Chandogya upanishad (ch. 6,7 & 8) – 18

 Chapter 7, Sections10 & 11

Mantras 7-10-1&2

apo vavannadbhuyastasmadyada suvrshtirna bhavati vyadhiyante prana annam kaniyo bhavishyatityatha yada suvrshtirbhavatyanandinah prana bhavantyannam bahu bhavishyatityapa evema murta yeyam prthivi yadantariksham yaddyauryatparvata yaddevamanushya yatpasavascha vayamsi cha trnavanaspatayah svapadanyakitapatangapipilakamapa evema murta apa upassveti || 7.10.1 ||

sa yo'po brahmetyupasta apnoti sarvankamamstrptimanbhavati yavadapam gatam tatrasya yathakamacharo bhavati yo'po brahmetyupaste'sti bhagavo'dbhyo bhuya ityadbhyo vava bhuyo'stiti tanme bhagavanbravitviti || 7.10.2 || iti dasamah khandah ||

Water is certainly greater than food. Therefore, if there is no rain, people worry and think, ‘There will not be enough food.’ But if there is a good rainfall, people are happy, thinking, ‘There will be plenty of food.’ All these are water in different forms- the earth, the interspace, heaven, the mountains, gods and human beings, cattle and birds, creepers and trees, animals of prey, worms, insects, and ants. All these are water in different forms. Therefore, worship water. (1) ‘One who worships water as Brahman gets all he desires and is happy. One who worships water as Brahman can do what he pleases in the sphere within the reach of water.’ Narada asked, ‘Revered sir, is there anything greater than water?’ ‘Of course there is something greater than water,’ replied Sanatkumara. Narada then said, ‘Revered sir, please explain that to me’. (2) End of tenth section.

            Aapah (water) is greater than Annam (food), as the latter depends upon the former.  Further Taittriya Upanishad (2-1-2) states, while describing Pancha Bhutha Srishti, “-- adbyah prithvi, prithivya oshadayaha, oshadhibhyo annam—(from water, earth; from earth, vegetation; from vegetation, food;--)”.  So water becomes karanam for food.  Also, though both water and food are essential, it is seen in section 7 of chapter 6 of this Upanishad that Svetaketu was asked to take plenty of water while fasting without food for fifteen days to keep himself alive.  This shows the importance of water over food for human survival.  Sanathkumara gives the example of rain. If monsoon fails people are worried about scarcity of food and when there is good rains people are happy that there will be plenty of food.  And water sustains all the living beings as well as nature itself.  So Sanathkumara advises Narada to meditate on water as Brahman i.e. Jala Brahma Upasana.  Mantra 7-10-2 is similar to Mantras 7-9-2 and 7-8-2 and similar Mantras quoted in them, with Sanathkumara giving the benefit of sakama upasana as gaining punyam to act freely and with contentment in any Loka within the reach of the Alambanam, water, and Narada wanting to know whether there is anything greater than water.  Sanathkumara replies in the affirmative and Narada wants to know it.  Sanathkumara agrees and the section ends.

Mantras 7-11-1&2

tejo vavadbhyo bhuyastadva etadvayumagṛhyakasamabhitapati tadahurnisochati nitapati varshishyati va iti teja eva tatpurvam darsayitvathapah srjate tadetadurdhvabhischa tirascibhischa vidyudbhirahradascharanti tasmadahurvidyotate stanayati varshishyati va iti teja eva tatpurvam darsayitvathapah sṛjate teja upassveti || 7.11.1 ||

sa yastejo brahmetyupaste tejasvi vai sa tejasvato lokanbhasvato'pahatatamaskanabhisidhyati yavattejaso gatam tatrasya yathakamacharo bhavati yastejo brahmetyupaste'sti bhagavastejaso bhuya iti tejaso vava bhuyo'stiti tanme bhagavanbravitviti || 7.11.2 || iti ekadasah khandah ||

Fire (or, heat) is certainly greater than water. That fire, taking air as its support, heats the sky. Then people say: ‘It is very hot. The body is burning. It will rain soon.’ Fire first produces these signs, and then creates the rain. This is why there is lightning going straight up or going sideways in a zigzag manner, and along with it thunder. This is why people say: ‘There is lightning and thunder. It will rain soon’. It is fire that shows itself first (as lightning) and then creates water.  So worship fire. (1) ‘One who worships Tejas as Brahman becomes bright himself, and he attains worlds that are bright, shining, and without a hint of darkness. One who worships Tejas as Brahman can do what he pleases in the sphere within the reach of Tejas.’ Narada asked, ‘Revered sir, is there anything higher than Tejas?’ ‘Of course there is something higher than Tejas,’ replied Sanatkumara. Narada then said, ‘Revered sir, please explain that to me’. (2) End of eleventh section.

            Tejas (fire) is greater than Aapah (water) as in the Pancha Bhutha Srishti, narrated in Taittriya Upanishad (2-1-2), water comes from fire (agner apah) and so fire becomes the karanam for water.  Sanathkumara cites here the natural phenomenon of lightning (agni tathvam) with thunder preceding rains (jala tathvam). He also quotes the common people’s expectation of rain when the atmosphere becomes very hot.  It is the heat that raises the water vapour from the ocean into the skies, which gets driven by winds over the land to come down as rain. Again living beings require fire in the body to keep the body warm.  And so Sanathkumara advises Narada to meditate on Tejas as Brahman i.e.Tejo Brahma Upasana.  Mantra 7-11-2 is similar to Mantras 7-10-2, 7-9-2 and similar Mantras quoted in them, with Sanathkumara giving the benefit of sakama upasana as gaining punyam that gives one bright features and the freedom to act freely in the bright worlds within the reach of the Alambanam, Tejas, and Narada wanting to know whether there is anything higher than Tejas.  Sanathkumara replies in the affirmative and Narada wants to know it.  Sanathkumara agrees and the section ends.