सा ह वाक् उवाच यद् वा अहम् वसिष्ठा अस्मि त्वम् तद् वसिष्ठः असि इति यद् वा अहम् प्रतिष्ठा अस्मि त्वम् तत् प्रतिष्ठः असि इति चक्षुः यद् वा अहम् संपद् अस्मि त्वम् तत् संपद् असि इति श्रोत्रम् यद् वा अहम् आयतनम् अस्मि त्वम् तद् आयतनम् असि इति मनः यद् वा अहम् प्रजातिः अस्मि त्वम् तत् प्रजातिः असि इति रेतः तस्यो मे किम् अन्नम् किम् वास इति यद् इदम् किञ्च आ श्वभ्यः आ कृमिभ्यः आ कीटपतङ्गेभ्यः तत् ते अन्नम् आपः वास इति न ह वा अस्य अनन्नम् जग्धं भवति न अनन्नम् प्रतिगृहीतं यः एवम् एतद् अनस्यान्नं वेद तद् विद्वांसः श्रोत्रियाः अशिष्यन्तः आचामन्ति अशित्वा आचामन्ति एतम् एव तद् अन्नम् अनग्नं कुर्वन्तो मन्यन्ते
sā ha vāk uvāca yad vā aham vasiṣṭhā asmi tvam tad vasiṣṭhaḥ asi iti yad vā aham pratiṣṭhā asmi tvam tat pratiṣṭhaḥ asi iti cakṣuḥ yad vā aham saṃpad asmi tvam tat saṃpad asi iti śrotram yad vā aham āyatanam asmi tvam tad āyatanam asi iti manaḥ yad vā aham prajātiḥ asmi tvam tat prajātiḥ asi iti retaḥ tasyo me kim annam kim vāsa iti yad idam kiñca ā śvabhyaḥ ā kṛmibhyaḥ ā kīṭapataṅgebhyaḥ tat te annam āpaḥ vāsa iti na ha vā asya anannam jagdhaṃ bhavati na anannam pratigṛhītaṃ yaḥ evam etad anasyānnaṃ veda tad vidvāṃsaḥ śrotriyāḥ aśiṣyantaḥ ācāmanti aśitvā ācāmanti etam eva tad annam anagnaṃ kurvanto manyante
Speech said: "In whatever I am the richest, in that you are the richest." The eye: "In whatever I am the support, in that you are the support." The ear: "In whatever I am attainment, in that you are attainment." The mind: "In whatever I am the dwelling, in that you are the dwelling." The seed: "In whatever I am procreation, in that you are procreation." — "If I am such, what is my food, what my clothing?" — "Everything that is, down to dogs, worms, insects and birds, is your food; the waters are your clothing." Nothing inedible is eaten, nothing unacceptable is accepted, by one who knows thus the food of the breath (ana). Those who know this, before and after eating, surround [the food] with water: they thereby provide clothing for the breath and do not leave it naked.
169aad9d38b0 · published Jul 27, 2026, 1:24:18 AM UTC
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The oath of the powers is the tribute prāṇa demanded: each lays its own title at her feet: "in whatever I am rich, in that you are rich": the wealth of speech, the support of the eye, the attainment of hearing, the dwelling of the mind, the procreation of the seed — all turn out to be properties of Life acting through them. The dispute over primacy ends in a coronation with the handing over of the regalia.
And the royal maintenance: the food of prāṇa is "everything, down to dogs, worms and birds" (life is not squeamish: it eats in every eater!), and its clothing is water. Hence the rite of ācamana — a sip of water before and after a meal: "a garment for the breath", so that the king of life should not sit at table naked. Everyday life is once more raised into liturgy: every dinner is an audience at the court of prāṇa, and every sip of water the presenting of the royal robe. So ends the dispute that opened the last book: life is acknowledged by all the powers — and fed by all beings.