Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣadबृहदारण्यक उपनिषद्

Madhu Kanda. Adhyaya 1, Brahmana 4. In the beginning, the Self: I am Brahman

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Each mantra is given four ways: the Sanskrit in its Devanagari script, the same sounds in Roman letters, an English translation set in our own voice, and then the line once more in plain words, for a first and unhurried reading.

Not every passage is opened to the same depth. A few central mantras carry the full cross-school commentary, where the schools are set side by side. The rest are kept here whole and faithful, set in their place but not expounded, so the book stays entire and nothing is dropped for being thought minor.

Where the schools read a line differently, the difference is kept open. None is crowned and none is corrected. Each is met on its own terms, and where they contradict, the contradiction is left standing for you to sit with.

॥ 1.4.16 ॥

The Self, the world of all beings

अथो अयं वा आत्मा सर्वेषां भूतानां लोकः । स यज्जुहोति यद्यजते तेन देवानां लोकः । अथ यदनुब्रूते तेन ऋषीणाम् । अथ यत्पितृभ्यो निपृणाति यत्प्रजामिच्छते तेन पितॄणाम् । अथ यन्मनुष्यान् वासयते यदेभ्योऽशनं ददाति तेन मनुष्याणाम् । अथ यत्पशुभ्यस्तृणोदकं विन्दति तेन पशूनाम् । यदस्य गृहेषु श्वापदा वयांस्या पिपीलिकाभ्य उपजीवन्ति तेन तेषां लोकः । यथा ह वै स्वाय लोकायारिष्टिमिच्छेत् । एवं हैवंविदे सर्वदा सर्वाणि भूतान्यरिष्टिमिच्छन्ति । तद्वा एतद्विदितं मीमांसितम्

In transliteration

atho ayaṃ vā ātmā sarveṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ lokaḥ | sa yajjuhoti yadyajate tena devānāṃ lokaḥ | atha yadanubrūte tena ṛṣīṇām | atha yatpitṛbhyo nipṛṇāti yatprajāmicchate tena pitṝṇām | atha yanmanuṣyān vāsayate yadebhyo'śanaṃ dadāti tena manuṣyāṇām | atha yatpaśubhyastṛṇodakaṃ vindati tena paśūnām | yadasya gṛheṣu śvāpadā vayāṃsyā pipīlikābhya upajīvanti tena teṣāṃ lokaḥ | yathā ha vai svāya lokāyāriṣṭimicchet | evaṃ haivaṃvide sarvadā sarvāṇi bhūtānyariṣṭimicchanti | tadvā etadviditaṃ mīmāṃsitam

In English

Now this Self is the world of all beings. In that he offers oblations and sacrifices, he is the world of the gods. In that he recites the Vedas, he is the world of the seers. In that he offers to the fathers and desires offspring, he is the world of the fathers. In that he gives lodging and food to men, he is the world of men. In that he finds grass and water for the animals, he is the world of the animals. And in that beasts and birds, down to the ants, find their living in his houses, he is their world. Just as one would wish safety for one's own world, so do all beings wish safety to him who knows this. This indeed is known and well considered.

In plain words

This Self is the world (loka), the support, of all beings. By offering oblations and sacrifices, a person becomes the world of the gods; by reciting the Vedas, the world of the seers; by making offerings to the ancestors and seeking offspring, the world of the fathers; by sheltering and feeding people, the world of men; by providing grass and water to cattle, the world of the animals; and because creatures down to the ants live off his household, he is their world too. And just as one wants one's own world kept safe, all beings wish safety to the one who understands this, because he sustains them all. This much has been examined and is well established.

All mantras