Principal Upanishads

Minor Upanishads

Narada-Parivrajaka Upanishad - Part 7

VII-1. Then asked about the restrictions to (the conduct of) the ascetic, the god Brahma said to them in front of Narada. (The ascetic) being dispassionate shall reside in a fixed abode during the rains and move about for eight months alone; he shall not (then) reside in one place (continuously). The mendicant monk shall not stay in one place like a deer out of fright. He shall not accept (any proposal to prolong his stay) which militates against his departure. He shall not cross a river (swimming) with his hands. Neither shall he climb a tree (for fruits). He shall not witness the festival in honour of any god. He shall not subsist on food from one place (alone).

He shall not perform external worship of gods. Discarding everything other than the Self and subsisting on food secured as alms from a number of houses as a bee (gathers honey), becoming lean, not increasing fat (in the body), he shall discard (the fattening) ghee like blood. (He shall consider) getting food in one house alone as (taking) meat, anointing himself with fragrant unguent as smearing with an impure thing, treacle as an outcaste, garment as a plate with leavings of another, oil-bath as attachment to women, delighting with friends as urine, desire as beef, the place previously known to him as the hut of an outcaste, women as snakes, gold as deadly poison, an assembly hall as a cemetery, the capital city as dreadful hell (Kumbhipaka), and food in one house as lumps of flesh of a corpse.

Discarding the sight of others as different from himself and also the ways of the world, leaving his native place, avoiding the places previously known to him, recollecting the bliss of the Self like the joy of regaining a forgotten object and forgetting the pride in his body and native place, admitting that his body is fit to be discarded like a corpse, he shall remain far away leaving the place of his children and close relatives as a thief does when released from prison. Subsisting on food secured without effort, devoting himself to meditation on Brahman and the Pranava and freed of all (worldly) activities, having burnt passion, anger, greed, delusion, pride, envy, etc., and unaffected by the three gunas (Sattva etc.,), free of the six human infirmities (hunger, thirst, etc.,), devoid of change due to the six states (of beings namely origin, existence, etc.,), true in speech, pure, not hating any one, (residing) one night in a village, five nights in a city, five nights in sacred spots, five nights in holy places on the banks of sacred rivers, without a fixed abode, with a steady mind, never uttering a falsehood, he may reside in mountain-caves; he shall journey alone, (but intent on the four months of rest during the rains, chaturmashya) he may journey in the company of another towards a village, and as three or four towards a city.

(The rule is) that a mendicant monk shall journey alone. He shall not allow free play to the fourteen organs there. Enjoying the wealth of dispassion brought on by the full knowledge (of the transient nature of worldly life), (firmly) resolved in himself that there is no one other than his Self and there is no other different from him, seeing everywhere his own form and (thus) attaining liberation while living (jivanmukti), and conscious of his fourfold Self (as Otir, etc.,) till the end of the sway of prarabdha-karman, (the ascetic) shall live meditating on his Self till his body falls.

   VII-2. (These are) bathing at the three periods (sandhyas) of the day by the Kutichaka ascetic, twice by the Bahudaka, once by the Hamsa, mental bath by the Paramahamsa, bath (i.e. smearing) of holy ashes by the Turiyatita, and air-bath by the Avadhuta.

   VII-3. The Kutichaka should put on the perpendicular mark of sandal on the forehead (urdhvapundra), the Bahudaka the three horizontal lines of holy ashes (tripundra), the Hamsa (either) the urdhvapundra or the tripundra, the Paramahamsa the smearing of holy ashes, the Turiyatita the mark of sandal (tilakapundra), the Avadhuta none at all (or) the Turiyatita and the Avadhuta (have none at all).

   VII-4. The Kutichaka shall have a shave (in each of the six) seasons, the Bahudaka a shave (at the end of) two seasons, the Paramahamsa no shave or if there is, a shave in six months (at the time of the solstice, ayana), and no shave to the Turiyatita and the Avadhuta.

   VII-5. The Kutichaka takes food in one house, the Bahudaka collects alms from door to door as a bee does honey, the Hamsa and the Paramahamsa use the hand as the vessel (i.e. begging bowl), the Turiyatita is cow-mouthed (i.e. food is placed in his mouth) and the Avadhuta takes food at random (as does a python).

