(1) They said to Speech: c Sing for us the Udgitha. 'So be it/ said Speech, and sang for them. Whatever pleasure there is in speech, that it sang for the gods; what- ever good one speaks, that for itself. They [i. e. the devils] knew: ' Verily, by this singer they will overcome us.' They rushed upon it and pierced it with evil. That evil was the improper thing that one speaks. That was the evil.

(1) As also Brahmadatta Caikitaneya, while partaking of King [Soma], said: 'Let this king cause this man's head to fall off, if Ayasya Angirasa sang the Udgitha with any other means than that, for/ said he, 'only with speech and with breath did he sing the Udgitha/

(3) Then [Gargl] Vacaknavl said: 'Venerable Brahmans, lo, I will ask him [i.e. Yajnavalkya] two questions. If he will answer me these, not one of you will surpass him in discussions about Brahma. ' Ask, Gargl/ a. She said: ' As a noble youth of the Kasls or of the Videhas might rise up against you, having strung his unstrung bow and taken two foe-piercing anows in his hand, even so, O Yajnavalkya, have I risen up against you with two questions. Answer me these/ Yajnavalkya said: 6 Ask, Gargi.'

(3) 'Yajnavalkya/ said he, c how many hymns of praise will the Udgatri chant today in this sacrifice? ' 'Three.' ' The introductory hymn, the accompanying hymn, and the benediction hymn as the third.' < Which are those three with reference to the self? ' 'The introductory hymn is the in-breath (prana). The accompanying hymn is the out-breath (apand). The bene- diction hymn is the diffused breath (yyana).' ' What does one win by these? ' ' One wins the earth-world by the introductory hymn, the atmosphere-world by the accompanying hymn, the sky-world by the benediction hymn.' Thereupon the Hotri-priest Asvala held his peace,

(3) He said to them: < Venerable Brahmans, let him of you who is the best Brahman drive away these cows/ Those Brahmans durst not. Then Yajnavalkya said to his pupil: ' Samasravas, my dear, drive them away.' He drove them away. The Brahmans were angry. ' How can he declare himself to be the best Brahman among us? ' Now there was Asvala, the Hotri-priest of Janaka, [king] of Videha. He asked him: < Yajfiavalkya, are you now the best Brahman among us? * He replied, < We give honor to the best Brahman. But we are really desirous of having those cows/ Thereupon Asvala, the Hotri-priest, began to question him.

(3) * Yajnavalkya/ said he, ' how many Rig verses will the Hotri make use of today in this sacrifice? ' ' Three/ e Which are those three? ' 'The introductory verse, the accompanying verse, and the benediction as the third.' ' What does one win by these? '

(4) ' Let us hear what anybody may have told you,' [con- tinued Yajnavalkya]. 'Jitvan Sailini told me: " Brahma, verily, is speech (vac)"' [said Janaka]. 'As a man might say that he had a mother, that he had a father, that he had a teacher, so did that Sailina say, " Brahma, verily, is speech." For he might have thought (iti), '* What can one have who can not speak? " But did he tell you Its seat and support?' ' He did not tell me.' ' Forsooth, your Majesty, that is a one-legged [Brahma].' ' Its seat is just speech; Its support, space (akasa). One should worship It as intelligence (prajna)' ' What is Its quality of intelligence, Yajnavalkya? ' 'Just speech, your Majesty,' said he. c Verily, by speech, your Majesty, a friend is recognized. By speech alone, your Majesty, the Rig- Veda, the Yajur-Veda, the Sama-Veda, the [Hymns] of the Atharvans and Angirases, Legends (itika$a\ Ancient Lore (pur and], Sciences (vidya), Mystic Doctrines (upanisad)) Verses (sloka), Aphorisms (sutra\ Explanations (anuvyakhyand)) Commentaries (uyakkyana), what is offered in sacrifice and as oblation, food and drink, this world and the other, and all beings are known. The highest Brahma, your Majesty, is in truth speech. Speech does not desert him be noted, takes the active bruyat as if it were middle voice — a late epic usage. 2 A designation of the Atharva-Veda. who, knowing this, worships it as such. All things run unto him. He, having become a god, goes even to the gods/ { I will give you a thousand cows with a bull as large as an elephant/ said Janaka, [king] of Videha. Yajfiavalkya replied: 'My father thought that without having instructed one should not accept'

(5) The threefold offspring- of Prajapati — gods, men, and devils (asura)— dwelt with their father Prajapati as students of sacred knowledge (brahviacarya). Having lived the life of a student of sacred knowledge, the gods said: ' Speak to us, Sir/ To them then he spoke this syllable, 'Da.' £ Did you understand? ' ' We did understand/ said they. ' You said to us? ct Restrain yourselves (damyata)? ' ' Yes (Om)! ' said he. « You did understand/

(1) Then they [i.e. the gods] said to the In-breath (prana): c Sing for us the Udgitha.' e So' be it/ said the In-breath, and sang for them. Whatever pleasure there is in the in-breath, that it sang for the gods; whatever good one breathes in, that for itself. They [i.e. the devils] knew: 'Verily, by this singer they will overcome us.' They rushed upon it and pierced it with evil That evil was the improper thing thai one breathes in. This, truly, was that evil.

(2) Driptabalaki was a learned Gargya. He said to Aja- ta£atru, [king] of Benares: ' I will tell you about Brahma/ Ajata^atru said: 'We will give a thousand [cows] for such a speech. Verily, people will run hither, crying, " A Janaka! a Janaka! " ' 2 2 A very learned and liberal king.

(1) Then they [i.e. the gods] said to this Breath in the mouth: ' Sing for us the Udgltha/ They [i.e. the devils] knew: c Verily, by this singer they will overcome us/ They rushed upon him and desired to pierce him with evil. As a clod of earth would be scattered by striking on a stone, even so they were scattered in all directions and perished. Therefore the gods increased, the demons became inferior. He increases with himself, a hateful enemy becomes inferior for him who knows this.

(3) She said: 'Venerable Brahmans, you may think it a great thing if you escape from this man with [merely] making a bow. Not one of you will surpass him in discussions about Brahma/ Thereupon [Gargi] Vacaknavl held her peace.