Breath, fire, and sun: this is the heat-form.

Food, water, and moon: this is the swelling-form.

Intellect (buddhi), mind (manas), and egoism (ahamkara):

this is the intelligence-form.

The Prana breath, the Apana breath, and the Vyana breath:

this is the breath-form.

Hence these are praised, honored, and included by saying

Om. For thus has it been said: ‘This syllable Om, verily,

O Satyakama, is both the higher and the lower Brahma [GOD].’

Worship of the world and the Soul by the use of the

original three world-creating Utterances

6 Now [in the beginning], verily, this world was unuttered.

When he [GOD], who is the Real (satya), who is Prajapati (Lord of Creation) [GOD the Creator],

[willed], he uttered bhur (earth), bhuvas (atmosphere), and svar (sky).

This, indeed, is Prajapati’s coarsest [creation], this world-[order].

Its head is the sky (svar). The atmosphere (bhuvas) is the

navel. The feet are the earth (bhur). The eye is the sun

(aditya), for a person’s great material world (matra) depends

upon the eye, for with the eye he surveys material things.

Verily, the eye is [from] the Real; for stationed in the eye a person

moves about among all objects.

Therefore one should [consider] bhur (earth), bhuvas (atmosphere), and svar (sky); for thereby Prajapati, the [Lord] of

all, the [Seer] of all, becomes [glorified].

For thus has it been said: ‘Verily, this is the all-supporting

[sign] of Prajapati. This whole world is hidden in it, and it is

hidden in this whole world. Therefore [GOD alone] one

should worship.’

Worship of [GOD, whose sign is the sun],

by the use of the Savitri Prayer

7 tat savitur varenyam

That desirable [splendor] of Savitri [GOD the Light-giver] —

Yonder sun, verily, is [the sign of] Savitri. He, verily, is to be sought

thus by one desirous of the Soul (Atman) — say the expounders

of Brahma (brahma-vadin).

bhargo devasya dhimahi

May we meditate upon [that] splendor of the god [GOD]!

Savitri, verily, is [a name of] GOD. Hence upon that which is called His

splendor do I meditate — say the expounders of Brahma.

dhiyo yo nah pracodayat

And may He inspire our thoughts!

Thoughts, verily, are meditations. And may He inspire these

for us — say the expounders of Brahma.

Etymological significance of the names of the cosmic

manifestations of the Soul

Now, ‘splendor’ (bharga). —

Verily, [that light] which [shines] in yonder sun is called ‘splendor,’

and the pupil in the eye, too! [It] is called ‘bhar-ga’ because

with the light-rays (bha) is its course (gati).

Or, Rudra (the Terrible) [GOD the Avenger] is called ‘bharga’ because He

causes to dry up (bharjayati) — say the expounders of Brahma.

Now bha means that He illumines (bhasayati) these worlds.

ra means that He gladdens (ranjayati) beings here, ga means

that creatures here go (gacchanti) [to Him] and [come from Him].

Therefore, because of being bha-ra-ga, He is ‘bharga.’

Surya (the sun [GOD’s sign]) is [so named] because of the continual

pressing out (suyamana). Savitri (the sun) is [so named]

because of its stimulating (savana). Aditya (the sun) is [so

named] because of its taking up unto itself (adana). Pavana

(fire) is [so named] because of its purifying (pavana). Moreover, Apas (water) is [so named] because of its causing to

swell (apyayana).

The Soul (Atman) the agent in a person’s various functions

for thus has it been said: ‘Assuredly, [GOD is] the [Lord] of

one’s soul, called the Immortal Leader. As perceiver, thinker,

goer, evacuator, begetter, doer, speaker, taster, smeller, seer,

hearer — and he touches — the [soul, from] the All-pervader [GOD],

has entered the body.’

The Soul (Atman), the subject in all objective knowledge;

but itself, as unitary, never an object of knowledge

For thus has it been said: ‘Now, where knowledge is of a

dual nature, there, indeed, one hears, sees, smells, tastes, and

also touches; the soul knows everything. Where knowledge

is not of a dual nature, being devoid of action, cause, or effect,

unspeakable, incomparable, indescribable — what is that? It is

impossible to say!’

The [One GOD, with His names and attributes]

8 This Soul (Atman) [GOD], assuredly, indeed, is [called] Isana (Lord), Sambhu (the Beneficent), Bhava (the Existent), Rudra (the Terrible), Prajapati (Lord of Creation), Visvasrij (Creator of All), Truth (satya), Life (prana), Spirit (hamsa), Sastri (Punisher, or Commander, or Teacher), Vishnu (Pervader), Arka (the Shining), Savitri (Vivifier, the sun [His sign]), Dhatri (Creator), Vidhatri (Ordainer), Samraj (Sovereign), Indra [the Mighty]. [Yonder sun, His sign,] gives forth heat, [and] is covered with a thousand-eyed, golden ball, like a fire [covered] with a fire. Him [GOD], assuredly, one should desire to know. He should be searched for.

To be perceived by the meditative hermit

Having bidden peace to all creatures, and having gone to the

forest, then having put aside objects of sense, from out of one’s

own body one should perceive Him [GOD].

The liturgy for making the eating of food [a thanksgiving to GOD]

9 Therefore, verily, he who knows this has both these [i. e. breath and the sun] as his soul (atman, self); he (Atman), meditates only in himself, he sacrifices only in himself [for GOD’s sake]. Such meditation and a mind devoted to such practise — that is a thing praised by the wise.

One should purify the impurity of his mind with [the

formula] ‘What has been touched by leavings.’ He repeats

the formula (mantra): —

‘Leavings and what has been touched by leavings,

And what has been given by a bad man, or [what is impure]

because of a still-birth —

Let the cleansing power of Vasu [GOD the Provider], Agni [the Radiant], and the rays of Savitri [the Light-giver]

Purify my food and any other thing that may be evil!’

First [i. e. before eating] he swathes [his breath] with water.

‘Hail to the Prana breath [GOD’s gift]! Hail to the Apana breath! Hail

to the Vyana breath! Hail to the Samana breath! Hail to the

Udana breath!’ — with these five Hails he offers the oblation [to GOD].

Then, with voice restrained, he eats the remainder.

Then, afterwards, he again swathes with water.

So, having sipped, having made the sacrifice [to GOD], he

should meditate upon [GOD] with the two [formulas] ‘As

breath and fire’ and ‘Thou’rt all’: —

‘By breath and fire, [GOD’s] highest [command]

Has entered in with the five winds.

May He, when pleased Himself, please all —

The [All-Knowing]!’

‘Thou’rt [Lord of] all, the Universal [One]!

By Thee is everything that’s born supported;

And unto Thee let all oblations [be offered]!

There creatures live, where Thou art, All-immortal!’

So he who eats by this rule, indeed, comes not [into ruin].

Applications of the principle of food (according to

the Sankhya doctrine)

10 Now, there is something else to be known. There is a higher development of this Atman-sacrifice, namely as concerns food and the eater. The further explanation of this [is as follows].

The conscious person stands in the midst of Matter (pra-

dhana) [created by GOD]. He is an enjoyer, for he enjoys the food of Nature

(prakrti). Even this elemental soul (bhutatman) is food for

him; its maker is [GOD]. Therefore that which is to be

enjoyed consists of the three Qualities (guna), and the enjoyer

is the person who stands in the midst.

Here observation is clearly proof. Since animals spring from

a source, therefore what is to be enjoyed is the source. Thereby

is explained the fact that Matter is what is to be enjoyed.