Upanishads (Müller) — II, 2, 2

The Upanishads, Part 1 (SBE01): Aitareya-Âranyaka: ... | Internet Sacred Text ArchiveSacred Texts Hinduism Index Previous Next Buy this Book at Amazon.com *The Upanishads, Part 1 (SBE01)*, by Max Müller, [1879], at sacred-texts.com ### SECOND KHA*N**D*A. 1. He (breath) is likewise a Bibhradvâga (bringer of offspring). Offspring is vâ*g*a, and he (breath) supports offspring. Because he supports it, therefore there is (the poet of the sixth Ma*n**d*ala of the Rig-veda, called) Bharadvâga. Therefore people call him who is really Prâ*n*a (breath), Bharadvâga. 2. The Devas (speech, &c.) said to him: 'He it is who chiefly causes us to dwell on earth.' Because the Devas said of him, that he chiefly caused them to dwell on earth, therefore there is (the poet of the seventh Ma*n**d*ala of the Rig-veda, called) Vasish*th*a. Therefore people call him who is really Prâ*n*a (breath), Vasish*th*a 1. 3. He (breath) went forth towards 2 all this whatsoever. Because he went forth toward all this whatsoever, therefore there are (the poets of the eighth Ma*n**d*ala of the Rig-veda, called) the Pragâthas. Therefore people call him who is really Prâ*n*a (breath), the Pragâthas. 4. He (breath) purified all this whatsoever. Because he purified all this whatsoever, therefore there are (the hymns and also the poets 1 of the ninth Ma*n**d*ala of the Rig-veda, called) the Pavamânîs. Therefore people called him who is really Prâ*n*a (breath), the Pavamânîs. 5. He (breath) said: 'Let me be everything whatsoever, small (kshudra) and great (mahat), and this became the Kshudrasûktas and Mahâsûktas.' Therefore there were (the hymns and also the poets of the tenth Ma*n**d*ala of the Rig-veda, called) the Kshudrasûktas (and Mahâsûktas). Therefore people call him who is really Prâ*n*a (breath), the Kshudrasûktas (and Mahâsûktas). 6. He (breath) said once: 'You have said what is well said (su-ukta) indeed. This became a Sûkta (hymn).' Therefore there was the Sûkta. Therefore people call him who is really Prâ*n*a (breath), Sûkta 2. 7. He (breath) is a *Ri**k* (verse), for he did honour 3 to all beings (by entering into them). Because he did honour to all beings, therefore there was the *Ri**k* verse. Therefore people call him who is really Prâ*n*a (breath), *Ri**k*. 8. He (breath) is an Ardhar*k*a (half-verse), for he did honour to all places (ardha) 4. Because he did honour to all places, therefore there was the Ardhar*k*a. Therefore people call him who is really Prâ*n*a (breath), Ardhar*k*a. 9. He (breath) is a Pada (word) 1, for he got into all these beings. Because he got (pâdi) into all these beings, therefore there was the Pada (word). Therefore people call him who is really Prâ*n*a (breath), Pada. 10. He (breath) is an Akshara (syllable), for he pours out (ksharati) gifts to all these beings, and without him no one can pour out (atiksharati) gifts. Therefore there was the Akshara (syllable). Therefore people call him who is really Prâ*n*a (breath), Akshara 2. 11. Thus all these *Ri**k* verses, all Vedas, all sounds 3 are one word, viz. Prâ*n*a (breath). Let him know that Prâ*n*a is all *Ri**k* verses. ### Footnotes 216:1 I translate in accordance with the commentator, and probably with the intention of the author. The same etymology is repeated in the commentary on II, 2, 4, 2. It would be more natural to take vasish*th*a in the sense of the richest. 216:2 This is the interpretation of the commentator, and the preposition abhi seems to show that the author too took that view of the etymology of pragâtha. 217:1 It seems, indeed, as if in the technical language of the Brahmans, the poets of the ninth Ma*n**d*ala were sometimes called Pavamânîs, and the hymns of the tenth Ma*n**d*ala Kshudrasûktas and Mahâsûktas (masc.) Cf. Ârsheya-brâhma*n*a, ed. Burnell, p. 42. 217:2 The poet also is called Sûkta, taddrash*t*âpi sûktanâmako 'bhût. Comm. 217:3 I translate according to the commentator. 217:4 Ardha means both half and place. 218:1 It may also be intended for pâda, foot of a verse. 218:2 The Prâ*n*a (breath) is to be meditated on as all hymns, all poets, all words, &c. Comm. 218:3 All aspirated sonant consonants. Comm. Next: II, 2, 3