Agnihotra (Oblation to Agni the lord of fire) and five forms of Agni or PraaNa---

Quotes from Chandogya Upanishad and Prashnopanishad.

Introduction

In this article, agnihotra or ‘the oblation to agni the lord of fire’ has been narrated
and in that context, the five aspects of praaNa have been narrated with meanings and
explanations from Chandogya Upanishad and Prashnopanishad.

Sanskrit words written in italics can be found in the English-Sanskrit dictionary of Sir
Monier Williams available on the Internet (https://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-
koeln.de/scans/MWScan/2020/web/webtc/indexcaller.php).

The meanings and explanations are done following the teachings of the great sage
Shri. BijoyKrishna Chattopadhyaya (1875-1945) and his principal disciple Shri.
Tridibnath Bandyopadhyaya (1923-1994) to the best of my abilities.

(Debkumar Lahiri----debkumar.lahiri@gmail.com)

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Agni and Praana

agni is the self -expressing, self-illuminated Universal Consciousness By this

expression of the Universal Consciousness, both the Oneness and the dualities of the
Universal Consciousness are exposed. Thus, is created the universe; thus, we know
ourselves and the universe. agni is ag / agra (foremost, in front of) + nI (leads), i.e.
the one who leads (nI) and in front of (ag/agra) everyone and every
event. agni initiates, inaugurates every event. agni is praaNa. praaNa = pra (first) +
ana (animation)----the One who is in us as our animation, as our senses. It is for this
reason, the sensing faculties or organs are also called praaNa. praaNa is the One with
whom we live and with whom we leave. As praaNa leaves the body, we leave the
body with praaNa along with our sensing faculties.

praaNa is the vision in the eyes, sound in the ears, taste in the tongue, smell in the
nose, touch in the skin. Universal Consciousness is simultaneously inactive and
active; at one end the Consciousness is still, inactive, immutable; with this immutable,
inactive aspect in the background, the Consciousness is active and controlling the
entire universe at the other end. In the inactive end, there is no one but only ‘One’,
only ‘Soul/ assertion-less self’. In the active end, the One is becoming dual by
‘knowing’. Activity in Consciousness means ‘knowing’. To know means ‘ to become’
and ‘ to feel what is becoming’. Thus, in praaNa, duality/ universe and the Oneness is
coexisting. Any activity is the activity of praaNa or agni. praaNa or agni is also
called praaNaagni.

Thus, in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, it is mentioned:

sa vaa eSha mahanaja aatmaa yaH ayaM vij~naanamayaH praaNeShu

(He is indeed the great, eternal soul who is the senses within the sensing faculties.)

ya eshaH antarhRidaya aakaasha

(That what is the firmament inside the heart)

tasmin shete sarvasya vashI, sarvasya IshaanaH, sarvasya adhipatiH……..

(there lies the one who dominates on everyone/every event, who controls
everyone/every event, who is the authority of everyone/every event.)

(He is indeed the great, eternal soul who is the senses within the sensing faculties.
That what is this firmament inside the heart, there lies the one who dominates on
everyone/every event, who controls everyone/every event, who is the authority of
everyone/every event.) (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Fourth Chapter, Fourth
Brahmin/Fourth Part, Twenty-second verse.)

Three forms of Agni

In a previous publication, we have narrated the three forms

of agni. (<https://upanishadsinenglish.blogspot.com/2020/09/quotes-from-
upanishads-vaak-and-three.html>)

agni is called vaishaanara i.e. ‘the universal personality’. Our personalities are parts
of this universal personality. We are the spread of vaishaanara.

gRihapti (gaarhapatya), dakShiNaagni (anvaahaaryapachana

agni), and aahavanIya are the three forms of agni.

In Upanishad, it is mentioned that gaarhapatya is the heart or hRidaya,

anvaahaaryapachana is the mind and aahavanIya is the
mouth (aasya) of vaishaanara. (Please refer to Chandogya Upanishad, Fifth Chapter,
Eighteenth Part Second Verse {5.18.2}).

Agnihotra and Five forms of Agni

In this article, we will narrate the five forms of agni and agni hotra (oblation to agni).

agni, and praaNa are the same. The five forms of praaNa are (i) praaNa, (ii) vyaana,
(iii) apaana, (iv) samaana, (v) udaana. Our living, our every moment is an oblation
to our origin, to the Eternal Consciousness or praaNa, or agni. This offer is seen to
have five stages and these are the stages of praaNaagni-hotra or agnihotra.

In Chandogya Upanishad where agnihotra has been described, there at the end, the
Rishi (the seer) has quoted the followings:

yatheha kShudhitaa baalaa maataram paryupaasata, ebong sarvaaNi bhUtaani

agnihotram upaasata

(Like on the earth, a hungry child pleads the mother repeatedlySimilarly, all the
creatures pray agnihotra.) (Chandogya Upanishad, Fifth Chapter, Twenty-fourth
part, Fifth verse.)

Knowingly or unknowingly, we are always pleading for the senses, for the sound,
touch, vision, and taste; we are always desirous for the five senses, which are all the
forms of Consciousness, and Consciousness is feeding us incessantly.

{Word to word meaning

yatheha (yatha + iha)---as on the earth

kShudhitaa--hungry

baalaa----child

maataram----to the mother

paryupaasata---pleads repeatedly

ebong—so

sarvaaNi---all

bhUtaani---the creatures

agnihotram—agnihotra

upaasata ----prays
agnihotram—agnihotra

upaasata ----prays.}

As we all look for the food from the first moment of birth, and most sincerely ‘offer
ourselves’ the foods every day we live, so also the creator pondered on what would be
his foods.

In Upanishad, it is stated that eternal praaNa (mukhya praaNa), carried his parts (the
senses, like the personality of vision, the personality of touch, etc.) beyond death or to
eternity. Then, praaNa asked his parts about what would be his foods; these
conversations are quoted below from Chandogya Upanishad; (Chapter Five, Section
2, Verse 1.)

sa hovaacha kiM ṃe annaṃ bhaviṣyatIti yatkiMchididamaa shvabhya aa shakunibhya

iti hochustadvaa etadanasyaannamano ha vai naama pratyakShaM na ha vaa evamvidi
kiṃchanaanannaṃ bhavatIti || 5.2.1 ||

He (praaNa) then said: “What will be my food?” The sense organs replied:
“Whatsoever all this, whatever is existing, whatever will be created in
future/whatever is going to happen.” It is this what they said. That, indeed, this
ana’s ( praaNa’s) food. ana is indeed the obvious name. The one who knows like
this, for him nothing is inedible.

{Word to word translation:

sa---
he (praaNa)

hovaacha—ha + uvacha---then said

kim—what

me-my

annam----food

bhaviṣyatīti----will be

yat kiMchid idam--- whatsoever all this

aa shvabhya-----whatever is existing
aa shakunibhya----- whatever going to be---whatever will be created in
future/whatever is going to happen

iti ha uchuH----it is this what they said

tad ---that

vaa--indeed

etad----this

anayasa –of ana/of praaNa

annam –food

anaH---ana

ha vai---indeed

naama---name

pratyakSham-----direct/obvious

na ha vaa---never

evam ---like

vidi---knows

kiMchana--nothing

anannam ---- not anna/ inedible}

Meaning of the Sanskrit

words shva (dog), shakun,shakuni (vulture), ashva (horse)

We want to point out here that the meaning of the word, ‘aashvabhya aashakunibhya’
in the above text has been stated by many authors as ‘from the dogs to the vultures’.
Thus, the meanings mentioned in the various works of Upanishads against
‘aashvabhya, aashakunibhya’ are ‘from the dogs to the vultures’, implying that
everything is the food of praaNa. Though it is true that everything is the food
of praaNa, that everything is being assimilated and digested
by praaNa, that everything is being pulled to the ‘Oneness’ by praaNa, the
interpretations of the two words should have been done properly.

