The Satapatha Brahmana
THE SATAPATHA-BRÂHMANA
ACCORDING TO THE TEXT OF THE MÂDHYANDINA SCHOOL
Translated by
Julius Eggeling
SATAPATHA-BRÂHMANA.
ELEVENTH KÂNDA.
Books 11, 12, 13 and 14
THE FULL AND NEW-MOON SACRIFICE.
FIRST ADHYÂYA. FIRST BRÂHMANA.
11:1:1:11. Verily, Pragâpati, the Sacrifice, is the Year: the night of new moon is its gate, and the moon itself is the bolt of the gate.11:1:1:22. And when one lays down the two fires at new moon 1,--even as one would enter a stronghold by the gate, when the gate is open, and would thence reach the world of heaven, so it is when one lays down the fires at new moon.
11:1:1:32. And if one lays down the fires under a (special) asterism 2,--just as if one tried to enter a stronghold, when the gate is closed, in some other way than through the gate, and failed to get inside the stronghold, so it is when one lays down the fires under an asterism: let him therefore not lay down the fires under an asterism.
11:1:1:44. On the same day on which that one (the moon) should not be seen either in the east or in the west,
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let him fast, for it is then that he (the moon) comes to this world 1, and on that (day) he abides here (on the sacrificial ground).
11:1:1:55. And all the gods abide (here), all the spirits, all the deities, all the seasons, all the Stomas (hymn-forms), all the Prishthas 2, and all the metres.
11:1:1:66. And, verily, it is for all the gods, for all spirits, for all deities, for all seasons, for all Stomas, for all Prishthas, and for all metres that the fires of him are laid down who lays them down at new moon: he should therefore lay them down at new moon.
11:1:1:77. He may lay down the fires on the new moon which falls in the (month) Vaisâkha, for that coincides with the Rohinî (asterism); for the Rohinî means the self, offspring and cattle 3: he thus becomes established in a self, in offspring and cattle. But, indeed, the new moon is the form of the Agnyâdheya: let him therefore lay down the fires at new moon;--let him perform the preliminary ceremony 4 at full moon, and the initiation ceremony at new moon.
Footnotes
1:1 For the performance of the Agnyâdhâna, or setting up the sacrificial fires, see part i, p. 274 seqq.1:2 For the Nakshatras, or lunar mansions, under which the Agnyâdhâna may be performed, see II, 1, 2, 1 seqq., and especially II, 1, 2, 19, where the practice of regulating the time of the ceremony by the Nakshatras is discouraged.
2:1 See I, 6, 4, 5.
2:2 For the six Prishtha-sâmans, see part iii, introd., p. xx seqq.
2:3 See II, 1, 2, 6. 7.
2:4 For the Anvârambhanîyâ-ishti, lit. 'taking-hold offering,' see part ii, p. 40, note 1.
SECOND BRÂHMANA.
11:1:2:11. Now when they spread (and perform) the sacrifice, they kill it; and when they press out king Soma, they kill him; and when they 'quiet' and cut up the victim, they kill it,--it is by means of the mortar and pestle, and by the two mill-stones that they kill the Haviryagña (grain-offering).p. 3
11:1:2:22. And having killed the sacrifice, he pours it, as seed, into the fire as its womb, for, indeed, the fire is the womb of the sacrifice, from out of it it is produced: let him therefore perform those ten oblations 1 for which the Vashat is uttered.
11:1:2:33. And, indeed, this sacrifice is the blowing (wind): he blows here, as it were, as a single one, but when he has entered into man, he is divided into ten parts;--with the vital airs thus distributed, it (the sacrifice) is born from out of its womb, the fire: this is that Virâg of ten syllables, this is that perfection, the sacrifice.
11:1:2:44. There may, however, be nine (oblations) 2;--he thus forms a defective (lesser, lower) Virâg with a view to production; for from the lesser 3, indeed, creatures are produced here: this is that perfection, the sacrifice.
11:1:2:55. But there may be one additional (oblation) 4,that one remains over for Pragâpati: this is that perfection, the sacrifice.
11:1:2:66. And there may be two additional (oblations) 5,
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[paragraph continues] --a productive pair consists of two: thus a productive pair is produced; this is that perfection, the sacrifice.
11:1:2:77. And there may be three additional ones 1,--a productive pair consists of two, and that which is produced is the third: this is that perfection, the sacrifice.
11:1:2:88. And there may be four additional ones 2,--as the one so the four. There are these three worlds; these worlds he thus gains by three (oblations); and Pragâpati, indeed, is the fourth beyond these worlds: by the fourth (oblation) he thus gains Pragâpati,--this is that perfection, the sacrifice.
11:1:2:99. That (sacrifice) which is defective in two (oblations) 3 is indeed defective, it is not a sacrifice; and that which is excessive in respect of five (oblations) is indeed excessive, it is not a sacrifice: this is that perfection as regards the ten, the twenty, thus up to a thousand 4.
11:1:2:1010. Verily, they who perform the Full and New-moon sacrifice, run a race 5. One ought to perform it during fifteen years;--in these fifteen years there are three hundred and sixty full moons and new
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moons; and there are in a year three hundred and sixty nights: it is the nights he thus gains.
11:1:2:1111. He should then offer for another fifteen years; in these fifteen years there are three hundred and sixty full moons and new moons; and there are in a year three hundred and sixty days it is the days he thus gains, and the year itself he thus gains.
11:1:2:1212. Now, indeed, the gods were at first mortal; and only when they had gained the year they were immortal; for the year is everything, and the imperishable means everything: thereby then accrues to him imperishable merit, the imperishable world.
11:1:2:1313. He who, knowing this, offers (the Full and New-moon sacrifice) for thirty years, becomes one of the race-runners, whence one ought to offer sacrifice for not less than thirty years. But if he be a performer of the Dâkshâyana sacrifice 1, he need only offer for fifteen years, for therein that perfection is brought about, since he performs (every month) two Full-moon and two New-moon offerings, and thus that perfection is indeed brought about therein.
Footnotes
3:1 These ten oblations of the New and Full-moon sacrifice (as the model for Haviryagñas generally), as enumerated by Sâyana, are (a) at full moon--five fore-offerings, two butter-portions, two cake-offerings to Agni, and Agni-Soma, and a low-voiced offering to Agni-Soma, (b) at new moon--five fore-offerings, two butter-portions, a cake to Agni, a low-voiced offering to Vishnu, and an offering of (sweet and sour) milk, or Sânnâyya, to Indra.3:2 Viz. inasmuch as, according to Sâyana, at the Full-moon sacrifice the offering to Agni-Soma only takes place in the case of one who is a Soma-offerer. I find, however, no authority for this.
3:3 Or, from the lower part (nyûna); cf. II, 1, 1, 13; 5, I, 20.
3:4 That is, if the oblation to Agni Svishtakrit (part i, p. 199 seqq.) is taken into account.
3:5 According to Sâyana, the second additional offering is the oblation of clotted ghee to Vanaspati (the lord of the forest, or p. 4 the tree, i.e. the sacrificial stake, or Soma) at the animal sacrifice. Cf. part ii, p. 208.
4:1 These three oblations, according to Sâyana, are the three after-offerings (to the Barhis, to Nârâsamsa, and to Agni), see part i, p. 230 seqq.
4:2 Viz. either the Svishtakrit and the three after-offerings; or the four Patnîsamyâgas (to Soma, Tvashtri, the wives of the gods, and Agni Grihapati), cf. part i, p. 256 seqq.
4:3 That is, if it includes only eight oblations, see paragraph 4.
4:4 That is, counting every ten (oblations) one Virâg, or metrical pâda of ten syllables.
4:5 Viz. running along, as they do, with the revolutions of the moon and the sun.
5:1 For this modification of the New and Full-moon sacrifice, see part i, p. 374 seqq.
THIRD BRÂHMANA.
11:1:3:11. When he has performed the Full-moon sacrifice, he prepares an additional (cake) for Indra Vimridh (the repeller of scorners), and offers it in accordance with the procedure of an ishti 2; and when he has performed the New-moon sacrifice, he prepares an additional rice-pap for Aditi 3, and offers it in accordance with the procedure of an ishti.p. 6
11:1:3:22. And as to why, after performing the Full-moon sacrifice, he prepares (a cake) for Indra Vimridh, it is because Indra is the deity of the sacrifice; but the chief oblation of the Full-moon sacrifice belongs to Agni and Soma, and nothing is offered there with the formula 'To Indra (I offer) thee!' Hereby then that oblation comes to be shared by Indra, and so does the sacrifice come to be shared by Indra. And as to why (he offers) with 'To (Indra) Vimridh!' it is that by the Full-moon sacrifice he slays all scorners (mridh), all evil spirits.
