अथ कर्मणामात्मेत्येतदेषामुक्थम्, अतो हि सर्वाणि कर्माण्युत्तिष्ठन्ति; एतदेषां साम, एतद्धि सर्वैः कर्मभिः समम्; एतदेषां ब्रह्म, एतद्धि सर्वाणि कर्माणि बिभर्ति; तदेतत्त्रयं सदेकमयमात्मा, आत्मा एकः सन्नेतत्त्रयम्; तदेतदमृतं सत्येन छन्नम्; प्राणो वा अमृतम्, नामरूपे सत्यम्, ताभ्यामयं प्राणश्छन्नः ॥ ३ ॥
इति षष्ठं ब्राह्मणम् ॥
इति प्रथमोऽध्यायः ॥atha karmaṇāmātmetyetadeṣāmuktham, ato hi sarvāṇi karmāṇyuttiṣṭhanti; etadeṣāṃ sāma, etaddhi sarvaiḥ karmabhiḥ samam; etadeṣāṃ brahma, etaddhi sarvāṇi karmāṇi bibharti; tadetattrayaṃ sadekamayamātmā, ātmā ekaḥ sannetattrayam; tadetadamṛtaṃ satyena channam; prāṇo vā amṛtam, nāmarūpe satyam, tābhyāmayaṃ prāṇaśchannaḥ || 3 ||
iti ṣaṣṭhaṃ brāhmaṇam ||
iti prathamo’dhyāyaḥ ||3. And of actions the body (activity) is the Uktha (source), for all actions spring from it. It is their Sāman (common feature), for it is common to all actions. It is their Brahman (self), for it sustains all actions. These three together are one—this body, and the body, although one, is these three. This immortal entity is covered by truth (the five elements): The vital force is the immortal entity, and name and form are truth; (so) this vital force is covered by them.
Now all particular actions consisting of thought and perception as well as movement are being summed up in activity in general. How? Of all particular actions the body, i.e. activity in general, is the Uktha. The activity of the body is here called the ‘body,’ for it has been stated that one works through the body. And all activity is manifested in the body. Hence action or activity in general, having its seat in the body, is designated by the word ‘body.’ The rest is to be explained as before. These three, viz. name, form and action described above, combining together, being the support of one another and the cause of one another’s manifestation, and merging in one another, like three sticks supporting one another, are one. In what form are they unified? This is being stated: This body, this aggregate of body and organs. This has been explained under the three kinds of food, ‘This body is identified with these,’ etc. (I. v. 3). The whole differentiated and undifferentiated universe is this much—consists of name, form and action. And the body, although one, viz. this aggregate of body and organs, yet existing in different forms in its aspects relating to the body, the elements and the gods, is these three, name, form and action. This immortal entity, presently to be mentioned, is covered by truth. This sentence is being explained: The vital force, which is of the nature of an organ, which supports the body from within, and is (a limiting adjunct of) the Self, is the immortal entity. And name and form, represented by the body, which is an effect, are truth. (So) this vital force, which is active and supports name and form, is covered or hidden (by them), which are external, made up of the body, subject to origin and destruction, and mortal. Thus the nature of the relative universe, which is the subject-matter of ignorance, has been pointed out. After this the Self, which is the subject-matter of knowledge, has to be studied. Hence the second chapter is being commenced.