The Brahman that is within all has been indicated by a description of how, in the series of things beginning with earth ranged according to their density, each preceding item is pervaded by the succeeding one. And that Brahman has been described as the Ruler of the diverse forms of the Sūtra (such as earth) which are comprised in the differentiated universe, because in it the indications of this relation are so much more patent. The present section, named after Śākalya, is introduced in order to convey the immediacy and directness of that Brahman by a reference to the contraction and expansion of the different gods who are ruled by It.
Verse 3.9.1:
अथ हैनं विदग्धः शाकल्यः पप्रच्छ, कति देवा याज्ञवल्क्येति; स हैतयैव निविदा प्रतिपेदे, यावन्तो वैश्वदेवस्य निविद्युच्यन्ते—त्रयश्च त्री च शता, त्रयश्च त्री च सहस्रेति; ओमिति होवाच, कत्येव देवा याज्ञवल्क्येति; त्रयस्त्रिंशदिति; ओमिति होवाच; कत्येव देवा याज्ञवल्क्येति; षडित्य्; ओमिति होवाच, कत्येव देवा याज्ञवल्क्येति; त्रय इति; ओमिति होवाच, कत्येव देवा याज्ञवल्क्येति; द्वाविति; ओमिति होवाच, कत्येव देवा याज्ञवल्क्येति; अध्यर्ध इति; ओमिति होवाच, कत्येव देवा याज्ञवल्क्येति; एक इति; ओमिति होवाच, कतमे ते त्रयश्च त्री च शता, त्रयश्च त्री च सहस्रेति ॥ १ ॥
atha hainaṃ vidagdhaḥ śākalyaḥ papraccha, kati devā yājñavalkyeti; sa haitayaiva nividā pratipede, yāvanto vaiśvadevasya nividyucyante—trayaśca trī ca śatā, trayaśca trī ca sahasreti; omiti hovāca, katyeva devā yājñavalkyeti; trayastriṃśaditi; omiti hovāca; katyeva devā yājñavalkyeti; ṣaḍity; omiti hovāca, katyeva devā yājñavalkyeti; traya iti; omiti hovāca, katyeva devā yājñavalkyeti; dvāviti; omiti hovāca, katyeva devā yājñavalkyeti; adhyardha iti; omiti hovāca, katyeva devā yājñavalkyeti; eka iti; omiti hovāca, katame te trayaśca trī ca śatā, trayaśca trī ca sahasreti || 1 ||
1. Then Vidagdha, the son of Śakala, asked him. ‘How many gods are there, Yājñavalkya?’ Yājñavalkya decided it through this (group of Mantras known as) Nivid (saying), ‘As many as are indicated in the Nivid of the Viśvadevas—three hundred and three, and three thousand and three.’ ‘Very well,’ said Śākalya, ‘how many gods are there, Yājñavalkya?’ ‘Thirty-three.’ ‘Very well,’ said the other, ‘how many gods are there, Yājñavalkya?’ ‘Six.’ ‘Very well’ said Śākalya, ‘how many gods are there, Yājñavalkya?’ ‘Three.’ ‘Very well,’ said the other, ‘how many gods are there, Yājñavalkya?’ ‘Two.’ ‘Very well,’ said Śākalya, ‘how many gods are there, Yājñavalkya?’ ‘One and a half.’ ‘Very well,’ said the other, ‘how many gods are there, Yājñavalkya?’ ‘One.’ ‘Very well,’ said Śākalya, ‘which are those three hundred and three and three thousand and three?’
Then Vidagdha, the son of Śakala, asked him, ‘How many gods are there, Yājñavalkya?’ Yājñavalkya decided the number asked for by Śākalya through this Nivid that is just going to be mentioned. ‘As many gods as are indicated in the Nivid of the eulogistic hymn on the Viśvadevas.’ The Nivid is a group of verses giving the number of the gods, which are recited in the eulogistic hymn on the Viśvadevas. ‘There are as many gods as are mentioned in that Nivid.’ Which is that Nivid? The words of that Nivid are quoted: ‘Three hundred and three gods, and again three thousand and three gods. So many gods are there.’ ‘Very well,’ said Śākalya, ‘you know their intermediate number correctly.’ He next asks the smaller number of these very gods, ‘How many gods are there, Yājñavalkya?’ (Yājñavalkya answers one by one:) Thirty-three, six, three, two, one and a half, and one. After asking the larger and the smaller number of the gods, he now asks about their identity, ‘Which are those three hundred and three, and three thousand and three?’