तद्यत्प्रथमममृतं तद्वसव उपजीवन्त्यग्निना मुखेन न वै देवा अश्नन्ति न पिबन्त्येतदेवामृतं दृष्ट्वा तृप्यन्ति ॥ ३.६.१ ॥
tadyatprathamamamṛtaṃ tadvasava upajīvantyagninā mukhena na vai devā aśnanti na pibantyetadevāmṛtaṃ dṛṣṭvā tṛpyanti || 3.6.1 ||
1. Led by fire, the Vasus enjoy the first nectar [which is the red colour]. As a matter of fact, the gods and goddesses neither eat nor drink. They are pleased merely by seeing the nectar.
Word-for-word explanation:
Tat yat, that which; prathamam amṛtam, the first nectar [i.e., the red colour of the sun]; tat, that; vasavaḥ, the Vasus; upajīvanti, enjoy; agninā mukhena, led by fire; vai, as a matter of fact; devāḥ, the gods and goddesses; na aśnanti na pibanti, neither eat nor drink; etat amṛtam, this nectar; eva dṛṣṭvā tṛpyanti, they are pleased by only seeing.
Commentary:
Earlier it was described what the nectar is and how it may be meditated upon. The gods and goddesses enjoy this nectar. How these gods and goddesses may be meditated upon is now being stated.
Early in the morning the sun is red, and this red colour is the first nectar, which is enjoyed by the Vasus led by fire. They enjoy it by seeing, not by eating and drinking. They, in fact, enjoy it by using all their organs.
The body is a source of bad odour and bad secretions, but because the gods are all under the protection of the sun, they are therefore exempt from them.