[ p. 70 ] p. 71 p. 72 p. 73
BRIHADÂRANYAKA-UPANISHAD.
FIRST ADHYÂYA [1].
1. Verily [2] the dawn is the head of the horse which is fit for sacrifice, the sun its eye, the wind its breath, the mouth the Vaisvânara [3] fire, the year the body of the sacrificial horse. Heaven is the back, the sky the belly, the earth the chest [4], the quarters the two sides, the intermediate quarters the ribs, the members the seasons, the joints the months and half-months, the feet days and nights, the bones the stars, the [ p. 74 ] flesh the clouds. The half-digested food is the sand, the rivers the bowels [5], the liver and the lungs [6] the mountains, the hairs the herbs and trees. As the sun rises, it is the forepart, as it sets, the hindpart of the horse. When the horse shakes itself [7], then it lightens; when it kicks, it thunders; when it makes water, it rains; voice [8] is its voice.
2. Verily Day arose after the horse as the (golden) vessel [9], called Mahiman (greatness), which (at the sacrifice) is placed before the horse. Its place is in the Eastern sea. The Night arose after the horse as the (silver) vessel, called Mahiman, which (at the sacrifice) is placed behind the horse. Its place is in the Western sea. Verily, these two vessels (or greatnesses) arose to be on each side of the horse.
As a racer he carried the Devas, as a stallion the Gandharvas, as a runner the Asuras, as a horse men. The sea is its kin, the sea is its birthplace.
1. In the beginning there was nothing (to be perceived) [ p. 75 ] here whatsoever. By Death indeed all this was concealed,—by hunger; for death is hunger. Death (the first being) thought, ‘Let me have a body.’ Then he moved about, worshipping. From him thus worshipping water was produced. And he said: ‘Verily, there appeared to me, while I worshipped (arkate), water (ka).’ This is why water is called ar-ka [11]. Surely there is water (or pleasure) for him who thus knows the reason why water is called arka.
2. Verily water is arka. And what was there as the froth of the water, that was hardened, and became the earth. On that earth he (Death) rested, and from him, thus resting and heated, Agni (Virâg) proceeded, full of light.
3. That being divided itself threefold, Âditya (the sun) as the third, and Vâyu (the air) as the third [12]. That spirit (prâna) [13] became threefold. The head was the Eastern quarter, and the arms this and that quarter [ p. 76 ] (i. e. the N. E. and S. E., on the left and right sides). Then the tail was the Western quarter, and the two legs this and that quarter (i. e. the N. W. and S. W.) The sides were the Southern and Northern quarters, the back heaven, the belly the sky, the dust the earth. Thus he (Mrityu, as arka) stands firm in the water, and he who knows this stands firm wherever he goes.
4. He desired [14], ‘Let a second body be born of me,’ and he (Death or Hunger) embraced Speech in his mind. Then the seed became the year. Before that time there was no year. Speech [15] bore him so long as a year, and after that time sent him forth. Then when he was born, he (Death) opened his mouth, as if to swallow him. He cried Bhân! and that became speech [16].
5. He thought, ‘If I kill him, I shall have but little food.’ He therefore brought forth by that speech and by that body (the year) all whatsoever exists, the Rik, the Yagus, the Sâman, the metres, the sacrifices, men, and animals.
And whatever he (Death) brought forth, that he resolved to eat (ad). Verily because he eats everything, therefore is Aditi (Death) called Aditi. He who thus knows why Aditi is called Aditi, becomes an eater of everything, and everything becomes his food [17]. [ p. 77 ] 6. He desired to sacrifice again with a greater sacrifice. He toiled and performed penance. And while he toiled and performed penance, glorious power [18] went out of him. Verily glorious power means the senses (prâna). Then when the senses had gone out, the body took to swelling (sva-yitum), and mind was in the body.
7. He desired that this body should be fit for sacrifice (medhya), and that he should be embodied by it. Then he became a horse (asva), because it swelled (asvat), and was fit for sacrifice (medhya); and this is why the horse-sacrifice is called Asva-medha.
Verily he who knows him thus, knows the Asvamedha. Then, letting the horse free, he thought [19], and at the end of a year he offered it up for himself, while he gave up the (other) animals to the deities. Therefore the sacrificers offered up the purified horse belonging to Pragâpati, (as dedicated) to all the deities.
Verily the shining sun is the Asvamedha-sacrifice, and his body is the year; Agni is the sacrificial fire (arka), and these worlds are his bodies. These two are the sacrificial fire and the Asvamedha-sacrifice, and they are again one deity, viz. Death. He (who knows this) overcomes another death, death does not reach him, death is his Self, he becomes one of those deities.
[ p. 78 ]
1. There were two kinds of descendants of Pragâpati, the Devas and the Asuras [21]. Now the Devas were indeed the younger, the Asuras the elder ones [22]. The Devas, who were struggling in these worlds, said: ‘Well, let us overcome the Asuras at the sacrifices (the Gyotishtoma) by means of the udgîtha.’
