   world
A¢BjyÓtE   win
tE   they
ev   verily
p¥nravtIÓtE   return  again
tÞmat¯   therefore
etE   these
§xy:   the seers
p#jakama:   desirous of progeny
d¢XN|   the southern
p#¢tpïÓtE   go
ex:   this
h vW   verily indeed
r¢y:   matter
y:   which
¢pt¦yaN:   the path of the manes
 
The   year  that is  Prajapati ,   has the two-fold  path- the   southerly   and
the   northerly.  Those   who   engage themselves in  the rituals ordained by

the sacred books ( Ishta)   and in charitable works like sinking of wells
providing water- purveying points  , in the belief that they are the highest of
activities and of superior value , attained to the lunar world and (after their
merits are exhausted ) return to this world. Those seers who desire progeny
take to the southerly path. This is the path of the ancestors and this is matter.

ATaEäOrEN    tpsa    b#'cyEIN    ½dqDya
¢vïya{{Ïmanm¢ÓvÝya{{¢dÏym¢BjyÓtE
et¹W    p#aNanamaytnmEtdm¦tmBymEtÏpra
yNmEtÞma°   p¤nravtIÓt   iÏyEx   ¢nraEDÞtdEx   ÜlaEk:   . 10 .  
AT   Then
uäOrEN   by the northern path
tpsa   by austerity
b#'cyEIN   by self discipline
½dqDya   by faith
¢vïya   by knowledge
AaÏmanm¯   the Atman, self
A¢ÓvÝy   having enquired
Aa¢dÏym¯   the Sun
A¢BjyÓtE   attain
ett¯   this(sun)
vW   verily
p#aNanam¯   of all the Pranas or Energy
Aaytnm¯   abode (source)
ett¯   this
Am¦tm¯   immortal
ABym¯   free from fear
etm¯   this
prayNm¯   supreme resort
etÞmat¯   from this(sun)
n   not
p¤nravtIÓt   return again
i¢t   thus
ex:   this(the Northerly path)
¢nraED:   (is) the finale
tt¯   on the same
ex:   this
ÜlaEk:   verse
 
However those who seek  the   Atman   through continence,   faith   and
 knowledge,   attain   the  Solar  world by the  Northerly   Path.  This   is
the   source   of   all   Energy,    immortal,  free   from   fear,  and   the
Supreme   resort.   From   here   they   do   not   return,   for   it is   the
end.  There   is   this   verse   on   it:
 
p·pad|   ¢ptr|   ¹adSak]¢t|   ¢dv   Aah^:   prE   ADI   p¤r£¢xNm¯   ,
ATEmE AÓy u prE ¢vcXN| sçOc@E    xfr   Aah^r¢pIt¢m¢t .  11  .  
p·pad|   of five feet
¢ptr|     the father
¹adSak]¢t|   with twelve forms
¢dv:   of the sky
Aah^:   say
prE   above
ADI   half
p¤r£¢xNm¯ the sages
AT    again
imE   these(the sages)
AÓyE   others
¢vcXN:   the seer(the Sun)
sçOc@E   of seven wheels
xfrE   on six spoked(chariot)
Aah^ :       (the sages) say
A¢pItm¯   placed
i¢t   thus
 
The Sun in the view of some sages is the father and has five feet (seasons)
and   twelve   manifestations(months),  and pouring down rain  from  the
upper  half   of   heaven . There is the other view of some that the seer
(sun) is seated on a chariot of seven wheels(  colours ) known   as   the
seven   horses      and   six   spokes (seasons in India ).

 
masaE    vW    p#jap¢tÞtÞy    k]ÝNpX    ev    r¢y:
S¤²:    p#aNÞtÞmadEtE    §xy:
S¤²    i¾|    k¤vIÓt£tr    itr¢Þmn¯                      .     12   .  
mas:   the month
vW   verily
p#jap¢t:   Prajapati(the lord of creatures)
tÞy   its
k]ÝNpX:   the dark fortnight
ev   is
r¢y:   matter
S¤²:   the bright(fortnight)
p#aNa:   Prana
tÞmat¯   therefore
etE   these
§xy:   the Rishis
S¤²E   in the bright (fortnight)
i¾|   sacrifices
k¤vI¢Ót   perform
itrE   others
itr¢Þmn¯   in the other(i.e. in the dark fortnight)
 
Prajapati is , in fact , the month .  Its   dark   fortnight  represents  matter,
and   its   bright   one,  the  Prana.   As such, some   Rishis   perform   their
sacrifices   in   the   bright fortnight; while  others   do in    the   other   half. 
 
