Chandogya Upanishad - 5
V-i-1: Om, Verily, he who knows the eldest and the best, surely becomes the eldest and the best. Prana is indeed the eldest and the best (of the organs).
V-i-2: Verily, he who knows the richest, becomes the richest among his own people. Speech is indeed the richest.
V-i-3: Verily, he who knows the stable basis, becomes stabilized in this world and in the next. The eye is indeed the stable basis.
V-i-4: Verily, he who knows prosperity, attains all desires, both divine and human. The ear is indeed prosperity.
V-i-5: Verily, he who knows the abode, becomes the abode of his people. The mind is indeed the abode.
V-i-6: Now, once the five senses disputed among themselves about their personal superiority, saying ‘I am superior’.
V-i-7: Those senses approached the father Prajapati and said to him, ‘Revered sir, who is the best amongst us ?’ He replied, ‘He amongst you is the best on whose departure the body would appear its worst, as it were.’
V-i-8: Speech departed. Staying a year out, it came back and asked, ‘How have you been able to live without me ?’ (The others replied,) ‘Just like the dumb, though not speaking, yet living with the breath, seeing with the eyes, hearing with the ear and thinking with the mind.’ (At this) speech entered (the body).
V-i-9: The eye departed. Staying a year out, it came back and asked, ‘How have you been able to live without me ?’ (The others replied,) ‘Just like the blind, though not seeing, yet living with the breath, speaking with the organ of speech, hearing with the ear and thinking with the mind.’ (At this) the eye entered (the body).
V-i-10: The ear departed. Staying a year out, it came back and asked, ‘How have you been able to live without me ?’ (The others replied,) ‘Just like the deaf, though not hearing, yet living with the breath, speaking with the organ of speech, seeing with the eye and thinking with the mind.’ (At this) the ear entered (the body).
V-i-11: The mind departed. Staying a year out, it came back and asked, ‘How have you been able to live without me ?’ (The others replied,) ‘Just like infants without developed minds, yet living with the breath, speaking with the organ of speech, seeing with the eye and hearing with the ear.’ (At this) the mind entered (the body).
V-i-12: Then, as the Prana was about to depart, it uprooted the other senses just as a horse of mettle would uproot the pegs to which it is tethered. They all then came to it and said, ‘O revered sir, be our lord, you are the best amongst us; do not depart from the body.’
V-i-13: Then speech said to that one, ‘Just as I am the richest, in the same manner are you also the richest’. Then the eye said to that one, ‘Just as I am the stable basis, in the same manner are you also the stable basis’.
V-i-14: Then the ear said to that one, ‘Just as I am prosperity, in the same manner are you also prosperity.’ Then the mind said to that one, ‘Just as I am the abode, in the same manner are you also the abode.’
V-i-15: Verily, people do not call them as organs of speech, nor as eyes, nor as ears, nor as minds. But they call them only as Pranas; for the Prana indeed is all these.
V-ii-1: He (the Prana) asked, ‘What will be my food?’ ‘Whatever there is here, even (the food) of dogs and birds’, replied the senses. Whatever is eaten, all that is the food of Ana. The name "Ana’ indeed is self-evident. For him who knows thus there is nothing that is not food.
V-ii-2: He asked, ‘What will be my garments ?’ ‘Water’, replied the senses. Therefore, indeed, those who are about to eat, cover it, both before and after, with water. (He who knows thus) becomes the obtainer of clothes and of upper garments.
V-ii-3: Satyakama Jabala imparted this (doctrine of Prana) to Gosruti, the son of Vyaghrapada, and said, ‘If anyone should impart this even to a dry stump, then branches would certainly shoot and leaves would sprout from it’.
V-ii-4: Next, if that knower of Prana desires to attain greatness, then having consecrated himself on the new moon day, he should, on the full moon night, stir up in a vessel of curd and honey the mash of all herbs and then offer an oblation into the fire on the spot prescribed for offerings, with the Mantra, ‘Svaha to the eldest and the best’, and throw what remains attached to the ladle into the mash-pot.
