Page:The International Journal of Psycho-Analysis II 1921 3-4.djvu/59

 THE ANAL-EROTIC FACTOR IN HINDU RELIGION 313

for the essential aim of the Upanishads is to explain reality, to discover the Absolute. The teaching of the Upanishads circle round the central conception of Brahman-Atman, the source, the support and the reality of the universe. The idea embodied in the Upanishads may be said to find its expression in the following lines from the Kathaka, V., 9-11.

The light, as one, penetrates into space.

And yet adapts itself to every form ;

So the inmost self of all beings dwells

Enwrapped in every form, and yet remains outside.

The air, as one, penetrates into space,

And yet adapts itself to every form ;

So the inmost self of all beings dwells

Enwrapped in every form, and yet remains outside.

The sun, the eye of the whole universe,

Remains pure from the defects of eyes external to it;

So the inmost self of all beings remains

Pure from the sufferings of the external worlds.

But it is in those portions of the Upanishads which are con- cerned with physiological conclusions as to the nature of the body I that we find the greatest abundance of ideas associated with anal

■ erotic complexes. For instance, in the Maitrayana we find the

following : ' In this evil-smelling unsubstantial body, shuffled together out of bones, skin, sinews, marrow, flesh, seed, blood, mucus, tears, eye-gum, dung, urine, gall and phlegm, how can we enjoy pleasure.? This body, originating from copulation, grown in the pit (of the mother's womb) and issuing forth through the passages of the

excretions, is a collection of bones daubed over with flesh, covered ^

with skin, filled full with dung, urine, phlegm, marrow, fat and ]

grease ; and to crown all with many diseases, like a treasure store i

I crammed with treasure'. }

f The most complete elucidation of the body and its relations j

is furnished by the Garbha Upanishad : ' Consisting of five (earth,

water, fire, wind, ether), ruling in these groups of five (the so- '■

called five elements, or the five organs of knowledge, or the organs ;

of generation and evacuation), Supported on six (the sweet, sour, salt, bitter, acid and harsh juices of food), endowed with six :