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Post by Anne Terri on May 8, 2013 11:48:20 GMT 1
God's Living Bible - The Third Testament - Research Library - The Upanishads
p. 200 2ND ÂRANYAKA.
FIRST ADHYÂYA.
FIRST KHANDA. WITH the second Âranyaka the Upanishad begins. It comprises the second and third Âranyakas, and may be said to consist of three divisions, or three Upanishads. Their general title is Bahvrika-upanishad, sometimes Mahaitareya-upanishad, while the Upanishad generally known as, Aitareya-upanishad comprises the 4th, 5th, and 6th adhyâyas only of the second Âranyaka. The character of the three component portions of the Upanishad can best be described in Saṅkara's own words (Âr. III, 1, I, Introd. p. 306): 'There are three classes of men who want to acquire knowledge. The highest consists of those who have turned away from the world, whose minds are fixed on one subject and collected, and who yearn to be free at once. For these a knowledge of Brahman is intended, as taught in the Ait. Âr. II, 4-6. The middle class are those who wish to become free gradually by attaining to the world of Hiranyagarbha. For them the knowledge and worship of Prâna (breath and life) is intended, as explained in the Ait. Âr. II, 1-3. The lowest class consists of those who do not care either for immediate or gradual freedom, but who desire nothing but offspring, cattle, &c. For these the meditative worship of the Samhitâ is intended, as explained in the third Âranyaka. They cling too strongly to the letter of the sacred text to be able to surrender it for a knowledge either of Prâna (life) or of Brahman.' The connexion between the Upanishad or rather the three Upanishads and the first Âranyaka seems at first sight very slight. Still we soon perceive that it would be impossible to understand the first Upanishad, without a previous knowledge of the Mahâvrata ceremony as described in the first Âranyaka. On this point too there are some pertinent remarks in Saṅkara's commentary on the Âranyaka II, 1, 2. 'Our first duty,' he says, 'consists in performing sacrifices, such as are described in the first portion of the Veda,, the Samhitâs, Brâhmanas, and, to a certain extent, in the Âranyakas also. Afterwards arises a desire for knowledge, which cannot be satisfied except a man has first attained p. 201 complete concentration of thought (êkâgratâ). In order to acquire that concentration, the performance of certain upâsanas or meditations is enjoined, such as we find described in our Upanishad, viz. in Âr. II, I-V.' This meditation or, as it is sometimes translated, worship is of two kinds, either brahmopâsana or pratîkopâsana. Brahmopâsana or meditation on Brahman consists in thinking of him as distinguished by certain qualities. Pratîkopâsana or meditation on symbols consists in looking upon certain worldly objects as if they were Brahman, in order thus to withdraw the mind from the too powerful influence of external objects. These objects, thus lifted up into symbols of Brahman, are of two kinds, either connected with sacrifice or not. In our Upanishad we have to deal with the former class only, viz. with certain portions of the Mahâvrata, as described in the first Âranyaka. In order that the mind may not be entirely absorbed by the sacrifice, it is lifted up during the performance from the consideration of these sacrificial objects to a meditation on higher objects, leading up at last to Brahman as prâna or life. This meditation is to be performed by the priests, and while they meditate they may meditate on a hymn or on a single word of it as meaning something else, such as the sun, the earth, or the sky, but not vice versâ. And if in one Sâkhâ, as in that of the Aitareyins, for instance, a certain hymn has been symbolically explained, the same explanation may be adopted by another Sâkhâ also, such as that of the Kaushîtakins. It is not necessary, however, that every part of the sacrifice should be accompanied by meditation, but it is left optional to the priest in what particular meditation he wishes to engage, nor is even the time of the sacrifice the only right time for him to engage in these meditations. 1. This is the path: this sacrifice, and this Brahman. This is the true 1. 2. Let no man swerve from it, let no man transgress it. p. 202 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 (Vâyu, air) entered the Harits (the dawns, or the ends of the earth).' 5. When he says: 'Three (classes of) people transgressed,' the three (classes of) people who transgressed are what we see here (on earth, born again) as birds, trees, herbs, and serpents 1. 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 Âditya, the sun. 8. When he says: 'The blowing entered the Harits,' he means that Vâyu, the air, the purifier, entered all the corners of the earth 2. Footnotes 201:1 Comm. The path is twofold, consisting of works and knowledge. Works or sacrifices have been described in the Samhitâ, the Brâhmana, and the first Âranyaka. Knowledge of Brahman forms the subject of the second and third Âranyakas. The true path is that of knowledge. 202:1 Vaṅgâh is explained by vanagatâ vrikshâh; avagadhâh is explained by vrîhiyavâdyâ oshadhayah; îrapâdâh is explained by urahpâdâh sarpâh. Possibly they are all old ethnic names, like Vaṅga, Kera, &c. In Ânandatîrtha's commentary vayâmsi are explained by Pisâka, Vaṅâvagadhas by Râkshasa, and Îrapâdas by Asuras. 202:2 Three classes of men go to Naraka (hell); the fourth class, full of faith and desirous of reaching the highest world, worships Agni, Vâyu, and other gods. Comm. |
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Post by Anne Terri on Oct 20, 2015 9:29:47 GMT 1
God's Living Bible - The Third Testament - Research Library - The Upanishads
II ÂRANYAKA
FIRST ADHYÂYA.
