Kausitaki Upanishad is one of the earlier, primary Upanishads that belongs to the Kausitaki group of the Rig Veda. The Kausitaki Upanishad has been divided into four chapters. In the second chapter here the knowledge of Prana and certain external and internal actions of the Supreme Power have been explained.
According to Kausitaki Prana is identical with Brahma; the mind is the messenger, the eye the guard, the ear the doorkeeper, the speech the encloser. He who verily knows mind as the messenger of this Vital Breath that is Brahma becomes the messenger. He who knows eye as the protector becomes possessed of a protector; he who knows the ear as the announcer becomes possessed of an announcer: he who knows speech as the encloser becomes possessed of an encloser. To this vital Breath as Brahma all these gods (i.e., mind, age, ear, speech) bring offerings unbegged. Thus one should not beg.
Next follows the attainment of some special wealth. If a man meditates on some special wealth; then, on a full moon or a new moon, or an auspicious constellation -on one of these holy seasons, having placed the fire, swept the sacrificial floor, strewn the sacred grass, sprinkled the holy water, kneeling on the right knee, let him offer the oblations of ghee with the sruva. Then comes the divine desire (Daivah Smarah). If a worshipper desires to be beloved by any man or woman, then on a sacred day in the name of these same deities, let him offer the oblations of ghee by reciting some mantras.
Following is the self-subjection of Pratardana; they call it the inner Agnihotra.` As long as a man speaks, so long he cannot breathe, then he offers the breath in the speech; as long as a man breathes, so long he cannot speak, and then he offers the speech in the breath. These are the two never ending immortal oblations. Next are three forms of worship of the all conquering Kausitaki. The all conquering Kausitaki adores the rising sun, having put on the sacrificial thread and brought water and sprinkle it thrice. By doing this whatever sin he commits by day or by night he completely scatters away. Next on the day of the full moon let the person adore the moon when it is seen in front of him. He is Soma, the brilliant, the wise, the five mouthed, the lord of creatures.
On the night of the full moon one should worship in the same way the moon as it appears in the east. One must turn himself with the turn of the gods. Now, when about to lie down with a wife one should touch her heart. When returning after an absence from home, a man smells his son`s head saying that he has arose from the his limbs.
Next Prana is referred to as the death of the deities. This Brahma shines forth when the fire blazes, it dies when it blazes not; the splendour of the fire goes to the sun, the Prana goes to the wind. This Brahma shines forth when the bud is seen and dies when it is not seen. The sun`s splendour goes to the moon, the Prana to the wind. In this way all the deities, thus enter into Prana and die in Prana.
Next, comes the accepting the pre-eminence of Prana. These deities, contending each for its own pre-eminence, went out from this body. Speech, sight, mind, and then prana entered into it. All, these deities, having recognised the pre-eminence to be in prana, having honoured Prana as alone the soul of knowledge, went out from this body with all these. They having entered into the wind, having the nature of space went to the heavenly world
Next follows the father`s traditions towards the son. The father, about to die, calls his son. After making all the required arrangements he calls his son. The father then delivers his organs to him like his speech, breath, sight, hearing, flavours of food, actions, pleasure and pain, enjoyment, dalliance and offspring, walking, mind, vital airs. The son accepts them all. Then the son goes out with his father. He walks with his father keeping his right side towards him. The father blesses his son that he may be blessed with glory, holiness and honour.
