The Upanishads, Part 2 (SBE15)
Chapters
Brihadaranyaka-Upanishad: Sixth Adhyaya: First Brahmana

^202:1 This is wanting in the Khand. Up. Roer and Poley read Pragapati for pragati. MS, I. O. 3 75 has pragati, MS. I. O. 1973 pragapati.

^202:2 Here we have Pragapati, instead of Brahman, in the Khand. Up.; also sreshtha instead of vasishtha.

but breathing with the breath, speaking with the tongue, seeing with the eye, knowing with the mind, generating with seed. Thus we have lived.' Then the ear entered in.

11. The mind departed, and having been absent for a year, it came back and said: 'How have you been able to live without me?' They replied: 'Like fools, not knowing with their mind, but breathing with the breath, seeing with the eye, hearing with the ear, generating with seed. Thus we have lived.' Then the mind entered in.

12. The seed departed, and having been absent for a year, it came back and said: 'How have you been able to live without me?' They replied: 'Like impotent people, not generating with seed, but breathing with the breath, seeing with the eye, hearing with the ear, knowing with the mind. Thus we have lived.' Then the seed entered in.

13. The (vital) breath, when on the point of departing, tore up these senses, as a great, excellent horse of the Sindhu country might tare up the pegs to which he is tethered. They said to him: 'Sir, do not depart. We shall not be able to live without thee.' He said: 'Then make me an offering.' They said: 'Let it be so.'

14. Then the tongue said: 'If I am the richest, then thou art the richest by it.' The eye said: 'If I am the firm rest, then thou art possessed of firm rest by it.' The ear said: 'If I am success, then thou art possessed of success by it.' The mind said: 'If I am the home, thou art the home by it.' The seed said: 'If I am generation, thou art possessed of generation by it.' He said: 'What shall be food, what shall be dress for me?'

They replied: 'Whatever there is, even unto dogs, worms, insects, and birds , that is thy food, and water thy dress. He who thus knows the food of Ana (the breath) , by him nothing is eaten that is not (proper) food, nothing is received that is not (proper) food. Srotriyas (Vedic theologians) who know this, rinse the mouth with water when they are going to eat, and rinse the mouth with water after they have eaten, thinking that thereby they make the breath dressed (with water).'

^204:1 It may mean, every kind of food, such as is eaten by dogs, worms, insects, and birds.

^204:2 We must read, with MS. I. O. 375, anasyannam, not annasyannam, as MS. I. O. 1973, Roer, and Poley read. Weber has the right reading, which is clearly suggested by Khand. Up. V, 2, 1.