11:1:3:33. And as to why, after performing the New-moon sacrifice, he prepares a pap for Aditi,--that moon doubtless is the same as King Soma, the food of the gods: when on that night he is not seen either in the east or in the west, the oblation becomes, as it were, uncertain and unfirm. Now Aditi is this earth, and she, indeed, is certain and firmly established: thereby, then, that oblation of his becomes certain and firmly established. Such, then, is the reason why he prepares additional oblations; now as to why he should not prepare them.
11:1:3:44. When, after performing the Full-moon sacrifice, he prepares an additional (cake) for Indra Vimridh, he does so in order that his sacrifice should become shared in by Indra, for every sacrifice belongs to Indra. But inasmuch as every sacrifice belongs to Indra, thereby that oblation of his, and that sacrifice, is already shared in by Indra.
11:1:3:55. And when, after performing the New-moon sacrifice, he prepares an additional pap for Aditi,--surely the New-moon sacrifice is itself an additional one; for by the Full-moon sacrifice Indra slew Vritra, and for him who had slain Vritra, the gods
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then prepared that additional oblation, the New-moon sacrifice: why, then, should he prepare an oblation to be added to an additional offering? Let him, therefore, not prepare the additional oblations.
11:1:3:66. When, after performing the Full-moon sacrifice, he afterwards prepares another oblation; and when, after performing the New-moon sacrifice, he afterwards prepares another oblation, he rises and defies his malicious enemy; and, indeed, unassailed and undisturbed is the prosperity of him who at full moon performs the Full-moon sacrifice, and at new moon the New-moon sacrifice 1.
11:1:3:77. For by performing the Full-moon sacrifice at full moon, and the New-moon sacrifice at new moon, the gods forthwith dispelled evil, and were forthwith reproduced; and, verily, he who, knowing this, performs the Full-moon sacrifice at full moon, and the New-moon sacrifice at new moon, forthwith dispels evil, and is forthwith reproduced. If he offer an additional oblation, let him give a sacrificial fee (to the priests); for no oblation, they say, should be without a dakshinâ; and for the Full and New-moon sacrifices there is that dakshinâ, to wit, the Anvâhârya (mess of rice 2). Thus much as to the additional oblations; now as to (the sun) rising over him.
Footnotes
5:2 That is to say, after the model of the Full-moon sacrifice.5:3 See part i, p. 375, where read 'Aditi' for 'Âditye.'
7:1 That is, he who performs these sacrifices without additional oblations:--atah paurnamâsyâyâm amâvâsyâm ka darsapûrnamâsayâgâv eva kartavyau, nânyat kimkid dhavir anunitvâpyam, Sây. Whilst favouring this view, the author, however, also admits the other as ensuring the same benefits.
FOURTH BRÂHMANA.
11:1:4:11. Now, some people enter upon the fast 3 whenp. 8
they (still) see (the moon, on the fourteenth day of the half-month), thinking, 'To-morrow he will not rise,'--either on account of clouds or not having ascertained properly, they enter upon the fast, and (in the morning) he rises over him. Now if he (the moon) should rise on (the material for) the oblation being not yet taken out, then that approved (procedure is followed) and the same fasting-observance. The sour curds from last night's milking they use for coagulating the sacrificial food 1; they let the calves join (their mothers), and drive them away again 2.
11:1:4:22. In the afternoon he drives them away with the parna-branch; and as there that approved oblation of the New-moon offering (is prepared) so here. But if he should not care to undergo (again) the fasting-observance, or if (the moon) were to rise over (the material for) the oblation already taken out, then let him do otherwise: having properly cleansed the rice-grains of the husks, he cooks the smaller ones as a cake on eight potsherds for Agni Dâtri (the Giver).
11:1:4:33. And the sour curds (from the milk) milked on the day before (he prepares) for Indra Pradâtri
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[paragraph continues] (the Bestower); and those (larger) rice-grains 1 he cooks in boiled fresh milk as a pap for Vishnu Sipivishta (the Bald); for a pap it is whenever rice-grains are thrown (into milk or sour curds).
11:1:4:44. And as to this being so, it is because that moon is no other than King Soma, the food of the gods;--he (the Sacrificer) at that time sought to secure him 2, and missed him: Agni, the Giver, gives that (moon) to him, and Indra, the Bestower, bestows that one upon him; Indra and Agni give that (moon, Soma) as a sacrifice to him, and that sacrifice given by Indra and Agni he offers. And as to why (he offers) to Vishnu, the Bald, it is because Vishnu is the sacrifice; and as to why to the Bald 3 (sipivishta),--it is that his missing him whom he sought to secure is the bald part (? sipita) of the sacrifice, hence to the Bald one. And on this occasion he should give (to the priests) as much as he is able to give, for no oblation, they say, should be without a dakshinâ. And let him observe the fast just (on the day) when he (the moon) does not rise.
Footnotes
7:3 As, for the Full-moon offering, the Sacrificer should enter on p. 8 the fast at the very time of full moon (I, 6, 3, 34), so, for the New-moon offering, he should do so at the time when the last sign of the moon has disappeared, cf. I, 6, 4, 14.8:1 Literally, they make it the means of coagulating the havis; that is to say, they put the sour-milk (of last night's milking) into the milk obtained from the milking of this, the second, day so as to produce the sour curds required on the next, or offering-day. See I, 6, 4, 6 seq.;--pûrvedyuh sâyamdugdham payo yad dadhy âtmanâ vidyate parasmin divase punah karanîyasya sâyamdoharûpasya havisha âtañkanârtham kuryuh, Sây.
8:2 See I, 7, 1, 1 seq. The milk of the evening milking will be required for the sour curds and whey to be mixed with the sweet (boiled) milk of the following morning in the preparation of the Sânnâyya.
9:1 According to Katy. Srautas. XXV, 4, 40, the rice-grains are sorted in three different sizes; those of medium size being used for Agni Dâtri, the largest for Indra Pradâtri, and the smallest for Vishnu Sipivishta.
9:2 That is, at the time of new moon when Soma is supposed to stay on earth.
9:3 The native dictionaries also assign the meaning 'affected by a skin-disease' to 'sipivishta.'
FIFTH BRÂHMANA.
11:1:5:11. He observes the fast thinking, 'To-day is the day of new moon 4;' and then that (moon) is seen inp. 10
the west. But, indeed, he (the moon) is that heavenly dog: he watches the Sacrificer's cattle (to seize them), and that would not be good for cattle if amends were not made to them 1; and through fear of that 'down-coming moon 2,' as they think him to be,--
11:1:5:22. They steal away into the shade. And therefore, indeed, people call that burning pain 'svalukita' (dog's clutch);--and therefore they also call that one--
11:1:5:33. 'The hare in the moon 3.' Soma, the food of the gods, indeed, is the moon: at full moon they press him; and in the subsequent half of the month he enters the waters and plants; and, the cattle feeding on the water and the plants, he then during that night (of new moon) collects him from the cattle.
11:1:5:44. He keeps the fast thinking, 'To-day is the day of new moon;' and then that (moon) is seen in the west, and the Sacrificer departs from the path of sacrifice. As to this they say, 'What should one do when he has departed from the path of the sacrifice? Should he sacrifice, or should he not sacrifice?' He should certainly sacrifice, for there is no other way out of it: day after day that (moon) rises larger. Having performed offering after the manner of the New-moon sacrifice, he takes out material for an additional offering either on the same, or on the following day.
11:1:5:55. There are three chief oblations for this (offering),--(he prepares) a cake on eight potsherds for
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[paragraph continues] Agni Pathikrit (the path-maker), one on eleven potsherds for Indra Vritrahan (the slayer of Vritra), and a cake on twelve potsherds for Agni Vaisvânara.
11:1:5:66. Now as to why he prepares (an oblation) for Agni Pathikrit,--it is that Agni, being the maker of the path, leads the Sacrificer (back) to the path of sacrifice, from which he now departs.
11:1:5:77. And as to why to Indra Vritrahan,--Vritra is sin: with the help of Indra, the slayer of Vritra, he thus slays sin, Vritra, which ever keeps him from well-being, from virtue, and from the good work: this is why he (offers) to Indra Vritrahan.
11:1:5:88. And as to why he prepares a cake on twelve potsherds for Agni Vaisvânara,--when Indra had slain Vritra, he burnt him completely by means of Agni Vaisvânara, and thereby burnt all his (Vritra's) sin; and in like manner does that (Sacrificer) now, after slaying sin, Vritra, with the help of Indra Vritrahan, burn him, and all that sin of his, by means of Agni Vaisvânara; and, verily, not the slightest sin remains in him who, knowing this, performs this offering.
11:1:5:99. For this (offering) there are seventeen kindling-verses. He offers to the deities in a low voice, and makes any (verses) he pleases his invitatory and offering-formulas. In like manner (those of) the two butter-portions and the two formulas of the Svishtakrit.
11:1:5:1010. A bow with three arrows he gives as dakshinâ; for with the bow a dog is driven away: he thus drives away that (dog, the moon) when he gives a bow with three arrows as dakshinâ.
