अथ होवाचोद्दालकमारुणिं गौतम कं त्वमात्मानमुपस्स इति पृथिवीमेव भगवो राजन्निति होवाचैष वै प्रतिष्ठात्मा वैश्वानरो यं त्वमात्मानमुपास्से तस्मात्त्वं प्रतिष्ठितोऽसि प्रजया च पशुभिश्च
Then he said to Uddālaka, son of Aruṇa, Gautama: 'Whom do you meditate upon as your Self?' He replied: 'The earth itself, revered king.' He said: 'This is the foundation Self, the Vaiśvānara, whom you meditate upon as your Self. Therefore, you are established with progeny and cattle.'
अत्स्यन्नं पश्यसि प्रियमत्त्यन्नं पश्यति प्रियं भवत्यस्य ब्रह्मवर्चसं कुले य एतमेवमात्मानं वैश्वानरमुपास्ते पादौ त्वेतावात्मन इति होवाच पादौ ते व्यम्लास्येतां यन्मां नागमिष्य इति
He eats food and sees what is dear; he eats food and sees what is dear; he becomes dear, and his family shines with the radiance of Brahman—whoever meditates thus on the Vaiśvānara Self. 'These are the feet of the Self,' he said. 'If you had not come to me, your feet would have withered.'
तान्होवाचैते वै खलु यूयं पृथगिवेममात्मानं वैश्वानरं विद्वाँसोऽन्नमत्थ यस्त्वेतमेवं प्रादेशमात्रमभिविमानमात्मानं वैश्वानरमुपास्ते स सर्वेषु लोकेषु सर्वेषु भूतेषु सर्वेष्वात्मस्वन्नमत्ति
He said to them: Indeed, you all, knowing the Vaiśvānara Self as if it were separate, eat food; but whoever worships this Vaiśvānara Self as measured by a span and as the true Self, he eats food in all worlds, among all beings, and in all selves.
तस्य ह वा एतस्यात्मनो वैश्वानरस्य मूर्धैव सुतेजाश्चक्षुर्विश्वरूपः प्राणः पृथग्वर्त्मात्मा सन्देहो बहुलो बस्तिरेव रयिः पृथिव्येव पादावुर एव वेदिर्लोमानि बर्हिर्हृदयं गार्हपत्यो मनोऽन्वाहार्यपचन आस्यमाहवनीयः
Of this Vaiśvānara Self, the head is the blazing fire, the eye is of manifold forms, the breath moves in different paths, the trunk is abundant, the bladder is wealth, the feet are the earth, the sides are the altar, the hairs are the sacred grass, the heart is the household fire, the mind is the offering fire, and the mouth is the fire of oblation.
तद्यद्भक्तं प्रथममागच्छेत्तद्धोमीयँ स यां प्रथमामाहुतिं जुहुयात्तां जुहुयात्प्राणाय स्वाहेति प्राणस्तृप्यति
Now, when the first portion of food is brought, that should be offered as the first oblation, saying, 'To Prāṇa, svāhā.' Prāṇa is satisfied.
प्राणे तृप्यति चक्षुस्तृप्यति चक्षुषि तृप्यत्यादित्यस्तृप्यत्यादित्ये तृप्यति द्यौस्तृप्यति दिवि तृप्यन्त्यां यत्किञ्च द्यौश्चादित्यश्चाधितिष्ठतस्तत्तृप्यति तस्यानुतृप्तिं तृप्यति प्रजया पशुभिरन्नाद्येन तेजसा ब्रह्मवर्चसेनेति
When Prāṇa is satisfied, the eye is satisfied; when the eye is satisfied, the sun is satisfied; when the sun is satisfied, the sky is satisfied; and when the sky is satisfied, whatever is established in the sky and the sun is satisfied. By this satisfaction, he is fulfilled with offspring, cattle, food, vigor, and the splendor of Brahman.
अथ यां द्वितीयां जुहुयात्तां जुहुयाद्व्यानाय स्वाहेति व्यानस्तृप्यति
Then, the second oblation should be offered, saying, 'To Vyāna, svāhā.' Vyāna is satisfied.
व्याने तृप्यति श्रोत्रं तृप्यति श्रोत्रे तृप्यति चन्द्रमास्तृप्यति चन्द्रमसि तृप्यति दिशस्तृप्यन्ति दिक्षु तृप्यन्तीषु यत्किञ्च दिशश्च चन्द्रमाश्चाधितिष्ठन्ति तत्तृप्यति तस्यानुतृप्तिं तृप्यति प्रजया पशुभिरन्नाद्येन तेजसा ब्रह्मवर्चसेनेति
When Vyāna is satisfied, the ear is satisfied; when the ear is satisfied, the moon is satisfied; when the moon is satisfied, the directions are satisfied; and when the directions are satisfied, whatever is established in the directions and the moon is satisfied. By this satisfaction, he is fulfilled with offspring, cattle, food, vigor, and the splendor of Brahman.
