Taittirīyopaniṣat 02.18-26
ते ये शतं मनुष्यगन्धर्वाणामानन्दाः। स एको देवगन्धर्वाणामानन्दः। श्रोत्रियस्य चाकामहतस्य ॥१८॥
te ye śataṃ manuṣyagandharvāṇām ānandāḥ। sa eko devagandharvāṇām ānandaḥ। śrotriyasya ca akāmahatasya ॥18॥
[ते (te) - those; ये (ye) - which; शतं (śatam) - hundred; मनुष्यगन्धर्वाणाम् (manuṣya-gandharvāṇām) - of human gandharvas; आनन्दाः (ānandāḥ) - joys; स (sa) - that; एकः (ekaḥ) - one; देवगन्धर्वाणाम् (deva-gandharvāṇām) - of divine gandharvas; आनन्दः (ānandaḥ) - joy; श्रोत्रियस्य (śrotriyasya) - of the knower of the Veda; च (ca) - and; अकामहतस्य (akāma-hatasya) - of one not overcome by desire;]
The joy of one divine gandharva equals a hundred joys of human gandharvas. That knower of Vedas who is not overcome by desire.
ते ये शतं देवगन्धर्वाणामानन्दाः। स एकः पितॄणां चिरलोकलोकानामानन्दः। श्रोत्रियस्य चाकामहतस्य ॥१९॥
te ye śataṃ devagandharvāṇām ānandāḥ। sa ekaḥ pitṝṇāṃ ciralokalokānām ānandaḥ। śrotriyasya cākāma-hatasya ॥19॥
[ते (te) - those; ये (ye) - who; शतं (śatam) - hundred; देवगन्धर्वाणाम् (devagandharvāṇām) - of the divine Gandharvas; आनन्दाः (ānandāḥ) - blisses; सः (saḥ) - that; एकः (ekaḥ) - one; पितॄणाम् (pitṝṇām) - of the Pitṛs (ancestors); चिरलोकलोकानाम् (ciralokalokānām) - of the dwellers in the long-lasting worlds; आनन्दः (ānandaḥ) - bliss; श्रोत्रियस्य (śrotriyasya) - of the knower of the Veda; च (ca) - and; अकामहतस्य (akāma-hatasya) - of one not overcome by desire;]
The bliss that is a hundredfold of the divine Gandharvas is but one bliss of the Pitṛs, the dwellers in the long-lasting worlds. That knower of Vedas who is not overcome by desire.
ते ये शतं पितॄणां चिरलोकलोकानामानन्दाः। स एक आजानजानां देवानामानन्दः। श्रोत्रियस्य चाकामहतस्य ॥२०॥
te ye śataṃ pitṝṇāṃ ciralokalokānāmānandāḥ। sa eka ājānajānāṃ devānāmānandaḥ। śrotriyasya cākāmahatasya ॥20॥
[ते (te) - those; ये (ye) - who; शतं (śatam) - hundred; पितॄणां (pitṝṇām) - of the ancestors; चिरलोकलोकानाम् (ciralokalokānām) - of the long-lived worlds; आनन्दाः (ānandāḥ) - joys; सः (saḥ) - he; एक (eka) - one; आजानजानाम् (ājānajānām) - of those born from the beginning; देवानाम् (devānām) - of the gods; आनन्दः (ānandaḥ) - joy; श्रोत्रियस्य (śrotriyasya) - of the knower of the Veda; च (ca) - and; अकामहतस्य (akāma-hatasya) - of one not struck by desire;]
The hundredfold joys of the ancestors in the long-lived worlds are but one joy of those gods, born in the beginning. That knower of Vedas who is not overcome by desire.
ते ये शतमाजानजानां देवानामानन्दाः। स एकः कर्मदेवानामानन्दः। ये कर्मणा देवानपियन्ति। श्रोत्रियस्य चाकामहतस्य ॥२१॥
te ye śatam ājānajānāṃ devānām ānandāḥ। sa ekaḥ karmadevanām ānandaḥ। ye karmaṇā devān apiyanti। śrotriyasya ca akāmahatasya ॥21॥
[ते (te) - those; ये (ye) - who; शतम् (śatam) - hundred; आजानजानाम् (ājānajānām) - of human-born; देवानाम् (devānām) - of the gods; आनन्दाः (ānandāḥ) - blisses; सः (saḥ) - that; एकः (ekaḥ) - one; कर्मदेवानाम् (karmadevanām) - of the gods by action; आनन्दः (ānandaḥ) - bliss; ये (ye) - who; कर्मणा (karmaṇā) - by action; देवान् (devān) - the gods; अपियन्ति (apiyanti) - approach; श्रोत्रियस्य (śrotriyasya) - of the knower of the Veda; च (ca) - and; अकामहतस्य (akāmahatasya) - of one not overcome by desire;]
The hundredfold joys of those gods born in the beginning are surpassed by the single joy of the gods who act, those who approach the gods by action. That knower of Vedas who is not overcome by desire.
