The Bhagavadgîtâ, with the Sanatsugâtîya and the Anugîtâ — SBE Vol. 8 (trans. K. T. Telang, 1882)
The translator’s English as printed (K. T. Telang). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
CHAPTER X.
On this, too, they relate an ancient story (showing) of what nature is the institution of the Kâturhotra*. The due performance of it in its entirety is now taught. Hear me, O good woman! state this wonderful mystery. The instrument, the action, the agent, and emancipation’, these, indeed, O you of a (pure) heart! are the four Hotyzs by whom this universe is enveloped. Hear also the assignment of causes exhaustively?. The nose, and the tongue, and the eye, and the skin, and the ear as the fifth, mind and understanding, these seven should be understood to be the causes of (the knowledge of?) qualities. Smell, and taste, and colour, sound, and touch as the fifth, the object of the mental operation and the object of the understanding+, these seven are causes of action. He who smells, he who eats, he who sees, he who speaks, and he who hears as the fifth, he who thinks, and he who understands, these seven should be understood to be the causes of the agents’, These °, being possessed of qualities’, enjoy their own qualities, agreeable and disagreeable. And I am here devoid of qualities. Thus these seven are the causes of emancipation ®. And among the learned who understand (everything), the qualities? which are in the position of the deities, each in its own place, always enjoy the offering according to prescribed rules. To him who is not learned, eating various (kinds of) food, the (feeling of this or that being) mine adheres. And cooking food for himself, he, through the (feeling of this or that being) mine, is ruined*. The eating of that which should not be eaten, and drinking of intoxicating drinks also destroys him. He destroys the food, and destroying that food he is destroyed in return. The learned man, being (himself) a ruler, destroying this food again produces it’. And not even a trifling obstacle“ arises to him from that food. Whatever is thought by the mind ®, whatever is spoken by speech, whatever is heard by the ear, whatever is seen by the eye, whatever is touched by the sense of touch, and whatever is smelt by the nose, absorbing all these offerings from all sides, together with those (senses) which with the mind are six®, my fire’ of (high) qualifications®, shines dwelling within the body. My sacrifice of concentration of mind is in progress, the performance of which yields the fire? of knowledge ; the Stotra in which, is the upward life-wind; the Sastra, the downward life-wind ; and which is very beneficial on account of the abandonment of everything’; the Brahman priest in which, is the counsellor in all action?; the Hotrz priest, the self; the Adhvaryu priest, (the self) whose hymn of praise ? is the offering ; the Sastra of the Prasâstrz, truth; and the Dakshixä, final emancipation. On this, too, Rzé verses are recited by the men who understand Narayava‘*—the god Nârâyaṇa to whom they formerly offered animal® (offerings). On that Sâman hymns‘ are sung, of which an illustration is stated’.
have to be offered. As to that which exists, &c., cf. Gita, p. 103, and p. 370, note g infra. As to good and evil and generally, ef. Khândogya, p. 60; Kaushîtaki, p. 19. They are nothing to one who knows the Brahman. Day and night Arguna Misra takes to mean the Id4 and Piñgalâ nâdis, between which is the Sushumṇâ, as they are connected with the sun and moon. But the sense of the whole passage is far from clear.
1 Arguna Misra understands these to be three Savanas.
2 Of taking into the nats the food digested in the night, this is the morning Savana; the afternoon Savana is the kindling of the gastric fire for digesting new food.
8 The Vâmadevya is a sûkta beginning ‘ Kayé nas Aitra’ (Rv. IV, 31,1). The singing of it is the third Savana, Arguna Misra. And see Taittirîya-Âraṇyaka, p. 889.
4 Cf. Aitareya-brahmana (Haug), pp. 132, 133-
CHAPTER X.
On this, too, they relate an ancient story showing the nature of the institution of the Kâturhotra. The due performance of it in its entirety is now taught. Hear me, O good woman! I shall state this wonderful mystery. The instrument, the action, the agent, and emancipation—these, indeed, O you of a pure heart, are the four Hotrzs by whom this universe is enveloped. Hear also the exhaustive assignment of causes. The nose, and the tongue, and the eye, and the skin, and the ear as the fifth, mind and understanding—these seven should be understood to be the causes of qualities. Smell, and taste, and colour, sound, and touch as the fifth, the object of the mental operation and the object of the understanding—these seven are causes of action. He who smells, he who eats, he who sees, he who speaks, and he who hears as the fifth, he who thinks, and he who understands—these seven should be understood to be the causes of the agents. These, being possessed of qualities, enjoy their own qualities, agreeable and disagreeable. And I am here devoid of qualities. Thus these seven are the causes of emancipation. And among the learned who understand everything, the qualities which are in the position of the deities, each in its own place, always enjoy the offering according to prescribed rules. To him who is not learned, eating various kinds of food, the feeling of this or that being mine adheres. And cooking food for himself, he is ruined through that same feeling of mine. The eating of what should not be eaten, and drinking of intoxicating drinks also destroys him. He destroys the food, and destroying that food he is destroyed in return. The learned man, being himself a ruler, destroys this food and again produces it. And not even a trifling obstacle arises to him from that food. Whatever is thought by the mind, whatever is spoken by speech, whatever is heard by the ear, whatever is seen by the eye, whatever is touched by the sense of touch, and whatever is smelt by the nose—absorbing all these offerings from all sides, together with those senses which with the mind are six, my fire of high qualifications shines, dwelling within the body. My sacrifice of concentration of mind is in progress, the performance of which yields the fire of knowledge; the Stotra in which is the upward life-wind; the Sastra, the downward life-wind; and which is very beneficial on account of the abandonment of everything; the Brahman priest in which is the counsellor in all action; the Hotrz priest, the self; the Adhvaryu priest, the self whose hymn of praise is the offering; the Sastra of the Prasâstrz, truth; and the Dakshixä, final emancipation. On this, too, Rzé verses are recited by the men who understand Nârâyaṇa—the god Nârâyaṇa to whom they formerly offered animal offerings. On that Sâman hymns are sung, of which an illustration is stated.
have to be offered. As to that which exists, &c., cf. Gita, p. 103, and p. 370, note g infra. As to good and evil and generally, cf. Khândogya, p. 60; Kaushîtaki, p. 19. They are nothing to one who knows the Brahman. Day and night Arjuna Misra takes to mean the Id4 and Piñgalâ nâdis, between which lies the Sushumṇâ, since these are connected with the sun and moon. But the meaning of the passage as a whole is far from clear.
1 Arjuna Miśra takes these to be the three Savanas.
2 The morning Savana consists of drawing into the nats the food digested during the night; the afternoon Savana is the kindling of the gastric fire to digest new food.
8 The Vâmadevya is a sûkta beginning 'Kayé nas Aitra' (Rv. IV, 31, 1). Its singing is the third Savana, Arjuna Misra. See also Taittirîya-Âraṇyaka, p. 889.
4 Cf. Aitareya-brahmana (Haug), pp. 132, 133.