Swami Chidananda Ramakrishna Math and Mission - Amritabindu Upanishad

Amrita Bindupanishad

AMRITA BINDUPANISHAD

Amrita Bindu Upanishad from Atharva Veda

Mano hi dividham proktam suddham casuddham eva asuddham kama-samkalpam suddham kama-vivarjitam

Mind is of two kinds, pure and impure. The impure mind is possessed of desire; the pure mind is free from desire.

Mana eva manusyanam karanam bandha-moksayoh bandhaya visayasaktam muktam nirvisayam smrtam

Mind alone is the cause for people’s bondage and liberation. When attached to objects, it leads to bondage. When free from objects, it leads to liberation.

Yato nirvisayasyasya manaso muktir isyate ato nirvisayam nityam manah karyam mumuksuna

Since liberation depends on the mind being free from objects. The mind should always be made free from objects by one who seek liberation.

Nirasta-visayasangam samniruddham mano hrdi yadayatyatmano bhavam tada tat paramam padam

When the mind is free from attachment to objects, being fully restrained in the heart and thus attains its own state, then the supreme goal (is reached).

Tavad eva niroddhavyam yavad dhrdi gatam ksayam etaj jnanam ca dhyanam ca seso nyayas ca vistarah

The mind should be restrained to the extent that it resolves in the heart. This is wisdom and meditation. All else is but mere logic.

Naiva cintyam na cacintyam na cintyam cintyam eva ca paksapatavinirmuktam brahma sampadyate tada

It (brahman) is not conceivable, nor is it inconceivable. Though inconceivable, it should be inquired into.

Svarena samdhayed yogam asvaram bhavayet param asvarenanubhavena bhavo nabhava isyate

With sound, one should practice meditation. (Then) without sound, one should meditate on the transcendent (brahman). By meditation without sound, the existent cannot remain absent.

Tad eva niskalam brahma nirvilalpam niranjanam tad brahmaham iti jnatva brahma sampadyate dhruvam

That indeed is brahman - partless, beyond concepts. Untainted.

Knowing “I am that Brahman,” brahman is certainly attained.

Nirvikalpam anantam ca hetu-drstanta-varjitam aprameyam anadim ca yaj-jnatva mucyate budhah

Beyond concepts, limitless, beyond reason and analogy, beyond inference, causeless - knowing this (brahman), the wise one becomes free.

Na nirodho na cotpattirna baddho na ca sadhakah na mumuksurna vai mukta ityesa paramrthata

(Then for the wise one who is free) there is neither restraint nor activity (of the mind), nor is he in bondage or engaged in practice, Nor is he a seeker of liberation or liberated. Thus is the highest truth.

Eka evatma mantavyo jagrat-svapna-susuptisu sthana-trayavyatitasya punar-janma na vidyate

Atma should be known to be the same in waking, dream, and sleep. For one who has transcended these three states, there is no rebirth.

Eka eva hi bhutatma bhute bhute vyavasthitah ekadha bahudha caiva drsyate jala-candravat

The one essence of all is present in every being. Though one, it appears as many, like the moon reflected in (many pots of) water.

Ghata-samvrtam akasam niyamane ghate yatha ghato niyeta nakasam tatha jivo nabhopamah

When a pot that contains space is moved, it is the pot that moves, not the space within. Thus, it is for a person (whose consciousness) is like space.

Ghatavad vividhakaram bhidyamanam punah punah tad-bhagnam na ca janati sa janati ca nityasah

Like the pot, (one’s body) gains various forms and gets destroyed again and again. (One’s body) does not know of its destruction. That (atman) knows continually.

Sabda-mayavrto naiva tamasa yati puskare bhinne tamasi caikatvam eka evanupasyati

Enveloped by the delusion of words due to ignorance, one cannot reach the lotus (atman). When ignorance is destroyed, the one (atman) perceives only oneness.

Sabdaksaram param brahma tasmin ksine yad aksaram tad vidvan aksaram dhyayed yadicchec chantim atman

(First) the syllable Om is (meditated upon as) brahman. Then when it has faded, the imperishable brahman (remains). A wise one should meditate on that imperishable if he desires the peace of atman.

Dve vidye veditavye tu sabda-brahma param ca yat sabdabrahmani nisnatah param brahmadhigacchati

Two kinds of meditation are to be practiced-meditation on Om and on brahman. One skilled in meditation on Om reaches brahhman.

Grantham abhyasya medhavi jnana-vijnana-tatparah palalam iva dhanyarthi tyajed grantham asesatah

After studying the scriptures, an intelligent person intent on gaining knowledge and liberation should discard the scriptures altogether, like one who desires grain discards the husk.

Gavam aneka-varnanam ksirasyapy eka-varnata ksiravat pasyate jnanam linginastu gavam yatha

Cows of different colors have milk of one color. Knowledge is like the milk and scriptures are like the cows.