Because we are too much obsessed with the material world and do not understand
how the physical world is being realized, we think that the ‘words’ follow the
‘materials. But in a true and absolute sense, it is the ‘materials’ that follow the‘words’.
The words spoken by the Universal Consciousness are listened to by us as the
‘universe’.

Many Sanskrit words that start with ‘sh’ signify the ‘regulation’, ‘capability’ of the
Universal Consciousness. This regulation is ‘felt’ as ‘time’ by us, and is also
called ‘kaala’. The capability of the Consciousness to ‘become everything, ‘to change
everything’ is called ‘shakti’. This word also starts with the Sanskrit alphabet ‘sh’ and
is derived from the root word ‘shak’, meaning ‘be capable of’.

So the word shva means time. shva =shu + a; sh/sha= regulation of

Consciousness, or flow of time. Like the word, ‘shvaasa’ means aspiration or
breathing. The regulation of praaNa is acting on us as our inbreathing and
outbreathing, creating the pulse of life or clock in us. There are similar other words. A
dog is also called shva, because of its nature to follow the master or the regulations
enforced by its master. Thus, the word ‘aa shavya’ means, ‘whatever is under the
regulation of time’ or ‘whatever is existing’.

Similarly, the word ‘shakun’ means ‘whatever is going to happen in the future or
going to be created’. The word ‘shakuna lakShamNa’ means a sign that foretells
good futures. Vultures are called shakuni because they are known to have the power
to forebode either ‘good’ or ‘bad’. It was customary in ancient times, to name things,
animals, deities, characters, based on the ‘prominent features’ of the ‘Universal
Consciousness’, which are easily noticeable in an entity.

So, ‘aashakunibhya’ = ‘aa + shakunibhya’ means, whatever the praaNa or Universal

Consciousness is going to create in the future.

Thus, whatever is existing and whatever is going to exist, all are the foods of praaNa.

(Another much-misunderstood word is ashva. ashva= a + shva;

a = origin, aatman or the eternal soul; shva= regulation or time;
so, ashva means praaNa or the eternal soul flowing as praaNa or running across the
universe. This is felt as time (shva) and
regulations (shaasana), respirations (shvasana), and inflation (shvi). The universe is
inflating, growing, expanding, the horse is speeding away. But, the meaning
of ashva in most of the texts is mentioned as the ‘animal horse’!
A horse is called ashva because it takes the rider or the carriage along with it as it
runs. Consciousness as praaNa, takes everyone, every grain of the universe, along
with him (Consciousness). When we die, we depart along with praaNa; as long
as praaNa stays in the body, we live in our physical body.A horse is
called ashva because of these similarities, because of its strength and ability to run
and carry.)

praaNa, aaditya and first oblation to agni.

The word ‘eat’ is ‘adana’ in Sanskrit and is from the root word ‘ad’. The eating
or adana does not only mean ‘eating’, it means ‘assimilation to the self’ or
‘assimilation to the Universal Soul’. The Universal Consciousness has created
‘duality’ from the ‘Oneness’. At the same time, all the fragments/entities, or dualities
created out of Oneness are simultaneously pulled by the Universal Consciousness to
bring them back to the origin. It is like centrifugal and centripetal force acting
together. This ‘pulling back’, is our return to the origin and in the process, we are
‘feeling or sensing ourselves and the universe and we are evolving’. This is ‘eating’
or ‘adana’ by the Universal Consciousness. Thus it is said that praaNa would eat up
all.

The word aaditya means ‘sun’ and is quoted as praaNa in the ‘external-----aaditya ha
vai baajhya praaNa (aaditya/sun, is indeed praaNa in the
external.) (Prashnopanishad Third Question -Answer).

This word aaditya is related to two source words, (i) aditi and
(ii) adana. aditi means, a (without) + diti (duality). aditi is the mother of the deities.
Deities are the self-expressing personalities of Universal Consciousness and each
deity is carrying a particular aspect of Universal Consciousness. Like, the deity of
vision is a personality of the Universal Consciousness and is the source of all the
visions. Whoever sees what, is generated from this deity and this deity of vision owns
it. His vision is the view of everyone over the eternal time.

aaditya also means the ‘son of aditi’ or ‘the one who exhibits the characteristics
of aditi'. Thus aaditya (expressed as the sun in our terrestrial system), is characterized
by ‘Oneness’. It is the centre where the Universal Consciousness is ‘viewing’
everyone as his offspring, as his spread, with the feeling of ‘Oneness’. It is the feeling
of embracing the entire universe in Oneness. It is with this divine and limitless
pleasure the Consciousness as aaditya, as the sun, is viewing everyone, knowing
everyone. From aaditya, from this sun our vision has originated.

Thus, it is stated in Chandogya Upanishad, Second Chapter, Part Nine, +

First Verse:

atha khalu amum aadityam, saptavidham saama upaasIta;

sarvadaa samaḥ tena saama; maaM prati maaM prati iti; sarveṇa samaḥ, tena saama.

(Now, certainly in aaditya (sun) over there, the sevenfold saama to be worshipped.

aaditya is always the same, so he (aaditya) is saama

‘Looking at me, looking at me’—it is this (what everyone feels about aaditya).

Always the same (and) so saama----looking always in the same way at everyone, so (he is) saama)

{Word by word meaning:

atha (now) khalu (certainly) amum(that/over there) aadityam (in aaditya), saptavidham (seven forms of)
saama (saama) upaasIta (worship)

Now, certainly in aaditya (sun) over there the sevenfold saama to be worshipped.

sarvadaa (always) samaḥ (same) tena (by that reason/ so) saama (saama)

Always the same (and) so saama.

maaM (me) prati(toward/at) maaM prati (toward/at); iti (it is this)

(Looking) at me, (looking) at me; it is this.

sarveṇa (to all) samaḥ (same)

To all, he (aaditya) is saama (same)

tena (by that reason/ so) saama (saama)

So, (he/aaditya) is saama }

Thus, this is quoted in Prashnopanishad Upanishad (Answer to the third question):

“aadityo ha vai baahya praana udayati, esha hyenam chaakshusham praanam

anugrahnaanah”

aaditya (the sun) is certainly the praaNa in the external form; (as) he (aaditya) rises
he, of course, carries with him this praaNa (entity) who is located in the eye.
It is not that only when the sun rises in the morning, we get up and open our eyes. It is
happening in us with every expression of ‘sense’, with every formation of
Consciousness.

In every sense, in every feeling, there is the observer; and also, in every sense, in
every feeling, there is not only ‘I’, there is also ‘eye’, and they are always together.

Each of us lives in the respective individual world made of the individual’s senses and
feelings, made of Consciousness. We and our world are parts of the Universal
Consciousness in whom our (individual) world and the world ‘external’ to us exist.

The external world, which we also call the ‘objective world’ is the external
manifestation of the divine personalities called ‘vasu’. The word vastu is from the
word vasu. vastu means ‘object’. Thus, whenever we get up from sleep, we get up by
the ‘influences’ of the Universal Consciousness or the deities vasu. As we get up, as
the dawn occurs in us, our first sense is ‘I’ or I am’. This ‘I am’ is ‘aham’ in Sanskrit
and is from the source word ‘aha’ meaning ‘day’. Thus, the morning happens with the
rise of Consciousness in us, awakening ‘I’ the observer and so also the ‘eye’.

In Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, it is mentioned that the ‘one who resides in the right
eye is indra’ and his wife is viraaT whose abode is the left eye. indra means ’idam +
dra = idam + draShTRI’,

idam = it, whatever exists; dra=draShTRi =observer, viewer. It is mentioned that as

the deities are fond of addressing by indirect names, so though he is indha , he is
indirectly called indra.

indha means, who is luminous, incandescent---who is creating the ‘vision’.

