The Satapatha Brahmana
translated by Julius Eggeling
THE SATAPATHA-BRÂHMANA
ACCORDING TO THE TEXT OF THE MÂDHYANDINA SCHOOL
Translated by
Julius Eggeling
Eighth kanda
THE SATAPATHA-BRÂHMANA
ACCORDING TO THE TEXT OF THE MÂDHYANDINA SCHOOL
Translated by
Julius Eggeling
Part IV
Books VIII, IX AND X
SATAPATHA-BRÂHMANA,
EIGHTH KÂNDA.
THE THIRD LAYER.
THIRD ADHYÂYA. FIRST BRÂHMANA.
8:3:1:11. He lays down the third layer. For the gods, having laid down the second layer, now ascended it; but, indeed, they thereby completed and ascended to what is above the earth and below the atmosphere.8:3:1:22. They spate, 'Meditate ye!' whereby, indeed, they meant to say, 'Seek ye a layer! Seek ye (to build) upwards from hence!' Whilst meditating, they saw the great third layer, even the air: that world pleased them.
8:3:1:33. They said to Indra and Agni, 'Lay ye down for us this third layer!'--'What will accrue unto us therefrom? Ye two shall be the best of us!'--'So be it!' Accordingly Indra and Agni laid down for them that third layer; and hence people say, 'Indra and Agni are the best of gods.'
8:3:1:44. He accordingly lays it down by means of Indra and Agni, and settles it by means of Visvakarman 4,
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for indeed Indra and Agni, as well as Visvakarman, saw this third layer: this is why he lays it down by means of Indra and Agni, and settles it by means of Visvakarman.
8:3:1:55. And, again, as to why he lays it down by means of Indra and Agni, and settles it by means of Visvakarman. When Pragâpati had become relaxed (disjointed), the deities took him and went off in different directions. Indra and Agni, and Visvakarman took his middle part, and kept going away from him.
8:3:1:66. He said to them, 'Come ye to me and restore ye to me wherewith ye are going from me!'--'What will accrue unto us therefrom?'--'That (part) of my body shall be sacred unto you!'--'So be it!' So Indra and Agni, and Visvakarman restored that (part) unto him.
8:3:1:77. Now that central Svayam-âtrinnâ (naturally-perforated brick) 1 is that very (part) of his body;--when he now lays down that (brick), he thereby restores to him that (part) of his (Pragâpati's) body which this (brick represents): this is why he now lays down that (brick).
8:3:1:88. [Vâg. S. XIV, 11], 'O Indra and Agni, make ye fast the brick so as not to shake!' as the text so the sense;--'with thy back thou forcest asunder the earth, and the sky, and the air;' for with its back this (brick) indeed forces asunder the earth, and the sky, and the air.
8:3:1:99. [Vâg. S. XIV, 12], 'May Visvakarman settle
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thee,' for Visvakarman saw this third layer;--'on the back of the air, thee the wide, the broad one!' for this (brick) indeed is the wide and broad back of the air;--'support thou the air, make fast the air, injure not the air!' that is, 'support thou thine own self (body), make fast thine own self, injure not thine own self!'
8:3:1:1010. 'For all up-breathing, and dawn-breathing, and through-breathing, and out-breathing!' for the naturally-perforated (brick) is the vital air, and the vital air serves for everything here;--'for a resting-place and moving-place!' for the naturally-perforated (brick) is these worlds, and these worlds are indeed a resting-place and a moving-place;--'May Vâyu shelter thee!' that is, 'May Vâyu protect thee!'--'with grand prosperity!' that is, 'with great prosperity;'--'with most auspicious protection!'--that is, with what protection is most auspicious.' Having settled it 1, he pronounces the Sûdadohas 2 over it; the meaning of this has been explained. He then sings a sâman: the meaning of this (will be explained) further on 3.
8:3:1:1111. He then lays down (five) Disyâ (regional bricks) 4. Now the regional ones, doubtless, are
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the regions: it is the regions he thus bestows (on the air-world). And these are those same regions not separated (from the air) wherewith Vâyu on that occasion 1 stepped nigh: it is them he thereby bestows. But prior to these same (bricks) he lays down 2 both the bunch of Darbha grass and the clod-bricks; and these (disyâs) being yonder sun 3, he thus places yonder sun over the regions, and builds him up upon (or, in) the regions. But were these (laid down) at the same time (as the bunch of grass and the clod-bricks), they would be outside (of the altar); and outside of the womb (foundation), indeed, is that sacrificial work regarding the fire-altar which is done prior to the lotus-leaf 4. When he
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now brings and lays down these (bricks), he thereby establishes them in the womb, on the lotus-leaf, and thus these (bricks) are not outside (the fire-altar). He lays them down so as not to be separated 1 from the naturally-perforated one; for the middle 2 naturally-perforated one is the air: he thus places the regions so as not to be separate from the air. Subsequently 3 (to the central brick he lays them down): subsequently to the air he thus sets up the regions. In all (four) directions he places them: he thus places the regions (quarters) in all directions, whence the regions are in all (four) directions. [He places them] on all sides so as to face each other: he thereby makes the regions on all sides face each other, and hence the regions on all sides face each other 4.
