Prashna upanishad
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(Sanskrit Version)


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(Ⅰ)
(Ⅳ)
(Ⅴ)


1.   
ॐ भद्रं कर्णेभिः श्रुणुयाम देवा भद्रं पश्येमाक्षभिर्यजत्राः ।
स्थिरैरङ्गैस्तुष्टुवाँसस्तनूभिर्व्यशेम देवहितं यदायुः ॥
पञ्चपादं पितरं द्वादशाकृतिं दिव आहुः परे अर्धे पुरीषिणम् ।
अथेमे अन्य उ परे विचक्षणं सप्तचक्रे षडर आहुरर्पितमिति ॥११॥
देवानामसि वह्नितमः पितृणां प्रथमा स्वधा ।
ऋषीणां चरितं सत्यमथर्वाङ्गिरसामसि ॥८॥
- Om! O gods, may we hear auspicious words with the ears;
While engaged in sacrifices,
May we see auspicious things with the eyes;
While praising the gods with steady limbs,
May we enjoy a life that is beneficial to the gods.
May Indra of ancient fame be auspicious to us;
May the supremely rich (or all-knowing) Pusa (god of the earth)
Be propitious to us;
May Garuda, the destroyer of evil,
Be well disposed towards us;
May Brihaspati ensure our welfare.
Om! Peace! Peace! Peace!
(Ⅰ)
- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

Om, Oh Gods, may we, with our ears, hear what is auspicious; Oh ye! fit to be worshipped, may we, with our eyes, see what is auspicious; may we enjoy the life allotted to us by the gods, offering our praise with our bodies strong of limb. (Ⅴ)
1. 1  
ॐ सुकेशा च भारद्वाजः शैब्यश्च सत्यकामः सौर्यायणी
च गार्ग्यः कौसल्यश्चाश्वलायनो भार्गवो वैदर्भिः कबन्धी
कात्यायनस्ते हैते ब्रह्मपरा ब्रह्मनिष्ठाः परं
ब्रह्मान्वेषमाणा एष ह वै तत्सर्वं वक्ष्यतीति ते ह
समित्पाणयो भगवन्तं पिप्पलादमुपसन्नाः ॥१॥
- Sukesa, son of Bharadvaja; Satyakama, so of Sibi; the grandson of Surya, born of the family of Garga; Kausalya, so of Asvala; a scion of the line of Bhrigu, born in Vidarbha; and Kabandhi, descendant of Katya - all these, who were devoted to (the inferior) Brahman, engaged in realising (the inferior) Brahman, and intent on a search of the supreme Brahman, approached with faggots in hand, the venerable Pippalada with the belief, "This one will certainly tell us all about It." (Ⅰ)
- Sukêsa, son of Bhâradvâja, and Satyakâma, son of Sibi, and Gârgya, a son of the son of the sun, and Kausalya, son of Asvala, and Bhârgava of Vidarbha, and Kabandhî, son of Kâtya,—all these intent on Brahman and centred in Brahman, seeking the highest Brahman, approached the revered Pippalâda, samit (sacrificial fuel) in hand, thinking that he would explain all to them. (Ⅳ)
- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

