आपो वावान्नाद् भूयस्यः । तस्माद् यदा सुवृष्टिर् न भवति व्याधीयन्ते प्राणा अन्नं कनीयो भविष्यतीति । अथ यदा सुवृष्टिर् भवत्य् आनन्दिनः प्राणा भवन्त्य् अन्नं बहु भविष्यतीति । आप एवेमा मूर्ता येयं पृथिवी यद् अन्तरिक्षं यद् द्यौर् यत् पर्वता यद् देवमनुष्या यत् पशवश् च वयांसि च तृणवनस्पतयः श्वापदान्य् आकीटपतङ्गपिपीलकम् । आप एवेमा मूर्ताः । अप उपास्स्वेति
āpo vāvānnād bhūyasyaḥ | tasmād yadā suvṛṣṭir na bhavati vyādhīyante prāṇā annaṃ kanīyo bhaviṣyatīti | atha yadā suvṛṣṭir bhavaty ānandinaḥ prāṇā bhavanty annaṃ bahu bhaviṣyatīti | āpa evemā mūrtā yeyaṃ pṛthivī yad antarikṣaṃ yad dyaur yat parvatā yad devamanuṣyā yat paśavaś ca vayāṃsi ca tṛṇavanaspatayaḥ śvāpadāny ākīṭapataṅgapipīlakam | āpa evemā mūrtāḥ | apa upāssveti
'Water (ap) is better than food. Therefore if there is not sufficient rain, the vital spirits fail from fear that there will be less food. But if there is sufficient rain, the vital spirits rejoice, because there will be much food. This water, on assuming different forms, becomes this earth, this sky, this heaven, the mountains, gods and men, cattle, birds, herbs and trees, all beasts down to worms, midges, and ants. Water indeed assumes all these forms. Meditate on water.
Translated by F. Max Müller