Chāndogya Upaniṣad 2.22

2.22.1

vinardi sāmno vṛṇe paśavyam ity agner udgīthaḥ \
aniruktaḥ prajāpateḥ \
niruktaḥ somasya \
mṛdu ślakṣṇaṃ vāyoḥ \
ślakṣṇaṃ balavad indrasya \
krauñcaṃ bṛhaspateḥ \
apadhvāntaṃ varuṇasya \
tān sarvān evopaseveta \
vāruṇaṃ tv eva varjayet \\222.1\

1. ‘I choose the roaring, animal-like form of the Sāman’—such is the Udgītha belonging to Agni. The indistinct form belongs to Prajāpati; the distinct, to Soma; the soft and smooth, to Vāyu; the smooth and strong, to Indra; the

heron-like, to Bṛihaspati; the ill-sounding, to Varuṇa. One may practise all these, but one should avoid that belonging to Varuṇa.

2.22.2

amṛtatvaṃ devebhya āgāyānīty āgāyet \
svadhāṃ pitṛbhya āśāṃ manuṣyebhyas tṛṇodakaṃ paśubhyaḥ svargaṃ lokaṃ yajamānāyānnam ātmana āgāyānīty etāni manasā dhyāyann apramattaḥ stuvīta \\222.2\

2. ‘Let me obtain immortality for the gods by singing’—thus should one obtain with his singing. ‘Let me obtain oblation for the fathers by singing, hope for men, grass and water for cattle, a heavenly world for the sacrificer, food for myself (*ātman*)’—one should sing the Stotra carefully, meditating these things in mind.

2.22.3

sarve svarā indrasyātmānaḥ \
sarva ūṣmāṇaḥ prajāpater ātmānaḥ \
sarve sparśā mṛtyor ātmānaḥ \
taṃ yadi svareṣūpālabheta \
indraṃ śaraṇaṃ prapanno 'bhūvaṃ sa tvā prati vakṣyatīty enaṃ brūyāt \\222.3\

3. All vowels are embodiments (*ātman*) of Indra. All spirants are embodiments of Prajāpati. All [other] consonants are embodiments of Mṛityu (Death).

If one should reproach a person on his vowels, let him say to that one: ‘I have been a suppliant to Indra for protection. He will answer you.’

2.22.4

atha yady enam ūṣmāsūpālabheta \
prajāpatiṃ śaraṇaṃ prapanno 'bhūvaṃ sa tvā (S ) enaṃ brūyāt \
atha yady enaṃ sparśeṣūpālabheta \
mṛtyuṃ śaraṇaṃ prapanno 'bhūvaṃ sa tvā (S ) enaṃ brūyāt \\222.4\

4. So, if one should reproach him on his spirants, let him say to that one: ‘I have been a suppliant to Prajāpati for protection. He will thrash you.’

So, if one should reproach him on his [other] consonants, let him say to that one: ‘I have been a suppliant to Mṛityu (Death) for protection. He will burn you up.’

2.22.5

sarve svarā ghoṣavanto balavanto vaktavyā indre balaṃ dadānīti \
sarva ūṣmāṇo 'grastā anirastā vivṛtā vaktavyāḥ prajāpater ātmānaṃ paridadānīti \
sarve sparśā leśenānabhinihitā vaktavyā mṛtyor ātmānaṃ pariharāṇīti \\222.5\

5. All the vowels should be pronounced strong and sonant, with the thought: ‘To Indra let me give strength.’ All the spirants should be pronounced well open, without being slurred over, without being elided, with the thought: ‘To Prajāpati let me entrust myself.’ All the [other] consonants should be pronounced slowly, without being merged together, with the thought: ‘From Mṛityu (Death) let me withdraw myself (*ātman*).’