Chapter I - The Story of Janasruti and
Raikva
1
There once lived a king named Janasruti,
who was a great-grandson of Janasruta. He bestowed his gifts with respect,
gave away liberally and cooked much food for the hungry. He built
rest-houses every-where with the thought that people everywhere would eat
his food.
2
One night some flamingos were flying
along. One flamingo said to another: "Hey! Ho! Short-sighted, Short-sighted!
The radiance of Janasruti, the great-grandson of Janasruta, has spread to
the sky. Do not touch it, lest it should burn you."
3
The other replied: "Say, who is this
person about whom you have spoken as though he were like Raikva, the man
with the cart?" "What sort of person is this Raikva, the man with the
cart?"
4
The short-sighted flamingo replied: "As in
a game of dice, when the krita is won, the lower ones also are won, so
whatever merits people acquire all accrue to that Raikva. As Raikva I
describe him, too, who knows what Raikva knows."
5-6
Janasruti the great-grandson of Janasruta
overheard this conversation. Immediately after getting out of bed, he said
to his attendant: "Friend, did you speak of me as though I were Raikva,
the man with the cart?" "What sort of person is Raikva, the man with the
cart?" "As in a game of dice, when the krita is won, the lower ones also
are won, so whatever merits people acquire all accrue to that Raikva. As
Raikva I describe him, too, who knows what Raikva knows."
7
The attendant searched for him and
returned without finding him. Then the king said to him: "Listen, where a
knower of Brahman is to searched for, look for him there."
8
After proper search the attendant came
upon a person who, lying underneath his cart, was scratching an itch. Humbly
he took his seat near him and said: "Revered Sir, are you Raikva, the man
with the cart?" "Oh yes, I am he," he answered. Then the attendant
returned, saying to himself: "I have found him out."
Chapter II - Dialogue of Raikva and
Janasruti (I)
1-2
Then Janasruti the great-grandson of
Janasruta took with him six hundred cows, a necklace and a chariot with
mules and went to Raikva and said: "Raikva, here are six hundred cows, a
necklace and a chariot with mules. Pray, revered Sir, teach me the deity
whom you worship."
3
To him the other said: "Ah, may the
necklace and the chariot remain with you, O Sudra, along with the
cows." Thereupon Janasruti the great-grandson of Janasruta took with him
a thousand cows, a chariot with mules, a necklace and his own daughter, too
and went to Raikva.
4
Janasruti said to him: "Raikva, here are a
thousand cows, a necklace, a chariot with mules, this wife and this village
where you shall dwell. Revered Sir, teach me."
5
Then considering her (the princess) as the
door for imparting knowledge, Raikva said: "O Sudra! You brought these cows
and other presents; this is good. But you will make me speak now only
through this means (i.e. the princess)." These are the villages named
Raikvaparna, in the country of Mahavrishas, where Raikva lived. Now
Raikva said to the king:
Chapter III - Dialogue of Raikva and
Janasruti (II)
1
"Verily, Vayu (the air) is the swallower
(samvarga). For when fire goes out it is indeed swallowed by the air. When
the sun sets it is swallowed by the air. When the moon sets it is swallowed
by the air.
2
"When water dries up it is swallowed by
the air. For indeed the air absorbs them all. So much with reference to the
gods.
3
"Now with reference to the body: Verily,
the prana is the swallower. When a man sleeps, speech goes into the prana,
sight goes into the prana, hearing goes into the prana and the mind goes
into the prana. For indeed the prana absorbs them all.
4
"These are the two swallowers: the air
among the gods, the prana among the senses."
5
Once Saunaka of the line of Kapi and
Abhipratarin, the son of Kakshasena, were being waited upon at their meal,
when a brahmacharin begged food of them. They did not give him
anything.
6
He said: "One God, Prajapati, swallowed
the four great ones. He is the Guardian of the world. O descendent of Kapi,
O Abhipratarin, mortals do not see Him though he abides in manifold forms.
Verily, this food has not been given to Him to whom it belongs."
7
Sanaka of the line of Kapi, pondering on
those words, went to the brahmacharin and said: "He is the self of the gods,
the creator of all beings, with unbroken teeth, the eater, the truly wise
one. They speak of His magnificence as great, because without being eaten,
He eats even what is not common food. O brahmacharin, we meditate upon this
Brahman." Then he said to the attendants: "Give him food."
8
They gave food to him. Now these five
(i.e. the eater vayu and fire, the sun, the moon and water, which are its
food) and those five (i.e. the eater prana and the organs of speech, the
eye, the ear and the mind, which are its food) make ten. These together
constitute the krita (the highest throw in a game of dice). On account of
this similarity of ten, these ten are the food in the ten quarters and
further, they are Virat, the eater of food, by which all this becomes seen.