Rishi Yajnavalkya, in Brihadranyaka, has said:

“indho ha vai naamaiSha yaH ayaM dakShiNeH akShanpuruShaH; tam vaa

etamindhaM santamindra ityaachakShate parokSheṇaiva….”

“ indha , indeed the name of this entity who is in this right eye; he, though is this
indha, is regarded as indra indirectly”------ (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Fourth
Brahmin/Chapter, First Part, Second Verse.)

In the divinity, the vision is formed from the sight of the viewer. Thus, he is
both indha and indra; his wife is viraaT and she is located in the left eye. One of the
meanings of viraaT is ‘the infinitely giant universe’. (Those who are familiar with the
epic Mahabharata, will recall that the Pandavas went into hiding in the kingdom
of viraaT.)

We have explained in our several previous publications, that as Universal

Consciousness splits, he/she becomes vaak and praaNa. vaak captures praaNa in
multiple forms and dimensions and this creates the entities of the universe
with naama (names, definitions) and rUpa (appearances, forms).

indra corresponds to praaNa, and viraaT corresponds to vaak. Whatever indra wants
to observe, viraaT creates that; viraaT or vaak captures praaNa in the form of
intended or desired observation.

Consciousness is called agni, praaNa, and praaNaagni (praaNa + agni), because by

Consciousness everything is inaugurated, everything is initiated and Consciousness
leads everything or every event.

Thus, agni means, ag + ni (nI); ag = agra (foremost, in front) + nI (leads)—who

leads and remains in front.

praaNa means pra (first) + ana (animation)---- whose animation, whose

consciousness or who makes everyone animated or conscious.

agni is worshipped as the lord of fire. Consciousness is also called praaNaagni and it
is a compound word made from the two words praaNa and agni. agni or praaNa is
created from the Oneness of the self-expressing Universal Consciousness, as
Consciousness desires to create ‘duality’.

The Universal Consciousness, as praaNa, as the active personality, is nourishing us

with life, with praaNa. We are the multiple forms of the Universal Consciousness,
split from Universal Consciousness.

The various nourishing centres or the forms from which praaNa or the Universal
Consciousness is supporting us is called anna. Thus, food is also called anaa.
anna means, ana or praaNa active in multiple ways to nourish the creation, to
support the evolution to eternity. anna = ana + ana + ana……

Thus, in an absolute way, everyone is anna. Every entity by its existence is playing a
positive role in the universe.

Thus, when we eat, it is Consciousness who invokes the whole process and this is
an act of oblation (eating).
We live and eat in our Consciousness. We are made of Consciousness. What we
feel, sense, or perceive as physical is also our Consciousness. The taste of food
and nourishment, the process of digestion, everything is happening in
Consciousness (happening in our ‘knowledge’) and regulated by
Consciousness. Thus, we perform agnihotra knowingly or unknowingly.

As praaNa is at the beginning of every event, so, when we eat, the food we put in our
mouth first goes to praaNa.

In Chandogya Upanishad (Fifth Chapter, Nineteenth Part, First Verse), it is stated:

tadyadbhaktaṃ prathamamaagacchettaddhomIyaṃ sa yaaṃ prathamaamaahutiṃ

juhuyaattaaṃ juhuyaatpraaNaaya svaaheti praaNastṛpyati || 5.19.1 ||

(Therefore, that what appears at first as the victual, that is for oblation. He {the
eater or the offeror} who offers that first oblation, he offers that to praaNa along
with svaahaa; it is this. praaNa is thus satisfied.)

(Word to word meaning) tad--therefore; yad—that; bhahaktam---what will be eaten

/felt/enjoyed; prathamam----first; aagcchaet ----arrives; tad—that; homIyam-----
appropriate for homa or oblation; saH (he who eats or offers) yaam
(that) prathamaam---first; aahutim—offer; juhuyaat, ---offers; taam---that; juhuyaat---
offers; praaNaaya svaahaa (to praaNa with svaahaa); iti (this is
it.) praaṇaH tRipyati---- praaNa is pleased.

homIyam---this is derivative of the word homa. homIyam means what is fit or

appropriate for homa or oblation.

Like, soma = sa + u + ma, similarly, homa = ha + u+ ma.

soma means the flow of senses, feelings flowing out (su) from Consciousness,
animating, enlivening the creation.

soma = su +am /ama. su means to ‘flow out’. am means the ‘potential’.

So, soma means what is flowing out of the potent radiant (teja) Consciousness.

Conversely, homa means, the act of reverse flow or reversing the flow back to the
origin. The word hu means ‘to call inward’. huma = hu + am/ama.

{The alphabet ma ‘denotes’, the ‘endpoint as well as the origin’. ma is the last
member of the alphabet of touch (sparsha varNa). ma denotes ‘end, termination, a
state where nothing is perceptible. More appropriately, it is the state where no duality
is perceptible. It is the state of Oneness and from here all are created. Here everything
is there, full of Consciousness but inactive and is behind all expressions and activities.
Thus, from the so-called ‘void’ or ma, first is created vaayu (air /marut)
or sparsha (touch). If there is no duality, ‘touch’ cannot exist. Thus, the first
fundamental element is voyam (sky), next is marut (air). Also, refer
to vaayu and aakaasha (voyam/ sky mentioned below in connection with udaana.}

The alphabet ha also means hanana or annihilation-----where everything is killed,

brought to rest, homed.

homa = ha + u + ma; ha = aakaasha (sky/firmament/void-----the state of

Consciousness where everything exists without dimensions); u= flow. So,
performing homa means to transfer the oblation to the inner sky, to the state of
Consciousness, where the physicality is not existing.

We requote the first part of the verse again:

tad--therefore; yad—that; bhahaktam---what will be eaten /felt/enjoyed; prathamam---

-first; aagcchaet ----arrives; tat—that; homIyam----- appropriate for homa or oblation.

The part, “prathamam----first; aagcchaet ----arrives”, meaning, ‘what arrives at first’,

implies the arrival or appearance of praaNa or the Consciousness in the form of food.
Because praaNa or agni is always at the ‘first’ and leads everything.

The next part of the verse is:

saH yaam prathamaam aahutim juhuyaat taam juhuyaat praaṇaaya svaahaa iti

(he/she, offers this first oblation to praaNa; svaahaa ----this is it.)

saH—he; yaam—this; prathamaam—first; aahutim---oblation; juhuyaat---offers;

praaṇaaya (to praaNa); svaahaa (svaahaa; along with svaahaa); iti (this is
it); praaNaH tRipyati------praaNa is (thus) contended.

svaahaa is shakti or the consort of agni or praaNaagni. No oblation will

reach agni, no oblation will be ‘homed’ in agni, unless svaahaa is ‘added’.

So, svaahaa is vaak. sva = aatman, the eternal soul, and whom we feel as ‘assertion-
less self’ and based on whom we assert as ‘I am’. svaa means the consort
or shakti of sva.

‘haa’ implies ‘taking off’ (Refer to the narration on the alphabet ha above.)
Thus, the goddess svaahaa removes our ‘I am’ assertion or the ‘duality’, and self-
expressing Soul or praaNa or agni is exposed.

Who is calling or invoking the oblation is agni, the oblation is agni, and in whom the
oblation merges as ‘sacrifice’ is agni. Thus sacrificed in agni, the hotRi or the offeror,
the invoker, the oblation or the offer, all find themselves identified with self-
illuminating soul or Consciousness or praaNa. Consciousness is called svayam-
prakaasha, i.e. one who expresses oneself by oneself, and in that expression,
everything else, i.e. the universe is also expressed.

svaahaa also means, su + aa +haa; su = elegantly; aa = calling toward

(her); haa = to eliminate or remove the mortality or duality.

