Upanishads (Müller) — III, 15

The Upanishads, Part 1 (SBE01): Khândogya Upanishad... | 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 ### FIFTEENTH KHA*N**D*A 1. 1. The chest which has the sky for its circumference and the earth for its bottom, does not decay, for the quarters are its sides, and heaven its lid above. That chest is a treasury, and all things are within it. 2. Its eastern quarter is called *G*uhû, its southern Sahamânâ, its western Râ*g*ñî, its northern Subhûtâ 2. The child of those quarters is Vâyu, the air, and he who knows that the air is indeed the child of the quarters, never weeps for his sons. 'I know the wind to be the child of the quarters, may I never weep for my sons.' 3. 'I turn to the imperishable chest with such and such and such 3.' 'I turn to the Prâ*n*a (life) with such and such and such.' 'I turn to Bhû*h* with such and such and such.' 'I turn to Bhuva*h* with such and such and such.' 'I turn to Sva*h* with such and such and such.' 4. 'When I said, I turn to Prâ*n*a, then Prâ*n*a means all whatever exists here--to that I turn.' 5. 'When I said, I turn to Bhû*h*, what I said is, I turn to the earth, the sky, and heaven.' 6. 'When I said, I turn to Bhuva*h*, what I said is, I turn to Agni (fire), Vâyu (air), Âditya (sun).' 7. 'When I said, I turn to Sva*h*, what I said is, I turn to the *Ri**g*-veda, Ya*g*ur-veda, and Sâma-veda. That is what I said, yea, that is what I said.' ### Footnotes 49:1 The object of this section, the Ko*s*avi*g*ñâna, is to show how the promise made in III, 13, 6, 'that a strong son should be born in a man's family,' is to be fulfilled. 49:2 These names are explained by the commentator as follows: Because people offer libations (*g*uhvati), turning to the east, therefore it is called *G*uhû. Because evil doers suffer (sahante) in the town of Yama, which is in the south, therefore it is called Sahamânâ. The western quarter is called Râ*g*ñî, either because it is sacred to king Varu*n*a (râ*g*an), or on account of the red colour (râ*g*a) of the twilight. The north is called Subhûtâ, because wealthy beings (bhûtimat), like Kuvera &c., reside there. 49:3 Here the names of the sons are to be pronounced. Next: III, 16