The Satapatha Brahmana
translated by Julius Eggeling
THE SATAPATHA-BRÂHMANA
ACCORDING TO THE TEXT OF THE MÂDHYANDINA SCHOOL
Translated by
Julius Eggeling
Third Kanda
The Satapatha Brahmana, Part II
translated by Julius Eggeling
Third Kanda
EIGHTH ADHYÂYA. FIRST BRÂHMANA.
C. THE OBLATIONS.
3:8:1:11. Thereupon the Hotri, having sat down on the Hotri's seat whereon he sits down after being chosen 2,
urges, and thus urged the Adhvaryu takes the two spoons.
3:8:1:22. They then proceed with the Âprî (verses). The reason why they proceed with the Âprîs is this. With his whole mind, with his whole self, forsooth, he who consecrates himself prepares and endeavours to prepare the sacrifice. His self is, as it were, emptied out; with those Âprîs they fill it again; and because they fill 1 it therewith, therefore they are called Âprî. For this reason they proceed with the Âprîs.
3:8:1:33. Now there are here eleven fore-offerings; for here in man there are ten vital airs, and the eleventh is the self wherein those vital airs are contained; this is the whole man; thus they fill his whole self, and therefore there are eleven fore-offerings.
3:8:1:44. [The Adhvaryu] having called (on the Âgnîdhra) for the Sraushat, he says (to the Maitrâvaruna), 'Prompt (the Hotri to recite to) the kindling-sticks 2!' Thus he proceeds with ten fore-offerings,
saying, 'Prompt . . .' at each, and pouring the ghee together at every fourth fore-offering 1. Having performed ten fore-offerings, he says, 'Bring the slayer!' 'Slayer,' namely, the (butcher's) knife is called.
3:8:1:55. He then takes the (svaru) chip of the sacrificial stake, and having anointed both (the slaughtering-knife and the chip) at the top (with ghee) from the guhû-spoon, he touches the forehead of the victim with them, saying (Vâg. S. VI, 11), 'Anointed with ghee, protect ye the animals!' for the chip of the stake is a thunderbolt, and the slaughtering-knife is a thunderbolt, and ghee is a thunderbolt; having thus fitted together the entire thunderbolt 2 he appoints it the keeper of this (victim), lest the evil spirits should injure it. He again conceals the chip of the stake (under the girding-rope of the stake). In handing the slaughtering-knife to the butcher, he says, 'Be this thine approved edge!' and deposits the two spoons.
3:8:1:66. Thereupon he says (to the Hotri), 'Recite to Agni circumambient 3!' Having taken a firebrand,
the Agnîdh carries the fire round (the victim). Why he carries the fire round, is that he encircles it (the victim) by means of the fire with an unbroken fence, lest the evil spirits should seize upon it; for Agni is the repeller of the Rakshas; therefore he carries the fire round. He carries it round the place where they cook it (the victim 1).
3:8:1:77. As to this they say, 'Let him take back that firebrand (to the Âhavanîya); and having there (at the Sâmitra) churned out a new fire, let them cook it (the victim) thereon. For this (firebrand), surely, is âhavanîya (fit to offer upon); it is not for the purpose that they should cook uncooked (food) thereon, but for this that they should sacrifice cooked (food) thereon.'
3:8:1:88. Let him, however, not do this. For in that he carries fire round it, it (the victim) becomes as food swallowed by that (firebrand), and it would be as if he were to seize and tear out food that has been swallowed and offer it to some one else; let them, therefore, crumble some coals off that same firebrand, and thereon cook that (victim).
3:8:1:99. Thereupon the Agnîdh, taking a (new) firebrand, walks in front: whereby he places Agni in front, thinking, 'Agni shall repel the evil spirits in front!' and
they lead the victim after him (to the slaughtering-place) on a (way) free from danger and injury. The Pratiprasthâtri holds on to it from behind by means of the two spits 1, and the Adhvaryu (holds on to) the Pratiprasthâtri, and the Sacrificer to the Adhvaryu.
3:8:1:1010. As to this they say, 'That (victim) must not be held on to by the sacrificer, for they lead it unto death; therefore let him not hold on to it.' But let him nevertheless hold on to it; for that (victim) which they lead to the sacrifice they lead not to death; therefore let him hold on to it. Moreover he would cut himself off from the sacrifice, were he not to hold on to it; therefore let him hold on to it. It is held on to in a mysterious way; by means of the spits the Pratiprasthâtri (holds on to it); to the Pratiprasthâtri the Adhvaryu, to the Adhvaryu the Sacrificer; thus then it is held on to in a mysterious way.
3:8:1:1111. Thereupon the Adhvaryu takes two stalks of grass from the covered altar, and having called for the Sraushat, he says (to the Maitrâvaruna), 'O Hotri, prompt again (the Hotri to recite for) the offerings to the gods 2!' This is what belongs to the All-gods at the animal offering.
3:8:1:1212. He then makes (the Sacrificer) say the text (Vâg. S. VI, 11), 'O thou prosperous! upon
the Sacrificer,'--the prosperous one, forsooth, is Speech, it is because she speaks much, that Speech is prosperous,--'bestow thou what is agreeable unto him! Approach thou,'--thereby he means to say, 'Approach thou an existence free from affliction,'--'from the wide air, along with the divine wind;' for the Rakshas moves about the air rootless and unfettered on both sides, even as man here moves about the air rootless and unfettered on both sides: he means to say, 'Meeting together with the wind, protect thou this one from the wide air,' when he says 'from the wide air, along with the divine wind.'
3:8:1:1313. 'Offer thou with the self of this oblation!' whereby he means to say to Speech, 'Offer thou with the soul of this unblemished oblation;'--'Unite thou with its body!' whereby he means to say to Speech, 'Unite thou with the body of this unblemished oblation!'
3:8:1:1414. In front 1 of the place where they cut it up, he throws down a stalk of grass, with, 'O great one, lead the lord of sacrifice unto greater sacrifice!' he thus strews barhis (an underlayer of sacrificial grass) for it, that no sacrificial food may be spilt; whatever may now be spilt of it when it is cut up, that settles thereon and thus is not lost.
3:8:1:1515. They then step back (to the altar) and sit down turning towards the Âhavanîya, 'lest they should be eye-witnesses to its being quieted (strangled).' They do not slay it on the frontal bone 2, for that is human
manner; nor behind the ear, for that is after the manner of the Fathers. They either choke it by merely keeping its mouth closed, or they make a noose. Therefore he says not, 'Slay! kill!' for that is human manner, but, 'Quiet it! It has passed away!' for that is after the manner of the gods. For when he says, 'It has passed away,' then this one (the Sacrificer) passes away to the gods: therefore he says, 'It has passed away.'
3:8:1:1616. When they hold it down, then, before the strangling, he offers with 'Hail, to the gods!' And when (the butcher) says, 'Quieted is the victim,' he offers with, 'To the gods, Hail!' Thus some of the gods are preceded by 'Hail,' and others followed by 'Hail;' he thereby gratifies them, and thus gratified both kinds of gods convey him to the heavenly world. These are the so-called 'paripasavya 1' oblations; he may offer them if he choose; or, if he choose, he need not mind them.
Footnotes
184:2 Viz. at the north-west corner (or left hip) of the altar. For the formulas used by him, see I, 5, 1, 24-2, 1.
185:1 The text has only 'âpyâyayanti,' but the verb with which the author connects the verb 'âprî' is either â-prinâti, he fills; or (more correctly) 'â-prînâti,' he gratifies, propitiates, corresponding to the Zand âfrînaiti. Perhaps some words have been lost here. The Kânva text has: sa yad etâbhir âprîbhih punar âpyâyata etâbhir enam âprinâti tasmâd âpriyo nâma. On the Âprî verses, which form the offering-prayers (yâgyâs) at the fore-offerings of the animal sacrifice, and vary according to different families, see Ait. Br. II, 4; Max Müller, Hist. of A. S. L., p. 463 seq.; Haug, Essays, p. 24r.
185:2 See I, 5, 3, 8. The Adhvaryu calls out to the Agnîdh, 'O srâvaya (make listen)!' The Agnîdh calls out, 'Astu sraushat (yea, may one hear)!' The Adhvaryu calls on the Maitrâvaruna, 'Preshya samidhah (prompt as to the kindling-sticks)!' [or, 'Preshya Tanûnapâtam or Narâsamsam' &c. in the succeeding fore-offerings.] The Maitrâvaruna calls out, 'Hotâ yakshat samidham [Tanûnapâtam, &c.], (let the Hotri pronounce the offering-prayer to the kindling-sticks, &c,!)' Each offering-prayer (Âprî) is introduced p. 186 with the formula 'Ye yagâmahe, &c.' See part i, p.148 note. The divine objects of these oblations of ghee are: 1. the Samidhs or kindling-sticks; 2. either Tanûnapât or Narâsamsa; 3. the Idas; 4. the Barhis (sacrificial grass on the altar); 5. the gates (of heaven and worshipping ground); 6. Dawn and Night; 7. the two divine Hotris; 8. the three goddesses (Sarasvatî, Idâ, and Bhâratî); 9. Tvashtri; 10. Vanaspati (the tree, or lord of the forest); 11. the Svâhâkritis (calls of 'All-hail,' which at this, the last offering-prayer, are repeated before the names of the principal deities of the sacrifice). For this last fore-offering, see III, 8, 2, 23 seq.
187:1 Sâyana seems to take 'abhipariharati' in the sense of 'he takes it round to the place where they cook.' According to Kâty. VI, 5, 2, 3, the Agnîdh circumambulates thrice from left to right, either the place comprising the victim, the ghee, the slaughtering-place, the sacrificial post, the kâtvâla, and Âhavanîya; or only the ghee, the victim, and slaughtering-place. He then throws the firebrand back on the Âhavanîya, and performs the circumambulation as many times in the opposite direction. On the Paryagnikarana, see also part i, p. 45 note.
188:2 The Maitrâvaruna's additional cue or order (upapraisha) is 'Agni has been victorious; he has won wealth!' On the Hotri's recitation--the so-called Adhrigu litany--commencing 'Ye divine quieters (slaughterers), commence, as well as ye that are human!' and consisting of formulas usually pronounced by the Adhvaryu (and hence perhaps going back to a time when the Hotri had to perform all but the menial parts of the sacrificial service), see Ait. Br. II, 6-7; Roth, Yâska XXXVII seq.
189:1 According to Kâty. VI, 5, 15, the stalk is put down behind the Sâmitra (i.e. the fire at the slaughtering-place) with the top towards the east.
189:2 Lit. 'by means of the frontal bone.' Sâyana explains it by 'in p. 190 seizing it by the horn;' Professor Weber, Ind. Stud. IX, p. 222, 'by striking it with a horn.' The Kânva text reads, tasya na kûtena praghnanti mânusham ha kuryâd yad asya kûtena prahanyuh.
190:1 That is, surrounding, relating to, the victim.
SECOND BRÂHMANA.
3:8:2:11. When he (the slaughterer) announces, 'The victim has been quieted!' the Adhvaryu says, 'Neshtar, lead up the lady!' The Neshtri leads up the (sacrificer's) wife bearing a vessel of water for washing the feet.
3:8:2:22. He makes her say (Vâg . S. VI, 12), 'Homage be to thee, O wide-stretched!'--the wide-stretched one, forsooth, is the sacrifice; for they stretch the sacrifice (over the sacrificial ground):
hence the wide-stretched one is the sacrifice. But that wife, forsooth, is the hind-part of the sacrifice, and he wants her, thus coming forward, to propitiate the sacrifice. Thereby, then, she makes amends to that sacrifice, and thus that sacrifice does not injure her: therefore she says, 'Homage be to thee, O wide-stretched!'
3:8:2:33. 'Advance, unresisted!' whereby she means to say, 'Advance on (a way) free from injury!' 'Unto the rivers of ghee, along the paths of sacred truth!' whereby she means to say, 'Unto good.' [Vâg. S. VI, 13], 'Ye divine, pure waters, carry ye (the sacrifice) to the gods, well-prepared! May we be well-prepared preparers!' Thereby she purifies the water.
3:8:2:44. Thereupon the wife cleanses with the water the (openings of the) vital airs of the victim. The reason why she thus cleanses with water the (openings of the) vital airs is this: the food of the gods is living, is immortal (ambrosia) for the immortals; but in quieting and cutting up that victim they kill it. Now the vital airs are water; hence she now puts into it those vital airs, and thus that food of the gods becomes truly living, becomes immortal for the immortals.
3:8:2:55. Then as to why it is the wife that cleanses. The wife is a woman, and from woman progeny is born here on earth; thus he causes that (creature) to be born from that woman; and therefore the wife cleanses (the victim).
3:8:2:66. With (Vâg. S. VI, 14) 'Thy speech I cleanse' she wipes the mouth; with 'Thy breath I cleanse,' the nostrils; with 'Thine eye I cleanse,' the eyes; with 'Thine organ of hearing I cleanse,' the
ears; with 'Thy navel I cleanse,' that mysterious (opening of a) vital air; or with 'Thy sexual organ I cleanse;' with 'Thy hind-part I cleanse,' that (opening of a) vital air behind. Thus she puts the vital airs into it, revives it. Thereupon, holding the legs together, (she wipes them) with 'Thy feet I cleanse;' for it is on its feet chat it stands firmly; she thus makes it stand (on its feet) for the sake of a firm position.