All this he sees and the eater of food he becomes, who knows this, yea, who
knows this.
Chapter IV - The Story of
Satyakama
1
Once upon a time, Satyakama the son of
Jabala addressed his mother and said: "Revered Mother, I wish to become a
brahmacharin. Of what ancestry am I?"
2
She said to him: "I do not know, my child,
of what ancestry you are. In my youth I was preoccupied with many household
duties and with attending on guests when I conceived you. I do not know of
what ancestry you are. I am Jabala by name and you are Satyakama. So you may
speak of yourself as Satyakama Jabala (the son of Jabala).
3
He came to Gautama the son of Haridrumata
and said: "Revered Sir, I wish to live with you as a brahmacharin. May I
approach you, as a pupil?"
4
Gautama said to him: "Of what ancestry are
you, dear friend?" Satyakama said: "I do not know, Sir, of what ancestry I
am. I asked my mother about it and she replied: ‘In my youth I was
preoccupied with many household duties and with attending on guests when I
conceived you. I do not know of what ancestry you are. I am Jabala by name
and you are Satyakama.’ I am therefore, Sir, Satyakama Jabala."
5
Gautama said: "None but a true brahmin
would thus speak out. Fetch the fuel, dear friend; I shall initiate you. You
have not departed from truth." He initiated Satyakama. Having separated
out four hundred lean and weak cows from his herd, he said: "Dear friend, go
with these." Driving them away toward the forest, Satyakama said: "I
shall not return until they become a thousand." He lived a number of years
in the forest. When the cows had become a thousand-
Chapter V - Instruction by the
Bull
1
The bull of the herd, addressing him,
said: "Satyakama!" "Revered Sir!" Satyakama replied. The bull said:
"Dear friend, we have become a thousand, take us to teacher’s
house.
2
"I will declare to you one foot of
Brahman." "Declare it, Revered Sir." The bull said to him: "The east
is one quarter, the west is one quarter, the south is one quarter, the north
is one quarter. This, dear friend, is foot of Brahman, consisting of four
quarters and this foot is called Prakasavat (shining).
3
"He who knows this and meditates on the
foot of Brahman consisting four quarters as shining, becomes shining on this
earth. He conquers shining worlds-he who knows this and meditates on the
foot of Brahman consisting of four quarters as shining."
Chapter VII - Instruction by
Fire
1
The bull further said: "Agni (fire) will
declare to you another foot of Brahman." Satyakama then, when it was the
morrow, drove the cows in the direction of the teacher’s house. And when
they came together toward evening, he lighted a fire, penned the cows, laid
fuel on the fire and sat down behind the fire, facing the east.
2
Agni (fire), addressing him, said:
"Satyakama!" "Revered Sir!" Satyakama replied.
3
"Dear friend, I will declare to you one
foot of Brahman." "Declare it, revered Sir." Agni said to him: "The
earth is one quarter, the sky is one quarter, heaven is one quarter, the
ocean is one quarter. This, dear friend, is one foot of Brahman, consisting
of four quarters and this foot is called Anantavat (endless).
4
"He who knows this and meditates on the
foot of Brahman consisting of four quarters as endless, becomes endless on
this earth. He conquers endless worlds-he who knows this and meditates on
the foot of Brahman consisting of four quarters as endless."
Continued...
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Chapter VII - Instruction by the
Swan
1
Agni further said: "A hamsa (swan) will
declare to you another foot." Satyakama then, when it was the morrow,
drove the cows in the direction of the teacher’s house. And when they came
together toward evening, he lighted a fire, penned the cows, laid fuel on
the fire and sat down behind the fire, facing the east.
2
Then a swan flew to him and said:
"Satyakama!" "Revered Sir!" Satyakama replied.
3
Dear friend, I will declare to you one
foot of Brahman." "Declare it, revered Sir." The swan said to him:
"Fire is one quarter, the sun is one quarter, the moon is one quarter,
lightning is one quarter. This, dear friend, is one foot of Brahman,
consisting of four quarters and this foot is called Jyotishmat
(luminous).
4
He who knows this and meditates on the
foot of Brahman consisting of four quarters as luminous, becomes luminous on
this earth. He conquers luminous worlds-he who knows this and meditates on
the foot of Brahman consisting of four quarters as luminous.
Chapter VIII - Instruction by the
Diver-Bird
1
The swan further said: "A madgu
(diver-bird) will declare to you another foot." Satyakama then, when it
was the morrow, drove the cows in the direction of the teacher’s house. And
when they came together toward evening, he lighted a fire, penned the cows,
laid fuel on the fire and sat down behind the fire, facing the
east.
2
Then a diver-bird flew to him and said:
"Satyakama!" "Revered Sir!" Satyakama replied.
