BOOK I ADMONITION
1
May the Sun bless us! May the Night bless us! May the Eye bless us! May Might bless us! May Speech bless us! May the All-prevalent bless us! Welcome Spirit! Welcome Life, Face of Spirit! Truth shall be on my lips and truth in my thoughts. May truth protect me; protect my teacher; protect us both. May peace and peace and peace be everywhere.
2
We explain what constitutes pronunciation. It comprises letters, accent, quantity, articulation, rhythm, and lastly sequence of letters.
3
Grant success! Grant that we may be one in the light of Spirit.
This chapter deals with the world, heavenly bodies, education, generation, language.
What is this world? Earth below, heaven above, air between, wind joining them.
What are the heavenly bodies? Fire on one side, sun on the other side, water between, lightning joining them.
What is education? The teacher on one side, pupil on the other side, knowledge between, discourse joining them.
What is generation? Mother on one side, father on the other side, child between, procreation joining them.
What is language? The lower jaw on one side, the upper jaw on the other side, words between, tongue joining them.
This is the summary. He who knows them all, shall have children, cattle, food, knowledge, heaven.
4
Om! Essence of the Vedas, revealed in the Vedas, revealed in the world, sprung from immortality! Lord, fill me with intelligence, that I may grasp immortality!
Make my body strong, my tongue sweet, my ears keen. You are the Spirit's armour, hidden by sensuality. Keep me from forgetting.
May spiritual riches come of their own will. May they increase, then send me Spirit itself. May I never lack clothes, cows, food, drink, that I may serve you the better. May pupils come, may pupils gather round, may pupils listen, that I may serve you the better. May they in peace, control mind and sense, that they may serve you the better.
May I become famous, may I become richer than the richest, that I may serve you the better.
Lord! may I enter into you, may you enter into me! may I merge into your thousands of shapes, for my purification.
As water flows downward, as months mingle with the year, Guardian! may pupils come from everywhere, that I may serve you the better.
You are the Fold. Take me. Enlighten me.
5
Bhoohu, Bhuwaha, Suwaha, are sacred sounds. Sage Mahichamasya taught a fourth, Mahas, meaning Spirit, meaning God. The others are His limbs.
When Bhoohu is earth, Bhuwaha sky, Suwaha heaven. Mahas is the sun; for everything is sustained by the sun.
When Bhoohu is fire, Bhuwaha wind, Suwaha sun, Mahas is the moon; for planets are sustained by the moon.
When Bhoohu is Rig-Veda, Bhuwaha Sama-Veda, Suwaha Yajur-Veda, Mahas is Spirit; for the Vedas are sustained by Spirit.
When Bhoohu is Prana, Bhuwaha Apana, Suwaha Wyana, Mahas is Food; for the living fires are sustained by food.
Thus there are four times four, sixteen sacred sounds. He who knows them, knows Spirit; all gods will pay him homage.
6
God lives in the hollow of the heart, filling it with immortality, light, intelligence.
Where the skull divides and where it is customary to divide the hair, lies the hollow, where the gate of God swings, like the uvula within the palate.
Through that gate man goes forth into fire crying Bhoohu, into air crying Bhuwaha, into sun crying Suwaha, into Spirit crying Mahas.
In Spirit, he attains heaven, conquers his mind; becomes master of speech, sight, hearing, knowledge.
He becomes Spirit itself, which has for its body air, for its soul truth, for its rest life; there he is peaceful, merry, immortal.
Worship Spirit, now that you are fit to worship ancient Spirit.
7
Earth, sky, heavens, quarters, sub-quarters; fire, wind, sun, moon, stars; water, air, herb, food, body; are elements.
Prana, Wyana, Apana, Udana, Samana; eye, ear, mind, tongue, touch; skin, flesh, muscle, bone, marrow; are the body.
A Sage said, understanding these sets of five: 'Everything is sacred; for with the help of the latter, man conquers the former.'
