Translation by Max Muller (1879), The Sacred Books of the East, Vol.1
Note: The reference 'Rv' indicates the Rig Veda, of which this Upanishad is a part.
SECOND ARANYAKA
FIRST ADHYAYA
FIRST KHANDA
1. This is the path : this sacrifice, and this Brahman. This
is the true.
2. Let no man swerve from it, let no man transgress it.
3. For the old (sages) did not transgress it, and those who
did transgress, became lost.
4. This has been declared by a Rishi (Rv. VIII, 101, 14):
'Three (classes of) people transgressed, others settled down round about the
venerable (Agni, fire); the great (sun) stood in the midst of the worlds, the
blowing (Vayu, air) entered the Harits (the dawns, or the ends of the earth).'
5. When he says: 'Three (classes of) people trangressed,' the
three (classes of) people who trangressed are what we see here (on earth, born
again) as birds, trees, herbs, and serpents.
6. When he says: 'Others settled down round about the
venerable,' he means those who now sit down to worship Agni (fire).
7. When he says : 'The great stood in the midst of the
worlds,' the great one in the midst of the world is meant for this Aditya, the
sun.
8. When he says: 'The blowing entered the Harits,' he means
that Vayu, the air, the purifier, entered all the corners of the earth.
SECOND KHANDA.
1. People say: 'Uktha, uktha,' hymns, hymns! (without knowing
what uktha, hymn, means.) The hymn is truly (to be considered as) he earth, for
from it all whatsoever exists arises,
2. The object of its praise is Agni (fire), and the eighty
verses (of the hymn) are food, for by means of food one obtains everything.
3. The hymn is truly the sky, for the birds fly along the
sky, and men drive following the sky. The object of its praise is Vayu (air),
and the eighty verses (of the hymn) are food, for by means of food one obtains
everything.
4. The hymn is truly the heaven, for from its gift (rain) all
whatsoever exists arises. The object of its praise is Aditya (the sun), and the
eighty verses are food, for by means of food one obtains everything.
5. So much with reference to the gods (mythological); now
with reference to man (physiological).
6. The hymn is truly man. He is great, he is Pragapati. Let
him think, I am the hymn.
7. The hymn is his mouth, as before in the case of the earth.
8. The object of its praise is speech, and the eighty verses
(of the hymn) are food, for by means of food he obtains everything.
9. The hymn is the nostrils, as before in the case of the
sky.
10. The object of its praise is breath, and the eighty verses
(of the hymn) are food, for by means of food he obtains everything.
11. The slight bent (at the root) of the nose is, as it were,
the place of the brilliant (Aditya, the sun).
12. The Hymn is the forehead, as before in the case of
heaven. The object of its praise is the eye, and the eighty verses (of the hymn)
are food, for by means of food he obtains everything.
13. The eighty verses (of the hymn) are alike food with
reference to the gods as well as with reference to man. For all these beings
breathe and live by means of food indeed. By food (given in alms, &c.) he
conquers this world, by food (given in sacrifice) he conquers the other.
Therefore the eighty verses (of the hymn) are alike food, with reference to the
gods as well as with reference to man.
14. All this that is food, and all this that consumes food,
is only the earth, for from the earth arises all whatever there is.
15. And all that goes hence (dies on earth), heaven consumes
it all; and all that goes thence (returns from heaven to a new life) the earth
consumes it all.
16. That earth is thus both food and consumer.
He also (the true worshipper who meditates on himself as
being the uktha) is both consumer and consumed (subject and object'). No one
possesses that which he does not eat, or the things which do not eat him.
THIRD KHANDA.
1. Next follows the origin of seed. The seed of Pragapati are
the Devas (gods). The seed of the Devas is rain. The seed of rain are herbs. The
seed of herbs is food. The seed of food is seed. The seed of seed are creatures.
The seed of creatures is the heart. The seed of the heart is the mind. The seed
of the mind is speech (Veda). The seed of speech is action (sacrifice). The
action done (in a former state) is this man, the abode of Brahman.
2. He (man) consists of food (ira), and because he consists
of food (iramaya), he consists of gold (hiranmaya). He who knows this becomes
golden in the other world, and is seen as golden (as the sun) for the benefit of
all beings.
FOURTH KHANDA.
