Taittiriya Upanishad
HARI OM. Together may it protect us two:
Together may it profit us two:
Together may we do a hero’s work.
May we learn intelligently:
May we never hate one another.
OM. Peace, peace, peace.
1. Bhrgu Varuni approached his fattier Varuna, saying,
‘Blessed one, teach me about brahman.’
He taught him this: food, breath, the eye, the ear, mind,
speech. He said to him: That from which beings are born;
by which, being born, they live; into which they enter when
they pass on-seek to know that as brahman.’
He practised asceticism. After practising asceticism,
III.2
1. He realized, ‘Food is brahman. For from food beings are
born; by food, being born, they live; into food they enter
when they pass on.’ On realizing that, he approached his
father Varuna again saying, ‘Blessed one. teach me about
brahman.’
He said to him, ‘Seek to know brahman by asceticism.
Asceticism is brahman.’
He practised asceticism. After practising asceticism,
III.3
1. He realized, ‘Breath is brahman. For from breath beings
are born; by breath, being born, they live; into breath they
enter when they pass on.’ On realizing that, he approached
his father Varuna again saying, ‘Blessed one, teach me about
brahman.’
He said to him, ‘Seek to know brahman by asceticism.
Asceticism is brahman.’
He practised asceticism. After practising asceticism,
III.4
1. He realized, ‘Mind is brahman. For from mind beings
are born; by mind, being born, they live; into mind they
enter when they pass on.’ On realizing that, he approached
his father Varuna again saying, ‘Blessed one, teach me about
brahman.’
He said to him, ‘Seek to know brahman by asceticism.
Asceticism is brahman.’
He practised asceticism. After practising asceticism,
III.5
1. He realized, ‘Knowledge is brahman. For from knowledge
beings are born; by knowledge, being born, they live; into
knowledge they enter when they pass on.’ On realizing that,
he approached his father Varuna again saying, ‘Blessed one,
teach me about brahman.’
He said to him, ‘Seek to know brahman by asceticism.
Asceticism is brahman.’
He practised asceticism. After practising asceticism,
III.6
1. He realized, ‘Joy is brahman. For from joy beings are
born; by joy, being born, they live; into joy they enter when
they pass on.’ This is the wisdom of Bhrgu, of Varuna,
which stands firm in the highest heaven.50 The one who
knows this stands firm: he becomes a possessor of food, an
eater of food; becomes great in offspring and animals and
the radiance of brahman, great in fame.
III.7
1. One should not speak ill of food: that should be the
vow. Breath is food: the body is the eater of food. The body
stands firm on breath: breath stands firm on the body. So
food stands firm on food. The one who knows food as
standing firm on food stands firm: he becomes a possessor
of food, an eater of food; becomes great in offspring and
animals and the radiance of brahman, great in fame.
III.8
1. One should not reject food: that should be the vow.
The waters are food: light is the eater of food. Light stands
firm on the waters: the waters stand firm on light. So food
stands firm on food. The one who knows food as standing
firm on food stands firm: he becomes a possessor of food,
an eater of food; becomes great in offspring and animals
and the radiance of brahman, great in fame-
III.9
1. One should make much of food: that should be the vow.
The earth is food: space is the eater of food. Space stands
firm on the earth: the earth stands firm on space. So food
stands firm on food. The one who knows food as standing
firm on food stands firm: he becomes a possessor of food,
an cater of food; becomes great in offspring and animals
and the radiance of brahman, great in fame.
III.10
1. One should not refuse anyone in one’s house: that should
be the vow. So one should get food by any means possible.
Folk say, ‘Food is prepared for him.’ This food is prepared
for another first, so it is prepared for him first. This food is prepared for another in the middle, so it is prepared for
him in the middle. This food is prepared for another last,
so it is prepared for him last.
2. The one who knows this.
‘Enjoying’ in speech; ‘getting and enjoying’ in the
breath and the lower breath; ‘action’ in the hands; ‘movement’
in the feet; ‘excretion’ in the anus: these are its human titles.
As for its divine titles: ‘contentment’ in rain; ‘strength’ in
lightning,
3. ‘Glory’ in animals; light’ in the constellations;
‘procreation, immortality and joy’ in the loins; ‘all’ in space.
One should worship it as the support: one becomes
supported. One should worship it as MAHAH: one becomes
great (mahat). One should worship it as mind (manas): one
becomes respected (manavat).
4. One should worship it as homage: desires pay one
homage. One should worship it as brahman: one becomes
endowed with brahman. One should worship it as the
dying-around of brahman: rivals who hate one die around
one, and so do those adversaries56 who are not dear. This
one who is in the person, and that one who is in the sun,
are one:
5. And the one who leaves this world knowing this goes
up to the self made of food, goes up to the self made of
breath, goes up to the self made of mind, goes up to the
self made of knowledge, goes up to the self made of joy.
He moves about the worlds, with food at his desire, with
forms at his desire. He continually sings this saman: ‘Oh,
bliss . . -! Oh, bliss . . .! Oh, bliss . . .’ 1 am food, I am
food, I am food. I am the eater of food. I am the eater of
food. I am the eater of food. I am the maker of verse. I am
die maker of verse. I am the maker of verse. I am the
first-bom of law . . ., before the gods, in the navel … of
immortality. You protect . . . the one who gives to me. I
eat … food and the one who eats food. I have overcome
. . . the whole universe. I am light like the sun.’
. . . The one who knows this. This is the inner teaching.
QM. Together may it protect us two:
Together may it profit us two:
Together may we do a hero’s work.
May we learn intelligently:
May we never hate one another.
QM. Peace, peace, peace.
OM. May Mitra be kind, may Varuna be kind,
May Aryaman be kind to us.
May Indra and Brhaspati be kind.
May wide-striding Visnu be kind to us.
Homage to brahman, homage to you, Vayu:
You are brahman manifest:
I will speak of you as brahman manifest.
I will speak law: I will speak truth.
May that protect me: may that protect the speaker.
May it protect me: may it protect the speaker.
OM. Peace, peace, peace.