ते ये शतं कर्मदेवानां देवानामानन्दाः। स एको देवानामानन्दः। श्रोत्रियस्य चाकामहतस्य ॥२२॥
te ye śataṃ karmadevanāṃ devānāmānandāḥ। sa eko devānāmānandaḥ। śrotriyasya cākāma-hatasya ॥22॥
[ते (te) - those; ये (ye) - who; शतं (śatam) - hundred; कर्मदेवानाम् (karmadevanām) - of the karma-devas; देवानाम् (devānām) - of the devas; आनन्दाः (ānandāḥ) - blisses; सः (saḥ) - he; एकः (ekaḥ) - one; देवानाम् (devānām) - of the devas; आनन्दः (ānandaḥ) - bliss; श्रोत्रियस्य (śrotriyasya) - of the knower of the Veda; च (ca) - and; अकामहतस्य (akāma-hatasya) - of the one not overcome by desire;]
The bliss that is a hundredfold of the karma-devas is but one bliss of the devas. That knower of Vedas who is not overcome by desire.
ते ये शतं देवानामानन्दाः। स एक इन्द्रस्यानन्दः। श्रोत्रियस्य चाकामहतस्य ॥२३॥
te ye śataṃ devānām ānandāḥ। sa eka indrasya ānandaḥ। śrotriyasya ca akāmahatasya ॥23॥
[ते (te) - those; ये (ye) - which; शतं (śatam) - hundred; देवानाम् (devānām) - of the gods; आनन्दाः (ānandāḥ) - blisses; सः (saḥ) - that; एकः (ekaḥ) - one; इन्द्रस्य (indrasya) - of Indra; आनन्दः (ānandaḥ) - bliss; श्रोत्रियस्य (śrotriyasya) - of the knower of the Veda; च (ca) - and; अकामहतस्य (akāmahatasya) - of one not struck by desire;]
The hundredfold joys of the gods — such is one joy of Indra. That knower of Vedas who is not overcome by desire.
ते ये शतमिन्द्रस्यानन्दाः। स एको बृहस्पतेरानन्दः। श्रोत्रियस्य चाकामहतस्य ॥२४॥
te ye śatam indrasya ānandāḥ। sa ekaḥ bṛhaspateḥ ānandaḥ। śrotriyasya ca akāmahatasya ॥24॥
[ते (te) - those; ये (ye) - who; शतम् (śatam) - hundred; इन्द्रस्य (indrasya) - of Indra; आनन्दाः (ānandāḥ) - blisses; सः (saḥ) - that; एकः (ekaḥ) - one; बृहस्पतेः (bṛhaspateḥ) - of Bṛhaspati; आनन्दः (ānandaḥ) - bliss; श्रोत्रियस्य (śrotriyasya) - of the knower of the Veda; च (ca) - and; अकामहतस्य (akāmahatasya) - of one not overcome by desire;]
The hundredfold bliss of Indra is as one bliss of Bṛhaspati. That knower of Vedas who is not overcome by desire.
ते ये शतं बृहस्पतेरानन्दाः। स एकः प्रजापतेरानन्दः। श्रोत्रियस्य चाकामहतस्य ॥२५॥
te ye śataṃ bṛhaspater ānandāḥ। sa ekaḥ prajāpater ānandaḥ। śrotriyasya cākāma-hatasya ॥25॥
[ते (te) - those; ये (ye) - who; शतम् (śatam) - hundred; बृहस्पतेः (bṛhaspateḥ) - of Bṛhaspati; आनन्दाः (ānandāḥ) - blisses; सः (saḥ) - that; एकः (ekaḥ) - one; प्रजापतेः (prajāpateḥ) - of Prajāpati; आनन्दः (ānandaḥ) - bliss; श्रोत्रियस्य (śrotriyasya) - of the knower of the Veda; च (ca) - and; अकामहतस्य (akāma-hatasya) - of one not overcome by desire;]
The hundredfold bliss of Bṛhaspati is but one measure of the bliss of Prajāpati. That knower of Vedas who is not overcome by desire.
