The Upanishads - Mandhata Global

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Chapter XVI
Man as a Sacrifice (I)
A person, indeed, is a sacrifice. His first twenty-four
years constitute the morning libation. The Gayatri metre
has twenty-four syllables and the morning libation is
offered with Gayatri hymns. The Vasus are connected
with that part of the sacrifice. The pranas are the Vasus;
for, verily, they make everything abide (visayanti) in
this body.
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If anything ails him during that period, he should
recite the following mantra: "O ye pranas, ye Vasus,
unite this morning libation with the midday libation.
May I, who am a sacrifice, not disappear in the midst
of the pranas, who are the Vasus." Thus he rises from
his illness and becomes free of it.
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His next forty-four years constitute the midday
libation. The Tristubh metre has forty-four syllables
and the midday libation is offered with Tristubh
hymns. The Rudras are connected with that part of the
sacrifice. The pranas are the Rudras; for, verily, they
make everything weep (rodayanti).
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