Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣadबृहदारण्यक उपनिषद्

Khila Kanda. Adhyaya 6, Brahmana 3. The rite for greatness

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Each mantra is given four ways: the Sanskrit in its Devanagari script, the same sounds in Roman letters, an English translation set in our own voice, and then the line once more in plain words, for a first and unhurried reading.

Not every passage is opened to the same depth. A few central mantras carry the full cross-school commentary, where the schools are set side by side. The rest are kept here whole and faithful, set in their place but not expounded, so the book stays entire and nothing is dropped for being thought minor.

Where the schools read a line differently, the difference is kept open. None is crowned and none is corrected. Each is met on its own terms, and where they contradict, the contradiction is left standing for you to sit with.

॥ 6.3.2 ॥

Offerings to the vital powers

ज्येष्ठाय स्वाहा श्रेष्ठाय स्वाहेत्यग्नौ हुत्वा मन्थे संस्रवमवनयति । प्राणाय स्वाहा वसिष्ठायै स्वाहेत्यग्नौ हुत्वा मन्थे संस्रवमवनयति । वाचे स्वाहा प्रतिष्ठायै स्वाहेत्यग्नौ हुत्वा मन्थे संस्रवमवनयति । चक्षुषे स्वाहा संपदे स्वाहेत्यग्नौ हुत्वा मन्थे संस्रवमवनयति । श्रोत्राय स्वाहायतनाय स्वाहेत्यग्नौ हुत्वा मन्थे संस्रवमवनयति । मनसे स्वाहा प्रजात्यै स्वाहेत्यग्नौ हुत्वा मन्थे संस्रवमवनयति । रेतसे स्वाहेत्यग्नौ हुत्वा मन्थे संस्रवमवनयति

In transliteration

jyeṣṭhāya svāhā śreṣṭhāya svāhetyagnau hutvā manthe saṃsravamavanayati | prāṇāya svāhā vasiṣṭhāyai svāhetyagnau hutvā manthe saṃsravamavanayati | vāce svāhā pratiṣṭhāyai svāhetyagnau hutvā manthe saṃsravamavanayati | cakṣuṣe svāhā saṃpade svāhetyagnau hutvā manthe saṃsravamavanayati | śrotrāya svāhāyatanāya svāhetyagnau hutvā manthe saṃsravamavanayati | manase svāhā prajātyai svāhetyagnau hutvā manthe saṃsravamavanayati | retase svāhetyagnau hutvā manthe saṃsravamavanayati

In English

Saying, To the oldest, Svaha; to the greatest, Svaha, he offers into the fire and pours the remnant into the paste. Saying, To the vital force, Svaha; to Vasistha, Svaha, he offers into the fire and pours the remnant into the paste. Saying, To speech, Svaha; to that which is steady, Svaha, he offers into the fire and pours the remnant into the paste. Saying, To the eye, Svaha; to prosperity, Svaha, he offers into the fire and pours the remnant into the paste. Saying, To the ear, Svaha; to the abode, Svaha, he offers into the fire and pours the remnant into the paste. Saying, To the mind, Svaha; to progeny, Svaha, he offers into the fire and pours the remnant into the paste. Saying, To the seed, Svaha, he offers into the fire and pours the remnant into the paste.

In plain words

Now a set of paired offerings. For each one he calls out two dedications ending in Svaha, pours the oblation into the fire, then pours what is left over back into the paste. The pairs run through the vital functions and what each represents: the oldest and the greatest; the vital force and Vasistha; speech and steadiness; the eye and prosperity; the ear and the abode; the mind and progeny. The last offering, to the seed, stands alone. Each time, the leftover is added to the paste, so the paste gathers all these powers into itself.

All mantras