3:8:2:77. With one half or the whole of the water that is left, he (the Adhvaryu) and the Sacrificer 1 then sprinkle it, beginning from the head; thereby they put those vital airs into it, and revive it (beginning) from that part.
3:8:2:88. Thus, wherever they wound it 2, wherever they hurt it--water being a means of soothing--there they soothe it by that means of soothing, water, there they heal it with water.
3:8:2:99. They sprinkle with (Vâg. S. VI, 15), 'May thy mind grow full! may thy speech grow full! may thy breath grow full! may thine eye grow full! may thine ear grow full!' Thus they put the vital airs into it and revive it: 'Whatever is sore, whatever hurt in thee, may that fill up and become firm.'
3:8:2:1010. Thus, wherever they wound it, wherever they hurt it--water being a means of soothing--they soothe it by that means of soothing, water, there
they heal it with water: 'May that become pure in thee!' thereby they render it sacrificially pure. With 'Auspicious be the days!' they pour out (the remaining water) behind the victim.
3:8:2:1111. Thus, wherever they wound it, wherever they hurt it,--lest thereafter the days and nights should be inauspicious 1,--they pour out (the water) behind the victim with, 'Auspicious be the days.'
3:8:2:1212. Thereupon they turn the victim over so as to lie on its back. He (the Adhvaryu) puts the (other) stalk of grass thereon, with, 'O plant, protect!' for the knife is a thunderbolt, and thus that thunderbolt, the knife, does not injure it (the victim). He then applies the edge of the knife to it (and cuts through it) with, 'Injure it not, O blade!' for the knife is a thunderbolt, and thus that thunderbolt, the knife, does not injure it.
3:8:2:1313. He applies that approved edge of his, for that has been made sacrificially pure by a text 2. That which is the top part of the stalk he puts in his left hand, and that which is the bottom part he takes with his right hand.
3:8:2:1414. And where he skins (the victim), and whence the blood spirts out, there he smears it (the bottom part with blood) on both ends with (Vâg. S. VI, I6), 'Thou art the Rakshas' share!' for that blood is indeed the Rakshas' share.
3:8:2:1515. Having thrown it away (on the utkara), he treads on it with, 'Herewith I tread down the Rakshas! herewith I drive away the Rakshas! herewith I consign the Rakshas to the
nethermost darkness!' Thus it is by means of the sacrifice that he drives away the evil spirits, the Rakshas. And as to its being rootless and severed on both sides,--rootless, forsooth, and severed on both sides, the Rakshas moves about in the air, even as man here moves about in the air rootless and severed on both sides: therefore it (the grass-end) is rootless and severed on both sides.
3:8:2:1616. Thereupon they pull out the omentum, and envelop the two spits 1 therein with, 'May ye envelop heaven and earth with ghee!' whereby he endows those two, heaven and earth, with strength and sap, and puts strength and sap into them; and upon those two, thus filled with sap and affording the means of subsistence, these creatures subsist.
3:8:2:1717. The two omentum-spits are made of kârshmarya wood. For when the gods in the beginning seized (slew) a victim, then, as it was drawn upwards, its sacrificial essence 2 flowed downwards, and from it sprang a tree; and because it flowed down from the (victim) as it was drawn (karsh) upwards, therefore (it became) a kârshmarya tree 3. With that
same sacrificial essence he now perfects it, and makes it whole; therefore the two omentum-spits are of kârshmarya wood.
3:8:2:1818. He cuts it (the omentum) off on all sides (from the belly) and heats it at the cooking-fire: thus it becomes cooked for him already at this (fire) 1. The Agnîdh again takes a firebrand (from the Sâmitra, and walks in front). They go behind the pit (kâtvâla) and proceed to the Âhavanîya. The Adhvaryu throws that (top part of the) grass-stalk into the Âhavanîya with, 'O Vâyu, graciously accept the drops!' for this is the kindler (samidh) of the drops 2.
3:8:2:1919. Thereupon he heats the omentum while standing on the north side; for he is about to pass by the fire and to roast (the omentum) after walking round to the south side. Hereby then he propitiates it, and thus that fire does not injure him while passing by; this is why he heats the omentum while standing on the north side.
3:8:2:2020. They take it along between the sacrificial stake and the fire. The reason why they do not take it across the middle (of the altar) 3, where they take other sacrificial dishes, is lest they should bring the sacrifice in the middle into contact with the uncooked (omentum). And why they do not take it there outside (the altar) along the front of the sacrificial stake, is that they would thereby put it outside the sacrifice; therefore they take it along
between the sacrificial stake and the fire. Having gone round to the south side, the Pratiprasthâtri roasts it.
3:8:2:2121. Thereupon the Adhvaryu, having taken ghee with the dipping-spoon, pours it upon the omentum, with, 'May Agni graciously accept the ghee, Hail!' Thus those drops thereof reach the fire after becoming cooked offerings, made with Svâhâ (hail)!
3:8:2:2222. He then says (to the Maitrâvaruna 1), 'Recite to the drops!' He recites to the drops verses addressed to Agni 2. The reason why he recites to the drops verses addressed to Agni, is that rain originates from gifts made from this earth, for from here it is that Agni obtains the rain; by means of these drops (falling from the omentum) he obtains those (rain) drops, and those drops rain down; therefore he recites to the drops verses addressed to Agni. When it is roasted,--
3:8:2:2323. The Pratiprasthâtri says, 'It is roasted: proceed 3!' The Adhvaryu, having taken the two spoons and stept across (to the north side of the fire) and called for the Sraushat, says (to the Maitrâvaruna), 'Prompt for the Svâhâs 4!' and offers (the ghee) when the Vashat has been pronounced 5.
3:8:2:2424. Having offered, he bastes first the omentum, then the clotted ghee. Now the Karaka-Adhvaryus, forsooth, baste first the clotted ghee, arguing that the clotted ghee is the breath; and a Karaka-Adhvaryu, forsooth, cursed Yâgñavalkya for so doing, saying, 'That Adhvaryu has shut out the breath; the breath shall depart from him!'
3:8:2:2525. But he, looking at his arms, said, 'These hoary arms--what in the world has become of the Brâhman's word 1!' Let him not heed that (objection of the Karakas); for this is the last fore-offering,--and this being a havis-offering, at the last fore-offering he first pours ghee into the dhruvâ, being about to offer the first two butter-portions with it 2. Now, on the present occasion, he will first offer the omentum; therefore let him first baste the omentum, then the clotted ghee. And though he does not baste the victim with ghee, 'lest he should baste the uncooked,' that whole victim of his yet becomes (as it were) basted with ghee in that he bastes the omentum; let him therefore first baste the omentum, then the clotted ghee.
3:8:2:2626. Thereupon he makes an 'underlayer' of ghee (in the guhû-spoon), and lays a piece of gold thereon. Then, cutting off the omentum (from the spits and putting it into the spoon), he says (to the Hotri), 'Recite (the invitatory prayer) to Agni and Soma
for the omentum and fat of the buck!' He then lays (another) piece of gold on (the omentum) and bastes it twice with ghee above.
3:8:2:2727. The reason why there is a piece of gold on both sides is this. When they offer the victim in the fire they slay it; and gold means immortal life: hence it (the victim) rests in immortal life. And so it rises from hence, and so it lives; for this reason there is a piece of gold 1 on both sides. Having called for the Sraushat, he says (to the Maitrâvaruna), 'Prompt (the Hotri to recite the offering-prayer 2 on) the omentum and fat of the buck for Agni and Soma!' He does not say, '. . . (the omentum and fat) brought forward;' when the Soma has been pressed he says, 'brought forward 3.' He offers when the Vashat has been pronounced.
3:8:2:2828. Having offered the omentum, he lays the two spits together and throws them after (the omentum into the fire), with, 'Consecrated by Svâhâ, go ye to Ûrdhvanabhas 4, son of the Maruts!' He does so, thinking, 'Lest these two wherewith we have cooked the omentum should come to nought.'
3:8:2:2929. The reason why they perform with the omen-tum is this. For whatever deity the victim is seized, that same deity he pleases by means of that fat (part); and that same deity, thus pleased with that fat, waits
patiently for the other sacrificial dishes being cooked; this is why they perform with the omentum.
3:8:2:3030. They then cleanse themselves over the pit 1. For in quieting and cutting up (the victim) they wound it; and water being a means of soothing, they now soothe it by means of water, heal it by means of water; therefore they cleanse themselves over the pit.
Footnotes
192:1 Or, perhaps, she and the sacrificer, as Sâyana takes it (yagamânah patnî ka). Kâty. VI, 6, 4 leaves it doubtful; but the commentator interprets the rule as referring to the Adhvaryu and Sacrificer, in accordance with the reading of the Kânva text--'atha yâh parisishtâ âpo bhavanti tâbhir adhvaryus ka yagamânas kânushiñkatah.'
192:2 Âsthâpayanti = samgñapayanti, Sâyana.
193:1 Ned idam anv ahorâtrâni sokân iti, Kânva recension.
194:1 The two vapâsrapanîs (omentum-roasters) consist of sticks of kârshmarya wood (Gmelina Arborea), one of them being quite straight, while the other is bifurcate at the top, thus resembling a prop.
194:2 Or, its flesh-juice, medha. The Kânva text reads throughout medhas.
194:3 The Kânva text has the preferable reading,--Sa yat krishyamânât samabhavat tasmât kârshmaryo nâma, 'and because it sprang from that drawn-up (victim), therefore it is called kârshmarya.'
195:1 [He does so, thinking], 'Lest I should cook it on the Âhavanîya uncooked.' Kânva rec.
195:2 'For it is for the drops that he thus lights it.' Kânva rec.
195:3 That is, across the altar immediately behind the fire or high altar.
196:1 Thus according to the commentator on Kâty. VI, 6, 18. See also note on IV, 2, 5, 22, and Haug, Transl. Ait. Br. p. 101 note.
196:2 The (invitatory) formulas are Rig-Veda I, 75, 1, and III, 21, 1-5; Ait. Br. II, 12; Âsv. Sr. III, 4, 1.
196:3 The Pratiprasthâtri withdraws the omentum from the fire, and takes it (between fire and stake) to the north of the pit, where the Adhvaryu in the first place performs the so-called prânadâna (vol. i, p. 438 note), after which he deposits it on the altar. Kâty. VI, 6, 20.
196:4 That is, for the offering-prayer or yâgyâ of the last fore-offering, being the last verse of whatever âprî hymn may be used; followed by a number of Svâhâs, each with the name of some deity or deities (cf. I, 8, 3, 22-23).
196:5 Cf. Haug, Transl. Ait. Br. p. 100, note 4.
197:1 That is, so much time has gone by since I first adopted that practice, and here I am grown old and still in full vigour, Sây. 'But he, lying old and worn out, said, "These two arms have become gray--what in the world has become of the Brahman's word!"' Kânva text.
197:2 On the two butter-portions to Agni and Soma, succeeding the fore-offerings, see part i, p. 174 note.
198:1 The Kânva text has 'hiranyasalká (masc.)' here and elsewhere.
198:2 The anuvâkyâ and yâgyâ for the omentum are Rig-veda I, 93, 1 and 5 respectively.
198:3 At the animal offerings on the Soma-days he adds to his praisha (order) the word 'prasthitam,' lit. standing before (the altar). Kâty. VI, 6, 27. See also S. Br. IV, 4, 3, 9.
198:4 Ûrdhvanabhas, 'he who drives the clouds upwards' (or, keeps the clouds above), or, perhaps, 'he who is above (in) the welkin,' is apparently a name of Vâyu, the wind. Cf. III, 6, 1, 16.
199:1 They do so with the mantra, Vâg. S. VI, 17 (Atharva-veda VII, 89, 3; cf. Rig-veda I, 23, 22; X, 9, 8).
THIRD BRÂHMANA.
3:8:3:11. For the same deity for which there is a victim, he subsequently prepares a sacrificial cake 2. The reason why he subsequently prepares a cake is this. Rice and barley, truly, are the sacrificial essence of all animals (victims) 3; with that same essence he now completes that (victim) and makes it whole. This is why he subsequently prepares a sacrificial cake.
3:8:3:22. And why he proceeds with that cake after performing (offering) with the omentum is this. It is from the middle (of the victim) that this omentum is pulled out, and from the middle he now completes that (victim) by means of that sacrificial essence and makes it whole; therefore he proceeds with that cake after performing with the omentum. The relation of
this (cake to the animal offering), indeed, is one and the same everywhere; that cake is prepared after (and supplementary to) a victim.
3:8:3:33. Thereupon he cuts up the victim: 'Move thrice 1, and make the heart the uppermost of the thrice-moved!' thus (he says to the slaughterer), for threefold is the sacrifice.
3:8:3:44. He then instructs the slaughterer: 'If one ask thee, "Is the sacrificial food cooked, O Samitar?" say thou only "Cooked!" not "Cooked, reverend sir!" nor "Cooked, forsooth!"'
3:8:3:55. Having then taken clotted ghee with the guhû, the Adhvaryu, stepping up (from the altar) to (the Sâmitra), asks, 'Is the sacrificial food cooked, O Sâmitar?' 'Cooked,' he says. 'That is of the gods,' says the Adhvaryu in a low voice.
