Prsna Upanishad
Chapter-I
Om! Sukesa - the son of sage Bharadwaja, Satyakama – the son of Sibi, Kaarkya – the grandson of Lord Surya (the Sun God), Kousalya – the son of Aswala, Bhargava – the one hailing from the land of Vidharba, Kabanthi – the son of Kathya – All of them were deeply interested in finding out the truth about what is Brahman and they were in continuous meditation and search for the same. “This Guru (teacher) will teach us all about this.” – thus they thought and they approached the famous sage Pippalaada carrying some small fire-sticks, known as samith (to be used in the Hindu rituals called Yagna) as a measure of respect.
Unto them, the sage said: “Continue your meditation and celibacy dutifully for one more year. Then ask me all your doubts and questions (Prsna – means Question). I shall definitely answer you for whatever things I know of.”
After that (the said one year), Kabanthi – the son of Kathya, also known as Kaathyaayana, approached the sage and asked him – “Sir! How did the people come in to being?”
To him the sage replied thus: “Prajapati, one of the supreme Devas, wanted to beget some people and meditated for the same. On achieving success in his prayer, he created two beings named ‘Rayi’ and ‘Praanan’ and thought that these two can create and bring into existence various types of creatures.”
“ ‘Pranan’ is the Sun and ‘Rayi’ is the Moon. All these things that are in material and immaterial form are all “Rayi”. So, the visible form is ‘Rayi’”.
“The Sun, while rising, gets in to the Eastern direction. By doing that, he extends his radiation to all those creatures and beings in the east and merges them into Himself. Similarly, he gets in to the Southern, Western, Northern, Up, Down, Side and mid directions and extends his radiation and merges all the creatures or ‘Praanan’ into himself.”
“That one (the Supreme Being) who is residing in every being as the Soul or the ‘Aathmaa’ is this same one who shows up as the ‘Praanan’, as the Agni (fire) and as various other things and objects. - This comment is also found in the Rig Veda scriptures.”
“The wise ones realize as their Soul - this Supreme Being - who is all-pervasive, all-knowing, the Only Light, the One effecting the radiation (of bliss and knowledge), the One who is the ultimate point of surrender and hopes, the One who burns (the Fire or Agni). This Supreme Being, (the Sun) extends thousands and thousands of rays and adopts hundreds of thousands of shapes and forms and exist as the ‘Praanan’ in people.”
“The (time-based and time-bound) year is itself Prajaapati – his two sides (ayanam) being called as ‘Dakshina-ayanam’ and ‘Uttara-ayanam’”. Those ones who adopt and follow the materialistic route of duty-bound material life, they attain the Chandra-loka only (the land of the moon). They come back on earth again. Hence, the rishis (the sages) who wish to beget people – they only attain the Dakshina (south) route. Also called as ‘pitru-yaanam’, this is again a form of ‘Rayi’ only”.
“But the wise ones who, by sheer penance, celibacy, concentration and knowledge empowerment – attain the self-knowledge or the Soul (the Aathmaa) - they attain the Uttara (north) route and reach the land of the Sun. This is the place where all ‘Praanans’ rest in peace and this is the place that is devoid of the fear of death and destruction. This is the Ultimate state and the place of no return. This is a place where there is no entry for others (who do not practice any of the above said yogas).”
“He (the Supreme Being) is described as the Father of all, as the five-fold One (five seasons or Ruthu followed by Hindus), the One having twelve forms (the twelve months) and the One who is residing in a place that is above the Heaven or the place of the Devas and as the One who has complete control over the five forces – especially water. Some others describe Him as the seer of all, the all-knowing One, as the one who functions in the seven chakraas of the human body (as described in the Yoga scriptures) and also as the One in whom everything else is submitted.”
“If the Month is considered as the Prajaapati, Krishna-paksham (Dark half of lunar month) is the ‘Rayi’ and the Sukla-paksham (Bright half of lunar month) is the ‘Praanan’. Hence, the wise ones or the knowledgeable sages (who at all times and by all means see everything as Light and as Praanan) get all the fruits of having performed their yagna or sacrifices as if it were performed in Sukla-paksham even if it were performed in Krishna-paksham. The others (who are not so knowledgeable and who see everything as dark since they are immersed in the darkness of maya or materialism and ignorance) do not get all the fruits of having performed their yagna or sacrifices even if it were performed in Sukla-paksham since it is only as good as having been performed in Krishna-paksham.”
“If the day is considered as the Prajaapati, the day time is ‘Praanan’ and the night is ‘Rayi’. Those ones who indulge in copulation during day time and in day light – they are destroying their Praanan or energy. Those others who involve in copulation at night – they would still be considered to be practicing celibacy.”
“The food (annam) is the Prajaapati – from that only the semen is produced. From that semen so produced only are the people begot.”
“This Brahma-loka, or the place of no return, is only for those who practice penance and celibacy, and in whom there is pure and clear truth.”
“Only for those in whom there are no lies and no jealousy and greed, for them only is this Brahma-loka, the point of salvation and no return.”