The Upanishads, Part 1 (SBE01), by Max Müller, [1879], at sacred-texts.com
The Upanishads, Part 1 (SBE01), by Max Müller, [1879], at sacred-texts.com
1. He (breath) is likewise a Bibhradvâga (bringer of offspring). Offspring is vâga, and he (breath) supports offspring. Because he supports it, therefore there is (the poet of the sixth Mandala of the Rig-veda, called) Bharadvâga. Therefore people call him who is really Prâna (breath), Bharadvâga.
2. The Devas (speech, &c.) said to him: 'He it is who chiefly causes us to dwell on earth.' Because the Devas said of him, that he chiefly caused them to dwell on earth, therefore there is (the poet of the seventh Mandala of the Rig-veda, called) Vasishtha. Therefore people call him who is really Prâna (breath), Vasishtha 1.
3. He (breath) went forth towards 2 all this whatsoever. Because he went forth toward all this whatsoever, therefore there are (the poets of the eighth Mandala of the Rig-veda, called) the Pragâthas. Therefore people call him who is really Prâna (breath), the Pragâthas.
4. He (breath) purified all this whatsoever. Because he purified all this whatsoever, therefore there
are (the hymns and also the poets 1 of the ninth Mandala of the Rig-veda, called) the Pavamânîs. Therefore people called him who is really Prâna (breath), the Pavamânîs.
5. He (breath) said: 'Let me be everything whatsoever, small (kshudra) and great (mahat), and this became the Kshudrasûktas and Mahâsûktas.' Therefore there were (the hymns and also the poets of the tenth Mandala of the Rig-veda, called) the Kshudrasûktas (and Mahâsûktas). Therefore people call him who is really Prâna (breath), the Kshudrasûktas (and Mahâsûktas).
6. He (breath) said once: 'You have said what is well said (su-ukta) indeed. This became a Sûkta (hymn).' Therefore there was the Sûkta. Therefore people call him who is really Prâna (breath), Sûkta 2.
7. He (breath) is a Rik (verse), for he did honour 3 to all beings (by entering into them). Because he did honour to all beings, therefore there was the Rik verse. Therefore people call him who is really Prâna (breath), Rik.
8. He (breath) is an Ardharka (half-verse), for he did honour to all places (ardha) 4. Because he did honour to all places, therefore there was the Ardharka. Therefore people call him who is really Prâna (breath), Ardharka.
9. He (breath) is a Pada (word) 1, for he got into all these beings. Because he got (pâdi) into all these beings, therefore there was the Pada (word). Therefore people call him who is really Prâna (breath), Pada.
10. He (breath) is an Akshara (syllable), for he pours out (ksharati) gifts to all these beings, and without him no one can pour out (atiksharati) gifts. Therefore there was the Akshara (syllable). Therefore people call him who is really Prâna (breath), Akshara 2.
11. Thus all these Rik verses, all Vedas, all sounds 3 are one word, viz. Prâna (breath). Let him know that Prâna is all Rik verses.
216:1 I translate in accordance with the commentator, and probably with the intention of the author. The same etymology is repeated in the commentary on II, 2, 4, 2. It would be more natural to take vasishtha in the sense of the richest.
216:2 This is the interpretation of the commentator, and the preposition abhi seems to show that the author too took that view of the etymology of pragâtha.
217:1 It seems, indeed, as if in the technical language of the Brahmans, the poets of the ninth Mandala were sometimes called Pavamânîs, and the hymns of the tenth Mandala Kshudrasûktas and Mahâsûktas (masc.) Cf. Ârsheya-brâhmana, ed. Burnell, p. 42.
217:2 The poet also is called Sûkta, taddrashtâpi sûktanâmako 'bhût. Comm.
217:3 I translate according to the commentator.
217:4 Ardha means both half and place.
218:1 It may also be intended for pâda, foot of a verse.
218:2 The Prâna (breath) is to be meditated on as all hymns, all poets, all words, &c. Comm.
218:3 All aspirated sonant consonants. Comm.