By R. A. Sastri

Om. Next Paippalada (the consumer of the fruit of action) addressed the Brahma. ‘Amongst Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra, O Lord, who is to be more meditated upon? Kindly explain to us the truth alone.

2. To him the Pitamaha replied. O Paippalada, hear this speech.

3. The Paramesvara (the Supreme Lord) is to be obtained by him, who has practiced many virtues. I myself, Hari, Indra and others, are born from His body.

4. The Devas and others do not know, by ignorance, the great Lord who is the Supreme Isvara, and the father.

5. He, who first created the Brahma, and gave out to him all the Vedas, is to be praised, who is the Divine Lord, father of the Devas, and creator of myself and Vishnu.

6. He is the Supreme one, who dissolves all the worlds, at the time of dissolution. He alone is the ruler of all.

7. He, the Supreme Lord, assuming the terrible form called ‘Sarabha’ (divine bird), the mighty one killed (was about to kill) Nrisimha, the world destroyer (after drinking the blood of Hiranyaksha, Nrisimha became very troublesome as he could not digest it). The lords of Devas requested him who was taking the life of him (Nrisimha) by his feet, ‘Do not, O, mighty one, do not take away the life of Vishnu, the person, in this dead night.’

8. The Lord by His sharp nails opened (his body and drank the venomed blood) out of compassion, and the mighty one, clad by his skin, is called ‘Virabadra’ (the pacifier of heated ones).

9. He, the Rudra, alone should be meditated upon in order to accomplish all.

10. Let there be adoration to that Rudra, who was the destroyer of the fifth face of Brahma.

11. Let there be adoration to that Rudra, who by the fire spark coming out of his forehead, reduces all the worlds into ashes, again creates and protects them, thus revealing His own independence.

12. Let there be adoration to that Rudra, who by His left foot killed the Death, (Markandeya’s Story) and who drank the terrible poison.

13. Let there be adoration to that Rudra, who bestowed the disc (chakra) on Vishnu, who worshipped him by one of his Eyes on his left foot. (When Vishnu found wanting one lotus flower, he pulled out one of his Eyes, making offering, completed the Sahasranamarchana).

14. Let there be adoration to that Rudra, who, the mighty one, at the sacrifice of Daksha, after conquering the multitude of the Devas, bound Vishnu by a big noose.

15. Let there be adoration to that Rudra, who, as if by play burned the terrible three cities; who has the sun, the moon and the fire as his three eyes; to whom all the Devas have become servants (Pasus) and by this reason who assume the name ‘Pasupati’ (the Lord of Pasus, the ignorant jivas).

16. Thus praising him by many ways, (the Devas) pacified Nilakantha, the great Lord.

17 - 18. Let there be adoration to that Rudra, who, the ancient Lord, killed the terrible and troublesome incarnations of Vishnu, namely, Matsya, Karma, Varaha, Narasimha and Vamana; and who reduced Manmata * into ashes. Thus by many hymns, (the Devas) pacified Nilakantha, the great Lord. [* The God of Love.]

19. He, Paramesvara, removes all kinds of sufferings, birth, death &c., caused by the three kinds of afflictions. Thus praised by the hymns, the ancient Lord, the self of all the embodied ones, Sankara, protects all the beings. He be praised, who transcends the mind and the speech, the great Lord, whose lotus like two feet, even now Vishnu is seeking to find out. The Lord showed his grace to Vishnu, who was bent with much devotion.

20. Realizing the Bliss of Brahman, from whom speech returns with mind without obtaining him, one never fears at any time.

21. He is subtler than the subtlest, and the bigger than the biggest, the Atman is secreted in the cavity of this being. By his grace sees his glory, he who has no desire and who has no sorrow.

22. He is meditated upon in the heart, by Vasishtha, Vyasa, Vamadeva, Virinchi and others; the ancient Lord, Mahesa, is praised by Sanatsujatiya, Sanatana and others. He is the truth, eternal, the witness of all, Mahesa, ever blissful, unchanged, formless, who has unlimited energy, and who has no Lord above him, has created by his own avidya, the object.

23. The maya bewilders, O observer of food vows, me much and Vishnu. By the meditation on his feet it can be crossed easily, though it is very difficult to cross.

24. Vishnu, the origin of all the worlds, with his own manifestations, and along with my manifestations, protects all the worlds. The same become dissolved by time. Therefore (except him) all others are false.

25. Let there be adoration to that Rudra, who is the great consumer, the great Lord, the trident holder, the auspicious and Mahesvara.

26. The omnipresent one is the great Being. There are many other beings. The eternal one, being the self of beings enjoys all, pervading through all the three worlds.

27. The omnipresent one be pleased with me, who worshipped by the four syllabled mantra twice, by the two syllabled one, four syllabled one, and again by the two syllabled mantra.

28. The eternal the oblation, the eternal clarified butter, are offered in the eternal; the fire by the eternal; unto the eternal, verily shall he go who in his action meditated wholly upon the eternal.

29. (The definition of Sarabha). The Saras are the jivas. They are always shining (Bha) in His body. Hence the (all) consumer Brahman is called Sarabha. O the great sage, the direct giver of Salvation.

30. The Devas are bewildered by the influence of His Maya, through the ideas of ‘mine’ and others.

31. One is unable to describe His glory, even a particle of it.

32. Brahma is above Para (the world); above him is Vishnu; above him is, indeed, Isa. Equal or superior to him, there is none.

33. There is only one Siva, eternal: Except Him all else is false. Therefore, giving up all other worshipful gods, Siva alone is to be meditated upon forever, who is the remover of all the samsaras.

34. To Him, adoration, who is the great consumer, the Mahesvara.

35. This great Sastra, O Paippaladaa, is not to be given to any indiscriminately; to the Atheist, ungrateful, bad character, evil-minded one, egotistic, sinful, rogue, utterer of falsehood. It is to be given to a good fellow, Devotee, observer of good vows, good conduct, devoted to guru, calm and quiet, good-hearted, and the devotee of Siva. This work of Brahman, can be handed down through him who has the above qualifications. This is to be instructed only to one’s own pupils, who do not break down the good vows, O Sage; and not to others. It is to be kept in secret always; O the best of theBrahmanas.

36. The twice-born one who studies and hears this Paippalada Sastra, becomes freed from birth and death. He who understands this, attains the state of immortality. He is freed from the dwelling in the womb; becomes purified from the sin of tasting the liquor; from the theft of gold; from Brahmanicide; from the sin of lying down with guru’s bed. He gets the virtue of studying all the Vedas, of meditating on all the Devas; he becomes purified from all the heinous crimes; he gets the virtue of taking the pilgrimage to Kasi. He becomes ever beloved of Siva. He attains the equal state of Siva. He does never return, does never return. He becomes Brahman only. Thus says the Lord Brahma. Thus ends the Upanishat. Om.

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