3:8:3:66. The reason why he asks is this. Cooked, forsooth, not uncooked (must be) the gods' food; and the Samitri indeed knows whether it is cooked or uncooked.
3:8:3:77. And again, why he asks. 'I will perform with cooked (food),' so he thinks; and if that sacrificial food be uncooked, it is yet cooked food for the gods, and is cooked as regards the Sacrificer; and the Adhvaryu is guiltless; on the slaughterer that guilt lies. Thrice he asks, for threefold is the sacrifice. And as to his saying, 'That is of the gods,' that which is cooked, indeed, belongs to the gods; therefore he says, 'That is of the gods.'
3:8:3:88. The heart he bastes (with clotted ghee) first of all; for the heart is the self (soul), the mind; and the clotted ghee is the breath; he thus puts the breath into its (the victim's) self, into its mind; and thus it verily becomes the living food of the gods, and immortal for the immortals.
3:8:3:99. He bastes it with (Vâg. S. VI, 18), 'May thy mind unite with the mind; thy breath with the breath!' He utters no Svâhâ ('hail'), for this is not an oblation. They remove the victim (from the cooking-fire) 1.
3:8:3:1010. 'They take it along the back of the pit, and
between the sacrificial stake and the (Âhavanîya) fire. The reason why, though it is cooked, they do not take it across the middle (of the altar), as they take other sacrificial dishes, is 'lest they should bring the sacrifice in the middle in connection with that which is cut up by limbs and mangled.' And why they do not take it outside (the altar) in front of the stake, is that they would thereby put it outside the sacrifice: therefore they take (the flesh) along between the stake and the fire. When they have put it down south (of the fire), the Pratiprasthâtri cuts off (the portions). There are Plaksha branches 1 (Ficus Infectoria) by way of an upper barhis (covering of altar); thereon he cuts. The reason why there are Plaksha branches by way of an upper barhis is this.
3:8:3:1111. For when the gods, at first, seized an animal to sacrifice), Tvashtri first spat upon its head, thinking, 'Surely, thus they will not touch it!' for animals belong to Tvashtri. That (spittle became) the brain in the head and the marrow in the neck-bone 2: hence that (substance) is like spittle, for Tvashtri spat it. Let him therefore not eat that, since it was spitten by Tvashtri.
3:8:3:1212. Its sacrificial essence flowed down and there a tree sprang up. The gods beheld it; wherefore it (was called) 'prakhya' (visible), for 'plaksha,'
doubtless, is the same as 'prakhya.' With that same sacrificial essence he now completes it (the victim), and makes it whole: hence there are Plaksha branches as an upper covering.
3:8:3:1313. He then makes an 'underlayer' of ghee both in the guhû and the upabhrit, and in the vasâhomahavanî 1, and the samavattadhânî 2; and puts a piece of gold 3 both in the guhû and the upabhrit.
3:8:3:1414. Thereupon he addresses (the Hotri) for the recitation on the havis to the manotâ deity 4. The reason why he addresses him for the recitation on the havis to the manotâ deity is this. All the deities draw nigh to the victim while it is immolated, thinking, 'My name he will choose, my name he will choose!' for the animal victim is sacrificial food for all deities. The minds (manas), then, of all those deities are, fixed upon (ota) that victim; those (minds of theirs) he thereby satisfies, and thus the minds of the gods have not drawn nigh in vain. For this reason he addresses him for the recitation on the havis to the manotâ deity.
3:8:3:1515. He first makes a portion of the heart 1. The reason why he first makes a portion of the heart which is in the middle, is that the heart is the breath, since it is from there that this breath moves upward 2; and the animal is breath, for only so long does the animal (live) as it breathes with the breath; but when the breath departs from it, it lies there useless, even (as) a block of wood.
3:8:3:1616. The heart, then, is the animal; thus he first makes a portion of its very self (or soul). And, accordingly, if any portion were omitted, he need not heed this, since it is of his entire animal victim that the first portion is made which is made of the heart. He therefore first makes a portion of the heart, that being in the middle. Thereupon according to the proper order.
3:8:3:1717. Then of the tongue, for that stands out from its fore-part. Then of the breast, for that also (stands out) therefrom 3. Then of the simultaneously moving (left) fore-foot 4. Then of the flanks. Then of the liver. Then of the kidneys.
3:8:3:1818. The hind-part he divides into three parts; the broad piece (he reserves) for the by-offerings 5; the middle one he cuts into the guhû after dividing it in two; the narrow piece (he reserves) for the
tryaṅga 1. Then of the simultaneously moving (right) haunch 2. This much, then, he cuts into the guhû.
3:8:3:1919. Then into the upabhrit, he makes a portion of the upper part of the fore-foot belonging to the tryaṅga (viz. the right one); of the (narrow piece of the) hind-part, after dividing it in two; and of the haunch belonging to the tryaṅga (viz. the left). Thereupon he puts two pieces of gold on (the flesh oblations in the spoons) and pours ghee thereon.
3:8:3:2020. He then takes the oblation of gravy 3 with (Vâg. S. VI, 18), 'Thou art trembling,' for quivering, as it were, is the broth: hence he says, 'Thou art trembling;'--'May Agni prepare 4 thee!' for the fire does indeed cook it: hence he says, 'May Agni prepare thee!'--'The waters have washed thee together,' for the water indeed gathers together that (fat) juice from the limbs: hence he says, 'The waters have washed thee together.'
3:8:3:2121. 'For the sweeping of the wind--thee!' for verily yonder blower sweeps along the air, and for the air he takes it: hence he says, 'For the sweeping of the wind (I take) thee.'
3:8:3:2222. 'For the speed of Pûshan,'--Pûshan's speed, forsooth, is yonder (wind) 5, and for that he takes it: hence he says, 'For the speed of Pûshan.'
3:8:3:2323. 'From the hot vapour may totter--;' the hot vapour, namely, is yonder (wind), and for that he takes it: hence he says, 'From the hot vapour may totter--.' Thereupon he bastes it twice with ghee above.
3:8:3:2424. He then mixes it either with the crooked knife or with the chopping-knife 1, with '--Confounded hatred 2!' whereby he chases away from here those evil spirits, the Rakshas.
3:8:3:2525. The broth which is left he pours into the Samavattadhânî, and therein he throws the heart, tongue, breast, the broad piece (of the back part), the kidneys, and the rectum. He then bastes it twice with ghee above.
3:8:3:2626. The reason why there is a piece of gold on each side is this. When they offer up the victim in the fire, they slay it, and gold means immortal life: thereby then it rests in immortal life; and so it rises from hence, and so it lives. This is why there is a piece of gold on each side.
3:8:3:2727. And because he cuts crossways,--of the left fore-foot and the right haunch; and of the right forefoot and the left haunch,--therefore this animal draws forward its feet crossways. But were he to cut straight on, this animal would draw forward its feet (of the same side) simultaneously: therefore he cuts crossways. Then as to why he does not make cuttings of the head, nor the shoulders, nor the neck, nor the hind-thighs.
3:8:3:2828. Now the Asuras, in the beginning, seized a victim. The gods, from fear, did not go near it 1. The Earth 2 then said unto them, 'Heed ye not this: I will myself be an eye-witness thereof, in whatsoever manner they will perform this (offering).'
3:8:3:2929. She said, 'Only one oblation have they offered, the other they have left over.' Now that which they left over are these same portions. Thereupon the gods made over three limbs to (Agni) Svishtakrit, whence the Tryaṅga oblations. The Asuras then made portions of the head, the shoulders, the neck, and the hind-thighs: therefore let him not make portions of these. And since Tvashtri spat upon the neck, therefore let him not make a portion of the neck. Thereupon he says (to the Hotri), 'Recite (the invitatory prayer) to Agni and Soma for the havis of the buck!' Having called for the Sraushat, he says (to the Maitrâvaruna), 'Prompt (the Hotri to recite the offering-prayer 3 for) the havis of the buck to Agni and Soma!' He does not say '(the havis) made ready:' when the Soma has been pressed he says 'made ready.'
3:8:3:3030. In the interval between the two half-verses of the offering-prayer he offers the oblation of gravy. It is from out of this that that essence (juice) has risen upwards here,--that sap of this earth whereby creatures exist on this side of the sky 4; for the
oblation of gravy is sap, and essence is sap: thus he renders the sap strong by means of sap, whence this sap when eaten does not perish.
3:8:3:3131. And as to why he offers the oblation of gravy in the interval between the two half-verses of the offering-prayer,--one half-verse, forsooth, is this earth, and the other half-verse is yonder sky. Now between the sky and the earth is the air, and it is to the air that he offers: therefore he offers the oblation of gravy between the two half-verses of the offering-prayer.
3:8:3:3232. He offers with (Vâg. S. VI, 19), 'Drink the ghee, ye drinkers of ghee! Drink the gravy, ye drinkers of gravy! thou art the havis of the air, Hail!' With this prayer to the All-gods he offers, for the air belongs to the All-gods: because creatures move about here in the air breathing in and breathing out therewith, therefore it belongs to the All-gods. As the Vashat (of the offering-prayer for the meat portions) is pronounced, he offers the portions that are in the guhû.
3:8:3:3333. Thereupon, while taking clotted ghee with the guhû, he says (to the Hotri), 'Recite (the invitatory prayer) to the Lord of the forest!' Having called for the Sraushat, he says (to the Maitrâvaruna), 'Prompt (the Hotri to recite the offering-prayer) to the lord of the forest!' and offers, as the Vashat is pronounced 1. The reason why he offers to the lord of the forest (the tree) is,--he thereby makes that thunderbolt, the sacrificial stake, a sharer (in the sacrifice); and, the lord of the forest being Soma 2,
he thereby makes the victim to be Soma. And as to his offering (to the tree) between the two oblations, he thus fills both completely: therefore he offers between the two oblations.
3:8:3:3434. Thereupon, while pouring together the meat portions that are for the upabhrit, he says (to the Hotri), 'Recite (the invitatory prayer) to Agni Svishtakrit (the maker of good offering)!' Having called for the Sraushat, he says (to the Maitrâvaruna), 'Prompt for Agni Svishtakrit!' and offers as the Vashat is pronounced.
3:8:3:3535. With what is left of the offering of gravy, he then sprinkles the quarters, with, 'The regions,--the fore-regions,--the by-regions,--the intermediate regions,--the upper regions,--to the regions, Hail!' For the offering of gravy is sap: thus he imbues all the regions with sap, and hence sap is obtained here on earth in every region.
3:8:3:3636. Thereupon he touches (what remains of) the victim 1: now is the time for the touching. And whether he has touched it before, fearing 'those (evil spirits) that hover near will tear it about,' or whether he be not afraid 2 of its being torn about, let him in any case now touch (the victim).
3:8:3:3737. [Vâg. S. VI, 20], 'To Indra belongeth the out-breathing: may it attend 1 to every limb! To Indra belongeth the in-breathing: it is attended to in every limb.' Where it has been cut up limb by limb, there he heals it by means of the out-breathing and in-breathing.--'O divine Tvashtri, let thine ample (forms) closely unite together, that it be uniform what is of different shape:' whereby he makes it completely enclosed (in its limbs and flesh). 'May thy friends, thy father and mother 2, to please thee, joyfully welcome thee going to the gods!' Thus, having made it whole wherever he has offered (a piece of) it, he afterwards unites it firmly, and that body (self) of it is complete in yonder world.
Footnotes
199:2 The technical name of this cake to Indra and Agni is pasu-purodâsa (animal-cake). The anuvâkyâ and yâgyâ for the chief oblation, are Rig-veda I, 93, 2 and 6 respectively; for the Svishtakrit, III, I, 23, and III, 54, 22; Adv. III, 8, 1; 5, 9. For a similar performance, described in detail, see note on III, 2, 5, 22.
199:3 On the sacrificial essence passing successively from man into the horse, the ox, the goat, and finally into the rice and barley, see I, 2, 3, 6-7.
200:1 The order of proceeding is not quite clear from the context, and seems to have puzzled the later ritualists. From Kâty. VI, 7-8 it would seem that the author of the Sûtras means the performance of the cake-offering to go on simultaneously with the cutting up of the victim (and the cooking of the portions and roasting of the beast). The comm. on Kâty. VI, 7, 29, however, protests against this arrangement as contrary to the order laid down in the Brâhmana; and insists especially on the 'atha (now)' at the beginning of this paragraph. This particle is, however, often used in a vague sense; as very frequently when, after sketching the chief course of performance, the author turns back to fill in the details. There seems also a difference of opinion as to the exact meaning of the above direction given by the Adhvaryu to the Samitar after (as would seem) the portions have been cooked. The commentator on Kâty. VI, 8, 1 apparently takes 'trih prakyâvaya' in the sense of 'shake thrice' or 'turn thrice.' Sâyana, on the other hand, explains it as meaning that the Samitri is to divide the portions into three parts, according to whether they are destined for the chief offerings, or the Svishtakrit, or the by-offerings (?). As the direction cannot refer to the taking out of the portions from the cooking-vessel (ukhâ) it would seem that the Samitar is either to move (shake) the vessel itself, or to stir the contents, perhaps hereby separating the respective portions. The Kânva text reads, Trih prakyâvayâd ity uttame prakyâva uttamârdhe hridayam kurutâd iti. The heart, when done, is to be removed from the spit and laid on the portions; whereupon the Adhvaryu pours ghee on the portions (paragraph 8).
