Śāṅkhāyana (Kauṣītaki) Āraṇyaka 7
English (machine translation) 7
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7.1
ŚĀ 7.1
Om. I shall speak the right. I shall speak the truth. May that protect me; may that protect the speaker; may it protect me; may it protect the speaker. In me be splendour, in me be greatness. My speech is established in my mind; my mind is established in my speech. O manifest one, be manifest to me! Be the two pin-pegs of the Veda to me. Do not forsake me, O right! By this study may I dwell together through days and nights. To Agni be praise, homage; to food, homage! Homage be to the ṛṣis, the mantra-makers, the lords of mantras; homage to the deities! Auspicious to us, most gracious, very merciful be, O Sarasvatī; may we not be parted from the sight of your expanse. An undefeated mind, an eager eye, the sun is the best of lights. O initiation, do not harm me!
7.2
ŚĀ 7.2
Now then, the secret teaching (upaniṣad) of the continuous text (saṃhitā). Earth is the first member, heaven the second member, Vāyu the junction—thus says Śauravīra Māṇḍūkeya. Space is the junction—thus his [son] Māṇḍavya taught. He thought it unassailable: ‘It has not clashed with my son.’ Āgastya thought it assailable: ‘For here, both for father and son, wind and space are the same.’ Thus with respect to the deities. Now with respect to the self. Speech is the first member, mind the second member, breath the junction—thus says Śauravīra Māṇḍūkeya. But his son Dīrgha said: ‘First indeed one forms an idea in the mind, then one speaks it with speech. Therefore mind alone is the first member, speech the second member, but breath alone is the junction between mind and speech.’ This is a horse-chariot with a side-horse, joined by mind, speech, and breath, which leads to the heavenly world. He who knows this continuous text (saṃhitā) thus is joined with offspring, with cattle, with renown, with brahminical splendour, with the heavenly world; he reaches a full lifespan—thus indeed among the Māṇḍūkeyas.
7.3
ŚĀ 7.3
According to Śākalya: earth, Agni; earth, speech, the subsequent utterances. If he is the Nirbhuja indeed, we [say]: the middle one is speech; by breath, mother, wife, consciousness, speech, the great course, all of it is the highest.
7.4
Now [the view] of Śākalya. Earth is the first member; heaven is the second member; Vāyu is the continuous text; rain is the junction; [Parjanya] is the joiner. And regarding that, when a great cloud, bestowing mightily, pours down rain, [people say:] 'Heaven and earth have joined together.' Thus with respect to the deities.
Now with respect to the self. This person is an entire egg; there are two halves. There, this [lower half] is the first member; this [upper half] is the second member. In between there is this space. Just as there is that space between heaven and earth, in this space breath is situated, just as in that space Vāyu is situated. Just as there are those three lights, so are there these three lights in a person. Just as that sun is in heaven, so is this eye in the head. Just as that lightning is in the intermediate space, so is this heart in the self. Just as this Agni is on earth, so is this semen in the generative organ. Having thus arranged the self in every respect, he said: 'This indeed is the first member, this the second member; mind [and] speech [are these], but breath is the continuous text.' That horse-chariot with a side-horse, joined with mind, speech, and breath, leads to the heavenly world. He who thus knows this continuous text is joined with offspring, with cattle, with renown, with brahminical splendour, with the heavenly world; he attains a full lifespan.
7.5
Earth is the first member, heaven the second member, Vāyu the continuous text, the directions the junction, the sun the joiner: thus [holds] Vaiśvāmitra. Thus with respect to the deities.
Now with respect to the self. Speech is the first member, mind the second member, breath the continuous text, hearing the junction, sight the joiner. He who thus knows this continuous text is joined with offspring, with cattle, with renown, with brahminical splendour, with the heavenly world; he attains a full lifespan.
7.6
Agni is the first member, the moon the second member, lightning the continuous text: thus [holds] Sūryadatta. Thus with respect to the deities.
Now with respect to the self. Speech is the first member, mind the second member, truth the continuous text. He who thus knows this continuous text is joined with offspring, with cattle, with renown, with brahminical splendour, with the heavenly world; he attains a full lifespan.
7.7
Earth is the first member, heaven the second member, time the continuous text: thus [holds] Rādheya. Thus with respect to the deities.
Now with respect to the self. Speech is the first member, mind the second member, the self the continuous text. He who thus knows this continuous text is joined with offspring, with cattle, with renown, with brahminical splendour, with the heavenly world; he attains a full lifespan.
7.8
Speech is the first member, mind the second member, knowledge the continuous text: thus [holds] Pauṣkarasādi. He who thus knows this continuous text is joined with offspring, with cattle, with renown, with brahminical splendour, with the heavenly world; he attains a full lifespan.
