The dawn is the head of the sacrificial horse, the sun its eye, the wind its breath. In the beginning nothing was here but Death, Hunger, who brought forth the worlds. Devas and asuras contend over the Udgitha; only breath cannot be pierced by evil, and the prayer is given: lead me from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light, from death to immortality. In the beginning the Self alone was; it said I am, felt fear, then loneliness, became two, and from that came all pairs of creatures. Brahman alone was, and it knew itself: I am Brahman. Whoever knows this becomes all; even the devas cannot stop him. Dharma, higher than power, is brought forth.
Om. The dawn is the head of the sacrificial horse, the sun its eye, the wind its breath, Agni Vaishvanara its open mouth, and the year its body. Heaven is its back, the mid-region its belly, the earth its underside, the quarters its flanks, the intermediate quarters its ribs, the seasons its limbs, months and half-months its joints, days and nights its feet, the stars its bones, the clouds its flesh. Sand is the food in its stomach, rivers its entrails, mountains its liver and lungs, plants and trees its hair. The rising sun is its forepart, the setting sun its hindpart. When it yawns, lightning flashes; when it shakes, it thunders; when it passes water, it rains. Speech is its neighing.
The day was born before the horse as the sacrificial vessel of gold called mahiman; its source is the eastern sea. The night was born behind it as the vessel of silver called mahiman; its source is the western sea. These two vessels came to stand on either side of the horse. As haya it carried the devas, as vajin the gandharvas, as arvan the asuras, as ashva human beings. The sea is its kin, the sea its birthplace.
naiveha kiṃ canāgra āsīt | mṛtyunaivedamāvṛtamāsīdaśanāyayā | aśanāyā hi mṛtyuḥ | tanmano'kurutātmanvī syāmiti | so'rcannacarat | tasyārcata āpo'jāyanta | arcate vai me kamabhūditi | tadevārkyasyārkatvam | kaṃ ha vā asmai bhavati ya evametadarkyasyārkatvaṃ veda
In the beginning nothing at all was here. All this was covered by Death, by hunger, for hunger is death. Death formed the thought, 'Let me have a body.' He moved about in worship, and as he worshipped, the waters were born. He said, 'While I was worshipping (arc), joy (ka) came to me.' That is why fire is called arka. Joy comes to the one who knows this reason for the name arka.
The waters are indeed arka. The froth that formed on the waters became solid; that became the earth. On her he toiled, and from him, wearied and heated by tapas, his radiance and essence came forth as fire.
स त्रेधात्मानं व्यकुरुतादित्यं तृतीयं वायुं तृतीयम् । स एष प्राणस्त्रेधाविहितः । तस्य प्राची दिक्शिरोऽसौ चासौ चेर्मौ । अथास्य प्रतीची दिक्पुच्छमसौ चासौ च सक्थ्यौ । दक्षिणा चोदीची च पार्श्वे । द्यौः पृष्ठमन्तरिक्षमुदरमियमुरः । स एषोऽप्सु प्रतिष्ठितः । यत्र क्व चैति तदेव प्रतितिष्ठत्येवं विद्वान्
sa tredhātmānaṃ vyakurutādityaṃ tṛtīyaṃ vāyuṃ tṛtīyam | sa eṣa prāṇastredhāvihitaḥ | tasya prācī dikśiro'sau cāsau cermau | athāsya pratīcī dikpucchamasau cāsau ca sakthyau | dakṣiṇā codīcī ca pārśve | dyauḥ pṛṣṭhamantarikṣamudaramiyamuraḥ | sa eṣo'psu pratiṣṭhitaḥ | yatra kva caiti tadeva pratitiṣṭhatyevaṃ vidvān
He divided himself threefold: fire as one third, the sun as one third, the wind as one third. So this prana, the life-breath, is set out in three. The eastern quarter is his head, and the north-east and south-east are his arms. The western quarter is his tail, and the north-west and south-west are his thighs. South and north are his sides, heaven his back, the mid-region his belly, this earth his chest. He stands firm on the waters. Whoever knows this stands firm wherever he goes.
सोऽकामयत द्वितीयो म आत्मा जायेतेति । स मनसा वाचं मिथुनं समभवदशनाया मृत्युः । तद्यद्रेत आसीत्स संवत्सरोऽभवत् । न ह पुरा ततः संवत्सर आस । तमेतावन्तं कालमबिभर्यावान्त्संवत्सरः । तमेतावतः कालस्य परस्तादसृजत । तं जातमभिव्याददात् । स भाणकरोत् । सैव वागभवत्
so'kāmayata dvitīyo ma ātmā jāyeteti | sa manasā vācaṃ mithunaṃ samabhavadaśanāyā mṛtyuḥ | tadyadreta āsītsa saṃvatsaro'bhavat | na ha purā tataḥ saṃvatsara āsa | tametāvantaṃ kālamabibharyāvāntsaṃvatsaraḥ | tametāvataḥ kālasya parastādasṛjata | taṃ jātamabhivyādadāt | sa bhāṇakarot | saiva vāgabhavat
He desired, 'Let a second self be born to me.' So he, Death, who is hunger, united with speech through the mind. The seed became the year; before that there was no year. He carried it within for as long as a year, and after that time he brought it forth. When it was born, he opened his mouth to devour it. The child cried out 'bhan', and that became speech.
स ऐक्षत यदि वा इममभिमंस्ये कनीयोऽन्नं करिष्य इति । स तया वाचा तेनात्मनेदं सर्वमसृजत यदिदं किञ्च ऋचो यजूंषि सामानि छन्दांसि यज्ञान् प्रजां पशून् । स यद्यदेवासृजत तत्तदत्तुमध्रियत । सर्वं वा अत्तीति तददितेरदितित्वम् । सर्वस्यात्ता भवति सर्वमस्यान्नं भवति य एवमेतददितेरदितित्वं वेद
sa aikṣata yadi vā imamabhimaṃsye kanīyo'nnaṃ kariṣya iti | sa tayā vācā tenātmanedaṃ sarvamasṛjata yadidaṃ kiñca ṛco yajūṃṣi sāmāni chandāṃsi yajñān prajāṃ paśūn | sa yadyadevāsṛjata tattadattumadhriyata | sarvaṃ vā attīti tadaditeradititvam | sarvasyāttā bhavati sarvamasyānnaṃ bhavati ya evametadaditeradititvaṃ veda
He thought, 'If I kill him, I shall have less food.' So with that speech and that self he brought forth all that exists: the Rig, Yajur and Sama verses, the metres, the sacrifices, creatures and cattle. Whatever he brought forth, he set about eating. Because he eats (ad) everything, he is called Aditi. Whoever knows why Aditi is so named becomes the eater of all, and everything becomes his food.
so'kāmayata bhūyasā yajñena bhūyo yajeyeti | so'śrāmyat | sa tapo'tapyata | tasya śrāntasya taptasya yaśo vīryamudakrāmat | prāṇā vai yaśo vīryam | tatprāṇeṣūtkrānteṣu śarīraṃ śvayitumadhriyata | tasya śarīra eva mana āsīt
He desired, 'Let me sacrifice again with a greater sacrifice.' He toiled and performed tapas. From him, wearied and heated, glory and strength went out. The pranas, the vital breaths, are glory and strength. When the breaths had left, his body began to swell, yet his mind remained in that body.
so'kāmayata medhyaṃ ma idaṃ syādātmanvyanena syāmiti | tato'śvaḥ samabhavat | yadaśvattanmedhyamabhūditi tadevāśvamedhasyāśvamedhatvam | eṣa ha vā aśvamedhaṃ veda ya enamevaṃ veda | tamanavarudhyaivāmanyata | taṃ saṃvatsarasya parastādātmana ālabhata | paśūn devatābhyaḥ pratyauhat | tasmātsarvadevatyaṃ prokṣitaṃ prājāpatyamālabhante | eṣa vā aśvamedho ya eṣa tapati | tasya saṃvatsara ātmā | ayamagnirarkaḥ | tasyeme lokā ātmānaḥ | tāvetāvarkāśvamedhau | so punarekaiva devatā bhavati mṛtyureva | apa punarmṛtyuṃ jayati | nainaṃ mṛtyurāpnoti | mṛtyurasyātmā bhavati | sarvamāyureti | etāsāṃ devatānāmeko bhavati
He desired, 'Let this body of mine be fit for sacrifice, and through it let me have a self.' Because it had swollen (ashvat), it became a horse (ashva) fit for sacrifice (medhya); hence the name ashvamedha. He let the horse roam free, after a year offered it to himself and gave the other animals to the devas. So the priests offer the consecrated horse, dedicated to all the devas, as Prajapati's own. The ashvamedha is the shining sun, whose body is the year; the arka is this fire, whose body is these worlds. The two are one deity, Death. Whoever knows this overcomes repeated death; death becomes his own self, he lives his full span and becomes one with these deities.
