Section Four (चतुर्थः खण्डः)

brahmeti hovāca। brahmaṇo vā etad vijaye amahīyadhvam iti। tato ha eva vidāñcakāra brahmeti ॥1॥

“It is Brahman,” she said. “It was through the victory of Brahman that you glorified yourselves.” Then indeed ('ha') he understood—it was Brahman only.

tasmād vā ete devā atitarām iva anyān devān yad agniḥ vāyuḥ indraḥ te hi enat nediṣṭhaṁ paspṛśuḥ। te hi enat prathamaḥ vidāñcakāra brahma iti। tasmād vā indraḥ atitarām iva anyān devān। saḥ hi enat nediṣṭham pasparśa। saḥ hi enat prathamaḥ vidāñcakāra brahma iti ॥2॥

Therefore, these gods — Agni, Vāyu, and Indra — are considered to surpass the other gods, for they indeed ('hi') touched It (Brahman) most closely. They were the first to recognize It as Brahman. And among them, indeed ('hi') Indra is said to surpass the others, for he touched It most nearly and was the first to understand It as Brahman.

tasya eṣa ādeśo yad etad vidyuto’bhivyadyutada iti। nyamīmiṣadā iti adhidaivatam ॥3॥

This is its instruction: this (Brahman), who is complete in all aspects, like a flash of lightning — flashed forth; with the blink of an eye - closed, such is the explanation from the viewpoint of adhidaivatam, i.e the gods.

athādhyātmam। yad etad gacchatīva ca manaḥ anena eva tat upasmarati। abhīkṣṇaṁ saṅkalpaḥ। tad ha tad-vanam nāma tad-vanam iti upāsitavyam। saḥ yaḥ etat evaṁ veda abhi ha enaṁ sarvāṇi bhūtāni saṁvāñchanti ॥4॥

Now the explanation from the adhyātma perspective:
That which the mind seems to move toward, indeed, by this alone it recollects that. Constant volition; unceasing intentionality. That, indeed, is the Beloved, i.e. 'vanam'; thus, is it to be meditated upon as 'Tadvanam'. He who thus knows this ('Tadvanam') — towards him indeed all beings deeply yearn.

upaniṣadam bho brūhīti। uktā te upaniṣad। brāhmīṁ vāva te upaniṣadam abrūma iti ॥5॥

“O reverend sir, teach me the Upaniṣad.” — “The Upaniṣad has been spoken to you. Indeed, we have spoken to you the Upaniṣad pertaining to Brahman.”

tasmai tapo damaḥ karma iti pratiṣṭhā। vedāḥ sarvāṅgāni satyam āyatanam ॥6॥

Austerity, self-restraint, and action are its foundation; the Vedas are its limbs; truth is its abode.

yo ha vā etām upaniṣadam evam vedā apahatya pāpmānam anante svarge loke jyeiye pratitiṣṭhati jyeiye pratitiṣṭhati ॥10॥

He who knows this Upaniṣad thus, having destroyed sin, stands firmly in the infinite, highest heavenly world — he truly stands firmly in the highest.

iti caturthaḥ khaṇḍaḥ

Thus ends the fourth section.

Section Four Bhāshya

... umā sā samyag ācaṣṭa tasmai viṣṇuṁ paraṁ padam। yasmād brahmā ca vāyuś ca śeṣa-vīndrau śivaś tathā॥ sa-bhāryā garviṇo nāsan surebhyas te'dhikās tataḥ। indras tu prathamaṁ brahma vyajānāt tena tūttamaḥ॥ dakṣādibhyas tathā kāmas ta-jñātuṁ pūrvam uktavān। dakṣo bṛhaspatiś caiva manuḥ kāmātmajas tathā॥

Umā rightly declared to him the supreme position of Viṣṇu, from whom Brahmā, Vāyu, Śeṣa, Indra, and Śiva also arose. These, along with their consorts, were not proud and were superior to the other gods. Among them, Indra was the first to realize Brahman; thus, he became the highest. Kāma too had previously declared this before Dakṣa and others came to know; so did Dakṣa, Bṛhaspati, Manu, and the son of Kāma.

