Home » 108 Upanishads » Narada Parivrajaka Upanishad

IV-1. He who abandons the (three) worlds, the Vedas, objects of senses, the (influence of the) sense and remains (established) in the Atman alone, attains the highest goal.
IV-2. A good ascetic shall never answer the inquiry on his name, lineage, etc., his native place, duration (of his stay there), study of the scripture, family, age, conduct, and the vows observed by him.
IV-3. He shall neither converse with any woman nor remember one seen before; he shall avoid all talks on them and never look at one even in a picture.
IV-4. The mind of an ascetic will necessarily get disturbed on his doing the four things regarding women (mentioned above); due to this agitation of the mind he is lost.
IV-5-6. An ascetic comes down (from his high position) if he has greed, anger, untruth, bamboozling, covetousness, delusion, likes and dislikes, (love of) fine art, explaining tendency, desire, passion, accepting (gifts), egotism, ‘mine-ness’, practising medicine, enforcing right conduct (in others), expiatory acts, journeying abroad (into unholy places), and (the practice of) mantras, herbs, poisons and blessing (others) which are prohibited.
IV-7. A sage intent on liberation shall not speak (words such as) ‘come, go, stop, welcome, friends and honouring’.
IV-8. A mendicant monk shall neither accept gifts nor induce others to offer donation nor prompt (others to give or take gifts) at any time even in a dream.
IV-9. Hearing or seeing good or bad of his (former) wife, brother, children, etc., and kinsmen, he shall not get agitated; he shall give up sorrow and delusion.
IV-10-12. Abstaining from injury, (having) truthfulness, non-stealing, continence, non-acquiring, humility, absence of depression, serenity, stability, straight-forwardness, freedom from affection, serving respectable elders, faith, forgiveness, calmness, non-alignment, fortitude, amiability, endurance, compassion, modesty, knowledge and wisdom, contemplation of the supreme Spirit (Yoga), very moderate diet and contentment – these are well known as the essential requisites of self-controlled ascetics.
IV-13. Free from (the influence of) the pairs (of opposites), ever established in goodness, equanimous in everything, the sage in the fourth stage (of asceticism), the Paramahamsa, is the visible god Narayana.
IV-14. Except in the rainy season, he may stay one night in a village and five nights in a city; during the rains he may stay four months (in a village or town).
IV-15. The mendicant monk shall not stay two nights in a village; if he stays, affection, etc., may find scope (to deflect him); thereby he will go to hell.
IV-16. In the outskirts of a village, in a secluded spot he may pitch his camp and go about (for alms) like a worm (crawling) on the ground; during the rains he shall stay in one place.
IV-17. Clad in a single garment or unclad, with his vision fixed in the one (Brahman), free from desires, undeflected from the path of the good and deeply meditating he shall walk the earth.
IV-18. Practising his essential duties in a pure place always a mendicant monk shall ever be on the move, his eye fixed on the ground.
IV-19. He shall never journey at night, midday or during the two twilights; neither in a deserted place nor an impassable region nor a place causing harm to creatures.
IV-20. A mendicant monk may stay one night in a village, two nights in a small town, three nights in a big town and five nights in a city. During the rains he may camp in one place which has plenty of pure water.
IV-21. Seeing all beings as like unto himself a mendicant monk shall walk the earth, like a person blind, dull-witted, deaf, mad and dumb.
IV-22. A Bahudaka mendicant monk and a forest-dweller, it is declared, are to have a bath at the three periods (junctures) of the day, the Hamsa ascetic but once a day and a Paramahamsa ascetic has none (prescribed).
IV-23. The ascetic carrying a single emblematic staff shall observe these seven things - silence, Yoga posture, deep meditation, endurance, solitude, desirelessness and equanimity.
IV-24. One at the stage of a Paramahamsa, due to the absence of prescribed rules in regard to bath, etc., shall merely give up all the activities of the mind.
IV-25. What difference is there between worms (revelling in putrid waters) and men who take delight in (the body consisting of) skin, flesh, blood, tendons, marrow, fat, bones, faeces, urine and pus ?
IV-26. Where (on the one hand) is the body, a great conglomerate of all (foul things) such as phlegm and others and where (on the other hand) are merits such as bodily splendour, auspiciousness and personal charm ?
IV-27. If a fool takes delight in his body which is a conglomerate of flesh, blood, pus, faeces, urine, tendons, marrow and bones, he will be (delighted) in hell as well.
IV-28. Though there is no difference between the unmentionable region of women and a purified ulcer, people are generally deceived by the difference in outlook.
IV-29. A piece of skin split in twain and perfumed by the Apana-wind – a bow to those who take delight in it ! What is greater rashness than this ?
IV-30-31. The wise ascetic has no (worldly) work to do nor has he any emblem. The sage free from ‘mine-ness’ and fear, calm, uninfluenced by the pairs (of opposites), taking food without caste-distinction, clad in loin cloth or unclad, shall remain deeply engaged in meditation. Thus the Yogin, solely devoted to wisdom is fit for identity with Brahman.
IV-32. Even though he may carry an emblem (such as the staff), the (real) cause of his liberation is his spiritual knowledge alone. To the people here (in the matter of attaining final beatitude) an assemblage of emblems is meaningless.
IV-33. He is a Brahmana (knower of Brahman) who knows not (the difference between) one who is good or bad, unlearned or highly learned (in scripture), of good or bad character.
