Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣadबृहदारण्यक उपनिषद्

Madhu Kanda. Adhyaya 1, Brahmana 3. The contest of the vital breath

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Each mantra is given four ways: the Sanskrit in its Devanagari script, the same sounds in Roman letters, an English translation set in our own voice, and then the line once more in plain words, for a first and unhurried reading.

Not every passage is opened to the same depth. A few central mantras carry the full cross-school commentary, where the schools are set side by side. The rest are kept here whole and faithful, set in their place but not expounded, so the book stays entire and nothing is dropped for being thought minor.

Where the schools read a line differently, the difference is kept open. None is crowned and none is corrected. Each is met on its own terms, and where they contradict, the contradiction is left standing for you to sit with.

॥ 1.3.25 ॥

The wealth of the Saman, its tone

तस्य हैतस्य साम्नो यः स्वं वेद भवति हास्य स्वम् । तस्य वै स्वर एव स्वम् । तस्मादार्त्विज्यं करिष्यन्वाचि स्वरमिच्छेत । तया वाचा स्वरसंपन्नयार्त्विज्यं कुर्यात् । तस्माद्यज्ञे स्वरवन्तं दिदृक्षन्त एव । अथो यस्य स्वं भवति । भवति हास्य स्वं य एवमेतत्साम्नः स्वं वेद ॥

In transliteration

tasya haitasya sāmno yaḥ svaṃ veda bhavati hāsya svam | tasya vai svara eva svam | tasmādārtvijyaṃ kariṣyanvāci svaramiccheta | tayā vācā svarasaṃpannayārtvijyaṃ kuryāt | tasmādyajñe svaravantaṃ didṛkṣanta eva | atho yasya svaṃ bhavati | bhavati hāsya svaṃ ya evametatsāmnaḥ svaṃ veda ||

In English

Of this Saman, one who knows the wealth comes to have wealth. Its wealth is just the tone. Therefore one about to perform a priestly office should desire a good tone in his voice, and with that voice rich in tone should perform the office. So in a sacrifice people wish to see a priest with a fine voice, as one who has wealth. He who knows the wealth of the Saman thus comes to have wealth.

In plain words

Of this Saman, the one who knows its 'svam', its wealth or own treasure, gains wealth. The wealth of the Saman is just its musical tone (svara). Therefore a priest who is to officiate should seek a good tone in his voice, and conduct the rite with that well-toned voice. For this reason, at a sacrifice people want to see a priest who has a fine voice, regarding him as one who possesses wealth. Whoever knows the tone to be the wealth of the Saman in this way comes to possess wealth.

All mantras