Section 4.1 (first khaṇḍa) (eight texts)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

It has been explained above (under Sec. 18 of Discourse III.) how Vāyu and Prāṇa—are to be viewed as the ‘feet’ of Brahman. Now proceeds the teaching that these same Vāyu and Prāṇa are to be meditated upon as Brahman itself. The story has been introduced, for the purpose of making the teaching easily intelligible, and also for the purpose of laying down the procedure by which the Teaching is to be imparted and received;—and the story also shows how the attainment of the knowledge of the Teaching is to be brought about by such means as faiths giving of food, absence of haughtiness (humility) and so forth.

Upaniṣad text:

Om! There lived a descendant of Janaśruti, his Great-grandson; he was a pious giver, very generous and with plenty of cooked food; he built Rest-houses all round,—(thinking that) everywhere they may eat of mine.—(1)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

Jānaśruti,—the descendant of Janaśruti:—the particle ‘ha’ means that such is the story told among people;—his great-grandson—the son of his grandson;—he was a pious giver,—i.e. what he gave to Brāhmaṇas and others was always given with due faith and regard;—he was very generous,—i.e. he had the habit of giving away much;—he had plenty of cooked food,—that is, large quantities of food were cooked in his house, every day; that is, in his house much food was cooked for giving away to those seeking for food. This descendant of Janaśruti, his great-grandson, endowed with such qualities, lived in a particular place and at a particular time. He all rounds—in all directions, in villages and in cities,—built-erected-Rest-houses, for people to come and live in;—his idea being that every-where—living in these Rest-houses,—people may eat of mine,—i.e. the food supplied by me.—(1)

Upaniṣad text:

Once at night, some flamingoes flew along; then one flamingo said to the other flamingo—‘Ho, Ho, O, Bhallākṣa, Bhallākṣa! The effulgence of Janaśruti’s great-grandson is pervading like Heaven; touch it not, lest it scorch thee!—(2)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

Under such circumstances, once upon a time, during the hot season, while the king was seated on the roof of the palace, one night, some flamingoes flew along; that is, some ancient sages or deities, being pleased with the king’s generosity in giving food, took the shape of flamingoes and flew along within range of the king’s vision. At that time, when the flamingoes were flying along, one of them, flying behind the rest, said to the flamingo flying before him: ‘Ho’, ‘ho’—Hey, Hey,— having attracted his attention by addressing him thus—Bhallākṣa! Bhallākṣa!—by the repetition showing great regard for what he was going to say, just as in the expression ‘See! See! How wonderful it is!’—The term ‘Bhallākṣa’ is meant to indicate shortsightedness;—or it may be that the flamingo addressed was proud of his superior knowledge of Brahman and on account of his pride, he has been thus taunted by being addressed twice as ‘Bhallākṣa, Bhallākṣa’, by the flamingo behind him who finds his arrogance unpardonable.—(He said to him)—The Effulgence of Janaśruti’s great-grandson is like Heaven—the Heavenly Region,—i.e. his effulgent brightness due to the magnificence of his generous distribution of food,—pervading! i.e. it touches Heavenly Regions.—Or the expression ‘samam divā’ may mean that his effulgence is like daylight;

hence touch it not,—i.e. do not come into contact with the effulgence—lest you do come into contact with that effulgence, it should scorch thee,—burn thee! The verb ‘pradhākṣīḥ’ which is in the Second Person has to be construed as ‘pradhākṣīt’ in the Third Person.—(2)

Upaniṣad text:

The other replied—‘How can you speak of him, being what he is, as if he were Raikva with the Cart?’ ‘Of what sort is this Raikva with the Cart?’—(3).

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

When the first flamingo had said as above, the other, which was flying ahead, replied—‘Oh! this poor king is a mean fellow; and such as he is—this being added with a tone of reproach—‘you yet talk of him with great respect, as if he were endowed with high-mindedness,—as if he were Raikva with the Cart,—i.e. Raikva who possesses a cart. It is incompatible with his character and improper to speak of him as if he were like Raikva with the Cart.—The other flamingo then asked—‘Of what sort is this Raikva with the Cart?’—When he was asked thus, Bhallākṣa said—‘Listen, of what sort is Raikva with the Cart?’