IV-34. Therefore a wise (ascetic) shall move about unobtrusively without any emblem, knowing right conduct, devoted to the vow of (realizing) Brahman, and resorting to the secret doctrine (i.e. the Upanishads)).
IV-35. He shall journey over the earth, a mystery to all people, devoid of class or stage of life, as (though he were) blind, dull-witted and dumb.
IV-36. Seeing him calm in mind the gods desire to be like him. As he observes no distinction he attains the (distinctionless) final beatitude. Thus the teaching of the god Brahma. Thus (it ends).
IV-37. Then Narada asked of Brahma (the grandfather): ‘Pray expound to us the method of renunciation’. The god Brahma agreeing to it saying ‘Be it so’ declared: For embracing the fourth stage of life (i.e. renunciation) whether one is in a state of emergency or in the regular sequence, one shall perform the eight commemorative religious ceremonies (astasraddha) after having first undergone the penance to expiate all sins (kricchraprayaschitta), the eight ceremonies being (the propitiation of) the gods, sages (of yore), (other) divine beings, men, (the five) primary elements, manes, father, mother and (one’s) Self. First (he shall propitiate) the group of deities named Satya, Vasu, etc.; in the commemorative ceremony for the gods, Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshvara (Siva); in the Sraddha ceremony for the sages, divine sages (like Narada), royal sages (like Janaka) and men-sages (like Yajnavalkya); in the Sraddha for divine beings, the (eight) Vasus, the (eleven) Rudras and the (twelve) Adityas (suns); in the Sraddha for men, Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatkumara and Sanatsujata (son of the god Brahma); in the Sraddha for the Elements, the five primary elements Earth, etc., the sensory organs such as the eye, and the four groups of living beings; in the Sraddha for the manes, father, paternal grandfather and paternal great grandfather; in the Sraddha for the female ancestors, mother, paternal grandmother and paternal great grandmother; in the Sraddha for one’s Self, one self, father and paternal grandfather; if his father is alive, leaving off the father, himself, paternal grandfather and paternal great grandfather.
In all cases he shall honour the Brahmanas, arranging that two of them are present each time. Having honoured the Brahmanas in the manner prescribed for the ceremony of the daily offerings to deceased ancestors (pitryajna) during the eight Sraddhas performed in eight days or in a day with the mantras pertaining to his own branch of the Veda, following the option of a single ceremony a day or eight ceremonies on the same day; having completed (the rituals) according to rules till they are fed; having performed the offering of rice-balls to the manes and bidding farewell to the Brahmanas, pleased with the presents and betel rolls; having saved seven hairs for the success of the remaining ritual acts; the twice born, having had seven or eight hairs shaved together along with the (remaining) hairs and beard, and the nails cut for the success of the remaining ritual acts; bathing after the shave in which hairs in the arm pits and the public hairs are exempted and preserving the (above said) seven hairs; completing the evening twilight worship; muttering the Gayatri mantra a thousand times; performing the (daily) teaching and study of the Vedas; getting ready his own ritual fire; completing (the recital of) his branch of the Veda; offering the oblation of ghee in the fire as stated in it (his Vedic branch) till Agni and Soma have been propitiated; completing the act of offering oblations; (ceremoniously) eating the barley meal three times (invoking) himself, etc., keeping alive the fire after having ceremoniously sipped water (achamana); seating himself in a skin of the black antelope at the north of the fire, keeping awake listening to the recital of Puranas; bathing at the end of the fourth watch (of the night), boiling the oblation in that fire, offering the rice-oblation sixteen times reciting the Purusha-sukta; performing the Viraja ritual (so as to be free from all sins); sipping water ceremoniously and gifting clothes, gold, vessel and cow along with a cash present, completing (the preceding rituals), bidding farewell to the god Brahma who had been invoked, invoking the fire to be (symbolically) present on his person (reciting the mantras) –
‘May the Maruts bring together (the scattered vital energy), may Indra (do so), may Brihaspati (do so), may this fire (do so granting) along with (long) life, wealth and strength; may he make me long lived’. Thus.
‘Oh Agni, come with your body which is fit for sacrifice. (You) being my Self, may you climb into my body, bringing before me great wealth suitable for men. Assuming the form of sacrifice, may you rest in my body, your source. Oh, Fire, being born of the earth, may you come with your abode; meditating on Fire, bidding farewell to him after having circumambulated and prostrated in reverence before him; worshipping the morning twilight; paying obeisance to the Sun reciting the Gayatri mantra a thousand times, seated in the waters which reach up to his navel; bidding farewell to Gayatri having made respectful offerings to the eight guardian-deities of the quarters; mingling the Gayatri with the Vyahritis (bhur, bhuvas, suvas) and reciting in a low, middling or high tone or mentally (the mantras), ‘I am the stimulator of the tree (of the phenomenal world). Fame (of my knowledge) is lofty like the peak of a mountain. High and holy, I am the immortal being as (the immortal Self) in the sun. (I am) the wealth (of the Self) endowed with effulgence. Possessing true knowledge I am immersed in my immortal nature. Thus the words of self-realization (based on the Veda) of Trisanku (a realized soul)’.