Consciousness active in every event as its originator, as the regulator, and as the event
itself. Consciousness when active is called praaNa. The manifestation of praaNa or
the activities of Consciousness happen in five / seven steps. This has been described
in Chandogya Upanishad as fivefold and sevenfold saama. RiShi, the seers, have seen
the saama/ praaNa everywhere, in the happenings of rain, in the occurrence of
seasons, in the positions of the sun across the sky, among the species of animals,
among the parts of the human body, in the act of copulation and so forth.

As we evolve and self-realization starts, we see praaNa, Consciousness everywhere.

Thus, the seers, Rishi-s, have hailed the usher of praaNa. The advent of praaNa, the
first (prathama) perception of arrival or praana’s presence is termed
as hiMkaara. This is the first expression of praaNa and this is quoted as the first
expression of saama when the Rishi-s have described the fivefold and
sevenfold saama in Chandogya Upanishad.

This hiMkara is the expression that ‘assures one permanently’ of praaNa, of

everlasting existence in blissful Consciousness, of eternity. It is the expression of
‘certainty’ (nishchaya). hiMkaara removes all uncertainties. It ensures that the
desired event happens, the desired moments are realized; it ensures that merging with
eternity.

Such, significance is there impregnated in the word prathama (first) with respect to
the ‘first offer going to praaNa’ as cited in verse 5.19.1 of Chandogya Upanishad,
quoted above. It may be noticed that the verse says, ‘now that when the first offer
appears’, instead of saying, ‘now that when the food is first offered’. This is because,
when we eat, it is Consciousness, praaNa, who appears in us, in our consciousness as
the ‘process of eating’, which includes, the ‘eater, food, offering of food, satisfaction
and everything of it. We live in our universe made of Consciousness and we or our
consciousness is part of the Universal Consciousness.
The next verse is:

praaNe tRipyati chakShustRipyati chakShuShi tRipyatyaadityastRipyatyaaditye

tRipyati dyaustRipyati divi tRipyantyaaM yatkiMcha
dyaushchaadityashchaadhitiShṭhatastattRipyati tasyaanutRiptiM tRipyati prajayaa
pashubhirannaadyena tejasaa brahmavarchaseneti. || 5.19.2 ||

When praaNa is satisfied, the vision is satisfied; when the vision is satisfied, aaditya
{the sun} is satisfied; when aaditya is satisfied, divinity is satisfied; when the divinity
is satisfied whoever is existing in divinity, and in aaditya, that is satisfied; in
accordance to this satisfaction, the offeror is satisfied by (achieving) prolificity, by
(acquiring) the animals (creatures under his domain), by annaadya (by ‘ana’ or
praaNa who becomes ‘adya’ or ‘moments’ or ‘whatever one wants to eat or enjoy’),
by tejasaa (potency), by the radiance of bramha (the absolute being who is
growing). (Chandogya Fifth Chapter, Nineteenth Part, Second Verse.)

Vision is that sense which is fundamental to our sense of physicality. It is the root of
the sense of dimensions and existence in the dimensional world. It is related to the
sense of being secured or supported and established (pratiShThaa). This centre of
vision is also the centre of the sense of motion or time. This centre, which is vision or
‘eyes’ in us, is the sun in the external sky. Sun is the source of light/vision and
time/motion. Modern science knows that the ‘eye’ is related to the ‘biological
clock’. (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080815140250.htm)

Here, is a quote from Chandogya Upanishad:

yo ha vai pratiShThaaM veda prati ha tiShThatyasmiMshcha lokeH amuShmiMshcha

chakShurvaava pratiShThaa || Chandogya Upanishad, 5.1.3||

(Whoever knows the ‘one’ who supports/secures, he/she is secured in this domain
as well as in that domain. The ‘eye/vision’ is the {root of} ‘security’. )

(Word by word meaning:

yo-yaH—he

ha vai----indeed

pratiShThaaM--- the state of secured condition or establishment---the root or the

cause that makes one secured or founded

veda----knows
prati----correspondingly

ha---indeed

tiShThati----stays/ is established

asmiM----in this

lokeH----location, domain

amuShmiM cha---and in the (location/domain) over there

chakShuH –eye

vaava—indeed

pratiShThaa----is the (root of) secured existence/ foundation.)

Meaning of the word chakShu:

chakShu means ‘eye’. We have explained above, that the origin or centre of vision is
also related to the centre of motion. Thus, eyes and feet are related. Eyes are the sense
organs (j~naanendriya) and the feet/legs are the functional/work
organs (karmendriya). (By the legs or feet we move and by the legs or feet we stand
and remain secured {pratiShThaa} to the earth.) Thus in Rik Veda, the
eye (chakShu), and foot/leg (pada) of viShNu (personified praaNa) have been
quoted.

Etymologically, the word chakShu is as below; chakShu is related to the

word chakSh meaning ‘to become visible, to appear’.

chakShu = cha +kSha +u

cha= char= move kSha= kSharaNa= flowing out, pouring forth----

radiating/making visibility

Thus, chakShu means the centre of motion/time and radiation or source of vision.

The alphabet or the vowel ‘u’ implies ‘union’. Thus, chakShu means the centre from
where both motion/ time and vision or dimensions/colours are being generated.
First, ‘to know’; the ‘the act of knowing by Consciousness’ creates ‘manifestation’,
which is the eye or vision. Vision means ‘to go’ or to ‘become what is being
viewed’. When it is viewed, it is ‘done’, it is ‘past’. This is why, in
Sanskrit, bhUta means ‘past’ as well as ‘what is materialized or physical objects, what
is visible or perceptible’.

The eye is also called akShi and is related to the word ‘akSha’ which means ‘axis’.
Axis is the line or ‘line of sight’, which is the central line with respect to which
periodic motions or cycles of time function. (The English word ‘ocular’ appears to be
related to the word ‘akSha’. In our planetary system, the periodicity like day and
night, cycles of seasons, etc. are directly or indirectly related to the sun.

The sun is the praaNa, self-illuminated in the external sky. (See, above, the quote
from Prashnopashiad, Answer to the Third Question.) Thus, when praaNa is
satisfied, aaditya (the sun) is satisfied. Consciousness or praaNa cannot be without
observation or vision. So, praaNa is associated with the eye, and aaditya is associated
with dyu, div, or divinity.

So, when praaNa is satisfied, aaditya (the sun) is satisfied, and when aaditya is
satisfied, dyu or divinity is satisfied.

As in an individual, the eye or the vision is the root of the dimensional existence,
similarly, the divinity or dyu is behind the manifestation and realization of the
perceptible, dimensional, and measurable universe as a whole.

Self-expression and eternity are the characteristics of divinity or dyu. Dependence on

others for existence and mortality are the characteristics of the earth or mortal
existence.

We are all integrated. However, our earthly existence is very much individualistic and
this is the character or aspect of Universal Consciousness as ‘earth’
or ‘pRithivI’. pRithivI means: pRithivI = pRi (pRithak)—separate + thi (stithti)—
stay / stable state + vI (qualified/characterized). Thus, the integrated universe is not
apparent to us. The integration has been described accurately and specifically in the
verses of agnihotra.

Thus what one eats or offers to praaNa, it goes to praaNa who is also aaditya as the
universal centre of ‘assimilation’ and is our sun in our planetary system; it (the food/
offer) goes to the vision or eyes and also to the divinity or dyu through whom all the
dimensions, all the colours, all the appearances are created in the universe. Thus,
when the oblation reaches and satisfies aaditya, dyu, and all the beings those are
subjects of aaditya and dyu, they all are satisfied; and in accordance with this
satisfaction (anu tRipti) the eater/ offeror is satisfied by the acquirement of prolificity,
by the acquirement of animals (those whom he/she regulates), by annaayda (by ‘ana’
or praaNa who becomes ‘adya’ or ‘moments’ or ‘whatever one wants to eat or
enjoy’), by the potency (tejasaa) and by the illumination of bramha (the Universal
Consciousness who is ever-growing).