3
"Dear friend, I will declare to you one
foot of Brahman." "Declare it, revered Sir." The diver-bird said to
him: "The prana is one quarter, the eye is one quarter, the ear is one
quarter, the mind is one quarter. This, dear friend, is one foot of Brahman,
consisting of four quarters and this foot is called Ayatanavat (having
support).
4
"He who knows this and meditates on the
foot of Brahman consisting of four quarters as Ayatanavat, possesses a
support (i.e. home) on this earth. He conquers the worlds which offer a
home-he who knows this and meditates on the foot of Brahman consisting of
four quarters as Ayatanavat."
Chapter IX - Instruction by the
Teacher
1
Satyakama reached the teacher’s house. The
teacher said to him: "Satyakama!" "Revered Sir!" Satyakama
replied.
2
The teacher said: "Dear friend, you shine
like one who knows Brahman. Who has taught you?" "Others than men," he
replied. "But I wish, revered Sir, that you alone should teach
me."
3
"For I have heard from persons like your
good self that only knowledge which is learnt from a teacher (acharya) leads
to the highest good." Then he (Gautama) taught him the same knowledge.
Nothing whatsoever was left out, yea, nothing whatsoever was left
out.
Chapter X - The Story of
Upakosala
1
Upakosala the son of Kamala dwelt as a
brahmachirin (religious student) with Satyakama the son of Jabala. He tended
his teacher’s fires for twelve years. Satyakama allowed his other pupils to
return to their homes after they had finished their Vedic studies but did
not allow Upakosala to depart.
2
Then his wife said to him: "This
brahmachirin, practising austerities, has intelligently tended your fires.
Give him instruction lest the fires should blame you." The teacher, however,
went away on a journey without teaching him.
3
The brahmachirin out of mental grief began
to fast. Then the teacher’s wife said to him: "Brahmachirin, why do you not
eat?" He said: "There are in a man like me many desires directed to
various objects. I am full of sorrows. I will not eat."
4
Thereupon the fires said among themselves:
"This brahmachirin, practising austerities, has intelligently tended us.
Come, let us teach him." They said to him: "The prana is Brahman, ka
(joy) is Brahman, kha (the akaha) is Brahman."
5
He said: "I understand that the prana is
Brahman, but I do not understand ‘joy’ (ka) and ‘the akasa’ (kha)." They
said: "What is joy (ka) is the akasa (kha), what is the akasa (kha) is joy
(ka)." They taught him the prana (i.e. Brahman) and the akasa related to
it.
Chapter XI - Instruction by the Household
Fire
1
Next the Garhapatya Fire taught him: "The
earth, fire, food and the sun are my forms. The person that is seen in the
sun-I am he, I am he indeed.
2
"He who, knowing this, meditates on the
fire frees himself from sinful actions, obtains the World of the Garhapatya
Fire, reaches his full age and lives brightly. His descendants do not
perish. We support him in this world and in the other who, knowing this,
meditates on the fire."
Chapter XII - Instruction by the Southern
Fire
1
Then the Anvaharya (Southern) Fire taught
him: "Water, the quarters, the stars and the moon are my forms. The person
that is seen in the moon-I am he, I am he indeed.
2
"He who, knowing this, meditates on the
fire frees himself from sinful actions, obtains the World of the Anvaharya
Fire, reaches his full age and lives brightly. His descendants do not
perish. We support him in this world and in the other who, knowing this,
meditates on the fire."
Chapter XIII - Instruction by the
Ahavaniya Fire
1
Then the Ahavaniya Fire taught him: "The
prana, the akaha, heaven and lightning are my forms. The person that is seen
in lightning-I am he, I am he indeed.
2
"He who, knowing this, meditates on the
fire frees himself from sinful actions, obtains the World of the Anvaharya
Fire, reaches his full age and lives brightly. His descendants do not
perish. We support him in this world and in the other who, knowing this,
meditates on the fire."
Chapter XIV - Dialogue between the
Teacher and the Pupil
1
Then they (i.e. all the fires) said:
"Upakosala, dear friend, thus we taught you the knowledge of ourselves and
the knowledge of the Self. But the teacher will teach you the way." The
teacher returned and said to him: "Upakosala!"
2-3
He replied: "Revered Sir!" "Dear
friend, your face shines like that of one who knows Brahman. Who has taught
you?" "Who should teach me, Sir?" Here he conceals the fact, as it
were. And he said pointing to the fires: "For this reason they are of
this form now, though they were of a different form before." "Dear
friend, what did they teach you?" "This," Upakosala replied and repeated
some of what the fires had told him. The teacher said: "They told you,
dear friend, only about the worlds, but I shall tell you about Brahman. As
water does not cling to the lotus leaf, so no evil clings to one who knows
this." Upakosala said to him: "Revered Sir, please tell me."
