________________
IV ADHYÂYA, I BRÂHMANA, 3.
153
I
.
Yagñavalkya said: “The tongue is its body, ether its place, and one should worship it as knowledge.
Ganaka Vaideha said: "What is the nature of that knowledge ?'
Yâgñavalkya replied: “Your Majesty, speech itself (is knowledge). For through speech, Your Majesty, a friend is known (to be a friend), and likewise the Rig-veda, Yagur-veda, Sâma-veda, the Atharvângirasas, the Itihâsa (tradition), Purâna-vidyâ (knowledge of the past), the Upanishads, Slokas (verses), Sätras (rules), Anuvyâkhyânas and Vyakhyanas (commentaries', &c.); what is sacrificed, what is poured out, what is (to be) eaten and drunk, this world and the other world, and all creatures. By speech alone, Your Majesty, Brahman is known, speech indeed, O King, is the Highest Brahman. Speech does not desert him who worships that (Brahman) with such knowledge, all creatures approach him, and having become a god, he goes to the gods.'
Ganaka Vaideha said: 'I shall give you (for this) a thousand cows with a bull as big as an elephant.'
Yagñavalkya said: 'My father was of opinion that one should not accept a reward without having fully instructed a pupil.'
3. Yâgñavalkya said: 'Let us hear what anybody may have told you.'
Ganaka Vaideha replied: Udanka Saulbâyana told me that life (prâna)2 is Brahman.
Yâgñavalkya said: “As one who had (the benefit of a good) father, mother, and teacher might tell, so did
* See before, II, 4, 10; and afterwards, IV, 5, 11. ? See Taitt. Up. III, 3.
Digitized by Google
Digitized by
