(2) Gargya said: cThe sound here which follows after one as he goes — him, indeed, I worship as Brahma ' ' Ajatas'atru said: 'Talk not to me about him! I worship him, verily, as Life (asu). To him who worships him as such there comes a full length of life (dyu) in this world. Breath (prdna) leaves him not before the time.'

(3) ' Yajnavalkya/ said he, * since everything here is food for death, who, pray, is that divinity for whom death is food? ' £ Death, verily, is a fire. It is the food of water (apas}. He overcomes (apa-jayati) a second death [who knows this].' 3

(1) He desired: ' Would that this [body] of mine were fit for sacrifice! Would that by it I had a self (atmanmn)! J Thereupon it became a horse (asva), because it swelled (a£vat). ' It has become fit for sacrifice (medhya) \ ' thought he. There- fore the horse-sacrifice is called A6va-medha. He, verily, knows the A3va-medha, who knows it thus. He kept him [i.e. the horse] in mind without confining him. After a year he sacrificed him for himself, [Other] animals he delivered over to the divinities. Therefore men sacrifice the victim which is consecrated to Prajapati as though offered unto all the gods. free for a year. Verily, that [sun] which gives forth heat is the Asva-medha. The year is its embodiment (atmau). This [eaithly] fire is the ar&a. The worlds are its embodi- ments. These aie two, the arka sacrificial fire and the A^va- medha sacrifice. Yet again they are one divinity, even Death. He [who knows this] wards off death again, death obtains him not, death becomes his body (atman\ he becomes one of these deities.

(3) Then Bhujyu Lahyayani questioned him. £ Yajfiavalkya/ said he, ( we were traveling around as wanderers among the Madras. As such we came to the house of Pataficala Kapya. He had a daughter who was possessed by a Gandharva. We asked him: " Who are you? " He said: " I am Sudhanvan, a descendant of Angiras." When we were asking him about the ends of the earth, we said to him: " What has become of the Parikshitas? What has become of the Parikshitas? "— I now ask you, Yajnavalkya. What has become of the Pari- kshitas? ' a. He said: ' That one doubtless said, c{ They have, in truth, gone whither the offerers of the horse-sacrifice go." ' ' Where, pray, do the offerers of the horse-sacrifice go? ' c This inhabited world, of a truth, is as broad as thirty-two days [i.e. days' journeys] of the sun-god's chariot. The earth, which is twice as wide, surrounds it on all sides. The ocean, which is twice as wide, surrounds the earth on all sides. Then there is an interspace as broad as the edge of a razor or the wing of a mosquito. Indra, taking the form of a bird, delivered them [i.e. the Parikshitas] to Wind. Wind, placing them in himself, led them where the offerers of the horse-sacrifice were. Somewhat thus he [i.e. Sudhanvan] praised Wind. Therefore Wind alone is individuality (vyasti). Wind is totality (samastf). He who knows this overcomes a second death.' Thereupon Bhujyu Lahyayani held his peace.

(2) Then said Maitreyi: ' What should I do with that through which I may not be immortal? What you know, Sir — that, indeed, tell me! '

(1) Then they said, * What, pray, has become of him who stuck to us thus? ' c This one here (ay am) is within the mouth (asyd)! ' He is called Ayasya Angirasa, for he is the essence (rasa) of the limbs (ahgct).

(4) Janaka, [king] of Videha, descending from his cushion and approaching, said: c Adoration to you, Yajnavalkya. Do you instruct me.' He [i.e. Yajnavalkya] said: 'Verily, as a king about to go on a great journey would prepare a chariot or a ship, even so you have a soul (atman) prepared with these mystic doctrines (tipanisad}. So, being at the head of a troop, and wealthy, learned in the Vedas, and instructed in mystic doctrines, whither, when released hence, will you go? ' ' That I know not, noble Sir — whither I shall go/ 2, £ Indha (i. e. the Kindler) by name is this person here in the right eye. Him, verily, who is that Indha people call " Indra" 1 K % cryptically, for the gods are fond of the cryptic, as it were, and dislike the evident.

