Listen, as the wisdom of the ancient seers is woven into a single, flowing story. It is said that from the earth and from fire, the divine speech enters a person. This speech is truly divine, for whatever he utters comes into being. Likewise, from the sky and from the sun, the divine mind enters him, and this mind is also divine. Through it, he becomes joyful and free from sorrow. From the waters and from the moon, the divine vital breath enters him. This is the breath that moves and does not move, is unaffected by affliction, and does not perish. One who knows this becomes the very self of all beings. He is as that deity is, and as all beings support that deity, so too do all beings support him. Even if creatures around him grieve, he remains untouched and journeys to the blessed realm, for evil does not reach the gods. Now, concerning the vow: Prajapati, the Lord of Creation, brought forth the functions of the senses and organs. Once created, these functions vied with each other. Speech declared, “I will speak!” The eye said, “I will see!” The ear proclaimed, “I will hear!” And so it was with all the functions, each intent on its own act. But Death, assuming the form of fatigue, overcame them and bound them. Thus, speech tires, the eye tires, and the ear tires. Yet, Death could not seize the middle breath—the vital force at the center. The other functions realized, “This one is the best among us, for he moves and does not move, is not afflicted, and does not perish. Let us all become his form.” So, they all became his form, and therefore are called “breaths.” In a family where one knows this, it is said, “He is of noble lineage.” Even if those who know this compete and exhaust themselves, in the end, they pass away. Thus, is the nature of the self. As for the gods: Fire said, “I will blaze!” The sun declared, “I will heat!” The moon said, “I will shine!” And so, each god performed according to its function. Yet, as among the breaths the middle breath is chief, so among the gods, Vayu—the wind—is chief. The other gods may fade, but Vayu does not; he is the unfailing deity. There is a verse: “From where the sun rises and where it sets—from the vital breath it rises, into the vital breath it sets.” The gods made this breath the law; it is today, it is tomorrow. Whatever the gods did before, they do now as well. Therefore, one should observe but one vow: “From the vital breath and from the waters, may neither evil nor death reach me.” One who holds to this vow attains union and companionship with this deity, if he knows thus. Indeed, all things are threefold: name, form, and action. Of these, speech is the source of all names; every name arises from it. This is their sacred chant, for it is equal with all names, and it is their Brahman, for it upholds all names. Among forms, the eye is their source; all forms arise from it. This is their chant, their Brahman, for it sustains all forms. Among actions, the self is their source; all actions arise from it. This is their chant, their Brahman, for it bears all actions. This triad—name, form, and action—is united as one in the self. This immortal self is veiled by truth: breath is immortal, while name and form are truth; by these, breath is concealed. Now, Dripta Balaki, son of Anu of the Gargya lineage, approached Ajatashatru, king of Kashi, and said, “I will declare Brahman to you.” Ajatashatru replied, “We will give a thousand for this teaching. Janaka, Janaka! Thus people run after him.” Gargya began, “That person who is in the sun, I worship him as Brahman.” Ajatashatru answered, “Do not speak to me of this. He is the ruler, the head of all beings; I worship him. Whoever worships thus becomes the ruler, the head of all beings.” Gargya continued, “That person who is in the moon, I worship him as Brahman.” Ajatashatru replied, “Do not speak to me of this. Soma, the king, is great and wears white garments; I worship him. Whoever worships thus, day by day, is born anew; his food is never diminished.” Gargya said, “That person who is in lightning, I worship him as Brahman.” Ajatashatru said, “Do not speak to me of this. He is radiant; I worship him. Whoever worships thus becomes radiant, and his offspring are radiant.” Gargya said, “That person who is in space, I worship him as Brahman.” Ajatashatru replied, “Do not speak to me of this. He is full and unmoving; I worship him. Whoever worships thus is filled with offspring and cattle; his line does not depart from this world.” Gargya said, “That person who is in wind, I worship him as Brahman.” Ajatashatru replied, “Do not speak to me of this. He is Indra, unconquered, leader of the army; I worship him. Whoever worships thus becomes victorious and surpasses others.” Gargya said, “That person who is in