Taittriya Upanishad – 6

 Chapter 2, Anuvaka 3

Verse 2-3-1

pranam deva anuprananti I manushyah pasavascha ye I

prano hi bhutanamayuḥ I tasmatsarvayushamuchyate I

sarvameva ta ayuryanti ye pranam brahmopasate I

prano hi bhutanamayuh I tasmatsarvayushamuchyata iti I

The Gods (Indriyas) live through Prana, and so do men and the animal kingdom.  Prana is the very life of (all) beings; Therefore, it is called the ‘Universal Life-Principle’.  They attain the full span of life, who worship the Prana as Brahman.  Prana is the very life of (all) beings.  Therefore, it is called the ‘Universal Life-Principle’.

            

            The sense organs are called here as Devas - deities, because they illumine the objects for us. They get their energy from Prana.  So Prana enables the sense organs to perform their respective functions, whether they are of the human beings or animals by giving them life.  As Prana gives life to all living beings, it is called sarvayusham, the life of all beings, the ‘Universal Life Principle’. Those who worship Prana as Brahman live the full span of life.

Verse  2-3-2

tasyaisha eva sarira athma yah purvasya I

asmadva etasmatpranamayat I

anyo'ntara athma manomayah I tenaisha purṇaḥ I

sa va esha purushavidha eva I tasya purushavidhataam I

anvayaṃ purushavidhah I tasya yajureva sirah I

ṛikdakshinah pakshah I samottarah pakshah I

adesa athma I atharvangirasah puccham pratistha I

tadapyesa sloko bhavati II

This Pranamaya is indeed the embodied self, of the preceding Annamaya. As compared with Pranamaya, there is another self within it made of the Mind.  By that (of Mind) is this one (of Prana) filled.  This is also verily of the human form.  The human form of that Pranamaya kosa continues as the human form of this Manomaya kosa.  Of this, the Manomaya kosa, Yajurveda indeed is its head. R̥ikveda is the right side. Samaveda is the left side. The scriptural injunction is the central part. Atharvaveda is the lower part which is the support.  In this regard, there is the following Sruthi Mantra

            Inside this Pranamaya kosa there is Manomaya kosa, the sheath of the mind. Just as the Pranamaya kosa completely fills the Annamaya kosa, so too the Manomaya kosa completely fills the Pranamaya kosa and also it has the same form. Again the Upanishad uses the same analogy of the bird to illustrate the Manomaya kosa. In the yajnas chanting of Veda Mantras forms the basic requirement and therefore the Veda Mantras are deemed to be the limbs of the sacrifices. So too, as the Veda Mantras carry the mind of the seeker along the path of God Realization, though through Karma Kanda, they are said to be the limbs of the Manomaya kosa which is portrayed here in the shape of a bird.  The Yajur Veda is its head, the Rik Veda is its right wing, the Sama Veda is its left wing, the scriptural injunctions prescribed in the Vedas, which detail the rules of conduct during ritualism, is its trunk, the hymns of Atharva Veda are its tail, its support. There is the following Sruthi Mantra about Manomaya kosa which will come in the next anuvaka.  This anuvaka ends with this Mantra.

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