स य एतदेवं विद्वानक्षरं प्रणौत्येतदेवाक्षरꣳ स्वरममृतमभयं प्रविशति तत्प्रविश्य यदमृता देवास्तदमृतो भवति
Whoever, knowing thus, chants this syllable, enters into this immortal, fearless sound. Having entered it, just as the gods became immortal, so does he become immortal.
अथ खलु य उद्गीथः स प्रणवो यः प्रणवः स उद्गीथ इत्यसौ वा आदित्य उद्गीथ एष प्रणव ओमिति ह्येष स्वरन्नेति
Now, the udgītha is the praṇava; the praṇava is the udgītha. That sun, indeed, is the udgītha; this is the praṇava, for it sounds as 'Om'.
एतमु एवाहमभ्यगासिषं तस्मान्मम त्वमेकोऽसीति ह कौषीतकिः पुत्रमुवाच रश्मीꣳस्त्वं पर्यावर्तयाद्बहवो वै ते भविष्यन्तीत्यधिदैवतम्
I have approached this very one; therefore, you alone are mine, said Kauṣītaki to his son. Turn back your rays, for you will have many, thus is the explanation with regard to the deities.
अथाध्यात्मं य एवायं मुख्यः प्राणस्तमुद्गीथमुपासीतोमिति ह्येष स्वरन्नेति
Now, in relation to the self: this chief vital breath is to be meditated upon as the udgītha; for indeed, it sounds as 'Om'.
एतमु एवाहमभ्यगासिषं तस्मान्मम त्वमेकोऽसीति ह कौषीतकिः पुत्रमुवाच प्राणाꣳ स्त्वं भूमानमभिगायताद्बहवो वै मे भविष्यन्तीति
I have approached this very one; therefore, you alone are mine, said Kauṣītaki to his son. Sing forth the vital breaths in abundance, for I shall have many.
अथ खलु य उद्गीथः स प्रणवो यः प्रणवः स उद्गीथ इति होतृषदनाद्धैवापि दुरुद्गीथमनुसमाहरतीत्यनुसमाहरतीति
Now, the udgītha is the praṇava; the praṇava is the udgītha. If the hotṛ recites from the wrong place, he gathers up the udgītha again and again, thus he gathers it up.
साम तदेतदेतस्यामृच्यध्यूढꣳ साम तस्मादृच्यध्यूढꣳ साम गीयत इयमेव साग्निरमस्तत्साम
That Sāman is indeed woven upon this Ṛc; therefore, the Sāman is sung upon the Ṛc. This is Agni, and that is the Sāman.
साम तदेतदेतस्यामृच्यध्यूढꣳ साम तस्मादृच्यध्यूढꣳ साम गीयतेऽन्तरिक्षमेव सा वायुरमस्तत्साम
That Sāman is indeed woven upon this Ṛc; therefore, the Sāman is sung upon the Ṛc. This is the atmosphere, and that is the Sāman.
साम तदेतदेतस्यामृच्यध्यूढꣳ साम तस्मादृच्यध्यूढꣳ साम गीयते द्यौरेव सादित्योऽमस्तत्साम
That Sāman is indeed woven upon this Ṛc; therefore, the Sāman is sung upon the Ṛc. This is the sky, and the sun is that Sāman.
साम तदेतदेतस्यामृच्यध्यूढꣳ साम तस्मादृच्यध्यूढꣳ साम गीयते नक्षत्राण्येव सा चन्द्रमा अमस्तत्साम
That Sāman is indeed woven upon this Ṛc; therefore, the Sāman is sung upon the Ṛc. These are the stars, and the moon is that Sāman.
अथ यदेतदादित्यस्य शुक्लं भाः सैवर्गथ यन्नीलं परः कृष्णं तत्साम तदेतदेतस्यामृच्यध्यूढꣳ साम तस्मादृच्यध्यूढꣳ साम गीयते
Now, that which is the white brilliance of the sun is the Sāman; that which is blue or dark is the Sāman. That Sāman is indeed woven upon this Ṛc; therefore, the Sāman is sung upon the Ṛc.
