Chapter 4Taittiriya Upanishad: Shiksha Valli

Taittiriya Upanishad

Shiksha Valli

Chapter I Hari OM. Be peace to us Mitra. Be peace to us Varouna. Be peace to us Aryaman. Be peace to us Indra & Brihaspati. May far-striding Vishnu be peace to us. Adoration to the Eternal. Adoration to thee, O Vaiou. Thou, thou art the visible Eternal and as the visible Eternal I will declare thee. I will declare Righteousness! I will declare Truth! May that protect me! May that protect the Speaker! Yea, may it protect me! May it protect the Speaker. OM Peace! Peace! Peace!

Chapter II OM. We will expound Shiksha, the elements. Syllable and Accent, Pitch and Effort, Even Tone and Continuity, in these six we have declared the chapter of the elements.

Chapter III

- Together may we attain glory, together to the radiance of holiness. Hereupon we will expound next the secret meaning of Sanhita whereof there are five capitals; Concerning the Worlds: Concerning the Shining Fires: Concerning the Knowledge: Concerning Progeny: Concerning Self. These are called the great Sanhitas.

Now concerning the worlds. Earth is the first form; the heavens are the second form; ether is the linking; air is the joint of the linking. Thus far concerning the worlds.

Next concerning the shining fires. Fire is the first form; the Sun is the latter form; the waters are the linking; electricity is the joint of the linking. Thus far concerning the shining fires.

Next concerning the Knowledge. The Master is the first form; the disciple is the latter form; Knowledge is the linking; exposition is the joint of the linking. Thus far concerning the Knowledge.

Next concerning progeny. The mother is the first form; the father is the latter form; progeny is the linking; act of procreation is the joint of the linking. Thus far concerning progeny.

Next concerning Self. The upper jaw is the first form; the lower jaw is the latter form; speech is the linking; the tongue is the joint of the linking. Thus far concerning Self.

These are the great Sanhitas. He who knoweth thus the great Sanhitas as we have expounded them, to him are linked progeny and wealth of cattle and the radiance of holiness and food and all that is of food and the world of his high estate in heaven.

Chapter IV

- The bull of the hymns of Veda whose visible form is all this Universe, he above the Vedas who sprang from that which is deathless, may Indra increase intellect unto me for my strengthening. O God, may I become a vessel of immortality. May my body be swift to all works, may my tongue drop pure honey. May I hear vast and manifold lore with my ears. O Indra, thou art the sheath of the Eternal and the veil that the workings of brain have drawn over Him; preserve whole unto me the sacred lore that I have studied.

She bringeth unto me wealth and extendeth it, yea, she maketh speedily my own raiment and cattle and drink and food now and always; therefore carry to me Fortune of much fleecy wealth and cattle with her. Swaha!

May the Brahmacharins come unto me. Swaha! From here and there may the Brahmacharins come unto me. Swaha!

May the Brahmacharins set forth unto me. Swaha! May the Brahmacharins attain self-mastery. Swaha! May the Brahmacharins attain to peace of soul. Swaha! May I be a name among the folk! Swaha! May I be the first of the wealthy! Swaha! O Glorious Lord, into That which is Thou may I enter. Swaha!

Do thou also enter into me, O Shining One. Swaha! Thou art a river with a hundred branching streams, O Lord of Grace, in thee may I wash me clean. Swaha!

As the waters of a river pour down the steep, as the months of the year hasten to the old age of days, O Lord that cherisheth, so may the Brahmacharins come to me from all the regions. Swaha!

O Lord, thou art my neighbour, thou dwellest very near me. Come to me, be my light and sun.

Chapter V Bhˆur, Bhuvar and Suvar, these are the three Words of His naming. Verily the Rishi Mahachamasya made known a fourth to these, which is Mahas. It is Brahman, it is the Self, and the other gods are his members.

Bhˆur, it is this world; Bhuvar, it is the sky; Suvar, it is the other world: but Mahas is the Sun. By the Sun all these worlds increase and prosper.

Bhˆur, it is Fire; Bhuvar, it is Air; Suvar, it is the Sun: but Mahas is the Moon. By the Moon all these shining fires increase and prosper.

Bhˆur, it is the hymns of the Rigveda; Bhuvar, it is the hymns of the Sˆama; Suvar, it is the hymns of the Yajur: but Mahas is the Eternal. By the Eternal all these Vedas increase and prosper.

Bhˆur, it is the main breath; Bhuvar, it is the lower breath; Suvar, it is the breath pervasor: but Mahas is food. By food all these breaths increase and prosper.

These are the four & they are fourfold; — four Words of His naming and each is four again. He who knoweth these knoweth the Eternal, and to him all the Gods carry the offering.

Chapter VI

- Lo this heaven of ether which is in the heart within, there dwelleth the Being who is all Mind, the radiant & golden Immortal. Between the two palates, this that hangeth down like the breast of a woman, is the womb of Indra; yea where the hair at its end whirleth round like an eddy, there it divideth the skull and pusheth through it.

