The Satapatha- Brahmana - First Kanda - First Adhyaya - Fourth Brahmana, Second Adhyaya - First to fifth Brahman and Third Adhyaya - First Brahmana

The Satapatha Brahmana

 

translated by Julius Eggeling

THE SATAPATHA-BRÂHMANA

ACCORDING TO THE TEXT OF THE MÂDHYANDINA SCHOOL

Translated by

Julius Eggeling

SATAPATHA-BRÂHMANA.

FIRST KÂNDA.

Part I

FOURTH BRÂHMANA.

1:1:4:11. He now takes the black antelope skin 2, for completeness of the sacrifice. For once upon a time the sacrifice escaped the gods, and having become a black antelope roamed about. The gods having thereupon found it and stripped it of its skin, they brought it (the skin) away with them.
p. 24
1:1:4:22. Its white and black hairs represent the Rik-verses and the Sâman-verses; to wit, the white the Sâman and the black the Rik; or conversely, the black the Sâman and the white the Rik. The brown and the yellow ones, on the other hand, represent the Yagus-texts.
1:1:4:33. Now this same threefold science is the sacrifice; that manifold form, that (varying) colour of this (science) is what is (represented by) this black antelope skin. For the completeness of the sacrifice (he takes the skin): hence the rite of initiation (for the Soma-sacrifice) is likewise performed on the black antelope skin;--for the completion of the sacrifice: hence it is also used for husking and bruising (the rice) on, in order that nothing of the oblation may get spilt; and that, if any grain or flour should now be spilt on it, the sacrifice would still remain securely established in the sacrifice. For this reason it is used for husking and bruising upon.
1:1:4:44. He thus takes the black antelope skin, with the text (Vâg. S: I, 14 a): 'Bliss-bestowing (sarman) art thou!' For karman ('hide') is the name of that (skin of the) black deer used among men, but sarman (bliss) is (that used) among the gods; and for this reason he says, 'Bliss-bestowing art thou!' He shakes it, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 14 b), 'Shaken off is the Rakshas, shaken off are the enemies!' whereby he repels from it the evil spirits, the Rakshas. He shakes it whilst holding it apart from the vessels 1; whereby he shakes off whatever impure matter there may have been on it.
p. 25
1:1:4:55. He spreads it (on the ground with the hairy side upwards, and) with its neck-part turned to the west 1, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 14 c): 'The skin of Aditi art thou! May Aditi acknowledge thee!' For Aditi is this earth, and whatever is on her, that serves as a skin to her: for this reason he says, 'The skin of Aditi art thou!' And 'may Aditi acknowledge thee!' he says, because one who is related (to another) acknowledges (him). Thereby he establishes a mutual understanding between her and the black antelope skin, (thinking) 'they will not hurt each other.' While it is still being held down with his left hand,--
1:1:4:66. He at once takes the mortar with his right hand, fearing lest the evil spirits, the Rakshas, might rush in here in the meantime. For the priest (brâhmana) 2 is the repeller of the Rakshas: therefore, whilst it is still being held down with his left hand,--
1:1:4:77. He puts the mortar (on it), with the text (Vâg. S. I, 14 d, e): 'A wooden stone (adri) art thou!'
p. 26
or 'A broad-bottomed stone (grâvan) art thou!' For, just as there (in the Soma-sacrifice) they press king Soma out with stones (grâvan), thus here also he prepares the oblation (haviryagña) by means of the mortar and pestle, and the large and small mill-stones 1. Now 'stones (adrayah)' is the common name of these, and therefore he says, 'a stone art thou.' And 'wooden,' he calls it, because this one (the mortar) really is made of wood 2. Or, he says, 'a broad-bottomed stone (grâvan) art thou,' because it is both a stone and broad-bottomed. He adds: 'May Aditi's skin acknowledge (receive) thee!' whereby he establishes a mutual understanding between it (the mortar) and the black antelope skin, thinking: 'they will not injure each other.'
1:1:4:88. He then pours the (two portions of) rice (from the winnowing basket into the mortar), with the text (Vâg. S. I, 15 a): 'Thou art the body of Agni, thou the releaser of speech!' For it is (material for) sacrifice, and hence (by being offered in the fire) it becomes Agni's body. 'The releaser of speech,' he adds, because he now releases that speech which he restrained when he was about to take the rice (from the cart). The reason why he now releases his speech, is that the sacrifice has now obtained a firm footing in the mortar, that it has become diffused; and for this reason he says, 'the releaser of speech!'
p. 27
1:1:4:99. Should he, however (by some accident), utter any human sound before this time, let him in that case mutter some Rik or Yagus-text addressed to Vishnu 1; for Vishnu is the sacrifice, so that he thereby again obtains a hold on the sacrifice, and penance is thereby done by him (for not keeping silent). He adds: 'For the pleasure of the gods I seize thee!' for the oblation is taken with the intention 'that it shall gladden the gods.'
1:1:4:1010. He now takes the pestle, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 14 b), 'A large, wooden stone art thou!' for it is a large stone, and made of wood, too. He thrusts it down, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 14 c), 'Do thou prepare this oblation for the gods 2! do thou prepare it thoroughly!' thereby saying, 'Get this oblation ready for the gods! get it quite ready!'
1:1:4:1111. He then calls the Havishkrit 3 (preparer of the sacrificial food), 'Havishkrit, come hither! Havishkrit, come hither!' The Havishkrit 4 no doubt is speech, so that he thereby frees speech from
p. 28
restraint. And speech, moreover, represents sacrifice 1, so that he thereby again calls the sacrifice to him.
1:1:4:1212. Now there are four different forms of this call, viz. 'come hither (ehi)!' in the case of a Brâhman; 'approach (âgahi)!' and 'hasten hither (âdrava)!' in the case of a Vaisya and a member of the military caste (râganyabandhu 2); and 'run hither (âdhâva)!' in that of a Sûdra. On this occasion he uses the call that belongs to a Brâhman, because that one is best adapted for a sacrifice, and is besides the most gentle:. let him therefore say, 'come hither (ehi)!'
1:1:4:1313. Now in former times it was no other than the wife (of the sacrificer) who rose at this (call, to act) as Havishkrit; therefore now also (she or) some one (priest) 3 rises in answer to this call. And at the time when he (the Adhvaryu) calls the Havishkrit, one of the priests 4 beats the two mill-stones.
p. 29
[paragraph continues] The reason why they produce this discordant noise, is this:
1:1:4:1414. Manu was in possession of a bull 1. Into him had entered an Asura-killing, foe-killing voice; and by his snorting and roaring the Asuras and Rakshas were continually being crushed. Thereupon the Asuras said to one another: 'Evil, alas! this bull inflicts upon us! how can we possibly destroy him?' Now Kilâta and Âkuli were the two priests (brahman) of the Asuras.
1:1:4:1515. These two said, 'God-fearing, they say, is Manu: let us two then ascertain!' They then went to him and said: 'Manu! we will sacrifice for thee!' He said: 'Wherewith?' They said: 'With this bull!' He said: 'So be it!' On his (the bull's) being killed the voice went from him.
1:1:4:1616. It entered into Manâvî, the wife of Manu; and when they heard her speak, the Asuras and Rakshas were continually being crushed. Thereupon the Asuras said to one another: 'Hereby even greater evil is inflicted on us, for the human voice speaks more!' Kilâta and Âkuli then said: 'God-fearing, they say, is Manu: let us then ascertain!' They went to him and said: 'Manu! we will sacrifice for thee!' He said: 'Wherewith?'
p. 30
[paragraph continues] They said: 'With this thy wife!' He said: 'So be it!' And on her being killed that voice went from her.
1:1:4:1717. It entered into the sacrifice itself, into the sacrificial vessels; and thence those two (Asura priests) were unable to expel it. This same Asura-killing, foe-killing voice sounds forth (from the millstones when they are beaten with the wedge). And for whomsoever that knows this, they produce this discordant noise on the present occasion, his enemies are rendered very miserable.
1:1:4:1818. He beats the mill-stones with the wedge, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 16 a): 'A honey-tongued cock (kukkuta 1) art thou (O wedge)!' For honey-tongued indeed was he (the bull) for the gods, and poison-tongued for the Asuras: hence he thereby says: 'What thou wert for the gods, that be thou for us!' He adds: 'Sap and strength do thou call hither! with thy help may we conquer in every battle!' In these words there is nothing that is obscure.
1:1:4:1919. Thereupon 2 he (the Adhvaryu) takes the winnowing basket, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 14 b): 'Rain-grown art thou!' For rain-grown it is indeed, whether it be made of reeds or of cane or of rushes, since it is the rain that makes these grow.
p. 31
1:1:4:2020. He then pours out the (threshed) rice (from the mortar into the winnowing basket), with the text (Vâg. S. I, 16 c): 'May the rain-grown acknowledge (receive) thee!' For rain-grown also are these (grains), whether they be rice or barley, since it is the rain that makes them grow. By these words he establishes an understanding between them and the winnowing basket, in the hope 'that they will not injure each other.'
1:1:4:2121. He now winnows (the rice), with the text (Vâg. S. I, 16 d): 'Cleared off is the Rakshas! cleared off are the evil-doers!' The husks (which have fallen on the ground) he throws away 1, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 16 e), 'Expelled is the Rakshas!' for those evil spirits, the Rakshas, he thereby expels.
1:1:4:2222. He then separates (the husked grains from the unhusked), with the text (Vâg. S. I, 16 f): 'May the wind separate you!' For it is that wind (which is produced by the winnowing) which here purifies (or blows, pavate); and it is the wind that separates everything here (on earth) that undergoes separation: therefore it also separates here those (two kinds of grain) from each other. Now when they are undergoing this process, and whilst he is separating 2 (the husked, so as to drop them into a pot),--
p. 32
1:1:4:2323. He addresses (those in the pot) thus (Vâg. S. I, 16 g): 'May the divine Savitri, the golden-handed, receive you with a flawless 1 hand!' By this he says: 'May they be well received!' He then cleans them thrice 2; for threefold is the sacrifice.
1:1:4:2424. Here now some clean them with the formula: 'For the gods get clean! for the gods get clean!' But let him not do so: for this oblation is intended for some particular deity; and if he were to say, 'For the gods get clean!' he would make it one intended for all the deities, and would thereby raise a quarrel among the deities. Let him therefore do the cleaning silently!

