Translated by P. R. Ramachander
Published by celextel.org
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 !
First Chapter
“All the living beings are surrounded by the net of illusion, Oh God, Parameshwara,
Oh God of Gods, How will they attain salvation? Be kind enough to tell.” Asked
Lord Brahma to Lord Parameshwara and he replied as follows: 1.1
Some people say that the only way out is Jnana (knowledge). To attain occult
powers, that alone will not suffice. How can Jnana without Yoga lead to salvation?
It is also true that Yoga alone without Jnana will not lead to salvation. So
the one who aims at salvation, should learn Jnana and Yoga together. 1.2
Like a rope ties a bird, the minds of all living beings are tied. Enquiries and
researches do not affect the tie of this mind. So the only way to win over this
mind is through victory over Prana. There is no other option to get victory over
Prana except Yoga and there are no methods except those shown by Siddhas. 1.3
So I am teaching you this Yoga Shika (head of all yogas). It is greater than
all Jnanas. After sitting in either Padmasana (lotus position) or any other Asana,
and after concentrating the sight to the tip of the nose and after controlling
both the hands and legs, meditate on the letter ‘Om’ with a concentrated
mind. If one continuously meditates on Parameshwara, he would become an expert
in yoga and the Parameshwara would appear before him. 1.4
If we sit in an asana and continuously practice, the bindu will cease from going
down. Without Pooraka and Rechaka, the Prana would stand in Kumbhaka for a very
long time. You would hear different types of sound. The nectar will start flowing
from the place of the moon. Hunger and thirst will cease. Mind would get concentrated
on the ever flowing bliss. The four steps for this are Mantra Yoga, Laya Yoga,
Hatha Yoga and Raja Yoga. The great Maha Yoga, which is one, has been divided
in to four and named as above. The prana goes out with sound “ham” and
goes in with the word “sa”, and all beings naturally chant the mantra “Hamsa,
Hamsa” (while exhaling and inhaling). This is chanted in the Sushumna after
being taught by the Guru in an inverted manner (Hamsa inverted is soham). This
chanting of the mantra “Soham, Soham (I am it)" is called Mantra Yoga.
Sun is the letter “Ha” and moon is the letter “Tha”.
The joining of sun and the moon is the Hatha Yoga. Due to Hatha Yoga, the idiocy
which is the cause of all doshas (draw backs) is swallowed. When the merging
of Jeevatma and Paramatma takes place, mind melts and vanishes. And only air
of Prana remains. This is called Laya Yoga. Because of Laya Yoga that heavenly
Swathmananda Sowkhya (the well being of the joy of ones own soul) is attained.
In the great temple of the middle of yoni (the female organ) the principle of
the Devi, which is red like Hibiscus flower lives as Rajas in all beings. The
merger of this rajas with the male principle is called Raja Yoga. As a result
of Raja Yoga, the Yogi gets all the occult powers like Anima. You have to understand
that all these four types of Yogas are nothing but the merger of Prana, Apana
and Samana. 1.5
For all those who have a body, their body is the temple of Shiva. It can give
them occult powers. The triangular part in between the anus and penis is called
the mooladhara. This is the place where Shiva lives as a life giving force. There
the Parashakthi called Kundalani lives. From there wind is produced. The fire
is also produced from there. From there only the sound ‘Hamsa’ and
the mind are also produced. This place which would give whatever is asked for
is called Kamakhya peetam (the seat of passion). In the edge of the anus is the
Swadishtana Chakra with six petals. Near the belly is the Mani Poora Chakra with
its ten petals. In the place near the heart the Anahatha Chakra with its 12 petals
exists. And, Hey Lord Brahma, this is called the Poorna Giri Peeta. In the depression
in the throat, Vishudhi Chakra with its 16 petals exists. Hey lord of Lords,
that is the Jalandara Chakra. In between the eyelids is the Agna Chakra
with its two petals. Over that is the Maha Peeta called Udayana. 1.6
Second Chapter
This world functions because of the unclear foundation power which is described
as Maha Maya, Maha Lakshmi, Maha Devi and Maha Saraswathi. That power shines
in a micro form as a Bindu (dot) on the Peeta (seat). That Bindu breaks the Peeta
and emerges from there in the form of Nadha (sound). That Nadha Brahma assumes
three shapes viz., Macro, Micro and external. The macro form is the big
shape which is pervaded by the five Brahmans. The micro form which arises from
the Nadha with its three Bheejas (roots) is the form of Hiranya Garbha. Para
is the ever true property of Satchitananda. By continuously chanting the Atma
mantra, the glitter will occur in Para Thathwa (the philosophy of the external).
For the Yogi who has stopped his mind, this appears in the micro form similar
to the flame of the lamp, moon’s crescent, like a fire fly, like a streak
of lightning and like the glitter of stars. There are no greater mantras than
Nadha (sound), no Gods greater than Atma, no greater worship than the meditation
and no pleasure greater than satisfaction. My devotee who understands this would
remain stable in his happiness. To that great man who has great devotion to God
as well as similar great devotion to his teacher, all this would be understood
automatically.
