Bhashya
क पुनरसौ विस्मय इति, उच्यते— अद्वैत आत्मानिरञ्जनोऽपि सन् अहमेवान्नमन्नादश्च ।किञ्च, अहमेवश्लोककृत् ।श्लोका नाम अन्नान्नादयो सघात , तस्यकर्ता चेतनावान् ।अन्नस्यैव वा परार्थस्य अन्नादार्थस्य सतो-ऽनेकात्मकस्य पारार्थ्येन हेतुना सघातकृत् ।त्रिरुक्तिविस्मयत्वख्यापनार्था ।अहमस्मि भवामि ।प्रथमजा प्रथ-मज प्रथमोत्पन्न ।ऋतस्य सत्यस्य मूर्तामूर्तस्यास्य जगतोदेवेभ्यश्च पूर्वममृतस्य नाभि अमृतत्वस्य नाभि , मध्यमत्संस्थम् अमृतत्व प्राणिनामित्यर्थ ।य कश्चित् मामाम् अन्नमन्नार्थिभ्यो ददाति प्रयच्छति—अन्नात्मना ब्रवीति, स इत् इत्थमेवेत्यर्थ , एवमविनष्ट यथाभूत माम् आवा अवतीत्यर्थ ।य पुनरन्यो मामदत्वा अर्थिभ्य काले प्राप्तेऽन्नमत्ति तमन्नमदन्त भक्षयन्त पुरुषमहमन्नमेव सप्रत्यद्मि भक्षयामि ।अत्राह— एव तर्हि बिभेमि सर्वात्मत्वप्राप्त मोक्षात्, अस्तु ससार एव, यतो मुक्तोऽप्यहम् अन्नभूत अद्य स्याम् अन्यस्य ।एव मा भैषी , सव्यवहारविषयत्वात् सर्वकामाशनास्य, अतीत्याय सव्यवहारविषयमन्नान्नादादिलक्षणमविद्याकृत विद्यया ब्रह्मत्वमापन्न विद्वान्, तस्य नैव द्वितीय वस्त्वन्तरमस्ति, यतो बिभेति, अतो न भेतव्य मोक्षात् ।एव तर्हि किमिदमाह— अहमन्नमहमन्नाद इति? उच्यते ।योऽयमन्नान्नादादिलक्षण सव्यवहार कार्यभूत , स सव्यवहारमात्रमेव, न परमार्थवस्तु ।स एवभूतोऽपि ब्रह्मनिमित्तो ब्रह्मव्यतिरेकेणासन्निति कृत्वा ब्रह्मविद्याकार्यस्य ब्रह्मभावस्य स्तुत्यर्थमुच्यते—'अहमन्नमहमन्नमहमन्नम् ।अहमन्नादोऽहमन्नादोऽहमन्नाद ' इत्यादि ।अत भयादिदोषगन्धोऽपि अविद्यानिमित्त अविद्योच्छेदाद्ब्रह्मभूतस्य नास्तीति ।अह विश्व समस्त भुवन भूतै सभजनीय ब्रह्मादिभिर्भवन्तीति वा अस्मिन् भूतानीति भुवनम् अभ्यभवाम अभि-भवामि परेणेश्वरेण स्वरूपेण ।सुवर्णं ज्योती सुव आदित्य , नकार उपमार्थे , आदित्य इव मकृद्विभातमस्मदीयं ज्योती ज्योति , प्रकाश इत्यर्थ ।इति वल्लीद्वयविहिता उपनिषत् परमात्मज्ञानम् , तामेता यथोक्तामुपनिषत् शान्तो दान्त उपरत- स्तितिक्षु समाहितो भूत्वा भृगुवत् तपो महदास्थाय य एव वेद, तस्यैतत् फल यथोक्तमोक्ष इति ॥
In plain words
What is this profound wonder? The text answers: The non-dual Self, though utterly untainted, declares, 'I am both the food and the consumer of food.' Furthermore, I am the architect of the cosmic aggregates. The verses represent the composite pairing of the consumer and the consumed, and the conscious Self is their creator. Because all manifest diversity serves as an object for the enjoyer, the Self is the fashioner of these physical forms. The threefold repetition conveys utter astonishment. I am the primordial first-born of truth—of this manifest formed and unformed universe—antedating the gods and residing at the very navel of immortality for all living beings. Whosoever offers me, the food, to hungry seekers—speaking through the lens of sustenance—truly preserves and protects my real, imperishable form. But whoever selfishly consumes food without sharing when the time arrives—that person I myself instantly devour! At this point an objector asks: If realizing my identity with all means I become food for others, then I fear liberation! Let worldly life remain, for even when liberated I might become someone else's meal today! The text reassures: Do not harbor such fear. The relationship of consumer and consumed belongs entirely to the realm of relative, empirical transaction. The wise sage, having transcended this illusion-born duality through the direct knowledge of Brahman, realizes that there is no second object apart from himself to fear. Therefore, liberation holds no terror. Why then does the scripture proclaim, 'I am food, I am the consumer'? Because all empirical duality is merely relative, not the absolute truth. Yet, since even this relative realm arises from Brahman and cannot exist apart from it, the repetition is used solely to glorify the