11:1:5:1111. A staff he gives as dakshinâ; for with a staff
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a dog is driven away: he thus drives away that (dog) when he gives a staff as dakshinâ. This, indeed, is the prescribed dakshinâ; but he may give anything else besides, of such other (objects meet for) dakshinâs as may be at his disposal. This, doubtless, is an offering relating to cattle: he may perform it even though (the moon) was not seen (at his New-moon sacrifice).
Footnotes
9:4 Amâvâsyâ, lit. the night of their (the sun and moon's) staying together.10:1 Aprâyaskittikrite (or -kritah),--? in the case of (the owner) who did not make amends to, and quiet, them.
10:2 Avakrishto nikrishtas kandramâ avakandramasah, Sây.
10:3 Sâyana takes this to mean that for this reason the moon is called 'sasâṅka,' 'he who is marked with a hare.'
SIXTH BRÂHMANA.
11:1:6:11. Verily, in the beginning this (universe) was water, nothing but a sea of water. The waters desired, 'How can we be reproduced?' They toiled and performed fervid devotions 1, when they were becoming heated, a golden egg was produced. The year, indeed, was not then in existence: this golden egg floated about for as long as the space of a year.11:1:6:22. In a year's time a man, this Pragâpati, was produced therefrom; and hence a woman, a cow, or a mare brings forth within the space of a year; for Pragâpati was born in a year. He broke open this golden egg. There was then, indeed, no resting-place: only this golden egg, bearing him, floated about for as long as the space of a year.
11:1:6:33. At the end of a year he tried to speak. He said 'bhûh': this (word) became this earth;--'bhuvah': this became this air;--'svah': this became yonder sky. Therefore a child tries to
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speak at the end of a year, for at the end of a year Pragâpati tried to speak.
11:1:6:44. When he was first speaking Pragâpati spoke (words) of one syllable and of two syllables; whence a child, when first speaking, speaks (words) of one syllable and of two syllables.
11:1:6:55. These (three words consist of), five syllables: he made them to be the five seasons, and thus there are these five seasons. At the end of the (first) year, Pragâpati rose to stand on these worlds thus produced; whence a child tries to stand up at the end of a year, for at the end of a year Pragâpati stood up.
11:1:6:66. He was born with a life of a thousand years: even as one might see in the distance the opposite shore, so did he behold the opposite shore (the end) of his own life.
11:1:6:77. Desirous of offspring, he went on singing praises and toiling. He laid the power of reproduction into his own self. By (the breath of) his mouth he created the gods: the gods were created on entering the sky; and this is the godhead of the gods (deva) that they were created on entering the sky (div). Having created them, there was, as it were, daylight for him; and this also is the godhead of the gods that, after creating them, there was, as it were, daylight (diva) for him.
11:1:6:88. And by the downward breathing he created the Asuras: they were created on entering this earth. Having created them there was, as it were, darkness for him.
11:1:6:99. He knew, 'Verily, I have created evil for myself since, after creating, there has come to be, as it were, darkness for me.' Even then he smote
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them with evil, and owing to this it was that they were overcome; whence people say, 'Not true is that regarding (the fight between) the gods and Asuras which is related partly in the tale and partly in the legend; for it was even then that Pragâpati smote them with evil, and it was owing to this that they were overcome.'
11:1:6:1010. Therefore it is with reference to this that the Rishi has said, 'Not for a single day hast thou fought, nor hast thou any enemy, O Maghavan illusion is what they say concerning thy battles; no foe hast thou fought either to-day or aforetime.'
11:1:6:1111. Now what daylight, as it were, there was for him, on creating the gods, of that he made the day; and what darkness, as it were, there was for him, on creating the Asuras, of that he made the night: they are these two, day and night.
11:1:6:1212. Pragâpati bethought himself, 'Everything (sarva), indeed, I have obtained by stealth (tsar) who have created these deities:' this became the 'sarvatsara,' for 'sarvatsara,' doubtless, is the same as 'samvatsara (year).' And, verily, whosoever thus knows 'samvatsara' to be the same as 'sarvatsara 1,' is not overcome by any evil which, by magic art, steals upon him (tsar); and whosoever thus knows 'samvatsara' to be the same as 'sarvatsara,' overcomes against whomsoever he practises magic art.
11:1:6:1313. Pragâpati bethought himself, 'Verily, I have created here a counterpart of myself, to wit, the year;' whence they say, 'Pragâpati is the year;' for he created it to be a counterpart of himself:
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inasmuch as 'samvatsara (year),' as well as 'Pragâpati,' consists of four syllables, thereby it (the year) is a counterpart of him.
11:1:6:1414. Now, these are the deities who were created out of Pragâpati,--Agni, Indra, Soma, and Parameshthin Prâgâpatya.
11:1:6:1515. They were born with a life of a thousand years: even as one would see in the distance the opposite shore, so did they behold the opposite shore of their own life.
11:1:6:1616. They went on singing praises and toiling. Then Parameshthin, son of Pragâpati, saw that sacrifice, the New and Full-moon offerings, and performed these offerings. Having performed them, he desired, 'Would I were everything here!' He became the waters, for the waters are everything here, inasmuch as they abide in the furthest place; for he who digs here on earth finds indeed water; and, in truth, it is from that furthest place, to wit, from yonder sky that he 1 rains, whence the name Parameshthin (abiding in the furthest, highest place).
11:1:6:1717. Parameshthin spake unto his father Pragâpati, 'I have discovered a sacrifice which fulfils wishes: let me perform this for thee!'--'So be it!' he said. He accordingly performed it 2 for him. Having sacrificed, he (Pragâpati) desired, 'Would I were everything here!' He became the breath (vital air), for breath is everything here: Pragâpati is that breath which blows here (the wind); and whatsoever knows that it is thus he blows is his (Pragâpati's) eyesight; and whatsoever is endowed
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with breath is Pragâpati. And, verily, whosoever thus knows that eyesight of Pragâpati becomes, as it were, manifest,
11:1:6:1818. Pragâpati spake unto his son Indra, 'Let me perform for thee this wish-fulfilling sacrifice which Parameshthin has just performed for me.'--'So be it!' he said. He accordingly performed it for him. Having sacrificed, he (Indra) desired, 'Would that I were everything here!' He became speech (vâk), for speech is everything here; whence they say, 'Indra is Vâk.'
11:1:6:1919. Indra spake unto his brothers Agni and Soma, 'Let me perform for you this wish-fulfilling sacrifice which our father Pragâpati has just performed for me.'--'So be it!' they said. He accordingly performed it for them. Having sacrificed, those two desired, 'Would that we were everything here!' One of them became the eater of food, and the other became food: Agni became the eater of food, and Soma food; and the eater of food, and food, indeed, are everything here.
11:1:6:2020. These five deities, then, performed that wish-fulfilling sacrifice; and for whatever wish they sacrificed, that wish of theirs was fulfilled; and, verily, for whatever wish one performs that sacrifice, that wish of his is fulfilled.
11:1:6:2121. When they had sacrificed they beheld (discovered) the eastern quarter, and made it the eastern (front) quarter; as it now is that eastern (front) quarter: therefore creatures here move in a forward direction, for they (the gods) made that the front quarter. 'Let us improve it 1 from here!'
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they said, and made it to be strength, 'May we see 1 this strength!' they said; and it became yonder sky 2.
11:1:6:2222. They then beheld the southern quarter, and made it the southern quarter; and it now is that southern (right, dakshinâ) quarter: whence the dakshinâ (cows) stand to the south (of the altar) 3, and are driven up from the south, for they made that the southern one (dakshinâ). 'Let us improve it from here!' they said, and made it to be space. 'May we see this space!' they said; and it became this air, for that (air) is space; for even as the resting-place here in this world is clearly the earth, so the resting-place there in yonder world is clearly this air; and because, whilst being here on earth, one does not see that space, therefore people say, 'That space (or, yonder world) is invisible.'
11:1:6:2323. They then beheld the western quarter, and made it (to represent) hope,--wherefore it is only when 4, after going forwards (to the east), one
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obtains (his object) that he goes (back) to that (western) quarter; for they (the gods) made that (quarter to represent) hope. 'Let us improve it from here!' they said, and made it to be prosperity (or distinction). 'May we see this prosperity!' they said; and it became this earth, for this (earth) is indeed (the source of) prosperity; whence he who obtains most therefrom becomes the most prosperous.
11:1:6:2424. They then beheld the northern quarter, and made it the waters. 'Let us improve it from here!' they said, and made it (to represent) the law, for the waters are the law: hence whenever the waters come (down) to this (terrestrial) world everything here comes to be in accordance with the law; but whenever there is drought, then the stronger seizes upon the weaker, for the waters are the law.
