This Brahman is without antecedent or consequent, without interior or exterior. This self, the all-perceiving, is Brahman. This is the teaching of the Upanishads.
1. This Earth is the honey (effect) of all beings and all beings are the honey (effect) of this earth. Likewise, the bright, immortal being who is in this earth and the bright, immortal, corporeal being who is in the body are both honey. These four are but this Self. The Knowledge of this Self is the means to Immortality; this underlying unity is Brahman; this Knowledge of Brahman is the means of becoming all.
2. This water is the honey (effect) of all beings and all beings are the honey (effect) of this water. Likewise, the bright, immortal being who is in this water and the bright, immortal being existing as the semen in the body are both honey. These four are but this Self. The Knowledge of this Self is the means to Immortality; this underlying unity is Brahman; this Knowledge of Brahman is the means of becoming all.
3. This fire is the honey (effect) of all beings and all beings are the honey (effect) of this fire. Likewise, the bright, immortal being who is in this fire and the bright, immortal being identified with the organ of speech in the body are both honey. These four are but this Self. The Knowledge of this Self is the means to Immortality; this underlying unity is Brahman; this Knowledge of Brahman is the means of becoming all.
4. This air is the honey (effect) of all beings and all beings are the honey (effect) of this air. Likewise, the bright, immortal being who is in this air and the bright, immortal being identified with the vital breath in the body are both honey. These four are but this Self. The Knowledge of this Self is the means to Immortality; this underlying unity is Brahman; this Knowledge of Brahman is the means of becoming all.
5. This sun is the honey (effect) of all beings and all beings are the honey (effect) of this sun. Likewise, the bright, immortal being who is in this sun and the bright, immortal being identified with the eye in the body are both honey. These four are but this Self. The Knowledge of this Self is the means to Immortality; this underlying unity is Brahman; this Knowledge of Brahman is the means of becoming all.
6. These quarters are the honey (effect) of all beings and all beings are the honey (effect) of these quarters. Likewise, the bright, immortal being who is in these quarters and the bright, immortal being identified with the ear in the body and with the time of hearing are both honey. These four are but this Self. The Knowledge of this Self is the means to Immortality; this underlying unity is Brahman; this Knowledge of Brahman is the means of becoming all.
7. This moon is the honey (effect) of all beings and all beings are the honey (effect) of this moon. Likewise, the bright, immortal being who is in this moon and the bright, immortal being identified with the mind in the body are both honey. These four are but this Self. The Knowledge of this Self is the means to Immortality; this underlying unity is Brahman; this Knowledge of Brahman is the means of becoming all.
8. This lightning is the honey (effect) of all beings and all beings are the honey (effect) of this lightning. Likewise, the bright, immortal being who is in this lightning and the bright, immortal being identified with the light in the body are both honey. These four are but this Self. The Knowledge of this Self is the means to Immortality; this underlying Unity is Brahman; this Knowledge of Brahman is the means of becoming all.
9. This thunder-cloud is the honey (effect) of all beings and all beings are the honey (effect) of this thunder-cloud. Likewise, the bright, immortal being who is in this thunder-cloud and the bright, immortal being identified with sound and with the voice in the body are both honey. These four are but this Self. The Knowledge of this Self is the means to Immortality; this underlying unity is Brahman; this Knowledge of Brahman is the means of becoming all.
10. This akasa is the honey (effect) of all beings and all beings are the honey (effect) of this akasa. Likewise, the bright, immortal being who is in this akasa and the bright, immortal being identified with the akasa in the heart in the body are both honey. These four are but this Self. The Knowledge of this Self is the means to Immortality; this underlying unity is Brahman; this Knowledge of Brahman is the means of becoming all.
11. This dharma (righteousness) is the honey (effect) of all beings and all beings are the honey (effect) of this dharma. Likewise, the bright, immortal being who is in this dharma and the bright, immortal being identified with the dharma in the body are both honey. These four are but this self. This knowledge of this self is the means to Immortality; this underlying unity is Brahman; this knowledge of Brahman is the means of becoming all.
12. This truth is the honey (effect) of all beings and all beings are the honey (effect) of this truth. Likewise, the bright, immortal being who is in this truth and the bright, immortal being identified with truth in the body are both honey. These four are but this Self. The Knowledge of this Self is the means to Immortality; this underlying unity is Brahman; this Knowledge of Brahman is the means of becoming all.
13. This mankind is the honey (effect) of all beings and all beings are the honey (effect) of this mankind. Likewise, the bright, immortal being who is in mankind and the bright, immortal being identified with mankind in the body are both honey. These four are but this Self. The Knowledge of this Self is the means to Immortality; this underlying unity is Brahman; this Knowledge of Brahman is the means of becoming all.
14. This cosmic body (atman) is the honey (effect) of all beings and all beings are the honey (effect) of this cosmic body. Likewise, the bright, immortal being who is in the cosmic body and the bright, immortal being identified with the individual self are both honey. These four are but this Self. The Knowledge of this Self is the means to Immortality; this underlying unity is Brahman; this Knowledge of Brahman is the means of becoming all.
15. And verily this Self is the Ruler of all beings, the King of all beings. Just as all the spokes are fixed in the nave and the fellow of a chariot wheel, so are all beings, all gods, all worlds, all organs and all these individual creatures fixed in this Self.
16. This, verily, is the honey (madhu-doctrine) which Dadhyach, versed in the Atharva-Veda, taught the Asvins. The Mantra (the rishi) perceived this and said: "O Asvins in human form, I will disclose that terrible deed of yours, called damsa, which you performed out of greed, as the thunder-cloud discloses the approaching rain. I will disclose the honey (madhu-doctrine), which Dadhyach, versed in the Atharva-Veda, taught you through the head of a horse."
17. This, verily, is the honey (madhu-doctrine) which Dadhyach, versed in the Atharva-Veda, taught the Asvins. The Mantra (the rishi) perceived this and said: "O Asvins, you fixed a horse's head on Dadhyach, versed in the Atharva-Veda, who, O terrible ones, wishing to be true to his promise, taught you the ritualistic meditation on the honey (madhu-doctrine) connected with the sun and also the secret (spiritual) meditation on it."
18. This, verily, is the honey (madhu-doctrine) which Dadhyach, versed in the Atharva-Veda, taught the Asvins. The Mantra (rishi) perceived this and said: "He (the Lord) made bodies with two feet; He made bodies with four feet. Having first become a bird (the subtle body), He, the Supreme Person, entered the bodies. On account of His dwelling in all bodies (pur), He is called the Person (Purusha). There is nothing that is not covered by Him, nothing that is not pervaded by Him."
19. This, verily, is the honey (madhu-doctrine) which Dadhyach, versed in the Atharva-Veda, taught the Asvins. The Mantra (the rishi) perceived this and said: "He (the Lord) transformed Himself in accordance with each form and each form of His was for the sake of making Him known. The Lord (Indra), through His mayas, appears manifold; for to Him are yoked ten horses, nay, hundreds. "This Atman is the organs; It is ten and thousands-many and infinite. This Brahman is without antecedent or consequent, without interior or exterior. This self, the all-perceiving, is Brahman. This is the teaching of the Upanishads."
The Upanishads translated by Swami Nikhilananda
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