अथ यदेवैतदादित्यस्य शुक्लं भाः सैव साथ यन्नीलं परः कृष्णं तदमस्तत्सामाथ य एषोऽन्तरादित्ये हिरण्मयः पुरुषो दृश्यते हिरण्यश्मश्रुर्हिरण्यकेश आप्रणखात्सर्व एव सुवर्णः
Now, that which is the white brilliance of the sun is the Sāman; that which is blue or dark is the Sāman. And that golden person who is seen within the sun—golden-bearded, golden-haired, from toenail to tip entirely golden.
तस्य यथा कप्यासं पुण्डरीकमेवमक्षिणी तस्योदिति नाम स एष सर्वेभ्यः पाप्मभ्य उदित उदेति ह वै सर्वेभ्यः पाप्मभ्यो य एवं वेद
His eyes are like lotuses just opened by the sun; his name is Uditi. He rises above all evils; indeed, he rises above all evils, whoever knows this.
तस्यर्क्च साम च गेष्णौ तस्मादुद्गीथस्तस्मात्त्वेवोद्गातैतस्य हि गाता स एष ये चामुष्मात्पराञ्चो लोकास्तेषां चेष्टे देवकामानां चेत्यधिदैवतम्
For him, the Ṛc and the Sāman are in the two cheeks; therefore, the udgītha, therefore, the singer sings for him. He is the one who acts for all those worlds beyond, and for the desires of the gods—thus is the explanation with regard to the deities.
अथाध्यात्मं वागेवर्क्प्राणः साम तदेतदेतस्यामृच्यध्यूढꣳ साम तस्मादृच्यध्यूढꣳ साम गीयते वागेव सा प्राणोऽमस्तत्साम
Now, as to the self: speech is the Rik, breath is the Sāman. This Sāman is indeed woven upon that Rik. Therefore, the Sāman is sung as woven upon the Rik; speech is truly that, breath is its essence—such is the Sāman.
चक्षुरेवर्गात्मा साम तदेतदेतस्यामृच्यध्यूढꣳ साम तस्मादृच्यध्यूढꣳ साम गीयते चक्षुरेव सात्मामस्तत्साम
The eye is the essence of the Rik, the Sāman is that. This Sāman is indeed woven upon that Rik. Therefore, the Sāman is sung as woven upon the Rik; the eye is truly that, its essence is the Sāman.
साम तदेतदेतस्यामृच्यध्यूढꣳ साम तस्मादृच्यध्यूढꣳ साम गीयते श्रोत्रमेव सा मनोऽमस्तत्साम
The Sāman is that which is woven upon the Rik. Therefore, the Sāman is sung as woven upon the Rik; the ear is truly that, the mind is its essence—such is the Sāman.
अथ यदेतदक्ष्णः शुक्लं भाः सैवर्गथ यन्नीलं परः कृष्णं तत्साम तदेतदेतस्यामृच्यध्यूढꣳ साम तस्मादृच्यध्यूढꣳ साम गीयते अथ यदेवैतदक्ष्णः शुक्लं भाः सैव साथ यन्नीलं परः कृष्णं तदमस्तत्साम
Now, that which is the white brightness in the eye, that is the Rik; that which is blue or dark, that is the Sāman. This Sāman is indeed woven upon that Rik. Therefore, the Sāman is sung as woven upon the Rik. Now, that which is the white brightness in the eye, that is the Rik; that which is blue or dark, that is the Sāman, its essence.
अथ य एषोऽन्तरक्षिणि पुरुषो दृश्यते सैवर्क्तत्साम तदुक्थं तद्यजुस्तद्ब्रह्म तस्यैतस्य तदेव रूपं यदमुष्य रूपं यावमुष्य गेष्णौ तौ गेष्णौ यन्नाम तन्नाम
Now, the person who is seen in the eye, he is the Rik, that is the Sāman, that is the Uktha, that is the Yajus, that is Brahman. That is his form, whatever his form is, as large as the shadow, so is his shadow; whatever his name, that is his name.
स एष ये चैतस्मादर्वाञ्चो लोकास्तेषां चेष्टे मनुष्यकामानां चेति तद्य इमे वीणायां गायन्त्येतं ते गायन्ति तस्मात्ते धनसनयः
He, and those worlds that are below this, he rules over them, and the desires of men as well. Those who sing to the vīṇā, they sing of him; therefore, they are called singers of wealth.