Om, adoration to the Paramâtman, This Brâhmana is begun for the purpose of explaining at length the drift that has been expressed by the mantras. The story of the sage questioning and the sage replying is for the purpose of eulogising knowledge. Thus it praises knowledge, by saying that it should be acquired by men who have been observing Brahmacharya and residing in the house of the preceptor for a year, and who have performed tapas, and that it should be imparted by preceptors but little short of omniscient, like Pippalâda, etc., and not by anybody whosoever; and by the indication of such means as Brahmacharya their observance is directed; Sukesa by name and son of Bhâradvâja; Saibyah, son of Sibi; Satyakâma by name; Sauryâyani ] the son of Sûrya (sun) is Saurya and his son is Sauryâyani. This form (with a long vowel ending) is Vedic license; Gârgya, one born of the family of Gârga; Kausalya by name. Âsvalâyana, the son of Asvala; Bhârgava, one born of the family of Bhrigu; strictly the gôtrâpatyam of Bhrigu (vide, Pânini); Vaidarbhi, born in Vidarbha; Kabandhî by name; Kâtyâyana, son of Kâtya; his great-grandfather being alive, the suffix denoting uva pratyayam is used (vide, Pânini). All these intent on Brahman, i.e., believing in the Apara Brahman as supreme and devoted to its practice seeking after the highest Brahman, i.e., wishing to attempt, as they could, to attain that eternal knowable, approached the worshipful preceptor Pippalâda, with loads of samit in their hands, for the purpose of knowing that, thinking that he would explain all to them. (Ⅴ)
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तन् ह स ऋषिरुवच भूय एव तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण
श्रद्धया संवत्सरं संवत्स्यथ यथाकामं प्रश्नान् पृच्छत
यदि विज्ञास्यामः सर्वं ह वो वक्ष्याम इति ॥२॥
- To them the seer said, "Live (here) again for a year in a fitting manner, with control over the senses and with brahmacharya and faith. Then put questions as you please. If we know, we shall explain all your questions." (Ⅰ)
- That seer said to them; as yet, live another year in tapas, Brahmacharya and faith; then ask us questions as you please and if we know, we shall, indeed, explain all to you. (Ⅳ)
- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

The seer said to them, who had thus approached him, though you have already performed tapas by controlling your senses, still again, live another year here especially careful about Brahmacharya and faith and well intent on serving your preceptor; then, as you please, i.e., without restraining your desire, ask questions, every one of you, on subjects on which you may wish to know. If we know what is asked about (the word ‘if’ is intended to show that the preceptor was not conceited, not that there was any doubt as to his knowledge, as is apparent from his answering the questions), we shall explain to you all you ask about. (Ⅴ)
1. 3  
अथ कबन्धी कत्यायन उपेत्य पप्रच्छ ।
भगवन् कुते ह वा इमाः प्रजाः प्रजायन्त  इति ॥३॥
- After that Kabandhi, descendant of Katya, having approached (him) asked, "Venerable sir, from what indeed are all these beings born?" (Ⅰ)
- Then Kabandhî, having approached Kâtyâyana asked: worthy master, whence are these creatures born? (Ⅳ)
- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

Then, i.e., after a year, Kabandhi having approached Kâtyâyana asked ‘Oh, worthy master, whence do these creatures, Brahmins and the rest, arise?’ This question is intended to elicit what results are attained and what path is gone through, by combining Aparavidya and Karma. (Ⅴ)
1. 4  
तस्मै स होवाच प्रजाकामो वै प्रजापतिः स तपोऽतप्यत
स तपस्तप्त्वा स मिथुनमुत्पादयते ।
- To him he said: The Lord of all creatures became desirous of progeny. He deliberated on (past Vedic) knowledge. Having brooded on that knowledge, He created a couple - food and Prana - under the idea, "These two will produce creatures for me in multifarious ways." (Ⅰ)
- To him he said: ‘The lord of creatures, wishing for creatures, thought; and having thought out his thought created a pair—food and eater—thinking they would produce creatures for him variously.’ (Ⅳ)
- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

To him who thus interrogated, he replied for solving the doubt. Wishing to create creatures out of himself, the lord of creatures, the âtman of all thinking to create the universe, acting according to the word filled with the thought, being Hiranyagarbha born at the beginning of this Kalpa and being the lord of all created beings and things immoveable and moveable, revolved in his mind the knowledge acquired in the previous birth, the drift of which is revealed by the srutis. Having thus brooded over the knowledge, imparted by the srutis produced a pair, a couple—necessary for creation,—the moon, i.e., food and prâna, fire (sun), i.e., the eater. Thinking that agni (sun) and the moon, i e., (the eater and the food) respectively would create diverse creatures, he created the sun and the moon, in the order beginning with anda (globe). (Ⅴ)
1. 5  
आदित्यो ह वै प्राणो रयिरेव चन्द्रमा रयिर्वा एतत्
सर्वं यन्मूर्तं चामूर्तं च तस्मान्मूर्तिरेव रयिः ॥५॥
- The sun is verily Prana; and food is verily the moon. Whatever is gross or subtle is but food. The gross, as distinguished from that (subtle), is certainly food (of the subtle). (Ⅰ)
- The sun is life, indeed, and the moon, the food; all this having form and formless is food; so form is certainly food. (Ⅳ)
- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

