Spiritual experience that dissolves karmans accumulated over aeons
Adhyatma Upanishad
Translated by Dr. A. G. Krishna Warrier
Published by The Theosophical Publishing House, Chennai
Om ! That (Brahman) is infinite, and this (universe) is infinite.
The infinite proceeds from the infinite.
(Then) taking the infinitude of the infinite (universe),
It remains as the infinite (Brahman) alone.
Om ! Let there be Peace in me !
Let there be Peace in my environment !
Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !
In the cave of the body is eternally set the one unborn. The earth
is His body. (Though) moving within the earth, the earth knows Him
not. The water is His body. (Though) moving within the water, the
water knows Him not. The fire is His body. (Though) moving within
the fire, the fire knows Him not. The air is His body. (Though)
moving within the air, the air knows Him not. The ether is His body.
(Though) moving within the ether, the ether knows Him not. The mind
is His body. (Though) moving within the mind, the mind knows Him
not. The intellect is His body. (Though) moving within the
intellect, the intellect knows Him not. The ego is His body.
(Though) moving within the ego, the ego knows Him not. The mind-
stuff is His body. (Though) moving within the mind-stuff, the mind-
stuff knows Him not. The unmanifest is His body. (Though) moving
within the unmanifest, the unmanifest knows Him not. The
imperishable is His body. (Though) moving within the imperishable,
the imperishable knows Him not. The Death is His body. (Though)
moving within Death, Death knows Him not. He, then, is the inner-
self of all beings, sinless, heaven-born, luminous, the sole
Narayana.
1. Superimposition is the thought, 'I am and mine are the body, the
senses, etc., which are all other than the Self. Through devotion to
Brahman, the wise man should repudiate it.
2. Knowing oneself to be the subject, the witness of intellect and
its operations, reject the idea of the Self being other than the
subject, identifying the 'I' with that (the subject).
3. Rejecting conformity with the world, the body, and the Shastras,
remove superimposition on the Self.
4. The mind of the Yogin perishes as he stays without intermission
in the Self alone, knowing, through reasoning, Shruti, and
experience, that one is the Self of all beings.
5. Without granting for a moment even a toe-hold for sleep, gossip,
verbal exchanges, etc., and self-forgetfulness, meditate on the Self
in the self.
6. Casting the body far aside, the offspring of parental exudations,
as its status is no better than that of an outcast, and becoming
Brahman, seek fulfilment.
7. Dissolve the self in the supreme Self as the pot-space is
dissolved in infinite space; then, as the Infinite be silent for
ever, O sage !
8. Having become the self-luminous Substratum, as Being, reject both
the macrocosm and the microcosm which are but abodes of impurities.
9. Locating the body-bound I-sense in the ever-blissful spiritual
Self, renounce the subtle body; eternally be the Absolute.
10. Knowing 'I am that Brahman' in which this world appearance
(exists) like a city reflected in a mirror, find fulfilment, O
sinless one !
11. Liberated from the grip of egoism, like the moon (after the
eclipse), full, ever blissful, self-luminous, one attains one's
essence.
12. The destruction of actions leads to that of thought; thence
results the dwindling of innate impulses (to act). The obliteration
of innate impulses is liberation; it is held to be freedom in life.
13. At all places and by all means, perceiving everything as Spirit,
one achieves the dissolution of innate impulses as it strengthens
the attitude of universal good will.
14. Never should one be heedless in devotion to Brahman; 'heedlessness is death' so aver the philosophers of Brahman
in regard to (this) science.
15. Just as a pulled-up water-reed stays not still, even for a
moment, so does Maya (ceaselessly) envelop even a wise man if he
averts his face (from the Truth).
16. Whosoever wins absoluteness while alive continues to be absolute
even after death. Rooted in concentration, O sinless one, remain
steadfast.
17. With the vision of the non-dual Self through unwavering
concentration comes the dissolution without residue of the knots of
ignorance in the heart.
18. Strengthening the sense of Self vis-â-vis this vision, and
rejecting it vis-â-vis the ego, etc., remain indifferent to them
all, as to objects like pots and clothes.
19. All things from Brahma down to clumps of grass are nothing but
unreal adjuncts. Distinct from them, see one's Self existing as the
immutable plenum.
20. One's Self is Brahma, Vishnu, Indra and Shiva; this entire world
is one's Self; other than this Self, there is nothing.
21. After repudiating all objective appearances superimposed on
one's Self, one remains alone as the supreme Brahman, full, non-
dual, stirless.
22. The world is a postulation, as good as non-existent, in the one
Reality that is immutable, formless, unqualified; whence is
difference?
23. (In the one Reality) devoid of distinctions like the percipient,
perception, and the perceived, and of all sufferings, in the
absolutely full, spiritual, Self, like unto the ocean at the time of
cosmic dissolution, (whence is difference)?
24. Darkness implicit in It as in light is the cause of delusion.
Whence is difference in the supreme non-dual and unqualified
Reality?
25. In this uniform and supreme Reality, how can the agent of
differences dwell? In deep sleep that is nothing but bliss who has
perceived difference?
26. This perception of difference is rooted in the mind (of the
percipient); there is none of it in the absence of the mind.
Therefore, concentrate the mind on the supreme Self as the subject.
27. Upon realizing the Self that is impartite bliss as one's own
essence (there follows) the savouring of the timeless bliss that is
the Self, both externally and internally.
28. Of detachment the fruit is knowledge: of knowledge the fruit is
withdrawal. Experience of Self as bliss leads to peace; again, peace
is the fruit of withdrawal.
29. Without the consequent states, the precedent ones are fruitless,
indeed. Cessation is supreme satisfaction; matchless bliss is
spontaneous.
