Section 1.5

1.5.1 These are the verses:

"The father brought forth seven foods through understanding and austerity.One of these he made common to all; two he allotted to the gods.Three he made for himself; one he gave to the animals.On that rests everything, whatever breathes and whatever does not.Why are they not exhausted, though they are always being eaten?Whoever knows this inexhaustibility eats food with the face.That person goes to the gods and lives upon sustaining power."

1.5.2 "The father brought forth seven foods through understanding and austerity": for through understanding and austerity the father brought them forth. "One of these he made common to all": this food that is eaten is what he made common to all. Whoever devotes themself to it does not turn away from evil, for it is shared with others. "Two he allotted to the gods": the offering poured into the fire and the offering set out. Therefore people pour offerings into the fire for the gods and set offerings out for them. Others say these are the new-moon and full-moon sacrifices. Therefore one should not make a practice of sacrifices for personal desires. "One he gave to the animals": that is milk. For at first human beings and animals alike live on milk. Therefore they first have a newborn child lick clarified butter, or put the child to the breast. And of a newborn calf they say, "It does not yet eat grass."

"On that rests everything, whatever breathes and whatever does not": for on milk rests all this, whatever breathes and whatever does not. People say, "By offering milk for a year, one conquers repeated death." One should not understand it that way. On the very day a person who knows this makes the offering, that person conquers repeated death, for they give all food to the gods to eat.

"Why are they not exhausted, though they are always being eaten?": the person is their inexhaustibility, for the person brings forth this food again and again. "Whoever knows this inexhaustibility": the person is their inexhaustibility, for through understanding, through acts, the person brings forth this food again and again. If one did not do this, it would be exhausted. "Eats food with the face": the face is the mouth; this means "with the mouth." "That person goes to the gods and lives upon sustaining power": this is praise.

1.5.3 "Three he made for himself": mind, speech, and breath—these he made for himself. "My mind was elsewhere; I did not see." "My mind was elsewhere; I did not hear." For through mind alone one sees, through mind one hears. Desire, resolve, doubt, faith, lack of faith, steadfastness, lack of steadfastness, shame, understanding, fear—all this is mind alone. Therefore, even when touched from behind, one recognizes it through mind. Whatever sound there is, it is speech. For speech discloses the meaning; it is not itself disclosed. The inward breath, the downward breath, the diffused breath, the upward breath, the balancing breath, and breathing—all this is breath alone. This self consists of these: it consists of speech, consists of mind, consists of breath.

1.5.4 These are the three worlds. Speech is this world, mind the world of midspace, breath that world above.

1.5.5 These are the three Vedas. Speech is the Rigveda, mind the Yajurveda, breath the Samaveda.

1.5.6 These are the gods, ancestors, and human beings. Speech is the gods, mind the ancestors, breath human beings.

1.5.7 These are father, mother, and offspring. Mind is the father, speech the mother, breath the offspring.

1.5.8 These are what is known, what is to be known, and what is unknown. Whatever is known is a form of speech, for speech is known. Having become that, speech protects this person.

1.5.9 Whatever is to be known is a form of mind, for mind is to be known. Having become that, mind protects this person.

1.5.10 Whatever is unknown is a form of breath, for breath is unknown. Having become that, breath protects this person.

1.5.11 Earth is the body of this speech; this fire is its luminous form. As far as speech extends, so far does earth extend, and so far does this fire extend.

1.5.12 Heaven is the body of this mind; that sun is its luminous form. As far as mind extends, so far does heaven extend, and so far does that sun extend. The two joined in union. From that breath was born. It is Indra; it is without a rival. A rival is a second. Whoever knows this has no rival.

1.5.13 The waters are the body of this breath; that moon is its luminous form. As far as breath extends, so far do the waters extend, and so far does that moon extend. All these are equal; all are infinite. Whoever contemplates them as finite wins a finite world. But whoever contemplates them as infinite wins an infinite world.

1.5.14 This year is Prajapati, with sixteen parts. The nights are fifteen of his parts; his sixteenth part remains constant. Through the nights he waxes and wanes. On the night of the new moon, with that sixteenth part he enters all that bears breath, and in the morning he is born from it. Therefore on that night one should not cut short the life of anything that bears breath, even a lizard, out of reverence for this deity.

1.5.15 This person who knows in this way is that very year, Prajapati with sixteen parts. Wealth is fifteen of this person's parts; the self is the sixteenth. Through wealth this person waxes and wanes. This self is the hub; wealth is the rim. Therefore, even if someone suffers the loss of everything, if that person remains alive in themself, people say, "Only the rim is gone."

1.5.16 There are indeed three worlds: the human world, the world of the ancestors, and the world of the gods. This human world is to be won through a son alone, by no other act; the world of the ancestors through ritual action; the world of the gods through knowledge. The world of the gods is the highest of worlds. Therefore they praise knowledge.