Footnotes

23:1 After he has done the sprinkling, he puts the remaining water away in some place where nobody is allowed to walk [as between the pranîtâs and the Âhavanîya; or (according to Âpastamba) before, or east of, the Gârhapatya, since nobody is allowed to pass between the Gârhapatya and Âhavanîya. The two strainers also remain in the sprinkling water]. Kâty. Sr. II, 3, 40.
23:2 The skin of the black antelope may be regarded as one of the symbols of Brâhmanical worship and civilisation. Thus it is said in Manu II, 22-23: 'That which lies between these two mountain ranges (the Himâlaya and the Vindhya), from the eastern to the western ocean, the wise know as Âryâvarta (the land of the Âryas). Where the black antelope naturally roams about, that should be known as the land suitable for sacrifice; what lies beyond that is the country of the Mlekkhas (barbarians).'
24:1 According to some exegetes the Adhvaryu himself must step beyond (i.e. aside from) the vessels when he shakes the skin; according to others, he should not move, but only hold the skin p. 25 apart from the vessels, so that no impure matter should fall on them. Some also maintain that the skin should only be shaken once, whilst others think it should be done three times. Cf. Kâty. Sr. II, 4, 2. Schol.
25:1 Special mention is here made of this feature, since as a rule (Kâty. I, 10, 4) the skin is spread with its neck-part turned eastwards. He lays it down on the north side of the sacrificial ground, either west of the utkara (the mound formed by the earth dug out in constructing the altar, and by other rubbish) or exactly north of the Gârhapatya. Schol. on Kâty. II, 4, 3.
25:2 Only a Brâhman can perform sacrifice. If, as is permitted in certain ceremonies, a Kshatriya or Vaisya officiates, he, as it were, becomes a Brâhman (and is addressed as such) for the occasion, by means of the dîkshâ, or rite of initiation. Cf. Sat. Br. III, 2, I, 39; XIII, 4, 1, 3.
26:1 Here, as in I, 5, 2, 11 (haviryagñe ’tha saumye ’dhvare), we have the simple division of the Srauta-sacrifices into oblations (of ghee, milk, rice, barley, &c.) and libations (of Soma). More usually the pasubandhu, or animal-sacrifice, is added as a third division. See also I, 7, 2, 10.
26:2 The mortar (ulûkhala) and pestle (musala) are to be made of very hard wood, viz. both of varana wood (Cratæga Roxburghii), or the mortar of palâsa wood (Butea Frondosa), and the pestle of p. 27 khadira wood (Acacia Catechu). The former is to be of the height of the knee, and the latter three aratnis (cubits) long. Schol. on Kâty. I, 3, 36; M. Müller, Die Todtenbestattung bei den Brahmanen, Zeitsch. der D. Morg. Ges. IX, p. xl.
27:1 Kâty. Sr. II, 2, 6-7 lays down the general rule, that if the Brahman or Adhvaryu (and according to some, the sacrificer also) by some slip were to utter any sound during the time for which restraint of speech (vâg-yama) is enjoined, they must atone for the transgression by muttering some mantra addressed to Vishnu, such as the couplet (Vâg. S. V, 38, 45), 'Widely, O Vishnu, stride!' &c., or the formula (ib. I, 4), 'O Vishnu, preserve the sacrifice!'
27:2 Or 'for the god,' 'for the goddess,' as the case may be.
27:3 Or, he pronounces the havishkrit formula, see next note. According to Kâty. Sr. II, 4, 13 he calls out three separate times.
27:4 Havishkrit denotes not only the person that prepares the oblation, but also this formula by which that person is called.
28:1 Viz. in the shape of the sacrificial formulas.
28:2 This inversion of the order of the second (or Kshatriya) and third (or Vaisya) castes is rather strange. The Sûtras of Bhâradv., Âpast., and Hirany. assign the same formulas to the several castes as here. Cf. Hillebrandt, Neu- and Vollmondsopfer, p. 29.
28:3 According to the Schol. on Kâty. Sr. II, 4, 13, either the wife of the patron or the Âgnîdhra (the priest who kindles the fire) acts as Havishkrit. Mahîdh. on Vâg. S. I, 15 includes the patron (sacrificer) himself, unless yagamânah patnî is a misprint for yagamânapatnî. According to Âpastamba, 'either a maidservant or the wife grinds; or the wife threshes and the Sûdra woman grinds' (cf. Schol. on Kâty. Sr. II, 5, 7). Similarly Bhâradv. and Hirany.; cf. Hillebrandt, p. 38, n. 2. Similar cases of differences between the ritualistic practices of the present time and those of former times are very frequently alluded to in the ritualistic books; and are of especial interest, as they afford some insight into the gradual development of the sacrificial ceremonial. Cf. Weber, Ind. Stud. X, 156 seq.
28:4 Viz. the Âgnîdhra, whilst seated north of the expansion p. 29 (vihâra) of the fires; he strikes with the wedge (samyâ, a stick of khadira wood, usually some six or eight inches long, used for placing under the lower grindstone on the north side, so as to make it incline towards east) twice the lower and once the upper grindstone. Schol. on Kâty. Sr. II, 4, 15.
29:1 This bull of Manu has been compared by Dr. Kuhn (Zeitschrift für Vergl. Sprachf. IV, 91 seq.) with the Minotaur of the Greeks. Cf. also J. Muir, Original Sanskrit Texts, vol. i. p. 188 seq.; and Professor Weber's Translation of the first Adhyâya, Ind. Streifen, I, p. 50.
30:1 Mahîdhara offers the following etymological derivation of this word: 1. from kva kva, 'where? where?' ['He who, wishing to kill the Asuras, roams about everywhere, crying "where, where are the Asuras?"']; 2. from kuk, 'a hideous noise,' and kut, 'to spread;' or 3. one who, in order to frighten the Asuras, utters a sound resembling that of the bird called kukkuta (cock). Professor Weber translates it by 'Brüller' (roarer, crier).
30:2 Viz. when the rice has been husked (by the Havishkrit in the mortar). Schol. on Katy. Sr. II, 4, 16.
31:1 He puts them into the central one of the potsherds for the Agni cake, and throws them on the utkara, or heap of rubbish (cf. p. 25, note 1). Schol. on Kâty. Sr. II, 4, 19. Before he proceeds with his work, he has to touch water; cf. p. 2, note 2.
31:2 He separates them whilst holding the mouth of the winnowing basket sideways or horizontally, and makes the husked ones fall into the pot. Schol. on Katy. Sr. II, 4, 20. According to the Paddhati, he now puts the unhusked once more into the mortar and threshes them again, and then pouring them back into the basket repeats the same process.
32:1 Viz. with the fingers joined together so as not to allow any grains to fall to the ground. Mahîdh.
32:2 By removing the minute husks and grains (kana) he makes the husked grains (tandula) free from dust and shiny (this is apparently done by repeated winnowings). Schol. on Katy. Sr. II, 4, 22.

SECOND ADHYÂYA. FIRST BRÂHMANA.

1:2:1:11. Now the one (viz. the Âgnîdhra) puts the potsherds on (the Gârhapatya fire); the other (viz. the Adhvaryu) the two mill-stones (on the black antelope skin): these two acts are done simultaneously. The reason why they are done simultaneously (is this):
1:2:1:22. The head of this sacrifice is (represented by) the rice-cake 3: for those potsherds (kapâla), no doubt, are to this (rice-cake) what the skull bones (kapâla) are to the head, and the ground rice is
p. 33
nothing else than the brain. Now this (combination of skull and brain) certainly forms one limb: 'Let us put that (which is) one together! Let us make it one!' thus they think; and therefore the two acts are done simultaneously.
1:2:1:33. He who puts the potsherds on (the fire), takes the shovelling-stick (upavesha), with the text (Vâg. S. I, 17 a): 'Bold (dhrishti) art thou!' For since with it he, as it were, attacks the fire boldly, therefore it is called dhrishti 1. And since with it he touches (the coals) at the sacrifice, since with it he attends to (upa-vish) this (Gârhapatya fire), therefore it is called upavesha.
1:2:1:44. With it he shifts the coals to the fore-part 2 (of the khara or hearth-mound), with the text (Vâg. S. I, 17 b): 'O fire! cast off the fire that eateth raw flesh! drive away the corpse-eating one!' For the raw flesh-eating (fire) is the one with which men cook what they eat; and the corpse-eating one is that on which they burn (the dead) man: these two he thereby expels from it (the Gârhapatya).
1:2:1:55. He now pulls toward himself 3 one coal, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 17 c): 'Bring hither that (fire) which maketh offerings to the gods!' He thinks: 'On that (fire), which makes offerings to the gods, we
p. 34
will cook the oblations! on that one we will perform the sacrifice!' and for this reason he pulls (one of the coals) toward himself.
1:2:1:66. On it he places the central potsherd 1. For
p. 35
the gods, when they were performing sacrifice, were in fear of a disturbance from the Asuras and Rakshas. They were afraid lest those evil spirits, the Rakshas, might rise from below them. Now Agni (fire) is the repeller of the Rakshas, and for this reason he thus places (the potsherd) on it. The reason why it is just this (coal) and no other (on which the potsherd is put) is, that this one, having been consecrated by the (above) sacrificial formula, is sacrificially pure: that is why he places the central potsherd on it.
1:2:1:77. He puts it on, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 17 d): 'Thou art firm; make thou the earth firm!' For under the form of the earth he renders this same (sacrifice) firm; by it he chases away the spiteful enemy. He adds: 'Thee, devoted to the Brahman, devoted to the kshatra, devoted to the (sacrificer's) kinsmen, I put on for the destruction of the enemy!' Manifold, indeed, are the prayers for blessing in the sacrificial texts (yagus): by this one he prays for the priestly and military orders, those two towers of strength (vi rye, energies) 1. 'Thee, devoted to the (sacrificer's) kinsmen,' he says, because kinsmen mean wealth, and wealth he thereby prays for. When he says, 'I put thee on for the destruction of the enemy,' whether or not he wishes to exorcise, let him say, 'for the destruction of so
p. 36
and so!' The moment it (the potsherd) has been put down (and while it is still being touched) with the (fore-)finger of his left hand,--
1:2:1:88. He seizes a (second) coal, lest the evil spirits, the Rakshas, should in the meantime rush in here. For the Brâhman is the repeller of the Rakshas 1: hence, the moment it (the potsherd) has been put down (and while it is still being touched) with the finger of his left hand,--
1:2:1:99. He pushes the coal on it, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 18 a): 'Accept, O Agni, this holy work (brahman) 2!' He says this, lest the evil spirits, the Rakshas, should rush in here before; for Agni is the repeller of the Rakshas: this is the reason why he pushes it on (the potsherd).
1:2:1:1010. He then puts on that (potsherd) which is (to stand) behind (or west of the first or central one), with the text (Vâg. S. I, 18 b): 'A support art thou! make firm the aërial region!' Under the form of the atmosphere he makes this (sacrifice) firm; by this he chases away the spiteful enemy. He adds: 'Thee, devoted to the brahman, devoted to the kshatra, devoted to the (sacrificer's) kinsmen, I put on for the destruction of the enemy!'
1:2:1:1111. He then puts on that one which is (to stand) before (i.e. east of the first potsherd), with the text (Vâg. S. I, 18 c): 'A stay art thou! do thou make firm the sky!' Under the form of the sky he makes this same (sacrifice) firm; by it he chases away the spiteful enemy. He adds: 'Thee, devoted to the brahman, devoted to the kshatra, devoted to the kinsmen, I put on for the destruction of the enemy!'
p. 37
1:2:1:1212. He now puts on the one that is (to stand) on the right (i.e. south of the first), with the text (Vâg. S. I, 18 d): 'For all the regions I put thee on!' What fourth (world) there is or is not beyond these (three) worlds, by that indeed he thereby chases away the spiteful enemy. Uncertain, no doubt, is what fourth (world) there is or is not beyond these (three) worlds, and uncertain also are all those regions; for this reason he says, 'For all the regions I put thee on!' The remaining potsherds he puts on 1 either silently, or with the text (Vâg. S. I, 18 e): 'Layer-forming are ye! heap-forming are ye!'
1:2:1:1313. He then covers them over with (hot) coals, whilst muttering the text (Vâg. S. I, 18 f): 'May ye be heated with the heat of the Bhrigus and
p. 38
[paragraph continues] Aṅgiras 1!' for it is indeed the brightest light, that of the Bhrigus and Aṅgiras. He covers them with the view that 'they shall be well heated.'
1:2:1:1414. Now he 2 who puts the two mill-stones on (the black antelope skin), (in the first place) takes up the black antelope skin, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 19): 'Bliss-bestowing art thou!' He shakes it, with the text (ib.): 'Shaken off is the Rakshas, shaken off are the enemies!' the import and application of which is the same (as above, I, 1, 4, 4). He spreads it (on the ground) with the neck-part turned towards west, whilst muttering the text (ib.): 'The skin of Aditi (the inviolate or boundless earth) art thou! May Aditi acknowledge (receive) thee!' the import (of this formula) being the same (as before, I, 1, 4, 5).
1:2:1:1515. He then puts the lower mill-stone on it, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 19): 'A rock-bowl art thou! May the skin of Aditi acknowledge thee!' for it is a bowl (dhishanâ) and a rock too; and by saying, 'May the skin of Aditi acknowledge thee,' he establishes an understanding between it and the black antelope skin, so that 'they will not hurt each other.' This one (the lower mill-stone) represents the earth.
1:2:1:1616. He now puts upon (the west side of) it the wedge 3 with its point turned towards north, whilst
p. 39
muttering the text (Vâg. S. I, 19): 'The stay of the sky art thou!' that is to say, it represents the atmosphere; for by means of the atmospheric region those two, the sky and the earth, are firmly kept asunder; and for this reason he says, 'The stay of the sky art thou!'
1:2:1:1717. He then puts the upper mill-stone on (the lower one), with the text (Vâg. S. I, 19): 'A rock-born bowl art thou! May the rock acknowledge thee!' For this one being smaller is, as it were, the daughter (of the lower mill-stone) 1; for this reason he calls it 'rock-born.' 'May the rock acknowledge thee!' he says, because one of the same kin acknowledges (receives the other): thereby he establishes an understanding between those two millstones, thinking 'they will not hurt one another!' This one, as it were, represents the sky; (or) the two mill-stones are, as it were, the two jaws, and the wedge is the tongue: that is why he beats (the mill-stones) with the wedge 2, for it is with the tongue that one speaks.
1:2:1:1818. He now pours the rice on (the lower stone), with the text (Vâg. S. I, 20): 'Grain (dhânyam) art thou! do thou gratify (dhi) 3 the gods!' for it is
p. 40
grain; and it is with the intention 'that it may gratify the gods' that the rice-oblation is taken.
1:2:1:1919. He then grinds it, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 20): 'For out-breathing (I grind) thee! for in-breathing thee! for through-breathing (pervading vital air) 1 thee! May I impart a long duration to the life (of the sacrificer) 2!' He pours it (the ground rice on the skin), with the text (ib.): 'May the divine Savitri, the golden-handed, receive thee with a flawless hand 3!' 'For his (the sacrificer's) eye (I look at) thee 4!'
1:2:1:2020. The reason why he thus grinds it, is that the sacrificial food of the gods is living, is amrita (ambrosia, or not dead) for the immortals. Now with the mortar and pestle, and with the two millstones they kill this rice-offering (haviryagña).
1:2:1:2121. When he now says: 'For out-breathing thee! for in-breathing thee!' he thereby again imparts out-breathing and in-breathing (to it), and by saying 'for through-breathing thee!' he imparts through-breathing (to it). By 'may I impart a long duration to the life!' he bestows life on it. By 'may the divine Savitri, the golden-handed, receive thee with a flawless
p. 41
hand!' he says: 'May they be well received!' By 'for the eye thee!' he bestows eye-sight on it. Now these (attributes) are those of a living being; and thus that sacrificial food for the gods is indeed living, is amrita (ambrosia, or not dead) for the immortals. This is the reason why he thus grinds (the rice). (Whilst) they are grinding the (ground) grains 1, (and whilst) they are heating the potsherds,--
1:2:1:2222. Some one 2 pours clarified butter (into the âgyasthâlî, or butter-pot). Now whatever oblation, in being taken, is announced to a (particular) deity, that belongs to the respective deity, that he takes with a special prayer; but in taking this oblation, to wit, the butter, he does not announce it to any particular deity, and therefore takes it with an undefined formula, viz. with (Vâg. S. I, 20): 'Juice of the great ones art thou!' For 'the great ones' some (take to be) a name for the cows; and their juice indeed it is: for this reason he says, 'The juice of the great ones art thou!' And thus, moreover, is some of that (butter) taken with a sacrificial formula: and for this reason also he says, 'The juice of the great ones art thou!'

