Section 6.2
Original Sanskrit
6.2.1 श्वेतकेतुर्वा आरुणेयः पन्चालानां परिषदमाजगाम ।स आजगाम जैवलिं प्रवाहणं परिचारयमाणम् ।तमुदीक्ष्याभ्युवाद कुमारा३ इति ।स भो३ इति प्रतिशुश्राव ।अनुशिष्टो न्वसि पित्रेति ।ओमिति होवाच
6.2.2 वेत्थ यथेमाः प्रजाः प्रयत्यो विप्रतिपद्यन्ता३ इति ।नेति होवाच ।वेत्थो यथेमं लोकं पुनरापद्यन्ता३ इति ।नेति हैवोवाच ।वेत्थो यथासौ लोक एवं बहुभिः पुनः पुनः प्रयद्भिर्न संपूर्यता३ इति ।नेति हैवोवाच ।वेत्थो यतिथ्यामाहुत्यां हुतायामापः पुरुषवाचो भूत्वा समुत्थाय वदन्ती३ इति ।नेति हैवोवाच ।वेत्थो देवयानस्य वा पथः प्रतिपदं पितृयाणस्य वा ।यत्कृत्वा देवयानं वा पन्थानं प्रतिपद्यन्ते पितृयाणं वा ।अपि हि न ऋषेर्वचः श्रुतंद्वे सृती अशृणवं पितॄणामहं देवानामुत मर्त्यानाम् ।ताभ्यामिदं विश्वमेजत्समेति यदन्तरा पितरं मातरं चेति ।नाहमत एकं चन वेदेति होवाच
6.2.3 अथैनं वसत्योपमन्त्रयां चक्रे ।अनादृत्य वसतिं कुमारः प्रदुद्राव ।स आजगाम पितरम् ।तं होवाच इति वाव किल नो भवान् पुरानुशिष्टानवोच इति ।कथं सुमेध इति ।पञ्च मा प्रश्नान् राजन्यबन्धुरप्राक्षीत् ।ततो नैकं चन वेदेति ।कतमे त इति ।इम इति ह प्रतीकान्युदाजहार
6.2.4 स होवाच तथा नस्त्वं तत जानीथा यथा यदहं किंच वेद सर्वमहं तत्तुभमवोचम् ।प्रेहि तु तत्र ।प्रतीत्य ब्रह्मचर्यं वत्स्याव इति ।भवानेव गच्छत्विति ।स आजगाम गौतमो यत्र प्रवाहणस्य जैवलेरास ।तस्मा आसनमाहृत्योदकमाहारयां चकार ।अथ हास्मा अर्घ्यं चकार ।तं होवाच वरं भगवते गौतमाय दद्म इति
6.2.5 स होवाच प्रतिज्ञतो म एष वरः ।यां तु कुमारस्यान्ते वाचमभाषथास्तां मे ब्रूहीति
6.2.6 स होवाच दैवेषु वै गौतम तद्वरेषु ।मानुषाणां ब्रूहीति
6.2.7 स होवाच विज्ञायते हास्तिहिरण्यस्यापात्तं गोअश्वानां दासीनां प्रवाराणां परिधानस्य ।मा नो भवान् बहोरनन्तस्यापर्यन्तस्याभ्यवदान्यो भूदिति ।स वै गौतम तीर्थेनेच्छसा इति ।उपैम्यहं भवन्तमिति ।वाचा ह स्मैव पूर्व उपयन्ति ।स होपायनकीर्त्योवास
6.2.8 स होवाच तथा नस्त्वं गौतम मापराधास्तव च पितामहाः ।यथेयं विद्येतः पूर्वं न कस्मिंश्चन ब्राह्मन उवास ।तां त्वहं तुभ्यं वक्ष्यामि ।को हि त्वैवं ब्रुवन्तमर्हति प्रत्याख्यातुमिति
6.2.9 असौ वै लोकोऽग्निर्गौतम ।तस्यादित्य एव समित् ।रश्मयो धूमः ।अहरर्चिः ।दिशोऽङ्गाराः ।अवान्तरदिशो विष्फुलिङ्गाः ।तस्मिन्नेतस्मिन्नग्नौ देवाः श्रद्धां जुह्वति ।तस्या आहुत्यै सोमो राजा संभवति
6.2.10 पर्जन्यो वा अग्निर्गौतम ।तस्य संवत्सर एव समित् ।अभ्राणि धूमः ।विद्युदर्चिः ।अशनिरङ्गाराः ।ह्रादुनयो विष्फुलिङ्गाः ।तस्मिन्नेतस्मिन्नग्नौ देवाः सोमं राजानं जुह्वति ।तस्या आहुत्यै वृष्टिः संभवति
6.2.11 अयं वै लोकोऽग्निर्गौतम ।तस्य पृथिव्येव समित् ।अग्निर्धूमः ।रात्रिरर्चिः ।चन्द्रमा अङ्गाराः ।नक्षत्राणि विष्फुलिङ्गाः ।तस्मिन्नेतस्मिन्नग्नौ देवा वृष्टिं जुह्वति ।तस्या आहुत्या अन्नं संभवति
6.2.12 पुरुषो वा अग्निर्गौतम ।तस्य व्यात्तमेव समित् ।प्राणो धूमः ।वागर्चिः ।चक्षुरङ्गाराः ।श्रोत्रं विष्फुलिङ्गाः ।तस्मिन्नेतस्मिन्नग्नौ देवा अन्नं जुह्वति ।तस्या आहुत्यै रेतः संभवति