ते ये शतं प्रजापतेरानन्दाः। स एको ब्रह्मण आनन्दः। श्रोत्रियस्य चाकामहतस्य ॥२६॥
te ye śataṃ prajāpater ānandāḥ। sa eko brahmaṇa ānandaḥ। śrotriyasya cākāma-hatasya ॥26॥
[ते (te) - those; ये (ye) - who; शतं (śatam) - hundred; प्रजापतेः (prajāpateḥ) - of Prajāpati; आनन्दाः (ānandāḥ) - blisses; सः (saḥ) - that; एकः (ekaḥ) - one; ब्रह्मणः (brahmaṇaḥ) - of Brahman; आनन्दः (ānandaḥ) - bliss; श्रोत्रियस्य (śrotriyasya) - of the knower of the Veda; च (ca) - and; अकामहतस्य (akāma-hatasya) - of one not overcome by desire;]
The hundredfold bliss of Prajāpati is but one bliss of Brahman. That knower of Vedas who is not overcome by desire.
Taittirīya Bhāshya 02.18-26
Testimonial continues to elaborate on the hundredfold superiority and variance in the bliss at each category of beings, as stated in the Upanishad. Here, hundred is a symbol to represent multi-fold, and could mean thousand or infinite as well. Similar to bliss, the same principle applies to knowledge, devotion to Lord Viṣṇu, and superior strength as well. On similar lines, from Brahmā down to men, the latter are mere reflections of the former. Here, reflection is used to mean an aspect of the essence.
"तेभ्यः शतगुणानन्दा देवप्रेष्यास्तु मुख्यतः। ये ते हि देवगन्धर्वा मुक्तेभ्यस्तेभ्य एव च॥
"tebhyaḥ śataguṇānandā devapreṣyāstu mukhyataḥ। ye te hi devagandharvā muktebhyastebhya eva ca॥
[तेभ्यः (tebhyaḥ) - to them; शतगुणानन्दा (śataguṇānandā) - having hundredfold joy; देवप्रेष्याः (devapreṣyāḥ) - sent by the gods; तु (tu) - but; मुख्यतः (mukhyataḥ) - primarily; ये (ye) - who; ते (te) - they; हि (hi) - indeed; देवगन्धर्वाः (devagandharvāḥ) - divine Gandharvas; मुक्तेभ्यः (muktebhyaḥ) - than the liberated ones; तेभ्यः (tebhyaḥ) - to them; एव (eva) - indeed; च (ca) - and;]
"Those sent by the gods, who possess hundredfold joy, are primarily to be considered. Indeed, those are the divine Gandharvas, who are even superior to liberated humans.
शताधिका हि पितरस्तेभ्य आजानदेवताः। अनाख्याता देवतास्तु जाता देवकुले च याः॥
śatādhikā hi pitarastebhya ājānadevatāḥ। anākhyātā devatāstu jātā devakule ca yāḥ॥
[शताधिका (śatādhikā) - more than a hundred; हि (hi) - indeed; पितरः (pitaraḥ) - ancestors; तेभ्यः (tebhyaḥ) - than them; आजानदेवताः (ājānadevatāḥ) - deities from birth; अनाख्याता (anākhyātā) - unmentioned; देवताः (devatāḥ) - deities; तु (tu) - but; जाता (jātā) - born; देवकुले (devakule) - in the family of gods; च (ca) - and; याः (yāḥ) - who;]
More than a hundred indeed are the ancestors than them, deities from birth. Unmentioned deities, who are born into the family of gods.
आजानदेवता स्ता हि ताभ्योऽग्र्याः कर्मदेवताः। बल्याद्या अन्तराप्राप्तदेवताः कर्मदेवताः॥
ājānadevatā stā hi tābhyo'gryāḥ karmadevatāḥ। balyādyā antarāprāptadevatāḥ karmadevatāḥ॥
[आजानदेवता (ājānadevatā) - remote deities; स्ता (stā) - they; हि (hi) - indeed; ताभ्यः (tābhyaḥ) - than those; अग्र्याः (agryāḥ) - superior; कर्मदेवताः (karmadevatāḥ) - ritual / action-deities; बल्याद्याः (balyādyāḥ) - those beginning with offerings; अन्तराप्राप्तदेवताः (antarāprāptadevatāḥ) - deities reached in between; कर्मदेवताः (karmadevatāḥ) - ritual deities;]
The action-deities are superior to the ancestor deities. Those deities who are reached through offerings and those encountered in between are action-deities.
