Invocation
harih om. apyayantu mamang ani vak pranas cakshuh srotram atho balam indriyani ca sarvani. sarvam brahmopanishadam maham brahma nirakuryam. ma ma brahma nirakarot. anirakaranam astu. anirakaranam me ‘stu. tad-atmani nirate ya upanishatsu dharmas te mayi santu. te mayi santu. om santih santih santih.
Hari Om. O Lord Hari, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, I pray that by Your mercy my limbs, words, life-breath, eyes, ears, bodily strength, and all my senses may become strengthened and enlivened. I pray that I may never abandon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is described in the Upanishads, and who is the source of everything that exists. I pray that the Supreme Personality of Godhead may never abandon me. I pray that I may never abandon Him. I pray that He may never abandon me. I pray that the truths of the Upanishads may always be present within me, who am faithfully devoted to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I pray that the truths of the Upanishads may always be present within me. Om. Peace. Peace. Peace.
Text 1
vajra-sucim pravakshyami sastram ajnana-bhedanam dushanam jnana-hinanam bhushanam jnana-cakshusham
Now I will speak the Vajra-sucika Upanishad, which destroys ignorance, refutes the fallacies of the foolish, and decorates the wise whose eyes are filled with knowledge.
Text 2
brahma-kshatriya-vaisya-sudra iti catvaro varnas tesham varnanam brahmana eva pradhana iti veda-vacananurupam smritibhir apy uktam. tatra codyam asti ko va brahmano nama kim jivah kim dehah kim jatih kim jnanam kim karma kim dharmika iti.
The four varnas are: brahmana, kshatriya, vaisya, and sudra. Of these varnas the most important are the brahmanas. This is confirmed by both the Vedas and the Smriti-sastras. Here someone may ask: “How is it that a certain person becomes a brahmana? Is it that some spirit souls are brahmanas by nature and other spirit souls are not? Is it that some bodies are brahmana bodies and others not? Is it that one is a brahmana by birth in a brahmana family? Is it that one is a brahmana because he is a learned scholar? Is one a brahmana because of his past karma? Is one a brahmana because he performs pious deeds?
Text 3
tatra prathamo jivo brahmana iti cet tan na. atitanagataneka-dehanam jivasyaika-rupatvat ekasyapi karma-vasad aneka-deha-sambhavat sarva-sariranam jivasyaika-rupatvac ca. tasman na jivo brahmana iti.
If someone says: “A particular person is a brahmana because he is a brahmana spirit soul”, then the scripture replies: “No. That is not so. The soul remains the same, even though because of karma it transmigrates into many different kinds of material bodies. Therefore it is not that certain spirit souls are brahmanas by nature and others are not.”
Text 4
tarhi deho brahmana iti cet tan na. a-candaladi-paryantanam manushyanam panca-bhautikatvena dehasyaika-rupatvat jara-marana-dharmadharmadi-samya-dars anat. brahmanah sveta-varnah kshatriyo rakta-varno vaisyah pita-varnah sudrah krishna-varna iti niyamabhavat pitr-adi-sarira-dahane putradinam brahma-hatyadi-dosha-sambhavac ca. tasman na deho brahmana iti.
If someone says: “A particular person is a brahmana because he has the body of a brahmana,” then the scripture replies: “No. That is not so. All classes of human beings, down to the lowest outcaste, have the same kind of material body made of five material elements, and subject to old age, death, and other changes in exactly the same ways. Neither is it true that brahmanas have fair complexions, kshatriyas ruddy complexions, vaisyas yellow complexions, and sudras dark complexions. Therefore there is no such thing as a brahmana body. It is not the body that is a brahmana.”
Text 5
tarhi jatir brahmana iti cet tan na. tatra jaty-antara-jantushv aneka-jati-sambhavat. maharshayo bahavah santi. risyasringo mrigyah. kausikah kusat. jambuko jambukat. valmiko valmikat. vyasah kaivarta-kanyayam. sasa-prishthat gautamah. vasishtha urvasyam. agastyah kalase jata iti srutatvat. etesham jatya vinapy agre jnana-pratipadita rishayo bahavah santi. tasman na jatir brahmana iti.