‘He (the Om) who is the most exalted of the Vedas and omnipresent and who has sprung from the ambrosial scripture – may that (Om), the (supreme) lord endow me with (true) intelligence. May I, Oh Lord, become the possessor of (wisdom leading to) immortality; my body very active (in the higher life); my tongue (speech) possessed of sweetness to the highest degree. May I with my ears, listen to the wealth (of Vedantic learning). You are the sheath of Brahman, concealed by worldly intelligence (while please rent asunder). Pray protect my wisdom (born) of the study of the scripture’; ‘I am (now) risen above the desire for wife, desire for wealth and desire for worldly glory’. ‘Om Bhuh, I have renounced (the world)’. ‘Om Bhuvah, I have renounced’. ‘Om Suvah, I have renounced’. Sipping water (ceremoniously, reciting the mantra) ‘Freedom from fear to all beings; everything emanates from memory, Svaha’; offering (water) to the East with the palms fully folded and uprooting the sikha (of seven hairs) reciting Om Svaha; snapping the sacred thread (reciting the mantras) – ‘The sacred thread is highly sanctifying; it has been natural to the god Brahma (Prajapati) in the first place; foremost in promoting long life, put on thus. May the bright (fresh) sacred thread be the strength and effulgence (unto me);
‘Let not the sacred thread reside externally; may you, entering inside into the middle (of the heart) ever grant (me) the highly sanctifying fame, strength, wisdom and dispassion, and (true) intelligence’. Offering water with cupped palms, he shall offer (the sacred thread) as oblation to the waters, (reciting the mantra) ‘Om Bhuh, (pray) reach the sea, Svaha’. Repeating thrice, ‘Om Bhuh, I have renounced, Om Bhuvah, I have renounced, Om Suvah, I have renounced’, he shall ceremoniously sip water and discard in the waters his garment and waist band, reciting ‘Om Bhuh Svaha’. Reminding himself that he had ceased from all (worldly) activities and becoming unclad he shall start for the north with his hand raised and thinking of his Self.
IV-38. If, as stated before, he is an enlightened recluse, he shall receive instruction from his Guru on the Pranava (Om) and the great scriptural texts (such as 'Thou art That'), journeying (as a mendicant monk) in easy stages, (convinced) that no one exists other than his Self and subsisting on fruits, (edible) leaves and water and thus move about on hills, forests and temples. Then unclad, giving up journeying all (over the earth), his heart solely filled with the experience of bliss always, profited by the complete severance of (worldly) activities, sustaining life by means of fruits, juicy barks, leaves, bulbous roots and water only for attaining liberation, he shall discard his body in some mountain cave remembering the emancipating mantra (Om).
IV-39. If he is a recluse desiring further study (Vividisha Sannyasin) he shall proceed along with learned Brahmanas like his preceptor, etc., and receiving a staff, waistband, loin cloth, garment and water vessel (offered) by his preceptors reciting, ‘Pray wait, wait, blessed one, take the staff, (ochre) garment and water vessel’, he shall go to the spiritual guide’s presence to receive instruction in the Pranava (Om) and the great scriptural texts (Mahavakyas). He shall then receive the (emblematic) bamboo staff, which is free from cuts from the tip of the top, evenly shaped, smooth, free from black colour and is auspicious looking, having first sipped water ceremoniously and (repeating the mantra), ‘You are my friend. Protect my strength. You, my friend, are Indra’s (weapon) Vajra, the destroyer of (the demon) Vritra. May you bring protection to me. Prevent that which is a sin’. He shall then receive the water-vessel reciting the Pranava first (and then the mantra) ‘You are the life of the world, you are the container of water, you who are always cool’. (Receiving) the waist-band, loin cloth and the (ochre) garment (reciting the mantra in the due order), ‘the waist-band, the supporter of the loin cloth, Om; the cover for the privities, the loincloth, Om; the garment, which is the protection against cold, wind, and heat, Om;’ and invested with the yoga cloth (cloth used for meditation) preceded by the ceremonial sipping of water, he shall zealously follow the rules of his stage of life (i.e. asceticism) considering that he has fulfilled himself (in the quest for liberation). Thus (ends the fourth Upadesha of the Upanishad.

V-1. Then Narada asked of the god Brahma: ‘Lord, you have said that renunciation entails ceasing from all activity. Again you have said that one shall be zealous in the conduct of one’s stage of life’.
Then the god Brahma replied: ‘To the embodied being there are the four stages of waking, dreaming, sleeping and the fourth stage (Turiya). Under their influence people who engage themselves in action, knowledge and dispassion, conform to them in their conduct’. ‘If this is so, Lord, how many kinds of renunciation are there ? What are the differences in their practice ? Pray expound to us completely’. Agreeing to this saying ‘Be it so’ the god Brahma (said to) him (as follows).
V-2. If the question is raised, ‘How does conduct differ in the varieties of renunciation ? (the answer is) that renunciation is really one only, that it becomes threefold due to imperfection of knowledge (vidvat-sannyasa), incapacity (vividisha-sannyasa) and failure in action (atura-sannyasa) and it attains the four stages of renunciation due to dispassion, renunciation due to wisdom, renunciation due to wisdom and dispassion and renunciation of action.
V-3. This is how it is. Due to the absence of wicked passion, by indifference to objects of pleasure and by the influence of good actions done before, one who renounces the world is (called) the renouncer due to dispassion.
V-4. Due to the knowledge of the scripture (shastras), withdrawing from the phenomenal world by listening to sinful and auspicious experiences of the world; desisting from all the world composed of anger, jealousy, intolerance, egotism and pride; discarding bodily inclinations such as desire for wife, desire for wealth and desire for worldly glory, (excessive) regard for the shastras and public esteem; considering all these common things to be eschewed as vomit; endowed with the four disciplines (such as discrimination or permanent and transitory things) – he who renounces thus alone is a renouncer due to wisdom.