(उद्गीथब्राह्मणम् । वैराजब्राह्मणं वा ।) द्वया ह प्राजापत्या देवाश्चासुराश्च ततः कानीयसा एव देवा ज्यायसा असुराः । त एषु लोकेष्वस्पर्धन्त । ते ह देवा ऊचुर्हन्तासुरान् यज्ञ उद्गीथेनात्ययामेति
(udgīthabrāhmaṇam | vairājabrāhmaṇaṃ vā |) dvayā ha prājāpatyā devāścāsurāśca tataḥ kānīyasā eva devā jyāyasā asurāḥ | ta eṣu lokeṣvaspardhanta | te ha devā ūcurhantāsurān yajña udgīthenātyayāmeti
The children of Prajapati were of two kinds, the devas and the asuras. The devas were the younger and fewer, the asuras the elder and more numerous. They contended for these worlds. The devas said, 'Come, we shall overcome the asuras in the sacrifice through the Udgitha, the high chant of the Sama Veda.'
ते ह वाचमूचुस्त्वं न उद्गायेति । तथेति तेभ्यो वागुदगायत् । यो वाचि भोगस्तं देवेभ्य आगायत् । यत्कल्याणं वदति तदात्मने । तेऽविदुरनेन वै न उद्गात्रात्येष्यन्तीति । तमभिद्रुत्य पाप्मनाविध्यन् । स यः स पाप्मा यदेवेदमप्रतिरूपं वदति । स एव स पाप्मा
te ha vācamūcustvaṃ na udgāyeti | tatheti tebhyo vāgudagāyat | yo vāci bhogastaṃ devebhya āgāyat | yatkalyāṇaṃ vadati tadātmane | te'viduranena vai na udgātrātyeṣyantīti | tamabhidrutya pāpmanāvidhyan | sa yaḥ sa pāpmā yadevedamapratirūpaṃ vadati | sa eva sa pāpmā
They said to speech, 'Chant the Udgitha for us.' Speech agreed and chanted for them. The enjoyment that lies in speech it sang for the devas; the fine speaking it kept for itself. The asuras knew, 'Through this singer they will overcome us.' They rushed at it and pierced it with evil. That evil is the improper thing one says. That is the evil.
अथ ह प्राणमूचुस्त्वं न उद्गायेति । तथेति तेभ्यः प्राण उदगायत् । यः प्राणे भोगस्तं देवेभ्य आगायत् । यत्कल्याणं जिघ्रति तदात्मने । तेऽविदुरनेन वै न उद्गात्रात्येष्यन्तीति । तमभिद्रुत्य पाप्मनाविध्यन् । स यः स पाप्मा यदेवेदमप्रतिरूपं जिघ्रति । स एव स पाप्मा
atha ha prāṇamūcustvaṃ na udgāyeti | tatheti tebhyaḥ prāṇa udagāyat | yaḥ prāṇe bhogastaṃ devebhya āgāyat | yatkalyāṇaṃ jighrati tadātmane | te'viduranena vai na udgātrātyeṣyantīti | tamabhidrutya pāpmanāvidhyan | sa yaḥ sa pāpmā yadevedamapratirūpaṃ jighrati | sa eva sa pāpmā
Then they said to the breath of smell, 'Chant the Udgitha for us.' It agreed and chanted. The enjoyment in smell it sang for the devas; the pleasant smelling it kept for itself. The asuras knew, 'Through this singer they will overcome us,' rushed at it and pierced it with evil. That evil is the improper thing one smells. That is the evil.
अथ ह चक्षुरूचुस्त्वं न उद्गायेति । तथेति तेभ्यश्चक्षुरुदगायत् । यश्चक्षुषि भोगस्तं देवेभ्य आगायत् । यत्कल्याणं पश्यति तदात्मने । तेऽविदुरनेन वै न उद्गात्रात्येष्यन्तीति । तमभिद्रुत्य पाप्मनाविध्यन् । स यः स पाप्मा यदेवेदमप्रतिरूपं पश्यति । स एव स पाप्मा
atha ha cakṣurūcustvaṃ na udgāyeti | tatheti tebhyaścakṣurudagāyat | yaścakṣuṣi bhogastaṃ devebhya āgāyat | yatkalyāṇaṃ paśyati tadātmane | te'viduranena vai na udgātrātyeṣyantīti | tamabhidrutya pāpmanāvidhyan | sa yaḥ sa pāpmā yadevedamapratirūpaṃ paśyati | sa eva sa pāpmā
Then they said to the eye, 'Chant the Udgitha for us.' It agreed and chanted. The enjoyment in the eye it sang for the devas; the fair seeing it kept for itself. The asuras knew, 'Through this singer they will overcome us,' rushed at it and pierced it with evil. That evil is the improper thing one sees. That is the evil.
अथ ह श्रोत्रमूचुस्त्वं न उद्गायेति । तथेति तेभ्यः श्रोत्रमुदगायत् । यः श्रोत्रे भोगस्तं देवेभ्य आगायत् । यत्कल्याणं शृणोति तदात्मने । तेऽविदुरनेन वै न उद्गात्रात्येष्यन्तीति । तमभिद्रुत्य पाप्मनाविध्यन् । स यः स पाप्मा । यदेवेदमप्रतिरूपं शृणोति । स एव स पाप्मा
atha ha śrotramūcustvaṃ na udgāyeti | tatheti tebhyaḥ śrotramudagāyat | yaḥ śrotre bhogastaṃ devebhya āgāyat | yatkalyāṇaṃ śṛṇoti tadātmane | te'viduranena vai na udgātrātyeṣyantīti | tamabhidrutya pāpmanāvidhyan | sa yaḥ sa pāpmā | yadevedamapratirūpaṃ śṛṇoti | sa eva sa pāpmā
Then they said to the ear, 'Chant the Udgitha for us.' It agreed and chanted. The enjoyment in the ear it sang for the devas; the good hearing it kept for itself. The asuras knew, 'Through this singer they will overcome us,' rushed at it and pierced it with evil. That evil is the improper thing one hears. That is the evil.
अथ ह मन ऊचुस्त्वं न उद्गायेति । तथेति तेभ्यो मन उदगायत् । यो मनसि भोगस्तं देवेभ्य आगायत् । यत्कल्याणं संकल्पयति तदात्मने । तेऽविदुरनेन वै न उद्गात्रात्येष्यन्तीति । तमभिद्रुत्य पाप्मनाविध्यन् । स यः स पाप्मा । यदेवेदमप्रतिरूपं संकल्पयति । स एव स पाप्मा । एवमु खल्वेता देवताः पाप्मभिरुपासृजन् । एवमेनाः पाप्मनाविध्यन्
atha ha mana ūcustvaṃ na udgāyeti | tatheti tebhyo mana udagāyat | yo manasi bhogastaṃ devebhya āgāyat | yatkalyāṇaṃ saṃkalpayati tadātmane | te'viduranena vai na udgātrātyeṣyantīti | tamabhidrutya pāpmanāvidhyan | sa yaḥ sa pāpmā | yadevedamapratirūpaṃ saṃkalpayati | sa eva sa pāpmā | evamu khalvetā devatāḥ pāpmabhirupāsṛjan | evamenāḥ pāpmanāvidhyan
Then they said to the mind, 'Chant the Udgitha for us.' It agreed and chanted. The enjoyment in the mind it sang for the devas; the good thinking it kept for itself. The asuras knew, 'Through this singer they will overcome us,' rushed at it and pierced it with evil. That evil is the improper thing one imagines. That is the evil. So the asuras touched all these deities with evils and pierced them with evil.