V-ii-5: With the Mantra "Svaha to the richest’, he should offer an oblation into the fire on the spot prescribed for offerings, and throw what remains attached to the ladle into the mash-pot. With the Mantra ‘Svaha to what is stable’, he should offer an oblation into the fire on the spot prescribed for offerings, and throw what remains attached to the ladle into the mash-pot. With Mantra ‘Svaha to prosperity’, he should offer an oblation into the fire on the spot prescribed for offerings, and throw what remains attached to the ladle into the mash-pot. With the Mantra ‘Svaha to the abode’, he should offer an oblation into the fire on the spot prescribed for offerings, and throw what remains attached to the ladle into the mash-pot.
V-ii-6: Then, moving a little away and taking the mash-pot in his hands, he should recite (the Mantra): ‘You are Ama by name, for all this (universe) rests with you. He (i.e. you as Prana) is the eldest, the best, the effulgent, and sovereign. May he (i.e. you as Prana) lead me to the eldest age, to the best position, to effulgence, and to sovereignty. Verily I wish to become all this.’
V-ii-7: Then, reciting this Rik-mantra, foot by foot, he should sip. ‘We pray for that food pertaining to the Progenitor’, saying this (line) he should sip. ‘We pray for the food of the effulgent one’, saying this he should sip. ‘(Which is) the best and all-sustaining’, saying this he should sip. We readily meditate upon (the form of the deity) Bhaga’, saying this and washing the pot shaped like a Kamsa (goblet) or a Camasa (cup), he should drink all. Then he should lie down behind the fire on a skin or on the ground, controlling speech and mind. If he should see a woman (in a dream), he should know that his rite has succeeded.
V-ii-8: There is this verse about it: During the performance of the rites for desired results if the performer sees a woman in a dream, then he should recognize fulfilment in this vision in a dream – yea, in this vision in a dream.
V-iii-1: Once Svetaketu, the grandson of Aruna, came to the assembly of the Panchalas. Pravahana, the son of Jivala, enquired of him, ‘My boy, has your father instructed you ?’ ‘He has indeed, revered sir’.
V-iii-2: ‘Do you know where created beings go above from here ?’ No, revered sir’. ‘Do you know the place of parting of the two paths – the path of the gods and the path of the fathers ?’ ‘No, revered sir’.
V-iii-3: ‘Do you know why the other world is not filled up ?’ ‘No, revered sir’. ‘Do you know how, at the fifth oblation, the liquid oblations (or unseen results of action) come to be designated as man ?’ ‘No, indeed, revered sir’.
V-iii-4: ’Then why did you say, "I have been instructed" ? Foz, how can he who does not know these things say, "I have been instructed" ?’ He was distressed and came to his father’s place and said to him, ‘Revered Sir, wiuhout having instructed me properly you said, "I have instructed you".’
V-iii-5: ‘That nominal Kshatriya asked me five questions, and I was not able to answer even one of them’. The father said, ‘Even as you have spoken to me about them, so do I not know even one of them. If I had known them, why should I not have toll you ?’
V-iii-6: Then Gautama went to the king’s place. When he arrived, the king made reverential offerings to him. In the morning he presented himself to the king when he was in the assembly. The king said to him, ‘O revered Gautama, please ask for a boon of human wealth’. He replied, ‘O king, let the human wealth remain with you, tell me those words which you spoke to my boy’. The king was perturbed.
V-iii-7: The king commanded him, ‘Stay here for a long time.’ At the end of the period he said to him, ‘Even as you told me, O Gautama, prior to you, this knowledge never went to the Brahmanas. This is why the expounding of this knowledge belonged to the Kshatriyas in earlier times in all the worlds’. Then he instructed him.
V-iv-1: The world yonder is indeed the fire, O Gautama. Of that, the sun is the fuel, the rays are the smoke, the day is the flame, the moon is the embers, and the stars are the sparks.
V-iv-2: Into this fire the deities offer the oblation of faith. Out of that oblation King Soma arises.
V-v-1: Parjanya is indeed the fire, O Gautama. Of that, the air is the fuel, the cloud is the smoke, the lightning is the flame, the thunderbolt is the embers, and the rumblings of thunder are the sparks.
V-v-2: Into this fire the deities offer the oblation of King Soma. Out of that oblation rain arises.
V-vi-1: The earth indeed is the fire, O Gautama. Of that, the year, is the fuel, Akasa is the smgke, night is the flame, the directions are the embers, and the intermediate directions are the sparks.
V-vi-2: Into this fire the deities offer the oblation of rain. Out of that oblation food (in the shape of corn) arises.