AhaEraæOaE    vW    p#jap¢tÞtÞyahrEv    p#aNaE    ra¢æOrEv    r¢y: ,
p#aN|    va    etE    p#ÞkÓd¢Ót    yE    ¢dva    rÏya    s|y¤ÇyÓtE    ,
b#'cyImEv    tïd#aæOaW    rÏya    s|y¤ÇyÓtE                .   13   .
 
AhaEraæO:   Day and night
vW   surely
p#jap¢t:   Prajapati
tÞy    its
Ah:   day
ev   indeed
p#aN:   Prana (energy)
ra¢æO:   night
ev   verily
r¢y:   matter
p#aNm¯   va   assuredly
etE   they
p#ÞkÓd¢Ót   dissipate
yE   who
¢dva   by day
rÏya   in sexual intercourse
s|y¤ÇyÓtE   combine
b#'cyIm¯   control
ev   indeed
tt¯   that
raæOaW   in night
yt¯   when
rÏya   in sexual intercourse
s|y¤ÇyÓtE   are united
 
Prajapati is Day   and   night . Day  represents  energy(Prana)  and   night
 represents Matter.   So   union   in sexual   love   by   day,   makes for
waning   of  their   Prana;  and restraint is that when the union is by night.

 
A°|    vW    p#jap¢tÞttaE    h    vW    td#EtÞtÞma¢dma:
p#ja:    p#jayÓt    i¢t    .   14   .
A°|   food
vW   is
p#jap¢t:   the creator
tt:   from that
h vW   verily
tt¯   that
rEt:   the seed(semen)
tÞmat¯   from that
ima:   these
p#ja:   creatures
p#jayÓtE   are born
i¢t   thus
 
Food   is   Prajapati.   From  food   is   produced   the seed,   and   from
 that     all   creatures   arise.
 
tïE   h   vW   tÏpjap¢tv#t|   cr¢Ót   tE   ¢mT¤nm¤ÏpadyÓtE ,
tExamEvWx b#'laEkaE yExa| tpaE b#'cyI|   yEx¤   sÏy|   p#¢t¢¿tm¯    . 15  .
tt¯   thus
yE   those
h vW   verily indeed
tt¯   that
p#jap¢tv#t|   rule of Prajapati
cr¢Ót   observe
tE   they
¢mT¤nm¯   a pair
uÏpadyÓtE   produce
tExam¯   their
ev   verily
ex:   this
b#'laEk:   the heaven of Brahma
yExa|   of those
tp:   penance
b#'cyI|   abstinence
yEx¤   in whom
sÏy|   truth
p#¢t¢¿ tm¯   established

Thus, by following the rule of the creator , they bring forth a pair . The
 Brahmaloka is for them , who practice austerity and controls and who
are established in truth.
 
tExamsaW   ¢vrjaE  b#'laEkaE   n   yEx¤
¢j'mn¦t|   n   maya   cE¢t .  16   .  
tExam¯   theirs
AsaW   that
¢vrj:   pure
b#'laEk:   world of Brahma
n   not
yEx¤   in whom
¢j'm¯   deceit
An¦t|   falsehood
n   not
maya   guile
c   and
i¢t   thus
 
That  immaculate world   of   Brahma   is for  them  alone,  in whom there is no double dealing , disregard for truth or trickery.
i¢t p#Tm:  p#Æ :     Thus ends the first question.
 
PROCEED TO CHAPTER - 2 OF THE PRASNA UPANISHAD
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