6.2.13 योषा वा अग्निर्गौतम ।तस्या उपस्थ एव समित् ।लोमानि धूमः ।योनिरर्चिः ।यदन्तः करोति तेऽङ्गाराः ।अभिनन्दा विष्फुलिङ्गाः ।तस्मिन्नेतस्मिन्नग्नौ देवा रेतो जुह्वति ।तस्या आहुत्यै पुरुषः संभवति ।स जीवति यावज्जीवति ।अथ यदा म्रियते
6.2.14 अथैनमग्नये हरन्ति ।तस्याग्निरेवाग्निर्भवति ।समित्समित् ।धूमो धूमः ।अर्चिरर्चिः ।अङ्गारा अङ्गाराः ।विष्फुलिङ्गा विष्फुलिङ्गाः ।तस्मिन्नेतस्मिन्नग्नौ देवाः पुरुषं जुह्वति ।तस्या आहुत्यै पुरुषो भास्वरवर्णः संभवति
6.2.15 ते य एवमेतद्विदुर्ये चामी अरण्ये श्रद्धां सत्यमुपासते तेऽर्चिरभिसंभवन्ति ।अर्चिषोऽहः ।अह्न आपूर्यमाणपक्षम् ।आपूर्यमाणपक्षाद्यान् षण्मासानुदङ्ङादित्य एति ।मासेभ्यो देवलोकम् ।देवलोकादादित्यम् ।आदित्याद्वैद्युतम् ।तान् वैद्युतान् पुरुषो मानस एत्य ब्रह्मलोकान् गमयति ।ते तेषु ब्रह्मलोकेषु पराः परावतो वसन्ति ।तेषां न पुनरावृत्तिः
6.2.16 अथ ये यज्ञेन दानेन तपसा लोकाञ्जयन्ति ते धूममभिसंभवन्ति ।धूमाद्रात्रिम् ।रात्रेरपक्षीयमाणपक्षम् ।अपक्षीयमाणपक्षाद्यान् षण्मासान् दक्षिणादित्य एति ।मासेभ्यः पितृलोकम् ।पितृलोकाच्चन्द्रम् ।ते चन्द्रं प्राप्यान्नं भवन्ति ।तांस्तत्र देवा यथा सोमं राजानमाप्यायस्वापक्षीयस्वेत्येवमेनांस्तत्र भक्षयन्ति ।तेषां यदा तत्पर्यवैत्यथेममेवाकाशमभिनिष्पद्यन्ते ।आकाशाद्वायुम् ।वायोर्वृष्टिम् ।वृष्टेः पृथिवीम् ।ते पृथिवीं प्राप्यान्नं भवन्ति ।ते पुनः पुरुषाग्नौ हूयन्ते ततो योषाग्नौ जायन्ते ।लोकान् प्रत्युथायिनस्त एवमेवानुपरिवर्तन्ते ।अथ य एतौ पन्थानौ न विदुस्ते कीटाः पतङ्गा यदिदं दन्दशूकम्
Musean translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from Sanskrit and checked passage by passage against the Kāṇva text.
6.2.1 Shvetaketu, the son of Aruni, came to the assembly of the Panchalas. He approached Pravahana, the son of Jivala, as attendants waited on him. Seeing him, Pravahana called out, “Young man!”
“Sir!” he answered.
“Have you been instructed by your father?”
“Yes,” he said.
6.2.2 “Do you know how these creatures, when they depart, go their separate ways?”
“No,” he said.
“And do you know how they return to this world?”
“No,” he said again.
“And do you know how that world never fills up, though so many depart for it again and again?”
“No,” he said again.
“And do you know at which offering, once it has been offered, the waters take on a human voice, rise up, and speak?”
“No,” he said again.
“And do you know the entrance to the path of the gods or to the path of the ancestors—what people do to enter the path of the gods or the path of the ancestors? For we have heard the seer's words:
‘I have heard of two paths, that of the ancestorsand that of the gods and mortals.Along them goes all this that moves,all that lies between the father and the mother.’”