11:1:6:2525. These then are eleven deities 1,--there are five fore-offerings, two butter-portions, the Svishtakrit, and three after-offerings:--
11:1:6:2626. These are eleven offerings,--it was, indeed, by these offerings that the gods gained these worlds, and these quarters; and in like manner does this (Sacrificer), by these offerings, gain these worlds, and these quarters.
11:1:6:2727. And the four Patnîsamyâgas are the four intermediate quarters; and, indeed, it was by the four Patnîsamyâgas that the gods gained the intermediate quarters; and by means of them this (Sacrificer) now gains the intermediate quarters.
p. 19
11:1:6:2828. And as to the Idâ,--thereby the gods gained food; and in like manner does this (Sacrificer) thereby gain food. This, then, is the completeness of the New and Full-moon sacrifices as regards the gods.
11:1:6:2929. Now as to the body:--there are in man these five breathings, not including the eyes; they are the five fore-offerings, and the two butter-portions are the eyes.
11:1:6:3030. The Svishtakrit is the same as this downward breathing; and because he offers that (oblation), as it were, apart from the other oblations 1, therefore all the breathings recoil from that breathing; and because for the Svishtakrit he cuts portions from all the sacrificial dishes, therefore everything that enters these (channels of the other) breathings meets in (the channel of) that breathing.
11:1:6:3131. The three after-offerings are the three male organs 2; and that which is the chief after-offering is, as it were, the chief organ. 'He should offer it without drawing breath 3,' they say, 'for thus it becomes unfailing for him.'
11:1:6:3232. He may, however, draw breath once, for that (organ) has one joint; but if it were jointless, it
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either would only stand erect, or it would hang down; whilst now it both becomes erect and hangs down: he may therefore draw breath once.
11:1:6:3333. The four Patnîsamyâgas are the two arms (or front legs) and the two thighs--the support, in fact 1; and the Idâ is this vital air (in the centre); and inasmuch as that (Idâ) is not offered in the fire, but remains as unburnt, therefore this (central) vital air is undivided.
11:1:6:3434. The invitatory and offering-formulas are the bone, and the offering-material is the flesh. The invitatory and offering-formulas are (in) measured metre, whence the bones of a fat and a lean person are alike: but inasmuch as he takes now more, now less, offering-material, therefore the flesh of a fat person is fat, and the flesh of a lean person is lean. This sacrifice he performs to any deity he pleases and for whom there is a sacrificial dish.
11:1:6:3535. Now, these are offerings from which nothing must be omitted; but were one to omit anything of them, it would be as if he were to break off some limb, or knock out some (channel of the) vital air. Other oblations, indeed, are either added to or omitted.
36. These, then, are sixteen offerings, for man consists of sixteen parts, and the sacrifice is the Man (Purusha): hence there are sixteen offerings.
Footnotes
12:1 Or, they toiled and became heated (with fervid devotion). For this cosmological legend, see J. Muir, Original Sanskrit Texts, iv, p. 24.14:1 Or, whosoever knows the 'all-stealing' power of the year.
15:1 Viz. Parganya, the rain-god, according to Sâyana.
15:2 Viz. officiating as his, Pragâpati's, priest.
16:1 Or, perhaps, raise it, bring it nearer. The St. Petersb. Dict. p. 17 takes 'upa-kurute' here in the sense of 'to cherish (hegen, pflegen);' Professor Delbrück, Altind. Syntax, p. 238, doubtfully in that of 'worship, revere (verehren);'--enâm prâkîm disam upetya itah param kurvîmahi kâryântaram srigemahi, Sây.
17:1 The particle 'khalu' might perhaps be rendered by 'really,' or--'could we but see it,' 'were it but (really) visible to us.'
17:2 That is, it was moved up to them.
17:3 See IV, 3, 4, 14.
17:4 It seems hardly possible to take 'yad--tena' here in the usual causal sense,--it is only because (or, inasmuch as) one obtains (one's object) after going forwards that one goes to the western quarter. What is implied, in any case, is that first some hope, or desire, is conceived the accomplishment of which is only brought about by a forward movement, or by action; and that success in attaining the object sought for is followed by the conception of fresh desires. For the same force of 'yad--tena' (when--then) see XI, 3, 3, 4-6.
18:1 Viz. the four quarters and the objects enumerated as represented by them.
19:1 See I, 7, 3, 21, where I would now translate, He offers apart (sideways), as it were, from the other oblations,--the oblation to Agni Svishtakrit being poured out on the north side of the fire, so as not to come in contact with the chief oblations and the butter-portions.
19:2 That is, including the testicles.
19:3 Or, rather,--at the third after-offering (viz. that to Agni Svishtakrit),--the Hotri should (according to some authorities) pronounce the offering-formula, which is considerably longer than those of the two other offerings, without making a pause; whilst others allow him to pause once.
20:1 Bâhudvayam ûrudvayam katvârah patnîsamyâgâh, atas te pratishthâtmakâh; ayam eva madhyamah prâna idâ, Sây
SEVENTH BRÂHMANA.
11:1:7:11. Now there, on the occasion of the entering on the fast, it is said 2, 'If he does not eat, he becomesp. 21
consecrated to the Fathers 1; and if he does eat he eats whilst passing over the gods;' and, in this respect, they lay down the rule, 'Let him therefore eat what grows in the forest.'
11:1:7:22. If he eats cultivated plants he eats the sacrificial essence of the offering-cake; and if he eats forest plants he eats the essence of the barhis 2; and if he eats aught of trees he eats the essence of the fuel (for the sacrificial fire); and if he drinks milk he consumes the essence of the Sânnâyya 3; and if he drinks water he consumes the essence of the lustral waters 4; and if he eats nothing he becomes consecrated to the Fathers.
11:1:7:33. As to this they say, 'What course of procedure is there?' Well, let him, on those two nights (of full and new moon), himself offer the Agnihotra: inasmuch as, after offering, he takes food he does not become consecrated to the Fathers, for that (libation) is an offering; and inasmuch as he performs that offering in his own self he does not eat of those sacrificial essences.
11:1:7:44. Now all the nights concentrate themselves in these two nights: all the nights of the waxing moon concentrate in the night of full moon, and all the nights of the waning moon concentrate in the night of new moon; and, verily, for him who, knowing this, offers (the Agnihotra) himself on the day of
p. 22
the entrance on the fast, offering is always made by himself 1.
Footnotes
20:2 See I, 1, 1, 9. 10.21:1 That is, he would be liable to die, and join the departed ancestors.
21:2 The layer of sacrificial grass spread on the Vedi, serving as a seat for the deities to whom offering is made.
21:3 For this dish, prepared of sweet and sour milk, and offered at the New-moon sacrifice, see part i, p. 178, note 4.
21:4 For the Pranîtâh, see I, 1, 1, 12.
22:1 That is to say, even though on other nights the Agnihotra were performed for him by a priest, it would always count as being performed by himself.
EIGHTH BRÂHMANA.
11:1:8:11. Now, the gods and the Asuras, both of them sprung from Pragâpati, once strove together. Then the Asuras, even through arrogance, thinking, 'Unto whom, forsooth, should we make offering?' went on offering into their own mouths. They came to naught, even through arrogance: wherefore let no one be arrogant, for verily arrogance is the cause of ruin 2.11:1:8:22. But the gods went on offering unto one another. Pragâpati gave himself up to them, and the sacrifice became theirs; for, indeed, the sacrifice is the food of the gods.
11:1:8:33. Having given himself up to the gods, he created that counterpart of himself, to wit, the sacrifice: whence people say, 'The sacrifice is Pragâpati;' for he created it as a counterpart of himself.
11:1:8:44. By this (Full and New-moon) sacrifice he redeemed himself from the gods. Now when he (the Sacrificer) enters on the fast, he thereby gives himself up to the gods, even as Pragâpati thereby gave himself up to the gods. Let him therefore endeavour to pass that night (with his mind) completely restrained 3, in the same way as he would
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proceed with (material for) an oblation, for he becomes an oblation to the gods.
11:1:8:55. And when (on the following day) he performs the sacrifice, then he redeems himself by sacrifice from the gods, even as Pragâpati thereby redeemed himself: when he takes out the material for (the chief) sacrificial dish, he redeems the sacrifice by the material for the sacrificial dish; the sacrificial dish (he redeems) by the invitatory formula, the invitatory formula by the portion cut (from the sacrificial dish), the portion by the offering-formula, the offering--formula by the Vashat-call, and the Vashat-call by the oblation. His oblation itself is still unredeemed,--
11:1:8:66. And that sacrifice of his is like a tree with its top broken off. He redeems the oblation by the Anvâhârya (mess of rice) 1; and because he thereby supplies (anv-â-harati) what is wanting in the sacrifice, therefore it is called Anvâhârya. Thus, then, that entire sacrifice of his comes to be redeemed; and that sacrifice becomes the Sacrificer's self in yonder world. And, verily, the Sacrificer who, knowing this, performs that (offering of) redemption comes into existence in yonder world with a complete body.