1. Brahman (in the shape of prana, breath) entered into that
man by the tips of his feet, and because Brahman entered (prapadyata) into that
man by the tips of his feet, therefore people call them the tips of the feet (prapada),
but hoofs and claws in other animals.
2. Then Brahman crept up higher, and therefore they were
(called), the thighs (uru).
3. Then he said: 'Grasp wide,' and that was (called) the
belly (udara).
4. Then he said: 'Make room for me,' and that was (called)
the chest (uras).
5. The Sarkarakshyas meditate on the belly as Brahman, the
Arunis on the heart. Both (these places) are Brahman indeed.
6. But Brahman crept upwards and came to the head, and
because he came to the head, therefore the head is called head.
7. Then these delights alighted in the head, sight, hearing,
mind, speech, breath.
8. Delights alight on him who thus knows, why the head is
called head.
9. These (five delights or senses) strove together, saying:
'I am the uktha (hymn), I am the uktha.' Well,' they said, 'let us all go out
from this body; then on whose departure this body shall fall, he shall be the
uktha among us.'
10. Speech went out, yet the body without speaking remained,
eating and drinking.
Sight went out, yet the body without seeing remained, eating
and drinking.
Hearing went out, yet the body without hearing remained,
eating and drinking.
Mind went out, yet the body, as if blinking, remained, eating
and drinking.
Breath went out, then when breath was gone out, the body
fell.
11. It was decayed, and because people said, it decayed,
therefore it was (called) body (sarira). That is the reason of its name.
12. If a man knows this, then the evil enemy who hates him
decays, or the evil enemy who hates him is defeated.
13. They strove again, saying: 'I am the uktha, I am the
uktha.' 'Well,' they said, 'let us enter that body again; then on whose entrance
this body shall rise again, he shall be the uktha among us.'
14. Speech entered, but the body lay still. Sight entered,
but the body lay still. Hearing entered, but the body lay still. Mind entered,
but the body lay still. Breath entered, and when breath had entered, the body
rose, and it became the uktha.
15. Therefore breath alone is the uktha.
16. Let people know that breath is the uktha indeed.
17. The Devas (the other senses) said to breath:
Thou art the uktha, thou art all this, we are thine, thou art
ours.'
18. This has also been said by a Rishi (Rv. VIII, 92, 32):
'Thou art ours, we are thine.'
FIFTH KHANDA.
1. Then the Devas carried him (the breath) forth, and being
carried forth, he was stretched out, and when people said, 'He was stretched
out,' then it was in the morning; when they said, 'He is gone to rest,' then it
was in the evening. Day, therefore, is the breathing up, night the breathing
down.
2. Speech is Agni, sight that Aditya (sun), mind the moon,
hearing the Dis (quarters): this is the prahitam samyoga, the union of the
deities as sent forth. These deities (Agni, &c.) are thus in the body, but
their (phenomenal) appearance yonder is among the deities-this was intended.
3. And Hiranyadat Vaida also, who knew this (and who by his
knowledge had become Hiranyagarbha or the universal spirit), said : 'Whatever
they do not give to me, they do not possess themselves.' I know the prahitim
samyoga, the union of the deities, as entered into the body. This is it.
4. To him who knows this all creatures, without being
constrained, offer gifts.
5. That breath is (to be called) sattya (the true), for sat
is breath, ti is food, yam is the sun. This is threefold, and threefold the eye
also may be called, it being white, dark, and the pupil. He who knows why true
is true (why sattya is sattya), even if he should speak falsely, yet what he
says is true.
SIXTH KHANDA.
1. Speech is his (the breath's) rope, the names the knots .
Thus by his speech as by a rope, and by his names as by knots, all this is
bound. For all this are names indeed, and with speech he calls everything.
2. People carry him who knows this, as if they were bound by
a rope.
3. Of the body of the breath thus meditated on, the Ushnih
verse forms the hairs, the Gayatri the skin, the Trishtubh the flesh, the
Anushtlubh the muscles, the Gagati the bone, the Pankti the marrow, the Brihati
the breath (prana). He is covered with the verses (khandas, metres). Because he
is thus covered with verses, therefore they call them khandas (coverings, metres).
4. If a man knows the reason why khandas are called khandas,
the verses cover him in whatever place he likes against any evil deed.
