Prashna Upanishad — Chapter 1

PrUp 1.1

sukeśā ca bhāradvājaḥ śaibyaś ca satyakāmaḥ sauryāyaṇī ca gārgyaḥ kausalyaś cāśvalāyano bhārgavo vaidarbhiḥ kabandhī kātyāyanas te haite brahmaparā brahmaniṣṭhā paraṃ brahmānveṣamāṇā eṣa ha vai tatsarvaṃ vakṣyatīti te ha samitpāṇayo bhagavantaṃ pippalādam upasannāḥ

Sukesas Bhâradvâga, and Saivya Satyakâma, and Sauryâyanin Gârgya, and Kausalya Âsvalâyana, and Bhârgava Vaidarbhi, and Kabandhin Kâtyâyana, these were devoted to Brahman, firm in Brahman, seeking for the Highest Brahman. They thought that the venerable Pippalâda could tell them all that, and they therefore took fuel in their hands (like pupils), and approached him.

— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)

PrUp 1.2

tān ha sa ṛṣir uvāca | bhūya eva tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śraddhayā saṃvatsaraṃ saṃvatsyatha | yathākāmaṃ praśnān pṛcchata | yadi vijñāsyāmaḥ sarvaṃ ha vo vakṣyāma iti

That Rishi said to them: "Stay here a year longer, with penance, abstinence, and faith; then you may ask questions according to your pleasure, and if we know them, we shall tell you all."

— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)

PrUp 1.3

atha kabandhī kātyāyana upetya papraccha | bhagavan kuto ha vā imāḥ prajāḥ prajāyanta iti

Then Kabandhin Kâtyâyana approached him and asked: "Sir, from whence may these creatures be born?"

— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)

PrUp 1.4

tasmai sa hovāca | prajākāmo vai prajāpatiḥ | sa tapo 'tapyata | sa tapas taptvā sa mithunam utpādayate rayiṃ ca prāṇaṃ ceti | etau me bahudhāḥ prajāḥ kariṣyata iti

He replied: "Pragâpati (the lord of creatures) was desirous of creatures (pragâh). He performed penance, and having performed penance, he produces a pair, matter (rayi) and spirit (prâna), thinking that they together should produce creatures for him in many ways.

— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)

PrUp 1.5

ādityo ha vai prāṇo rayir eva candramāḥ | rayir vā etat sarvaṃ yanmūrtaṃ cāmūrtaṃ ca | tasmān mūrtir eva rayiḥ

The sun is spirit, matter is the moon. All this, what has body and what has no body, is matter, and therefore body indeed is matter.

— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)

PrUp 1.6

athāditya udayan yatprācīṃ diśaṃ praviśati tena prācyān prāṇān raśmiṣu saṃnidhatte | yad dakṣiṇaṃ yat pratīcīṃ yad udīcīṃ yad adho yad ūrdhvaṃ yad antarā diśo yat sarvaṃ prakāśayati tena sarvān prāṇān raśmiṣu saṃnidhatte

Now Âditya, the sun, when he rises, goes toward the East, and thus receives the Eastern spirits into his rays. And when he illuminates the South, the West, the North, the Zenith, the Nadir, the intermediate quarters, and everything, he thus receives all spirits into his rays.

— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)

PrUp 1.7

sa eṣa vaiśvānaro viśvarūpaḥ prāṇo 'gnirudayate | tad etad dacābhyuktam

Thus he rises, as Vaisvânara, (belonging to all men,) assuming all forms, as spirit, as fire. This has been said in the following verse:

— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)

PrUp 1.8

viśvarūpaṃ hariṇaṃ jātavedasaṃ parāyaṇaṃ jyotir ekaṃ tapantam / sahasraraśmiḥ śatadhā vartamānaḥ prāṇaḥ prajānām udayaty eṣa sūryaḥ

(They knew) him who assumes all forms, the golden, who knows all things, who ascends highest, alone in his splendour, and warms us; the thousand-rayed, who abides in a hundred places, the spirit of all creatures, the Sun, rises.

— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)

PrUp 1.9

The year indeed is Pragâpati, and there are two paths thereof, the Southern and the Northern. Now those who here believe in sacrifices and pious gifts as work done, gain the moon only as their (future) world, and return again. Therefore the Rishis who desire offspring, go to the South, and that path of the Fathers is matter (rayi).

— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)

PrUp 1.10

athottareṇa tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śraddhayā vidyayātmānam anviṣyādityam abhijayante | etad vai prāṇānām āyatanam etad amṛtam ayam etat parāyaṇam | etasmān na punarāvartanta iti | eṣa nirodhaḥ | tad eṣa ślokaḥ

But those who have sought the Self by penance, abstinence, faith, and knowledge, gain by the Northern path Âditya, the sun. This is the home of the spirits, the immortal, free from danger, the highest. From thence they do not return, for it is the end. Thus says the Sloka:

— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)

PrUp 1.11

pañcapādaṃ pitaraṃ dvādaśakṛtiṃ diva āhuḥ pare ardhe purīṣiṇam / atheme anya u pare vicakṣaṇaṃ saptacakre ṣaḍara āhurarpitamiti

Some call him the father with five feet (the five seasons), and with twelve shapes (the twelve months), the giver of rain in the highest half of heaven; others again say that the sage is placed in the lower half, in the chariot with seven wheels and six spokes.

— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)

PrUp 1.12

māso vai prajāpatiḥ | tasya kṛṣṇapakṣa eva rayiḥ śuklaḥ prāṇaḥ | tasmād eta ṛṣayaḥ śukla iṣṭaṃ kurvantītara itarasmin

The month is Pragâpati; its dark half is matter, its bright half spirit. Therefore some Rishis perform sacrifice in the bright half, others in the other half.

— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)

PrUp 1.13

ahorātro vai prajāpatiḥ | tasyāhareva prāṇo rātrireva rayiḥ | prāṇaṃ vā ete praskandanti ye divā ratyā saṃyujyante | brahmacaryameva tadyadrātrau ratyā saṃyujyante

Day and Night are Pragâpati; its day is spirit, its night matter. Those who unite in love by day waste their spirit, but to unite in love by night is right.

— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)

PrUp 1.14

annaṃ vai prajāpatis tato ha vai tadretaḥ | tasmād imāḥ prajāḥ prajāyanta iti

Food is Pragâpati. Hence proceeds seed, and from it these creatures are born.

— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)

PrUp 1.15

tad ye ha vai tatprajāpativrataṃ caranti | te mithunam utpādayante | teṣāmevaiṣa brahmalokaḥ | yeṣāṃ tapo brahmacaryaṃ | yeṣu satyaṃ pratiṣṭhitam

Those therefore who observe this rule of Pragâpati (as laid down in §13), produce a pair, and to them belongs this Brahma-world here. But those in whom dwell penance, abstinence, and truth,

— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)

PrUp 1.16

teṣām asau virajo brahmaloko na yeṣu jihvam anṛtaṃ na māyā ceti

To them belongs that pure Brahma-world, to them, namely, in whom there is nothing crooked, nothing false, and no guile."

— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)