Footnotes

32:3 This idea was no doubt suggested by the derivation of the word purodâs (rice-cake), from puras, 'before, in front, at the head,' and dâs, 'to offer' (see I; 6, 2, 5 ); the double meaning of kapâla (shell or cup and skull) being made use of to complete the simile.
33:1 The upavesha, or dhrishti, is made of fresh varana or palâsa wood, a cubit (aratni) or span (vitasti) long; one of its ends having the shape of a hand (hastâkriti), to serve as a coal shovel; cf. Mahîdh. and Schol. on Kâty. I, 3, 36; II, 4, 26. Dhrishti is apparently derived from the root dhrish, 'to be bold.'
33:2 The burning coals have been hitherto lying on the western side of the Gârhapatya hearth, and as this side, which has been well heated by this time, will be used for the potsherds to be put on, he shifts the coals to the eastern or fore-part of the hearth.
33:3 Viz. to the centre of the cooking-place.
34:1 In Yâgñika Deva's commentary on Katy. II, 4, 37, full explanations are given regarding the manner of arranging the potsherds (kapâlas) on which the sacrificial cakes are spread, and which vary in number and shape. The Adhvaryu is first to describe a circle, the diameter of which is six aṅgulas (an aṅgula or thumb's breadth=about ¾ inch). This circle he then divides into three parts by drawing across, from west to east, two parallel lines at a distance of two aṅgulas from one another, so as to make the two outer (or southern and northern) segments of equal size. The middle division he then covers with three equal square potsherds (measuring two aṅgulas on each side), by laying down first the central one, then the one behind or west of it, and lastly the front or eastern one. He then lays down another (the fourth) south of the first or central one; after which he divides the still remaining potsherds equally between the southern and the northern segments, or, in case of that number being uneven, assigns the odd potsherd to the southern division. Thus, in the present case, where in the first place a cake on eight potsherds is to be offered to Agni; after laying down the three intermediate ones and the fourth, or central one of the southern division, he divides the remaining four equally between the southern and northern segments, beginning, in laying them down, in the south-east corner, and moving around from right to left, so as to end in the north-east. Similarly in the case of the cake on eleven potsherds for Agnîshomau, after laying down the first four potsherds, he assigns four of the remaining seven to the southern, and three to the northern division. Thus with cakes requiring an uneven number of potsherds, the number of those of the southern division exceeds that of the northern one by two; and in the case of an even number, by one only. This is the rule applying to cakes requiring at least six potsherds. When one potsherd only is required, it is to be of the size of a hand; when two, they are to form a circle divided into two equal parts by a line drawn from south to north; when three, the circle is divided into three sections from south to north; when four or five, it is divided into two halves from west to east; and in the one case three potsherds are placed in the southern and one (of half-moon shape) in the northern half; in the other case three in the northern and two in the southern division. The potsherds, p. 35 though mostly irregular in shape, must always exactly fit one another, so as not to leave any space between. This is effected by rubbing the edges. The cake itself is to be of the shape of a tortoise; the convex shield, or carapace, of the latter consisting of plates arranged in a somewhat similar way as the potsherds of most cakes, viz. in a central (dorsal) and two lateral sets.
35:1 For special prayers for the two highest castes, in the Vâgas. Samh., cf. Weber, Ind. Stud. X, 27.
36:1 Cf. I, 1, 4, 6.
36:2 Mahîdhara admits the alternative interpretation, 'Receive (me) the priest!'
37:1 Viz. dividing them in the manner explained at p. 34, note 1, and beginning (south)-east, and moving around from left to right (i.e. following the course of the sun). Mr. Ralph Griffith (Translation of the Rámáyan, I, p. 90) has compared this Hindu rite of pradakshina or dakshinîkarana with the Gaelic deasil, as described in the following passage of Sir W. Scott's The Two Drovers: "But it is little I would care for the food that nourishes me, or the fire that warms me, or for God's blessed sun itself, if aught but weel should happen to the grandson of my father. So let me walk the deasil round you, that you may go safe out into the far foreign land, and come safe home." Robin Oig stopped, half embarrassed, half laughing, and signing to those near that he only complied with the old woman to soothe her humour. In the meantime she traced around him, with wavering steps, the propitiation, which some have thought has been derived from the Druidical mythology. It consists, as is well known, in the person, who makes the deasil, walking three times round the person who is the object of the ceremony, taking care to move according to the course of the sun.' Cf. note at p. 45. Note also the etymological connection between dakshina and deiseil (Old Ir. dessel, from dess, Gael. deas, south or right side). For the corresponding rite (dextratio) at the Roman marriage ceremonies see Rossbach, Römische Ehe, pp. 315, 316; Weber, Ind. Stud. V, p. 221.
38:1 The old families of the Bhrigus and Aṅgiras are frequently mentioned together, and often also in conjunction with the Atharvans: it is indeed to these three families that the native authorities attribute the texts and ritual of the Atharva-veda, or fourth Veda, which is generally referred to in the later Vedic writings under the designation Atharvâṅgirasas. It is probable that the Bhrigu-Aṅgiras in the above formula of the Vâgas. Samhitâ are intended as equivalent to the latter term. Cf. Weber, Omina et Portenta, p. 346.
38:2 Viz. the Adhvaryu; cf. I, 2, 1, 1.
38:3 According to the corresponding rule of Kâtyâyana (II, 5, 4) p. 39 and to his commentators (and Mahîdhara on Vâg. S. I, 19) and the Black Yagur-veda, he does not lay the wedge on the lower millstone, but inserts it under the west or back-part of the stone, so as to make the latter incline towards east and to steady it.
39:1 In the Gobhilîya Grihya-sûtra II, 1, 16 the upper stone is similarly called 'the son or child' of the lower one [drishatputra], which the editor, Kandrakânta, interprets as 'drishad and its son;' or optionally, 'the son of the drishad.' Cf. Weber, Ind. Stud. V, p. 305 note.
39:2 See I, 1, 4, 13.
39:3 Mahîdhara derives dhânya from the root dhi; and apparently allows to it here the double meaning 'corn or grain,' and 'that which satisfies or pleases.'
40:1 On the three kinds of breathing, see I, 1, 3, 2-3.
40:2 According to Kâtyâyana (II, 5, 7) and Mahîdhara, this last formula ('May I,' &c.) should be joined to the one that follows, and pronounced by the Adhvaryu whilst he pours the ground rice on the skin. Mahîdhara interprets it thus: 'I put thee, (O rice! on the black antelope skin) for (increasing) the life (of the sacrificer) with a view to a long continuance (of the sacrificial work);' or 'I place thee along the long expanse (i.e. the skin) for thy (the rice's) long life!'
40:3 See I, 1, 4, 23.
40:4 Thus, according to Kâty. or Mahîdh., whilst he looks at the ground rice on the skin.
41:1 Pimshanti pishtâni; the grinding of the ground or grinding of flour (pishta-peshana) is a common expression in later Sanskrit for doing a useless work ('carrying owls to Athens,' or coals to Newcastle'). In the present passage, however, the phrase has to be understood, according to Sâyana, as meaning 'whilst they (the sacrificer's people) carry on the work of grinding begun by the Adhvaryu.'
41:2 The Âgnîdhra or somebody else, according to Sâyana; but according to the Schol. on Kâty. II, 5, 9, it is done by the sacrificer himself, who thereupon prepares the veda or bunch of sacrificial grass, tied in the middle, and cut straight at each end, and used for sweeping, &c. Cf. Kâty. I, 3, 21-22; II, 5, 9.

SECOND BRÂHMANA.

