Taittiriyabrahmana 3.10

Concord, discernment, understanding, knowing, comprehending; / determining, planning, preparing, prepared, accomplished; / better, richer, approaching, arisen, become; / bright, radiant, shining forth, gleaming, illuminating; / luminous, splendid, radiating heat, scorching, blazing all around; / radiant, shining, beautiful, glistening, auspicious; / the new moon day, seen, lovely to see, all-formed, fair to behold; / swelling, thriving, abundance, joyousness, refreshing drink; / being filled, filling up, fulfilling, full, the full moon day; / the giver, the bestower, bliss, joy, delight.

Bringing home, settling, resting place, pacified, tranquil; / coming into being, originating, combining, produced, existent; / praised in the prastāva, praised in diversity, praised in unison, auspicious, all-formed; / bright, immortal, fiery, splendour, kindled; / reddish, radiant, beaming with rays, scorching, burning intensely; / Savitṛ, the stimulator, blazing, inflaming, shining bright; / flaming, burner, heating, burning out, scorching thoroughly; / radiant, shining, purifying, adorning itself, lovely; / pressed out, pressing, poured forth, being pressed, being thoroughly pressed; / drinking, watering place, common pool, satisfaction, satisfying;

Desirable, lovely, born of desire, long-lived, granting wishes; / the ruler, the approver, bliss, joy, delight; / setting down, seating, settling together, seated together, seated; / arising, pervasive, powerful, beneficent, earth; / strainer, about to purify, purified, fit for sacrifice; / fame, renowned, lifetime, immortal; / living, about to live, the heavenly world; / victorious, more victorious, mighty, enduring; / conquering, utterly conquering, having good wealth, wealth-giver; / having a moist filter, golden-haired, joy, delight.

Reddish, reddish-dusted, lotus, all-conquering, victorious; / moist, overflowing, rich in food, juicy, possessed of sustenance; / containing all herbs, bearer of all, glorious; / moving, swift-flowing; / little, Sipiviṣṭa-like; / creeping, lying pleasantly; / agile, destined to go; / now, then, at this moment, quickly, swiftly; / rapid, twinkling of an eye, foaming, running, running past; / hurrying, hastening, swift, swifter, speed; / Agniṣṭoma, Ukthya, Atirātra, Dvirātra, Trirātra, Catūrātra; / Agni is the season, Sūrya is the season, the Moon is the season; / Prajāpati, the year, the great Ka.

Bhūḥ! Both Agni, and the earth, and me,
and the three worlds, and the year—
may Prajāpati seat you.
With that deity, firmly sit, like the Aṅgirases!

Bhuvaḥ! Both Vāyu, and the intermediate space, and me,
and the three worlds, and the year—
may Prajāpati seat you.
With that deity, firmly sit, like the Aṅgirases!

Svaḥ! Both Āditya, and the sky, and me,
and the three worlds, and the year—
may Prajāpati seat you.
With that deity, firmly sit, like the Aṅgirases!

Bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ! Both the moon, and the quarters, and me,
and the three worlds, and the year—
may Prajāpati seat you.
With that deity, firmly sit, like the Aṅgirases!

You alone know yourself, who you are, what you are. / You alone have piled yourself. / Piled you are, and piled together you are, O Agni! / So great you are, and greater still you are, O Agni! / What in you is deficient, O Agni, and what in you is redundant, / let the Ādityas and the Aṅgirases pile that up. / Let the All-Gods fill up your pile. / Piled you are, and piled together you are, O Agni! / So great you are, and greater still you are, O Agni! / May I not sever my lifespan through piling you too little, nor through piling you too much, O Agni! / The light of all lights that rises yonder, / born from ascetic heat, unfailing energy, / that is your light, O brick! / With that, burn for me; / with that, flare for me; / with that, shine for me, / as long as the gods [endure], / as long as the sun shall be, / as long even as the sacred word!

You are the year; you are the full year; / you are the following year; you are the recurring year; / you are the current year; you are the year. / Of you, spring is the head; / summer is the right wing; / the rainy season is the tail; / autumn is the left wing; / winter is the middle; / the waxing fortnights are the layers; / the waning fortnights are the loose earth filling;

the days and nights are the bricks. / You are the bull, the heavenly world. / In whatever direction you are magnified, / from there bring us greatness. / Becoming the wind, blow toward all directions; / blow along through all directions; / blow together along all directions. / Fill the pile with thought; / fill the pile without thought. / Thought you are, born from the ocean.

Soma the capable, the true falcon, / the golden-winged, zealous bird, / great, seated firmly in the shared seat: / homage be to you; do not harm me! / 'Hither', 'forth', 'apart', 'together', 'upward': / grant me heaven; / grant me the intermediate space; / grant me the earth! / Grant me the earth; / grant me the intermediate space; / grant me heaven! / Extend with the day; / contract with the night. / Extend with the night; contract with the day. / Extend desire; / contract desire!

Bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ, svaḥ! / Energy, strength! / Sacred power, royal power! / Fame, greatness! / Truth, ascetic heat, name! / Form, immortality! / Eye, ear! / Mind, lifespan! / All fame, greatness! / Equable ascetic heat, glow, brilliance! / Whether you are Jātavedas or the purifier, / whether you are Vaiśvānara or the lightning fire, / [bring] welfare to the offspring, a world to the sacrificer; / giving refreshment and nourishment, turn toward [us]!

The sovereign, the wide ruler, / the supreme ruler, the self-ruler! / Ray of light, glowing heat, / ascetic heat, glow, brilliance! / Agni, Indra, Bṛhaspati, / the All-Gods, protectors of the world: / let them all unite me with fame!

To the breath of life, svāhā! / To the Vasu, svāhā! / To the all-pervading, svāhā! / To Vivasvat, svāhā! / To the overcoming, svāhā! To the overlord, svāhā! / To the lord of days, svāhā! To the lord of distress, svāhā! / To the possessor of sight, svāhā! To the possessor of light, svāhā! / To the king, svāhā! To the wide ruler, svāhā! / To the supreme ruler, svāhā! / To the self-ruler, svāhā! / To vigor, svāhā! To the sun, svāhā! / To the moon, svāhā! To the light, svāhā! / To the glider, svāhā! / To the auspicious, svāhā! / To Arjuna, svāhā!

Sing to the wise purifying one! / Like a great stream, the plant flows beyond. / The serpent indeed glides out of its worn-out skin; / like a steed playing, the tawny stallion sped along. / You are taken with a support; I take you pleasing to Death. / This is your womb; for Death, you! / Drive away death; drive away hunger; / strike away the curse from here; / then bring to us, O Agni, / a thousandfold increase of wealth!

Those thousands and myriads of fetters of yours, / O Death, for slaying mortal man: / all of them by the mysterious power of sacrifice / we unbind through worship. / You are the portion, the immortal portion. / Of you, drunk by Death, possessing immortality, / made pleasant, sweet, / invited, I consume [the share] invited. / Charming, overpowering, the banner of sacrifices is Speech. / O So-and-so, come!

Blind, watchful, O prāṇa, / O So-and-so, come! / Deaf, maker of cries, O apāna, / O So-and-so, come! / Handless thrower, O eye, / O So-and-so, come! / Footless runner, O mind, / O So-and-so, come! / O poet, of inspired mind, O ear, / O So-and-so, come!

Fair-handed, well-clad, / Vigor by name are you, immortal among mortals. / Knowing you as such, I [say]: / O So-and-so, come! / Agni is supported in my speech; / speech in the heart; / the heart in me; / I in the immortal; / the immortal in the sacred word. / Vāyu is supported in my out-breath;

the out-breath in the heart; / the heart in me; / I in the immortal; / the immortal in the sacred word. / Sūrya is supported in my eye; / the eye in the heart; / the heart in me; / I in the immortal; / the immortal in the sacred word. / The moon is supported in my mind;

the mind in the heart; / the heart in me; / I in the immortal; / the immortal in the sacred word. / The directions are supported in my ear; / the ear in the heart; / the heart in me; / I in the immortal; / the immortal in the sacred word. / The waters are supported in my semen;

the semen in the heart; / the heart in me; / I in the immortal; / the immortal in the sacred word. / The earth is supported in my body; / the body in the heart; / the heart in me; / I in the immortal; / the immortal in the sacred word. / The plants and trees are supported in my body hair;

the body hair in the heart; / the heart in me; / I in the immortal; / the immortal in the sacred word. / Indra is supported in my strength; / the strength in the heart; / the heart in me; / I in the immortal; / the immortal in the sacred word. / Parjanya is supported in my head;

the head in the heart; / the heart in me; / I in the immortal; / the immortal in the sacred word. / Īśāna is supported in my anger; / anger in the heart; / the heart in me; / I in the immortal; / the immortal in the sacred word. / The self is supported in my self;

the self in the heart; / the heart in me; / I in the immortal; / the immortal in the sacred word. / Again has my self, again has my lifespan returned; / again has my breath, again has my intent returned. / May Vaiśvānara, growing strong through his rays, / stand within as guardian of immortality.

