SVU 2.6-2.7: Fire, Breath and Soma Lead to the Source

Fire, restrained breath and overflowing Soma gather the mind; under Savitṛ's impulse it finds its unwavering source in ancient Brahman.

Dr. Ronald Steiner

Nils Jacob Liersch 27.12.2020

Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 2.6

अग्निर्यत्राभिमथ्यते वायुर्यत्राधिरुध्यते |

agnir yatrābhimathyate; vāyur yatrādhirudhyate | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

agniḥ nominative singular	agni substantive masculine	fire
yatra	yatra adverb	where
abhimathyate 3rd person singular passive present	abhi previx math verbal root	is rubbed, kindled
vāyuḥ nominative singular	vāyu substantive masculine	wind, breath
yatra	yatra adverb	where
adhirudhyate 3rd person singular passive present	adhi previx rudh verbal root	is restrained, checked

सोमो यत्रातिरिच्यते तत्र संजायते मनः ||6||

somo yatrātiricyate; tatra saṃjāyate manaḥ ||6|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

somaḥ nominative singular	soma substantive masculine	Soma
yatra	yatra adverb	where
atiricyate 3rd person singular passive present	ati previx ric verbal root	is poured out, overflows
tatra	tatra adverb	there
saṃjāyate 3rd person singular medial present	sam previx jan verbal root	arises, is born
manaḥ nominative singular	manas substantive neuter	the mind, intellect

Metre: Vedic Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Where fire is kindled by friction, the breath restrained and Soma made to overflow, there the gathered mind arises.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

The Bhāṣya attributed to Śaṅkara first reads the verse as a warning: without prayer and divine assent, a person remains bound to external rituals involving fire, wind and Soma. Alternatively, it describes inner purification: the fire of knowledge is kindled in the body, the breath restrained, and after long practice a mind directed towards non-dual Brahman is born.

Śaṅkara's Bhāṣya on the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad

Śaṅkarānanda seeks the place where fire arises through friction, wind comes completely to rest and moonlight is surpassed by a stronger brightness. There the yogically transformed mind arises; even the already embodied practitioner is, as it were, born anew as Brahman and recognises, 'That am I'.

Śaṅkarānanda's Śvetāśvataropaniṣaddīpikā

Nārāyaṇa interprets the verse explicitly in embryological terms. In the womb, fire, wind and Soma mingle as male and female components; warmth, upward-moving breath and maternal blood enable development. In this bodily compound, the cosmic power of mind emerges individually, discernible in the embryo's first movements.

Nārāyaṇa's Śvetāśvataropaniṣaddīpikā

Vijñānabhagavat describes an inner bodily cakra process. The fire in the Mūlādhāra is stirred, the breath rises in the Suṣumṇā, and the moon visualised at the Dvādaśānta pours its nectar through the central channel. At these three places a mind arises that turns towards reality.

Vijñānabhagavat's Śvetāśvataropaniṣadvivaraṇa

abhimathyate LV1958, ASS1927 ] abhimucyate LV1958-app

Critical Apparatus

Wo Agni aus dem Reibholze Entspringt, wo Vāyu tritt hinzu, Und wo auch Soma quillt reichlich, Da entwickelt das Manas sich.

Paul Deussen - 1921

Where the fire is being kindled, Where the wind is applied thereto, Where the Soma overflows, There is inspiration (manas) born.

Robert Hume - 1921

(During the condition of Yoga) the mind becomes (concentrated on its object of thought) (in that part of the body) where heat is inflamed, where wind is checked, and where the moon is greatly melted (or emptied) (or becomes plentiful).

(The mind of an unprayerful man) becomes only absorbed in ceremonial actions, in which fire is burnt, where the wind (makes noise) when checked, and where the Soma juice is greatly emptied.

S. Vivekananda:—Where the fire is churned, where the air is controlled, where the flow of Soma becomes plentiful, there a (perfect) mind is created.

Siddhesvar Varma Shastri - 1916

Wo Agni aus dem Reibholze Entspringt, wo Vāyu tritt hinzu, Und wo auch Soma quillt reichlich, Da entwickelt das Manas sich.

Paul Deussen - 1897

Where the fire is rubbed<1>, where the wind is checked, where the Soma flows over, there the mind is born.
<1: That is, at the Soma sacrifice, after the fire has been kindled and stirred by the wind, the poets, on partaking of the juice, are inspirited for new songs. Saṅkara, however, suggests another explanation as more appropriate for the Upanishad, namely, “Where the fire, i.e. the Highest Self, which burns all ignorance, has been kindled (in the body, where it has been rubbed with the syllable Om), and where the breath has acted, i.e. has made the sound peculiar to the initial stages of Yoga, there Brahman is produced.” In fact, what was intended to be taught was this, that we must begin with sacrificial acts, then practise yoga, then reach samādhi, perfect knowledge, and lastly bliss.>

F. Max Müller - 1884

(At the sacrifice) where the fire is kindled, where (in the vessels, appertaining to it) the wind is noisy, where the Soma-juice remains, (when it has been poured in the sacrificial cup), there mind does attend.

