First Adhyaya, Twelfth Khanda (4 mantras)

Mantra 1.12.1.

1. Now, therefore, we shall describe the Udgītha of loath. Baka Dālbhya called also Maitreya, the Silent, went out (to a retired spot), for the sake of study. Then to him there appeared the Holy Vāyu (in a materialised form.)

Approaching him (Vāyu) the other Breaths (as well as Dālbhya) said “O Lord! sing for us food (i.e., teach us how to pray to God, through Udgītha,) so that we may eat; (we are verily anxious to learn it.)—88.

[Note.—Udgīthaḥ, the sacred song called the Udgītha. Now then is mentioned the Udgītha revealed by Vāyu.]

[Note.—Glāvaḥ, nick-named Glāva, because he remained silent like a glāva [glāvaḥ], even when addressed. This name was given to him by his adoptive mother Mitrā.]

[Note.—Svādhyāyam, for the sake of study; Religious recitation of the Vedas in a retired spot).]

[Note.—Udvavrāja, went out. The word “Ha” is to be construed with this verb. Or the word Tad may construed with the next sentence.]

[Note.—Pradur, manifest; Babhūva, ecame. In order to show favour to Baka and to other Devatās, the holy Vāuy, Assuming a materialised form, became manifest.]

[Note.—Śvānaḥ, the breathing ones, the panting ones the strong ones, literally, breathing ones (Devas in the form of breath.)]

Mantra 1.12.2.

2. Vāyu said to them “come to me to-morrow morning, at this very spot.” Then Baka, the son of Dālbhya, called also Maitreya (Maitreyaḥ), the Silent, waited for him there.—89.

Mantra 1.12.2 (continued).

2. Just as (priests) going to sing Bahiṣpavamāṇa sit close to each other, gliding noiselessly, (so these Breaths) sat down quietly, (round the white Breath.) (Then Vāyu taught them the secret prayer). They then thus being seated, made the sound hiṅ, (and thus recited the prayer as taught to them).—90.

[Note.—Āsasṛpuḥ—moved along; crept along, i.e., each sat in his appointed place; quietly, calmly and quickly, close to each other, without making noise, as if their mouths were shut, as if each held the tail of the other in his mouth. When they had thus approached him, with due respect, Vāyu taught them the prayer. Being thus taught by Vāyu, those Devas, in the from of Breaths, sitting down, began to praise the Lord dwelling in Vāyu, after uttering the syllable “hiṅ”.]

Mantra 1.12.2 (continued).

2. O Om! (Vāyu and God full of auspicious attributes!) may we eat food, Om may we drink water. Om, may the Omniscient, the Adorable, the Protector of creatures, the Creator of all, give us our daily food. Lord of food! give us food, O Lord! Give us food.

Madhva’s commentary called the Bhāṣya:

In the former part, it was mentioned that the worshipper ot Udgītha is not contaminated by sin. In this part, it will be stated that such a worshipper possesses the power of obtaining food, by his magical singing, and devout meditaion on the Lord; and this the Śruti describes in the form of a story. Dālbhya’s son was called Baka, he was adopted by a lady called Mitrā as her son: hence he had two names; one was Dālbhya Baka, another was Maitreya, the adopted son of Mitrā. He was nicknamed by her Glāva. because even when called on urgent occasions he would remain stupidly standing and not replying quickly; as if he was an idiot.

Dālbbya’s son Baka was adopted for the sake of progeny by Mitrā and when she called him, he remained silent like Glāva, therefore, he was called by her Glāva and got the nick-name Glāva. So, he has both appellations (namely Dālbhya Baka and Maitreya Glāva).

The word Vā in the Śruti indicates this fact. The word Śauva does not mean Mantras revealed to or seen by the Śvans; but it means the Mantras which Vāyu assuming the form of a Śvan (a Breathing One) uttered in order to teach Baka Devatās.The [?? Śauva] Udgītha is that which has been revealed by Vāyu assuming the form of Śvan; for the sake of showing favour to Baka and to Rudra and other Devas, who also had assumed the forms of Śvans on that occasion.

