The Subala Upanishad, together with the relatively older Mudgala Upanishad, are two Upanishads that discuss the Purusha Sukta of Rigveda, both notable for asserting that Narayana (Vishnu) is the Brahman (Highest Reality, Supreme Being). The Subala Upanishad text differs from Mudgala Upanishad in presenting more verses of the Purusha Sukta, being longer, and for declaring Narayana to be the father, the mother, the refuge, the friend and the goal of every living being. The text opens as a conversation between Vedic sage Raikva (Subala) and Prajapati, the former is credited in the Chandogya Upanishad for Samvargavidya. Raikva asks about the origin of universe, with the question "What was at first?” The text states that from the darkness emerged ether (or space). In turn, air emerged from ether, fire emerged from air, water emerged from fire, and earth emerged from water. From earth emerged the egg, which split to create atmosphere and land. Between atmosphere and land emerged the divine person (Purusha) with one thousand heads, one thousand eyes, one thousand arms, and one thousand feet, who created death. The Brahman then created seven sons filled with truth, called Prajapatis. Out of the divine Purusha's mouth emerged the Brahmins, from the arms emerged the Kshatriyas, from the thighs emerged the Vaishyas and from the feet emerged the Shudras. From his mind emerged the moon, from the eyes came the sun, from his heart came the life-force (prana). Chapter 2 asserts that from the apana of the divine Purusha came the Yakshas, Rakshasas, domestic animals, and Gandharvas. From his bones emerged the mountains, while the herbs and trees came from his hair. His forehead and anger became Rudra, while his exhalation became the Vedas, the Sutras, the grammar, the Nyaya logic, the prosody, the dharma, and all human knowledge and all beings. Atma (soul) emerged as divine light absorbing everything in the universe. He divided his own self (Atman of Purusha) into two, thus creating woman and man. The text asserts that along with the cycle of creation is competing cycle of destruction, wherein Vaishvanara destroys and returns everything back to darkness, where there is "neither Sat, nor Asat, nor Sat-asat." Attaining Atma (Soul) The undaunted man never grieves, as he knows Atma to be great, all-pervading and unborn. Some attain this Atma by the six means: of Truth, Charity, Austerity, of Non-injury to any creature, of Brahmacharya, of indifference to worldly objects; And there are no other means. —Subala Upanishad Chapter 3 Chapter 4 states that the soul resides in the heart of a living being (dahara), in a ten petaled lotus. The heart feeds the 72,000 vessels in the body (nadis). The immortal soul, the innermost center of one's existence, is ever-present as the "resplendent effulgence", whether one is in an awake state of consciousness or dreaming in one's sleep. For example, states the text, the eye is the deity Surya and the source of knowledge, and is thus linked to the soul. The tongue and mouth are Varuna, the hands are Indra, the feet are Vishnu, the mind is Moon, ahamkara (personality) is Rudra, and the sexual organs are Prajapati. Chapters 6 and 7 state that Narayana (Vishnu) is the one divine alone. The directional gods, all Devas, time and the aeons, the planetary systems, the climatic phenomena, the fourteen nadis, all organs of living beings, parents, siblings, fire, and ghee (clarified butter) are identified as manifestations of Narayana. Narayana is the radiant indwelling spirit in everyone and in every creature, asserts the text. Chapter 8 through 12 state that everything except the Narayana (soul) is transitory and subject to dissolution. Everything merges back into the immortal, fearless, sorrowless, endless, seedless Brahman. Chapter 10 asserts that Atman is Brahman, and everything rests in one's own soul. Chapter 13 asserts that the child is a state of innocence and non-attachment, and this is what one must cultivate. The child knows of no classes or stages of life and learns innocently. So also, states the text, is the state of moksha (liberation) for a sage, who knows no fear, worries, cravings, anger, or falsehood. Chapters 14 to 16 assert that with self-knowledge, a person dissolves into the supreme, the Narayana. In this state, there is "neither Sat, nor Asat, nor Sat-asat.” Be childlike: Childlike simplicity ought to be one's outlook on life. Unattached, innocent, blameless, silent, with aloneness. —Subala Upanishad Chapter 13