This is how it happens and can be seen as the divinity beyond the physicality gets
manifested.

vyaana, chandramaa and second oblation to agni.

The second or next feed, or the second or the next offer, goes to the aspect
of praaNa called vyaana.

vyaana = vi + aana; vi = in different (various) directions; aana=

aa (spread) + ana = spread or diffusion of ‘ana’ or praaNa.

vyaana is that aspect of praaNa or the Universal Consciousness by

which praaNa gets activated in all directions. Thus, this is the universal web or the
network by which every entity of the universe is connected to the other. These are
seen as the physical nerves in our body. vyaana personified, is the lord of air
or vaayu. (vaayur vyaanah----vaayu is vyaana.{Prashnopanishad, Third Question,
Eighth Verse}.)

There are two aspects of Consciousness. One is refractory and the other is
reflective; one is ‘to become or to create’ and the other is ‘to know or feel what is
created’; one is ‘to speak’ and the other is ‘to listen to what is spoken’. As we are
also Consciousness, we listen to every word that we speak. With every word, we are
created as a new personality in Consciousness and we listen to it or we feel what we
become. This is why agni is called jaatavedaa, which means, who is born (jaata) by
knowing (veda) and who is knowing while being born. (Consciousness or agni is born
by Consciousness.)

The gush of consciousness, the gush of praaNa or life or ana, is always coming to us
as sound, light, touch, and so on. This is the elixir or soma which is inundating us

with senses, feelings, perceptions. As the light falls on a reflector, it is reflected as

well as modifies the reflector itself. Light is also absorbed by the reflector and the
light reflected determines the colour of the reflector. These are all the properties of the
lunar plane, which bears the reflective aspect of the Universal Consciousness from
whom soma is flowing out. This lunar plane is called chandra/chandramaa (moon).
Whatever is coming to us as senses or feelings, they get absorbed in us, they are
diffused in us and dispersed in various directions within our consciousness / within us.

To feel or sense is the same as listening. Every sense is associated with a sound or
word in us. We feel it by listening. We are being built and evolved as we feel or
listen. These felt senses or feelings are dispersed in us in all directions or dik.

Similarly, every word we hear or a sense we feel immediately orients us. When we
see a flower, it is the flower that rises in our ‘east’ (praachI). Rest all remain
shrouded at that moment to make the ‘sense of flower’ prominent. Where all remain
shrouded like this is west (pratIchI). It (pratIchI) is also the direction
where hRidaya (heart) and varuNa loka are located. varuNa is the deity or the
personality of the Consciousness who shrouds. varuNa is related to the
word aavaraNa which means ‘a cover’. Thus, with every sense, there is a rise in the
east and set in the west; this is called ahoraatra (day and night). These two
simultaneous acts of Consciousness, to rise in the east and set in the west are
established in two divine personalities called mitra and varuNa. These two deities are
almost always invoked together and are jointly called mitra-varuNa; they are
considered as a pair. The west is also the direction of hRidaya (heart). Because
everything rises from hRidaya and sets in hRidaya. The physical heart is
part of hRidaya. The other two directions ‘south’ (avaachI/ dakShiNa) and
‘north’(udIchI/ uttara) are those directions/dik or the inclinations of the Universal
Consciousness which account for our transformation or ‘build’ and enhancement
through the divinity, respectively.

Thus, vyaana, shrotra (ear), dik (directions), and soma/chandramaa (moon) are integrated.

The next verses are as below:

atha yaaM dvitIyaaM juhuyaattaaM juhuyaadvyaanaaya svaaheti vyaanastRipyati ||

5.20.1 ||

(Now, that the second oblation is offered, he {the eater/offeror} offers it to vyaana
along with svaahaa; it is this. vyaanaa is satisfied.) (Chandogya Upanishad,
Twentieth Part, First Verse.)

vyaane tRipyati shrotraM tRipyati shrotre tRipyati chandramaastRipyati chandramasi

tRipyati dishastRipyanti dikShu tRipyantIShu yatkiMcha dishashcha
chandramaashchaadhitiShThanti tattRipyati tasyaanu tRiptiM tRipyati prajayaa
pashubhirannaadyena tejasaa brahmavarchaseneti || 5.20.2 ||
When vyaaNa is satisfied, the hearing is satisfied; when the hearing is satisfied,
chandramaa {the moon} is satisfied; when chandramaa is satisfied, directions are
satisfied; when the directions are satisfied whoever is existing in the directions, and
in chandramaa that is satisfied; in accordance to this satisfaction, the offeror is
satisfied by (achieving) prolificity, by (acquiring) animals (creatures under his
domain), by annaadya (by ‘ana’ or praaNa who becomes ‘adya’ or ‘moments’ or
‘whatever one wants to eat or enjoy’), by tejasaa (potency ), by the radiance of
bramha (the absolute being who is growing). (Chandogya Upanishad, Twentieth
Part, Second Verse.)

The first offer goes to aaditya and dyu. Creation from oneness, soul/self-expression,
are the characteristics of divinity. In aaditya and dyu, the soul, or the Universal
Oneness is creating by splitting from Oneness into many and still remaining One. Like
by refraction real images are formed, it is the same light in the source, that splits into
many and makes the formation (real image). Refraction is ‘re-fraction’, fractionating
repeatedly, and splitting of Universal Consciousness into many. In Consciousness,
there is always expression or creation and to feel what is created or expressed. This
expression or creation or fractionation of One is ‘refraction’ and where it (what is
created or fractionated) is felt/realized in the self, there, it is ‘reflection’. The streams
of feelings, senses that are flooding us all the time are from this ‘reflective’ plane or
the aspect of the Consciousness called chandramaa/chandra, moon or lunar plane.
This stream is the flow of soma.

apaana, agni and third oblation to agni.

The third offer or the third phase of the offered food, oblation, goes to the aspect
of praaNa called apaana. apaana = ap/apa + ana; ap is the ‘divine water’,
quenching everyone’s thirst, ap also means ‘aapti’ or ‘acquirement’. This aspect
of praaNa supports and sustains what one has already achieved. It cleans, soothes,
and gratifies us. It boosts our physical existence, identity.

Thus our existence as an individual, our physicality, which we have achieved, is

secured by and regulated by apaana. It is the source of ‘gravity’ or ‘gravitational
attraction’. The part of our divinity that has got trapped in gravity is our mortality, and
that is regulated by apaana.

Thus, in Prashnopanishad, it is said : prithivyaam ya devataa saiShaa

puruShasyaapaanam avaShtabhya…..(Prashnopanishad, Third Question, Eighth
Verse).
(The divine personality who is in pRithivI/earth, she is holding the apaana of
purusha{entity/ individual}.

This implies, as praaNa corresponds to the vision and dominates on our faculty of
vision, as vyaana corresponds to hearing and dominates on our faculty of
hearing; similarly, apaana corresponds to the earth or physical body and holds us in
the body like the earth holding the entire physicality.

apaana, being praaNa as ap or water, cleanses us, and regulates the excretion
processes in the body.

Thus, physiologically, it is stated:

paayu ({in the} anus) upasThe (in the genitals) apaanaM (apaana)----apaana is
located in the anus and genitals. This means apaana is controlling the excretions. But
this is only a part of apaan’s function. apaana is functioning from two centres
called mUlaadhaara and svaadhiShThaana. Physically, mUlaadhaara is located at
the base or bottom of the spine and svaadhiShThaana is above mUlaadhaara and
below the navel, and above the genitals. svaadhiShThaana is that centre from where
the divine water or ‘ap’ acts on us. This is the centre that activates our pleasure,
procreation and it supports the physical developments through mUlaadhaara.
mUlaadhaara = mUla (main/principal) + aadhaara (receptacle). Thus we are held in
the physicality by mUlaadhaara.

