Section I - The Supremacy of the Prana

Verse 6.1.1:

ॐ । यो ह वै ज्येष्ठं च श्रेष्ठं च वेद ज्येष्ठश्च श्रेष्ठश्च स्वानां भवति; प्राणो वै ज्येष्ठश्च श्रेष्ठश्च; ज्येष्ठश्च श्रेष्ठश्च स्वानां भवति, अपि च येषां बुभूषति, य एवं वेद ॥ १ ॥

oṃ | yo ha vai jyeṣṭhaṃ ca śreṣṭhaṃ ca veda jyeṣṭhaśca śreṣṭhaśca svānāṃ bhavati; prāṇo vai jyeṣṭhaśca śreṣṭhaśca; jyeṣṭhaśca śreṣṭhaśca svānāṃ bhavati, api ca yeṣāṃ bubhūṣati, ya evaṃ veda || 1 ||

1. Om. He who knows that which is the oldest and greatest, becomes the oldest and greatest among his relatives. The vital force is indeed the oldest and greatest.^[1] He who knows it to be such becomes the oldest and greatest among his relatives as well as among those of whom he wants to be such.

It has been stated that Gāyatrī is the vital force. But why is Gāyatrī the vital force, and not the organs such as that of speech? Because the vital force is the oldest and greatest, which the organs are not. How is it the oldest and greatest? The present section is introduced to settle this point. Or, meditation on the vital force alone as the ‘Uktha,’ ‘Yajus,’ ‘Sāman,’ ‘Kṣatra,’ etc., has been described, although there are other things such as the eye. The present section gives only the reason, which is its connection with the preceding chapter, on account of its immediate sequence. But this section is not a part of that chapter. These two chapters being of the nature of a supplement, such meditations on the vital force, with specific results of their own, as have not been mentioned before, have to be described; this is what the Śruti intends to do.

He who knows that which is the oldest and greatest, i.e. has the attributes of priority in age and greatness—what it is will be presently mentioned—surely becomes the oldest and greatest among his relatives. The particles ‘ha’ and ‘vai’ are emphatic. The pupil, tempted by this mention of the result, is eager to put his question, when the teacher says to him: The vital force is indeed the oldest, and greatest. But how is one to know that it is such, since at conception all the organs (of the embryo) are equally connected with the formative elements contributed by the parents? The answer is that nevertheless the seed, if lifeless, will not develop; which means that the vital force begins to function earlier than the eye and other organs; hence it is the oldest in age. Besides, the vital force goes on fostering the embryo from the moment of conception, and it.is only after it (the vital force) has begun to function that the eye and other organs begin their work. Hence the vital force is legitimately the oldest of the organs. But one may be the oldest member in a family without being the greatest, because of his lack of good qualities; and the second, or the youngest member may be the greatest by reason of his superior qualities, but not the oldest. Not so, however, with the vital force. It is indeed the oldest and greatest. How is it known to be the greatest? It will be shown through the ensuing conversation. In any case, he who knows, or meditates upon, the vital force as the oldest and greatest, becomes the oldest and greatest among his relatives, by virtue of meditation on a thing that is oldest and greatest, as well as among those other than his relatives, of whom he wants to be the oldest and greatest. The man who meditates upon the vital force as the oldest and greatest attains this result. It may be questioned how a person can be the oldest at will, since it depends on age. But the answer is that there is nothing wrong in it, since ‘being the oldest’ here means functioning (before the rest) as the vital force does.

 

Verse 6.1.2:

यो ह वै वसिष्ठां वेद वसिष्ठः स्वानां भवति; वाग्वै वसिष्ठा; वसिष्ठः स्वानां भवत्यपि च येषां बुभूषति, य एवं वेद ॥ २ ॥

yo ha vai vasiṣṭhāṃ veda vasiṣṭhaḥ svānāṃ bhavati; vāgvai vasiṣṭhā; vasiṣṭhaḥ svānāṃ bhavatyapi ca yeṣāṃ bubhūṣati, ya evaṃ veda || 2 ||

2. He who knows the Vasiṣṭhā (that which best helps to dwell or cover) becomes the Vasiṣṭha among his relatives. The organ of speech is indeed the Vasiṣṭhā. He who knows it as such becomes the Vasiṣṭha among his relatives as well as among those of whom he wants to be such.

