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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1Thus it is fit for the day? 13. He recites the verse gdtavedase sunavama somam (Rv. I, 99, 1), addressed to Gatavedas, before the (next following) hymn. That verse addressed to GAtavedas is verily welfare, and leads to welfare. Thus (by reciting it) he fares well* 14. The hymn imam stomam arhate gatavedase (Rv. I, 94), addressed to GAtavedas, is one in which many verses have the same ending. Verily, this day also (the mahavrata) is one in which many receive the same reward. Thus it is fit for the day, yea, it is fit for the day. 1Ch§ 4. 2 CEI, 5, 2, 8 SECOND ARANYAKA. FIRST ADHYAYA. 7 us f 4 |r First Kuawpa. 5, XC vit ! Wiru the second Aranyaka the Upanishad begins. It comprises - -<> the second and third Arasyakas, and may be said to consist of ‘ = .., { three divisions, or three Upanishads. Their general title is Bahvrzta- ;+-’“ ‘ ypanishad, sometimes Mahaitareya-upanishad, while the Upanishad generally known as Aitareya-upanishad comprises the 4th, 5th, and 6th adhy4yas only of the second Aranyaka. The character of the three component portions of the Upanishad can best be described in Sankara’s own words (Ar. III, 1, 1, Introd. p- 306): ‘There are three classes of men who want to acquire knowledge. The highest consists of those who have turned away from the world, whose minds are fixed on one subject and collected, and who yearn to be free at once. For these a knowledge of Brahman is intended, as taught in the Ait. Ar. II, 4-6. The middle class are those who wish to become free gradually by attaining to the world of Hirazyagarbha. For them the knowledge and worship of Pr&aza (breath and life) is intended, as explained in the Ait. Ar, II, 1-3. The lowest class consists of those who do not care either for immediate or gradual freedom, but who desire nothing but offspring, cattle, &c. For these the meditative worship of the Samhit& is intended, as explained in the third Aramyaka. They cling too strongly to the letter of the sacred text to be able to surrender it for a knowledge either of Pr4ma (life) or of Brahman.’ The connexion between the Upanishad or rather the three Upanishads and the first Aranyaka seems at first sight very slight. Still we soon perceive that it would be impossible to understand the first Upanishad, without a previous knowledge of the Mahévrata ceremony as described in the first Aranyaka. On this point too there are some pertinent remarks in Sankara’s commentary on the Aramyaka II, 1,2. ‘Our first duty,’ he says, ‘consists in performing sacrifices, such as are described in the first portion of the Veda, the Samhités, Brahmamas, and, to a certain extent, in the Aranyakas also. Afterwards arises a desire for knowledge, which cannot be satisfied except a man has first attained on =: 11 ARANYAKA, I ADHYAYA, I KHANDA, 2. 201
2Afterwards arises a desire for knowledge, which cannot be satisfied except a man has first attained on =: 11 ARANYAKA, I ADHYAYA, I KHANDA, 2. 201 complete concentration of thought (ek4grat4). In order to acquire that concentration, the performance of certain up4sanas or meditations is enjoined, such as we find described in our Upanishad, viz. in Ar. II, 1-3.’ This meditation or, as it is sometimes translated, worship is of two kinds, either brahmop4sana or prattkopfsana. Brahmopasana or meditation on Brahman consists in thinking of him as distinguished by certain qualities, Pratikopasana or meditation on symbols consists in looking upon certain worldly objects as if they were Brahman, in order thus to withdraw the mind from the too powerful influence of external objects. These objects, thus lifted up into symbols of Brahman, are of two kinds, either connected with sacrifice or not. In our Upanishad we have to deal with the former class only, viz. with certain portions of the MahAvrata, as described in the first Aranyaka. In order that the mind may not be entirely absorbed by the sacrifice, it is lifted up during the performance from the consideration of these sacrificial objects to a meditation on higher objects, leading up at last to Brahman as pr4ma or life. | This meditation is to be performed by the priests, and while they meditate they may meditate on a hymn or on a single word of it as meaning something else, such as the sun, the earth, or the sky, but not vice vers4. And ifin one Sakhé, as