2. They said to speech (Vâk): ‘Do thou sing out for us (the udgîtha).’ ‘Yes,’ said speech, and sang (the udgîtha). Whatever delight there is in speech, that she obtained for the Devas by singing (the three pavamânas); but that she pronounced well (in the other nine pavamânas), that was for herself. The Asuras knew: ‘Verily, through this singer they will overcome us.’ They therefore rushed at the singer and pierced her with evil. That evil which consists in saying what is bad, that is that evil.
3. Then they (the Devas) said to breath (scent): ‘Do thou sing out for us.’ ‘Yes,’ said breath, and sang. Whatever delight there is in breath (smell), that he obtained for the Devas by singing; but that he smelled well, that was for himself. The Asuras knew: ‘Verily, through this singer they will overcome us.’ They therefore rushed at the singer, and [ p. 79 ] pierced him with evil. That evil which consists in smelling what is bad, that is that evil.
4. Then they said to the eye: ‘Do thou sing out for us.’ ‘Yes,’ said the eye, and sang. Whatever delight there is in the eye, that he obtained for the Devas by singing; but that he saw well, that was for himself The Asuras knew: ‘Verily, through this singer they will overcome us.’ They therefore rushed at the singer, and pierced him with evil. That evil which consists in seeing what is bad, that is that evil.
5. Then they said to the ear: ‘Do thou sing out for us.’ ‘Yes,’ said the ear, and sang. Whatever delight there is in the ear, that he obtained for the Devas by singing; but that he heard well, that was for himself. The Asuras knew: ‘Verily, through this singer they will overcome us.’ They therefore rushed at the singer, and pierced him with evil. That evil which consists in hearing what is bad, that is that evil.
6. Then they said to the mind: ‘Do thou sing out for us.’ ‘Yes,’ said the mind, and sang. Whatever delight there is in the mind, that he obtained for the Devas by singing; but that he thought well, that was for himself. The Asuras knew: ‘Verily, through this singer they will overcome us.’ They therefore rushed at the singer, and pierced him with evil. That evil which consists in thinking what is bad, that is that evil.
Thus they overwhelmed these deities with evils, thus they pierced them with evil.
7. Then they said to the breath in the mouth [23]: ‘Do thou sing for us.’ ‘Yes,’ said the breath, and sang. The Asuras knew: ‘Verily, through this singer [ p. 80 ] they will overcome us.’ They therefore rushed at him and pierced him with evil. Now as a ball of earth will be scattered when hitting a stone, thus they perished, scattered in all directions. Hence the Devas rose, the Asuras fell. He who knows this, rises by his self, and the enemy who hates him falls.
8. Then they (the Devas) said: ‘Where was he then who thus stuck to us [24]?’ It was (the breath) within the mouth (âsye 'ntar [25]), and therefore called Ayâsya; he was the sap (rasa) of the limbs (aṅga), and therefore called Âṅgirasa.
9. That deity was called Dûr, because Death was far (dûran) from it. From him who knows this, Death is far off.
10. That deity, after having taken away the evil of those deities, viz. death, sent it to where the end of the quarters of the earth is. There he deposited their sins. Therefore let no one go to a man, let no one go to the end (of the quarters of the earth [26]), that he may not meet there with evil, with death.
11. That deity, after having taken away the evil of those deities, viz. death, carried them beyond death.
12. He carried speech across first. When speech had become freed from death, it became (what it had been before) Agni (fire). That Agni, after having stepped beyond death, shines.
13. Then he carried breath (scent) across. When breath had become freed from death, it became [ p. 81 ] Vâyu (air). That Vâyu, after having stepped beyond death, blows.
14. Then he carried the eye across. When the eye had become freed from death, it became Âditya (the sun). That Âditya, after having stepped beyond death, burns.
15. Then he carried the ear across. When the ear had become freed from death, it became the quarters (space). These are our quarters (space), which have stepped beyond death.
16. Then he carried the mind across. When the mind had become freed from death, it became the moon (Kandramas). That moon, after having stepped beyond death, shines. Thus does that deity carry him, who knows this, across death.
17. Then breath (vital), by singing, obtained for himself eatable food. For whatever food is eaten, is eaten by breath alone, and in it breath rests [27].
The Devas said: ‘Verily, thus far, whatever food there is, thou hast by singing acquired it for thyself. Now therefore give us a share in that food.’ He said: ‘You there, enter into me.’ They said Yes, and entered all into him. Therefore whatever food is eaten by breath, by it the other senses are satisfied.
18. If a man knows this, then his own relations come to him in the same manner; he becomes their supporter, their chief leader, their strong ruler [28]. And if ever anyone tries to oppose [29] one who is possessed of such knowledge among his own relatives, then he [ p. 82 ] will not be able to support his own belongings. But he who follows the man who is possessed of such knowledge, and who with his permission wishes to support those whom he has to support, he indeed will be able to support his own belongings.
19. He was called Ayâsya Âṅgirasa, for he is the sap (rasa) of the limbs (aṅga). Verily, breath is the sap of the limbs. Yes, breath is the sap of the limbs. Therefore from whatever limb breath goes away, that limb withers, for breath verily is the sap of the limbs.
