(15) Yama said: 'That word (or place) which all the Vedas record, which all penances proclaim, which men desire when they live as religious students, that word I tell thee briefly, it is Om.'

(6) Om \ Verily, he who knows the chiefest and best, becomes the chiefest and best of his own [people]. Breath (prdna\ verily, is chiefest and best. He who knows this becomes the chiefest and best of his own [people] and even of those of whom he wishes so to become. 5 A parallel passage in simpler form is Chand. 5.1. 1-5,

(1) And it is also the Udgitha. The breath verily is up (uj) for by breath this whole world is upheld (ut-tabdha}. Song (glthd), verily, is speech; ut and githa— that is Udgitha.

(10) The letter “U” is the bright dream state (taijasa). It is the second aspect due to its being elevated or from being in the middle. Whoever knows AUM in this manner, his knowledge increases continuously, he attains equanimity, and all in his family become knowers of Brahman.

(12) The fourth aspect is the Boundless. It is unassociated, the end of phenomena, the blissful, and non-dual; this same syllable Oṁ is, surely, the Self. Whoever knows AUM in this manner, merges his self with the Self.

(17) Therefore the acts of sacrifice, gift, and austerity, enjoined by the scriptures, are always begun by the followers of the Vedas with the utterance of “Om.”

(2) In connection herewith there is this verse: — There is a cup with its mouth below and its bottom up. In it is placed every foim of glory. On its rim sit seven seers. Voice as an eighth is united with prayer (brahman}} ' There is a cup having its mouth below and its bottom up J — this is the head, for that is a cup having its mouth below and its bottom up. £ In it is placed every form of glory ' — breaths, verily, are the c every form of glory ' placed in it; thus he says breaths (prdna). ' On its rim sit seven seers' — verily, the breaths are the seers. Thus he says breaths. ' Voice as an eighth is united with prayer — for voice as an eighth is united with prayer,