Principal Upanishads

Minor Upanishads

Narada-Parivrajaka Upanishad - Part 5

    V-1. Then Narada asked of the god Brahma: ‘Lord, you have said that renunciation entails ceasing from all activity. Again you have said that one shall be zealous in the conduct of one’s stage of life’.

   Then the god Brahma replied: ‘To the embodied being there are the four stages of waking, dreaming, sleeping and the fourth stage (Turiya). Under their influence people who engage themselves in action, knowledge and dispassion, conform to them in their conduct’. ‘If this is so, Lord, how many kinds of renunciation are there ? What are the differences in their practice ? Pray expound to us completely’. Agreeing to this saying ‘Be it so’ the god Brahma (said to) him (as follows).

   V-2. If the question is raised, ‘How does conduct differ in the varieties of renunciation ? (the answer is) that renunciation is really one only, that it becomes threefold due to imperfection of knowledge (vidvat-sannyasa), incapacity (vividisha-sannyasa) and failure in action (atura-sannyasa) and it attains the four stages of renunciation due to dispassion, renunciation due to wisdom, renunciation due to wisdom and dispassion and renunciation of action.

   V-3. This is how it is. Due to the absence of wicked passion, by indifference to objects of pleasure and by the influence of good actions done before, one who renounces the world is (called) the renouncer due to dispassion.

   V-4. Due to the knowledge of the scripture (shastras), withdrawing from the phenomenal world by listening to sinful and auspicious experiences of the world; desisting from all the world composed of anger, jealousy, intolerance, egotism and pride; discarding bodily inclinations such as desire for wife, desire for wealth and desire for worldly glory, (excessive) regard for the shastras and public esteem; considering all these common things to be eschewed as vomit; endowed with the four disciplines (such as discrimination or permanent and transitory things) – he who renounces thus alone is a renouncer due to wisdom.

   V-5. Having studied all (scripture) in due order and experienced all (worldly life) one who, influenced by wisdom cum dispassion and deep meditation on the Self, becomes an unclad (ascetic), is the renouncer due to wisdom cum dispassion.

   V-6. Having completed the course of disciplined student-ship in celibacy, becoming a householder, reaching the stage of a forest-dweller, he who (thereafter) renounces the world in accordance with the order of the stages of life even in the absence of dispassion, is a renouncer of (worldly) activities.

   V-7. Renouncing the world in celibacy and becoming unclad in renunciation – such is the renouncer due to dispassion. The renouncer due to (scriptural) learning is the renouncer due to wisdom. The renouncer due to imperfect knowledge is the renouncer of (worldly) activity.

   V-8. Renunciation of activity is of two kinds: renunciation due to (some) cause and renunciation without (an adventitious) cause. The one with cause is the afflicted (and is at the point of death); the causeless is renunciation in the regular order.

   The afflicted skips over all preliminary ritual acts; it is renunciation at the point of the departure of the vital breath; this is renunciation due to (some) cause. Hale in body (but convinced) that created things are transient and hence all things such as the body are fit to be abandoned:

   V-9. ‘The individual soul, non-different from Brahman, pervading pure ether, the sun (Vasu), remaining in the sky, the Fire that rests in the altar (of the universe), the Guest, residing in the house (of the sacrifice), residing in men, dwelling in the superior (gods), resting in truth, residing in the sky (as the sun), born in the waters, born on earth (as grain, etc.,) born as (sacrificial) truth, born in mountains (as rivers), this truth (Brahman) is (truly) great.

   V-10. Convinced that everything other than Brahman is transcient and as a result he renounces, that renunciation is renunciation without (an adventitious) cause.

   V-11. Renunciation is of six kinds – Kutichaka, Bahudaka, Hamsa, Paramahamsa, Turiyatita and Avadhuta.

   V-12. The Kutichaka ascetic wears tuft and sacred thread, carries an (emblematic) staff and water vessel, puts on a loin cloth and patched garment, is devoted to the service of father, mother and preceptor, has recourse to the assistance of using mantras for the vessel (pithara), spade (khanitra) and sling (sikya), is addicted to eating food in one place, puts on the forehead a perpendicular sign of white sandal and has a three-fold (emblematic) staff.

   V-13. The Bahudaka ascetic wears tuft, etc., and patched garment, puts on the forehead a mark consisting of three horizontal lines of holy ashes, looks on all equally like the Kutichaka and subsists on eight mouthfuls of food gathered from (different) places like a bee.