20. He (breath) is also Brihaspati, for speech is Brihatî (Rig-veda), and he is her lord; therefore he is Brihaspati.
2 1. He (breath) is also Brahmanaspati, for speech is Brahman (Yagur-veda), and he is her lord; therefore he is Brahmanaspati.
He (breath) is also Sâman (the Udgîtha), for speech is Sâman (Sama-veda), and that is both speech (sâ) and breath (ama) [30]. This is why Sâman is called Sâman.
22. Or because he is equal (sama) to a grub, equal to a gnat, equal to an elephant, equal to these three worlds, nay, equal to this universe, therefore he is Sâman. He who thus knows this Sâman, obtains union and oneness with Sâman.
23. He (breath) is Udgîtha [31]. Breath verily is Ut, for by breath this universe is upheld (uttabdha); and speech is Gîthâ, song. And because he is ut and gîthâ, therefore he (breath) is Udgîtha. [ p. 83 ] 24. And thus Brahmadatta Kaikitâneya (the grandson of Kikitâna), while taking Soma (râgan), said: ‘May this Soma strike my head off, if Ayâsya Âṅgirasa sang another Udgîtha than this. He sang it indeed as speech and breath.’
25. He who knows what is the property of this Sâman, obtains property. Now verily its property is tone only. Therefore let a priest, who is going to perform the sacrificial work of a Sama-singer, desire that his voice may have a good tone, and let him perform the sacrifice with a voice that is in good tone. Therefore people (who want a priest) for a sacrifice, look out for one who possesses a good voice, as for one who possesses property. He who thus knows what is the property of that Sâman, obtains property.
26. He who knows what is the gold of that Sâman, obtains gold. Now verily its gold. is tone only. He who thus knows what is the gold of that Sâman, obtains gold.
27. He who knows what is the support of that Sâman, he is supported. Now verily its support is speech only. For, as supported in speech, that breath is sung as that Sâman. Some say the support is in food.
Next follows the Abhyâroha [32] (the ascension) of the Pavamâna verses. Verily the Prastotri begins to sing the Sâman, and when he begins, then let him (the sacrificer) recite these (three Yagus-verses):
‘Lead me from the unreal to the real! Lead me [ p. 84 ] from darkness to light! Lead me from death to immortality!’
Now when he says, ‘Lead me from the unreal to the real,’ the unreal is verily death, the real immortality. He therefore says, ‘Lead me from death to immortality, make me immortal.’
When he says, ‘Lead me from darkness to light,’ darkness is verily death, light immortality. He therefore says, ‘Lead me from death to immortality, make me immortal.’
When he says, ‘Lead me from death to immortality,’ there is nothing there, as it were, hidden (obscure, requiring explanation) [33].
28. Next come the other Stotras with which the priest may obtain food for himself by singing them. Therefore let the sacrificer, while these Stotras are being sung, ask for a boon, whatever desire he may desire. An Udgâtri priest who knows this obtains by his singing whatever desire he may desire either for himself or for the sacrificer. This (knowledge) indeed is called the conqueror of the worlds. He who thus knows this Sâman [34], for him there is no fear of his not being admitted to the worlds [35].
[ p. 85 ]
1. In the beginning this was Self alone, in the shape of a person (purusha). He looking round saw nothing but his Self. He first said, ‘This is I;’ therefore he became I by name. Therefore even now, if a man is asked, he first says, ‘This is I,’ and then pronounces the other name which he may have. And because before (pûrva) all this, he (the Self) burnt down (ush) all evils, therefore he was a person (pur-usha). Verily he who knows this, burns down every one who tries to be before him.
2. He feared, and therefore any one who is lonely fears. He thought, ‘As there is nothing but myself, why should I fear?’ Thence his fear passed away. For what should he have feared? Verily fear arises from a second only.
3. But he felt no delight. Therefore a man who is lonely feels no delight. He wished for a second. He was so large as man and wife together. He then made this his Self to fall in two (pat), and thence arose husband (pati) and wife (patnî). Therefore Yâg_ñ_avalkya said: ‘We two [37] are thus (each of us) like half a shell [38].’ Therefore the void which was [ p. 86 ] there, is filled by the wife. He embraced her, and men were born.
4. She thought, ‘How can he embrace me, after having produced me from himself? I shall hide myself.’
She then became a cow, the other became a bull and embraced her, and hence cows were born. The one became a mare, the other a stallion; the one a male ass, the other a female ass. He embraced her, and hence one-hoofed animals were born. The one became a she-goat, the other a he-goat; the one became a ewe [39], the other a ram. He embraced her, and hence goats and sheep were born. And thus he created everything that exists in pairs, down to the ants.
5. He knew, ‘I indeed am this creation, for I created all this.’ Hence he became the creation, and he who knows this lives in this his creation.
6. Next he thus produced fire by rubbing. From the mouth, as from the fire-hole, and from the hands he created fire [40]. Therefore both the mouth and the hands are inside without hair, for the fire-hole is inside without hair.
And when they say, ‘Sacrifice to this or sacrifice to that god,’ each god is but his manifestation, for he is all gods.
Now, whatever there is moist, that he created from seed; this is Soma. So far verily is this universe either food or eater. Soma indeed is food, Agni eater. This is the highest creation of Brahman, [ p. 87 ] when he created the gods from his better part [41], and when he, who was (then) mortal [42], created the immortals. Therefore it was the highest creation. And he who knows this, lives in this his highest creation.