V-vii-1: Man indeed is the fire, O Gautama. Of that, speech is the fuel, Prana is the smoke, the tongue is the flame, the eye is the embers, and the ear is the sparks.
V-vii-2: Into this fire the deities offer the oblation of food. Out of that oblation the seed arises.
V-viii-1-2: Woman indeed is the fire, O Gautama. Into this fire the deities offer the oblation of the seed. Out of that oblation the foetus arises.
V-ix-1: Thus at the fifth oblation, (the oblation called) water comes to be designated as man. That foetus, covered with membrane, lies for nine or ten months, and is then born.
V-ix-2: Being born, he lives whatever the length of his life may be. When he is dead (to attain the world) as ordained, they carry him from here (for cremation) to fire itself from which alone he came and from which he arose.
V-x-1-2: Among them, those who know thus (this knowledge of the five fires) and those who are devoted to faith and austerity in the forest – they go to light; from light to the day, from the day to the bright fortnight, from the bright fortnight to those six months during which the sun travels northward; from the months to the year, from the year to the sun, from the sun to the moon and from the moon to the lightning. (From the region of Brahman) a person, who is other than human, (comes and) causes them, existing there, to attain Brahman. This is the path of the gods.
V-x-3: But those who living in villages (as householders) practise sacrifices and works of public utility and gift, go to smoke, from smoke to night, from night to the dark fortnight, from the dark fortnight to those months during which the sun travels southward. From there they do not reach the year (like those going the path of the gods).
V-x-4: From the months, (they go) to the region of the fathers, from the region of the fathers to Akasa, from Akasa to the moon. This (i.e. this moon) is King Soma (the king of the Brahmanas). This is the food of the deities. This the deities eat.
V-x-5: Residing in that (region of the moon) till they have exhausted (the results of action) they then return again the same way as they came (by the path that is being mentioned). They come to Akasa, and from Akasa to air. Having become air, they become smoke. Having become smoke they become the white cloud.
V-x-6: Having become the white cloud, they become the (rain-bearing) cloud. Having become the cloud they fall as rain. Then they are born in this world as rice and barley, herbs and trees, sesamum plants and beans. But the release from these is more difficult, for whoever eats the food and sows the seed, they become like him only.
V-x-7: Among them, those who have good residual results of action here (earned in this world and left as residue after the enjoyment in the region of the moon), quickly reach a good womb, the womb of a Brahmana, or of a Kshatriya or of a Vaisya. But those who have bad residual results of action quickly reach an evil womb, the womb of a dog or of a hog or of a Chandala.
V-x-8: Then, by neither of these two paths, do they go. They, as small creatures, keep repeatedly revolving, subject to the saying ‘Be born and die’. This is the third state. Therefore that region (of the moon) is never filled up. Hence one should be disgusted (with this state). There is this verse about it.
V-x-9: One who steals gold, one who drinks wine, one who dishonours the teacher’s bed, and one who injures a Brahmana – all these four fall, as also the fifth one who associates with them.
V-x-10: Moreover, he who knows (worships) these five fires thus, even though he associates with those sinners, is not tainted by sin. He who knows these thus becomes cleansed and pure and obtains the meritorious world – yea, he who knows thus.
V-xi-1: Pracinasala the son of Upamanyu, Satyayajna the son of Pulusa, Indradyumna the son of Bhallavi, Jana the son of Sarkaraksa, and Budila the son of Asvatarasva – these five great householders and great Vedic scholars, having come together, held a discussion on ‘What is our Atman ? What is Brahman ?’
V-xi-2: They reflected among themselves, ‘Revered sirs, Uddalaka, the son of Aruna, knows well this Vaisvanara Atman. Well, let us go to him’. And they went to him.
V-xi-3: Uddalaka reflected, ‘These great householders and great Vedic scholars are going to uestion me; but possibly I shall not be able to tell them everything. However, I shall direct them to another teacher’.
V-xi-4: Uddalaka said to the, ‘Revered sirs, at present, Asvapati, the son of Kekaya, is studying this Vaisvanara Atman. Well, let us go to him’. Then they went to him.
V-xi-5: When they arrived, the king arranged for each of them separately a welcome with suitable rites. Next morning, on rising, he said to them, ‘In my kingdom there is no thief, no miser, no drunkard, no man who has not installed the fire, no ignorant person, no adulterer, so how can there be any adulteress ? Revered sirs, I am going to perform a sacrifice. In that as much wealth, sirs, as I give to each single priest, shall I give to you also. Revered sirs, please remain’.