8
Om is Spirit. Everything is but Om.
Om permits, Om gives the signal. Om begins the ceremony. All chants begin with Om. All hymns begin with Om. The priest begins with Om. His commands are in the name of Om. The sacrificer offers the oblation with Om. The teacher begins with Om. The pupil begins with Om.
The pupil murmuring Om seeks for Spirit; in the end he finds Spirit.
9
Do your duty; learn and teach. Speak truth; learn and teach. Meditate; learn and teach. Control sense; learn and teach. Control mind; learn and teach. Kindle fire; learn and teach. Feed fire; learn and teach. Be hospitable; learn and teach. Be humane; learn and teach. Serve the family; learn and teach. Procreate; learn and teach. Educate your children; learn and teach.
Ratheetara Satyawacha says: 'Truth is necessary.' Paurushishti Taponitya says: 'Austerity is necessary.' Moudgalya Naka says: 'Learning and teaching are necessary.'
Learning and teaching, they are austerity; they are austerity.
10
'I nourish the tree of life. My glory is like the mountain peak. I am exalted, wise, luminous, immortal, pure. I am the life that flows from the sun.' So said sage Trishanku, having attained.
11
After teaching the Vedas, teacher says to pupil: 'Speak the truth. Do your duty. Study the Vedas. Give what is fitting to the teacher; marry, continue the family. Neither neglect your spiritual nor your worldly welfare. Always learn and teach. Forget neither God nor ancestor. Your mother your goddess, your father your God, your guest your God, your teacher your God; copy our good deeds alone, so escape blame.
'Look for men greater than us, welcome them, give them hospitality.
'Give with faith; if you lack faith, give nothing. Give in proportion to your means. Give with courtesy. Give as the God-fearing give. Give to the deserving.
'If you do not know what to do in some particular case or in your general conduct, think of what sense of duty, what kindness, independence of public opinion, some holy men of your neighbourhood, whether of an order or not, would show in like circumstance; if you do not know what to think about a man think what some such holy man would think about him.
'This is the admonition, the advice, the law of the Vedas. Obey! Obey.'
BOOK II JOY
May He protect us both. May He take pleasure in us both. May we show courage together. May Spiritual knowledge shine before us. May we never hate one another.
May peace and peace and peace be everywhere.
1
He who knows Spirit knows the foundation. Here is my authority: 'He who knows Spirit as that boundless wise reality, hidden in the heart's cavern, gets all that he wants.'
Out of Spirit came air, out of air, wind; out of wind, fire; out of fire, water; out of water, earth; out of earth, vegetation; out of vegetation, food; out of food, man;
Man's elemental Self comes from food: this his head; this his right arm; this his left arm; this his heart; these legs his foundation. Here is my authority:
2
'From food are born all creatures; they live upon food, they are dissolved in food. Food is the chief of all things, the universal medicine.
'They who think of food as Spirit, shall never lack. From food all beings are born, all beings increase their bulk; all beings feed upon it, it feeds upon all beings.'
The elemental Self is from food, but within it lives its complement and completion, the living Self. The living Self grows up side by side with the elemental Self. Prana is its head, Wyana its right arm, Apana its left arm, air its heart, earth its foundation. Here is my authority:
3
'Gods, men, beasts, live by breath. Breath is life and is called the giver of Life.'
The living Self is the soul of the elemental Self, but within it lives its complement and completion, the thinking Self. The thinking Self grows up side by side with the living Self. Meditation is its head, ritual its right arm, prayer its left arm, admonition of the Vedas its heart, Sage Atharwangiras its foundation. Here is my authority:
4
'He who knows the spiritual joy mind cannot grasp nor tongue speak, fears nothing.'
The thinking Self is the soul of the living Self, but within it lives its complement and completion, the knowing Self. The knowing Self grows up side by side with the thinking Self. Faith is its head, right its right arm, truth its left arm, concentration its heart, discrimination its foundation. Here is my authority:
5
'Knowledge runs to sacrifice and incites action. Gods worship knowledge as the highest expression of Spirit. The steadfast worshipper of Spirit, as knowledge, goes beyond all evil, gets everything he wants.'