201:1 The Adhvaryu removes the dish northwards from the fire, takes the portions out of it, puts them into some kind of basket, and performs 'prânadâna' (p. 196, note 3) on them.
202:1 Or, the Plaksha branches with which the altar was covered on the preceding night. See p. 120, note 3. The Kânva text (as Taitt. S. VI, 3, 10, 2) speaks of one Plaksha branch put on the barhis.
202:2 Anûka, of which anûkya is the adjective, means 'the forepart of the spinal column.' The Kânva text reads,--yan mastishko yad anûke maggâ.
203:1 That is, the ladle used (as a substitute for the guhû) for offering the fat-liquor or gravy. See paragraph 20.
203:2 That is, the vessel used for holding the cuttings (samavatta) of the idâ; also called idâpâtrî, see part i, p. 219, note 3.
203:4 Thereupon he says, 'Recite to the manotâ (deity) the invitatory prayer for (of) the havis which is being cut in portions (havisho ’vadîyamânasya).' Kânva text; cf. Ait. Br. II, 10.--While the sacrificial portions are being cut into the respective spoons, the Hotri recites the Hymn to Agni, Rig-veda VI, 1, 1-13, beginning, 'Thou, O wondrous Agni, the first thinker (manotri) of this hymn, wert verily the priest. . . .' From the occurrence of this word manotâ, the latter has come to be the technical name both of the hymn itself and of the deity (Agni) to whom it is recited.
204:1 Literally, he makes a cutting of the heart (hridayasya-avadyati), that is to say, he puts the entire heart into the guhû as an offering-portion.
204:4 According to Kâty. VI, 7, 6, it is the foremost (or upper) joint (pûrvanadaka) of the left fore-foot which is taken. The Kânva text has simply 'atha doshnah.'
205:2 For 'athaikakarâyai sroneh' the Kânva text reads 'áthấdhyûdhasah sróneh,' of the hip above the udder.
205:3 Vasâ, i.e. the melted fat (and juice) mixed with the water in which the portions have been cooked, and forming a rich gravy, offered with the Vasâhomahavanî.
206:2 This forms part of the preceding formula (as subject to the verb 'may totter'), though the author seems to separate it therefrom, as does Mahîdhara. The meaning of the formula seems to be, 'May the enemies perish, confounded by (?) the hot vapour!'
207:1 The St. Petersburg Dict. takes 'Na-upâveyuh' in the sense of 'they did not fall in therewith; they did not feel inclined for it;' as above, III, 7, 3, 3. Sâyana explains it by 'nopâgatâh' (MSS. nâpâgatâh).
207:4 Ito vâ ayam ûrdhva ukkhrito raso yam idam imâh pragâ upagîvanty arvâg divo ’sminn antarikshe, Kânva recension.
208:1 For the formulas used with this oblation, as well as the Svishtakrit, see Haug, Transl. Ait. Br. pp. 95-96 notes.
209:1 This touching takes place either before or after the invocation of Idâ (see I, 8, I, I seq.), whereupon the priests and sacrificer eat their respective portions; the straight gut being the Agnîdh's, the part above the udder (adhyndhnî) the Hotri's, the kloman (apparently the right lung) the Brahman's, the pericardium (? purîtat) the Adhvaryu's, and the spleen the sacrificer's share, while the Idâ is eaten by all of them.
209:2 Or perhaps,--And as to his touching it before this, (he did so) fearing lest those (evil spirits) that hover near would tear it about; and even if he be not (any longer?) afraid of its being torn about, let him now touch it in any case. The Kânva text has simply,--p. 210 This is the time for touching; but if he think, 'Those standing about here will meddle with it,' he may also touch it before: but this is certainly the time for touching.
210:1 The St. Petersburg Dictionary suggests that 'nidîdhyat' and 'nidhîta' are probably corruptions of forms from 'dhâ;' the Taitt. S. (I, 3, 10) having 'ni dedhyat--vi bobhuvat' instead. Mahîdhara also takes 'nidîdhyat' from 'dhî' in the sense of 'dhâ,'--'Indra's out-breathing is infused into every limb; Indra's in-breathing has been infused into every limb.' The Kânva text has '-nidhîtah, -nidîdhe.'
210:2 Rather, 'the mothers (or mother) and fathers.' The Taitt. S. separates mâtâ pitarah, 'the mother and the fathers.'
FOURTH BRÂHMANA.
3:8:4:11. Now there are three elevens at the animal offering,--eleven fore-offerings, eleven after-offerings, and eleven by-offerings: ten fingers, ten toes, ten vital airs, and the out-breathing, in-breathing and through-breathing--this much constitutes man, who is the highest of animals, after whom 3 are all animals.
3:8:4:22. Now they say,' What, then, is done at the sacrifice whereby the vital air is kindly to all the limbs?'
3:8:4:33. When he divides the hind-part into three portions,--the hind-part being (an opening of the) vital air, and that (animal) extending from thence forward, that vital air pervades it all through.
3:8:4:44. And in that he cuts the hind-part into three portions,--one third for the by-offerings, one third into the guhû, and one third into the upabhrit,--thereby the vital air is kindly to all the limbs.
3:8:4:55. He alone, however, may slay an animal who can supply it with the sacrificial essence 1. And if it be lean, let him stuff into the hind-part whatever may be left of the fat of the belly: the hind-part being (an opening of) the vital air, and that (animal) extending from thence forward, that vital air pervades it all through. The animal, forsooth, is breath; for only so long (does) the animal (live), as it breathes with the breath; but when the breath departs from it, it lies there useless, even (as) a block of wood.
3:8:4:66. The hind-part is (part of) the animal, and fat means sacrificial essence 2: thus he supplies it with the sacrificial essence. But if it be tender (juicy), then it has itself obtained the sacrificial essence.
3:8:4:77. Thereupon he takes clotted ghee; for twofold indeed is this (clotted ghee),--to wit, both ghee
and sour milk 1,--and a productive union means a couple: thus a productive union is thereby effected.
3:8:4:88. Therewith they perform at the after-offerings. The after-offerings mean cattle, and clotted ghee means milk: hence he thereby puts milk into the cattle, and thus milk is here contained (or beneficial, Nita) in the cattle; for clotted ghee means breath, because clotted ghee is food, and breath is food.
3:8:4:99. Therewith he (the Adhvaryu) performs in front (on the Âhavanîya) at the after-offerings,---whereby he puts into (the victim) that vital air which is here in front;--and therewith he (the Pratiprasthâtri) performs behind (the altar) at the by-offerings 2,--whereby he puts into it that vital air which is here behind: thus two vital airs are here contained (or beneficial) on both sides, the one above and the one below.
3:8:4:1010. Here now, one (Hotri) pronounces the Vashat for two,--for the Adhvaryu (who performs the after-offerings)
and for him (the Pratiprasthâtri) who performs the by-offerings. And because he offers them by (in addition to) the offering (Adhvaryu), therefore they are called by-offerings. And in performing the by-offerings, he produces (offspring) 1, since he performs the by-offerings behind (the altar), and from behind offspring is produced from woman.
3:8:4:1111. He offers the by-offerings with (Vâg. S. VI, 21), 'Go thou to the sea, Hail!' The sea is water, and seed is water: he thereby casts seed.
3:8:4:1212. 'Go thou to the air, Hail!' It is into (along) the air that offspring is born: into the air he produces (offspring).
3:8:4:1313. 'Go thou to the divine Savitri, Hail!' Savitri is the impeller of the gods: impelled by Savitri he thus produces creatures.
3:8:4:1414. 'Go thou to Mitra and Varuna, Hail!' Mitra and Varuna are the out-breathing and in-breathing: he thus bestows out-breathing and in-breathing on the creatures.
15. 'Go thou to the day and the night, Hail! It is through (along) day and night that offspring is born: through day and night he causes creatures to be born.
3:8:4:1616. 'Go thou to the metres, Hail!' There are seven metres; and there are seven domestic and seven wild animals: both kinds he thus causes to be produced.
3:8:4:1717. 'Go thou to heaven and earth, Hail!' For, Pragâpati, having created the living beings,
enclosed them between heaven and earth, and so these beings are enclosed between heaven and earth. And in like manner does this (offerer), having created living beings, enclose them between heaven and earth.
3:8:4:1818. He then makes additional by-offerings (atiupayag). Were he not to make additional by-offerings, there would only be as many living beings as were created in the beginning; they would not be propagated; but by making additional by-offerings he indeed propagates them; whence creatures are again born here repeatedly 1.
Footnotes
210:3 That is, inferior to whom, or, after the manner of whom.
211:1 Sâyana takes 'medham' as apposition to 'enam,' and explains it by 'medhârha, pravriddha,' and 'upanayet' by 'prâpnuyât' (it is, doubtless, 'zuführen'). The Kânva text, however, reads,--Tad âhuh sa vai pasum labheteti ya enam medha upanayed iti.
211:2 Gudo vai pasuh, medo vai medhas; this is one of many exceptions to the rule laid down by Professor Delbrück regarding the order of subject and predicate, Synt. Forsch., III, p. 26. Copulative sentences with a tertium comparationis likewise do not generally conform to that rule.
212:2 When the priests and sacrificer have eaten their portions of the Idâ, the Agnîdh fetches hot coals from the Sâmitra (or, at the animal offering connected with the Soma-sacrifice), optionally from the Âgnîdhra, and puts them on the Hotri's hearth (p. 148, note 4),--or at the ordinary animal offering (nirûdha pasu), on the north hip (north-west corner) of the altar after removing the sacrificial grass. On these coals the Pratiprasthâtri performs the by-offerings (upayag), while the Adhvaryu performs the after-offerings (anuyâga) on the Âhavanîya. For the by-offerings the Pratiprasthâtri cuts the respective part and the hind-quarter (III, 8, 3, 18) into eleven parts, and at each Vashat throws one piece thereof with his hand into the fire. The recipients of the first eight and the last after-offerings, on the other hand, are the same as those of the nine after-offerings at the Seasonal sacrifices (part i, p. 404). The Hotri's formulas for the additional two offerings, inserted before the last, are: 9. The divine lord of the forest [10. The divine barhis of water-plants] may graciously accept (the offering) for abundant obtainment of abundant gift! Vaushat!' (cf. part i, p. 235; Âsv. Sr. III, 6, 13.)
213:1 Praivainam tag ganayati, 'he causes it (the victim) to be born (again).' Kânva rec. The above passage has apparently to be understood in a general sense, 'he causes birth to take place among living creatures.'
214:1 Or, 'by making additional by-offerings he reproduces them: whence creatures are born here returning again and again' (metempsychosis).
FIFTH BRÂHMANA.
3:8:5:11. He makes the additional by-offerings:--with 'Go thou to the sacrifice 2, Hail!' The sacrifice is water, and seed is water: he thus casts seed.
3:8:5:22. 'Go thou to Soma, Hail!' Soma is seed: he thus casts seed.
3:8:5:33. 'Go thou to the heavenly ether, Hail!' The heavenly ether is water, and seed is water: he thus casts seed.
3:8:5:44. 'Go thou to Agni Vaisvânara, Hail!' Agni Vaisvânara ('belonging to all men') is this earth, and she is a safe resting-place: upon that safe resting-place he thus produces (creatures).
3:8:5:55. He then touches his mouth, with, 'Give me mind and heart!' thus indeed the by-offerer does not throw himself after (the oblations into the fire).
with the tail (of the victim), for the tail is the hind-part, and from the hind-part of woman offspring is produced: hence offspring is produced by the Patnîsamyâgas being performed with the tail.
3:8:5:77. For the wives of the gods he cuts portions from the inside, since it is from the inside of woman that offspring is produced; for Agni the householder from above, since it is from above that the male approaches the female.
3:8:5:88. Thereupon they betake themselves, with the heart-spit, to the purificatory bath 1. Now, the anguish of the victim, in being slaughtered, concentrates itself into the heart, and from the heart into the heart-spit; and whatever part of cooked (food) is pierced that becomes palatable 2: therefore let him roast it on the spit after piercing it. Uppermost on the thrice-moved (portions of the) victim he places that heart after pulling it off (the spit).
9. He (the slaughterer) then hands the heart-spit (to the Adhvaryu). Let him not throw it on the
ground, nor into the water; for were he to throw it on the ground, that anguish would enter into the plants and trees; and were he to throw it into the water, that anguish would enter into the water: hence neither on the ground, nor into the water.
3:8:5:1010. But on going down to the water, let him bury it at the place where the dry and the moist meet. But if he feel disinclined to going down (to the water), he pours out a vessel of water in front of the sacrificial stake and buries (the spit) at the place where the dry and the moist meet, with (Vâg. S. VI, 22), 'Injure thou not the waters nor the plants!' thus it injures neither the waters nor the plants; 'From every fetter 1--therefrom deliver us, O king Varuna! That they say, we swear by the "Inviolable (cows)," by "Varuna 2,"
therefrom deliver us, O Varuna!' Thereby he delivers him 1 from every noose of Varuna, from all (guilt) against Varuna.
