The Cosmogonic Narrative in the ‘Bṛhadāraṇyaka’ 1.2

The article presents an analysis of the cosmogonic narrative from the ‘Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad’ (BAU 1.2), one of the oldest prose Upaniṣads. Cosmogony belongs to the central topics of Brahmanic worldview, so BAU 1.2 has much in common with late Vedic cosmological hymns, namely with the ‘Nāsadīya-sūkta’ (RV X.129) that also describes creation of the Universe, and with the ‘riddle hymn’ (RV I.164). Contrary to RV X.129, the narrative in BAU 1.2 is less apophatic and mentions ritual practices (arka and aśvamedha) and mythological characters (hunger/ death and Prajāpati). The affinity between the cosmogonic narrative and ritual is established by means of nirvacana (procedure of semantic analysis). The effect of the knowledge of nirvacana is explained with the popular formula: ya evaṃ veda (‘who knows this’). The key concepts of BAU 1.2 are vāc, ātman, anna, prāṇa and punar-mṛtyu. Brahmanism considers speech (vāc) as the creative power and the origin of the Universe. Ātman in the early Upaniṣads means primarily ‘body’. Food (anna) is understood as the energy involved into the ritual interchange between men and gods. Prāṇa means not only ‘breath’, but also ‘vital functions’ as well as ‘sensual faculties’. ‘Repeated death’ (punar-mṛtyu) might be a ‘compromise’ concept introduced by the ritualists in order to defend the doctrine of immortality from the proponents of rebirth and liberation. Thus, cosmogonical narrative in the comparatively short section BAU 1.2 sets forth in terms of mythology, ritual and early philosophy.This diversity reveals the evolution of Brahmanist worldview in the post-Vedic period

Art · Literature · Narrative · Chinese history and philosophy · Historical Astronomy and Related Studies · Indian and Buddhist Studies