The happiness, pleasures, and consequent developments of ours are regulated

in svaadhiShThaana. Our achievements, our accomplishments, our involvements,
and activities further shape our physical existence and anatomy; it also decides how
we will pro-create; our sexuality is controlled accordingly.

svaadhiShThaana = sva (soul/self) + adhiShThaana (governing place) ----- The

place or location where the soul is standing over the physicality.

We have explained in our various articles published earlier, that Consciousness while
creating duality from Oneness, splits into two fundamental aspects known
as vaak and praaNa. vaak is behind every vaakya or ‘composed/ processed
word’. Everything that is materialized is a ‘word’ of the Universal Consciousness like
thoughts materialized to ‘words’ in our mind. These words of Consciousness, the
conscious words, are called Rik. A word can be seen as a ‘thought’ covered in a shell
of ‘sound’ (articulated or not). Thus Consciousness as vaak has captured
Consciousness in the shells (vaakya/word, pRithivI/earth) made of Consciousness and
the captured Consciousness (a being or an entity) is also called praaNa . Also, it is
told that everything is created by the copulation of vaak and praaNa and every
created entity is praaNa (also called agni) in an embrace of vaak. Thus, the
earth (pRithivI) or the physicality is the body of vaak.

(It may be noted that in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, the words praaNa and
mana/manas have been used interchangeably. Like, sometimes praaNa and vaak are
stated to be in copulation, and sometimes manas/mana (mind) and vaak are stated to
be in copulation.)

It is stated in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (Chapter One, Fifth Brahmin/Part, Eleventh

Verse): tasai vaachaH prithivI sharIraM jyotIrUpam ayam agniH tad yaavtI eva vaak
taavatI pRithivI taavan ayam agniH.

tasai—that; vaachaH—vaak’s; prithivI—the earth; sharIraM---body; jyotIrUpam—

illuminated form; ayam—this; agniH—agni (praaNa); tad—that; yaavtI eva---as
much as is; vaak---vaak; taavatI---that much is; pRithivI----the earth; taavan—
similarly; ayam—this; agniH—agni.

The earth/ physicality is the body of that vaak and this agni is her illuminated
form. As much as is vaak, that much is the earth/ physicality,(and) similarly is this
agni.

Thus, vaak has materialized as the perceptible universe, and the personality expressed
in every such entity is called praaNa.

Thus, apaana (as described above), vaak, agni, and pRithivI are related.

So, the verses for the third offer, or third phase of the offer are as below:
atha yaaṃ tRitIyaaṃ juhuyaattaaṃ juhuyaadapaanaaya svaahetyapaanastRipyati ||
5.21.1 ||
(Now, that the third oblation is offered, he {the eater/offeror} offers it to apaana
along with svaahaa; it is this. apaana is satisfied.)

apaane tRipyati vaaktRipyati vaachi tRipyantyaamagnistRipyatyagnau tRipyati

pRithivI tRipyati pRithivyaaM tRipyantyaaM yatkiMcha pṛthivI
chaagnishchaadhitiSThatastattRipyati tasyaanu tṛptiM tRipyati prajayaa
pashubhirannaadyena tejasaa brahmavarchaseneti || 5.21.2 ||

(When apaana is satisfied, vaak is satisfied; when vaak is satisfied, agni {the fre} is
satisfied; when agni is satisfied, pRithivI (earth) is satisfied; when pRithivI is
satisfied whoever is existing in pRithivI (earth) , and in agni (fire), that is satisfied;
in accordance to this satisfaction, the offeror is satisfied by (achieving) prolificity,
by (acquiring) the animals (creatures under his domain), by annaadya (by ‘ana’ or
praaNa who becomes ‘adya’ or ‘moments’ (or ‘whatever one wants to eat or enjoy’),
by tejasaa (potency ), by the radiance of bramha (the absolute being who is
growing). (Chandogya Upanishad, Fifth Chapter, Twenty-first Part, Second Verse.)

Like vaak and agni, it is the earth and the fire/ super-heated core inside the earth, it is
the body and the living entity within, it is the word impregnated with mind and
feelings.

samaana, vidyut and fourth oblation to agni.

The fourth offer or the fourth phase of the offered food, oblation, goes to the aspect
of praaNa called samaana.

samaana is that aspect of praaNa by whom everything can coexist without

conflict. samaana is behind the ‘equanimity’ of the mind. All sorts of thoughts,
conceptions, senses are prominently expressed in the mind, and they don’t get mixed
up. If we look into our existence, there are so many things in the body, mind, and
heart that are co-existing, functioning, and without any conflict; they are united,
synchronized, and seem to be all working toward a common goal.

Thus, the two verses corresponding to the fourth offer are as below:

atha yaaṃ chaturthIM juhuyaattaaM juhuyaatsamaanaaya svaaheti samaanastRipyati

(Chandogya Upanishad, 5.22.1.) (Now, that the fourth oblation is offered, he {the
eater/offeror} offers it to samaana along with svaahaa; it is this. samaana is
satisfied.) (Chandogya Upanishad, Fifth Chapter, Twenty-second Part, First Verse.)
samaane tRipyati manastRipyati manasi tRipyati parjanyastRipyati parjanye tRipyati
vidyuttRipyati vidyuti tRipyantyaaM yatkiMha vidyuchcha
parjanyashchaadhitiShThatastattRipyati tasyaanu tRiptiM tRipyati prajayaa
pashubhirannaadyena tejasaa brahmavarchaseneti || 5.22.2 ||
(When samaana is satisfied, the mind is satisfied; when the mind is satisfied,
parjanya is satisfied; when parjanya is satisfied,vidyut (electricity) is satisfied; when
vidyut is satisfied whoever is existing in vidyut (electricity), and in parjanya that is
satisfied; in accordance to this satisfaction, the offeror is satisfied by (achieving)
prolificity, by (acquiring) the animals (creatures under his domain), by annaadya
(by ‘ana’ or praaNa who becomes ‘adya’ or ‘moments’ (or ‘whatever one wants to
eat or enjoy’), by tejasaa (potency ), by the radiance of bramha (the absolute being
who is growing). (Chandogya Upanishad, Fifth Chapter, Twenty-second Part, Second
Verse.)

In Prashnopanishad, it is mentioned:

aantaraa (inside) yad (that) aakaakaashaH(sky) sa (he is) samaano

(samaana)… (Prashnopanishad , Third Question, Eighth Verse).

(The sky that is inside is samaana).

The inner sky, the sky inside us, is called antaraakaasha. There is no dimension in
the ‘sky’, everything exists there ‘without dimension’. Also, there is no dimension of
the ‘mind’ (mana, manas). Immediately next to the mind is the physical
universe. The Rishis (Seers) have mentioned whatever is felt as, antaraakaasha, is
the same as the external sky.

The exterior of the inner sky (antaraakaasha) is the ‘mind’ and the interior is the
heart or hRidaya which is the ‘seat’ of all feelings. The ingredient of the sky
is vaak. The ‘sky’, that we feel as inane and empty, is full of consciousness.
Everything is held here, everything is held by the heart.

Though, all definitions, dimensions, and shapes are perceived in the ‘mind’, ‘mind’ is
beyond dimensions. All, maana (measures), are the measures of the
mind (mana/manas). This is samaana---sa (he/he is) + maana(measure) and
also sama (same) maana (measure)—whatever it is, it is the mind; it is a word or a
thought in the mind of the Creator; our mind is part of the Universal Mind.

Thus, in this inner sky, everyone, everything, every grain of the universe is ‘held’ or
‘known’ with equality or sameness; it is the sameness of eternity. We have mentioned
this while explaining ‘aaditya’ in the earlier part of this article.

In Prashnopanishad, it is said that samaana leads the offered foods to ‘sameness’.

