Taittirīyopaniṣat 02.14
सोऽकामयत। बहु स्यां प्रजायेयेति। स तपोऽतप्यत। स तपस्तप्त्वा। इदं सर्वमसृजत। यदिदं किञ्च। तत् सृष्ट्वा। तदेवानुप्राविशत्। तदनुप्रविश्य। सच्चत्यच्चाभवत्। निरुक्तं चानिरुक्तं च। निलयनं चानिलयनं च। विज्ञानं चा विज्ञानं च। सत्यं चानृतं सत्यमभवत्। यदिदं किञ्च। तत् सत्यमित्याचक्षते ॥१४॥
so'kāmayata। bahu syāṃ prajāyeyeti। sa tapo'tapyata। sa tapastaptvā। idaṃ sarvamasṛjata। yadidaṃ kiñca। tat sṛṣṭvā। tadevānuprāviśat। tadanupra viśya। saccatyaccābhavat। niruktaṃ cāniruktaṃ ca। nilayanaṃ cānilayanaṃ ca। vijñānaṃ cā vijñānaṃ ca। satyaṃ cā'nṛtaṃ satyamabhavat। yadidaṃ kiñca। tat satyamityācakṣate॥14॥
[सः (saḥ) - he; अकामयत् (akāmayata) - desired; बहु (bahu) - much; स्याम् (syām) - may I become; प्रजायेय (prajāyeya) - may I be born; इति (iti) - thus; सः (saḥ) - he; तपः (tapaḥ) - austerity; अतप्यत (atapyata) - practiced; सः (saḥ) - he; तपः (tapaḥ) - austerity; तप्त्वा (taptvā) - having practiced; इदं (idaṃ) - this; सर्वम् (sarvam) - all; असृजत् (asṛjat) - created; यत् (yat) - whatever; इदं (idaṃ) - this; किञ्च (kiñca) - anything; तत् (tat) - that; सृष्ट्वा (sṛṣṭvā) - having created; तदेव (tadeva) - that alone; अनुप्राविशत् (anuprāviśat) - entered into; तत् (tat) - that; अनुप्रविश्य (anupraviśya) - having entered; सत् (sat) - being; च (ca) - and; असत् (asat) - non-being; च (ca) - and; अभवत् (abhavat) - became; निरुक्तम् (niruktam) - expressed; च (ca) - and; अनिरुक्तम् (aniruktam) - unexpressed; च (ca) - and; निलयनम् (nilayanam) - with abode; च (ca) - and; अनिलयनम् (anilayanam) - without abode; च (ca) - and; विज्ञानम् (vijñānam) - knowledge; च (ca) - and; अविज्ञानम् (avijñānam) - ignorance; च (ca) - and; सत्यं (satyaṃ) - truth; च (ca) - and; अनृतम् (anṛtam) - falsehood; सत्यं (satyaṃ) - truth; अभवत् (abhavat) - became; यत् (yat) - whatever; इदं (idaṃ) - this; किञ्च (kiñca) - anything; तत् (tat) - that; सत्यं (satyaṃ) - truth; इति (iti) - thus; आचक्षते (ācakṣate) - they say;]
He desired, "Let me become many, let me be born." He performed austerity, and having done so, he created all this. Whatever exists here, having created it, he entered into it. Upon entering, truly, he became both being and non-being, the expressed and the unexpressed, with and without abode, knowledge and ignorance, truth and falsehood. Whatever exists here, that they say is truth.
Taittirīya Bhāshya 02.14
In response to the previous question, the Upanishad informs: An ignorant person does not attain Lord Vishnu or Liberation; only the wise attain it. Hence, to reveal the independence of Lord Viṣṇu, the above verse is stated. Elaborating on the knowledge of Lord Vishnu, the testimonial highlights - Having created this entire world he remains as its controller; Creation is nothing but the emergence outward from one's own nature; by transforming his form, He entered the entire Universe; that is the indescribable knowledge; He is the one possessed of complete sovereignty and lordship; due to his infinitude, he is indescribable; He is the one with all auspicious qualities; Even the negative qualities indirectly refer to Lord as He is the cause; only He is the giver of liberation.
