Verily this great unborn Self it is that is compact of understanding amid the life-breaths, that lies in the ether within the heart, master of all, lord of all, ruler of all; He becomes not greater by a good deed nor less by an ill deed; He is king of all, ruler of born beings, guardian of born beings, the dyke holding asunder these worlds that they fall not one into another. Brahmans seek to know Him by reading the Veda, by sacrifice, by charity, by mortification. Knowing
This Self is Nay, Nay: not to be grasped, for He is not grasped; not to be broken, for He is not broken; unclinging, for He clings not; He is not bound, He trembles not, He takes no hurt. One [who knows this] is overcome neither by having done evil for His sake nor by having done good for His sake; he overcomes both; work done and work not done grieve him not. This is said by a verse:The Brahman's constant majesty by works
Nor waxes more, nor wanes. This shall he trace;
This known, ill deeds defile him nevermore.
74:1 Bṛihad-āraṇyaka Upanishad, IV. iv. 22-23.
