The Ten Priests, and the Contest of Speech and Mind

Verse 1 (14.22.1)

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । निबोध दशहोतृणां विधानमिह यादृशम् ॥

atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam | nibodha daśahotṛṇāṃ vidhānamiha yādṛśam

On this point too they tell this ancient story. Listen to the arrangement of the rite of the ten priests, as it is here.

Verse 2 (14.22.2)

श्रोत्रं त्वक्चक्षुषी जिह्वा नासिका चरणौ करौ । उपस्थं पायुरिति वाग्घोतृणि दश भामिनि ॥

śrotraṃ tvakcakṣuṣī jihvā nāsikā caraṇau karau | upasthaṃ pāyuriti vāgghotṛṇi daśa bhāmini

The ear, the skin, the eyes, the tongue, the nose, the feet, the hands, the organ of generation, the organ of excretion and speech: these are the ten priests, fair lady.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension): the CE has these two lines only as the star passage 14.21.1d*0053_01-02 (śrotraṃ tvak cakṣuṣī jihvā nāsikā caraṇau karau / upasthaḥ pāyur etāni hotṝṇi daśa bhāmini), printed after 14.21.1c; Wikisource reads upasthaṃ pāyur iti vāg-ghotṝṇi daśa, a variant, kept.

Verse 3 (14.22.3)

शब्दस्पर्शौ रूपरसौ गन्धो वाक्यं क्रिया गतिः । रेतोमूत्रपुरीषाणां त्यागो दश हवींषि च ॥

śabdasparśau rūparasau gandho vākyaṃ kriyā gatiḥ | retomūtrapurīṣāṇāṃ tyāgo daśa havīṃṣi ca

Sound and touch, form and taste, smell, speech, action, movement, and the discharge of semen, urine and excrement: these are the ten oblations.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension): the CE has these two lines only as the star passage 14.21.1d*0053_03-04 (śabdasparśau rūparasau gandho vākyaṃ kriyā gatiḥ / retomūtrapurīṣāṇāṃ tyāgo daśa havīṃṣi ca), printed after 14.21.1c.

Verse 4 (14.22.4)

दिशो वायू रविश्चन्द्रः पृथ्व्यग्नी विष्णुरेव च । इन्द्रः प्रजापतिर्मित्रमग्नयो दश भामिनि ॥

diśo vāyū raviścandraḥ pṛthvyagnī viṣṇureva ca | indraḥ prajāpatirmitramagnayo daśa bhāmini

The directions, the wind, the sun and the moon, earth and fire, and Vishnu, Indra, Prajapati and Mitra: these are the ten fires, fair lady.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension): the CE has these two lines only as the star passage 14.21.1d*0053_05-06 (diśo vāyū raviś candraḥ pṛthvyagnī viṣṇur eva ca / indraḥ prajāpatir mitram agnayo daśa bhāmini), printed after 14.21.1c.

Verse 5 (14.22.5)

दशेन्द्रियाणि होतृणि हवींषि दश भामिनि । विषया नाम समिधो हूयन्ते तु दशाग्निषु ॥

daśendriyāṇi hotṛṇi havīṃṣi daśa bhāmini | viṣayā nāma samidho hūyante tu daśāgniṣu

The ten senses are the priests, and there are ten oblations, fair lady; the fuel-sticks, called objects, are offered into the ten fires.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension): the CE has these two lines only as the star passage 14.21.1d*0053_07-08 (daśendriyāṇi hotṝṇi havīṃṣi daśa bhāmini / viṣayā nāma samidho hūyante tu daśāgniṣu), printed after 14.21.1c.

Verse 6 (14.22.6)

चित्तं स्रुवश्च वित्तं च पवित्रं ज्ञानमुत्तमम् । सुविभक्तमिदं पूर्वं जगदासीदिति श्रुतम् ॥

cittaṃ sruvaśca vittaṃ ca pavitraṃ jñānamuttamam | suvibhaktamidaṃ pūrvaṃ jagadāsīditi śrutam

The mind is the ladle and what is possessed (vitta), and the purifier is supreme knowledge. We have heard that this world was in the beginning well divided.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension): the CE has these two lines only as the star passage 14.21.1d*0054_01-02 (cittaṃ sruvaṃ ca vittaṃ ca pavitraṃ jñānam uttamam / suvibhaktam idaṃ sarvaṃ jagad āsīd iti śrutam), printed after 14.21.1c; Wikisource reads sarvaṃ → pūrvaṃ, a variant, kept.