V-xi-6: They said, ‘The purpose for which a man goes (to another), on that alone he should speak to him. You are, at present, studying the Vaisvanara Atman, please tell us of that.
V-xi-7: The king said to them, ‘I shall answer you in the morning’. In the morning, they approached him with sacrificial fuel in their hands. The king, without receiving them as initiated pupils, spoke thus:
V-xii-1: ‘O Aupamanyava, what is the Atman on which you meditate ?’ He replied, ‘Heaven only, O venerable king’. The king said, ‘This that you meditate upon as Atman is the Vaisvanara Atman known as "the highly luminous". Therefore in your family are seen the Suta, Prasuta and Asuta libations of Soma-juice.’
V-xii-2: ‘So you eat food and see what is dear. One who meditates on this Vaisvanara Atman thus, eats food and sees what is dear, and there is in his family the holy effulgence born of sacred wisdom. But this is only the head of the Atman. If you had not come to me your head (a portion) would have fallen down.’
V-xiii-1: Then the king said to Satyayajna Paulusi, ‘O Pracinayogya, what is that Atman on which you meditate ?’ He replied, ‘The sun only, O venerable king’. The king said, ‘This that you meditate upon as Atman is the Vaisvanara Atman known as "the multiform". Therefore in your family are seen all kinds of enjoyable things.
V-xiii-2: ‘So, for you are provided a chariot drawn by mules, maid-servants and a gold necklace; so you eat food and see what is dear. One who thus meditates upon this Vaisvanara Atman, eats food and sees what is dear, and there is in his family the holy effulgence born of sacred wisdom. But this is only the eye of the Atman. If you had not come to me you would have become blind.’
V-xiv-1: Then the king said to Indradyumna Bhallaveya, ‘O descendant of Vyaghrapada, what is that Atman on which you meditate ?’ He replied, ‘Air only, O venerable king.’ The king said, ‘This that you meditate upon as Atman is the Vaisvanara Atman known as "the diversely coursed". Therefore from diverse directions offerings come to you, and various rows of chariots follow you.
V-xiv-2: ‘So you eat food and see what is dear. One who thus meditates upon this Vaisvanara Atman eats food and sees what is dear, and there is in his family the holy effulgence born of sacred wisdom. But this is only the Prana of the Atman. If you had not come to me your Prana would have departed’.
V-xv-1: Then the king said to Jana, ‘O Sarkaraksya, what is that Atman on which you meditate ?’ He replied, ‘Akasa only, O venerable king’. The king said, ‘This that you meditate upon as Atman is the Vaisvanara Atman known as "the manifold". Therefore are your offspring and wealth manifold.
V-xv-2: ‘So you eat food and see what is dear. One who thus meditates upon this Vaisvanara Atman, eats food and sees what is dear, and there is in his family the holy effulgence born of sacred wisdom. But this is only the trunk of the Atman. If you had not come to me your trunk would have been shattered’.
V-xvi-1: Then the king said to Budila Asvatarasvi, ‘O Vaiyaghrapadya, what is that Atman on which you meditate ?’ He replied, ‘Water only, O venerable king’. The king said, ‘This that you meditate upon as Atman is the Vaisvanara Atman known as "the wealth". Therefore are you endowed with wealth and bodily strength.
V-xvi-2: ‘So you eat food and see what is dear. One who thus meditates upon this Vaisvanara Atman, eats food and sees what is dear, and there is in his family the holy effulgence born of sacred wisdom. But this is only the lower belly of the Atman. If you had not come to me your lower belly would have burst’.
V-xvii-1: Then the king said to Uddalaka Aruni, ‘O Gautama, what is that Atman on which you meditate ?’ He replied, ‘The earth only, O venerable king’. The king said, ‘This that you meditate upon as Atman is the Vaisvanara Atman known as "the foundation". Therefore are you well-founded in offspring and cattle’.
V-xvii-2: ‘So you eat food and see what is dear. One who thus meditates upon this Vaisvanara Atman, eats food and sees what is dear, and there is in his family the holy effulgence born of sacred wisdom. But this is only the feet of the Atman. If you had not come to me your feet would have withered away’.
