| Upanishads |
Ṭārasāra-Upanishaḍ1 of Śukla-Yajurveḍa
Om. Bṛhaspaṭi asked Yājñavalkya: "That which is called Kuruksheṭra is the place of the sacrifice of the Ḍevas and the spiritual seat of all beings. Therefore where should one go in order that he may cognize Kuruksheṭra, the place of the sacrifice of the Ḍevas and the spiritual seat of all beings?" (To which Yājñavalkya replied:) "Avimukṭa2 is Kuruksheṭra, the place of the sacrifice of the Ḍevas and of the study of Brahman, because it is there that Ruḍra initiates one into the Ṭāraka3 Brahman when prāṇa (life) goes out. Through this, one becomes immortal and the enjoyer of moksha. Therefore one should always be in the midst of that place avimukṭa, and should never leave, O reverend sir, avimukṭa." Thus said Yājñavalkya.
Then Bhāraḍvāja asked Yājñavalkya: "What is ṭāraka? what is that which causes one to cross (this mundane existence)." To which Yājñavalkya replied: "Om-Namō-Nārāyaṇāya is the ṭāraka. It should be worshipped as Chiḍāṭma. Om is a single syllable and of the nature of Āṭmā. Namah is of two syllables and is of the nature of prakṛṭi (matter). Nārāyarṇāya is of five syllables and is of the nature of Parabrahman. He who knows this becomes immortal. Through Om, is Brahma produced; through Na is Vishṇu produced; through Ma is Ruḍra produced; through Nā is Īśvara produced; through Rā is the Aṇda-Virāt (or Virāt of the universe) produced; through Ya is Purusha produced; through Nā is Bhagavān (Lord) produced; and through Ya is Paramāṭmā produced.
This Ashtākshara (eight syllables) of Nārāyaṇa is the supreme and the highest Purusha. Thus is the Ṛgveḍa with the first foot (or half). That which is Om is the indestructible, the supreme, and Brahman. That alone should be worshipped. It is this that is of the eight subtle syllables. And this becomes eight, being of eight forms. A is the first letter; U is the second; M is the third; Binḍu is the fourth; Nāḍa is the fifth; Kalā is the sixth; Kalāṭīṭa (that beyond kalā) is the seventh; and that which is beyond these is the eighth. It is called Ṭāraka, because it enables one to cross this mundane existence. Know that Ṭāraka alone is Brahman and it alone should be worshipped."
The (following) verses may be quoted here: "From the letter A came Brahmā named Jāmbavān (the bear4). From the letter U came Upenḍra5, named Hari. From the letter M came Śiva, known as Hanumān6. Binḍu is named Īśvara and is Śaṭrughna, the Lord of the discus itself. Nāḍa should be known as the great Lord named Bharaṭa and the sound of the conch itself.
From Kalā came the Purusha himself as Lakshmaṇa and the bearer of the earth. Kalāṭīṭa is known as the goddess Sīṭā Herself. That which is beyond is the Paramāṭmā named Śrī-Rāma and is the highest Purusha. All this is the explanation of the letter Om, which is the past, the present, and future, and which is other than these (viz.,) ṭaṭṭva, manṭra, varṇa, (colour), ḍevaṭā (deity), chhanḍas (metre), ṛk, kāla, śakṭi, and sṛshti (creation). He who knows this becomes immortal. (Thus is) Yajurveḍa with the second foot."
Then Bhāraḍvāja asked Yājñavalkya: "Through what manṭra is Paramāṭmā pleased and shows his own Āṭmā (to persons)? Please tell this."
Yājñavalkya replied:
"(1st Manṭra:) Om. He who is Śrī-Paramāṭmā, Nārāyaṇa, and the Lord described by (the letter) A and is Jāmbavān (the bear) and Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, and Suvaḥ: Salutation to Him."
"(2nd Manṭra:) He who is Paramāṭmā, Nārāyaṇa, and the Lord described by (the letter) U and is Upenḍra (or) Hari and Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, and Suvaḥ: Salutation to Him.
"(3rd Manṭra:) Om. He who is Śri-Paramāṭmā, Nārāyaṇa, and the Lord described by (the letter) M and is of the form of Śiva (or), Hanumān and Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, and Suvaḥ: Salutation to Him.
"(4th Manṭra:) Om. He who is Śri-Paramāṭmā, Nārāyaṇa, the Lord of Śaṭrughna7 of the form of Binḍu and the Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, and Suvaḥ: Salutation to Him.
"(5th Manṭra:) Om. He who is Śri-Paramāṭmā, Nārāyaṇa, and the Lord, and is Bharaṭa 1 of the form of Nāḍa and the Bhūḥ Bhuvaḥ, and Suvaḥ: Salutation to Him.
"(6th Manṭra:) Om. He who is Śri-Paramāṭmā, Nārāyaṇa, and the Lord, and is Lakshmaṇa of the form of Kalā and the Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, and Suvaḥ: Salutation to Him.
"(7th Manṭra:) Om. He who is Śri-Paramāṭmā, Nārāyaṇa, and the Lord, and is Kalāṭīṭa, the Goddess Sīṭa, of the form of Chiṭ and the Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, and Suvaḥ: Salutation to Him.
"(8th Manṭra:) Om. He who is Śri-Paramāṭmā, Nārāyaṇa, and the Lord that is beyond that (Kalāṭīṭa), is the supreme Purusha, and is the ancient Purushoṭṭama, the eternal, the immaculate, the enlightened, the emancipated, the true, the highest bliss, the endless, the secondless, and the all-full—that Brahman is myself. I am Rāma and the Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, and Suvaḥ: Salutation to Him."
He who has mastered this eightfold manṭra is purified by Agni; he is purified by Vāyu; he is purified by the sun; he is purified by Śiva; he is known by all the Ḍevas. He attains the fruit of reciting Iṭihāsas, Purāṇas, Ruḍra (Manṭras), a hundred thousand times. He who repeatedly remembers (or recites) the Ashtākshara (the eight-syllabled manṭra) of Nārāyaṇa gains the fruit of the recitation of Gāyaṭrī a hundred thousand times or of Praṇava (Om) a myriad of times. He purifies (his ancestors) ten (degrees) above and (his descendants) ten (degrees) below. He attains the state of Nārāyaṇa. He who knows this (attains the state of Nārāyaṇa).
Like the eye (which sees without any obstacle) the things spread (in the sky), the wise ever see this supreme seat of Vishṇu. Brāhmaṇas who are spiritually awake praise in diverse ways and illuminate the supreme abode of Vishṇu.
Thus is the Upanishaḍ. (Thus is) the Sāmaveḍa with the third foot.
Footnotes
1. This Upanishaḍ treats of the sāra (essence) for ṭāra (crossing).
2. It is one of the many names given to Benares.
3. Ṭāraka is Om—from ṭṛ, to cross.
4. As the bear, Brahmā, incarnated according to the 'Rāmāyaṇa'.
5. As Upenḍra, Vishṇu incarnates in the lower ṭala as well in the legs in man.
6. Hanumān is the incarnation of vāyu, one of the elements of Śiva.
7. Bharaṭa is rather the incarnation of discus or consciousness and Saṭrughna, that of conch—via., ākāsic sound.
Source: Thirty Minor Upanishads, tr. by K. Narayanasvami Aiyar, 1914
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