Brihadaranyak

Yajnavalkya continued - Now, when that self becomes weak and unconscious, as it were, the organs gather around it. Having wholly seized these particles of light, the self comes to the heart. When the presiding deity of the eye turns back from all sides, the dying man fails to notice colour.

The eye becomes united with the subtle body; then people say - He does not see. The nose becomes united with the subtle body; then they say -He does not smell. The tongue becomes united with the subtle body; then they say - He does not taste. The vocal organ becomes united with the subtle body; then they say - He does not speak. The ear becomes united with the subtle body; then they say - He does not hear. The mind becomes united with the subtle body; then they say - He does not think. The skin becomes united with the subtle body; then they say - He does not touch. The intellect becomes united with the subtle body; then they say - He does not know. The upper end of the heart lights up and by that light, the Self departs, either through the eye or through the head or through any other part (aperture) of the body. And when the Self departs, the vital breath follows and when the vital breath departs, all the organs follow. Then the self becomes endowed with a particular consciousness and passes on to the body to be attained by that consciousness. Knowledge, work and past experience follow the self.

And just as a leech moving on a blade of grass reaches its end, takes hold of another and draws itself together towards it, so does the Self, after throwing off this body, that is to say, after making it unconscious, take hold of another support and draw itself together towards it.

And just as a goldsmith takes a small quantity of gold and fashions out of it another, a newer and better form, so does the Self, after throwing off this body, that is to say, after making it unconscious, fashion another, a newer and better form, suited to the Manes, or the Gandharvas, or the Gods, or Viraj, or Hiranyagarbha, or other beings.

That self is indeed Brahman; it is also identified with the intellect, the mind and the vital breath, with the eyes and ears, with earth, water, air and akasa (space), with fire and with what is other than fire, with desire and with absence of desire, with anger and with absence of anger, with righteousness and unrighteousness, with all, it is identified, as is well known, with this (i.e., what is perceived) and with that (i.e., what is inferred). According as it acts and according as it behaves, so it becomes, by doing good it becomes good and by doing evil it becomes evil. It becomes virtuous through virtuous action and evil through evil action. Others, however, say that the self is identified with desire alone. As is its desire, so is its resolution; and as is its resolution, so is its deed; and whatever deed it does, that it reaps.

Regarding this there is the following verse - Because of attachment, the transmigrating self, together with its work, attains that result to which its subtle body or mind clings. Having exhausted in the other world the results of whatever work it did in this life, it returns from that world to this world for fresh work. Thus does the man who desires transmigrate. But as to the man who does not desire, who is without desire, who is freed from desire, whose desire is satisfied, whose only object of desire is the Self, his organs do not depart. Being Brahman, he merges in Brahman.

Regarding this there are the following verses - When all the desires that dwell in his heart are got rid of, then does the mortal man become immortal and attain Brahman in this very body. Just as the slough of a snake lies, dead and cast away, on an ant-hill, even so lies this body. Then the self becomes disembodied and immortal Spirit, the Supreme Self (Prana), Brahman, the Light. Janaka, Emperor of Videha, said - I give you, venerable Sir, a thousand cows.

Regarding this there are the following verses - The subtle, ancient path stretching far away has been touched (reached) by me; nay, I have realized it myself. By this path the wise, the knowers of Brahman, move on to the celestial sphere (Liberation) after the fall of this body, having been freed even while living.

Some speak of it as white, others as blue, grey, green, or red. This path is realized by a knower of Brahman and is trod by whoever knows Brahman, has done good deeds and is identified with the Supreme Light.

Into blinding darkness enter those who worship ignorance; into a greater darkness than that, as it were, enter those who are devoted to knowledge.

Cheerless indeed are those worlds covered with blinding darkness. To them after death go those people who are ignorant and unwise.

If a man knows the Self as I am this, then desiring what and for whose sake will he suffer in the wake of the body?

Whoever has realized and intimately known the Self, which has entered this perilous and perplexing place (the body), is the maker of the universe; for he is the maker of all. All is his Self and he, again, is indeed the Self of all.

Dwelling in this very body, we have somehow realized Brahman; otherwise, we should have remained ignorant and great destruction would have overtaken us. Those who know Brahman become immortal, while others only suffer misery.

When a person following the instructions of a teacher directly beholds the effulgent Self, the Lord of all that has been and will be, he no longer wishes to hide himself from It.

That under which the year with its days rolls on-upon that immortal Light of l lights the gods meditate as longevity.

That in which the five groups of five and the akasa (space) rest, that very Atman (Soul) I regard as the Immortal Brahman. Knowing that Brahman, I am immortal.

They who know the Vital Breath (Prana) of the vital breath (prana), the Eye of the eye, the Ear of the ear, the Mind of the mind, have realized the ancient, primordial Brahman.

Through the mind alone is Brahman to be realized. There is in It no diversity. He goes from death to death who sees in It, as it were, diversity.

Unknowable and constant, it should be realized in one form only. The Self is free from taint, beyond the akasa (space), birthless, infinite and unchanging.

The intelligent seeker of Brahman, learning about the Self alone, should practise wisdom (Prajna). Let him not think of too many words, for that is exhausting to the organ of speech.

That great, unborn Self, which is identified with the intellect (vijnanamaya) and which dwells in the midst of the organs, lies in the akasa (space) within the heart. It is the controller of all, the lord of all, the ruler of all. It does not become greater through good deeds or smaller through evil deeds. It is the lord of all, the ruler of all beings, the protector of all beings. It is the dam that serves as the boundary to keep the different worlds apart. The brahmins seek to realize It through the study of the Vedas, through sacrifices, through gifts and through austerity which does not lead to annihilation. Knowing It alone one becomes a sage (Muni). Wishing for this World (i.e., the Self) alone, monks renounce their homes. "The knowers of Brahman of olden times, it is said, did not wish for offspring because they thought - What shall we do with offspring, we who have attained this Self, this World? They gave up, it is said, their desire for sons, for wealth and for the worlds and led the life of religious mendicants. That which is the desire for sons is the desire for wealth and that which is the desire for wealth is the desire for the worlds; for both these, indeed, are but desires. This Self is That which has been described as Not this, not this. It is imperceptible, for It is not perceived; undecaying, for It never decays; unattached, for It is never attached; unfettered, for It never feels pain and never suffers injury. Him who knows this these two thoughts do not overcome - For this I did an evil deed and for this I did a good deed. He overcomes both. Things done or not done do not afflict him.

This has been expressed by the following Rig verse - This is the eternal glory of Brahman - It neither increases nor decreases through work. Therefore, one should know the nature of That alone. Knowing It one is not touched by evil action. Therefore, he who knows It as such becomes self-controlled, calm, withdrawn into himself, patient and collected; he sees the Self in his own self (body); he sees all as the Self. Evil does not overcome him, but he overcomes all evil. Evil does not afflict him, but he consumes all evil. He becomes sinless, taintless, free from doubts and a true Brahmana (knower of Brahman). This is the World of Brahman; O Emperor and you have attained It. Thus said Yajnavalkya. Janaka said - Venerable Sir, I give you the empire of Videha and myself, too, with it, to wait upon you.

That great, unborn Self is the eater of food and the giver of wealth. He who knows this obtains wealth.

That great, unborn Self is undecaying, immortal, undying, fearless; It is Brahman (infinite). Brahman is indeed fearless. He who knows It as such becomes the fearless Brahman.