3:8:5:1111. He then addresses (the water) 2 with, 'May the waters and plants be friendly unto us, unfriendly to him who hateth us, and whom we hate!' For when they proceed with that (spit), the waters, forsooth, as well as the plants, keep as it were receding from him; but hereby he now makes a covenant with them, and so they again approach to him, and that expiation is performed (to them). He does not perform (the spit-bath) at the animal offering to Agni and Soma, nor at that to Agni, but only at that of the Anûbandhyâ-cow 3, for therewith the whole sacrifice attains to completion. And in that they perform (the ceremony) with the heart-spit at the cow (offering), thereby indeed it comes to be performed also for the animal offering to Agni and Soma, as well as for that to Agni.
Footnotes
214:2 The Kânva text (as the Taitt. S.) reverses the order of this and the following formula. Nor does it begin a new Brâhmana here.
214:3 Having completed the last after-offering, the Adhvaryu, in the p. 215 first place, throws the first chip of the sacrificial stake into the fire, in accordance with III, 7, 1, 32. For the four Patnîsamyâgas, the deities of which are Soma, Tvashtri, the wives of the gods, and Agni the householder, see part i, p. 256, The first two offerings may consist only of ghee, or, as the last two, of a piece of the tail.
215:1 The technical term for this purificatory ceremony is sûlâvabhritha, or spit-bath.' On the present occasion it is not performed (see paragraph 11), but it is inserted here because it forms the conclusion of the ordinary animal offering, not connected with the Soma-sacrifice (nirûdha-pasu), as well as of the offering of a sterile cow (termed anûbandhyâ) to Mitra and Varuna, which concludes the Soma-sacrifice. See part i, p. 379, note 1, and IV, 5, 2, 1 seq.
215:2 ? Alamgusha, 'sufficient for eating,' Sâyana, 'sufficient in itself,' St. Petersburg Dict. The Kânva text has the probably preferable reading,--atha alamgusham sritam eva paritrindanti,--they then pierce (with the spit) what is already sufficiently cooked.
216:1 This is a doubtful rendering in accordance with the suggestion in the St. Petersburg Dict., that 'dhâmno-dhâmnah' in this passage is an old corruption of 'dâmno-dâmnah.' The Taitt. S. has the sane reading. Sâyana and Mahîdhara take it in the sense of 'from every place (infested by enemies, or, rendered fearful by thy noose) deliver us!' Could 'dhâmno-dhâmnah' be taken as gen. to 'râgan?'
216:2 ? Or, 'That they say (i.e. mention the word) "Cows,"--that we swear by "Varuna,"--therefrom deliver us, O Varuna!' If the mentioning of words for cow (as well as the taking in vain of Varuna's name) is meant to he censured in this passage, Sat. Br. II, 2, 4, 14 (part i, p. 326 note) may be compared. It seems, however, doubtful whether the author of the Brâhmana took the term aghnyâh as referring to 'cows' here. The St. Petersburg Dict., s.v. sap, translates, 'when we swear by the name of Varuna.' Instead of 'Yad âhur aghnyâ iti varuneti sapâmahe,' the Taitt. S (I, 3, 11, 1) reads 'Yad âpo aghniyâ varuneti sapâmahe,' which Sâyana explains by 'O ye waters, O ye Aghnyâh (? inviolable ones, cows, waters), O Varuna! thus we solicit thee (to avert evil from us);' adding a passage to the effect that he who approaches his better (addressing him) by name, wishes him 'punyârti;' while in the present mantra, he contends there is no mere 'taking the name of Varuna in vain.'
217:1 I.e. the sacrificer (or the victim representing the sacrificer).
217:2 According to the Kânva text and Kâty. VI, 10, 5 they (the priests and sacrificer) touch the water while muttering the formula--'From every fetter . . . . and whom we hate.'
NINTH ADHYÂYA. FIRST BRÂHMANA.
3:9:1:11. Now Pragâpati (the lord of creatures), having created living beings, felt himself as it were exhausted 4. The creatures turned away from him; the creatures 5 did not abide with him for his joy and food.
3:9:1:22. He thought within him, 'I have exhausted
myself, and the object for which 1 I have created has not been accomplished: my creatures have turned away from me, the creatures have not abode with me for my joy and food.'
3:9:1:33. Pragâpati thought within him, 'How can I again strengthen myself: the creatures might then return to me; the creatures might abide with me for my joy and food!'
3:9:1:44. He went on praising and toiling, desirous of creatures (or progeny). He beheld that set of eleven (victims). By offering therewith Pragâpati again strengthened himself; the creatures returned to him, his creatures abode for his joy and food. By offering he truly became better.
3:9:1:55. Therefore, then, let him offer with the set of eleven (victims), for thus he truly strengthens himself by offspring and cattle the creatures turn unto him, the creatures abide with him for his joy and food;--he truly becomes better by offering: therefore, then, let him offer with the set of eleven (victims).
3:9:1:66. In the first place he seizes 2 a victim for Agni. For Agni is the head, the progenitor of the gods, he is the lord of creatures: and thereby the sacrificer truly becomes Agni's own.
3:9:1:77. Then one for Sarasvatî. For Sarasvatî is speech: by speech Pragâpati then again strengthened himself; speech turned unto him, speech he made subject to himself. And so does this one now become strong by speech, and speech turns unto him, and he makes speech subject to himself.
3:9:1:88. Then one for Soma. For Soma is food: by
food Pragâpati then again strengthened himself; food turned unto him, and he made food subject to himself. And so does this one now become strong by food; food turns unto him, and he makes food subject to himself.
3:9:1:99. And as to why it comes after that for Sarasvatî,--Sarasvatî is speech, and Soma is food: he who is incomplete by (having only) speech, now becomes indeed an eater of food.
3:9:1:1010. Then one for Pûshan. For Pûshan means cattle; by means of cattle Pragâpati then again strengthened himself; cattle turned unto him, he made cattle subject to himself. And so does this one now become strong by means of cattle; the cattle turn unto him, and he makes the cattle subject to himself.
3:9:1:1111. Then one for Brihaspati. For Brihaspati means the priesthood (brahman); by means of the priesthood Pragâpati then again strengthened himself; the priesthood turned unto him, he made the priesthood subject to himself. And so does this one now become strong by means of the Brahman; the priesthood turns unto him, he makes the priesthood subject to himself.
3:9:1:1212. And as to why it comes after that for Pûshan,--Pûshan means cattle, and Brihaspati the priesthood; hence the Brâhmana (priest) has the most power over beasts, because they are placed in front (are protected) by him 1, because they are placed at the head (or in his mouth); therefore
having given all that, he walks clad in sheepskin 1.
3:9:1:1313. Then one for the Visve devâh. For the All-gods mean everything (or the All); with everything Pragâpati then again strengthened himself; everything turned unto him, and he made everything subject to him. And so does this one now become strong by everything; everything turns to him, and he makes everything subject to himself.
3:9:1:1414. And as to why it comes after that for Brihaspati,--Brihaspati means the priesthood, and the All-gods this All; he then makes the priesthood the head of this All; wherefore the Brahman is the head of this All.
3:9:1:1515. Then one for Indra. For Indra means power (indriya) and vigour; by power and vigour Pragâpati then again strengthened himself; power and vigour turned unto him, and he made power and vigour subject to himself. And so does this one now become strong by means of power and vigour; power and vigour turn to him, and he makes power and vigour subject to himself.
3:9:1:1616. And as to why it comes after that for the All-gods,--Indra is the nobility, and the All-gods are the clans (people); he thus places the food before him.
3:9:1:1717. Then one for the Maruts. For the Maruts mean the clans, and a clan means abundance; with abundance Pragâpati then again strengthened himself; abundance turned unto him, and he made abundance subject to himself. And so does this one now become strong by abundance; abundance
turns unto him, and he makes abundance subject to himself.
3:9:1:1818. And as to why it comes after that for Indra,--Indra is the nobility, and the All-gods are the clans, and the Maruts are the clans; he thus guards the nobility by the clan, and hence the nobility here is on both sides guarded by the clan.
3:9:1:1919. Then one for Indra and Agni. For Agni means penetrating brilliance, and Indra means power and vigour; with these two energies Pragâpati then again strengthened himself; both energies turned unto him, and he made both energies subject to himself. And so does this one now become strong by both these energies; both energies turn unto him, and he makes both energies subject to himself.
3:9:1:2020. Then one for Savitri. For Savitri is the impeller (prasavitri) of the gods; and so all those wishes become accomplished for him, impelled as they are by Savitri.
3:9:1:2121. Then finally he seizes one for Varuna; thereby he delivers him (the sacrificer) from every noose of Varuna, from every (guilt) against Varuna 1,
3:9:1:2222. Hence if there be eleven sacrificial stakes, let him bind Agni's (victim) to the one opposite the fire; and let them lead up the others one by one in the proper order.
3:9:1:2323. But if there be eleven victims 2, let them only immolate at the stake that for Agni, and after that the others in the proper order.
3:9:1:2424. When they lead them northwards, they lead the one for Agni first, and then the others in the proper order.
3:9:1:2525. When they throw them down, they throw down first the one for Agni, as the southernmost; then the others after leading them round northwards in the proper order.
3:9:1:2626. When they perform (offerings) with the omenta, they perform first with the omentum of Agni's (victim); then with those of the others in the proper order.
3:9:1:2727. When they perform with those (chief oblations), they perform first with that to Agni; then with the others in the proper order.
Footnotes
217:4 Ririkânah, lit. 'emptied,' as âpyây means 'to fill.'
217:5 'Pragâ' has likewise here the meaning of 'people, subjects, constituting the power or glory (srî) of the king'.
218:1 For 'asmâ u kâmâya' we ought to read 'yasmâ u kâmâya,' with Sâyana and the Kânva text.
218:2 Âlabh, to touch, seize, is a euphemistic term for immolating.
219:1 Purâhitâh (pura-âhitâh, Kânva rec.) has both the general meaning of 'put before him (as food)' and that of 'being placed next in order before him.'
220:1 'Since the lordship over cattle belongs to the Brahman, therefore (the sacrificer) having given all his property to the Brahmans,' &c, Sây.
221:1 Varunyâd evaitat sarvasmât kilbishâd enaso ’ntato varunapâsât pragâh pramuñkati, Kânva rec.
221:2 That is, if there be eleven victims and only one stake, in that case Agni's victim is tied to the stake, and each succeeding victim is tied to the neck of the preceding one. Kâty. VIII, 8, 28.
THE VASATÎVARÎ WATER.
SECOND BRÂHMANA.
3:9:2:11. Now, when the head of the sacrifice (victim) was struck off, its sap, running, entered the waters. It is by that very sap that those waters flow; that very sap is believed to be flowing there 1.
3:9:2:22. And when he goes for the Vasatîvarî water, he fetches that same sap and puts it into the sacrifice, and makes the sacrifice sapful; this is why he goes for the Vasatîvarî water.
3:9:2:33. He distributes it over all the Savanas (Soma-pressings) 2; thereby he imbues all the pressings
with that sap, makes all the pressings sapful: this is why he distributes it over all the pressings.
3:9:2:44. Let him take it from flowing (water); for that sap of the sacrifice was moving 1: let him therefore take it from flowing (water).
3:9:2:55. Moreover, it is taken for the purpose of protection. Now, everything else here on earth, whatever it be, takes rest, even yonder blowing (wind); but these (waters) alone take no rest: therefore let him take it from flowing (water).
3:9:2:66. Let him take it by day, thinking, 'Seeing, I will take the sap of the sacrifice 2:' therefore let him take it by day. For it is for him that burns yonder (the sun) that he takes it, since he takes it for all the gods, and all the gods are his rays of light: therefore let him take it by day. For it is by day alone that he (shines): therefore, then, let him take it by day.
3:9:2:77. And again, all the gods, forsooth, now come to the sacrificer's house; and if one takes the Vasatîvarî water before the setting of the sun, it is as when one's better comes to visit one, he would honour him by trimming his house. They draw nigh to that sacrificial food, and abide (upa-vas) in that Vasatîvarî 3 water,--that is the Upavasatha (preparation-day).
3:9:2:88. And if the sun were to set on any one's (Vasatîvarîs) not having been taken, then expiation is made. If he have performed a (Soma-)sacrifice before this, let him (the Adhvaryu) take it from his tank 4, since
that (water) of his has been taken before (sunset) by day. But should he not have offered before, if there be one who has offered (Soma) settled close by or somewhere thereabout 1, let him take it from his tank, since that (water) of his has been taken before, by day.
3:9:2:99. But if he cannot obtain either kind (of water), let him seize a firebrand and betake himself (to the flowing water), and let him take thereof while holding that (firebrand) close above it; or let him take it while holding a piece of gold close above it: thus it is made like yonder burning (sun).
3:9:2:1010. He takes therefrom with the text (V4;. S. VI, 23), 'Rich in havis are these waters,'--for the sap of the sacrifice entered into them, wherefore he says, 'Rich in havis (sacrificial food) are these waters;'--'One rich in havis wooeth for (them),' for the sacrificer, rich in havis, woos for (wishes to obtain) them; wherefore he says, 'One rich in havis wooeth for (them).'
3:9:2:1111. 'Rich in havis (may be) the divine cult;' cult, namely, means the sacrifice; thus he makes the sacrifice for which he takes it rich in sacrificial food, therefore he says, 'Rich in havis is the divine cult.'