He who knows the Vasiṣṭhā becomes the Vasiṣṭha among his relatives. The result is according to the meditation. He also becomes the Vasiṣṭha among those other than his relatives, of whom he wants to be the Vasiṣṭha. ‘Then please tell me what this Vasiṣṭhā is.’ The organ of speech is indeed the Vasiṣṭhā. The derivative meaning of the word is ‘that which helps one to dwell, or covers one splendidly.’ For people who have the gift of speech become rich and live in splendour; or the word may be derived from the root ‘Vas,’ meaning ‘to cover,’ for speakers overcome others through their eloquence. Hence by realising the organ of speech as the Vasiṣṭhā one becomes such. The result is in accordance with the realisation.

 

Verse 6.1.3:

यो ह वै प्रतिष्ठां वेद प्रतितिष्ठति समे, प्रतितिष्ठति दुर्गे; चक्शुर्वै प्रतिष्ठा, चक्शुषा हि समे च दुर्गे च प्रतितिष्ठति; प्रतितिष्ठति समे, प्रतितिष्ठति दुर्गे य एवं वेद ॥ ३ ॥

yo ha vai pratiṣṭhāṃ veda pratitiṣṭhati same, pratitiṣṭhati durge; cakśurvai pratiṣṭhā, cakśuṣā hi same ca durge ca pratitiṣṭhati; pratitiṣṭhati same, pratitiṣṭhati durge ya evaṃ veda || 3 ||

3. He who knows Pratiṣṭhā (that which has steadiness) lives steadily in difficult as well as smooth places and times. The eye indeed is Pratiṣṭhā, for through the eye one lives steadily in difficult as well as smooth places and times. He who knows it as such lives steadily in difficult as well as smooth places and times.

He who knows Pratiṣṭhā, that which has the attribute of steadiness—lit. that by means of which one lives steadily—has this result: He lives steadily in smooth places and times, as also in difficult or inaccessible places and difficult times such as those of famine. ‘If it is so, please tell me what that Pratiṣṭhā is.’ The eye indeed is Pratiṣṭhā. How? For by seeing them through the eye one lives steadily in difficult as well as smooth places and times. Hence the results are quite appropriate: He who knows it as such lives steadily in difficult as well as smooth places and times.

 

Verse 6.1.4:

यो ह वै संपदं वेद सं हास्मै पद्यते यं कामं कामयते; श्रोत्रं वै संपत्, श्रोत्रे हीमे सर्वे वेदा अभिसंपन्नाः; सं हास्मै पद्यते यं कामं कामयते य एवं वेद ॥ ४ ॥

yo ha vai saṃpadaṃ veda saṃ hāsmai padyate yaṃ kāmaṃ kāmayate; śrotraṃ vai saṃpat, śrotre hīme sarve vedā abhisaṃpannāḥ; saṃ hāsmai padyate yaṃ kāmaṃ kāmayate ya evaṃ veda || 4 ||

4. He who knows Sampad (prosperity) attains whatever object he desires. The ear indeed is Sampad, for all these Vedas are acquired when one has the ear (intact). He who knows it to be such attains whatever object he desires.

He who knows Sampad, that which has the attribute of prosperity, gets this result: He attains what ever object he desires. But what is it that has got this attribute? The ear indeed is Sampad. How is the ear endowed with this attribute? For all Vedas are acquired when one has the ear, because only one who has the organ of hearing can study them, and objects of desire depend on the performance of rites that are enjoined by the Vedas. Therefore the ear is possessed of prosperity. Hence the result is in accordance with the meditation: He who knows it to be such attains whatever object he desires.

 

Verse 6.1.5:

यो ह वा आयतनं वेदायतनं स्वानां भवति, आयतनं जनानां; मनो वा आयतनम्; आयतनं स्वानां भवति, आयतनं जनानां, य एवं वेद ॥ ५ ॥

yo ha vā āyatanaṃ vedāyatanaṃ svānāṃ bhavati, āyatanaṃ janānāṃ; mano vā āyatanam; āyatanaṃ svānāṃ bhavati, āyatanaṃ janānāṃ, ya evaṃ veda || 5 ||

5. He who knows the abode becomes the abode of his relatives as well as of (other) people. The Manas indeed is the abode. He who knows it to be such becomes the abode of his relatives as well as of (other) people.

