Then, in that sacred assembly, the powers of the senses spoke forth, each revealing its own glory and bestowing that glory upon the one who inquired. Speech declared, “Because I am the best, you too are the best.” The eye proclaimed, “Because I am the foundation, you too are the foundation.” The ear affirmed, “Because I am prosperity, you too are prosperity.” The mind said, “Because I am the abode, you too are the abode.” And the seed of life declared, “Because I am progeny, you too are progeny.” The seeker then asked, “What is my food, and what is my clothing?” To this, the response came: “All that moves among horses, animals, insects, and flying creatures—these are your food; water is your clothing. Indeed, nothing that is eaten is without food, nothing received is without food, for one who knows this, nothing he eats is without food.” Those who understand these truths, the learned ones, observe the rite of sipping water before and after eating, believing that by this act, their food is purified. Therefore, one who knows thus should always sip water before and after meals, thereby ensuring the purity of what is consumed. If someone wishes to attain greatness, let him, during the bright half of the lunar month, on auspicious days, after observing the twelve-day upasad vow, gather fruits from the udumbara tree and all medicinal herbs. These he should anoint, establish the sacred fire, cover with ghee, prepare and churn under the constellation of Pūṣā, and then offer oblations. As he offers, he prays: “O Jātavedas, as many gods as dwell within you, who may obstruct the desires of man—to each I offer their share. May they, being satisfied, fulfill my desires. Svāhā.” When the offering is made as a quadruped lies, he says, “I am the supporter; with the stream of ghee I worship you, O provider. Svāhā. May offspring arise, and may these not go elsewhere.” Thus, the third oblation is offered. He continues, offering with reverence: “For the eldest, svāhā; for the best, svāhā,” pouring the essence from the churn into the fire. In this manner, he offers for breath, for speech, for the eye, for the ear, for the mind, for semen, for being, for becoming, for the universe, for all, for earth, for atmosphere, for heaven, for the directions, for Brahman, for Kṣatra, for Bhūḥ, for Bhuvaḥ, for Svaḥ, for Bhūrbhuvaḥ, for Agni, for Soma, for brilliance, for splendor, for prosperity, for Savitṛ, for Sarasvatī, for all the gods, and for Prajāpati—each time pouring the essence from the churn, each time invoking “svāhā.” Again, he offers for Agni, for Soma, for Bhūḥ, for Bhuvaḥ, for Svaḥ, for Bhūrbhuvaḥ Svaḥ, for Brahman, for Kṣatra, for being, for becoming, for the universe, for all, and for Prajāpati, each time pouring the essence from the churn, each time invoking “svāhā.” Having completed these offerings, he touches the churn, declaring: “You are movement, you are blazing, you are fullness, you are firmness, you are unity, you are affirmation, you are being affirmed, you are the chant, you are being chanted, you are heard, you are being heard, you are moist and kindled, you are abundant, you are mighty, you are light, you are food, you are death, you are absorption.” He lifts the churn, saying: “You are raw. May you, with me, be a sovereign ruler; may the sovereign ruler make you a sovereign ruler.” He sips water, reciting: “May Savitṛ, the most excellent, send honeyed winds for the truth, honeyed rivers flow; may the herbs be honeyed for us. Bhūḥ, svāhā.” He continues: “May we meditate upon the radiance of the divine; honeyed are the nights and dawns, honeyed is the dust of the earth, honeyed is heaven, our father. Bhuvaḥ, svāhā.” And again: “May the intellect inspire us. May the honeyed forest be ours, may the sun be honeyed, may the cows be honeyed for us. Svaḥ, svāhā.” Thus, he recites the entire Sāvitrī, all the honeyed verses, all the sacred utterances, concluding with, “May I become all this. Bhūrbhuvaḥ Svaḥ, svāhā.” Then, after sipping water and washing his hands, he sits with his back to the fire. In the morning, he approaches the sun, declaring, “You are the single lotus among the directions; may I become the single lotus among men.” Having approached thus, he sits by the fire, his back turned, and recites the sacred verse. Thus spoke Uddālaka Āruṇi, disciple of Yājñavalkya of the Vājasaneyas, who said: “If one were to sprinkle dry stumps, branches would grow, leaves would sprout.” In turn, Yājñavalkya, having taught this to his student Madhuka, son of Paingi, said: “If one were to sprinkle dry wood with this, branches would grow, leaves would sprout.” Likewise, Madhuka, after instructing his student Chuda, son of Bhagavitta, repeated the same. Chuda, having taught Janaka, son of Ayasthuna, spoke likewise. Janaka, after teaching Satyakama, son of Jabala, said the same. And Satyakama, having spoken to his own students, declared: “If one were to sprinkle dry wood with this, branches would grow, leaves would sprout.” This knowledge, he said, should not be taught to one who is not a son or not a student. There are four sacred objects made of udumbara wood: the udumbara ladle, the udumbara sacrificial spoon, the udumbara fuel, and the two pieces for kindling—all are of udumbara wood. There are ten kinds of cultivated grains: