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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.

॥ 6.5.4 ॥

Back to Brahman, self-born

समानमा साञ्जीवीपुत्रात् । सञ्जिवीपुत्रो माण्डूकायनेः । माण्डूकायनिर्माण्डव्यात् । माण्डव्यः कौत्सात् । कौत्सो माहित्थेः । माहित्थिर्वामकक्षायणात् । वामकक्षायणः शाण्डिल्यात् । शाण्डिल्यो वात्स्यात् । वात्स्यः कुश्रेः । कुश्रिर्यज्ञवचसो राजस्तम्बायनात् । यज्ञवचा राजस्तम्बायनस्तुरात्कावषेयात् । तुरः कावषेयः प्रजापतेः । प्रजापतिर्ब्रह्मणः । ब्रह्म स्वयंभु । ब्रह्मणे नमः ।
In transliteration
samānamā sāñjīvīputrāt | sañjivīputro māṇḍūkāyaneḥ | māṇḍūkāyanirmāṇḍavyāt | māṇḍavyaḥ kautsāt | kautso māhittheḥ | māhitthirvāmakakṣāyaṇāt | vāmakakṣāyaṇaḥ śāṇḍilyāt | śāṇḍilyo vātsyāt | vātsyaḥ kuśreḥ | kuśriryajñavacaso rājastambāyanāt | yajñavacā rājastambāyanasturātkāvaṣeyāt | turaḥ kāvaṣeyaḥ prajāpateḥ | prajāpatirbrahmaṇaḥ | brahma svayaṃbhu | brahmaṇe namaḥ |
In English

The same up to the son of Sanjivi. The son of Sanjivi from Mandukayani. Mandukayani from Mandavya. Mandavya from Kautsa. Kautsa from Mahitthi. He from Vamakaksayana. He from Sandilya. Sandilya from Vatsya. Vatsya from Kusri. Kusri from Yajnavacas, the son of Rajastamba. He from Tura, the son of Kavasi. He from Prajapati. Prajapati through his relation to Brahman. Brahman is self-born. Salutation to Brahman.

In plain words

The line runs the same way as far back as the son of Sanjivi. From there: the son of Sanjivi from Mandukayani, Mandukayani from Mandavya, Mandavya from Kautsa, Kautsa from Mahitthi, then Vamakaksayana, Sandilya, Vatsya, and Kusri. Kusri learned from Yajnavacas the son of Rajastamba, he from Tura the son of Kavasi, and Tura from Prajapati (Hiranyagarbha). Prajapati holds the teaching through his bond with Brahman, the Vedas. Brahman is self-born, without beginning or end. Salutation to Brahman.

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