5. This is said by a Rishi (Rv. 1, 164,13):
6. 'I saw (the breath) as a guardian, never tiring, coming
and going on his ways (the arteries). That breath (in the body, being identified
with the sun among the Devas), illuminating the principal and intermediate
quarters of the sky, is returning constantly in the midst of the worlds.'
He says: 'I saw a guardian,' because he, the breath, is a
guardian, for he guards everything.
7. He says : 'Never tiring,' because the breath never rests.
8. He says: 'Coming and going on his ways,' because the
breath comes and goes on his ways.
9. He says: 'Illuminating the principal and intermediate,'
because he illuminates these only, the principal and intermediate quarters of
the sky.
10. He says: 'He is returning constantly in the midst of the
worlds,' because he returns indeed constantly in the midst of the worlds.
11. And then, there is another verse (Rv. 1, 55, 81): 'They
are covered like caves by those who make them,'
12. For all this is covered indeed by breath.
13. This ether is supported by breath as Brihati, and as this
ether is supported by breath as Brihati, so one should know that all things, not
excepting ants, are supported by breath as Brihati.
SEVENTH KHANDA.
1. Next follow the powers of that Person.
2. By his speech earth and fire were created.
Herbs are produced on the earth, and Agni (fire) makes them
ripe and sweet. 'Take this, take this,' thus saying do earth and fire serve
their parent, speech.
3. As far as the earth reaches, as far as fire reaches, so
far does his world extend, and as long as the world of the earth and fire does
not decay, so long does his world not decay who thus knows this power of speech.
4. By breath (in the nose) the sky and the air were created.
People follow the sky, and hear along the sky, while the air carries along pure
scent. Thus do sky and air serve their parent, the breath.
As far as the sky reaches, as far as the air reaches, so far
does his world extend, and as long as the world of the sky and the air does not
decay, so long does his world not decay who thus knows this power of breath.
5. By his eye heaven and the sun were created. Heaven gives
him rain and food, while the sun causes his light to shine. Thus do the heaven
and the sun serve their parent, the eye.
As far as heaven reaches and as far as the sun reaches, so
far does his world extend, and as long as the world of heaven and the sun does
not decay, so long does his world not decay who thus knows the power of the eye.
6. By his ear the quarters and the moon were created. From
all the quarters they come to him, and from all the quarters he hears, while the
moon produces for him the bright and the dark halves for the sake of sacrificial
work. Thus do the quarters and the moon serve their parent, the ear.
As far as the quarters reach and as far as the moon reaches,
so far does his world extend, and as long as the world of the quarters and the
moon does not decay, so long does his world not decay who thus knows the power
of the ear.
7. By his mind the water and Varuna were created. Water
yields to him faith (being used for sacred acts), Varuna keeps his offspring
within the law. Thus do water and Varuna serve their parent, the mind.
As far as water reaches and as far as Varuna reaches, so far
does his world extend, and as long as the world of water and Varuna does not
decay, so long does his world not decay who thus knows the power of the mind.
EIGHTH KHANDA.
1. Was it water really? Was it water? Yes, all this was water
indeed. This (water) was the root (cause), that (the world) was the shoot
(effect). He (the person) is the father, they (earth, fire, &c.) are the
sons. Whatever there is belonging to the son, belongs to the father; whatever
there is belonging to the father, belongs to the son. This was intended.
2. Mahidasa Aitareya, who knew this, said: 'I know myself
(reaching) as far as the gods, and I know the gods (reaching) as far as me. For
these gods receive their gifts from hence, and are supported from hence.'
3. This is the mountain, viz. eye, ear, mind, speech, and
breath. They call it the mountain of Brahman.
4. He who knows this, throws down the evil enemy who hates
him; the evil enemy who hates him is defeated.
5. He (the Prana, identified with Brahman) is the life, the
breath; he is being (while the givatman remains), and not-being (when the
givatman departs).
6. The Devas (speech, &c.) worshipped him (prana) as
Bhuti or being, and thus they became great beings. And therefore even now a man
who sleeps, breathes like bhurbhuh.
7. The Asuras worshipped him as Abhuti or not-being, and thus
they were defeated.
8. He who knows this, becomes great by himself, while the
evil enemy who hates him, is defeated.