The knowing Self is the soul of the thinking Self, but within it lives its complement and completion, the joyous Self. The joyous Self grows up side by side with the knowing Self. Satisfied desire is its head, pleasure its right arm, contentment its left arm, joy its heart, Spirit its foundation. Here is my authority:
6
'He who denies Spirit, denies himself; he who affirms it, affirms himself.'
This joyous Self is the soul of the knowing Self.
Does an ignorant man attain Spirit after death or only a wise man?
7
God thought: 'I would be many; I will procreate.' And in the heat of his meditation created everything; creating everything He entered into everything; entering into everything He took shape yet remained shapeless; took limits yet remained limitless; made his home, yet remained homeless; created knowledge and ignorance; reality, unreality; became everything; therefore everything is reality. Here is my authority:
'In the beginning there was no creation; then creation came. He created Himself, out of Himself. Hence He is called Self-Creator.'
Everything is Self-created. He is that essence. Drinking that essence, man rejoices. If man did not lose himself in that joy, he could not breathe; he could not live. Self is the sole giver of joy.
When man finds invisible, nameless, homeless, shapeless, invulnerable rock, he is no longer terrified. To doubt Spirit is to live in terror. For that man, thinking himself wise, who doubts Spirit, Spirit becomes terror itself. Here is my authority:
'Through terror of God, sun shines, rain pours, fire burns, wind blows, death speeds.'
8
What is joy?
Think of a young man, well read, ambitious, firm, strong, noble; give him all the wealth of the world, call him one unit of human joy.
Multiply that joy a hundred times, and call it one unit of the joy of those brought to the celestial choir by their good deeds. A man full of revelation, but without desire, has equal joy.
Multiply that joy a hundred times, and call it one unit of the joy of choir-born spirits. A man full of revelation, but without desire, has equal joy.
Multiply that joy a hundred times, and call it one unit of the joy of the fathers, living in their eternal paradise. A man full of revelation, but without desire, has equal joy.
Multiply that joy a hundred times, and call it one unit of the joy of heaven-born gods. A man full of revelation, but without desire, has equal joy.
Multiply that joy a hundred times, and call it one unit of the joy of gods brought to godhead by their good deeds. A man full of revelation, but without desire, has equal joy.
Multiply that joy a hundred times, and call it one unit of the joy of ruling gods. A man full of revelation, but without desire, has equal joy.
Multiply that joy a hundred times, and call it one unit of the joy of Indra, god of Power. A man full of revelation, but without desire, has equal joy.
Multiply that joy a hundred times, and call it one unit of the joy of Brihaspati, who has taught the gods. A man full of revelation, but without desire, has equal joy.
Multiply that joy a hundred times, and call it one unit of the joy of Prajapati, maker of gods. A man full of revelation, but without desire, has equal joy.
Multiply that joy a hundred times, and call it one unit of the joy of Spirit. A man full of revelation, but without desire, has equal joy.
He who lives in man, He who lives in the sun, are one.
He who knows this, cries a goodbye to the world; goes beyond elemental Self, living Self, thinking Self, knowing Self, joyous Self. Here is my authority:
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'He who knows the spiritual joy mind cannot grasp nor tongue speak, fears nothing.'
Should he do wrong, or leave good undone, he knows no remorse. What he does, what he does not, is sanctified; what he does not, what he does, is sanctified.
BOOK III BHRIGU
May He protect us both. May He take pleasure in us both. May we show courage together. May spiritual knowledge shine before us. May we never hate one another.
May peace and peace and peace be everywhere.
1
Bhrigu, seeking his father Waruna, said:
'Lord! what is Spirit?'
