Upakosala, a devoted student, was undergoing spiritual instruction. One day, the household fire spoke to him, revealing a profound truth: “The earth, fire, food, and the sun—this person who is seen in the sun, I am he, he indeed am I.” The fire declared its unity with the cosmic presence seen in the sun, and imparted a promise: whoever, understanding this oneness, meditates upon it, becomes freed from evil deeds, attains the world, enjoys a full span of life, and lives long; none among his people perish. The fire assured Upakosala that both in this world and the next, it would enjoy with the one who meditates thus. Then, the fire of offerings instructed him further: “The quarters, the stars, and the moon—this person who is seen in the moon, I am he, he indeed am I.” The fire of offerings too promised the same blessings: freedom from evil, attainment of the world, longevity, and prosperity for one’s people. The fires would enjoy with such a meditator in both worlds. Next, the fire of breath spoke: “Breath, space, heaven, lightning—this person who is seen in lightning, I am he, he indeed am I.” This fire repeated the same assurance: whoever meditates with this knowledge gains freedom from evil, reaches the world, lives a long life, and his people flourish. The fires would share joy with him in this life and beyond. After these revelations, the fires said to Upakosala, “Dear one, this is our knowledge, the knowledge of the self. But your teacher will tell you the path.” When Upakosala’s teacher returned, he greeted the student, “Upakosala!” Upakosala respectfully replied, “Revered sir.” The teacher observed, “Your face shines as one who knows Brahman. Who has instructed you?” Upakosala answered, “Who could instruct me, sir? Who could teach me?” But the fires had spoken among themselves, hinting at the nature of the teachings Upakosala had received. The teacher asked, “What did they say to you, dear one?” Upakosala recounted their words. The teacher explained, “They spoke to you about the worlds, dear one. But I will tell you that. Just as water does not cling to a lotus leaf, so evil deeds do not cling to one who knows thus.” Upakosala requested, “Let the revered one teach me.” The teacher then revealed: “This person who is seen in the eye, this is the self. This is the immortal, the fearless, this is Brahman. If one pours ghee or water upon it, it goes only along its own path.” The teacher described this self as the gathering place of all that is dear; all that is dear gathers to him who knows thus. Such a knower becomes the leader and gatherer of all that is dear. He shines in all the worlds, and his radiance is felt everywhere. The teacher then explained the journey of offerings: whatever is offered as an oblation, whether with or without flame, reaches only the flame; from the flame to the day, from the day to the waxing fortnight, from the waxing fortnight to the months, from the months to the year, from the year to the sun, from the sun to the moon, from the moon to lightning. There, a non-human being leads them onward. This guide leads them to Brahman, the path of the gods. By proceeding along this path, they do not return to this human cycle—they do not return. He continued: “This indeed is the sacrifice which is purified; this purifies all. Because it purifies all, this alone is the sacrifice. Its two guiding rails are mind and speech. Of these, one is prepared with mind—the Brahman priest; the other with speech—the Hotṛ, Adhvaryu, and Udgātṛ. If, at the morning recitation, before the placing of the enclosing sticks, the Brahman priest gives the signal, only one guiding rail is prepared; the other is lacking. Just as a chariot moving with only one wheel wobbles, so the sacrifice wobbles, and the sacrificer, following a faltering sacrifice, becomes worse off after the offering. But when, at the morning recitation, before the placing of the enclosing sticks, the Brahman priest does not give the signal, both guiding rails are prepared; neither is lacking. Just as a chariot moving with both wheels stands firm, so the sacrifice stands firm, and the sacrificer, following a firm sacrifice, becomes better off after the offering.” The teacher then told the story of Prajāpati, who heated the worlds and extracted their essences: fire from earth, air from the atmosphere, and the sun from the sky. He heated these three deities and drew out their essences: the Ṛg verses from fire, the Yajus formulas from air, and the Sāman chants from the sun. He heated this threefold knowledge and extracted its essences: ‘Bhūḥ’ from the Ṛg verses, ‘Bhuvaḥ’ from the Yajus formulas, and ‘Svaḥ’ from the Sāman chants. If there is a fault in the Ṛg, one should offer with ‘Bhūḥ, Svāhā’ in the Gārhapatya fire; thus, with the essence and power of the Ṛg, he restores what was lost in the sacrifice. If there is a fault in the Yajus, one should offer with ‘Bhuvaḥ, Svāhā’; thus, with the essence and power of the Yajus, he restores what was lost. If there is a fault in the Sāman, one should offer with ‘Svaḥ, Svāhā’; thus, with the essence and power of the Sāman, restoration is achieved. Just as with salt one restores gold, with gold silver, with silver tin, with tin lead, with lead iron, with iron wood, and with wood leather, so by the power of these worlds, deities, and threefold knowledge, what was lost in the sacrifice is restored. This sacrifice is a remedy when there is such a knowing Brahman priest. The sacrifice is inclined towards water when there is such a knowing priest. There is a verse about the Brahman priest: wherever he returns from, there he goes. The Brahman priest alone, among the officiants, protects the Kurus and the people; such a knowing Brahman priest protects the sacrifice, the sacrificer, and all the officiants. Therefore, only such a knowing Brahman priest should be appointed—not one who does not know thus. In another teaching, it is said: whoever knows what is eldest and best, becomes eldest and best. Breath is truly both eldest and best. Whoever knows what is most excellent, becomes most excellent among his own; speech is truly most excellent. Whoever knows what is foundation, stands firm in this world and the next; the eye is truly the foundation. Whoever knows what is prosperity, to him desires come—both divine and human; the ear is truly prosperity. Whoever knows what is abode, becomes the abode for his own; the mind is truly the abode. Then, the breaths arranged themselves for superiority, each declaring, “I am superior, I am superior.” They approached Prajapati, their father, and asked, “Sir, which of us is the best?” He replied, “The one whose departure makes the body appear most wretched—that one is the best among you.” Speech departed; after spending a year away, she returned and asked, “How did you manage to live without me?” People were mute, not speaking, yet breathing, seeing, hearing, and thinking. Then speech re-entered. The eye departed; after a year, it returned and asked, “How did you manage to live without me?” People were blind, not seeing, yet breathing, speaking, hearing, and thinking. Then the eye re-entered. The ear departed; after a year, it returned and asked, “How did you manage to live without me?” People were deaf, not hearing, yet breathing, speaking, seeing, and thinking. Then the ear re-entered. Thus, the teachings reveal the unity of the fires with the cosmic realms, the importance of knowledge and sacrifice, and the supremacy of breath among the faculties. Those who know and meditate upon these truths are blessed, protected, and attain the highest paths.