3:9:2:1212. 'May Sûrya be rich in havis!' For he takes it for yonder burning (sun), since he takes it for all the gods, and all the gods are his (the sun's) rays of light; therefore he says, 'May Sûrya (the sun) be rich in havis!'
3:9:2:1313. Having fetched it, he deposits it behind the Gârhapatya 2, with (Vâg. S. VI, 24), 'I seat you in
the seat of Agni, the safe-housed;' whereby he means to say, 'I seat you (waters) in the seat of Agni, whose house is unimpaired.' And when the animal offering to Agni and Soma comes to a close, then he carries (the Vasatîvarî water) round. He says (thrice), 'Disperse!' The sacrificer is seated in front of the Soma-carts (holding Soma on his lap 1). He (the Adhvaryu) takes it (the water standing behind the Gârhapatya).
3:9:2:1414. He walks out (of the hall) by the south (door), and puts it down on the south hip (of the high altar), with, 'Ye (waters) are Indra and Agni's share!' for he takes it for all the gods, and Indra and Agni are all the gods. He takes it up again and puts it down in front of the lady (who, seated behind the Gârhapatya, touches the water-jar). Walking round behind the lady he (again) takes it.
3:9:2:1515. He walks out (of the hall by the east door), along the north side (of the altar), and puts down (the water) on the north hip (of the high altar), with, 'Ye are Mitra and Varuna's share!' Let him not put it down in this way 2 that is redundant, and no fitting conclusion is thus attained. Let him rather (here also) say, 'Ye are Indra and Agni's share!' only thus there is nothing redundant, and so a fitting conclusion is obtained.
3:9:2:1616. That (Vasatîvarî water) is carried round for the sake of protection; Agni is in front (of the sacrificial ground), and now that (water) moves about all round, repelling the evil spirits. He puts it
down in the Âgnîdhra (fire-house) with, 'Ye are all the gods' share!' whereby he makes all the gods enter it. It is a desirable object (vara) to the dwellers (vasat), hence the name Vasatîvarî 1, and verily he who knows this, becomes a desirable object to the dwellers.
3:9:2:1717. Now there are here seven formulas; with four he takes (the water), with one he puts it down behind the Gârhapatya, with one he carries it round, with one (he puts it down) in the Âgnîdhra,--this makes seven. For when the metres were produced from Vâk (speech), the one consisting of seven feet, the Sakvarî, was the last (highest) of them;--that completeness (he brings about): hence there are seven formulas.
Footnotes
222:1 Yatra vai yagñasya siro ’khhidyata tasya raso drutvâpah prâvisat sa esha rasa eti yâ etâ âpah syandante tenaivainâ etad rasena syandamânâ manyante yah sa yagñasya rasas tam evaitad rasam syandamânam manyante, Kânva rec.
222:2 'He divides it into three parts for all the pressings,' Kânva text. See note on IV, 2, 3, 4.
223:2 Or perhaps, 'I will take it while I see the sap of the sacrifice.'
223:3 'Vasatîvarî' seems to mean 'affording dwelling;' or perhaps, 'that (water) which abides, remains (over night).' Cf. par. 16.
223:4 'Ninâhya' (ninấhyah kumbháh, Kânva rec. each time); a vessel or cistern, dug into the ground for keeping water cool.
224:1 Upâvasito vâ paryavasito (prátiveso, Kânva text instead) vâ.
224:2 That is, behind the old Âhavanîya of the Prâkînavamsa, where the altar would be prepared at the ordinary haviryagña.
225:1 According to Kâty. VIII, 9, 16.
225:2 'Some put it down with this (formula), but let him not put it down so, for thus completeness is left behind (or, has a surplus, sampad rikyate).' Kânva text.
226:1 Cf. Taitt. S. VI, 4, 2, 'devâh . . . abruvan, vasatu nu na idam iti, tad vasatîvarînâm vasatîvaritvam.'
THE SOMA FEAST.
THIRD BRÂHMANA.
A. PRÂTAR-ANUVÂKA (MORNING-PRAYER) AND PREPARATORY CEREMONIES.
3:9:3:11. They (the priests) are wakened (towards morning). Having touched water 2, they proceed together to the Âgnîdhra (fire-house) and take the portions of ghee (for the Savanîya animal offerings). Having taken the portions of ghee, they betake themselves (to the high altar). When they have deposited the ghee,--
3:9:3:22. He (the Adhvaryu) takes down the king (Soma) 1. Now this (earth) is a safe resting-place, and the birth-place of living beings; it is to this safe resting-place that he now takes him down; he spreads him thereon, produces him therefrom.
3:9:3:33. He takes him down between the shafts; for the cart is (a means of) the sacrifice, and thus alone he does not put him outside the sacrifice. He puts him on the pressing stones lying there with their heads (mukha, mouths) 2 towards each other; for Soma is the nobility, and the stones are the clans (people); he thereby raises the nobility over the clan. And as to why they are lying with their heads together,--he thereby makes the clan of one head (or mouth) with, and uncontentious towards, the nobles; therefore they are lying with their heads towards each other.
3:9:3:44. He takes (Soma) down, with (Vâg. S. VI, 25), 'Thee for the heart, thee for the mind!' This he says for the (accomplishment of the) sacrificer's wish, since it is with the heart and mind that the sacrificer entertains the wish for which he sacrifices; therefore he says, 'Thee for the heart, thee for the mind!'
3:9:3:55. 'Thee for the sky, thee for the sun!' This, on the other hand, he says with a view to the world of the gods. When he says, 'Thee for the sky, thee
for the sun,' he means to say, 'Thee for the gods!' 'Upwards convey thou to the sky, to the gods, this cult, these invocations!' Cult, doubtless, means sacrifice: he thereby means to say, 'Upwards carry thou this sacrifice to the sky, to the gods!'
3:9:3:66. [Vâg. S. VI, 26], 'O Soma, king, descend unto all thy people!' whereby he brings him down for the lordship, for the sovereignty of these people (creatures).
3:9:3:77. Having quitted his hold (of Soma) he sits down by him, with, 'May all thy people descend to thee.' Now, in saying, 'Descend unto all thy people,' he does what is unseemly, for Soma being the nobility, he thereby, as it were, confounds good and bad 1,--and, indeed, in consequence thereof, people now confound good and bad. But in this (formula) he does what is right and according to order,--in saying, 'May all thy people descend to thee,' he makes all his subjects go down (on their knees) before him; and hence when a noble approaches, all these subjects, the people, go down before him, crouch down by him on the ground 2. Sitting near (Soma), the Hotri is about to recite the morning-prayer.
3:9:3:88. Then, while putting a kindling-stick (on the fire), he (the Adhvaryu) says, 'Recite to the gods
the early-coming!' Now the early-coming gods are the metres, as the after-offerings are the metres; and the after-offerings are performed with, 'Prompt (the Hotri to recite) to the gods! Recite (the offering-prayer) to the gods!'
3:9:3:99. And so some say, 'Recite to the gods 1!' But let him not say so; for the early-coming gods are the metres, as the after-offerings are the metres, and the after-offerings are performed with, 'Prompt--to the gods! Recite (the offering-prayer) to the gods!' therefore let him say, 'Recite to the gods, the early-coming!'
3:9:3:1010. And when he puts on a kindling-stick, it is the metres he thereby kindles. And when the Hotri recites the morning-prayer 2, he thereby
again strengthens the metres, makes them to be of unimpaired vigour; for the metres had their vigour impaired by the gods, since it was through the metres that the gods reached the heavenly worlds; they neither sing praises (chants) nor recite (sastras) here. Hereby he now again strengthens the metres and makes them to be of unimpaired vigour; and by means of them, thus unimpaired in vigour, they
perform the sacrifice; this is why the Hotri recites the morning-prayer.
3:9:3:1111. Here now they say, 'What is the (Adhvaryu's) response to the morning-prayer 1?' The Adhvaryu should wait through (the prayer) waking, and when he blinks, this is his response. But let him not do this; if he fall asleep (again) he may as well sleep. When the Hotri brings his morning-prayer to a close 2,--there is an offering-spoon called Prakaranî,--having therein taken ghee in four ladlings, he (the Adhvaryu) offers it.
3:9:3:1212. For when the head of Yagña (the sacrifice) was struck off, his sap, running, entered the waters; that (sap) he fetched yesterday with the Vasatîvarî water; and he now goes for what sap of the sacrifice remains therein.
3:9:3:1313. And when he offers that offering, he pours out (the ghee) towards that same sap of the sacrifice (in the water) and draws it to him. And, indeed, he pleases those deities to whom he offers that offering, and thus satisfied and pleased, they fit that sap of the sacrifice together 3 for him.
3:9:3:1414. He offers with, 'May Agni, with his flame, hear my prayer;' whereby he means to say, 'May he hear this prayer of mine, may he vouchsafe it to me;'--'May the waters and the Soma-bowls hear, the divine!' whereby he means to say, 'May the waters hear this (prayer) of mine, may they vouchsafe it to me.'--'Hear me, ye stones,
as knowing the sacrifice!' whereby he means to say, 'May the (pressing) stones hear this (prayer) of mine, may they vouchsafe it to me;' and 'as knowing the sacrifice,' he says, because the stones are indeed knowing 1. 'May the divine Savitri hear my prayer, Hail!' whereby he means to say, 'May the divine Savitri hear this (prayer) of mine, may he vouchsafe it to me;' for Savitri is the impeller of the gods; impelled by him he goes for that sap of the sacrifice.
3:9:3:1515. Having then a second time taken ghee by four ladlings, he says, while going forth towards the north, 'Summon the waters!' whereby he means to say, 'Desire the waters, O Hotar!' The reason why the Hotri then recites 2 is this: by that
[paragraph continues] (oblation) he (the Adhvaryu) pours out (the ghee) towards that sap of the sacrifice (in the water), and draws it to him; and he (the Hotri) then stands by those (Ekadhana pitchers) lest the evil spirits should injure them on the way.
3:9:3:1616. He (the Adhvaryu) then gives directions, 'Come hither, cup-bearer of the Maitrâvaruna! Neshtar, lead up the wives! Ye bearers of the Ekadhana (cups), come hither! Agnîdh, step ever against the pit with the Vasatîvarî water and the Hotri's cup!' this is a composite direction.
3:9:3:1717. They walk northwards out (of the sacrificial ground)--by the back of the pit and the front side of the Âgnîdhra; whereupon they proceed in the direction in which the water is. They go thither together with the wives. The reason why they go thither with the wives is this.
3:9:3:1818. When the head of the sacrifice was struck off, its sap, running, entered the waters; those Gandharva Soma-wardens watched it.
3:9:3:1919. The gods then said, 'Those Gandharvas, surely, are a great danger to us here, how can we carry off the sap of the sacrifice to a place free from danger and injury?'
3:9:3:2020. They said, 'Well, the Gandharvas are fond of women; let us go together with the wives! The Gandharvas, surely, will hanker after the wives, and we shall carry off that sap of the sacrifice to a place free from danger and injury.'
3:9:3:2121. They went with the wives; the Gandharvas did indeed hanker after the wives, and they (the
gods) carried off that sap of the sacrifice to a place free from danger and injury.
3:9:3:2222. And so does that (Adhvaryu) now go (to the water) with the wives; the Gandharvas hanker after the wives, and he carries off that sap of the sacrifice to a place free from danger and injury.
3:9:3:2323. He offers (the ghee) upon the water; for that sap of the sacrifice, indeed, draws near to that oblation, when offered; it rises (to the surface) to meet it; and having thus brought it to light, he seizes it.
3:9:3:2424. And again why he offers this oblation: he thereby pours out (ghee) towards that sap of the sacrifice, and draws it to him, and craves it of the waters. And, indeed, he pleases those deities to whom he offers that oblation, and thus satisfied and pleased they fit that sap of the sacrifice together for him.
3:9:3:2525. He offers with (Vâg. S. VI, 27), 'Ye divine waters,--the son of waters;' the waters are indeed divine, hence he says, 'Ye divine waters,--the son of waters;' 'That wave of yours, suitable for offering;' whereby he means to say, 'That wave of yours which is suitable for the sacrifice;' 'Mighty, most grateful;' by 'mighty' he means to say 'powerful,' and by 'most grateful' he means to say 'most sweet;' 'Give ye that unto those gods among the gods,' in saying this he has craved it of them; 'The drinkers of the pure (Soma);' the pure, doubtless, is the truth; in saying, 'the drinkers (pa) of the pure,' he means to say, 'the defenders (pa) of the truth;' 'Whose portion ye are, Hail!' for this indeed is their portion.
3:9:3:2626. Thereupon he makes that oblation (ghee) float away by means of the Maitrâvaruna's cup, with (Vâg. S. VI, 28), 'Thou art furrowing!' Even
as a coal is consumed by Fire, so is that oblation consumed by that deity. Now that water, which is in the Maitrâvaruna's cup, he will have to pour on the king (Soma); and ghee being a thunderbolt, and Soma seed, he makes (the ghee) float away lest he should injure that seed, Soma, by that thunderbolt, the ghee.
3:9:3:2727. He then takes (water) with, 'I draw thee up for the imperishableness of the ocean;' for the ocean is water; he thus confers imperishableness upon the waters; wherefore, in spite of so much food (and drink) being consumed, the waters are not diminished. Thereupon they draw (water in) the Ekadhana pitchers, and thereupon the vessels for washing the feet 1.