1:2:2:11. He pours (the ground rice) into that which contains the strainers--viz. into a dish (pâtrî) on which he has laid the two strainers--with the text (Vâg. S. I, 21): 'At the impulse of the divine Savitri I pour thee out, with the arms of the Asvins, with the hands of Pûshan!' The import of this formula is the same (as before, I, 1, 2, 17).
1:2:2:22. He now sits down somewhere inside the altar (vedi) 1. Then some one (viz. the Âgnîdhra) comes with the kneading-water 2 and brings it to him. He (the Adhvaryu) receives it through the strainers, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 21): 'Let the waters mingle with the plants!' for thereby the water unites with the plants, viz. with the ground rice,--'The plants with the sap!' for the plants thereby unite with the sap; viz. that ground rice with the water, for water is their sap,--'The shining (or wealthy ones) with the moving!' for the shining ones are the waters, and the moving ones are the plants, and these two are thereby mixed together,--'Let the sweet mingle with the sweet!' whereby he says, 'let the savoury be mixed with the savoury!'
1:2:2:33. He then mixes (the two) together, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 22): 'For generation I unite thee!' for, in order that it (the dough or the sacrificial cake prepared from it) may bring offspring to the sacrificer,
p. 43
for his prosperity, for food, and so on,--for these reasons he mixes them together. And he also mixes them together with the intention of placing it (the dough) on (the fire): hence, in order that it (the sacrificial cake) may be produced over the fire, for that purpose also he mixes them together.
1:2:2:44. He now divides it into two halves, if there be two oblations: at the full-moon sacrifice there really are two oblations. He then touches them,--where (by so doing) he would not again mix (the two) together,--with the (respective) formulas (Vâg. S. I, 22): 'This to Agni!' 'This to Agni-Soma!' Separately indeed they take that sacrificial food (from the cart) in the first place 1; then they thresh it together, then they grind it together, then he again divides it: for this reason he thus touches (them separately). The one (the Adhvaryu) now places the cake over (the fire), the other (the Âgnîdhra) puts the clarified butter on:
1:2:2:55. These two acts are done simultaneously. The reason why these two acts are done simultaneously is that one half of the body of the sacrifice no doubt is that butter, and the other half is this rice-offering. 'That half and this half, these two let us now take to the fire!' thus (they think): for this reason those two acts are done simultaneously, and thus this body of the sacrifice is joined together.
1:2:2:66. That one (the Âgnîdhra) puts the butter on, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 22): 'For sap--thee!' When he says 'for sap thee!' he says it for the sake of rain; therefore he takes it off again, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 30): 'For juice--thee!' What juice is
p. 44
derived (by the plants) from the rain, for that he says this.
1:2:2:77. Now he (the Adhvaryu) puts on (adhi-vrig) the cake, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 22): 'Heat (or a hot vessel, gharma) art thou!' whereby he makes it (a means of) sacrifice, and puts it on in the same (way as if he were putting the (pravargya) cauldron gharma) 1 on,--'Life-sustaining (visvâyus)!' he adds, whereby he obtains life (for the sacrificer).
1:2:2:88. He spreads it (over the respective potsherds), with the text (Vâg. S. I, 22): 'Spread widely, thou wide-spreading one!' whereby he causes it to spread. He adds: 'May thy Lord of Sacrifice spread widely (prosper)!' Lord of Sacrifice, namely, is the sacrificer: hence it is for the sacrificer that he thereby prays for blessing.
1:2:2:99. Let him not make it too broad; for he would make it a human (profane, common cake), if he were to make it (too) broad. Unlucky for (or, excluded from) the sacrifice indeed is that one, to wit, the common (cake). 'That I may not do anything that
p. 45
is unlucky at the sacrifice,' thus (he thinks, and) for that reason he should not make it too broad.
1:2:2:1010. And some now say: 'He should make it of the size of a horse's hoof!' But who knows how large is a horse's hoof? Let him make it of such a size as in his own mind he does not think would be too broad.
1:2:2:1111. He then touches it over with water, either once or three times: for whatever in this (rice-offering) they either injure or tear asunder in the threshing or grinding of it, that--water being (a means of) expiation (or purification)--he thereby expiates with water, that is, with (the means of) expiation; that he thereby makes good: for this reason he touches it over with water.
1:2:2:1212. He touches it over, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 22): 'May the fire not injure thy skin!' for on the fire he is now going to heat it: 'May that (fire) not injure thy skin!' this is what he thereby says.
1:2:2:1313. He now carries fire round it 1. By this he encloses it with an unbroken fence, lest the evil
p. 46
spirits, the Rakshas, should seize upon it; for Agni (fire) is the repeller of the Rakshas: this is the reason why he carries fire round it.
1:2:2:1414. He bakes 1 it, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 22): 'Let the divine (or God) Savitri bake thee!' for it is not a man that bakes it, but a god it is: therefore it is the God Savitri that bakes it 2. He adds: 'In the highest heaven!' He means to say 'among the gods,' when he says 'in the highest heaven.' He touches it: 'I will ascertain whether it is done!' thus (he thinks, and) for that reason he touches it.
1:2:2:1515. He touches it, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 23): 'Be not afraid! shrink not!' He thereby says: 'Do not thou be afraid, do not thou shrink, because I, a man, touch thee that art not human!'
1:2:2:1616. When it is done, he covers it over (with hot ashes): 'Lest the evil spirits, the Rakshas, should espy it,' thus (he thinks) and 'Lest it should lie, as it were, naked and despoiled!' thus also (he thinks):--that is the reason why he covers it over.
1:2:2:1717. He covers it over, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 23): 'May the sacrifice not be liable to languish, nor the sacrificer's race liable to languish!' 'That the sacrifice or the sacrificer may not languish after this, when I cover this over,' thus (he thinks, and) for this reason he covers it over in this manner (i.e. with the above text).
p. 47
1:2:2:1818. He then pours out for the Âptya deities the water with which the dish has been rinsed and that in which he has washed his fingers 1. The reason why he pours it out for the Âptyas (is this):

Footnotes

42:1 'He sits down (with the dish) either behind the cooking fire, or inside the altar,' Kâty. II, 5, 11. According to Mahâdeva, the former alternative is the one favoured by the Kânvas.
42:2 According to Kâty. II, 5, I, the kneading-water (or mixing-water, upasarganî) has been put on the (Gârhapatya) fire (by the Agnîdh) at the time of, or previously to, the spreading of the black antelope skin.
43:1 See I, 1, 2, 17 seq., especially p. 17, note 2.
44:1 Gharma, literally 'heat,' is also the technical term for a kind of cauldron (also called mahâvîra) used at the Pravargya ceremony, a preparatory rite of the Soma-sacrifice: the empty cauldron is there put on the fire, and when thoroughly heated (whence its name), fresh milk is poured into it. The technical phrase for putting on the cauldron is pra-vrig, from which pravargya is derived; and the same verb, though with a different preposition (viz. adhi-vrig), being technically used for the putting on of the sacrificial cake, this verbal coincidence has probably suggested this connection of the two ceremonies, there being a constant tendency to establish some kind of relation between ordinary offerings and the Soma-sacrifice, as the most solemn one; cf. III, 4, 4, 1; X, 2, 5, 3 seq.; Ait. Br. I, 18 seq. Previously to the spreading of the cake, the cinders are swept off from the potsherds with the grass-brush (veda), Hilleb. p. 41, note 7.
45:1 The paryagnikaranam consists in performing pradakshinâ (see p. 37, note 1) on an object whilst holding a fire-brand or burning coal; or (according to the Paddhati) in moving one's hand, which holds the burning coal, round the oblation, from left to right. According to Kâty. II, 5, 22, the Adhvaryu does so on the present occasion, whilst muttering the formula, 'Removed is the Rakshas! removed are the enemies!' (Taitt. S. I, 1, 8, 1.) This practice of paryagnikaranam may be compared with the carrying of fire round houses, fields, boats, &c., on the last night of the year, a custom which, according to Mr. A. Mitchell (The Past in the Present, p. 145), still prevails in some parts of Scotland, and which he thinks is probably a survival of some form of fire-worship, and intended to secure fertility and general prosperity. The obvious meaning of the ceremony would seem to be the warding off of the dark and mischievous powers of nature.
46:1 On the upper side it is baked by burning straw put on or held over it, whereby it takes a crust (tvak, skin'). Schol. on Katy. II, 5, 23.
46:2 With the name of no other God the epithet deva ('shining,' 'God') is so frequently used as with that of Savitri: hence, according to the author's reasoning, it is he that must be intended, whenever a god not otherwise specified is alluded to.
47:1 The washing of the fingers and the dish, and has taken place after the putting on and touching over of the cake, and before the paryagnikaranam is performed.

THIRD BRÂHMANA.

THE PREPARATION OF THE ALTAR.

1:2:3:11. Fourfold, namely, was Agni (fire) at first. Now that Agni whom they at first chose for the office of Hotri priest passed away. He also whom they chose the second time passed away. He also whom they chose the third time passed away 2. Thereupon the one who still constitutes the fire in our own time, concealed himself from fear. He entered into the waters. Him the gods discovered and brought forcibly away from the waters. He spat upon the waters, saying, 'Bespitten are ye who are an unsafe place of refuge, from whom they take me away against my will!' Thence sprung the Âptya deities, Trita, Dvita, and Ekata.
1:2:3:22. They roamed about with Indra, even as nowadays a Brâhman follows in the train of a king. When he slew Visvarûpa, the three-headed son of Tvashtri, they also knew of his going to be killed.; and straightway Trita slew him. Indra, assuredly, was free from that (sin), for he is a god 3.
p. 48
1:2:3:33. And the people thereupon said: 'Let those be guilty of the sin who knew about his going to be killed! 'How?' they asked. 'The sacrifice shall wipe it off upon (shall transfer it to) them!' they said. Hence the sacrifice thereby wipes off upon them (the guilt or impurity incurred in the preparation of the offering), when they pour out for them the water with which the dish has been rinsed, and that in which he (the Adhvaryu) has washed his fingers.
1:2:3:44. And the Âptyas then said: 'Let us make this pass on beyond us!' 'On whom?' they asked. 'On him who shall make an offering without a dakshinâ (gift to the officiating priests)!' they said. Hence one must not make an offering without a dakshinâ; for the sacrifice wipes (the guilt) off upon the Âptyas, and the Âptyas wipe it off upon him who makes an offering without a dakshinâ.
1:2:3:55. Thereupon the gods ordained this to be the
p. 49
dakshinâ at the new- and full-moon sacrifices, to wit, the Anvâhârya mess of rice 1, 'lest the oblation should be without a dakshinâ.' That (rinsing water) he pours out (for each Âptya) separately: thus he avoids a quarrel among them. He makes it hot (previously) 2: thus it becomes boiled (drinkable) for them. He pours it out with the formulas, 'For Trita thee!' 'For Dvita thee!' 'For Ekata thee!'--Now it is as an animal sacrifice that this sacrificial cake is offered 3.
p. 50
1:2:3:66. At first, namely, the gods offered up a man as the victim 1. When he was offered up, the sacrificial essence went out of him. It entered into the horse. They offered up the horse. When it was offered up, the sacrificial essence went out of it. It entered into the ox. They offered up the ox. When it was offered up, the sacrificial essence went out of it. It entered into the sheep. They offered up the sheep. When it was offered up, the sacrificial essence went out of it. It entered into the goat. They offered up the goat. When it was offered up, the sacrificial essence went out of it.
1:2:3:77. It entered into this earth. They searched for it, by digging. They found it (in the shape of) those two (substances), the rice and barley: therefore even now they obtain those two by digging; and as much
p. 51
efficacy as all those sacrificed animal victims would have for him, so much efficacy has this oblation (of rice &c.) for him who knows this. And thus there is in this oblation also that completeness which they call 'the fivefold animal sacrifice.'
1:2:3:88. When it (the rice-cake) still consists of rice-meal, it is the hair 1. When he pours water on it, it becomes skin 2. When he mixes it, it becomes flesh: for then it becomes consistent; and consistent also is the flesh. When it is baked, it becomes bone: for then it becomes somewhat hard; and hard is the bone. And when he is about to take it off (the fire) and sprinkles it with butter, he changes it into marrow. This is the completeness which they call 'the fivefold animal sacrifice.'
1:2:3:99. The man (purusha) whom they had offered up became a mock-man (kim-purusha 3). Those two, the horse and the ox, which they had sacrificed,
p. 52
became a bos gaurus and a gayal (bos gavaeus) respectively. The sheep which they had sacrificed, became a camel. The goat which they had sacrificed, became a sarabha 1. For this reason one should not eat (the flesh) of these animals, for these animals are deprived of the sacrificial essence (are impure).

