puruṣo vāva yajñaḥ | tasya yāni caturviṃśativarṣāṇi tat prātaḥsavanam | caturviṃśatyakṣarā gāyatrī | gāyatraṃ prātaḥsavanam | tad asya vasavo 'nvāyattāḥ | prāṇā vāva vasavaḥ | ete hīdaṃ sarvaṃ vāsayanti
Man is sacrifice. His (first) twenty-four years are the morning-libation. The Gâyatrî has twenty-four syllables, the morning-libation is offered with Gâyatrî hymns. The Vasus are connected with that part of the sacrifice. The Prânas (the five senses) are the Vasus, for they make all this to abide (vâsayanti).
taṃ ced etasmin vayasi kiṃcid upatapet sa brūyāt | prāṇā vasava idaṃ me prātaḥsavanaṃ mādhyaṃdinaṃ savanam anusaṃtanuteti māhaṃ prāṇānāṃ vasūnāṃ madhye yajño vilopsīyeti | ud dhaiva tata ety agado ha bhavati
If anything ails him in that (early) age, let him say: 'Ye Prânas, ye Vasus, extend this my morning-libation unto the midday-libation, that I, the sacrifices may not perish in the midst of the Prânas or Vasus.' Thus he recovers from his illness, and becomes whole.
atha yāni catuścatvāriṃśad varṣāṇi tan mādhyaṃdinaṃ savanam | catuścatvāriṃśadakṣarā triṣṭup | traiṣṭubhaṃ mādhyaṃdinaṃ savanam | tad asya rudrā anvāyattāḥ | prāṇā vāva rudrāḥ | ete hīdaṃ sarvaṃ rodayanti
The next forty-four years are the midday-libation. The Trishtubh has forty-four syllables, the midday-libation is offered with Trishtubh hymns. The Rudras are connected with that part of it. The Prânas are the Rudras, for they make all this to cry (rodayanti).
taṃ ced etasmin vayasi kiṃcid upatapet sa brūyāt | prāṇā rudrā idaṃ me mādhyaṃdinaṃ savanaṃ tṛtīyasavanam anusaṃtanuteti māhaṃ prāṇānāṃ rudrāṇāṃ madhye yajño vilopsīyeti | ud dhaiva tata ety agado ha bhavati
If anything ails him in that (second) age, let him say: 'Ye Prânas, ye Rudras, extend this my midday-libation unto the third libation, that I, the sacrificer, may not perish in the midst of the Prânas or Rudras.' Thus he recovers from his illness, and becomes whole.
The next forty-eight years are the third libation. The Gagatî has forty-eight syllables, the third libation is offered with Gagatî hymns. The Âdityas are connected with that part of it. The Prânas are the Âdityas, for they take up all this (âdadate).
तं चेद् एतस्मिन् वयसि किंचिद् उपतपेत् स ब्रूयात् । प्राणा आदित्या इदं मे तृतीयसवनम् आयुर् अनुसंतनुतेति माहं प्राणानाम् आदित्यानां मध्ये यज्ञो विलोप्सीयेति । उद् धैव तत एत्य् अगदो हैव भवति
taṃ ced etasmin vayasi kiṃcid upatapet sa brūyāt | prāṇā ādityā idaṃ me tṛtīyasavanam āyur anusaṃtanuteti māhaṃ prāṇānām ādityānāṃ madhye yajño vilopsīyeti | ud dhaiva tata ety agado haiva bhavati
If anything ails him in that (third) age, let him say: 'Ye Prânas, ye Âdityas, extend this my third libation unto the full age, that I, the sacrificer, may not perish in the midst of the Prânas or Âdityas.' Thus he recovers from his illness, and becomes whole.
एतद् ध स्म वै तद् विद्वान् आह महिदास ऐतरेयः । स किं म एतद् उपतपसि यो ऽहम् अनेन न प्रेष्याम् इति । स ह षोडशं वर्षशतम् अजीवत् । प्र ह षोडशं वर्षशतं जीवति य एवं वेद
etad dha sma vai tad vidvān āha mahidāsa aitareyaḥ | sa kiṃ ma etad upatapasi yo 'ham anena na preṣyām iti | sa ha ṣoḍaśaṃ varṣaśatam ajīvat | pra ha ṣoḍaśaṃ varṣaśataṃ jīvati ya evaṃ veda
Mahidâsa Aitareya (the son of Itarâ), who knew this, said (addressing a disease): 'Why dost thou afflict me, as I shall not die by it?' He lived a hundred and sixteen years (i.e. 24+44+48). He, too, who knows this lives on to a hundred and sixteen years.