and on Yoga

29 Having spoken thus, absorbed in thought, Sakayanya [greeted] him and said: ‘By this Brahma-knowledge, O king, did the [servants] of Prajapati [GOD the Creator] ascend the path of Brahma.

By the practise of Yoga one gains contentment, endurance of the pairs of opposites (dvandva), and tranquillity

(santatva).

This profoundest mystery one should not mention to any

one who is not a son, or who is not a pupil, or who is not

tranquil. However, to one who is devoted to none other

[than to GOD] or to one who is supplied with all the

qualifications (guna), one may give it.

Liberation [salvation, near GOD] by relinquishment of all

desires, mental activity, and self-consciousness

30 Om! One should be in a pure place, himself pure (suci), abiding in pureness (sattva), studying the Real (sat), speaking of the Real, meditating upon the Real, sacrificing to the Real [GOD]. Henceforth, in the real Brahma [GOD’s presence] which longs for the Real, he becomes completely other. So he has the reward (phala) of having his fetters cut; becomes void of expectation, freed from fear in regard to others [as fully] as in regard to himself, void of desire. He attains to imperishable, immeasurable happiness, and continues [therein].

Verily, freedom from desire (niskamatva) is like the choicest

extract from the choicest treasure. For, a person who is

made up of all desires, who has the marks of determination,

conception, and self-conceit, is bound. Hence, in being the

opposite of that, he is liberated.

On this point some say: “It is a quality (guna) which by

force of the developing differentiation of Nature (prakrti)

comes to bind the self with determination [and the like], and

that liberation results from the destruction of the fault of

determination [and the like].”

[But] it is with the mind, truly, that one sees. It is with the

mind that one hears. Desire, conception, doubt, faith, lack of

faith, steadfastness, lack of steadfastness, shame, meditation,

fear — all this is truly mind.

Borne along and defiled by the stream of Qualities, unsteady,

wavering, bewildered, full of desire, distracted, one goes on into

the state of self-conceit. In thinking “This is I” and “That

is mine” one binds himself with himself, as does a bird with

a snare! Hence a person who has the marks of determination, conception, and self-conceit is bound. Hence, in being

the opposite of that, he is liberated. Therefore one should

stand free from determination, free from conception, free from

self-conceit. This is the mark of liberation (moksa). This is

the pathway to Brahma here in this world. This is the opening of the door here in this world. By it one will go to the

farther shore of this darkness, for therein all desires are contained. On this point they quote: —

When cease the five

[Sense-]knowledges, together with the mind,

And the intellect stirs not —

That, they say, is the highest course.’

Sakayanya’s final course [to the Garden]

Having spoken thus, Sakayanya became absorbed in

thought.

Marut, [having greeted] and shown proper honor to

him, having attained his end, departed [raised by the angels] by the northern course

of the sun, for there is no approach by a side-path here in

the world. This is the path to Brahma here in the world.

Piercing through the door of the sun, he departed aloft. On

this point they quote: —

Unending are the rays of him

Who like a lamp dwells in the heart.

They’re white and black and brown and blue;

They’re tawny and of pale red hue.

Aloft arises one of these,

Which, piercing through the sun’s round disk,

On to the Brahma-world extends.

Thereby men go the highest course.

What are its other hundred rays,

Are similarly upwards ranged;

Thereby unto the various gods’ [angels’]

Abiding-places one arrives.

But by its feebly shining rays

Which manifoldly downward lead

One [strays] here helplessly

[Until the reckoning] of his deeds.

Therefore yonder blessed sun is [a sign of GOD, the Cause of] creation (sarga),

of heaven (svarga), and of final emancipation (apavarga).

The evidences of the Soul in the senses and in the mind

31 Of what nature, verily, are these senses that range forth? And who is the one here who goes forth and restrains them? — Thus has it been said.

The answer is: ‘They are of the nature of soul (atmaka), for

the soul is he who goes forth and restrains them. There are

enticing objects of sense (apsaras), and there are so-called

luminous rays. With his five rays he feeds upon objects

(visaya).’

‘Which soul?’

‘He who has been described as “pure, clean, void, tranquil,

and of other marks.” He is to be apprehended by his own

peculiar marks.

Some say that the mark of Him who is without any mark

is what heat and [anything] pervaded by it is to fire, and

what a most agreeable taste is to water.

Now others say it is speech, hearing, sight, mind, breath;

now others that it is intellect, steadfastness, memory,

intelligence. Now, verily, these are the marks of Him, even

as sprouts here are the mark of a seed, as smoke, light, and

sparks are the marks of a fire. On this point they quote: —

[GOD], the source of all

And as, indeed, from fire the sparks do issue,

And likewise, too, from out the sun its light-rays,

From [Him] repeatedly all breathing creatures

Come forth into this world, each in its order.

32 From Him [GOD], indeed, [who is nearer than the jugular vein] come forth all breathing creatures, all worlds, all the Vedas, all gods [angels], all beings. The mystic meaning (upanisad) thereof is: The Real of the real.

Now, as from a fire, laid with damp fuel, clouds of smoke

separately issue forth; so, lo verily, from this great Being

(bhuta) [GOD] has been breathed forth that which is Rig-Veda, Yajur-

Veda, Sama-Veda, [Hymns of] the Atharvans and Angirases,

Legend (itihasa), Ancient Lore (purana), Sciences (vidya),

Mystic Doctrines (upanisad), Verses (sloka), Aphorisms (sutra),

Explanations (anuvyakhyana), and Commentaries (vyakhyana).

From Him, indeed, all beings here [were breathed forth].’

The mystical significance of the three fires in the

religious sacrifice

33 Verily, this [Garhapatya] sacrificial fire with its five bricks is the year. For that [fire] the bricks are these: spring, summer, the rains, autumn, winter. So it has a head, two wings, a back, and a tail. In the case of one who knows the Person this sacrificial fire is the earth, Prajapati’s [GOD the Creator’s] first sacrificial pile. With its hands it raises the sacrificer up to the atmosphere, and offers him to Vayu (the Wind) [the angel of the wind]. Verily, the wind is breath.

Verily, breath (prana) is a sacrificial fire [i. e. the second, the

Dakshina fire]. For that the bricks are these: the Prana

breath, the Vyana breath, the Apana breath, the Samana

breath, the Udana breath. So it has a head, two wings, a back,

and a tail. In the case of one who knows the Person this

sacrificial fire is the atmosphere, Prajapati’s second sacrificial

pile. With its hands it raises the sacrificer up to the sky, and

offers him to Indra [GOD the Mighty]. Verily, [yonder sun is Indra’s sign].

He [Indra] is this [third, the Ahavaniya] fire. For that

the bricks are these: the Rig-Veda, the Yajur-Veda, the

Sama-Veda, [the Hymns of] the Atharvans and Angirases

[i. e. the Atharva-Veda], Legend (itihasa), and Ancient Lore

(purana). So it has a head, two wings, a back, and a tail.

In the case of one who knows the Person this sacrificial fire

is that sky, Prajapati’s third sacrificial pile. With its hands

it makes a present of the sacrificer to the Knower of Atman

(the Soul) [GOD, the Knower of souls]. Then the Knower of Atman raises him up and