Footnotes

47:2 In I, 3, 3, 13-16, the three former Agnis (or the three brothers of Agni, acc. to Mahîdh., Vâg. S. II, 2) are said to have fled from fear of the thunderbolt, in the shape of the vashat formula.
47:3 Cf. I, 6, 3, 1 seq. In the Taitt. Sarah. II, 5, 1, 1, Visvarûpa, the Tvâshtra, is said to have been a sister's son of the Asuras, and p. 48 house-priest (purohita) to the gods, and to have been killed by Indra, because he had secretly contrived to let the oblations go to the Asuras, instead of to the gods. Thus by killing him, Indra (or Trita, according to our version of the legend) became guilty of that most hideous crime, the brahmahatyâ, or killing of a Brâhmana. Trita, the Âptya (i.e. probably 'sprung from, or belonging to the ap, or waters of the atmosphere'), seems to have been a prominent figure of the early Indo-Iranian mythology, the prototype, in many respects, of Indra, the favourite god of the Vedic hymns. The notion of wishing evil and misfortune away to Trita, or far, far away, is a familiar one to the Vedic bards. The name Traitana also occurs once in Rig-veda (I, 158, 5), though in a rather dark passage. On the connection between Trita (? Traitana) and the Iranian Thraetona (Ferîdûn), son of Athvya, see E. Burnouf, Journ. Asiat. V, 120; R. Roth, Zeitschr. d. Deutsch. Morg. Ges. II, p. 216 seq. Dvita (the second) and Ekata are no doubt later abstractions suggested by the etymology of the name Trita (the third), although the former, Dvita, occurs already in the Vedic hymns.
49:1 The Anvâhârya consists of boiled rice prepared from the rice-grains that remain after the sacrificial cakes have been prepared. It is put on the Dakshina fire by the Adhvaryu for cooking after covering over the cakes and pouring out the water. Katy. II, 5, 27. Sâyana explains the term as 'that which takes away (anvâ-hri) from the sacrificer the guilt incurred by mistakes during the sacrifice;' but the St. Petersburg Dictionary offers the more probable explanation of it as 'that which serves to supplement (anvâ-hri) the sacrifice.'
49:2 According to Sâyana 'he makes the poured-out water hot with a coal.' Kâtyâyana (II, 5, 26) and his commentators, on the other hand, supply the following particulars: 'Having heated (with straw lighted in the Gârhapatya) the water which has been used for washing the dish and hands, he pours it out for the Âptyas (from east to west into three lines drawn with the wooden sword from west to east, north of the sacrificial ground) in such a manner that it does not flow together, with the formulas, "For Trita thee!" &c., respectively.'
49:3 That is to say, the sacrificial cake is a substitute or symbol (pratimâ) for the animal sacrifice (as this it would seem was originally a substitute for the human sacrifice) by which the sacrificer redeems himself from the gods. Cf. Sat. Br. XI, 1, 8, 3; Taitt. Br. III, 2, 8, 8. The initiation (dîkshâ) of the sacrificer constitutes his consecration as the victim at the animal sacrifice (Sat. Br. XI, 7, 1, 3; Ait. Br. II, 3; 9; 11; Taitt. Br. II, 2, 82; T. S. VI, 1, 11, 6; Kaush. Br. X, 3; XI, 8), or as the sacrificial food at the haviryagña (Sat. Br. III, 3, 4, 21; Taitt, Br. III, 2, 8, 9), or as the horse at the horse-sacrifice (Taitt. Br. III, 9, 17, 4-5), &c. See, also, Taitt. S. VII, 2, 30, 4; Kâth. 34, 11, where it is said that one must p. 50 not perform the dvâdasâha for any one, since in having to eat of the victim, the cake, &c., one would eat the sacrificer's own flesh, &c. Cf. Weber, Ind. Streifen, I, p. 73. In accordance with these notions it would seem that man originally sacrificed his equal, as the best substitute for his own self; and that, as advancing civilisation rendered human sacrifices distasteful, the human victim was supplied by domestic animals, ennobled by constant contact with man; and finally by various materials of human diet.
50:1 On this legend and the one in the Ait. Br. II, 8, but slightly differing from ours, see Max Müller's History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature, p. 420; A. Weber's Ind. Streifen, I, p. 55; Haug's Transl. of the Ait. Br. p. 90; J. Muir's Original Sanskrit Texts, IV, p. 289 note. Professor Max Müller remarks: 'The drift of this story is most likely that in former times all these victims had been offered. We know it for certain in the case of horses and oxen, though afterwards these sacrifices were discontinued. As to sheep and goats, they were considered proper victims to a still later time. When vegetable offerings took the place of bloody victims, it was clearly the wish of the author of our passage to show that, for certain sacrifices, these rice-cakes were as efficient as the flesh of animals.' Cf. also II, 1, 4, 3.
51:1 According to Sâyana, because, like the hair of the victim, the particles of the ground rice are minute and numerous. According to Ait. Br. II, 9, on the other hand, the awn or beard of the rice represents the hair; the husks the skin; the minute particles of chaff removed by the final winnowings, the blood; the ground rice the flesh; and 'whatever other substantial part is in the rice' are the bones of the victim.
51:2 'Because it becomes as flexible as skin,' Sâyana.
51:3 It is doubtful what particular kind of being the term kimpurusha (depraved man) is here intended to denote. The authors of the St. Petersburg Dictionary, whom Professor Weber follows (Ind. Stud. IX, 246), take it (probably correctly) to denote 'a monkey.' Professor Haug, on the other hand, in his translation of the corresponding passage in the Ait. Br. II, 8, thinks 'the author very likely meant a dwarf,' whilst Professor Max Müller (History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature, p. 420) translates it by 'a savage.' Perhaps one of the species of apes which particularly resemble man, is intended by it. Cf. Weber, Omina et Portenta, P. 356.

FOURTH BRÂHMANA.

1:2:4:11. When Indra hurled the thunderbolt at Vritra, that hurled one became fourfold. Of (three parts of) it the wooden sword (sphya) represents one-third or thereabouts, the sacrificial post one-third or thereabouts, and the chariot one-third or thereabouts. That piece, moreover, with which he struck him, was broken off (sri); and on falling down it became an arrow (sara): hence the designation arrow, because it was broken off. And in this way the thunderbolt became fourfold.
1:2:4:22. In consequence of this, the priests make use of two (of these pieces) at the sacrifice, and men of the military caste (râganyabandhu) also make use of two of them in battle: viz. the priests make use of the sacrificial post and the wooden sword, and the men of the military caste of the chariot and the arrow.
1:2:4:33. Now when he takes up the wooden sword 2, he raises that thunderbolt against the wicked, spiteful enemy, even as Indra at that time raised the thunderbolt against Vritra: that is the reason why he takes the wooden sword.
1:2:4:44. He takes it, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 24): 'At the impulse of the divine Savitri, I take thee with
p. 53
the arms of the Asvins, with the hands of Pûshan; thee that performs sacred rites to the gods!' Savitri, namely, is the impeller of the gods: thus he thereby takes that (wooden sword) as one impelled by Savitri. 'With the arms of the Asvins,' he says, because the Asvins are the two Adhvaryu priests (of the gods): with their arms he therefore takes it, not with his own. Pûshan is distributer of portions (to the gods): with his hands he therefore takes it, not with his own; for it is the thunderbolt, and no man can hold that: he thus takes it with (the assistance of) the gods.
1:2:4:55. 'I take (thee) that performs sacred rites to the gods,' he says, because a sacred rite means a sacrifice: 'that performs sacrifices to the gods,' he thereby says. After taking it in his left hand and touching it with his right, he murmurs--by what he murmurs he makes it sharp,--
1:2:4:66. He murmurs (Vâg. S. I, 24): 'Thou art Indra's right arm!' for Indra's right arm no doubt is the most powerful one, and for that reason he says: 'Thou art Indra's right arm!' 'The thousand-spiked, hundred-edged! he adds, for a thousand spikes and a hundred edges had that thunderbolt which he hurled at Vritra: he thereby makes it to be that (thunderbolt).
1:2:4:77. 'The sharp-edged Vâyu (wind) art thou!' he adds; for that indeed is the sharpest edge, to wit, that (wind) which here blows: for that one sweeps right across these worlds. He thereby makes it sharp. When he (further) says: 'The killer of the enemy!' let him, whether he wishes to exorcise or not, say: 'The killer of so and so!' When it has been sharpened, he must not touch either himself or the earth with it: 'Lest I should hurt either myself or the earth with that sharp thunderbolt,' thus he thinks, and for
p. 54
that reason he does not touch either himself or the earth with it.
1:2:4:88. The gods and the Asuras, both of them sprung from Pragâpati 1,were contending for superiority. The gods vanquished the Asuras; and yet these afterwards harassed them again.
1:2:4:99. The gods then said: 'We do, no doubt, vanquish the Asuras, but nevertheless they afterwards again harass us. How then can we vanquish them so that we need not fight them again?'
1:2:4:1010. Agni then said: 'By fleeing northwards they escape from us.' By fleeing northwards they had indeed escaped from them.
1:2:4:1111. Agni said: 'I will go round to the northern side, and you will then shut them in from here 2; and whilst shutting them in, we will put them down by these (three) worlds; and from what fourth world there is beyond these (three) they will not be able to rise again.'
1:2:4:1212. Agni thereupon went round to the northern side; and they (the other gods) shut them in from here; and whilst shutting them in, they put them down with these(three)worlds; and from what fourth world
p. 55
there is beyond these (three) they did not rise again. Now this same (expulsion of the Asuras) is virtually the same act as the flinging away of the grass-bush 1.
1:2:4:1313. The Âgnîdhra goes round to the north, for he is virtually the same person as Agni himself. The Adhvaryu then shuts them in from here,; and whilst shutting them in, he puts them down by means of these (three) worlds; and from what fourth world there is beyond these (three) they do not rise again. Thus now also they do not rise again, for by the same means by which the gods kept them off, the priests now also keep them off during the sacrifice.
1:2:4:1414. And whoever has evil designs upon the sacrificer and hates him, him he thereby puts down by means of these (three) worlds, and what fourth world there is beyond these. And in putting him down with these (three) worlds, and what fourth world there is beyond these, he flings everything away from this (earth), for on it all these worlds rest: for what would he fling away, if he were to fling (the grass-bush) away with the words, 'The air I throw away, the heaven I throw away!' therefore he flings everything away from this (earth) 2.
1:2:4:1515. Thereupon, after putting the grass-bush between 3, he flings (the wooden sword at it). 'Lest I
p. 56
should injure the earth with this sharp thunderbolt!' thus (he thinks, and) for that reason he flings after putting the grass-bush between.
1:2:4:1616. He flings it, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 25): 'O earth, that affordest the place for making offerings to the gods! may I not injure the root of thy plant!' He thereby makes her, as it were, with roots remaining in her 1. Whilst he takes up (the earth dug up by the sword), he thus addresses her: 'May I not injure the roots of thy plants!'--And in further saying, 'Go to the fold, the abode of the cows!' when he is about to throw it away (on the heap of rubbish), he causes it not to forsake him; for that which is within the fold 2 does not forsake him: for that reason he says, 'Go to the fold, the abode of the cows!' He further says (whilst looking at the hole in the ground): 'May the sky rain on thee!' Wherever, in digging into her, they wound and injure her--water being (a means of) expiation--that he thereby expiates by the water which is (a means of) expiation; that he thereby makes good by means of the water: that is the reason why he says: 'May the sky rain on thee!'--'Tie him down, O divine Savitri, to the furthest end of the earth!' he says (whilst throwing on the heap of rubbish the soil dug up); he thus
p. 57
says to the divine Savitri: 'Tie him down to blind darkness!' when he says 'to the furthest end of the earth,'--'With a hundred fetters!' by this he means to say, 'so that he cannot free himself.'--'Him who hates us and whom we hate, do not release from there!' Whether or not he wishes to exorcise, let him say: 'So and so . . . do not release from there!'
1:2:4:1717. He then throws (the wooden sword) a second time, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 26): 'May I drive Araru away from the earth, the place of offerings!' Araru 1, namely, was an Asura and Rakshas. Him the gods drove away from this (earth), and in the same way he (the Adhvaryu) thereby drives him away from this (earth). He adds (whilst repeating the several corresponding acts): 'Go to the fold, the abode of the cows! May the sky rain on thee! Tie him down, O divine Savitri, to the furthest end of the earth, with a hundred fetters, him who hates us and whom we hate, do not release him from there!'
1:2:4:1818. The Âgnîdhra presses it down (on the heap of rubbish), with the text (Vâg. S. I, 26): 'O Araru! thou shalt not fly up to heaven!' For when the gods drove away Araru, the Asura-Rakshas, he wished to fly up to heaven. Agni pressed him down, saying, 'O Araru, thou shalt not fly up to heaven!' and he did not fly up to heaven. In the same way the
p. 58
[paragraph continues] Adhvaryu thereby cuts him off from this world, and the Âgnîdhra from the side of heaven. That is the reason why he does this.
1:2:4:1919. He then throws (the wooden sword) a third time, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 26): 'Let thy drop not spring up to the sky!' Her (the earth's) drop no doubt is that moisture of hers upon which the creatures subsist. 'Let this thine (moisture) not fly away to the sky!' he thereby says.--He adds (whilst again repeating the several acts): 'Go to the fold, the abode of the cows! May the sky rain on thee! Tie him down, O divine Savitri, to the furthest end of the earth, with a hundred fetters, him who hates us and whom we hate, do not release him from there!'
1:2:4:2020. Three times he throws it, with the sacrificial formula (Yagus); for three are these worlds, and with these worlds he thereby puts him (the evil spirit) down 1. And what these worlds are, that in truth is the Yagus: for that reason he throws it thrice with the sacrificial formula.
1:2:4:2121. Silently (he throws) a fourth time 2. What fourth world there may or may not be beyond these (three), by that one he thereby drives away the spiteful enemy. For uncertain indeed is what fourth world there may or may not be beyond these (three); and uncertain also is what (is done) silently: for that reason (he throws) silently a fourth time.

