Sarvantaratma Vidya

In this dialogue, Sage Yajnavalkya explains the nature of the Self (Atman) as the direct, immediate reality that resides within all beings, particularly through the lens of the life forces (Pranas).

Mantra 3.4.1

Verse 3.4.1.1: The Question of Ushasta

Sanskrit

अथ हैनमूषस्तश्चाक्रायणः पप्रच्छ; याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच, यत्साक्शादपरोक्शाद्ब्रह्म, य आत्मा सर्वान्तरः, तं मे व्याचक्श्व इति; एष त आत्मा सर्वान्तरः; कतमो याज्ञवल्क्य सर्वान्तरो ?

Translation

Then Ushasta Chakrayana asked him: “Yajnavalkya, explain to me that Brahman which is immediate and direct—the Self that is within all.” Yajnavalkya replied: “This is your Self, which is within all.” Ushasta asked: “Which one is it, Yajnavalkya, that is within all?”

Word-by-Word Analysis

• अथ (atha) — Then
• ह (ha) — indeed
• एनम् (enam) — him
• ऊषस्तः-चाक्रायणः (ūṣastaḥ-cākrāyaṇah) — Ushasta Chakrayana
• पप्रच्छ (papraccḥa) — asked
• याज्ञवल्क्य (yājñavalkya) — O Yajnavalkya
• इति (iti) — thus
• होवाच (hovāca) — said
• यत्साक्षात् (yat sākṣāt) — that which is immediate
• अपरोक्षात् (aparokṣāt) — direct
• ब्रह्म (brahma) — Brahman
• य आत्मा (ya ātmā) — which Self
• सर्वान्तरः (sarvāntaraḥ) — inside all
• तम् मे व्याचक्ष्व (tam me vyācakṣva) — that explain to me
• एष ते आत्मा सर्वान्तरः (eṣa te ātmā sarvāntaraḥ) — This is your Self, which is within all

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Verse 3.4.1.2: The Five Vital Airs

Sanskrit

यः प्राणेन प्राणिति स त आत्मा सर्वान्तरः, योऽपानेनापानिति स त आत्मा सर्वान्तरः, यो व्यानेन व्यानिति स त आत्मा सर्वान्तरः, य उदानेनोदानिति स त आत्मा सर्वान्तरः, एष त आत्मा सर्वान्तरः ॥ १ ॥

Translation

“He who breathes out through the Prana is your Self that is within all. He who breathes in through the Apana is your Self that is within all. He who pervades through the Vyana is your Self that is within all. He who goes up through the Udana is your Self that is within all. This is your Self that is within all.”

Word-by-Word Analysis

• यः प्राणेन प्राणिति (yaḥ prāṇena prāṇiti) — He who breathes through the Prana (out-breath)
• सः ते आत्मा सर्वान्तरः (saḥ te ātmā sarvāntaraḥ) — he is your Self inside all
• यः अपानेन अपानिति (yaḥ apānena apāniti) — He who breathes through the Apana (in-breath)
• यः व्यानेन व्यानिति (yaḥ vyānena vyāniti) — He who breathes through the Vyana (pervasive breath)
• यः उदानेन उदानिति (yaḥ udānena udāniti) — He who breathes through the Udana (up-breath)

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Mantra 3.4.2: The Ultimate Witness

Verse 3.4.2.1: The Demand for Directness

Sanskrit

स होवाचोषस्तश्चाक्रायणः, यथा विब्रूयात्, असौ गौः, असावश्व इति, एवमेवैतद्व्यपदिष्टं भवति; यदेव साक्शादपरोक्शाद्ब्रह्म, य आत्मा सर्वान्तरः, तं मे व्याचक्श्वेति; एष त आत्मा सर्वान्तरः; कतमो याज्ञवल्क्य सर्वान्तरः ?

Translation

Ushasta Chakrayana said: “As one might say, ‘This is a cow,’ or ‘This is a horse,’ even so has this been pointed out by you. Explain to me that very Brahman which is immediate and direct—the Self that is within all.” Yajnavalkya replied: “This is your Self, which is within all.” Ushasta asked: “Which one is it, Yajnavalkya, that is within all?”

Word-by-Word Analysis

• यथा विब्रूयात् (yathā vibrūyāt) — as one might describe
• असौ गौः (asau gauḥ) — this is a cow
• असौ अश्वः (asau aśvaḥ) — this is a horse
• एवमेव एतत् व्यपदिष्टं भवति (evam-eva etat vyapadiṣṭaṃ bhavati) — just like that this is pointed out
• यदेव साक्षात् अपरोक्षात् ब्रह्म (yadeva sākṣāt aparokṣāt brahma) — that which is immediate and direct Brahman

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Verse 3.4.2.2: The Unknowable Knower

Sanskrit

न दृष्टेर्द्रष्टारं पश्येः, न श्रुतेः श्रोतारं शृणुयात्, न मतेर्मन्तारं मन्वीथाः, न विज्ञातेर्विज्ञातारं विजानीयाः । एष त आत्मा सर्वान्तरः, अतोऽन्यदार्तं । ततो होषस्तस्चाक्रायण उपरराम ॥ २ ॥

Translation

“You cannot see the Seer of seeing; you cannot hear the Hearer of hearing; you cannot think the Thinker of thinking; you cannot know the Knower of knowing. This is your Self that is within all; everything else but this is perishable.” Thereupon Ushasta Chakrayana kept silent.

Word-by-Word Analysis

• न दृष्टेः द्रष्टारं पश्येः (na dṛṣṭeḥ draṣṭāraṃ paśyeḥ) — you cannot see the Seer of seeing
• न श्रुतेः श्रोतारं शृणुयात् (na śruteḥ śrotāraṃ śṛṇuyāt) — you cannot hear the Hearer of hearing
• न मतेः मन्तारं मन्वीथाः (na mateḥ mantāraṃ manvīthāḥ) — you cannot think the Thinker of thinking
• न विज्ञातेः विज्ञातारं विजानीयाः (na vijñāteḥ vijñātāraṃ vijānīyāḥ) — you cannot know the Knower of knowing
• अतोऽन्यदार्तं (ato’nyadārtaṃ) — everything else than this is perishable (arta)

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इति चतुर्थं ब्राह्मणम् ॥

Thus ends the fourth Brahmana.

Reference: Brihadaranyaka Upanishad