This is the quote in Upanishad (Prashnopanishad, Third Question, Fifth Verse) :

madhye tu samaanah

esha hyetadhutam annaM samaM nayati, tasmaat etaaH saptaarchiSho bhavanti

( In the middle indeed is samaana; indeed this (samaana) leads the offered food to
sameness, and from it, these (offered foods) become the seven flames.)

(Word by word meaning:

madhye tu---in the middle indeed

samaanah---is samaana

eSha—this (samaana)

hi etad—indeed this

hutam---offered

annaM—foods

samam----sameness

nayati---leads

tasmaat---from that

etaaH----these

sapta----seven

archiSho-----flames

bhvanti---become.).

When we see by both the eyes, it leads to the same vision; when we hear by both the
ears it leads to the same sound, to the same direction; our inhaling and exhaling work
in synchronization-----all these are happening by the action of samaana. All these are
‘hutam annaM samaM nayati’--- taking the offer or oblation to sameness.

Thus, in Upanishad, it is said,

yad uchChvaasaniHshvaasau etau aahutI samaM nayati iti sa smaanaH,

(As the expiration and inspiration, these two oblations, are brought to
sameness/synchronization, so he is samaana.) (Prashnopanishad,4.4---Fourth
Question, Fourth Verse.)

samaana carries all the foods, all the oblations to the one who is the one in everyone.
Thus, the word for ‘taste’ in Sanskrit
is ‘svaada’. savaada means, sva (soul) + aada (taking, receiving).
Whatever we eat, whatever we sense, whatever we feel, they finally reach our soul.
We live, we sense, we eat, we exist in our ‘knowledge’ or ‘consciousness’.
Knowledge or Consciousness is called j~naana. In this word j~naana there are two
parts, j~na, and ana. j~na is svayam, or the soul who is the assertion-less self
and ana is praaNa or the streams of consciousness coming out of j~na.

It is the same One, same j~na in every entity, in every individual. He is the universal
soul. When he is active, or where he is active, there he is ana or praaNa. This is the
mystery of the word j~naana or Knowledge, and we have learned this from our Guru.

Thus, anything offered, sensed, or eaten, the process happens in Consciousness and
the process ends in Consciousness. Thus, the offered foods, foods eaten, go back
to praaNa (ana) and to j~na (soul). This is also ‘samaM nayati’, leading to
‘sameness’.

The offers, the foods, make seven flames in praaNa, in the inner sky, in the seven
centres (sapta chakra) of the Consciousness. The word sapta (seven), represents the
number, at which one arrives after everything in the universe is counted and then
summarized; it is then the number seven or the seven groups where everything is
included. sapta =sa/saha (jointly/along with/together
with) + aapta (acquired/achieved). sapta or the seventh phase of the moon or soma is
that phase, where everything is seen as ‘acquired or rested in soma or in praaNa’ who
is gushing out as the streams of consciousness or nectar.

When everything is seen collected in the Universal Oneness or in the Universal Soul,
the number is seven or sapta. When the Universal Soul is seen scattered everywhere
in the form of the entities of the Universe, that is the number eight or aShTa. The
component aSh in aShTa means ‘to move, to go’ and this root word ‘aSh’ is related
to the root word ‘as’ meaning, ‘to throw, to cast’, as well as ‘to exist’. Universal
Consciousness is existing in every form that is cast as an entity in the universe. This is
represented by the number eight.

So, when samaana is satisfied mind (manasa) is satisfied. When the mind is
satisfied, parjanya is satisfied. parjanya is the rain god! parjanya is that aspect of the
Universal Consciousness or praaNa from whom anna is created to support us with
life. As samaana leads anna or the offered foods to the origin,
conversely samaana brings the anna to us, to the earth to give us life.

There is this hymn in Prashnopanishad:

yadaa tvamabhivarShasyathemaaH praaNa te prajaaH

anandarupaastiShthanti kaamaayaannaM bhaviShytitI

(When you rain down, oh praaNa, your these offspring (those who have originated
from you), delightfully wait for the desired foods to appear! Knowing that anna
which they have desired will be forthcoming! (Prashnopanishad, Second Question,
Tenth Verse.)

{Word to word meaning of the above verse:

yada—when

tvama---you

abhivarShasi—rain toward (us/ toward the creation)

atha—then

imaa---these

praaNa----oh praaNa

te—your

prajaa---offspring, those who are generated from praaNa

aananda rUpa---aananda (joy) rupa (form or state)----in the state of joy

tiShThanti—stay, wait

kaamaaya----desired

annaM---foods

bhaviShyati---will appear

iti---this is it (it denotes the end of the verse).

The word parjanya signifies the followings:

parjanya = pari (towards) + janya (who generates, father) ----the one who generates
toward or rains toward the earth----one who impregnates the earth with
fertility. parjanya not only pours the rain on the earth from the
clouds, parjanya reigns over the fulfillment of our desire; as parjanya rains, whatever
we have desired, they as seeds are formed, sprout and appear to us carried by time.
This is ‘kaamaayaannaM bhaviShytitI-----whatever anna is desired, that is going to
be’.

parjanya---- para (beyond/ behind) + janya (who are being born) ----who is behind
the souls, or the beings being born. It has been mentioned in several parts of
Upanishads about the routes which a departing soul and also the soul returning for the
re-birth follows. The path traveled during departing is retraced during returning. It is
stated the souls returning to be reborn, enter into the regions of clouds after leaving
the realm of the moon. The souls are transferred to the various types of clouds.
Finally, they descend to the earth by the rain. Then they enter into the plantations, into
the crops, etc. Through the foods, they enter into the bodies of the males (fathers). It is
mentioned that the routes vary and not the same; especially they are significantly
different for the lower-end creatures. It is also mentioned that it is not easy to enter
into the body of the creature/person by whom the soul is destined to be re-born.
Thus, parjanya also dominates over our re-birth in the earth. As anna is supporting
our life, and nourishing us, similarly anna also carries us to the body of our genitor or
father for the rebirth to materialize.

Here is a quote below of Krishna (kRiShNa) (Bhagavad Gita, Chapter three, Verse
four) on anna and parjanna below:

annaad (from anna) bhavanti (come into being) bhUtaani (all that exist), parjanyaad
(from parjanya) anna (anna) sambhavaḥ (is created)

(All that exist come into being from anna;

From parjanya, anna is created.)

When parjanya is satisfied, vidyut (Electricity / Lightning) is satisfied. One of the

meanings of the word vidyut, is ‘the one who detonates the physicality /mortality and
exposes the divinity’. The god parjanya or the personality of the Universal
Consciousness called parjanya, implants the ‘divinity’ in the ‘earth’. Those who are
in the dormant or near- dormant stage, those who are waiting/scheduled to be re-born
and to continue in the evolution, are manifested into the respective and destined
animated/active existence by the divinity, by parjanya. vidyut, in this context, is that
aspect of the Consciousness or parjanya by which we are illumined again in the lives
to which we are destined.

vidyut= vidonate (irradiates/irradiates and detonates to reveal) iti (since) vidyut---

since it irradiates, so it is vidyut. parjanya irradiates and brings life to the earth. The
dormant souls are initiated to birth/re-birth.
(The root word of vidyut is dyut meaning ‘to irradiate’ and also ‘to break open or to
tear open’. )

udaana, aakaasha and fifth oblation to agni.

