Śāṅkhāyana (Kauṣītaki) Āraṇyaka 7.13

7.13

ŚĀ 7,13
atha vai vayaṃ brūmo nirbhujavaktrāḥ sma iti ha smāha hvastro māṇḍūkeyaḥ | pūrvam evākṣaraṃ pūrvarūpam uttaram uttararūpam | tad yāsau mātrā pūrvarūpottarūpe antareṇa yena saṃdhiṃ vivartayati yena mātrāmātraṃ vibhajati yena svarāt svaraṃ vijñāpayati sā saṃhiteti | sa ya evam etāṃ saṃhitāṃ veda saṃdhīyate prajayā paśubhir yaśasā brahmavarcasena svargeṇa lokena sarvam āyur eti ||

"Now indeed we say that we are the teachers of the Nirbhuja," said Hvastra Māṇḍūkeya. "The preceding syllable is the first member, the subsequent is the second member. That mora which is between the first member and the second member, by which one rounds off the junction, by which one distinguishes measure from measure, by which one makes vowel known from vowel—that is the continuous text (saṃhitā)." He who knows this continuous text (saṃhitā) thus is joined with offspring, cattle, fame, brahminical splendour, and the heavenly world; he attains a full lifespan.