in that of the Aitareyins, for instance, a certain hymn has been symbolically explained, the same explanation may be adopted by another Sakh4 also, such as that of the Kaushftakins. It is not necessary, however, that every part of the sacrifice should be accompanied by meditation, but it is left optional to the priest in what particular meditation he wishes to . engage, nor is even the time of the sacrifice the only right time for him to engage in these meditations, 1. This is the path: this sacrifice, and this Brahman. This is the true? 2. Let no man swerve from it, let no man transgress it. 1 Comm. The path is twofold, consisting of works and knowledge. Works or sacrifices have been described in the Samhit4, the Brahmasa, and the first Aranyaka. Knowledge of Brahman forms the subject of the second and third Aranyakas. The true path is that of knowledge. 202 AITAREYA-ARANYAKA. 3. For the old (sages) did not transgress it, and those who did transgress, became lost. 4. This has been declared by a Rishi (Rv. VIII, 101, 14): ‘Three (classes of) people transgressed, others settled down round about the venerable (Agni, fire); the great (sun) stood in the midst of the worlds, the blowing (V4yu, air) entered the Harits (the dawns, or the ends of the earth).’ 5. When he says: ‘Three (classes of ) people transgressed,’ the three (classes of) people who transgressed are what we see here (on earth, born again) as birds, trees, herbs, and serpents}.
3When he says: ‘Three (classes of ) people transgressed,’ the three (classes of) people who transgressed are what we see here (on earth, born again) as birds, trees, herbs, and serpents}. 6. When he says: ‘Others settled down round about the venerable,’ he means those who now sit down to worship Agni (fire). 7. When he says : ‘ The great stood in the midst of the worlds,’ the great one in the midst of the world is meant for this Aditya, the sun. 8. When he says: ‘The blowing entered the Harits,’ he means that V4yu, the air, the purifier, entered all the corners of the earth *. Sreconp KHANDA. 1. People say: ‘Uktha, uktha,’ hymns, hymns! (without knowing what uktha, hymn’, means.) The 1 Vangah is explained by vanagat4 vriksh4s ; avagadh4Z is explained by vrihiyavadya oshadhayah; trapad4A is explained by uraspada’ sarpa4. Possibly they are all old ethnic names, like Vanga, Kera, &c. In Anandatirtha's commentary vaydmsi are explained by Pisika, Vahgavagadhas by R&kshasa, and frapfdas by Asuras. * Three classes of men go to Naraka (hell); the fourth class, full of faith and desirous of reaching the highest world, worships Agni, Vayu, and other gods. Comm, ® The Comm. explains uktha as that from whence the favour of the gods arises, uttish/Aaty anena devatapras&da iti vyutpattez. 11 ARANYAKA, I ADHYAYA, 2 KHANDA, II. 203 hymn is truly (to be considered as) the earth, for from it all whatsoever exists arises. 2. The object of its praise is Agni (fire), and the eighty verses (of the hymn) are food, for by means of food one obtains everything. 3. The hymn is truly the sky, for the birds fly along the sky, and men drive following the sky. The object of its praise is Vayu (air), and the eighty verses (of the hymn) are food, for by means of food one obtains everything. 4. The hymn is truly the heaven, for from: its gift (rain) all whatsoever exists arises. The object of its praise is Aditya (the sun), and the eighty verses are food, for by means of food one obtains everything. 5. So much with reference to the gods (mythological); now with reference to man (physiological). 6. The hymn is truly man. He is great, he is Pragdpati. Let him think, I am the hymn. 7. The hymn is his mouth, as before in the case of the earth. 8. The object of its praise is speech, and the eighty verses (of the hymn) are food, for by means of food he obtains everything. 9. The hymn is the nostrils, as before in the case of the sky. 10. The object of its praise is breath, and the eighty verses (of the hymn) are food, for by means of food he obtains everything. 11. The slight bent (at the root) of the nose is, as it were, the place of the brilliant (Aditya, the sun). The object is now to show that the uktha or hymn used at the Mahf4vrata ceremony has a deeper meaning than it seems to have, and that its highest aim is Brahman; not, however, the highest Brahman, but Brahman considered as life (prama). 204 AITAREYA-ARANYAKA.