SECOND ADHYÂYA. FIRST BRÂHMANA.
11:2:1:11. Verily, man is born thrice, namely in this way:--first he is born from his mother and father; and when he to whom the sacrifice inclines performs offering he is born a second time; and when he dies, and they place him on the fire, and when hep. 24
thereupon comes into existence again, he is born a third time;--wherefore they say, 'Man is born thrice.'
11:2:1:22. He (the Hotri) recites those eleven kindling-verses 1,--there are these ten vital airs in man, and the body in which these vital airs are established is the eleventh,--so great, indeed, is man: he thus causes him to be born complete. And what comes after the kindling-verses that is the foundation: thus, having caused him to be born, he establishes him.
11:2:1:33. There are nine utterances of impulsion (or quickening) 2,--there are these nine vital airs in man: he thereby causes him to be born a second time; and the (Adhvaryu's) call and (the Âgnîdhra's) response 3 are the foundation. And when there, on the occasion of the throwing 4 (of the grass-bunch
p. 25
into the fire), birth is spoken of, he thereby causes him to be born a third time: on this occasion the Patnîsamyâgas 1 are the foundation.
11:2:1:44. For thrice, indeed, man is born, and it is just in this way that he causes him to be born thrice from the sacrifice. Of those eleven (kindling-verses) he recites thrice the first and last:--
11:2:1:55. This makes fifteen kindling-verses,--there are two libations of ghee (âghâra 2), five fore-offerings, the Idâ, three after-offerings, the Sûktavâka, and Samyorvâka 3--that makes thirteen oblations. And when there, at the Patnîsamyâgas, he takes up at the same time (the two spoons); and the Samishtayagus 4:--
11:2:1:66. That makes fifteen oblations:--for these fifteen oblations those fifteen kindling-verses (serve, as it were, as) invitatory formulas; and for these invitatory formulas these (serve as) offering-formulas--whatever formula (is used) there (at those oblations) and what Nigada (is used at the invocation of the Idâ 5) that is of the form of offering-formulas. Thereby, then, those oblations of his come to be supplied with invitatory formulas through those kindling-verses; and through those oblations those invitatory formulas come to be supplied with both offering-formulas and oblations.
Footnotes
24:1 See part i, p. 95 seqq.24:2 According to Sâyana, this refers either to the formula by which the Adhvaryu calls on the Hotri to recite the kindling-verses, and which, he says, consists of nine syllables (samidhyamânâyânubrûhi); or to nine preliminary formulas (forming a nigada) pronounced by the Hotri before the performance of the fore-offerings, see I, 5, 2, 1 seqq. These latter formulas are probably those intended by the author; the former formula being the less likely to be referred to, as, in its above form of nine syllables, it is indeed allowed to be used optionally by the Âpastambasûtra, but not by the authorities of the white Yagus, who use the formula '(Hotar) Agnaye samidhyamânâyânubrûhi;' see Sat. Br. I, 3, 5, 2. 3.
24:3 Viz. the two calls--'Om srâvaya' and 'Astu sraushat,' see part i, p. 132, note.
24:4 The word 'srishti' usually means 'creation,' but in accordance with the primary meaning of the verb 'srig,' it apparently refers here (as Sâyana seems to think) to the throwing of the anointed Prastara, as the representative of the Sacrificer, into the Âhavanîya fire, thus insuring for the Sacrificer his despatch to, and renewed life in, the heavenly world. With reference to p. 25 this throwing of the grass-bunch into the fire (I, 8, 3, 11 seq.; 9, 2, 19) some of the Sûtras use, indeed, the verb 'srig,' cf. Hillebrand, Das Altindische Neu- and Vollmondsopfer, p.146.
SECOND BRÂHMANA.
11:2:2:11. He recites a gâyatrî invitatory formula 1: the gâyatrî consisting of three feet, these worlds being three in number 2, it is these worlds the gods thereby established.11:2:2:22. He offers with a trishtubh (verse): the trishtubh consisting of four feet, and cattle being four-footed, it is cattle the gods thereby established in these established worlds.
11:2:2:33. The Vashat-call consists of two syllables (vaushat): man being two-footed; it is two-footed man they thereby established among the established cattle.
11:2:2:44. Two-footed man, then, is established here among cattle. In like manner this (Sacrificer) establishes thereby the worlds; and in the established worlds he establishes cattle, and among the established cattle he establishes himself: thus, indeed, is that man established among cattle, who, knowing this, offers sacrifice.
11:2:2:55. And when he offers, after the Vashat has been uttered,--that Vashat-call being yonder shining (sun), and he being the same as Death 3--he thereby consecrates him (the Sacrificer) after death, and causes him to be born from out of it, and he is
p. 27
delivered from that death. And the sacrifice, indeed, becomes his body: thus, having become the sacrifice, he is delivered from that death, and all his chief offerings are thereby delivered from that death 1.
11:2:2:66. And, verily, whatever offering he there performs, that offering becomes his body in yonder world; and when he who knows this departs this world then that offering, being behind him, calls out to him, 'Come hither, here I am, thy body;' and inasmuch as it calls out (invokes, âhvayati), it is called 'âhuti' (offering or invocation).
Footnotes
26:1 The anuvâkyâs recited prior to the principal oblations (pradhâna-havis) are in the gâyatrî metre; whilst the yâgyâs (referred to in the next paragraph), at the end of which the Vaushat! is uttered and the oblation poured into the fire, consist of trishtubh verses; cf. 1, 7, 2, 15.26:2 These inserted clauses with 'vai' supply the reason for what follows, not for what precedes, them.
26:3 See X, 5, 1, 4.
27:1 Viz. inasmuch as the oblation is made with the Vashat.
THIRD BRÂHMANA.
11:2:3:11. Verily, in the beginning, this (universe) was the Brahman (neut.) 2. It created the gods; and, having created the gods, it made them ascend these worlds: Agni this (terrestrial) world, Vâyu the air, and Sûrya the sky.11:2:3:22. And the deities who are above these he made ascend the worlds which are above these; and, indeed, just as these (three) worlds and these (three) deities are manifest, so are those (higher) worlds and those (higher) deities manifest--(the worlds) which he made those deities ascend.
11:2:3:33. Then the Brahman itself went up to the sphere beyond. Having gone up to the sphere beyond, it considered, 'How can I descend again into these worlds?' It then descended again by means of these two--Form and Name. Whatever has a name,
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that is name; and that again which has no name, and which one knows by its form, 'This is (of a certain) form,' that is form: as far as there are Form and Name so far, indeed, extends this (universe).
11:2:3:44. These, indeed, are the two great forces of the Brahman; and, verily, he who knows these two great forces of the Brahman becomes himself a great force.
11:2:3:55. These, indeed, are the two great manifestations 1 of the Brahman; and, verily, he who knows these two great manifestations of the Brahman becomes himself a great manifestation. One of these two is the greater, namely Form; for whatever is Name, is indeed Form; and, verily, he who knows the greater of these two, becomes greater than he whom he wishes to surpass in greatness.
11:2:3:66. In the beginning, indeed, the gods were mortal, and only when they had become possessed 2 of the Brahman they were immortal. Now, when he makes the libation to Mind 3--form being mind, inasmuch as it is by mind that one knows, 'This is form'--he thereby obtains Form; and when he makes the libation to Speech--name being speech, inasmuch as it is by speech that he seizes (mentions) the name--he thereby obtains Name;--as far as there are Form and Name, so far, indeed, extends this whole (universe): all this he obtains; and--the
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all being the imperishable--imperishable merit and the imperishable world thus accrue to him.
11:2:3:77. There, on the occasion of the offering to Agni 1, it has been told how the sacrifice then pleased the Rishis, and how they performed it. Now, when the Rishis were performing the sacrifice, the Gandharvas came nigh to them. They looked on, thinking, 'Here, surely, they have done too much,--here they have done too little.' And when their sacrifice was completed, they pointed it out to them, saying, 'Here, surely, ye have done too much,--here ye have done too little.'
11:2:3:88. Now, wherever they had done too much it was like a hill; and wherever they had done too little it was like a pit.
11:2:3:99. Now, when he pronounces the Samyos (all-hail and blessing), he touches (the earth 2) with (Vâg. S. II, 19), 'O Sacrifice, homage be unto thee: mayest thou complete thy course up to the success of the sacrifice and up to mine own right offering!' Wherever (in the course of the sacrifice) he has committed any excess, he makes amends for it by doing homage; and wherever he has left anything defective, it ceases to be defective by his saying, 'up to.' In saying, 'Mayest thou complete thy course up to the success of the sacrifice,'--success being whatever in the sacrifice is neither defective nor excessive--he thereby makes amends for both of these (mistakes); and in saying, 'Mayest thou complete thy
p. 30
course up to mine own right offering,'--right offering being whatever in the sacrifice is neither defective nor excessive--he thereby also makes amends for both of these (mistakes); and thus that sacrifice of his comes to be performed as one that is neither defective nor excessive by whosoever, knowing this, thus touches (the earth): let him therefore touch it just in this way. But, indeed, those Gandharvas were Yavamân (rich in barley), the winnowing-basket; Uddâlavân (rich in paspalum frumentaceum), husbandry; and Antarvân (the pregnant), grain 1.