SECOND KHANDA.
1. People say: 'Uktha, uktha,' hymns, hymns! (without knowing what uktha, hymn 3, means.) The p. 203 hymn is truly (to be considered as) the 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 Vâyu (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 Âditya (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 Pragâpati. 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 (Âditya, the sun). p. 204 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. 115. 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 1). No one possesses that which he does not eat, or the things which do not eat him 2. Footnotes
202:3 The Comm. explains uktha as that from whence the favour of the gods arises, uttishthaty anena devatâprasâda iti vyutpatteh. p. 203 The object is now to show that the uktha or hymn used at the Mahâvrata ceremony has a deeper meaning than it seems to have, and that its highest aim is Brahman; not, however, the highest Brahman, but Brahman considered as life (prâna). 204:1 As a master who lives by his servants, while his servants live by him. Comm. 204:2 I have translated these paragraphs, as much as possible, according to the commentator. I doubt whether, either in the original or in the interpretation of the commentator, they yield any very definite sense. They are vague speculations, vague, at least, to us, though intended by the Brahmans to give a deeper meaning to certain ceremonial observances connected with the Mahâvrata. The uktha, or hymn, which is to be meditated on, as connected with the sacrifice, is part of the Mahâvrata, an important ceremony, to be p. 205 performed on the last day but one (the twenty-fourth) of the Gavâmayana sacrifice. That sacrifice lasts a whole year, and its performance has been fully described in the Brâhmanas and Âranyakas. But while the ordinary performer of the Mahâvrata has simply to recite the uktha or nishkevalya-sastra, consisting of eighty verses (trika) in the Gâyatrî, Brihatî, and Ushnih metres, the more advanced worshipper (or priest) is to know that this uktha has a deeper meaning, and is to meditate on it as being the earth, sky, heaven, also as the human body, mouth, nostrils, and forehead. The worshipper is in fact to identify himself by meditation with the uktha in all its senses, and thus to become the universal spirit or Hiranyagarbha. By this process he becomes the consumer and consumed, the subject and object, of everything, while another sacrificer, not knowing this, remains in his limited individual sphere, or, as the text expresses it, does not possess what he cannot eat (perceive), or what cannot eat him (perceive him). The last sentence is explained differently by the commentator, but in connexion with the whole passage it seems to me to become more intelligible, if interpreted as I have proposed to interpret it. |
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Post by Anne Terri on Oct 20, 2015 9:33:49 GMT 1
God's Living Bible - The Third Testament - Research Library - The Upanishads
p. 205
II ÂRANYAKA
FIRST ADHYÂYA.
THIRD KHANDA.
1. Next follows the origin of seed. The seed of Pragâpati 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 (irâ), and because he consists of food (irâmaya), he consists of gold (hiranmaya 1). He who knows this becomes golden in the other world, and is seen as golden (as the sun) for the benefit of all beings. Footnotes205:1 Play on words. Comm. |
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Post by Anne Terri on Oct 20, 2015 9:34:46 GMT 1
God's Living Bible - The Third Testament - Research Library - The Upanishads
p. 206
II ÂRANYAKA
FIRST ADHYÂYA.
FOURTH KHANDA.
1. Brahman (in the shape of prâna, breath) entered into that man by the tips of his feet, and because Brahman entered (prâpadyata) 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) 1 the thighs (ûrû). 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 Sârkarâkshyas meditate on the belly as Brahman, the Ârunis on the heart 2. Both (these places) are Brahman indeed 3. 6. But Brahman crept upwards and came to the head, and because he came to the head, therefore the head is called head 4. 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 5.' 'Well,' they said, 'let us all go out from p. 207 this body; then on whose departure this body shall fall, he shall be the uktha among us 1.' 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 (sarîra). 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.' p. 208 18. This has also been said by a Rishi (Rv. VIII, 92, 32): 'Thou art ours, we are thine.' Footnotes 206:1 These are all plays on words. Comm. 206:2 This does not appear to be the case either in the Kh. Up. V, 15; 17, or in the Satapatha-brâhmana X, 6, 1. 206:3 The pluti in tâȝi is explained as sâstrîyaprasiddhyarthâ. 206:4 All puns, as if we were to say, because he hied up to the head, therefore the head was called head. 206:5 Each wished to be identified with the uktha, as it was said before that the human body, mouth, nostrils, forehead were to be identified with the uktha. Cf. Kaush. Up. III, 3. 207:1 Cf. Kh. Up. V, 1; Brih. Up. VI, 1; Kaush. Up. II, 12-14; III, 2; Prasna Up. II, 1. |
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Post by Anne Terri on Oct 20, 2015 9:35:54 GMT 1
God's Living Bible - The Third Testament - Research Library - The Upanishads
p. 206
II ÂRANYAKA
FIRST ADHYÂYA.
