# Sacred Books of the East/Volume 1/Aitareya-âranyaka/First Âranyaka/Third Adhyâya

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THIRD ADHYÂYA.
First Khanda.
i. Let him begin this day with singing 'Him,' thus they say.
2. Verily, the sound Him is Brahman, that day also is Brahman. He who knows this, obtains Brahman even by Brahman.
3. As he begins with the sound Him, surely that masculine sound of Him and the feminine Rik (the verse) make a couple. Thus he makes a couple at the beginning of the hymn in order to get offspring. He who knows this, gets cattle and offspring.
4. Or, as he begins with the sound Him, surely like a wooden spade, so the sound Him serves to dig up Brahman (the sap of the Veda). And as a man wishes to dig up any, even the hardest soil, with a spade, thus he digs up Brahman.
5. He who knows this digs up, by means of the sound Him, everything he may desire.
6. If he begins with the sound Him, that sound is the holding apart of divine and human speech. ​Therefore, he who begins, after having uttered the sound Him, holds apart divine and human speech.
Second Khanda.
1. And here they ask: 'What is the beginning of this day?' Let him say: 'Mind and speech.'
2. All desires dwell in the one (mind), the other yields all desires.
3. All desires dwell in the mind, for with the mind he conceives all desires.
4. All desires come to him who knows this.
5. Speech yields all desires, for with speech he declares all his desires.
6. Speech yields all desires to him who knows this.
7. Here they say: 'Let him not begin this day with a Rik, a Yagus, or a Sâman verse (divine speech), for it is said, he should not start with a Rik, a Yagus, or a Sâman<ref>It is doubtful whether neyâs rikah and apagakkhet can have this meaning. However, what is intended is clear, viz. that the priest, even after having uttered the sound Him, should not immediately begin with verses from the Vedas, but should intercalate the three syllables bhûr bhuvah svar, or, if taken singly, bhûs, bhuvas, svar.
8. Therefore, let him say these Vyâhritis (sacred interjections) first.
9. These interjections Bhûs, Bhuvas, Svar are the three Vedas, Bhûs the Rig-veda, Bhuvas the Yagur-veda, Svar the Sâma-veda. Therefore (by ​intercalating these) he does not begin simply with a Rik, Yagus, or Sâman verse, he does not start with a Rik, a Yagus, or a Sâman verse.
Third Khanda.
1. He begins with tad, this, (the first word of the first hymn, tad id âsa). Verily 'this, this' is food, and thus he obtains food.
2. Pragâpati indeed uttered this as the first word, consisting of one or two syllables, viz. tata and tita (or tat). And thus does a child, as soon as he begins to speak, utter the word, consisting of one or two syllables, viz. tata and tita (or tat). With this very word, consisting of tat or tatta, he begins.
3. This has been said by a Rishi (Rv. X, 71, 1):—
4. 'O Brihaspati, the first point of speech;'—for this is the first and highest point of speech.
5. 'That which you have uttered, making it a name;'—for names are made by speech.
​6. 'That (name) which was the best and without a flaw;'—for this is the best and without a flaw.
7. 'That which was hidden by their love, is made manifest;'—for this was hidden in the body, viz. those deities (which enter the body, Agni as voice, entering the mouth, &c.) ; and that was manifest among the gods in heaven. This is what was intended by the verse.
Fourth Khanda.
1. He begins with: 'That indeed was the oldest in the worlds;'—for that (the Brahman) is verily the oldest in the worlds.
2. 'Whence was born the fierce one, endowed with brilliant force;'—for from it was born the fierce one, who is endowed with brilliant force.
3. 'When born he at once destroys the enemies;'—for he at once when born struck down the evil one.
4. 'He after whom all friends rejoice;'—verily all friends are the creatures, and they rejoice after him, saying, 'He has risen, he has risen.'
5. 'Growing by strength, the almighty;'—for he (the sun) does grow by strength, the almighty.
6. 'He, as enemy, causes fear to the slave;'—for everything is afraid of him.
7. 'Taking the breathing and the not-breathing;'—this means the living and the lifeless.
8. ' Whatever has been offered at feasts came to thee;'—this means everything is in thy power.