Prajāpati created the gods.
They were born bound by evil.
He unbound them.
Because he unbound [them] (vyadyat),
therefore [lightning is called] vidyut.
He cut it away.
Because he cut it away (avṛścat),
therefore [rain is called] vṛṣṭi.
Therefore, wherever these two deities reach,
there they both unbind and

cut away his evil.
This discussion indeed finds its fulfillment in the Agnihotra.
And they also say:
"In all sacrificial rites."
When about to offer, he should touch water [saying]:
"You are lightning (vidyut); unbind (vidya) my evil!"
Then having offered, he should touch [water saying]:
"You are rain (vṛṣṭi); cut away (vṛśca) my evil!"
Whether about to sacrifice or having sacrificed,
these two deities unbind and

cut away his evil.
Atyaṃhas Āruṇi,
having taught the questions to a student, sent him forth:
"Go;
ask Plakṣa Dayyāmpāti:
'Do you know the Sāvitra [citi] or do you not know [it]?'"
Having come to him, he asked:
"The teacher has sent me [saying]:
'Do you know the Sāvitra or do you not know [it]?'"
He said: "I know [it]."

"On what is it established?"
"Beyond the realm of dust (parorajas)," he said.
"What is that which is beyond the realm of dust?"
"Truly, that which is beyond the realm of dust," he said,
"is this one that burns here.
He is [also] on this side of the realm of dust (arvāgrajas)."
"In what, then, is this one [established]?"
"In truth."
"What is that truth?"
"Austerity."

"In what, now, is austerity [established]?"
"In strength."
"What is that strength?"
"Prāṇa."
"'Do not ask beyond prāṇa,' the teacher told me," said the student.
Plakṣa Dayyāmpāti said:
"Truly, student, if you had asked beyond prāṇa,
your head would have fallen off.
And I shall be better than your teacher,
who disputed with me concerning the Sāvitra!"

Therefore one should not dispute concerning the Sāvitra.
Whoever disputes concerning the Sāvitra with one who knows the Sāvitra,
[the other] places majesty upon him.
Truly yonder burning [sun] concedes majesty to him;
majesty concedes austerity to him;
austerity concedes strength to him;
strength concedes prāṇa to him.
When he says:
"Concord, discernment, seen, beheld,"
that is just this.

Then when he says:
"Praised, distributed, pressed out, pressing,"
that is just this.
For he is indeed those days;
he is the nights.
Then when he says:
"Bright, banner, giver, bestower, Savitṛ, impeller, commander, assenter,"
that is just this.
For he is indeed those muhūrtas of the day;
he is those of the night.

Then when he says:
"Purifier, intending to purify, powerful, most powerful, ruddy, ruddy-dusted,"
that is just this.
For he is indeed those half-months;
he is the months.
Then when he says:
"Agniṣṭoma, Ukthya, fire, season, Prajāpati, year,"
that is just this.
For he is indeed those sacrificial rites;
he is the seasons;

he is the year.
Then when he says:
"Now, then,"
that is just this.
For he is indeed the muhūrtas of those muhūrtas.
Janaka of Videha
met with the Day-and-Nights.
They said to him:
"Whoever knows us
goes on leaving evil behind;

he attains a full lifespan;
he wins the heavenly world;
his food is not exhausted in yonder world."
He indeed goes on leaving evil behind,
he attains a full lifespan,
he wins the heavenly world,
his food is not exhausted in yonder world,
who knows thus.
Ahīnas Āśvatthya
knew the Sāvitra.

Becoming a golden swan,
he went to the heavenly world,
to union with Āditya.
Becoming a golden swan,
he goes to the heavenly world,
to union with Āditya,
who knows thus.
Devabhāga Śrautarṣa
knew the Sāvitra.
An invisible voice addressed him:

"Indeed, the Gautama knows everything,
he who knows the Sāvitra!"
He said:
"What voice are you?"
"This am I, the Sāvitra,
the highest world of the gods,
bearing secret greatness."
At this, the Gautama,
putting on the sacred thread, fell down low [saying]:
"Homage, homage!"

He said:
"Do not fear, Gautama;
your world has indeed been won."
Therefore whosoever know the Sāvitra,
all of them have their world won.
Whoever knows the eight-syllabled quarter of the Sāvitra anointed with majesty
is anointed with majesty.
'Ghṛṇi' is two syllables;
'sūrya' is three;
'āditya' is three.

This is indeed the eight-syllabled quarter of the Sāvitra anointed with majesty.
He who knows thus
is anointed with majesty.
This has been declared by the ṛc:
"In the supreme space, the syllable of the ṛc, / in which all the gods have sat down; / he who does not know that, what will he do with the ṛc? / Those who know that sit here together."
Neither with ṛc, nor with yajus, nor with sāman does he have any need,
who knows the Sāvitra.

"This wheel of the gods which around [the sky] / goes in the heavenly world, moist, swelling, / leaving behind, observing all beings."
Moist, swelling, he goes to the heavenly world,
leaving behind, observing all beings,
who knows thus.
Śūṣa Vārṣṇeya
met with Āditya.
He said to him:
"Come, know the Sāvitra;
this is indeed the heavenly fire, carrying across, arisen from the immortal."
Truly, that Sāvitra is
this one that burns here.
"Come, know me,"
thus indeed he said to him then.