7. Now all this was then undeveloped. It became developed by form and name, so that one could say, ‘He, called so and so, is such a one [43].’ Therefore at present also all this is developed by name and form, so that one can say, ‘He, called so and so, is such a one.’
He (Brahman or the Self) entered thither, to the very tips of the finger-nails, as a razor might be fitted in a razor-case, or as fire in a fire-place [44].
He cannot be seen, for, in part only, when breathing, he is breath by name; when speaking, speech by name; when seeing, eye by name; when hearing, ear by name; when thinking, mind by name. All these are but the names of his acts. And he who worships (regards) him as the one or the other, does not know him, for he is apart from this (when qualified) by the one or the other (predicate). Let men worship him as Self, for in the Self all these are one. This Self is the footstep of everything, for through it one knows everything [45]. And as one can find again by footsteps what was lost, thus he who knows this finds glory and praise. [ p. 88 ] 8. This, which is nearer to us than anything, this Self, is dearer than a son, dearer than wealth, dearer than all else.
And if one were to say to one who declares another than the Self dear, that he will lose what is dear to him, very likely it would be so. Let him worship the Self alone as dear. He who worships the Self alone as dear, the object of his love will never perish [46].
9. Here they say: ‘If men think that by knowledge of Brahman they will become everything, what then did that Brahman know, from whence all this sprang?’
10. Verily in the beginning this was Brahman, that Brahman knew (its) Self only, saying, ‘I am Brahman.’ From it all this sprang. Thus, whatever Deva was awakened (so as to know Brahman), he indeed became that (Brahman); and the same with Rishis and men. The Rishi Vâmadeva saw and understood it, singing, ‘I was Manu (moon), I was the sun.’ Therefore now also he who thus knows that he is Brahman, becomes all this, and even the Devas cannot prevent it, for he himself is their Self.
Now if a man worships another deity, thinking the deity is one and he another, he does not know. He is like a beast for the Devas. For verily, as many beasts nourish a man, thus does every man nourish the Devas. If only one beast is taken away, it is not pleasant; how much more when many are taken! Therefore it is not pleasant to the Devas that men should know this.
11. Verily in the beginning this was Brahman, one [ p. 89 ] only. That being one, was not strong enough. It created still further the most excellent Kshatra (power), viz. those Kshatras (powers) among the Devas,—Indra, Varuna, Soma, Rudra, Parganya, Yama, Mrityu, Îsâna. Therefore there is nothing beyond the Kshatra, and therefore at the Râgasûya sacrifice the Brâhmana sits down below the Kshatriya. He confers that glory on the Kshatra alone. But Brahman is (nevertheless) the birth-place of the Kshatra. Therefore though a king is exalted, he sits down at the end (of the sacrifice) below the Brahman, as his birth-place. He who injures him, injures his own birth-place. He becomes worse, because he has injured one better than himself.
12. He [47] was not strong enough. He created the Vis (people), the classes of Devas which in their different orders are called Vasus, Rudras, Âdityas, Visve Devas, Maruts.
13. He was not strong enough. He created the Sûdra colour (caste), as Pûshan (as nourisher). This earth verily is Pûshan (the nourisher); for the earth nourishes all this whatsoever.
14. He was not strong enough. He created still further the most excellent Law (dharma). Law is the Kshatra (power) of the Kshatra [48], therefore there is nothing higher than the Law. Thenceforth even a weak man rules a stronger with the help of the Law, as with the help of a king. Thus the Law is what is called the true. And if a man declares what is true, they say he declares the Law; and if he declares the Law, they say he declares what is true. Thus both are the same. [ p. 90 ] 15. There are then this Brahman, Kshatra, Vis, and Sûdra. Among the Devas that Brahman existed as Agni (fire) only, among men as Brâhmana, as Kshatriya through the (divine) Kshatriya, as Vaisya through the (divine) Vaisya, as Sûdra through the (divine) Sûdra. Therefore people wish for their future state among the Devas through Agni (the sacrificial fire) only; and among men through the Brâhmana, for in these two forms did Brahman exist.
Now if a man departs this life without having seen his true future life (in the Self), then that Self, not being known, does not receive and bless him, as if the Veda had not been read, or as if a good work had not been done. Nay, even if one who does not know that (Self), should perform here on earth some great holy work, it will Perish for him in the end. Let a man worship the Self only as his true state. If a man worships the Self only as his true state, his work does not Perish, for whatever he desires that he gets from that Self.
16. Now verily this Self (of the ignorant man) is the world [49] of all creatures. In so far as man sacrifices and pours out libations, he is the world of the Devas; in so far as he repeats the hymns, &c., he is the world of the Rishis; in so far as he offers cakes to the Fathers and tries to obtain offspring, he is the world of the Fathers; in so far as he gives shelter and food to men, he is the world of men; in so far as he finds fodder and water for the animals, he is the world of the animals; in so far as quadrupeds, birds, and even ants live in his houses, he is their world. And as every one wishes his own world not to be injured, [ p. 91 ] thus all beings wish that he who knows this should not be injured. Verily this is known and has been well reasoned.