He who knows the abode becomes ' the abode of his relatives as well as of other people. What is that abode? The Manas indeed is the abode of the organs and objects. The latter become objects of enjoyment for the self only when they get an abode in the Manas; and the organs start and stop their work in accordance with the deliberations of the Manas. Hence it is the abode of the organs. Therefore the results are according to the meditation: He who knows it to be such becomes the abode of his relatives as well as of (other) people.

 

Verse 6.1.6:

यो ह वै प्रजातिं वेद प्रजायते ह प्रजया पशुभिः; रेतो वै प्रजातिः; प्रजायते ह प्रजया पशुभिर् य एवं वेद ॥ ६ ॥

yo ha vai prajātiṃ veda prajāyate ha prajayā paśubhiḥ; reto vai prajātiḥ; prajāyate ha prajayā paśubhir ya evaṃ veda || 6 ||

6. He who knows Prajāti (that which has the attribute of generation) is enriched with children and animals. The seed (organ) has this attribute. He who knows it to be such is enriched with children and animals.

He who knows Prajāti is enriched with children and animals. The seed has this attribute the word ‘seed’ refers to the organ of generation. The result is in keeping with the meditation: He who knows it to be such is enriched with children and animals.

 

Verse 6.1.7:

ते हेमे प्राणा अहंश्रेयसे विवदमाना ब्रह्म जग्मुः, तद्धोचुः, को नो वसिष्ठ इति; तद्धोवाच, यस्मिन्व उत्क्रान्त इदं शरीरं पापीयो मन्यते स वो वसिष्ठ इति ॥ ७ ॥

te heme prāṇā ahaṃśreyase vivadamānā brahma jagmuḥ, taddhocuḥ, ko no vasiṣṭha iti; taddhovāca, yasminva utkrānta idaṃ śarīraṃ pāpīyo manyate sa vo vasiṣṭha iti || 7 ||

7. These organs, disputing over their respective greatness, went to Brahman and said to him, ‘Which of us is the Vasiṣṭha?’ He said, ‘That one of you will be the Vasiṣṭha, who departing from among yourselves, people consider this body far more wretched.’

These organs, that of speech and the rest, disputing over—lit. giving contradictory accounts of—their respective greatness, each claiming that it was the greatest, went to Brahman, or Prajāpati denoted by the word ‘Brahman,’ and said to him, ‘Which of us is the Vasiṣṭha,—(best) lives and overcomes others?’ He, Brahman, being asked by them, said, ‘That one of you will be the Vasiṣṭha, who departing from the body from among yourselves, people consider this body far more wretched than before’—for the body, being an aggregate of many impure things, is wretched even while a person is alive; it will be more so then. This is said for creating a feeling of disgust in us. Prajāpati, although he knew it, did not say, ‘This is the Vasiṣṭha,’ to avoid offending the rest.

 

Verse 6.1.8:

वाग्घोच्चक्राम; सा संवत्सरं प्रोष्यागत्योवाच, कथमशकत मदृते जीवितुमिति; ते होचुः, यथाकला अवदन्तो वाचा, प्राणन्तः प्राणेन, पश्यन्तश्चक्शुषा, शृण्वन्तः श्रोत्रेण, विद्वांसो मनसा, प्रजायमाना रेतस, एवमजीविष्मेति; प्रविवेश ह वाक् ॥ ८ ॥

vāgghoccakrāma; sā saṃvatsaraṃ proṣyāgatyovāca, kathamaśakata madṛte jīvitumiti; te hocuḥ, yathākalā avadanto vācā, prāṇantaḥ prāṇena, paśyantaścakśuṣā, śṛṇvantaḥ śrotreṇa, vidvāṃso manasā, prajāyamānā retasā, evamajīviṣmeti; praviveśa ha vāk || 8 ||

8. The organ of speech went out. After staying a whole year out it came back and said, ‘How did you manage to live without me?’ They said, ‘We lived just as dumb people do, without speaking through the organ of speech, but living through the vital force, seeing through the eye, hearing through the ear, knowing through the mind and having children through the organ of generation.’ So the organ of speech entered.

