Let one who receives an offering not belittle it, saying, “It is too small,” nor complain, “It has not been sprinkled,” nor question, “What is this?” Let him accept what is given in the spirit in which it is offered, speaking no more than the giver desires. The knowers of Brahman remark upon the ways of receiving rice: one may eat facing outward, another facing inward. Yet they say, “You have eaten the rice, and the rice has eaten you.” If one eats facing outward, it is said to him, “Your life-breaths will depart.” If he eats facing inward, it is said, “Your inhalations and exhalations will leave you.” Therefore, let one affirm, “I am neither the eater of rice, nor is rice the eater of me.” One should eat rice as rice alone, without confusion or pride. In ancient times, the seers sought to understand the true way of partaking in this sacred act. They gave him another head, and with that head, the seers themselves ate. Yet a curse followed: “Your offspring will die eldest,” was said. But the wise declared, “I am not the one who eats facing downward, nor outward, nor inward, but with the head of Brihaspati. With that I made him eat, with that I attained him. This rice is indeed whole in all limbs, all joints, all bodies. Whoever knows this becomes whole in all limbs, all joints, all bodies.” Next, they gave him two other ears, and with those, the seers ate. Again, a curse: “You will become deaf.” But the wise replied, “I am not the one facing downward, outward, or inward, but with the ears of Heaven and Earth. With those I made him eat, with those I attained him. This rice is whole in all limbs, all joints, all bodies. Whoever knows this becomes whole in all limbs, all joints, all bodies.” So too with two other eyes: “You will become blind,” was the curse. But the wise said, “I eat not with ordinary eyes, but with the eyes of the Sun and Moon. With those I made him eat, with those I attained him. This rice is whole in all limbs, all joints, all bodies. Whoever knows this becomes whole in all limbs, all joints, all bodies.” They gave him another mouth; the curse was, “Your offspring will die from the mouth.” The wise answered, “I eat not with a common mouth, but with the mouth of Brahman. With that I made him eat, with that I attained him. This rice is whole in all limbs, all joints, all bodies. Whoever knows this becomes whole in all limbs, all joints, all bodies.” They gave him another tongue; “Your tongue will die,” was spoken. The wise responded, “I eat not with a mere tongue, but with the tongue of Agni. With that I made him eat, with that I attained him. This rice is whole in all limbs, all joints, all bodies. Whoever knows this becomes whole in all limbs, all joints, all bodies.” With other teeth, the curse was, “Your teeth will fall out.” The wise declared, “I eat not with ordinary teeth, but with the teeth of the seasons. With those I made him eat, with those I attained him. This rice is whole in all limbs, all joints, all bodies. Whoever knows this becomes whole in all limbs, all joints, all bodies.” With other breaths, the curse was, “Your breaths will leave you.” The wise said, “I eat not with ordinary breaths, but with the breaths of the seven seers. With those I made him eat, with those I attained him. This rice is whole in all limbs, all joints, all bodies. Whoever knows this becomes whole in all limbs, all joints, all bodies.” With another palate, the curse was, “Kingly consumption will strike you.” The wise replied, “I eat not with a common palate, but with the palate of the midspace. With that I made him eat, with that I attained him. This rice is whole in all limbs, all joints, all bodies. Whoever knows this becomes whole in all limbs, all joints, all bodies.” With another back, the curse was, “Lightning will strike you.” The wise answered, “I eat not with an ordinary back, but with the back of the day. With that I made him eat, with that I attained him. This rice is whole in all limbs, all joints, all bodies. Whoever knows this becomes whole in all limbs, all joints, all bodies.” With another marrow, the curse was, “You will not eat from the field.” The wise responded, “I eat not with ordinary marrow, but with the marrow of the earths. With that I made him eat, with that I attained him. This rice is whole in all limbs, all joints, all bodies. Whoever knows this becomes whole in all limbs, all joints, all bodies.” With another belly, the curse was, “A belly disease will strike you.” The wise said, “I eat not with a common belly, but with the belly of truth. With that I made him eat, with that I attained him. This rice is whole in all limbs, all joints, all bodies. Whoever knows this becomes whole in all limbs, all joints, all bodies.” With another bladder, the curse was, “You will die in the waters.” The wise replied, “I eat not with an ordinary bladder, but with the bladder of the ocean. With that I made him eat, with that I attained him. This rice is whole in all limbs, all joints, all bodies. Whoever knows this becomes whole in all limbs, all joints, all bodies.” With the two thighs, the curse was, “Your thighs will perish.” But the wise said, “I did not feed him with thighs turned inward, outward, or backward, but with the thighs of Mitra and Varuṇa. With those I fed him, with those I attained him. This offering is whole-limbed, of all joints, of all body. Whoever knows this becomes whole-limbed, of all joints, of all body.” With the two shanks, the curse was, “You will become weary.” But the wise declared, “I did not feed him with shanks turned inward, outward, or backward, but with the shanks of Tvaṣṭṛ. With those I fed him, with those I attained him. This offering is whole-limbed, of all joints, of all body. Whoever knows this becomes whole-limbed, of all joints, of all body.” With the two feet, the curse was, “You will wander much.” The wise said, “I did not feed him with feet turned inward, outward, or backward, but with the feet of the Aśvins. With those I fed him, with those I attained him. This offering is whole-limbed, of all joints, of all body. Whoever knows this becomes whole-limbed, of all joints, of all body.” With the two forefeet, the curse was, “A serpent will slay you.” The wise replied, “I did not feed him with forefeet turned inward, outward, or backward, but with the forefeet of Savitṛ. With those I fed him, with those I attained him. This offering is whole-limbed, of all joints, of all body. Whoever knows this becomes whole-limbed, of all joints, of all body.” With the two hands, the curse was, “You will slay a Brāhmaṇa.” The wise declared, “I did not feed him with hands turned inward, outward, or backward, but with the hands of Ṛta. With those I fed him, with those I attained him. This offering is whole-limbed, of all joints, of all body. Whoever knows this becomes whole-limbed, of all joints, of all body.” With another support, the curse was, “You will be without support, without foundation, you will perish.” The wise responded, “I did not feed him with support turned inward, outward, or backward, but with the support of Truth. With that I fed him, with that I attained him. This offering is whole-limbed, of all joints, of all body. Whoever knows this becomes whole-limbed, of all joints, of all body.” This indeed is the domain of Bradhna, the sacred offering itself. Whoever knows this attains the world of Bradhna and rests in his domain. From this very offering, Prajāpati fashioned thirty-three worlds, and for their understanding, he created the sacrifice. He who knows thus becomes the overseer among those who know, and he restrains the breath. Yet, it is said, he does not restrain the breath, but rather outlives all creatures. But even he does not outlive all creatures; before that, breath abandons him to old age. Homage, then, to Breath, by whom all is governed, who is the lord of all beings, in whom all is established. Homage to you, Breath, as thunderer; homage to you as the one who roars; homage to you as lightning; homage to you as rain. When Breath, with thunder, makes the plants cry out, they spring forth, they bear offspring, and many are born. When Breath, at the coming of the season, makes the plants cry out, then all delights, and whatever is upon the earth rejoices. When Breath has rained upon the broad earth, the cattle rejoice, and truly, greatness is ours. The herbs, abundantly watered, arise together with breath; truly, life is our most dear companion—may all be fragrant for us. Homage to you, Breath, as you approach, as you depart; homage to you as you stand and as you sit—homage also to you, in all your ways.