7.9
Now then, the imprecations. One should know that breath is the beam. If someone speaking of breath as the beam should reproach another, if he considers [himself] able, [saying:] 'I have joined the breath-beam. You say, "You cannot join the breath-beam"', he should say to him: 'Breath, the beam, will abandon you.' But if he considers [himself] unable, [the other, saying:] 'You wished to join the breath-beam; you were not able to join it', he should say to him: 'Breath, the beam, will abandon you.' In whatever way he might speak, speaking or not speaking, it would surely soon be so. But one should not speak to a brahmin anything other than what is auspicious. One should speak to a brahmin only when pre-eminent in glory, and not when not pre-eminent in glory; one should not [reproach] a brahmin. 'Homage be to brahmins': thus [said] Māṇḍūkeya Śauravīra.
7.10
If he should reproach another who is speaking of breath as the beam, if he considers him able: 'I have wished to join the breath-beam; you say, "You cannot join the breath-beam"', he should say to him: 'Breath, the beam, will abandon you.' But if he considers him unable: 'You wished to join the breath-beam; you were not able to join it', he should say to him: 'Breath, the beam, will abandon you.' In whatever way he might speak to him, speaking or not speaking, it would surely soon be so. But one should not speak to a brahmin anything other than what is auspicious. One should speak to a brahmin only when pre-eminent in glory, and not when not pre-eminent in glory; one should not [reproach] a brahmin. 'Homage be to brahmins': thus [said] Māṇḍūkeya Śauravīra.
7.11
Now then, the discussions of the continuous recitation (nirbhuja). Nirbhuja has earth as its abode; pratṛṇṇa (isolated recitation) has heaven as its abode; between the two has intermediate space as its abode. If someone reciting nirbhuja should reproach another, one should say to him: 'You have offended against the deity Earth; the deity Earth will harm you.' And if reciting pratṛṇṇa he should reproach another, one should say to him: 'You have offended against the deity Heaven; the deity Heaven will harm you.' And if reciting between the two he should reproach another, one should say to him: 'You have offended against the deity Intermediate Space; the deity Intermediate Space will harm you.' For when one transforms the junction, that is the form of nirbhuja; and when one utters the pure syllables, that is of pratṛṇṇa at the very beginning; between the two, both are pervaded. One desiring food should recite nirbhuja; one desiring heaven, pratṛṇṇa; one desiring both, between the two. If someone reciting nirbhuja should reproach another, one should say to him: 'You have fallen from the two lower positions.' And if reciting pratṛṇṇa he should reproach another, he should say to him: 'You have fallen from the two higher positions.' But for one who speaks between the two, there is no reproach of him. In whatever way one might speak, speaking or not speaking, it would surely [be so]; one should speak to a brahmin [only what is] auspicious. One should speak to a brahmin only when pre-eminent in glory, and not when not pre-eminent in glory; one should not [reproach] a brahmin. 'Homage be to brahmins': thus [said] Māṇḍūkeya Śauravīra.
7.12
Now indeed the teachers of the Nirbhuja say: "The preceding syllable is the first member, the subsequent is the second member; the interval of the sound y and the sound v is the continuous text (saṃhitā)." He who knows this continuous text (saṃhitā) thus is joined with offspring, cattle, fame, brahminical splendour, and the heavenly world; he attains a full lifespan.
7.13
"Now indeed we say that we are the teachers of the Nirbhuja," said Hvastra Māṇḍūkeya. "The preceding syllable is the first member, the subsequent is the second member. That mora which is between the first member and the second member, by which one rounds off the junction, by which one distinguishes measure from measure, by which one makes vowel known from vowel—that is the continuous text (saṃhitā)." He who knows this continuous text (saṃhitā) thus is joined with offspring, cattle, fame, brahminical splendour, and the heavenly world; he attains a full lifespan.
7.14
Then his middle son, the son of Prātiyodhī, dwelling in Magadha, said: "The preceding syllable is the first member, the subsequent is the second member. That mora which makes known the junction—that is a Sāman; I regard the continuous text (saṃhitā) as consisting of Sāman." This has been declared by the Ṛgvedic verse: / 'Let not the treacherous thieves, plotting in the place of deceit, / who greedily crave food, reach us! / Brihaspati, they boast of the gods' open space in their hearts, / but they know nothing higher than the Sāman.' / He who knows this continuous text (saṃhitā) thus is joined with offspring, cattle, fame, brahminical splendour, and the heavenly world; he attains a full lifespan.
7.15
"Speech is joined with breath," says Kauṇṭharavya, "breath with the purifying [wind], the purifying [wind] with the All-gods, the All-gods with the heavenly world, the heavenly world with Brahman. This is the continuous text (saṃhitā) linked from lower to higher." He who knows this continuous text (saṃhitā) linked from lower to higher is joined with offspring, cattle, fame, brahminical splendour, and the heavenly world, just as this continuous text (saṃhitā) is linked from lower to higher. If, having been addressed by another or on his own business, he speaks, he should know as he speaks: "The continuous text (saṃhitā) has gone to heaven, for the purpose of the wise gods speaking; so shall it be." By this [continuous text] linked from lower to higher, it truly happens in that way.