Ghrtam iva payasi nigudham bhute bhute vasati vijnana satatam manthayitavyam manasa manthanabhutena

Like butter hidden in milk, consciousness dwells in every being. It should be constantly churned by the mind with the churning rod of the mind.

Jnana-netram samadaya coddhared vahnivat param niskalam niscalam santam tad brahmaham iti smrtam

Grasping the rope of knowledge, one should bring out brahman like (churning a stick to make) fire. I am that partless, unchanging, silent brahman, thus it should be remembered.

Sarva-bhutadhivasam yad bhutesu ca vasatyapi sarvanugrahakatvena tad asmyaham vasudevah

In whom all beings reside, and who resides in all beings as the source of all blessings - I am that Vasudeva.

AMRITA BINDUPANISHAD

Om! May He protect us both together; may He nourish us both together; May we work conjointly with great energy, May our study be vigorous and effective; May we not mutually dispute (or may we not hate any). Om! Let there be Peace in me! Let there be Peace in my environment! Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me!

1. The mind is chiefly spoken of as of two kinds, pure and impure. The impure mind is that which is possessed of desire, and the pure is that which is devoid of desire.

2. It is indeed the mind that is the cause of men’s bondage and liberation. The mind that is attached to sense-objects leads to bondage, while dissociated from sense-objects it tends to lead to liberation. So, they think.

3. Since liberation is predicated of the mind devoid of desire for sense-objects, therefore, the mind should always be made free of such desire, by the seeker after liberation.

4. When the mind, with its attachment for sense-objects annihilated, is fully controlled within the heart and thus realizes its own essence, then that Supreme State (is gained).

5. The mind should be controlled to that extent in which it gets merged in the heart. This is Jnana (realization) and this is Dhyana (meditation) also, all else is argumentation and verbiage.

6. (The Supreme State) is neither to be thought of (as being something external and pleasing to the mind), nor unworthy to be thought of (as something unpleasant to the mind); nor is It to be thought of (as being of the form of sense-pleasure), but to be thought of (as the essence of the ever-manifest, eternal,

supreme Bliss Itself); that Brahman which is free from all partiality is attained in that state.

7. One should duly practice concentration on Om (first) through the means of its letters, then meditate on Om without regard to its letters. Finally, on the realization with this latter form of meditation on Om, the idea of the non-entity is attained as entity.

8. That alone is Brahman, without component parts, without doubt and without taint. Realizing “I am that Brahman” one becomes the immutable Brahman.

9. (Brahman is) without doubt, endless, beyond reason and analogy, beyond all proofs and causeless knowing which the wise one becomes free.

10. The highest Truth is that (pure consciousness) which realizes, “There is neither control of the mind, nor its coming into play”, “Neither am I bound, nor am I a worshipper, neither am I a seeker after liberation, nor one-who has attained liberation”.

11. Verily the Atman should be known as being the same in Its states of wakefulness, dreaming, and dreamless sleep. For him who has transcended the three states there is no more rebirth.

12. Being the one, the universal Soul is present in all beings. Though one, It is seen as many, like the moon in the water.

13. Just as it is the jar which being removed (from one place to another) changes places and not the Akasa enclosed in the jar –so is the Jiva which resembles the Akasa.

14. When various forms like the jar are broken again and again the Akasa does not know them to be broken, but He knows perfectly.

15. Being covered by Maya, which is a mere sound, It does not, through darkness, know the Akasa (the Blissful one). When ignorance is rent asunder, It being then Itself only sees the unity.

16. The Om as Word is (first looked upon as) the Supreme Brahman. After that (word-idea) has vanished, that imperishable Brahman (remains). The wise one should meditate on that imperishable Brahman, if he desires the peace of his soul.

17. Two kinds of Vidya ought to be known – the Word-Brahman and the Supreme Brahman. One having mastered the WordBrahman attains to the Highest Brahman.

18. After studying the Vedas the intelligent one who is solely intent on acquiring knowledge and realization, should discard the Vedas altogether, as the man who seeks to obtain rice discards the husk.

19. Of cows which are of diverse colors the milk is of the same color. (The intelligent one) regards Jnana as the milk, and the many-branched Vedas as the cows.

20. Like the butter hidden in milk, the Pure Consciousness resides in every being. That ought to be constantly churned out by the churning rod of the mind.

21. Taking hold of the rope of knowledge, one should bring out, like fire, the Supreme Brahman. I am that Brahman indivisible, immutable, and calm, thus it is thought of.

22. In Whom reside all beings, and Who resides in all beings by virtue of His being the giver of grace to all -I am that Soul of the Universe, the Supreme Being, I am that Soul of the Universe, the Supreme Being.

Om! May He protect us both together; may He nourish us both together; May we work conjointly with great energy, May our study be vigorous and effective; May we not mutually dispute (or may we not hate any).

Om! Let there be Peace in me!

Let there be Peace in my environment! Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me!

Here ends the Amritabindupanishad, as contained in the Krishna-Yajur-Veda.