Upaniṣad text:

Just as all the lower casts of the Dice go over to one who has won the Kṛta-cast, so does go over to him whatever good the people do; so also to him who knows what he knows. Such is he who has been spoken of by me.—(4)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

In common practice, when the Kṛta-cast of the Dice which bears four marks and is used in gambling, wins among persons engaged in gambling,—to the man who has won with that Kṛta-cast,—go over—become included,—all the lower casts, bearing three, two and one mark respectively named Tretā, Dvāpara and Kali. That is to say, inasmuch as the number four on the Kṛta-cast contains within itself the lower numbers three, two and one, these latter become included in the former.—Just as in this illustration; so, in the case of Raikva also,—who has the same position as the Kṛta-cast,—there goes over to him everything that is in the position of the other three casts Treta and the rest; that is, everything becomes included in Raikva.—What is this everything that becomes included in him?—Whatever good the people do,—i.e. whatever good and righteous deeds men do in the world become included in the merit acquired by Raikva; that is, the reward of the good acts of all living beings become included in the reward of Raikva’s own good acts.—So also to him who knows what he knows;—what is it?—that which Raikva knows; anyone else who knows that, to him also go over the good acts done by all living beings and also the reward of those acts; just in the same way as they go to Raikva.—Such is he—the knowing man, who, like Raikva, becomes like the Kṛta-cast.—(4)

Upaniṣad text:

Janaśruti’s great-grandson overheard this; and as soon as he rose, he spoke to the Bard—‘O friend, speak of Raikva with the Cart‘—‘Well, what sort of person is this Raikva with the Cart?’—(5)

‘Just as all the lower casts of the Dice go over to one who has won with the Kṛta-cast, so does go over to him whatever good the people do; and so also to him who knows what he knows. Such is he who has been spoken of by me—(6)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

The said statement made by the flamingo,—which eulogised another knowing person in the shape of Raikva, and deprecated himself—the king, Janaśruti’s great-grandson heard while seated on the roof of his palace; and bearing in mind the flamingo’s words, and cogitating over it over and over again, he passed the remaining portion of the night. Then, having been roused from his slumber by the eulogistic chants of the Bards,—or, on rising from sleep,—he spoke to the Bard—‘O, my frieùd, speak of Raikva with the Cart,—not of me;’ that is, he alone is deserving of all the eulogy that you have been chanting,—not I’, or,‘Go and speak to Raikva with the Cart that I wish to see him’.—In this latter sense, the particle ‘iva’ may be taken as indicating emphasis, or as conveying no meaning.—The Bard, understanding the king’s wish and desirous of bringing Raikva with the Cart, said—‘What sort of person is this Raikva with the Cart?’ Having been told by the king and being anxious to bring over Raikva, the man naturally wanted to know who this man was.—Upon this, Janaśruti’s great-grandson repeated the description given by Bhallākṣa, the flamingo.—(5-6).

Upaniṣad text:

The Bard, having searched him, came back, saying ‘I found him not’. Then the king said—‘Oh, that place where search is made for the Brāhmaṇa— there search him’.—(7)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

Remembering the king’s words, the Bard went to villages and cities and searched for Raikva, and returned saying ‘I found him not’;—that is, I could not recognise him.—Then the king said to the Bard—‘Oh, the place where search is made for the Brāhmaṇa knowing Brahman,—that is, in some quiet and lonely place or the bank of a river and such places,—there,-i.e. in such places,—search for him,—go and find him in such places.—(7)

Upaniṣad text:

While he was scratching his itch, seated under the cart, he sat near him and said to him,—‘O, Revered sir, are you Raikva with the Cart I ’—He replied-‘Well, fellow, yes, I am’.—The Bard came back saying ‘I have found him’.—(8)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

Having been thus directed, the Bard searched for him, and in a lonely place, found him under the cart scratching his itch; and he thought that ‘this must be Raikva with the Cart’; he then approached him and sat near him, with great respect; thereupon he said to Raikva,—‘O, Revered sir, are you Raikva with the Cart?’—Being thus asked, he replied—‘Well fellow, yes, I am’; the term ‘āre’ (fellow) was meant to indicate disdain.—Having thus recognised him, the Bard returned saying ‘I have found him—(8)

End of Section (1) of Discourse IV