1764 verses · verified Sanskrit text · IAST · English translation
tasmādidandro nāmedandro ha vai nāma tamidandrṃ santamindra ityācakṣate parokṣeṇa | parokṣapriyā iva hi devāḥ parokṣapriyā iva hi devāḥ ||
“Hence he is called Idandra (the seer); though called Idandra, they call him Indra cryptically — for the gods love the cryptic.”
puruṣe ha vā ayamādito garbho bhavati yadetadretḥ | tadetatsarvebhyo'ṅgebhyastejḥ sambhūtamātmanyeva''tmānṃ bibharti tadyadā striyāṃ siñcatyathainajjanayati tadasya prathamṃ janma ||
“In a person this embryo first comes to be as seed; that seed, drawn from all the limbs as lustre, bears itself in itself. When cast into a woman, he generates it — that is his first birth.”
tatstriyā ātmabhūyṃ gacchati yathā svamaṅgṃ tathā | tasmādenāṃ na hinasti | sā'syaitamātmānamatra gatṃ bhāvayati ||
“It becomes one with the woman's self, as her own limb; hence it does not harm her. She nourishes this self of his that has entered her.”
sā bhāvayitrī bhāvayitavyā bhavati | tṃ strī garbha bibharti | so'gra eva kumārṃ janmano'gre'dhibhāvayati | sa yatkumārṃ janmano'gre'dhibhāvayatyātmānameva tadbhāvayatyeṣāṃ lokānāṃ santatyā | evṃ santatā hīme lokāstadasya dvitīyṃ janma ||
“She, the nourisher, is to be nourished; the woman bears the embryo. Before birth he fosters the child; in fostering the child before birth he fosters himself for the continuity of these worlds — for thus these worlds continue. That is his second birth.”
so'syāyamātmā puṇyebhyḥ karmabhyḥ pratidhīyate | athāsyāyāmitara ātmā kr̥takr̥tyo vayogatḥ praiti | sa itḥ prayanneva punarjāyate tadasya tr̥tīyṃ janma ||
“This self of his is set in the place of good deeds. Then this other self of his, its work done and grown old, departs; departing hence, it is born again — that is his third birth.”
taduktamr̥ṣiṇā garbhe nu sannanveṣāmavedamahṃ devānāṃ janimāni viśvā śatṃ mā pura āyasīrarakṣannadhḥ śyeno javasā niradīyamiti | garbha evaitacchayāno vāmadeva evamuvāca ||
“So the seer declared: 'Lying in the womb, I knew all the births of the gods; a hundred iron citadels guarded me, yet as a hawk I burst forth.' Thus spoke Vāmadeva, lying in the womb.”
sa evṃ vidvānasmāccharīrabhedādūrdhva utkramyāmuṣmin svarge loke sarvān kāmānāptvā'mr̥tḥ samabhavat samabhavat ||
“Knowing thus, rising above this body's dissolution, he obtained all desires in yonder heavenly world and became immortal.”
ko'yamātmeti vayamupāsmahe katarḥ sa ātmā | yena vā paśyati yena vā śr̥ṇoti yena vā gandhānājighrati yena vā vācṃ vyākaroti yena vā svādu cāsvādu ca vijānāti ||
“'Which self do we worship — which is the Self? That by which one sees, hears, smells odours, utters speech, and discerns sweet from unsweet?'”
yadetaddhr̥dayṃ manaścaitat | sañjñānamājñānṃ vijñānṃ prajñānṃ medhā dr̥ṣṭirdhr̥tirmatirmanīṣā jūtiḥ smr̥tiḥ saṅkalpḥ kraturasuḥ kāmo vaśa iti | sarvāṇyevaitāni prajñānasya nāmadheyāni bhavanti ||
“This heart and mind: awareness, command, understanding, wisdom, intellect, vision, resolve, thought, reflection, impulse, memory, resolve, will, life, desire, submission — all these are names of Consciousness.”
eṣa brahmaiṣa indra eṣa prajāpatirete sarve devā imāni ca pañcamahābhūtāni pr̥thivī vāyurākāśa āpo jyotīṃṣītyetānīmāni ca kṣudramiśrāṇīva | bījānītarāṇi cetarāṇi cāṇḍajāni ca jārujāni ca svedajāni codbhijjāni cāśvā gāvḥ puruṣā hastino yatkiñcedṃ prāṇi jaṅgamṃ ca patatri ca yacca sthāvarṃ sarvṃ tatprajñānetrṃ prajñāne pratiṣṭhitṃ prajñānetro lokḥ prajñā pratiṣṭhā prajñānṃ brahma ||
“This is Brahman, this Indra, this Prajāpati; these are all the gods, and these five great elements — earth, wind, sky, waters, lights — and these small mixed seeds, and the born of egg, womb, sweat, and sprout, horses, cattle, men, elephants, all breathing, moving, flying, and stationary things: all is led by Consciousness, founded on Consciousness; the world is led by Consciousness; Consciousness is the foundation; Consciousness is Brahman.”