"अज्ञो नैव तदाप्नोति ज्ञान्येवैतदवाप्नुते। इति ज्ञापयितुं विष्णोः स्वातन्त्र्यज्ञापनाय तु॥
"ajño naiva tadāpnoti jñānyevaitadavāpnute। iti jñāpayituṃ viṣṇoḥ svātantryajñāpanāya tu॥
[अज्ञः (ajñaḥ) - ignorant person; न (na) - not; एव (eva) - indeed; तत् (tat) - that; आप्नोति (āpnoti) - attains; ज्ञानी (jñānī) - knower; एव (eva) - indeed; एतत् (etat) - this; अवाप्नुते (avāpnute) - obtains; इति (iti) - thus; ज्ञापयितुम् (jñāpayitum) - to make known; विष्णोः (viṣṇoḥ) - of Viṣṇu; स्वातन्त्र्य (svātantrya) - independence; ज्ञापनाय (jñāpanāya) - for the purpose of making known; तु (tu) - but;]
"An ignorant person does not attain that; only the wise attain it. Thus, this is stated to reveal the independence of Lord Viṣṇu.
आह सृष्टिं प्रवेशं च माहात्म्यज्ञानतो यतः। प्रीतिं यान्ति महान्तस्तु तद्वशा एव चेश्वराः॥
āha sṛṣṭiṃ praveśaṃ ca māhātmyajñānato yataḥ। prītiṃ yānti mahāntas tu tadvaśā eva ceśvarāḥ॥
[आह (āha) - said; सृष्टिं (sṛṣṭim) - creation (accusative singular); प्रवेशं (praveśam) - entry (accusative singular); च (ca) - and; माहात्म्य (māhātmya) - greatness; ज्ञानतः (jñānataḥ) - from knowledge; यतः (yataḥ) - because; प्रीतिं (prītiṃ) - delight (accusative singular); यान्ति (yānti) - attain; महान्तः (mahāntaḥ) - the great ones; तु (tu) - but; तद्वशाः (tadvaśāḥ) - under its control; एव (eva) - indeed; च (ca) - and; ईश्वराः (īśvarāḥ) - lords;]
He elaborated on the knowledge about creation, entry, and greatness because the great ones, under his control, indeed take delight in the Lord's knowledge.
अग्न्यादयोऽपि किमुत तदन्ये मुक्तिदस्ततः। स एवैकस्स विज्ञेयः पूर्णैश्वर्यादिरूपवान्॥ इति तस्य महैश्वर्यमुच्यते स त्वकामयत्।
agnyādayo'pi kimuta tadanye muktidastataḥ। sa evaikas sa vijñeyaḥ pūrṇaiśvaryādirūpavān॥ iti tasya mahaiśvaryam ucyate sa tv akāmayata।
[अग्नि (agni) - fire; आदयः (ādayaḥ) - and others; अपि (api) - also; किम् (kim) - what; उत (uta) - indeed; तत् (tat) - that; अन्ये (anye) - others; मुक्तिदः (muktidaḥ) - givers of liberation; ततः (tataḥ) - than that; सः (saḥ) - he; एव (eva) - only; एकः (ekaḥ) - one; सः (saḥ) - he; विज्ञेयः (vijñeyaḥ) - to be known; पूर्ण (pūrṇa) - complete; ऐश्वर्य (aiśvarya) - sovereignty; आदि (ādi) - and so on; रूपवान् (rūpavān) - possessed of form; इति (iti) - thus; तस्य (tasya) - of him; महेश्वर्यम् (mahaiśvaryam) - great lordship; उच्यते (ucyate) - is said; सः (saḥ) - he; तु (tu) - but; अकामयत् (akāmayata) - desired;]
Even the fire god and others are under his control; what indeed to say of those others? Only He, the giver of liberation, the one possessed of complete sovereignty and other qualities, is to be known. Thus, his supreme lordship is described.