1.5.17 Now comes the handing over. When a man thinks he is about to depart, he says to his son, "You are sacred learning; you are sacrifice; you are the world." The son replies, "I am sacred learning; I am sacrifice; I am the world." Whatever has been recited is all united in the words "sacred learning." All sacrifices are united in the word "sacrifice." All worlds are united in the word "world." All this extends this far. "Being all this, let him sustain me from here." Therefore people say that a well-instructed son brings one a world. Therefore they instruct him. When a man who knows this departs from this world, he enters his son together with these very vital breaths. Whatever he has done amiss, his son frees him from it all; therefore he is called putra, son. Through his son alone he finds a firm resting place in this world. Then these divine, immortal vital powers enter him.

1.5.18 From earth and fire, divine speech enters him. This is the divine speech through which whatever one says comes to be.

1.5.19 From heaven and the sun, divine mind enters him. This is the divine mind through which one is joyful and does not grieve.

1.5.20 From the waters and the moon, divine breath enters him. This is the divine breath that, moving or not moving, neither falters nor suffers harm. A person who knows this becomes the Self of all beings. As this deity is, so is that person. As all beings sustain this deity, so all beings sustain one who knows this. Whatever grief these creatures suffer stays with them. Only merit goes to that person, for evil does not reach the gods.

1.5.21 Now comes the examination of the observance. Prajapati created the faculties of action. Once created, they competed with one another. Speech resolved, "I will keep speaking"; sight, "I will keep seeing"; hearing, "I will keep hearing." So too the other faculties, each according to its action. Death, becoming weariness, approached them. It overtook them; having overtaken them, death held them fast. Therefore speech grows weary, sight grows weary, hearing grows weary. But it did not overtake this one: the breath in the middle. They resolved to understand it: "This is indeed the best of us, which, moving or not moving, neither falters nor suffers harm. Come, let us all become a form of it." They all became a form of this breath. Therefore they are called by its name, "breaths." By the name of one who knows this people call the family into which that person is born. Whoever competes with such a knower withers away; withering away, in the end that person dies. So much concerning the self.

1.5.22 Now concerning the deities. Fire resolved, "I will keep blazing"; the sun, "I will keep giving heat"; the moon, "I will keep shining." So too the other deities, each according to its nature. As the breath in the middle is among these vital breaths, so is wind among these deities. For the other deities set, but wind does not. Wind is the deity that never sets.

1.5.23 On this there is a verse:

"From where the sun rises,And where it goes to rest."

From breath it rises, and in breath it goes to rest.

"The gods made it their law:It is the same today, and the same tomorrow."

What these deities resolved upon then, they still do today. Therefore one should keep just one observance: one should breathe in and breathe out, thinking, "Let not evil—death—overtake me." If one undertakes it, one should seek to complete it. Through it one wins union with this deity and shares its world.

1.5.1 The father produced seven kinds of food through understanding and austerity.He made one common to everyone and assigned two to the gods.He made three for himself and gave one to the animals.Everything rests on that food, both what breathes and what does not.Why do these foods never run out, although they are always being eaten?Anyone who knows what keeps them from running out eats food with their mouth.They reach the gods and live on strength.These are the verses.

1.5.2 "The father produced seven kinds of food through understanding and austerity."The father did produce them through understanding and austerity. "He made one common to everyone."That common food is the food people eat here.Anyone who worships this food does not escape evil,because it is shared."He assigned two to the gods."These are offerings made into the fire and offerings placed outside it.That is why people make both kinds of offering to the gods.Others say these are the new-moon and full-moon sacrifices.That is why one should not sacrifice for personal gain."He gave one to the animals."That is milk.Both human beings and animals live on milk at first.That is why they first give a newborn child clarified butter to lick, or put the child to the breast.And they say of a newborn calf, "It does not eat grass.""Everything rests on that food, both what breathes and what does not."Everything does rest on milk, both what breathes and what does not.People say, "By offering milk for a year, a person conquers repeated death."One should not understand it that way.Anyone who knows this conquers repeated death on the very day they make the offering,because they give the gods all food to eat."Why do these foods never run out, although they are always being eaten?"The person is what keeps them from running out.For the person produces this food again and again."Anyone who knows what keeps them from running out."The person is what keeps them from running out.For the person produces this food through one act of understanding after another, and through actions.If they did not do this, it would run out."Eats food with their mouth."Pratika means the mouth; this says, "with the mouth.""They reach the gods and live on strength" is praise.

1.5.3 "He made three for himself."He made mind, speech, and breath for himself."My mind was elsewhere, so I did not see." "My mind was elsewhere, so I did not hear." It is through the mind that a person sees and hears.Desire, intention, doubt, faith, lack of faith, resolve, lack of resolve, shame, understanding, and fear—all these are the mind.That is why a person recognizes through the mind even a touch from behind.Whatever sound there is, it is speech.Speech reveals a meaning; it does not reveal itself.Inward breath, downward breath, the breath that spreads through the body, upward breath, balancing breath, and breathing in general—all these are breath.This self is made of these:speech, mind, and breath.

1.5.4 These are the three worlds.Speech is this world, mind is the world between heaven and earth, and breath is the world up there.

