अथ योऽस्य प्रत्यङ्सुषिः सोऽपानः सा वाक्सोऽग्निस्तदेतद्ब्रह्मवर्चसमन्नाद्यमित्युपासीत ब्रह्मवर्चस्यन्नादो भवति य एवं वेद
The one facing west is the apāna, which is speech, which is fire; meditate on it as the brilliance of Brahman and as the eater of food—he who knows thus becomes radiant with the brilliance of Brahman and an eater of food.
अथ योऽस्योदङ्सुषिः स समानस्तन्मनः स पर्जन्यस्तदेतत्कीर्तिश्च व्युष्टिश्चेत्युपासीत कीर्तिमान्व्युष्टिमान्भवति य एवं वेद
The one facing north is the samāna, which is mind, which is rain; meditate on it as fame and clarity—he who knows thus becomes famous and clear.
अथ योऽस्योर्ध्वः सुषिः स उदानः स वायुः स आकाशस्तदेतदोजश्च महश्चेत्युपासीतौजस्वी महस्वान्भवति य एवं वेद
The one facing upward is the udāna, which is air, which is space; meditate on it as strength and greatness—he who knows thus becomes strong and great.
ते वा एते पञ्च ब्रह्मपुरुषाः स्वर्गस्य लोकस्य द्वारपाः स य एतानेवं पञ्च ब्रह्मपुरुषान्स्वर्गस्य लोकस्य द्वारपान्वेदास्य कुले वीरो जायते प्रतिपद्यते स्वर्गं लोकं य एतानेवं पञ्च ब्रह्मपुरुषान्स्वर्गस्य लोकस्य द्वारपान्वेद
These five are the Brahman-persons, the guardians of the gates of the world of heaven; whoever knows these five Brahman-persons, the guardians of the gates of the world of heaven, a hero is born in his family, and he attains the world of heaven—whoever knows these five Brahman-persons, the guardians of the gates of the world of heaven.
अथ यदतः परो दिवो ज्योतिर्दीप्यते विश्वतः पृष्ठेषु सर्वतः पृष्ठेष्वनुत्तमेषूत्तमेषु लोकेष्विदं वाव तद्यदिदमस्मिन्नन्तः पुरुषो ज्योतिस्तस्यैषा
Now, that light which shines beyond this heaven, above all worlds, in the highest worlds—this indeed is that which is the light within this person.
तस्यैषा दृष्टिर्यत्रितदस्मिञ्छरीरे सꣳस्पर्शेनोष्णिमानं विजानाति तस्यैषा श्रुतिर्यत्रैतत्कर्णावपिगृह्य निनदमिव नदथुरिवाग्नेरिव ज्वलत उपशृणोति तदेतद्दृष्टं च श्रुतं चेत्युपासीत चक्षुष्यः श्रुतो भवति य एवं वेद य एवं वेद
His sight is that by which, touching this body, he perceives warmth; his hearing is that by which, with his ears covered, he hears a sound like thunder or like fire blazing—thus, meditate on this as both seen and heard; he who knows thus becomes endowed with vision and hearing.
सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म तज्जलानिति शान्त उपासीत । अथ खलु क्रतुमयः पुरुषो यथाक्रतुरस्मिꣳल्लोके पुरुषो भवति तथेतः प्रेत्य भवति स क्रतुं कुर्वीत
All this, indeed, is Brahman; from it, all things are born, by it they are sustained, into it they merge—one should meditate with calmness; moreover, a person is made of intention; as is his intention in this world, so he becomes after departing from here; therefore, one should form an intention.
प्राणशरीरो भारूपः सत्यसङ्कल्प आकाशात्मा सर्वकर्मा सर्वकामः सर्वगन्धः सर्वरसः सर्वमिदमभ्यत्तोऽवाक्यनादरः
He has breath as his body, is radiant in form, true in will, space as his self, does all actions, desires all, possesses all scents, all tastes, and is silent, without pride.
एष म आत्मान्तर्हृदयेऽणीयान्व्रीहेर्वा यवाद्वा सर्षपाद्वा श्यामाकाद्वा श्यामाकतण्डुलाद्वैष म आत्मान्तर्हृदये ज्यायान्पृथिव्या ज्यायानन्तरिक्षाज्ज्यायान्दिवो ज्यायानेभ्यो लोकेभ्यः
This self of mine within the heart is smaller than a grain of rice, or barley, or mustard seed, or millet, or the kernel of millet; this self of mine within the heart is greater than the earth, greater than the atmosphere, greater than the sky, greater than all these worlds.
