As evening approaches, just after the afternoon and before the sun sets, there is a special moment known as the upadrava. In this time, wild animals are most closely connected; sensing the presence of humans, they flee into forests or hide in hollows, for they partake in the upadrava portion of the Sāman. As the sun sets for the first time, the nidhana phase arrives, and with it, the ancestors are linked. At this hour, they lie down, receiving their share of the nidhana portion. Thus, the sun is honored through the sevenfold Sāman, each phase reflecting a part of the cosmic order. One should meditate upon this sevenfold Sāman, measuring it within oneself and contemplating its power to overcome death. The hiṅkāra and prastāva each have three syllables, making them equal. The ādi holds two syllables, while pratihāra has four; together, they balance. Udgītha contains three syllables, upadrava four; three with three become equal, and one syllable remains, forming another group of three—again, they are equal. Nidhana, with three syllables, completes the cycle. Altogether, these parts comprise twenty-two syllables. With twenty-one syllables, one attains the sun, for the sun itself is twenty-one. With twenty-two, one surpasses even the highest sun, reaching heaven—a world free from sorrow. Through this meditation, one attains victory over the sun; surpassing that victory, one becomes truly victorious. Whoever knows and meditates upon the sevenfold Sāman in this manner, as measured by oneself and as overcoming death, truly meditates upon the Sāman. The Sāman is woven into all aspects of life. The mind is hiṅkāra, speech is prastāva, the eye is udgītha, the ear is pratihāra, and breath is nidhana; this is the Gāyatra, intricately woven into the vital breaths. Whoever knows this Gāyatra as woven into the vital breaths becomes endowed with vitality, attains a full lifespan, lives long, grows great with offspring and cattle, achieves fame, and possesses greatness of mind—this is the observance. Consider the ritual of fire: the act of churning is hiṅkāra; when smoke arises, it is prastāva; as the fire blazes, it is udgītha; when coals form, it is pratihāra; as it subsides, it is nidhana, and when it completely subsides, it is nidhana again. All these are woven into fire. Whoever knows the Rathantara Sāman as woven into fire becomes radiant with Brahman, a consumer of food, attains full lifespan, lives long, grows great with offspring and cattle, and achieves fame. One should not sip water facing the fire, nor spit—this is the observance. In the union of a couple, conversation is hiṅkāra; making known is prastāva; lying together is udgītha; lying together again is pratihāra; as time passes, it is nidhana; crossing over is nidhana. All these are woven into the couple. Whoever knows the Vāmadevya Sāman as woven into the couple becomes united; from union, offspring arises; one attains a full lifespan, lives long, becomes great with progeny and cattle, and achieves fame. One should not avoid any woman—this is the observance. The sun’s journey through the day is also woven into the Sāman: rising is hiṅkāra, forenoon is prastāva, midday is udgītha, afternoon is pratihāra, and sunset is the conclusion. All these are woven into the sun. Whoever knows the Brhat Sāman as woven into the sun becomes radiant, a consumer of food, attains full lifespan, lives long, grows great with offspring and cattle, and achieves fame. One should not revile the shining sun—this is the observance. The rain-cloud follows its own Sāman: when clouds gather, it is hiṅkāra; when the cloud is born, it is prastāva; when it rains, it is udgītha; when it flashes and thunders, it is pratihāra; when it ceases, it is the conclusion. All these are woven into the rain-cloud. Whoever knows the Vairūpa Sāman as woven into the rain-cloud obtains cattle both deformed and well-formed, attains full lifespan, lives long, grows great with offspring and cattle, and achieves fame. One should not revile the raining cloud—this is the observance. The seasons, too, are woven into the Sāman: spring is hiṅkāra, summer is prastāva, the rainy season is udgītha, autumn is pratihāra, and winter is the conclusion. All these are woven into the seasons. Whoever knows the Vairāja Sāman as woven into the seasons shines with offspring, cattle, and the radiance of Brahman, attains full lifespan, lives long, grows great with offspring and