Niralamba Upanishad

Translated by Dr. A. G. Krishna Warrier
Published by The Theosophical Publishing House, Chennai

Om ! That (Brahman) is infinite, and this (universe) is infinite.

The infinite proceeds from the infinite.

(Then) taking the infinitude of the infinite (universe),

It remains as the infinite (Brahman) alone.

Om ! Let there be Peace in me !

Let there be Peace in my environment !

Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !

1. I shall raise and answer (questions covering) all that must be known for liquidating the misfortunes of living beings plunged in ignorance.

2. (1) What is Brahman ?

(2) Who is God ?

(3) Who is living being ?

(4) What is Prakriti ?

(5) Who is the Supreme Self ?

(6) Who is Brahma ?

(7) Who is Vishnu ?

(8) Who is Rudra ?

(9) Who is Indra ?

(10) Who is (the god of) Death ?

(11) Who is the Sun ?

(12) Who is the Moon ?

(13) Who are the Gods ?

(14) Who are the demons ?

(15) Who are the evil spirits ?

(16) Who are men ?

(17) Who are women ?

(18) Who are animals and so forth ?

(19) What is the immobile ?

(20) Who are the Brahmanas, etc., ?

(21) What is a caste ?

(22) What is deed ?

(23) What is a non-deed ?

(24) What is knowledge ?

(25) What is ignorance ?

(26) What is pleasure ?

(27) What is pain ?

(28) What is heaven ?

(29) What is hell ?

(30) What is bondage ?

(31) What is liberation ?

(32) What is to be adored ?

(33) Who is the disciple ?

(34) Who is the sage ?

(35) Who is the deluded ?

(36) What is the demoniac ?

(37) What is austerity ?

(38) Which is the supreme abode ?

(39) What is to be sought after ?

(40) What is to be rejected ?

(41) Who is the renouncer (Sannyasin) ?

3. (1) Brahman is the ineffable Spirit. It appears as the Mahat (the Sankhyan Great), the ego, (the elements) earth, water, fire, air and ether – the macrocosm and as actions, knowledge and ends. It is non-dual and free from all adjuncts. It is big with all powers and is without beginning and end. It may be spoken of as pure, good, quiescent, unqualified.

4. (2) God is the veritable Brahman that, depending on Its power called Prakriti creates the worlds and enters (into them) as the inner Controller of Brahma, etc., (He) is Ishvara, as He controls the intellect and the sense-organs.

5. (3) The living being (Jiva) is he who, through false superimposition, affirms ‘I am gross’ due to ‘the name and form’ of Brahma, Vishnu, Isana, Indra, etc. (Jiva thinks): Though I am one, due to the differences of the causes that originate the body, the Jivas are many.