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1Thus it is fit for the day? 13. He recites the verse gdtavedase sunavama somam (Rv. I, 99, 1), addressed to Gatavedas, before the (next following) hymn. That verse addressed to GAtavedas is verily welfare, and leads to welfare. Thus (by reciting it) he fares well* 14. The hymn imam stomam arhate gatavedase (Rv. I, 94), addressed to GAtavedas, is one in which many verses have the same ending. Verily, this day also (the mahavrata) is one in which many receive the same reward. Thus it is fit for the day, yea, it is fit for the day. 1Ch§ 4. 2 CEI, 5, 2, 8 SECOND ARANYAKA. FIRST ADHYAYA. 7 us f 4 |r First Kuawpa. 5, XC vit ! Wiru the second Aranyaka the Upanishad begins. It comprises - -<> the second and third Arasyakas, and may be said to consist of ‘ = .., { three divisions, or three Upanishads. Their general title is Bahvrzta- ;+-’“ ‘ ypanishad, sometimes Mahaitareya-upanishad, while the Upanishad generally known as Aitareya-upanishad comprises the 4th, 5th, and 6th adhy4yas only of the second Aranyaka. The character of the three component portions of the Upanishad can best be described in Sankara’s own words (Ar. III, 1, 1, Introd. p- 306): ‘There are three classes of men who want to acquire knowledge. The highest consists of those who have turned away from the world, whose minds are fixed on one subject and collected, and who yearn to be free at once. For these a knowledge of Brahman is intended, as taught in the Ait. Ar. II, 4-6. The middle class are those who wish to become free gradually by attaining to the world of Hirazyagarbha. For them the knowledge and worship of Pr&aza (breath and life) is intended, as explained in the Ait. Ar, II, 1-3. The lowest class consists of those who do not care either for immediate or gradual freedom, but who desire nothing but offspring, cattle, &c. For these the meditative worship of the Samhit& is intended, as explained in the third Aramyaka. They cling too strongly to the letter of the sacred text to be able to surrender it for a knowledge either of Pr4ma (life) or of Brahman.’ The connexion between the Upanishad or rather the three Upanishads and the first Aranyaka seems at first sight very slight. Still we soon perceive that it would be impossible to understand the first Upanishad, without a previous knowledge of the Mahévrata ceremony as described in the first Aranyaka. On this point too there are some pertinent remarks in Sankara’s commentary on the Aramyaka II, 1,2. ‘Our first duty,’ he says, ‘consists in performing sacrifices, such as are described in the first portion of the Veda, the Samhités, Brahmamas, and, to a certain extent, in the Aranyakas also. Afterwards arises a desire for knowledge, which cannot be satisfied except a man has first attained on =: 11 ARANYAKA, I ADHYAYA, I KHANDA, 2. 201
2Afterwards arises a desire for knowledge, which cannot be satisfied except a man has first attained on =: 11 ARANYAKA, I ADHYAYA, I KHANDA, 2. 201 complete concentration of thought (ek4grat4). In order to acquire that concentration, the performance of certain up4sanas or meditations is enjoined, such as we find described in our Upanishad, viz. in Ar. II, 1-3.’ This meditation or, as it is sometimes translated, worship is of two kinds, either brahmop4sana or prattkopfsana. Brahmopasana or meditation on Brahman consists in thinking of him as distinguished by certain qualities, Pratikopasana or meditation on symbols consists in looking upon certain worldly objects as if they were Brahman, in order thus to withdraw the mind from the too powerful influence of external objects. These objects, thus lifted up into symbols of Brahman, are of two kinds, either connected with sacrifice or not. In our Upanishad we have to deal with the former class only, viz. with certain portions of the MahAvrata, as described in the first Aranyaka. In order that the mind may not be entirely absorbed by the sacrifice, it is lifted up during the performance from the consideration of these sacrificial objects to a meditation on higher objects, leading up at last to Brahman as pr4ma or life. | This meditation is to be performed by the priests, and while they meditate they may meditate on a hymn or on a single word of it as meaning something else, such as the sun, the earth, or the sky, but not vice vers4. And ifin one Sakhé, as in that of the Aitareyins, for instance, a certain hymn has been symbolically