(4) Then spake Maitreyi: 'What should I do with that through which I may not be immortal? What you know, Sir— that, indeed, explain to me.

(23) Death said: 'Choose sons and grandsons who shall live a hundred years, herds of cattle, elephants, gold, and horses. Choose the wide abode of the earth, and live thyself as many harvests as thou desirest.'

(2) This, verily, is the honey which Dadhyanc Atharvana declared unto the two Asvins. Seeing this, the seer spake: — f Upon Dadhyanc Atharvana ye Asvins Did substitute a horse's head, He, keeping true, declared to you the honey Of Tvashtri, which is your secret, O ye mighty ones/ 2 1 8. This, verily, is the honey which Dadhyanc Atharvana declared unto the two AsVins. Seeing this, the seer spake: — ' Citadels with two feet he did make. Citadels with four feet he did make. Into the citadels he, having become a bird — Into the citadels {puras) the Person (purusa) entered/ This, verily, is the person (pnrusa) dwelling in all cities (pnri- soya). There is nothing by which he is not covered, nothing by which he is not hid. 19* This, verily, is the honey which Dadhyanc Atharvana declared unto the two AsVins. Seeing this, the seer spake:— 1 RV i. 1 1 6. 12. The two Asvins desired instruction from Dadhyaac. But the latter was loath to impart it, for Indra had threatened Dadhyaiic thai if he ever told this honey-doctrine to any one else, he (India) would cut his head off. To avoid this untoward result, the A&yms took off Dadhyafic's head and substituted a horse's head. Then, after Uadhyafic had declared the honey- doctrine m com- pliance with their request and Indra had carried out his threat, the A&vms restored to Dadhyanc his own head. This episode shows the extreme difficulty with which even gods secured the knowledge originally possessed by Indra. 2 RV. I. 117. 22. This is to be looked upon as a form of him. Indra by his magic powers (may a) goes about in many forms; Yoked are his ten-hundred steeds/ I He [i.e. the Soul, Atmari\, verily, is the steeds. He, verily, is tens and thousands, many and endless. This Brahma is without an earlier and without a later, without an inside and without an outside. This Soul is Brahma, the all-perceiving. — Such is the instruction.

(3) * Yajnavalkya/ said he, * when a man dies, what does not leave him? ' All-gods. An endless world he wins thereby.'

(16) 'A wise man who has repeated or heard the ancient story of Nakiketas told by Death, is magnified in the world of Brahman.'

(18) Having received this knowledge taught by Death and the whole rule of Yoga (meditation), Nâkiketa became free from passion and death, and obtained Brahman. Thus it will be with another also who knows thus what relates to the Self.

(4) On this point there is this verse: — When are liberated all The desires that lodge in one's heart, Then a mortal becomes immortal! Therein he reaches Brahma! As the slough of a snake lies on an ant-hill, dead, cast off, even so lies this body. But this incorporeal, immortal Life (prana) is Brahma indeed, is light indeed/ ' I will give you, noble Sir, a thousand [cows],' said Janaka, [king] of Videha.

(3) Then he [i.e. Yajnavalkya] questioned them with these verses: — As a tree of the forest, Just so, surely, is man. His hairs are leaves. His skin the outer bark. From his skin blood, Sap from the bark flows forth. From him when pierced there comes forth A stream, as from the tree when struck. His pieces of flesh are under-layers of wood. The fibre is muscle-like, strong. The bones are the wood within. The marrow is made resembling pith. A tree, when it is felled, grows up From the root, more new again; A mortal, when cut down by death — From what root does he grow up? Say not 'from semen/ For that is produced from the living, As the tree, forsooth, springing from seed, Clearly arises without having died. If with its roots they should pull up The tree, it would not come into being again. A mortal, when cut down by death — From what root does he grow up? When born, indeed, he is not born [again]. Who would again beget him? Brahma is knowledge, is bliss, The final goal of the giver of offerings, Of him, too, who stands still and knows It. J For a similar comparison in Hebrew literature see Job 14, 7-10.