1.Harih, Om! May Mitra be propitious to us, and Varuna, Aryaman also, Indra, Brihaspati, and the wide-striding Vishnu 2.

Adoration to Brahman! Adoration to thee, O Vâyu (air)! Thou indeed art the visible Brahman. I shall proclaim thee alone as the visible Brahman. I shall proclaim the right. I shall proclaim the true (scil. Brahman).

(1-5)3 May it protect me! May it protect the teacher! yes, may it protect me, and may it protect the teacher! Om! Peace! peace! peace!

1.Om 1! Let us explain Sîkshâ, the doctrine of pronunciation, viz. letter, accent, quantity, effort (in the formation of letters), modulation, and union of letters (sandhi). This is the lecture on Sîkshâ.

1.May glory come to both of us (teacher and pupil) together! May Vedic light belong to both of us!

Now let us explain the Upanishad (the secret meaning) of the union (samhitâ) 2, under five heads, with regard to the worlds, the heavenly lights, knowledge, offspring, and self (body). People call these the great Samhitâs.

First, with regard to the worlds. The earth is the former element, heaven the latter, ether their union;

2.That union takes place through Vâyu (air). So much with regard to the worlds.

Next, with regard to the heavenly lights. Agni (fire) is the former element, Âditya (the sun) the latter, water their union. That union takes place through lightning. So much with regard to the heavenly lights.

Next, with regard to knowledge. The teacher is the former element,

The pupil the latter, knowledge their union. That union takes place through the recitation of the Veda. So much with regard to knowledge.

Next, with regard to offspring. The mother is the former element, the father the latter, offspring their union. That union takes place through procreation. So much with regard to offspring.

4.Next, with regard to the self (body). The lower jaw is the former element, the upper jaw the latter, speech their union. That union takes place through speech. So much with regard to the Self. These are the great Samhitâs. He who knows these Samhitâs (unions), as here explained, becomes united with offspring, cattle, Vedic light, food, and with the heavenly world.

1.May he 1 who is the strong bull of the Vedas, assuming all forms, who has risen from the Vedas, from the Immortal, may that Indra (lord) strengthen me with wisdom! May I, O God, become an upholder of the Immortal!

May my body be able, my tongue sweet, may I hear much with my ears! Thou (Om) art the shrine (of Brahman), covered by wisdom. Guard what I have learnt 2.

She (Srî, happiness) brings near and spreads,

2.And makes, without delay, garments for herself, cows, food, and drink at all times; therefore bring that Srî (happiness) hither to me, the woolly, with her cattle 1! Svâhâ 2! May the Brahman-students come to me, Svâhâ! May they come from all sides, Svâhâ! May they come forth to me, Svâhâ! May they practise restraint, Svâhâ! May they enjoy peace, Svâhâ!

3.May I be a glory among men, Svâhâ! May I be better than the richest, Svâhâ! May I enter into thee, O treasure (Om), Svâhâ! Thou, O treasure 3, enter into me, Svâhâ! In thee, consisting of a thousand branches, in thee, O treasure, I am cleansed, Svâhâ! As water runs downward, as the months go to the year, so, O preserver of the world, may Brahman-students always come to me from all sides, Svâhâ!

(1) Thou art a refuge! Enlighten me! Take possession of me!

1.Bhû, Bhuvas, Suvas 4, these are the three sacred interjections (vyâhriti). Mâhâkamasya taught a fourth, viz. Mahas, which is Brahman, which is the Self. The others (devatâs) are its members.

Bhû is this world, Bhuvas is the sky, Suvas is the other world.

2.Mahas is the sun. All the worlds are increased by the sun. Bhû is Agni (fire), Bhuvas is Vâyu (air), Suvas is Âditya (sun). Mahas is the moon. All the heavenly lights are increased by the moon.

Bhû is the Rik-verses, Bhuvas is the Sâman-verses, Suvas is the Yagus-verses.

3.Mahas is Brahman. All the Vedas are increased by the Brahman.

(1-2)Bhû is Prâna (up-breathing), Bhuvas is Apâna, (down-breathing), Suvas is Vyâna (back-breathing). Mahas is food. All breathings are increased by food.

Thus there are these four times four, the four and four sacred interjections. He who knows these,

(1-2)Knows the Brahman. All Devas bring offerings to him.

1.There is the ether within the heart, and in it there is the Person (purusha) consisting of mind, immortal, golden.

Between the two palates there hangs the uvula, like a nipple—that is the starting-point of Indra (the lord) 1. Where the root of the hair divides, there he opens the two sides of the head, and saying Bhû, he enters Agn (the fire); saying Bhuvas, he enters Vâyu (air);

2.Saying Suvas, he enters Âditya (sun); saying Mahas, he enters Brahman. He there obtains lordship, he reaches the lord of the mind. He becomes lord of speech, lord of sight, lord of hearing, lord of knowledge. Nay, more than this. There is the Brahman whose body is ether, whose nature is true, rejoicing in the senses (prâna), delighted in the mind, perfect in peace, and immortal.

