If one were to imagine receiving the three worlds—earth, atmosphere, and heaven—filled to their very brim, that person would only reach the first step of her. If, in addition, one could receive as much as all the knowledge contained in the three Vedas, he would attain her second step. Should one receive as much as all living beings, that would be her third step. But there is a fourth, visible step of hers, which lies beyond darkness and cannot be attained by anyone—how could anyone receive so much? Her approach is the Gāyatrī, the sacred meter, which is described as one-footed, two-footed, three-footed, four-footed, and even footless, for she is not reached by steps. To this fourth, visible step—beyond darkness—salutations are offered. If one wishes ill upon another, he may pray, “May this one not attain desire,” or, “May this one’s desire remain unfulfilled for a month.” Indeed, one who is worshipped in this way does not prosper in desire. But for oneself, one should pray, “May I attain that.” There was once an exchange between Janaka, king of Videha, and Budila, the son of Aśvatarāśvi. Janaka asked, “When you say the Gāyatrī has become an elephant, how does she carry?” Budila replied, “Her mouth, O king, is indeed her face.” He explained further: her mouth is fire, and just as fire consumes all offerings placed within it, so too, one who knows this truth, even if he commits many sins, is purified—his sins are consumed, and he becomes pure, cleansed, ageless, and immortal. The face of truth is hidden by a golden vessel. To Pūṣan, the sun who sees all, the prayer is made: “Uncover it for the vision of truth and righteousness. O Pūṣan, sole seer, Yama, Sun, child of Prajāpati, remove your rays, gather your light, so that I may see your most blessed form. That person who is there—that am I. May this body end in ashes, may the breath become immortal air. O mind, remember! O mind, remember what has been done! O Agni, lead us by the good path to wealth, you who know all ways; remove from us crooked sin, and we shall offer you the most abundant reverence.” In another assembly, Vetaketu, son of Āruṇa, came to the gathering of the Pañcālas and saw Jaivali, son of Pravāhaṇa, busy with his duties. Vetaketu greeted him, and Jaivali asked, “Are you instructed by your father?” Vetaketu replied, “Yes.” Then Jaivali questioned him further: “Do you know why, when creatures depart, they go in different directions?” Vetaketu admitted he did not. “Do you know why they return to this world?” Again, he did not. “Do you know why, though many depart, this world is not filled?” Vetaketu was silent. Jaivali continued, “Do you know whether, when an offering is made in the fire, the waters, having become the speech of a man, rise up and speak?” Vetaketu did not. “Do you know the path of the gods or the path of the ancestors, by which, having acted, they attain those paths?” Vetaketu confessed his ignorance. He said, “I have heard the words of the seer, but I did not understand what my father and the gods, mortals and immortals, said; between these two, all this world moves, what lies between father and mother. I do not know even one of these things.” Humbled, Vetaketu sought permission to remain and learn, but without receiving it, he departed and went to his father. “Did you not teach me before?” he asked. “How so, wise one?” his father replied. Vetaketu explained, “A kṣatriya asked me five questions, and I did not know even one.” He repeated the questions as they were asked. His father responded, “So, father, you should know as I do; whatever I know, I have told you all. Go there, and having arrived, let us live as students.” But his father said, “You should go yourself.” Thus, Vetaketu’s father went to Gautama, son of Pravāhaṇa Jaivali. He was welcomed with a seat, water for washing, and an offering. Jaivali said, “A boon is granted to you, Gautama.” Gautama replied, “Let this boon be as you have promised; tell me the words you spoke to the young man at the end.” Jaivali replied, “Among the gods, Gautama, such boons are given; speak among men.” Gautama said, “It is known that there are gifts of gold, cattle, horses, maidservants, and garments; but you, sir, are the most generous of the infinite, the boundless. Therefore, Gautama, I approach you with the proper offering, as those before have approached with words.” Having mentioned the offering, he spoke. Jaivali said, “Do not neglect us, nor your ancestors; as this knowledge was not previously given to any Brāhmaṇa, I will tell it to you. Who, indeed, should refuse one who speaks thus?” He began to reveal the cosmic mystery: “This world is the fire, O Gautama. In this fire, the sun is the fuel, the rays are the smoke, the day is the flame, the moon is the ember, and the stars are the sparks. Into this fire, the gods offer faith as an oblation; from that offering, King Soma arises. Rain is the fire, O Gautama. In this fire, the year is the fuel, clouds are the smoke, lightning is the flame, thunderbolts are the embers, and thunderclaps are the sparks. Into this fire, the gods offer Soma as an oblation; from that, rain is produced. This world again is the fire, O Gautama. Here, the earth is the fuel, air is the smoke, night is the flame, the quarters are the embers, and the intermediate directions are the