When Vāyu was asked by the other Breaths, to sing the Udgītha for them, he told them “come to me here to-morrow morning.” Why did he ask them to come in the morning, and why did he not recite the Udgītha then and there? The Commentator answers this by saying that morning is the proper time for reciting Udgītha

The Lord Keśava, worshipped in the morning of the full moon with Śauva Udgītha, awards all desired fruits to his worshipper, said Māruta.

The Śruti, says the Śvans, moved along and having sat down they began to pronounce “Hiṅg Om adāma Om Pibāma”, etc. This would show that the Breaths knew the Mantra from before and were not taught by Vāyu. This notion is wrong; for if they knew the Mantra of themselves, what was the necessity of mentioning that the Holy Breath appeared first. This Holy Breath was Vāy Moreover this Holy Breath returned the next morning also. If the small Breaths knew the Udgītha, there was no necessity for the big white Breath to come with them the next morning. Therefore, the Commentator says

The Devatās obtained all their desired objects when they after uttering “Hiṅ” recited the Mantra “Om Adāma, etc.” taught to them by Vāyu and addressed to Viṣṇu dwelling within Vāyu.

“The words addressed to Viṣṇu” show that the four terms Deva, Varuṇa, Prajāpati, Savitā, are names of Viṣṇu in this passage; though in other places they may have different meanings. Consequently these four terms have also a secondary meaning, namely they are names of Vāyu also, because Viṣṇu dwells in Vāyu. The Commentator shows why Viṣṇu and Vāyu are called by the names of Deva, Varuṇa, Prajāpati, Savitā:—

Viṣṇu and Vāyu are both called Devas, because one is absolutely all-knowing; while the other is relatively all-knowing.

There is no third all knowing being. The √div means ‘to go’ and all roots meaning ‘to go,’ denote also ‘to know’; therefore Deva coining from the root √div means ‘knowing’ or ‘omniscient.’ Viṣṇu’s omniscience embraces the knowledge of himself and of others intuitively. The omniscience of Vāyu is dependent on reflection.

Both are called Varuṇa because both are Varanīya [Varaṇīya?] or adorable; both are called Saviāa because both are creators, one who brings forth everything (prasūti); both are called Prajāpati or Lord of creatures, because both are Lords of creatures; one the Highest and the other subordinate to Him.

Note.—The word Śvan is generally translated as ‘a Dog’ or ‘a Hound.’ That meaning, however, is not appropriate here. Madhva, of course, has not fallen into the same error as his predecessors. He rightly explains that Vāyu appeared in the shape of a Śvan, but he does not explain the word Śvan. It is, however, an old name of Vāyu. In the Ṛg Veda, I. 161. 13., Sāyana [Sāyaṇa?] explains the word śvānam by Vāyu. He says “that which moves or breathes, or pants (śvasantam) in space or in sky is called Śvan, and it is a name of Vāyu. In another place (I. 179. 4) he explains the word (śvasantam) by ‘all powerful,’ ‘strong in breath.’ Thus this word here may bo translated “the Great Breathing One”;‘the Great Breath,’or simply Vāyu. The duty, of these Great moving Ones in space, was that of an envoy or messenger between God and men. The highest messenger is, of course, the Chief Prāṇa. Subordinate to him are other messengers, all belonging to the Great White Lodge and, therefore, called the White Messenger. I would, therefore, translate this word as “angel,” who has a similar function of being an envoy or messenger in theologies of other creeds. Perhaps a more literal translation would be ‘the White Strong One’; ‘the White Breathing One.’ But to translate it as ‘a white dog’ or ‘a white hound’ would be against the spirit of the whole Upaniṣad. I have, therefore, ventured to introduce this meaning in the text. The Chief Prāṇa, surrounded by his subordinate Prāṇas, is the principal topic of this Udgītha Vidyā in this Upaniṣad. Therefore there is nothing out of the way in the story that the Great Prāṇa materialised as a white angel surrounded by other angels, in order to instruct Baka. This materialisation is not a unique thing. It is often mentioned in other Upaniṣads also. Thus Brahman himself materialises as a Yakṣa in Kena Upaniṣad. See also Nirukta III. 18, where Śvan is derived from the root śva, ‘to breathe’; or sav “to move,” “to run.”

The Uṇādi, I.158, derives it from śvi, ‘to prosper,’ ‘to grow.’