(1) Worship thus, O Prâkînayogya!

1.'The earth, the sky, heaven, the four quarters, and the intermediate quarters,' — 'Agni (fire), Vâyu (air), Âditya (sun), Kandramas (moon), and the stars,' — 'Water, herbs, trees, ether, the universal Self (virâg),' — so much with reference to material objects (bhûta).

Now with reference to the self (the body): 'Prâna (up-breathing), Apâna (down-breathing), Vyâna (back-breathing), Udâna (out-breathing), and Samâna (on-breathing),' — 'The eye, the ear, mind, speech, and touch,'—'The skin, flesh, muscle, bone, and marrow.' Having dwelt on this (fivefold arrangement of the worlds, the gods, beings, breathings, senses, and elements of the body), a Rishi said: 'Whatever exists is fivefold (pâṅkta) 1.'

(1) By means of the one fivefold set (that referring to the body) he completes the other fivefold set.

1.Om means Brahman.

2.Om means all this.

3.Om means obedience. When they have been told, 'Om, speak,' they speak.

4.After Om they sing Sâmans.

5.After Om they recite hymns.

6.After Om the Adhvaryu gives the response.

7.After Om the Brahman-priest gives orders.

8.After Om he (the sacrificer) allows the performance of the Agnihotra.

9.When a Brâhmana is going to begin his lecture, he says,

10.'Om, may I acquire Brahman (the Veda).' He thus acquires the Veda.

1.(What is necessary?) The night, and learning and practising the Veda. The true, and learning and practising the Veda. Penance, and learning and practising the Veda. Restraint, and learning and practising the Veda. Tranquillity, and learning and practising the Veda. The fires (to be consecrated), and learning and practising the Veda. The Agnihotra sacrifice, and learning and practising the Veda. Guests (to be entertained), and learning and practising the Veda. Man's duty, and learning and practising the Veda. Children, and learning and practising the Veda.

(1-6)Marriage, and learning and practising the Veda. Children's children, and learning and practising the Veda.

Satyavakas Râthîtara thinks that the true only is necessary. Taponitya Paurasishti thinks that penance only is necessary. Nâka Maudgalya thinks that learning and practising the Veda only are necessary, — for that is penance, that is penance.

1.'I am he who shakes the tree (i.e. the tree of the world, which has to be cut down by knowledge).

2.My glory is like the top of a mountain.

3.I, whose pure light (of knowledge) has risen high, am that which is truly immortal, as it resides in the sun.

4.I am the brightest treasure.

5.I am wise, immortal, imperishable 1.'

6.This is the teaching of the Veda, by the poet Trisaṅku.

1.After having taught the Veda, the teacher instructs the pupil: 'Say what is true! Do thy duty! Do not neglect the study of the Veda! After having brought to thy teacher his proper reward, do not cut off the line of children! Do not swerve from the truth! Do not swerve from duty! Do not neglect what is useful! Do not neglect greatness! Do not neglect the learning and teaching of the Veda!

2.'Do not neglect the (sacrificial) works due to the Gods and Fathers! Let thy mother be to thee like unto a god! Let thy father be to thee like unto a god! Let thy teacher be to thee like unto a god! Let thy guest be to thee like unto a god! Whatever actions are blameless, those should be regarded, not others. Whatever good works have been performed by us, those should be observed by thee, —

3.'Not others. And there are some Brâhmanas better than we. They should be comforted by thee by giving them a seat. Whatever is given should be given with faith, not without faith, — with joy, with modesty, with fear, with kindness. If there should be any doubt in thy mind with regard to any sacred act or with regard to conduct, —

4.'In that case conduct thyself as Brâhmanas who possess good judgment conduct themselves therein, whether they be appointed or not 1, as long as they are not too severe, but devoted to duty. And with regard to things that have been spoken against, as Brâhmanas who possess good judgment conduct themselves therein, whether they be appointed or not, as long as they are not too severe, but devoted to duty,

(1-7)Thus conduct thyself 'This is the rule. This is the teaching. This is the true purport (Upanishad) of the Veda. This is the command. Thus should you observe. Thus should this be observed.'

1.May Mitra be propitious to us, and Varuna, Aryaman also, Indra, Brihaspati, and the wide-striding Vishnu! Adoration to Brahman! Adoration to thee, O Vâyu! Thou indeed art the visible Brahman. I proclaimed thee alone as the visible Brahman.

(1-5)I proclaimed the right. I proclaimed the true. It protected me. It protected the teacher. Yes, it protected me, it protected the teacher. Om! Peace! peace! peace!