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Ch-10-Shwetaketu and Pravahan

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Chhandogya Upanishad

Shwetaketu and Pravahan
From  Part 5, Chapter 3

Once Shwetaketu, the son of Uddaalak and the grandson of Aaruni, came to the assembly of Paanchaal Pradesh. Pravahan was the son of King Jaibaal. He also sat in the court. he was vey intelligent and used to take part in spiritual discussions. he had defeated many people. On that day also hw was sitting there. He asked Shwetaketu - "O Boy, has your father taught you well?" "Yes, Revered Sir."

Pravahan asked - "All right, Do you know that where people go when they go from here?"
"No, revered Sir."
"Do you know then how they return to this place?"
"No, Revered Sir."
"Do you know where the paths get separated and lead to Devtaa and Pitri (Manes)?"
"No, Revered Sir."
"Do you know why the Other Lok is not filled up?"
"No, Revered Sir."
Then why do you say that you have been instructed? How could he say that he was instructed when he does not know these small things?"

Shwetaketu went back to his father with a sorrowful mind and said to him - "Revered Sir, You told me that you have instructed me, while you have not instructed me. That King asked me five questions and I could not answer even one of them."
The father said - "As you have told me the questions, I myself do not their answers. Believe me, I don't know the answer of even one of them. If I had known them, why shouldn't I have told them to you."

So Gautam (Uddaalak) went to the King. The King welcomed him warmly and showed great respect. Next morning when the King came in the court, he asked Uddaalak to ask for a boon relating to human wealth." Uddaalak said - "Let the human wealth be with you, tell me the answers of those questions which you asked my son."

The King became sad, but still he said - "You be with me for long time. This knowledge has not reached to any Braahman before this. Thus it was with Kshatriya alone and it belonged to them only." And then he started teaching that to him.

The Five Fires
Pravahan said - "Yonder world is the sacrificial fire, O Gautam, the Sun is the fuel, the rays are the smoke, lightening is the flame, the thunderbolt is the embers, and thundering are the sparks. In this fire Devataa offer their faith as libation and out of that offering the Moon is born."

"The Parjanya is the fire, the air is the fuel, the cloud is the smoke, the lightening is the flame, the thunderbolt is the embers, and thundering are the sparks. In this fire Devataa offer Moon as libation and out of that offering the Rain is born."

"The Earth is the fire, O Gautam, the year is the fuel, Aakaash is the smoke, the night is the flame, the quarters are embers, and the intermediate quarters are the sparks, and in this fire Devataa offer rain as libation. Out of that offering the food is born."

"O Gautam, man is the fire, speech is the fuel, the Praan is the smoke, the tongue is the flame, the eye is the embers, and the ear is the sparks. In this fire Devataa offer food as libation. Out of that offering the semen is produced."

"O gautam, Woman is the fire, her sexual organ is the fuel, what invites is the smoke, the vulva is the flame, what is done inside is the embers, and the pleasures are the sparks. In this fire Devataa offer semen as libation and out of that offering the fetus is formed."

Birth and Death
Thus in the 5th libation water comes to be the man. The fetus is covered with membrane and is born in 9-10 months time. After his birth he lives for whatever the life he has, and after death they carry him to the funeral pyre from where he came and when he arose.

Two Paths After Death
Those who know this practice Tap in the forest and go by the path of light, from light to the path of day, from day to the path of brikght half (Shukla Paksh) of the Moon, from the bright half of the Moon to the month, from the month to the path of six months from which the Sun goes to the North (Uttaraayan), from those months to the year, from year to the Sun, from the Sun to the Moon, and from the Moon to the lightening. There they meet a person, who is not a human being, he takes them to the Brahm. Thios is the path of Devtaa and is called Devayaan.

But those who live in the villages,
 

 

"Praan is the Supreme. It

 

 

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Created by Sushma Gupta on 3/15/05
Contact:  sushmajee@yahoo.com
Updated on 02/18/13