सृष्ट्वा जगदिदं सर्वं नियामकतयाऽस्य तु॥ बहुरूपो भवानीति स्याज्जगच्चेत्यचिन्तयत्।
sṛṣṭvā jagad idaṃ sarvaṃ niyāmakatayā'sya tu॥ bahurūpo bhavānīti syājjagaccetyacintayat।
[ सृष्ट्वा (sṛṣṭvā) - having created; जगत् (jagat) - the world; इदं (idaṃ) - this; सर्वम् (sarvam) - all; नियामकतया (niyāmakatayā) - in the capacity of a controller; अस्य (asya) - of him; तु (tu) - but; बहु (bahu) - many; रूपः (rūpaḥ) - forms; भवान् (bhavān) - you; इति (iti) - thus; स्यात् (syāt) - may be; जगत् (jagat) - world; इति (iti) - thus; अचिन्तयत् (acintayat) - he thought;]
He indeed desired. Having created this entire world, he remains as its controller. He reflected: "You may have many forms; perhaps the world is thus."
स्यादित्यालोचनान्नान्यत् तपो विष्णोः कदाचन॥ अवतारेष्वनुकृतिः बाह्यवृत्या तपस्विनाम्। सृष्टिर्नाम स्वरूपात्तु बहिर्निष्क्रमणं स्मृतम्॥
syādityālocanānnānyat tapo viṣṇoḥ kadācana॥ avatāreṣv anukṛtiḥ bāhyavṛttyā tapasvinām। sṛṣṭir nāma svarūpāt tu bahir niṣkramaṇaṃ smṛtam॥
[स्यात् (syāt) - may be; इति (iti) - thus; आलोचनात् (ālocanāt) - from consideration; न (na) - not; अन्यत् (anyat) - other; तपः (tapaḥ) - austerity; विष्णोः (viṣṇoḥ) - of Viṣṇu; कदाचन (kadācana) - ever; अवतारेषु (avatāreṣu) - in incarnations; अनुकृतिः (anukṛtiḥ) - imitation; बाह्यवृत्या (bāhyavṛttyā) - by external conduct; तपस्विनाम् (tapasvinām) - of ascetic characters; सृष्टिः (sṛṣṭiḥ) - creation; नाम (nāma) - called; स्वरूपात् (svarūpāt) - from one's own nature; तु (tu) - but; बहि: (bahir) - outward; निष्क्रमणम् (niṣkramaṇam) - emergence; स्मृतम् (smṛtam) - is remembered;]
Upon consideration, there is never any austerity for Lord Viṣṇu other than this (thought). In incarnations, there is a mere imitation of ascetic characteristics by external conduct. Creation is nothing but the emergence outward from one's own remembered nature.
यद्यपीदं जगत्सर्वं स्वोदरस्थं महात्मनः। तथाऽप्येष द्वितीयेन रूपेण बहिराक्षिपेत्॥
yadyapīdaṃ jagatsarvaṃ svodarasthaṃ mahātmanaḥ। tathā'py eṣa dvitīyena rūpeṇa bahir ākṣipet॥
[यद्यपि (yadyapi) - although; इदं (idaṃ) - this; जगत् (jagat) - world; सर्वं (sarvaṃ) - all; स्वोदरस्थं (svodarasthaṃ) - situated in his own belly; महात्मनः (mahātmanaḥ) - of the great Ātmān; तथा (tathā) - thus; अपि (api) - even; एष (eṣa) - he; द्वितीयेन (dvitīyena) - by a second; रूपेण (rūpeṇa) - form; बहि: (bahir) - outside; आक्षिपेत् (ākṣipet) - casts;]
Although the entire universe is contained within the belly of the great Ātmān, still, he projects it outward by means of a second form.
