'Fire is his head, his eyes the sun and the moon, the regions his ears,
his speech the Vedas disclosed, the wind his breath, his heart the
universe; from his feet came the earth; he is indeed the inner Self of
all things' (II, 1, 4)--the outward form here described can belong to
none but the highest Self; that is, the inner Self of all beings. The
section therefore treats of the highest Self.
25. Vaisvânara (is the highest Self), on account of the distinctions
qualifying the common term.
The Chandogas read in their text, 'You know at present that Vaisvânara
Self, tell us that,' &c., and further on, 'But he who meditates on the
Vaisvânara Self as a span long,' &c. (Ch. Up. V, 11, 6; 18, 1). The
doubt here arises whether that Vaisvânara Self can be made out to be the
highest Self or not. The Pûrvapakshin maintains the latter alternative.
For, he says, the word Vaisvânara is used in the sacred texts in four
different senses. It denotes in the first place the intestinal fire, so
in Bri. Up, V, 9, 'That is the Vaisvânara fire by which the food that is
eaten is cooked, i.e. digested. Its noise is that which one hears when
one covers one's ears. When man is on the point of departing this life
he does not hear that noise.'--It next denotes the third of the elements,
so in Ri_. Samh. X, 88, 12, 'For the whole world the gods have made the
Agni Vaisvânara a sign of the days.'--It also denotes a divinity, so Ri_.
Samh. I, 98, 1, 'May we be in the favour of Vaisvânara, for he is the
king of the kings,' &c. And finally it denotes the highest Self, as in
the passage, 'He offered it in the Self, in the heart, in Agni
Vaisvânara'; and in Pra. Up. I, 7, 'Thus he rises as Vaisvânara,
assuming all forms, as breath of life, as fire.'--And the characteristic
marks mentioned in the introductory clauses of the Chandogya-text under
discussion admit of interpretations agreeing with every one of these
meanings of the word Vaisvânara.
Against this primâ facie view the Sûtra declares itself. The term
'Vaisvânara' in the Chândogya-text denotes the highest Self, because the
'common' term is there qualified by attributes specially belonging to
the highest Self. For the passage tells us how Aupamanyava and four
other great Rhshis, having met and discussed the question as to what was
their Self and Brahman, come to the conclusion to go to Uddâlaka because
he is reputed to know the Vaisvânara Self. Uddâlaka, recognising their
anxiety to know the Vaisvânara Self, and deeming himself not to be fully
informed on this point, refers them to Asvapati Kaikeya as thoroughly
knowing the Vaisvânara Self; and they thereupon, together with Uddâlaka,
approach Asvapati. The king duly honours them with presents, and as they
appear unwilling to receive them, explains that they may suitably do so,
he himself being engaged in the performance of a religious vow; and at
the same time instructs them that even men knowing Brahman must avoid
what is forbidden and do what is prescribed. When thereupon he adds that
he will give them as much wealth as to the priests engaged in his
sacrifice, they, desirous of Release and of knowing the Vaisânara Self,
request him to explain that Self to them. Now it clearly appears that as
the Rishis are said to be desirous of knowing--that Brahman which is the
Self of the individual souls ('what is our Self, what is Brahman'), and
therefore search for some one to instruct them on that point, the
Vaisvânara Self--to a person acquainted with which they address
themselves--can be the highest Self only. In the earlier clauses the
terms used are 'Self' and 'Brahman,' in the later 'Self' and 'Vaisvânara';
from this it appears also that the term 'Vaisvânara,' which takes the
place of 'Brahman,' denotes none other but the highest Self. The results,
moreover, of the knowledge of the Vaisvânara Self, which are stated in
subsequent passages, show that the Vaisvânara Self is the highest
Brahman. 'He eats food in all worlds, in all beings, in all Selfs'; 'as
the fibres of the Ishîkâ reed when thrown into the fire are burnt, thus
all his sins are burned' (V, 18, I; 24, 3).
The next Sûtra supplies a further reason for the same conclusion.