fire, I worship him as Brahman.” Ajatashatru replied, “Do not speak to me of this. He is powerful; I worship him. Whoever worships thus becomes powerful, and his offspring are powerful.” Gargya said, “That person who is in water, I worship him as Brahman.” Ajatashatru replied, “Do not speak to me of this. He is beautiful; I worship him. Whoever worships thus, beauty approaches him; nothing unseemly comes to him, and beauty is born from him.” Gargya said, “That person who is in the mirror, I worship him as Brahman.” Ajatashatru replied, “Do not speak to me of this. He is shining; I worship him. Whoever worships thus becomes shining, and his offspring are shining; wherever he goes, he outshines all.” Gargya said, “That person who is in the directions, I worship him as Brahman.” Ajatashatru replied, “Do not speak to me of this. He is the second, unremoved; I worship him. Whoever worships thus is never alone, and his group is never broken.” Gargya said, “That person from whom the sound arises behind, I worship him as Brahman.” Ajatashatru replied, “Do not speak to me of this. He is a demon; I worship him. Whoever worships thus attains long life in this world; breath does not leave him before its time.” Gargya said, “That person who is made of shadow, I worship him as Brahman.” Ajatashatru replied, “Do not speak to me of this. He is death; I worship him. Whoever worships thus attains long life in this world; death does not come to him before its time.” Gargya said, “That person who is in the self, I worship him as Brahman.” Ajatashatru replied, “Do not speak to me of this. He is the self; I worship him. Whoever worships thus becomes self-possessed, and his offspring are self-possessed.” At this, Gargya fell silent. Ajatashatru then said, “This is as far as it goes. By this alone, Brahman is not truly known.” Gargya, humbled, said, “I approach you as a student.” Ajatashatru remarked, “This is unusual; when a Brahmin approaches a Kshatriya for knowledge of Brahman, he will teach me. But I will instruct you.” He took Gargya by the hand, and together they went to a man sleeping. Ajatashatru addressed the sleeper by various names: “Great one, white-robed, Soma king.” The man awoke, but Ajatashatru struck him with his hand to awaken him further, and he rose. Ajatashatru then asked, “When this person, who is made of knowledge, was asleep, where was he? From where did he return?” Gargya could not answer. Ajatashatru explained, “When this person, who is made of knowledge, sleeps, he gathers the awareness of the senses into himself by his own knowledge; this space within the heart is where he rests. When he takes hold of them, he is said to be dreaming. The breath is held, speech is held, the eye is held, the ear is held, and the mind is held. In dreams, he moves about his own worlds, becoming as he wishes—a great king or a great priest—ascending and descending as he pleases. Just as a great king, having gathered his people, moves about in his own domain, so does this one, having gathered the senses, move freely within his own body. “But when he is in deep sleep, knowing nothing at all, then seventy-two thousand channels from the heart are filled and established; through these, he withdraws and rests in the body. Just as a young boy, a great priest, or one who has fulfilled his desire lies at ease, so too does this one rest. “Just as a spider sends forth threads, or as sparks fly out from a fire, so too from this Self arise all the breaths, all the worlds, all the gods, and all beings. The breaths are truth, and this is their truth.” Ajatashatru continued, “Whoever knows the child, the support, the counter-support, the pillar, and the cord, overcomes his enemies for seven generations. This child is the middle breath; for him, the support and counter-support are breath, the pillar is breath, and food is the cord. The seven openings of the head attend upon him. “In the red veins of the eyes, Rudra is present; in the watery ones, Parjanya; in the yellow, the Sun; in the white, Fire; and in the black, Indra. The lower eyelid is connected with earth, the upper with the sky. Whoever knows this, his food does not fail. “There is a verse: ‘The bowl with the opening below and the base above; in it is placed all forms of glory. The seers are its seven shores; speech is the eighth, united with sacred knowledge.’ The body is this bowl, for it is open below and has its base above. In it is placed all forms of glory—breath is the glory placed in all forms. The seers are its seven shores—these are the seven breaths. Speech is the eighth, united with sacred knowledge.” Thus, the great teaching was revealed, linking the self to all beings, all gods, and all worlds, as the immortal breath and the truth that upholds everything.