Śāṅkhāyana (Kauṣītaki) Āraṇyaka 6

English (machine translation) 6

Language: English

6.1

ŚĀ 6.1 = KU 4.1
Now, Gārgya Bālāki was learned and famous. He lived among the Uśīnaras, he lived among the Matsyas, the Kuru-Pañcālas, and the Kāśi-Videhas. He came to Ajātaśatru of Kāśi and said: 'Let me declare Brahman to you.' Ajātaśatru said to him: 'A thousand [cows] I give to you at this word! People indeed run saying, "Janaka, Janaka!"'

6.2

ŚĀ 6.2 = KU 4.2
In the sun the great; in the moon food; in lightning truth; in thunder sound; in the wind Indra Vaikuṇṭha; in space the full; in fire the conqueror; in the waters radiance. Thus with respect to the deities. Now with respect to the self: in the mirror the counterpart; in the shadow the second; in the echo life; in sound death; in sleep Yama; in the body Prajāpati; in the right eye of speech; in the left eye of truth.

6.3

ŚĀ 6.3 = KU 4.3
Bālāki said: 'The person who is here in the sun—him indeed I venerate.' Ajātaśatru said to him: 'Do not challenge me on this! "The great, clad in white garments, pre-eminent, the head of all beings"—thus indeed do I venerate him.' Whoever venerates him thus becomes pre-eminent, the head of all beings.

6.4

ŚĀ 6.4 = KU 4.4
Bālāki said: 'The person who is here in the moon—him indeed I venerate.' Ajātaśatru said to him: 'Do not challenge me on this! "The self of food"—thus indeed do I venerate him.' Whoever venerates him thus becomes the self of food.

6.5

ŚĀ 6.5 = KU 4.5
Bālāki said: 'The person who is here in lightning—him indeed I venerate.' Ajātaśatru said to him: 'Do not challenge me on this! "The self of truth"—thus indeed do I venerate him.' Whoever venerates him thus becomes the self of truth.

6.6

ŚĀ 6.6 = KU 4.6
Bālāki said: 'The person who is here in thunder—him indeed I venerate.' Ajātaśatru said to him: 'Do not challenge me on this! "The self of sound"—thus indeed do I venerate him.' Whoever venerates him thus becomes the self of sound.

6.7

ŚĀ 6.7 = KU 4.7
Bālāki said: 'The person who is here in the wind—him indeed I venerate.' Ajātaśatru said to him: 'Do not challenge me on this! "Indra Vaikuṇṭha, the unconquered army"—thus indeed do I venerate him.' Whoever venerates him thus becomes victorious, unconquerable, and conquering his rivals.

6.8

ŚĀ 6.8 = KU 4.8
Bālāki said: 'The person who is here in space—him indeed I venerate.' Ajātaśatru said to him: 'Do not challenge me on this! "The full, unmoving Brahman"—thus indeed do I venerate him.' Whoever venerates him thus is filled with offspring, cattle, fame, brahminical splendour, and the heavenly world; he attains a complete lifespan.

6.9

ŚĀ 6.9 = KU 4.9
Bālāki said: 'The person who is here in fire—him indeed I venerate.' Ajātaśatru said to him: 'Do not challenge me on this! "The conqueror"—thus indeed do I venerate him.' Whoever venerates him thus becomes a conqueror among others.

6.10

ŚĀ 6.10 = KU 4.10
Bālāki said: 'The person who is here in the waters—him indeed I venerate.' Ajātaśatru said to him: 'Do not challenge me on this! "The self of radiance"—thus indeed do I venerate him.' Whoever venerates him thus becomes the self of radiance. Thus with respect to the deities. Now with respect to the self.

6.11

ŚĀ 6.11 = KU 4.11
Bālāki said: 'The person who is here in the mirror—him indeed I venerate.' Ajātaśatru said to him: 'Do not challenge me on this! "The counterpart"—thus indeed do I venerate him.' Whoever venerates him thus—a counterpart is born in his offspring, not one who is dissimilar.

6.12

ŚĀ 6.12 = KU 4.12
Bālāki said: 'The person who is here in the shadow—him indeed I venerate.' Ajātaśatru said to him: 'Do not challenge me on this! "The second, never departing"—thus indeed do I venerate him.' Whoever venerates him thus obtains [goods] from a second; he becomes possessed of a companion.