sa etena prājñenā''tmanā'smāllokādutkramyāmuṣminsvarge loke sarvān kāmānāptvā'mr̥tḥ samabhavat samabhavat ||
“Rising by this conscious Self from this world, he obtained all desires in yonder heavenly world and became immortal.”
omityetadakṣaramudgīthamupāsīta | omiti hyudgāyati tasyopavyākhyānam ||
“One should worship the syllable Om as the udgītha, for with Om one sings aloud — this is its exposition.”
eṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ pr̥thivī rasḥ pr̥thivyā apo rasḥ | apāmoṣadhayo rasa oṣadhīnāṃ puruṣo rasḥ puruṣasya vāgraso vāca r̥grasa r̥cḥ sāma rasḥ sāmna udgītho rasḥ ||
“Earth is the essence of beings, waters of earth, plants of waters, man of plants, speech of man, hymn of speech, chant of hymn, udgītha of chant.”
sa eṣa rasānārasatamḥ paramḥ parārdhyo'ṣṭamo yadudgīthḥ ||
“This udgītha is the supreme essence of essences, highest, fit for the highest place, the eighth.”
katamā katamarkkatamatkatamatsāma katamḥ katama udgītha iti vimr̥ṣṭṃ bhavati ||
“'Which is the ṛc, which the sāman, which the udgītha?' — this is pondered.”
vāgevarkprāṇḥ sāmomityetadakṣaramudgīthḥ | tadvā etanmithunṃ yadvākca prāṇaścarkca sāma ca ||
“Speech is ṛc, breath is sāman, and Om the syllable is udgītha; this pair — speech and breath, ṛc and sāman — is a couple.”
tadetanmithunamomityetasminnakṣare sasr̥jyate yadā vai mithunau samāgacchata āpayato vai tāvanyonyasya kāmam ||
“The couple unites in the syllable Om; when a couple meets, each fulfils the other's desire.”
āpayitā ha vai kāmānāṃ bhavati ya etadevṃ vidvānakṣaramudgīthamupāste ||
“A fulfiller of desires indeed is he who, knowing thus, worships the syllable as udgītha.”
tadvā etadanujñākṣarṃ yaddhi kiṃcānujānātyomityeva tadāhaiṣo eva samr̥ddhiryadanujñā samardhayitā ha vai kāmānāṃ bhavati ya etadevṃ vidvānakṣaramudgīthamupāste ||
“This is the syllable of assent — whatever one assents to, one says Om; assent is fulfilment. A fulfiller of desires is he who, knowing thus, worships the syllable as udgītha.”
teneyṃ trayīvidyā vartate omityāśrāvayatyomiti śasatyomityudgāyatyetasyaivākṣarasyāpacityai mahimnā rasena ||
“By it the threefold lore proceeds: with Om one calls, recites and sings — honouring this syllable's greatness and essence.”
tenobhau kuruto yaścaitadevṃ veda yaśca na veda | nānā tu vidyā cāvidyā ca yadeva vidyayā karoti śraddhayopaniṣadā tadeva vīryavattarṃ bhavatīti khalvetasyaivākṣarasyopavyākhyānṃ bhavati ||
“Both do it — who knows thus and who knows not; but knowledge and ignorance differ. What is done with knowledge, faith and insight is more potent — this is the exposition of the syllable.”
iti prathamḥ khaṇḍḥ || devāsurā ha vai yatra sṃyetire ubhaye prājāpatyāstaddha devā udgīthamājahruranenainānabhibhaviṣyāma iti ||
“Here ends the first section. Gods and demons, both Prajāpati's offspring, once contended; the gods seized the udgītha, thinking to overcome them thereby.”
te ha nāsikyṃ prāṇamudgīthamupāsāṃcakrire ta hāsurāḥ pāpmanā vividhustasmāttenobhayṃ jighrati surabhi ca durgandhi ca pāpmanā hyeṣa viddhḥ ||
“They worshipped breath in the nose as udgītha, but demons pierced it with evil; hence it smells both sweet and foul, being pierced with evil.”
atha ha vācamudgīthamupāsāṃcakrire tā hāsurāḥ pāpmanā vividhustasmāttayobhayṃ vadati satyṃ cānr̥tṃ ca pāpmanā hyeṣā viddhā ||
“Then they worshipped speech as udgītha, but demons pierced it with evil; hence it speaks both truth and falsehood, being pierced with evil.”
