SECTION XXV
"The Brahmana said, 'In this connection is recited the ancient story of
what the institution is of the Chaturhotra (sacrifice). The ordinances
are now being duly declared of that in its entirety. Listen to me, O
amiable lady, as I declare this wonderful mystery. The agent, the
instrument, the action and Emancipation,--these, O beautiful lady, are
the four sacrificing priests by whom the universe is enveloped. Hear in
its entirety the assignment of causes (relating to this topic). The nose,
the tongue, the eye, the skin, the ear numbering the fifth, the mind, and
the understanding,--these seven should be understood as being caused by
(the knowledge of) qualities. Smell, taste, colour, sound, touch,
numbering the fifth, the objects of the mind, and the objects of the
understanding, these seven are caused by action. He who smells, he who
eats, he who sees, he who speaks, he who hears, numbering the fifth, he
who thinks, and he who understands--these seven should be known as caused
by the agent. Possessed of qualities, these enjoy their own qualities,
agreeable or disagreeable.[68] As regards the Soul, that is destitute of
qualities. These seven are the causes of Emancipation. With them that are
learned and possessed of sufficient understanding, the qualities, which
are in the position of deities, eat the oblations, each in its proper
place, and agreeably to what has been ordained. The person who is
destitute of learning, eating diverse kind of food, becomes seized with
the sense of mineness.[69] Digesting food for himself, he becomes ruined
through the sense of mineness. The eating of food that should not be
eaten, and the drinking of wine, ruin him. He destroys the food (he
takes), and having destroyed that food, he becomes destroyed himself. The
man of learning, however, being possessed of puissance, destroys his food
for reproducing it. The minutest transgression does not arise in him from
the food he takes. Whatever is thought of by the mind, whatever is
uttered by speech, whatever is heard by the ear, whatever is seen by the
eye, whatever is touched by the (sense of) touch, whatever is smelt by
the nose, constitute oblations of clarified butter which should all,
after restraining the senses with the mind numbering the sixth, be poured
into that fire of high merits which burns within the body, viz., the
Soul.[70] The sacrifice constituted by Yoga is going on as regards
myself. The spring whence that sacrifice proceeds is that which yields
the fire of knowledge. The upward life-wind Prana is the Stotra of that
sacrifice. The downward life-wind Apana is its Sastra. The renunciation
of everything is the excellent Dakshina of that sacrifice. Consciousness,
Mind, and Understanding--these becoming Brahma, are its Hotri, Adhwaryyu,
and Udgatri. The Prasastri, his Sastra, is truth.[71] Cessation of
separate existence (or Emancipation) is the Dakshina. In this connection,
people conversant with Narayana recite some Richs. Unto the divine
Narayana were animals offered in days of yore.[72] Then are sung some
Samanas. On that topic occurs an authority. O timid one, know that the
divine Narayana is the soul of all.'"
