हिन्दी
The gods/goddesses and asuras are both children of Prajāpati (Brahm), yet they fought among themselves. The gods/goddesses then adopted the path of the udgītha, thinking they would thereby be able to overcome the asuras.
The gods and goddesses worshipped the prāṇa presiding over the nostrils as udgītha. The Asuras, however, misused it. (To them it was only an organ of smelling). That is why (because of this misuse) people smell both good and bad odours through the nostrils.
Next the gods and goddesses worshipped speech as udgītha (i.e., they used speech in praise of Om). The Asuras, however, pierced it with evil (i.e., misused it out of ignorance). This is why people use the organ of speech to speak both truth and untruth. This happens because speech was pierced with evil.
Next the gods and goddesses worshipped the eye as udgītha (as a praise to Om). The Asuras, however, pierced it with evil (i.e., misused it out of ignorance). This is why people see both good and bad things with the eyes. They see both because of ignorance.
Next the gods and goddesses worshipped the faculty of hearing as udgītha (in order to praise Om). The Asuras, however, pierced it with evil (i.e., misused it out of ignorance). As a result, people hear both pleasant and unpleasant things with the ears. This happens because of ignorance.
Next, the gods and goddesses worshipped the mind, because the mind makes it possible for them to chant the udgītha (the praise to Om). But the asuras even vitiated the mind. As a result, the mind has both good and bad thoughts. This happens because of ignorance.
Next, the gods and goddesses worshipped the chief prāṇa as udgītha. As regards the Asuras, they all met their end in prāṇa, just as (chunks of earth) break into pieces when they hit an unbreakable stone.
Just as when chunks of earth are thrown against an unbreakable stone, they are themselves reduced to dust, similarly, if anyone wishes ill or causes an injury to a person who knows prāṇa, he invites his own destruction thereby. The person who knows prāṇa is immune to injury like a piece of unbreakable stone.
So far as the chief prāṇa is concerned, there is no good or bad odour for it. This is because it is pure (i.e., it is never touched by anything evil born of egotism). If this prāṇa eats and drinks anything, it does so only to sustain the sense organs (such as the eyes, the ears, and so on). When death occurs, the chief prāṇa does not eat or drink anything (and as a result, the sense organs collapse). They seem to have left the body. (They still want to eat and drink, however, so that they may live, and) this is indicated by the fact that a person dies with the mouth open.
The sage Aṅgirā worshipped the chief prāṇa as udgītha (i.e., Brahman, to whom the udgītha is addressed). The chief prāṇa is referred to as āṅgirasa, for it is the rasa (i.e., the essence, or support) of all the aṅgas (organs).
This is why Bṛhaspati worshipped prāṇa as udgītha. Prāṇa is regarded as Bṛhaspati, for vāk (speech) is great (bṛhatī) and prāṇa is its lord (pati).
This is why Āyāsya worshipped prāṇa as udgītha. They regarded this as Āyāsya for it is that which comes (ayate) out of the mouth (āsyāt).
The sage Baka, son of Dalbha, came to know prāṇa as it was. That is why the sages of Naimiṣa forest selected him as the singer of their udgītha. He, in his turn, fulfilled their wishes.
If a person knows the real meaning of prāṇa and worships it as udgītha akṣara (i.e., as Akṣara Brahman) he himself becomes Akṣara Brahman. He then worships everyone he wants to worship (i.e., in singing for prāṇa he sings for all), and he attains all he desires. This is the attainment on the level of the body (adhyātma). (The inner attainment is that he becomes one with prāṇa—that is, Akṣara Brahman)
