Mantra 1

In plain words

What is the connection of the passage beginning with 'There are two indeed'? Through the teaching on the goal of the horse-sacrifice, the highest attainment for actions united with knowledge was described—namely, reaching the state of death. Now, to reveal the source and origin of these very means of action and knowledge that lead to that state, the Udgītha Brāhmaṇa is introduced.

If someone objects: 'Earlier, identification with death was described as the fruit of combined knowledge and action. But the fruit of udgītha knowledge and action will be declared as the transcendence of death. Therefore, since the results differ in subject matter, this section cannot be intended to reveal the origin of the previous knowledge and action'—we reply that this is no flaw. Because the fruit of the udgītha is identical with fire and the sun, this very same result was stated earlier as well: 'He becomes one with these deities.' If you ask whether statements like 'he has transcended death' contradict this, we answer: no, because that transcendence simply means freedom from the taint of natural evil.

What is this natural, unattached taint we call death? Where does it arise from? How does one cross beyond it? To illuminate this very meaning, a story is begun. How does it go?

Close to the Sanskrit

What is the connection of that beginning with 'There are two indeed'? The supreme goal of actions combined with knowledge—namely, attaining the nature of death—has been stated through the mention of the destination of the horse-sacrifice. Now, for the purpose of illuminating the origin of action and knowledge, which are the means for attaining the state of death's self, the Udgītha Brāhmaṇa is commenced.

If it is objected: Now, the state of being death's self was stated as the fruit of knowledge and action in the prior context. But the fruit of the udgītha knowledge and action will be stated as the transcendence of the state of death's self. Therefore, because the fruit has a different subject, it is not for the purpose of illuminating the origin of the prior action and knowledge—(we reply): this is not a fault, because the fruit of the udgītha has the nature of the self of fire and the sun; even in the prior context this very fruit was stated—'he becomes one of these deities.' If it is objected: Is not 'having transcended death' and so on contradictory? (We reply): No, because the transcendence relates to the non-attachment to natural evil.

What is that innate, unattached taint, death? Whence also is its emergence? By what also is its crossing over? How also?—for the illumination of this meaning a tale is commenced. How?

In plain words

The play of dominance and subjugation is rivalry. Sometimes a mental state arises in the senses shaped by scriptural knowledge and action. When this happens, the ordinary sensory activity driven by perception and inference is subdued by the demonic tendency. That is the victory of the gods and the defeat of the asuras. At other times, the reverse occurs: the divine state is overpowered by the demonic rising. That is the victory of the asuras and the defeat of the gods. Thus, when the gods win, righteousness abounds, leading to an ascent up to the realm of Prajāpati. When the asuras win, unrighteousness abounds, leading to a descent down to stationary plant life. When both are equal, human birth is attained. Pressed by the greater numbers of the asuras, what did the outnumbered gods do? The text says: Being thus suppressed, the gods said to one another, 'Come, let us cross over the asuras in this Jyotiṣṭoma sacrifice through the Udgītha—resting upon the true nature of its action, object, and agent—and thereby subdue the asuras to reclaim our scripturally revealed divine nature.' This reliance is through both knowledge and action. Action is the muttering of mantras to be prescribed shortly: 'One should mutter these.' Knowledge is what is being explained right here.

Close to the Sanskrit

Domination and suppression constitute rivalry. Sometimes the mental state having the form of meditation on action and knowledge generated by scripture of the vital breaths arises. And when it arises, then the functional state of those very same vital breaths having the form of meditation on action and knowledge generated by direct perception and inference is overpowered by the demonic one. That is the victory of the gods, the defeat of the asuras. Similarly, by the reversal of that, the state of the gods is overpowered, and the arising of the demonic state [takes place]. That is the victory of the asuras, the defeat of the gods. Thus, in the victory of the gods, due to the predominance of righteousness, there is elevation up to the attainment of the state of Prajāpati; in the victory of the asuras, due to the predominance of unrighteousness, there is degradation up to the attainment of the state of immovable objects; in the equality of both, the attainment of the human state. Those gods, thus being overpowered by the asuras due to the smaller number [of the gods] and the plurality of the asuras, what did they do?—it is said: Those gods, being overpowered by the asuras, indeed said: 'Come now, in this sacrifice, in the Jyotiṣṭoma, by means of the Udgītha, relying upon the nature of the action, object, and agent of the Udgītha, let us cross over; overcoming the asuras, let us attain our own divine state illuminated by scripture,' thus speaking to one another. And the reliance upon the nature of the action, object, and agent of the Udgītha is through knowledge and action. Action is that which will be spoken of, characterized by the muttering of mantras, about to be prescribed: 'One should mutter these.' But knowledge is this very same being examined.