Section 2.24 (twenty-fourth khaṇḍa) (sixteen texts)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

In course of the treatment of Meditation on Sāma, the Text has precluded the possibility of the notion that the syllable ‘Om’ is an auxiliary to Ritualistic Acts, and has raised its position to a high level by describing it as the image of the Supreme Self and as the means of attaining immortality. It now proceeds to expound the ramifications of Sāma, Homa and Mantra, as constituents of the Sacrificial Act which forms the subject-matter of the Discourse.

Upaniṣad text:

The Teachers of Brahman declare that the ‘Morning Extraction’ appertains to the Vasus, the ‘Midday Extraction’ to the Rudras, and the ‘Evening Extraction’ to the Ādityas and the Viśvedevas.—(1)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

The Teachers of Brahman declare that what is known as the ‘Morning Extraction’ appertains io the Vasus; which means that this Region (Earth) connected with the ‘Morning Extraction’ is held in sway by these Lords of the Extraction (the Vasus).—Similarly the region of the Sky is held in sway by the Rudras who are Lords of ‘Midday-Extraction’. Similarly the third region is held in sway by the Ādityas and Viśvedevas who are Lords of the ‘Evening Extraction’.—Thus then there is no Region left for the Performer of Sacrifices.—(1)

Upaniṣad text:

Where then is the Sacrificer’s Region? If one does not know this, how can he perform (the Sacrifice)? If he knows it, he should perform (it).—(2)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

For the above reason, the question arises—When then is the Region for the Sacrificer,—for attaining which, he performs the sacrifice? The sense of the question is that there is no Region for him.—In view of the Vedic Text—‘One who performs a sacrifice does so for the purpose of attaining a Region’,—if there is no Region for the Sacrificer, then if one who performs the sacrifice does not know the means of making the Region his own,—such means consisting in the knowledge of the ramifications of Sāma, Homa and Mantras,—he is ignorant; and being ignorant, how could he perform a sacrifice? That is to say, in no way could he ever become a sacrificer,— The purpose of all this is to eulogise the knowledge of Sāma and the sacrificial details, and it does not mean that the performance of the sacrifice is forbidden for one who knows merely the sacrificial ritual and is ignorant of the aforesaid Sāma and the rest. For if the sentence were taken as eulogising the knowledge of Sāma and the rest, and also as forbidding the performance by the ignorant,—then there would be a syntactical split. Further, in the section dealing with Uṣasti-Cākrāyaṇa we have already explained that the performance of sacrifices is permissible for the ignorant also.—On the other hand, if he knows the Sāma and other means, as are going to be described;—he should perform the sacrifice—(2)

Upaniṣad text:

Before the commencing of the ‘Morning Chant’, sitting behind the Gārhapatya Fire, and facing - the North, he sings the Sāma sacred to the Vasas.—(3)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

The text proceeds to expound what it is that should be known by the Sacrificer;—Before—prior to—the commencing—beginning—of the ‘morning chant’, sitting behind—at the back of—the Gārhapatya Fire,—and facing the North—he sings the Sāma sacred to the Vasus,—i.e. that of which the Vasas are the presiding deity.—(3)

Upaniṣad text:

‘Open the gate of the Region, so that we may look upon Thee, for the purpose of attaining kingdom’.—(4)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

O Fire, open the door of the Region of the Earth,—i.e. for attaining this Region:—through that Door, we may look upon Thee,—for this purpose of attaining kingdom.—(4)

Upaniṣad text:

Then he pours the libation (saying)—‘Adoration to Agni, dwelling on the earth, dwelling in the Region. Secure the Region for me, the Sacrificer! That would be the Sacrificer’s region to which I would go.’—(5)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

Then, after the above,—he pours the libation (in the fire)—with this Mantra.—‘Adoration to Agni, we bow down to Thee—Thou who art dwelling on the Earth, and dwelling in the Region,’—i.e, dwelling in the Earthly Region I Secure—obtain—for me, the Sacrificer—the Region; that would be the Sacrificer’s Region to which I would go.—(5)

