Upanishads: Love of the Soul

Brihad-Aranyaka
Upanishads:

Love of the Soul

Then spoke Yajnavalkya:

In truth, it is not for the love of a husband that a husband is dear;
but for the love of the Soul in the husband that a husband is dear.

It is not for the love of a wife that a wife is dear;
but for the love of the Soul in the wife that a wife is dear.

It is not for the love of children that children are dear;
but for the love of the Soul in children that children are dear.

It is not for the love of riches that riches are dear;
but for the love of the Soul in riches that riches are dear.

It is not for the love of religion that religion is dear;
but for the love of the Soul in religion that religion is dear.

It is not for the love of power that power is dear;
but for the love of the Soul in power that power is dear.

It is not for the love of the heavens that the heavens are dear;
but for the love of the Soul in the heavens that heavens are dear.

It is not for the love of the gods that the gods are dear;
but for the love of the Soul in the gods that the gods are dear.

It is not for the love of the creatures that the creatures are dear;
but for the love of the Soul in creatures that creatures are dear.

It is not for the love of the all that the all is dear;
but for the love of the Soul in the all that the all is dear.

It is the Soul, the Spirit, the Self, that must be seen, and
be heard and have our thoughts and meditation, O Maitreyi.
When the Soul is seen and heard, is thought upon and is
known, then all that is becomes known.

— Brihad-Aranyaka Upanishads (800 B.C.),
   Translated by Juan Mascaro (1965), pp. 130-131,
   typed by Peter Y. Chou, Mountain View, 7-10-2022,
   for wedding of Theresa Renico & Lee Noble in Seattle