FIFTH KHANDA.
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 1. 2. Speech is Agni, sight that Âditya (sun), mind the moon, hearing the Dis (quarters): this is the prahitâm samyoga 2, 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 prahitâm samyoga, the union of the deities, as entered into the body 3. This is it. p. 209 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 1. 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. Footnotes208:1 All these are plays on words, prâtar being derived from prâtâyi, sâyam from samâgât. The real object, however, is to show that breath, which is the uktha, which is the worshipper, is endowed with certain qualities, viz. time, speech, &c. 208:2 The meaning is, that the four deities, Agni, Âditya, Moon, and the Dis proceed from their own places to dwell together in the body of man, and that this is called the prahitâm samyogah. Prahit is explained as prahita, placed, sent. It is probably formed from hi, not from dhâ. Prahitoh samyoganam is the name of a Sâman, Ind. Stud. III, 225. As Devas or gods they appear each in its own place. The whole passage is very obscure. 208:3 All this is extremely obscure, possibly incorrect. For yam, unless it refers to some other word, we expect yan. For dadyuh one expects dadyât. What is intended is that Hiranyadat had p. 209 through meditation acquired identity with the universal spirit, and that therefore he might say that whatever was not surrendered to him did not really belong to anybody. On Hiranyadat, see Ait. Brâhm. III, 6. 209:1 Cf. Kh. Up. VIII, 3, 5. |
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Post by Anne Terri on Oct 20, 2015 9:36:55 GMT 1
God's Living Bible - The Third Testament - Research Library - The Upanishads
p. 206
II ÂRANYAKA
FIRST ADHYÂYA.
SIXTH KHANDA.
1. Speech is his (the breath's) rope, the names the knots 2. 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 Gâyatrî the skin, the Trishtubh the flesh, the Anushtubh the muscles, the Gagatî the bone, the Paṅkti the marrow, the Brihatî the breath 3 (prâna). 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. p. 210 5. This is said by a Rishi (Rv. I, 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. I, 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 Brihatî, and as this ether is supported by breath as Brihatî, so one should know that all things, not excepting ants, are supported by breath as Brihatî. Footnotes 209:2 The rope is supposed to be the chief rope to which various smaller ropes are attached for fastening animals. 209:3 Here conceived as the air breathed, not as the deity. Comm. |
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Post by Anne Terri on Oct 20, 2015 9:38:24 GMT 1
God's Living Bible - The Third Testament - Research Library - The Upanishads
II ÂRANYAKA
FIRST ADHYÂYA.
SEVENTH KHANDA.
1. Next follow the powers of that Person 1. 2. By his speech earth and fire were created. p. 211 [paragraph continues] 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 p. 212 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. Footnotes210:1 The purusha, as described before in the second chapter, is the Pragâpati or universal spirit with whom the worshipper is to identify himself by meditation. The manifestations of his power consist in creating the earth, fire, the sky, the air, heaven, the sun. |
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Post by Anne Terri on Oct 20, 2015 9:40:00 GMT 1
God's Living Bible - The Third Testament - Research Library - The Upanishads
II ÂRANYAKA
FIRST ADHYÂYA.
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. 2. Mahidâsa 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 p. 213 gods receive their gifts from hence, and are supported from hence.' 3. This is the mountain 1, 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 Prâna, identified with Brahman) is the life, the breath; he is being (while the gîvâtman remains), and not-being (when the gîvâtman departs). 6. The Devas (speech, &c.) worshipped him (prâna) as Bhûti or being, and thus they became great beings. And therefore even now a man who sleeps, breathes like bhûrbhuh. 7. The Asuras worshipped him as Abhûti 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. I, 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. p. 214 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.
Footnotes212:1 Having described how Prâna, the breath, and his companions or servants created the world, he now discusses the question of the material cause of the world out of which it was created. Water, which is said to be the material of the world, is explained by the commentator to mean here the five elements. 212:2 Cause and effect are not entirely separated, therefore water, as the elementary cause, and earth, fire, &c., as its effect, are one; likewise the worshipper, as the father, and the earth, fire, &c. as his sons, as described above. Mûla and tûla, root and shoot, are evidently chosen for the sake of the rhyme, to signify cause and effect. 213:1 Prâna is called the girih, because it is swallowed or hidden by the other senses (giranât). Again a mere play of words, intended to show that Brahman under the form of Prâna, or life, is to be meditated on. |
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