ताभ्यश्च तात्त्विका देवाः सृष्ट्यादौ देवतां गताः। तेभ्यो दक्षश्चेन्द्रनामा स हीन्दुं रारयत् पुरा॥
tābhyaś ca tāttvikā devāḥ sṛṣṭyādau devatāṃ gatāḥ। tebhyo dakṣaś cendranāmā sa hīnduṃ rārayat purā॥
[ताभ्यः (tābhyaḥ) - to those (them); च (ca) - and; तात्त्विका (tāttvikāḥ) - essential (from tattva); देवाः (devāḥ) - gods; सृष्ट्यादौ (sṛṣṭyādau) - at the beginning of creation; देवताम् (devatām) - divinity; गताः (gatāḥ) - attained; तेभ्यः (tebhyaḥ) - from them; दक्षः (dakṣaḥ) - Dakṣa (name of a deity); च (ca) - and; इन्द्रनामाः (indranāmā) - named Indra; सः (saḥ) - he; हि (hi) - indeed; इन्दुं (induṃ) - the moon; रारयत् (rārayat) - gave; पुरा (purā) - formerly;]
At the beginning of creation, the essential gods attained divinity. From them, Dakṣa and Indra (so named); he indeed gave the moon in ancient times.
तस्मात् बृहस्पतिर्नाम महेन्द्रत्वात् पुरन्दरः। तस्मात् प्रजापतिर्मुक्तो रुद्रः प्रजननेशिता॥
tasmāt bṛhaspatir nāma mahendratvāt purandaraḥ। tasmāt prajāpatiḥ mukto rudraḥ prajanan-eśitā॥
[तस्मात् (tasmāt) - from that; from him; बृहस्पतिः (bṛhaspatiḥ) - Bṛhaspati; (the preceptor of the gods); नाम (nāma) - named; by name; महेन्द्रत्वात् (mahendratvāt) - from the state of being Mahendra (Indra); पुरन्दरः (purandaraḥ) - Purandara; (another name for Indra); तस्मात् (tasmāt) - from that; from him; प्रजापतिः (prajāpatiḥ) - Prajāpati; (lord of creatures); मुक्तः (muktaḥ) - released; freed; रुद्रः (rudraḥ) - Rudra; (a Vedic deity); प्रजननेशिता (prajananeśitā) - lordship over procreation;]
Therefore, Bṛhaspati is called Purandara because of his status as Mahendra. Thus, Prajāpati is freed, and Rudra becomes the lord of procreation.
तस्माद् ब्रह्मा शतगुणो मुक्त इत्येष निर्णयः। यथाऽऽनन्दे तथा ज्ञाने विष्णुभक्तौ बलाधिके॥
tasmād brahmā śataguṇo mukta ityeṣa niścayaḥ। yathā''nande tathā jñāne viṣṇubhaktau balādhike॥
[तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore; ब्रह्मा (brahmā) - Brahmā; शतगुणः (śataguṇaḥ) - hundredfold; मुक्तः (muktaḥ) - liberated; इति (iti) - thus; एषः (eṣaḥ) - this; निर्णयः (nirṇayaḥ) - decision; यथा (yathā) - just as; आनन्दे (ānande) - in bliss; तथा (tathā) - so; ज्ञाने (jñāne) - in knowledge; विष्णु-भक्तौ (viṣṇu-bhaktau) - in devotion to Viṣṇu; बलाधिके (balādhike) - in greater strength;]
Therefore, it is decided that Brahmā attains liberation a hundredfold. Similar to bliss, the same principle applies to knowledge, devotion to Viṣṇu, and superior strength as well.