9. He (the breath) is death (when he departs), and
immortality (while he abides).
10. And this has been said by a Rishi (Rv. 1, 164, 38):
11. 'Downwards and upwards he (the wind of the breath) goes,
held by food;'-for this up-breathing, being held back by the down-breathing,
does not move forward (and leave the body altogether).
12. 'The immortal dwells with the mortal;'-for through him
(the breath) all this dwells together, the bodies being clearly mortal, but this
being (the breath), being immortal.
13. 'These two (body and breath) go for ever in different
directions (the breath moving the senses of the body, the body supporting the
senses of the breath : the former going upwards to another world, the body dying
and remaining on earth). They increase the one (the body), but they do not
increase the other,' i. e. they increase these bodies (by food), but this being
(breath) is immortal.
14. He who knows this becomes immortal in that world (having
become united with Hiranyagarbha), and is seen as immortal (in the sun) by all
beings, yea, by all beings.
SECOND ADHYAYA.
FIRST KHANDA.
1. He (the sun), who shines, honoured this world (the body of
the worshipper, by entering into it), in the form of man (the worshipper who
meditates on breath). For he who shines (the sun) is (the same as) the breath.
He honoured this (body of the worshipper) during a hundred years, therefore
there are a hundred years in the life of a man. Because lie honoured him during
a hundred years, therefore there are (the poets of the first Mandala of the
Rigveda, called) the Satarkin, (having honour for a hundred years.) Therefore
people call him who is really Prana (breath), the Satarkin poets.
2. He (breath) placed himself in the midst of all whatsoever
exists. Because he placed himself in the midst of all whatsoever exists,
therefore there are (the poets of the second to the ninth Mandala of the Rig-veda,
called) the Madhyamas. Therefore people call him who is really Prana (breath),
the Madhyama poets.
3. He as up-breathing is the swallower (gritsa), as
down-breathing he is delight (mada). Because as up-breathing he is swallower (gritsa)
and as downbreathing delight (mada), therefore there is (the poet of the second
Mandala of the Rig-veda, called) Gritsamada. Therefore people call him who is
really Prana (breath), Gritsamada.
4. Of him (breath) all this whatsoever was a friend. Because
of him all (visvam) this whatsoever was a friend (mitram), therefore there is
(the poet of the third Mandala of the Rig-veda, called) Visvamitra. Therefore
people call him who is really Prana (breath), Visvamitra.
5. The Devas (speech, &c.) said to him (the breath) : 'He
is to be loved by all of us.' Because the Devas said of him, that he was to be
loved (vama) by all of them, therefore there is (the poet of the fourth Mandala
of the Rig-veda, called) Vamadeva. Therefore people call him who is really Prana
(breath), Vamadeva
6. He (breath) guarded all this whatsoever from evil. Because
he guarded (atrayata) all this whatsoever from evil, therefore there are (the
poets of the fifth Mandala of the Rig-veda, called) Atrayah. Therefore people
call him who is really Prana (breath), Atrayah.
SECOND KHANDA.
1. He (breath) is likewise a Bibhradvaga (bringer of
offspring). Offspring is vaga, and he (breath) supports offspring. Because he
supports it, therefore there is (the poet of the sixth Mandala of the Rig-veda,
called) Bharadvaga. Therefore people call him who is really Prana (breath),
Bharadvaga.
2. The Devas (speech, &c.) said to him: 'He it is who
chiefly causes us to dwell on earth.' Because the Devas said of him, that he
chiefly caused them to dwell on earth, therefore there is (the poet of the
seventh Mandala of the Rig-veda, called) Vasishtha. Therefore people call him
who is really Prana (breath), Vasishtha.
3. He (breath) went forth towards all this whatsoever.
Because he went forth toward all this whatsoever, therefore there are (the poets
of the eighth Mandala of the Rig-veda, called) the Pragathas. Therefore people
call him who is really PraAna (breath), the Pragathas.
4. He (breath) purified all this whatsoever. Because he
purified all this whatsoever, theref6re there are (the hymns and also the poets
I of the ninth Mandala of the Rig-veda, called) the Pavamanis. Therefore people
called him who is really Prana (breath), the Pavamanis.