Here the sun is prâna, the eater, the fire the moon is the food, the moon is, indeed, food. This pair, the eater and the food really one, different aspects of the lord of creatures. The distinction is really one of secondary and primary. How? all this gross and subtle, is, indeed, in one aspect food, both having form and formless, the eater and the food. Therefore, when a dinner is made, i.e., what has form and what has not; (the former) is food being eaten by what is formless. (Ⅴ)
1. 6  
अथादित्य उदयन्यत्प्राचीं दिशं प्रविशति
तेन प्राच्यान् प्राणान् रश्मिषु सन्निधत्ते ।
यद्दक्षिणां यत् प्रतीचीं यदुदीचीं
यदधो यदूर्ध्वं यदन्तरा दिशो यत् सर्वं प्रकाशयति
तेन सर्वान् प्राणान् रश्मिषु सन्निधत्ते ॥६॥
- Now then, the fact that the sun, while rising, enters into the eastern direction, thereby it absorbs into its rays all the creatures in the east. That it enters into the south, that it enters into the west, that it enters into the north, that it reaches the nadir and the zenith, that it enters the intermediate points of the zodiac, that it illumines all, thereby it absorbs all living things into its rays. (Ⅰ)
- Now the sun rising enters the east. By that, he bathes, in his rays, all prâna in the east. When he lights up the south, the west, the north, the nadir, the zenith, the inter-space and all, by that, he bathes in his rays, all prâna. (Ⅳ)
- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

Similarly, though formless the prâna, i.e., the eater, is all, and food also is prâna; how? Now the sun rising, i.e., becoming perceivable by the eyes of living beings, lights up the east with his light; by thus pervading all with his light makes all the lives in the east one with his own self, all living beings being pervaded by his all-pervading rays of light; similarly also, when he lights the south, the west, the north, the nadir, the zenith, the inter-space, the cardinal points and those between them, he bathes all lives in all those directions in his all-pervading light. (Ⅴ)
1. 7  
स एष वैश्वानरो विश्वरुपः प्राणोऽग्निरुदयते ।
तदेतदृचाऽभ्युक्तम् ॥७॥
- That very one rises up who is Prana and fire, who is identified with all creatures, and who is possessed of all forms. This very one, that has been referred to, is spoken of by the mantra: (Ⅰ)
- This is he, the totality of all living beings, assuming every form, life and fire, (who) rises (every day). This is told by the Rik. (Ⅳ)
- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

This is he, the eater, life, the âtman of all, Assuming all forms, being the âtman of the universe, prana and fire. This is the eater, who rises every day making all cardinal points his own. This, now explained, has also been told by the mantra also. (Ⅴ)
1. 8  
विश्वरूपं हरिणं जातवेदसं परायणं ज्योतिरेकं तपन्तम् ।
सहस्ररश्मिः शतधा वर्तमानः प्राणः प्रजानामुदयत्येष सूर्यः ॥८॥
- (The realisers of Brahman) knew the one that is possessed of all forms, full of rays, endowed with illumination, the resort of all, the single light (of all), and the radiator of heat. It is the sun that rises - the sun that possesses a thousand rays, exists in a hundred forms and is the life of all creatures. (Ⅰ)
- Having all forms, shining, omniscient, the highest stay, sole-light, heat-giver, having a thousand rays, existing in a hundred forms, life of all creation, this sun rises. (Ⅳ)
- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

