Verse 1.2.1

देवासुरा ह वै यत्र संयेतिरे उभये प्राजापत्यास्तद्ध देवा उद्गीथमाजह्रुरनेनैनानभिभविष्याम इति ॥ १.२.१ ॥

devāsurā ha vai yatra saṃyetire ubhaye prājāpatyāstaddha devā udgīthamājahruranenainānabhibhaviṣyāma iti || 1.2.1 ||

1. The gods and goddesses and the demons are both children of Prajāpati, yet they fought among themselves. The gods and goddesses then adopted the path of the udgītha, thinking they would thereby be able to overcome the demons.

Word-for-word explanation:

Devāsurāḥ. the gods and goddesses and the demons; ha vai yatra saṃyetire, fought among themselves; ubhaye, [though] both; prājāpatyāḥ, were Prajāpati’s children; tat, at that time; ha devāḥ, the gods and goddesses then; udgītham ājahruḥ, adopted the path of the udgītha; anena, by this; enān, them [the demons]; abhibhaviṣyāmah, will overcome; iti, thinking thus.

Commentary:

The gods and goddesses are ‘bright’ by virtue of their self-control, while the demons are ‘dark’ because they have no control over themselves. Though they were offspring of the same Prajāpati, they often clashed with each other. The gods and goddesses represent virtue; the demons represent vice. This conflict between virtue and vice is eternal, but it is virtue that always prevails. Virtue is here said to be the udgītha—that is, reciting Om while performing sacrifices. The gods and goddesses choose the path prescribed by the scriptures, whereas the demons do just the opposite and defy the scriptures. No wonder then the demons lose.

The udgītha is supreme because it is Om. It is the Paramātman, the Cosmic Self.