Chapter XV - Instruction by the
Teacher
1
He said: "The person that is seen in the
eye-that is the Self. This is the immortal, the fearless; this is Brahman.
That is why, if one drops melted butter or water in the eye, it flows away
on both sides.
2
"The seers call him Samyadvama, for all
blessings (vama) go towards him (samyanti). All blessings go towards him who
knows this.
3
"He is also Vamani, for he carries to
living beings (nayati) all blessings (vama). He who knows this carries all
blessings.
4
"He is also called Bhamani, for he shines
(bhati) in all the worlds. He who knows this shines in all the
worlds.
5
"Now, whether or not they perform the
funeral rites for such a person, he goes to light, from light to day, from
day to the bright half of the moon, from the bright half of the moon to the
six months during which the sun goes to the north, from those months to the
year, from the year to the sun, from the sun to the moon, from the moon to
lightning. There a person who is not a human being meets him and leads him
to Brahman. This is the Path of the Gods (Devayana), the path leading to
Brahman. Those who travel by it do not return to the whirl of humanity, yea,
they do not return."
Chapter XVI - The Silence of the Brahma
Priest
1
Verily, he who moves along (i.e. the air)
is the sacrifice; for he, moving along, purifies everything. And because,
moving along, he purifies everything, he is the sacrifice. Of that
sacrifice, the mind and speech are the two ways.
2-3
The Brahma priest purifies one of the two
(i.e. the mind) by his mind. The other (i.e. speech) is purified through
words by the hotri priest, the adhvaryu priest and the udgatri priest. If
the Brahma priest, after the Prataranuvaka hymn has begun and before the
recitation of the Paridhaniya hymn, breaks his silence and speaks, he
purifies only one of the ways (i.e. speech), but the other (i.e. the mind)
is injured. As a man walking on one leg, or a carriage going on one wheel,
is injured, likewise the sacrifice is injured. Following the injury to the
sacrifice, the sacrificer too is injured. By performing the defective
sacrifice he becomes more sinful.
4
But if the Brahma priest, after the
Prataranuvaka hymn has begun and before the recitation of the Paridhaniya,
does not break his silence and speak, he purifies both the ways and neither
of them is injured. As a man walking on two legs or a carriage going on
two wheels goes on without obstacle, likewise the sacrifice goes on without
obstacle. Following the success of the sacrifice, the sacrificer too fares
well. Having performed the sacrifice he becomes better.
Chapter XVII - Penances for Mistakes in
the Sacrifice
1
Prajapati brooded over the worlds; from
them, thus brooded over, he squeezed the essences: agni (fire) from the
earth, vayu (air) from the mid-region and aditya (the sun) from
heaven.
2
He brooded over these three deities; from
them, thus brooded over, he squeezed the essences. The Rik-verses from fire,
the Yajus-verses from the air and the Saman-verses from the sun.
3
He brooded over the threefold knowledge
(i.e. the three Vedas); from them, thus brooded over, he squeezed the
essences: Bhuh from the Rik-verses, Bhuvah from the Yajus-verses and Svah
from the Saman-verses.
4
If the sacrifice is injured with regard to
the Rik-verses, one should then offer a libation in the Garhapatya Fire
saying: "Bhuh Svaha!" Thus is healed the injury with regard to the
Rik-verses by means of the essence and the power of the Rik-verses
themselves.
5
If the sacrifice is injured with regard to
the Yajus-verses, one should then offer a libation in the Southern
(Dakshina) Fire, saying: "Bhuvah Svaha !" Thus is healed the injury with
regard to the Yajus-verses by means of the essence and the power of the
Yajus-verses themselves.
6
If the sacrifice is injured with regard to
the Saman-verses, one should then offer a libation in the Ahavaniya Fire,
saying: "Svah Svaha!" Thus is healed the injury with regard to the
Saman-verses by means of the essence and the power of the Saman-verses
themselves.
7-8
As one binds gold by means of borax and
silver by means of gold and tin by means of silver and lead by means of tin
and iron by means of lead and wood by means of iron or leather, Likewise
one heals any injury done to the sacrifice with the power of these worlds,
these gods and these three Vedas. That sacrifice is well healed in which
there is a Brahma priest who knows this.
9-10
That sacrifice is inclined to the north in
which there is a Brahma priest who knows this. And with regard to such a
Brahma priest, there is the following gatha: "Wherever it is injured,
thither he (the Brahma priest) goes." The silent Brahma alone, as one or
the priests, protects the sacrificer, as a mare protects a warrior. Because
the Brahma priest who knows this protects the sacrifice, the sacrificer and
all the priests, one should therefore make a person who knows this the
Brahma priest and not one who knows it not, yea, not one who knows it
not.
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