ब्राह्मण उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। निबोध दशहोतृणां विधानमथ यादृशम्॥
The Brahmana said Regarding it is cited the following ancient story. Do you understand, of what kind the institution is of the ten Hotris (sacrificing priests).
श्रोत्रं त्वक् चक्षुषी जिह्वा नासिका चरणौ करो। उपस्थं वायुरिति वा होतृणि दश भामिनि॥
The ear, the skin, the two eyes, the tongue, the nose, the two feet, the two hands, the genital organ, the lower duct, and speech, these, O beautiful one, are the ten sacrificing priests.
शब्दस्पर्शी रूपरसौ गन्धो वाक्यं क्रिया गतिः। रेतोमूत्रपुरीषाणां त्यागो दश हवींषि च॥
Sound, touch, colour, taste, scent, speech, action, motion, and the discharge of vital seed, of urine, and of cxcreta, are the ten libations.
दिशो वायू रविश्चन्द्रः पृथ्व्यग्नी विष्णुरेव च। इन्द्रः प्रजापतिर्मित्रमग्नयो दश भामिनि॥
The points of the compass, wind, Sun, Moon, earth, fire, Vishnu, Indra, Prajapati, and was Mitra, these, O beautiful one, are the ten (sacrificial) fires.
दशेन्द्रियाणि होतृणि हवींषि दश भाविनि। विषया नाम समिधो हूयन्ते तु दशाग्निषु॥ चित्तं स्रुवश्च वित्तं च पवित्रं ज्ञानमुत्तमम्। सुविभक्तमिदं सर्वं जगदासीदिति श्रुतम्॥
The ten organs (of knowledge and action) are the sacrificing priests. The libations, O beautiful one, are ten. The objects of the senses are the fuel that are thrown into these ten fires, as also the mind, which is the ladle, and the wealth (viz., the good and bad acts of the sacrificer. What remains is the pure, highest knowledge. We have heard that all this universe well differentiated (from knowledge).
सर्वमेवाथ विज्ञेयं चित्तं ज्ञानमवेक्षते। रेतः शरीरभृत्काये विज्ञाता तु शरीरभृत्॥
All objects of knowledge are Mind. Knowledge only perceives it. The Individual Soul, encased in subtle form, lives within the gross body that is produced by the vital seed,
शरीरभृद् गार्हपत्यस्तस्मादन्यः प्रणीयते। मनचाहवनीयस्तु तस्मिन् प्रक्षिप्यते हविः॥
The bearer of the body is the Garhapatya fire. From that is produced another. Mind is the Ahavaniya fire. Into it is, poured the oblation.
ततो वाचस्पतिर्जज्ञे तं मनः पर्यवेक्षते। रूपं भवति वैवर्णं समनुद्रवते मनः॥
From that was produced the Veda or Word), (then was born Mind); Mind (desirous of creation) sets itself on the Veda (or the Word). Then arises forin colour) undistinguished by particular colours. It runs towards the Mind. or
ब्राह्मण्युवाच कस्माद् वागभवत् पूर्वं कस्मात् पश्चान्मनोऽभवत्। मनसा चिन्तितं वाक्यं यदा समभिपद्यते॥
The Brahmana's wife said Why did Word first arise and why did Mind arise afterwards, seeing that Word comes into being after having been thought upon by Mind?
केन विज्ञानयोगेन मतिश्चित्तं समास्थिता। समुन्नीता नाध्यगच्छत् को वै तां प्रतिवाधते॥
Upon what authority can it be said that Mati (Prana) takes refuge in Mind. Why, again, in dreamless sleep, though separatcd from Mind, does not Prana apprehend (all objects)? What is that which controls it then?
ब्राह्मण उवाच तामपानः पतिर्भूत्वा तस्मात् प्रेषत्यपानताम्। तां गतिं मनसः प्राहुर्मनस्तस्मादपेक्षते॥
The Apana air, becoming the lord, on account of such lordship over it, makes it at one with itself. That restrained motion of the Prana air has been said to be the motion of the mind. Hence the mind depends upon Prana.
प्रश्नं तु वाङ्मनसोर्मा यस्मात् त्वमनुपृच्छसि। तस्मात् ते वर्तयिष्यामि तयोरेव समाह्वयम्॥
But since you ask me a question about word and mind, I shall, therefore, describe to you a discourse between them.