Verse 7 (14.22.7)

ततो विविक्ता वित्तासीत्सा वित्तं पर्यवेक्षते । सर्वमेवात्र विज्ञेयं चित्ते ज्ञानमवेक्षता । रेतः शरीरभृत्काये विज्ञाता तु शरीरभृत् ॥

tato viviktā vittāsītsā vittaṃ paryavekṣate | sarvamevātra vijñeyaṃ citte jñānamavekṣatā | retaḥ śarīrabhṛtkāye vijñātā tu śarīrabhṛt

Then the separate, known thing arose, and it observes what is known. Everything here is to be understood by one who looks to knowledge in the mind: the seed lies in the body of the embodied one, but the knower is the embodied one himself.

Note on the text: Removed the stray backticks and quote mark round line 1 (a quoted interpolation). Line 1 corresponds to the CE star passage 14.21.1d*0054_03 (tato viviktā cintāsīt sā cittaṃ paryavekṣate; Wikisource reads vittāsīt … vittaṃ, kept); lines 2 and 3 are CE 14.21.2a and 2c (CE reads cittaṃ jñānam avekṣate for Wikisource citte jñānam avekṣatā, a variant, kept).

Verse 8 (14.22.8)

शरीरभृद्गार्हपत्यस्तस्मादग्निः प्रणीयते । मनश्चाहवनीयस्तु तस्मिन्प्रक्षिप्यते हविः ॥

śarīrabhṛdgārhapatyastasmādagniḥ praṇīyate | manaścāhavanīyastu tasminprakṣipyate haviḥ

The embodied one is the Garhapatya fire; from it the other fire is drawn forth, and the mind is the Ahavaniya, into which the oblation is cast.

Note on the text: CE 14.21.3 reads tasmād anyaḥ praṇīyate / tataś cāhavanīyas tu; Wikisource's tasmād agniḥ praṇīyate / manaś cāhavanīyas tu is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 9 (14.22.9)

ततो वाचस्पतिर्जज्ञे तं मनः पर्यवेक्षते । रूपं भवति वै वक्त्रं तदनुद्रवते मनः ॥

tato vācaspatirjajñe taṃ manaḥ paryavekṣate | rūpaṃ bhavati vai vaktraṃ tadanudravate manaḥ

Then Vachaspati, the Lord of Speech, was born, and the mind watches over him. A form takes shape, indeed a mouth, and the mind runs after it.

Note on the text: CE 14.21.4 reads samānaḥ paryavekṣate / rūpaṃ bhavati vai vyaktaṃ; Wikisource's taṃ manaḥ paryavekṣate / … vai vaktraṃ is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 10 (14.22.10)

कस्माद्वागभवत्पूर्वं कस्मात्पश्चान्मनोऽभवत् । मनसा चिन्तितं पूर्वं वाक्यं समभिपद्यते ॥

kasmādvāgabhavatpūrvaṃ kasmātpaścānmano'bhavat | manasā cintitaṃ pūrvaṃ vākyaṃ samabhipadyate

Why did speech come first, and why did the mind come after? For a sentence is first thought out by the mind before it comes forth.

Verse 11 (14.22.11)

केन विज्ञानयोगेन मतिश्चित्तं समास्थिता । समुन्नीता नाध्यगच्छत्को वै तां प्रतिबाधते ॥

kena vijñānayogena matiścittaṃ samāsthitā | samunnītā nādhyagacchatko vai tāṃ pratibādhate

By what union with knowledge does the understanding rest in the mind-stuff? Raised up, it did not reach it; who is it that obstructs it?

Verse 12 (14.22.12)

तन्मनस्थः पतिर्भूत्वा तस्मात्प्रेहन्निवायति । तां मतिं मनसः प्राहुर्मनस्तस्मादपेक्षते ॥

tanmanasthaḥ patirbhūtvā tasmātprehannivāyati | tāṃ matiṃ manasaḥ prāhurmanastasmādapekṣate

Abiding in the mind as its master, it therefore comes forth as though striving. They call that the mind's resolve, and so the mind looks to it.

Note on the text: CE 14.21.7 reads tām apānaḥ patir bhūtvā tasmāt preṣyaty apānatām / tāṃ matiṃ manasaḥ prāhur …; Wikisource's reading (tan manasthaḥ patir bhūtvā tasmāt prehann ivāyati) is a recension variant, kept. The page's own post-colophon variant block (पाठान्तर, giving the CE-like reading) is not added.