अथ य एतदेवं विद्वान्साम गायत्युभौ स गायति सोऽमुनैव स एष ये चामुष्मात्पराञ्चो लोकास्ताꣳ श्चाप्नोति देवकामास्ताꣳ श्च
And whoever, knowing this, sings the Sāman, he sings both; he, with that, attains those worlds that are beyond, and the desires of the gods as well.
अथानेनैव ये चैतस्मादर्वाञ्चो लोकास्ताꣳ श्चाप्नोति मनुष्यकामाꣳश्च तस्मादु हैवंविदुद्गाता ब्रूयात्
And by this very means, he attains those worlds that are below, and the desires of men as well. Therefore, one who knows thus should be called upon to sing the Sāman.
कं ते काममागायानीत्येष ह्येव कामागानस्येष्टे य एवं विद्वान्साम गायति साम गायति
For which desire shall I sing for you? For he alone truly fulfills the desire for whom one who knows thus sings the Sāman.
त्रयो होद्गीथे कुशला बभूवुः शिलकः शालावत्यश्चैकितायनो दाल्भ्यः प्रवाहणो जैवलिरिति ते होचुरुद्गीथे वै कुशलाः स्मो हन्तोद्गीथे कथां वदाम इति
Three skilled in the Udgītha arose: Śilaka Śālāvatya, Caikitāyana Dālbhya, and Pravāhaṇa Jaivali. They said, 'We are skilled in the Udgītha; come, let us discuss the Udgītha.'
तथेति ह समुपविविशुः स ह प्रवाहणो जैवलिरुवाच भगवन्तावग्रे वदतां ब्राह्मणयोर्वदतोर्वाचꣳ श्रोष्यामीति
'So be it,' they sat together. Then Pravāhaṇa Jaivali said, 'Let the two most venerable among you speak first; I will listen to the words of the two Brāhmaṇas as they speak.'
स ह शिलकः शालावत्यश्चैकितायनं दाल्भ्यमुवाच हन्त त्वा पृच्छानीति पृच्छेति होवाच
Then Śilaka Śālāvatya said to Caikitāyana Dālbhya, 'Come, I will ask you.' He replied, 'Ask.'
का साम्नो गतिरिति स्वर इति होवाच स्वरस्य का गतिरिति प्राण इति होवाच प्राणस्य का गतिरित्यन्नमिति होवाचान्नस्य का गतिरित्याप इति होवाच
'What is the goal of the Sāman?' He replied, 'The svara (tone).' 'What is the goal of the svara?' 'Breath,' he replied. 'What is the goal of breath?' 'Food,' he replied. 'What is the goal of food?' 'Water,' he replied.
अपां का गतिरित्यसौ लोक इति होवाचामुष्य लोकस्य का गतिरिति न स्वर्गं लोकमति नयेदिति होवाच स्वर्गं वयं लोकꣳ सामाभिसंस्थापयामः स्वर्गसꣳस्तावꣳ हि सामेति
'What is the goal of water?' 'That world,' he replied. 'What is the goal of that world?' 'Let him not lead it to the world of heaven,' he replied. 'We establish the world of heaven through the Sāman, for that is the praise of heaven.'
तꣳ ह शिलकः शालावत्यश्चैकितायनं दाल्भ्यमुवाचाप्रतिष्ठितं वै किल ते दाल्भ्य साम यस्त्वेतर्हि ब्रूयान्मूर्धा ते विपतिष्यतीति मूर्धा ते विपतेदिति
Then Śilaka Śālāvatya said to Caikitāyana Dālbhya, 'Your Sāman is indeed without foundation; if you were to say this now, your head would fall off.' 'Let my head fall off,' he replied.
हन्ताहमेतद्भगवतो वेदानीति विद्धीति होवाचामुष्य लोकस्य का गतिरित्ययं लोक इति होवाचास्य लोकस्य का गतिरिति न प्रतिष्ठां लोकमिति नयेदिति होवाच प्रतिष्ठां वयं लोकꣳ सामाभिसꣳस्थापयामः प्रतिष्ठासꣳ स्तावꣳ हि सामेति
'Well, I know this of the venerable one,' he said. 'Know it,' he replied. 'What is the goal of that world?' 'This world,' he replied. 'What is the goal of this world?' 'Let him not lead it to the world of foundation,' he replied. 'We establish the world of foundation through the Sāman, for that is the praise of foundation.'