Contents
FIRST VALLI, OR, THE CHAPTER ON SIKSHA (PRONUNCIATION) 
FIRST ANUVAKA
1. HARIH, OM! May Mitra be propitious to us, and Varuna,
Aryaman
also, Indra, Brihaspati, and the wide-striding Vishnu.
Adoration to Brahman! Adoration to thee, O Vayu (air)! Thou
indeed art the visible Brahman. I shall proclaim thee alone as the visible
Brahman. I shall proclaim the right. I shall proclaim the true (scil. Brahman).
(1-5) May it protect me! May it protect the teacher! yes, may
it protect me, and may it protect the teacher! Om! Peace! peace! peace!
SECOND ANUVAKA.
1. Om! Let us explain Siksha, the doctrine of pronunciation,
viz. letter, accent, quantity, effort (in the formation of letters), modulation,
and union of letters (sandhi). This is the lecture on Siksha.
THIRD ANUVAKA.
1. May glory come to both of us (teacher and pupil) together!
May Vedic light belong to both of us!
Now let us explain the Upanishad (the secret meaning) of the
union (samhita), under five heads, with regard to the worlds, the heavenly
lights, knowledge, offspring, and self (body). People call these the great
Samhitas.
First, with regard to the worlds. The earth is the former
element, heaven the latter, ether their union;
2. That union takes place through Vayu (air). So much with
regard to the worlds.
Next, with regard to the heavenly lights. Agni (fire) is the
former element, Aditya (the sun) the latter, water their union. That union takes
place through lightning. So much with regard to the heavenly lights.
Next, with regard to knowledge. The teacher is the former
element,
3. The pupil the latter, knowledge their union. That union
takes place through the recitation of the Veda. So much with regard to
knowledge.
Next, with regard to offspring. The mother is the former
element, the father the latter, offspring their union. That union takes place
through procreation. So much with regard to offspring.
4. Next, with regard to the self (body). The lower jaw is the
former element, the upper jaw the latter, speech their union. That union takes
place through speech. So much with regard to the Self. These are the great
Samhitas. He who knows these Samhitas (unions), as here explained, becomes
united with offspring, cattle, Vedic light, food, and with the heavenly world.
FOURTH ANUVAKA.
1. May he who is the strong bull of the Vedas, assuming all
forms, who has risen from the Vedas, from the Immortal, may that Indra (lord)
strengthen me with wisdom! May I, O God, become an upholder of the Immortal!
May my body be able, my tongue sweet, may I hear much with my
ears! Thou (Om) art the shrine (of Brahman), covered by wisdom. Guard what I
have learnt.
She (Sri, happiness) brings near and spreads,
2. And makes, without delay, garments for herself, cows,
food, and drink at all times; therefore bring that Sri (happiness) hither to me,
the woolly, with her cattle! Svaha! May the Brahman-students come to me, Svaha!
May they come from all sides, Svaha! May they come forth to me, Svaha! May they
practise restraint, Svaha! May they enjoy peace, Svaha!
3. May I be a glory among men, Svaha May I be better than the
richest, Svaha! May I enter into thee, O treasure (Om), Svaha Thou, O treasure,
enter into me, Svaha! As water runs downward, as the months go to the year, so,
O preserver of the world, may B rahman-students always come to me from all
sides, Svaha!
(1) Thou art a refuge! Enlighten me! Take possession of me!
FIFTH ANUVAKA.
1. Bhu, Bhuvas, Suvas, these are the three sacred
interjections (vyahriti). Mahakamasya taught a fourth, viz. Mahas, which is
Brahman, which is the Self. The others (devatas) are its members.
Bhu is this world, Bhuvas is the sky, Suvas is the other
world.
2. Mahas is the sun. All the worlds are increased by the sun.
Bhu is Agni (fire), Bhuvas is Vayu (air), Suvas is Aditya (sun). Mahas is the
moon. All the heavenly lights are increased by the moon.
Bhu is the Rik-verses, Bhuvas is the Saman-verses, Suvas is
the Yagus-verses.
