In the ancient time, the seers, those illumined by wisdom, sought to understand the sacred act of eating—the act by which the offerings of rice, the very sustenance of life, are consumed. They perceived that the process was not merely a bodily function, but an act suffused with cosmic significance, touching all realms of existence. First, with two other eyes—not the ordinary eyes that gaze outward or downward or inward, but the eyes of the Sun and the Moon—the seers made him eat. Through these divine eyes, the ancient sages partook of the rice, and thus, it was declared: “You will become blind.” But the wise replied, “I am not the one facing downward, nor outward, nor inward. With the eyes of the Sun and Moon I made him eat; with those I attained him.” For this rice is whole in all limbs, all joints, all bodies. Whoever knows this truth becomes whole in all limbs, all joints, all bodies. Then, with another mouth—not the mouth that faces the world, but the mouth of Brahman—they made him eat. The ancient seers partook of the rice in this way, and it was said, “Your offspring will die from the mouth.” Yet the wise answered, “I am not the one facing downward, nor outward, nor inward. With the mouth of Brahman I made him eat; with that I attained him.” The rice remains whole in all parts, and so does the knower. Again, with another tongue—not the tongue of mere taste, but the tongue of Agni, the fire—they made him eat. The seers ate, and it was warned, “Your tongue will die.” But the reply was, “I am not the one facing downward, nor outward, nor inward. With the tongue of Agni I made him eat; with that I attained him.” The rice is whole, and so is the one who knows. With other teeth—not ordinary teeth, but the teeth of the seasons—they made him eat. The ancient seers partook, and it was said, “Your teeth will fall out.” Yet the sage declared, “Not with teeth facing downward, outward, or inward, but with the teeth of the seasons I made him eat; with those I attained him.” The rice is whole, and so is the knower. With other breaths—not the breath of the body, but the breaths of the seven seers—they made him eat. The ancient ones ate thus, and it was declared, “Your breaths will leave you.” The wise replied, “Not with breaths facing downward, outward, or inward, but with the breaths of the seven seers I made him eat; with those I attained him.” The rice is whole, and so is the one who knows. With another palate—not the common palate, but the palate of the midspace—they made him eat. The seers partook, and it was said, “Kingly consumption will strike you.” But the sage answered, “Not with the palate facing downward, outward, or inward, but with the palate of the midspace I made him eat; with that I attained him.” The rice is whole, and so is the knower. With another back—not the ordinary back, but the back of the day—they made him eat. The seers ate, and it was warned, “Lightning will strike you.” The sage replied, “Not with the back facing downward, outward, or inward, but with the back of the day I made him eat; with that I attained him.” The rice is whole, and so is the one who knows. With another marrow—not the marrow of the body, but the marrow of the earths—they made him eat. The seers partook, and it was said, “You will not eat from the field.” The wise declared, “Not with marrow facing downward, outward, or inward, but with the marrow of the earths I made him eat; with that I attained him.” The rice is whole, and so is the knower. With another belly—not the belly of flesh, but the belly of truth—they made him eat. The seers ate thus, and it was declared, “A belly disease will strike you.” The sage replied, “Not with the belly facing downward, outward, or inward, but with the belly of truth I made him eat; with that I attained him.” The rice is whole, and so is the one who knows. With another bladder—not the physical bladder, but the bladder of the ocean—they made him eat. The seers partook, and it was said, “You will die in the waters.” The wise answered, “Not with the bladder facing downward, outward, or inward, but with the bladder of the ocean I made him eat; with that I attained him.” The rice is whole, and so is the knower. With the two thighs—not just fleshly thighs, but the thighs of Mitra and Varuṇa—the seers fed him. “Your thighs will perish,” they warned. But the sage said, “Not with thighs turned inward, outward, or backward, but with the thighs of Mitra and Varuṇa I fed him; with those I attained him.” The 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 seers fed him—not ordinary shanks, but the shanks of Tvaṣṭṛ. “You will become weary,” they said. But the sage replied, “Not with shanks turned inward, outward, or backward, but with the shanks of Tvaṣṭṛ I fed him; with those I attained him.” The 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 seers fed him—not common feet, but the feet of the Aśvins. “You will wander much,” they said. The sage answered, “Not with feet turned inward, outward, or backward, but with the feet of the Aśvins I fed him; with those I attained him.” The 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 seers fed him—not ordinary forefeet, but the forefeet of Savitṛ. “A serpent will slay you,” they said. But the sage replied, “Not with forefeet turned inward, outward, or backward, but with the forefeet of Savitṛ I fed him; with those I attained him.” The 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 seers fed him—not mere hands, but the hands of Ṛta, the cosmic order. “You will slay a Brāhmaṇa,” they said. But the sage answered, “Not with hands turned inward, outward, or backward, but with the hands of Ṛta I fed him; with those I attained him.” The 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 seers fed him—not support turned inward, outward, or backward, but the support of Truth, Satyam. “You will be without support, without foundation, you will perish,” they warned. But the sage replied, “With the support of Truth I fed him; with that I attained him.” The offering is whole-limbed, of all joints, of all body. Whoever knows this becomes whole-limbed, of all joints, of all body. This, then, is the domain of Bradhna—the shining one—the offering itself. Whoever knows this attains the world of Bradhna, rests in his domain. From this very offering, Prajāpati, the Lord of Creatures, created thirty-three worlds. For their understanding, he fashioned the sacrifice. He who knows this becomes the overseer among those who know; he restrains the breath. Yet, he does not restrain breath—he outlives all creatures. And yet, before he can outlive all, breath abandons him to old age. Homage to Breath, by whom all this is controlled, who is the lord of all beings, in whom all is established. Homage to you, Breath, as thunderer; homage as you roar; homage as lightning; homage as rain. When Breath, with thunder, makes the plants cry out, they grow forth, bear offspring, and many are born. When Breath, at the coming of the season, makes the plants cry out, all delights; whatever is upon the earth rejoices. When Breath has rained upon the broad earth, the cattle rejoice; truly, greatness will be 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 as you approach, as you depart; as you stand and as you sit—homage always to you. Homage to you, O breath, as you breathe in and as you breathe out; as you move outward and as you move inward—homage to you in every way. That dear form of yours, O breath, and that which is most beloved—also, whatever is your remedy—grant us that for our living. Breath follows the offspring, as a father cherishes his beloved son; breath is truly the lord of all—of what breathes and what does not. Breath is death, breath is disease; the gods worship breath; breath places the truth-speaker in the highest world. Breath is the sovereign, breath is the guide; all worship breath; breath is called the sun and the moon, breath is called Prajapati. Breath and expiration are called rice and barley; in barley, breath is established, expiration is called rice. The student of sacred knowledge moves through both earth and heaven; in him, the gods become united in mind. He upholds earth and sky, and with austerity sustains his teacher. The ancestors, the divine beings, and all the gods separately follow the student; the Gandharvas, thirty-three, and six thousand in all, follow him—he sustains the gods with his austerity. When the teacher initiates the student, he makes him a fetus within; for three nights he carries him in his womb, and when he is born, the gods come together to see him. The kindling-stick is the earth, the second is the sky, and the atmosphere is filled with fuel; the student, with his kindling-stick, girdle, and effort, sustains the worlds with austerity. Thus, the sacred acts of eating, breathing, sacrificing, and learning are revealed as cosmic acts, joining the human to the divine, the individual to the All. Whoever knows thus becomes whole, supported by truth, joined with the gods, and attains the fullness of life.