Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (with commentary) · Chapter 5.14

BrhUpBh_5,13.4 taṃ prāṇaṃ kṣattramityupāsīta /
prāṇau vai kṣattraṃ prasiddhametatprāṇo hi vai kṣattram /
kathaṃ prasiddhametatprāṇo hi vai kṣattram /
kathaṃ prasiddhatetyāha-trāyate pālayatyenaṃ piṇḍaṃ dehaṃ prāṇaḥ kṣaṇitoḥ śasrādihiṃsitātpunarmāṃsenā'pūrayati yasmāttasmātkṣatatrāṇātprasiddhaṃ kṣattratvaṃ prāṇasya /
vidvatphalamāha-pra kṣattramatraṃ na trāyate 'nyena kenacidityatraṃ kṣattraṃ prāṇaṃ prāpnotītyarthaḥ /
śākhāntare vā pāṭhātkṣattramātraṃ prāṇo bhavatītyarthaḥ /
kṣattrasya sāyujyaṃ salokatāṃ jayati ya evaṃ veda //4//
iti śrīmadbṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣadbhāṣye pañcamādhyāyasya trayodaśaṃ brāhmaṇam //13//
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bhūmir antarikṣaṃ dyaur ity aṣṭāv akṣarāṇi |
aṣṭākṣaraṃ ha vā ekaṃ gāyatryai padam |
etad u haivāsyā etat |
sa yāvad eṣu triṣu lokeṣu tāvad dha jayati yo 'syā etad evaṃ padaṃ veda

BrhUpBh_5,14.1 brahmaṇo hṛdayādyanekopādhiviśiṣṭasyopāsanamuktamathedānīṃ gāyatryupādhiviśiṣṭasyopāsanaṃ vaktavyamityārabhyate /
sarvacchandasāṃ hi gāyatrīcchandaḥ pradhānabhūtam /
tatprayoktṛgayatrāṇādgāyatrīti vakṣyati /
na cānyeṣāṃ chandasāṃ prayoktṛprāṇatrāṇasāmarthyam /
prāṇātmabhūtā ca sā sarvacchandasāṃ cā'tmā prāṇaḥ /
prāṇaśca kṣatatrāṇātkṣattramityuktam /
prāṇaśca gāyatrī /
tasmāttadupāsanameva vidhitsyate /
dvijottamajanmahetutvācca /
gāyatryā brāhmaṇamasṛjata triṣṭubhā rājanyaṃ jagatyā vaiśyamati dvijottamasya dvitīyaṃ janma gāyatrīnimittam /
tasmātpradhānā gāyatrī brāhmaṇā vyutthāya brāhmaṇā abhivadanti sa brāhmaṇo vipāpo virajo 'vicikitso brāhmaṇo bhavatītyuttamapuruṣārthasaṃbandhaṃ brāhmaṇasya darśayati /
tacca brāhmaṇatvaṃ gāyatrījanmamūlamato vaktavyaṃ gāyatryāḥ satattvam /
gāyatryā hi yaḥ sṛṣṭo dvijottamo niraṅkuśa evottamapuruṣārthasādhane 'dhikriyate 'tastanmūlaḥ paramapuruṣārthasaṃbandhaḥ /
tasmāttadupāsanavidhānāyā'ha-bhūmirantarikṣaṃ dyaurityetānyaṣṭāvakṣarāṇi /
aṣṭākṣaramaṣṭāvakṣarāṇi yasya tadidamaṣṭākṣaram /
ha vai prasiddhāvadyotakau /
ekaṃ prathamaṃ gāyatryai gāyatryāḥ padam /
yakāreṇaivāṣṭatvapūraṇam /
etadu haivaitadevāsyā gāyatryāḥ padaṃ pādaḥ prathamo bhūmyādilakṣaṇasrailokyātmā /
aṣṭākṣaratvasāmānyāt /
evametattrailokyātmakaṃ gāyatryāḥ prathamaṃ padaṃ yo vedatasyaitatphalam-sa vidvānyāvatkiñcideṣu triṣu jetavyaṃ tāvatsarvaṃ ha jayati yo 'syā etadevaṃ padaṃ veda //1//