Waruna said: 'First know food, life, seeing, hearing, speaking, thinking; then that Spirit from whom all things are born, by whom they live, towards whom they move, into whom they return.'
2
Bhrigu meditated and found that food is Spirit. From food all things are born, by food they live, towards food they move, into food they return.
Having found this he said to his father: 'Lord! Tell me more about Spirit.'
Waruna said: 'Find Spirit through meditation; meditation is Spirit.'
3
Bhrigu meditated and found that life is Spirit. From life all things are born, by life they live, towards life they move, into life they return.
Having found this he said to his father: 'Lord! Tell me more about Spirit.'
Waruna said: 'Find Spirit through meditation, meditation is Spirit.'
4
Bhrigu meditated and found that mind is Spirit. From mind all things are born, by mind they live, towards mind they move, into mind they return.
Having found this he said to his father: 'Lord! Tell me more about Spirit.'
Waruna said: 'Find Spirit through meditation; meditation is Spirit.'
5
Bhrigu meditated and found that knowledge is Spirit. From knowledge all things are born, by knowledge they live, towards knowledge they move, into knowledge they return.
Having found this he said to his father: 'Lord! Tell me more about Spirit.'
Waruna said: 'Find Spirit through meditation; meditation is Spirit.'
6
Bhrigu meditated and found that joy is Spirit. From joy all things are born, by joy they live, toward joy they move, into joy they return.
This is what Bhrigu, son of Waruna, found in the hollow of his heart.
He who knows it stands on a rock; commands everything, enjoys everything; founds a family, gathers flocks and herds; grows famous through the light of Spirit; is a great man.
7
Respect food. Life is food; body lives on food. Body is life; life is body; they are food to one another.
He who knows it stands on a rock; commands everything, enjoys everything; founds a family, gathers flocks and herds; grows famous through the light of Spirit; is a great man.
8
Do not steal food. Water is food; light lives on water. Water is light; light is water; they are food for one another.
He who knows it stands on a rock; commands everything, enjoys everything; founds a family, gathers flocks and herds; grows famous through the light of Spirit; is a great man.
9
Store food. Earth is food; air lives on earth. Earth is air; air is earth; they are food for one another.
He who knows it stands on a rock; commands everything, enjoys everything; founds a family, gathers flocks and herds; grows famous through the light of Spirit; is a great man.
10
Never turn anyone from the door; gather enough food, say to the stranger: 'Sir, the dinner is served.' He who gives with purity, gets purity in return; he who gives with passion, gets passion in return; he who gives with ignorance, gets ignorance in return.
He who knows, meditates upon Spirit as the blessedness of speech; as Prana and Apana, the getting and giving of the two breaths; as the activity of hands, as movement of feet, as the evacuation of the bowels.
These are the customary meditations upon the body.
He meditates upon Spirit as nourishment in rain, as violence in lightning, as abundance in cattle, as light in stars, as creation, joy, immortality in sex, as all-filling, all-containing nature in air.
These are the customary meditations on Nature.
Worship Spirit as the support, be supported; worship Spirit as the great, become great; worship Spirit as the mind, become mind.
Bow down to Spirit as the sole object of desire, be the goal of all desire; worship Spirit as the master of all, become the master of all.
Worship Spirit as the destroyer, your enemies whether public or in your own house shall be destroyed.
He who lives in man, He who lives in the sun, are the same.
He who knows this, says goodbye to the world: goes beyond elemental Self, living Self, thinking Self, knowing Self, joyous Self.
He moves at will throughout the world, enjoying whatever he will, creating whatever shape he will, praising the unity of Spirit—miraculous, miraculous, miraculous.
I am the food, I am the food, I am the food; I am the eater, I am the eater, I am the eater; I am the link between, I am the link between, I am the link between.
I am the first among the visible and the invisible. I existed before the gods. I am the navel of immortality. Who gives me, protects me. I am food; who refuses to give me, I eat as food.
I am this world and I eat this world. Who knows this, knows.