Visvarûpam, having all forms; Harinam, shining; jâtavêdasam, omniscient; the highest stay] to whom all lives cling; sole-light] the eye, as it were of all living beings, having no second. Tapantam, giving heat. This sun, their own âtman, the knowers of Brahman, the seers have known. Who is it that they have known? Having a thousand rays, having many rays; existing in a hundred forms, i.e., existing in many forms in different living beings. This sun, the life of all creation, rises. (Ⅴ)
1. 9  
संवत्सरो वै प्रजापतिस्तस्यायने दक्षिणं चोत्तरं च ।
तद्ये ह वै तदिष्टापूर्ते कृतमित्युपासते ते चान्द्रमसमेव लोकमभिजयन्ते ।
त एव पुनरावर्तन्ते तस्मादेत ऋषयः प्रजाकामा दक्षिणं प्रतिपद्यन्ते ।
एष ह वै रयिर्यः पितृयाणः ॥९॥
- The year is verily the Lord of creatures. Of Him there are two Courses, the Southern and the Northern. As to that, those, who follow, in that way, the sacrifices and public good etc., that are products of action, conquer the very world of the moon. It is they who come back. (Since this is so), hence these seers of heaven, who are desirous of progeny, attain the Southern Course. That which is the Course of the Manes is verily food. (Ⅰ)
- The year is the lord of the creation; of it, two paths, the southern and the northern. Those who follow the path of karma alone, by the performance of sacrificial and pious acts, win only the world of the moon; they certainly return again; therefore, these sages desirous of offspring take the southern route. This is the food reached by the way of the manes. (Ⅳ)
- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

How the pair—the moon, having form, the food and the prana, the formless, the eater, the sun, could create all creatures is explained. This pair alone is time, the year is the lord of creatures, because the year is accomplished by the pair which together are the lord of creatures; the year being a combination of tithîs, days and nights accomplished by the moon and the sun, is said to be of the nature of the pair, food and eater being no other than they. How is that? Of the year the lord of creatures, are two paths, the southern and the northern. These are the two well-known paths, each extending over six months, by which the sun goes south and north, distributing worlds among those who perform karma alone and those who combine karma with worship. The second tadu, i.e., the tadu in ‘tadupâsate’ is an adverbial adjunct. Those among the Brâhmins and the rest who follow only what is done, as Ishtam (sacrifices) and pûrtam (pious acts) and not what is not made, i.e., nothing eternal, attain the world of the moon, i.e., the world of food, a portion of the lord of creatures, who is both food and eater, the worlds of the moon being in the nature of one made, i.e., not eternal. They, after consumption there of what has been done, return, i.e., enter this world or something worse, as is said. As these devotees, i.e., the house-holders, the seers of heaven, desirous of offspring achieve as the fruit by the sacrificial and pious acts, the moon, i.e., the lord of creatures in the form of food; therefore, they attain what was performed by them, i.e., the food, i.e., the moon to which the southern route leads. This is the food, the moon, to which the route of the manes leads. (Ⅴ)
1. 10  
अथोत्तरेण तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण श्रद्धया विद्ययाऽऽत्मानमन्विष्यादित्यमभिजयन्ते ।
एतद्वै प्राणानामायतनमेतदमृतमभयमेतत् परायणमेतस्मान्न
पुनरावर्तन्त इत्येष निरोधस्तदेष श्लोकः ॥१०॥
- Again, by searching for the Self through the control of the senses, brahmacharya, faith and meditation, they conquer the sun (by proceeding) along the Northern Course. This is the resort of all that lives; this is indestructible; this is fearless; this is the highest goal, for from this they do not come back. This is un-realisable (to the ignorant). Pertaining to this here is a verse: (Ⅰ)
- Now, by the northern route, by tapas, Brahmacharya, faith and knowledge seeking after the âtman, they gain the sun. This is the stay of all lives, this is immortal, this is fearless, the highest goal; they do not return from thence. This is the obstacle. About that, is this (following) verse. (Ⅳ)
- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

