Khandogya Upanishad. Ii, 2
*
"The Upanishads, Part 1 (sbe01)\", by Max Mller, [1879],
Second Kha\"N"D"A.
1. Let a man meditate on the fivefold Sman 3 as the five worlds. The hikra is, the earth, the prastva the fire, the udgtha the sky, the pratihra the sun, the nidhana heaven; so in an ascending line.
2. In a descending line, the hikra is heaven,
p. 24
the prastva the sun, the udgtha the sky, the pratihra the fire, the nidhana the earth.
3. The worlds in an ascending and in a descending line belong to him who knowing this meditates on the fivefold Sman as the worlds 1.
Footnotes
23:3 The five forms in which the Sman is used for sacrificial purposes. The Sman is always to be under-stood as the Good, as Dharma, and as Brahman.
24:1 The commentator supplies some fanciful reasons why each of the five Smans is identified with certain objects. Earth is said to be the hikra, because both always come first. Agni is prastva, because sacrifices are praised in the fire (prastyante). The sky is udgtha, because it is also called gagana, and both words have the letter g in common. The sun is pratihra, because everybody wishes the sun to come towards him (prati). Heaven is nidhana, because those who depart from here are placed there (nidhyante), &c.
"The Upanishads, Part 1 (sbe01)\", by Max Mller, [1879],
Second Kha\"N"D"A.
1. Let a man meditate on the fivefold Sman 3 as the five worlds. The hikra is, the earth, the prastva the fire, the udgtha the sky, the pratihra the sun, the nidhana heaven; so in an ascending line.
2. In a descending line, the hikra is heaven,
p. 24
the prastva the sun, the udgtha the sky, the pratihra the fire, the nidhana the earth.
3. The worlds in an ascending and in a descending line belong to him who knowing this meditates on the fivefold Sman as the worlds 1.
Footnotes
23:3 The five forms in which the Sman is used for sacrificial purposes. The Sman is always to be under-stood as the Good, as Dharma, and as Brahman.
24:1 The commentator supplies some fanciful reasons why each of the five Smans is identified with certain objects. Earth is said to be the hikra, because both always come first. Agni is prastva, because sacrifices are praised in the fire (prastyante). The sky is udgtha, because it is also called gagana, and both words have the letter g in common. The sun is pratihra, because everybody wishes the sun to come towards him (prati). Heaven is nidhana, because those who depart from here are placed there (nidhyante), &c.