अथ हेममासन्यं प्राणमूचुस्त्वं न उद्गायेति । तथेति तेभ्य एष प्राण उदगायत् । तेऽविदुरनेन वै न उद्गात्रात्येष्यन्तीति । तमभिद्रुत्य पाप्मनाविव्यत्सन् । स यथाश्मानमृत्वा लोष्टो विध्वंसेतैवं हैव विध्वंसमाना विष्वञ्चो विनेशुः । ततो देवा अभवन्, परासुरा । भवत्यात्मना, परास्य द्विषन् भ्रातृव्यो भवति य एवं वेद
atha hemamāsanyaṃ prāṇamūcustvaṃ na udgāyeti | tatheti tebhya eṣa prāṇa udagāyat | te'viduranena vai na udgātrātyeṣyantīti | tamabhidrutya pāpmanāvivyatsan | sa yathāśmānamṛtvā loṣṭo vidhvaṃsetaivaṃ haiva vidhvaṃsamānā viṣvañco vineśuḥ | tato devā abhavan, parāsurā | bhavatyātmanā, parāsya dviṣan bhrātṛvyo bhavati ya evaṃ veda
Then they said to this breath in the mouth, 'Chant the Udgitha for us.' It agreed, and this breath chanted for them. The asuras knew, 'Through this singer they will overcome us.' They rushed at it, wishing to pierce it with evil. But as a clod of earth striking a rock is shattered, so they were shattered, scattered in all directions, and perished. So the devas prevailed and the asuras were defeated. Whoever knows this prevails by himself, and his hateful rival is defeated.
ते होचुः क्व नु सोऽभूद्यो न इत्थमसक्तेति । अयमास्येऽन्तरिति । सोऽयास्य आङ्गिरसोऽङ्गानां हि रसः
te hocuḥ kva nu so'bhūdyo na itthamasakteti | ayamāsye'ntariti | so'yāsya āṅgiraso'ṅgānāṃ hi rasaḥ
The devas said, 'Where was he who stood by us like this?' And they found, 'He is within the mouth (asya).' So he is called Ayasya Angirasa, for he is the essence (rasa) of the limbs (anga).
This deity took away the evil, which is death, from those deities and carried it to where the quarters end, and there left their evils behind. So one should not go to people of those far lands nor to that boundary, lest one meet that evil, death.
अथ मनोऽत्यवहत् । तद्यदा मृत्युमत्यमुच्यत स चन्द्रमा अभवत् । सोऽसौ चन्द्रः परेण मृत्युमतिक्रान्तो भाति । एवं ह वा एनमेषा देवता मृत्युमतिवहति य एवं वेद
atha mano'tyavahat | tadyadā mṛtyumatyamucyata sa candramā abhavat | so'sau candraḥ pareṇa mṛtyumatikrānto bhāti | evaṃ ha vā enameṣā devatā mṛtyumativahati ya evaṃ veda
Then it carried the mind across. When the mind was freed from death, it became the moon. That moon, having passed beyond death, now shines. Even so this deity carries beyond death the one who knows this.
ते देवा अब्रुवन् । एतावद्वा इदं सर्वं यदन्नम् । तदात्मन आगासीः । अनु नोऽस्मिन्नन्न आभजस्वेति । ते वै माभिसंविशतेति । तथेति तं समन्तं परिण्यविशन्त । तस्माद्यदनेनान्नमत्ति तेनैतास्तृप्यन्ति । एवं ह वा एनं स्वा अभिसंविशन्ति भर्ता स्वानां श्रेष्ठः पुरएता भवत्यन्नादोऽधिपतिर्य एवं वेद । य उ हैवंविदं स्वेषु प्रतिर्बुभूषति न हैवालं भार्येभ्यो भवति । अथ य एवैतमनुभवति यो वैतमनु भार्यान् बुभूर्षति स हैवालं भार्येभ्यो भवति
te devā abruvan | etāvadvā idaṃ sarvaṃ yadannam | tadātmana āgāsīḥ | anu no'sminnanna ābhajasveti | te vai mābhisaṃviśateti | tatheti taṃ samantaṃ pariṇyaviśanta | tasmādyadanenānnamatti tenaitāstṛpyanti | evaṃ ha vā enaṃ svā abhisaṃviśanti bhartā svānāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ puraetā bhavatyannādo'dhipatirya evaṃ veda | ya u haivaṃvidaṃ sveṣu pratirbubhūṣati na haivālaṃ bhāryebhyo bhavati | atha ya evaitamanubhavati yo vaitamanu bhāryān bubhūrṣati sa haivālaṃ bhāryebhyo bhavati
The devas said, 'All this is only so much as food, and you have sung it for yourself. Give us a share in this food.' It said, 'Then enter into me from all sides.' They agreed and entered into it from every side. So whatever food one eats through the breath satisfies these senses too. In the same way his own people gather around the one who knows this; he becomes their support, their foremost and their leader, an eater of food and a master. Whoever among his own sets himself against such a knower cannot support his dependants. But whoever follows him, or wishes to support his dependants under him, is able to support them.
सोऽयास्य आङ्गिरसोऽङ्गानां हि रसः । प्राणो वा अङ्गानां रसः । प्राणो हि वा अङ्गानां रसः । तस्माद्यस्मात्कस्माच्चाङ्गात्प्राण उत्क्रामति तदेव तच्छुष्यति । एष हि वा अङ्गानां रसः
so'yāsya āṅgiraso'ṅgānāṃ hi rasaḥ | prāṇo vā aṅgānāṃ rasaḥ | prāṇo hi vā aṅgānāṃ rasaḥ | tasmādyasmātkasmāccāṅgātprāṇa utkrāmati tadeva tacchuṣyati | eṣa hi vā aṅgānāṃ rasaḥ
It is Ayasya Angirasa, for it is the rasa, the vital sap, of the limbs. Prana is indeed the sap of the limbs. That is why whatever limb the breath departs from, that limb withers. It is surely the sap of the limbs.
eṣa u eva sāma | vāgvai sāmaiṣa sā cāmaśceti tatsāmnaḥ sāmatvam | yadveva samaḥ pluṣiṇā samo maśakena samo nāgena sama ebhistribhirlokaiḥ samo'nena sarveṇa tasmādveva sāma | aśnute sāmnaḥ sāyujyaṃ salokatām | ya evametatsāma veda
It is also the Saman. Speech is sa, the feminine, and this breath is ama, the masculine; together they make saman. Or it is called saman because it is equal (sama): equal to a gnat, equal to a mosquito, equal to an elephant, equal to these three worlds, equal to this whole universe. Whoever knows the Saman so gains union with the Saman and dwells in its world.
तद्धापि ब्रह्मदत्तश्चैकितानेयो राजानं भक्षयन्नुवाच । अयं त्यस्य राजा मूर्धानं विपातयताद्यदितोऽयास्य आङ्गिरसोऽन्येनोदगायदिति । वाचा च ह्येव स प्राणेन चोदगायदिति
taddhāpi brahmadattaścaikitāneyo rājānaṃ bhakṣayannuvāca | ayaṃ tyasya rājā mūrdhānaṃ vipātayatādyadito'yāsya āṅgiraso'nyenodagāyaditi | vācā ca hyeva sa prāṇena codagāyaditi
On this Brahmadatta Chaikitaneya, while drinking the Soma, said: 'May this king Soma strike off my head if Ayasya Angirasa chanted the Udgitha with anything other than this.' For he chanted with speech and with breath.
tasya haitasya sāmno yaḥ svaṃ veda bhavati hāsya svam | tasya vai svara eva svam | tasmādārtvijyaṃ kariṣyan vāci svaramiccheta | tayā vācā svarasampannayārtvijyaṃ kuryāt | tasmādyajñe svaravantaṃ didṛkṣanta eva | atho yasya svaṃ bhavati | bhavati hāsya svaṃ ya evametatsāmnaḥ svaṃ veda
Whoever knows the wealth of this Saman gains wealth. Its tone (svara) is its wealth (sva). So one who is to act as a priest should wish for a good tone in his voice and perform the priestly work with a voice rich in tone. That is why at a sacrifice people long to see a priest with a fine voice, as one who has wealth. Whoever knows the wealth of the Saman so gains wealth.
तस्य हैतस्य साम्नो यः प्रतिष्ठां वेद प्रति ह तिष्ठति । तस्य वै वागेव प्रतिष्ठा । वाचि हि खल्वेष एतत्प्राणः प्रतिष्ठितो गीयते । अन्न इत्यु हैक आहुः
tasya haitasya sāmno yaḥ pratiṣṭhāṃ veda prati ha tiṣṭhati | tasya vai vāgeva pratiṣṭhā | vāci hi khalveṣa etatprāṇaḥ pratiṣṭhito gīyate | anna ityu haika āhuḥ
Whoever knows the support of this Saman stands firm. Speech is its support, for resting on speech this breath is sung. Some say its support is food.
