offers him to Brahma [His presence]. There he becomes blissful, joyful.

One’s own digestion to be attended to, as a compend

of cosmic sacrificial fires

34 The Garhapatya fire is the earth. The Dakshina fire is the atmosphere. The Ahavaniya fire is the sky. Hence they are [called] ‘Purifying’ (pavamana), ‘Purifier’ (pavaka), and ‘Pure’ (suci). Thereby one’s sacrifice is made manifest.

Since the digestive fire also is a combination of ‘Purifying,’

‘Purifier,’ and ‘Pure,’ therefore [GOD] should be worshiped

with oblations [on] this fire [His sign], [it] should be built up, [He] should be praised, [He] should be

meditated upon.

The Self intended in religious sacrifices and verses

The sacrificer, when he takes the sacrificial butter, seeks

meditation upon [GOD] thus: —

‘[Who made] the bird of golden hue,

[Who made] both the heart and sun,

Swan, diver-bird, surpassing bright —

Him let us worship [alone, with this offering]!’

And thus too one discerns the meaning of the sacred verse

(mantra): ‘That desirable splendor of Savitri’ should be

meditated upon as [the desirable splendor] of Him [GOD, who knows] the meditator abiding in the intellect. Here in the world one

reaches the place of tranquillity for the mind; he places it

[with GOD] indeed.

Liberation in the control of one’s thoughts

On this point there are these verses: —

As fire, of fuel destitute,

Becomes extinct in its own source,

So thought by loss of activeness

Becomes extinct in its own source.

Becomes extinct in its own source,

Because the mind the Real seeks!

For one confused by things of sense,

There follow action’s false controls.

Samsara is just one’s own thought;

With effort he should cleanse it then.

What is one’s thought, that he becomes;

This is the eternal mystery.

For by tranquillity (prasada) of thought,

Deeds (karman), [evil], one destroys.

With soul serene, stayed on [GOD],

Delight eternal one enjoys!

As firmly as the thought of man

Is fixed within the realm of sense —

If thus on Brahma it were fixed,

Who would not be released from bond?

The mind is said to be twofold:

The pure and also the impure;

Impure — by union with desire;

Pure — from desire completely free!

By making mind all motionless,

From sloth and from distraction freed,

When unto mindlessness one comes,

Then that is the supreme estate!

So long the mind should be confined,

Till in the heart it meets its end.

That is both knowledge and release!

All else is but a string of words!

With mind’s stains washed away by concentration,

What may his joy be who has [drawn near to GOD] —

Impossible to picture then in language!

Oneself must grasp it with the inner organ.

In water, water; fire in fire;

In air, air one could not discern.

So he whose mind has entered in —

Released is he from everything!

The mind, in truth, is for mankind

The means of bondage and release:

For bondage, if to objects bound;

From objects free — that’s called release!

Both sacrifice and meditative knowledge needed

Hence, for those who do not perform the Agnihotra sacrifice,

who do not build up the fire, who do not know, who do not

meditate, the recollection of the heavenly abode of Brahma is

obstructed. Therefore, [GOD] should be worshiped with oblations [on] the fire, [it] should be built up, [He] should be praised, [He] should be

meditated upon.

Brahma [GOD], transcending all fragmentary manifestations,

the supreme object of worship

35 Adoration to Agni (Fire) [GOD the Radiant], who [encompasses] the earth, who remembers the world! Bestow the world upon this worshiper!

Adoration to Vayu (Wind) [GOD, Lord of the winds], who [encompasses] the atmosphere,

who remembers the world! Bestow the world upon this

worshiper!

Adoration to Aditya (Sun) [GOD the Light-giver], who [encompasses] heaven, who re-

members the world! Bestow the world upon this worshiper!

Adoration to Brahma [GOD], who [encompasses] all, who remembers all!

Bestow all upon this worshiper!

With a golden vessel

The Real’s face is covered o’er.

That do Thou, O Pushan [GOD the Nourisher], uncover

Unto the Eternal Real (satya-dharma), the Pervader

(Vishnu).

He who is yonder, [Lord of] yonder sun — I myself

am [His servant].

Verily, that which is the sunhood of the sun [comes from] the Eternal

Real. [He] is the pure, the personal, the sexless (a-linga).

Of the bright power that pervades the sky (nabhas) it is only

a portion which is, as it were, in the midst of the sun, in the

eye, and in fire. That is [a sign of] Brahma. That is the Immortal. That

is Splendor. That is the Eternal Real.

Of the bright power that pervades the sky it is only a portion

which is the nectar in the midst of the sun, of which, too, the

moon (Soma) and breathing spirits (prana) are only sprouts.

That is [a sign of] Brahma. That is the Immortal. That is Splendor.

That is the Eternal Real.

Of the bright power that pervades the sky it is only a portion

which shines as the Yajur-Veda in the midst of the sun. That

is Om, water, light, essence — the immortal Brahma! Bhur!

Bhuvas! Svar! Om!

Eight-footed, undefiled, a swan,

Three-stringed, minute, immutable,

To good, bad blinded, lustrous bright —

On [knowing] Him, one [knows] the all.

Of the bright power that pervades the sky it is only a portion

which, rising in the midst of the sun, becomes the two

light-rays. That is the knower of unity, the Eternal Real.

That is the Yajur-Veda. That is heat. That is fire. That is

wind. That is breath. That is water. That is the moon [all signs of GOD].

That is the bright. That is the immortal. That is the realm

of Brahma. That is the ocean of light. In It, indeed,

worshipers [are brought near, by His mercy]. That, verily,

is the Brahma-[nearness], for therein all desires are

contained. On this point they quote: —

Transitory [dwellers among] the gods [angels], and terminating

knowers of real unity [of GOD]