Jānaśruti, the grandson of Pautra, approached the sage Raikva with great reverence. He brought with him six hundred cows, a precious necklace, and a chariot drawn by mules, offering these gifts as tokens of respect. With humility, he pleaded, “Revered one, instruct me in the deity you worship.” Raikva, however, was unmoved by the gifts. He replied, “Take these away, Śūdra. Let them remain with you and your cows.” Undeterred, Jānaśruti returned with even greater offerings: a thousand cows, the necklace, the chariot, his own daughter, and the village where Raikva resided. He entreated again, “Raikva, here are a thousand cows, this necklace, this chariot drawn by mules, this wife, and this village. Please, revered one, instruct me.” Raikva touched the daughter’s mouth and said, “Take these away, Śūdra. You will feed them with this mouth.” The gifts were left behind, and among the great bulls where Raikva dwelt, these became known as Raikva’s leaves. Then Raikva spoke to Jānaśruti: “Indeed, air is the absorber. When fire goes out, it merges into air. When the sun sets, it merges into air. When the moon sets, it merges into air. When waters dry up, they too merge into air. Air absorbs all these; this is with regard to the deities. Now, with regard to the self: breath is the absorber. When one sleeps, speech merges into breath, sight merges into breath, hearing merges into breath, and mind merges into breath. Breath absorbs all these. Thus, air is the absorber among the gods, and breath among living beings.” Elsewhere, while Śaunaka Kāpeya and Abhipratāri Kākṣaseni were being served, a student came seeking alms. They gave him nothing. The student declared, “Among the great souls, there are four, O gods. Who is awake, the guardian of the world? Kāpeya, mortals do not see him. Abhipratāri, he dwells in many forms. To whom this food is given?” Śaunaka Kāpeya reflected and understood: “The self is the creator of gods and beings, shining with golden tusks, without envy. His greatness is immense, unmeasured. Whoever eats food without giving, we students worship this. Give him alms.” So they gave him. Five portions, and five more, making ten, were given. Therefore, in all directions, ten portions of food are made. This is the Virāj, the lord of food. By this, all is seen; all is seen by him. He becomes the eater of food who knows thus. Meanwhile, Satyakāma, the son of Jabālā, approached his mother and asked, “Mother, I wish to live as a student of sacred knowledge. What is my lineage?” She replied, “I do not know, dear, what your lineage is. I served many, wandering in my youth, and I obtained you then. My name is Jabālā, yours is Satyakāma. So you should say you are Satyakāma, son of Jabālā.” Satyakāma went to Gautama, son of Hāridrumata, and said, “Revered one, I wish to live as a student of sacred knowledge. May I approach you?” Gautama asked, “What is your lineage, dear?” Satyakāma answered truthfully, “I do not know, revered one. I asked my mother, and she told me: ‘I served many, wandering in my youth, and I obtained you then. My name is Jabālā, your name is Satyakāma.’ So, revered one, I am Satyakāma, son of Jabālā.” Gautama said, “A non-Brahmin should not explain this. Bring the firewood, dear, I will lead you. You have not spoken the truth.” Having brought him, Gautama rejected four hundred thin and weak cows and instructed Satyakāma, “Dear, follow these. Do not return unless you have a thousand.” Satyakāma stayed for years, tending the cows, and when the thousand had gathered— A bull approached him and said, “Satyakāma.” “Yes, revered one,” replied Satyakāma. The bull said, “Dear, we have reached a thousand. Lead us to the teacher’s house. I will tell you a portion of Brahman. The eastern direction is a quarter, the western direction is a quarter, the southern direction is a quarter, and the northern direction is a quarter. These are the four quarters, a foot of Brahman, called ‘radiant.’ Whoever, knowing thus, worships this fourfold foot of Brahman as ‘radiant,’ becomes radiant in this world and conquers radiant worlds.” The next day, Satyakāma drove the cows onward, set up the fire, restrained the cows, placed the firewood, and sat facing east behind the fire. Agni approached him and said, “Satyakāma.” “Yes, revered one,” he replied. Agni said, “Dear, I will tell you a foot. Earth is a quarter, atmosphere is a quarter, heaven is a quarter, ocean is a quarter. These are the four quarters, a foot of Brahman, called ‘boundless.’ Whoever, knowing thus, worships this fourfold foot of Brahman as ‘boundless,’ becomes boundless in this world and conquers boundless worlds.” Again, Satyakāma drove the cows onward, set up the fire, restrained the cows, placed the firewood, and sat facing east behind the fire. The swan approached him and said, “Satyakāma.” “Yes, revered one,” he replied. The swan said, “Dear, I will tell you a foot. Fire is a quarter, sun is a quarter, moon is a quarter, lightning is a quarter. These are the four quarters, a foot of Brahman, called ‘luminous.’ Whoever, knowing thus, worships this fourfold foot of Brahman as ‘luminous,’ becomes luminous in this world and conquers luminous worlds.” Once more, Satyakāma drove the cows onward, set up the fire, restrained the cows, placed the firewood, and sat facing east behind the fire. The diver-bird approached him and said, “Satyakāma.” “Yes, revered one,” he replied. The diver-bird said, “Dear, I will tell you a foot. Breath is a quarter, sight is a quarter, hearing is a quarter, mind is a quarter. These are the four quarters, a foot of Brahman, called ‘the abode.’ Whoever, knowing thus, worships this fourfold foot of Brahman as ‘the abode,’ becomes the abode in this world and conquers worlds that are abodes.” Finally, Satyakāma reached the teacher’s house. The teacher approached him and said, “Satyakāma.” “Yes, revered one,” he replied. The teacher said, “Dear, you shine as a knower of Brahman. Who has instructed you among men?” Satyakāma replied, “May the revered one himself tell me what I desire to know. For I have heard from the revered seers that knowledge is truly gained from a teacher, and thus knowledge is well established and attained.” The teacher replied, “Here, nothing is greater than this, nothing is greater than this.” Upakosala, the son of Kamalayana, lived as a student of Satyakāma Jabala. For twelve years, he tended the sacred fires for his teacher. When the teacher sent the other students home, he did not send Upakosala home. The teacher’s wife said, “The student has practiced austerity and tended the fires well. Do not let the fires speak to him before you do; instruct him.” But the teacher went on a journey. Upakosala resolved to fast. The teacher’s wife asked, “Student, why do you not eat?” He replied, “Within this person, there are many desires, each entering by different paths, filled with afflictions. I am full of these and will not eat.” Then the fires spoke: “The student has practiced austerity and tended us well. Come, let us teach him.” And they said, “Breath is Brahman, space is Brahman, sky is Brahman.” Upakosala replied, “I know that breath is Brahman, but I do not know about space and sky.” They explained, “What is space, that is sky; what is sky, that is space.” Thus they taught him about breath and space. In this way, through humility, truthfulness, and devotion, the seekers received the sacred teachings, and the light of Brahman shone upon them.