7.16
"The mother is the first member, the father the second member, offspring the continuous text (saṃhitā)," says Bhārgava. This whole [universe] is referred to as one alone; for mother, father, and offspring are this all. This is the Aditi-saṃhitā. For Aditi is all this, whatever exists here as all creation. This has been declared by the Ṛgvedic verse: / 'Aditi is heaven, Aditi is the intermediate space, / Aditi is mother, father, and son. / Aditi is all the gods, the five peoples; / Aditi is what is born, Aditi is what is to be born.' / He who knows this continuous text (saṃhitā) thus is joined with offspring, cattle, fame, brahminical splendour, and the heavenly world; he attains a full lifespan.
7.17
"The wife is the first member, the husband the second member, the son the continuous text (saṃhitā), semen the junction, procreation the joining," says the elder Śākalya. This is the Prajāpati-saṃhitā. He who knows this continuous text (saṃhitā) thus is joined with offspring, cattle, fame, brahminical splendour, and the heavenly world; he attains a full lifespan.
7.18
"Insight is the first member, faith the second member, action the continuous text (saṃhitā), truth the joining," says Kāśyapa. This is the Satya-saṃhitā. Thus they say: "The gods are true to their word (satyasaṃdha)." He who knows this continuous text (saṃhitā) thus is joined with offspring, cattle, fame, brahminical splendour, and the heavenly world; he attains a full lifespan.
7.19
"Speech is the continuous text (saṃhitā)," says Pañcālacaṇḍa. "By speech the Vedas are joined; by speech the metres; by speech they unite friends. Then, when one studies or speaks, breath is then in speech; speech then licks breath. But when one sleeps or is silent, speech is then in breath; breath then licks speech. They lick each other." This has been declared by the Ṛgvedic verse: / 'One fair-winged bird entered the ocean; / he surveys this whole world. / With an innocent mind I saw him close at hand; / his mother licks him, and he licks his mother.' / Speech indeed is the mother; breath is the calf. He who knows this continuous text (saṃhitā) thus is joined with offspring, cattle, fame, brahminical splendour, and the heavenly world; he attains a full lifespan.
7.20
"Through the form of Bṛhat and Rathantara the continuous text (saṃhitā) is joined," says Tārkṣya. "Speech indeed is the form of Rathantara, breath of Bṛhat. And by both indeed is the continuous text (saṃhitā) joined—by speech and by breath." In this secret teaching (upaniṣad) [the teacher] had him guard the cows for a year: so says Tārkṣya. He who knows this continuous text (saṃhitā) thus is joined with offspring, cattle, fame, brahminical splendour, and the heavenly world; he attains a full lifespan.
7.21
"Motion is the first member, cessation the second member, rest the continuous text (saṃhitā)," says Jāratkārava Ārtabhāga. In this continuous text (saṃhitā), sparks, winks, kāṣṭhās, kalās, moments, muhūrtas, days and nights, fortnights, months, seasons, and years are joined together. This continuous text (saṃhitā) joins these divisions of time. Time joins motion, cessation, and rest. By motion, cessation, and rest, this all is joined together. Thus with respect to the deities. Now with respect to the self: "The past is the first member, the future the second member, the present the continuous text (saṃhitā)"—such is the junction of time. This has been declared by the Ṛgvedic verse: / 'Great is that secret name, much-desired, / by which thou didst generate the past, by which the future. / An ancient light was born which was dear to him; / the five dear [peoples] entered into it.' / He who knows this continuous text (saṃhitā) thus is joined with offspring, cattle, fame, brahminical splendour, and the heavenly world; he attains a full lifespan.
7.22
ŚĀ 7.22
Now then, the teaching of Vāliśikhāyani. “These are the five gross elements,” Vāliśikhāyani used to say: “earth, wind, space, waters, luminaries; these are continuous with one another. And the others, which are lesser, are joined with the gross elements. That is the continuous text of all powers. He who knows this continuous text thus is joined with offspring, cattle, renown, brahminical splendour, and the heavenly world; he attains a complete lifespan.
7.23
ŚĀ 7.23
"All speech is Brahman," Lauhikya used to say. Whatever sounds there are, one should know them as just speech. Regarding this, the ṛṣi also says: "I move with the Rudras and the Vasus..." This speech consists of all sounds. He who thus knows this continuous text is joined with offspring, cattle, renown, brahminical splendour, and the heavenly world; he reaches a full lifespan. And just as this Brahman can take any form at will and move at will, even so he can take any form at will and move at will among all beings—he who knows thus, he who knows thus.
7.24
Thus ends the seventh adhyāya in the Śāṅkhāyana Āraṇyaka.
Linked texts (1)
- Śāṅkhāyanāraṇyaka — Sanskrit