5. He (breath) said: 'Let me be everything whatsoever, small
(kshudra) and great (mahat), and this became the Kshudrasuktas and Mahastiktas.'
Therefore there were (the hymns and also the poets of the tenth Mandala of the
Rig-veda, called) the Kshudrasuktas (and Mahasuktas). Therefore people call him
who is really Prana (breath), the Kshudrastiktas (and Mahasuktas).
6. He (breath) said once : 'You have said what is well said (su-ukta)
indeed. This became a Sukta (hymn).' Therefore there was the Sukta. Therefore
people call him who is really Prana (breath), Sukta.
7. He (breath) is a Rik (verse), for he did honour to all
beings (by entering into them). Because he did honour to all beings, therefore
there was the Rik verse. Therefore people call him who is really Prana (breath),
Rik.
8. He (breath) is an Ardharka (half-verse), for he did honour
to all places (ardha). Because he did honour to all places, therefore there was
the Ardharka. Therefore people call him who is really Prana (breath), Ardharka.
9. He (breath) is a Pada (word), for he got into all these
beings. Because he got (padi) into all these beings, therefore there was the
Pada (word). Therefore people call him who is really Prdna (breath), Pada.
10. He (breath) is an Akshara (syllable), for he pours out (ksharati)
gifts to all these beings, and without him no one can pour out (atiksharati)
gifts. Therefore there was the Akshara (syllable). Therefore people call him who
is really Prana (breath), Akshara.
11. Thus all these Rik verses, all Vedas, all sounds are one
word, viz. Prana (breath). Let him know that Prana is all Rik verses.
THIRD KHANDA.
1. While Visvamitra was going to repeat the hymns of this day
(the mahavrata), Indra sat down near him. Visvamitra (guessing that Indra wanted
food) said to him, 'This (the verses of the hymn) is food,' and repeated the
thousand Brihati verses.
By means of this he went to the delightful home of Indra (Svarga).
2. Indra said to him : 'Rishi, thou hast come to my
delightful home. Rishi, repeat a second hymn.' Visvamitra (guessing that Indra
wanted food) said to him, 'This (the verses of the hymn) is food,' and repeated
the thousand Brihati verses. By means of this he went to the delightful home of
Indra (Svarga).
3- Indra said to him: 'Rishi, thou hast come to my delightful
home. Rishi, repeat a third hymn.' Visvamitra (guessing that Indra wanted food)
said to him, 'This (the verses of the hymn) is food,' and repeated the thousand
Brihati verses. By means of this he went to the delightful home of Indra (Svarga).
4- Indra said to him: 'Rishi, thou hast come to my delightful
home. I grant thee a boon.' Visvamitra said: 'May I know thee.' Indra said: ' I
am Prana (breath), O Rishi, thou art Prana, all things are Prana. For it is
Pra'na who shines as the sun, and I here pervade all regions under that form.
This food of mine (the hymn) is my friend and my support (dakshina). This is the
food prepared by VisvAmitra. I am verily he who shines (the sun).'
FOURTH KHANDA.
1. This then becomes perfect as a thousand of Brihati verses.
Its consonants form its body, its voice (vowels) the Soul, its sibilants the air
of the breath.
2. He who knew this became Vasishtha, he took this name from
thence.
3. Indra verily declared this to Visvamitra, and Indra verily
declared this to Bharadvaga. Therefore Indra is invoked by him as a friend.
4. This becomes perfect as a thousand of Brihati verses, and
of that hymn perfect with a thousand Brihati verses, there are 36,000 syllables.
So many are also the thousands of days of a hundred years (36,000). With the
consonants they fill the nights, with the vowels the days.
5. This becomes perfect as a thousand of Brihati verses. He
who knows this, after this thousand of Brihatis thus accomplished, becomes full
of knowledge, full of the gods, full of Brahman, full of the immortal, and then
goes also to the gods.
6. What I am (the worshipper), that is he (sun); what he is,
that am I.
7. This has been said by a Rishi (Rv. I, 115, I): 'The sun is
the self of all that moves and rests.'
8. Let him look to that, let him look to that!
THIRD ADHYAYA.
FIRST KHANDA.