As Bhˆur He is established in Agni, as Bhuvar in Vaiou, as Suvar in the Sun, as Mahas in the Eternal. He attaineth to the kingdom of Himself; He attaineth to be the Lord of Mind; He becometh Lord of Speech, Lord of Sight, Lord of Hearing, Lord of the Knowledge. Thereafter this too He becometh, — the Eternal whose body is all ethereal space, whose soul is Truth, whose bliss is in Mind, who taketh His ease in Prana, the Rich in Peace, the Immortal. As such, O son of the ancient Yoga, do thou adore Him.

Chapter VII

- Earth, sky, heaven, the quarters and the lesser quarters; Fire, Air, Sun, Moon and the Constellations; Waters, herbs of healing, trees of the forest, ether and the Self in all; these three concerning this outer creation.

Then concerning the Self. The main breath, the middle breath, the nether breath, the upper breath and the breath perva-sor; eye, ear, mind, speech and the skin; hide, flesh, muscle, bone and marrow. Thus the Rishi divided them and said, “In sets of five is this universe; five and five with five and five He relateth.”

Chapter VIII OM is the Eternal, OM is all this universe. OM is the syllable of assent: saying OM! let us hear, they begin the citation. With OM they sing the hymns of the Sama; with OM SHOM they pronounce the Shastra. With OM the priest officiating at the sacrifice sayeth the response. With OM Brahma beginneth creation (or With OM the chief priest giveth sanction). With OM one sanctioneth the burnt offering. With OM the Brahmin ere he expound the Knowledge, crieth “May I attain the Eternal.” The Eternal verily he attaineth.

Chapter IX

- - - Righteousness with the study & teaching of Veda; Truth with the study and teaching of Veda; askesis with the study and teaching of Veda; self-mastery with the study and teaching of Veda. Peace of soul with the study and teaching of Veda. The household fires with the study and teaching of Veda. The burnt offering with the study and teaching of Veda. Progeny with the study and teaching of Veda. Act of procreation with the study and teaching of Veda. Children of thy children with the study and teaching of Veda — these duties. “Truth is first” said the truth-speaker, the Rishi son of Rathitar. “Askesis is first” said the constant in austerity, the Rishi son of Purushishta. “Study and teaching of Veda is first” said Naka son of Mudgala. For this too is austerity and this too is askesis.

Chapter X

- “I am He that moveth the Tree of the Universe & my glory is like the shoulders of a high mountain. I am lofty and pure like sweet nectar in the strong, I am the shining riches of the world, I am the deep thinker, the deathless One who decayeth not from the beginning.” This is Trishanku’s voicing of Veda and the hymn of his self-knowledge.

Chapter XI

- When the Master hath declared Veda, then he giveth the com-mandments to his disciple.

Speak truth, walk in the way of thy duty, neglect not the study of Veda. When thou hast brought to the Master the wealth that he desireth, thou shalt not cut short the long thread of thy race. Thou shalt not be negligent of truth; thou shalt not be negligent of thy duty; thou shalt not be negligent of welfare; thou shalt not be negligent towards thy increase and thy thriving; thou shalt not be negligent of the study & teaching of Veda.

Thou shalt not be negligent of thy works unto the Gods or thy works unto the Fathers. Let thy father be unto thee as thy God and thy mother as thy Goddess whom thou adorest. Serve the Master as a God and as a God the stranger within thy dwelling. The works that are without blame before the people, thou shalt do these with diligence and no others. The deeds we have done that are good and righteous, thou shalt practise these as a religion and no others.

Whosoever are better and nobler than we among the Brah-mins, thou shalt refresh with a seat to honour them. Thou shalt give with faith and reverence; without faith thou shalt not give. Thou shalt give with shame, thou shalt give with fear; thou shalt give with fellow-feeling. Moreover if thou doubt of thy course or of thy action, then whatsoever Brahmins be there who are careful thinkers, devout, not moved by others, lovers of virtue, not severe or cruel, even as they do in that thing, so do thou. Then as to men accused & arraigned by their fellows, whatsoever Brahmins be there who are careful thinkers, devout, not moved by others, lovers of virtue, not severe or cruel, even as they are towards these, so be thou.

This is the law & the teaching. These are the Command-ments. In such wise shalt thou practise religion, yea, verily in such wise do ever religiously.

Chapter XII

- Be peace to us Mitra. Be peace to us Varouna. Be peace to us Aryaman. Be peace to us Indra and Brihaspati. May far-striding Vishnu be peace to us. Adoration to the Eternal. Adoration to thee, O Vaiou. Thou, thou art the visible Eternal & as the visible Eternal I have declared thee. I have declared Righteousness; I have declared Truth. That has protected me. That has protected the Speaker. Yea it protected me; it protected the Speaker. OM. Peace. Peace. Peace. Hari OM.