3. Mahas is Brahman. All theVedas are increased by the
Brahman.
(1-2) Bhu is Prana (up-breathing), Bhuvas is Apana
(down-breathing), Suvas is Vyana (backbreathing). Mahas is food. All breathings
are increased by food.
Thus there are these four times four, the four and four
sacred interjections. He who knows these,
(1-2) Knows the Brahman. All Devas bring offerings to him.
SIXTH ANUVAKA.
1. There is the ether within the heart, and in it there is
the Person (purusha) consisting of mind, immortal, golden.
Between the two palates there hangs the uvula, like a
nipple-that is the starting-point of Indra (the lord). Where the root of the
hair divides, there he opens the two sides of the head, and saying Bhu, he
enters Agni (the fire); saying Bhuvas, he enters Vayu (air);
2. Saying Suvas, he enters Aditya (sun); saying Mahas, he
enters Brahman. He there obtains lordship, he reaches the lord of the mind. He
becomes lord of speech, lord of sight, lord of hearing, lord of knowledge. Nay,
more than this. There is the Brahman whose body is ether, whose nature is true,
rejoicing in the senses (prana), delighted in the mind, perfect in peace, and
immortal.
(1) Worship thus, O Prakinayogya!
SEVENTH ANUVAKA.
1. 'The earth, the sky, heaven, the four quarters,and the
intermediate quarters,'-'Agni (fire), Vayu (air), Aditya (sun), Kandramas
(moon), and the stars,'-'Water, herbs, trees, ether, the universal Self
(virag),'-so much with reference to material objects (bhuta).
Now with reference to the self (the body): 'Prana
(up-breathing),Apana (down-breathing),Vyana (backbreathing), Udana
(out-breathing), and.Samana (on-breathing),'-' The eye, the ear, mind, speech,
and touch,'-'The skin, flesh, muscle, bone, and marrow.' Having dwelt on this
(fivefold arrangement of the worlds, the gods, beings, breathings, senses, and
elements of the body), a Rishi said: 'Whatever exists is fivefold (pankta).'
(1) By means of the one fivefold set (that referring to the
body) he completes the other fivefold set.
EIGHTH ANUVAKA.
1. Om means Brahman. 2. Om means all this. 3. Om means
obedience. When they have been told, 'Om, speak,' they speak. 4. After Om they
sing Samans. 5. After Om they recite hymns. 6. After Om the Adhvaryu gives the
response. 7. After Om the Brahman-priest gives orders. 8. After Om he (the
sacrificer) allows the performance of the Agnihotra. 9. When a Braahmana is
going to begin his lecture, he says, 10. 'Om, may I acquire Brahman (the Veda).'
He thus acquires the Veda.
NINTH ANUVAKA.
1. (What is necessary?) The right, and learning and
practising the Veda. The true, and learning and practising the Veda. Penance,
and learning and practising the Veda. Restraint, and learning and practising the
Veda. Tranquillity, and learning and practising the Veda. The fires (to be
consecrated), and learning and practising the Veda. The Agnihotra sacrifice, and
learning and practising the Veda. Guests (to be entertained), and learning and
practising theVeda. Man's duty, and learning and practising the Veda. Children,
and learning and practising the Veda.
(1-6) Marriage, and learning and practising the Veda.
Children's children, and learning and practising the Veda.
Satyavakas Rathitara thinks that the true only is necessary.
Taponitya Paurasishti thinks that penance only is necessary. Naka Maudgalya
thinks that learning and practising the Veda only are necessary,-for that is
penance, that is penance.
TENTH ANUVUKA.
1. 'I am he who shakes the tree (i.e. the tree of the world,
which has to be cut down by knowledge). 2. My glory is like the top of a
mountain. 3. I, whose pure light (of knowledge) has risen high, am that which is
truly immortal, as it resides in the sun. 4. I am the brightest treasure. 5. I
am wise, immortal, imperishable,.' 6. This is the teaching of the Veda, by the
poet Trisanku.
|