1. He who knows himself as the fivefold hymn (uktha), the
emblem of Prana (breath), from whence all this springs, he is clever. These five
are the earth, air, ether, water, and fire (gyotis). This is the self, the
fivefold uktha. For from him all this springs, and into him it enters again (at
the dissolution of the world). He who knows this, becomes the refuge of his
friends.
2. And to him who knows the food (object) and the feeder
(subject) in that uktha, a strong son is born, and food is never wanting. Water
and earth are food, for all food consists of these two. Fire and air are the
feeder, for by means of them man eats all food. Ether is the bowl, for all this
is poured into the ether. He who knows this, becomes the bowl or support of his
friends.
3. To him who knows the food and the feeder in that uktha, a
strong son is born, and food is never wanting. Herbs and trees are food, animals
the feeder, for animals eat herbs and trees.
4. Of them again those who have teeth above and below, shaped
after the likeness of man, are feeders, the other animals are food. Therefore
these overcome the other animals, for the eater is over the food.
5. He who knows this is over his friends.
SECOND KHANDA.
1. He who knows the gradual development of the self in him
(the man conceived as the uktha), obtains himself more development.
2. There are herbs and trees and all that is animated, and he
knows the self gradually developing in them. For in herbs and trees sap only is
seen, but thought (kitta) in animated beings.
3. Among animated beings again the self develops gradually,
for in some sap (blood) is seen (as well as thought), but in others thought is
not seen.
4. And in man again the self develops gradually, for he is
most endowed with knowledge. He saying what he has known, he sees what he has
known. He knows what is to happen tomorrow, he knows heaven and hell. By means
of the mortal he desires the immortal-thus is he endowed.
5. With regard to the other animals hunger and thirst only
are a kind of understanding. But they do not say what they have known, nor do
they see what they have known. They do not know what is to happen to-morrow, nor
heaven and hell. They go so far and no further, for they are born according to
their knowledge (in a former life).
THIRD KHANDA.
1. That man (conceived as uktha) is the sea, rising beyond
the whole world. Whatever he reaches, he wishes to go beyond. If he reaches the
sky, he wishes to go beyond.
2. If he should reach that (heavenly) world, he would wish to
go beyond.
3. That man is fivefold. The heat in him is fire; the
apertures (of the senses) are ether; blood, mucus, and seed are water; the body
is earth; breath is air.
4. That air is fivefold, viz. up-breathing, down-breathing,
back-breathing, out-breathing, on-breathing. The other powers (devatis), viz.
sight, hearing, mind, and speech, are comprised under up-breathing and
down-breathing. For when breath departs, they also depart with it.
5. That man (conceived as uktha) is the sacrifice, which is a
succession now of speech and now of thought. That sacrifice is fivefold, viz.
the Agni-hotra, the new and full moon sacrifices, the four monthly sacrifices,
the animal sacrifice, the Soma sacrifice. The Soma sacrifice is the most perfect
of sacrifices, for in it these five kinds of ceremonies are seen : the first
which precedes the libations (the Diksha, &c.), then three libations, and
what follows (the Avabhritha, &c.) is the fifth.
FOURTH KHANDA.
1. He who knows one sacrifice above another, one day above
another, one deity above the others, he is clever. Now this great uktha (the
nishke-valya-sastra) is the sacrifice above another, the day above another, the
deity above others 1.
2. This uktha is fivefold. With regard to its being performed
as a Stoma (chorus), it is Trivrit, Pahkadasa, Saptadasa, Ekavimsa, and
Pankavimsa. With regard to its being performed as a Siman (song), it is Gayatra,
Rathantara, Brihat, Bhadra, and Ragana. With regard to metre, it is Gayatri,
Ushnih, Brihati, Trishtubh, and Dvipadi. And the explanation (given before in
the Aranyaka) is that it is the head, the right wing, the left wing, the tail,
and the body of the bird.
3. He performs the Prastava in five ways, he performs the
Udgitha in five ways, he performs the Pratihara in five ways, he performs the
Upadrava in five ways, he performs the Nidhana in five ways. All this together
forms one thousand Stobhas, or musical syllables.
4. Thus also are the Rik verses, contained in the Nishkevalya,
recited (by the Hotri) in five orders. What precedes the eighty trikas, that is
one order, then follow the three sets of eighty trikas each, and what comes
after is the fifth order.