   V-14. The Hamsa ascetic wears matted hair, puts on the forehead a horizontal mark of holy ashes or a perpendicular mark of sandal, subsists on food gathered without pre-determination like a bee and wears loincloth and khandatunda (a piece of cloth covering the mouth).

   V-15. The Paramahamsa ascetic wears no tuft or sacred thread, subsists only on food taken at night and gathered from five houses, has his hand serving as (alms-)bowl, wears a single loincloth and a single garment, (carries) one bamboo staff or wears a single garment, smears holy ashes (all over the body) and renounces everything.

   V-16. The Turiyatita ascetic is ‘cow-faced’ (eats food at random without using hands), eats fruits (only) or if he takes cooked food, gets it from three houses (i.e. three mouthfuls), has his body just alive, is unclad and has his body as though it were a corpse (due to insensibility by nirvikalpa-samadhi).

   V-17. The Avadhuta ascetic follows no rules, subsists on food that comes to him, as is the practice of a python, from all classes of people excepting those who are accused or fallen, and is solely devoted to the realization of his Self.

   V-18. If one lives in (great) affliction (of bodily infirmities), he shall renounce the world in the due order (by getting instruction in Pranava and the Mahavakyas from his Guru).

   V-19. To the Kutichaka, Bahudaka and Hamsa ascetics, the method of renunciation of the Kutichakas applies just as (renunciation is embraced after completing) the stages of brahmacharya, etc., (ending with) the fourth stage (namely, renunciation).

   V-20. The rule is that the triad of the Paramahamsa, etc., has no waist band, loincloth, garment, water vessel or staff; their soliciting alms shall be from all classes of people and they shall be unclad. Even in the stage of renunciation they may study (the scripture) till they feel fully satisfied and thereafter discard in the waters the waistband, loincloth, staff, garment and water-vessel. Then if unclad there shall not be any vestige of patched garment. They shall neither study nor expound (the scripture). There is nothing whatsoever for them worth hearing. Other than the Pranava (Om) they shall not cultivate any science of logic, not even the Verbal authority (i.e. the Veda). He shall not speak much in expounding (sacred texts), he shall not stultify by his words the words of the great, (he shall not) communicate by making signs with his hands, etc.,, nor shall he use other special means of communication. He shall not speak to the low class of people, women, the fallen and (specially to) women in their courses. To the ascetic there is no worship of the gods, nor seeing (the deities) during festivals nor any journey on pilgrimage.

   V-21. Again (on) the different kinds of ascetics. (In the rule relating) to the Kutichaka the receiving of alms is from one house; to the Bahudaka it is at random as in the case of a bee gathering honey; to the Hamsa it is eight mouthfuls (collected) from eight houses, to the Paramahamsa (five mouthfuls collected) from five houses, the hand being the (alms-)bowl; to the Turiyatita the food consists of fruits put into his mouth (gomukha); to the Avadhuta (the food comes to him) as in the case of a python, from all classes of people. The ascetic shall not stay many nights (in the same place). He shall not bow to any one. To the Turiyatita and Avadhuta none is superior. He who knows not the Self, though the eldest, is yet the youngest (in wisdom). He shall not swim across a river, nor climb a tree, nor travel in a carriage. He shall not indulge in buying and selling, nor barter even the least. He shall not put on airs nor speak an untruth. There is no duty enjoined on an ascetic. If there is, then he will have to mix with people practising religious observances (which is undesirable). Hence ascetics have the right (only) to meditation, etc.

   V-22. The renouncer in an emergency and the Kutichaka ascetic attain the worlds of Bhur and Bhuvar respectively. The Bahudaka ascetic attains heaven (Svarga). The Hamsa sage attains the (highest heaven of) Tapoloka. The Paramahamsa reaches the abode of Brahma and of Truth (Satyaloka). The Turiyatita and the Avadhuta attain final beatitude in the (individual) Self by deeply meditating on the Self according to the maxim of the wasp and the worm.

   V-23. ‘Whatever the state one remembers
    When discarding the body at death,
    The same he attains (after death).
    The teaching of the scripture is never false’.

   V-24. Thus having known (the procedure), barring investigation into the nature of the Self, (the ascetic) shall not devote himself to any other practice. As a result of such practice there is the attainment of the respective worlds (such as heaven, etc.,). By one endowed with wisdom and dispassion liberation is (attained) in himself; hence there is no adherence to any other practice. Adherence to (any other) practice (will be useless for attaining final beatitude). To the embodied (self) (there are the three states of) waking, dreaming and deep sleep; in the waking state (it has) the faculty to perceive individuality (vishva); in the dreaming state, the subtle essence of light (taijasa); in the state of deep sleep, intelligence dependent on individuality (prajna). Due to the difference in the state, there is the difference in the conditioned Lord (Ishvara). For the difference in effect, there is the difference in the cause. In these (three states) the material cause for (such differences) is the external and internal activity of the fourteen sensory organs. The mental states are four, the mind (manas), intelligence (buddhi), ego (ahamkara) and the heart (chitta). There is clear difference in practices due to the difference in the activity of the mental states.

