One
1
By whom and toward what springs the mind?
By whom is the first breath of life directed?
Who willed these words that one recites?
Of eyes and ears—what force ignites?
2
The ear of the ear, the mind of the mind,
That voice of the voice is the breath of the breath,
The eye of the eye seeing through all this is wise.
The world disappearing, now infinite skies!
3
Not there the eye goes, nor speech goes, nor mind.
Not known nor understood, how can it be taught?
Different is That from known and unknown—beyond.
Thus we have heard our teachers proclaiming just That.
4
Which by speech is not expressed, but by which the voice is
expressed,
That alone, the Absolute, You, Know! and not this which they
worship.
5
Which by thought is not understood, but by which thinking is
understood,
That alone, the Absolute, You, Know! and not this which they
worship.
6
Which by the eye is not seen, but by which all seeing is
seen,
That alone, the Absolute, You, Know! and not this which they
worship.
7
Which by the ear is not heard, but by which all hearing is
heard,
That alone, the Absolute, You, Know! and not this which they
worship.
8
Which by the breath is not inhaled, but by which all
breathing is exhaled,
That alone, the Absolute, You, Know! and not this which they
worship.
Two
Two
1
If it’s thought to be fully understood, then little is it
so.
Certainly you may discern the appearance of That
Which is shared between you and the laws of nature.
But meditating only yourself is the way it’s understood.
2
Not thinking I fully know
Nor not know—thus it’s known.
Anyone among us who knows that, That knows.
Not unknown—thus it’s known.
3
For whom not conceived, to whom conceived.
Conceived by whom—doesn’t know oneself.
Not discerned by discerning,
but discerned by not discerning.
4
Self-realization perceived conceives
Your own timelessness attending.
By that Self is intended all potency.
By its knowledge is tendered eternity.
5
Here, if known, then truth is.
If not known here, then great is the loss.
Being of being discerning, the wise,
abandoning this world, become eternally becoming.
Three
Three
1
Once, the Absolute, in its divinity, becomes triumphant! And
in that Absolute triumph, the gods are made manifestly glorious. But they
perceive as their own, this triumph, as their own, this glory.
2
That perceives their misconception. Consequently it becomes
observable before them. But they do not recognize what this great spirit is.
3
The gods, in response, turn to Agni, called Fire, and speak:
all-knowing of this triumphant manifestation, discover what this great spirit
is. Thus it would be so.
4
And so That was approached by Fire, but Fire, before its own
investigation had even begun, was asked by That: who is this? I am Fire! I am
this, it said. All-knowing, indeed, I inhabit all of This!
5
In you who are such, what power is there, inquired That.
Fire answered: surely This, everything, I can inhabit and burn all that’s on
the earth, indeed!
6
In front of this Fire, a piece of straw was placed. This was
asked to burn just that. That, Fire approached, and with all its power, Fire
was unable to burn that piece of straw. Overcome, it left that great spirit and
returned to the gods. Because That is not This, it was unable to know what the
great spirit is.
7
The gods, in response, turn to Vayu, called Wind, and speak:
weaver of triumphant manifestation, discover what this great spirit is. Thus it
would be so.
8
And so That was approached by Wind, but Wind, before its own
investigation had even begun, was asked by That: who is this? I am Wind! I am
this, it said. mover of all, indeed, I flow through all of This!
9
In you who are such, what power is there, inquired That.
Wind answered: surely This, everything, I can flow through and overtake all
that’s on the earth, indeed!
10
In front of this Wind, a piece of straw was placed. This was
asked to take just that. That, Wind approached, and with all its power, Wind
was unable to take that piece of straw. Overcome, it left that great spirit and
returned to the gods. Because That is not This, it was unable to know what the
great spirit is.
11
The gods, in response, turn to Indra, called Sky, and speak:
highest one of triumphant manifestation, discover what this great spirit is.
Thus it would be so. That was approached by Sky and thus That disappeared.
12
Sky, within that same Sky, came upon a woman named Uma,
daughter of the Himalayas and wife to Shiva, benevolent goddess graced in light
from the highest peaks. To her alone, Sky said, what is this great spirit
hence?
Four
Four
1
She, of the Absolute, said, it is through the Absolute This
triumphs with great perception. Thus, accordingly, from That alone, This is
made to understand the Absolute.
2
Consequently, these forces are higher than all other forces,
in order: Fire, Wind, Sky. They of all of This came close in contact, and, of
all of This, were first to understand the Absolute accordingly.
3
Consequently, Sky is the highest of all other forces. It
indeed of all of This came closest in contact, and, of all of This, was first
to understand the Absolute accordingly.
4
By that abovementioned message, in which That, lightning,
lights completely, and in a sudden flash, closes completely, such is the
mystical state of nature.
5
Then in that which is the self, there is this movement of
the mind, resulting in its thinking, remembering its perpetual awakening
intention.
6
That wisdom is That Arbor called That Arbor, by which
attended, it forwards to This the knowledge of the real, reaching by such a
manner here, whereby all beings are thereby united.
7
The Secret Knowing welcomes by speaking accordingly; uttered
to you is The Secret Knowing of the Absolute; it is just You, The Secret
Knowing, actually speaking.
8
Before the tempering of burning passion, the restraint of
overtaking sensation, and indeed the wide totality of pure unclouded action,
ultimately stands that knowledge, in which all such branches of authenticity
originate.
9
Anyone indeed who realizes that one true knowledge, This is
That, dispels all gloom by the infinite light of this widespread height in
resting in resting.
translated and transcreated by Aumdada
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