“I do not know a single one of these things,” he said.
6.2.3 Then the king invited him to stay. Disregarding the invitation, the young man hurried away. He came to his father and said, “So this is what you meant when you once told me that I had been instructed!”
“What is it, my clever boy?”
“That fellow of royal blood asked me five questions, and I do not know the answer to a single one.”
“What were they?”
“These,” he said, and repeated their opening words.
6.2.4 His father said, “My child, you must understand this about me: whatever I know, I have told you—all of it. But come, let us go there. We will approach him and live as students.”
“You go yourself.”
So Gautama went to the place where Pravahana, the son of Jivala, was. The king had a seat brought for him and water brought in. Then he made him the offering due a guest. He said, “We offer the honored Gautama a boon.”
6.2.5 Gautama said, “That boon has been promised me. Tell me the words you spoke in the young man's presence.”
6.2.6 The king said, “That belongs among the divine boons, Gautama. Choose one of the human ones.”
6.2.7 Gautama said, “It is well known that I have a store of gold, cattle and horses, slave women, blankets, and clothing. Do not be ungenerous to us in what is abundant, boundless, without end.”
“Then, Gautama, you must seek it in the proper way.”
“I approach you as a pupil.”
In earlier times, a spoken declaration alone was how people became pupils. With this declaration of discipleship, he stayed.
6.2.8 The king said, “May neither you nor your forefathers hold it against us, Gautama, that before now this knowledge has never dwelt in any Brahmin. But I will tell it to you. Who could refuse you when you speak in this way?
6.2.9 “That world is a fire, Gautama. The sun is its fuel, the rays its smoke, the day its flame, the directions its coals, and the intermediate directions its sparks. Into this fire the gods offer faith. From that offering King Soma comes into being.
6.2.10 “Parjanya is a fire, Gautama. The year is his fuel, the clouds his smoke, lightning his flame, the thunderbolt his coals, and the rumblings of thunder his sparks. Into this fire the gods offer King Soma. From that offering rain comes into being.
6.2.11 “This world is a fire, Gautama. The earth is its fuel, fire its smoke, night its flame, the moon its coals, and the stars its sparks. Into this fire the gods offer rain. From that offering food comes into being.
6.2.12 “A man is a fire, Gautama. His open mouth is his fuel, breath his smoke, speech his flame, the eye his coals, and the ear his sparks. Into this fire the gods offer food. From that offering semen comes into being.
6.2.13 “A woman is a fire, Gautama. Her sexual organ is her fuel, the hairs her smoke, the vagina her flame, what is done within her the coals, and the pleasures her sparks. Into this fire the gods offer semen. From that offering a person comes into being. He lives as long as he lives. Then, when he dies,
6.2.14 “They carry him to the fire. For him, fire itself becomes the fire, fuel the fuel, smoke the smoke, flame the flame, coals the coals, and sparks the sparks. Into this fire the gods offer the person. From that offering a person of shining radiance comes into being.
6.2.15 “Those who know this, and those who in the wilderness worship faith and truth, enter the flame; from the flame, the day; from the day, the waxing half of the month; from the waxing half of the month, the six months when the sun travels north; from those months, the world of the gods; from the world of the gods, the sun; from the sun, the region of lightning. A being born of mind comes to those who have reached the lightning and leads them to the worlds of Brahman. In those worlds of Brahman they dwell through ages upon far-reaching ages. For them there is no return.
6.2.16 “But those who win worlds through sacrifice, giving, and austerity enter the smoke; from the smoke, the night; from the night, the waning half of the month; from the waning half of the month, the six months when the sun travels south; from those months, the world of the ancestors; from the world of the ancestors, the moon. Reaching the moon, they become food. There the gods consume them as they consume King Soma, saying, ‘Swell full; dwindle away.’ When that comes to an end for them, they pass into this very space; from space into wind; from wind into rain; from rain into the earth. Reaching the earth, they become food. They are offered again into the fire that is man, then born in the fire that is woman. Rising again toward the worlds, they circle round in just this way. But those who know neither of these two paths become worms, flying insects, and these biting creatures.”
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Plain English edition, translated independently from Sanskrit and checked passage by passage against the Kāṇva text.
6.2.1 Shvetaketu, a descendant of Aruna, came to the assembly of the Panchalas.He approached Pravahana Jaivali, who was having attendants wait on him.Seeing him, the king said, "Young man!""Sir!" he answered."Have you been taught by your father?""Yes," he said.
