16. They of the Atharvans, they of the An̄girases, they of the gods, also those born of men—the herbs are generated (pra-jā), when thou, O breath, quickenest.
Ppp. has ca yās instead of uta at end of b, and, for c, sarvā pra modanty oṣadhīḥ. The adjectives are feminine, denoting the herbs.
17. When breath hath rained with rain on the great earth, the herbs are generated, likewise whatever plants [there are].
Compare vs. 5 above, of which this is an imitation; Ppp. makes it yet closer, by reading modante for jāyante in c. Some of the saṁhitā-mss. read jāyante ‘tho (losing the accent of átho) in c-d.
18. He who knoweth this of thee, O breath, and in whom thou art established—to him shall all bring tribute in yon highest world.
Ppp. separates prāṇa idaṁ in a.
19. As, O breath, all these human beings (prajā́) are tribute-bearers to thee, so shall they bring tribute to him who shall hear thee, O thou of good report (suçrávas).
Ppp. has for d yas tvā çuçrāva çuçruvaḥ; and the comm. also reads çuçruvaḥ. ⌊With this vs., cf. Praçna Upanishad, ii. 7.⌋
20. He moves, an embryo, within the divinities; having come into being (? ā́bhūta), having been (bhūtá), he is born again; he, having been, entered with might (çácībhis) what is to be, what will be, [as] a father a son.
The understanding of this very obscure verse is not helped by the comm., and Ppp. offers no variants. The comm. reads bhūtam instead of bhavyam in c. A part of the mss. read viveça (not -çā) in d.
21. The swan (haṅsá), ascending, does not extract (ut-khid) one foot from the sea; verily, if he should extract that, there would not be today nor tomorrow; there would not be night nor day; at no time soever would it dawn (vi-vas).
Ppp. reads utpapadam at end of b, and goes on thus: imaṁ sa tum utkhide ahnāivācya naḥ çyo na rātrī nna ha syā hnaṣ prajñā tu ki cana. The comm. explains the verse first as relating to the sun, for which it appears to be really intended, and then as applied to breath, to which it may be conceived to belong as being for the microcosm what the sun is to the macrocosm. ⌊Cf. my note to viii. 7. 24. Here one would indeed be reluctant to translate haṅsa by 'goose.'⌋
22. The eight-wheeled [thing, neut.] rolls, having one rim, thousand-syllabled, forth in front, down behind; with a half it has generated all existence; what its [other] half [is]—which sign is that?