Third Chapter
That great ever living Nadha (sound) is called Sabhda Brahman. It is the strength
residing in the Mooladhara. Para is the foundation for its own self and is of
the form of Bindhu. That Nadha coming out of Parashakthi (similar to the
germ coming out of the seed) is called Pasyanthi (we see). The Yogis who are
able to see using the Pasyanthi Shakthi, understand that it is the whole world.
That power produces sound like a rain starting from the heart. Hey Lord of Lords,
there it is called Madhyama. It is called Vaikari when it merges in the sound
form with Prana and exists in the throat and jaw. It produces all the alphabets
from Aa to Ksha. From alphabet words arise and from words rise the sentences
and from them all the Vedas and Mantras. This Goddess Saraswathi lives in the
cave of intelligence in all beings. In meditation when will power melts, you
can reach this Para Thathwa.
Fourth Chapter
Because the divine power is single, there are no differences there. You have
to understand that the thought process of living beings is like seeing a snake
in a rope. When you do not know, it is a rope and then for a small time the rope
appears as a snake. The ordinary intelligence is similar to this. We see everything
as the world that we see. There is no reason or basis for this world to be different
from this Brahman. So the World is only Brahman and not anything different. If
you understand the Para Thathwa like this, where is the cause for differentiation. 4.1
In Taittiriya Upanishad fear has been told as belonging to that foolish person
who finds difference between Jeevatma(soul) and Paramatma (God). Though this
world has been told as some thing to be experienced, in the next moment it vanishes
like a dream. There is no state of waking up in a dream. There is no dream in
the state of waking up. Both of them are not there in Laya. Laya is not in both
of them. All these three are illusions created by the three characters. The one
who sees this would be above characteristics and would be forever. 4.2
The Chaithanya (activity) starts in the form of the world. All these are Brahman.
It is useless to differentiate it as Atma and Anatma when dealing with wise people.
The foolish man thinks that body is attached to the soul. The belief that pot
is mixed with the mud and the water is mixed with mirage and similarly the belief
that body is mixed up with the soul is because of taking recourse to ignorance. 4.3
Fifth Chapter
That Yogi who has mastered yoga and who has complete control over his senses
would attain whatever he imagines. The Teacher (guru) is the Brahma, He is Vishnu
and He is the Lord of Lords Sadashiva and there is nobody greater than the teacher
in all the three worlds. We should worship with devotion that Parameshwara, who
is the great Soul who has taught us the divine knowledge. The one who worships
like that would get the result of Jnana fully. Do not keep your aim because of
the wavering mind on occult powers. The one who knows this principle well, is
the one who has attained salvation. There is no doubt about it.
Sixth Chapter
That great light in which the Bhoo Loka, Bhuvar Loka and Suvar Loka [Worlds]
and the Sun, Moon and Fire Gods, are but a small part in the letter “Om”.
When mind wavers, the worldly life and when it is firm, the salvation will result.
So Lord Brahma, using great intelligence we have to keep the mind not to waver.
For desire to posses wealth, the mind is the reason. When that is destroyed,
the world would be destroyed. One should with lot of effort start the treatment
for that. When a man looks after his mind using his mind and realizes that it
has stopped running, he would see the Parabrahman, which is very difficult to
see. The Yogi is able to get salvation by seeing his mind with his mind. We have
to see the mind with the mind and hanker for that mad state. We have to see the
mind with the mind and be stable in Yoga. 6.1
In any place where the wind moves, the mind also wavers. Mind is called moon,
sun, wind, sight and fire. The Bindu(dot), Nadha (sound) and the Kala (crescent)
are the Gods Vishnu, Brahma and Ishwara. By constant practice of Nadha, the bad
influences will vanish. That which is Nadha becomes the Bindu and then becomes
the mind. One has to clearly aim at the unification of Nadha, Bindu and Chintha.
Mind itself is the Bindu and that is the reason for the state of creation of
the world. Similar to milk being produced by the cow, Bindu is produced by the
mind. 6.2
The one who realizes well the six wheels (Agna chakras) enters the world of pleasure.
One has to enter it by controlling the airs in the body. One has to send the
air (Vayu) upwards. One has to practice Vayu, Bindu Chakra and Chintha. Once
the Yogi realizes Samadhi by one of them, he feels that everything is nectar
like. Similar to the fact that the fire inside the wood cannot be brought out
without churning it by another wood, without practice, the lamp of wisdom can
not be lit. Adopting his teacher as the one who pilots the ship and by adopting
his teachings as the stable ship, with the power of constant practice, one crosses
the sea of this birth. Thus tells this Upanishad.
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 Yoga-Sikhopanishad belonging to the Krishna-Yajur-Veda.