Upanishads (Müller) — III, 16

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 ### SIXTEENTH KHA*N**D*A 1. 1. Man is sacrifice. His (first) twenty-four years are the morning-libation. The Gâyatrî has twenty-four syllables, the morning-libation is offered with Gâyatrî hymns. The Vasus are connected with that part of the sacrifice. The Prâ*n*as (the five senses) are the Vasus, for they make all this to abide (vâsayanti). 2. If anything ails him in that (early) age, let him say: 'Ye Prâ*n*as, ye Vasus, extend this my morning-libation unto the midday-libation, that I, the sacrificer, may not perish in the midst of the Prâ*n*as or Vasus.' Thus he recovers from his illness, and becomes whole. 3. The next forty-four years are the midday-libation. The Trish*t*ubh has forty-four syllables, the midday-libation is offered with Trish*t*ubh hymns. The Rudras are connected with that part of it. The Prâ*n*as are the Rudras, for they make all this to cry (rodayanti). 4. If anything ails him in that (second) age, let him say: 'Ye Prâ*n*as, ye Rudras, extend this my midday-libation unto the third libation, that I, the sacrificer, may not perish in the midst of the Prâ*n*as or Rudras.' Thus he recovers from his illness, and becomes whole. 5. The next forty-eight years are the third libation. The *G*agatî has forty-eight syllables, the third libation is offered with *G*agatî hymns. The Âdityas are connected with that part of it. The Prâ*n*as are the Âdityas, for they take up all this (âdadate). 6. If anything ails him in that (third) age, let him say: 'Ye Prâ*n*as, ye Âdityas, extend this my third libation unto the full age, that I, the sacrificer, may not perish in the midst of the Prâ*n*as or Âdityas.' Thus he recovers from his illness, and becomes whole. 7. Mahidâsa Aitareya (the son of Itarâ), who knew this, said (addressing a disease): 'Why dost thou afflict me, as I shall not die by it?' He lived a hundred and sixteen years (i.e. 24+44+48). He, too, who knows this lives on to a hundred and sixteen years. ### Footnotes 50:1 The object of this Kha*n**d*a is to show how to obtain long life, as promised before. Next: III, 17