Footnotes

52:1 A fabulous kind of deer with eight legs, which was supposed to kill elephants and lions.
52:2 See note on I, 1, 2, 8.
54:1 Pragâpati is called the father of the gods and Asuras, I, 5, 3, 2; and they are represented as entering on his inheritance, I, 7, 2, 22; IX, 5, 1, 12. Not only the gods and Asuras, but also the men derive their origin from Pragâpati, XIV, 8, 2, 1. He has created all beings, I, 6, 3, 35; Ait. Br. III, 36.
54:2 I.e. 'from the sacrificial ground,' Sâyana. It seems doubtful to me whether it does not rather mean 'you will then shut them in, or block them up, within that place,' that is to say, north of the altar, where the utkara, or heap of rubbish, lies. The four worlds by which he puts down the enemies are represented by the loose soil which is dug up by the sphya being flung four separate times at the grass-bush lying on the altar (vedi), and which is then thrown on the utkara.
55:1 The ceremony called stambayagus (-haranam) consists in 'the throwing away of the grass-bush after cutting it by the (flinging of the) wooden sword, with the simultaneous reciting of Yagus-texts' [yagurmantrako darbhah stambayaguh, takka stambarûpam sphyena bhittvotkaradese haret, Sây., Taitt. S. I, 1, 9].
55:2 This passage, in which the author seems to argue against some other ritualistic authority, is not quite clear to me. The Taitt. Br. has, 'from the atmosphere he drives him away (by the second throw), from the sky he drives him away (by the third throw).'
55:3 That is, between himself, or the wooden sword, and the altar. According to Katy. II, 6, 15, he lays the grass-bush down on the p. 56 altar with its top pointing northwards, with the text: 'The armour of the earth art thou!'
56:1 Sâyana explains it by uttaramûlâm iva karoti; 'prithivîm uparibhâgâvasthitamûlayuktâm ivâ' (? 'with the roots remaining in its (the earth's) upper part, or surface'). Cf. also Sây. on Taitt. S. I, 1, 9 (p. 155).
56:2 The Taitt. Br. (III, 2, 9, 3) identifies the fold (pen, stable) with the metres (? which enclose the altar in the shape of the first set of lines), cf. Sat. Br. I, 2, 5, 6 seq. This identification rests on the double meaning of go (in gosthânam) as 'cow' and 'metre.'
57:1 Of this demon we have no further particulars except that in Rig-veda X, 99, 10, he is said to have four feet; see also Taitt. Br. III, 2, 9, 4 seq. Perhaps there is some connection between Araru and the Arurmaghas in Ait. Br. VII, 28, and the Arunmukhas in Kaushît. Up. 3, 1; both of them enemies of Indra. Cf. M. Haug's and Max Müller's translations of these works; and Weber, Ind. Stud. I, 411.
58:1 In the corresponding passage of the Black Yagus (Taitt. Br. III, 2, 9, 5 seq.) the Adhvaryu is represented as driving the enemy away from the four worlds by throwing the sword four times.
58:2 When, together with the dug-out soil, he throws the grass-bush on the heap of rubbish. Kâty. II, 6, 24.

FIFTH BRÂHMANA.

1:2:5:11. The gods and the Asuras, both of them sprung from Pragâpati, were contending for superiority. Then the gods were worsted, and the Asuras thought: 'To us alone assuredly belongs this world!
1:2:5:22. They thereupon said: 'Well then, let us divide this world between us; and having divided it, let us subsist thereon!' They accordingly set about dividing it with ox-hides from west to east.
1:2:5:33. The gods then heard of this, and said: 'The Asuras are actually dividing this earth: come, let us go to where the Asuras are dividing it. For what would become of us, if we were to get no share in it?' Placing Vishnu, (in the shape of) this very sacrifice, at their head, they went (to the Asuras).
1:2:5:44. They then said: 'Let us share in this earth along with yourselves! Let a part of it be ours!' The Asuras replied rather grudgingly: 'As much as this Vishnu lies upon, and no more, we give you!'
1:2:5:55. Now Vishnu was a dwarf 1. The gods, however,
p. 60
were not offended at this, but said: 'Much indeed they gave us, who gave us what is equal in size to the sacrifice.'
1:2:5:66. Having then laid him down eastwards, they enclosed him on all (three) sides with the metres, saying (Vâg. S. I, 27), on the south side, 'With the Gâyatrî metre I enclose thee!' on the west side: 'With the Trishtubh metre I enclose thee!' on the north side: 'With the Gagatî metre I enclose thee 1!'
1:2:5:77. Having thus enclosed him on all (three) sides, and having placed Agni (the fire) on the east side, they went on worshipping and toiling with it (or him, i.e. Vishnu, the sacrifice). By it they obtained (sam-vid) this entire earth; and because they obtained by it this entire (earth), therefore it (the sacrificial ground) is called vedi (the altar). For this reason they say, 'As great as the altar is, so great is the earth;' for by it (the altar) they obtained this entire (earth). And, verily, he who so understands this, wrests likewise this entire (earth) from his rivals, excludes his rivals from sharing in it.
1:2:5:88. Thereupon this Vishnu became tired; but being enclosed on all (three) sides by the metres, with the
p. 61
fire on the east, there was no (means of) escaping: he then hid himself among the roots of plants.
1:2:5:99. The gods said: 'What has become of Vishnu? What has become of the sacrifice?' They said: 'On all (three) sides he is enclosed by the metres, with Agni to the east, there is no (way of) escaping: search for him in this very place!' By slightly digging they accordingly searched for him. They discovered him at a depth of three inches (or thumb's breadths): therefore the altar should be three inches deep; and therefore also Pâñki 1 made the altar for the Soma-sacrifice three inches deep.
1:2:5:1010. This, however, one must not do. Among the roots of the plants he (Vishnu) hid himself: therefore let him (the Adhvaryu) bid (the Âgnîdhra) to cut out the roots of the plants. And since they found (anu-vid) Vishnu in that place, therefore it is called vedi (altar).
1:2:5:1111. When they had found him, they enclosed him with a second enclosure, saying (Vâg. S. I, 27), 'Of good soil art thou, and auspicious art thou!' on the south side; for when they had thus obtained this earth they made it of good soil and auspicious;--'Pleasant art thou, and soft to sit upon!' they said on the west side, for when they had thus obtained this earth, they made it pleasant and soft to sit upon;--'Abounding in food and drink art thou!' they said on the north side, for when they had thus obtained this earth, they made it abounding in food and drink.
p. 62
1:2:5:1212. Threefold 1 he draws round the first line of enclosure, threefold the second: hence sixfold (the two); for six seasons there are in the year, and the year, as Pragâpati (Lord of Creation), is the sacrifice 2. As large as the sacrifice, as wide as its extent is, so wide does he thereby enclose it.
1:2:5:1313. With six sacred words 3 he draws around the first line of enclosure, with six the second: thus (together) twelvefold, for twelve no doubt are the months of the year; and the year, as Pragâpati, is the sacrifice. As large as the sacrifice, as wide as its extent is, so wide does he thereby enclose it.
1:2:5:1414. 'Let it (the altar) measure a fathom 4 across on the west side,' they say: that, namely, is the size of a man, and it (the altar) should be of (the) man's size. 'Three cubits long (should be) the
p. 63
[paragraph continues] "easterly line 1," for threefold is the sacrifice,' (so they say, but) in this there is no (fixed) measure: let him make it as long as he thinks fit in his own mind!
1:2:5:1515. The two shoulders (of the altar) he carries along both sides of the (Âhavanîya) fire. For the altar (vedi, fem.) is female and the fire (agni, masc.) is male; and the woman lies embracing the man: thereby a copulation productive of offspring is obtained. For this reason he carries the two shoulders (of the altar) along both sides of the fire.
1:2:5:1616. It (the altar) should be broader on the west side, contracted in the middle, and broad again on the east side; for thus shaped they praise a woman: 'broad about the hips, somewhat narrower between the shoulders, and contracted in the middle (or, about the waist).' Thereby he makes it (the altar) pleasing to the gods.
1:2:5:1717. It should be sloping towards east, for the east is the quarter of the gods; and also sloping towards north, for the north is the quarter of men. To the south side he sweeps the rubbish (loose soil), for that is the quarter of the deceased ancestors. If it (the altar) were sloping towards south, the sacrificer would speedily go to yonder world; and thus (by making the altar in the prescribed way) the sacrificer lives for a long time: for this reason he sweeps the loose soil to the south side. Let
p. 64
him then cover it (the altar) over with (fresh) rubbish: for rubbish means cattle, and well-stocked with cattle he thereby makes it 1.
1:2:5:1818. He (the Âgnîdhra) smooths it down (from east to west). The gods, namely, when they were preparing for the contest, said to one another: 'Come, let us remove to the moon for safety what imperishable place of worship there is on this earth; so that if the Asuras, on vanquishing us, should drive us away from here, we may afterwards, by praising and mortifying, prevail again!' They accordingly removed to the moon what imperishable place of worship there was on this earth. That now is the black (spots) in the moon: hence they say, 'In the moon is the place of worship for this earth.' It is in this place of worship also that his sacrifice is performed: for that reason he smooths (the altar) down 2.
1:2:5:1919. He smooths it down, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 28): 'Before the bloody (battle) with its rushings hither and thither 3, O mighty one!' the bloody one no doubt is the battle, for in battle
p. 65
bloody deeds are done, and slain lie man and horse; and before that battle they removed it (the altar to the moon); therefore he says, 'Before the bloody (battle) with its rushings hither and thither, O mighty one!'--'lifting up the life-bestowing earth,' for after lifting up what was living on this earth, they removed it to the moon; therefore he says, 'lifting  up the life-bestowing earth; which they raised to the moon by prayers,' 'which they placed in the moon by worship,' he thereby says,--'that (earth) the wise still point out and worship,' to that they accordingly address their worship; and the offering of him also who so understands this, is performed in that place of worship.
1:2:5:2020. He now says (to the Âgnîdhra; Vâg. S. I, 28), 'Put the sprinkling-water down (on the altar)!' That thunderbolt, the wooden sword, and the priest (brâhmana) have hitherto defended that sacrifice. Now the water also is a thunderbolt: that thunderbolt he thereby lays down for its defence. While the sprinkling-water is being held close above the wooden sword, he takes up the latter. If he were to set the sprinkling-water down, while the wooden sword is still lying, the two thunderbolts would come into collision with each other; but in this way the two thunderbolts do not come into collision with each other: for that reason he takes up the wooden sword, while the sprinkling-water is being held close above it.
1:2:5:2121. He pronounces this (entire) speech:--'Put the sprinkling-water down (on the altar)! put fuel and barhis (sacrificial grass) beside it! wipe the ladles! gird the (sacrificer's) wife! come hither with the clarified butter!' This is a direction (given to
p. 66
the Âgnîdhra); he (the Adhvaryu) may pronounce it, if he choose; or, if he so choose, he may omit it: for he (the Âgnîdhra) himself knows that this work has now to be done.
1:2:5:2222. He then flings the wooden sword northwards (on the heap of rubbish). If he wishes to exorcise 1, (he does so), with the text, 'I fling thee as a thunderbolt for so and so!' and as a thunderbolt the wooden sword accordingly strikes down (the enemy).
1:2:5:2323. He then washes his hands 2; for what there was bloody (or injured) on it (the altar) that he thereby removes from it: that is why he washes his hands.
1:2:5:2424. Now those who made offerings in former times, touched (the altar and oblations) at this particular time, while they were sacrificing. They became more sinful. Those who washed (their hands) became righteous. Then unbelief took hold of men: 'Those who sacrifice become more sinful, and those who sacrifice not become righteous,' they said. No sacrificial food then came to the gods from this world: for the gods subsist on what is offered up from this world 3.
1:2:5:2525. The gods thereupon said to Brihaspati Âṅgirasa, 'Verily, unbelief has come upon men; ordain thou the sacrifice to them!' Brihaspati Âṅgirasa then went and said, 'How comes it that you do not sacrifice?' They replied, 'From a desire for what
p. 67
should we sacrifice, since those who sacrifice become more sinful, and those who sacrifice not become righteous?'
1:2:5:2626. Brihaspati Âṅgirasa then said, 'What we have heard of as produced 1 for the gods that is this sacrifice, that is to say, the cooked oblations and the prepared altar; therewith you have performed while touching: that is why you have become more sinful. Sacrifice therefore without touching, for thus you will become righteous!' 'How long?' they asked. 'Till the spreading of the sacrificial grass (on the altar),' he said. By the sacrificial grass, namely, it (the altar) becomes appeased. If, therefore, before the spreading of the sacrificial grass anything were to fall on it, let him only remove it at the time when he spreads the sacrificial grass; for when they spread the sacrificial grass, then they also step on it with the foot. He who knowing this sacrifices without touching, becomes indeed righteous: let him therefore sacrifice, without touching (the altar and oblations).