रूपान्तरेणाविशच्च जगत्सर्वं जनार्दनः। त्यच्चानिरुक्तं विज्ञानं तथा निलयनं महान्॥
rūpāntareṇāviśacca jagatsarvaṃ janārdanaḥ। tyaccāniruktaṃ vijñānaṃ tathā nilayanaṃ mahān॥
[रूपान्तरेण (rūpāntareṇa) - by transformation of form; अविशत् (aviśat) - entered; च (ca) - and; जगत् (jagat) - world; सर्वं (sarvaṃ) - all; जनार्दनः (janārdanaḥ) - Janārdana (Vishnu, the remover of people's distress); त्यत् (tyat) - that; च (ca) - and; अनिरुक्तं (aniruktaṃ) - indescribable; विज्ञानं (vijñānaṃ) - knowledge; तथा (tathā) - also; निलयनं (nilayanaṃ) - abode; महान् (mahān) - great;]
Lord Janārdana, by transforming his form, entered the entire world; that is the indescribable knowledge and also the great abode.
सत्यं प्राणस्तथा श्रीश्च सन्निरुक्तं तथाऽनृतम्। अविज्ञानं चानिलयनं प्रकृतिप्राणयोः परम्॥
satyaṃ prāṇas tathā śrīś ca sanniruktaṃ tathā'nṛtam। avijñānaṃ cānilayanaṃ prakṛtiprāṇayoḥ param॥
[सत्यं (satyaṃ) - truth; प्राणः (prāṇaḥ) - vital breath; तथा (tathā) - likewise; श्रीः (śrīḥ) - prosperity; च (ca) - and; सन्निरुक्तं (sanniruktaṃ) - well-explained; तथा (tathā) - likewise; अनृतम् (anṛtam) - falsehood; अविज्ञानं (avijñānam) - ignorance; च (ca) - and; अनिलयनं (anilayanam) - absence of abode; प्रकृति (prakṛti) - primordial nature; प्राणयोः (prāṇayoḥ) - of the vital breaths; परम् (param) - supreme;]
Truth, vital breath, prosperity, and what is well-explained, as well as falsehood, ignorance, and absence of abode — these are the supreme aspects of vital breath and primordial nature.
तद्गविष्णोस्तु सम्बन्धात् स्वतस्तन्नामको हरिः। ततो नियामकश्चेति त्यदानन्त्यादवाच्यतः॥
tadgaviṣṇostu sambandhāt svatastannāmako hariḥ। tato niyāmakaśceti tyadānantyādavācyataḥ॥
[तत् (tat) - that; गविष्णोः (gaviṣṇoḥ) - of one who goes, seeks, or strives eagerly (Vishnu); तु (tu) - but; सम्बन्धात् (sambandhāt) - from relation; स्वतः (svataḥ) - from itself; तत् (tat) - that; नामकः (nāmakaḥ) - named; हरिः (hariḥ) - Hari; ततः (tataḥ) - from that; नियामकः (niyāmakaḥ) - controller; च (ca) - and; इति (iti) - thus; त्यत् (tyat) - that; अनन्त्यात् (anantyāt) - from infinitude; अवाच्यतः (avācyataḥ) - from being indescribable;]
But due to relation with that Lord Vishnu, strives eagerly, Hari is called by that name from himself. Therefore, he is called the controller; thus, due to his infinitude, he is indescribable.
अनिरुक्तं निलयनं सर्वाधारत्वतो हरिः। विज्ञानं सर्वविज्ञानात् सत्यं साधुस्वरूपतः॥
aniruktaṃ nilayanaṃ sarvādhāratvato hariḥ। vijñānaṃ sarvavijñānāt satyaṃ sādhu-svarūpataḥ॥
[अनिरुक्तं (aniruktaṃ) - not defined; not expressed; not described; निलयनं (nilayanaṃ) - abode; resting place; सर्वाधारत्वतो (sarvādhāratvato) - from the state of being the support of all; हरिः (hariḥ) - Hari; the remover; a name of Viṣṇu; विज्ञानं (vijñānaṃ) - knowledge; discernment; सर्वविज्ञानात् (sarvavijñānāt) - than all knowledge; from all knowledge; सत्यं (satyaṃ) - truth; साधुस्वरूपतः (sādhu-svarūpataḥ) - by the nature of the good; by the essence of the virtuous;]
Lord Hari, who is not defined, is the resting place and the support of all. His knowledge, surpassing all knowledge, is truth by the very nature of the good.
