Listen to this sacred teaching, in which the wise reveal the hidden unity of all things through the contemplation of the Sāman, the ancient melody of the Veda. The one who truly knows and meditates upon the fivefold Sāman as present in the worlds gains access to both the ascending and descending realms; all the worlds become open and attainable to such a knower. Consider the rain: meditate upon the fivefold Sāman within it. The east wind is the hiṅkāra, the initial invocation; the gathering of clouds becomes the prastāva, the preparatory chant; when rain falls, that is the udgītha, the main hymn; when lightning flashes and thunder roars, that is the pratihāra, the response. What is gathered and stored is the nidhana, the conclusion. Whoever, knowing thus, meditates on the fivefold Sāman in rain, causes it to rain for himself—rain comes at his wish. In all waters too, the Sāman is found. The cloud that gathers is the hiṅkāra, the start; the rain that falls is the prastāva; the streams flowing eastward are the udgītha, those flowing westward form the pratihāra and nidhana. Whoever meditates thus on the fivefold Sāman in all waters does not depart from water; he becomes rich in water, for water clings to him. The seasons themselves are woven with the Sāman: spring is the hiṅkāra, summer the prastāva, the rainy season the udgītha, autumn the pratihāra, winter the nidhana. One who meditates on the fivefold Sāman in the seasons becomes possessed of the seasons; they are all his to experience and enjoy. Even among animals, the Sāman resounds. Goats are the hiṅkāra, sheep the prastāva, cows the udgītha, horses the pratihāra, and man himself is the nidhana, the culmination. Whoever knows and meditates thus on the fivefold Sāman in animals draws all creatures to himself; he becomes rich in animals. Above all, one should meditate on the supreme fivefold Sāman in the vital forces. Here, prāṇa, the breath of life, is the hiṅkāra; speech is the prastāva; the eye is the udgītha; the ear is the pratihāra; and the mind is the nidhana—this is the highest. The one who meditates thus becomes supreme and conquers the highest worlds. Now, let us contemplate the sevenfold Sāman, as manifest in speech. In speech, whatever is 'hum' is the hiṅkāra; what goes forth is the prastāva; what comes is the beginning; what rises is the udgītha; what returns is the pratihāra; what approaches is the upadrava; and what ends is the nidhana. For one who knows this, speech yields its milk like a cow; such a person becomes possessed of food, and is both nourished and a nourisher. The sun too is to be meditated upon as the sevenfold Sāman, always and completely, with the prayer, “May it come to me, may it return to me.” All beings depend on the sun. Before sunrise is the hiṅkāra, and to this, animals are connected; they utter the hiṅkāra, for they receive this portion of the Sāman. At the first rising of the sun is the prastāva, connected to humans, who seek praise and are recipients of this part. When the sun mingles with the horizon, that is the ādi, joined to birds, who fly unsupported in the sky, receiving this portion. At midday is the udgītha, connected to the gods, the best of Prajāpati’s offspring. After midday and before afternoon is the pratihāra, to which the darbha grasses are linked, gathered up at this time. After afternoon and before sunset is the upadrava, to which wild animals are connected; seeing humans, they flee, for they receive this part of the Sāman. At the first setting is the nidhana, connected to the ancestors, who at this time lie down and rest. Thus is the sun worshipped as the sevenfold Sāman. One should also meditate on the sevenfold Sāman as measured within oneself and as a means to overcome death. The hiṅkāra and prastāva each have three syllables; ādi has two, pratihāra four; udgītha three, upadrava four; nidhana three. These add up to twenty-two syllables. With twenty-one, one attains the sun, for the sun is twenty-one; with twenty-two, one surpasses even the highest sun and reaches heaven, the world free from sorrow. Thus, one who meditates on the sevenfold Sāman as the measure of oneself and as a way to transcend death attains victory beyond the sun itself. The Sāman is woven into the vital breaths: the mind is hiṅkāra, speech is prastāva, the eye is udgītha, the ear is pratihāra, the breath is nidhana—this is the Gāyatra Sāman. Whoever knows this becomes endowed with life, lives long, and becomes great in offspring, cattle, fame, and mind. This is the observance. The Sāman is present in fire: when one churns to kindle fire, that is hiṅkāra; when smoke arises, that is prastāva; when it blazes, that is udgītha; when coals form, that is pratihāra; when it subsides, that is nidhana. Whoever knows this Rathantara Sāman as woven into fire becomes radiant with Brahman, an eater of food, long-lived, and great in offspring and fame. Such a one must not sip water facing the fire nor spit—this is the observance. In the union of man and woman, the Sāman is also found: when he converses, that is hiṅkāra; when he makes known, that is prastāva; when he lies with a woman, that is udgītha; when he lies with her again, that is pratihāra; as time passes, that is nidhana; when he crosses over, that too is nidhana. Whoever knows this Vāmadevya Sāman as woven into the couple becomes united, and from union, offspring is born. He becomes long-lived, great in offspring and cattle, and renowned. Such a one should not avoid any woman—this is the observance. The sun’s journey is also a Sāman: the rising is hiṅkāra, forenoon is prastāva, midday is udgītha, afternoon is pratihāra, and sunset is the conclusion. Whoever knows this Brhat Sāman as woven into the sun becomes radiant and long-lived, with abundant offspring, cattle, and fame. One should not revile the shining sun—this is the observance. Consider too the rain-cloud: clouds gathering are hiṅkāra; the birth of the cloud is prastāva; the rain itself is udgītha; lightning and thunder are pratihāra; when the rain ceases, that is the conclusion. Whoever knows this Vairūpa Sāman as woven into the rain-cloud obtains all kinds of cattle, long life, offspring, and fame. One should not revile the raining cloud—this is the observance. And the seasons: spring is hiṅkāra, summer is prastāva, the rainy season is udgītha, autumn is pratihāra, and winter is the conclusion. Whoever knows this Vairāja Sāman as woven into the seasons shines forth with offspring, cattle, and the radiance of Brahman, enjoying long life, greatness, and fame. One should not revile the seasons—this is the observance. Thus, in all things—the worlds, the rains, the waters, the seasons, the animals, the vital forces, speech, the sun, fire, the couple, the rain-cloud, and the seasons again—the sacred Sāman is woven. The knower who meditates upon it, seeing its unity in all, attains mastery, abundance, radiance, and immortality.