9. 'All turn their thought also on thee;'—this ​means all these beings, all minds, all thoughts also turn to thee.
10. 'When these two become three protectors;'—i. e. when these two united beget offspring.
11. He who knows this, gets offspring and cattle.
12. 'Join what is sweeter than sweet (offspring) with the sweet (the parents);'—for the couple (father and mother) is sweet, the offspring is sweet, and he thus joins the offspring with the couple.
13. 'And this (the son, when married) being very sweet, conquered through the sweet;'—i. e. the couple is sweet, the offspring is sweet, and thus through the couple he conquers offspring.
14. This is declared by a Rishi: 'Because he (Pragâpati) raised his body (the hymn tad id âsa or the Veda in general) in the body (of the sacri-ficer)' (therefore that Nishkevalya hymn is praised);—i. e. this body, consisting of the Veda, in that corporeal form (of the sacrificer).
15. 'Then let this body indeed be the medicine of that body;'—i. e. this body, consisting of the Veda, of that corporeal form (of the sacrificer).
16. Of this (the first foot of Rv. X, 120, 1) the eight syllables are Gâyatrî, the eleven syllables are Trishtubh, the twelve syllables are Gagatî, the ten syllables are Virâg. The Virâg, consisting of ten syllables, rests in these three metres.
17. The word purusha, consisting of three syllables, that indeed goes into the Virâg. ​18. Verily, these are all metres, these (Gâyatrî, Trishtubh, Gagatî) having the Virâg as the fourth. In this manner this day is complete in all metres to him who knows this.
Fifth Khanda.
1. He extends these (verses) by (interpolating) the sound Verily, the sound is purusha, man. Therefore every man when he speaks, sounds loud, as it were.
2. At the end of each foot of the first verse of the hymn tad id âsa, he inserts one foot of the second verse of hymn Rv. VIII, 69, nadam va odatînâm &c. Thus the verse is to be recited as follows:
| Tad id âsa bhuvaneshu gyeshtham nadam va odatînâm, | pu |
| Yato gagña ugras tveshanrimno nadam yoyuvatînâm, | ru |
| Sadyo gagñâno ni rinâti satrûn patim vo aghnyânâm, | |
| Anu yam visve madanti ûmâh dhenûnâm ishudhyasi. | sho |
​In nadam va odatînâm (Rv. VIII, 69, 2), odatî are the waters in heaven, for they water all this; and they are the waters in the mouth, for they water all good food.
3. In nadam yoyuvatînâm (Rv. VIII, 69, 2), yoyuvatî are the waters in the sky, for they seem to inundate; and they are the waters of perspiration, for they seem to run continually.
4. In patim vo aghnyânâm (Rv. VIII, 69, 2), aghnyâ are the waters which spring from the smoke of fire, and they are the waters which spring from the organ.
5. In dhenûnâm ishudhyasi (Rv. VIII, 69, 2), the dhenu (cows) are the waters, for they delight all this; and ishudhyasi means, thou art food.
6. He extends a Trishtubh and an Anushtubh. Trishtubh is the man, Anushtubh the wife, and they make a couple. Therefore does a man, after having found a wife, consider himself a more perfect man.
7. These verses, by repeating the first three times, become twenty-five. The trunk is the twenty-fifth, and Pragâpati is the twenty-fifth. There are ten fingers on his hands, ten toes on his feet, two legs, two arms, and the trunk the twenty-fifth. He adorns that trunk as the twenty-fifth. Now this day consists of twenty-five, and the Stoma hymn of that day consists of twenty-five: it becomes the same ​through the same. Therefore the two, the day and the hymn, are twenty-five.
Sixth Khanda.
This is an exact repetition of the third khanda. According to the commentator, the third khanda was intended for the glory of the first word tad, while the sixth is intended for the glory of the whole hymn.
Seventh Khanda.
1. He begins with the hymn, Tad id âsa bhuvaneshu gyeshtham (Rv. X, 120). Verily, gyeshtha, the oldest, is mahat, great. Endowed with mahat the form of this day is perfect.