5. This (the hymns of this Sastra) as a whole (if properly
counted with the Stobha syllables) comes to one thousand (of Brihati verses).
That (thousand) is the whole, and ten, ten is called the whole. For number is
such (measured by ten). Ten tens are a hundred, ten hundreds are a thousand, and
that is the whole. These are the three metres (the tens, pervading everything).
And this food also (the three sets of hymns being represented as food) is
threefold, eating, drinking, and chewing. He obtains that food by those (three
numbers, ten, hundred, and thousand, or by the three sets of eighty trikas).
FIFTH KHANDA.
1. This (nishkevalya-sastra) becomes perfect as a thousand of
Brihati verses.
2. Some teachers (belonging to a different Sakha) recognise a
thousand of different metres (not of Brihatis only). They say: 'Is another
thousand (a thousand of other verses) good? Let us say it is good.'
3. Some say, a thousand of Trishtubh verses, others a
thousand of Gagati verses, others a thousand of Anushtubh verses.
4. This has been said by a Rishi (Rv. X, 124, 9):-
5. 'Poets through their understanding discovered Indra
dancing an Anushtubh.' This is meant to say: They discovered (and meditated) in
speech (called Anushtubh)-at that time (when they worshipped the uktha)-the
Prana (breath) connected with Indra.
6. He (who takes the recited verses as Anushtubhs) is able to
become celebrated and of good report.
7. No! he says; rather is such a man liable to die before his
time. For that self (consisting of Anushtubhs) is incomplete. For if a man
confines himself to speech, not to breath, then driven by his mind, he does not
succeed with speech.
8. Let him work towards the Brihati, for the Brihati (breath)
is the complete self.
9. That self (givatman) is surrounded on all sides by
members. And as that self is on all sides surrounded by members, the Brihati
also is on all sides surrounded by metres.
10. For the self (in the heart) is the middle of these
members, and the Brihad is the middle of the metres.
11. 'He is able to become celebrated and of good report, but
(the other) able to die before his time,' thus he said. For the Brihati is the
complete self, therefore let him work towards the Brihati (let him reckon the
sastra recitation as a thousand Brihatis).
SIXTH KHANDA.
I. This (nishkevalya-sastra) becomes perfect as a thousand of
Brihati verses. In this thousand of Brihatis there are one thousand one hundred
and twenty-five Anushtubhs. For the smaller is contained in the larger.
2. This has been said by a Rishi (Rv. VIII, 76, 12):-
3. 'A speech of eight feet;'-because there are eight feet of
four syllables each in the Anushtubh.
4. 'Of nine corners;'- because the Brihati becomes
nine-cornered (having nine feet of four syllables each).
5. 'Touching the truth;'-because speech (Anushtubh) is truth,
touched by the verse (Brihati).
6. 'He (the Hotri) makes the body out of Indra;' for out of
this thousand of Brihati verses turned into Anushtubhs, and therefore out of
Prana as connected with Indra, and out of the Brihati (which is Prana), he makes
speech, that is Anushtubh, as a body.
7. This Mahaduktha is the highest developmentof speech, and
it is fivefold, viz. measured, not measured, music, true, and untrue.
8. A Rik verse, a gatha, a kumbya are measured (metrical). A
Yagus line, an invocation, and general remarks, these are not measured (they are
in prose). A Saman, or any portion (parvan) of it, is music. Orn is true, Na is
untrue.
9. What is true (Om) is the flower and fruit of speech. He is
able to become celebrated and of good report, for he speaks the true (Om), the
flower and fruit of speech.
10. Now the untrue is the root of speech, and as a tree whose
root is exposed dries up and perishes, thus a man who says what is untrue
exposes his root, dries up and perishes. Therefore one should not say what is
untrue, but guard oneself from it.
11. That syllable Om (yes) goes forward (to the first cause
of the world) and is empty. Therefore if a man says Orn (yes) to everything,
then that (which he gives away) is wanting to him here. If he says Om (yes) to
everything, then he would empty himself, and would not be capable of any
enjoyments.
12. That syllable Na (no) is full for oneself. If a man says
No to everything, then his reputation would become evil, and that would ruin him
even here.
13. Therefore let a man give at the proper time only, not at
the wrong time. Thus he unites the true and the untrue, and from the union of
those two he grows, and becomes greater and greater.
