SEVENTH KHANDA.

1. He begins with the hymn, Tad id asa, bhuvaneshu gyeshtham (Rv. X, 120). Verily, gyeshtha, the oldest, is mahat, great. Endowed with mahat the form of this day is perfect.

2. Then follows the hymn, Tam su te kirtim maghavan mahitva (Rv. X, 54), with the auspicious word mahitva.

3. Then follows the hymn, Bhuya id vavridhe viryaya (Rv. VI, 30), with the auspicious word virya.

4. Then follows the hymn, Nrinam u tva nritamam gobhir ukthaih (Rv. I, 51, 4), with the auspicious word uktha.

5. He extends the first two padas, which are too small, by one syllable (Rv. X, 120, 1 a, and Rv. VIII, 69, 2 a) . Into the small heart the vital spirits are placed, into the small stomach food is placed. It

serves for the attainment of these desires. He who knows this, obtains these desires.

6. The two feet, each consisting of ten syllables (Rv. X, 120, 1 a, b), serve for the gaining of both kinds of food , of what has feet (animal food), and what has no feet (vegetable food).

7. They come to be of eighteen syllables each . Of those which are ten, nine are the pranas (openings of the body) , the tenth is the (vital) self. This is the perfection of the (vital) self; Eight syllables remain in each. He who knows them, obtains whatever he desires.

Footnotes

^183:1 The number is obtained as follows:

1. Tad id asa (Rv. X, 120) =

9 verses

2. Tam su te kirtim (Rv. X, 54) =

6 "

3. Bhuya id vavridhe viryaya (Rv. VI, 30) =

5 "

4. Nrinam u tva (Rv. I, 51, 4) =

3 "

23 + 2 = 25

^183:2 Cf. I, 1, 2, 9.

^184:1 Because Virag, a foot of ten syllables, is food.

^184:2

Rv. X, 120, 1 a =

10

Rv. VIII, 69, 2 a=

7

Syllable pu =

1

18

^184:3 Seven in the head and two in the body; sapta vai sirshanyah prana dvav avankav iti.