He who knows and meditates upon the supreme fivefold Sāman as present in the vital forces becomes supreme himself, conquering the highest worlds. This is the fivefold Sāman. Now, let us consider the sevenfold Sāman. One should meditate on the sevenfold Sāman within speech. In this, whatever in speech is uttered as “hum” is the hiṅkāra; what proceeds forth is the prastāva; what comes is the beginning, the ādi. What rises is called the udgītha; what returns is the pratihāra; what approaches is the upadrava; and what ends is the nidhana. When one meditates in this way, speech yields its milk—its nourishment—to the knower. Whoever knows how to “milk” speech in this manner becomes rich in food and is himself an eater of food, having meditated on the sevenfold Sāman in speech. Next, one should meditate on the sun as the sevenfold Sāman, always with the complete Sāman, praying, “May it come to me, may it return to me,” thus embracing the Sāman in its fullness. All beings depend on the sun: what is before sunrise is the hiṅkāra, and the animals are dependent on this, uttering the hiṅkāra as they receive that portion of the Sāman. At the first rising of the sun, the prastāva is present, to which humans are connected; those who seek praise are recipients of this prastāva portion. At the time when day and night mingle, the ādi is present, and birds are linked to this; soaring unsupported in the mid-air, they are recipients of the ādi. At midday, the udgītha shines forth, and to this the gods are joined—the best among Prajāpati’s children receive this portion. After midday but before afternoon is the pratihāra, to which the darbha grasses are connected; they are gathered up, receiving the pratihāra. After afternoon, before sunset, is the upadrava, to which wild animals are linked; they flee at the sight of humans, receiving the upadrava. At the first setting of the sun is the nidhana, to which the ancestors are connected; they lie down, receiving the nidhana. In this way, one worships the sun as the sevenfold Sāman. Furthermore, one should meditate upon the sevenfold Sāman as measured by oneself and as a means to overcome death. The hiṅkāra has three syllables; the prastāva also has three—thus, they are equal. The ādi has two syllables; the pratihāra has four, but here, accounting for one, they are balanced. The udgītha has three syllables; the upadrava has four, and three with three become equal, leaving one syllable, which makes three. Nidhana has three syllables, and thus, all are balanced. Altogether, these are twenty-two syllables. With twenty-one, one attains the sun, for the sun is twenty-one; with twenty-two, one surpasses the highest sun, reaching heaven, the world free from sorrow. Thus, one attains the victory of the sun, and by surpassing even that, one truly becomes victorious—whoever meditates thus on the sevenfold Sāman as measured by oneself and as overcoming death, truly meditates on the Sāman. Now, the five elements of the Gāyatra Sāman are woven into the vital breaths: the mind is the hiṅkāra, speech is the prastāva, the eye is the udgītha, the ear is the pratihāra, and the breath is the nidhana. Whoever knows the Gāyatra thus, as woven into the vital breaths, is endowed with life, attains a full lifespan, lives long, becomes great in offspring and cattle, great in fame, and great in mind. This is the observance. Likewise, the Sāman is woven into fire. The act of churning is the hiṅkāra; smoke rising is the prastāva; when it blazes, that is the udgītha; as coals form, that is the pratihāra; as it subsides, that is the nidhana; and when it is completely extinguished, that too is nidhana. Whoever knows this Rathantara Sāman as woven into fire shines with the radiance of Brahman, becomes an eater of food, attains a full lifespan, and grows great in offspring and cattle, and in fame. One should not sip water or spit facing the fire—this is the observance. The Sāman is also woven into the union of a couple. When a man converses, that is the hiṅkāra; when he makes himself known, that is the prastāva; when he lies with a woman, that is the udgītha; when he lies with her again, that is the pratihāra; as time passes, that is the nidhana; and as 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. Such a one attains a full lifespan, abundance in cattle and offspring, and greatness in fame. One should not avoid any woman—this is the observance. The Sāman is woven into the sun’s daily journey: the rising is the hiṅkāra, the forenoon is the prastāva, midday is the udgītha, afternoon is the pratihāra, and sunset is the conclusion. Whoever knows this Brhat Sāman as woven into the sun becomes radiant, an eater of food, long-lived, great in offspring, cattle, and fame. One should not revile the shining sun—this is the observance. It is also woven into the rain-cloud: when the clouds gather, that is the hiṅkāra; when the cloud is born, that is the prastāva; when it rains, that is the udgītha; when it flashes and thunders, that is the pratihāra; when it ceases, that is the conclusion. Whoever knows this Vairūpa Sāman as woven into the rain-cloud attains both deformed and well-formed cattle, a full lifespan, abundance in offspring and cattle, and fame. One should not revile the rain-cloud—this is the observance. The Sāman is woven into the seasons: spring is the hiṅkāra, summer is the prastāva, the rainy season is the udgītha, autumn is the pratihāra, and winter is the conclusion. Knowing this Vairāja Sāman as woven into the seasons, one shines with offspring, cattle, the radiance of Brahman, and attains fullness in life, offspring, cattle, and fame. One should not revile the seasons—this is the observance. It is also woven into the worlds: earth is the hiṅkāra, the atmosphere is the prastāva, heaven is the udgītha, the quarters are the pratihāra, and the ocean is the conclusion. Whoever knows these Śakvarī Sāmans as woven into the worlds becomes possessed of the worlds, attains a full lifespan, greatness in offspring and cattle, and fame. One should not revile the worlds—this is the observance. The Sāman is woven into animals: the goat is the hiṅkāra, the sheep is the prastāva, the cow is the udgītha, the horse is the pratihāra, and the man is the conclusion. Knowing these Revatī Sāmans as woven into the animals, one becomes possessed of cattle, attains a full lifespan, greatness in offspring and cattle, and fame. One should not revile the animals—this is the observance. The Sāman is woven into the limbs: hair is the hiṅkāra, skin is the prastāva, flesh is the udgītha, bone is the pratihāra, and marrow is the conclusion. Whoever knows this Yajñāyajñīya Sāman as woven into the limbs becomes possessed of sound limbs, never falters, attains a full lifespan, greatness in offspring and cattle, and fame. For a year, one should not eat marrow—or, one should not eat marrow at all—this is the observance. Among the deities, the Sāman is woven thus: fire is the hiṅkāra, wind is the prastāva, the sun is the udgītha, the stars are the pratihāra, and the moon is the conclusion. Whoever knows this Rājana Sāman as woven into the deities attains the world, creation, and union with the deities, and is blessed with a full life, offspring, cattle, and fame. One should not revile the Brāhmaṇas—this is the observance. Finally, the Sāman is woven into everything: the threefold Veda is the hiṅkāra, the three worlds are the prastāva, fire, wind, and sun are the udgītha, the stars, birds, and rays are the pratihāra, and serpents, Gandharvas, and ancestors are the conclusion. Whoever knows the Sāman as woven into everything becomes all. Thus, the Sāman pervades all existence—within the body, in speech, in the sun, in fire, in union, in the seasons, the worlds, the animals, the limbs, the deities, and indeed, in all things. To know this, to meditate upon it with reverence and observance, is to become one with all, to attain fullness, to shine with the radiance of Brahman, and to be victorious over death itself.