V-5. Having studied all (scripture) in due order and experienced all (worldly life) one who, influenced by wisdom cum dispassion and deep meditation on the Self, becomes an unclad (ascetic), is the renouncer due to wisdom cum dispassion.
V-6. Having completed the course of disciplined student-ship in celibacy, becoming a householder, reaching the stage of a forest-dweller, he who (thereafter) renounces the world in accordance with the order of the stages of life even in the absence of dispassion, is a renouncer of (worldly) activities.
V-7. Renouncing the world in celibacy and becoming unclad in renunciation – such is the renouncer due to dispassion. The renouncer due to (scriptural) learning is the renouncer due to wisdom. The renouncer due to imperfect knowledge is the renouncer of (worldly) activity.
V-8. Renunciation of activity is of two kinds: renunciation due to (some) cause and renunciation without (an adventitious) cause. The one with cause is the afflicted (and is at the point of death); the causeless is renunciation in the regular order.
The afflicted skips over all preliminary ritual acts; it is renunciation at the point of the departure of the vital breath; this is renunciation due to (some) cause. Hale in body (but convinced) that created things are transient and hence all things such as the body are fit to be abandoned:
V-9. ‘The individual soul, non-different from Brahman, pervading pure ether, the sun (Vasu), remaining in the sky, the Fire that rests in the altar (of the universe), the Guest, residing in the house (of the sacrifice), residing in men, dwelling in the superior (gods), resting in truth, residing in the sky (as the sun), born in the waters, born on earth (as grain, etc.,) born as (sacrificial) truth, born in mountains (as rivers), this truth (Brahman) is (truly) great.
V-10. Convinced that everything other than Brahman is transcient and as a result he renounces, that renunciation is renunciation without (an adventitious) cause.
V-11. Renunciation is of six kinds – Kutichaka, Bahudaka, Hamsa, Paramahamsa, Turiyatita and Avadhuta.
V-12. The Kutichaka ascetic wears tuft and sacred thread, carries an (emblematic) staff and water vessel, puts on a loin cloth and patched garment, is devoted to the service of father, mother and preceptor, has recourse to the assistance of using mantras for the vessel (pithara), spade (khanitra) and sling (sikya), is addicted to eating food in one place, puts on the forehead a perpendicular sign of white sandal and has a three-fold (emblematic) staff.
V-13. The Bahudaka ascetic wears tuft, etc., and patched garment, puts on the forehead a mark consisting of three horizontal lines of holy ashes, looks on all equally like the Kutichaka and subsists on eight mouthfuls of food gathered from (different) places like a bee.
V-14. The Hamsa ascetic wears matted hair, puts on the forehead a horizontal mark of holy ashes or a perpendicular mark of sandal, subsists on food gathered without pre-determination like a bee and wears loincloth and khandatunda (a piece of cloth covering the mouth).
V-15. The Paramahamsa ascetic wears no tuft or sacred thread, subsists only on food taken at night and gathered from five houses, has his hand serving as (alms-)bowl, wears a single loincloth and a single garment, (carries) one bamboo staff or wears a single garment, smears holy ashes (all over the body) and renounces everything.
V-16. The Turiyatita ascetic is ‘cow-faced’ (eats food at random without using hands), eats fruits (only) or if he takes cooked food, gets it from three houses (i.e. three mouthfuls), has his body just alive, is unclad and has his body as though it were a corpse (due to insensibility by nirvikalpa-samadhi).
V-17. The Avadhuta ascetic follows no rules, subsists on food that comes to him, as is the practice of a python, from all classes of people excepting those who are accused or fallen, and is solely devoted to the realization of his Self.
V-18. If one lives in (great) affliction (of bodily infirmities), he shall renounce the world in the due order (by getting instruction in Pranava and the Mahavakyas from his Guru).
V-19. To the Kutichaka, Bahudaka and Hamsa ascetics, the method of renunciation of the Kutichakas applies just as (renunciation is embraced after completing) the stages of brahmacharya, etc., (ending with) the fourth stage (namely, renunciation).
V-20. The rule is that the triad of the Paramahamsa, etc., has no waist band, loincloth, garment, water vessel or staff; their soliciting alms shall be from all classes of people and they shall be unclad. Even in the stage of renunciation they may study (the scripture) till they feel fully satisfied and thereafter discard in the waters the waistband, loincloth, staff, garment and water-vessel. Then if unclad there shall not be any vestige of patched garment. They shall neither study nor expound (the scripture). There is nothing whatsoever for them worth hearing. Other than the Pranava (Om) they shall not cultivate any science of logic, not even the Verbal authority (i.e. the Veda). He shall not speak much in expounding (sacred texts), he shall not stultify by his words the words of the great, (he shall not) communicate by making signs with his hands, etc.,, nor shall he use other special means of communication. He shall not speak to the low class of people, women, the fallen and (specially to) women in their courses. To the ascetic there is no worship of the gods, nor seeing (the deities) during festivals nor any journey on pilgrimage.