Edward Röer - 1853

Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 2.7

सवित्रा प्रसवेन च जुषेत ब्रह्म पूर्वियम् |

savitrā prasavena ca; juṣeta brahma pūrvi*yam | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

savitrā instrumental case singular	savitṛ substantive masculine	through Savitṛ, the impeller
prasavena instrumental case singular	prasava substantive masculine	through the impulse, impetus
ca	ca particle	and
juṣeta 3rd person singular medial optative	juṣ verbal root	one should devote oneself, worship
brahma accusative singular	brahman substantive neuter	the sacred word, Brahman
pūrvyam accusative singular neuter	pūrvya adjective	the ancient, primordial

तत्र योनिं कृणवसे नहि ते पूर्तमक्षिपत् ||7||

tatra yoniṃ kṛṇavase; nahi te pūrtam akṣipat ||7|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

tatra	tatra adverb	there
yonim accusative singular	yoni substantive feminine	the source, womb
kṛṇavase infinitive	kṛ verbal root	to make, create
nahi	nahi particle	for not, indeed not
te dative singular	yuṣmad pronoun pers 2p	for you
pūrtam nominative singular neuter past participle passive	pṝ verbal root	what has been fulfilled, accomplished
akṣipat 3rd person singular aktive preterite	kṣip verbal root	he cast away, removed

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Under Savitṛ's impulse, one should turn towards ancient Brahman and establish one's own source in it. Then the work already performed can no longer drive one away from this source.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

The Bhāṣya attributed to Śaṅkara calls for venerating primordial Brahman through Savitṛ's grace and establishing within it the steadfastness of samādhi. Purified former actions then do not bind anew: their power to germinate has been burnt in the fire of knowledge, just as scripture speaks of the burning of all transgressions.

Śaṅkara's Bhāṣya on the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad

Śaṅkarānanda identifies Savitṛ with beginningless Brahman and has the practitioner establish their inner ground in it. 'Yoni' can also denote Māyā as the mother of the world, which is to be known. Neither good nor bad former karma can any longer drive the mind established in Brahman outwards.

Śaṅkarānanda's Śvetāśvataropaniṣaddīpikā

Nārāyaṇa continues his interpretation in terms of birth. The newly arisen mind serves the vital forces and the primordial food; Savitṛ brings it into a high or low birth according to accumulated karma. No completed action, he says, is lost even in immeasurable time before its beneficial or harmful fruit has been experienced.

Nārāyaṇa's Śvetāśvataropaniṣaddīpikā

Vijñānabhagavat gives a precise instruction for meditation: the moon visualised at the Dvādaśānta is to let nectar stream down through the Suṣumṇā; in the Mūlādhāra, the fire maṇḍala is established as the seat of Brahman. When meditated upon in this way, Brahman does not delay the fruit but grants it swiftly.

Vijñānabhagavat's Śvetāśvataropaniṣadvivaraṇa

prasavena ca conj. Hauschild apud LV1958-app ] prasavena LV1958

Critical Apparatus

Durch Savitar, durch seinen Trieb Freut des Gebets, des alten, euch; Wenn dort ihr euren Stand nehmet, Befleckt euch früh’res Werk nicht mehr.

Paul Deussen - 1921

With Savitri as the inspirer One should delight in the ancient prayer (brahma pūrvyam). If there thou make thy source, The former [work] besmears thee not.<1>
<1: Such is the traditional interpretation of a line which, even in its original source (RV. 6. 16. 18a with a very slight alteration), is of doubtful meaning.>

Robert Hume - 1921

One should win the love of the Creator who is the Chief Cause of the world. Thou shouldst practise faith in that Being who is Brahm, existing from time without beginning; in that case no (need of) doing public works (i.e., Karma in general) will disturb thee.

Or

One should serve Brahm, existing from time without beginning, with nectar produced from the moon (during the practice of Yoga); in that place (called mūlādhāra) thou shouldst make a locality called (pratimaṇḍala) for the worship of Brahm. In that way the fruit will not be delayed to thee.

Siddhesvar Varma Shastri - 1916

Durch Savitar, durch seinen Trieb Freut des Gebets, des alten, euch; Wenn dort ihr euren Stand nehmet, Befleckt euch früh’res Werk nicht mehr.

Paul Deussen - 1897

Let us love the old Brahman by the grace of Savitri; if thou make thy dwelling there, the path will not hurt thee<1>.
<1: We must read krinavase, in the sense of “do this and nothing will hurt thee,” or, if thou do this, thy former deeds will no longer hurt thee.>

F. Max Müller - 1884

Worship ye, the ancient Bramha by Savitri, the creator; in him do thou make (thy) entrance (which is characterized by concentration); for thy former work (ceremonial work) does not bind thee.

Edward Röer - 1853

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Dr. Ronald Steiner

From Ulm

The "Yoga Doc" - Dr. Ronald Steiner is the founder of the AYI method. This method links traditional Ashtanga Yoga with innovative Yogatherapy and living Philosophy. This forms a practice that is personal for each and... more ›

Nils Jacob Liersch

Meine Begeisterung für Yoga, indische Philosophie und Sanskrit führte mich zum Studium der Indologie und Religionswissenschaft an der Universität Heidelberg. Seit 2004 befinde ich mich auf meinem persönlichen Yogaweg... more ›

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SVU 2.6-2.7: Fire, Breath and Soma Lead to the Source

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