| YouTube Channel

ब्राह्मणगीता (brAhmaNagItA)

 
Mahabharata
English
[Brāhmaṇagītā]
(“the instruction given by the brahman”). § 782b (Anugītāparvan): Kṛshṇa said: A certain brahman's wife asked her husband (who was a complete master of every kind of knowledge and wisdom) to what region she should go, being dependent on him as her husband, who was harsh in his conduct towards her (kīnāśaṃ, i.e. karkaśaṃ niranukrośaṃ, Nīl.). The brahman discourses on acts
on the seat of the soul, where Bráhman, Soma, and Agni, etc., dwell, and for whose sake Brahmán, etc., in Yoga, worship the indestructible, etc.
the life-breaths prāṇa, etc. ()
in the midst of them is Agni Vaiśvānara, whose seven flames are the nose, the tongue, the eye, the skin, the ear, the mind, and the understanding (boddhavyaṃ), etc. (XIV, 20). In this connection an ancient story is cited, viz. that of the institution of the ten hotṛs, i.e. the ear, the skin, the two eyes, the tongue, the nose, the two feet, the two hands, the genital organ, the lower duct, and speech
sound, etc., are the ten libations
the points of the compass, wind, sun, moon, earth, fire, Vishṇu, Indra, Prajāpati, and Mitra are the ten fires, etc. (XIV, 21)
in this connection an ancient story is cited, viz. that of the institution of the seven hotṛs, the nose, the eye, the tongue, the skin, the ear, the mind, and the understanding (buddhiḥ), not knowing the qualities of one another
the nose, etc., and the understanding never succeed in apprehending doubt, it is the mind [alone]
that apprehends it
the nose, etc., and the mind never succeed in apprehending determination
it is the understanding alone that apprehends it
in this connection this ancient narrative of a discourse between the senses and the mind is cited: as the nose does not smell, etc., without the mind, the mind thought itself to be the eternal and foremost one of all the elements
but the senses said that without them the mind would have no enjoyments at all, etc. (XIV, 22)
likewise the ancient story of the institution of the five hotṛs: Prāṇa, Apāna, Udāna, Samāna, and Vyāna
the wind nursed by Prāṇa &gt
Apāna &gt
Vyāna &gt
Udāna &gt
Samāna
these asked Brahmán in days of yore as to which of them was the foremost
Brahmán said that he upon whose extinction all the life-breaths become extinct is the foremost
it turned out (as Brahmán said) that they are all foremost and not foremost, as they possess the attributes of one another (XIV, 23)
likewise the ancient story of the discourse between Nāraca and Ṛ. Devamata. Devamata said: Which part of a creature that takes birth comes first into existence, is it Prāṇa or Āpāna, etc.? Nārada seems to give the following explanation: kāma (desire) is (1--2) samāna and vyāna, which move transversely and alternately [from the man to the woman, and vice versā?]
and have sprung from sattva
from kāma springs the vital seed [in the man]
and the rajas or blood [in the woman]
from the union of these two springs (3) prāṇa, and from the seed being modified by prāṇa springs (4) apāna
these two move up and down and represent the two libations in the [mystical]
fire
from the sexual intercourse of the loving pair springs harsha (pleasure), which is (5) udāna = the fire between prāṇa and apāna = the fire between day and night = the fire between sat (the existent) and asat (the nonexistent) = [the union between Samāna and (Nīl.)]
Vyāna = Śānti (tranquillity) = eternal Bráhman (“as the brahmans know”)
in fire the smoke is tamas (darkness), and the ashes rajas (passion). [Nīl. takes all the expressions figuratively in a philosophical sense
according to him the seed (śukra) is = adṛshṭa, i.e. the karman of past lives, the blood (śoṇitaṃ) = attachment to the objects of sense, prāṇa = liṅgātman, apāna = death, etc.]
(XIV, 24)
likewise the ancient story of the Cāturhotra, i.e. the sacrifice with four hotṛs
the instrument, the action, the agent, and emancipation
at the sacrifice of yoga the Prāṇa is the Stotra, etc. ()
people knowing Nārāyaṇa recite some Ṛcs
to Nārāyaṇa animals (i.e. the senses, Nīl.) were offered in days of yore
and some Sāmans
Nārāyaṇa is the soul of all (XIV, 25)
†there is one ruler, residing in the heart, etc.
instructed by him the seven Ṛ.'s shine in the firmament
having lived with that instructor. Indra attained to the sovereignty of all the worlds. There is one enemy, residing in the heart
instructed by him all snakes are always hated (†v. 746--750). In this connection the old story of the instruction of the snakes, the gods (and As.), and Ṛ. by Prajāpati is cited
asked by them what is highly beneficial, he said om, i.e. Bráhman in one syllable
then they ran away in various directions from desire of selfinstruction
first arose in the snakes the disposition of biting
in the As. the disposition for ostentatious pride
the gods betook themselves to gifts, and M.-ṛ. to self-restraint (XIV, 26). The brahman compared the world to an impassable fastness (durgaṃ), and Bráhman to a great forest
asked by his wife, he described this forest copiously (XIV, 27)
“it is not I, but nature that smells scents, etc.” In this connection an ancient discourse between an adhvaryu and a yati is recited: Beholding an animal sprinkled with water at a sacrificial ceremony, a yati blamed the adhvaryu for that destruction of life. The Adhvaryu appealed to the Vedas, saying, “This goat will not be destroyed, but will be benefited
that part of it which is of earth will go to earth, ” etc.
the yati said that if the sacrifice was to the benefit of the goat, then the goats ought to give their consent
“abstention from cruelty is alone worthy of approbation
one should be guided by perception”
the adhvaryu objected that by smelling what belongs to the earth, etc., one takes life, as all these entities have life
the yati distinguished between the indestructible and the destructible of the soul (ātmanaḥ)
of these only the indestructible is really existent
to him who is freed from all existent objects there is no fear
the adhvaryu admires and praises him, and says that he has no fault by performing those rites according to the mantras
the yati remained silent
the adhvaryu proceeded with the sacrifice (XIV, 28). Follows the ancient story about the 1, 000-armed king Kārtavīryārjuna and the Ocean
v. Arjuna Kārtavīrya (c) and Paraśu-Rāma (d) (XIV, 29) with Alarka (e) (XIV, 30). The brahman said: There are three foes in the world (i.e. ninefold, on account of the three guṇas)
exultation, satisfaction, and joy &lt
goodness
desire, wrath, and hatred &lt
passion
lassitude, sloth, and delusion &lt
darkness. Persons conversant with the ancient kalpas recite some verses which were sung in days of old by king Ambarīsha, who had acquired a tranquil soul: “I have killed all foes, etc., but the greatest vice has not yet been destroyed by me…” (XIV, 31). Then the old narrative of the discourse between a brahman and king Janaka(f) is cited (XIV, 32--33). Asked by his wife as to how this knowledge may be acquired, the brahman said: Know that Brāhmaṇī (i.e. buddhi, Nīl.) is the [lower]
araṇī, the preceptor the upper araṇī
penances and conversance with the scriptures turn the upper araṇī
knowledge is the fire produced. Asked by his wife about the symbol (liṅgaṃ) of Bráhman called kshetrajña, the brahman answered that he is without symbols and qualities. Kṛshṇa said: Then the mind of that brahman's wife, upon the destruction of the kshetrajña, became that which is beyond the kshetrajñas, in consequence of the knowledge of kshetra. Asked by Arjuna, where now that brahman and his wife were, Kṛshṇa said: “My mind (manas) is the brahman, my understanding (buddhi) is the brāhmaṇī
he who has been called kshetrajña is I myself” (XIV. 34).