Agni: and there the urger of the understanding
(viz., Vayu) always moves, upholding all creatures.[49]
It is for that seat that the Grandsire Brahman and
others, concentrated in Yoga, worship the Indestructible.
It is for that seat that men of learning and excellent
vows, of tranquil souls, and of senses completely
vanquished, strive.[50] That is not capable of being
smelt by the sense of smell; nor tasted by the tongue;
or touched by the organs of touch. It is by the
mind that that is attained. It is incapable of
being conquered by the eye. It transcends the
sense of hearing. It is destitute of scent, taste,
touch, and form as attributes. It is that from
which proceeds the well-ordained universe, and it
is that upon which it rests. The life-breaths
called Prana and Apana and Samana and Vyana and Udana
flow from it, and it is that into which they again
enter. The breaths Prana and Apana move between
Samana and Vyana. When the soul sleeps, both
Samana and Vyana are absorbed.[51] Between Apana and
Prana, Udana dwells, pervading all. Hence, Prana
and Apana do not desert a sleeping person. In
consequence of its controlling all the life-winds,
the controlling breath is called Udana. Hence,
utterers of Brahman undergo penances which have myself
for their goal.[52] In the midst of all those life-breaths
that swallow up one another and move within the body,
blazes forth the fire called Vaiswanara made up of
seven flames. The nose, the tongue, the eye,
the skin, the ear which numbers the fifth, the mind,
and the understanding,—these are the seven
tongues of that Vaiswanara’s flame. That
which is smelt, that which is seen, that which is drunk,
that which is touched, as also that which is heard,
that which is thought of, and that which is understood,—these
are the seven sorts of fuel for me. That which
smells, that which eats, that which sees, that which
touches, that which hears numbering the fifth; that
which thinks, and that which understands,—these
are the seven great officiating priests. Behold,
O blessed one, learned sacrificers duly casting seven
libations in seven ways in the seven fires, viz.,
that which is smelt, that which is drunk, that which
is seen, that which is touched, as also that which
is heard, that which is thought of, and that which
is understood, create them in their own wombs.[53]
Earth, Wind, Ether, Water, and Light numbering as
the fifth, Mind, and Understanding—these
seven are called wombs (of all things). All the
attributes which constitute the sacrificial offerings,
enter into the attribute that is born of the fire,
and having dwelt within that dwelling became reborn
in their respective wombs. Thither also, viz.,
in that which generates all beings, they remain absorbed
during the period for which dissolution lasts.
From that is produced smell, from that is produced
taste, from that is produced colour, and from that
is produced touch; from that is produced sound; from
that arises doubt; and from that is produced resolution.
This is what is known as the sevenfold creation.
It is in this very way that all this was comprehended
by the ancients. By the three full and final libations,
the full become full with light.’”