The Upanishads, Part II — SBE Vol. 15 — trans. F. Max Müller (1884)
The translator’s English as printed. The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
' All the MSS. seem to read fet4, not Aetta. * See Ka/ha-upanishad V, 12-15. * Sankara explains that the acts of living beings are due to their organs, but do not affect the Highest Self, which always remains passive (nishkriya). * I have formerly translated this verse, according to the reading nityo nityanam setanas ketanindm, the eternal thinker of noneternal thoughts. This would be a true description of the Highest Self who, though himself eternal and passive, has to think (givatman) non-eternal thoughts. I took the first setanak in the sense of fetta, the second in the sense of setanam. The commentators, however, take a different, and it may be, from their point, a more correct view. Sankara says: ‘He is the eternal of the eternals, i.e, as he possesses eternity among living souls (givas), these living souls also may claim eternity. Or the eternals may be meant for earth, water, &c. And in the same way he is the thinker among thinkers.’ Sankarananda says: ‘ He is eternal, imperishable, among eternal, imperishable things, such as the ether, &c. He is thinking among thinkers.’ Vigfanatman says: ‘The Highest Lord is the cause of eternity in eternal things on earth, and the cause of thought in the thinkers on earth.’ But he allows another construction, namely, that he is the eternal thinker of those who on earth are endowed with eternity and thought. In the end all these interpretations come to
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14. The? sun does not shine there, nor the moon and the stars, nor these lightnings, and much less this fire. When he shines, everything shines after him ; by his light all this is lightened. 15. He is the one bird? in the midst of the world; he is also (like) the fire (of the sun) that has set in the ocean. A man who knows him truly, passes over death *; there is no other path to go. 16. He makes all, he knows all, the self-caused, the knower‘, the time of time (destroyer of time), who assumes qualities and knows everything, the master of nature and of man‘, the lord of the three qualities (guza), the cause of the bondage, the existence, and the liberation of the world °. 17. He who has become that’, he is the immortal, remaining the lord, the knower, the ever-present guardian of this world, who rules this world for ever, for no one else is able to rule it. 18. Seeking for freedom I go for refuge to that God who is the light of his own thoughts 8, he who the same, viz. that there is only one eternal, and only one thinker, from whom all that is (or seems to be) eternal and al) that is thought on earth is derived. ' See Kash. Up. V, 15; Mund. Up. II, 2, 10; Bhagavadgita XV, 6. ° Hamsa, frequently used for the Highest Self, is explained here as hanty avidyadibandhakarazam iti hamsah. > Cia AT T8: ‘ Again the MSS. read kalak4lo, asin verse 2. They also agree in putting gnah before kalakalo, as in verse 2. ° Pradhanam avyaktam, kshetragno vignanatma. ° He binds, sustains, and dissolves worldly existence. 7 He who seems to exist for a time in the form of kshetragna and pradhana. ® The MSS. vary between Atmabuddhiprakésam and atmabuddhiprasidam. The former reading is here explained by Sankarananda as svabuddhisakshizam.
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first creates Brahman (m.)! and delivers the Vedas to him; 19. Who is without parts, without actions, tranquil, without fault, without taint *, the highest bridge to immortality—like a fire that has consumed its fuel. 20. Only when men shall roll up the sky like a hide, will there be an end of misery, unless God has first been known ®. 21.
Through the power of his penance and through the grace of God# has the wise Svetasvatara truly® proclaimed Brahman, the highest and holiest, to the best of ascetics*, as approved by the company of /zshis.
' All the MSS. seem to read fet4, not Aetta. * See Ka/ha-upanishad V, 12-15. * Sankara explains that the acts of living beings are due to their organs, but do not affect the Highest Self, which always remains passive (nishkriya). * I have formerly translated this verse, according to the reading nityo nityanam setanas ketanindm, the eternal thinker of noneternal thoughts. This would be a true description of the Highest Self who, though himself eternal and passive, has to think (givatman) non-eternal thoughts. I took the first setanak in the sense of fetta, the second in the sense of setanam. The commentators, however, take a different, and it may be, from their point, a more correct view. Sankara says: ‘He is the eternal of the eternals, i.e, as he possesses eternity among living souls (givas), these living souls also may claim eternity. Or the eternals may be meant for earth, water, &c. And in the same way he is the thinker among thinkers.’ Sankarananda says: ‘ He is eternal, imperishable, among eternal, imperishable things, such as the ether, &c. He is thinking among thinkers.’ Vigfanatman says: ‘The Highest Lord is the cause of eternity in eternal things on earth, and the cause of thought in the thinkers on earth.’ But he allows another construction, namely, that he is the eternal thinker of those who on earth are endowed with eternity and thought. In the end all these interpretations come to
p. 265
14. The? sun does not shine there, nor the moon and the stars, nor these lightnings, and much less this fire. When he shines, everything shines after him ; by his light all this is lightened. 15. He is the one bird? in the midst of the world; he is also (like) the fire (of the sun) that has set in the ocean. A man who knows him truly, passes over death *; there is no other path to go. 16. He makes all, he knows all, the self-caused, the knower‘, the time of time (destroyer of time), who assumes qualities and knows everything, the master of nature and of man‘, the lord of the three qualities (guza), the cause of the bondage, the existence, and the liberation of the world °. 17. He who has become that’, he is the immortal, remaining the lord, the knower, the ever-present guardian of this world, who rules this world for ever, for no one else is able to rule it. 18. Seeking for freedom I go for refuge to that God who is the light of his own thoughts 8, he who the same, viz. that there is only one eternal, and only one thinker, from whom all that is (or seems to be) eternal and al) that is thought on earth is derived. ' See Kash. Up. V, 15; Mund. Up. II, 2, 10; Bhagavadgita XV, 6. ° Hamsa, frequently used for the Highest Self, is explained here as hanty avidyadibandhakarazam iti hamsah. > Cia AT T8: ‘ Again the MSS. read kalak4lo, asin verse 2. They also agree in putting gnah before kalakalo, as in verse 2. ° Pradhanam avyaktam, kshetragno vignanatma. ° He binds, sustains, and dissolves worldly existence. 7 He who seems to exist for a time in the form of kshetragna and pradhana. ® The MSS. vary between Atmabuddhiprakésam and atmabuddhiprasidam. The former reading is here explained by Sankarananda as svabuddhisakshizam.
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first creates Brahman (m.)! and delivers the Vedas to him; 19. Who is without parts, without actions, tranquil, without fault, without taint *, the highest bridge to immortality—like a fire that has consumed its fuel. 20. Only when men shall roll up the sky like a hide, will there be an end of misery, unless God has first been known ®. 21.
Through the power of his penance and through the grace of God# has the wise Svetasvatara truly® proclaimed Brahman, the highest and holiest, to the best of ascetics*, as approved by the company of /zshis.
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