History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c95.195

v7.c95.195

Then there is another important passage in the Br. Up. VI. 2. There the story is told of Śvetaketu, son of Āruṇi, who being proud of his learning, came to the assembly hall of the Pañcālas and saw there Pravāhaṇa Jaivali (a kṣatriya or prince) being waited upon by servants. When the prince saw him he asked Śvetaketu 'have you been taught by your father'? When Śvetaketu replied 'yes', the prince put to him five questions viz. (1) do you know how men when they depart from this world go in separate (*different*) directions; (2) Do you know how they come back to this world; (3) Do you know how the yonder world does not become full with many men going there again and again; (4) Do you know at the offering of which oblation waters become endowed with human voice and rise and speak; (5) Do you know the access to the path called '*Devayāna*'?²⁵¹¹ and to the path called 'Pitṛyāna' (i.e. the deeds by which men gain access to the paths called Devayāna ans Pitṛyāna), for we have heard the saying of a sage 'I heard two paths for men, one leading to the Fathers and the other leading to the Devas; on those two paths all the world that is active moves on, whatever exists between father (sky) and mother (earth).' To all these five questions Śvetaketu replied that he did not know any one of them. The prince offered hospitality but Śvetaketu ran to his father and demanded how the latter could say that he had been thoroughly taught by him and that he could not answer even one of the five questions that the fellow of a Rājanya asked. Then the father replied that he had taught all that he knew but he himself did not know the answers to those questions. He went to the prince (kṣatriya) who honoured him with offerings. Āruṇi did not want wealth but the replies to those questions. The prince said 'come as pupil.' Āruṇi (Gautama) stated he came as a pupil. The prince stated that the *vidyā*²⁵¹² that he would teach was never before with any brāhmaṇa. Then he propounds to Śvetaketu the anwers to the five questions (to be brief) viz. that the five fires are (figuratively) heaven, god of rain, the earth, man and woman, and the five *āhutis* (oblations) are sraddhā (faith), Soma (Moon), rain, food and seed. This answers the 4th question. The first and fifth questions are answered by the statement 'Some go by the path of Devas, others by that of *pitṛs* and others (like flies and worms) know no path (they merely live and die)'; vide Br. Up. VI. 2. 15-16. The 2nd and 3rd questions are answered by the same viz. those that go by the path of pitṛs return to the earth and others that go to *brahman* do not return and therefore the world does not become full.