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ṛco yajūṣi sāmānīty aṣṭāv akṣarāṇi |
aṣṭākṣaraṃ ha vā ekaṃ gāyatryai padam |
etad u haivāsyā etat |
sa yāvatīyaṃ trayī vidyā tāvad dha jayati yo 'syā etad evaṃ padaṃ veda

BrhUpBh_5,14.2 tadarco yajūṃsi sāmānīti trayīvidyānāmākṣarāṇyetānyapyaṣṭāveva tathaivāṣṭākṣaraṃ ha vā ekaṃ gāyatryai padaṃ dvitīyametadu haivāsyā etadṛgyajuḥsāmalakṣaṇamaṣṭākṣaratvasāmānyādeva /
sa yāvatīyaṃ trayī vidyā trayyā vidyayā yāvatphalajātamāpyate tāvaddha jayati yo 'syā etadgāyatryāsraividyalakṣaṇaṃ padaṃ veda //2//
START BrhUp 5,14.3
prāṇo 'pāno vyāna ity aṣṭāv akṣarāṇi |
aṣṭākṣaraṃ ha vā ekaṃ gāyatryai padam |
etad u haivāsyā etat |
sa yāvad idaṃ prāṇi tāvad dha jayati yo 'syā etad evaṃ padaṃ veda |
athāsyā etad eva turīyaṃ darśataṃ padaṃ parorajā ya eṣa tapati |
yad vai caturthaṃ tat turīyam |
darśataṃ padam iti dadṛśa iva hy eṣaḥ |
parorajā iti sarvam u hy evaiṣa raja upary upari tapati |
evaṃ haiva śriyā yaśasā tapati yo 'syā etad evaṃ padaṃ veda

BrhUpBh_5,14.3 tathā prāṇo 'pāno vyāna etānyapi prāṇādyabhidhānākṣarāṇyaṣṭau /
tacca gāyatryāstṛtīyaṃ padaṃ yāvadidaṃ prāṇijātaṃ tāvaddha jayati yo 'syā etadevaṃ gāyatryāstṛtīyaṃ padaṃ veda /
athānantaraṃ gāyatryāsripadāyāḥ śabdātmikāyāsturīyaṃ padamucyate 'bhidheyabhūtamasyāḥ prakṛtāyā gāyatryā etadeva vakṣyamāmaṃ turīyaṃ darśataṃ padaṃ parorajā ya eṣa tapati /
turīyamityādivākyapadārthaṃ svameva vyācaṣṭe śrutiḥ-yadvai caturthaṃ prasiddhaṃ loke tadidaṃ turīyaśabdenābhidhīyate /
darśataṃ padamityasya kor'tha ityucyate-dadṛśa iva dṛśyata iva hyeṣa maṇḍalasthaḥ puruṣo rajo rajojātaṃ samastaṃ lokamityarthaḥ /
uparyuparyādhipatyabhāvena sarvaṃ lokaṃ rajojātaṃ tapati /
uparyuparīti vīpsā sarvalokādhipatyakhyāpanārthā /
nanu sarvaśabdenaiva siddhatvādvīpsānarthikā /
naiṣa doṣaḥ /
yeṣāmupariṣṭātsavitā dṛśyate tadviṣaya eva sarvaśabdaḥ syādityāśaṅkānivṛttyarthā vīpsā /
"ye cāmuṣmātparāñco lokāsteṣāṃ ceṣṭe devakānāṃ ca"iti śrutyanrāt /
tasmātsarvāvarodhārthā vīpsā /
yathāsau savitā sarvādhipatyalakṣaṇayā śriyā yaśasā ca khyātyā tapatyevaṃ haiva śriyā yaśasā ca tapati yo 'syā etadevaṃ turīyaṃ darśataṃ padaṃ veda //3//
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saiṣā gāyatry etasmiṃs turīye darśate pade parorajasi pratiṣṭhitā |
tad vai tat satye pratiṣṭhitam |
cakṣur vai satyam |
