किंदेवतो’स्यां ध्रुवायां दिश्यसीति; अग्निदेवत इति; सोऽग्निः कस्मिन्प्रतिष्ठित इति; वाचीति; कस्मिन्नु वाक् प्रतिष्ठितेति; हृदय इति; कस्मिन्नु हृदयं प्रतिष्ठितमिति ॥ २४ ॥
kiṃdevato’syāṃ dhruvāyāṃ diśyasīti; agnidevata iti; so’gniḥ kasminpratiṣṭhita iti; vācīti; kasminnu vāk pratiṣṭhiteti; hṛdaya iti; kasminnu hṛdayaṃ pratiṣṭhitamiti || 24 ||
24. ‘What deity are you identified with in the fixed direction (above)?’ ‘With the deity, fire.’ ‘On what does fire rest?’ ‘On speech.’ ‘On what does speech rest?’ ‘On the heart.’ ‘On what does the heart rest?’
‘What deity are you identified with in the fixed direction?’ Being the same to all who dwell round Mount Meru,[7] the direction overhead is called the fixed direction. ‘With the deity, fire,’ for overhead there is more light, and fire is luminous. ‘On what does fire rest?’ ‘On speech.’ ‘On what does speech rest?’ ‘On the heart.’ Now Yājñavalkya, through his heart extending in all directions, has realised all the quarters as his own self; the quarters, with their deities and supports, are a part and parcel of him, and he is identified with name, colour (form) and action. Of these, colour together with the east is one with his heart. Mechanical rites, the act of procreation and rites combined with meditation, representing the south, west and north respectively, together with their results and presiding deities, are likewise unified in his heart. And all names together with the overhead direction also reach his heart through speech. The whole universe is comprised in these; colour (form), action and name; and all these are but (modifications of) the heart. Therefore Śākalya asks about the heart, which is the embodiment of everything: ‘On what does the heart rest?’