KAUSHITAKI-UPANISHAD. FIRST ADHYAYA. 1. KITRA Gângyâyani1, forsooth, wishing to perform a sacrifice, chose Âruni (Uddâlaka 2, to be his chief priest). But Âruni sent his son, Svetaketu, 3 and said: 'Perform the sacrifice for him.' When Svetaketu had arrived, Kitra asked him: 'Son of Gautama, is there a hidden place in the world where you are able to place me, or is it the other way, and are you going to place me in the world to which it (that other way) leads?' 1 It is difficult to determine whether Kitra's name was Gângyâyani or Gârgyâyani. Professor Weber adopted first Gârgyâyani (Indische Studien I, p. 395), afterwards Gângyâyani (ibid. II, 395). Professor Cowell adopts Gângyâyani, but he tells us that the Telugu MS. reads Gârgyâyani throughout, and the other MSS. B, C do so occasionally. The commentator explains Gângyâyani as the descendant (yuvâpatyam) of Gângya. I confess a preference for Gârgyâyani, because both Gangâ and Gângya are names of rare occurrence in ancient Vedic literature, but I admit that for that very reason the transition of Gângyâyani into Gârgyâyani is perhaps more intelligible than that of Gârgyâyani into Gângyâyani. 2 Cf. Kh. Up. V, 11, 2; Brth. Âr. VI, 2, 1. Cf. Kh. Up. V, 3; VI, 1. Brih. Ar. VI, 2, 4. The question put by Kitra to Svetaketu is very obscure, and was probably from the first intended to be obscure in its very wording. What Kitra wished to ask we can gather from other passages in the Upanishads, where we see another royal sage, Pravâhana Gaivali (Kh. Up. V, 3; Brih. Âr. VI, 2), enlightening Svetaketu on the future life. That future life is reached by two roads; He answered and said: 'I do not know this. But, let me ask the master.' Having approached his father, he asked: Thus has Kitra asked me; how shall I answer?' one, the Devapatha, leading to the world of Brahman (the conditioned), beyond which there lies one other stage only, represented by knowledge of and identity with the unconditioned Brahman; the other leading to the world of the fathers, and from thence, after the reward of good works has been consumed, back to a new round of mundane existence. There is a third road for creatures which live and die, worms, insects, and creeping things, but they are of little consequence. Now it is quite clear that the knowledge which king Kitra possesses, and which Svetaketu does not possess, is that of the two roads after death, sometimes called the right and the left, or the southern and northern roads. These roads are fully described in the Khandogya-upanishad and in the Brihad-âranyaka, with certain variations, yet on the whole with the same purpose. The northern or left road, called also the path of the Devas, passes on from light and day to the bright half of the moon; the southern or right road, called also the path of the fathers, passes on from smoke and night to the dark half of the moon. Both roads therefore meet in the moon, but diverge afterwards. While the northern road passes by the six months when the sun moves towards the north, through the sun, (moon,) and the lightning to the world of Brahman, the southern passes by the six months when the sun moves towards the south, to the world of the fathers, the ether, and the moon. The great difference, however, between the two roads is, that while those who travel on the former do not return again to a new life on earth, but reach in the end a true knowledge of the unconditioned Brahman, those who pass on to the world of the fathers and the moon return to earth to be born again and again. The question therefore which Kitra addresses to Svetaketu can refer to these two roads only, and though the text is very corrupt, and was so evidently even at the time when the commentary was written, we must try to restore it in accordance with the teaching imparted by Kitra in what follows. I propose to read: Gautamasya putra, asti samvritam loke yasmin mâ dhâsyasy anyatamo vâdhvâ tasya (or yasya) mâ loke dhâsyasi, 'Is there a hidden place in the world where you (by your sacrificing and teaching) are able to Âruni said: 'I also do not know this. Only after having learnt the proper portion of the Veda in Kitra's own dwelling, shall we obtain what others give us (knowledge). Come, we will both go.' Having said this he took fuel in his hand (like a pupil), and approached Kitra Gângyâyani, saying: May I come near to you?' He replied: 'You are worthy of Brahman 1, O Gautama, because you were not led away by pride. Come hither, I shall make you know clearly.' 2. And Kitra said: All who depart from this world (or this body) go to the moon 2. In the former, (the bright) half, the moon delights in their spirits; in the other, (the dark) half, the moon sends them on place me, or is it the other way, and will you place me in the world to which it leads?' Even thus the text is by no means satisfactory, but it is better than anyam aho vâdhvâ, adopted by the commentator and explained by him: Is there a hidden place in that world in which you will place me as another, i. e. as different from the whole world or identical with the whole world, and, if as different, then having bound me (vâdhvâ=baddhvâ) and made me a different person? We may read anyataro for anyatamo vâdhvâ. The commentator sums up the question as referring to a hidden or not hidden place, where Kitra should be placed as another person or not another person, as bound or not bound; or, as Professor Cowell renders it, 'O son of Gautama, is there any secret place in the world where thou canst set me unconnected, having fixed me there (as wood united with glue); or is there some other place where thou canst set me?' The speculations on the fate of the soul after death seem to have been peculiar to the royal families of India, while the Brahmans dwelt more on what may be called the shorter cut, a knowledge of Brahman as the true Self. To know, with them, was to be, and, after the dissolution of the body, they looked forward to immediate emancipation, without any further wanderings. 1 Worthy to know Brahman, or, as the commentator, who reads brahmârgha, thinks, to be honoured like Brahman. 2 Both roads lead to the moon, and diverge afterwards. |