Verse 13 (14.22.13)

प्रश्नं तु वाङ्मनसयोर्यस्मात्त्वमनुपृच्छसि । तस्मात्ते वर्तयिष्यामि तयोरेव समाह्वयम् ॥

praśnaṃ tu vāṅmanasayoryasmāttvamanupṛcchasi | tasmātte vartayiṣyāmi tayoreva samāhvayam

Since you ask me about the question of speech and mind, I shall relate to you the very contest between the two.

Verse 14 (14.22.14)

उभे वाङ्मनसी गत्वा भूतात्मानमपृच्छताम् । आवयोः श्रेष्ठमाचक्ष्व च्छिन्धि नौ संशयं विभो ॥

ubhe vāṅmanasī gatvā bhūtātmānamapṛcchatām | āvayoḥ śreṣṭhamācakṣva cchindhi nau saṃśayaṃ vibho

Speech and mind both went and asked the Self of beings, "Tell us which of the two of us is better; cut away our doubt, O Lord."

Verse 15 (14.22.15)

मन इत्येव भगवांस्तदा प्राह सरस्वतीम् । अहं वै कामधुक्तुभ्यमिति तं प्राह वागथ ॥

mana ityeva bhagavāṃstadā prāha sarasvatīm | ahaṃ vai kāmadhuktubhyamiti taṃ prāha vāgatha

"It is the mind," the Blessed One then said to Sarasvati. Then Speech said to him, "I grant you every wish."

Note on the text: Corrected इत्येवि → इत्येव (misprint in Wikisource; stray vowel; CE ity eva).

Verse 16 (14.22.16)

स्थावरं जङ्गमं चैव विद्ध्युभे मनसी मम । स्थावरं मत्सकाशे वै जङ्गमं विषये तव ॥

sthāvaraṃ jaṅgamaṃ caiva viddhyubhe manasī mama | sthāvaraṃ matsakāśe vai jaṅgamaṃ viṣaye tava

"Know that I have two minds, the stationary and the moving. The stationary one is with me; the moving one lies in your domain.

Verse 17 (14.22.17)

यस्तु ते विषये गच्छन्मन्त्रो वर्णः स्वरोऽपि वा । तन्मनो जङ्गमं नाम तस्मादसि गरीयसी ॥

yastu te viṣaye gacchanmantro varṇaḥ svaro'pi vā | tanmano jaṅgamaṃ nāma tasmādasi garīyasī

Whatever mantra, syllable or tone comes into your domain, that is the mind called moving; therefore you are the greater."

Note on the text: Corrected स्वरोपि → स्वरोऽपि (misprint in Wikisource; missing avagraha; CE svaro 'pi).

Verse 18 (14.22.18)

तस्माद्भवितुमर्हामि स्वयमभ्येत्य शोभने । तस्मादुच्छ्वासमासाद्य प्रवक्ष्यामि सरस्वति ॥

tasmādbhavitumarhāmi svayamabhyetya śobhane | tasmāducchvāsamāsādya pravakṣyāmi sarasvati

Therefore I deserve to be so, since you have come to me of your own accord, fair one; therefore, having reached the out-breath, I shall speak, Sarasvati.

Note on the text: CE 14.21.13 reads yasmād asi ca mā vocaḥ svayam abhyetya śobhane / tasmād ucchvāsam āsādya na vakṣyasi sarasvati; Wikisource's tasmād bhavitum arhāmi … pravakṣyāmi is a divergent recension reading, kept as printed.

Verse 19 (14.22.19)

प्राणापानावन्तरे यद्वाग्वै नित्यं स्म तिष्ठति । प्रीयमाणा महाभागे विना प्राणांश्च मामपि । प्रजापतिमुपाधावत्प्रसीद भगवन्निति ॥

prāṇāpānāvantare yadvāgvai nityaṃ sma tiṣṭhati | prīyamāṇā mahābhāge vinā prāṇāṃśca māmapi | prajāpatimupādhāvatprasīda bhagavanniti

Speech always stays between prana and apana. Being pleased, O highly fortunate one, she was without the breaths, and without me too; she ran to Prajapati, saying, "Be gracious, Blessed One."

Note on the text: The three lines are CE 14.21.14a, 14c and 14e. CE reads prāṇāpānāntare devī vāg vai nityaṃ sma tiṣṭhati / preryamāṇā mahābhāge vinā prāṇam apānatī / prajāpatim upādhāvat prasīda bhagavann iti; Wikisource's yad vāg vai, prīyamāṇā and prāṇāṃś ca mām api are recension variants, kept.