अथ यां तृतीयां जुहुयात्तां जुहुयादपानाय स्वाहेत्यपानस्तृप्यति
Then, the third oblation should be offered, saying, 'To Apāna, svāhā.' Apāna is satisfied.
अपाने तृप्यति वाक्तृप्यति वाचि तृप्यन्त्यामग्निस्तृप्यत्यग्नौ तृप्यति पृथिवी तृप्यति पृथिव्यां तृप्यन्त्यां यत्किञ्च पृथिवी चाग्निश्चाधितिष्ठतस्तत्तृप्यति तस्यानु तृप्तिं तृप्यति प्रजया पशुभिरन्नाद्येन तेजसा ब्रह्मवर्चसेनेति
When Apāna is satisfied, speech is satisfied; when speech is satisfied, fire is satisfied; when fire is satisfied, the earth is satisfied; and when the earth is satisfied, whatever is established in the earth and fire is satisfied. By this satisfaction, he is fulfilled with offspring, cattle, food, vigor, and the splendor of Brahman.
अथ यां चतुर्थीं जुहुयात्तां जुहुयात्समानाय स्वाहेति समानस्तृप्यति
Then, the fourth oblation should be offered, saying, 'To Samāna, svāhā.' Samāna is satisfied.
समाने तृप्यति मनस्तृप्यति मनसि तृप्यति पर्जन्यस्तृप्यति पर्जन्ये तृप्यति विद्युत्तृप्यति विद्युति तृप्यन्त्यां यत्किञ् विद्युच्च पर्जन्यश्चाधितिष्ठतस्तत्तृप्यति तस्यानु तृप्तिं तृप्यति प्रजया पशुभिरन्नाद्येन तेजसा ब्रह्मवर्चसेनेति
When Samāna is satisfied, the mind is satisfied; when the mind is satisfied, the rain god is satisfied; when the rain god is satisfied, lightning is satisfied; and when lightning is satisfied, whatever is established in lightning and the rain god is satisfied. By this satisfaction, he is fulfilled with offspring, cattle, food, vigor, and the splendor of Brahman.
अथ यां पञ्चमीं जुहुयात्तां जुहुयादुदानाय स्वाहेत्युदानस्तृप्यति
Then, the fifth oblation should be offered, saying, 'To Udāna, svāhā.' Udāna is satisfied.
उदाने तृप्यति त्वक्तृप्यति त्वचि तृप्यन्त्यां वायुस्तृप्यति वायौ तृप्यत्याकाशस्तृप्यत्याकाशे तृप्यति यत्किञ्च वायुश्चाकाशश्चाधितिष्ठतस्तत्तृप्यति तस्यानु तृप्तिं तृप्यति प्रजया पशुभिरन्नाद्येन तेजसा ब्रह्मवर्चसेन
When Udāna is satisfied, the skin is satisfied; when the skin is satisfied, air is satisfied; when air is satisfied, space is satisfied; and when space is satisfied, whatever is established in air and space is satisfied. By this satisfaction, he is fulfilled with offspring, cattle, food, vigor, and the splendor of Brahman.
स य इदमविद्वाग्निहोत्रं जुहोति यथाङ्गारानपोह्य भस्मनि जुहुयात्तादृक्तत्स्यात्
If someone, not knowing this, performs the Agnihotra, it is as if he were to remove the coals and offer into ashes; such is the result.
अथ य एतदेवं विद्वानग्निहोत्रं जुहोति तस्य सर्वेषु लोकेषु सर्वेषु भूतेषु सर्वेष्वात्मसु हुतं भवति
But if someone, knowing this, performs the Agnihotra, then his offering is made in all worlds, among all beings, and in all selves.
तद्यथेषीकातूलमग्नौ प्रोतं प्रदूयेतैवँहास्य सर्वे पाप्मानः प्रदूयन्ते य एतदेवं विद्वानग्निहोत्रं जुहोति
Just as a tuft of cotton, thrown into the fire, is completely burned, so all sins are burned away for one who, knowing this, performs the Agnihotra.
तस्मादु हैवंविद्यद्यपि चण्डालायोच्छिष्टं प्रयच्छेदात्मनि हैवास्य तद्वैश्वानरे हुतँ स्यादिति तदेष श्लोकः
Therefore, even if such a knower were to give leftovers to a Chandāla, it would be as if it were offered in his own Vaiśvānara Self.
