Brihadaranyaka Upanishad | Part II. Ch II. Description of the Prana

The vital breath in the body is indeed the calf; this body is its abode.

1. He who knows the calf together with its abode, its special resort, its post and its rope, kills his seven hostile kinsmen. The vital breath in the body is indeed the calf; this body is its abode, the head its special resort, strength its post and food its rope.

2. These seven gods that prevent decay worship it (the calf): through these pink lines in the eye, Rudra attends on it; through the water in the eye, Parjanya attends on it; through the pupil of the eye, the sun attends on it; through the black of the eye, fire attends on it; through the white portion, Indra; through the lower eyelid, the earth; and through the upper eyelid, heaven attends on it. He who knows this-his food does not diminish.

3. Regarding this there is the following mantra: "There is a bowl which has its mouth below and which bulges at the top. Manifold knowledge has been put into it; seven sages sit on its rim and the organ of speech, which has communication with the Vedas, is the eighth." What is called the "bowl which has its mouth below and which bulges at the top" is this head of ours, for it is a bowl which has its mouth below and which bulges at the top. When it is said: "Manifold knowledge has been put into it," this refers to the organs; these indeed represent manifold knowledge. When it is said: "Seven sages sit on its rim," this refers to the organs; they indeed are the sages. "The organ of speech, which has communication with the Vedas, is the eighth" because the organ of speech is the eighth and communicates with the Vedas.

4. These two ears are Gotama and Bharadvaja: this one (the right) is Gotama and this one (the left), Bharadvaja. These two eyes are Visvamitra and Jamadagni: this one (the right) is Visvamitra and this one (the left), Jamadagni. These two nostrils are Vasishtha and Kasyapa: this one (the right) is Vasishtha and this one (the left), Kasyapa. The tongue is Atri, for through the tongue food is eaten. Atri is the same as atti (eating). He who knows this becomes the eater of everything and everything becomes his food.

The Upanishads translated by Swami Nikhilananda

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