Section 2.2 (second khaṇḍa) (three texts)

Upaniṣad text:

One should meditate upon the fivefold Sāma in reference to the Regions: Earth is the syllable ‘Hiṃ’, Fire is Prastāva, Sky is Udgītha, the Sun is Pratihāra, Heaven is Nidhāna,—This is with reference to the ascending Regions.—(1)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

Question—“Which are those extra Sāmas which are recognised as endowed with goodness, and which should be meditated upon?”—These are now described in the Text—One should meditate upon the fivefold Sāma in reference to the Regions etc. etc.—

Objection:—“It is said that they should be meditated upon as the Regions, and it has been said before that they should be meditated upon as good. So there is self-contradiction.”—Not so; what is connoted by the term ‘good’ subsists in the form of the (constituent) cause in all such products as the Regions; just as Clay and other causes subsist in their products, Jar and the like. What is connoted by the term ‘good’ is Duty (Right Conduct) or Brahman; in either case, it is what subsists in all such products as the Regions. Hence it is that wherever there is notion of the Jar and such products, it is always accompanied by the notion of their cause, such as Clay and the like. Similarly the idea of the Regions and other products is always accompanied by the idea of the ‘Good’ (which is their cause): and the reason for this lies in the fact that the Regions are the products of Duty (Right Conduct; or Brahman). Even though the character of being the Cause belongs equally to both Duty and Brahman (and to that extent what is said may be applicable to both), yet (in the present context) it would be right to take the word ‘good’ as connoting Duty (Right Conduct); because in such statements as ‘Sādhukārī sādhurbhavati’, ‘one who performs his duty is good’, we find the term ‘Sādhu’ ‘good’ applied to Duty.—Objection—“As the cause always subsists in the Regions and other products, that the one should be viewed as the other is naturally implied, and hence there could be no need for the teaching that ‘the Sāma should be meditated upon as good’.”—Not so; the said view or idea is one that could be got at only from the Scriptures. In all cases, only such Duties are to be observed as have been enjoined in the Scriptures, and not those which may be perceptible, and yet not learnt from the Scriptures.

One should meditate upon the fivefold Sāma,—i.e. the entire Sāma, i.e. its five forms, determined according to the five divisions,—as ‘good’—with reference to the Regions.—“In what manner?”—Earth is the syllable ‘Hiṃ’—The Locative ending in the word ‘lokeṣu’ should be taken in the sense of the nominative, the sense being that the syllable ‘hiṃ’ being viewed as Earth, one should meditate upon Earth as the syllable ‘Hiṃ’.—Or by reversing the Locative Case as appertaining to the Regions, we may take the words to mean that ‘one should look upon Hiṃ and the other syllables as Earth and the other Regions, and meditate accordingly.’—Now, Earth is the syllable Him, because of both being similar in being the first (the Earth being the first among the Regions, and Hiṅ [Hiṃ?] being the first among Sāmas).—Fire is Prastāva,—as it is in fire that righteous acts are started (prastūyante) and Prastāva is a division (of the Sāma with which it is started).—The Sky is Udgītha; the Sky is called ‘gagana’, and the name ‘Udgītha’ also contains the letter ga.—The Sun is Pratihāra; as the Sun is in front of every living being,—every one thinking that ‘the Sun is shining towards me’.—Heaven is Nidhana; as it is in Heaven that departing from this world, beings are kept (nidhīyante).

This is with reference to the ascending Regions i.e. the meditation of Sāma here described is with reference to (i.e. viewed as) the Regions situated above.—(1)

Upaniṣad text:

Now, with reference to those discending—Heaven is the syllable ‘Hiṃ’; the Sun is the Prastāva; Sky is Udgītha; Fire is Pratihāra; Earth is Nidhana.—(2)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

Now with reference to those descending i.e. with reference to the regions turning downwards,—the meditation of the five-fold Sāma is described. Regions are endowed with faculties of going forward and coming back; and as they happen to be, so should the Sāma be meditated upon; hence the text says ‘with reference to those descending’—Heaven is the syllable ‘Hiṃ’, because both occupy the first position; the Sun is Prāstava; because it is only on the side of the Sun that the activities of living beings Start (prastūyante).—Sky is Udgītha, as before;—Fire is Pratihāra, because Fire is carried hither and thither (Pratiharaṇāt) by living beings;—Earth is Nidhana; because those who return from Heaven die here on Earth (Nidhanāt).—(2)

Upaniṣad text:

The ascending as the well as descending Regions belong to him who, knowing this thus, meditates upon the fivefold Sāma.—(3)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

The reward of the said meditation is as follows;—The Regions, ascending as well as descending, endowed with the faculty of going and coming, belong to him; i.e. become objects of enjoyment to him;—to him who, knowing this thus, meditates upon the fivefold Entire Sāma as ‘food’, with reference to the regions.—This same construction has to be adopted in all cases—i.e. meditating of the five-fold as well as the sevenfold Sāma,—(3)

End of Section (2) of Discourse II