The fifth phase of the offer goes to udaana. The corresponding verses in Chandogya
Upanishad are as below:

atha yaṃ pa~ncamIṃ juhuyaattaaM juhuyaadudaanaaya svaahetyudaanastRipyati ||

5.23.1 || (Chandogya Upanishad, Fifth Chapter, Twenty third part, First Verse.)
(Now, that the fifth oblation is offered, he {the eater/offeror} offers it to udaana
along with svaahaa; it is this. udaana is satisfied.)
udaane tRipyati tvaktRipyati tvachi tRipyantyaaṃ vaayustRipyati vaayau
tRipyatyaakaashastRipyatyaakaasho tRipyati yatkiMcha
vaayushchaakaashashchaadhitiShThatastattRipyati tasyaanu tRiptiṃ tRipyati prajayaa
pashubhirannaadyena tejasaa brahmavarchasena || 5.23.2 ||
(When udaana is satisfied, tavk/ tavch(touch) is satisfied; when the touch is
satisfied, vaayu (air) is satisfied; when vaayu is satisfied, aakaasha (sky) is
satisfied; when aakaasha is satisfied whoever is existing in vaayu , and in aakaasha
that is satisfied; in accordance to this satisfaction, the offeror is satisfied by his
prolificity, by the animals (creatures under his domain), by annaadya (by ‘ana’ or
praaNa who becomes ‘adya’ or ‘moments’ (or ‘whatever one wants to eat or
enjoy’), by tejasaa (potency ), by the radiance of bramha (the absolute being who is
growing). (Chandogya Upanishad, Fifth Chapter, Twenty third part, Second Verse.)

udaana is that aspect of praaNa, by which we are held in the ud/ut. ud/ut means,
what is up or above or beyond the ‘death’ or mortality. It has been mentioned in
Upanishads, that mukhya praaNa performed udgaana to carry the senses or sense
faculties/ creatures beyond death. ud/ ut implies divinity, i.e. where one experiences
his existence in eternity or in the eternal soul.

udaana is holding us above mortality and this feature of udaana is aakaasha (sky).
The void or vacuum sucks. Everything, every entity is held in the plane
called aakaasha (sky) as a part of the divinity.

aakaasha= aa + kaasha; aa = aatata (spread everywhere) + kaasha (shining,

visible) -----who is present everywhere and is shining (source of visibility). This is
the ‘paramam padam’ or the supreme state/ abode that belongs
to viShNu (eternal praaNa personified and who is sustaining the universe; further this
supreme state is described in Rik Veda as “divIva chakShuraatatam’ (like the divinity
and the eye{the source of visibility}, which is spread everywhere).

aakaasha, or void is the ‘elemental sound’ or shavda tattva. Though there is no

specific sound perceptible in aakaasha, and no orientation/direction in aakaasha, it is
the source of all sounds, all directions, all definitions, and all defined entities. The
creation of any sound or word is the creation of an entity. No sound is created without
orientation or direction. This is why the listening/ear and sense of direction are
intrinsically connected.

This ‘direction’ or ‘dik’ is the same as ‘air’ or ‘vaayu’. The English word ‘air’ also
represents the ‘manner’ or the ‘inclination’ of a personality. Similarly, in Sanskrit, the
word vaayu grasta meaning ‘seized by air or wind’ implies ‘obsession with certain
idea/manner/ habit’. The inclination of praaNa or Consciousness decides the
‘direction’ of the ‘flow of praaNa/ air or vaayu’. When a word is uttered or created
from Consciousness, it creates a new entity from Consciousness. The inclinations or
propensities of Consciousness or praaNa determine the specificities or characteristics
of the created entity. These propensities are the directions or dik and are the
ways praaNa or vaayu flows.

vaayu (air) is also called sUtraatman (sUtra--thread + aatman--soul). sUtra means

‘thread’. vaayu or praaNa acts as the thread between the ‘source/creator/aatman’ and
the ‘creation’.

So, as explained above, from the ‘manifesting plane’ or aakaasha of the Universal
Consciousness, word or sound/shavda is created and simultaneously is
created vaayu / direction / air/touch (sparsha).

The word for ‘touch’ is ‘sparsha’ in Sanskrit and the word for ‘skin’ is ‘tvach /
tvak’ in Sanskrit. The characteristic of air or vaayu is ‘touch’. The sense of touch is all
over our body, like aakaasha or void is there everywhere; similarly, vaayu or air is
there everywhere, somewhere perceptible, somewhere subtle.

Thus, is the connectivity between udaana, tvach(touch), aakaasha (sky)

and vaayu (air).

tejo ha vai udaanah tasmaad upashaanta tejaah punarbhavam indriyair manasi

sampadyamaanaih

(teja/potency is indeed udaana, therefore the one whose potency has become
dormant, the one is again revived/re-born accomplished with the sensing faculties
in the mind) (Prashnopanishad, Third Question, Ninth Verse.)
(Word to word meaning:

tejo--- teja(s)/potency

ha vai ----is certainly

udaanah -----udaana

tasmaad -----therefore

upashaanta -----calmed /dormant

tejaah ----teja(s)

punarbhavam ----reborn/ revived

indriyair –with the sensing faculties

manasi ---in the mind

sampadyamaanaih---accomplished.)

Thus, by udaana we are reborn, we gain consciousness. udaana leads us to the other
domains after our death and animates us in those domains where we go through the
pleasures and pains as per our deeds. As stated above, uddana or aakaasha is potent
to create everything. udaana carries us to the destinations after death. udaana drives
us to all the destinations, good and bad, that we secure for ourselves by our acts of
virtues and vices.

Thus, in the following verse of Prashnopanishad, the sage has mentioned

about udaana carrying us to the destined world after our death:

athaikayordhva udaanaḥ puṇyena puṇyaṃ lokaṃ nayati paapena

paapamubhaabhyaameva manuShyalokam || 3.7 ||

atha ekaya (now through one of them) Urdha (upwards) udaanah (udaana) puṇyena
(by the virtues) puṇyaM (virtuous {deeds}) lokaṃ (world) nayati (leads) paapena (by
the sinful {deeds}) paapam (evil {world}); ubhaabhyaaM (by both) eva (indeed)
manuShyalokam (in the world of human beings).

Now, through one of theme {through one of the myriads of channels stemming out
of the heart} that is upwards, udaana leads the {parting soul} to the world of virtues
/grace as per the virtuous deeds and to the world of sins/pains as per the sinful acts;
the world of the human beings is driven indeed by both virtues and
vices. (Prashnopanishad, Third Question, Seventh Verse/ Verse 3.7).

The location of praaNa, vyaana, apaana, samaana, udaana and soul in the body.

mukhya praaNa (praaNa from mukha or mouth).

In Prashnopanishad it is stated that apaana is residing in the anus and genitals (lower
abdomen); we have explained the connection between apaaNa and the earth. Thus,
the navel (part of lower abdomen region) plays a role during our physical birth. Navel
/apaana also plays a role when we are purged out of our bodies.

(naabhyaa apaanaH apanant mrityuH----Aitareya Upanishad, Part 1, Fourth

Verse:

From the navel (created in Consciousness), apaana is created; from apaana ‘death’
is created. Death means death and also means physicality. Physicality means
Consciousness frozen into a definte, isolated entity.)

The location of samaana is stated in the middle. vyaana is flowing through myriads
of channels or directions (dik) of Consciousness or praaNa; these streams
of vyaana are coming out from hRidaya or heart, inside which the Consciousness as
soul or the One is present. Out of these numerous channels, only one is there upward,
through which udaana carries us out of the body and to the destinations that we
deserve as per our deeds. (Refer verses in Question 3 of Prashnopanishad----Verse
3.5, 3.6 & 3.7.)

praaNa himself is residing in the eyes, ears, mouth, and nose. The void inside the
mouth is also the sky, aakaasha. From this sky, words are coming out which are our
words, which are expressions of praaNa. From these words, everything is created.
Thus, in Chandogya Upanishad, it is stated that mukhya praaNa or eternal praana is
called aayaasya as from aasya (mouth) praaNa comes out.

aayaasya = aasyad (from the mouth) yad (since) ayayte (comes out). (Chandogya
Upanishad, First Chapter, Second