cakṣur hi vai satyam |
tasmād yad idānīṃ dvau vivadamānāv eyātam aham adarśam aham aśrauṣam iti |
ya evaṃ brūyād aham adarśam iti |
tasmā eva śraddadhyāma |
tad vai tat satyaṃ bale pratiṣṭhitam |
prāṇo vai balam |
tat prāṇe pratiṣṭhitam |
tasmād āhur balaṃ satyād ogīya iti |
evaṃ v eṣā gāyatry adhyātmaṃ pratiṣṭhitā |
sā haiṣā gayāṃs tatre |
prāṇā vai gayāḥ |
tat prāṇās tatre |
tad yad gayāṃs tatre tasmād gāyatrī nāma |
sa yām evāmūṃ sāvitrīm anvāhaiṣaiva sā |
sa yasmā anvāha tasya prāṇāṃs trāyate

BrhUpBh_5,14.4 saiṣā tripadoktā yā trailokyatraividyaprāṇalakṣaṇā gāyatryetasmiṃścaturthe turīye darśate pade parorajasi pratiṣṭhitā /
mūrtāmūrtarasatvādādityasya /
rasāpāye hi vastu nīrasamapratiṣṭhitaṃ bhavati /
yathā kāṣṭhādi dagdhasāraṃ tadvat /
tathā mūrtāmūrtarasatvādādityasya /
rasāpāye hi vastu nīrasamapratiṣṭhitaṃ bhavati /
yathā kāṣṭhādi dagdhasāraṃ tadvat /
tathā mūrtāmūrtātmakaṃ jagattripadā gāyatryāditye pratiṣṭhitā tadrasatvātsaha tribhiḥ pādaiḥ /
tadvai turīyaṃ padaṃ satye pratiṣṭhitam /
kiṃ punastatsatyamityucyate-cakṣurvai satyam /
kathaṃ cakṣuḥ satyamityāha-prasiddhametaccakṣurhi vai satyam /
kathaṃ prasiddhatetyāha-tasmādyadidānīmeva dvau vivadamānau viruddhaṃ vadamānāveyātāmāgaccheyātāmahamadarśaṃ dṛṣṭavānanasmītyanya āhāhamaśrauṣaṃ tvayā dṛṣṭaṃ na tathā tadvastviti tayorya evaṃ brūyādahamadrākṣamiti tasmā eva śraddadhyāma napunaryo brūyādahamaśrauṣamiti /
śroturmṛṣā śravaṇamapi saṃbhavati na tu cakṣuṣo mṛṣā darśanam /
tasmānnāśrauṣamityuktavate śraddadhyāma /
tasmātsatyapratipattihetutvātsatyaṃ cakṣustasminsatye cakṣuṣi saha tribhiritaraiḥ pādaisturīyaṃ padaṃ pratiṣṭhitamityarthaḥ /
uktaṃ ca sa ādityaḥ kasminpratiṣṭhita iti cakṣuṣīti /
tadvai turīyapadāśrayaṃ satyaṃ bale pratiṣṭhitam /
kiṃ punastadbalamityāha-prāṇo vai balaṃ tasminprāṇe bale pratiṣṭhitaṃ satyam /
tathā coktaṃ sūtre tadotaṃ ca protaṃ ceti /
yasmādbale satyaṃ pratiṣṭhitaṃ tasmādāhurbalaṃ satyādogīya ojīya ojastaramityarthaḥ /
loke 'pi yasminhi yadāśritaṃ bhavati tasmādāśritādāśrayasya balavattaratvaṃ prasiddham /
na hi durbalaṃ balavataḥ kvacidāśrayabhūtaṃ dṛṣṭam /
evamuktanyāyena u eṣā gāyatryadhyātmamadhyātme prāṇe pratiṣṭhitā /
saiṣā gāyatrī prāṇaḥ /
ato gāyatryāṃ jagatpratiṣṭhitam /
yasminprāṇe sarve devā ekaṃ bhavanti /
sarvaṃ vedāḥ karmāṇi phalaṃ ca saivaṃ gāyatrī prāṇarūpā satī jagata ātmā /
sā haiṣā gayāṃstatre trātavatī /
