FOURTH ADHYAYA

FIRST KHANDA

1. Next comes the Sudadohas verse. Sudadohas is breath, and thereby he joins all joints with breath.

2. Next follow the neck verses. They recite them as Ushnih, according to their metre.

3. Next comes (again) the Sudadohas verse. Sudadohas is breath, and thereby he joins all joints with breath.

4. Next follows the head. That is in Gayatri verses. The Gayatri is the beginning of all metres; the head the first of all members. It is in Arkavat verses (Rv. 1, 7, 1-9). Arka is Agni. They are nine verses. The head consists of nine pieces. He recites the tenth verse, and that is the skin and the hairs on the head. It serves for reciting one verse more than (the nine verses contained in) the Stoma. These form the Trivrit Stoma and the Gayatri metre, and whatever there exists, all this is produced after the production of this Stoma and this metre. Therefore the recitation of these head-hymns serves for production.

5. He who knows this, gets offspring and cattle.

6. Next comes the Sudadohas verse. Verily, Sudadohas is breath, and thereby he joins all joints With breath.

7. Next follow the vertebrae (of the bird). These verses are Virag (shining). Therefore man says to man, 'Thou shinest above us;' or to a stiff and proud man, 'Thou carriest thy neck stiff.' Or because the (vertebrae of the neck) run close together, they are taken to be the best food. For Virag is food, and food is strength.

8. Next comes the Sudadohas verse. Sudadohas is breath, and thereby he joins all joints with breath.