2. Then follows the hymn, Tâm su te kîrtim (Rv. X, 54), with the auspicious word mahitvâ.
3. Then follows the hymn, Bhûya id vavridhe vîryâya (Rv. VI, 30), with the auspicious word vîrya.
4. Then follows the hymn, Nrinâm u tvâ nritamam gobhir ukthaih (Rv. I, 51, 4), with the auspicious word uktha.
5. He extends the first two pâdas, which are too small, by one syllable (Rv. X, 120, 1a, and Rv. VIII, 69, 2a). Into the small heart the vital spirits are placed, into the small stomach food is placed. It ​serves for the attainment of these desires. He who knows this, obtains these desires.
6. The two feet, each consisting of ten syllables (Rv. X, 120, 1 a, b), serve for the gaining of both kinds of food, of what has feet (animal food), and what has no feet (vegetable food).
7. They come to be of eighteen syllables each. Of those which are ten, nine are the prânas (openings of the body), the tenth is the (vital) self. This is the perfection of the (vital) self. Eight syllables remain in each. He who knows them, obtains whatever he desires.
Eighth Khanda.
1. He extends (these verses) by (interpolating) the sound/ref>. Verily, breath (prâna) is sound. Therefore every breath when it sounds, sounds loud, as it were.
2. The verse (VIII, 69, 2) nadam va odatînâm, &c, is by its syllables an Ushnih, by its feet an Anushtubh. Ushnih is life, Anushtubh, speech. He thus places life and speech in him (the sacrificer.)
3. By repeating the first verse three times, they ​become twenty-five. The trunk is the twenty-fifth, and Pragâpati is the twenty-fifth. There are ten fingers on his hands, ten toes on his feet, two legs, two arms, and the trunk the twenty-fifth. He adorns that trunk as the twenty-fifth. Now this day consists of twenty-five, and the Stoma hymn of that day consists of twenty-five: it becomes the same through the same. Therefore the two, the day and the hymn, are twenty-five. This is the twenty-fifth with regard to the body.
4. Next, with regard to the deities: The eye, the ear, the mind, speech, and breath, these five deities (powers) have entered into that person (purusha), and that person entered into the five deities. He is wholly pervaded there with his limbs to the very hairs and nails. Therefore all beings to the very insects are born as pervaded (by the deities or senses).
5. This has been declared by a Rishi (Rv. X, 114, 8):—
6. 'A thousandfold are these fifteen hymns;'—for five arise from ten.
7. 'As large as heaven and earth, so large is it;'—verily, the self (gîvâtman) is as large as heaven and earth.
8. 'A thousandfold are the thousand powers;'— ​by saying this the poet pleases the hymns (the senses), and magnifies them.
9. 'As far as Brahman reaches, so far reaches speech;'—wherever there is Brahman, there is a word; and wherever there is a word, there is Brahman, this was intended.
10. The first of the hymns among all those hymns has nine verses. Verily, there are nine prânas (openings), and it serves for their benefit.
11. Then follows a hymn of six verses. Verily, the seasons are six, and it serves to obtain them.
12. Then follows a hymn of five verses. Verily, the Paṅkti consists of five feet. Verily, Paṅkti is food, and it serves for the gaining of proper food.
13. Then follows a tristich. Three are these threefold worlds, and it serves to conquer them.
14. These verses become Brihatîs, that metre being immortal, leading to the world of the Devas. That body of verses is the trunk (of the bird represented by the whole sastra), and thus it is. He who knows this comes by this way (by making the verses the trunk of the bird) near to the immortal Self, yea, to the immortal Self.
* ↑ The Nishkevalya-sastra, of the noon-libation; cf. I, 2, 2, 1.
* ↑ Cf. I, 2, 4, 10.
* ↑ Human speech is the ordinary speech, divine speech that of the Veda. Thus between the hymns, or the divine speech, and the ordinary language of conversation the sound Him is interposed as a barrier.
* ↑ Mind, to think about the hymns which have to be recited; speech, to recite them without a flaw.
* ↑ Tata and tâta are used both by children in addressing their parents, and by parents in addressing their children. If tat is called the very same word, eva is used in the sense of iva.