Footnotes
27:2 On this speculative myth, see John Muir, Orig. S. Texts, vol. v, pp. 387-89.28:1 Or, phantasmagories, illusive representations.
28:2 The use of 'âp' with the instrumental (brahmanâ âpuh) is peculiar,--brahmanâ vyâptâh, Sây.
28:3 The two libations (âghâra) of ghee, forming the first oblations of an ishti, made on the newly kindled fire, are offered to Mind and Speech respectively; cf. part i, p. 224 seqq.
29:1 Sâyana explains this by 'âdhânakarane'; but the passage referred to occurs I, 6, 2, 3. 4, in connection with the first butter-portion (âgyabhâga), that of Agni.
29:2 Or, perhaps, the altar; see I, 9, 1, 29.
30:1 On these names, Sâyana merely remarks,--te gandharvâh sûrpâdibhâvam âpannâ babhûvuh, yavamân ityâdyâs teshâm samgñâh.--Mahîdhara, on the other hand, on Vâg. S. II, 19, makes them to be five names, Yavamat, Sûrpa (n.), Uddâlavat, Krishi (f.), and Dhânântarvat. This is very improbable; the last name, especially, being accented on the first syllable, showing it to be two words.
FOURTH BRÂHMANA.
11:2:4:11. The full moon, doubtless, is the same as that burning (sun), for he, indeed, is full day by day; and the new moon (darsa) is the same as the moon, for he appears (dars), as it were.11:2:4:22. But they also say inversely, 'The full moon is the same as the moon, for after the filling up of the latter there is the night of full moon;' and the new moon (darsa) is the same as that burning (sun), for the latter appears, as it were.
11:2:4:33. The full moon, indeed, is this (earth), for she is, as it were, full; and the new moon is yonder sky, for yonder sky appears (or, is seen), as it were.
11:2:4:44. The full moon, indeed, is the night, for this
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night is, as it were, full; and the new moon is the day, for this day appears, as it were. This, then, is the theory regarding the full and new moon in respect of the gods.
11:2:4:55. Then as to the body. The full moon is the up-breathing, for it is by the up-breathing 1 that this man is, as it were, filled; and the new moon is the out (and in)-breathing 2, for this out-breathing appears, as it were: thus, the full and new moon are these two, the eater and the giver of food.
11:2:4:66. The out (and in)-breathing (the mouth) is the eater of food, for by means of the out (and in)-breathing this food is eaten; and the up-breathing is the giver of food, for by the up-breathing 3 this food is given to him.
11:2:4:77. The full moon is the mind, for full, as it were, is this mind; and the new moon is speech, for this speech appears, as it were. Thus these two are clearly the full and new moon, as regards the body; and inasmuch as on the day of fasting he eats the (food) suitable for eating on the vow, he thereby clearly gratifies these two in regard to the body; and on the morrow (he gratifies them) as gods by sacrifice.
11:2:4:88. As to this they say,--'Seeing that no offering-material is taken out "for the full moon," nor any offering-material "for the new moon," and seeing that he does not say, "Recite the invitatory formula for the full moon," nor "Recite the invitatory formula
p. 32
for the new moon;" nor "Recite the offering-formula for the full moon," nor "Recite the offering-formula for the new moon," how, then, is offering made to this full and new moon?' Well, when he makes a libation of ghee to the Mind--the full moon being the Mind--he thereby makes offering to the full moon; and when he makes a libation of ghee to Speech--the new moon being Speech--he thereby makes offering to the new moon: and thus offering is made by him to the full and new moon.
11:2:4:99. Now, some prepare two messes of rice, one for Sarasvat on the full moon, and one for Sarasvatî on the new moon, saying, 'We thus clearly make offering to the full and new moon.' But let him not do this; for Sarasvat is the Mind, and Sarasvatî is Speech; and thus, in making libations of ghee to these two, offering is made by him to the full and new moon: let him therefore not prepare these two messes of rice.
11:2:4:1010. As to this they say, 'Surely, he who performs the Full and New-moon offerings becomes a (mere) utterer of the Âgur 1; for, when he has performed
p. 33
the Full-moon offering, he knows that he will perform the New-moon offering; and when he has performed the New-moon offering, he knows that he will again perform the Full-moon offering; thus when he goes to the other world he goes thither as an utterer of the Âgur: how, then, does he become one who has not (merely) uttered the Âgur?' Well, when, on both occasions, he makes those two libations of ghee (to Mind and Speech), then his Full and New-moon offerings become complete; and he goes to the other world after his Full and New-moon offerings are completed, and thus becomes one who has not (merely) uttered the Âgur.
Footnotes
31:1 The udâna is explained by Sâyana as the breath passing (up into the head, and) through the nose.31:2 The prâna is the breath of the mouth.
31:3 That is, by (the vital air of) the head (hence of the eyes, ears, &c.).
32:1 Or, one who has only had the Âgur-formulas uttered for him (by the priests). Âgur is the technical term of two formulas, viz. of the formula '(Agnim) yaga' (recite the offering-formula to Agni, or to whatever deity offering is made), by which the Adhvaryu calls on the Hotri to recite; and of the formula 'Ye yagâmahe (Agnim),' by which the Hotri introduces the yâgyâ, or offering-verse. At the Soma-sacrifice the former formula is modified to 'Hotâ yakshat,' uttered by the Maitrâvaruna priest. See Haug, Transl. of Ait. Br., p. 133, note.--In comparing these Âgur-formulas with the performances of the Full and New-moon offerings, the author thus seems to imply that, just as the utterance of these formulas is merely the preliminary to the oblation itself, so each fortnightly p. 33 performance is only the preliminary to the next performance; but that the Sacrificer never actually completes the sacrifice. Sâyana, on the other hand, takes 'âgûrtin' to mean 'one who has formed a resolution (âgûrta, âguranam = samkalpa);' and native dictionaries, indeed, give 'âgur' as a synonym of 'pratigñâ' (promise, agreement; Zuruf, Zusage). But, even if this were the right meaning of the word, the general drift of the passage would remain the same, viz. that such a sacrificer would ultimately die as one who had merely promised or intended to offer sacrifice, without his having actually performed it, or brought it to a proper conclusion, and thus without reaping the ultimate benefit from it, viz. citizenship in the heavenly abodes.
FIFTH BRÂHMANA.
11:2:5:11. And, verily, even on this occasion 1, they slaughter the sacrificial horse (Asvamedha) as a sacrifice to the gods: of this (New and Full-moon sacrifice) they say, 'It is the original (normal) Asvamedha;' and that (real Asvamedha), indeed, is just the other (modified one); for, indeed, the Asvamedha is the same as the moon.p. 34
11:2:5:22. As to this, they say, 'For each foot of the sacrificial horse they offer an oblation;'--when he performs the Agnihotra in the evening and morning, he offers two oblations in the evening, and two in the morning--that makes four oblations: thus--the horse being four-footed--an oblation is offered for each of its feet.
11:2:5:33. As to this, they say, 'On the starting off of the horse he performs an offering 1; for the moon, doubtless, is the same as King Soma, the food of the gods: when, during that night (of new moon), he does not appear either in the east or in the west, then he comes to this world, and starts for this world 2.'
11:2:5:44. Now, when he performs the New-moon sacrifice, he thereby performs the (same) offering (as) on the starting of that (horse), and when he performs the Full-moon sacrifice he slaughters the sacrificial horse itself, and, having slaughtered it, he presents it to the gods. The other (real) horse-sacrifice they indeed perform (only) a year after (the starting offering), but this month (of the Full and New-moon sacrifice), revolving, makes up a year 3: thus the sacrificial horse comes to be slaughtered for him year after year.
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11:2:5:55. Verily, then, for him who, knowing this, offers both the Agnihotra and the Full and New-moon sacrifices, they slaughter the sacrificial horse month by month; and month by month the Asvamedha is offered for him, and his Agnihotra and Full and New-moon sacrifices come to pass into the Asvamedha.
Footnotes
33:1 Viz. in performing the Full and New-moon sacrifice, for which all the benefits accruing from the Asvamedha are here claimed.34:1 According to Âsv. X, 6, 2 seqq., having chosen the horse to be sacrificed, he performs two ishtis, to Agni Mûrdhanvat and Pûshan; whereupon he sets free the horse, and for a year performs three ishtis daily at the three pressings, viz. to Savitri Satyaprasava, Prasavitri, and Âsavitri.
