Satapatha-brahmana
by Julius Eggeling | 1882 | 730,838 words | ISBN-13: 9788120801134
This is Satapatha Brahmana X.6.3 English translation of the Sanskrit text, including a glossary of technical terms. This book defines instructions on Vedic rituals and explains the legends behind them. The four Vedas are the highest authortity of the Hindu lifestyle revolving around four castes (viz., Brahmana, Ksatriya, Vaishya and Shudra). Satapatha (also, Śatapatha, shatapatha) translates to “hundred paths”. This page contains the text of the 3rd brahmana of kanda X, adhyaya 6.
Kanda X, adhyaya 6, brahmana 3
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
1. Let him meditate upon the 'true Brahman.' Now, man here, indeed, is possessed of understanding[1], and according to how great his understanding is when he departs this world, so does he, on passing away, enter yonder world.
2. Let him meditate on the Self, which is made up of intelligence, and endowed with a body of spirit, with a form of light, and with an etherial nature, which changes its shape at will, is swift as thought, of true resolve, and true purpose, which consists of all sweet odours and tastes, which holds sway over all the regions and pervades this whole universe, which is speechless and indifferent[2];even as a grain of rice, or a grain of barley, or a grain of millet, or the smallest granule of millet, so is this golden[3] Puruṣa in the heart; even as a smokeless light, it is greater than the sky, greater than the ether, greater than the earth, greater than all existing things;--that self of the spirit (breath) is my self: on passing away from hence I shall obtain that self. Verily, whosoever has this trust[4], for him there is no uncertainty. Thus spake Sāṇḍilya, and so it is[5].
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Or, will, purpose,--kratumayaḥ, kratur niścayo'dhyavasāya evam eva nānyathety avivakṣitapratyayaḥ, tadātmako'yaṃ puruṣo jīvaḥ. For this chapter (the Śāṇḍilyavidyā) see Chāndogyop. III, 14 ('man is a creature of will,' Prof. Max Müller).
[2]:
Anādaram asambhramam (without mental affects). Sāy.
[3]:
That is, of the brilliance of gold (suvarṇasamānatejāḥ). Sāy.
[4]:
Or, thought, knowledge (buddhiḥ), as Sāyaṇa supplies.
[5]:
Sāyaṇa takes this along with 'so spake Sāṇḍilya,'--ity evam etad āha sma uktavān śāṇḍilyo nāmarshir iti. The final 'iti' seems to be intended to indicate that Śāṇḍilya's opinion is adopted by the Brāhmaṇa.