Śāṅkhāyana (Kauṣītaki) Āraṇyaka 7.14

7.14

ŚĀ 7,14
atha ha smāsya putra āha madhyamaḥ prātiyodhīputro magadhavāsī pūrvam evākṣaraṃ pūrvarūpam uttaram uttararūpam | tad yāsau mātrā saṃdhivijñāpanī sāma tad bhavati sāmaihāvaṃ saṃhitāṃ manya iti | tad etad ṛcābhyuditam - mā naḥ stenebhyo ye abhi druhas pade nirāmiṇo ripavo 'nneṣu jāgṛdhuḥ | ā devānām ohate vi vrayo hṛdi bṛhaspate na paraḥ sāmno viduḥ || iti | sa ya evam etāṃ saṃhitāṃ veda saṃdhīyate prajayā paśubhir yaśasā brahmavarcasena svargeṇa lokena sarvam āyur eti ||

Then his middle son, the son of Prātiyodhī, dwelling in Magadha, said: "The preceding syllable is the first member, the subsequent is the second member. That mora which makes known the junction—that is a Sāman; I regard the continuous text (saṃhitā) as consisting of Sāman." This has been declared by the Ṛgvedic verse: / 'Let not the treacherous thieves, plotting in the place of deceit, / who greedily crave food, reach us! / Brihaspati, they boast of the gods' open space in their hearts, / but they know nothing higher than the Sāman.' / 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.