V-21. Again (on) the different kinds of ascetics. (In the rule relating) to the Kutichaka the receiving of alms is from one house; to the Bahudaka it is at random as in the case of a bee gathering honey; to the Hamsa it is eight mouthfuls (collected) from eight houses, to the Paramahamsa (five mouthfuls collected) from five houses, the hand being the (alms-)bowl; to the Turiyatita the food consists of fruits put into his mouth (gomukha); to the Avadhuta (the food comes to him) as in the case of a python, from all classes of people. The ascetic shall not stay many nights (in the same place). He shall not bow to any one. To the Turiyatita and Avadhuta none is superior. He who knows not the Self, though the eldest, is yet the youngest (in wisdom). He shall not swim across a river, nor climb a tree, nor travel in a carriage. He shall not indulge in buying and selling, nor barter even the least. He shall not put on airs nor speak an untruth. There is no duty enjoined on an ascetic. If there is, then he will have to mix with people practising religious observances (which is undesirable). Hence ascetics have the right (only) to meditation, etc.
V-22. The renouncer in an emergency and the Kutichaka ascetic attain the worlds of Bhur and Bhuvar respectively. The Bahudaka ascetic attains heaven (Svarga). The Hamsa sage attains the (highest heaven of) Tapoloka. The Paramahamsa reaches the abode of Brahma and of Truth (Satyaloka). The Turiyatita and the Avadhuta attain final beatitude in the (individual) Self by deeply meditating on the Self according to the maxim of the wasp and the worm.
V-23. ‘Whatever the state one remembers
When discarding the body at death,
The same he attains (after death).
The teaching of the scripture is never false’.
V-24. Thus having known (the procedure), barring investigation into the nature of the Self, (the ascetic) shall not devote himself to any other practice. As a result of such practice there is the attainment of the respective worlds (such as heaven, etc.,). By one endowed with wisdom and dispassion liberation is (attained) in himself; hence there is no adherence to any other practice. Adherence to (any other) practice (will be useless for attaining final beatitude). To the embodied (self) (there are the three states of) waking, dreaming and deep sleep; in the waking state (it has) the faculty to perceive individuality (vishva); in the dreaming state, the subtle essence of light (taijasa); in the state of deep sleep, intelligence dependent on individuality (prajna). Due to the difference in the state, there is the difference in the conditioned Lord (Ishvara). For the difference in effect, there is the difference in the cause. In these (three states) the material cause for (such differences) is the external and internal activity of the fourteen sensory organs. The mental states are four, the mind (manas), intelligence (buddhi), ego (ahamkara) and the heart (chitta). There is clear difference in practices due to the difference in the activity of the mental states.
V-25. ‘Know (the individual Self) to be awake
When it remains in the eye; when in the throat
It enters the dreaming (state); it is in the heart
In deep sleep; but remaining in the head
It is the fourth state (Turiya)’.
V-26. Knowing the Turiya to be the indestructible (Brahman) he who remains as though unconscious of all (happenings) such as whatever is heard or seen, remains as one in the state of deep sleep, though he is in the waking state. In him even in the dreaming state such condition (of non-consciousness) prevails. (The Shastras) say that he is one who is ‘liberated while living’. The exposition of the meaning of all scriptures is that such a person alone attains liberation. A mendicant monk does not hanker after this world or the next (i.e. Svarga, the heaven of varying enjoyments with a time-limit). If he has (such) expectation he becomes one in accordance with that. By (ritual) practices of the scripture other than investigation into the Self, he does a useless thing, like the burden borne by a camel of a load of saffron flowers. (for him) there is no practice of the science of Yoga, no pursuit of the lore of the Sankhya, nor application of the mantras and rituals. If an ascetic practises lores other than (Self-realization) it is like adorning a corpse. As a cobbler is far away from the performance of Vedic rituals, so is he from the (practice of Brahma-)vidya (by his rituals). He is not to devote himself to repeat the Pranava. Whatever activity he does he has to reap the fruit there of. Hence discarding all (ritual acts) like the foam in castor oil, and seeing the unclad ascetic engaged in it (Self-realization) with complete control over the mind and using the hand as the (alms-)bowl, the mendicant monk shall (truly) renounce (all worldly attachments). Like the child, mad man or a goblin the mendicant monk shall not desire either for death or life, but shall merely mark time according to the maxim of a servant awaiting orders.
V-27. If an ascetic merely lives on the alms devoid of the qualities of forbearance, wisdom, dispassion, tranquillity, etc., he is a bane of the conduct of ascetics.
V-28. Not by bearing an (emblematic) staff, not by a shaven head, not by (special) dress, not by hypocritical airs (of sage-hood) does liberation (come to one).
V-29. He who bears the staff of wisdom is said to be ‘single staffed’. The ascetic who carries a wooden stick, eats all sorts of food and is devoid of wisdom goes to terrible hells called Maharaurava.
V-30. A stable position (in a monastery) is said by great sages to be similar to the excreta of a sow; hence, leaving it aside, the ascetic shall move about like an (assiduous) worm.
V-31. The Turiyatita ascetic shall have food and clothing without solicitation and just as they happen to occur, by others will. He shall be unclad and have a bath at others’ will.
V-32. The ascetic whose behaviour is well in harmony even with the dreaming state as with the waking state, is considered the best; he is the most excellent among those that follow the Vedanta.
V-33. In non-acquirement (of alms) he shall not grieve; in its acquisition he shall not feel joy. Avoiding attachment to material things he shall simply keep himself alive (for a higher purpose).
V-34. He shall in all cases shrink from being honoured (by admiring disciples); the ascetic who welcomes such honour gets bound (with worldly ties) though liberated.
V-35. For the sake of bare subsistence an ascetic may go about for alms to the houses of approved classes of people (i.e. the ‘twice borns’) at the proper time when they have dined after the fire-ritual.