30. The expressed sense of the word tat (God) has Maya for His
adjunct; He is the world-cause. He is characterised by omniscience,
etc.; is tinged by transcendence, and is essentially Truth and so
forth.
31. The expressed sense of the word atvam' shines forth as the
content of the idea and expression 'I'; it is awareness blended with
the mind (the inner organ of perception).
32. Only through the exclusion of Maya and avidya, the adjuncts of
God and Jiva is the supreme Spirit, the impartite Being,
Consciousness and Bliss, indicated.
33. ato listen', thus is to pursue by means of sentences their
import. On the other hand, athinking' consists in perceiving its
consistency with reason.
34. 'Meditation' is indeed the exclusive attention of the mind fixed
on (the import) rendered indubitable through listening and thinking.
35. 'Concentration' is said to be the mind which, outgrowing the
dualism between the meditator and meditation, gradually dwells
exclusively on the object (of meditation) and is like a flame in a
windless spot.
36. Mind's modifications in regard to the Self are uncognized in
that state; they are (only) inferred as past, after quitting the
state of Samadhi.
37. Crores of karmans, accumulated in this beginningless
transmigratory life, are dissolved by means of concentration: (then)
pure virtue begins to flourish.
38. The best knowers of Yoga call this concentration the cloud of
virtues, since it rains the flood-waters of virtue in a thousand
streams.
39-40. When the load of innate impulses is dissolved without residue
by means of this (cloud of virtues) and heaps of karmans, good and
evil, are totally eradicated, the major text, which at first shone
forth immediately, now unobstructed, yields immediate awareness as
(clear) as the myrobalan in the palm (of one's hand).
41. The non-occurrence of the impulse (to enjoy, etc.,) in regard to
the objects of enjoyment marks the acme of detachment. The highest
pitch of awareness is (marked by) the non-occurrence of the egoistic
sense.
42(a). The acme of withdrawal is (marked by) the non-occurrence of
(even) the latent impulse (to enjoy).
42(b). He is the ascetic of steadfast wisdom who enjoys bliss for
ever;
43-44(a). Whose self is merged in Brahman alone; who is immutable
and quiescent. Wisdom (prajna) is defined as the unwavering
spiritual mode whose content is the unity of Brahman and Atman
purged (of all adjuncts).
44(b). Whosoever possesses it (wisdom) without a break is liberated
in life;
45. Who has no conceit of 'I' in regard to body and senses; nor the
conceit of objects in regard to things other than them—who is free
from these two conceits in regard to anything whatsoever is
liberated-in-life;
46. Who, in his wisdom, perceives no difference between the subject
and Brahman; who neither refers to the creator nor creation is
liberated in life.
47. Whose attitude is the same both when he is honoured by the
virtuous and when he is persecuted by the wicked is liberated in
life.
48. He who has realized the truth of Brahman no longer
transmigrates, as hitherto; if he does, this truth has not been
realized by him; he is but an extrovert.
49. As long as the experience of pleasure, etc., lasts, so long
operative karmans from the past are held to persist. (Causal)
actions precede the occurrence of effects; never is this unpreceded
by actions.
50. Consequent on the experience 'I am Brahman', karmans accumulated
in the course of aeons are dissolved, even as the actions in dreams
are, upon waking up.
51. Just as nothing clings to space, so to the sage, who knows the
Self to be unattached and indifferent, future actions cling not in
the least degree.
52. Just as space is unaffected by the smell of liquor though it
touches the pot (containing the liquor), so is Self unaffected by
the attributes of Its adjuncts.
53. Karmans done before the dawn of knowledge perish not as a result
of that knowledge; they must produce their proper effect even as an
arrow shot to hit a target (stops not before hitting it).
54. The arrow discharged (to hit) what was taken for a tiger stops
not, though, alter, (the target) is known to be a cow; the target is
hit with full force.
55. 'I am un-ageing'; 'I am immortal'—how can one who knows his
Self to be such and lives that knowledge fabricate operative past
actions?
56. Then only is operative past action real when one mistakes one's
Self to be the body. The treatment of the body as Self is improper;
therefore reject (the notion) of operative past action.
57. The fabrication of operative past actions is also, indeed, a
delusion due to this body.
58. How can the superimposed be real? How can the unreal be born?
How can the unborn perish? How can the unreal own operative past
actions?
59-60. To answer the dull-witted (who) doubtfully ask how this body
persists if the entire effects of nescience with their cause are
destroyed by knowledge, Shruti, with an outward eye, propounds the
theory of operative past actions; not to suggest to the wise that
the body, etc., are real.
61. A total plenum, without beginning and end, measure and change.
Massed being and intelligence, massed eternal bliss, undiminishing,
62. With the sole savour of the subject, full, endless, behold all,
Neither to be shunned nor seized, neither to be held nor propped;
63. Beyond inert forces and actions, subtle, certain, unblemished;
Whose essence is beyond thought, beyond mid and words;
64. Existent, a plenitude, self-proven, pure, awake and matchless.
One only is non-dual Brahman; here is no plurality at all.
To Apantaratamas was this science imparted. He imparted it to
Brahma, who passed it on to Ghorangiras. The latter gave it to
Raikva and Raikva to Rama. Rama imparted it to all beings. This is
the injunction in regard to Nirvana; this is the injunction of the
Vedas, of the Vedas. This is the secret teaching.
Om ! That (Brahman) is infinite, and this (universe) is infinite.
The infinite proceeds from the infinite.
(Then) taking the infinitude of the infinite (universe),
It remains as the infinite (Brahman) alone.
Om ! Let there be Peace in me !
Let there be Peace in my environment !
Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !
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