सर्वैर्गुणैः शतगुणाः क्रमेणोक्तेन तेऽखिलाः। अथवा सहस्रगुणिता अनन्तगुणितास्तथा॥
sarvair guṇaiḥ śataguṇāḥ krameṇoktena te'khilāḥ। athavā sahasraguṇitā anantaguṇitās tathā॥
[सर्वैः (sarvaiḥ) - by all; (instrumental plural of sarva) गुणैः (guṇaiḥ) - qualities; (instrumental plural of guṇa) शतगुणाः (śataguṇāḥ) - hundredfold; (nominative plural) क्रमेण (krameṇa) - in order; (instrumental singular of krama) उक्तेन (uktena) - by what is said; (instrumental singular of ukta) ते (te) - those; (nominative plural) अखिलाः (akhilāḥ) - all; (nominative plural) अथवा (athavā) - or; (indeclinable) सहस्रगुणिता (sahasraguṇitā) - thousandfold; (nominative plural feminine) अनन्तगुणिताः (anantaguṇitāḥ) - infinitely multiplied; (nominative plural feminine) तथा (tathā) - likewise; (indeclinable);]
All those endowed with all qualities are said to be hundredfold in order; or, they are multiplied a thousand times, or even infinitely.
परिमाणे शतगुणेऽप्यानन्दस्फुटतावशात्। यथा दीपात् शतगुणाऽप्यग्निज्वाला न दीपवत्॥ स्फुटीभवेद् यथैवाग्निर्बहुलोऽपि न सूर्यवत्। यथैव सूर्याद् द्विगुणश्चन्द्रो नैव स्फुटीभवेत्॥ उत्तरेषामुत्तरेषां गुणा एवमतिस्फुटाः। प्रतिबिम्बा यतः पूर्वे ब्रह्मान्तानां नरादयः॥ अतोऽस्पष्टस्वरूपास्ते स्फुटरूपास्तथोत्तराः॥"
parimāṇe śataguṇe'pyānandasphuṭatāvaśāt। yathā dīpāt śataguṇā'pyagnijvālā na dīpavat॥ sphuṭībhaved yathaivāgnirbahulo'pi na sūryavat। yathaiva sūryād dviguṇaścandro naiva sphuṭībhavet॥ uttareṣāmuttareṣāṃ guṇā evamatisphuṭāḥ। pratibimbā yataḥ pūrve brahmāntānāṃ narādayaḥ॥ ato'spaṣṭasvarūpāste sphuṭarūpāstathottarāḥ॥"
[परिमाणे (parimāṇe) - in measure; शतगुणे (śataguṇe) - hundredfold; अपि (api) - even; आनन्द (ānanda) - bliss; स्फुटता (sphuṭatā) - clarity / intensity; अवशात् (avaśāt) - due to; यथा (yathā) - just as; दीपात् (dīpāt) - from a lamp; शतगुणाः (śataguṇāḥ) - hundredfold; अपि (api) - even; अग्निज्वाला (agnijvālā) - flame of fire; न (na) - not; दीपवत् (dīpavat) - like a lamp; स्फुटीभवेत् (sphuṭībhavet) - becomes intense; यथा (yathā) - just as; एव (eva) - indeed; अग्निः (agniḥ) - fire; बहुलः (bahulaḥ) - abundant; अपि (api) - even; न (na) - not; सूर्यवत् (sūryavat) - like the sun; यथा (yathā) - just as; एव (eva) - indeed; सूर्यात् (sūryāt) - from the sun; द्विगुणः (dviguṇaḥ) - twice as much; चन्द्रः (candraḥ) - moon; नैव (naiva) - not at all; स्फुटीभवेत् (sphuṭībhavet) - becomes intense; उत्तरेषाम् (uttareṣām) - of the later; उत्तरेषाम् (uttareṣām) - of the later; गुणाः (guṇāḥ) - qualities; एवम् (evam) - thus; अतिस्फुटाः (atisphuṭāḥ) - very intense; प्रतिबिम्बाः (pratibimbāḥ) - reflections; यतः (yataḥ) - because; पूर्वे (pūrve) - former; ब्रह्मान्तानाम् (brahmāntānām) - from Brahmā onwards; नरादयः (narādayaḥ) - men and others; अतः (ataḥ) - therefore; अस्पष्टस्वरूपाः (aspaṣṭasvarūpāḥ) - of indistinct nature; ते (te) - they; स्फुटरूपाः (sphuṭarūpāḥ) - of intense nature; तथा (tathā) - thus; उत्तराः (uttarāḥ) - the later ones;]
As the measure is increased a hundredfold, the intensity of bliss is not the same — just as a hundredfold flame from a lamp is not the same as the lamp; similarly, abundant fire is not as intense as the sun; similarly, even if the moon is twice as bright as the sun, it does not become as intense. Thus, the qualities of the latter are very intense. From Brahmā down to men, the latter are mere reflections of the former. Therefore, the earlier ones are indistinct (less intense) in nature, while the later ones are of a clear (very intense) nature."
