Upanishads (Müller) — I, 1, 3

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 ### THIRD KHA*N**D*A 3. 1. Some say: 'Let him take a Gâyatrî hymn for the Pra-uga. Verily, Gâyatrî is brightness and glory of countenance, and thus the sacrificer becomes bright and glorious.' 2. Others say: 'Let him take a Ush*n*ih hymn for the Pra-uga. Verily, Ush*n*ih is life, and thus the sacrificer has a long life.' Others say: 'Let him take an Anush*t*ubh hymn for the Pra-uga. Verily, Anush*t*ubh is valour, and it serves for obtaining valour.' Others say: 'Let him take a B*ri*hatî hymn for the Pra-uga. Verily, B*ri*hatî is fortune, and thus the sacrificer becomes fortunate.' Others say: 'Let him take a Paṅkti hymn for the Pra-uga. Verily, Paṅkti is food, and thus the sacrificer becomes rich in food.' Others say: 'Let him take a Trish*t*ubh hymn for the Pra-uga. Verily, Trish*t*ubh is strength, and thus the sacrificer becomes strong.' Others say: 'Let him take a *G*agatî hymn for the Pra-uga. Verily, cattle is *G*agatî-like, and thus the sacrificer becomes rich in cattle.' But we say: 'Let him take a Gâyatrî hymn only. Verily, Gâyatrî is Brahman, and that day (the mahâvrata) is (for the attainment of) Brahman. Thus he obtains Brahman by means of Brahman. 4. 'And it must be a Gâyatrî hymn by Madhu*k**kh*andas, 5. 'For Madhu*k**kh*andas is called Madhu*k**kh*andas, because he wishes (*kh*andati) for honey (madhu) for the *Ri*shis. 6. 'Now food verily is honey, all is honey, all desires are honey, and thus if he recites the hymn of Madhu*k**kh*andas, it serves for the attainment of all desires. 7. 'He who knows this, obtains all desires.' This (Gâyatrî pra-uga), according to the one-day (ekâha) ceremonial 1, is perfect in form 2. On that day (the mahâvrata) much is done now and then which has to be hidden 1, and has to be atoned for y recitation of hymns). Atonement (*s*ânti) is rest, the one-day sacrifice. Therefore at the end of the year (on the last day but one of the sacrifice that lasts a whole year) the sacrificers rest on this atonement as their rest. 8. He who knows this rests firm, and they also for whom a Hot*ri* priest who knows this, recites this hymn. ### Footnotes 161:3 Thus far the hymn which has to be recited by the Hot*ri* priest, after the eating of the *ri*tugrabas, has been considered. What follows next is the so-called Pra-uga hymn, consisting of seven t*ri**k*as, which the Hot*ri* has to recite after the Vi*s*vedevagraha. Different *S*âkhâs recommend hymns of different metres, our *S*âkhâ fixes on the Gâyatrî. 162:1 It is copied from the Vi*s*va*g*it, and that from the Agnish*t*oma. 162:2 Nothing is wanting for its performance, if one only follows the rules given in the Agnish*t*oma. 163:1 Dâsîn*ri*tya-bahubhûtamaithuna-brahma*k*âripu*m**s**k*alîsampravâ-dâdikam. See Rajendralal Mitra, Introduction to his edition of the Aitareya-âra*n*yaka, p. 25. It might be better to join ekâha*h* with *s*ântyâm, but even then the argumentation is not quite clear. Next: I, 1, 4