1.5.5 These are the three Vedas.Speech is the Rigveda, mind the Yajurveda, and breath the Samaveda.

1.5.6 These are the gods, ancestors, and human beings.Speech is the gods, mind the ancestors, and breath human beings.

1.5.7 These are the father, mother, and child.Mind is the father, speech the mother, and breath the child.

1.5.8 These are what is known, what is to be known, and what is unknown.Whatever is known is a form of speech,because speech is known.Speech becomes that and protects the person who knows this.

1.5.9 Whatever is to be known is a form of mind,because mind is what is to be known.Mind becomes that and protects the person who knows this.

1.5.10 Whatever is unknown is a form of breath,because breath is unknown.Breath becomes that and protects the person who knows this.

1.5.11 The earth is the body of this speech.This fire is its form as light.Speech, earth, and this fire all extend equally far.

1.5.12 Heaven is the body of this mind.That sun is its form as light.Mind, heaven, and that sun all extend equally far.These two joined in sexual union.Breath was born from them.It is Indra.It has no rival.A second being is a rival.Anyone who knows this has no rival.

1.5.13 Water is the body of this breath.That moon is its form as light.Breath, water, and that moon all extend equally far.All these are equal, and all are infinite.Anyone who worships them as limited wins a limited world.Anyone who worships them as infinite wins an infinite world.

1.5.14 This year is Prajapati, who has sixteen parts.The nights are fifteen of his parts.His sixteenth part remains fixed.Through the nights he grows full and then diminishes.On the night of the new moon he enters every living thing through this sixteenth part, and is born from it in the morning.That is why, on this night, a person should not cut off the life of any living thing, even a lizard, out of respect for this god.

1.5.15 This year, Prajapati with sixteen parts, is the person who knows this.Their wealth is fifteen of their parts.Their own self is the sixteenth part.Through wealth they grow full and then diminish.This self is the hub,and wealth is the rim.That is why, even if someone loses all their property, people say, "Only the rim is gone," provided the person is still alive.

1.5.16 There are three worlds: the human world, the world of the ancestors, and the world of the gods.The human world can be won only through a son, not through any other action.The world of the ancestors is won through action.The world of the gods is won through knowledge.The world of the gods is the best of the worlds.That is why people praise knowledge.

1.5.17 Now comes the handing over.When a man thinks he is about to die, he tells his son, "You are the sacred knowledge. You are the sacrifice. You are the world."The son answers, "I am the sacred knowledge. I am the sacrifice. I am the world."Whatever has been recited is brought together in the one term "sacred knowledge."All sacrifices are brought together in the one term "sacrifice."All worlds are brought together in the one term "world."This is everything there is.The father thinks, "Let him become all this and support me from here."That is why people say that a son who has been taught provides a world.That is why they teach him.When someone who knows this leaves this world, he enters his son together with these vital breaths.If anything he did was left incomplete, his son frees him from all of it. That is why he is called putra, son.Through his son he remains established in this world.Then these immortal divine vital powers enter him.

1.5.18 Divine speech enters him from the earth and fire.This is the divine speech through which whatever he says comes true.

1.5.19 Divine mind enters him from heaven and the sun.This is the divine mind through which he is always happy and does not grieve.

1.5.20 Divine breath enters him from the waters and the moon.This is the divine breath that is neither troubled nor injured, whether moving or still.Anyone who knows this becomes the self of all beings.They become like this god.Just as all beings protect this god, all beings protect anyone who knows this.Whatever grief these creatures suffer stays with them.Only good reaches that person.Evil does not reach the gods.

1.5.21 Now comes a discussion of the vow.Prajapati created the activities of the senses.Once created, they competed with each other.Speech resolved, "I will keep speaking."Sight resolved, "I will keep seeing."Hearing resolved, "I will keep hearing."The other faculties did the same, each according to its activity.Death took the form of exhaustion and seized them.It caught them.Once it had caught them, death held them captive.That is why speech gets tired.Sight gets tired.Hearing gets tired.But death does not catch the breath in the middle of the body.They decided to recognize it:"The best of us is this one that is neither troubled nor injured, whether moving or still.Come, let us all take its form."They all took its form.That is why they are all called breaths, after this breath.A family comes to be known by the person in it who knows this.Anyone who competes with a person who knows this dries up.Having dried up, in the end they die. This is the account concerning the individual self.

1.5.22 Now the account concerning the gods.Fire resolved, "I will keep burning."The sun resolved, "I will keep giving heat."The moon resolved, "I will keep shining."The other gods did the same, each according to its divine function.What the central breath is among these vital powers, wind is among these gods.For the other gods set, but wind does not.Wind is the god that never sets.

1.5.23 There is this verse:"From which the sun rises, and into which it sets."It rises from breath and sets in breath."The gods made it their rule. It is the same today and tomorrow."What these gods resolved on then, they still do today.That is why a person should observe just one vow: to breathe in and breathe out,thinking, "Evil, which is death, must not catch me."If they undertake this vow, they should try to carry it through. Through it they gain union with this god and share its world.