sūryācandramasau dharmo varuṇaś cocur om iti। nāsikya-vāyur agniś ca prathamaṁ tad apaśyatām॥ sarva-deva-adhikās tasmād ete devāḥ prakīrtitāḥ। etebhyaś cendra-kāmau tu tābhyāṁ brahmādayo'dhikāḥ॥

Dharma, Varuṇa, and the deities of the Sun and Moon said "Om" when asked, while the life breath and Agni were the first to perceive That Supreme. Therefore, these gods are declared superior to all other deities. Yet Indra and Kāma are considered superior to them, and higher than both of them are Brahmā and the rest.

eteṣām avamo vahniḥ paramo viṣṇur ucyate। antarāle sthitās tv anye brahmādyāḥ pūrvam īritāḥ॥ agniḥ paścād vyajānāt tad indra-vākyāt tato'vamaḥ। tasmād viṣṇv-abhisambandhāt pārāvaryam sureṣv idam॥

Among these, Agni is the lowest and Viṣṇu is declared the highest. The others such as Brahmā were previously said to be in between. Agni recognized That later through the words of Indra. Hence is deemed the lowest. Therefore, this distinction of higher and lower among the gods is based on their relation to Viṣṇu.

vyadyotayad vidyud-ādīn kapilākhyas tu yo hariḥ। akṣṇor nimeṣaṇaṁ kṛtvā yaḥ śete kṣīra-sāgare॥ sa evaikaḥ paraṁ brahmety evaṁ tasyopadeśanam। adhidaive tathādhyātme yaṁ mano gacchatīva ca॥

He, known as Kapila and as Hari, who illumined lightning and similar forces, who, after a blink of the eyes, lies resting in the ocean of milk — He alone is the Supreme Brahman; such is His teaching. Whether in the cosmic realm or within, it is as if the mind instinctively moves towards Him.

samyag na gacchati kvāpi mano yena smaraty api। so'niruddhākhya īśeśaḥ paraṁ brahmeti kīrtyate॥ sa viṣṇus tad vanaṁ nāma tatatvād vananīyataḥ। evam enaṁ tu yo veda bhavet sarvair apekṣitaḥ॥

That by whom the mind, though unable to go anywhere properly, still remembers—He, called Aniruddha, Lord of lords, is declared the Supreme Brahman. He is Viṣṇu and is also called "vana" because He is to be revered due to His essence. One who knows Him thus becomes honoured by all.

vidyākāraṁ mama brūhīty ukto brahmā''ha taṁ punaḥ॥ vidyā-vedyaṁ tava proktam āsthānaṁ te vadāmy aham। tapo-dama-sva-dharmeṣu ye sthitās teṣu tiṣṭhati॥ vidyā-sthānāni tasyāstu vedā aṅgāni nirṇayaḥ। vedaitām evam akhilāṁ yo viṣṇau pratitiṣṭhati॥

“Tell me the form of knowledge,” he said, and Brahmā then replied to him again: “That which is to be known by knowledge has already been declared to be you; now I shall tell you your seat. He abides in those who are established in austerity, self-restraint, and their own duties. The abodes of knowledge are the Vedas, their limbs, and the firm conclusions. He who knows this entire system thus, and is firmly established in Viṣṇu, truly understands.”

ityādi brahma-sāre॥

- stated thus in brahma-sāre ancient testimonial.

vidyutaḥ sūryādi-prakāśān ā samantāt vyadyutata prakāśayat

From lightning, it flashed and illumined the lights such as those of the sun on all sides.

"yad āditya-gataṁ tejo jagad bhāsayate'khilam। yac candramasi yac cāgnau tat tejo viddhi māmakam॥"

"The brilliance that is in the sun and illumines the entire world, and that which is in the moon and in fire—know that brilliance to be Mine."

iti vacanāt

- declared thus.

