Muni's Play| Fire (Agni) | Cosmic Elements | Key Sanskrit Quote |
|---|---|---|
| All Fires (Collective) | Prana, Bliss (Ka), Space (Kha) | प्राणो ब्रह्म कं ब्रह्म खं ब्रह्मेति । (Prāṇo brahma kaṃ brahma khaṃ brahmeti) |
| Gārhapatya (गार्हपत्य) | Earth, Fire, Food, Sun | पृथिव्यग्निरन्नमादित्य इति य एष आदित्ये पुरुषो दृश्यते सोऽहमस्मि स एवाहमस्मीति । |
| Anvāhāryapacana (अन्वाहार्यपचन) | Water, Quarters, Stars, Moon | आपो दिशो नक्षत्राणि चन्द्रमा इति य एष चन्द्रमसि पुरुषो दृश्यते सोऽहमस्मि स एवाहमस्मीति । |
| Āhavanīya (आहवनीय) | Prana, Space, Heaven, Lightning | प्राण आकाशो द्यौर्विद्युदिति य एष विद्युति पुरुषो दृश्यते सोऽहमस्मि स एवाहमस्मीति । |
1. The Opening Truth (The Three Fires Collectively)
Context: Found in 4.10.5, where the fires define Brahman to the despondent Upakosala.
Devanagari: प्राणो ब्रह्म कं ब्रह्म खं ब्रह्मेति । Word-by-Word: prāṇo (Life-force) brahma (is Brahman) kaṃ (Joy) brahma (is Brahman) khaṃ (Space) brahma-iti (is Brahman-thus). Translation: “Prana is Brahman, Joy is Brahman, Space is Brahman.”
2. The Garhapatya Fire’s Instruction
Context: Found in 4.11.1, representing the Earth and the Sun.
Devanagari: पृथिव्यग्निरन्नमादित्य इति य एष आदित्ये पुरुषो दृश्यते सोऽहमस्मि स एवाहमस्मीति । Word-by-Word: pṛthivī-agniḥ-annam-āditya (Earth, fire, food, sun) iti (thus) ya eṣa (he who) āditye (in the sun) puruṣo (person) dṛśyate (is seen) saḥ-aham-asmi (I am he) sa evāham-asmi-iti (indeed I am he). Translation: “Earth, fire, food, and the sun; the person who is seen in the sun, I am he; I am indeed he.”
3. The Anvaharyapacana (Southern) Fire’s Instruction
Context: Found in 4.12.1, representing Water and the Moon.
Devanagari: आपो दिशो नक्षत्राणि चन्द्रमा इति य एष चन्द्रमसि पुरुषो दृश्यते सोऽहमस्मि स एवाहमस्मीति । Word-by-Word: āpo (Water) diśo (Directions) nakṣatrāṇi (Stars) candramā (Moon) iti (thus) ya eṣa (he who) candramasi (in the moon) puruṣo (person) dṛśyate (is seen) saḥ-aham-asmi (I am he) sa evāham-asmi-iti (indeed I am he). Translation: “Water, the quarters, the stars, and the moon; the person who is seen in the moon, I am he; I am indeed he.”
4. The Ahavaniya Fire’s Instruction
Context: Found in 4.13.1, representing Breath and Lightning.
Devanagari: प्राण आकाशो द्यौर्विद्युदिति य एष विद्युति पुरुषो दृश्यते सोऽहमस्मि स एवाहमस्मीति । Word-by-Word: prāṇa (Breath) ākāśo (Space) dyauḥ-vidyut (Sky, lightning) iti (thus) ya eṣa (he who) vidyuti (in the lightning) puruṣo (person) dṛśyate (is seen) saḥ-aham-asmi (I am he) sa evāham-asmi-iti (indeed I am he). Translation: “Breath, space, the sky, and lightning; the person who is seen in the lightning, I am he; I am indeed he.”
5. The Teacher’s Final Instruction (The Person in the Eye)
Context: Found in 4.15.1, where Satyakama Jabala concludes the Vidya.
Devanagari: य एषोऽक्षिणि पुरुषो दृश्यते एष आत्मेति होवाचैतदमृतमभयमेतद्ब्रह्मेति । Word-by-Word: ya eṣaḥ-akṣiṇi (This one in the eye) puruṣo (person) dṛśyate (is seen) eṣa ātma-iti (this is the Self-thus) ha-uvāca (he said) etat-amṛtam-abhayam (this is immortal, fearless) etad-brahma-iti (this is Brahman). Translation: “This person who is seen in the eye—that is the Atman; he said: this is the Immortal, the Fearless, this is Brahman.”