Section 2.11 (eleventh khaṇḍa) (two texts)

Upaniṣad text:

Mind is the syllable ‘Hiṃ’; Speech is the Prastāva; the Eye is Udgītha; the Ear is Pratihāra; Breath is the Nidhana. This is the Gāyatra (Sāma) interwoven with the Sense-organs.—(1)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

Without actually naming the meditations, the text has so far described the meditation of the five-fold and seven-fold Sāma; it now describes other forms of meditation on Sāma leading to particular results,—and supplies their names as ‘Gāyatra’ and the rest. On the same lines, in the same order, are the various Sāmas used as sacrificial Rites. —Mind is the syllable ‘Hiṃ’ because Mind stands for the first of all the sense-functions,—By reason of its sequence to the Mind, Speech is the Prastāva; The Eye is the Udgītha, because of superior importance.—The Eye is the Pratihāra, because it is drawn within (pratihṛta).—Breath is Nidhana; because all the aforesaid organs become merged in Breath, at the time of sleep.—This is the Gāyatra-Sāma, interwoven with the sense-organs; it is so called because the Gāyatri has been eulogised as ‘Breath’.—(1)

Upaniṣad text:

One who knows this Gāyatra (Sama) as interwoven with the sense-organs, retains his sense-organs, attains full life, lives gloriously, and becomes great with off-spring and cattle and great in fame. His observance is that ‘he should be high-minded’.—(2)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

One who knows the Sāma thus as interwoven with the sense-organs retains his sense-organs; tlíat is, his organs remain efficient.—He attains full life,—a hundred years constitute the ‘full life.’ of man,—as declared in the Veda.—He lives gloriously,—i.e., a glorious life.—He becomes great with off-springs etc.,—and great also in fame.—For one who meditates upon the Gāyatra Sāma the observance is that ‘he should be high-minded’; i.e.. he should not be mean-minded.—(2)

End of Section (11) of Discourse II