The Upanishads - Mandhata Global

also became That Brahman. It is the same with the seers
(rishis), the same with men. The seer Vamadeva, having
realized this self as That, came to know: "I was Manu
and the sun." And to this day, whoever in a like manner
knows the self as "I am Brahman," becomes all this
universe. Even the gods cannot prevent his becoming
this, for he has become their Self. Now, if a man
worships another deity, thinking: "He is one and I am
another," he does not know. He is like an animal to the
gods. As many animals serve a man, so does each man
serve the gods. Even if one animal is taken away, it
causes anguish to the owner; how much more so when
many are taken away! Therefore it is not pleasing to the
gods that men should know this.
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In the beginning this (the kshatriya and other castes) was
indeed Brahman, one only without a second. He, being
one, did not flourish. He projected, further, an excellent
form, kshatriyahood-those kshatriyas (rulers) among the
gods: Indra, Varuna, Soma (Moon), Rudra, Parjanya,
Yama, Mrityu (Death) and Isana. Therefore there is
none higher than the kshatriyas. Thus at the Rajasuya
sacrifice, the brahmin sits below and worships the
kshatriya. He confers that glory on kshatriyahood alone.
But brahminhood is nevertheless the source of
kshatriyahood. Therefore even though the king is
exalted in the sacrifice, at the end of it he resorts to
brahminhood as his source. He who slights a brahmin
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