HOLY UPANISHADS
“It was said of old: ‘The Self, which is free from impurities, from old age and death, from grief, from hunger and thirst, which desires nothing but what it ought to desire, and resolves nothing but what it ought to resolve, is to be sought after, is to be inquired about, is to be realized. He who learns about the Self and realizes it obtains all the worlds and all desires.’” (Chandogya Upanishad 8.7.1).
“The gods [devas] and demons [asuras] both heard of this truth, and they thought to themselves, ‘Let us seek after and realize this Self, so that we may obtain all the worlds and all desires.’ Thereupon Indra from the gods, and Virochana from the demons, went to Prajapati, the renowned teacher” (Chandogya Upanishad 8.7.2).
Indra the king of the gods, and Virochana, king of the demons, both went to Brahma, to Prajapati the Creator. “For thirty-two years they lived with him as pupils. Then Prajapati asked them why they had both lived with him so long. ‘We have heard,’ they replied, ‘that one who realizes the Self obtains all the worlds and all desires. We have lived here because we want to learn of this Self.’” (Chandogya Upanishad 8.7.3).
“Then said Prajapati: ‘That which is seen in the eye–that is the Self. That is immortal, that is fearless, and that is Brahman.’
“‘Sir,’ inquired the disciples, ‘is that the Self which is seen reflected in the water, or in a mirror?’
“‘The Self is indeed seen reflected in these,’ was the reply.
“Then Prajapati added, ‘Look at yourselves in the water, and whatever you do not understand, come and tell me about it.’
“Indra and Virochana gazed on their reflections in the water, and returning to the sage, they said: ‘Sir, we have seen the Self; we have seen even the hair and the nails.’
“Then Prajapati bade them don their finest clothes and look again in the water. This they did, and returning to the sage, they said: ‘We have seen the Self, exactly like ourselves, well adorned and in our finest clothes.’
“To which Prajapati rejoined: ‘The Self is indeed seen in these. The Self is immortal and fearless, and it is Brahman.’ And the pupils went away well pleased” (Chandogya Upanishad 8.7.4; 8.8.1-3).
“But Prajapati, looking after them, lamented thus: ‘Both of them departed without analyzing or discriminating, and without truly comprehending the Self. Whosoever follows a false doctrine of the Self will perish.’
“Now Virochana, satisfied for his part that he had found out the Self, returned to the demons and began to teach them that the body alone is to be worshipped, that the body alone is to be served, and that he who worships the body and serves the body gains both worlds, this and the next. Such doctrine is, in very truth, the doctrine of the demons!” (Chandogya Upanishad 8.8.4,5).