Section 4.17 (seventeenth khaṇḍa) (ten texts)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

Silence has been enjoined for the Brahman-Priest; when this duty of the Brahman-priest fails, or when the functions of the other priests fail,—the expiation to be performed consists in the offering of the Vyāhṛti-Homa; and for this purpose it is necessary to describe the Vyāhṛtis. To this end, the Text proceeds.

Upaniṣad text:

Prajāpati brooded over the Regions.—From these thus brooded over, He squeezed their Essences; Agni (Fire) from Earth, Vāyu (Air) from Sky and Āditya (Sun) from Heaven.—(1)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

Prajāpati brooded over the Regions;—that is, he performed the penance of contemplation in reference to the Regions, with a view to extracting the essence of these. From these Regions, thus brooded over. He squeezed their essences,—their most essential parts.—What were these essences?—Fire was the essence of Earth, Air was the essence of the Sky; and the Sun was the essence of Heaven.—(1).

Upaniṣad text:

He brooded over these three Deities; from these, thus brooded over, He squeezed their essences; the Ṛk-verses from Āgni, the Yajus-texts from Vāyu, and the Sāma-verses from Āditya.—(2)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

Again, He brooded over these three Divinities,—Agni, Vāyu and Āditya; and from these He extracted their Essence, in the shape of the Triadic Science (Three Vedas),—(2)

Upaniṣad text:

He brooded over this Triadic Science; and from that, thus brooded over. He squeezed out their essences, Bhūḥ from the Ṛk-verses. Bhūvaḥ from the Yajus-texts, and Svaḥ from the Sāma-verses.—(3)

If the Sacrifice becomes defective in connection with the Ṛk-verse, one should offer an oblation into the Gārhapatya Fire, saying Bhūḥ svāhā; thus through this essence of the Ṛk-verses, and through the virility of the Ṛk-verses, one makes up the defect of Ṛk-verses in the sacrifice.—(4)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

He again brooded over this Triadic Science—the Science of the three Vedas; from this Science, thus brooded over, He squeezed is essence,—Bhūḥ,—the first Vyāhṛti—from the Ṛk-verses,—Bhuvaḥ—the second Vyāhṛti—from the Yayuṣ-texts,—and Svaḥ—the third Vyāhṛti— from the Sāma-verses,—Thus these three Mahāvyāhṛtis Great Syllables,—are the essence of all Regions, all Divinities and all Vedas.—At the several sacrificial performances, if the Sacrifice happen to become defective on any point relating to and on account of the Ṛk-Text, one should offer an oblation into the Gārhapatya fire, saying ‘Bhūḥ Svāhā’;—this is the extraction for the Defect.—How so? —Thus—this is an adverbial clause.—through the essence of the Ṛk-verses and the virility of the Ṛk-verses, one makes up the defect in the Sacrifice;—i.e. heals up the wound that had been inflicted upon the Sacrifice, in relation to the Ṛk.—(3-4).

Upaniṣad text:

If the Sacrifice becomes defective in connection with the Yajus, one should offer an oblation into the Dakṣiṇāgni, saying ‘Bhuvaḥ svāhā’, and thus, through this essence of the Yajus Texts, and through the virility of the Yajus-texts, one makes up the defect of the Yajus-texts in the sacrifice.—(5)

If the sacrifice becomes defective in connection with the Sāma, one should pour an oblation into the Āhavanīya Fire, saying ‘Svaḥ svāhā’. Thus through the essence of the Sāma-verses, and through the virility of the Sāma-verses one makes up the defect of the Sāma-texts in the sacrifice.—(6)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

If there be any defect related to, or caused by, the Yajus,—one should offer an oblation into the Dakṣināgṇi, saying ‘Bhuvaḥ svāhā’;—similarly, when there is a defect due to Sāma, one should pour an oblation into the Āhavanīy a fire, saying ‘Svāḥ svāhā’. In this way, as before, he makes up this defect in the Sacrifice.

When there is a defect due to the Brahman-Priest (as described above), one should offer three oblations into the three fires, pronouncing the three Vyāhṛtis (Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ and Svaḥ); as such a defect would be a defect relating to all the three Vedas,—as declared in the Vedic Text—‘Now whereby is Brahman-hood attained? By means of the science of the three Vedas!’.—Or (if this is not found satisfactory) some other law will have to be found for rectifying the defect due to the Brahman-Priest.—(5-6).

Upaniṣad text:

Just as one would join gold by salt, silver by gold, tin by silver, lead by tin, iron by lead, wood by iron, and wood by leather;—(7)

So does one make up the defect in the Sacrifice by the virility of these regions, of these divinities and of the science of the three Vedas,—That sacrifice verily becomes well-healed up where there is a BrahmanPriest knowing this.—(8)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

Just as one would join gold by salt, i.e. by Borax and such other salts, which serve to soften the hard gold-pieces,—silver by gold,—silver, which is otherwise unjoinable, becomes joined by gold;—Tin by silver—lead by tin—iron by lead,—wood by iron,—and wood by leather,— by leather-bandages—in this same way one makes good the defect in the Sacrifice, by the virility—i.e. force, called Essence—of the said Regions, Divinities and the Science of the three Vedas.—That sacrifice verily becomes well-healed up.—just as a sick patient becomes healthy through an expert physician,—so does that Sacrifice become,—which sacrifice?—That sacrifice at which there is a Brahman-Priest knowing this—i.e. who knows the expiatory rite, by means of the Vyāhṛtis.—(7-8).

Upaniṣad text:

That Sacrifice indeed is ‘North-sloping’ where there is a Brahman-Priest knowing this. It is in reference to the Brahman-Priest knowing this that there is the saying that ‘Wherever it fails, there he goes’.—(9)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

Further, that sacrifice is ‘North-sloping’— rising towards the South,—i.e. it becomes the means of reaching the Northern Path,—where there is a Brahman Priest knowing this; that there is this saying—eulogising the Brahman-Priest—‘Wherever it—the action. Sacrifice-fails i.e. from whatever part of the Priests the Sacrifice suffers harm, becomes defective—that defect of the Sacrifice he heals up by means of the expiatory Rite,—and there he goes,—i.e. he protects the Sacrifice.—(9).

Upaniṣad text:

The silent Brahman is the one priest who protects the performers, like the Mare. The Brahman-Priest who knows this protects the Sacrifice, the Sacrificer, and all the priests. Hence one should have as Brahman Priest only one who knows this,—not one who knows this not,—yea, knows it not—(10).

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

The silent Brahman—called ‘Mānava’ because he has taken the vow of silence, or because he is possessed of right knowledge,—is the only one priest who protects the performers,—just as the Horse protects its rider.—The Brahman-priest who knows this protects the Sacrifice, the Sacrificer, and all the priests—by removing the defects caused by them. Inasmuch as the Brahman should be so learned one should have as Brahman one who knows the Vyāḥrtis and other details described above,—and never one who knows not this.—The repetition is meant to indicate the end of the Discourse.—(10)

End of Section (17) of Discourse IV

End of Discourse IV.