Being thus addressed by Brahman, the organs went out one by one to try their power. Of them the organ of speech went out of the body first. Then after staying a whole year out it came back and said, ‘How did you manage to live without me?’ Thus addressed, they said, ‘We lived just as in the world dumb people do, ivithout speaking through the organ of speech, put living, doing the vital function, through the vital force, seeing, doing the function of vision, through the eye, similarly, hearing through the ear, knowing, considering what should or should not be done, and so on, through the mind and having children through the organ of generation.’ Being thus answered by the organs, the organ of speech, realising that it was not the Vasiṣṭha in the body, entered.

 

Verse 6.1.9:

चक्शुर्होच्चक्राम; तत्संवत्सरं प्रोष्यागत्योवाच, कथमशकत मदृते जीवितुमिति; ते होचुः, यथान्धा अपश्यन्तश्चक्शुषा, प्राणन्तः प्राणेन, वदन्तो वाचा, शृण्वन्तः श्रोत्रेण, विद्वांसो मनसा, प्रजायमाना रेतसा, एवमजीविष्मेति; प्रविवेश ह चक्शुः ॥ ९ ॥

cakśurhoccakrāma; tatsaṃvatsaraṃ proṣyāgatyovāca, kathamaśakata madṛte jīvitumiti; te hocuḥ, yathāndhā apaśyantaścakśuṣā, prāṇantaḥ prāṇena, vadanto vācā, śṛṇvantaḥ śrotreṇa, vidvāṃso manasā, prajāyamānā retasā, evamajīviṣmeti; praviveśa ha cakśuḥ || 9 ||

9. The eye went out. After staying a whole year out it came back and said, ‘How did you manage to live without me?’ They said, ‘We lived just as blind people do, without seeing through the eye, but living through the vital force, speaking through the organ of speech, hearing through the ear, knowing through the mind and having children through the organ of generation.’ So the eye entered.

 

Verse 6.1.10:

श्रोत्रं होच्चक्राम; तत्संवत्सरं प्रोष्यागत्योवाच, कथमशकत मदृते जीवितुमिति; ते होचुः, यथा बधिरा अशृण्वन्तः श्रोत्रेण, प्राणन्तः प्राणेन, वदन्तो वाचा, पश्यन्तश्चक्शुषा, विद्वांसो मनसा, प्रजायमाना रेतसा, एवमजीविष्मेति; प्रविवेश ह श्रोत्रम् ॥ १० ॥

śrotraṃ hoccakrāma; tatsaṃvatsaraṃ proṣyāgatyovāca, kathamaśakata madṛte jīvitumiti; te hocuḥ, yathā badhirā aśṛṇvantaḥ śrotreṇa, prāṇantaḥ prāṇena, vadanto vācā, paśyantaścakśuṣā, vidvāṃso manasā, prajāyamānā retasā, evamajīviṣmeti; praviveśa ha śrotram || 10 ||

10. The ear went out. After staying a whole year out it came back and said, ‘How did you manage to live without me?’ They said, ‘We lived just as deaf people do, without hearing through the ear, but living through the vital force, speaking through the organ of speech, seeing through the eye, knowing through the mind and having children through the organ of generation.’ So the ear entered.

 

Verse 6.1.11:

मनो होच्चक्राम; तत्संवत्सरं प्रोष्यागत्योवाच, कथमशकत मदृते जीवितुमिति; ते होचुः, यथा मुग्धा अविद्वांसो मनसा, प्राणन्तः प्राणेन, वदन्तो वाचा, पश्यन्तश्चक्शुषा, शृण्वन्तः श्रोत्रेण, प्रजायमाना रेतसा, एवमजीविष्मेति; प्रविवेश ह मनः ॥ ११ ॥

mano hoccakrāma; tatsaṃvatsaraṃ proṣyāgatyovāca, kathamaśakata madṛte jīvitumiti; te hocuḥ, yathā mugdhā avidvāṃso manasā, prāṇantaḥ prāṇena, vadanto vācā, paśyantaścakśuṣā, śṛṇvantaḥ śrotreṇa, prajāyamānā retasā, evamajīviṣmeti; praviveśa ha manaḥ || 11 ||

11. The mind went out. After staying a whole year out it came back and said, ‘How did you manage to live without me?’ They said, ‘We lived just as idiots do, without knowing through the mind, but living through the vital force, speaking through the organ of speech, seeing through the eye, hearing through the ear and having children through the organ of generation.’ So the mind entered.