3:9:3:2828. The reason why he takes (water) with the Maitrâvaruna's cup is this. When the sacrifice escaped from the gods, the gods endeavoured to call it up by means of (sacrificial) calls (praisha) 2; by means of the puroruk ('shining before') formulas 3 they pleased it (pra-rokaya), and by the nivids they made (their wishes) known (ni-vid) to it. Therefore he takes (water) with the Maitrâvaruna's cup.
3:9:3:2929. They come back. The Agnîdh takes up his position opposite to the pit with the Vasatîvarî water and the Hotri's cup. Close over the pit he
[paragraph continues] (the Adhvaryu) makes the Vasatîvarî water and the Maitrâvaruna's cup touch one another, with, 'Water hath united with water, plants with plants!' the sap of the sacrifice which was fetched yesterday and that fetched to-day, both kinds he thereby mixes together.
3:9:3:3030. Now some indeed pour (some of) the Vasatîvarî water into the Maitrâvaruna's cup, and from the Maitrâvaruna's cup (back) to the Vasatîvarî water, arguing, 'Thereby we mix together both the sap of the sacrifice which was fetched yesterday and that fetched to-day.' But let him not do this; for when he pours (the water) together into the Âdhavanîya trough 1, then both kinds of sap are mixed together. Thereupon he pours the Vasatîvarî water into the Hotri's cup for the Nigrâbhyâs 2. And as to why he makes them touch one another close over the pit, it was from thence, forsooth, that the gods rose to heaven; he thus makes the sacrificer look along the road to heaven.
3:9:3:3131. They return (to the Havirdhâna). The Hotri asks him, 'Adhvaryu, hast thou gained the waters?' whereby he means to say, 'Hast thou obtained the waters?' He replies to him, 'Yea, they have yielded themselves!' whereby he means to say, 'I have obtained them and they have yielded to me.'
3:9:3:3232. And if it be an Agnishtoma, and there be left a residue (of ghee poured together) in the prakaranî
spoon sufficient for an oblation, let him offer that. But if it be not sufficient for an oblation, he takes another portion of ghee in four ladlings and offers it, with (Vâg. S. VI, 29; Rig-veda I, 27, 7), 'Whatever mortal thou favourest in battles, whomsoever thou speedest in the race, he winneth unfailing strength, Hail!' He offers with (a prayer) to Agni, because the Agnishtoma ('Agni's praise') means Agni; thus he establishes the Agnishtoma in Agni. [He offers] with (a verse) containing the word 'mortal,' because the Agnishtoma is of the same measure as man. Let hire then offer in this manner, if it be an Agnishtoma.
3:9:3:3333. And if it be an Ukthya, let him touch the middle enclosing-stick,--there are three enclosing-sticks and three recitations (uktha) 1; and by means of them the sacrifice is there established. And if it be either an Atirâtra or a Shodasin 2, let him neither make an oblation nor touch the middle enclosing-stick; having merely muttered (the above verse), let him silently betake himself (to the Havirdhâna) and enter it 3. In this way he duly distinguishes the forms of sacrifice from one another.
3:9:3:3434. The Ekadhana pitchers are always of uneven number,--either three, or five, or seven, or nine, or eleven, or thirteen, or fifteen 4. Now two and two
[paragraph continues] (an even number) means a productive pair; and the one that remains over, remains over for the sacrificer's prosperity. And, moreover, that which remains over for the sacrificer's prosperity is the common property (sa-dhana) of these (others); and because it is the common property of these, therefore they are called Ekadhana (having one as their common property).
Footnotes
226:2 After performing their ablutions they have to perform the preliminary work and ceremonies, such as preparing the Gârhapatya, fetching and arranging the vessels, cleaning of spoons, &c. up to the depositing of the ghee, near the high altar.
227:1 According to Kâty. VIII, 9, 24-25, on the previous evening,--immediately after the carrying round And depositing of the Vasatîvarî water,--the Soma is placed on a seat (âsandi) in the Âgnîdhra fire house, where the sacrificer has to watch over it during that night. This is not mentioned in the Brâhmana, and from what follows it would rather seem that the Soma is taken down from the cart (see III, 6, 3, 17 seq.). Otherwise we might translate, 'He brings him down (from the Âgnîdhra).'
228:1 'He commits a pâpavasyasam,' i.e. according to Haug, Ait. Br. p. 413, 'a breach of the oath of allegiance,' (where Sâyana explains it by 'exceedingly bad'); or 'an (act of) perversity,' Weber, Ind. Stud. IX, p. 300. Sâyana, to our passage, explains it by 'mixing the bad with the good (or better).' The literal translation is 'a bad-bettering.' What is chiefly implied in the term is evidently the showing of disrespect by an inferior to a superior person.
229:1 Here now, some say only, 'Recite to the early-coming!' not 'to the . . . gods!' but let him not say this. Kânva text.
229:2 The Prâtar-anuvâka, or morning-prayer (matin chant), has to be recited by the Hotri in the latter part of the night before any sound (of birds, &c.) is to be heard. It may begin immediately after midnight, and conclude as soon as daylight appears. When called upon by the Adhvaryu to recite the morning-prayer, the Hotri first makes an oblation of ghee on the Âgnîdhra fire, with the mantra, 'Protect me from the spell of the mouth, from every imprecation, Hail!' and then two oblations on the Âhavanîya with appropriate mantras. Thereupon he betakes himself to the Havirdhâna (cart-shed), in entering which, by the east door, he touches successively the front-wreath (rarâtâ, cf. III, 5, 3, 9) and the doorposts, with formulas. He then squats down between the yoke-pieces of the two Soma-carts, and begins his recitation with Rig-veda X, 30, 12, 'Ye, O wealthy waters, verily possess good things; ye confer desirable energy and immortality; ye command riches with abundant offspring: may Sarasvatî (the river S., and Speech) bestow on the bard that vital vigour!' The 'early-coming' deities to whom the recitation is successively addressed, are Agni, Ushas (the dawn), and the two Asvins (the precursors of the sun); the prayer thus consisting of three sections, termed kratu (Agnikratu p. 230, &c.). The hymns and detached verses making up these sections are arranged according to the seven metres (thus forming seven sub-sections of each), viz. gâyatrî, anushtubh, trishtubh, brihatî, ushnih, gagatî, and paṅkti. The prayer may consist of as many verses as can be recited between midnight and daybreak; but there should be at least one hymn in each of the seven metres to each of the three deities; nor should the recitation consist of less than a hundred verses. From the beginning of the recitation up to the end of the last hymn but one, Rig-veda I, 112, there is to be a gradual modulation of the voice so as to pass upwards through the seven tones (yama) of the deep scale (mandrasvara). Moreover, that hymn is to be repeated (if necessary) till daylight appears. As soon as this is the case, he passes on without any break from the last (25th) verse to the last hymn (v. 75, 1-9), which he intones in the lowest tone of the middle scale, after shifting his place further east towards the gate. The recitation of the first eight verses of this hymn again gradually ascends through the whole of the middle scale; when--after once more shifting his place so as to be seated between the two door-posts--he intones the last verse--'The Dawn hath appeared with her shining kine, Agni hath been kindled at his appointed time: your car hath been yoked, ye mighty, mead-loving(?) Asvins, showerers of wealth, hear my call!' in reciting which he makes his voice pass through the several tones of the high scale. The Subrahmanyâ, likewise, has to chant the Subrahmanyâ litany (see III, 3, 4, 17 seq.)--as he had to do on the previous evening--inserting in it the names of the sacrificer's father and son. The Agnîdh, in the meantime, prepares the five havis-oblations (savanîyâh purodasâh) to be offered at the morning-pressing (cf. IV, 2, 4, 18), and the Unnetri puts the numerous Soma-vessels in their respective places on the khara, and about the Soma-carts.
231:3 Literally, 'Bend together (sam-nam),' which refers to the 'bending together' of the cups at the Aponaptrîya ceremony.
232:1 The text has rather to be construed, 'Ye stones, hear (my prayer) as (of one) knowing the sacrifice.'
232:2 While the Adhvaryu and assistants go to the water to fill the Ekadhana pitchers, the Hotri recites the so-called Aponaptrîya hymn (Rig-veda X, 30) to the waters, omitting verse twelve, which was already recited as the opening verse of the morning-prayer. The first verse is recited thrice, and the tenth verse is recited after the eleventh, while the priests are returning with the water. As soon as they are in sight, the Hotri recites verse 13, followed by Rig-veda V, 43, 1; and (when the Ekadhanâ and Vasatîvarî waters meet together, paragraph 29) Rig-veda II, 35, 3; and, in case some of the water is actually poured over into the Hotri's cup, I, 83, 2. When the water is brought to the Havirdhâna, the Hotri addresses the Adhvaryu as stated in paragraph 31; whereupon he pronounces a 'nigada' (for which see Ait. Br. II, 20; Âsv. Sr. V, 1, 14-17), followed by Rig-veda I, 23, i6; while the Ekadhana pitchers are carried past him. The water in the Maitrâvaruna cup and one third of both the Vasatîvarî and Ekadhanâ water having been poured into the Âdhavanîya trough (standing on the northern cart), the pitchers with the remaining water are then deposited in their respective places behind the axle of the northern cart, whereupon the Hotri recites the two remaining verses (24 and 15) of the p. 233 Aponaptrîya hymn, and sits down in front of the Soma, behind the northern door-post of the Havirdhâna (cart-shed).
235:1 These are filled by the sacrificer's wife, or, if there be more than one sacrificer (or, if the sacrificer have more than one wife), by all the wives, each having two vessels. For the use of this water, see note on IV, 4, 2, 18.
235:2 The praishas or sacrificial directions to the Hotri, for the recitations of offering-formulas, are given by the Maitrâvaruna; see p. 183, note 2.
236:2 Nigrâbhyâh is the technical name the Vasatîvarî water in the Hotri's cup henceforth bears. It is handed to the sacrificer to carry to the Havirdhâna; and is afterwards used for moistening the Soma plants (or, for being poured thereon) at the time of the pressing. See III, 9, 4, 14 seq.
237:1 See note on IV, 4, 2, 18; Haug, Ait. Br., Transl. p. 251.
237:3 According to Kâty. IX, 3, 20-21 he may, while muttering that verse, touch the front wreath at the Shodasin, and the side-mat at the Atirâtra.
237:4 The original has,--either three, or five, or five, or seven, or seven, or nine, &e. The Kânva text, on the other hand, has merely,--either three, or five, or sevens or nine, or nineteen.
FOURTH BRÂHMANA.
B. THE PRÂTAHSAVANA, OR MORNING-PRESSING.
1. UPÂMSU-GRAHA.
3:9:4:11. Thereupon they sit down round the two press-boards 1. He (the Adhvaryu) then ties a piece of gold to that (nameless finger). For twofold, verily, is this; there is no third, namely, the truth and the untruth; the gods, forsooth, are the truth, and men are the untruth. And the gold has sprung from Agni's seed: 'With the truth I will touch the stalks, with the truth I will take hold of Soma,' thus he thinks, and therefore he ties a piece of gold to that (ring-finger).
press-stones are of rock, and Soma is a god--for Soma was in the sky, Soma was Vritra; those mountains, those rocks are his body--he thus perfects him by means of his body, makes him whole; therefore they are of rock. Moreover, in pressing him they slay him, they slay him by means of that (stone, Soma's own body); thus he rises from thence, thus he lives; therefore the press-stones are of rock.
3:9:4:33. He takes it with (Vâg. S. VI, 30), 'At the impulse of the divine Savitri I take thee with the arms of the Asvins, with the hands of Pûshan; thou art a giver!' For Savitri is the impeller of the gods; thus he takes it, impelled by Savitri. 'With the arms of the Asvins,' he says,--the Asvins are the Adhvaryus (of the gods): with their arms he thus takes it, not with his own. 'With the hands of Pûshan,' he says,--Pûshan is the distributor of portions: with his hands he thus takes it, not with his own. Moreover, that (stone) is a thunderbolt, and no man can hold it: by means of those deities he takes it.
3:9:4:44. 'I take thee: thou art a giver,' he says; for when they press him by means of that (stone), then there is an oblation; and when he offers an oblation, then he gives sacrificial gifts,--thus, then, that (stone) gives twofold, oblations and sacrificial gifts; wherefore he says, 'Thou art a giver.'
3:9:4:55. 'Perform thou this deep cult!' Cult means sacrifice; he thereby means to say, 'Perform thou this great sacrifice!'--'well-gotten for Indra;' by 'well-gotten' he means to say, 'well-produced;' and Indra is the deity of the sacrifice, wherefore he says, 'for Indra;'--'by the most excellent bolt,'
for he, Soma, is indeed the most excellent bolt 1, therefore he says, 'by the most excellent bolt;'--'the (cult) rich in food and sweetness and drink,' whereby he means to say, 'the (cult) rich in sap.'
3:9:4:66. Thereupon he restrains-speech. For once on a time, the gods, while performing sacrifice, were afraid of an attack from the Asura-Rakshas. They said, 'Let us sacrifice in a low voice, let us restrain speech!' They sacrificed (with formulas muttered) in a low voice and restrained speech.