sparks. Into this fire, the gods offer rain as an oblation; from that, food is produced. A person is the fire, O Gautama. In him, the open mouth is the fuel, breath is the smoke, speech is the flame, the eye is the ember, and the ear is the spark. Into this fire, the gods offer food as an oblation; from that, semen is produced. A woman is the fire, O Gautama. For her, the sexual organ is the fuel, the hair is the smoke, the vulva is the flame, what is done within is the ember, and the pleasures are the sparks. Into this fire, the gods offer semen as an oblation; from that, a man is born. He is born, he lives as long as he lives, and when he dies, then they carry him to the fire. For him, fire itself becomes fire, fuel is fuel, smoke is smoke, flame is flame, embers are embers, and sparks are sparks. Into this fire, the gods offer the man as an oblation; from that, a man of shining form is produced. Those who know this, who in the forest worship faith and truth, they attain the flame; from the flame, the day; from the day, the bright fortnight; from the bright fortnight, the six months when the sun moves north; from the months, the world of the gods; from the world of the gods, the sun; from the sun, the lightning. From the lightning, a person, mind-born, leads them to the world of Brahman. In those worlds of Brahman, they dwell, transcending all; for them, there is no return here. But those who win the world by sacrifice, giving, and austerity, they attain smoke; from smoke, night; from night, the waning fortnight; from the waning fortnight, the six months when the sun moves south; from the months, the world of the ancestors; from the world of the ancestors, the moon. Having reached the moon, they become food there; as the gods, filling up King Soma, say, ‘Increase, diminish,’ so they are consumed there. When their merit is exhausted, they enter this space, from space into air, from air into rain, from rain into earth; having reached the earth, they become food. From there, they are born in the fire of a woman. Thus, they keep revolving. But those who do not know these two paths become insects, moths, and such as these. Whoever knows what is eldest and best becomes the eldest and best among his own. Breath is indeed the eldest and best; whoever knows thus becomes the eldest and best among his own, and also among those whom he wishes to surpass. Whoever knows what is most excellent becomes the most excellent among his own. Speech is indeed the most excellent; whoever knows thus becomes the most excellent among his own. Whoever knows what is the foundation stands firm in the level and in the difficult. The eye is indeed the foundation; by the eye, one stands firm in the level and in the difficult. Whoever knows thus stands firm in the level and in the difficult. Whoever knows what is attainment, to him attainment comes, whatever he desires. The ear is indeed attainment; in the ear, all the Vedas are attained. To him attainment comes, whatever he desires, whoever knows thus. Whoever knows what is the abode becomes the abode of his own people and the abode of men. The mind is indeed the abode; whoever knows thus becomes the abode of his own people and the abode of men. Whoever knows what is procreation is born with offspring and cattle. Semen is indeed procreation; whoever knows thus is born with offspring and cattle. Once, these vital forces—speech, eye, ear, mind, and semen—disputed among themselves as to which was the best. They went to Brahman and asked, “Who is the most excellent among us?” Brahman answered, “The one whose departure makes this body seem inferior, he is the most excellent.” Then speech departed. After a year, she returned and asked, “How did you live without me?” The others replied, “Just as people, though mute, live by breath, by seeing with the eye, by hearing with the ear, by knowing with the mind, and by procreating with semen, so we lived.” Then speech entered back. The eye departed for a year, then returned and asked, “How did you live without me?” The reply was, “Just as blind people live without seeing, but by breathing, speaking, hearing, knowing, and procreating, so we lived.” The eye entered back. The ear departed for a year, then returned and asked, “How did you survive without me?” The reply came, “Just as the deaf, not hearing, breathe, speak, see, think, and procreate—so we lived.” The ear entered again. The mind departed for a year, then returned and asked, “How did you live without me?” They replied, “Just as the dull-witted, not thinking, breathe, speak, see, hear, and procreate—so we lived.” The mind entered again. The semen departed for a year, then returned and asked, “How did you live without me?” They replied, “Just as the impotent, not procreating, breathe, speak, see, hear, and think—so we lived.” The semen entered again. But when the breath was about to depart, just as a noble horse of Sindhu gathers its limbs, so all the other faculties gathered together and said, “Do not depart, revered one; we could not live without you.” Breath replied, “Then offer me your tribute.” “So be it,” they said. Thus, the mystery of life and the path of the soul were revealed, showing the interconnectedness of all existence and the supreme importance of breath, the vital force, as the sustaining principle of life.