 

Verse 6.1.12:

रेतो होच्चक्राम; तत्संवत्सरं प्रोष्यागत्योवाच, कथमशकत मदृते जीवितुमिति; ते होचुः, यथा क्लीबा अप्रजायमाना रेतसा, प्राणन्तः प्राणेन, वदन्तो वाचा, पश्यन्तश्चक्शुषा, शृण्वन्तः श्रोत्रेण, विद्वांसो मनसा, एवमजीविष्मेति; प्रविवेश ह रेतः ॥ १२ ॥

reto hoccakrāma; tatsaṃvatsaraṃ proṣyāgatyovāca, kathamaśakata madṛte jīvitumiti; te hocuḥ, yathā klībā aprajāyamānā retasā, prāṇantaḥ prāṇena, vadanto vācā, paśyantaścakśuṣā, śṛṇvantaḥ śrotreṇa, vidvāṃso manasā, evamajīviṣmeti; praviveśa ha retaḥ || 12 ||

12. The organ of generation went out. After staying a whole year out it came back and said, ‘How did you manage to live without me?’ They said, ‘We lived just as eunuchs do, without having children through the organ of generation, but living through the vital force, speaking through the organ of speech, seeing through the eye, hearing through the ear and knowing through the mind.’ So the organ of generation entered.

Likewise the eye went out, etc. All this is to be explained as before. The ear, the mind, the organ of generation.

 

Verse 6.1.13:

अथ ह प्राण उत्क्रमिष्यन्यथा महासुहयः सैन्धवः पड्वीशशङ्कून्संवृहेत्, एवं हैवेमान्प्राणान्संववर्ह; ते होचुः, मा भगव उत्क्रमीः, न वै शक्श्यामस्त्वदृते जीवितुमिति; तस्यो मे बलिं कुरुतेति; तथेति ॥ १३ ॥

atha ha prāṇa utkramiṣyanyathā mahāsuhayaḥ saindhavaḥ paḍvīśaśaṅkūnsaṃvṛhet, evaṃ haivemānprāṇānsaṃvavarha; te hocuḥ, mā bhagava utkramīḥ, na vai śakśyāmastvadṛte jīvitumiti; tasyo me baliṃ kuruteti; tatheti || 13 ||

13. Then as the vital force was about to go out, it uprooted those organs just as a great, fine horse from Sind pulls out the pegs to which his feet are tied. They said, ‘Please do not go out, sir, we cannot live without you.’ ‘Then give me tribute.’ ‘All right.’

Then as the vital force was about to go out, the vocal and other organs were immediately dislodged from their places. This is being illustrated by an example: It uprooted those organs from their places, just as in life a great, large-sized fine, noble-featured, horse fromSind, the place of his origin, simultaneously Pulls out the pegs to which his feet aretied, when the rider mounts on him to test him. They, the organ of speech etc., said, ‘Please do not go out, sir, for we cannot live without you.’ (The vital force said:) ‘If you have thus understood my eminence, then, as I am the chief here, give me tribute.’ This conversation among the organs is an imaginary one devised to teach how a wise çian should test the greatness of his peers. It is thus that a wise man finds out who is the greatest among them. That mode of testing is presented in the form of a conversation; for otherwise it is absurd to think that each one of the organs, which work together, can actually go out by turns for the space of a year, and so on. Therefore, only the wise man who wants to know, for purposes of meditation, which is the greatest of the organs, reasons in this way. The organs, when demanded tribute, agreed saying, ‘All right.’