सर्वकर्मा सर्वकामः सर्वगन्धः सर्वरसः सर्वमिदमभ्यात्तोऽवाक्यनादर एष म आत्मान्तर्हृदय एतद्ब्रह्मैतमितः प्रेत्याभिसंभवितास्मीति यस्य स्यादद्धा न विचिकित्सास्तीति ह स्माह शाण्डिल्यः शाण्डिल्यः
He does all actions, desires all, possesses all scents, all tastes, and is silent, without pride; this self of mine within the heart is Brahman; after departing from here, I shall become that—whoever among us has no doubt regarding this, for him, said Śāṇḍilya, there is no uncertainty.
कोशो भूमिबुध्नो न जीर्यति दिशो ह्यस्य स्रक्तयो द्यौरस्योत्तरं बिलꣳस एष कोशो वसुधानस्तस्मिन्विश्वमिदꣳश्रितम्
The vessel has the earth as its base and does not decay; the directions are its garlands, the sky is its upper opening; this vessel is the earth, and in it all this is contained.
तस्य प्राची दिग्जुहूर्नाम सहमाना नाम दक्षिणा राज्ञी नाम प्रतीची सुभूता नामोदीची तासां वायुर्वत्सः स य एतमेवं वायुं दिशां वत्सं वेद न पुत्ररोदꣳरोदिति सोऽहमेतमेवं वायुं दिशां वत्सं वेद मा पुत्ररोदꣳरुदम्
Of it, the eastern direction is called the ladle, the southern is called Sahamānā, the western is called Rājñī, the northern is called Subhūtā, and the upward is called Udīcī; among them, air is the calf; whoever knows air as the calf of the directions does not weep for sons; so, knowing air as the calf of the directions, may I not weep for sons.
अरिष्टं कोशं प्रपद्येऽमुनामुनामुना प्राणं प्रपद्येऽमुनामुनामुना भूः प्रपद्येऽमुनामुनामुना भुवः प्रपद्येऽमुनामुनामुना स्वः प्रपद्येऽमुनामुनामुना
I take refuge in the flawless vessel; with this, with this, with this, I take refuge in the breath; with this, with this, with this, I take refuge in Bhūḥ; with this, with this, with this, I take refuge in Bhuvaḥ; with this, with this, with this, I take refuge in Svaḥ; with this, with this, with this.
स यदवोचं प्राणं प्रपद्य इति प्राणो वा इदꣳ सर्वं भूतं यदिदं किञ्च तमेव तत्प्रापत्सि
Now, when I said, 'I take refuge in the breath,' indeed, all this that exists is breath; whatever there is, that alone you attain.
अथ यदवोचं भूः प्रपद्य इति पृथिवीं प्रपद्येऽन्तरिक्षं प्रपद्ये दिवं प्रपद्य इत्येव तदवोचम्
Then, when I said, 'I take refuge in Bhūḥ,' it is the earth I take refuge in, the atmosphere I take refuge in, the heaven I take refuge in—thus indeed I said.
अथ यदवोचं भुवः प्रपद्य इत्यग्निं प्रपद्ये वायुं प्रपद्य आदित्यं प्रपद्य इत्येव तदवोचम्
Then, when I said, 'I take refuge in Bhuvaḥ,' it is fire I take refuge in, wind I take refuge in, the sun I take refuge in—thus indeed I said.
अथ यदवोचꣳस्वः प्रपद्य इत्यृग्वेदं प्रपद्ये यजुर्वेदं प्रपद्ये सामवेदं प्रपद्य इत्येव तदवोचं तदवोचम्
Then, when I said, 'I take refuge in Svaḥ,' it is the Ṛgveda I take refuge in, the Yajurveda I take refuge in, the Sāmaveda I take refuge in—thus indeed I said, thus I said.
पुरुषो वाव यज्ञस्तस्य यानि चतुर्विꣳशतिवर्षाणि तत्प्रातःसवनं चतुर्विꣳशत्यक्षरा गायत्री गायत्रं प्रातःसवनं तदस्य वसवोऽन्वायत्ताः प्राणा वाव वसव एते हीदꣳसर्वं वासयन्ति
Indeed, the person is the sacrifice; his twenty-four years are the morning pressing; the Gāyatrī meter has twenty-four syllables, and the Gāyatra is the morning pressing; to this, the Vasus are connected; truly, the breaths are the Vasus, for these indeed cause all this to dwell.
तं चेदेतस्मिन्वयसि किञ्चिदुपतपेत्स ब्रूयात्प्राणा वसव इदं मे प्रातःसवनं माध्यन्दिनꣳसवनमनुसन्तनुतेति माहं प्राणानां वसूनां मध्ये यज्ञो विलोप्सीयेत्युद्धैव तत एत्यगदो ह भवति
If, at this age, any affliction should arise for him, he should say: 'Breaths, Vasus, may this morning pressing, this midday pressing, continue for me; may I not, among the breaths, the Vasus, destroy the sacrifice.' Then he rises up from there, and he becomes free from illness.