अथातः पवमानानामेवाभ्यारोहः । स वै खलु प्रस्तोता साम प्रस्तौति । स यत्र प्रस्तुयात्तदेतानि जपेत् । असतो मा सद्गमय, तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय, मृत्योर्मामृतं गमयेति । स यदाहासतो मा सद्गमयेति । मृत्युर्वा असत्सदमृतं मृत्योर्मामृतं गमयामृतं मा कुर्वित्येवैतदाह । तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमयेति । मृत्युर्वै तमो ज्योतिरमृतं मृत्योर्मामृतं गमयामृतं मा कुर्वित्येवैतदाह । मृत्योर्मामृतं गमयेति । नात्र तिरोहितमिवास्ति । अथ यानीतराणि स्तोत्राणि तेष्वात्मनेऽन्नाद्यमागायेत् । तस्मादु तेषु वरं वृणीत । यं कामं कामयेत्तम् । स एष एवंविदुद्गातात्मने वा यजमानाय वा यं कामं कामयते तमागायति । तद्धैतल्लोकजिदेव । न हैवालोक्यताया आशास्ति य एवमेतत्साम वेद
athātaḥ pavamānānāmevābhyārohaḥ | sa vai khalu prastotā sāma prastauti | sa yatra prastuyāttadetāni japet | asato mā sadgamaya, tamaso mā jyotirgamaya, mṛtyormāmṛtaṃ gamayeti | sa yadāhāsato mā sadgamayeti | mṛtyurvā asatsadamṛtaṃ mṛtyormāmṛtaṃ gamayāmṛtaṃ mā kurvityevaitadāha | tamaso mā jyotirgamayeti | mṛtyurvai tamo jyotiramṛtaṃ mṛtyormāmṛtaṃ gamayāmṛtaṃ mā kurvityevaitadāha | mṛtyormāmṛtaṃ gamayeti | nātra tirohitamivāsti | atha yānītarāṇi stotrāṇi teṣvātmane'nnādyamāgāyet | tasmādu teṣu varaṃ vṛṇīta | yaṃ kāmaṃ kāmayettam | sa eṣa evaṃvidudgātātmane vā yajamānāya vā yaṃ kāmaṃ kāmayate tamāgāyati | taddhaitallokajideva | na haivālokyatāyā āśāsti ya evametatsāma veda
As the Prastotri priest begins the Saman, the sacrificer should recite: 'Lead me from the unreal to the real; lead me from darkness to light; lead me from death to immortality.' In the first, the unreal is death and the real is immortality, so he means 'make me immortal'. In the second, darkness is death and light is immortality, and he means the same. In the third nothing is hidden. In the remaining hymns the chanter may sing food for himself and any boon he wishes; such a knowing Udgatri wins by his chant whatever he desires, for himself or for the sacrificer. This knowledge wins worlds, and whoever knows the Saman so need not fear being without a world.
(puruṣavidhabrāhmaṇam /ātmabrāhmaṇam /sṛṣṭibrāhmaṇam ) ātmaivedamagra āsītpuruṣavidhaḥ | so'nuvīkṣya nānyadātmano'paśyat | so'hamasmītyagre vyāharat | tato'haṃnāmābhavat | tasmādapyetarhyāmantrito'hamayamityevāgra uktvāthānyannāma prabrūte yadasya bhavati | sa yatpūrvo'smātsarvasmātsarvān pāpmana auṣattasmātpuruṣaḥ | oṣati ha vai sa taṃ yo'smātpūrvo bubhūṣati ya evaṃ veda
In the beginning this world was the Self alone, in the form of a person. Looking around, he saw nothing other than himself. He first said, 'I am', and so the name 'I' arose. That is why even now, when a person is addressed, he first says 'It is I' and then gives whatever other name he has. Because before all this he burned up (aushat) all evils, he is called Purusha. Whoever knows this burns up anyone who wishes to be ahead of him.
He was afraid; that is why one who is alone is afraid. Then he reflected, 'Since there is nothing other than me, what am I afraid of?' At that his fear departed. For what should he fear? Fear arises only from a second.
स वै नैव रेमे । तस्मादेकाकी न रमते । स द्वितीयमैच्छत् । स हैतावानास यथा स्त्रीपुमांसौ सम्परिष्वक्तौ । स इममेवात्मानं द्वेधापातयत् । ततः पतिश्च पत्नी चाभवताम् । तस्मादिदमर्धबृगलमिव स्व इति ह स्माह याज्ञवल्क्यः । तस्मादयमाकाशः स्त्रिया पूर्यत एव । तां समभवत् । ततो मनुष्या अजायन्त
sa vai naiva reme | tasmādekākī na ramate | sa dvitīyamaicchat | sa haitāvānāsa yathā strīpumāṃsau sampariṣvaktau | sa imamevātmānaṃ dvedhāpātayat | tataḥ patiśca patnī cābhavatām | tasmādidamardhabṛgalamiva sva iti ha smāha yājñavalkyaḥ | tasmādayamākāśaḥ striyā pūryata eva | tāṃ samabhavat | tato manuṣyā ajāyanta
He found no delight; that is why one who is alone finds no delight. He longed for a second. He was as large as a man and a woman in close embrace. He divided this very self into two, and from that came husband and wife. Therefore, as Yajnavalkya used to say, each of us by oneself is like half of a split pea. So this space is filled by the wife. He united with her, and from that human beings were born.
She reflected, 'How can he unite with me after producing me from himself? Let me hide.' She became a cow, he a bull; he united with her, and cattle were born. She became a mare, he a stallion; she a she-ass, he an ass; he united with her, and the one-hoofed animals were born. She became a she-goat, he a he-goat; she a ewe, he a ram; he united with her, and goats and sheep were born. So he brought forth every pair there is, down to the ants.
Then he rubbed back and forth like this, and from his mouth as from a fire-hearth, and from his hands, he brought forth fire. That is why both these are hairless on the inside. When people say, 'Worship this deva, worship that deva', each is only his own creation, for he himself is all the devas. Whatever is moist he created from seed, and that is Soma. All this is just food and the eater of food: Soma is food, Agni the eater. This is the higher creation of Brahma, for he created the devas, who are greater than himself, and though mortal he created the immortals. Whoever knows this comes to be in that higher creation.
तद्धेदं तर्ह्यव्याकृतमासीत् । तन्नामरूपाभ्यामेव व्याक्रियतासौ नामायमिदंरूप इति । तदिदमप्येतर्हि नामरूपाभ्यामेव व्याक्रियत असौ नामायमिदंरूप इति । स एष इह प्रविष्ट आ नखाग्रेभ्यो यथा क्षुरः क्षुरधानेऽवहितः स्याद्विश्वम्भरो वा विश्वम्भरकुलाये । तं न पश्यन्ति । अकृत्स्नो हि सः प्राणन्नेव प्राणो नाम भवति । वदन् वाक्पश्यंश्चक्षुः शृण्वञ्छ्रोत्रं मन्वानो मनः । तान्यस्यैतानि कर्मनामान्येव । स योऽत एकैकमुपास्ते न स वेद । अकृत्स्नो ह्येषोऽत एकैकेन भवति । आत्मेत्येवोपासीत । अत्र ह्येते सर्व एकं भवन्ति । तदेतत्पदनीयमस्य सर्वस्य यदयमात्मा । अनेन ह्येतत्सर्वं वेद । यथा ह वै पदेनानुविन्देदेवं कीर्तिं श्लोकं विन्दते य एवं वेद
taddhedaṃ tarhyavyākṛtamāsīt | tannāmarūpābhyāmeva vyākriyatāsau nāmāyamidaṃrūpa iti | tadidamapyetarhi nāmarūpābhyāmeva vyākriyata asau nāmāyamidaṃrūpa iti | sa eṣa iha praviṣṭa ā nakhāgrebhyo yathā kṣuraḥ kṣuradhāne'vahitaḥ syādviśvambharo vā viśvambharakulāye | taṃ na paśyanti | akṛtsno hi saḥ prāṇanneva prāṇo nāma bhavati | vadan vākpaśyaṃścakṣuḥ śṛṇvañchrotraṃ manvāno manaḥ | tānyasyaitāni karmanāmānyeva | sa yo'ta ekaikamupāste na sa veda | akṛtsno hyeṣo'ta ekaikena bhavati | ātmetyevopāsīta | atra hyete sarva ekaṃ bhavanti | tadetatpadanīyamasya sarvasya yadayamātmā | anena hyetatsarvaṃ veda | yathā ha vai padenānuvindedevaṃ kīrtiṃ ślokaṃ vindate ya evaṃ veda
At that time this world was undifferentiated. It became differentiated by name and form, and so it is even now. The Self has entered here up to the fingertips, like a razor in its case. Seen in parts he is incomplete, so people do not see him. Breathing he is called breath, speaking speech, seeing the eye, hearing the ear, thinking the mind. These are only names of his acts. Whoever worships one of these does not know, for in each he is incomplete. One should worship him as the Self, for in it all these become one. By the Self one knows all this, as one tracks a lost animal by its footprints. Whoever knows this finds fame and praise.