Verse 20 (14.22.20)

ततः प्राणः प्रादुरभूद्वाचमाप्याययन्पुनः । तस्मादुच्छ्वासमासाद्य न वाग्वदति कर्हिचित् ॥

tataḥ prāṇaḥ prādurabhūdvācamāpyāyayanpunaḥ | tasmāducchvāsamāsādya na vāgvadati karhicit

Then the breath appeared, nourishing Speech once more; therefore, once she has reached the out-breath, Speech never speaks at any time.

Verse 21 (14.22.21)

घोषिणी जातनिर्घोषा नित्यमेव प्रवर्तते । तयोरपि च घोषिण्या निर्घोषैव गरीयसी ॥

ghoṣiṇī jātanirghoṣā nityameva pravartate | tayorapi ca ghoṣiṇyā nirghoṣaiva garīyasī

Voiced speech, in whom sound has arisen, ever goes on; yet of the two, the soundless one is greater than the sounding one.

Note on the text: Corrected निर्घोर्षैव → निर्घोषैव (misprint in Wikisource; transposed letters; CE nirghoṣaiva).

Verse 22 (14.22.22)

गौरिव प्रस्रवत्यर्थान्रसमुत्तमशालिनी । सततं स्यन्दते ह्येषा शाश्वतं ब्रह्मवादिनी ॥

gauriva prasravatyarthānrasamuttamaśālinī | satataṃ syandate hyeṣā śāśvataṃ brahmavādinī

Like a cow she streams forth meanings, rich in the finest essence; she flows unceasingly, the everlasting one who speaks of Brahman.

Note on the text: CE 14.21.17a reads gaur iva prasravaty eṣā rasam uttamaśālinī; Wikisource's prasravaty arthān rasam uttamaśālinī is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 23 (14.22.23)

दिव्यादिव्यप्रभावेन भारती गौः शुचिस्मिते । एतयोरन्तरं पश्य सूक्ष्मयोर्यतमानयोः ॥

divyādivyaprabhāvena bhāratī gauḥ śucismite | etayorantaraṃ paśya sūkṣmayoryatamānayoḥ

By her divine and non-divine power Bharati is a cow, O pure-smiling one; look at the difference between these two subtle ones as they strive.

Note on the text: CE 14.21.18c reads syandamānayoḥ; Wikisource yatamānayoḥ is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 24 (14.22.24)

अनुत्पन्नेषु वाक्येषु चोद्यमाना सिसृक्षया । किंन्नु पूर्वं तदा देवी व्याजहार सरस्वती ॥

anutpanneṣu vākyeṣu codyamānā sisṛkṣayā | kiṃnnu pūrvaṃ tadā devī vyājahāra sarasvatī

When sentences had not yet arisen, and she was urged on by the wish to create, what did the goddess Sarasvati utter first then?

Verse 25 (14.22.25)

प्राणेन या सम्भवते शरीरे । प्राणादपानं प्रतिपद्यते च । उदानभूता च विसृज्य देहं । व्यानेन सर्वं दिवमावृणोति ॥

prāṇena yā sambhavate śarīre | prāṇādapānaṃ pratipadyate ca | udānabhūtā ca visṛjya dehaṃ | vyānena sarvaṃ divamāvṛṇoti

She who comes into being in the body through prana passes from prana to apana; and, becoming udana, she leaves the body and by vyana covers the whole of heaven.

Note on the text: Corrected प्राणेन य सम्भवते → प्राणेन या सम्भवते (misprint in Wikisource; short vowel for long ā; CE prāṇena yā). The four lines are the four pādas of CE 14.21.20 (printed there as two lines of two pādas).

Verse 26 (14.22.26)

ततः समाने प्रतितिष्ठतीह । इत्येव पूर्वं प्रजजल्प वागपि । तस्मान्मनः स्थावरत्वाद्विशिष्टं । तथा देवी जङ्गमत्वाद्विशिष्टा ॥

tataḥ samāne pratitiṣṭhatīha | ityeva pūrvaṃ prajajalpa vāgapi | tasmānmanaḥ sthāvaratvādviśiṣṭaṃ | tathā devī jaṅgamatvādviśiṣṭā

"Then she is established in samana here": this is what Speech first uttered. Therefore the mind is the better for being stationary, and the goddess likewise is the better for being moving.

Note on the text: Corrected विशिष्टाः → विशिष्टा (misprint in Wikisource; visarga for long ā; feminine singular to agree with देवी; CE viśiṣṭā). The four lines are the four pādas of CE 14.21.21 (printed there as two lines of two pādas).