By the northern route, they reach the sun, a part of the lord of creation, the prana, the eater. By what? by tapas, i.e., by control over the senses, more particularly by Brahmacharya, by faith and by knowledge regarding the self of the lord of creation, i.e., worship of Prajâpati; seeking after the self, i.e., the prana, the sun, the stay of the universe, i.e., realising the sun in the form ‘I am he,’ they gain, i.e., reach the sun. This is certainly the common abode of all lives, their support; this is immortal, i.e., indestructible and, therefore, fearless, not full of fear of increase or diminution like the moon. This is the highest goal of those who resort to mere worship and of those who combine karma and worship. They da not return from hence, as followers of mere karma do: Hence, this is, the obstacle of the ignorant; for, the ignorant obstructed by the sun do not attain the year, i.e., the sun, i.e., the prana. He, the year, in the nature of time, is an obstacle to the ignorant About that, is the following verse. (Ⅴ)
1. 11  
पञ्चपादं पितरं द्वादशाकृतिं दिव आहुः परे अर्धे पुरीषिणम् ।
अथेमे अन्य उ परे विचक्षणं सप्तचक्रे षडर आहुरर्पितमिति ॥११॥
- Some talk of (this sun) as possessed of five feet, as the father, as constituted by twelve limbs, and as full of water in the high place above the sky. But there are these others who call him the omniscient and say that on him, as possessed of seven wheels and six spokes, is fixed (the whole universe). (Ⅰ)
- Having five feet, the father of all, having twelve forms, they say he is seated in a place higher than Dyulôka, full of water. These others say that the world is lodged in him, all knowing, ever moving with seven wheels and six spokes. (Ⅳ)
- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

Having five feet] the five seasons are, as it were, the feet of the sun which is no other than the year. With these seasons as ‘feet,’ the year moves. This analogy makes but one of the hêmanta and the sisira seasons. Father] he is called father because he is the creator of all. Having twelve forms] the twelve months are the forms, i.e., limbs or component parts of the year. In a place higher than Dyulôka (sky), i.e., in the third heaven. Purishinam, full of water. They say] those who know Time say. The same, some others who know Time say, is omniscient; and that the world is fixed to the wheel of Time, ever on the move, in the form of seven horses and having six seasons. They say that all the universe is fixed there as spokes in a wheel. Whether having five feet and twelve limbs, or whether possessed of seven wheels and six spokes, in any view, the year, of the nature of Time, the lord of creation, in the form of the sun and the moon, is the cause of the universe. (Ⅴ)
1. 12  
मासो वै प्रजापतिस्तस्य कृष्णपक्ष एव रयिः शुक्लः
प्रणस्तस्मादेत ऋषयः शुक्ल इष्टं कुर्वन्तीतर इतरस्मिन् ॥१२॥
- The month verily is the Lord of all creatures. The dark fortnight is His food, and the bright His Prana. Therefore these seers perform the sacrifices in the bright fortnight. The others perform it in the other. (Ⅰ)
- The month is the lord of creation; its dark half is, indeed, the food; the light half, the prâna (eater). Therefore, the seers perform sacrifices in the light half; the others, in the other, i.e., the dark half. (Ⅳ)
- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

The lord of creation, i.e., the year, in which this universe inheres, ends in its component part, the month. The month, indeed, the lord of creation above described, is also in the nature of a pair; of the lord of creation, i.e., the month, one portion, i.e., the dark half, is food, i.e., the moon. The other part, i.e., the light half, is the sun, the eater, the fire. Because, they see everything as prâna, marked by the light half; therefore, these seers who see the prâna, though performing sacrifices in the dark half, perform them, only in the light half, as they do not see the dark half, as distinct from prâna (the light half). But others see not the prâna and only see the unseeing dark half. Those others perform sacrifices, only in the dark half, though they do them in the light half. (Ⅴ)
1. 13  
अहोरात्रो वै प्रजापतिस्तस्याहरेव प्राणो रात्रिरेव रयिः
प्राणं वा एते प्रस्कन्दन्ति ये दिवा रत्या संयुज्यन्ते
ब्रह्मचर्यमेव तद्यद्रात्रौ रत्या संयुज्यन्ते ॥१३॥
- Day and night are verily the Lord of all creatures. Day is surely His Prana and night is certainly the food. Those who indulge in passion in the day, waste away Prana. That they give play to passion at night is as good as celibacy. (Ⅰ)
- The day and night is, indeed, the lord of creation. Of that, the day is the prâna and the night, indeed, is the food. Those who combine with Rati (sexual intercourse) by day, spill prâna. That they combine with Rati by night is Brahmacharyam indeed. (Ⅳ)
- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

