हिन्दी
Om! Janaka, Emperor of Videha, was seated to give audience when Yajnavalkya arrived. The emperor said to him - "Yajnavalkya, for what purpose have you come here? With a desire for cattle, or to hear some subtle questions asked?" "For both, Your Majesty," said Yajnavalkya.
Yajnavalkya - Let me hear what anyone among your teachers may have told you.
Emperor - Jitvan, the son of Silina, told me that the organ of speech (fire) is Brahman.
Yajnavalkya - As anyone who had the benefit of being taught by a good mother, father and teacher should say, so did the son of Silina say that the organ of speech is Brahman; for what can be attained by a person who cannot speak? But did he tell you about its abode (body) and support?
Emperor - No, he did not."
Yajnavalkya - This Brahman is only one-footed, Your Majesty.
Emperor - Then you tell us, O Yajnavalkya.
Yajnavalkya - The physical organ of speech is its abode and the akasa (space) is its support. It should be mediated upon as intelligence.
Emperor - What is intelligence, O Yajnavalkya?
Yajnavalkya - It is the organ of speech, Your Majesty, said Yajnavalkya. Through the organ of speech alone, O Emperor, are known the Rig-Veda, the Yagur-Veda, the Sama-Veda, the Atharvangirasa, history, ancient lore, the arts, the Upanishads, verses, aphorisms, explanations, commentaries, the results of sacrifices, the result of offering oblations in the fire, the results of giving food and drink, this world, the next world and all beings. The organ of speech, Your Majesty, is the Supreme Brahman. The organ of speech never deserts him who, knowing this, meditates upon it; all beings eagerly approach him; and being a god, he attains the gods.
Emperor - I give you a thousand cows with a bull as large as an elephant.
Yajnavalkya - My father was of the opinion that one should not accept gifts from a disciple without fully instructing him.
Yajnavalkya - Let me hear what anyone among your teachers may have told you.
Emperor - Udanka, the son of Sulba, told me that the vital breath (prana) is Brahman.
Yajnavalkya - As anyone who had the benefit of being taught by a good mother, father and teacher should say, so did the son of Sulba say that the vital breath is Brahman; for what can be attained by a person who does not live? But did he tell you about its abode and support?"
Emperor - No, he did not.
Yajnavalkya - This Brahman is only one-footed, Your Majesty.
Emperor - Then you tell us, O Yajnavalkya.
Yajnavalkya - The vital breath is its abode and the akasa (space) is its support. It should be meditated upon as dear.
Emperor - What is that dearness, O Yajnavalkya?
Yajnavalkya - It is the vital breath, Your Majesty. For the sake of that vital breath (life), O Emperor, one performs sacrifices for him for whom they should not be performed and accepts gifts from him from whom they should not be accepted; nay, for the sake of the vital breath, O Emperor, one may go to a quarter (direction) where one runs the risk of losing one's life. The vital breath, O Emperor, is the Supreme Brahman. The vital breath never deserts him who, knowing what has just been said, meditates upon it; all beings eagerly approach him; and being a god, he attains the gods.
Emperor - I give you a thousand cows with a bull as large as an elephant.
Yajnavalkya - My father was of the opinion that one should not accept gifts from a disciple without fully instructing him.
Yajnavalkya - Let me hear what anyone among your teachers may have told you.
Emperor - Barku, the son of Vrishna, told me that the eye is Brahman.
Yajnavalkya - As anyone who had the benefit of being taught by a good mother, father and teacher should say, so did the son of Vrishna say that the eye is Brahman; for what can be attained by a person who cannot see? But did he tell you about its abode and support?
Emperor - No, he did not.
Yajnavalkya - This Brahman is only one-footed, Your Majesty.
Emperor - Then you tell us, O Yajnavalkya.
Yajnavalkya - The eye is its abode and the akasa (space) is its support. It should be meditated upon as truth.
Emperor - What is truth, O Yajnavalkya?
