Self-Knowledge

The one God, hidden in all beings, all-pervading, the inner Self of all — the overseer of action, the dweller in all beings, the witness, the pure consciousness, alone, without qualities.

When all the knots of the heart are cut here, then a mortal becomes immortal — this much is the teaching.

Two birds, bonded companions, cling to the same tree. One of them eats the sweet fruits; the other, not eating, simply watches.

Smaller than the smallest, greater than the greatest — the Self is hidden in the heart of each creature. The one free from desire sees the glory of the Lord, free from sorrow, through the grace of the Creator.

Smaller than the smallest, greater than the greatest — the Self is hidden in the heart of every creature. Free from desire, one sees the glory of the Self by the grace of the Creator.

If the slayer thinks 'I slay' and the slain thinks 'I am slain' — both of them fail to know. This one neither slays nor is slain.

The knowing Self is never born, never dies — it did not come from anything, nor did it become anything. Unborn, eternal, everlasting, ancient — it is not slain when the body is slain.

The inner Self, the Person of the size of a thumb, dwells always in the heart of all people. With steadiness, draw It out from the body as you would draw the inner stalk from a blade of munja grass. Know It as the pure immortal. Know It as the pure immortal.

The eternal among the non-eternal, the conscious among the conscious — the One who fulfills the desires of many: those wise ones who see It as their own Self enjoy eternal peace, none other.

Know the Self as the rider in the chariot and the body as the chariot. Know the intellect as the charioteer and the mind as the reins.

That which is invisible, unseizable, without lineage, without colour, without eyes or ears, without hands or feet—eternal, all-pervading, infinitely subtle, undecaying—the source and womb of all beings: the wise perceive it directly.

To him Angiras replied: Knowers of Brahman declare that two kinds of knowledge are to be understood—the higher (parā) and the lower (aparā).

Just as the single sun illuminates this entire world, so the knower of the field illuminates the entire field, O Bharata.

Know me also as the knower of the field in all fields, O Bharata. Knowledge of the field and of the knower of the field — this, I hold, is true knowledge.

The Blessed Lord said: This body, O son of Kunti, is called the field; the one who knows this is called the knower of the field — so say those who know the truth.

His form does not stand within the range of sight; no one sees Him with the eye. Those who know Him dwelling in the heart, through the heart, through the mind — they become immortal.

This God, the maker of all, the great Self, ever dwelling in the hearts of people — known through the heart, the intelligence, the mind — those who know this become immortal.

The all-pervading Self, like butter hidden in milk — this is the root of self-knowledge and austerity. This is the supreme secret of Brahman, the Upanishad.

This Self cannot be attained by discourse, nor by intellect, nor by much learning. It is attained by the one whom It chooses — to that person the Self reveals Its own form.

Naciketas received this knowledge proclaimed by Death, along with the entire discipline of yoga. He attained Brahman, became free of impurity and free of death. So too shall anyone who thus knows the Self.