   VII-6. The Kutichaka (wears) two garments, the Bahudaka one garment, the Hamsa a piece (of cloth), the Paramahamsa is either unclad or wears a single loin-cloth, the Turiyatita and the Avadhuta are unclad (lit. they remain as at the time of birth). The Hamsa and the Paramahamsa wear a (deer-)skin, not the others.

   VII-7. The Kutichaka and the Bahudaka (practise) worship of gods, the Hamsa and the Paramahamsa worship mentally, the Turiyatita and the Avadhuta feel, ‘That I am’ (i.e. they identify the individual soul with the supreme spirit)

   VII-8. The Kutichaka and the Bahudaka have the right to recite mantras, the Hamsa and the Paramahamsa to meditate (on them), the Turiyatita and the Avadhuta have no right for either of the two (practices), (but) the Turiyatita and the Avadhuta have the right to give instruction on the great Vedantic texts; so also the Paramahamsa. The Kutichaka, the Bahudaka and the Hamsa have no right to give instruction to others.

   VII-9. The Kutichaka and the Bahudaka (are to meditate on) the Pranava of men (the external Pranava consisting of four mantras), the Hamsa and the Paramahamsa on the antarapranava (consisting of eight mantras), the Turiyatita and the Avadhuta on brahmapranava (consisting of sixteen matras).

   VII-10. The Kutichaka and the Bahudaka shall listen (to the exposition of the Vedanta), the Hamsa and the Paramahamsa reflect on them, the Turiyatita and the Avadhuta have profound and repeated meditation on them. The rule is that all these (ascetics) shall meditate on the Self.

   VII-11. Thus the aspirant after liberation always remembering the liberating mantra (Om) which enables him to cross (the ocean of) worldly life, shall live ‘liberated while living’; the ascetic shall seek the means to attain final beatitude (Kaivalya) according to the rules of the special order (of the ascetic in which he finds himself). Thus (ends the seventh chapter of) the Upanishad.

VIII-1. Then Narada asked the god Brahma: ‘Be pleased to expound the saviour mantra for ending the course of worldly life’. Agreeing to it the god Brahma commenced to expound it. The Om (is) Brahman in the mode of viewing it as made up of many separate bodies (vyashti) and as made up of parts each of which is cosubstantially the same with the whole (samashti). Which is the vyashti ? Which is the samashti ? The samhara Pranava and srishti Pranava are of three kinds: the inner Pranava (Antah-Pranava), the outer Pranava (Bahya-Pranava) and the combined inner and outer Pranava (Ubhayatmaka-Pranava).

The (one) Brahma-Pranava is (sometimes) the inner Pranava (consisting of eight matras) and the practical Pranava (Vyaharika-Pranava). The outer Pranava and the Pranava of the sages (Arsha-Pranava). The combined inner and outer Pranava is the Virat-Pranava. The Samhara-Pranava, the Brahma-Pranava and the Ardhamatra-Pranava. (Thus the Brahma-Pranava is of eight kinds: Samhara-Pranava, Srishti-Pranava, Antah-Pranava, Bahya-Pranava, Vyavaharika-Pranava, Arsa-Pranava, Virat-Pranava and Ardhamatra-Pranava).

   VIII-2. The Om is Brahman. Know that the Om consisting of one syllable is the Antah-Pranava. It is divided into eight (matras) – the vowel ‘a’, the vowel ‘u’, the consonant ‘m’, the half-syllable (ardha-matra) the nada, the bindu, the kala and the shakti. Hence it is not four (as its chief matras have been said to be). The vowel ‘a’ consists of ten thousand parts, the vowel ‘u’ is of a thousand parts, the letter ‘m’ of a hundred parts and the Ardhamatra-Pranava consists of an endless number of parts. The Virat-Pranava is possessed of attributes (Saguna) and the Samhara-Pranava is free of attributes (Nirguna), the Utpatti-Pranava consists of both (Saguna and Nirguna). The Virat-Pranava is prolated (pluta). The Samhara-Pranava is pluta-pluta.

   VIII-3. The Virat-Pranava consists of sixteen matras and is beyond the thirty-six primary substances. How has it sixteen matras. They are enumerated: the vowel ‘a’ is the first, the vowel ‘u’ is the second, the letter ‘m’ is the third, the ardhamatra is the fourth, the bindu is the fifth, the nada the sixth, the kala the seventh, the kalatita the eighth, shanti the ninth, the santyatita the tenth, the unmani the eleventh, the manonmani the twelfth, the puri the thirteenth, the madhyama the fourteenth, the pashyanti the fifteenth, and the para the sixteenth. Again the Brahma-Pranava though only one attains the state of possessing or not possessing attributes (Saguna and Nirguna), having attained the state of possessing 128 matras, due to the twofold character of Prakriti and Purusha, when it has sixty-four matras each.

