Debate on Brahman - 15) Shaakalya questions - 6

(23)

किंदेवतोऽस्यामुदीच्यां दिश्यसीति ।
सोमदेवत इति ।
स सोम कस्मिन् प्रतिष्ठित इति ।
दीक्षायां इति ।
कस्मिन्नु दीक्षा प्रतिष्ठितेति ।
सत्य इति ।
तस्मादपि दीक्षितमाहुः सत्यं वदेति ।
सत्ये ह्येव दीक्षा प्रतिष्ठितेति ।
कस्मिन्नु सत्यं प्रतिष्ठितमिति ।
हृदय इति होवाच ।
हृदयेन हि सत्यं जानाति हृदये ह्येव सत्यं प्रतिष्ठितं भवतीति ।
एवमैवेतद्याज्ञ्नवल्क्य ॥२ ३॥

(Shaakalya said)
“Which deity are you identified with in the Udeechi (north) (abode of wisdom)?”

(Yaajnavalkya said)
“SomaDevata” (Purified Mind filled with the nectar of bliss)

(Shaakalya said)
“On what does Soma rest?”

(Yaajnavalkya said)
“On Deekshaa” (Initiated into the knowledge of Brahman)

(Shaakalya said)
“On what does Deekshaa rest?”

(Yaajnavalkya said)
“On Satyam; that is why they instruct the one who has been given Deekshaa to speak Satyam; it is on Satyam that Deekshaa is established”

(A man desirous of attaining Brahman state always sees everything as Brahman, the truth only. He has been instructed to discard all that is not-truth and understand Brahman alone as the essence of everything.)




(Shaakalya said)
“On what does Satyam rest?”

 (Yaajnavalkya said)
“Hrdayam (Aatman); for, one knows Satyam through Hrdayam; it is on Hrdayam, that Satyam is established”

(Shaakalya said)
“It is so, O Yaajnavalkya”

(24) 

किंदेवतोऽस्यां ध्रुवायां दिश्यसीति ।
अग्निदेवत इति ।
सोऽग्निः कस्मिन् प्रतिष्ठित इति ।
वाचीति ।
कस्मिन्नु वाक् प्रतिष्ठितेति ।
हृदय इति ।
कस्मिन्नु हृदयं प्रतिष्ठितमिति ॥२४॥

(Shaakalya said)
“Which deity are you identified with in the Dhruva direction (abode of bondage)?”

(Yaajnavalkya said)
“AgniDevata” (Individual self who burns)

(Shaakalya said)
“On what does Agni rest?”

(Yaajnavalkya said)
“On Vaak” (names and forms)


(Shaakalya said)
“On what does Vaak rest?”

(Yaajnavalkya said)
“On Hrdayam” (Aatman))

(Shaakalya said)
“On what does Hrdayam rest?”

(25)

अहल्लिकेति होवाच याज्ञ्नवल्क्यः ।
यत्रैदन्यत्रात्मन्मन्यासै यद्द्येतदन्यत्रास्मत्स्यात्
श्वानो वैनदद्युः वयांसि वैनद्धिमथ्नीरन्निति ॥२५॥

Yaajnavalkya said;
“You ghost who vanish at day time! (You idiot filled with ignorance!)
When you think of the heart elsewhere than in oneself, should it be elsewhere than in us, dogs would eat this body, or birds tear it to pieces!”

(How can one ask where does Aatman rest?
The very essence of everything is Aatman.
That is the true essence of one and all.
It is the very understanding power that shines as all.
If one stupidly asks, just for the sake of argument, what supports Aatman, then he is refuting his own existence and is an inert corpse fit to be eaten by dogs and birds.)

(26)

कस्मिन्नु त्वं चात्मा प्रतिष्ठितौ स्थ इति ।
प्राण इति ।
कस्मिन्नु प्राणः प्रतिष्ठित इति ।
अपान इति ।
कस्मिन्न्वपान प्रतिष्ठित इति ।
व्यान इति ।
कस्मिन्नु व्यानः प्रतिष्ठित इति ।
उदान इति ।
कस्मिन्नूदान प्रतिष्ठित इति ।
समान इति ।

(Shaakalya said)
“On what do ‘you (the form with name)’ and the ‘Aatmaa’ rest on?”

(Yaajnavalkya said)
“On Praana”

(Shaakalya said)
“On what does Praana rest?”

(Yaajnavalkya said)
“On Apaana”

(Shaakalya said)
“On what does Apaana rest?”

(Yaajnavalkya said)
“On Vyaana”

(Shaakalya said)
“On what does Vyaana rest?”

(Yaajnavalkya said)
“On Udaana”

(Shaakalya said)
“On what does Udaana rest?”

(Yaajnavalkya said)
“On Samaana”

स एष नेति नेत्यात्मा
अगृह्यो न गृह्यते अशीर्यो न शीर्यते असङ्गो न सज्यते
असितो न व्यथते न रिष्यति ।
एतान्यष्टावायतनानि अष्टौ लोकाः अष्टौ देवाः अष्टौ पुरुषाः
स यस्तान्पुरुषान्निरुह्य प्रत्युह्यात्यक्रामत्
तं त्वौपनिषदं पुरुषं पृच्छामि
तं चेन्मे न विवक्ष्यति मूर्धा ते विपतिष्यतीति ।
तं ह न मेने शाकल्यः ।
तस्य ह मूर्धा विपपात ।
अपि हास्य परिमोषिणोस्थीन्यपजह्रुरन्यन्मन्यमाना: ॥२६॥

This Aatman is that, which is not anything else, other than itself.
It is imperceptible for it cannot be perceived.
It is un-decaying; for it cannot decay.
It is unattached; for it cannot be attached to.
It is unfettered; it never suffers and never can be injured.

These are the eight abodes, eight instruments of vision, eight deities and eight beings.

(I have answered all your questions.
Now I will ask you a question. Answer me if you dare.)

I ask you of the Purusha who is known only from the Upanishads, who projects these beings and withdraws them into oneself, transcending them also. If you do not explain him to me, your head will fall off.”

Shaakalya did not know him.
His head fell off.
Robbers snatched away his bones, mistaking them for something else.

(As per some previous curse, his bones were also taken by robbers; and nothing was left of his body even. This is the fate of those who disrespect Knowers of Brahman.)