तदेतत्प्रेयः पुत्रात्प्रेयो वित्तात्प्रेयोऽन्यस्मात्सर्वस्मादन्तरतरं यदयमात्मा । स योऽन्यमात्मनः प्रियं ब्रुवाणं ब्रूयात्प्रियं रोत्स्यतीतीश्वरो ह तथैव स्यात् । आत्मानमेव प्रियमुपासीत । स य आत्मानमेव प्रियमुपास्ते न हास्य प्रियं प्रमायुकं भवति
tadetatpreyaḥ putrātpreyo vittātpreyo'nyasmātsarvasmādantarataraṃ yadayamātmā | sa yo'nyamātmanaḥ priyaṃ bruvāṇaṃ brūyātpriyaṃ rotsyatītīśvaro ha tathaiva syāt | ātmānameva priyamupāsīta | sa ya ātmānameva priyamupāste na hāsya priyaṃ pramāyukaṃ bhavati
This Self is dearer than a son, dearer than wealth, dearer than all else, for it is innermost. If someone holds something other than the Self as dear, and another tells him, 'What you hold dear will perish', that may well happen. One should worship the Self alone as dear. For whoever worships the Self alone as dear, what he holds dear does not perish.
ब्रह्म वा इदमग्र आसीत् । तदात्मानमेवावेत् । अहं ब्रह्मास्मीति । तस्मात्तत्सर्वमभवत् । तद्यो यो देवानां प्रत्यबुध्यत स एव तदभवत् । तथर्षीनाम् । तथा मनुष्याणाम् । तद्धैतत्पश्यन्नृषिर्वामदेवः प्रतिपेदेऽहं मनुरभवं सूर्यश्चेति । तदिदमप्येतर्हि य एवं वेदाहं ब्रह्मास्मीति स इदं सर्वं भवति । तस्य ह न देवाश्चनाभूत्या ईशते । आत्मा ह्येषां स भवति । अथ योऽन्यां देवतामुपास्तेऽन्योऽसावन्योऽहमस्मीति न स वेद । यथा पशुरेवं स देवानाम् । यथा ह वै बहवः पशवो मनुष्यं भुञ्ज्युरेवमेकैकः पुरुषो देवान् भुनक्ति । एकस्मिन्नेव पशावादीयमानेऽप्रियं भवति किमु बहुषु । तस्मादेषां तन्न प्रियं यदेतन्मनुष्या विद्युः
brahma vā idamagra āsīt | tadātmānamevāvet | ahaṃ brahmāsmīti | tasmāttatsarvamabhavat | tadyo yo devānāṃ pratyabudhyata sa eva tadabhavat | tatharṣīnām | tathā manuṣyāṇām | taddhaitatpaśyannṛṣirvāmadevaḥ pratipede'haṃ manurabhavaṃ sūryaśceti | tadidamapyetarhi ya evaṃ vedāhaṃ brahmāsmīti sa idaṃ sarvaṃ bhavati | tasya ha na devāścanābhūtyā īśate | ātmā hyeṣāṃ sa bhavati | atha yo'nyāṃ devatāmupāste'nyo'sāvanyo'hamasmīti na sa veda | yathā paśurevaṃ sa devānām | yathā ha vai bahavaḥ paśavo manuṣyaṃ bhuñjyurevamekaikaḥ puruṣo devān bhunakti | ekasminneva paśāvādīyamāne'priyaṃ bhavati kimu bahuṣu | tasmādeṣāṃ tanna priyaṃ yadetanmanuṣyā vidyuḥ
In the beginning this was Brahman. It knew only itself: 'I am Brahman.' Therefore it became all. Whoever among devas, rishis or men awoke to this became that. Seeing this, the rishi Vamadeva declared, 'I was Manu, and I was the sun.' Even now, whoever knows 'I am Brahman' becomes all this; not even the devas can prevent it, for he becomes their Self. But whoever worships another deity, thinking 'He is one and I am another', does not know; he is like a domestic animal to the devas. As many animals serve a man, so each man serves the devas. Losing even one animal is unpleasant, how much more many. So it does not please the devas that men should know this.
In the beginning this was Brahman, one only. Being one, it did not flourish. It brought forth a higher form, the Kshatra, ruling power: the rulers among the devas, Indra, Varuna, Soma, Rudra, Parjanya, Yama, Mrityu and Ishana. So there is nothing higher than the Kshatra, and at the Rajasuya the Brahmana sits below the Kshatriya and honours him, bestowing that glory on the Kshatra. Yet Brahman is the source of the Kshatra. So though a king rises to the highest place, in the end he rests on Brahman as his source. Whoever harms it strikes at his own source and becomes the more sinful, as one who harms a superior.
स नैव व्यभवत् । स विशमसृजत । यान्येतानि देवजातानि गणश आख्यायन्ते वसवो रुद्रा आदित्या विश्वे देवा मरुत इति
sa naiva vyabhavat | sa viśamasṛjata | yānyetāni devajātāni gaṇaśa ākhyāyante vasavo rudrā ādityā viśve devā maruta iti
Still it did not flourish. It brought forth the Vish, the commonalty: those classes of devas named in groups, the Vasus, Rudras, Adityas, Vishvedevas and Maruts.
sa naiva vyabhavat | tacchreyo rūpamatyasṛjata dharmam | tadetatkṣatrasya kṣatraṃ yaddharmaḥ | tasmāddharmātparaṃ nāsti | atho abalīyān balīyāṃsamāśaṃsate dharmeṇa | yathā rājñaivam | yo vai sa dharmaḥ satyaṃ vai tat | tasmātsatyaṃ vadantamāhurdharmaṃ vadatīti | dharmaṃ vā vadantaṃ satyaṃ vadatīti | etaddhyevaitadubhayaṃ bhavati
Still it did not flourish. It brought forth a yet higher form, Dharma. Dharma is the ruler of the ruler, so there is nothing higher than Dharma. Through Dharma even a weak man prevails over a strong one, as if through a king. What is Dharma is truth. So of a man who speaks truth they say, 'He speaks Dharma', and of a man who speaks Dharma, 'He speaks truth.' Both are the same.
तदेतद्ब्रह्म क्षत्रं विट्शूद्रः । तदग्निनैव देवेषु ब्रह्माभवद्ब्राह्मणो मनुष्येषु, क्षत्रियेण क्षत्रियः, वैश्येन वैश्यः, शूद्रेण शूद्रः । तस्मादग्नावेव देवेषु लोकमिच्छन्ते ब्राह्मणे मनुष्येषु । एताभ्यां हि रूपाभ्यां ब्रह्माभवत् । अथ यो ह वा अस्माल्लोकात्स्वं लोकमदृष्ट्वा प्रैति स एनमविदितो न भुनक्ति यथा वेदो वाननूक्तोऽन्यद्वा कर्माकृतम् । यदि ह वा अप्यनेवंविन्महत्पुण्यं कर्म करोति तद्धास्यान्ततः क्षीयत एव । आत्मानमेव लोकमुपासीत । स य आत्मानमेव लोकमुपास्ते न हास्य कर्म क्षीयते । अस्माद्ध्येवात्मनो यद्यत्कामयते तत्तत्सृजते
tadetadbrahma kṣatraṃ viṭśūdraḥ | tadagninaiva deveṣu brahmābhavadbrāhmaṇo manuṣyeṣu, kṣatriyeṇa kṣatriyaḥ, vaiśyena vaiśyaḥ, śūdreṇa śūdraḥ | tasmādagnāveva deveṣu lokamicchante brāhmaṇe manuṣyeṣu | etābhyāṃ hi rūpābhyāṃ brahmābhavat | atha yo ha vā asmāllokātsvaṃ lokamadṛṣṭvā praiti sa enamavidito na bhunakti yathā vedo vānanūkto'nyadvā karmākṛtam | yadi ha vā apyanevaṃvinmahatpuṇyaṃ karma karoti taddhāsyāntataḥ kṣīyata eva | ātmānameva lokamupāsīta | sa ya ātmānameva lokamupāste na hāsya karma kṣīyate | asmāddhyevātmano yadyatkāmayate tattatsṛjate
So there are Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra. Among the devas Brahman became the Brahmana as Agni, among men as the Brahmana; and likewise the Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra. So people seek a world among the devas in Agni and among men in the Brahmana, for in these two forms Brahman appeared. But whoever departs without having seen his own world, the Self, gains nothing from it, like a Veda unrecited or a deed undone. Even great meritorious work by one who does not know this is exhausted in the end. One should worship the Self alone as one's world. His work is never exhausted, for from this Self he brings forth whatever he desires.
