Readings From Hindu Scriptures

Om, this word is the whole universe.

It is explained that everything past, present and future is the sound Om.

And whatever is beyond these three divisions of time, that also indeed is Om.

In the beginning, there was only the self, like a person alone.

Looking around, it saw nothing other than itself.

It first said, I am, and so there came the name I.

Thus to this day, when one is asked, who is there?

He replies, it is I, and then gives what other name he may have.

The self was afraid, as one who is alone is afraid.

But it thought, since there is nothing beside myself, of what am I afraid?

Whereat the fear vanished, for what could it have feared?

Fear can come only from something other.

But the self had no delight, as one alone has no delight.

It desired another.

It expanded to the form of male and female in tight embrace, and then fell into two parts.

Thus it is that everybody is one half, like one of the halves of a split pea, and the missing half is filled by a spouse.

Then he coupled with her, and produced all human beings.

She thought, how can he have intercourse with me, having produced me from himself?

I will hide.

She became a cow.

But he became a bull, and coupling with her, produced all cattle.

And in turn, she became a mare, and he a stallion.

She a female donkey, and he a male donkey.

She a she-goat, and he a he-goat.

She a you, and he a ram.

And thus were born from their union all beings that exist in pairs, down to the very ants.

He knew.

I am, in fact, this universe, for I have produced it all.

In this way, he became the universe.

By whose direction is the mind aware of objects?

By whose command does life first move?

By whose will is this speaking uttered?

And what God empowers the eye and the ear?

It is the hearing of the ear, the awareness of the mind, the very sound of speech, the life of the breath, and the sight of the eye.

Therefore, the wise, surrendering themselves, go beyond this world, and are immortal.

But it is beyond the reach of sight, speech, and thought.

And we neither know nor understand how it can be taught.

But it is other than the known, and beyond the unknown.

Thus we have heard from the wise.

It is that which cannot be spoken, but by which we speak.

It is that which cannot be thought, but by which we think.

It is that which cannot be seen, but by which we see.

It is that which cannot be heard, but by which we hear.

It is the breath which cannot be held, but by which we breathe.

It is known to those who do not know it.

To those who know it, it is unknown.

It is not understood by those who understand it.

It is understood by those who understand it not.

There was never a time when I was not, nor you, nor these others.

Nor will there ever be a time to come when we shall cease.

As one passes in this body, through childhood, youth, and old age,

even so is the taking on of other bodies.

This does not trouble the wise.

Of the non-existent, there is no coming to be.

Of the existent, there is no ceasing to be.

That by which all this is pervaded, cannot be destroyed.

As one casts off worn-out clothes, and puts on others that are new,

even so, the self casts off worn-out bodies, and assumes others that are new.

Weapons cannot cut this self.

Fire cannot burn it.

Water does not make it wet, nor the wind dry.

It is eternal, all-pervading, changeless, and unmoved.

It is the same forever.

It is said to be unmanifest, inconceivable, and without change.

Knowing it thus, you should not grieve.

The knower, the central self, is not born and does not die.

It is not produced from anything, and produces nothing apart from itself.

It is unborn, eternal, enduring, primordial.

It is not slain when the body is slain.

If the slayer thinks he slays, or if the slain thinks he is slain,

neither understand.

It neither slays, nor can be slain.

Smaller than the small, greater than the great.

It is the self in the heart of all beings.

Bring here a fruit from that fig tree.

Here it is, sir.

Break it.

Sir, it is broken.

What do you see inside?

There are, sir, these minute seeds.

Break one of them.

It is broken, sir.

What do you see there?

Sir, I see nothing at all.

My son, my son, that subtle essence which you do not see is the self of this whole universe.

That is the real.

That is the self.

And you are it.