If someone says: “One becomes a brahmana by taking birth in a brahmana family,” then the scripture replies: “No. That is not so. A brahmana may be born in any kind of family. Indeed, many great brahmana sages were not born from brahmanas. Rishyasringa Muni was born from a doe. Kausika Muni was born from kusa grass. Jambuka Muni was born from a jackal. Valmiki Muni was born from an anti-hill. Vyasa Muni was born from a fisherman’s daughter. Gautama Muni was born from the side of a rabbit. Vasishtha Muni was born from Urvasi. Agastya Muni was born from a pot of water. All this is described in the Sruti-sastra. Thus many great brahmana sages, although not born in brahmana families, are accepted as great brahmanas because of their spiritual wisdom. Therefore it is not birth in a brahmana family that makes one a brahmana.”
Text 6
tarhi jnanam brahmana iti cen na. kshatriyadayo ‘pi paramartha-darsino ‘bhijna bahavo santi. tasman na j{.sy 241}anam brahmana iti.
If someone says: “A particular person is a brahmana because he has knowledge,” then the scripture replies: {.sy 168}No. That is not so. Many kshatriyas and others have true knowledge and understand the final goal of life, but they are still not brahmanas. Therefore it is not knowledge alone that makes one a brahmana.”
Text 7
tarhi karma brahmana iti cet tan na. sarvesham praninam prarabdha-sancitagami-karma-sadharmya-darsanat karmabhir preritah santo janah kriyah kurvantiti. tasman na karma brahmana iti.
If someone says: “A particular person is a brahmana because he performs his prescribed duties,” then the scripture replies: “No. That is not so. Many pious living entities alike perform the prescribed duties resulting from their previous karma, but that does not make them all brahmanas. Therefore it is not performance of prescribed duties that makes one a brahmana.”
Text 8
tarhi dharmiko brahmana iti cet tan na. kshatriyadayo hiranya-dataro bahavah santi. tasman na dharmiko brahmana iti.
If someone says: “A particular person is a brahmana because he performs pious deeds,” then the scripture replies: “No. That is not so. Many kshatriyas and others gave gold in charity and performed many pious deeds, but that did not make them brahmanas. Therefore pious deeds alone do not make one a brahmana.”
Text 9
tarhi ko va brahmano nama. yah kascid atmanam advitiyam jati-guna-kriya-hinam shad-urmi-shad-bhavety-adi-sarva-dosha-rahitam satya-jnananandananta-rupam seyam nirvikalpam asesha-kalpadharam asesha-bhutantaryamitvena vartamanam antar bahis cakasa-vad anusyutam akhandananda-svabhavam aprameyam anubhavaika-vedyam aparokshataya bhasamanam kara-talamalaka-vat sakshad aparokshi-kritya kritarthataya kama-ragadi-dosha-rahitah sama-damadi-sampanno bhava-matsarya-trishnasa-mohadi-rahito dambhahankaradibhir asamsprishta-ceta vartata evam ukta-lakshano yah sa eva brahmana iti sruti-smriti-puranetihasanam abhiprayah. anyatha hi brahmanatva-siddhir nasty eva. sac-cid-anandam atmanam advitiyam brahma bhavayed atmanam sac-cid-anandam brahma bhavayed ity upanishat.
Then someone may ask: “Who is a brahmana, then?” The scriptures answer: “A brahmana directly sees the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has no rival, who is never born, never touched by the modes of material nature, and never trapped in material actions, who is free of the six material waves and the six material states of being, who is free of all defects, whose form is eternal, limitless, and full of knowledge and bliss, who is free of material dualities, who is the resting place of all that exists, who is the Supersoul residing in the hearts of all living beings, who is everywhere, within and without everything, like the great sky, who is a loom on which everything is woven, whose bliss never ends, who is invisible, who is seen only by His own consent, and who voluntarily appears before His devotees and becomes like a walnut grasped in their hands. Also, a brahmana is free of lust, attachment, and other vices, is endowed with peacefulness, self-control and other virtues, is free of envy, hankering, illusion, and other defects, and has a heart untouched by pride and false ego. The Sruti, Smriti, Puranas, and Itihasas declare that such a person is a brahmana. A person who does not have these qualities cannot be a brahmana. A brahmana always meditates on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has no rival and is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss. A brahmana always meditates on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss. Thus the Upanishad is spoken.
