Section 4.12 (twelfth khaṇḍa) (two texts)

Upaniṣad text:

Then the Anvāhāryapacana Fire instructed him—‘Water, Quarters, Stars and Moon. The person that is seen in the Moon,—that I am,—that indeed am I’.—(1)

‘One who knowing this thus, meditates upon it, destroys sin, wins regions for himself, reaches the full life-span, lives gloriously and his descendants never perish. We protect him in this world, and also in the other, whosoever knowing this thus meditates upon it’.—(2)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

Next, the Anvāhāryapacana Fire i.e., the Dakṣiṇāgni—instructed him—Water, Quarters, Stars and Moon; these are my four bodies (forms),—I, Anvāhāryapacana stand thus divided into four forms.—Of these, the person that is seen in the Moon—that I am etc., etc.—as before.—The Anvāhāryapacana Fire and the Moon are identified on the ground of (1) their being connected with food, (2) of both being luminous, and (3) also because of their connection with the Southern Quarter.—As regards Water and Stars, these are related, as before, only as food; it being well-known that the stars are objects of enjoyment for the Moon.—As regards Water, it is productive of Food, and hence regarded as food for the Dakṣiṇagni,—just as Earth is regarded as food for the Gārhapatya fire.—The rest is as before.—(1-2)

End of Section (12) of Discourse IV