Bṛhadāraṇyaka-Upaniṣad

Fourth Brahmana: The Dialogue between Sages Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi

1. maitreyī, iti hovāca yājñavalkyaḥ, ud yāsyan vā are 'ham asmāt sthānād asmi; hanta
hanta,te'nayā kātyāyanyāntaṁ karavāṇīti.“Maitreyi,” said Yajnavalkya, "I am going to
renounce this life. Let me make a final settlement between you and Katyayani (his other
wife).

2.sā hovāca maitreyī, yan nu ma iyam, bhagoḥ, sarvā pṛthivī vittena pūrṇā syāt, kathaṁ
tenāmṛtā syām iti. na, iti hovāca yājñavalkyaḥ; yathaivopakaraṇavatāṁ jīvitam, tathaiva te
jīvitaṁ syād amṛtatvasya tu nāśāsti vitteneti. Maitreyi said: "Venerable One, if indeed the whole
earth, full of wealth, belonged to me, would I be immortal through that?" "No," replied
Yajnavalkya, "your life would be just like that of people who have plenty. Of Immortality,
however, there is no hope through wealth."

3. sa hovāca maitreyī, yenāhaṁ nāmṛtā syām, kim ahaṁ tena kuryām, yad eva bhagavān veda
tad eva me brūhīti. Then Maitreyi said: "What should I do with that which would not make me
immortal? Tell me, venerable Sir, of that alone which you know to be the only means of attaining
Immortality."

4. sa hovāca yājñavalkyaḥ, priyā bata are naḥ satī priyaṁ bhāṣase; ehi, āssva, vyākhyāsyāmi
te; vyācakṣāṇasya tu me nididhyāsasva iti. Yajnavalkya replied: "My dear, you have been my
beloved even before, and now you say what is after my heart. Come, sit down; I will explain it to
you. As I explain it, meditate on what I say."

5.sa hovāca: na vā are patyuḥ kāmāya patiḥ priyo bhavati, ātmanas tu kāmāya patiḥ priyo
bhavati: na vā are jāyāyai kāmāya jāyā priyā bhavati, ātmanas tu kāmāya jāyā priyā bhavati;
na vā are pūtrāṇāṁ kāmāya putrāḥ priyā bhavanti, ātmanas tu kāmāya putrāḥ priyā
bhavanti; na vā are vittasya kāmāya vittam priyam bhavati, ātmanas tu kāmāya vittam priyam
bhavati; na vā are brahmaṇaḥ kāmāya brahma priyam bhavati, ātmanas tu kāmāya brahma
priyam bhavati; na vā are kṣatrasya kāmāya kṣatram priyam bhavati ātmanas tu kāmāya
kṣatram priyam bhavati; na vā are lokānāṁ kāmāya lokāḥ priyā bhavanti, ātmanas tu kāmāya
lokāḥ priyā bhavanti; na vā are devānāṁ kāmāya devāḥ priyā bhavanti, ātmanas tu kāmāya
devāḥ priyā bhavanti; na vā are bhūtānāṁ kāmāya bhūtāni priyāṇi bhavanti, ātmanas tu
kāmāya bhūtāni priyāṇi bhavanti; na vā are sarvasya kāmāya sarvam priyam bhavati,
ātmanas tu kāmāya sarvam priyam bhavati; Then he said: "Verily, not for the sake of the
husband, my dear, is the husband loved, but he is loved for the sake of the self which, in its true
nature, is one with the Supreme Self. Not for the sake of the wife, my dear, is the wife loved, but
she is loved for the sake of the self. Not for the sake of the sons, my dear, are the sons loved, hut
they are loved for the sake of the self. Not for the sake of wealth, my dear, is wealth loved, but it
is loved for the sake of the self. Not for the sake of the brahmin, my dear, is the brahmin loved,
but he is loved for the sake of the self. Not for the sake of the kshatriya, my dear, is the kshatriya
loved, but he is loved for the sake of the self. Not for the sake of the worlds, my dear, are the
worlds loved, but they are loved for the sake of the self. Not for the sake of the gods, my dear,
are the gods loved, but they are loved for the sake of the self. Not for the sake of the beings, my
dear, are the beings loved, but they are loved for the sake of the self.

ātmā vā are draṣṭavyaḥ śrotavyo mantavyo nididhyāsitavyaḥ: maitreyī ātmano vā are

darśanena śravaṇena matyā vijñānenedaṁ sarvaṁ viditam. Indeed, dear Maitreyi, it is the
oneself that should be understood—should be heard of, reflected upon, and contemplated upon.
By knowing the self, my dear—through hearing, reflection, and meditation—all this is known.