supreme state of realization—'I am food, I am food, I am food! I am the consumer, I am the consumer, I am the consumer!' Thus, with the total eradication of ignorance, not even a shadow of fear remains for one who is established in Brahman. I encompass the entire universe, presiding over all realms worthy of reverence by cosmic powers like Brahma, reigning supreme in my own essential nature. Like the sun, my true nature is self-luminous consciousness, shining eternally. Thus concludes the secret teaching spanning these two chapters, revealing the knowledge of the supreme Self. Whoever approaches this wisdom endowed with peace, self-control, withdrawal, forbearance, and deep concentration—like the sage Bhrigu engaging in intense contemplation—realizes this very fruit of liberation.
Close to the Sanskrit
What is that wonder, it is said: The non-dual Self, although stainless, is indeed food and the consumer of food. Moreover, I alone am the maker of the verse. Verses are the aggregates of food and consumer, and he is the conscious creator thereof. Or, since food which belongs to another and is intended for the consumer has multiple forms, he is the creator of aggregates by reason of subservience. The triple utterance is meant to express wonder. I am, I become: the first-born, the primordial creator. Of truth, that is, of this formed and unformed universe, prior to the gods, he is the navel of immortality, residing at the core of all living beings' immortality. Whoever gives me—me as food to seekers—speaking in terms of food, he indeed protects me in this very unperished, actual form. But whoever else eats food without giving it to me when time arrives, that person eating food I myself immediately devour. Here someone says: If so, I fear liberation upon attaining all-selfhood; let worldly existence remain, since even as one liberated I might today become food for another. Do not fear thus, because the consumer of all desires belongs to the realm of relative transactions. Transcending this relative domain characterized by food and consumer—which is conjured by ignorance—the wise one who has attained the state of Brahman through knowledge has no second distinct object whatsoever from which he might fear; therefore one should not fear liberation. If so, why does this say: 'I am food, I am the consumer of food'? It is said: Whatever empirical duality exists characterized by food and consumer, that relative activity is merely relative and not ultimate reality. Even while appearing thus, since it originates from Brahman and does not exist apart from Brahman, it is spoken of to praise the state of Brahman which is the fruit of knowledge—'I am food, I am food, I am food. I am the consumer of food, I am the consumer of food, I am the consumer of food' and so forth. Therefore not even a trace of fault like fear, caused by ignorance, exists for one who has become Brahman through the eradication of ignorance. I surpass and encompass the entire universe, all worlds fit to be enjoyed by beings starting with Brahma, or 'bhuvanam' because beings exist within this, by my supreme sovereign essential nature. Golden is the light—the sun; the syllable 'na' is used in the sense of comparison, meaning like the sun, our self-luminous light, illumination. Thus is the Upanishad expounded across the two chapters, imparting knowledge of the supreme Self. Having become tranquil, self-controlled, withdrawn, forbearing, and concentrated, undertaking profound austerity like Bhrigu, whoever knows this—for him is this stated fruit of liberation.