   V-25. ‘Know (the individual Self) to be awake
    When it remains in the eye; when in the throat
    It enters the dreaming (state); it is in the heart
    In deep sleep; but remaining in the head
    It is the fourth state (Turiya)’.

   V-26. Knowing the Turiya to be the indestructible (Brahman) he who remains as though unconscious of all (happenings) such as whatever is heard or seen, remains as one in the state of deep sleep, though he is in the waking state. In him even in the dreaming state such condition (of non-consciousness) prevails. (The Shastras) say that he is one who is ‘liberated while living’. The exposition of the meaning of all scriptures is that such a person alone attains liberation. A mendicant monk does not hanker after this world or the next (i.e. Svarga, the heaven of varying enjoyments with a time-limit). If he has (such) expectation he becomes one in accordance with that.

By (ritual) practices of the scripture other than investigation into the Self, he does a useless thing, like the burden borne by a camel of a load of saffron flowers. (for him) there is no practice of the science of Yoga, no pursuit of the lore of the Sankhya, nor application of the mantras and rituals. If an ascetic practises lores other than (Self-realization) it is like adorning a corpse. As a cobbler is far away from the performance of Vedic rituals, so is he from the (practice of Brahma-)vidya (by his rituals). He is not to devote himself to repeat the Pranava. Whatever activity he does he has to reap the fruit there of. Hence discarding all (ritual acts) like the foam in castor oil, and seeing the unclad ascetic engaged in it (Self-realization) with complete control over the mind and using the hand as the (alms-)bowl, the mendicant monk shall (truly) renounce (all worldly attachments). Like the child, mad man or a goblin the mendicant monk shall not desire either for death or life, but shall merely mark time according to the maxim of a servant awaiting orders.

   V-27. If an ascetic merely lives on the alms devoid of the qualities of forbearance, wisdom, dispassion, tranquillity, etc., he is a bane of the conduct of ascetics.

   V-28. Not by bearing an (emblematic) staff, not by a shaven head, not by (special) dress, not by hypocritical airs (of sage-hood) does liberation (come to one).

   V-29. He who bears the staff of wisdom is said to be ‘single staffed’. The ascetic who carries a wooden stick, eats all sorts of food and is devoid of wisdom goes to terrible hells called Maharaurava.

   V-30. A stable position (in a monastery) is said by great sages to be similar to the excreta of a sow; hence, leaving it aside, the ascetic shall move about like an (assiduous) worm.

   V-31. The Turiyatita ascetic shall have food and clothing without solicitation and just as they happen to occur, by others will. He shall be unclad and have a bath at others’ will.

   V-32. The ascetic whose behaviour is well in harmony even with the dreaming state as with the waking state, is considered the best; he is the most excellent among those that follow the Vedanta.

   V-33. In non-acquirement (of alms) he shall not grieve; in its acquisition he shall not feel joy. Avoiding attachment to material things he shall simply keep himself alive (for a higher purpose).

   V-34. He shall in all cases shrink from being honoured (by admiring disciples); the ascetic who welcomes such honour gets bound (with worldly ties) though liberated.

   V-35. For the sake of bare subsistence an ascetic may go about for alms to the houses of approved classes of people (i.e. the ‘twice borns’) at the proper time when they have dined after the fire-ritual.

   V-36. Using his hand as a vessel (for receiving food) the ascetic shall not solicit alms more than once a day; he may eat the food standing, he may eat the food walking. There is no ceremonial sipping of water in between.

   V-37. (The ascetics) with pure thoughts keep within the limits (of good behaviour) like the sea; these great men do not abandon the prescribed course (of conduct) like the sun.

   V-38. When the ascetic seeks food with his mouth alone like a cow, he shall then be equanimous in all beings; he is (then) fit for immortality.

   V-39. Going to a house which is not forbidden (for alms), he shall avoid a house which is prohibited. He shall enter the house when the door is open; he shall never go towards the house when it is closed.

   V-40. He shall shelter (for the night) in a deserted house covered with dust, or he may shelter under a tree, giving up all likes and dislikes.