Footnotes

59:1 This legend is given in Muir's Original Sanskrit Texts, IV, p. 122, where it is pointed out that we have here the germ of the Dwarf Incarnation of Vishnu; and in A. Kuhn's treatise, 'Ueber Entwickelungsstufen der Mythenbildung,' p. 128, where the following remarks are made on the story: 'Here also we meet with the same struggle between light and darkness: the gods of light are vanquished and obtain from the Asuras, who divide the earth between themselves, only as much room as is covered by Vishnu, who measures the atmosphere with his three steps. He represents (though I cannot prove it in this place) the sun-light, which, on shrinking into dwarf's size in the evening, is the only means of preservation that is left to the gods, who cover him with metres, i.e. with sacred hymns (probably in order to defend him from the powers of darkness), and in the end kindle Agni in the east--the dawn--and thereby once more obtain possession of the earth.' Compare also the corresponding legend in Taitt. Br. III, 2, 9, 7, p. 60 where the gods are granted by the Asuras as much as they can enclose; and by the Vasus being placed in the south, the Rudras in the west, the Âdityas in the north, and Agni in the east, they obtain the whole of the earth.
60:1 In the actual performance of the sacrifice this represents the pûrva-parigraha, or first enclosing of the altar by a single line being drawn with the wooden sword on each of the three sides (viz. S.W. to S.E.; S.W. to N.W.; N.W. to N.E.) whilst muttering the respective texts. Before doing so he has, however, to ask and receive the permission of the Brahman, mutatis mutandis, in the usual way (cf. p. 7 note): the same forms have to be gone through at the marking of the second and third enclosures. Katy. II, 6, 25 seq. On the ritualistic application of the metres, see note on I, 3, 2, 9.
61:1 This teacher is mentioned again, Sat. Br. II, 1, 4, 27, along with two others, viz. Âsuri and Mâdhuki, but nothing further is known of him. According to the Black Yagus the altar is made four (not three) aṅgulas deep.
62:1 Viz. each enclosing line consists of three divisions corresponding to the three sides (S., W., N.) of the altar.
62:2 Pragâpati (Lord of Creation) is here, as elsewhere, identified with the year (probably as the representative of the eternal process of regeneration) and consequently with the annual cycle of sacrificial performance, or the sacrifice itself. Cf. Sat. Br. I, 5, 2, 16; X, 4, 3, 1.
62:3 According to Sâyana, because each of the three mantras, 'gâyatrena (traishtubhena, gâgatena resp.) tvâ khandasâ pari grihnâmi,' consists of two parts, the first ending with tvâ, the second with grihnâmi, which makes together six. Similarly with the second triad of mantras. In the former case the Taittirîya text (Taitt. S. I, 1, 9, 3), 'The Vasus may enclose thee with the Gâyatrî metre, the Rudras with the Trishtubh metre, the Âdityas with the Gagatî metre!' would furnish a more natural explanation of the six sacred words.
62:4 Vyâma, the space between the extreme ends of the outstretched arms. It is doubtful whether it is here intended for a fixed measure, or whether it is a relative one, depending on the size of the respective sacrificer. The size of a man was supposed to be equal to the extent of his outstretched arms.
63:1 I.e. a line drawn from the middle of the western side through the centre of the altar to the Âhavanîya fire. The same line prolongated from the western side of the altar westwards to the Gârhapatya would measure eight (eleven or twelve) steps (prakrama or vikrama, of two feet or pada each) from fire to fire. See I, 7, 3, 23-25.
64:1 Purîsha, rubbish; 'sandy or gravel-like soil,' Sây. on Taitt. Br. III, 2, 9, 12; purîsha also means 'fæces, manure,' in which sense it is probably taken symbolically for 'cattle.' The Taitt. Br. better: 'well supplied with cattle he thereby makes him (the sacrificer).'
64:2 ? By stroking along the altar he shifts it to the moon.
64:3 The interpretation of purâ krûrasya visripah here given by the author, and also by Mahîdhara on Vâg. S. I, 28, is more than doubtful. Sâyana on Taitt. S. I, 1, 9 is probably more correct in taking purâ visripah (abl. or gerund) krûrasya to mean 'before the sneaking away of the cruel enemy (Araru, lying fettered on the heap of rubbish)'--he supplies: 'thou, O altar, containest merely the divine oblations, but since his removal thou containest everything.' Cf. also Weber, Ind. Streifen, II, p. 463.
66:1 Otherwise he uses the text (Vâg. S. I, 28): 'A killer of the enemy art thou!' Kâty. II, 6, 42.
66:2 He does so (on the utkara) and then lays down the wooden sword west of the pranîtâ water. Kâty. II, 6, 43.
66:3 Men, on the other hand, subsist on what is bestowed on them from yonder world. Taitt. S. III, 2, 9, 7; Taitt. Br. II, 2, 7, 3.
67:1 Parishûtam, which Sâyana interprets by parigrihîtam, 'hedged round' [? 'set apart']. The Kânva MS. reads parishutam.

THIRD ADHYÂYA. FIRST BRÂHMANA.

1:3:1:11. He (the Âgnîdhra) now brushes the spoons 2 (with the grass-ends). The reason why he brushes
p. 68
the spoons is that the course 1 pursued among the gods is in accordance with that pursued among men. Now, when the serving up of food is at hand among men,--
1:3:1:22. They rinse the vessels, and having rinsed them, they serve up the food with them: in the same way is treated the sacrifice to the gods, that is to say, the cooked oblations and the prepared altar; and those vessels of theirs, the sacrificial spoons.
1:3:1:33. Now, when he brushes (the spoons), he in reality rinses them, thinking, 'with these rinsed ones I will proceed.' He thereby rinses them with two substances for the gods, and with one for men; viz. with water and the brahman (spirit of worship) for the gods,--for the water is (represented by) the sacrificial grass 2, and the brahman (by) the sacrificial formula;--and with one for men, that is with water alone: and thus this takes place separately 3.
1:3:1:44. He, in the first place, takes the dipping-spoon
p. 69
[paragraph continues] (sruva, masc.) and makes it hot (on the Gârhapatya fire), with either of the texts (Vâg. S. I, 29), 'Scorched is the Rakshas, scorched are the enemies!' or, 'Burnt out is the Rakshas, burnt out are the enemies!'
1:3:1:55. For when the gods were performing sacrifice they were afraid of a disturbance on the part of the Asuras and Rakshas. Hence by this means he, from the very opening of the sacrifice, expels from here the evil spirits, the Rakshas 1.
1:3:1:66. He brushes it thus inside with the (grass-)tops (cut off from the grass in tying the veda), with the text (Vâg. S. I, 29), 'Not sharp 2 art thou, (but yet) a destroyer of the enemies!' he says this in order that it may unceasingly destroy the enemies of the sacrificer. Further, 'Thee, the food-abounding (masc.), I cleanse for the kindling of food 3!'--'thee that art suitable for the sacrifice, I cleanse for the sacrifice,' he thereby says. In the same way he brushes all the spoons, saying, 'Thee, the food-abounding (fem.) . . .,' in the case of the offering-spoon (sruk, fem.). The prâsitraharana 4 (he brushes) silently.
p. 70
1:3:1:77. Inside he brushes with the (grass-)tops thus (viz. from the handle to the top, or in a forward, eastward direction from himself); outside with the lower (grass-)ends thus (viz. in the opposite or backward direction, towards himself) 1: for thus (viz. in the former way) goes the out-breathing, and thus (in the opposite way) the in-breathing. Thereby he obtains out-breathing and in-breathing (for the sacrificer): hence these hairs (on the upper side of the elbow) point that way, and these (on the lower side) point that way 2.
1:3:1:88. Each time he has brushed and heated (a spoon), he hands it (to the Adhvaryu). Just as, after having rinsed (the eating vessels) while touching them, one would finally rinse them without touching them, so here: for this reason he hands over each (spoon) after heating it 3.
p. 71
1:3:1:99. The dipping-spoon (sruva, masc.) he brushes first, and then the other spoons (sruk, fem.). The offering-spoon (sruk), namely, is female, and the dipping-spoon is male, so that, although in this way several women meet together, the one that is, as it were, the only male youth among them, goes there first, and the others after him. This is the reason why he brushes the dipping-spoon first, and afterwards the other (offering-)spoons.
1:3:1:1010. Let him brush, them so as not to spatter anything towards the fire, as he would thereby bespatter him, to whom he will be bringing food, with the slops of the vessels: therefore let him brush them so as not to spatter anything towards the fire, that is to say, after stepping outside (the Âhavanîya fire-house) towards the east.
1:3:1:1111. Here now some throw the grass-ends used for cleaning the spoons into the (Âhavanîya) fire. 'To the veda (grass-bunch) they assuredly belonged, and the spoons have been cleaned with them: hence it is something that belongs to the sacrifice, and (we throw it into the fire) in order that it should not become excluded from the sacrifice,' thus (they argue). Let him, however, not do so, since he would thereby make him to whom he will offer food, drink the slops of the vessels 1. Let him therefore throw them away (on the heap of rubbish).
1:3:1:1212. He (the Âgnîdhra) then girds the wife (of the
p. 72
sacrificer) 1. She, the wife, truly is the hinder part of the sacrifice. 'May the sacrifice go on increasing before me!' thus (she thinks while) he girds her, thinking, 'may she sit thus girt by my sacrifice!'
1:3:1:1313. He girds her with a cord (yoktra): for with a cord (yoktra) they yoke the draught-animal (yogya). Impure indeed is that part of woman which is below the navel; and therewith she will be facing the sacrificial butter: that part of her he thereby conceals with the cord, and only with the pure upper part of her body she then faces the sacrificial butter. This is the reason why he girds the wife 2.
1:3:1:1414. He girds her over the garment. Now the garment represents the plants, and (the cord represents) Varuna's noose 3 (raggu): hence he thereby places the plants between (her and the noose), and
p. 73
thus that noose of Varuna does not injure her. This is the reason why he girds her over the garment.
1:3:1:1515. He girds her, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 30), 'A zone art thou for Aditi!' Aditi, indeed, is this earth. She is the wife of the gods, and that one is his (the sacrificer's) wife. It is for the latter, accordingly, that he makes it a zone instead of a noose (or string). A zone means a girdle, and he thereby makes it this for her.
1:3:1:1616. Let him not make a knot 1, for the knot is Varuna's (attribute); and Varuna would lay hold on the (sacrificer's) wife, if he were to make a knot. For this reason he does not make a knot.
1:3:1:1717. He twists it through upwards 2, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 30), 'The pervader 3, of Vishnu art thou!' Let her not sit to the west of the sacrifice, with her face towards the east. For Aditi is this earth 4, she is the wife of the gods, and she indeed sits on the west of the sacrifice of the gods, with her face turned
p. 74
towards the east: and this lady would, therefore, raise herself to her (Aditi), and would speedily go to yonder world. And thus (viz. by sitting in the prescribed way) she lives for a long time, thus she propitiates her (Aditi), and thus the latter harms her not. For this reason let her sit somewhat to the south.
1:3:1:1818. She looks down upon the sacrificial butter 1; for assuredly that wife is a woman, and the butter (represents) seed: hence a productive union is thereby brought about. For this reason she looks towards the butter.
1:3:1:1919. She looks, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 30), 'With an unimpaired eye I look on thee;' whereby she says, with an uninjured eye I look on thee.'--'Agni's tongue art thou!' for when they offer up that (butter) in the fire, then Agni's tongues, as it were, issue forth: therefore she says, 'Agni's tongue art thou!'--'A good caller 2 of the gods,' whereby she says, 'well for the gods;'--'be thou for every dainty (or, sacrificial site, dhâman), for every prayer of mine!' whereby she says, 'for every sacrifice of mine be thou (a good caller)!
1:3:1:2020. Having then taken up the butter (from the
p. 75
ground), he (the Âgnîdhra) carries it eastwards. In the case of one whose Âhavanîya fire is used for the cooking, he (now in the first place) puts it on the Âhavanîya, thinking, 'My oblation shall be entirely cooked on the Âhavanîya 1!' The reason why he first puts it thereon (viz. on the Gârhapatya) is, because he will have to make the wife look at it: for it would not be proper, if he were to take it (from the Âhavanîya) to the west in the midst of the performance, for the purpose of making the wife look at it; and if he were not to let the wife look at it at all, he would thereby exclude her from the sacrifice. And in this way, then, he does not exclude the (sacrificer's) wife from the sacrifice: therefore he does not take it eastwards till after melting it close by the wife (on the Gârhapatya), and making her look at it. In the case of one who (through death or from other causes) has not his wife with him, he puts it from the very beginning on the Âhavanîya. He then takes it again from thence and puts it down within the altar.
1:3:1:2121. Here now they say,--'He must not place it within the altar; for from that (butter) they make the oblation to the wives of the gods 2: he therefore excludes the wives of the gods from the company (of
p. 76
their husbands) 1, and thereby his (the sacrificer's) wife becomes dissatisfied with her own husband.' Yâgñavalkya, however, said in reference to this point, 'Let it be so as it has been prescribed for the wife! who would care whether his wife may consort with other men 2?' 'As the altar is (part of the) sacrifice, and the butter is (part of the) sacrifice, I will build up the sacrifice from out of the sacrifice!' thus thinking, let him place it within the altar.
1:3:1:2222. The two strainers are lying in the sprinkling water. He takes them from thence and purifies (ut-pû) the butter with them. Now one of them is related to the wind (that blows) upwards (utpavana) 3, so that he thereby makes it (the butter) sacrificially pure.
1:3:1:2323. He clarifies it, with the text (Vâg. S. 'By the impulse of Savitri I purify thee with a flawless purifier (strainer), with the rays of the sun!' The meaning (of this formula) is the same (as before).
1:3:1:2424. He then purifies the sprinkling water with the strainers covered with butter, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 31),
p. 77
[paragraph continues] 'By the impulse of Savitri I purify you (O waters) with a flawless purifier, with the rays of the sun!' The meaning is the same (as before).
1:3:1:2525. The reason why he purifies the sprinkling water with the strainers covered with butter is, that he thereby puts milk into the water, and that the milk thereby (becomes) beneficial 1 in the water, for, when it rains, plants are thereby produced; and on eating the plants and drinking the water, vital fluid (serum) results therefrom: and thus (he does this) in order to supply the vital fluid (of the sacrificer).
1:3:1:2626. He then looks down on the butter. Here now some make the sacrificer look down. Yâgñavalkya, however, said in reference to this point,--'Why do not (the sacrificers) themselves become (act as) Adhvaryu priests? and why do not they (the sacrificers) themselves recite when far higher blessings are prayed for 2? How can these (people) possibly have faith in this 3? Whatever blessing the officiating priests invoke during the sacrifice that is for the benefit of the sacrificer alone.' The Adhvaryu should accordingly look down on it.
p. 78
1:3:1:2727. He looks down on it. The eye assuredly is the truth, for the eye is indeed the truth. If, therefore, two persons were to come disputing with each other and saying, 'I have seen it!' 'I have heard it!' we should believe him who said, 'I have seen it!' and not the other: hence he thereby causes it (the butter) to increase by means of the truth.
1:3:1:2828. He looks down on it, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 31), 'Lustrous art thou! resplendent art thou! immortal (or, ambrosia) art thou!' That prayer is indeed true, for that (butter) is lustrous, it is resplendent, it is immortal: hence he thereby causes it to increase by that (prayer) which is true.