And that lord of creation, i.e., the month, culminates in his component parts, the day and night as before explained. Of him, the day is, indeed, prâna; the eater, the fire; the night, indeed, is food, as before explained. Those spill their prâna, i.e., the day, that is, waste it by separating it from the selves. Who? Those ignorant men, who by day have carnal intercourse with woman, who is the cause of sexual pleasures. This being so, the prohibition that it should not be done is a rule laid down by the way. If they have intercourse by night, in season, that is Brahmacharyam indeed. That being praiseworthy, the mandate that one should approach his wife during rita, in season, is also, by the way, enjoined. What is relevant here is this, i.e., the lord of creation in the form of day and night becomes such as corn, grain, etc. (Ⅴ)
1. 14  
अन्नं वै प्रजापतिस्ततो ह वै तद्रेतस्तस्मादिमाः प्रजाः प्रजायन्त इति ॥१४॥
Annam vai prajapatis tato ha vai
- Food is nothing but the Lord of all creatures. From that indeed issues that human seed. From that are born all these beings. (Ⅰ)
- Food indeed, is the lord of creation; from that, indeed is the semen virile; from that are all these creatures produced. (Ⅳ)
- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

Thus modified in this order, food is the lord of creation. How? From that is semen virile, the seed in man, the cause of creation. From that, sprinkled in woman, these creatures, such as men, etc., are produced. What was asked for, from whence are creatures produced, has thus been determined, that these creatures are produced by couples, beginning with the sun and the moon and ending with the day and the night, through food, blood and semen virile. (Ⅴ)
1. 15  
तद्ये ह वै तत् प्रजापतिव्रतं चरन्ति ते मिथुनमुत्पादयन्ते ।
तेषामेवैष ब्रह्मलोको येषां तपो ब्रह्मचर्यं येषु सत्यं प्रतिष्टितम् ॥१५॥
- This being so, those who undertake the well-known vow of the Lord of all creatures, beget both sons and daughters. For them alone is this world of the moon in whom there are the vows and continence, and in whom is found for ever avoidance of falsehood. (Ⅰ)
- Thus, those who follow the vow of the lord of creation produce couples. To them alone, is this Brahmalôka, in whom tapas, brahmacharyam and truth abide. (Ⅳ)
- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

Thus, this being so. Of those householders (Vai and Ha are two particles, remembrances of well-known things), who obey the vow of Prajâpati (lord of creation), i.e., who approach their wives in due season, their visible fruits (in this world) is this. What? They produce a couple, i.e., son and daughter. The invisible fruits (pertaining to the future world) are also to them alone, performing sacrificial and pious acts and making gifts. This Brahmalôka, i.e., the world of the moon, to which the route of the manes leads, is to those in whom tapas, i.e., the vow of a snâtaka, etc., Brahmacharyam, i.e., abstinence from sexual intercourse except in season, and truth, i.e., abstinence from falsehood abide always without any deviation. (Ⅴ)
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तेषामसौ विरजो ब्रह्मलोको न येषु जिह्ममनृतं न माया चेति ॥१६॥
- For them is that taintless world of Brahman, in whom there is no crookedness no falsehood, and no dissimulation. (Ⅰ)
- To them, is that Brahmalôka devoid of taint; in them there is no deceit, falsehood or dissimulation. (Ⅳ)
- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

But to whom is that state of lower Brahman marked by the sun, reached by the northern route, untainted, i.e., pure, not tainted like the Brahmalôka of the moon, subject to increase and diminution, is explained. They in whom fraud does not exist, as necessarily it does in householders, resulting in many conflicting modes of conduct; those for whom-falsehood is not unavoidable, as it is in the case of householders on account of play, mirth, etc.; similarly, those in whom there is no dissimulation as in householders. Dissimulation consists in disclosing one’s self in one manner and acting otherwise. It is of the nature of duplicity in behaviour. To those men duly fitted, i.e., the Brahmachârin, the hermit and the sanyâsin in whom, from absence of cause, these faults, such as duplicity, etc., do not exist, is this untainted Brahmalôka, according to the means they employ. Thus, this is the goal of those who combine karma with knowledge (worship). The Brahmalôka previously explained and marked by the moon is for those who perform mere karma. (Ⅴ)


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Chapter 1
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