   V-41. The ascetic shall go to sleep where he is when the sun sets and be free of (ritual) fire and (fixed) abode. He shall live on what comes at random, self-possessed and senses subdued.

   V-42. Departing (from human habitations) and resorting to a forest, possessing true knowledge and senses subdued, moving about awaiting the time (of death), (the ascetic) becomes fit for absorption into Brahman.

   V-43. The sage who moves about, desisting from causing fear to all beings has nowhere fear from any being.

   V-44. Free from pride and egotism, unaffected by the pairs (of opposites), with all doubts dispelled, (the ascetic) never gets angry nor hates (any one) and does not utter a false word.

   V-45. Moving in holy places, causing no injury to living beings and receiving alms at the proper time, (the sage) is fit for absorption into Brahman.

   V-46. He shall at no time associate himself with the forest-dwellers (Vanaprasthas) and the householders. He shall desire to move about unobtrusively. Joy (of any kind) shall not enter him. His path indicated by the sun he shall walk the earth (unhurriedly) like a worm.

   V-47. Actions entailing blessing and those connected with injury as well as those intended for the welfare of the world, these (the ascetic) shall neither perform nor cause others to do.

   V-48. He shall not be attached to heterodox doctrines nor pursue a means of living. He shall not indulge in assertive arguments nor lean to either side in a debate.

   V-49. He shall not have a following of disciples nor study many books. He shall not utilise a commentary nor initiate inaugural functions anywhere.

   V-50. Without displaying any distinctive emblem or motive the ascetic shall show himself to the people as a mad man or a child or a dumb person though he is (all) wise.

   V-51. He shall neither do nor speak on anything. He shall have no thoughts good or bad. Delighting in the Self, the sage shall move about, leading this way of life.

   V-52. He shall move about the country alone, free from attachment, his senses subdued, playing with and rejoicing in the Self, self-possessed, equanimous.

   V-53. Wise (but) playful like a child, well versed but appearing dull-witted, (the ascetic) shall journey. Learned, he may speak like a mad man. Seeking food like a cow he shall walk in the path of the Upanishads.

   V-54-55. Disregarded, insulted, deceived, envied, beaten, obstructed or made to suffer by denial of food by wicked people or when faeces and urine are thrown at him by the ignorant and shaken in various ways, (the ascetic) desiring welfare but fallen into difficulties shall raise himself by the (power of the) Self.

   V-56-57. Honour received by the ascetic brings about great loss to the wealth of his penance (Yoga), but when he is disregarded by ignorant people he attains success in the practice of Yoga (as he becomes free of ego by the ordeal). Without transgressing right conduct of the good the Yogin may so move about, that (ordinary) people may disregard him; but they shall never associate with him.

   V-58. They Yogin (absorbed in meditation) shall do no harm by word, thought or physical action to beings such as the womb-born, the egg-born and others. He shall avoid all associations.

   V-59. Abandoning all defects, such as passion and anger as well as pride, greed, delusion, etc., the mendicant monk shall remain free from fear.

   V-60. Eaten food given as alms, observing silence, penance, meditation specially, (possessing) correct knowledge and dispassion – these are considered to be the duties of a mendicant monk.

   V-61. Wearing ochre garment, ever devoted to the Yoga of meditation, he may take shelter (for the night) at the outskirts of a village, the shade of a tree or even in a temple. He shall always live on alms and nowhere eat food obtained from one house alone.

   V-62. A wise man (before embracing renunciation) shall always be on the move till he attains purity of mind; there the pure-minded shall renounce worldly life and move about here and there.

   V-63. Visualising God (the Lord Vishnu) everything, both outwardly and inwardly, he shall move about at all times, silent and free from impurity like the breeze.

   V-64. Equanimous in joy and sorrow, patient and forgiving, eating what comes to his hand and seeing without enmity equally on the ‘twice-born’, the cow, the horse and the deer, etc., (he shall journey).

   V-65. Meditating on Vishnu (who is) the supreme Self and the Lord (Ishana), contemplating on the Supreme bliss and remembering that he is Brahman alone (he shall spend the time).

   V-66. Thus having become wise and possessing complete control over the mind, turning away from desires, unclad (by becoming an Avadhuta), always discarding all worldly affairs by thought, word and deed and turning his face away from the illusory phenomenal world, (the sage) becomes liberated (from worldly bondage) by deep meditation on his Self according to the maxim of the wasp and the worm. Thus (ends the fifth chapter of) the Upanishad.

Narada-Parivrajaka Upanishad - 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8