Subala
Upanishad
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 !
LESSON ONE: THE SUBSISTENCE AND DISSOLUTION OF THE UNIVERSE
1-3. The Unqualified Brahman: They say What existed ? He replied
Neither the existent nor the non-existent. From that Tamas was born;
from Tamas was born Bhitadi (Prakriti Matter), from it space, from
space air, from air fire, from fire water and from water earth.
This became the Egg; which existing for just a year became two-fold
earth below and sky above. Between was Divine Man with a thousand heads,
eyes, feet and arms (Virat-purusha).
4-6. He at first created the death of all creatures, having three eyes,
heads and feet, armed with an axe. Brahma was afraid he entered Brahma
himself, he created seven mental sons they created seven Virats, the
pro-creators.
His face was Brahmana, arms were made into Kshatriya, thighs became the
Vaishya, Sudra was born from the feet, air and vital air (Prana) from
his ear, all this is from his heart.
Thus the First Section
1. From the Apana were created Nisadas, Yakshas etc., from the bones
mountains, from the hair plants and trees, from the forehead Rudra (of
anger).
2. The breath of this great being became Rik and other Vedas, phonetics,
kalpa (the manual of ritual), grammar, etymology, metre, logic,
astronomy, exegetic, law, comments, glosses etc.
3. The golden light in which dwell the self, all worlds made itself into
two woman and man. Becoming Deva created Devas, becoming Rishi created
Rishis, also Yakshas etc., as well as wild as wild and domestic animals,
bull and cow, horse and mare, male and female donkey, earth and the
boar.
4. At the end, becoming Vaisvanara (fire), he burned (destroyed) all
creatures earth was absorbed in water, water in fire, fire in air, air
in ether, ether in sense organs, they in subtle elements, they in
Prakriti, Prakriti in Mahat, Mahat in Avyakta, Avyakta in Akshara,
Akshara in Tamas, it in God. Then there is neither existent nor
non-existent. This is the doctrine of dissolution (as given in) Vedas.
Thus the Second Section
LESSON TWO: THE FOURTH PRINCIPLE
1. In the beginning, this was non-existent. The man of wisdom does
grow, meditating upon the Atman which has no birth, no rising, nor
setting, unestablished, having no sound, touch, form, taste, smell,
decay nor any thing bigger.
2. Without vital breath, face, ears, speech, mind, radiance, eyes, name,
lineage, head, hands or feet, smoothness, blood, measurability, neither
long, short nor gross, nor atomic, shoreless, beyond description, not
open, nor illuminable, nor closed, without inside or outside; it neither
eats nor is eaten.
3. One can achieve (realize) this only by means of truth, charity,
undying austerity, celibacy, detachment with six parts. He shall observe
the three, self control, munificence and compassion. His vital airs do
not depart but merge here in Brahman.
Thus the Third Section
1. In the midst of the heart, is a mass of red flesh in which is the
Dahara of Lotus (in shape), blossoming in many ways like lily there
are ten holes in the heart where the vital airs are established.
2. When the (Jiva) is connected with Prana, then he sees rivers and
cities of many kinds; when with Vyana, he sees Devas and Rishis; with
Apana, Yakshas etc.; with Udana, the celestial worlds, gods, Skanda and
Jayanta; with Samana, wealth also; with Vairambha (Prana) sees what is
seen, heard, eaten and not eaten, visible and invisible.
3. Then these Nadis become hundred; from these, branch out seventy two
thousand Nadis, in which the self sleeps and makes noises, in the second
sheath he sleeps and sees this world and the other, hears all sounds
this they call clarity. Prana defends the body. The Nadis are filled
with green, blue, yellow, red and white blood.
4. This Dahara lotus is blooming in many ways like a lily and like hair,
so also the Nadis are placed in the heart. The divine self sleeps in the
great sheath when there are no desires, no sleep even, there are no
Devas or their worlds, Yagas, Mother, Father, kinsmen, no thieves or
Brahmana-killer. All this is water Again by the same path, he returns
to wakefulness, this Samraj.
Thus the Fourth Section
1. The supreme being assigns places to their owners the Nadi is their
link. The eye is the owner in the body amidst the elements what is
seen in the divinity the artery is the link. He that is in the eye, in
the sun, artery, vital air, knowledge, bliss, hearts sky he that
moves inside all these is the self. Meditate on that self that is
ageless, deathless, fearless, endless.
2. The ear is the owner in the body amidst the elements, (the guardians
of) the quarters the deity, the artery is the link. He that is in the
ear, audible objects, in the quarters etc., -- he that moves inside all
this is the self. Meditate on that self who is ageless, deathless,
fearless, painless, endless.
3. The nose is the owner in the body, the smellable is the elemental.
The earth is the deity, the artery is the link. He that is in the nose
etc., -- meditate on him.
4. The tongue is the owner of the body, the savourable is the elemental.
Varuna is the deity; the artery is the link. He that is in the tongue
etc., -- meditate on him.
5. The skin is the owner of the body, the touchable is the elemental,
Vayu is the deity, the artery is the link. He that is in the skin etc.,
-- meditate on him.
6. The mind is the owner, the thinkable things are the elemental, the
moon is the deity, the artery is the link. He that is in the mind etc.,
-- meditate on him.
7. Intellect is the owner, the cognizable is the elemental. Brahma the
deity etc. He that is in the intellect etc., -- meditate on him.
8. Ego is the owner object of the I concept is the elemental, Rudra
the deity He that is the ego meditate on him.
9. Speech the owner, utterable the elemental, fire the deity He that
is meditate on him.
10. The mind stuff is the owner, the apprehensible is the elemental, the
Jiva is the deity meditate on him.
11. The hands are the owners, what is
grasped is the elemental, Indra the deity He that is in the hands
etc., -- meditate on him.
12. The feet are the owners, the
destination is the elemental, Vishnu the deity He that is in the feet
etc., -- meditate on him.
13. The male organ is the owner, the delectable is the elemental, |