atho ayaṃ vā ātmā sarveṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ lokaḥ | sa yajjuhoti yadyajate tena devānāṃ lokaḥ | atha yadanubrūte tena ṛṣīṇām | atha yatpitṛbhyo nipṛṇāti yatprajāmicchate tena pitṝṇām | atha yanmanuṣyān vāsayate yadebhyo'śanaṃ dadāti tena manuṣyāṇām | atha yatpaśubhyastṛṇodakaṃ vindati tena paśūnām | yadasya gṛheṣu śvāpadā vayāṃsyā pipīlikābhya upajīvanti tena teṣāṃ lokaḥ | yathā ha vai svāya lokāyāriṣṭimicchet | evaṃ haivaṃvide sarvadā sarvāṇi bhūtānyariṣṭimicchanti | tadvā etadviditaṃ mīmāṃsitam
This Self is a world for all beings. Through the offerings he pours into the fire and his sacrifices he is a world for the devas; through his recitation of the Veda, for the rishis; through what he offers to the ancestors and his desire for offspring, for the Pitris; through giving men shelter and food, for men; through finding grass and water for animals, for animals; and the beasts, birds and creatures down to ants that live in his house find a world in him. As a man wishes safety for his own world, so all beings always wish safety for one who knows this. This has been known and examined.
आत्मैवेदमग्र आसीदेक एव । सोऽकामयत जाया मे स्यादथ प्रजायेय । अथ वित्तं मे स्यादथ कर्म कुर्वीयेति । एतावान् वै कामः । नेच्छंश्चनातो भूयो विन्देत् । तस्मादप्येतर्ह्येकाकी कामयते जाया मे स्यादथ प्रजायेयाथ वित्तं मे स्यादथ कर्म कुर्वीयेति । स यावदप्येतेषामेकैकं न प्राप्नोत्यकृत्स्न एव तावन्मन्यते । तस्यो कृत्स्नता । मन एवास्यात्मा । वाग्जाया । प्राणः प्रजा । चक्षुर्मानुषं वित्तम् । चक्षुषा हि तद्विन्दते । श्रोत्रं दैवम् । श्रोत्रेण हि तच्छृणोति । आत्मैवास्य कर्म । आत्मना हि कर्म करोति । स एष पाङ्क्तो यज्ञः । पाङ्क्तः पशुः । पाङ्क्तः पुरुषः । पाङ्क्तमिदं सर्वं यदिदं किञ्च । तदिदं सर्वमाप्नोति य एवं वेद
ātmaivedamagra āsīdeka eva | so'kāmayata jāyā me syādatha prajāyeya | atha vittaṃ me syādatha karma kurvīyeti | etāvān vai kāmaḥ | necchaṃścanāto bhūyo vindet | tasmādapyetarhyekākī kāmayate jāyā me syādatha prajāyeyātha vittaṃ me syādatha karma kurvīyeti | sa yāvadapyeteṣāmekaikaṃ na prāpnotyakṛtsna eva tāvanmanyate | tasyo kṛtsnatā | mana evāsyātmā | vāgjāyā | prāṇaḥ prajā | cakṣurmānuṣaṃ vittam | cakṣuṣā hi tadvindate | śrotraṃ daivam | śrotreṇa hi tacchṛṇoti | ātmaivāsya karma | ātmanā hi karma karoti | sa eṣa pāṅkto yajñaḥ | pāṅktaḥ paśuḥ | pāṅktaḥ puruṣaḥ | pāṅktamidaṃ sarvaṃ yadidaṃ kiñca | tadidaṃ sarvamāpnoti ya evaṃ veda
In the beginning this was the Self alone. He desired, 'Let me have a wife, so that I may have offspring; let me have wealth, so that I may perform rites.' That is the whole of desire. So even now a man alone desires these, and until he gains each he thinks himself incomplete. His completeness is this: mind is his self, speech his wife, breath his offspring, the eye his human wealth, for by the eye he finds it, the ear his divine wealth, for by the ear he hears it, and the body his rite, for by it he acts. So the sacrifice is fivefold, the animal fivefold, man fivefold, all that exists fivefold. Whoever knows this gains all this.
(सप्तान्नब्राह्मणं वा संवर्गविद्याब्राह्मणम्) यत्सप्तान्नानि मेधया तपसाजनयत्पिता । एकमस्य साधारणं द्वे देवानभाजयत् । त्रीण्यात्मनेऽकुरुत पशुभ्य एकं प्रायच्छत् । तस्मिन् सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितं यच्च प्राणिति यच्च न । कस्मात्तानि न क्षीयन्ते अद्यमानानि सर्वदा । यो वै तामक्षितिं वेद सोऽन्नमत्ति प्रतीकेन । स देवानपिगच्छति स ऊऋजमुपजीवति । इति श्लोकाः
(saptānnabrāhmaṇaṃ vā saṃvargavidyābrāhmaṇam) yatsaptānnāni medhayā tapasājanayatpitā | ekamasya sādhāraṇaṃ dve devānabhājayat | trīṇyātmane'kuruta paśubhya ekaṃ prāyacchat | tasmin sarvaṃ pratiṣṭhitaṃ yacca prāṇiti yacca na | kasmāttāni na kṣīyante adyamānāni sarvadā | yo vai tāmakṣitiṃ veda so'nnamatti pratīkena | sa devānapigacchati sa ūṛjamupajīvati | iti ślokāḥ
These are the verses: 'When the Father brought forth seven kinds of food by wisdom and tapas, one he made common to all, two he gave to the devas, three he kept for himself, and one he gave to the animals. On that rests everything, whatever breathes and whatever does not. Why are they never exhausted, though eaten all the time? Whoever knows this imperishability eats food with his mouth. He goes to the devas and lives on vigour.'