atha ha cakṣurudgīthamupāsāṃcakrire taddhāsurāḥ pāpmanā vividhustasmāttenobhayṃ paśyati darśanīyṃ cādarśanīyṃ ca pāpmanā hyetadviddham ||
“Then they worshipped sight as udgītha, but demons pierced it with evil; hence it sees both fair and foul, being pierced with evil.”
atha ha śrotramudgīthamupāsāṃcakrire taddhāsurāḥ pāpmanā vividhustasmāttenobhaya śr̥ṇoti śravaṇīyṃ cāśravaṇīyṃ ca pāpmanā hyetadviddham ||
“Then they worshipped hearing as udgītha, but demons pierced it with evil; hence it hears both worthy and unworthy, being pierced with evil.”
atha ha mana udgīthamupāsāṃcakrire taddhāsurāḥ pāpmanā vividhustasmāttenobhayasṃkalpate sṃkalpanīyṃca cāsṃkalpanīyṃ ca pāpmanā hyetadviddham ||
“Then they worshipped mind as udgītha, but demons pierced it with evil; hence it wills both fit and unfit, being pierced with evil.”
atha ha ya evāyṃ mukhyḥ prāṇastamudgīthamupāsāṃcakrire tahāsurā r̥tvā vidadhvṃsuryathāśmānamākhaṇamr̥tvā vidhvasetaivam ||
“Then they worshipped the chief breath in the mouth as udgītha; rushing at it, the demons were shattered as a clod hurled at a stone target shatters.”
yathāśmānamākhaṇamr̥tvā vidhvasata eva haiva sa vidhvasate ya evṃvidi pāpṃ kāmayate yaścainamabhidāsati sa eṣo'śmākhaṇḥ ||
“As a clod hurled at a stone target shatters, so shatters he who wishes evil on a knower or wrongs him — he is the stone target.”
naivaitena surabhi na durgandhi vijānātyapahatapāpmā hyeṣa tena yadaśnāti yatpibati tenetarānprāṇānavati etamu evāntato'vittvotkramati vyādadātyevāntata iti ||
“By it one discerns neither sweet nor foul, for it is free of evil; what one eats or drinks thereby sustains the other breaths. Departing at the end, having found it, one opens wide — so at the end.”
ta hāṅgirā udgīthamupāsāṃcakra etamu evāṅgirasṃ manyante'ṅgānāṃ yadrasḥ ||
“Aṅgiras worshipped it as udgītha; hence they deem it Aṅgiras — the essence of the limbs.”
tena ta ha br̥haspatirudgīthamupāsāṃcakra etamu eva br̥haspatiṃ manyante vāgghi br̥hatī tasyā eṣa patiḥ ||
“With it Bṛhaspati worshipped it as udgītha; hence they deem it Bṛhaspati — for speech is great (bṛhatī), and it is her lord.”
tena ta hāyāsya udgīthamupāsāṃcakra etamu evāyāsyṃ manyanta āsyādyadayate ||
“With it Āyāsya worshipped it as udgītha; hence they deem it Āyāsya — since from the mouth (āsya) it moves.”
tena taha bako dālbhyo vidāṃcakāra | sa ha naimiśīyānāmudgātā babhūva sa ha smaibhyḥ kāmānāgāyati ||
“Through it Baka Dālbhya knew it; he became udgātṛ of the Naimiṣīyas and sang their desires for them.”
āgātā ha vai kāmānāṃ bhavati ya etadevṃ vidvānakṣaramudgīthamupāsta ityadhyātmam ||
“A winner of desires is he who, knowing thus, worships the syllable as udgītha — so with respect to the self.”
iti dvitīyḥ khaṇḍḥ || athādhidaivatṃ ya evāsau tapati tamudgīthamupāsītodyanvā eṣa prajābhya udgāyati | udyastamo bhayamapahantyapahantā ha vai bhayasya tamaso bhavati ya evṃ veda ||
“Here ends the second section. Now with respect to the gods: worship as udgītha yonder sun that burns; rising, it sings aloud for creatures, dispelling darkness and fear — a dispeller of fear and darkness is he who knows thus.”
samāna u evāyṃ cāsau coṣṇo'yamuṣṇo'sau svara itīmamācakṣate svara iti pratyāsvara ityamuṃ tasmādvā etamimamamuṃ codgīthamupāsīta ||
“This one here and that yonder are alike — both warm; this they call musical tone, that the echo. So worship both, here and yonder, as udgītha.”
