Brhadaranyaka Upanishad is an ancient text related to the Shukla Yajur Veda. It is the `Mukhya` part of Upanishad. The Brhdaranyaka Upanishad is the secondary extraction of the Brahamana text and a commentary on Purush Sukta of the Vedas.
The second chapter of part three of Brhadaranyaka Upanishad states about the conversation between Yajnavalkya and Artabhaga. According to it, Artabhaga questions Yajnavalkya how many grahas or organs are there and how many atigrahas exist. To this Yajnavalkya answers, that there are eight grahas and eight atigrahas. Artabhaga questions about the eight grahas and eight atigrahas. Yajnavalkya answers that the Prana and the nose are the graham. It is controlled by the atigraha apana i.e. odour. It is known as atigraha as one smells odour through apana i.e. the air breathed in. The vak i.e. the organ of speech is the graham and is controlled by the atigraha because one utters names through the organ of speech. The tongue is the graha and it is controlled by the atigraha, as one tastes with the tongue. The eye is the graha and is controlled by the atigraha colour for one sees colours through the eye. The ear is the graha and is controlled by the atigraha as a person hears sounds with the ear. The mind is the graha and it is controlled by the atigraha as it is through the mind that a person enjoys desires. The hands are the graha and are controlled by the atigraha as one performs work with the help of hands. The skin here is the graham and is controlled by the atigraha. It is so because one feels touch through the skin. Thus, these are the eight grahas and atigrahas.
Artabhaga tells Yajnavalkya that all these are the food of death. He then asked him to name the god for whom death is the food. Yajnavalkya replied that Fire indeed is death. One who is aware of this conquers death. He also told that when a liberated person dies his organs do not depart from him; they rather merge in him. The dead body swells, it becomes inflated and in that state the dead body lies at rest.