अथ यानि चतुश्चत्वारिꣳशद्वर्षाणि तन्माध्यंदिनꣳसवनं चतुश्चत्वारिꣳशदक्षरा त्रिष्टुप्त्रैष्टुभं माध्यन्दिनꣳसवनं तदस्य रुद्रा अन्वायत्ताः प्राणा वाव रुद्रा एते हीदꣳसर्वꣳरोदयन्ति
Now, his forty-four years are the midday pressing; the Triṣṭubh meter has forty-four syllables, and the Traiṣṭubha is the midday pressing; to this, the Rudras are connected; truly, the breaths are the Rudras, for these indeed make all this cry out.
तं चेदेतस्मिन्वयसि किञ्चिदुपतपेत्स ब्रूयात्प्राणा रुद्रा इदं मे माध्यन्दिनꣳसवनं तृतीयसवनमनुसन्तनुतेति माहं प्राणानाꣳरुद्राणां मध्ये यज्ञो विलोप्सीयेत्युद्धैव तत एत्यगदो ह भवति
If, at this age, any affliction should arise for him, he should say: 'Breaths, Rudras, may this midday pressing, this third pressing, continue for me; may I not, among the breaths, the Rudras, destroy the sacrifice.' Then he rises up from there, and he becomes free from illness.
अथ यान्यष्टाचत्वारिꣳशद्वर्षाणि तत्तृतीयसवनमष्टाचत्वारिꣳशदक्षरा जगती जागतं तृतीयसवनं तदस्यादित्या अन्वायत्ताः प्राणा वावादित्या एते हीदꣳसर्वमाददते
Now, his forty-eight years are the third pressing; the Jagatī meter has forty-eight syllables, and the Jāgata is the third pressing; to this, the Ādityas are connected; truly, the breaths are the Ādityas, for these indeed take up all this.
तं चेदेतस्मिन्वयसि किञ्चिदुपतपेत्स ब्रूयात्प्राणा आदित्या इदं मे तृतीयसवनमायुरनुसंतनुतेति माहं प्राणानामादित्यानां मध्ये यज्ञो विलोप्सीयेत्युद्धैव तत एत्यगदो हैव भवति
If, at this age, any affliction should arise for him, he should say: 'Breaths, Ādityas, may this third pressing, this life, continue for me; may I not, among the breaths, the Ādityas, destroy the sacrifice.' Then he rises up from there, and he indeed becomes free from illness.
एतद्ध स्म वै तद्विद्वानाह महिदास ऐतरेयः स किं म एतदुपतपसि योऽहमनेन न प्रेष्यामीति स ह षोडशं वर्षशतमजीवत्प्र ह षोडशं वर्षशतं जीवति य एवं वेद
This indeed was declared by the knower Mahidāsa Aitareya: 'What affliction can touch me, who will not be commanded by this?' He lived one hundred and sixteen years; indeed, he who knows thus lives one hundred and sixteen years.
स यदशिशिषति यत्पिपासति यन्न रमते ता अस्य दीक्षाः
When he does not eat, when he does not drink, when he does not take pleasure—these are his initiations.
अथ यदश्नाति यत्पिबति यद्रमते तदुपसदैरेति
Then, when he eats, when he drinks, when he takes pleasure—by these he approaches the offerings.
अथ यद्धसति यज्जक्षति यन्मैथुनं चरति स्तुतशस्त्रैरेव तदेति
Then, when he laughs, when he plays, when he engages in sexual union—by these he approaches the hymns and chants.
अथ यत्तपो दानमार्जवमहिꣳसा सत्यवचनमिति ता अस्य दक्षिणाः
Then, austerity, giving, uprightness, non-injury, truthfulness—these are his gifts.
सोष्यत्यसोष्टेति पुनरुत्पादनमेवास्य तन्मरणमेवास्यावभृथः
Whether he will eat or not eat, that is his regeneration; his death is his final bath.
तद्धैतद्घोर् आङ्गिरसः कृष्णाय देवकीपुत्रायोक्त्वोवाचापिपास एव स बभूव सोऽन्तवेलायामेतत्त्रयं प्रतिपद्येताक्षितमस्यच्युतमसि प्राणसꣳशितमसीति तत्रैते द्वे ऋचौ भवतः
This, indeed, Ghora Āṅgirasa, having spoken to Kṛṣṇa, the son of Devakī, said: 'Thirst alone remained for him.' At the final moment, he should take up these three: 'You are undecaying, you are unfallen, you are established in breath.' There, these two verses are recited.