34:2 Or, he disappears in this world; the same verb (vi-vrit) being used for the disappearance as for the starting off of the horse when set free.
34:3 The syntactic construction of the last two sentences is that frequently alluded to before, viz. that of parenthetic causal clauses.
SIXTH BRÂHMANA.
11:2:6:11. The Pranîtâ water, doubtless, is the head of the sacrifice 1; and when he leads forward the Pranîtâ water, it is the head of the sacrifice he thereby forms, and he should know that it is that head of his own that is then being formed.11:2:6:22. The fuel, indeed, is its breath (of the mouth), for it is by the breath that everything here is kindled (animated) that has breath and moves twinkling with its eyelids: let him know that it is he himself that is that fuel.
11:2:6:33. The kindling-verses, indeed, are its spine: let him therefore say (to the Hotri.) regarding them, 'Recite for me, making them, as it were, continuous 2;' for continuous, as it were, is this spinal column. And the two libations of ghee are its mind and speech, Sarasvat and Sarasvatî 3: let
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him know that the two libations of ghee are his mind and speech, Sarasvat and Sarasvatî.
11:2:6:44. The five fore-offerings are these its five (outlets of the) vital airs in the head;--the first fore-offering is its mouth, the second the right nostril, the third the left nostril, the fourth the right ear, and the fifth the left ear. And inasmuch as at the fourth fore-offering he pours together (the ghee 1), therefore this ear is, on the inner side, connected by a channel (with the other). The two butter-portions are the eyes: let him know that these are his own eyes.
11:2:6:55. And that cake which is offered to Agni is its right flank; and the low-voiced offering is its heart; and inasmuch as they perform this in a low voice, this heart is, as it were, in secret.
11:2:6:66. And that cake which is offered to Agni and Soma (at full moon), or Indra's Sânnâyya (at new moon), is its left flank; the Svishtakrit is that part between its shoulders; and the (Brahman's) fore-portion 2 is the poison 3.
11:2:6:77. And when he cuts off the fore-portion,---even as there they cut out what was injured 4 in Pragâpati, so do they now thereby cut out what in this (body) is clogged and hardened, and affected by Varuna
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let him know that, as there they cut out what was injured in Pragâpati, so they now cut out what in him is clogged and hardened and affected by Varuna.
11:2:6:88. The Idâ, indeed, is the belly: even as there, at (the invocation of) the Idâ 1 they cut off portions (and put them) together, so now food, of all kinds is put together in the belly.
11:2:6:99. The three after-offerings are these its three downward breathings; and the Sûktavâka and Samyorvâka its arms (or fore-feet); the four Patnîsamyâgas the four supports--the two thighs and the two knee-bones; and the Samishtayagus is the two (hind) feet.
11:2:6:1010. These are twenty-one offerings;--two libations of ghee, five fore-offerings, two butter-portions, and Agni's cake: this makes ten; Agni and Soma's low-voiced offering, Agni and Soma's cake, the Agni Svishtakrit, the Idâ, three after-offerings, the Sûktavâka, the Samyorvâka, further his seizing (the two spoons) at the same time there at the Patnîsamyâgas 2 and (last) the Samishtayagus.
11:2:6:1111. These are twenty-one offerings,--there are twelve months and five seasons in a year; and three worlds--that makes twenty; and yonder burning (sun) is the twenty-first--that is the goal 3, that the resting-place: he thus reaches that goal, that resting-place.
11:2:6:1212. Now, as to this Âruni said, 'Every half-month, indeed, I become a sharer of the same world with yonder sun: that is the perfection of the Full and New-moon sacrifices which I know.'
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11:2:6:1313. As to this they ask, 'Who is the better one, the self-offerer, or the god-offerer?' Let him say, 'The self-offerer;' for a self-offerer, doubtless, is he who knows, 'This my (new) body is formed by that (body of Yagña, the sacrifice), this my (new) body is procured 1 thereby.' And even as a snake frees itself from its skin, so does he free himself from his mortal body, from sin; and made up of the Rik, the Yagus, the Sâman, and of offerings, does he pass on to the heavenly world.
11:2:6:1414. And a god-offerer, doubtless, is he who knows, 'I am now offering sacrifice to the gods, I am serving the gods,'--such a one is like an inferior who brings tribute to his superior, or like a man of the people who brings tribute to the king: verily, he does not win such a place (in heaven) as the other.
Footnotes
35:1 Yagña, the sacrifice, is here, as so often, to be understood as the abstract representation of the victim (here the horse), as well as of the Purusha,--i.e. Pragâpati, and the Sacrificer.35:2 The kindling-verses, being in the Gâyatrî metre, consist of three octosyllabic pâdas each. Whilst after each verse a kindling-stick (samidh) is thrown into the fire by the Adhvaryu, the Hotri does not make any pause in his recitation at this point, but he does so after the second pâda of each verse, thus connecting the last pâda with the first two pâdas of the next verse.
35:3 See XI, 2, 5, 9 (There doesn't appear to be such a paragraph--JBH).
36:1 See I, 5, 3, 16.
36:2 See I, 7, 4, 10 seqq.
36:3 Instead of 'visham,' the MS. of Sâyana's commentary reads 'dvishan' (hater, enemy), which is explained as meaning 'satrubuddhi'; the cutting out' of the fore-portion being compared with the annihilation of enemies (satrunirasanârtham),--all this is, however, manifestly fanciful. What is intended would seem to be the poison (real or figurative) caused by the enemies’ (or Rudra's, or Varuna's) shafts, in accordance with the myth regarding Pragâpati and his daughter, I, 7, 4, 1 seqq.
36:4 Literally, what was pierced (by an arrow), cf. I, 7, 4, 3. 9.
37:1 See I, 8, 1, 12 seqq.
37:2 See I, 9, 2, 19.
37:3 Saishâ sûryarûpaiva gatih gantavyabhûmih; eshaiva pratishthâ kritsnaphalasyâsrayah, Sây.
38:1 Upadhîyate upasthâpyate, Sây.
SEVENTH BRÂHMANA.
11:2:7:11. The Sacrifice is the Year; and, verily, sacrifice is offered at the end of the year of him whoso knows that the sacrifice is the year; and all that is done in the year comes to be gained, secured, and won for him.11:2:7:22. The officiating priests are the seasons; and, verily, sacrifice is offered at the end of the seasons of him whoso knows that the officiating priests are the seasons; and all that is done in the seasons comes to be gained, secured, and won for him.
11:2:7:33. The oblations are the months; and, verily, sacrifice is offered at the end of the months of him whoso knows that the oblations are the months;
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and all that is done in the months comes to be gained, secured, and won for him.
11:2:7:44. The oblation-vessels are the half-months; and, verily, sacrifice is offered at the end of the half-months of him whoso knows that the oblation-vessels are the half-months; and all that is done in the half-months comes to be gained, secured, and won for him.
11:2:7:55. The two attendants 1 are the day and night; and, verily, sacrifice is offered at the end of the day and night of him whoso knows that the two attendants are the day and night; and all that is done in the day and night comes to be gained, secured, and won for him.
11:2:7:66. The first kindling-verse is this (earth), the second the fire, the third the wind, the fourth the air, the fifth the sky, the sixth the sun, the seventh the moon, the eighth the mind, the ninth speech, the tenth fervid devotion, and the eleventh the Brahman; for it is these that kindle all this (universe), and by them all this (universe) is kindled, whence they are called kindling-verses.
11:2:7:77. Thrice he recites the first (kindling-verse): by reciting it the first time he gains the eastern region, by the second time he gains the southern region, and by the third time he gains the upper region.
11:2:7:88. And thrice he recites the last (verse): by reciting it the first time he gains the western region, by the second time he gains the northern region, by the third time he gains this same (earth as a) resting-place;
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and by those (kindling-verses) he thus gains these worlds, and these regions.
11:2:7:99. The first libation of ghee is the sacred law, and the second the truth; and, verily, he secures for himself law and truth, and whatsoever is to be gained by law and truth all that he now gains.
11:2:7:1010. The first fore-offering is brilliance, the second honour, the third fame, the fourth holy lustre, the fifth food (prosperity).
11:2:7:1111. After the first fore-offering let him utter (the anumantrana 1), 'May I become brilliant;' after the second, 'May I become honoured; after the third, 'May I become glorious;' after the fourth, 'May I become endowed with holy lustre;' after the fifth, 'May I become prosperous;'--and, verily, whosoever knows this becomes brilliant, and honoured, and glorious, and endowed with holy lustre, and prosperous.
11:2:7:1212. Now, Svetaketu Âruneya 2, who knew this, said once, 'To him who will thus know that glory of the fore-offerings, people will in days to come be flocking from all sides as if wishing to see some great serpent.'
11:2:7:1313. The first butter-portion, doubtless, is the past, and the second the future: verily, he secures for himself both the past and the future; and whatever is to be gained by the past and the future, all that he now gains.