V-36. Using his hand as a vessel (for receiving food) the ascetic shall not solicit alms more than once a day; he may eat the food standing, he may eat the food walking. There is no ceremonial sipping of water in between.
V-37. (The ascetics) with pure thoughts keep within the limits (of good behaviour) like the sea; these great men do not abandon the prescribed course (of conduct) like the sun.
V-38. When the ascetic seeks food with his mouth alone like a cow, he shall then be equanimous in all beings; he is (then) fit for immortality.
V-39. Going to a house which is not forbidden (for alms), he shall avoid a house which is prohibited. He shall enter the house when the door is open; he shall never go towards the house when it is closed.
V-40. He shall shelter (for the night) in a deserted house covered with dust, or he may shelter under a tree, giving up all likes and dislikes.
V-41. The ascetic shall go to sleep where he is when the sun sets and be free of (ritual) fire and (fixed) abode. He shall live on what comes at random, self-possessed and senses subdued.
V-42. Departing (from human habitations) and resorting to a forest, possessing true knowledge and senses subdued, moving about awaiting the time (of death), (the ascetic) becomes fit for absorption into Brahman.
V-43. The sage who moves about, desisting from causing fear to all beings has nowhere fear from any being.
V-44. Free from pride and egotism, unaffected by the pairs (of opposites), with all doubts dispelled, (the ascetic) never gets angry nor hates (any one) and does not utter a false word.
V-45. Moving in holy places, causing no injury to living beings and receiving alms at the proper time, (the sage) is fit for absorption into Brahman.
V-46. He shall at no time associate himself with the forest-dwellers (Vanaprasthas) and the householders. He shall desire to move about unobtrusively. Joy (of any kind) shall not enter him. His path indicated by the sun he shall walk the earth (unhurriedly) like a worm.
V-47. Actions entailing blessing and those connected with injury as well as those intended for the welfare of the world, these (the ascetic) shall neither perform nor cause others to do.
V-48. He shall not be attached to heterodox doctrines nor pursue a means of living. He shall not indulge in assertive arguments nor lean to either side in a debate.
V-49. He shall not have a following of disciples nor study many books. He shall not utilise a commentary nor initiate inaugural functions anywhere.
V-50. Without displaying any distinctive emblem or motive the ascetic shall show himself to the people as a mad man or a child or a dumb person though he is (all) wise.
V-51. He shall neither do nor speak on anything. He shall have no thoughts good or bad. Delighting in the Self, the sage shall move about, leading this way of life.
V-52. He shall move about the country alone, free from attachment, his senses subdued, playing with and rejoicing in the Self, self-possessed, equanimous.
V-53. Wise (but) playful like a child, well versed but appearing dull-witted, (the ascetic) shall journey. Learned, he may speak like a mad man. Seeking food like a cow he shall walk in the path of the Upanishads.
V-54-55. Disregarded, insulted, deceived, envied, beaten, obstructed or made to suffer by denial of food by wicked people or when faeces and urine are thrown at him by the ignorant and shaken in various ways, (the ascetic) desiring welfare but fallen into difficulties shall raise himself by the (power of the) Self.
V-56-57. Honour received by the ascetic brings about great loss to the wealth of his penance (Yoga), but when he is disregarded by ignorant people he attains success in the practice of Yoga (as he becomes free of ego by the ordeal). Without transgressing right conduct of the good the Yogin may so move about, that (ordinary) people may disregard him; but they shall never associate with him.
V-58. They Yogin (absorbed in meditation) shall do no harm by word, thought or physical action to beings such as the womb-born, the egg-born and others. He shall avoid all associations.
V-59. Abandoning all defects, such as passion and anger as well as pride, greed, delusion, etc., the mendicant monk shall remain free from fear.
V-60. Eaten food given as alms, observing silence, penance, meditation specially, (possessing) correct knowledge and dispassion – these are considered to be the duties of a mendicant monk.
V-61. Wearing ochre garment, ever devoted to the Yoga of meditation, he may take shelter (for the night) at the outskirts of a village, the shade of a tree or even in a temple. He shall always live on alms and nowhere eat food obtained from one house alone.
V-62. A wise man (before embracing renunciation) shall always be on the move till he attains purity of mind; there the pure-minded shall renounce worldly life and move about here and there.
V-63. Visualising God (the Lord Vishnu) everything, both outwardly and inwardly, he shall move about at all times, silent and free from impurity like the breeze.
V-64. Equanimous in joy and sorrow, patient and forgiving, eating what comes to his hand and seeing without enmity equally on the ‘twice-born’, the cow, the horse and the deer, etc., (he shall journey).
V-65. Meditating on Vishnu (who is) the supreme Self and the Lord (Ishana), contemplating on the Supreme bliss and remembering that he is Brahman alone (he shall spend the time).
V-66. Thus having become wise and possessing complete control over the mind, turning away from desires, unclad (by becoming an Avadhuta), always discarding all worldly affairs by thought, word and deed and turning his face away from the illusory phenomenal world, (the sage) becomes liberated (from worldly bondage) by deep meditation on his Self according to the maxim of the wasp and the worm. Thus (ends the fifth chapter of) the Upanishad.

VI-1. Then Narada asked of the grandfather (Brahma): ‘Lord, (the sage attains liberation) by that practice, according to the maxim of the wasp and the worm. How is that practice (accomplished) ?’ The god Brahma said to him: ‘True in speech he shall lead the life, with his body remaining distinctive by the (power of) wisdom and dispassion.’