She indeed is the bee;
fire alone is her bee-honey.
Those nights of the waxing and waning fortnights,
they are the honey-makers (female bees);
those days,
they are the honey-drones (male bees).
Whoever knows these honey-makers and honey-drones,
they make honey for him in the fire;
they do not suck out his sacrificial and charitable deeds (iṣṭāpūrta).
Now, he who does not know,

they do not make honey for him in the fire;
they suck out his sacrificial and charitable deeds.
Whoever knows the names of day-and-nights
does not meet with misfortune in the day-and-nights.
"Perception, discernment, new moon, seen":
these two anuvākas are the names of the day-and-nights of the waxing fortnight.
"Praised, widely praised, pressed out, pressing":
these two anuvākas are the names of the day-and-nights of the waning fortnight.
He does not meet with misfortune in the day-and-nights,
who knows thus.

Whoever knows the names of the muhūrtas
does not meet with misfortune in the muhūrtas.
"Bright, banner, giver, generous giver, Savitṛ, procreator, commander, approver":
these anuvākas are the names of the muhūrtas.
He does not meet with misfortune in the muhūrtas,
who knows thus.
Whoever knows the names of the half-months and of the months
does not meet with misfortune in the half-months nor in the months.
"Purifying, about to purify, mighty, mightier, ruddy, ruddy-dusted":
these anuvākas are the names of the half-months and of the months.

He does not meet with misfortune in the half-months nor in the months,
who knows thus.
Whoever knows the names of the sacrificial rites and of the seasons and of the year
does not meet with misfortune in the sacrificial rites, nor in the seasons, nor in the year.
"Agniṣṭoma, Ukthya, fire, season, Prajāpati, year":
these anuvākas are the names of the sacrificial rites and of the seasons and of the year.
He does not meet with misfortune in the sacrificial rites, nor in the seasons, nor in the year,
who knows thus.
Whoever knows the muhūrtas of the muhūrtas
does not meet with misfortune in the muhūrtas of the muhūrtas.

"Now, then":
these indeed are the muhūrtas of the muhūrtas.
He does not meet with misfortune in the muhūrtas of the muhūrtas,
who knows thus.
Moreover, just as one knowing the terrain enters and eats food,
even so, knowing the terrain, he enters these and eats food.
He attains the same world and union with these very [beings];
he overcomes repeated death,
who knows thus.

A certain one, having departed from this world,
knows himself:
"Here I am."
A certain one does not recognise his own world;
bewildered by the fire, choked by smoke,
he does not recognise his own world.
Now, whoever knows this Sāvitra fire,
he, having departed from this world,
knows himself:
"Here I am."

He recognises his own world.
And this Sāvitra fire then
carries him up to the heavenly world.
Indeed, this [work] is done by the yoked day-and-nights:
"They have been initiated for so many nights;
they have undertaken the vow for so many nights."
For one who does not know thus,
they suck out his treasure in yonder world;
he goes after a treasure that has been sucked dry.
Now, whoever knows this Sāvitra fire,

for him, the day-and-nights
do not suck out his treasure in yonder world;
he goes after a treasure that has not been sucked dry.
Bharadvāja lived in Vedic studentship for three lifespans.
To him, lying there, worn out and old,
Indra came up and said:
"Bharadvāja,
if I were to give you a fourth lifespan,
what would you do with it?"
"I would practice Vedic studentship with it," he said.

He showed him three mountain-like shapes, as if unknown.
From each of them he took a handful.
Addressing him,
he said: "Bharadvāja,
these are the Vedas;
infinite indeed are the Vedas.
This is what you have studied through these three lifespans;
now, the rest of yours remains unstudied.
Come, know this;
this indeed is all-knowledge."

To him he spoke this Sāvitra fire.
Having known it,
having become immortal,
he went to the heavenly world,
to union with Āditya.
Having become immortal,
he goes to the heavenly world,
to union with Āditya,
who knows thus.
This indeed is the threefold knowledge.

As great a world as one wins by the threefold knowledge,
so great a world he wins,
who knows thus.
These are the names of Agni;
he attains union and the same world with Agni,
who knows thus.
These are the names of Vāyu;
he attains union and the same world with Vāyu,
who knows thus.
These are the names of Indra;

he attains union and the same world with Indra,
who knows thus.
These are the names of Bṛhaspati;
he attains union and the same world with Bṛhaspati,
who knows thus.
These are the names of Prajāpati;
he attains union and the same world with Prajāpati,
who knows thus.
These are the names of Brahman;
he attains union and the same world with Brahman,
who knows thus.
That fire, wingless and tailless, is Vāyu indeed;
Agni is his mouth,
yonder Āditya is his head.
Whatever is between these two deities,
that he stitches together entirely;
therefore is it Sāvitra.