17. In the beginning this was Self alone, one only. He desired, ‘Let there be a wife for me that I may have offspring, and let there be wealth for me that I may offer sacrifices.’ Verily this is the whole desire, and, even if wishing for more, he would not find it. Therefore now also a lonely person desires, ‘Let there be a wife for me that I may have offspring, and let there be wealth for me that I may offer sacrifices.’ And so long as he does not obtain either of these things, he thinks he is incomplete. Now his completeness (is made up as follows): mind is his self (husband); speech the wife; breath the child; the eye all worldly wealth, for he finds it with the eye; the ear his divine wealth, for he hears it with the ear. The body (âtman) is his work, for with the body he works. This is the fivefold [50] sacrifice, for fivefold is the animal, fivefold man, fivefold all this whatsoever. He who knows this, obtains all this.
1. 'When the father (of creation) had produced by knowledge and penance (work) the seven kinds of food, one of his (foods) was common to all beings, two he assigned to the Devas, (1)
‘Three he made for himself, one he gave to the animals. In it all rests, whatsoever breathes and breathes not. (2)
[ p. 92 ]
‘Why then do these not perish, though they are always eaten? He who knows this imperishable one, he eats food with his face. (3)
‘He goes even to the Devas, he lives on strength.’ (4)
2. When it is said, that ‘the father produced by knowledge and penance the seven kinds of food,’ it is clear that (it was he who) did so. When it is said, that ‘one of his (foods) was common,’ then that is that common food of his which is eaten. He who worships (eats) that (common food), is not removed from evil, for verily that food is mixed (property) [52]. When it is said, that ‘two he assigned to the Devas,’ that is the huta, which is sacrificed in fire, and the prahuta, which is given away at a sacrifice. But they also say, the new-moon and full-moon sacrifices are here intended, and therefore one should not offer them as an ishti or with a wish.
When it is said, that ‘one he gave to animals,’ that is milk. For in the beginning (in their infancy) both men and animals live on milk. And therefore they either make a new-born child lick ghrita (butter), or they make it take the breast. And they call a new-born creature ‘atrinâda,’ i.e. not eating herbs. When it is said, that ‘in it all rests, whatsoever breathes and breathes not,’ we see that all this, whatsoever breathes and breathes not, rests and depends on milk.
And when it is said (in another Brâhmana), that a man who sacrifices with milk a whole year [53], overcomes death again, let him not think so. No, on [ p. 93 ] the very day on which he sacrifices, on that day he overcomes death again; for he who knows this, offers to the gods the entire food (viz. milk).
When it is said, ‘Why do these not perish, though they are always eaten,’ we answer, Verily, the Person is the imperishable, and he produces that food again and again [54].
When it is said, 'He who knows this imperishable one, I then, verily, the Person is the imperishable one, for he produces this food by repeated thought, and whatever he does not work by his works, that perishes.
When it is said, that ‘he eats food with his face,’ then face means the mouth, he eats it with his mouth.
When it is said, that ‘he goes even to the Devas, he lives on strength,’ that is meant as praise.
3. When it is said, that ‘he made three for himself,’ that means that he made mind, speech, and breath for himself. As people say, ‘My mind was elsewhere, I did not see; my mind was elsewhere, I did not hear,’ it is clear that a man sees with his mind and hears with his mind [55]. Desire, representation, doubt, faith, want of faith, memory [56], forgetfulness, shame, reflexion, fear, all this is mind. Therefore even if a man is touched on the back, he knows it through the mind.
Whatever sound there is, that is speech. Speech indeed is intended for an end or object, it is nothing by itself.
[ p. 94 ]
The up-breathing, the down-breathing, the back-breathing, the out-breathing, the on-breathing, all that is breathing is breath (prâna) only. Verily that Self consists of it; that Self consists of speech, mind, and breath.
4. These are the three worlds: earth is speech, sky mind, heaven breath.
5. These are the three Vedas: the Rig-veda is speech, the Yagur-veda mind, the Sâma-veda breath.
6. These are the Devas, Fathers, and men: the Devas are speech, the Fathers mind, men breath.
7. These are father, mother, and child: the father is mind, the mother speech, the child breath.
8. These are what is known, what is to be known, and what is unknown.
What is known, has the form of speech, for speech is known. Speech, having become this, protects man [57].
9. What is to be known, has the form of mind, for mind is what is to be known. Mind, having become this, protects man.
10. What is unknown, has the form of breath, for breath is unknown. Breath, having become this, protects man [58].
11. Of that speech (which is the food of Pragâpati) earth is the body, light the form, viz. this fire. And so far as speech extends, so far extends the earth, so far extends fire.
12. Next, of this mind heaven is the body, light the form, viz. this sun. And so far as this mind [ p. 95 ] extends, so far extends heaven, so far extends the sun. If they (fire and sun) embrace each other, then wind is born, and that is Indra, and he is without a, rival. Verily a second is a rival, and he who knows this, has no rival.
13. Next, of this breath water is the body, light the form, viz. this moon. And so far as this breath extends, so far extends water, so far extends the moon.