Yajnavalkya - It is the eye, Your Majesty. Verily, Your Majesty, if one asks a person who has seen with his eyes: 'Have you seen?' and he answers: 'Yes, I have,' then it is true. The eye, Your Majesty, is the Supreme Brahman. The eye never deserts him who, knowing what has just been said, meditates upon it; all beings eagerly approach him; and being a god, he attains the gods.
Emperor - I give you a thousand cows with a bull as large as an elephant.
Yajnavalkya - My father was of the opinion that one should not accept gifts from a disciple without fully instructing him.
Yajnavalkya - Let me hear what anyone among your teachers may have told you.
Emperor - Gardabhivipita, a descendant of Bharadvaja, told me that the ear is Brahman.
Yajnavalkya - As anyone who had the benefit of being taught by a good mother, father and teacher should say, so did the descendant of Bharadvaja say that the ear is Brahman; for what can be attained by a person who cannot hear? But did he tell you about its abode and support?
Emperor - No, he did not.
Yajnavalkya - This Brahman is only one-footed, Your Majesty.
Emperor - Then you tell us, O Yajnavalkya.
Yajnavalkya - The ear is its abode and the akasa (space) is its support. It should be meditated upon as infinite.
Emperor - What is infinity, O Yajnavalkya?
Yajnavalkya - It is the quarters (directions), Your Majesty. Verily, Your Majesty, to whatever quarter (direction) one may go, one never reaches its end. Hence the quarters are infinite. The quarters, O Emperor, are the ear and the ear, O Emperor, is the Supreme Brahman. The ear never deserts him who, knowing this, meditates upon it; all beings eagerly approach him; and being a god, he attains the gods.
Emperor - I give you a thousand cows with a bull as large as an elephant.
Yajnavalkya - My father was of the opinion that one should not accept gifts from a disciple without fully instructing him.
Yajnavalkya - Let me hear what anyone among your teachers may have told you.
Emperor - Satyakama, the son of Jabala, told me that the mind is Brahman.
Yajnavalkya - As anyone who had the benefit of being taught by a good mother, father and teacher should say, so did the son of Jaa say that the mind is Brahman; for what can be attained by a person who has no mind? But did he tell you about its abode and support?
Emperor - No, he did not.
Yajnavalkya - This Brahman is only one-footed, Your Majesty.
Emperor - Then you tell us, O Yajnavalkya.
Yajnavalkya - The mind is its abode and the akasa (space) is its support. It should be meditated upon as bliss.
Emperor - What is bliss, O Yajnavalkya?
Yajnavalkya - It is the mind, Your Majesty. Verily, Your Majesty, with the mind a man desires and woos a woman; then a son resembling him is born of her and he is the cause of bliss. The mind, O Emperor, is the Supreme Brahman. The mind never deserts him who, knowing this, meditates upon it; all beings eagerly approach him; and being a god, he attains the gods.
Emperor - I give you a thousand cows with a bull as large as an elephant.
Yajnavalkya - My father was of the opinion that one should not accept gifts from a disciple without fully instructing him.
Yajnavalkya - Let me hear what anyone among your teachers may have told you.
Emperor - Vidaghdha, the son of Sakala, told me that the heart is Brahman.
Yajnavalkya - As anyone who had the benefit of being taught by a good mother, father and teacher should say, so did the son of Sakala say that the heart is Brahman; for what can be attained by a person who is without a heart? But did he tell you about its abode and support?
Emperor - No, he did not.
Yajnavalkya - This Brahman is only one-footed, Your Majesty.
Emperor - Then you tell us, O Yajnavalkya.
Yajnavalkya - The heart is its abode and the akasa (space) is its support. It should be meditated upon as stability.
Emperor - What is stability, O Yajnavalkya?
Yajnavalkya - It is the heart. Verily, Your Majesty, the heart is the abode of all beings and the heart, Your Majesty, is the support of all beings. The heart, O Emperor, is the Supreme Brahman. The heart never deserts him who, knowing this, meditates upon it; all beings eagerly approach him; and being a god, he attains the gods.
Emperor - I give you a thousand cows with a bull as large as an elephant.
Yajnavalkya - My father was of the opinion that one should not accept gifts from a disciple without fully instructing him.