explained, the same explanation may be adopted by another Sakh4 also, such as that of the Kaushftakins. It is not necessary, however, that every part of the sacrifice should be accompanied by meditation, but it is left optional to the priest in what particular meditation he wishes to . engage, nor is even the time of the sacrifice the only right time for him to engage in these meditations, 1. This is the path: this sacrifice, and this Brahman. This is the true? 2. Let no man swerve from it, let no man transgress it. 1 Comm. The path is twofold, consisting of works and knowledge. Works or sacrifices have been described in the Samhit4, the Brahmasa, and the first Aranyaka. Knowledge of Brahman forms the subject of the second and third Aranyakas. The true path is that of knowledge. 202 AITAREYA-ARANYAKA. 3. For the old (sages) did not transgress it, and those who did transgress, became lost. 4. This has been declared by a Rishi (Rv. VIII, 101, 14): ‘Three (classes of) people transgressed, others settled down round about the venerable (Agni, fire); the great (sun) stood in the midst of the worlds, the blowing (V4yu, air) entered the Harits (the dawns, or the ends of the earth).’ 5. When he says: ‘Three (classes of ) people transgressed,’ the three (classes of) people who transgressed are what we see here (on earth, born again) as birds, trees, herbs, and serpents}.
3When he says: ‘Three (classes of ) people transgressed,’ the three (classes of) people who transgressed are what we see here (on earth, born again) as birds, trees, herbs, and serpents}. 6. When he says: ‘Others settled down round about the venerable,’ he means those who now sit down to worship Agni (fire). 7. When he says : ‘ The great stood in the midst of the worlds,’ the great one in the midst of the world is meant for this Aditya, the sun. 8. When he says: ‘The blowing entered the Harits,’ he means that V4yu, the air, the purifier, entered all the corners of the earth *. Sreconp KHANDA. 1. People say: ‘Uktha, uktha,’ hymns, hymns! (without knowing what uktha, hymn’, means.) The 1 Vangah is explained by vanagat4 vriksh4s ; avagadh4Z is explained by vrihiyavadya oshadhayah; trapad4A is explained by uraspada’ sarpa4. Possibly they are all old ethnic names, like Vanga, Kera, &c. In Anandatirtha's commentary vaydmsi are explained by Pisika, Vahgavagadhas by R&kshasa, and frapfdas by Asuras. * Three classes of men go to Naraka (hell); the fourth class, full of faith and desirous of reaching the highest world, worships Agni, Vayu, and other gods. Comm, ® The Comm. explains uktha as that from whence the favour of the gods arises, uttish/Aaty anena devatapras&da iti vyutpattez. 11 ARANYAKA, I ADHYAYA, 2 KHANDA, II. 203 hymn is truly (to be considered as) the earth, for from it all whatsoever exists arises. 2. The object of its praise is Agni (fire), and the eighty verses (of the hymn) are food, for by means of food one obtains everything. 3. The hymn is truly the sky, for the birds fly along the sky, and men drive following the sky. The object of its praise is Vayu (air), and the eighty verses (of the hymn) are food, for by means of food one obtains everything. 4. The hymn is truly the heaven, for from: its gift (rain) all whatsoever exists arises. The object of its praise is Aditya (the sun), and the eighty verses are food, for by means of food one obtains everything. 5. So much with reference to the gods (mythological); now with reference to man (physiological). 6. The hymn is truly man. He is great, he is Pragdpati. Let him think, I am the hymn. 7. The hymn is his mouth, as before in the case of the earth. 8. The object of its praise is speech, and the eighty verses (of the hymn) are food, for by means of food he obtains everything. 9. The hymn is the nostrils, as before in the case of the sky. 10. The object of its praise is breath, and the eighty verses (of the hymn) are food, for by means of food he obtains everything. 11. The slight bent (at the root) of the nose is, as it were, the place of the brilliant (Aditya, the sun). The object is now to show that the uktha or hymn used at the Mahf4vrata ceremony has a deeper meaning than it seems to have, and that its highest aim is Brahman; not, however, the highest Brahman, but Brahman considered as life (prama). 204 AITAREYA-ARANYAKA.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
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