These are all alike, all endless. And he who worships them as finite, obtains a finite world, but he who worships them as infinite, obtains an infinite world.
14. That Pragâpati is the year, and he consists of sixteen digits. The nights [59] indeed are his fifteen digits, the fixed point [60] his sixteenth digit. He is increased and decreased by the nights. Having on the new-moon night entered with the sixteenth part into everything that has life, he is thence born again in the morning. Therefore let no one cut off the life of any living thing on that night, not even of a lizard, in honour (pûgârtham) of that deity.
15. Now verily that Pragâpati, consisting of sixteen digits, who is the year, is the same as a man who knows this. His wealth constitutes the fifteen digits, his Self the sixteenth digit. He is increased and decreased by that wealth. His Self is the nave, his wealth the felly. Therefore even if he loses everything, if he lives but with his Self, people say, he lost the felly (which can be restored again).
16. Next there are verily three worlds, the world of men, the world of the Fathers, the world of the Devas. The world of men can be gained by a son [ p. 96 ] only, not by any other work. By sacrifice the world of the Fathers, by knowledge the world of the Devas is gained. The world of the Devas is the best of worlds, therefore they praise knowledge.
17. Next follows the handing over. When a man thinks he is going to depart, he says to his son: ‘Thou art Brahman (the Veda, so far as acquired by the father); thou art the sacrifice (so far as performed by the father); thou art the world.’ The son answers: ‘I am Brahman, I am the sacrifice, I am the world.’ Whatever has been learnt (by the father) that, taken as one, is Brahman. Whatever sacrifices there are, they, taken as one, are the sacrifice. Whatever worlds there are, they, taken as one, are the world. Verily here ends this (what has to be done by a father, viz. study, sacrifice, &c.) ‘He (the son), being all this, preserved me from this world [61],’ thus he thinks. Therefore they call a son who is instructed (to do all this), a world-son (lokya), and therefore they instruct him.
When a father who knows this, departs this world, then he enters into his son together with his own spirits (with speech, mind, and breath). If there is anything done amiss by the father, of all that the son delivers him, and therefore he is called Putra, son [62]. By help of his son the father stands firm in this world [63]. Then these divine immortal spirits (speech, mind, and breath) enter into him. [ p. 97 ] 18. From the earth and from fire, divine speech enters into him. And verily that is divine speech whereby, whatever he says, comes to be.
19. From heaven and the sun, divine mind enters into him. And verily that is divine mind whereby he becomes joyful, and grieves no more.
20. From water and the moon, divine breath (spirit) enters into him. And verily that is divine breath which, whether moving or not moving, does not tire, and therefore does not perish. He who knows this, becomes the Self of all beings. As that deity (Hiranyagarbha) is, so does he become. And as all beings honour that deity (with sacrifice, &c.), so do all beings honour him who knows this.
Whatever grief these creatures suffer, that is all one [64] (and therefore disappears). Only what is good approaches him; verily, evil does not approach the Devas.
21. Next follows the consideration of the observances [65] (acts). Pragâpati created the actions (active senses). When they had been created, they strove among themselves. Voice held, I shall speak; the eye held, I shall see; the ear held, I shall hear; and thus the other actions too, each according to its own act. Death, having become weariness, took them and seized them. Having seized them, death held them back (from their work). Therefore speech grows weary, the eye grows weary, the ear grows weary. But death did not seize the central breath. Then the others tried to know him, and [ p. 98 ] said: ‘Verily, he is the best of us, he who, whether moving or not, does not tire and does not perish. Well, let all of us assume his form.’ Thereupon they all assumed his form, and therefore they are called after him ‘breaths’ (spirits).
In whatever family there is a man who knows this, they call that family after his name. And he who strives with one who knows this, withers away and finally dies. So far with regard to the body.
22. Now with regard to the deities.
Agni (fire) held, I shall burn; Âditya (the sun) held, I shall warm; Kandramas (the moon) held, I shall shine; and thus also the other deities, each according to the deity. And as it was with the central breath among the breaths, so it was with Vâyu, the wind among those deities. The other deities fade, not Vâyu. Vâyu is the deity that never sets.
23. And here there is this Sloka:
‘He from whom the sun rises, and into whom it sets’ (he verily rises from the breath, and sets in the breath)
‘Him the Devas made the law, he only is to-day, and he to-morrow also’ (whatever these Devas determined then, that they perform to-day also [66]).
Therefore let a man perform one observance only, let him breathe up and let him breathe down, that the evil death may not reach him. And when he performs it, let him try to finish it. Then he obtains through it union and oneness with that deity (with prâna).
[ p. 99 ]
1. Verily this is a triad, name, form, and work. Of these names, that which is called Speech is the Uktha (hymn, supposed to mean also origin), for from it all names arise. It is their Sâman (song, supposed to mean also sameness), for it is the same as all names. It is their Brahman (prayer, supposed to mean also support), for it supports all names.
2. Next, of the forms, that which is called Eye is the Uktha (hymn), for from it all forms arise. It is their Sâman (song), for it is the same as all forms. It is their Brahman (prayer), for it supports all forms.