VI-2. Wisdom is the (wise man’s) body; know that dispassion is his life; tranquillity and self restraint his eyes; the mind his face; intelligence his digit (kala) (consisting of sixteen parts beginning with Prana and ending with naman); the twenty-five elements his limbs, the (aggregate of the) states (of waking, etc.,) his five primary elements (of earth, water, etc.,); action, devotion, wisdom and dispassion are the branches (i.e. hands in the form of his) waking, dreaming, deep sleep and the fourth state (turiya); the fourteen organs are of the form of (unstable) pillars (fixed) in slime. None the less, as a pilot guides a boat even from a muddy place (to safety), as a mahout an (intractable) elephant, the man of dispassion shall bring them (organs) under his control by his discernment; and considering everything other than the ‘I’ (i.e. the Self) to be false and transitory, he shall always speak of himself as Brahman. There is nothing else for him to know other than his Self. Being thus ‘liberated while living’ (jivanmukta) he lives as one who has fulfilled himself. He shall never say, ‘I am not Brahman’, but (feel) incessantly ‘Brahman I am’ in the states of waking, dreaming and deep sleep; (then) reaching the turiya state he shall be merged in the state of turiyatita (of disembodied final beatitude).
VI-3. (In the fourth state of turiya) the day is the waking state, the night is the dreaming state and mid-night is the state of deep sleep. In one state there are the four states. Among the fourteen organs, each of which has a single function under its control, the functions of the eye, etc., (will now be described). By the eye there is the comprehension of form, by the ears that of sound, by the tongue that of taste, by the nose that of smell, by speech that of articulate expression, by the hand that of seizure, by the feet that of movement, by the anus that of evacuation, by the genitals that of (sexual) pleasure and by the skin that of touch. Intelligence which comprehends objects is dependent on these (described above). (It) comprehends by intelligence. It becomes conscious by the mind (chitta). It becomes conceited by the ego. Having specially created these the individual Self (Jiva) becomes as such due to the conscious possession of the body. The Jiva pervades the body as a householder moves in his house conscious of its possession. Having understood (the nature) of the face (of consciousness) (in the lotus of the heart) namely, that it experiences goodness in the eastern petal, sleep and sloth in the south-eastern, cruelty in the southern, sinfulness in the south-western, sportiveness in the western, inclination to move about in the north-western, tranquillity in the northern, wisdom in the north-eastern, dispassion in the pericarp, and thought of the Self in the filaments (the sage is left with the consciousness of the turiyatita Brahman alone simultaneously with the dawn of that wisdom).
VI-4. There is in the state (of the awareness) of life, the first of the waking state, the second of dreaming, the third of deep sleep, the fourth of the turiya state; and the ‘state beyond the fourth’ (turiyatita) when the four states are absent. The Self is one only (spoken of as) having the different states of vishva, taijasa, prajna and tatastha (the passive state). There is (only) one luminous Being, the witness, the one free of all attributes; the sage shall speak (i.e. feel) that he is Brahman (alone). Otherwise there are the four states of waking, etc., in the waking state, the four states of dreaming, etc., in the dreaming state, the four states of deep sleep, etc., in the state of deep sleep and the four states of turiya, etc., in the turiya state. Not so in the state of turiyatita which is devoid of attributes. As vishva, taijasa, prajna and Ishvara in the states of the gross, subtle and causal bodies, the witness remains as one alone in all the states. Is the passive one (tatastha) the witness ? The tatastha is the not the witness. Due to being a witness, he is not the witness alone. The Jiva is affected by his states of doing, enjoying and egotism, etc. The one other than the Jiva is unaffected (by the various states). If argued that the Jiva too is unaffected, it is not so. There is the conscious feeling of the body due to the consciousness of being the Jiva and of being a Jiva due to the possession of the body. There is an intervention in the state of the Jiva as between the ether in the pot and the all pervading ether. It is due to this intervention alone that the Jiva, pretending inhalation and exhalation investigates (into the supreme witness) by the mantra, ‘The Hamsa (Brahman), that I am”. Thus realizing (that there is really no difference between the Jiva and the supreme witness) one shall abandon conscious feeling of the body; thus one becomes free of the consciousness of the body. Such a one alone is said to be Brahman.
VI-5. Giving up attachment, conquering anger, taking a very moderate diet, subduing the senses and blocking the gates (of the body) by his intelligence, (the ascetic) shall direct his mind towards deep meditation.
VI-6. In solitary places alone, in caves and forests, the Yogin, ever in harmony, shall always begin well his meditation (on the Self).
VI-7. In receptions, ceremonies performed in honour of the manes (Sraddhas) and sacrifices, in religious processions and festivities and in the assemblies of people the knower of Yoga desiring final emancipation shall never be present.
VI-8. The Yogin absorbed in meditation shall so move about that the people disregard and insult him; but he shall never swerve from the path of the good.
VI-9. The three disciplines are restraint in speech, restraint in action and perfect control of the mind; he who practises these three restraints is ‘the observer of the three disciplines’ (tridandin) and is a great sage.
VI-10. That ascetic is considered as the foremost of all, who goes to receive alms from different houses of very learned Brahmanas, as a bee does for honey, when the ritual fire emits no smoke and has burnt itself out.
VI-11. He is a despicable ascetic who goes for alms continuously (without any restraint), remains in that order (of ascetics) without an inward urge and has no dispassion.
