The History of Indian Literature c8.488.3

c8.488.3

The *Śrímaddattopanishad* (47) consists of twelve *ślokas* put into the mouth of one of these religious mendicants, and uniformly concluding with the refrain: *tasyá 'haṃ pañchamáśramam*, "I am his, *i.e.*, *brahman's*, fifth *Áśrama*." Apart from the two Upanishads already mentioned, the Máṇḍúkya and the Táraka, the investigation of the sacred word *om* is principally conducted in the *Atharvaśikhá* (48), in prose (explained by Śaṃkara), in which instruction is given on this subject by Atharvan to Pippaláda, Sanatkumára, and Aṅgiras;† further, in the *Brahmavidyá* (49), in thirteen *ślokas*, now and then quoted by Śaṃkara;‡ and lastly, in the *Śaunaka* (50) and the *Praṇava* (51). These two are found in Anquetil only.¹⁸⁶ The various stages of gradual absorption into Átman form the contents of the following Upanishads (52–59): *Haṅsanáda* (in prose), *Kshuriká* (24 *ślokas*), *Nádavindu* (20 *ślokas*), *Brahmavindu* (22 *ślokas*; also called *Amṛitavindu*), *Amṛitavindu* (38 *ślokas*; also called *Amṛitanáda*), *Dhyánavindu* (23 *ślokas*), *Yoga-śikhá* (10 *ślokas*), and *Yogatattva* (15 *ślokas*); while the majesty of Átman himself is depicted in the *Chúliká* (60, in 21 *ślokas*) and *Tejovindu* (61, in 14 *ślokas*):[^asterisk] in the former direct reference is repeatedly made to the doctrine of the Atharvans. The range of ideas and the style are quite identical in all the Upanishads just enumerated.