ke punargayāḥ prāṇā vāgādayo vai gayāḥ /
śabdakaramāt /
tāṃstatre saiṣā gāyatrī /
tattatra yadyasmādgayāṃstatre tasmādgāyatrī nāma /
gāyatrāṇādgāyatrīti prathitā /
sa ācārya upanīya māṇavakamaṣṭavarṣaṃ yāmevāmūṃ gāyatrīṃ sāvitrīṃ savitṛdevatākāmanvāha pacchordharcaśaḥ samastāṃ ca /
eṣaiva sā sākṣātprāṇo jagata ātmā māṇavakāya samarpitehedānīṃ vyākhyātā nānyā sa ācāryo yasmai māṇavakāyānvāhānuvakti tasya māṇavakasya gayānprāṇāṃsrāyate narakādipatanāt //4//
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tāṃ haitām eke sāvitrīm anuṣṭubham anvāhuḥ |
vāg anuṣṭup |
etad vācam anubrūma iti |
na tathā kuryāt |
gāyatrīm eva sāvitrīm ānubrūyāt |
yadi ha vā apy evaṃvid bahv iva pratigṛhṇāti na haiva tad gāyatryā ekaṃ cana padaṃ prati

BrhUpBh_5,14.5 tāmetāṃ sāvitrīṃ haike śākhino 'nuṣṭupchandaskāmanvāhurupanītāya /
tadabhiprāyamāha-vāganuṣṭup /
vākca śarīre sarasvatī tāmeva hi vācaṃ sarasvatīṃ māṇavakāyānubrūma ityetadvadantaḥ /
na tathā kuryānna tathā vidyādyatta āhurmṛṣaiva tat /
kiṃ tarhi gāyatrīmeva sāvitrīmanubrūyāt /
kasmāt /
yasmātprāṇo gāyatrītyuktam /
prāṇa ukte vākca sarasvatī cānye ta prāṇāḥ sarvaṃ māṇavakāya samarpitaṃ bhavati /
kiñcedaṃ prāsaṅgikamuktvā gāyatrīvidaṃ stauti-yadi ha vā apyevaṃvidbahviva na hi tasya sarvātmano bahu nāmāsti kicitsarvātmakatvādviduṣaḥ pratigṛhṇāti na haiva tatpratigrahajātaṃ gāyatryā ekañcanaikamapi padaṃ prati paryāptam //5//
START BrhUp 5,14.6
sa ya imāṃs trīṃl lokān pūrṇān pratigṛhṇīyāt so 'syā etat prathamaṃ padam āpnuyāt |
atha yāvatīyaṃ trayī vidyā yas tāvat pratigṛhṇīyāt so 'syā etad dvitīyaṃ padam āpnuyāt |
atha yāvad idaṃ prāṇi yas tāvat pratigṛhṇīyāt so 'syā etat tṛtīyaṃ padam āpnuyāt |
athāsyā etad eva turīyaṃ darśataṃ padaṃ parorajā ya eṣa tapati |
naiva kena canāpyam |
kuta u etāvat pratigṛhṇīyāt

BrhUpBh_5,14.6 sa ya imāṃsrīnsa yo gāyatrīvidimānbhūrādīṃsrīngo 'śvādidhanapūrṇāṃllokānpratigṛhṇīyātsa pratigraho 'syā gāyatryā etatprathamaṃ padaṃ yadvyākhyātamāpnuyātprathamapadavijñānaphalaṃ tena bhuktaṃ syānna tvadhikadoṣotpādakaḥ sa pratigrahaḥ /
atha punaryāvatīyaṃ trayī vidyā yastāvatpratigṛhṇīyātso 'syā etattṛtīyaṃ padamāpnuyāt /
tena tṛtīyapadavijñānaphalaṃ bhuktaṃ syāt /
kalpayitvedamicyate /
pādatrayasamamapi yadi kaścitpratigṛhṇīyāttatpādatrayavijñānaphalasyaiva kṣayakāraṇaṃ na tvanyasya doṣasya kartṛtve kṣamam /
na caivaṃ dātā pratigrahītā vā /