 

Verse 6.1.14:

सा ह वागुवाच, यद्वा अहं वसिष्ठास्मि त्वं तद्वसिष्ठोऽसीति; यद्वा अहं प्रतिष्ठास्मि त्वं तत्प्रतिष्ठोऽसीति चक्शुः; यद्वा अहं संपदस्मि त्वं तत् संपदसीति श्रोत्रम्; यद्वा अहमायतनमस्मि त्वं तदायतनमसीति मनः; यद्वा अहं प्रजातिरस्मि त्वं तत् प्रजातिरसीति रेतः; तस्यो मे किमन्नम्, किं वास इति; यदिदं किञ्चा श्वभ्य आ कृमिभ्य आ कीटपतङ्गेभ्यस्तत्तेऽन्नम्, आपो वास इति; न ह वा अस्यानन्नं जग्धं भवति, नानन्नं प्रतिगृहीतम्, य एवमेतदनस्यान्नं वेद; तद्विद्वांसः श्रोत्रिया अशिष्यन्त आचामन्ति, अशित्वाचामन्ति; एतमेव तदनमनग्नं कुर्वन्तो मन्यन्ते ॥ १४ ॥
इति प्रथमं ब्राह्मणम् ॥

sā ha vāguvāca, yadvā ahaṃ vasiṣṭhāsmi tvaṃ tadvasiṣṭho'sīti; yadvā ahaṃ pratiṣṭhāsmi tvaṃ tatpratiṣṭho'sīti cakśuḥ; yadvā ahaṃ saṃpadasmi tvaṃ tat saṃpadasīti śrotram; yadvā ahamāyatanamasmi tvaṃ tadāyatanamasīti manaḥ; yadvā ahaṃ prajātirasmi tvaṃ tat prajātirasīti retaḥ; tasyo me kimannam, kiṃ vāsa iti; yadidaṃ kiñcā śvabhya ā kṛmibhya ā kīṭapataṅgebhyastatte'nnam, āpo vāsa iti; na ha vā asyānannaṃ jagdhaṃ bhavati, nānannaṃ pratigṛhītam, ya evametadanasyānnaṃ veda; tadvidvāṃsaḥ śrotriyā aśiṣyanta ācāmanti, aśitvācāmanti; etameva tadanamanagnaṃ kurvanto manyante || 14 ||
iti prathamaṃ brāhmaṇam ||

14. The organ of speech said, ‘That attribute of the Vasiṣṭha which I have is yours.’ The eye: ‘That attribute of steadiness which I have is yours.’ The ear: ‘That attribute of prosperity which I have is yours.’ The mind: ‘That attribute of abode which I have is yours.’ The organ of generation: ‘That attribute of generation which I have is yours.’ (The vital force said:) ‘Then what will be my food and my dress?’ (The organs said:) 'Whatever is (known as) food, including dogs, worms, insects and moths, is your food, and water your dress.’ He who knows the food of the vital force to be such, never happens to eat anything that is not food, or to accept anything that is not food. Therefore wise men who are versed in the Vedas sip a little water just before and after eating. They regard it as removing the nakedness of the vital force.

The organ of speech came forward first tö offer the tribute and said, ‘That attribute of the Vasiṣṭha which I have is yours. With that you are the Vasiṣṭha.’ The eye: ‘That attribute of steadiness which I have is yours. You are that steadiness.’ The rest is similar. The other organs gave one by one their attributes of prosperity, abode and generation. (the vital force said:) ‘If it is so, you have handsomely paid me tribute. Now tell me, endowed with such attributes that I am, what will be my food and my dress?’ The others said, ‘Whatever is known in the world as food, including dogs, worms, insects and moths—whatever is food for dogs etc., and with that every food that is eaten by other creatures—is all your food.’ We are here enjoined to look upon everything as the food of the vital force.

Some say that he who knows the food of the vital force can eat anything with impunity. This is wrong, for it has been forbidden by other scriptures.

Objection: May this not be an alternative to them?^[2]

Reply: No, for this is not an injunction in favour of promiscuous eating. The passage, ‘He never happens to eat anything that is not food,’ is merely a eulogy on the meditation enjoined about regarding everything as the food of the vital force, for it should be treated as a part of that injunction. It has no power to contradict what has been enjoined by other scriptures, for it has quite a different meaning (viz. to extol the above meditation). What is sought to be enjoined here is the idea that everything is the food of the vital force, not that one should eat everything. Your assumption that the eating of everything is allowable is totally false, for there is no authority to support it.

Objection: The man who knows about the food of the vital force is identified with the latter, and as such everything can be regarded as his food; hence the eating of everything is surely allowable in his case.

