Section 1.3

1.3.1 Now concerning the gods: one should meditate on the one that gives heat as the Udgitha. Rising, it sings forth for living beings. Rising, it drives away darkness and fear. One who knows thus becomes a dispeller of fear and darkness.

1.3.2 This life-breath and that sun are alike: this is warm, and that is warm. They call this Svara; they call that Svara and Pratyasvara. Therefore one should meditate on both this and that as the Udgitha.

1.3.3 One should also meditate on vyana as the Udgitha. Breathing out is prana; breathing in is apana. The meeting of prana and apana is vyana. Vyana is speech. Thus one speaks without breathing out or breathing in.

1.3.4 Speech is the Rig verse. Thus one utters a Rig verse without breathing out or breathing in. The Rig verse is the Saman. Thus one sings a Saman without breathing out or breathing in. The Saman is the Udgitha. Thus one sings the Udgitha without breathing out or breathing in.

1.3.5 Other powerful actions—kindling fire by friction, running a race, drawing a strong bow—are likewise performed without breathing out or breathing in. For this reason one should meditate on vyana as the Udgitha.

1.3.6 One should also meditate on the syllables of Udgitha: ud, gi, tha. Life-breath is ud, for through life-breath one rises up. Speech is gi, for utterances are called gir. Food is tha, for all this stands upon food.

1.3.7 Heaven is ud, the middle air gi, and earth tha. The sun is ud, wind gi, and fire tha. The Samaveda is ud, the Yajurveda gi, and the Rigveda tha. Speech yields its milk, the milk of speech, for one who knows thus and meditates on these syllables of Udgitha—ud, gi, tha. That person possesses food and enjoys food.

1.3.8 Now, for the fulfillment of a blessing, one should meditate on the things to be approached. One should turn to the Saman with which one intends to sing praise.

1.3.9 One should turn to the Rig verse on which it rests, to the seer to whom it belongs, and to the deity whom one intends to praise.

1.3.10 One should turn to the meter in which one intends to sing praise, and to the form of praise with which one intends to praise.

1.3.11 One should turn to the direction toward which one intends to sing praise.

1.3.12 Finally, turning to oneself, one should sing praise, contemplating one's desire, attentive. The desire for which one sings praise will soon be fulfilled—the desire for which one sings praise.

1.3.1 Now for the teaching as it applies to the gods. Meditate on the one who gives heat as the Udgitha. As he rises, he sings for living beings. Rising, he drives away darkness and fear. Someone who knows this drives away fear and darkness.

1.3.2 This breath and that sun are alike. This is warm, and that is warm. They call this svara, the moving breath; they call that svara and pratyasvara, what moves and returns. Therefore meditate on both this breath and that sun as the Udgitha.

1.3.3 Also meditate on the connecting breath, vyana, as the Udgitha. Breathing out is prana; breathing in is apana. The junction between these is vyana. Vyana is speech. That is why one speaks without breathing out or breathing in.

1.3.4 Speech is the Rig verse. That is why one recites a Rig verse without breathing out or breathing in. The Rig verse is the Saman. That is why one sings a Saman without breathing out or breathing in. The Saman is the Udgitha. That is why one sings the Udgitha without breathing out or breathing in.

1.3.5 Other actions requiring strength—such as churning out fire, running a race, or drawing a stiff bow—are also done without breathing out or breathing in. For this reason meditate on vyana as the Udgitha.

1.3.6 Also meditate on the syllables of the word Udgitha: ut, gi, and tha. Life-breath is ut, because one stands up, ut-tishthati, through life-breath. Speech is gi, because speech is called gir. Food is tha, because everything rests, sthita, on food.

1.3.7 Heaven is ut, the space between earth and heaven is gi, and earth is tha. The sun is ut, wind is gi, and fire is tha. The Samaveda is ut, the Yajurveda is gi, and the Rigveda is tha. Speech yields its milk to someone who knows this and meditates on the syllables ut, gi, and tha. Such a person has food and can eat it.

1.3.8 Next, meditate on the things to approach for a blessing to be fulfilled. Attend to the Saman with which you are going to sing praise.

1.3.9 Attend to the Rig verse on which it is based, to the seer whose verse it is, and to the god you are going to praise.

1.3.10 Attend to the meter in which you will sing and to the pattern of praise you will use.

1.3.11 Attend to the direction toward which you will sing.

1.3.12 Finally, turn to yourself and sing praise, thinking of your desire and staying attentive. The desire for which you sing may then quickly be fulfilled—the desire for which you sing.