agni-hotrādy-aśāntidam

agni-hotrādy-aśāntidam

darśaś ca pūrṇamāsaś ca

cāturmāsyaṁ paśuḥ sutaḥ

etad iṣṭaṁ pravṛttākhyaṁ

hutaṁ prahutam eva ca

pūrtaṁ surālayārāma-

kūpājīvyādi-lakṣaṇam

The ritualistic sacrifices known as agni-hotra–yajña, darśa-yajña, pūrṇamāsa-yajña, cāturmāsya-yajña, paśu-yajña, soma-yajña, Vaiśvadeva and other offerings are the approved path of pravṛtti, producing great material attachment, including killing of animals and offering ingredients to fulfill material desires. It also includes public welfare projects, and constructing temples, gardens, wells, and giving sustenance.

Hiṁsram means animal killing. Aśaṇtidam means that it produces great attachment. Various types of sacrifices are mentioned (ādi). Paśuḥ means an animal sacrifice. Sutaḥ means a soma sacrifice. Hutam is an offering to the Vaiśvadevas. Prahutam means offering of food. All these are called sacrifice (iṣṭam). Ājīvya means building water holes etc.

 

|| 7.15.50-51 ||

dravya-sūkṣma-vipākaś ca

dhūmo rātrir apakṣayaḥ

ayanaṁ dakṣiṇaṁ somo

darśa oṣadhi-vīrudhaḥ

annaṁ reta iti kṣmeśa

pitṛ-yānaṁ punar-bhavaḥ

ekaikaśyenānupūrvaṁ

bhūtvā bhūtveha jāyate

Assuming a covering through the transformation of rice offerings, the jīva, through the deities of smoke, night, the waning fortnight, and the southern moving sun, attains the moon planet. After enjoying, his body dwindles and he becomes herbs, which are eaten by animals and finally becomes semen. In this way the jīva passes through these successive stages.

The method of ascending and descending by the path of pravṛtti is described. The steps up to the moon planet are described. First the oblations of cooked rice undergo transformation (sūkṣma-vipākaḥ) and become the beginning of the next body. Surrounded by this, one proceeds further. This is described as the water body in the śrutis. First one receives this body. pañcamyām āhutā vāpaḥ puruṣa varcaso bhavanti: do you know how the waters of the fifth oblation become signified as a puruṣa? (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 5.3.3) Another version has dravyam ūṣma-vpkākaś ca.  In this case dravya means the senses described by the word tejas.  Uṣma-vipāka means the light in the heart. First one obtains senses for performing pious acts. Then at the time of death, one obtains an opening in the heart. Then one attains smoke and other stages.  Śruti says ya imās tejo mātrāḥ samābhyādadāno hṛdayam evānucaṅkrāmati: he withdraws the senses and remains fixed in the heart. (Bṛhad-ārāṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.4.1) tasya haitasya hṛdayasyāgraṁ pradyotate tenaivātmā niṣkrāmatī: the passage from the heart becomes clear, and by that the ātmā leaves the body. (Bṛhad-ārāṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.4.2) The words like smoke refer to the presiding deities of those items. He attains the deity of smoke and then the deity of night. He then attains the deity of the waning moon and then the moon planet. By these deities he attains the moon planet and then enjoys. After enjoying he then descends. The body disintegrates with the dark moon (darśaḥ). Then, by rain he becomes herbs and bushes. . O King! Being eaten by animals, he becomes semen. I have described the path of descent. Becoming herbs and other bodies (ekaikaśyena), one in this way goes through various stages in succession.

|| 7.15.52 ||