Introduction to the Upanishads

श्रेयश्च प्रेयश्च मनुष्यमेतस्तौ सम्परीत्य विविनक्ति धीरः ।श्रेयो हि धीरोऽभि प्रेयसो वृणीते प्रेयो मन्दो योगक्षेमाद्वृणीते

Literal TranslationThe good and the pleasant approach a man. The wise one, examining both, discriminates between them. He chooses the good over the pleasant. The dull-witted, for the sake of comfort and security, chooses the pleasant.

उत्तिष्ठत जाग्रत प्राप्य वरान्निबोधत ।क्षुरस्य धारा निशिता दुरत्यया दुर्गं पथस्तत्कवयो वदन्ति

Literal TranslationArise! Awake! Having reached the wise ones, learn! The sharpened edge of a razor — hard to cross — difficult is the path, say the wise.

सत्यमेव जयते नानृतं सत्येन पन्था विततो देवयानः ।येनाक्रमन्त्यृषयो ह्याप्तकामा यत्र तत् सत्यस्य परमं निधानम्

Literal TranslationTruth alone triumphs, not falsehood. By truth is spread the divine path along which the sages — whose desires are fulfilled — travel to where the supreme treasury of truth resides.

अथातः पवमानानामेवाभ्यारोहः ।स वै खलु प्रस्तोता साम प्रस्तौति ।स यत्र प्रस्तुयात् तदेतानि जपेदसतो मा सद् गमय तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय मृत्योर्माऽमृतं गमयेति ।स यदाहासतो मा सद्गमयेति मृत्युर्वा असत् सदमृतं मृत्योर्माऽमृतं गमयामृतं मा कुर्वित्येवैतदाह ।तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमयेति मृत्युर्वै तमो ज्योतिरमृतं मृत्योर्मामृतं गमयामृतं मा कुर्वित्येवैतदाह ।मृत्योर्मामृतं गमयेति नात्र तिरोहितमिवास्त्यथ यानीतराणि स्तोत्राणि तेष्वात्मनेऽन्नाद्यमागायेत् तस्मादु तेषु वरं वृणीत यं कामं कामयेत तँ ।स एष एवंविदुद्गाताऽऽत्मने वा यजमानाय वा यं कामं कामयते तमागायति ।तद्धैतल्लोकजिदेव न हैवालोक्यताया आशास्ति य एवमेतत्साम वेद

Literal TranslationNext follows the Abhyâroha (the ascension) of the Pavamâna verses. Verily the Prastotri begins to sing the Sâman, and when he begins, then let him (the sacrificer) recite these (three Yagus-verses): 'Lead me from the unreal to the real! Lead me from darkness to light! Lead me from death to immortality!' Now when he says, 'Lead me from the unreal to the real,' the unreal is verily death, the real immortality. He therefore says, 'Lead me from death to immortality, make me immortal.' When he says, 'Lead me from darkness to light,' darkness is verily death, light immortality. He therefore says, 'Lead me from death to immortality, make me immortal.' When he says, 'Lead me from death to immortality,' there is nothing there, as it were, hidden (obscure, requiring explanation) . Next come the other Stotras with which the priest may obtain food for himself by singing them. Therefore let the sacrificer, while these Stotras are being sung, ask for a boon, whatever desire he may desire. An Udgâtri priest who knows this obtains by his singing whatever desire he may desire either for himself or for the sacrificer. This (knowledge) indeed is called the conqueror of the worlds. He who thus knows this Sâman , for him there is no fear of his not being admitted to the worlds .