3. Next, of the works, that which is called Body is the Uktha (hymn), for from it all works arise. It is their Sâman (song), for it is the same as all works. It is their Brahman (prayer), for it supports all works.
That being a triad is one, viz. this Self; and the Self, being one, is that triad. This is the immortal, covered by the true. Verily breath is the immortal, name and form are the true, and by them the immortal is covered.
73:1 It is the third Adhyâya of the Âranyaka, but the first of the Upanishad. ↩︎
73:2 This Brâhmana is found in the Mâdhyandina text of the Satapatha, ed. Weber, X, 6, 4. Its object is there explained by the commentary to be the meditative worship of Virâg, as represented metaphorically in the members of the horse. Sâyana dispenses with its explanation, because, as part of the Brihadâranyaka-upanishad, according to the Kânva-sâkhâ, it had been enlarged on by the Vârttikakâra and explained. ↩︎
73:3 Agni or fire, as pervading everything, as universally present in nature. ↩︎
73:4 Pâgasya is doubtful. The commentator suggests pâd-asya, the place of the feet, i.e. the hoof The Greek Pēgasos, or ἵπποι πηλοί, throws no light on the word. The meaning of hoof would hardly be appropriate here, and I prefer chest on account of uras in I, 2, 3. Deussen (Vedânta, p. 8) translates, die Erde seiner Füsse Schemel; but we want some part of the horse. ↩︎
74:1 Guda, being in the plural, is explained by nâdî, channel, and sirâh; for we ought to read sirâ or hirâgrahane for sirâ, p. 22, l. 16. ↩︎
74:2 Klomânah is explained as a plurale tantum (nityam bahuvakanam ekasmin), and being described as a lump below the heart, on the opposite side of the liver, it is supposed to be the lungs. ↩︎
74:3 ‘When it yawns.’ Ânandagiri. ↩︎
74:4 Voice is sometimes used as a personified power of thunder and other aerial sounds, and this is identified with the voice of the horse. ↩︎
74:5 Two vessels, to hold the sacrificial libations, are placed at the Asvamedha before and behind the horse, the former made of gold, the latter made of silver. They are called Mahiman in the technical language of the ceremonial. The place in which these vessels are set, is called their yoni. Cf. Vâgas. Samhitâ XXIII, 2. ↩︎
74:6 Called the Agni-brâhmana, and intended to teach the origin of p. 75 Agni, the fire, which is here used for the Horse-sacrifice. It is found in the Satapatha-brâhmana, Mâdhyandina-sâkhâ X, 6, 5, and there explained as a description of Hiranyagarbha. ↩︎
75:1 We ought to read arkasyârkatvam, as in Poley’s edition, or ark-kasyârkkatvam, to make the etymology still clearer. The commentator takes arka in the sense of fire, more especially the sacrificial fire employed at the Horse-sacrifice. It may be so, but the more natural interpretation seems to me to take arka here as water, from which indirectly fire is produced. From water springs the earth; on that earth he (Mrityu or Pragâpati) rested, and from him, while resting there, fire (Virâg) was produced. That fire assumed three forms, fire, sun, and air, and in that threefold form it is called prâna, spirit. ↩︎
75:2 As Agni, Vâyu, and Âditya. ↩︎
75:3 Here Agni (Virâg) is taken as representing the fire of the altar at the Horse-sacrifice, which is called Arka. The object of the whole Brâhmana was to show the origin and true character of that fire (arka). ↩︎
76:1 He is the same as what was before called mrityu, death, who, after becoming self-conscious, produced water, earth, fire, &c. He now wishes for a second body, which is the year, or the annual sacrifice, the year being dependent on the sun (Âditya). ↩︎
76:2 The commentator understands the father, instead of Speech, the mother. ↩︎
76:3 The interjectional theory. ↩︎
76:4 All these are merely fanciful etymologies of asvamedha and arka. ↩︎
77:1 Or glory (senses) and power. Comm. ↩︎
77:2 He considered himself as the horse. Roer. ↩︎
78:1 Called the Udgîtha-brâhmana. In the Mâdhyandina-sâkhâ, the Upanishad, which consists of six adhyâyas, begins with this Brâhmana (cf. Weber’s edition, p. 104 7; Commentary, p. 1109). ↩︎
78:2 The Devas and Asuras are explained by the commentator as the senses, inclining either to sacred or to worldly objects, to good or evil. ↩︎
78:3 According to the commentator, the Devas were the less numerous and less strong, the Asuras the more numerous and more powerful. ↩︎
79:1 This is the chief or vital breath, sometimes called mukhya. ↩︎
80:1 Asakta from sa_ñ_g, to embrace; cf. Rig-veda I, 33, 3. Here it corresponds to the German anhänglich. ↩︎
80:2 See Deussen, Vedanta, p. 359. ↩︎