* ↑ The verse is cited to confirm the meaning of tat, the first word of the first hymn (tad id âsa), as explained before. It was said that tat was the first name applied to a child. Now, according to Âsvalâyana Grihya-sûtra I, 16, 8, a name is given to a child at the time of its birth, a name which no one knows except father and mother, till the time when he is initiated by a Guru. This is called the abhivadanîya name. In allusion to this custom it is said here that tata is the secret name of the child, which becomes publicly known at a later time only. Of course the interpretation of the verse in that sense is unnatural, but quite in keeping with the general character of the Âranyaka. I doubt whether even the commentator understood what was intended by the author, and whether the gods who enter the body are supposed to know the name, or whether the name refers to these gods, or, it may be, to tad, the Brahman.
* ↑ He now explains the first hymn of the Nishkevalya, which is called the Râgana.
* ↑ Rv. X, 120, 1.
* ↑ The sun and the fire.
* ↑ Rv. X, 120, 2.
* ↑ Rv. X, 120, 3.
* ↑ All these are purely fanciful intepretations.
* ↑ Not to be found in our Sâkhâ of the Rig-veda.
* ↑ These metres are obtained by a purely arbitrary counting of syllables in the hymn tadidâsa, which really consists of Trishtub verses.
* ↑ If we simply count syllables, the first and second feet of the first verse consist of ten syllables only, the fourth of nine or ten. In order to bring them to the right number, the word purusha is to be added to what is a Virâg, i. e. to the first, the second, and fourth feet. We thus get: tad id âsa bhuvaneshu gyeshtham pu yato gagña ugras tveshanrimno ru sadyo gagñâno ni ri'nâti satrûn anu yam visve madanti ûmâh shah. Cf. Ait. Âr. V, 1, 6.
* ↑ The sound, nada, is really a verse beginning with nadam, and which is interpolated after the syllables pu ru shah.
* ↑ The nasal pluta on iti is explained as pâdapratîkagrahane'tyantamâdarârthah, Cf, Ait. Âr. II, 1, 4, 3.
* ↑ Tad id âsa is a Trishtubh, nadam vah an Anushtubh.
* ↑ Cf. I, 1, 2, 7; I, 1, 4, 21.
* ↑ The number is obtained as follows: 1. Tad id âsa (Rv. X, 120)= 9 verses 2. Tâm su te kîrtim (Rv. X, 54)= 6 {{{1}}}„ 3. Bhûya id vavridhe (Rv. VI, 30)= 5 {{{1}}}„ 4. Nrinâm u tvâ (Rv. I, 51, 4)= 3 {{{1}}}„ 23 + 2 = 25
* ↑ Cf. I, 1, 2, 9.
* ↑ Because Virâg, a foot of ten syllables, is food.
* ↑ Rv. X, 120, 1 a= 10 Rv. VIII, 69, 2 a= 7 Syllable pu= 1 18
* ↑ Seven in the head and two in the body; sapta vai sîrshanyâh prânâ dvâv avâñkâv iti.
* ↑ Cf. I, 3, 5, 1.
* ↑ Each pâda has seven syllables, the third only six; but a seventh syllable is gained by pronouncing the y as i. Comm.
* ↑ Because it has four pâdas.
* ↑ The commentator takes this in a different sense, explaining atra, there, as the body pervaded by the person, yet afterwards stating that all beings are born, pervaded by the senses.
* ↑ The commentator explains ukthâ, hymns, as members or organs. They are the five, and they spring from the ten, i. e. from the five elements (earth, water, fire, wind, and ether), forming part of the father and mother each, and therefore called ten, or a decade. Dasatah is explained by bhÛtadasakât.
* ↑ The application of the senses to a thousand different objects.
* ↑ Each foot of the Trishtubh has eleven syllables, to which seven are added from the Nada hymn. This gives eighteen syllables for each pâda. Two pâdas therefore give thirty-six syllables, and this is a Brihatî. In this manner the twenty-three verses of the hymns yield forty-six Brihatîs. Comm.
* ↑ He obtains a birth among the gods by means of this Mahâvrata ceremonial, if performed with meditation and a right understanding of its hidden meaning.
Footnotes