   VIII-4. This (Brahma-Pranava) is the prop of all, the supreme effulgence and the lord of all –thus (the sages with true vision) look upon it. It consists of all gods and the prop of all universe (the Lord) is in it.

   VIII-5. It consists of all the syllables; it is the Time; it is composed of all the scripture and is the auspicious one (Shiva). It is the most excellent of all the Vedas and consists of (the essence) of all the Upanishads; this (Om, the Atman) should be sought.

   VIII-6. Past, present and future constitute the three periods – the indestructible syllable Om (pervades and transcends) these; know that it is the beginning (of everything) and the bestower of final beatitude.

   VIII-7. The same (Om) which is the Atman has been described by the word Brahman. Similarly experiencing it as the one (without a second), the ageless, the immortal, the Om and super-imposing the Om along with the body (on Brahman) it becomes one with it. Know it for certain then that the triple-bodied Atman is the supreme Brahman.

   VIII-8. One should deeply meditate on the supreme Brahman in the due order of Vishva, etc., (the Vishva, the Viraj, the Otir and the Turya).

   VIII-9-11. This Atman is fourfold – as experiencing the gross aspect (as the Vishva) when it is an individual in the gross aspect, as enjoying (the world) in the dreaming state in a subtle form when it has assumed the subtle form (of the Taijasa), as (enjoying bliss) in the state of identity (of the Prajna and the Ishvara), and as enjoying bliss (in the Turya state). The Atman is of four padas (quarters). The Vishva consisting of four stages (Vishva-Vishva, Vishva-Taijasa, Vishva-Prajna and Vishva-Turya) is the Purusha Vaishvanara. It functions in the waking state. It perceives gross forms (of the phenomenal world) and experiences them. It possesses nineteen faces (the five organs of perception, the five organs of action, the five vital airs and the four inner senses of manas, buddhi, ahamkara and chitta), has eight limbs (the sky as the head, the sun and the moon the two eyes, the directions the ears, the sea the lower part of the abdomen, the earth the feet), moves everywhere and is the master (Prabhu).

   VIII-12-13. This Vishva (jit) is the first pada (of the Atman).[The Vishva (the Vishvapada of the Atman) has four aspects in the four states of waking, dreaming, deep sleep and the Turya. In the waking state it functions through the senses and experiences the sight, etc., of objects. This is the waking within the waking state (jagrat-jagrana). Its experiencer in the individual aspect is the Vishva-Vishva (the Vishva subdivision of the Vishvapada of the Atman); it is Virat-Viraj in the collective aspect.

It is Otir-Otir in the individual and collective aspects. When the mind grasps objects without the functioning of the senses it is dreaming within the waking state (jagrat-svapna); its experiencer is Vishva-Taijasa (the Taijasa subdivision of the Vishva). When one is not conscious of anything but remains as if unconscious then it is sleep within the waking state (jagrat-susupti); its experiencer is the Vishva-Prajna (the Prajna subdivision of the Vishva). When one is in equanimity due to the grace of the Guru or the fruition of one’s good deeds (punya), as if one were in Samadhi, and behaves like an onlooker (sakshin) it is the Turya in the waking state (jagrat-turya). Its experiencer is the Vishva-Turya (the Turya subdivision of the Vishva)].

The second pada (of the Atman the Taijasa, too, has four aspects (the Taijasa-Vishva, the Taijasa-Taijasa, the Taijasa-Prajna and the Taijasa-Turya) and is the lord of beings, the Hiranyagarbha. It functions as the master in the dreaming state. It perceives subtle forms (of the phenomenal world) and experiences them. Though possessing eight limbs it is one and not different, Oh Narada (lit. the tormentor of foes).

VIII-14-16. [When in the dreaming state the Atman experiences the sight, etc., of objects with dream-eyes, etc., without the active functioning of the mind then there is the waking within the dreaming state (svapna-jagarana) and its experiencer is the Taijasa-Vishva (the Vishva subdivision of the Taijasa). Its experiencer is the Sutra-Viraj in the collective aspect of the experiences of the svapna-jagarana state; it is the Otir subdivision of the Anujnatir in the individual and collective aspects. When in the dreaming state the Atman enjoys the objects by the mind alone without the functioning of the dream-eyes, etc., and the svapna-jagarana state, it is the state of svapna-svapna (dreaming within the dreaming state).