Reply: No, for anything and everything cannot be one’s food. It is true that this sage is identified with the vital force, but he possesses a body through which he has attained his knowledge, and the eating of every kind of food such as those of worms, insects and gods is incongruous with it.^[3] Hence it is meaningless to declare in that connection that the eating of all sorts of food is free from blame, for the blame in question would never arise.

Objection: But as identified with the vital force, he does eat the food of even worms, insects, etc.

Reply: True, but there is no scriptural prohibition regarding it. So it would be quite in order, like the Palāśa flower (Butea Frondosa), which is naturally red. Hence it would be meaningless to say that he is allowed to eat everything as the vital force, for the eating of everything would not in that case amount to a blame. But the prohibition is with regard to the sage in relation to a particular body, and no exception has been made in his favour. Therefore he will certainly incur blame if he transgresses that prohibition, for the passage, ‘He never happens to eat anything that is not food,’ has a different meaning.

Moreover, the meditation on everything as the food of the vital force is being enjoined here not for the vital force as associated with the body of a Brāhmaṇa etc., but for the vital force in general. Just as, although everything may be food for the vital force in a general way, some kind of food helps to sustain the life of certain creatures, as poison does for the worm born in it, but it would do palpable harm in the form of death etc. to others in spite of its being the food of the vital force, similarly, although everything is food for the vital force, yet, if it eats forbidden food while associated with the body of a Brāhmaṇa etc., it will certainly incur blame. Therefore it is entirely misleading to think that the eating of forbidden food is harmless.

‘And water that is drunk will stand for your dress.’ Here too we are enjoined to look upon water as the dress of the vital force. It cannot of course be used as dress. Therefore the natural act of drinking water should be meditated upon as dressing the vital force. He who knows the food of the vital force to be such—that everything is its food—never happens to eat anything that is not food. Even if he eats something that should not be eaten, that too becomes regular food, and he is not touched by the blame due to it. It is a eulogy on this meditation, as we have said. Similarly he never happens to accept anything that is not food. Even if he accepts something that is forbidden, an elephant, for example, that too becomes the kind of food that it is allowable to accept. There too he is not touched by the blame of accepting something that is unacceptable—which is also said by way of eulogy. The result of the meditation, however, is identification with the vital force, for what has just been stated is not meant to be a result of the meditation, but simply a eulogy on it.

Objection: Why should not this itself be the result?

Reply: It cannot, for he who sees the vital force as his own self attains identity with it as its result. And since he is identified with the vital force, and has thus become the self of all, even a forbidden food becomes allowable food; similarly even unacceptable gifts become acceptable. This is a eulogy^[4] on the meditation, taking the acts just as they occur in life. Hence that passage has not the force of an injunction directed to a definite result.

Since water is the dress of the vital force, therefore wise men, Brāhmaṇas, who are versed in the Vedas sip a little water just before and after eating. What do they mean by it? This is being stated: They regard it as removing the nakedness of the vital force. It is a fact that a person giving a dress to another thinks that he is removing the nakedness of the latter; and it has already been said that water is the dress of the vital force. The passage means that while drinking water one should think that one is giving a dress to the vital force.

Objection: But a person sips water just before and after meals with the object of purification. If that also means removing the nakedness of the vital force, the act of sipping would have a double effect. But one and the same act of sipping should not have a double effect. If it is for purification, it is not for dressing the vital force, and vice versa. Under the circumstances there should be another sipping of water to dress the vital force.

Reply: No, for it can be explained by the twofoldness of the action. These are two separate actions. The sipping of water by one before and after eating enjoined by the Smṛti is for the sake of purification, and is simply an act; there the purification does not require any meditation etc. Here we are enjoined to look upon the water that forms part of the act of sipping as dress for the vital force. But if that is done, it will not contradict the purpose of purification attaching to the act of sipping, for it will be a different act (from meditation). Therefore in the act of sipping water before and after eating, we are simply enjoined to meditate upon the water as being the dress of the vital force. It is an injunction, since it is not known from any other source.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The same topic also occurs in the first two sections of the fifth chapter of the Chāndogya Upaniṣad.

[2]:

Meaning that ordinary people must abide by that restriction, but he who knows the food of the vital force may eat anything.

[3]:

Nobody can possibly want to eat anything and everything.

[4]:

As a matter of fact, such acts are just as much forbidden for this sage as tor any other person.