atha khalu vyānamevodgīthamupāsīta yadvai prāṇiti sa prāṇo yadapāniti so'pānḥ | atha yḥ prāṇāpānayoḥ sṃdhiḥ sa vyāno yo vyānḥ sā vāk | tasmādaprāṇannanapānanvācamabhivyāharati ||
“Now worship the diffused breath (vyāna) as udgītha: breathing out is out-breath, breathing in is in-breath; their joint is vyāna, and vyāna is speech. Hence without breathing out or in, one utters speech.”
yā vāksarktasmādaprāṇannanapānannr̥camabhivyāharati yarktatsāma tasmādaprāṇannanapānansāma gāyati yatsāma sa udgīthastasmādaprāṇannanapānannudgāyati ||
“What is speech is ṛc — hence without breathing one utters hymns; what is ṛc is sāman — hence without breathing one sings chants; what is sāman is udgītha — hence without breathing one sings aloud.”
ato yānyanyāni vīryavanti karmāṇi yathāgnermanthanamājeḥ saraṇṃ dr̥ḍhasya dhanuṣa āyamanamaprāṇannanapānastāni karotyetasya hetorvyānamevodgīthamupāsīta ||
“Hence other mighty deeds — churning fire, running a course, drawing a strong bow — are done without breathing out or in; for this reason worship vyāna as udgītha.”
atha khalūdgīthākṣarāṇyupāsītodgītha iti prāṇa evotprāṇena hyuttiṣṭhati vāggīrvāco ha gira ityācakṣate'nnṃ thamanne hīdasarvasthitam ||
“Now worship the syllables of udgītha: ud is breath, for by breath one rises; gī is speech, for they call speeches 'giras'; tha is food, for on food all stands.”
dyaurevodantarikṣṃ gīḥ pr̥thivī thamāditya evodvāyurgīragnistha sāmaveda evodyajurvedo gīrr̥gvedasthṃ dugdhe'smai vāgdohṃ yo vāco doho'nnavānannādo bhavati ya etānyevṃ vidvānudgīthākṣarāṇyupāsta udgītha iti ||
“Heaven is ut, sky gī, earth tha; sun ut, wind gī, fire tha; Sāmaveda ut, Yajurveda gī, Ṛgveda tha. Who, knowing thus, worships the syllables of udgītha milks speech's milk and becomes rich in food and eating.”
atha khalvāśīḥsamr̥ddhirupasaraṇānītyupāsīta yena sāmnā stoṣyansyāttatsāmopadhāvet ||
“Now the fulfilment of wishes through approaches: with whatever chant one is about to praise, let one resort to that chant.”
yasyāmr̥ci tāmr̥cṃ yadārṣeyṃ tamr̥ṣiṃ yāṃ devatāmabhiṣṭoṣyansyāttāṃ devatāmupadhāvet ||
“In whatever hymn it lies, to that hymn; to whatever seer it belongs, to that seer; to whatever deity one will praise, to that deity let one resort.”
yena cchandasā stoṣyansyāttacchanda upadhāvedyena stomena stoṣyamāṇḥ syāttastomamupadhāvet ||
“With whatever metre one will praise, to that metre; with whatever praise-song, to that praise-song let one resort.”
yāṃ diśamabhiṣṭoṣyansyāttāṃ diśamupadhāvet ||
“To whatever quarter one will praise, to that quarter let one resort.”
ātmānamantata upasr̥tya stuvīta kāmṃ dhyāyannapramatto'bhyāśo ha yadasmai sa kāmḥ samr̥dhyeta yatkāmḥ stuvīteti yatkāmḥ stuvīteti ||
“Finally, approaching the self, let one praise, meditating the wish heedfully; swiftly indeed will that wish he desires in praising be fulfilled.”
iti tr̥tīyḥ khaṇḍḥ || omityetadakṣaramudgīthamupāsītomiti hyudgāyati tasyopavyākhyānam ||
“Here ends the third section. Worship the syllable Om as udgītha, for with Om one sings aloud — this is its exposition.”
devā vai mr̥tyorbibhyatastrayīṃ vidyāṃ prāviśaste chandobhiracchādayanyadebhiracchādayastacchandasāṃ chandastvam ||
“Fearing death, the gods entered the threefold lore and covered themselves with metres; because they covered themselves therewith, metres are called chandas (cover).”
tānu tatra mr̥tyuryathā matsyamudake paripaśyedevṃ paryapaśyadr̥ci sāmni yajuṣi | te nu viditvordhvā r̥cḥ sāmno yajuṣḥ svarameva prāviśan ||
“Death spied them there as one spies fish in water — in ṛc, sāman, yajus. Knowing this, they rose above hymn, chant and rite and entered the musical tone.”