यथेह क्षुधिता बाला मातरं पर्युपासत एवँ सर्वाणि भूतान्यग्निहोत्रमुपासत इत्यग्निहोत्रमुपासत इति
Just as hungry children gather around their mother, so do all beings gather around the Agnihotra; thus, one should worship the Agnihotra.
श्वेतकेतुर्हारुणेय आस तँ ह पितोवाच श्वेतकेतो वस ब्रह्मचर्यं न वै सोम्यास्मत्कुलीनोऽननूच्य ब्रह्मबन्धुरिव भवतीति
There was Śvetaketu, the son of Aruṇa. His father said to him: 'Śvetaketu, go and live the life of a student; for, dear one, in our family, none who is not learned in the Veda should be called merely a Brahmin by birth.'
स ह द्वादशवर्ष उपेत्य चतुर्विँशतिवर्षः सर्वान्वेदानधीत्य महामना अनूचानमानी स्तब्ध एयाय तँह पितोवाच
He, having approached at the age of twelve and having studied all the Vedas by the age of twenty-four, returned home, proud, considering himself learned, and self-assured. Then his father spoke to him.
श्वेतकेतो यन्नु सोम्येदं महामना अनूचानमानी स्तब्धोऽस्युत तमादेशमप्राक्ष्यः येनाश्रुतँ श्रुतं भवत्यमतं मतमविज्ञातं विज्ञातमिति कथं नु भगवः स आदेशो भवतीति
Śvetaketu, dear one, since you have become proud, considering yourself learned and self-assured, did you ask for that instruction by which what is unheard becomes heard, what is unthought becomes thought, what is unknown becomes known? How, revered sir, is such instruction possible?
यथा सोम्यैकेन मृत्पिण्डेन सर्वं मृन्मयं विज्ञातँ स्याद्वाचारम्भणं विकारो नामधेयं मृत्तिकेत्येव सत्यम्
Just as, dear one, by knowing a single lump of clay, all things made of clay become known—modification is only a name, arising from speech, while the clay alone is real.
यथा सोम्यैकेन लोहमणिना सर्वं लोहमयं विज्ञातँ स्याद्वाचारम्भणं विकारो नामधेयं लोहमित्येव सत्यम्
Just as, dear one, by knowing a single piece of gold, all things made of gold become known—modification is only a name, arising from speech, while the gold alone is real.
यथा सोम्यिकेन नखनिकृन्तनेन सर्वं कार्ष्णायसं विज्ञातँ स्याद्वाचारम्भणं विकारो नामधेयं कृष्णायसमित्येव सत्यमेवँसोम्य स आदेशो भवतीति
Just as, dear one, by knowing a single piece of iron, all things made of iron become known—modification is only a name, arising from speech, while the iron alone is real. Indeed, dear one, such is that instruction.
न वै नूनं भगवन्तस्त एतदवेदिषुर्यद्ध्येतदवेदिष्यन्कथं मे नावक्ष्यन्निति भगवाँस्त्वेव मे तद्ब्रवीत्विति तथा सोम्येति होवाच
Surely, revered sir, my teachers did not know this; for if they had known, how would they not have told me? Revered sir, please teach me this. So be it, dear one, he replied.
सदेव सोम्येदमग्र आसीदेकमेवाद्वितीयम् । तद्धैक आहुरसदेवेदमग्र आसीदेकमेवाद्वितीयं तस्मादसतः सज्जायत
In the beginning, dear one, this world was just Being, one only, without a second. Some say, in the beginning this world was just Non-being, one only, without a second; from Non-being, Being was born.
कुतस्तु खलु सोम्यैवँस्यादिति होवाच कथमसतः सज्जायेतेति। सत्त्वेव सोम्येदमग्र आसीदेकमेवाद्वितीयम्
But how, dear one, could it be so? he said. How could Being arise from Non-being? In truth, dear one, in the beginning this world was just Being, one only, without a second.
तदैक्षत बहु स्यां प्रजायेयेति तत्तेजोऽसृजत । तत्तेज ऐक्षत बहु स्यां प्रजायेयेति तदपोऽसृजत । तस्माद्यत्र क्वच शोचति स्वेदते वा पुरुषस्तेजस एव तदध्यापो जायन्ते
That Being thought: 'May I become many, may I be born.' It created fire. That fire thought: 'May I become many, may I be born.' It created water. Therefore, wherever a person feels pain or sweats, water is produced from fire alone.
ता आप ऐक्षन्त बह्व्यः स्याम प्रजायेमहीति ता अन्नमसृजन्त । तस्माद्यत्र क्व च वर्षति तदेव भूयिष्ठमन्नं भवत्यद्भ्य एव तदध्यन्नाद्यं जायते
That water thought: 'May we become many, may we be born.' It created food. Therefore, wherever it rains, food becomes abundant; for from water alone is food produced.