Its experiencer is the Taijasa-taijasa (the Taijasa subdivision of the Taijasa pada of the Atman). When there is no experience of the svapna-jagarana and the svapna-svapna states and there is no perception either by the dream-eyes, etc., or by the mind and there is a total forgetfulness of external objects and of oneself, that state of insensibility is the svapna-susupti (the state of deep sleep within the dreaming state).

The Atman who experiences this state is the Taijasa-Prajna (the Prajna subdivision of the Taijasa pada of the Atman). When due to the fruition of one’s good deeds there are no perceptions of the three previous states of the dreaming state and the Atman remains in the Turya state of the dreaming state, when there shines a neutral state (the state of a witness) of generic and particular experiences of the external world and of the inner senses, that state is svapna-turya (the Turya subdivision of dreaming state) and the Atman who experiences this is the Taijasa-Turya (the Turya subdivision of the Taijasa pada of the fourfold Atman].

When one is asleep and neither hankers after desire nor sees any dream, that is clearly deep sleep. In this state functions the four-fold Prajna (as Prajna-Vishva, Prajna-Taijasa, Prajna-Prajna and Prajna-Turya), which is termed the third pada of the Atman. This Atman is one, remains in the state of deep sleep, possesses the fullness of wisdom, enjoys happiness, consists of everlasting bliss and remains in the heart of all beings; yet he enjoys bliss, has the mind for his face, is omnipresent and indestructible and is the Ishvara.

VIII-17. He is the lord of all, omniscient and subtle in conception. He permeates all beings; he is the prime source, the origin and the destruction of all.

VIII-18. All these three stages (of waking, dreaming and deep sleep) are a hindrance to the annihilation of all activities to beings (i.e. for self-realization); hence they are akin to the state of deep sleep; it is really dream-stuff and has been said to be an illusion alone. [In the state of deep sleep when the person remaining in either of the two states of waking or dreaming desires to move to the state of deep sleep and experiences the false notion of form, etc., of objects with the eyes, etc., then it is the state of waking within deep sleep (susupti-jagrat); its experiencer in the individual aspect is the Vishva subdivision of the Prajna; in its collective aspect it is the Viraj subdivision of the Bijatman; in the combined individual and collective aspect it is the Anujnaikarasotir.

In the state of deep sleep when the Atman is free of the false notion of form, etc., of external objects and occupying a position in either of the waking or dreaming states experiences the false notions of form, etc., of objects, it is the state of dreaming with in deep sleep (svapna-svapna). The experiencing Atman then is the Prajna-Taijasa (the Taijasa subdivision of the Prajna). Again in deep sleep when the Atman, though experiencing the false notion of form, etc., of objects with the false activities (of seeing, etc.), which pervade one’s consciousness (Chaitanya), is yet not experiencing them as if stagnant, then it is the state of deep sleep within deep sleep. The experiencing Atman then is the Prajna-Prajna (the Prajna subdivision immanent in the Prajna). Again in the state of deep sleep when the Atman enjoys bliss, remaining as the witness of the experiences of the three previous stages in deep sleep, then it is the Turya state of deep sleep and the experiencing Atman is the Prajna-Turya (the Turya subdivision of the Prajna)].

VIII-19-20. The fourth (pada, the Turya) though fourfold (as Turya-Vishva, Turya-Taijasa, Turya-Prajna and Turya-Turya) is indeed the one essence of pure consciousness, for the reason that each one of these (Vishva, etc.,) culminates in the Turya state. (The Turya state) forms the basis for the differentiation (of the Atman) as Otir, Anujnatir and Anujnana (i.e. Anujnanaikarasa). These three different states are (really) susupta (as they merely constitute a veil of the Turya-Turya which is supreme bliss) and consists of an inward dream-stuff. Knowing that (anything other than the Turya-Turya) is mere illusion, there remains the next moment the one essence of pure consciousness.