80:3 To distant people. ↩︎
81:1 This is done by the last nine Pavamânas, while the first three were used for obtaining the reward common to all the prânas. ↩︎
81:2 Here annâda is well explained by anâmayâvin, and vyâdhirahita, free from sickness, strong. ↩︎
81:3 Read pratipratih; see Poley, and Weber, p. 1180. ↩︎
82:1 Cf. Khând. Up. V, 2, 6. ↩︎
82:2 Not used here in the sense of song or hymn, but as an act of worship connected with the Sâman. Comm. ↩︎
83:1 The ascension is a ceremony by which the performer reaches the gods, or becomes a god. It consists in the recitation of three Yagus, and is here enjoined to take place when the Prastotri priest begins to sing his hymn. ↩︎
84:1 See Deussen, Vedânta, p. 86. ↩︎
84:2 He knows that he is the Prâna, which Prâna is the Sâman. That Prâna cannot be defeated by the Asuras, i.e. by the senses which are addicted to evil; it is pure, and the five senses finding refuge in him, recover there their original nature, fire, &c. The Prâna is the Self of all things, also of speech (Rig-yaguh-sâmodgîtha), and of the Sâman that has to be sung and well sung. The Prâna pervades all creatures, and he who identifies himself with that Prâna, obtains the rewards mentioned in the Brâhmana. Comm. ↩︎
84:3 In connection with lokagit, lokyatâ is here explained, and may probably have been intended, as worthiness to be admitted to the highest world. Originally lokyatâ and alokyatâ meant right and wrong. See also I, 5, 17. ↩︎
85:1 Called Purushavidhabrâhmana (Mâdhyandina-sâkhâ, p. 1050). See Muir, Original Sanskrit Texts, vol. i, p. 24. ↩︎
85:2 The Comm. explains svah by âtmanah, of himself. But see Boehtlingk, Sanskrit Chrestomathie, p. 357. ↩︎
85:3 Roer translates: ‘Therefore was this only one half of himself, as a split pea is of a whole.’ Brigala is a half of anything. Muir (Orig. Sansk. Texts, vol. i, p. 25) translates: ‘Yâg_ñ_avalkya has said that this one’s self is like the half of a split pea.’ I have translated the sentence according to Professor Boehtlingk’s conjecture (Chrestomathie, 2nd ed. p. 357), though the singular after the dual (svah) is irregular. ↩︎
86:1 The reading avir itaro, i.e. itarâ u, is not found in the Kânva text. See Boehtlingk, Chrestomathie, p. 357. ↩︎
86:2 He blew with the mouth while he rubbed with the hands. ↩︎
87:1 Or, when he created the best gods. ↩︎
87:2 As man and sacrificer. Comm. ↩︎
87:3 The Comm. takes asau-nâmâ as a compound, instead of idam-nâmâ. I read asau nâma, he is this by name, viz. Devadatta, &c. Dr. Boehtlingk, who in his Chrestomathie (2nd ed. p. 31) had accepted the views of the Commentator, informs me that he has changed his view, and thinks that we should read asaú nâ’ma. ↩︎
87:4 Cf. Kaush. Br. Up. VI, 19. ↩︎
87:5 As one finds lost cattle again by following their footsteps, thus one finds everything, if one has found out the Self.’ Comm. ↩︎
88:1 On rudh, to lose, see Taitt. Samh. II, 6, 8, 5, pp. 765, 771, as pointed out by Dr. Boehtlingk. On îsvaro (yat) tathaiva syât, see Boehtlingk, s. v. ↩︎
89:1 Observe the change from tad, it, to sa, he. ↩︎
89:2 More powerful than the Kshatra or warrior caste. Comm. ↩︎
90:1 Is enjoyed by them all. Comm. ↩︎
91:1 Fivefold, as consisting of mind, speech, breath, eye, and ear. See Taitt. Up. I, 7, 1. ↩︎
91:2 Mâdhyandina text, p. 1054. ↩︎
92:1 It belongs to all beings. ↩︎
92:2 This would imply 360 sacrificial days, each with two oblations, i.e. 720 oblations. ↩︎
93:1 Those who enjoy the food, become themselves creators. Comm. ↩︎
93:2 See Deussen, Vedânta, p. 358. ↩︎
93:3 Firmness, strength. Comm. ↩︎
94:1 ‘The food (speech), having become known, can be consumed.’ Comm. ↩︎
94:2 This was adhibhautika, with reference to bhûtas, beings. Next follows the adhidaivika, with reference to the devas, gods. Comm. ↩︎
95:1 Meant for nychthemera. ↩︎
95:2 When he is just invisible at the new moon. ↩︎
96:1 Roer seems to have read samnaya, ‘all this multitude.’ I read, etan mi sarvam sann ayam ito 'bhunagad iti. ↩︎
96:2 The Comm. derives putra from pu (pûr), to fill, and tra (trâ), to deliver, a deliverer who fills the holes left by the father, a stopgap. Others derive it from put, a hell, and tri, to protect; cf. Manu IX, 138. ↩︎
96:3 ‘The manushya-loka, not the pitri-loka and deva-loka.’ Comm. ↩︎
97:1 ‘Individuals suffer, because one causes grief to another. But in the universal soul, where all individuals are one, their sufferings are neutralised.’ Comm. ↩︎
97:2 The upâsana or meditative worship. ↩︎
98:1 The prâna-vrata and vâyu-vrata. Comm. ↩︎
99:1 Mâdhyandina text, p. 1058. ↩︎