Sacred Concord

YV 7.6f

Yajur Veda · translated by Arthur Berriedale Keith

He said to Viçvakarman and the sacrifice, 'Let me come to you two'; 'There is no space here', they answered. He said to the supreme lord, 'Let me come to thee.' 'In what way wilt thou come to me?' 'By the space- filler', he replied. He came to him by the space filler; therefore the space-filler is unexhausted, for yonder Aditya is unexhausted [6]. To them the seers said, 'Let us come to you.' 'In what way will ye come?' 'By greatness', they replied. To them they came with two (more) layers; (the fire) became one of five layers. He who knowing thus piles the fire becomes greater, he conquers these worlds, the gods know him; moreover he attains community with these deities. a The fire is a bird; if the piler of the fire were to eat of a bird, he would be eating the fire, he would go to ruin. For a year should he observe the vow, for a vow goes not beyond a year. b The fire is an animal; now an animal destroys him who moves up to it face to face; therefore he should go up to it from behind while it is looking towards the front, to prevent injury to himself. c 'Brilliance art thou, grant me brilliance, restrain earth [1], guard me from the earth. Light art thou, grant me light, restrain the atmosphere, guard me from the atmosphere. Heavenly light art thou, grant me heavenly light, restrain the heavenly light, guard me from the sky', he says; by these are these worlds supported; in that he puts them down, (it is) for the support of these worlds. Having put down the naturally perforated (bricks) he puts down the gold bricks; the naturally perforated are these worlds, gold is light; in that having put down the naturally perforated [2] he puts down the gold bricks; verily he makes these worlds full of light by means of them; verily also by them these worlds shine forth for him. d Those flames of thine, O Agni, which rising in the sun, With rays envelop the sky, With all of them bring us to brilliance, to man.
YV 7.6f · Yajur Veda

Themes in this passage

NatureProtectionSelf-ControlWealthThe DivineTruthWorship

Nature in other traditions

The same theme, as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Taoism address it.

The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining:
Joel 2:10 · Bible · Joel
Hast thou not seen that unto Allah payeth adoration whosoever is in the heavens and whosoever is in the earth, and the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the hills, and the trees, and the beasts, and many of mankind, while there are many unto whom the doom is justly due. He whom Allah scorneth, there is none to give him honour. Lo! Allah doeth what He will.
Quran 22:18 · Quran · The Pilgrimage
Cut down the whole forest (of lust), not a tree only! Danger comes out of the forest (of lust). When you have cut down both the forest (of lust) and its undergrowth, then, Bhikshus, you will be rid of the forest and free!
Dhp 20.283 · Dhammapada · The Way
Abstaining from speech marks him who is obeying the spontaneity of his nature. A violent wind does not last for a whole morning; a sudden rain does not last for the whole day. To whom is it that these (two) things are owing? To Heaven and Earth. If Heaven and Earth cannot make such (spasmodic) actings last long, how much less can man!
Tao Te Ching 23.1 · Tao Te Ching

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