   VIII-21. [As the Turya-Turya, being the one state of bliss, is incapable of subdivisions in the individual, collective, and partly individual and partly collective aspects, the Turya by itself is not of a fourfold nature, but only three (excluding the Turya-Turya). This threefold nature of the Turya may be explained thus: As there are distinctions in external objects, the knower of Brahman perceives them with his senses, but without distinction; this state is the turya-jagarana; the Atman who experiences this state individually is the Turya-Vishva, collectively it is the Turya-Viraj, partly individual partly collective it is the Avikalpa-Otir. When the knower of Brahman, with all sense-activities abated, perceives the oneness of the Self with Brahman by his mind alone it is the state of turya-svapna; the Atman who experiences this is the Turya-Taijasa. When the person is in distinctionless deep meditation (Nirvikalpa-samadhi) and remains as if in a state of suspended animation, it is the state of turya-susupti and the experiencing Atman is the Turya-Prajna.

Here is the distinct precept that the Turya-Turya is not at any time gross wisdom, (as it is not the Otrotir which is the same as Vishva-Vishva and the Viraj-Viraj, experiencing the jagrat-jagarana state), nor indeed the subtle sentience (as it is different from the Taijasa, Sutra and Anujnatir of the Svapna-jagarana state), nor pure consciousness (Prajna), (as it is different from the Otir-Avikalpa, the same as the Vishva, the Viraj and the Turya of the form of consciousness disclosing the presence or absence of the jagrat-jagarana and other states), nor anywhere else, Oh sage.

   VIII-22. It is not non-consciousness (Aprajna) (as it is far away from the Anujnatir-Otir, identical with the Taijasa-Vishva and the Sutra-Viraj that are without outward perception in the svapna-jagarana state), nor of both gross and subtle consciousness (as it is outside the scope of Otir-Anujnaikarasa, identified with the Vishva-Prajna and the Viraj-Bija of the jagrat-svapna state which is outside the province of true knowledge), nor exclusive intelligence (as it is not within the scope of Anujnatir-Anujnaikarasa, identified with the Taijasa-Prajna and the Sutra-Bija of the form of exclusive intelligence functioning in the svapna-svapna state) and is never perceptible (as it is beyond the range of the Anujnatir-Anujnatir, identified with the taijasa-Taijasa and the Sutra-Sutra deluded by the vision created by the mind in the svapna-svapna state).

   VIII-23. It cannot be defined (as it is different from the Anujnaikarasa-Anujnatir, identified with the Prajna-Taijasa and the Bija-Sutra which can be known only through the ignorance of the Atman in the svapna-svapna state), cannot be grasped (as it is different from the Anujnaikarasa-Otir, identified with the Prajna-Vishva and the Bija-Viraj, which can be grasped through the ignorance of the Atman in the svapna-jagarana state), is incapable of being expressed (as it is different from the Anujnatir-Avikalpa, identified with the Taijasa-Sutra-Turiya, which manifests the presence or absence of the svapna-jagarana and other states in the svapna-turya state), is beyond thought (as it is outside the Anujnaikarasa-Anujnaikarasa, identified with the Prajna-Prajna and the Bija-Bija in the svapa-svapa state, having only the recollection, ‘I know not anything of that state’), is incapable of being given a name (as it is untouched by the perception of the Anujnaikarasa-Avikalpa, identified with the Prajna-Bija-Turya, that could be named as the witness of the presence or absence of the svapna-jagarana and similar states in the svapna-turya state), is also the essence of the conviction in the one Atman (as it is different from the perceptions of the Avikalpa-Otir, identified with the Turya-Vishva-Viraj, experiencing the turya-jagarana state), is the annihilation of worldly life (as it cannot bear even the smell of the Avikalpa-Anujnatir, identified with the Turya-Taijasa-Sutra which in some cases does not put an end to worldly life and which experiences the turya-svapna state), is quiescent (as it differs from the experience of the Avikalpa-Anujnaikarasa, identified with the Turya-Prajna-Bija experiencing the turya-svapna state), is the auspicious one (as it is the same as final beatitude – Kaivalya – in the disembodied state) and is the non-dual one (as it is of the form of the supreme non-dual state without a counter-part) – this (the knowers of Brahman) consider as the fourth (the turya-turya); it is the (same as the) Brahma-Pranava. This should be realized and not any other (called) turya. This (turya-turya) is the prop to the seekers after liberation as the sun (to the phenomenal world); it is self-effulgent (as it is the source of lustre to the sun, etc.,); it is the ether of Brahman (as it is without a counter-part); it always shines as it is the transcendent Brahman. Thus (ends the eighth chapter of) the Upanishad.

Narada-Parivrajaka Upanishad - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8