विनर्दि साम्नः वृणे पशव्यम् इति अग्नेः उद्गीथः अनिरुक्तः प्रजापतेः निरुक्तः सोमस्य मृदु श्लक्ष्णम् वायोः श्लक्ष्णम् बलवत् इन्द्रस्य क्रौञ्चम् बृहस्पतेः अपध्वान्तम् वरुणस्य तान् सर्वान् एव उपसेवेत वारुणम् तु एव वर्जयेत्
vinardi sāmnaḥ vṛṇe paśavyam iti agneḥ udgīthaḥ aniruktaḥ prajāpateḥ niruktaḥ somasya mṛdu ślakṣṇam vāyoḥ ślakṣṇam balavat indrasya krauñcam bṛhaspateḥ apadhvāntam varuṇasya tān sarvān eva upaseveta vāruṇam tu eva varjayet
"I choose the ringing [udgītha] of the sāman — the one good for cattle": such is the udgītha of Agni; the unarticulated is Prajāpati's, the articulated Soma's, the soft and smooth Vāyu's, the smooth and powerful Indra's, the curlew-like Bṛhaspati's, the muffled and blurred Varuṇa's. One should employ all of them, but the Varuṇa-like should be avoided.
1f5783f75ec5 · published Jul 26, 2026, 10:44:39 PM UTC
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A khaṇḍa of singers' timbres: seven manners of the udgītha are seven divine styles: vinardi — "ringing, lowing" — is Agni's (and good for cattle!); anirukta — "unarticulated", without distinct words — Prajāpati's (the Lord is in the unsaid!, like the huṁ-stobha of 1.13); nirukta — clearly articulated — Soma's; the soft and smooth — Vāyu's; the smooth and powerful — Indra's; krauñca — the curlew's cry — Bṛhaspati's; apadhvānta — muffled and smeared — Varuṇa's.
tān sarvān evopaseveta vāruṇaṁ tv eva varjayet — "employ them all, but avoid the Varuṇa-like": the one forbidden timbre is muffled blurring: Varuṇa is lord of the waters and of bonds: a smeared sound is fetters upon the song. The lesson goes wider than vocal technique: every power has its own style of speech, and all are good in their hour except the muddy: unclarity is not a style but a sin against sound; cry like a curlew if you will — but do not mumble.