6.2.2 "Do you know how these creatures go their separate ways when they leave here?""No," he said."Do you know how they return to this world?""No," he said again."Do you know why that world never fills up, although so many go there again and again?""No," he said again."Do you know at which offering the waters, after being offered, rise up with a human voice and speak?""No," he said again."Do you know the way into the path of the gods and the path of the ancestors?What do people do to enter the path of the gods or the path of the ancestors?We have heard these words of the seer:'I have heard of two paths: those of the ancestors, of the gods, and of mortals.Along these goes everything that moves, whatever is between the father and the mother.'""I do not know even one of these things," Shvetaketu said.
6.2.3 Then the king invited him to stay.Disregarding the invitation, the young man ran away.He came to his fatherand said, "You told us before that we had been fully taught!""How so, my intelligent son?""That fellow from the ruling class asked me five questions.I do not know the answer to even one.""What were they?"He repeated the opening words of the questions.
6.2.4 His father said, "My child, you should know this about me: whatever I know, I have told you all of it.But let us go there.We will return and live as students.""You go yourself," Shvetaketu said.So Gautama went to where Pravahana Jaivali was.The king had a seat brought for him and had water brought.Then he gave him an offering of welcome.He said, "We grant the honored Gautama a blessing of his choice."
6.2.5 Gautama said, "You have promised me this blessing.Tell me what you said in the young man's presence."
6.2.6 The king said, "Gautama, that belongs among divine blessings.Ask for a human one."
6.2.7 Gautama said, "It is well known that we already have gold, cattle, horses, female slaves, cloaks, and clothing.Please do not be ungenerous to us with what is abundant, infinite, and without limit.""Gautama, you must seek it in the proper way.""I come to you as a student."In earlier times, people became students simply by saying this.He stayed there after declaring himself a student.
6.2.8 The king said, "Do not take offense at us, Gautama, nor should your ancestors.Before this, this knowledge had never lived in any Brahmin.I will tell it to you.For who could refuse someone who speaks in this way?"
6.2.9 "That world is a fire, Gautama.The sun is its fuel.The rays are its smoke.Day is its flame.The directions are its coals.The directions between them are its sparks.Into this fire the gods offer faith.From this offering King Soma comes into being.
6.2.10 "Parjanya is a fire, Gautama.The year is its fuel.Clouds are its smoke.Lightning is its flame.Thunderbolts are its coals.Thunderclaps are its sparks.Into this fire the gods offer King Soma.From this offering rain comes into being.
6.2.11 "This world is a fire, Gautama.The earth is its fuel.Fire is its smoke.Night is its flame.The moon is its coals.The stars are its sparks.Into this fire the gods offer rain.From this offering food comes into being.
6.2.12 "A man is a fire, Gautama.His open mouth is its fuel.Breath is its smoke.Speech is its flame.Sight is its coals.Hearing is its sparks.Into this fire the gods offer food.From this offering semen comes into being.
6.2.13 "A woman is a fire, Gautama.Her sexual organ is its fuel.Her hair is its smoke.Her vagina is its flame.Penetration is its coals.Pleasures are its sparks.Into this fire the gods offer semen.From this offering a person comes into being.That person lives as long as they live.Then, when they die,
6.2.14 "people take them to the fire.Here fire itself is the fire,fuel is the fuel,smoke is the smoke,flame is the flame,coals are the coals,and sparks are the sparks.Into this fire the gods offer the person.From this offering a person with a shining appearance comes into being.
6.2.15 "Those who know this, and those in the wilderness who worship faith and truth, reach the flame.From the flame they reach the day;from the day, the fortnight of the waxing moon;from that fortnight, the six months when the sun travels north;from those months, the world of the gods;from the world of the gods, the sun;and from the sun, lightning.A person made of mind comes to those who have reached lightning and takes them to the worlds of Brahman.They live in those worlds of Brahman for the farthest reaches of time.They do not return.
6.2.16 "Those who win worlds through sacrifice, giving, and austerity reach smoke.From smoke they reach the night;from the night, the fortnight of the waning moon;from that fortnight, the six months when the sun travels south;from those months, the world of the ancestors;and from the world of the ancestors, the moon.When they reach the moon, they become food.There the gods consume them, as they consume King Soma, saying, 'Grow full. Diminish.'When that comes to an end for them, they pass into this space.From space they enter wind;from wind, rain;from rain, the earth.When they reach the earth, they become food.They are offered again into the fire that is a man, and then are born in the fire that is a woman.In this way they keep going around, rising again into the worlds.Those who do not know either of these paths become insects, moths, and biting creatures."
About this section
Section 6.2 is part of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad by Unknown. This page sets the Sanskrit original beside 2 direct-source translations, so any line can be checked against the source. It is section 44 of 47 in the work, which is kept in the Hindu tradition.
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