उभे वाङ्मनसी गत्वा भूतात्मानमपृच्छताम्। आवयोः श्रेष्ठमाचक्ष्व च्छिन्धि नौ संशयं विभो॥
Both Word and Mind, repairing to the Soul of matter, asked him, Do you say who amongst us is superior. Do you, O powerful one, remove our doubt.
मन इत्येव भगवांस्तदा प्राह सरस्वती। अहं वै कामधुक् तुभ्यमिति तं प्राह वागथ॥
On that occasion, the holy one made this answer, The mind undoubtedly (is superior)! To him Word said, I great you the fruition of all your desires.
ब्राह्मण उवाच स्थावरं जङ्गमं चैव विद्धयुभे मनसी मम। स्थावरं मत्सकाशे वै जङ्गमं विषये तव॥
The Brahmana said Know that I have two minds, immovable and movable. That which is immovable, is, indeed, with me; the movable is in your dominion.
यस्तु तं विषयं गच्छेन्मन्त्रो वर्णः स्वरोऽपि वा। तन्मनो जगमो नाम तस्मादसि गरीयसी॥
That mind is indeed called movable which, in the form of Mantra, letter, or voice, is referrible to your dominion. Hence, you are superior.
यस्मादपि समाधिस्ते स्वयमभ्येत्य शोभने। तस्मादुच्छ्वासमासाद्य प्रवक्ष्यामि सरस्वति॥
But since, coming of your own accord, O beautiful one, you enter into the engagement, therefore, filling myself with breath, I utter you.
प्राणापानान्तरे देवी वाग् वै नित्यं स्म तिष्ठति। प्रेर्यमाणा महाभागे विना प्राणमपानती। प्रजापतिपुपाधावत् प्रसीद भगवन्निति॥
The goddess Word used always to live between Prana and Apana, But, O blessed one, sinking into Apana, though urged upwards, on account of becoming dissociated from Prana, she ran to Prajapati and said, Be pleased with ime, O holy one.
ततः प्राणः प्रादुरभूद् वाचमाप्याययन् पुनः। तस्मा दुच्छ्वासमासाद्य न वाग् वदति कर्हिचित्।।२०
Then Prana appeared, once more fostering Word. Hence, Word, encountering deep exhalation, never utters anything.
घोषिणी जातनिर्घोषा नित्यमेव प्रवर्तते। तयोरपि च घोषिण्या निर्घोषैव गरीयसी॥
Word always comes as endued with ulterance or unendued with it. Amongst those two. Word without utterance is superior to Word with utterance.
गौरिव प्रसवत्यर्थान् रसमुत्तमशालिनी। सततं स्यन्दते ह्येषा शाश्वतं ब्रह्मवादिनी॥
Like a cow having milk, she yields various kinds of ineaning. This one always gives the Eternal (viz., Emancipation), speaking of Brahma.
दिव्यादिव्यप्रभावेन भारती गौः शुचिस्मिते। एतयोरन्तरं पश्य सूक्ष्मयोः स्यन्दमानयो॥
O you of beautiful smiles, Word is a cow, on account of her power which is both divine and not divine. See the distinction of these two subtle forms of Word that flow.
ब्राह्मण्युवाच अनुत्पन्नेषु वाक्येषु चोद्यमाना विवक्षया। किनु पूर्वं तदा देवी व्याजहार सरस्वती॥
What did the goddess of Word then say, formerly when, though moved by the wish to speak, speech could not come out?
ब्राह्मण उवाच प्राणेन या सम्भवते शरीरे प्राणादपानं प्रतिपद्यते च। उदानभूता च विसृज्य देहं व्यानेन सर्वं दिवमावृणोति॥
The Brahmana said The Word that is made in the body by Prana, then attains to Apana from Prana. Then changed into Udana and coming out of the body, it covers all the quarters, with Vyana.
ततः समाने प्रतितिष्ठतीह इत्येव पूर्वं प्रजजल्प वाणी। तस्मान्मनः स्थावरत्वाद् विशिष्टं तथा देवी जङ्गमत्वाद् विशिष्टा॥
After that, she lives in Samana. Even thus did Word formerly speak. Hence Mind, on account of being immovable, is distinguished, and the goddess Word, on account of being movable, is also distinguished.