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322
MAITRÂYANA-BRÂHMANA-UPANISHAD.
23. And thus it has been said elsewhere : The syllable Om is what is called the word. And its end is the silent, the soundless, fearless, sorrowless, joyful, satisfied, firm, unwavering, immortal, immovable, certain (Brahman), called Vishnu. Let him worship these two, that he may obtain what is higher than everything (final deliverance). For thus it is said:
'He who is the high and the highest god", by name Om-kâra, he is soundless and free from all distinctions : therefore let a man dwell on him in the crown of his head.'
24. And thus it has been said elsewhere: The body is the bow, the syllable Om is the arrow, its point is the mind. Having cut through the darkness, which consists of ignorance?, it approaches that which is not covered by darkness 3. Then having cut through that which was covered (the personal soul), he saw Brahman, flashing like a wheel on fire, bright like the sun, vigorous, beyond all darkness, that which shines forth in yonder sun, in the moon, in the fire, in the lightning 4 And having seen him, he obtains immortality. And thus it has been said:
Meditation is directed to the highest Being (Brahman) within, and (before) to the objects (body, Om, mind); thence the indistinct understanding becomes distinct.
And when the works of the mind are dissolved,
1 The commentator takes devâ as devah, though the accent is against it; see Schroeder, Über die Maitrâyanî Samhitâ, p. 9, 1. 11.
. Should it not be, 'darkness is the mark ?' :
8 Atamâvishta, explained as an irregular compound, atama-avishtam, tama-âvesanarahitam.
Cf. Bhagavadgîtâ XV, 12.
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