"tam eva bhāntam anu bhāti sarvaṁ tasya bhāsā sarvam idaṁ vibhāti॥"

"All this shines only after Him who shines; by His light, all this world is illumined."

iti ca

- stated thus as well.

nyamīmiṣadā ā-samantāt nimīlita-akṣam abhavat

He, one who is complete in all aspect, blinked and became one whose eyes were withdrawn on all sides:

"sa vai kilāyaṁ puruṣaḥ purātano ya eka āsīd aviśeṣa ātmani। agre guṇebhyo jagad-ātmani īśvare nimīlita-ātmā niśi supta-śaktiṣu॥"

"This indeed is that ancient Person who alone existed as the undifferentiated self at first, before the guṇas, in the cosmic essence, the Lord—whose self was withdrawn, like in night, when all powers were asleep."

iti vacanāt

- declared thus.

pūrṇatvāc ca āḥ. abhīkṣṇaṁ saṅkalpa iti manaso viśeṣaṇam. saṅkalpakam ity arthaḥ. sa-pratiṣṭhāṁ sāyatanām upaniṣadaṁ brūhīty ukte samyag eva mayopaniṣat-svarūpam uktam. tatra vaktavyaṁ nāsti. tapo damaḥ karma ca vidyāyāḥ pratiṣṭhā. tadvat su vidyā pratitiṣṭhatīty arthaḥ. satyam iti mīmāṁsā.

The syllable 'āḥ' (in nyamīmiṣadā) indicates completeness. 'abhīkṣṇaṁ saṅkalpaḥ', i.e. constant intention, is the distinguishing nature of the mind. Thus, varied intentionality of the mind is the subject. When it was asked, "Tell the Upaniṣad with His abiding place, and supporting basis," it was responded "I rightly stated the true nature of the Upaniṣad. Nothing remains to be said beyond that". Austerity, restraint, and right action are the foundations of knowledge. Thus, knowledge stands firmly established in the virtuous because of these. “Truth” — is the ascertainment philosophical conclusion.

"nirṇīyate yataḥ samyag idaṁ satyam iti sphuṭam। śruti-smṛty-uditaṁ sarvaṁ vyaktaṁ mīmāṁsayaitayā। satyam ity ucyate tasmān mīmāṁsā brahma-niścayāḥ॥"

"That by which this truth is rightly and clearly determined is called mīmāṁsā. All that is declared in śruti and smṛti is revealed through this inquiry; therefore, mīmāṁsā, i.e. the philosophical conclusion, is the ascertainment of Brahman."

iti śabda-nirṇaye॥

- stated thus, in the śabda-nirṇaya, ancient text on determination of word meaning.

"ṛg yajur-sāmātharvākhyāḥ pañcarātraṁ ca bhāratam। mūla-rāmāyaṇaṁ caiva purāṇaṁ bhagavat-param। vedā ity ucyate sadbhiḥ śikṣā-dyaṁ smṛtayas tathā। aṅgāni satyaṁ mīmāṁsā tad vidyāyatanaṁ trayam॥"

"The texts known as Ṛg, Yajur, Sāma, and Atharva, the Pañcarātra, the Bhārata, the original Rāmāyaṇa, and the Purāṇas devoted to the Lord — all these are called Veda by the wise. The Śikṣā and other limbs, the Smṛtis as well, along with truth and Mīmāṁsā — these three are the abodes of knowledge."

iti vidyā-nirṇaye॥

- stated thus in 'vidyā-nirṇaya', an ancient text on the determination of knowledge.

yaś cid-ānanda-sat-śakti-sampūrṇo bhagavān paraḥ। namo'stu viṣṇave tasmai preyase me parātmane॥

Obeisance to that Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu, who is full of consciousness, bliss, existence, and divine power; who is dear to me as the Supreme Self.

iti śrīmad-ānanda-tīrtha-bhagavat-pādācārya-viracitaṁ talavakāra-upaniṣad-bhāṣyaṁ samāptam॥

Thus ends the commentary on the Talavakāra Upaniṣad composed by the revered Ācārya Ānanda Tīrtha Bhagavatpāda.

iti talavakāra-upaniṣat

Thus ends the Talavakāra Upaniṣad.