14. He who knows this speech of which this (the mahaduktha)
is a development, he is clever. A is the whole of speech, and manifested through
different kinds of contact (mutes) and of wind (sibilants.), it becomes manifold
and different.
15. Speech if uttered in a whisper is breath, if spoken
aloud, it is body. Therefore (if whispered) it is almost hidden, for what is
incorporeal is almost hidden, and breath is incorporeal. But if spoken aloud, it
is body, and therefore it is perceptible, for body is perceptible.
SEVENTH KHANDA.
1. This (nishkevalya-sastra) becomes perfect as a thousand of
Brihatis. It is glory (the glorious Brahman, not the absolute Brahman), it is
Indra. Indra is the lord of all beings. He who thus knows Indra as the lord of
all beings, departs from this world by loosening the bonds of life '-so said
Mahidasa Aitareya. Having departed he becomes Indra (or Hiranyagarbha) and
shines in those worlds.
2. And with regard to this they say: 'If a man obtains the
other world in this form (by meditating on the prana, breath, which is the uktha,
the hymn of the mahavrata), then in what form does he obtain this world?'
3. Here the blood of the woman is a form of Agni (fire);
therefore no one should despise it. And the seed of the man is a form of ditya
(sun) therefore no one should despise it. This self (the woman) gives her self
(skin, blood, and flesh) to that self (fat, bone, and marrow), and that self
(man) gives his self (fat, bone, and marrow) to this self (skin, blood, and
flesh). Thus these two grow together. In this form (belonging to the woman and
to fire) he goes to that world (belonging to the man and the sun), and in that
form (belonging to man and the sun) he goes to this world (belonging to the
woman and to fire).
EIGHTH KHANDA.
1. Here (with regard to obtaining Hiranyagarbha) there are
these Slokas:
2. The fivefold body into which the indestructible (prana,
breath) enters, that body which the harnessed horses (the senses) draw about,
that body where the true of the true (the highest Brahman) follows after, in
that body (of the worshipper) all gods become one.<;/p>
3. That body into which goes the indestructible (the breath)
which we have joined (in meditation), proceeding from the indestructible (the
highest Brahman), that body which the harnessed horses (the senses) draw about,
that body where the true of the true follows after, in that body all gods become
one.
4. After separating themselves from the Yes and No of
language, and of all that is hard and cruel, poets have discovered (what they
sought for); dependent on names they rejoiced in what had been revealed.
5. That in which the poets rejoiced (the revealed nature of
prana, breath), in it the gods exist all joined together. Having driven away
evil by means of that Brahman (which is hidden in prana), the enlightened man
goes to the Svarga world (becomes one with Hiranyagarbha, the universal spirit).
6. No one wishing to describe him (prana, breath) by speech,
describes him by calling him 'woman,' 'neither woman nor man,' or 'man' (all
such names applying only to the material body, and not to prana or breath).
7. Brahman (as hidden beneath prana) is called the A; and the
I (ego) is gone there (the worshipper should know that he is uktha and prana).
8. This becomes perfect as a thousand of Brihati verses, and
of that hymn, perfect with a thousand Brihati verses, there are 36,000
syllables. So many are also the thousands of days of human life. By means of the
syllable of life (the a) alone (which is contained in that thousand of hymns)
does a man obtain the day of life (the mahavrata day, which completes the number
of the days in the Gavamayana sacrifice), and by means of the day of life (he
obtains) the syllable of life.
9. Now there is a chariot of the god (prana) destroying all
desires (for the worlds of Indra, the moon, the earth, all of which lie below
the place of Hiranyagarbha). Its front part (the point of the two shafts of the
carriage where the yoke is fastened) is speech, its wheels the ears, the horses
the eyes, the driver the mind. Prana (breath) mounts that chariot (and on it, i.
e. by means of meditating on Prana, he reaches Hiranyagarbha).
10. This has been said by a Rishi (Rv. X, 39,12):-
11. 'Come hither on that which is quicker than mind,' and
(Rv.VIII, 73, 2) 'Come hither on that which is quicker than the twinkling of an
eye,' yea, the twinkling of an eye.
Aitareya Upanishad Part Three | back to
Aitareya Upanishad