Om. In reverence and humility, the seeker begins by invoking the blessings of Mitra, Varuna, Aryaman, Indra, Brihaspati, and Vishnu of the wide stride, praying that all these deities be auspicious toward him. He offers salutations to Brahman, the ultimate reality, and to Vayu, the wind, recognizing Vayu as the manifest Brahman. He vows to speak what is right and true, seeking protection for himself and his teacher. With this invocation, peace is established. The seeker bows to the ancient teachers who, through words, sentences, and authoritative knowledge, explained these sacred teachings. He honors the lineage of Vedanta teachers and acknowledges that, by the grace of his own teacher, he has composed this exposition of the essence of the Taittiriya tradition, delighting in clarity and meaning. He now declares the discipline of recitation: its sound, accent, measure, strength, melody, and continuity, thus completing the chapter on recitation. With a prayer for shared glory and spiritual radiance, the seeker prepares to reveal the secret meaning of the combination of words, divided into five great sections: relating to the worlds, the luminaries, knowledge, progeny, and the self. These are the great combinations. First, in relation to the worlds: the earth is the prior form, heaven the latter form, and space is the junction. Their joining completes the section on the worlds. Next, in relation to the luminaries: fire is the prior form, the sun is the latter form, water is the junction, and lightning is the joining—thus is the section on the luminaries. In relation to knowledge: the teacher is the prior form, the student the latter form, knowledge is the junction, and instruction is the joining. For progeny: the mother is the prior form, the father the latter form, offspring is the junction, and procreation is the joining. Regarding the self: the lower jaw is the prior form, the upper jaw the latter form, speech is the junction, and the tongue is the joining. Whoever knows these great combinations as explained becomes united with offspring, cattle, spiritual radiance, food, and the world of heaven. The seeker now prays to Indra, the bull among meters, born from the immortal Vedas, to fill him with intelligence and vigor. He wishes to become the bearer of immortality, with a strong body, sweet tongue, and keen hearing, and asks that his knowledge be guarded and preserved. He desires prosperity—garments, cattle, food, and drink always ready for his self. He invokes blessings for the coming of students: may they approach, gather, be self-controlled and peaceful near him. He prays for renown among people, excellence above the wealthy, and the favor of fortune. He wishes to purify himself within fortune, which has a thousand branches, and asks that students come to him from all directions, as waters flow downward and months pass into years. He asks his neighbor not to harm or desert him. The seeker contemplates the sacred utterances: 'bhūḥ', 'bhuvaḥ', and 'svaḥ', the vyāhṛtis. But the teacher of the Mahāchamasya revealed a fourth, 'mahaḥ', which is Brahman and the self, with the other deities as its limbs. 'Bhūḥ' is this world, 'bhuvaḥ' is the midspace, 'svaḥ' is that world, and 'mahaḥ' is the sun, by which all worlds are made great. 'Bhūḥ' is fire, 'bhuvaḥ' is air, 'svaḥ' is the sun, 'mahaḥ' is the moon, by which all lights are made great. 'Bhūḥ' is the Rig Veda, 'bhuvaḥ' is the Sama Veda, 'svaḥ' is the Yajur Veda, and 'mahaḥ' is Brahman, by which all the Vedas are made great. 'Bhūḥ' is the vital breath, 'bhuvaḥ' is the downward breath, 'svaḥ' is the diffused breath, and 'mahaḥ' is food, by which all the vital breaths are made great. Thus, these four are fourfold; whoever knows them knows Brahman, and all the gods bring offerings to him. Within the heart, in the space there, dwells the person made of mind, immortal, golden. In the midst of the palate, where the senses arise, where the hair parts and turns, having pierced the skull: 'bhūḥ' rests in fire, 'bhuvaḥ' in air, 'svaḥ' in the sun, 'mahaḥ' in Brahman. The knower attains sovereignty, mastery of mind, speech, sight, hearing, and knowledge. Brahman is space, truth, delight, blissful mind, peace, fullness, immortality. Thus, one should meditate. The external world is: earth, midspace, heaven, the directions and intermediate directions; fire, air, sun, moon, stars; waters, plants, trees, space, self. The internal world is: vital breath, diffused breath, downward breath, upward breath, equalizing breath; eye, ear, mind, speech, skin; flesh, muscle, sinew, bone, marrow. The sage arranges these and declares: "All this is fivefold; by the fivefold, the fivefold is filled." Om is Brahman; Om is all this. With Om, recitations, hymns, priestly utterances, responses, approvals, and rituals begin. With Om, the Brahmin, about to teach, announces, "I will speak Brahman." Thus, he attains Brahman. Truth, study, and teaching of sacred lore; veracity, austerity, self-control, tranquility, ritual fires, Agnihotra, hospitality, service to humanity, offspring, procreation, and continuity of lineage—all are to be accompanied by study and teaching. Satyavacha, son of Rathītara, says "Truth"; Taponitya, of the line of Pauruśiṣṭa, says "Austerity"; Naka, son of Mudgala, says "Study and teaching alone," for that is indeed austerity. The seeker proclaims: "I am the one who shakes the tree of the world; my fame rises like a mountain's summit. I am pure, raised upward; I possess wealth and horses, immortal, radiant, keen of intellect, bathed in immortality." Thus runs the recitation of Triśaṅku concerning the Veda. After reciting the Veda, the teacher instructs the student: "Speak the truth. Practice righteousness. Do not neglect study and