Śāṅkhāyana (Kauṣītaki) Āraṇyaka 8.11

8.11

ŚĀ 8,11
prajāpatiḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā vyasraṃsata sa chandobhir ātmānaṃ samadadhat | tad yac chandobhir ātmānaṃ samadadhat tasmāt saṃhitā | tasyai vā etasyai saṃhitāyai ṇakaro balaṃ ṣakāraḥ prāṇa ātmā saṃhitā | athaiṣā kṣudramiśrā vikṛtis tāni nakhāni romāṇi vyañjanānīti | sa yo 'tra vicikitset saṇakāraṃ eva brūyād ṛte ṇakāram iti saṇakāram eva brūyāt | evam eva yo 'tra vicikitset saṣakāraṃ eva brūyād ṛte ṣakāram iti saṣakāram eva brūyāt | tau vā etau ṇakāraṣakārau vidvān anusaṃhitam ṛco 'dhīyītāyuṣyam iti vidyād evam eva vidyāt | atha vāg itihāsapurāṇaṃ yac cānyat kiṃcid brāhmīkṛtyevādhīyīta tad apy evam eva vidyāt | te yad vayam anusaṃhitam ṛco 'dhīmahe yac ca māṇḍūkeyīyam adhyāyaṃ prabrūmas tena no ṇakāraṣakārā upāptāv iti ha smāha hrasvo māṇḍūkeyaḥ | atha yad vayam anusaṃhitam ṛco 'dhīmahe yac ca svādhyāyam adhīmahe tena no ṇakāraṣakārā upāptāv iti ha smāha sthaviraḥ śākalyaḥ | etad dha sma vai tad vidvāṃsa āhuḥ kāvaṣeyāḥ kimarthā vayaṃ yakṣyāmahe kimarthā vayam adheṣyāmahe vāci hi prāṇaṃ juhumaḥ prāṇe vācaṃ yo hy eva prabhavaḥ sa evāpyaya iti | tā etāḥ saṃhitā
nānantevāsine brūyān nāsaṃvatsaravāsine nābrahmacāriṇe nāvedavide nāpavaktra ity ācāryā ity ācāryāḥ ||

Prajāpati, having created creatures, fell apart. He put himself together with the metres. Because he put himself together with the metres, therefore [it is called] continuous text (saṃhitā). Of this very continuous text, the sound ṇa is strength, the sound ṣa is breath, and the self is the continuous text. Now, this modification mixed with small parts consists of nails, hairs, and consonants. If anyone should hesitate here, [wondering,] 'Should one pronounce it with the sound ṇa or without the sound ṇa?', he should pronounce it only with the sound ṇa. In the same way, if anyone should hesitate here, [wondering,] 'Should one pronounce it with the sound ṣa or without the sound ṣa?', he should pronounce it only with the sound ṣa. Knowing these two sounds, ṇa and ṣa, he should recite the verses according to the continuous text (saṃhitā); he should know: 'It brings long life'—he should know it in just this way. Moreover, whatever speech, narrative, ancient lore, and whatever else [there is], he should study it having made it, as it were, sacred; he should know it in just this way. 'In that we recite the verses according to the continuous text, and in that we teach the lesson of Māṇḍūkeya, thereby we have obtained the sounds ṇa and ṣa,' said the short Māṇḍūkeya. 'Moreover, in that we recite the verses according to the continuous text, and in that we recite our daily study, thereby we have obtained the sounds ṇa and ṣa,' said the elder Śākalya. Indeed, knowing this, the descendants of Kavaṣa used to say: 'Why should we sacrifice? Why should we study? For we offer breath into speech, and speech into breath; for whatever is the origin, that alone is the dissolution.' One should not teach these continuous texts to one who is not a pupil, nor to one who has not resided for a year, nor to one who is not a chaste student (brahmacārin), nor to one who does not know the Veda, nor to a detractor—thus the teachers, thus the teachers.