cattle, and achieves fame. One should not revile the seasons—this is the observance. The worlds themselves are woven into the Sāman: earth is hiṅkāra, the atmosphere is prastāva, heaven is udgītha, the quarters are pratihāra, and the ocean is the conclusion. Whoever knows the Śakvarī Sāmans as woven into the worlds becomes possessed of the worlds, attains full lifespan, lives long, grows great with offspring and cattle, and achieves fame. One should not revile the worlds—this is the observance. Animals are part of the Sāman: the goat is hiṅkāra, the sheep is prastāva, the cow is udgītha, the horse is pratihāra, and man is the conclusion. Whoever knows the Revatī Sāmans as woven into the animals becomes possessed of cattle, attains full lifespan, lives long, grows great with offspring and cattle, and achieves fame. One should not revile the animals—this is the observance. Even the limbs of the body are woven into the Sāman: hair is hiṅkāra, skin is prastāva, flesh is udgītha, bone is pratihāra, and marrow is the conclusion. Whoever knows the Yajñāyajñīya Sāman as woven into the limbs becomes possessed of sound limbs, does not falter with any limb, attains full lifespan, lives long, grows great with offspring and cattle, and achieves fame. For a year, one should not eat marrow—or simply, one should not eat marrow—this is the observance. The deities are woven into the Sāman: fire is hiṅkāra, wind is prastāva, the sun is udgītha, the stars are pratihāra, and the moon is the conclusion. Whoever knows the Rājana Sāman as woven into the deities attains the world, creation, and union with these very deities, attains full lifespan, lives long, grows great with offspring and cattle, and achieves fame. One should not revile the Brāhmaṇas—this is the observance. All creation is woven into the Sāman: the threefold Veda is hiṅkāra, the three worlds are prastāva, fire, wind, and sun are udgītha, the stars, birds, and rays are pratihāra, and serpents, Gandharvas, and ancestors are the conclusion. This Sāman is woven into everything. Whoever knows this Sāman as woven into everything becomes all. As the verse declares: “Whatever is fivefold, three by three, there is nothing greater or higher than these.” Whoever knows this, knows all; all directions bring him tribute. Thus, one should meditate, “I am all this”—this is the observance. In the vinardi melody of the Sāman, one seeks cattle: among the deities, the udgītha belongs to Agni, the anirukta to Prajāpati, the nirukta to Soma, the gentle and smooth to Vāyu, the smooth and strong to Indra, the krauñca to Bṛhaspati, and the apadhvānta to Varuṇa. One should honor all these, but avoid the vāruṇa. When singing for the gods, one should keep the thought, “May I attain immortality”; for the ancestors, “May I attain svadhā”; for humans, “May I attain hope”; for animals, “May I attain grass and water”; for the sacrificer, “May I attain the heavenly world”; and for oneself, “May I attain food.” Meditating on these with a focused mind, one should praise without negligence. All the notes are the forms of Indra; all the heats are the forms of Prajāpati; all the touches are the forms of Death. If questioned about the notes, one should reply, “I have taken refuge in Indra; he will answer you.” If questioned about the heats, “I have taken refuge in Prajāpati; he will look after you.” If questioned about the touches, “I have taken refuge in Death; he will consume you.” All notes should be described as resonant and powerful, dedicating strength to Indra. All heats should be described as foremost, unrepelled, and manifest, dedicating the self to Prajāpati. All touches should be described as subtle and not firmly established, withdrawing the self from Death. There are three pillars of righteousness: sacrifice, study, and giving form the first; austerity is the second; and the third is living as a student in the teacher’s house, fully dedicating oneself. All these lead to virtuous worlds, but one established in Brahman attains immortality. Prajāpati heated the worlds, and from those that were heated, the threefold knowledge flowed forth. He heated that, and from what was heated, the syllables bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ, and svaḥ arose. He heated those, and from what was heated, the syllable oṃ arose. Just as a peg holds all leaves together, so oṃ holds all speech together. Oṃ alone is all this; oṃ alone is all this.