3:9:4:77. He then fetches the Nigrâbhyâs (waters), and makes him (the sacrificer) mutter over them 2, 'Ye are the Nigrâbhyâs, heard by the gods; satisfy me, satisfy my mind, satisfy my speech, satisfy my breath, satisfy mine eye, satisfy mine ear, satisfy my soul, satisfy mine offspring, satisfy my flocks, satisfy my followers, let not my followers thirst!' For water is sap, and over it he invokes this blessing, 'Satisfy ye my whole self, satisfy my offspring, satisfy my followers, let not my followers thirst!' Now that Upâmsusavana (stone), forsooth, is in reality Âditya Vivasvant (the sun), it is the pervading vital air (vyâna) of this (sacrifice).
3:9:4:88. Thereon he metes out (the Soma). For in pressing him they slay him, they slay him by means of that (stone); thus 3 he rises from hence, thus he
lives. And because he metes him out, therefore there is a measure,--both the measure among men 1, and what other measure there is.
3:9:4:99. He metes out with (Vâg. S. VI, 32), 'Thee for Indra, with the Vasus, with the Rudras!' For Indra is the deity of the sacrifice: therefore he says, 'Thee for Indra;' and by saying 'with the Vasus, with the Rudras,' he assigns a share, along with (or after) Indra, to the Vasus and the Rudras.--'Thee for Indra, with the Âdityas!' whereby he assigns a share to the Âdityas along with Indra.--'Thee for Indra, the slayer of foes!' a foe is an enemy: 'Thee for Indra, the slayer of enemies,' he means to say. This is his (Indra's) special share: as there is a special share for a chief, so is this his special share apart from the (other) gods.
3:9:4:1010. 'Thee for the Soma-bearing falcon!' this he metes out for Gâyatrî.--'Thee for Agni, the bestower of growth of wealth!' Now Agni is Gâyatrî: he metes this out for Gâyatrî. And since Gâyatrî, as a falcon, fetched Soma from heaven, therefore she is (called) the Soma-bearing falcon: for that prowess of hers he metes out (for her) a second portion.
3:9:4:1111. Now as to why he metes out five times 2,--the sacrifice is of the same measure as the year, and there are five seasons in the year: he takes possession of it in five (divisions); hence he metes out five times.
3:9:4:1212. He touches it with (Vâg. S. VI, 33), 'What light of thine there is in the heavens, O Soma, what on earth, and what in the wide air, therewith make wide room for this sacrificer, for his prosperity: speak thou for the giver!' Now when he (Soma) first became sacrificial food for the gods, he thought within himself, 'I must not become sacrificial food for the gods with my whole self!' Accordingly he deposited those three bodies of his in these worlds.
3:9:4:1313. The gods then were victorious. They obtained those bodies by means of this same (formula), and he became entirely the sacrificial food of the gods. And in like manner does this (priest) now thereby obtain those bodies of his, and he (Soma) becomes entirely the food of the gods: this is why he thus touches it.
3:9:4:1414. He then pours Nigrâbhyâ water on it. Now the waters, forsooth, slew Vritra and by virtue of that prowess of theirs they now flow. Wherefore nothing whatsoever can check them when they flow; for they followed their own free will, thinking, 'To whom, forsooth, should we submit (or stop), we by whom Vritra was slain!' Now all this (universe), whatsoever there is, had submitted 1 to Indra, even he that blows yonder.
3:9:4:1515. Indra spake, 'Verily, all this (universe), whatsoever there is, has submitted unto me: submit ye also to me!'--They said, 'What shall be our (reward) then?'--'The first draught of king Soma shall be yours!'--'So be it!' thus they submitted to
him; and they having submitted, he drew (ni-grabh) them to his breast; and because he thus drew them to his breast, therefore they are called Nigrâbhyâs. And in like manner does this sacrificer now draw them to his breast: and this is their first draught of king Soma, in that he pours Nigrâbhyâ water thereon.
3:9:4:1616. He pours it with (Vâg. S. VI, 34), 'Ye are grateful, the subduers of Vritra;'--the waters indeed are propitious: therefore he says, 'Ye are grateful;' and 'the subduers of Vritra' he says because they did slay Vritra;--'the beneficent wives of the immortal (Soma);' for the waters are immortal;--'Ye goddesses, lead this sacrifice to the gods!' there is nothing obscure in this; 'Invited, drink ye of Soma!' Thus invited they drink the first draught of king Soma.
3:9:4:1717. Being about to beat (the Soma with the pressing-stone), let him think in his mind of him he hates: 'Herewith I strike N.N., not thee!' Now whosoever kills a human Brâhman here, he, forsooth, is deemed guilty 1,--how much more so he who strikes him (Soma), for Soma is a god. But they do kill him when they press him;--they kill him with that (stone): thus he rises from thence, thus he lives; and thus no guilt is incurred.. But if he hate no one, he may even think of a straw, and thus no guilt is incurred.
3:9:4:1818. He beats with (Vâg. S. VI, 35), 'Fear not, tremble not!' whereby he means to say, 'Be not afraid, do not tremble, it is N.N. I strike, not thee!'--'Take thou strength!' whereby he means to say, 'Take sap!'--'Both ye bowls, that are
firm, remain firm, take strength!'--'Surely, it is those two (pressing-)boards that are thereby meant,' so say some;--what, then, if one were to break those two boards 1? But, forsooth, it is these two, heaven and earth, that tremble for fear of that raised thunderbolt (the stone): hereby now he propitiates it for those two, heaven and earth; and thus propitiated it does not injure them. By 'Take strength!' he means to say, 'Take sap!'--'The evil is slain, not Soma!' he thereby slays every evil of his.
four times he performs the Nigrâbha,--this makes ten, for of ten syllables consists the virâg, and Soma is of virâg nature: therefore he completes (the ceremony) in ten times.
3:9:4:2020. Then as to why he performs the Nigrâbha. Now when he (Soma) first became sacrificial food for the gods, he set his heart on those (four) regions, thinking, 'Could I but consort with those regions as my mate, my loved resort!' By performing the Nigrâbha, the gods then made him consort with the regions as his mate, his loved resort; and in like manner does this (sacrificer) now, by performing the Nigrâbha, make him (Soma) consort with those regions as his mate, his loved resort.
3:9:4:2121. He performs with (Vâg. S. VI, 36), 'From east, from west, from north, from south--from every side may the regions resort to thee!' whereby he makes him consort with the regions as his mate, his loved resort. 'O mother, satisfy (him)! may the noble meet together 1!' A mother
[paragraph continues] (ambâ) is a woman, and the regions (dis, fem.) are women: therefore he says, 'O mother, satisfy (him)!--May the noble meet together!' The noble doubtless means people (creatures, offspring): he thus means to say, 'May the people live in harmony with each other!' Even the people that are far away (from each other) live in harmony with each other: therefore he says, 'May the noble meet together.'
3:9:4:2222. Now as to why he is called Soma. When he first became sacrificial food for the gods, he thought within him, 'I must not become, sacrificial food for the gods with my whole self!' That form of his which was most pleasing he accordingly put aside. Thereupon the gods were victorious; they said, 'Draw that unto thee, for therewith shalt thou become our food!' He drew it to him even from afar, saying, verily, that is mine own (svâ me): hence he was called Soma.
3:9:4:2323. Then as to why he is called Yagña (sacrifice). Now, when they press him, they slay him; and when they spread him 1, they cause him to be born. He is born in being spread along, he is born moving (yan gâyate): hence yan-ga, for 'yañga' they say, is the same as 'yagña.'
3:9:4:2424. Also this speech did he then utter (Vâg. S. VI, 37;
[paragraph continues] Rig-veda I, 84, 19), 'Verily thou, a god, shalt extol the mortal, O most mighty! than thee there is no other giver of joy 1, O lord! unto thee do I speak this word, O Indra!' For it was indeed as a mortal that he uttered this, 'Thou alone wilt produce (me) from here, no other but thee!'
3:9:4:2525. And from the Nigrâbhyâ water they draw the several grahas (cups or libations of Soma). For it was the waters that slew Vritra, and in virtue of this prowess they flow; and it is from flowing water that he takes the Vasatîvarî water, and from the Vasatîvarî the Nigrâbhyâ water; and from the Nigrâbhyâ water the several grahas are drawn. In virtue of that prowess, then, the grahas are drawn from the Hotri's cup. Now the Hotri means the Rik (fem.), a woman; and from woman creatures are born here on earth: hence he makes him (Soma) to be born from that woman, the Rik, the Hotri; wherefore (he takes the grahas) from the Hotri's cup.
Footnotes
238:1 The Adhvaryu and sacrificer sit north of them, looking towards the south; and the assistants of the former--viz. the Pratiprasthâtri; Neshtri, and Unnetri--on the south side, looking northwards. The press-boards were laid down on the 'sound-holes,' under the fore-part of the southern Soma-cart, and the pressing-skin was spread over them; see III, 5, 4, 22-23. The Udgâtris, or chanters, are seated behind the carts.
238:2 Viz. the upâmsusavana, or 'low-voiced pressing (stone),' (see paragraph 6,) with which the Soma for the Upâmsu libation (or cup, graha) is pressed.
240:1 It is doubtful what 'pavi' may mean here. It seems to mean originally a metallic mounting, especially of a shaft. The commentators explain it by 'thunderbolt.'
240:3 Viz. by being placed upon the stone. which is identical with the sun (?); but cf. III, 8, 2, 27.
241:1 Tasmâd v iyam manushyeshu mâtrâ yat kaushtho yat kumbhî yeyam kâ ka manushyeshu mâtrâ. Kânva text.
241:2 According to Taitt. S. VI, 4, 4 he metes out five times with the above texts, and five times silently.
242:1 The Kânva MS. has twice 'tatsthâna,' as Ait. Br. VI, 5, and twice 'tasthâna;' cf. Weber, Ind. Stud. IX, p. 295.
244:1 That is to say, in that case the formula would prove to have been a failure. According to the Taitt. Kalpas., quoted to Taitt. S. I, 4, 1 (p. 590), he presses the skin down upon the two press-boards while muttering this formula. The Kânva text argues somewhat differently,--ime evaitat phalake âhur iti haika âhus tad u kim âdriyeta yad athaite bhidyeyâtâm eveme haiva dyâvâprithivyâv etasmâd vagrâd udyatât samregete,--'Some say those two boards are thereby meant; but who would care if they should get broken; for it is rather those two, heaven and earth,' &c.?
244:2 The pressing of the Upâmsu-graha--also called the 'small' pressing, distinguished from the 'great pressing' (mahâbhishava) for the subsequent cups or libations (graha)--consists of three turns of eight, eleven, and twelve single beatings respectively. Before each turn Nigrâbhyâ water is poured upon the Soma plants by the sacrificer from the Hotri's cup. After each turn of pressing the Adhvaryu throws the completely-pressed stalks into the cup, and when they have become thoroughly soaked, he presses them out and takes them out again; this being the 'gathering together' referred to above. At the same time he mutters the Nigrâbha formula (paragraph 21); after which the pressed-out juice, absorbed by the water, is poured into the Upâmsu vessel in the following manner. Before the pressing the Pratiprasthâtri had taken six Soma-stalks, and put two each between the fingers of his left hand. After each turn of pressing he takes the Upâmsu vessel with his right hand and holds one pair of the Soma-stalks over it (or, according to others, all six at the same time), through which (as through p. 245 a strainer) the Adhvaryu then pours the Soma-juice from the pressing-skin into the vessel. After the third turn the pressing-stone itself is put into the Hotri's cup, either with or without the muttering of the Nigrâbha formula. According to the commentary on Kâty. IX, 4, 27, the Soma-juice is transferred from the skin to the Upâmsu cup, by the straining-cloth being made to imbibe the juice and then being pressed out so as to trickle down through the plants between the Pratiprasthâtri's fingers. The description given by Haug, Ait. Br., Transl. p. 489, is somewhat different.
245:1 The interpretation of this formula is very doubtful. The author evidently takes 'arîh' as nom. plur. of 'ari' (= ârya); but it does not appear how he takes 'nishpara,' while Mahîdhara explains it by 'pûraya (give him, Soma, his fill).' The St. Petersburg Dict. suggests that 'nishpara' may mean 'come out!' and that 'arîh' seems to be a nom. sing. here. I take the last part of the formula to mean, 'May he (Soma) win (or, perhaps, join) the longing (waters)!' p. 246 some of the Nigrâbhyâ water being poured on the Soma at each turn of pressing; and small stalks of Soma being, besides, thrown into the Hotri's cup containing that water. As to the first part of the formula, it may perhaps mean, 'Well, pour out (or, pour forth, intrans.).' Professor Ludwig, Rig-veda IV, p. xvi, thinks that 'nishpara' is a correction of the Taitt, reading 'nishvara,' which Sâyana interprets, 'O mother (Soma), come out (from the stalks, in the form of juice),' and according to the Sûtra quoted by him, the sacrificer is at the same time to think of the wife he loves.
246:1 That is, when they perform the Soma-sacrifice.
247:1 This is the traditional meaning (sukhayitri) assigned to mardayitri (the merciful, comforter); but it is not quite clear how the author of the Brâhmana interprets it.
(My humble salutations to the translator Sreeman Julius Eggeling for the collection)
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