अवसाद सुवाच्यत्वदौर्बल्याज्ञप्त्यसाधुताः। प्रकृतिप्राणतोऽन्यत्र कुर्वंस्तन्नामको हरिः॥ अतः साधुस्वरूपस्सन् सत्यनामाऽनृतादिकम्। नामानेन गतत्वादेः यदिदं किञ्च भाषितम्॥
avasāda suvācyatvadaurbalyājñaptyasādhutāḥ। prakṛtiprāṇato'nyatra kurvaṃstannāmako hariḥ॥ ataḥ sādhu-svarūpassan satyanāmā'nṛtādikam। nāmānena gatatvādeḥ yadidaṃ kiñca bhāṣitam॥
[अवसाद (avasāda) - dejection; सुवाच्यत्व (suvācyatva) - good-expressibility; दौर्बल्य (daurbalya) - weakness; आज्ञप्त्य (ājñaptya) - command; असाधुताः (asādhutāḥ) - improprieties; प्रकृति (prakṛti) - nature; प्राणतः (prāṇataḥ) - from the vital principle; अन्यत्र (anyatra) - elsewhere; कुर्वन् (kurvan) - doing; तत् (tat) - that; नामकः (nāmakaḥ) - named; हरिः (hariḥ) - Hari; अतः (ataḥ) - therefore; साधु (sādhu) - good; स्वरूपः (svarūpaḥ) - nature; सन् (san) - being; सत्यनाम (satyanāma) - true-name; अनृतादिकम् (anṛtādikam) - falsehood-etc; नाम (nāma) - name; अनेन (anena) - by this; गतत्वादेः (gatatvādeḥ) - of the state of having gone, etc; यत् (yat) - whatever; इदं (idaṃ) - this; किञ्च (kiñca) - anything; भाषितम् (bhāṣitam) - spoken;]
Dejection, expressibility, weakness, command, and improprieties — apart from the essential nature and vital force — are performed by Lord Hari, who is so named. Therefore, being of good nature and true name, whatever is spoken as a name, whether truth or falsehood, is due to this state of having gone, etc.
सन्निरुक्तादिशब्देन तत् सर्वं साधुतैव हि। अवसादनादिहेतुत्वं साधुतैव हि सर्वशः॥ असाधुताऽवसादादिस्तत्कर्तृत्वं हि भाषितम्॥
sanniruktādiśabdena tat sarvaṃ sādhutaiva hi। avasādanādihetutvaṃ sādhutaiva hi sarvaśaḥ॥ asādhutā'vasādādistatkartṛtvaṃ hi bhāṣitam॥
[सन्निरुक्त (sannirukta) - well-explained; आदि (ādi) - and so on; शब्देन (śabdena) - by the word; तत् (tat) - that; सर्वं (sarvaṃ) - all; साधुता (sādhutā) - correctness; एव (eva) - indeed; हि (hi) - certainly; अवसादनादि (avasādanādi) - degradation and so on; हेतुत्वं (hetutvaṃ) - causality; साधुता (sādhutā) - correctness; एव (eva) - indeed; हि (hi) - certainly; सर्वशः (sarvaśaḥ) - in every way; असाधुता (asādhutā) - incorrectness; अवसादादि (avasādādi) - depression and so on; तत्कर्तृत्वं (tatkartṛtvaṃ) - agency of that; हि (hi) - certainly; भाषितम् (bhāṣitam) - it is stated;]
All that is called 'well-explained' and similar terms is indeed correctness. The cause of degradation and such is also correctness in every respect. It is stated that incorrectness and depression, and the agency thereof, are certainly so.