teaching. Bring what is dear to the teacher; do not cut off the line of progeny. Do not neglect truth, righteousness, welfare, prosperity, duties to gods and ancestors." "Regard your mother, father, teacher, and guest as deities. Practice only blameless actions; follow only our good deeds. Offer a seat and respect to superior Brahmins. Give with faith, generosity, modesty, fear, and understanding. If you doubt a deed or conduct, act as righteous Brahmins would act. This is the instruction, the teaching, the secret of the Veda, the command. Thus should it be practiced and followed." Once again, the seeker invokes the blessings of Mitra, Varuna, Aryaman, Indra, Brihaspati, and Vishnu, offers salutations to Brahman and Vayu, affirms that he has spoken what is right and true, and prays for protection for himself and his teacher. Peace is established. He now contemplates the Supreme. The knower of Brahman attains the Supreme. Brahman is truth, knowledge, and infinity. One who knows Brahman, hidden in the cave of the heart, enjoys all desires in union with the all-knowing Brahman. From this Self arose space; from space, air; from air, fire; from fire, water; from water, earth; from earth, plants; from plants, food; from food, the person. This person is made of the essence of food, with head, wings, body, foundation, and tail. From food, all beings are born; by food, they live; into food, they return. Food is the eldest of beings, the universal remedy. All who worship food as Brahman obtain all food. Beings eat food and are eaten by food. From this sheath of food, there is another inner self, made of breath, which fills the person, also of human form, with breath as head, wings, body, foundation, and tail. The gods, humans, and animals live by breath; breath is the life of beings, the giver of all life. All who worship breath as Brahman attain full life. From this sheath of breath, there is another inner self, made of mind, which fills the person, with the Vedas as head and wings, instruction as body, foundation, and tail. From which words and mind turn back, not attaining it, one who knows the bliss of Brahman fears nothing. From this sheath of mind, there is another inner self, made of knowledge, which fills the person, with faith, order, truth, concentration, greatness as its parts. Knowledge performs sacrifice and actions; all gods worship knowledge as the highest Brahman. If one knows knowledge as Brahman and does not err, he attains all desires. From this sheath of knowledge, there is another inner self, made of bliss, which fills the person, with delight, joy, great joy, bliss, and Brahman as its parts. If one knows Brahman as non-existent, he becomes as though non-existent; if one knows Brahman as existent, people know him as existent. Now, the inquiry: After departing from this world, does one who is ignorant go to that world, or does one who knows attain that world? Brahman desired, "May I be many, may I be born." He performed austerity and created all that exists. Having created it, he entered into it, becoming both manifest and unmanifest, defined and undefined, based and baseless, knowledge and ignorance, truth and falsehood. Truth became all this; whatever exists is called truth. In the beginning, there was non-existence; from that, existence was born. Existence made itself into its own form, called well-made, which is essence. Having obtained essence, one becomes blissful. Who could breathe or live if this space were not bliss? It is this that brings bliss. When one finds firm footing in this invisible, unembodied, undefined, and unbased, one attains fearlessness. But when one perceives duality, there is fear. The wind blows, the sun rises, fire, Indra, and Death run their course—all out of fear of Him. Inquiry into bliss follows: a young man, learned, strong, possessing all the world's wealth, is one measure of human bliss. A hundredfold of that is the bliss of the human gandharvas, and so for one who is learned and untainted by desire. This pattern continues, ascending through divine gandharvas, ancestors, gods by birth, gods by works, the gods, Indra, Brihaspati, Prajapati, and finally Brahman. He who is in the person and he who is in the sun are one. Whoever knows thus, after departing from this world, attains the self made of food, breath, mind, knowledge, and bliss. From which words and mind turn back, not attaining it, one who knows the bliss of Brahman fears nothing. There is no regret for such a one. Whoever knows thus fills himself with these selves; indeed, he fills himself with both. Thus is the teaching. Now, the story of Bṛgu, the son of Varuṇa. Bṛgu approached his father and asked, "Venerable Sir, teach me Brahman." Varuṇa replied, "Food, breath, sight, hearing, mind, and speech. From which beings are born, by which they live, into which they enter—seek to know that. That is Brahman." Bṛgu practiced austerity. He understood: "Food is Brahman." From food, beings are born; by food, they live; into food, they return. He again approached Varuṇa, who instructed, "Seek to know Brahman through austerity; austerity is Brahman." Bṛgu practiced austerity. He understood: "Breath is Brahman." From breath, beings are born; by breath, they live; into breath, they return. He again approached Varuṇa, who repeated, "Seek to know Brahman through austerity; austerity is Brahman." Bṛgu practiced austerity. He understood: "Mind is Brahman." From mind, beings are born; by mind, they live; into mind, they return. He again approached Varuṇa, who repeated, "Seek to know Brahman through austerity; austerity is Brahman." Bṛgu practiced austerity. He understood: "Knowledge is Brahman." From knowledge, beings are born; by knowledge, they live; into knowledge, they return.