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11:2:7:1414. The cake offered to Agni is the Brahman (priesthood); and, verily, whosoever knows Agni's cake to be the priesthood secures for himself the priesthood; and whatever is to be gained by the priesthood all that he now gains.
11:2:7:1515. The low-voiced offering is the Kshatra (nobility); and, verily, whosoever knows the low-voiced offering to be the nobility secures for himself the nobility; and whatever is to be gained by the nobility all that he now gains. And inasmuch as some perform the low-voiced offering, and others do not. therefore people speak (give information) to the noble both in a loud voice and in a low voice.
11:2:7:1616. The second cake is the Vis (people); and, verily, whosoever knows the second cake to be the people secures for himself the people; and whatever is to be gained by the people all that he gains. And inasmuch as Agni's cake and the low-voiced offering come first therefore the priesthood and nobility are established upon the people.
11:2:7:1717. The Sânnâyya 1 is royal dignity; and, verily, whosoever knows the Sânnâyya to be royal dignity secures for himself royal dignity; and whatever is to be gained by royal dignity all that he gains. And inasmuch as some pour (sweet and sour milk) together 2, and others do not, therefore the royal dignity both (combines) together and (keeps) asunder 3.
11:2:7:1818. The Svishtakrit is fervid devotion; and, verily, whosoever knows the Svishtakrit to be fervid devotion
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secures for himself fervid devotion; and whatever is to be gained by fervid devotion all that he now gains.
11:2:7:1919. The fore-portion is the place (in heaven); and, verily, whosoever knows the fore-portion to be the place (in heaven) secures for himself the place (in heaven); and whatever is to be gained by the place (in heaven) all that he now gains; and, indeed, he does not by ever so little fall from his place, for it is by ever so little that in yonder world men fall from their place; and whosoever knows this does not fall from his place however much evil he may have done.
11:2:7:2020. The Idâ is faith; and, verily, whosoever knows the Idâ to be faith secures for himself faith, and whatever is to be gained by faith all that he now gains.
11:2:7:2121. The first after-offering is the thunderbolt, the second the hail-stone, the third the (heavenly) firebrand (meteor).
11:2:7:2222. After the first after-offering let him utter (the anumantrana), 'O thunderbolt, smite N.N.!' (naming) him whom he hates; after the second, O hail-stone, smite N.N.!' after the third, 'O firebrand, smite N.N.!'
11:2:7:2323. And if such a one dies suddenly, then, indeed, it is that after-offering, the thunderbolt, that smites him; and if he is, as it were, covered with out-flowing (blood), then it is that after-offering, the hail-stone, that smites him; and if he is, as it were, covered with scorching, then it is that after-offering, the (heavenly) firebrand, that smites him.
11:2:7:2424. Such is the bolt of the sacrifice: it was by that bolt, indeed, that the gods overcame the Asuras;
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and in like manner does the Sacrificer who knows this overcome his wicked, spiteful enemy.
11:2:7:2525. And if the sacrifice were to end with after-offerings, then it would end with the thunderbolt, the hail-stone, and the (heavenly) firebrand: therefore the sacrifice of the gods ends either with the Idâ or with the Samyos.
11:2:7:2626. By the fore-offerings, indeed, the gods reached the world of heaven. The Asuras tried to get thither after them; and by the after-offerings they (the gods) drove them back: thus, when the after-offerings are performed, the Sacrificer drives back his wicked, spiteful enemy.
11:2:7:2727. The fore-offerings, indeed, are the out-breathings 1, and the after-offerings the off-breathings wherefore the fore-offerings are poured out in a forward direction 2, for that is the form of the out-breathing; and the after-offerings (are poured out) in a backward direction 3, for that is the form of the off-breathing. The after-offerings, indeed, are the Upasads 4 of the
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[paragraph continues] Full and New-moon sacrifices, whence they are performed in a backward direction after the manner of the Upasads.
11:2:7:2828. The Sûktavâka is the completion; and, verily, whosoever knows the Sûktavâka to be the completion secures for himself the completion; and whatever is to be gained by the completion all that he now gains: he obtains the completion of his (full) lifetime.
11:2:7:2929. The Samyorvâka is the resting-place; and, verily, whosoever knows the Samyuvâka to be the resting-place secures for himself a resting-place; and whatever is to be gained by a resting-place all that he now gains: he reaches a resting-place.
11:2:7:3030. The gods fortified the Patnîsamyâgas by a mound from behind 1, and placed a couple thereon for the sake of procreation: thus when the Patnîsamyâgas are performed, he places a couple thereon for the sake of procreation; for, indeed, after the procreation of the gods offspring is produced, and offspring is produced by pair after pair (of men and beasts) for him who knows this.
11:2:7:3131. The Samishtayagus is food; and, verily, whosoever knows the Samishtayagus to be food secures for himself food; and whatever is to be gained by food all that he now gains.
11:2:7:3232. The Sacrificer is the Year; and the Seasons officiate for him. The Âgnîdhra is the Spring,
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whence forest-fires take place in spring, for that is a form of Agni. The Adhvaryu is the Summer, for summer is, as it were, scorched; and the Adhvaryu comes forth (from the sacrificial ground) like something scorched 1. The Udgâtri is the Rainy season; whence, when it rains hard, a sound as that of a chant is produced. 'The Brahman is the Autumn; whence, when the corn ripens, they say, 'The creatures are rich in growth (brahmanvat).' The Hotri is the Winter, whence in winter cattle waste away, having the Vashat uttered over them. These, then, are the divinities that officiate for him; and even if Aishâvîrâh 2 were to officiate for him, let him think in his mind of those divinities, and those deities, indeed, officiate for him.
11:2:7:3333. Now, as to that balance, the right (south) edge of the Vedi 3. Whatever good deed man does that is inside the Vedi; and whatever evil deed he does that is outside the Vedi. Let him therefore sit down, touching the right edge of the Vedi; for, indeed, they place him on the balance in yonder world; and whichever of the two will rise 4 that he will follow, whether it be the good or the evil. And, verily, whosoever knows this, mounts the balance even in this world, and escapes being placed on the balance in yonder world; for his good deed rises, and not his evil deed.
Footnotes
39:1 Sâyana seems to take the two attendants (pariveshtrî, preparers or servers-up of food) to mean the pair of fire-tongs (dhrishtî):--ye pariveshana-sâdhane dhrishtî tayor ahorâtrabuddhim vidhatte.40:1 Each of the offering-formulas of the Prayâgas has after it the anumantrana 'might is speech, might is energy, in me the in-breathing and off-breathing;' which, according to our paragraph (and Kâty. III, 3, 5), is to be supplemented by these special prayers.
40:2 See X, 3, 4, 1, with note.
41:1 For this sacrificial dish of the New-moor sacrifice, prepared from fresh milk and sour curds, see part i, p. 178, note 4.
41:2 That is, they prepare the Sânnâyya.
41:3 That is to say, different kings either combine or keep separate from each other.
43:1 That is, the breath (out and in-breathing) of the mouth (prâna), in comparing which with the fore-offerings (prayâga) the stress is laid on the preposition 'pra.'
43:2 According to Kâty. III, 2, 18 seqq., the five prayâga libations are to be made either on the part of the fire burning the brightest, or so that each subsequent libation is poured further east of the preceding one.
43:3 According to Kâty. III, 5, 10, the three anuyâga libations are to be made on the forepart, the middle, and the back (western) part of a burning log respectively.
43:4 For the three days’ libations, called Upasadah (homages or sieges), at the Soma-sacrifice, see part ii, p. 104 seqq. I do not quite understand the reference to the 'backward direction' (pratyagapavargatvam vopasad-dharmah, Sây.) of the Upasads, unless it be that the libations are offered to Agni, Soma and Vishnu, who are compared with the point, barb and socket (?) of an arrow p. 44 respectively (III, 4, 4, 14), or that in filling the spoons with ghee, the procedure is the reverse of that usually followed (III, 4, 4, 7. 8).
44:1 The Patnîsamyâgas (by which offering is made to Soma, Tvashtri, and Agni, along with the wives of the gods) are performed on the Gârhapatya fire, and hence at the back (western) part of the sacrificial ground where the Sacrificer's wife is seated. For the symbolical import of the rite see I, 9, 2, 5.
45:1 Viz. from his constant attendance on the sacrificial fires.
45:2 According to Sâyana, Eshavîra is the name of a Brâhmanical family held in general contempt. See Weber, Ind. Stud. I, p. 228.
45:3 That is, the altar-ground covered with sacrificial grass, serving as a seat for the gods.
45:4 Literally, will force down (the other). On this ordeal see E. Schlagintweit, Die Gottesurtheile der Indier, Nachträge; A. Weber, Ind. Streifen I, p. 21; II, p. 363.
(My humble salutations to the translator Sreeman Julius Eggeling for the collection)
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