Upanishads · Yājñavalkya p8
॥
Devanāgarī
एष वा अग्नेर्योनिर्यः प्राणं गच्छ स्वां योनिं गच्छ स्वाहेत्येवमेवैतदाग्रामादग्निमाहृत्य पूर्ववदग्निमाजिघ्रेत्
Transliteration (IAST)
eṣa vā agneryoniryaḥ prāṇaṃ gaccha svāṃ yoniṃ gaccha svāhetyevamevaitadāgrāmādagnimāhṛtya pūrvavadagnimājighret
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
एषः वै अग्नेः योनिःeṣaḥ vai agneḥ yoniḥthis indeed is the womb of fire
यः प्राणंyaḥ prāṇaṃthat which is breath
गच्छ स्वां योनिं गच्छ स्वाहाgaccha svāṃ yoniṃ gaccha svāhā"go to your own womb, go — svāhā"
ग्रामात् अग्निम् आहृत्यgrāmāt agnim āhṛtyahaving brought fire from the village
पूर्व-वत् अग्निम् आजिघ्रेत्pūrva-vat agnim ājighretas before, let him smell the fire
Translation
This indeed is the womb of fire — that which is breath. "Go to your own womb, go — svāhā!" Likewise, having brought fire from the village, let him smell the fire as before.
Version
9eac33584456 · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The release of the fire is spoken: gaccha svāṃ yoniṃ gaccha, "go to your own womb, go." That is, the fire is released: it is not extinguished or discarded, but sent off to where it came from. This rite, to my mind, is one of the most humane in Vedic usage, and it is worth saying why.
The fire had been at the household for years; it was fed, guarded, kept from going out. And in parting, it is bid farewell as a living thing, not put out like an object. Let us add what stands behind this, discussed when reading the Prāṇāgnihotra (1.5): for these books, everything a person deals with is living and hearing.
The consideration that follows from this is worth voicing, for it applies to us too. Things that have served long deserve a proper parting; and a person who throws out what has served him, as if it were trash, spoils not the thing but himself. The Vaiṣṇava side has no rites of farewell to things; but she has her own rule on this, and it is stricter. Everything that has served Him is, for her, never simply discarded: remnants of offerings are distributed, wilted flowers and tulasī leaves are not thrown into the trash but placed in water or in a clean spot.
The reason given is this: a thing that has been in service has changed; and to treat it as before is to fail to notice the change.