यत्सप्तान्नानि मेधया तपसाजनयत्पितेति । मेधया हि तपसाजनयत्पितैकमस्य साधारणमिति । इदमेवास्य तत्साधारणमन्नं यदिदमद्यते । स य एतदुपास्ते न स पाप्मनो व्यावर्तते । मिश्रं ह्येतत् । द्वे देवानभाजयदिति । हुतं च प्रहुतं च । तस्माद्देवेभ्यो जुह्वति च प्र च जुह्वति । अथो आहुर्दर्शपूर्णमासाविति । तस्मान्नेष्टियाजुकः स्यात् । पशुभ्य एकं प्रायच्छदिति । तत्पयः । पयो ह्येवाग्रे मनुष्याश्च पशवश्चोपजीवन्ति । तस्मात्कुमारं जातं घृतं वैवाग्रे प्रतिलेहयन्ति स्तनं वानुधापयन्ति । अथ वत्सं जातमाहुस्तृणादिति । तस्मिन् सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितं यच्च प्राणिति यच्च नेति । पयसि हीदं सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितं यच्च प्राणिति यच्च न । तद्यदिदमाहुः संवत्सरं पयसा जुह्वदप पुनर्मृत्युं जयतीति । न तथा विद्यात् । यदहरेव जुहोति तदहः पुनर्मृत्युमपजयत्येवं विद्वान् । सर्वं हि देवेभ्योऽन्नाद्यं प्रयच्छति । कस्मात्तानि न क्षीयन्ते अद्यमानानि सर्वदेति । पुरुषो वा अक्षितिः । स हीदमन्नं पुनः पुनर्जनयते । यो वैतामक्षितिं वेदेति । पुरुषो वा अक्षितिः । स हीदमन्नं धियाधिया जनयते कर्मभिः । यद्धैतन्न कुर्यात्क्षीयेत ह । सोऽन्नमत्ति प्रतीकेनेति । मुखं प्रतीकं मुखेनेत्येतत् । स देवानपिगच्छति स ऊर्जमुपजीवतीति प्रशंसा
yatsaptānnāni medhayā tapasājanayatpiteti | medhayā hi tapasājanayatpitaikamasya sādhāraṇamiti | idamevāsya tatsādhāraṇamannaṃ yadidamadyate | sa ya etadupāste na sa pāpmano vyāvartate | miśraṃ hyetat | dve devānabhājayaditi | hutaṃ ca prahutaṃ ca | tasmāddevebhyo juhvati ca pra ca juhvati | atho āhurdarśapūrṇamāsāviti | tasmānneṣṭiyājukaḥ syāt | paśubhya ekaṃ prāyacchaditi | tatpayaḥ | payo hyevāgre manuṣyāśca paśavaścopajīvanti | tasmātkumāraṃ jātaṃ ghṛtaṃ vaivāgre pratilehayanti stanaṃ vānudhāpayanti | atha vatsaṃ jātamāhustṛṇāditi | tasmin sarvaṃ pratiṣṭhitaṃ yacca prāṇiti yacca neti | payasi hīdaṃ sarvaṃ pratiṣṭhitaṃ yacca prāṇiti yacca na | tadyadidamāhuḥ saṃvatsaraṃ payasā juhvadapa punarmṛtyuṃ jayatīti | na tathā vidyāt | yadahareva juhoti tadahaḥ punarmṛtyumapajayatyevaṃ vidvān | sarvaṃ hi devebhyo'nnādyaṃ prayacchati | kasmāttāni na kṣīyante adyamānāni sarvadeti | puruṣo vā akṣitiḥ | sa hīdamannaṃ punaḥ punarjanayate | yo vaitāmakṣitiṃ vedeti | puruṣo vā akṣitiḥ | sa hīdamannaṃ dhiyādhiyā janayate karmabhiḥ | yaddhaitanna kuryātkṣīyeta ha | so'nnamatti pratīkeneti | mukhaṃ pratīkaṃ mukhenetyetat | sa devānapigacchati sa ūrjamupajīvatīti praśaṃsā
'One common': the food all eat. Whoever worships only this is not freed from evil, for it is mixed. 'Two he gave to the devas': the offering poured and the offering presented; some say the new-moon and full-moon rites. 'One he gave to the animals': milk, on which men and beasts first live; so a newborn is first given ghee or the breast, and a newborn calf is called 'not yet a grass-eater'. All rests on milk. People say that offering milk for a year overcomes repeated death; not so: the knower overcomes it the very day he offers. The foods are never exhausted because the person is imperishable, producing food again and again by thought and act.
trīṇyātmane'kuruteti mano vācaṃ prāṇaṃ tānyātmane'kuruta | anyatramanā abhūvaṃ nādarśamanyatramanā abhūvaṃ nāśrauṣamiti manasā hyeva paśyati manasā śṛṇoti | kāmaḥ saṃkalpo vicikitsā śraddhāśraddhā dhṛtiradhṛtirhrīrdhīrbhīrityetatsarvaṃ mana eva | tasmādapi pṛṣṭhata upaspṛṣṭo manasā vijānāti | yaḥ kaśca śabdo vāgeva sā | eṣā hyantaṃ āyattaiṣā hi na | prāṇo'pāno vyāna udānaḥ samāno'na ityetatsarvaṃ prāṇa eva | etanmayo vā ayamātmā | vāṅmayo manomayaḥ prāṇamayaḥ
'Three he kept for himself': mind, speech and breath. People say, 'My mind was elsewhere, I did not see; my mind was elsewhere, I did not hear', for one sees with the mind and hears with the mind. Desire, resolve, doubt, faith and lack of faith, steadiness and unsteadiness, shame, understanding and fear: all this is mind. So even when touched from behind, one knows it by the mind. Every sound is speech, for speech serves to reveal a thing but is not itself revealed by another. Prana, apana, vyana, udana, samana and ana: all these are breath. This self is made of these: made of speech, of mind, of breath.
These same three are what is known, what is to be known and what is unknown. Whatever is known is a form of speech, for speech is the known. Speech, becoming that, protects him who knows this.
athaitasya manaso dyauḥ śarīram | jyotīrūpamasāvādityaḥ | tadyāvadeva manastāvatī dyaustāvānasāvādityaḥ | tau mithunaṃ samaitām | tataḥ prāṇo'jāyata | sa indraḥ | sa eṣo'sapatnaḥ | dvitīyo vai sapatnaḥ | nāsya sapatno bhavati ya evaṃ veda
Heaven is the body of this mind, and yonder sun its luminous form. As far as mind extends, so far extends heaven, so far the sun. These two united, and from them breath was born. He is Indra, and he has no rival, for a rival is a second. Whoever knows this has no rival.
अथैतस्य प्राणस्यापः शरीरम् । ज्योतीरूपमसौ चन्द्रः । तद्यावानेव प्राणस्तावत्य आपस्तावानसौ चन्द्रः । त एते सर्व एव समाः सर्वेऽनन्ताः । स यो हैतानन्तवत उपास्तेऽन्तवन्तं स लोकं जयति । अथ यो हैताननन्तानुपास्तेऽनन्तं स लोकं जयति
athaitasya prāṇasyāpaḥ śarīram | jyotīrūpamasau candraḥ | tadyāvāneva prāṇastāvatya āpastāvānasau candraḥ | ta ete sarva eva samāḥ sarve'nantāḥ | sa yo haitānantavata upāste'ntavantaṃ sa lokaṃ jayati | atha yo haitānanantānupāste'nantaṃ sa lokaṃ jayati
Water is the body of this breath, and yonder moon its luminous form. As far as breath extends, so far extend the waters, so far the moon. All these are equal and all are endless. Whoever worships them as finite wins a finite world; whoever worships them as endless wins an endless world.
स एष संवत्सरः प्रजापतिष्षोडशकलः । तस्य रात्रय एव पञ्चदश कला । ध्रुवैवास्य षोडशी कला । स रात्रिभिरेवा च पूर्यतेऽप च क्षीयते । सोऽमावास्यां रात्रिमेतया षोडश्या कलया सर्वमिदं प्राणभृदनुप्रविश्य ततः प्रातर्जायते । तस्मादेतां रात्रिं प्राणभृतः प्राणं न विच्छिन्द्यादपि कृकलासस्यैतस्या एव देवताया अपचित्यै
sa eṣa saṃvatsaraḥ prajāpatiṣṣoḍaśakalaḥ | tasya rātraya eva pañcadaśa kalā | dhruvaivāsya ṣoḍaśī kalā | sa rātribhirevā ca pūryate'pa ca kṣīyate | so'māvāsyāṃ rātrimetayā ṣoḍaśyā kalayā sarvamidaṃ prāṇabhṛdanupraviśya tataḥ prātarjāyate | tasmādetāṃ rātriṃ prāṇabhṛtaḥ prāṇaṃ na vicchindyādapi kṛkalāsasyaitasyā eva devatāyā apacityai
This Prajapati is the year, with sixteen parts. The nights are fifteen of his parts; the sixteenth part is constant. He waxes and wanes with the nights. On the new-moon night he enters with that sixteenth part into everything that breathes, and from there he is born again in the morning. So on that night one should not take the life of any breathing creature, not even a lizard, in honour of this deity.
यो वै स संवत्सरः प्रजापतिः षोडशकलोऽयमेव स योऽयमेवंवित्पुरुषः । तस्य वित्तमेव पञ्चदश कलाः । आत्मैवास्य षोडशी कला । स वित्तेनैवा च पूर्यतेऽप च क्षीयते । तदेतन्नभ्यं यदयमात्मा । प्रधिर्वित्तम् । तस्माद्यद्यपि सर्वज्यानिं जीयत आत्मना चेज्जीवति प्रधिनागादित्येवाहुः
yo vai sa saṃvatsaraḥ prajāpatiḥ ṣoḍaśakalo'yameva sa yo'yamevaṃvitpuruṣaḥ | tasya vittameva pañcadaśa kalāḥ | ātmaivāsya ṣoḍaśī kalā | sa vittenaivā ca pūryate'pa ca kṣīyate | tadetannabhyaṃ yadayamātmā | pradhirvittam | tasmādyadyapi sarvajyāniṃ jīyata ātmanā cejjīvati pradhināgādityevāhuḥ
That Prajapati who is the year with sixteen parts is this very person who knows this. His wealth is the fifteen parts, and his Self the sixteenth. He waxes and wanes with wealth. The Self is the hub of the wheel and wealth the rim. So even if a man loses everything, if he lives on in himself, people say, 'He has lost only the rim.'
