अनुगीता पर्व — पाँच ऋत्विज

The Brahmana said Regarding it, О blessed lady, is cited the ancient story of what kind the institution is of the five sacrificing priests.

The learned know this to be a great principle that Prana and Apana and Udana and Şamana and Vyana are the five sacrificing priests.

The Brahmana's wife said I naturally believed that there are seven sacrificing priests. Let the great principle be declared to me as to how, indeed, the number is five of the sacrificing priests.

The Brahmana said The wind nursed y Prana afterwards takes birth in Apana. The wind nursed in Apana then becomes developed into Vyana.

Nursed by Vyana, the wind is then developed into Udana. Nursed in Udana, the wind is then generated as Samana.

Those good beings formerly asked the first born Grandfather, saying, Do you say who amongst us is the foremost. He alone will be our chief.

Brahman said He upon whose extinction all the vital airs become extinct in the bodies of living creatures, he upon whose moving they move, is, indeed, the foremost. Do you go where you like.

Prana said Upon my extinction all the vital airs become extinct in the bodies of living creatures. Upon my moving they once more move. I am the foremost. Sce, I go into extinction.

The Brahniana said Prana then became extinct and once more moved about. Then Saman and Udana also, O blessed one, said these words, You do not live here, pervading all this, as we do. You are not the foremost amongst us, O Prana! (Only) Apana is under your dominion! Prana then moved about, and to him Apana spoke.

When I become extinct, all the vital airs become extinct in the bodies of living creatures. When I move about, they again move about. I am, therefore, the foremost, See, I go into extinction.

The Brahmana said To Apana who said so, both Vyana and Udana said, O Apana, you are not the foremost (Only) Prana is under your dominion.

Then Apana began to move about, Vyana once more addressed him, saying I am the foremost of all. Listen, for what reason.

When I become extinct, all the vital airs become extinct in the bodies of living creatures. When I move about, they once more move about. I am (therefore) the foremost. Sce, I go into extinction.

Then Vyana became extinct and once more began to move about. At this, Prana and Apana and Udana and Samana Addressed him, saying. You are not the foremost among us, O Vyana! (Only) Samana is under your dominion. Vyana then began to move about and Saman said to him, I am the foremost of you all! Listen, for what reason. When I become extinct, all the vital airs become extinct in the bodies of living creatures. When I begin to move about, they once more move about. Hence, I am the forcmost. See, I become extinct.

Then Samana began to inovc about. To him Udana said, I am the foremost of all the vital airs. Listen, for what reason.

When I become extinct, all the vital airs become extinct in the bodies of living creatures. When I move about they once more move about. Hence, I am the foremost. Behold I become extinct.

Then Udana, after having become extinct, began to once more move about. Prana and Apana and Samana and Vyana said to him, O Udana, you are not the foremost one among us. (Only) Vyana is under your dominion.

The Brahmana said To them assembled together, the Lord of creatures, Brahman, said, You are all foremost and not foremost. You are all gified with the attributes of one another.

All are foremost in their own spheres, and all possess the attributes of one another! The Lord of all creatures, thus said to them, that were assembled together.

There is one that is unmoving, and one that is moving. On account of special attributes, there are five vital airs. My own self is one. That one accumulates into many forms.

Becoming friendly to one another, and pleasing one another, depart in depart in peace. Blessings to you, do you up hold one another.