VI-12. He is considered an ascetic and no other, who, knowing that alms are specially attainable in a particular house, does not go there again.
VI-13-14. That ascetic is considered as one beyond the castes and orders (ativarnashramin) who realizes the supreme truth which is free of the body, senses, etc., which is the all-witness, the spiritual wisdom, the self of bliss and the self-radiant. Castes and orders, etc., pertaining to the body are invented by the bamboozling illusion.
VI-15. They (the castes and orders) are never part of my Self which is of the form of pure consciousness. He who realizes thus by the (teachings of the) Upanishads shall be deemed as one beyond the castes and orders.
VI-16. He whose conduct conforming to castes and orders has dropped out on visualising his Self, goes beyond all (restrictions of) castes and orders and remains in the (bliss of his) Self.
VI-17. The knowers of the truth of all the Vedas declare that man to be beyond the castes and orders who is established in his Self, having reached the stage beyond his order (ashrama) an his caste (varna).
VI-18. Therefore, Oh Narada, even the castes and the orders of other people have all been superimposed on the Self by delusion (of the ordinary people); this is not done by the knower of the Self.
VI-19. There is no (Vedic) injunction, no prohibition, no rule of exclusion or inclusion to those who have realized Brahman; nor is there anything else (restricting their conduct), Oh Narada.
VI-20-21. Unattached to all beings and even to the (attainment of the) position of the god Brahma and uprooting tenderness towards everything, even to his children, wealth, etc., (the novice), full of faith in the path leading to liberation and desiring to acquire the wisdom of the Upanishads, should approach a Guru who has realized Brahman, with a present in his hand.
VI-22. Pleasing him by rendering personal service attentively for a long time, he shall always listen with great attention to (his exposition of) the truths of the Upanishads.
VI-23. Free from ‘mine-ness’ and egotism, bereft of all attachment and always possessing tranquillity, etc., he visualises the Atman in his Self.
VI-24. Dispassion always dawns (on one) only when one sees the defects of worldly life. To one discontented with the life in the world renunciation will come. There is no doubt about it.
VI-25. One (truly) desiring liberation is called a Paramahamsa. (Before reaching this state) the ascetic shall practise (in his life) the wisdom of the scripture which is evidently the one means of liberation, by listening to the exposition of the Upanishads, etc.
VI-26. In order to attain the wisdom of the scripture (that results in self-realization) the sage called the Paramahamsa should be equipped with all the means such as tranquillity, self-restraint, etc.
VI-27-29. Deeply intent on the practice of the (wisdom of the) Upanishads, tranquil, self restrained, conquering the senses, fearless, free always from ‘mine-ness’, unaffected by the pairs (of opposites), without dependants or other belongings (the ascetic) shall be clad in a tattered loincloth and be with shaven head; or he may be unclad. Wise, proficient in the Vedanta, practising yoga, free from ‘mine-ness’ and egotism, equanimous towards friends, etc., friendly to all beings, alone, the man of wisdom and the self-controlled – (such an ascetic) crosses (the ocean of worldly misery) and not any other.
VI-30. (As novice) he shall be devoted to the welfare of his elders and reside a year there (in the abode of the Guru). He shall always be vigilant in the observance of the lesser vows (niyamas) as well as the great moral duties (yamas).
VI-31. Then at the end (of the year) having attained the excellent Yoga of wisdom he shall move about the country in conformity with (lit. without antagonizing) right conduct.
VI-32. Thereafter at the end of another year he shall give up (even) the excellent wisdom of the Yajnavalkya and the triad of orders (of Kutichaka, etc.,) and reach the state of the Paramahamsa.
VI-33. And bidding farewell to the Gurus (elders and preceptors) he shall indeed move about the country, giving up all attachment, subduing anger, being very moderate in diet, and conquering the senses.
VI-34. These two (people) do not fare well due to incompatibility in their action; the householder not engaging himself in productive work and the mendicant monk busying himself with work.
VI-35. On seeing a young handsome woman (he) becomes inflamed with passion, and drinking liquor he becomes intoxicated. Therefore he shall avoid from afar a woman who is poison to the eye.
VI-36. Conversing with women, as well as chatting with and sending them on errands, their dance, music and laughter and scandals about them – these (the ascetic) shall avoid.
VI-37. Neither (ceremonial) ablution nor muttering prayers, nor worship (of the gods), nor offering oblation to gods, nor means of accomplishing anything, nor fire-ritual, etc., is to be practised by him here, Oh Narada.
VI-38. He has not (to do) the worshipping (of gods), offering oblation to the manes, going on pilgrimage and the observing of vows; he has neither righteous conduct (dharma) nor unrighteous conduct (adharma); nor has he any rule (of conduct) nor worldly action.
VI-39-41. The Yogin shall give up all (worldly) duties and those conforming to popular practices in every way. The wise ascetic, the Yogin, his mind dwelling on the highest truth, shall not destroy insects, worms, moths, as well as trees. With your attention always turned inward, pure, composed in mind, your mind filled with the Self, discarding inward contact (with outward objects), may you, Oh Narada, move freely in the world. Journeying alone the ascetic shall not move about in an anarchical country.
VI-42. Praising none, bowing to no one, not uttering Svadha (as he worships no manes), residing in unstable (deserted houses) and hills the ascetic shall move about without any restraint. Thus (ends the sixth chapter of) the Upanishad.

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