Shankhayana Aranyaka
(Original Sanskrit Text) |
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There are fifteen chapters:
Chapters 1-2 deal with the Mahavrata.
Chapters 3-6 constitute the Kaushitaki Upanishad.
Chapters 7-8 are known as a Samhitopanishad.
Chapter 9 presents the greatness of Prana.
Chapter 10 deals with the esoteric implications of the Agnihotra ritual.
All divine personalities are inherent in the Purusha, just as Agni in
speech, Vayu in Prana, the Sun in the eyes, the Moon in the mind, the
directions in the ears and water in the potency. The one who knows this,
says the Aranyaka, and in the strength of that conviction goes about
eating, walking, taking and giving, satisfies all the gods and what he
offers in the fire reaches those gods in heaven. (cf.10-1).
Chapter 11 prescribes several antidotes in the form of rituals for
warding off death and sickness. It also details the effects of dreams.
Chapter 12 elaborates the fruits of prayer.
Chapter 13 treats more philosophical matters and says one must first
attitudinally discard one’s bodily attachment and then carry on the ‘shravana’,
manana and nidhidhyasana and practise all the disciplines of penance,
faith, self-control etc.
Chapter 14 gives just two mantras. One extols the “I am Brahman” mantra
and says it is the apex of all Vedic mantras. The second mantra declares
that one who does not get the meaning of mantras but only recites vedic
chants is like an animal which does not know the value of the weight it
carries.
Chapter 15 gives a long genealogy of spiritual teachers from Brahma down
to Guna-Sankhayana. |
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