Chapter-V
By meditating on that one (the Atma) who is immortal and whose mind is without a blemish and who resides in this city of eleven gates (the philosophical comparison of the human body with eleven pores in different places), one gets relieved from all sorrows. He attains the characteristics of a wise man and gets relieved from the bonds of birth and death. This is that state which we are contemplating about.
He is the sun traveling in the pure, clear sky; He is the air filling up the entire space of the universe; He is the fire in the places where yagna (a hindu rite) is performed; He is the guest at people’s houses; He is in men; He is in the best Devas; He is in truth; He is in the sky; He is the one seen in various forms in the water, earth, yagna and in the mountains (in the form of rivers) etc., He is the one present everywhere and He is the great one who is above all.
He moves the praana (the inward life-breath) upwards; He brings down the apaana (another force of breath – the outward one– refer the Prsna Upanishad translation for more). He, in the small form, who is seated at the center of the body, is worshipped by all Devas (the Gods and Goddesses).
If this Atma residing in the body leaves this body and goes out, what is it that will remain? That without which the life and body will be inactive is that thing that we are contemplating about.
No man exists just because of (the movement of) praana, the inward breath and apaana, the outward breath. He exists on that thing (the Atma) which is the source of these forms of breath.
O Gautama! Concentrate on this intently! I shall now tell you again about this Brahman, which is very ancient and secretive.
I shall also tell you about the state of and whereabouts of the Jiva after death (when it has not learnt about the Brahman).
Some of those who have born with bodies (the human beings), requiring other bodies reach the entry point again (the womb). Some others reach the state of plants (or other stationary objects). All these happen according to their actions, thoughts and knowledge.
The Purusha who is awake even in the one sleeping and who is continuously engaged in shaping one desire after another, He is the pure one; He is the Brahman; He is called as the eternal and immortal. In Him reside all the worlds. On him do they rest. No one crosses Him. This is that (thing that we are contemplating about).
As one fire entering various forms of worldly objects assuming the shapes of such objects, so does the Atma, which, on entering various bodies, takes on various forms, although it remains as one and the same thing and it exists even beyond all such objects within which it is present.
As one air entering various forms of worldly objects assuming the shapes of such objects, so does the Atma, which, on entering various bodies, takes on various forms, although it remains as one and the same thing and it exists even beyond all such objects within which it is present.
As the Sun, the eye of the entire world, is not attacked by the external faults of the eye, so is the Atma, the Atma of the entire world (all the beings), which remains unaffected by any of the worldly sorrows. It stays beyond all that.
Those wise men who perceive the Atma, which is the only Atma for all that is created and which is the Supreme Divine and which multiplies its single form into various, to be residing in themselves – only they are entitled to the limitless joy (arising out of such knowledge of the Self). Not the others.
Those wise men who perceive the Atma, which is the only stable thing in this transient world and which is the knowledge of the beings that possess knowledge and which, standing as one, grants the desires of all, to be residing in themselves – only they are entitled to the eternal peace (arising out of such knowledge of the Self). Not the others.
Although the pure ineffable supreme joy referred to as ‘that’ cannot be defined or explained about clearly, it is regarded as ‘this’ (that is clearly understandable and enjoyable here in this life) by the wise men. Is it self-shining or does it shine by reflecting the light of another? How will we understand that by our intellect?
The sun does not shine there; nor do the moon and the stars. Not even the lightning and certainly not this fire. All these shine only by depending on Him (the Atma) who is self-shining and self-illuminating. It is only because of His light that other things are seen and understood.