Next Krishna-Hârita confided this Brâhmana concerning speech to him (his pupil):
Pragâpati, the year, after having sent forth all creatures, burst. He put himself together again by means of khandas (Vedas). Because he put himself together again by means of khandas, therefore (the text of the Veda) is called Samhitâ (put together).
Of that Samhitâ the letter n is the strength, the letter sh the breath and self (Âtman).
He who knows the Rik verses and the letters n and sh for every Samhitâ, he knows the Samhitâ with strength and breath. Let him know that this is the life of the Samhitâ.
If the pupil asks, 'Shall I say it with the letter n or without it? 'let the teacher say, 'With the letter n.' And if he asks, 'Shall I say it with the letter sh or without it?' let the teacher say, 'With the letter sh.'
Hrasva Mândûkeya said: 'If we here recite the verses according to the Samhitâ (attending to the necessary changes of n and s into n and sh), and if we say the adhyâya of Mândûkeya (Ait. Âr. III, 1), then the letters n and sh (strength and breath) have by this been obtained for us.'
Sthavira Sâkalya said: 'If we recite the verses according to the Samhitâ, and if we say the adhyâya of Mândûkeya, then the letters n and sh have by this been obtained for us.'
Here the Rishis, the Kâvasheyas, knowing this, said: 'Why should we repeat (the Veda), why should we sacrifice? We offer as a sacrifice breath in speech, or speech in breath. What is the beginning (of one), that is the end (of the other).'
Let no one tell these Samhitâs (Ait. Âr. III, 1-III, 2) to one who is not a resident pupil, who has not been with his teacher at least one year, and who is not himself to become an instructor. Thus say the teachers, yea, thus say the teachers., and then rest in another place finishing it.
'And in the place where he reads this, he should not read anything else, though he may read this (the Mahâvrata) where he has read something else.
'No one should bathe and become a snâtaka who does not read this. Even if he has read many other things, he should not become a snâtaka if he has not read this.
'Nor should he forget it, and even if he should forget anything else, he should not forget this.
'No, he should never forget this.
'If he does not forget this, it will be enough for himself (or for acquiring a knowledge of the Self).
'It is enough, let him know this to be true.
'Let him who knows this not communicate, nor dine, nor amuse himself with any one who does not know it.' Then follow some more rules as to the reading of the Veda in general:
'When the old water that stood round the roots of trees is dried up (after about the month of Pausha, January to February) he should not read; nor (at any time) in the morning or in the afternoon, when the shadows meet (he should begin at sunrise so soon as the shadows divide, and end in the evening before they fall together). Nor should he read when a cloud has risen; and when there is an unseasonable rain (after the months of Srâvana and Bhâdrapada, August and September) he should stop his Vedic reading for three nights. Nor should he at that time tell stories, not even during the night, nor should he glory in his knowledge.
'This (the Veda thus learnt and studied) is the name of that Great Being; and he who thus knows the name of that Great Being, he becomes Brahman, yea, he becomes Brahman.'