There are three worlds: the world of men, the world of the ancestors and the world of the devas. The world of men is to be won through a son alone, not by any other act; the world of the ancestors by rites; the world of the devas by knowledge. The world of the devas is the best of worlds, and so knowledge is praised.
अथातः सम्प्रत्तिः । यदा प्रैष्यन्मन्यतेऽथ पुत्रमाह त्वं ब्रह्म त्वं यज्ञस्त्वं लोक इति । स पुत्रः प्रत्याहाहं ब्रह्माहं यज्ञोऽहं लोक इति । यद्वै किञ्चानूक्तं तस्य सर्वस्य ब्रह्मेत्येकता । ये वै के च यज्ञास्तेषां सर्वेषां यज्ञ इत्येकता । ये वै के च लोकास्तेषां सर्वेषां लोक इत्येकता । एतावद्वा इदं सर्वम् । एतन्मा सर्वं सन्नयमितो भुनजदिति । तस्मात्पुत्रमनुशिष्टं लोक्यमाहुः । तस्मादेनमनुशासति । स यदैवंविदस्माल्लोकात्प्रैत्यथैभिरेव प्राणैः सह पुत्रमाविशति । स यद्यनेन किञ्चिदक्ष्णया कृतं भवति तस्मादेनं सर्वस्मात्पुत्रो मुञ्चति तस्मात्पुत्रो नाम । स पुत्रेणैवास्मिल्लोके प्रतितिष्ठति । अथैनमेते देवाः प्राणा अमृता आविशन्ति
athātaḥ samprattiḥ | yadā praiṣyanmanyate'tha putramāha tvaṃ brahma tvaṃ yajñastvaṃ loka iti | sa putraḥ pratyāhāhaṃ brahmāhaṃ yajño'haṃ loka iti | yadvai kiñcānūktaṃ tasya sarvasya brahmetyekatā | ye vai ke ca yajñāsteṣāṃ sarveṣāṃ yajña ityekatā | ye vai ke ca lokāsteṣāṃ sarveṣāṃ loka ityekatā | etāvadvā idaṃ sarvam | etanmā sarvaṃ sannayamito bhunajaditi | tasmātputramanuśiṣṭaṃ lokyamāhuḥ | tasmādenamanuśāsati | sa yadaivaṃvidasmāllokātpraityathaibhireva prāṇaiḥ saha putramāviśati | sa yadyanena kiñcidakṣṇayā kṛtaṃ bhavati tasmādenaṃ sarvasmātputro muñcati tasmātputro nāma | sa putreṇaivāsmilloke pratitiṣṭhati | athainamete devāḥ prāṇā amṛtā āviśanti
Next, the handing over. When a father thinks he is about to depart, he tells his son, 'You are Brahman, you are the sacrifice, you are the world.' The son replies, 'I am Brahman, I am the sacrifice, I am the world.' All that has been learnt is one in the word Brahman, all sacrifices in the word sacrifice, all worlds in the word world. The father thinks, 'Being all this, he will support me.' So an instructed son is said to secure the world. When such a father departs, he enters his son with his breaths. The son frees him from whatever wrong he did; hence he is putra. Through his son he stands firm here, and the divine, immortal breaths enter him.
अद्भ्यश्चैनं चन्द्रमसश्च दैवः प्राण आविशति । स वै दैवः प्राणो यः संचरंश्चासंचरंश्च न व्यथतेऽथो न रिष्यति । स एष एवंवित्सर्वेषां भूतानामात्मा भवति । यथैषा देवतैवं सः । यथैतां देवतां सर्वाणि भूतान्यवन्त्येवं हैवंविदं सर्वाणि भूतान्यवन्ति । यदु किञ्चेमाः प्रजाः शोचन्त्यमैवासां तद्भवति । पुण्यमेवामुं गच्छति । न ह वै देवान् पापं गच्छति
adbhyaścainaṃ candramasaśca daivaḥ prāṇa āviśati | sa vai daivaḥ prāṇo yaḥ saṃcaraṃścāsaṃcaraṃśca na vyathate'tho na riṣyati | sa eṣa evaṃvitsarveṣāṃ bhūtānāmātmā bhavati | yathaiṣā devataivaṃ saḥ | yathaitāṃ devatāṃ sarvāṇi bhūtānyavantyevaṃ haivaṃvidaṃ sarvāṇi bhūtānyavanti | yadu kiñcemāḥ prajāḥ śocantyamaivāsāṃ tadbhavati | puṇyamevāmuṃ gacchati | na ha vai devān pāpaṃ gacchati
From the waters and from the moon the divine breath enters him. That is the divine breath which, whether moving or still, is neither troubled nor harmed. One who knows this becomes the Self of all beings. As this deity is, so is he. As all beings honour this deity, so all beings honour the one who knows this. Whatever sorrow these creatures suffer stays with them; only merit goes to him, for evil never reaches the devas.
athāto vratamīmāṃsā | prajāpatirha karmāṇi sasṛje | tāni sṛṣṭānyanyo'nyenāspardhanta | vadiṣyāmyevāhamiti vāgdadhre | drakṣyāmyahamiti cakṣuḥ | śroṣyāmyahamiti śrotram | evamanyāni karmāṇi yathākarmam | tāni mṛtyuḥ śramo bhūtvopayeme | tānyāpnot | tānyāptvā mṛtyuravārundha | tasmācchrāmyatyeva vāk | śrāmyati cakṣuḥ | śrāmyati śrotram | athemameva nāpnotyo'yaṃ madhyamaḥ prāṇaḥ | tāni jñātuṃ dadhrire | ayaṃ vai naḥ śreṣṭho yaḥ saṃcaraṃścāsaṃcaraṃśca na vyathate'tho na riṣyati | hantāsyaiva sarve rūpaṃ bhavāmeti | ta etasyaiva sarve rūpamabhavan | tasmādeta etenākhyāyante prāṇā iti | tena ha vāva tatkulamācakṣate yasmin kule bhavati ya evaṃ veda | ya u haivaṃvidā spardhate'nuśuṣyati | anuśuṣya haivāntato mriyata ityadhyātmam
Next, a reflection on the vows. Prajapati created the functions, and they contended with one another. Speech vowed, 'I will speak'; the eye, 'I will see'; the ear, 'I will hear'; and so the others, each by its work. Death, as weariness, seized and held them back, so speech, eye and ear grow weary. But death did not overtake the middle breath. The others said, 'This is the best among us, which moving or still is neither troubled nor harmed. Come, we shall all become its form.' They did, and so they are called by its name, pranas. The family of one who knows this is called by his name, and whoever contends with him withers and at last dies. So much concerning the body.
अथाधिदेवतं ज्वलिष्याम्येवाहमित्यग्निर्दध्रे । तप्स्याम्यहमित्यादित्यः । भास्याम्यहमिति चन्द्रमाः । एवमन्या देवता यथादेवतम् । स यथैषां प्राणानां मध्यमः प्राण एवमेतासां देवतानां वायुः । म्लोचन्ति ह्यन्या देवता न वायुः । सैषानस्तमिता देवता यद्वायुः
Now concerning the deities. Fire vowed, 'I will burn'; the sun, 'I will give heat'; the moon, 'I will shine'; and the other deities each according to its nature. As the middle breath is among the senses, so is Vayu, the wind, among these deities. The other deities set, but not the wind. The wind is the deity that never sets.
There is this verse: 'From where the sun rises and where it sets.' It rises from breath and sets in breath. 'The devas made him their dharma; he is the same today and tomorrow.' What they undertook then, they do even today. So one should keep a single vow: breathe in and breathe out, lest evil, which is death, overtake him. And if he keeps it, he should seek to complete it. By that he wins union with this deity and dwells in its world.
This world is a triad: name, form and action. Of names, speech is the uktha, the source, for from it all names arise. It is their saman, for it is the same in all names. It is their brahman, for it supports all names.
Of forms, the eye is the uktha, for from it all forms arise. It is their saman, for it is the same in all forms. It is their brahman, for it supports all forms.
Of actions, the body is the uktha, for from it all actions arise. It is their saman, for it is the same in all actions. It is their brahman, for it supports all actions. These three together are one, this self; and the self, being one, is these three. This is the immortal, veiled by the real. Prana is the immortal; name and form are the real. By these two this prana is veiled.
