Aphorisms on Brahman 2.596.3

2.596.3

chandogā vājasaneyinaśca prāṇasaṃvāde śvādisaṃvāde śvādimaryādaṃ prāṇasyānnamāmnānya tasyaivāpo vāsa āmananti /
anantaraṃ ca chandogā āmananti -'tasmādvā etadaśiṣyantaḥ purastāccoṣṭāccādbhiḥ paridadhāti' (chā. 5.2.2) iti /
vājasaneyinastvāmananti - 'tadvidvāṃsaḥ śrotriyā aśiṣyanta ācāmantyaśitvācāmantyetameva tadanamanagnaṃ kurvanto manyante' (bṛ. 6.1.14) 'tasmādevaṃvidaśiṣyannācāmedaśitvā cācāmedetameva tadanamanagnaṃ kurute' iti /
tatra tvācamanamanagnatācintanaṃ ta prāṇasya pratīyate tkimubhayamapi vidhīyata utācamanamevotānagnatācintanameveti vicāryate /

The Khandogas as well as the Vâgasaneyins record, in the colloquy of the prânas, that the food of Breath comprizes everything even unto dogs and birds, and that water is its dress. To this the Khandogas add, 'Therefore when going to eat food they surround it before and after with water' (Kh. Up. V, 2, 2). And the Vâgasaneyins add (Bri. Up. VI, 1, 14), 'Srotriyas who know this rinse the mouth with water when they are going to eat and rinse the mouth with water after they have eaten, thinking that thereby they make the breath dressed. Therefore a man knowing this is to rinse the mouth with water when going to eat and after having eaten; he thereby makes that breath dressed.'--These texts intimate two things, rinsing of the mouth and meditation on the breath as dressed. The doubt then arises whether the texts enjoin both these matters, or only the rinsing of the mouth, or only the meditation on breath as dressed.