6.13

ŚĀ 6.13 = KU 4.13
Bālāki said: 'The person who is here in the echo—him indeed I venerate.' Ajātaśatru said to him: 'Do not challenge me on this! "Life"—thus indeed do I venerate him.' Whoever venerates him thus does not fall into bewilderment before his time.

6.14

ŚĀ 6.14 = KU 4.14
Bālāki said: 'The person who is here in sound—him indeed I venerate.' Ajātaśatru said to him: 'Do not challenge me on this! "Death"—thus indeed do I venerate him.' Whoever venerates him thus does not die before his time.

6.15

ŚĀ 6.15 = KU 4.15
Bālāki said: 'He by whom a sleeping person wanders about in a dream—him indeed I venerate.' Ajātaśatru said to him: 'Do not challenge me on this! "King Yama"—thus indeed do I venerate him.' Whoever venerates him thus—all this is subdued to him for supremacy.

6.16

ŚĀ 6.16 = KU 4.16
Bālāki said: 'The person who is here in the body—him indeed I venerate.' Ajātaśatru said to him: 'Do not challenge me on this! "Prajāpati"—thus indeed do I venerate him.' Whoever venerates him thus multiplies with offspring, cattle, fame, brahminical splendour, and the heavenly world; he attains a complete lifespan.

6.17

ŚĀ 6.17 = KU 4.17
Bālāki said: 'The person who is here in the right eye—him indeed I venerate.' Ajātaśatru said to him: 'Do not challenge me on this! "The self of speech, the self of Agni, the self of light"—thus indeed do I venerate him.' Whoever venerates him thus becomes the self of all these.

6.18

ŚĀ 6.18 = KU 4.18
Bālāki said: 'The person who is here in the left eye—him indeed I venerate.' Ajātaśatru said to him: 'Do not challenge me on this! "The self of truth, the self of lightning, the self of radiance"—thus indeed do I venerate him.' Whoever venerates him thus becomes the self of all these.

6.19

ŚĀ 6.19 = KU 4.19
Then Bālāki fell silent. Ajātaśatru said to him: ‘Is that all, Bālāki?’ ‘That is all,’ said Bālāki. Ajātaśatru said to him: ‘In vain indeed did you challenge me, saying, “Let me tell you about Brahman.”’ He said: ‘He, Bālāki, who is the maker of these persons, or whose work this is—he indeed is to be known.’ Then Bālāki, with fuel in hand, approached [him, saying:] ‘May I become your pupil.’ Ajātaśatru said to him: ‘I consider it contrary to proper order that a kṣatriya should initiate a brahmin. Come, I will make you understand.’ Taking him by the hand, he walked forth. The two came upon a sleeping person. Ajātaśatru addressed him: ‘O great one, white-robed one, king Soma!’ But he remained lying down. Then he struck him with a stick; he got up immediately. Ajātaśatru said to him: ‘Where did this person lie just now, Bālāki? Where was he just now? Whence has he now come?’ There are channels of a person named Hitā, extending from the heart to the pericardium; like a hair split a thousandfold, so subtle are they.
They abide filled with the minute fluid: brown, white, black, yellow, and red. In these he then remains when, asleep, he sees no dream whatever.

6.20

ŚĀ 6.20 = KU 4.20
Then breath becomes one in this [self]. Then speech enters into it along with all names; the eye enters into it along with all forms; the ear enters into it along with all sounds; the mind enters into it along with all thoughts. When he awakens, just as sparks disperse in all directions from a blazing fire, even so from this self the breaths disperse each to its station; from the breaths, the deities; from the deities, the worlds. That very breath, the conscious self, has entered this bodily self up to the hairs, up to the nails. Just as a razor is placed in a razor-case, or fire in a fire-receptacle, even so has this conscious self entered this bodily self up to the hairs, up to the nails. To this self these selves are subordinate, as his own people are to a clan chief. Just as a clan chief enjoys [life] with his own people, or as his own people enjoy the clan chief, even so does this conscious self enjoy with these selves; even so do these selves enjoy this self. For as long as Indra did not know this self, so long did the Asuras overcome him. When he knew it, having slain the Asuras and conquered, he attained pre-eminence, self-rule, and supreme sovereignty over all the deities.
Even so, one who knows thus, having struck off all evils, attains pre-eminence, self-rule, and supreme sovereignty over all beings—one who knows thus, one who knows thus.

6.21

Thus ends the sixth chapter in the Śāṅkhāyana Āraṇyaka.

Linked texts (1)

Śāṅkhāyanāraṇyaka — Sanskrit