Upaniṣad text:

Herein, the Sacrificer, after the lapse of his life-span, (says)—‘Svāhā ! Remove the bolt’, and saying this he stands up, and the Vasus offer to him the ‘Morning Extraction’—(6)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

Herein—in the said Region,—the Sacrificer, after the lapse of his life-span,—i.e. on death,—pours the libation, saying ‘Svāhā! Remove—take out—the bolt—the bar to the entrance to the Region’;—having recited this Mantra, he stands up.—By all these means the Region connected with the ‘Morning Extraction’ becomes secured from the Vasus; hence these offer the ‘Morning Extraction’ to the Sacrificer.—(6)

Upaniṣad text:

Before the commencement of the ‘Midday Extraction’, sitting behind the Agnīdhrīya Fire.—and facing the North, he sings the Sāma sacred to the Rudras.—

‘Open the door......... for sovereignty of the Sky......... (7-8)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

Similarly, sitting behind the Agnīdhṛīya Fire,—i.e. the Dakṣiṇāgni,—and facing the North, he sings the Sāma sacred to the Rudras, i.e. the Sāma of which the Rudras are the Deity,—for the purpose of attaining Vaiṛājya, (sovereignty of the Sky).—(7-8)

Upaniṣad text:

Then he pours the libation, (saying)—‘Adoration to Vāyu, dwelling in the Sky, dwelling in the Region! Secure the Region for me, the Sacrificer.—That would be the Sacrificer’s Region to which I would go!’—(9)

Herein the Sacrificer, after the lapse of his life-span, says ‘Svāhā! Remove the bolt’, and saying this, he stands up and the Rudras offer to him the ‘Midday Extraction’.—(10)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

Dwelling in the sky etc., etc.,—as above.—(9-10)

Upaniṣad text:

Before the commencement of the Third Extraction, sitting behind the Āhavanīya Fire, ānd facing the North, he sings the Sāma sacred to Āditya and that sacred to the Viśvedevas.—(11)

‘Open the door......... for sovereignty over Heaven.’—(12)

This to the Ādityas. The following to the Visvśdevas—‘Open the door......... for supreme sovereignty’.—(13)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

Similarly, sitting behind the Āhavanīya Fire facing the North, he sings the Sāma sacred to Āditya—i.e. the Sāma of which Āditya is the deity,—and also the Sāma sacred to the Viśvedevas,—for the purpose, respectively, of acquiring ‘sovereignty over Heaven’ and ‘supreme sovereignty.—(11, 12, 13)

Upaniṣad text:

Then he pours the libation, (saying)—‘Adoration to the Ādityas and to the Viśvedevas, dwelling in Heaven and dwelling in the Region! Secure the region for me, the Sacrificer’.—(14)

‘That would be the Sacrificer’s Region, to which I would go.’—Herein the Sacrificer, after the lapse of his life-span, says—‘Svāhā Remove the bolt’; and saying this, he stands up.—(15)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

Dwelling in Heaven etc., etc.;—the rest is as before; the only difference is that the forms ‘bindata’ and ‘apahata’ are in the plural number (on account of the deities addressed being many in number).—All this is to be said by the Sacrificer, as is clearly indicated by the expressions ‘etāsmi’, (‘I would go’) and ‘Atra Yajamānaḥ’ (‘Herein the Sacrificer’).—(14, 15)

Upaniṣad text:

The Ādityas and the Viśvedevas offer to him the ‘Third Extraction’.—He, verily, knows the measure of the Sacrifice who knows this,—yea, who knows this.—(16)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

He i.e. the Sacrificer who knows the Sāma and the details as described above, knows the measure—the real nature—of the Sacrifice, as described; Who knows this, yea, who knows this’—the repetition is meant to indicate the end of the Discourse.

End of the Section (24) of Discourse II