Death

Created by Jijith Nadumuri at 20 Oct 2011 12:48 and updated at 20 Oct 2011 12:48

BRIHADARANYAKA UPANISHAD NOUN

BrihadArUpa1	1 There was nothing whatsoever here in the beginning. It was covered only by Death Hiranyagarbha(), or Hunger, for hunger is death. He created the mind, thinking, Let me have a mind He moved about worshipping (himself). As he was worshipping, water was produced. (Since he thought), As I was worshipping, water sprang up therefore Arka (fire) is so called. Water (or happiness) surely comes to one who knows how Arka (fire) came to have this name of Arka.
BrihadArUpa1	4 He desired, Let me have a second form (body). He, Death or Hunger, brought about the union of speech (the Vedas) with the mind. What was the seed there became the Year Viraj(). Before him there had been no year. He Death() reared him for as long as a year, and after this period projected him. When he was born, Death() opened his mouth (to swallow him). He (the babe) cried Bhan! That became speech.
BrihadArUpa1	5 He thought, If I kill him, I shall be making very little food. Through that speech and the mind he projected all this, whatever there is the Vedas Rig, Yajus and Saman, the metres, the sacrifices, men and animals. Whatever he projected, he resolved to eat. Because he eats everything, therefore Aditi Death() is so called. He who knows how Aditi came to have this name of Aditi, becomes the eater of all this, and everything becomes his food.
BrihadArUpa1	7 He desired, Let this body of mine be fit for a sacrifice, and let me be embodied through this (and entered it). Because the body swelled Asvat(), therefore it came to be called Asva Horse(). And because it became fit for a sacrifice, therefore the Horse sacrifice came to be known as Asvamedha. He who knows it thus indeed knows the Horse sacrifice. (Imagining himself as the Horse and) letting it remain free, he reflected (on it). After a year he sacrificed it to himself, and dispatched the (other) animals to the Devas. Therefore (priests to this day) sacrifice to Prajapati the sanctified Horse() that is dedicated to all the Devas. He who shines yonder is the Horse sacrifice; his body is the year. This fire is Arka; its limbs are these worlds. So these two (fire and the Sun) are Arka and the Horse sacrifice. These two again become the same Deva, Death. He (who knows thus) conquers further death, death cannot overtake him, it becomes his self, and he becomes one with these deities.
BrihadArUpa1	9 This deity is called Dur, because death is far from it. Death is far from one who knows thus.
BrihadArUpa1	11 In the beginning this (the Kshatriya and other castes) was indeed Brahman, one only. Being one, he did not flourish. He specially projected an excellent form, the Kshatriya those who are Kshatriyas among the Devas Indra, Varuna, the Moon, Rudra, Parjanya, Yama, Death, and Isana. Therefore there is none higher than the Kshatriya. Hence the Brahmana worships the Kshatriya from a lower position in the Rajasuya sacrifice. He imparts that glory to the Kshatriya. The Brahmana is the source of the Kshatriya. Therefore, although the king attains supremacy (in the sacrifice), at the end of it he resorts to the Brahmana, his source. He who slights the Brahmana, strikes at his own source. He becomes more wicked, as one is by slighting one s superior.
BrihadArUpa1	21 Now a consideration of the vow Prajapati projected the organs. These, on being projected, quarrelled with one another. The organ of speech took a vow, I will go on speaking The eye I will see The ear I will hear And so did the other organs according to their functions. Death captured them in the form of fatigue it overtook the, and having overtaken them it controlled them. Therefore the organ of speech invariably gets tired, and so do the eye and the ear. But death did not overtake this vital force in the body. The organs resolved to know it. This is the greatest among us that, when it moves or does not move, feels no pain nor is injured. Well, let us all be of its form. They all assumed its form. Therefore they are called by this name of Prana That family in which a man is born who knows as above, is indeed named after him. And he who competes with one who knows as above shrivels, and after shrivelling dies at the end. This is with reference to the body.
BrihadArUpa3	14 He who knows that being whose abode is darkness, whose instrument of vision is the intellect, whose light is the Manas, and who is the ultimate resort of the entire body and organs, knows truly, O Yajnavalkya I do know that being of whom you speak who is the ultimate resort of the entire body and organs. It is the very being who is identified with shadow (ignorance). Go on, Sakalya Who is his deity? Death said he.

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