gāyatrīvijñānastutaye kalpyate /
dātā pratigrahītā ca yadyapyevaṃ saṃbhāvyate nāsau pratigraho 'parādhakṣamaḥ /
kasmādyato 'bhyadhikamapi puruṣārthavijñānamavaśiṣṭameva caturthapādaviṣayaṃ gāyatryāstaddarśayati /
athāsyā etadeva turīyaṃ darśataṃ padaṃ parorajā ya eṣa tapati /
yaccaitannaiva kenacana kenacidapi pratigraheṇā'pyaṃ naiva prāpyamityarthaḥ /
yathā pūrvoktāni trīṇi padāni /
etānyapi naivā'pyāni kenacitkalpayitvaivamuktaṃ paramārthataḥ kuta u etāvatpratigṛhṇoyāttrailokyādisamam /
tasmādgāyatryevaṃprakāropāsyetyarthaḥ //6//
START BrhUp 5,14.7
tasyā upasthānam |
gāyatry asy ekapadī dvipadī tripadī catuṣpadi |
apad asi |
na hi padyase |
namas te turīyāya darśatāya padāya parorajase |
asāv ado mā prāpad iti |
yaṃ dviṣyād asāv asmai kāmo mā samardhīti vā |
na haivāsmai sa kāmaḥ samṛdhyate yasmā evam upatiṣṭhate |
aham adaḥ prāpam iti vā

BrhUpBh_5,14.7 tasyā upasthānaṃ tasyā gāyatryā upasthānamupetya sthānaṃ namaskaraṇamanena mantreṇa /
kau'sau mantra ityāha-he gāyatryasi bhavasi trailokyapādenaikapadī trayīvidyārūpeṇa dvitīyena dvipadī /
prāṇādinā tṛtīyena tripadyasi /
caturthena turīyeṇa catuṣpadyasi /
evaṃ caturbhiḥ pādairupāsakaiḥ padyase jñāyase 'taḥ paraṃ pareṇa nirupādhikena svenā'tmanāpadasi /
avidyamānaṃ padaṃ yasyāstava yena padyase sā tvamapadasi yasmānnahi padyase neti netyātmatvāt /
ato vyavahāraviṣayāya namabhte turīyāya darśatāya padāya poradase /
asau śatruḥ pāpmā tvatprāptivighnakaro 'dastadātmanaḥ kāryaṃ yattvatprāptivighnakartṛtvaṃ mā prāpanmaiva prāpnotu /
itiśabdo mantraparisamāptyarthaḥ /
yaṃ dviṣyādyaṃ prati dveṣaṃ kuryātsvayaṃ vidvāṃstaṃ pratyanenopasthānamasau śatruramukanāmeti nāma gṛhṇīyādasmai yajñadattāyābhipretaḥ kāmo mā samṛddhi samṛddhiṃ mā prāpnotviti vopatiṣṭhate /
na haivāsmai devadattāya sa kāmaḥ samṛdhyate /
kasmai /
yasmā evamupatiṣṭhate /
ahamado devadattābhipretaṃ prāpamiti vopatiṣṭhate /
asāvado mā prāpadityāditrayāṇāṃ mantrapadānāṃ yathākāmaṃ vikalpaḥ //7//
START BrhUp 5,14.8
etad dha vai taj janako vaideho buḍilam āśvatarāśvim uvāca -- yan nu ho tad gāyatrīvid abrūthāḥ |
atha kathaṃ hastībhūto vahasīti |
mukhaṃ hy asyāḥ samrāṇ na vidāṃ cakareti hovāca |
tasyā agnir eva mukham |
yadi ha vā api bahv ivāgnāv abhyādadhati sarvam eva tat saṃdahati |
evaṃ haivaivaṃvid yady api bahv iva pāpaṃ kurute sarvam eva tat saṃpsāya śuddhaḥ pūto 'jaro 'mṛtaḥ saṃbhavati