rice, barley, sesame, beans, anupriyangu, wheat, lentils, khalva, and khalakula. From each, half is ground, moistened with curds, honey, and ghee, and clarified butter is offered. From all beings, the essence of the earth is plants; of plants, flowers; of flowers, fruit; of fruit, man; of man, semen. Prajapati contemplated, “Let me establish a foundation here.” With desire, he created her; having created her, he worshipped her. Therefore, a woman should be worshipped, for she is prosperity. He raised the stone facing east and, with it, created her. Her lap is the altar, her hair the sacred grass, her skin the two covering stones, and the fire is kindled in the center, which is her vulva. Whoever, knowing thus, unites with a woman in the manner of the Vajapeya sacrifice, attains a world as great as that. But if one who does not know thus unites, the woman takes his merit. Thus, Uddalaka Aruni, knowing this, declared it; so too did Nakha Maudgalya and Kumara Harita, saying: “Many noble Brahmins, lacking self-control and merit, depart from this world, who, not knowing this, have intercourse.” Indeed, for many, semen is emitted either while asleep or awake. When this happens, one should touch it and recite: “Whatever semen of mine has fallen to the earth today, whatever has entered plants or water, this semen I take back. May my strength return to me, may my vigor, may my fortune return; may the household fires be established in their places.” Taking it with the ring finger and thumb, he should touch between the breasts or the eyebrows. If he sees water as his own self, he should recite: “May energy, strength, fame, wealth, and merit be in me.” The menstrual cloth is the prosperity of women. Therefore, when approaching a woman wearing her menstrual cloth, one should address her with reverence. If she gives it to him, and he desires her, he should satisfy her desire. If she gives it to him herself, and he desires her, he should touch her with a staff or with his hand, and then unite with her, saying, “With your strength and fame I take your fame”—but in this, he becomes inglorious. But if she gives it to him and he says, “With your strength and fame I take your fame,” then both become illustrious. If he wishes to restrain himself, let him say, “I desire you.” Having set his purpose in her, joining mouth to mouth, touching her sexual organ, he should recite: “From limb to limb you are born, from the heart you arise; you are the essence of the limbs, delight me as one pierced and anointed.” If he wishes that she not conceive, having established the intent in her, placing mouth to mouth, inhaling and exhaling, with his organ he takes back the seed, saying, “With your seed I take back the seed.” Thus, she does not become pregnant. If he wishes that she conceive, having established the intent in her, placing mouth to mouth, exhaling and inhaling, with his organ he deposits the seed, saying, “With your seed I deposit the seed.” Thus, she becomes pregnant. If a wife has had a lover and the husband resents it, he should set up a fire in an unbaked vessel, lay the sacrificial grass against the grain, and offer three sticks of śara grass, anointed with ghee, against the grain, reciting: “May I take away her ill fortune in the kindled fire, may I take away her barrenness, may I take away her lack of offspring, may I take away her lack of vitality.” Each time, he should utter, “May I take away.” Thus, he takes away her ill fortune, her lack of offspring, her lack of vitality. Such a one, deprived of power and merit, departs from this world, whom a knower of this kind curses. Therefore, one who knows thus should not ridicule the wife of a learned Brahmin, for such a knower is indeed powerful. Again, if a wife has had a lover and the husband resents it, he should set up a fire in an unbaked vessel, lay the sacrificial grass against the grain, and offer sticks of śara grass, anointed with ghee, against the grain, reciting: “May I take away her ill fortune in the kindled fire, may I take away her lack of vitality, may I take away her lack of offspring, may I take away her barrenness, may I take away her lack of merit.” Such a one, deprived of power and merit, departs from this world, whom a knower of this kind curses. Therefore, one who knows thus should not ridicule the wife of a learned Brahmin, for such a knower is indeed powerful. If a man finds his wife in her menstrual period, for three days he should drink clarified butter with kusa grass, wearing soiled garments; neither a Śūdra nor a Śūdra woman should touch her. After three nights, having bathed, he should pound rice. If he wishes, “May a fair-skinned son be born to me,” he should recite the Veda, saying, “May he live his full lifespan,” and having cooked rice with milk and ghee, both should eat it together; thus, they may produce as they desire. If he wishes, “May a tawny or reddish son be born to me,” he should recite two Vedas, saying, “May he live his full lifespan,” and having cooked rice with curds and ghee, both should eat it together; thus, they may produce as they desire. If he wishes, “May a son with dark or red eyes be born to me,” he should recite three Vedas, saying, “May he live his full lifespan,” and having cooked rice with water and ghee, both should eat it together; thus, they may produce as they desire.