Footnotes

67:2 Besides the Agnihotra-havanî, or milk ladle used at the morning and evening oblations (see p. 11, note 2; and II, 3, I, 17), three different sruk or offering-spoons are used, viz. the guhû, upabhrit, and dhruvâ. They are made each of a different kind of wood, of an arm's length (or, according to others, a cubit long), with a bowl of the shape and size of the hand, and a hole cut through the bark and front side of the bowl and fitted with a spout some eight or nine inches long, and shaped like a goose's bill. The sruva or dipping-spoon, on the other hand, chiefly used for ladling the clarified p. 68 butter (or milk) from the butter vessel into the offering-spoons, is of khadira wood (Acacia Catechu), a cubit long, with a round bowl measuring a thumb's joint across, and without a spout. In our text the term sruk is used both in the general sense of 'spoon' and in the narrower one of 'offering-spoon,' as distinguished from the sruva or 'dipping-spoon.'
68:1 The brushing of the spoons is here compared with the rinsing of vessels preparatory to their being used for serving up the food. At the same time, we shall see further on (I, 8, 3, 26-27) that the two principal offering-spoons, the guhû and upabhrit, are looked upon as yoke-fellows, they being the two horses that are supposed to convey the sacrifice (and consequently the sacrificer himself) to the world of the gods; hence this process of cleaning also corresponds to the rubbing down of the horses preparatory to the setting out of the sacrificer on his progress to the world of the gods.
68:2 See I, 1, 3, 5.
68:3 It is doubtful to me whether this last passage merely refers to the several spoons, or whether it refers to the symbolical meaning p. 69 of the wiping with sacrificial grass and the accompanying formula. In the latter case it might mean: 'and thus that (act) becomes different (i.e. has a different significance).'
69:1 Cf. I, 1, 2, 3, and note.
69:2 A-nisita, 'not sharpened,' from sâ (so), 'to sharpen' (thus also Mahîdh.). If, however, anuparata, 'unceasing,' in the text is intended by the author to explain anisita, he would seem to identify the root sâ with sâ. (so), 'to bring to an end, to finish.' The spoon is sharpened by the wiping, cf. Taitt. Br. III, 3, 1, 1.
69:3 Vâgedhyâyai, 'for the lighting (brightening) of the sacrifice (by means of the butter which is poured into the fire), the sacrifice being the food of the gods,' Mahîdh. The St. Petersburg Dictionary suggests vâgetyâyai, 'thee, the courser, I wipe for the race!' Cf. p. 68, note 1.
69:4 The prâsitraharana is a pan of khadira wood, either p. 70 square or round (? oval, of the shape of a cow's ear, Sây.; of the shape of a mirror, Katy.), used for holding the Brahman's portion (prâsitra) of the sacrificial cake. According to Katy. II, 6, 49, the sritâvadânam (cake-cutter) and (purodâsa-)pâtrî (cake-dish) also have to be cleaned on this occasion.
70:1 While brushing the spoons he stands east of the Âhavanîya fire-house, looking toward east. The way of brushing, prescribed by the Black Yagus (Taitt. Br. III, 3, I, 3-4; comm. on Taitt. S. I, 1, 10), seems to be more complicated.
70:2 Viz. the former ('aratner uparibhâgasya lomâni'), according to Sâyana, point in a forward direction (away from the body), and the latter ('prishthabhâgasya lomâni') in a backward direction. The Taitt. Br. III, 3, 1, 4 has 'on the elbow (aratnau) the hairs above (point) forward, those below backward,' which Sâyana (Taitt. S. I, 1, 1, 10) explains by 'the short hairs above the wrist (? manibandhâd ûrdhvam) are forward-pointed (prâṅmukha), but those below are backward-pointed (pratyañk).'
70:3 That is to say, the heating of the spoons corresponds to the usual final rinsing of household vessels with water without touching them. Sâyana.
71:1 The Black Yagus (Taitt. Br. III, 3, 2, 1) prescribes that the grass-ends, after the brushing, should be thrown into the fire, and not on the heap of rubbish, as some do; or at all events they should not be thrown on the utkara, without their having been previously washed with water, as they would otherwise bring ill-luck to the cattle.
72:1 The mistress of the house is seated south-west of the Gârhapatya fire [with bent (or raised) knees and her face turned towards north-east]. The Âgnîdhra then girds her round the waist, outside the garment, with a triple cord of reed-grass (muñga). Katy. II, 7, 1; and Sâyana on our passage.
72:2 According to Taitt. Br. III, 3, 3, 2-3 the symbolical meaning of this act is, that it represents the vratopanayana, or initiation of the wife into the sacred rite. The girding of the wife would thus possess a significance similar to that of the ordinary upanayana, or investiture of the youth with the sacred cord.
72:3 The noose (pâsa) is one of the chief attributes of God Varuna, the symbol of his supreme power and his abhorrence of sin. Thus we read in Atharva-veda IV, 16, 4 seq.: 'And if one were to flee far beyond the sky, one would not escape from king Varuna. From heaven his spies issue forth to this (world), and with their thousand eyes survey the earth. King Varuna sees all that happens between heaven and earth and beyond them: the very twinklings of the eyes of men are numbered by him. . . . May all those baleful nooses of thine, O Varuna, that are thrown sevenfold and three-fold, p. 73 ensnare him who speaks untruth, and pass by him who speaks the truth!'
73:1 Taitt. Br. III, 3, 3, 4, on the contrary, prescribes a knot (granthim grathnâti), as the symbol which is to secure all blessings for her.
73:2 He winds the cord round her waist from left to right (pradakshinam), and having fixed the southern end by twice twisting round the northern one, he draws the southern end through the encircling cord upwards (so as to hang down, uparishtâl lambayet, Sâyana. Katy. II, 7, 1, &c., Scholl.).
73:3 Veshya = vyâpaka, Mahîdh.; 'perhaps a headband,' St. Petersb. Dict. It is apparently an etymological play on the name of Vishnu (? the all-pervading sun). The formula, according to Mahîdhara, is addressed to the southern end of the cord which is drawn through the girdle (? the pervading ray of Vishnu).
73:4 Aditi is the earth and therefore the altar, which represents the earth: hence Aditi, in the shape of the altar, looks towards the east.
74:1 He takes the pot containing the clarified butter from the fire, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 30): 'For juice thee!' [see I, 2, 2, 6,] puts it down on the ground before the sacrificer's wife and bids her look down on it. Katy. II, 7, 4.
74:2 Suhûh. The Kânva recension and Taitt. S. I, 1, 10, 3 have subhûh, 'well-being, good,' which reading seems also to be presupposed by our author's explanation 'well (or good) for the gods.' The Black Yagus assigns this entire mantra to the Adhvaryu, when he has taken the butter from the Âhavanîya, and puts it down north of the altar. In other respects also it differs considerably from the order followed by our author.
75:1 According to the ritual of the Black Yagus, the butter, after the sacrificer's wife has looked at it, is again heated on the Gârhapatya fire, in order to remove the impurity which has thereby been imparted to it.
75:2 The patnîsamyâgas are four oblations of butter to Soma, Tvashtri, the wives of the gods, and Agni Grihapati respectively, made at the end of these sacrifices. See I, 9, 2, 1. It would seem that, according to the ritual of the Black Yagus, the butter is not put on the altar, but on a line drawn with the wooden sword north of the altar. See p. 74, note 2.
76:1 Avasabhâh karoti--avagataganasamûhâh karoti, Sây.; the gods are supposed to be assembled around the altar (cf. I, 3, 3, 8): hence by placing the butter, from which the oblations to the wives of the gods are to be made, within the altar, the Adhvaryu would separate the wives from their husbands.
76:2 I am not quite certain as to whether this last scornful remark is really to be assigned to Yâgñavalkya. The Kânva text has,--Yâgñavalkya, however, said, 'Let him place it within the altar!' thus he said. 'Let it be so as it has been prescribed for the wife,' thus (thinking) let him place it, whether or not she consort with other men.
76:3 Probably the same as ud-âna (breathing upwards or inspiration), which one of the strainers is said to represent in I, 1, 3, 2. See also I, 1, 3, 6; Taitt. Br. III, 3, 4, 4. The St. Petersburg Dictionary proposes the meaning 'an implement for cleaning' for utpavana in this passage.
77:1 A play on the word hitam, which means both 'put, placed,' and 'beneficial, salutary.'
77:2 The Kânva text has as follows,--Here now some make the sacrificer eye it, arguing, 'whatever blessing (resides therein) that he should himself pray for.' Yâgñavalkya, however, said in reference to this point, 'Why then does not he himself become Adhvaryu? and why does he not recite (the solemn prayers of the Hotri priest), and that when they pray for higher blessing? Whatever blessing the priests invoke at the sacrifice, that they invoke for the sacrificer alone;' thus he said. The Adhvaryu, therefore, should look down on it.
77:3 Teshâm sâkhinâm atraivâvekshanam yagamânenaiva kartavyam iti kasmât kâranât sraddhâ gâtâ, evam tam sraddhâm prahasya, Sây. The Kânva text omits this derisive remark.

(My humble salutations to Sreeman Julius Eggeling for the collection)