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Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣadबृहदारण्यक उपनिषद्

Khila Kanda. Adhyaya 6, Brahmana 5. The line of teachers, back to Brahma

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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.

॥ 6.5.2 ॥

Onward, son to son

आत्रेयीपुत्रात् । आत्रेयीपुत्रो गौतमीपुत्रात् । गौतमीपुत्रो भारद्वाजीपुत्रात् । भारद्वाजीपुत्रः पाराशरीपुत्रात् । पाराशरीपुत्रो वात्सीपुत्रात् । वात्सीपुत्रः पाराशरीपुत्रात् । पाराशरीपुत्रो वार्कारुणीपुत्रात् । वार्कारुणीपुत्रो वार्कारुणीपुत्रात् । वार्कारुणीपुत्र आर्तभागीपुत्रात् । आर्तभागीपुत्रः शौङ्गीपुत्रात् । शौङ्गीपुत्रः साङ्कृतीपुत्रात् । साङ्कृतीपुत्र आलम्बायनीपुत्रात् । आलम्बायनीपुत्र आलम्बीपुत्रात् । आलम्बीपुत्रो जायन्तीपुत्रात् । जायन्तीपुत्रो माण्डूकायनीपुत्रात् । माण्डूकायनीपुत्रो माण्डूकीपुत्रात् । माण्डूकीपुत्रः शाण्डिलीपुत्रात् । शाण्डिलीपुत्रो राथीतरीपुत्रात् । राथीतरीपुत्रो भालुकीपुत्रात् । भालुकीपुत्रः क्रौञ्चिकीपुत्राभ्याम् । क्रौञ्चिकीपुत्रौ वैदभृतीपुत्रात् । वैदभृतीपुत्रः कार्शकेयीपुत्रात् । कार्शकेयीपुत्रः प्राचीनयोगीपुत्रात् । प्राचीनयोगीपुत्रः साञ्जीवीपुत्रात् । साञ्जीवीपुत्रः प्राश्नीपुत्रादासुरिवासिनः । प्राश्नीपुत्र आसुरायणात् । आसुरायण आसुरेः । आसुरिः ।
In transliteration
ātreyīputrāt | ātreyīputro gautamīputrāt | gautamīputro bhāradvājīputrāt | bhāradvājīputraḥ pārāśarīputrāt | pārāśarīputro vātsīputrāt | vātsīputraḥ pārāśarīputrāt | pārāśarīputro vārkāruṇīputrāt | vārkāruṇīputro vārkāruṇīputrāt | vārkāruṇīputra ārtabhāgīputrāt | ārtabhāgīputraḥ śauṅgīputrāt | śauṅgīputraḥ sāṅkṛtīputrāt | sāṅkṛtīputra ālambāyanīputrāt | ālambāyanīputra ālambīputrāt | ālambīputro jāyantīputrāt | jāyantīputro māṇḍūkāyanīputrāt | māṇḍūkāyanīputro māṇḍūkīputrāt | māṇḍūkīputraḥ śāṇḍilīputrāt | śāṇḍilīputro rāthītarīputrāt | rāthītarīputro bhālukīputrāt | bhālukīputraḥ krauñcikīputrābhyām | krauñcikīputrau vaidabhṛtīputrāt | vaidabhṛtīputraḥ kārśakeyīputrāt | kārśakeyīputraḥ prācīnayogīputrāt | prācīnayogīputraḥ sāñjīvīputrāt | sāñjīvīputraḥ prāśnīputrādāsurivāsinaḥ | prāśnīputra āsurāyaṇāt | āsurāyaṇa āsureḥ | āsuriḥ |
In English

From the son of Atreyi. The son of Atreyi from the son of Gautami. The son of Gautami from the son of Bharadvaji. He from the son of Parasari. The son of Parasari from the son of Vatsi. The son of Vatsi from the son of another Parasari. The son of Parasari from the son of Varkaruni. He from the son of another Varkaruni. This one from the son of Artabhagi. He from the son of Saungi. The son of Saungi from the son of Sankrti. He from the son of Alambayani. He again from the son of Alambi. The son of Alambi from the son of Jayanti. He from the son of Mandukayani. He in his turn from the son of Manduki. The son of Manduki from the son of Sandili. The son of Sandili from the son of Rathitari. He from the son of Bhaluki. The son of Bhaluki from the two sons of Kraunciki. They from the son of Vaidabhrti. He from the son of Karsakeyi. He again from the son of Pracinayogi. He from the son of Sanjivi. The son of Sanjivi from Asurivasin, the son of Prasni. The son of Prasni from Asurayana. He from Asuri. Asuri.

In plain words

The succession continues, each name learning from the one before. The son of Atreyi from the son of Gautami, and so onward through the sons of Bharadvaji, Parasari, Vatsi, Parasari again, Varkaruni twice over, Artabhagi, Saungi, Sankrti, Alambayani, Alambi, Jayanti, Mandukayani, Manduki, Sandili, Rathitari, Bhaluki, the two sons of Kraunciki, then Vaidabhrti, Karsakeyi, Pracinayogi and Sanjivi. The son of Sanjivi learned from Asurivasin the son of Prasni, he from Asurayana, he from Asuri, ending with Asuri.

All mantras