Jaiminīya (Talavakāra) Brāhmaṇa 20.110

20.110

Now the Mahānāmnī verses.
The breaths, indeed, were seven in the beginning.
For them he measured out this seven-footed Śakvarī.
He who knows thus reaches the full span of life through the breaths.
From the seven-footed, [he measured out] the six-footed: the seasons, the year.
He who knows thus commits himself to the seasons.
From the six-footed, [he measured out] the five-footed: cattle, the Paṅkti.
He who knows thus becomes rich in cattle.
From the five-footed, [he measured out] the four-footed: speech, the Anuṣṭubh, firm support.
He who knows thus speaks with speech.
From the four-footed, [he measured out] the three-footed: fiery energy, spiritual luster, the Gāyatrī.
He who knows thus becomes endowed with fiery energy and spiritual luster.
From the three-footed, [he measured out] the two-footed: man.
Human slaughter does not slay him who knows thus.
From the two-footed, [he measured out] the one-footed: man indeed.
For two men follow one after the other, as it were.
Therefore man attends upon man; man becomes an attendant of man.
He finds attendants;
many become his attendants; human misfortune does not befall him who knows thus.