V-xviii-1: The king said to them, ‘All of you (with partial knowledge) eat food knowing the Vaisvanara Atman differently, as it were. But one who thus meditates upon this Vaisvanara Atman as a whole, consisting of parts and self-conscious, eats food in all the worlds, in all the beings, and in all the selves.
V-xviii-2: Of the aforesaid Vaisvanara Atman, the head is ‘the highly luminous’, the eye is ‘the multiform’, the breath is ‘the diversely coursed’, the trunk is ‘the vast’, the lower belly is the ‘wealth’, the feet are the earth (‘the foundation’). (Of the enjoyer as Vaisvanara) the chest is the altar, the hairs on the chest are the Kusa grass, the heart is the Garhapatya fire, the mind is the Anvaharyapacana fire, and the mouth is the Ahavaniya fire.
V-xix-1: Therefore, the food that comes first should be an object of oblation. That eater, when he offers the first oblation, should offer it with the Mantra ‘Svaha to Prana’; thereby Prana is satisfied.
V-xix-2: Prana being satisfied, the eye is satisfied; the eye being satisfied, the sun is satisfied; the sun being satisfied, heaven is satisfied; heaven being satisfied, whatever is under heaven and the sun is satisfied. Through its satisfaction the eater himself is satisfied. (He is satisfied) also with offspring, cattle, food, lustre and the holy effulgence born of sacred wisdom.
V-xx-1: Then, when he offers the second oblation, he should offer it with the Mantra ‘Svaha to Vyana’; thereby Vyana is satisfied.
V-xx-2: Vyana being satisfied, the ear is satisfied; the ear being satisfied, the moon is satisfied; the moon being satisfied, the quarters are satisfied; the quarters being satisfied, whatever is under the moon and the quarters is satisfied. Through its satisfaction the eater himself is satisfied. (He is satisfied) also with offspring, cattle, food, lustre and the holy effulgence born of sacred wisdom.
V-xxi-1: Then, when he offers the third oblation, he should offer it with the Mantra ‘Svaha to Apana’; thereby Apana is satisfied.
V-xxi-2: Apana being satisfied, speech is satisfied; speech being satisfied, fire is satisfied; fire being satisfied, the earth is satisfied; the earth being satisfied, whatever is under the earth and fire is satisfied. Through its satisfaction the eater himself is satisfied. (He is satisfied) also with offspring, cattle, food, lustre and the holy effulgence born of sacred wisdom.
V-xxii-1: Then, when he offers the fourth oblation, he should offer it with the Mantra ‘Svaha to Samana’; thereby Samana is satisfied.
V-xxii-2: Samana being satisfied, the mind is satisfied; the mind being satisfied, Parjanya (rain god) is satisfied; Parjanya being satisfied, lightning is satisfied; lightning being satisfied, whatever is under lightning and Parjanya is satisfied. Through its satisfaction the eater himself is satisfied. (He is satisfied) also with offspring, cattle, food, lustre and the holy effulgence born of sacred wisdom.
V-xxiii-1: Then, when he offers the fifth oblation, he should offer it with the Mantra ‘Svaha to Udana’; thereby Udana is satisfied.
V-xxiii-2: Udana being satisfied, the skin is satisfied; the skin being satisfied, the air is satisfied; the air being satisfied, Akasa is satisfied; Akasa being satisfied, whatever is under the air and Akasa is satisfied. Through its satisfaction the eater himself is satisfied. (He is satisfied) also with offspring, cattle, food, lustre and the holy effulgence born of sacred wisdom.
V-xxiv-1: If anyone, without knowing this, offers the Agnihotra, it would be just a man removing the live embers and pouring the oblation on the ashes.
V-xxiv-2: But if one, knowing it thus, offers the Agnihotra to Prana his oblation is poured into all the worlds, all the beings, and all the selves.
V-xxiv-3: So, even as reed-cotton when laid on the fire is burnt up, so are burnt up all the sins of this one who knowing it thus offers the Agnihotra.
V-xxiv-4: Therefore, even if one, who knows thus, offers the remnant of his food to a Chandala, then also that food becomes his offering to the Vaisvanara Atman only. There is this verse about it.
V-xxiv-5: As, in this world, hungry boys gather round their mother, even so all the creatures wait upon the Agnihotra.
Translated by Swami Swahananda
Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai.
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