8:3:1:1212. And, again, as to why he lays down the regionals. The regions, doubtless, are the metres--the eastern region being the Gâyatrî, the southern the Trishtubh, the western the Gagatî, the northern the Anushtubh, and the upper region the Paṅkti;--and the metres are animals 5, and the middlemost layer is the air: he thus places animals in the air,
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and hence there are animals that have their abode in the air 1.
8:3:1:1313. And, again, as to why he lays down the regionals. The regions, doubtless, are the metres, and the metres are animals, and animals are food, and the middlemost layer is the middle: he thus puts food in the middle (of the body). He places them so as not to be separated (by special bricks) from the naturally-perforated one; for the naturally-perforated one is the vital air: he thus places the food so as not to be separated from the vital air. Subsequently (to the central brick he lays them down): subsequently to (or upon) the vital air he thus places food. On the range of the Retahsik (he places them): the Retahsik being the ribs, and the ribs being the middle (of the body), he thus places the food in the middle of this (Agni's body). On every side he places them: from everywhere he thus supplies him with food.
8:3:1:1414. [He lays them down, with, Vâg. S. XIV, 13], 'Thou art the queen, the Eastern region! Thou art the far-ruler, the Southern region! Thou art the all-ruler, the Western region! Thou art the self-ruler, the Northern region! Thou art the supreme ruler, the Great region!' these are their names: he thus lays them down whilst naming them. Separately he lays them down, separately he settles them, and separately he pronounces the Sûdadohas over them, for separate are the regions.
Footnotes
41:4 For the connection of these deities with the third layer, and the p. 42 air, see also VI, 2, 3, 3. Visvakarman is likewise the deity by which the Visvagyotis-brick, representing Vâyu (the wind), the regent of the air-world, is settled; see VIII, 3, 2, 3.42:1 See part iii, p. 155, note 8.
43:1 Viz. by the concluding formula, 'With the help of that deity, Aṅgiras-like, lie thou steady!' see part iii, p. 302, note 3.
43:2 Viz. Vâg. S. XII, 55 (Rig-veda S. VIII, 69, 3), 'At his birth the well-like milking, speckled ones mix the Soma, the clans of the gods in the three spheres of the heavens.' See part iii, p. 307, note 2.
43:3 VIII, 7, 4, 1 seq.
43:4 The five Disyâs are placed on the spines in the four directions at the retahsik range, just over where the five Vaisvadevî bricks were placed in the second layer (see the sketch, p. 24). Between them and the central (naturally-perforated) brick there is thus an p. 44 empty space a foot square, and the two southern Disyâs are half-bricks lying north and south of each other.
44:1 See VI, 2, 3, 4. The second naturally-perforated brick represents the air-world with which Vâyu, the wind, is most closely associated.
44:2 That is to say, he laid them down on the site of the altar, before the first layer was commenced, viz. the darbha-bunch in the centre of the 'body' of the altar, where the two spines (anûka) intersect each other (VII, 2, 3, 1 seqq.); and the clod-bricks (logeshtakâ) on the four ends of the two spines (VII, 3, 1, 23 seqq.), that is, in the middle of each of the four sides of the square of which the body' consists.
44:3 The symbolic interpretation here seems somewhat confused, inasmuch as the Disyâs, which are now apparently identified with the sun, have just been stated to represent the regions. At VI, 7, 1, 17 the sun was represented as the central point of the universe to which these three worlds are linked by means of the quarters (as by the strings of a scale). The clod-bricks, on the other hand, were indeed, in VII, 3, I, 13, identified with the regions (quarters); and the bunch of grass, being laid down in the centre, might be regarded as marking the fifth region, that upwards from here. Cf. IX, 5, 1, 36.
44:4 The lotus-leaf is placed in the centre of the altar when the first layer is about to be laid down. See VII, 4, 1, 7 seqq., where p. 45 it is explained as representing the foundation of the fire-altar, or rather, the womb whence Agni is born.
45:1 That is, not separated therefrom by other special bricks; though the full space of one brick is left between the Disyâs and the central brick. Perhaps, however, 'anantarhita' here means 'immediately after.'
45:2 That is, the second of the three svayam-âtrinnâs, the one in the third layer.
45:3 Uttara seems here and elsewhere to have a double meaning, viz. that of subsequent, and upper, or left, inasmuch as looking towards these bricks from the centre of the altar, they are placed to the left of the particular section of the anûkas.
45:4 See p. 26, note 3.
45:5 The metres are commonly represented as cattle.
46:1 That is all (four-footed) animals that dwell on, not in, the earth. The Gâyatrî metre, at any rate, is also represented as a bird which fetches the Soma from heaven, but it is not the air as such that is intended here, but the face of the earth.
SECOND BRÂHMANA.
8:3:2:11. He then lays down a Visvagyotis (all-light brick). Now the middle Visvagyotis is Vâyu 1, for Vâyu (the wind) is all the light in the air-world: it is Vâyu he thus places therein. He places it so as not to be separated from the regional (bricks): he thus places Vâyu in the regions, and hence there is wind in all the regions.8:3:2:22. And, again, as to why he lays down the Visvagyotis,--the Visvagyotis, doubtless, is offspring (or creatures), for offspring indeed is all the light: he thus lays generative power (into that world). He places it so as not to be separated from the regional ones 2: he thus places creatures in the regions, and hence there are creatures in all the regions.
8:3:2:33. [He lays it down, with, Vâg. S. XIV, 14], 'May Visvakarman settle thee!' for Visvakarman saw this third layer 3;--'on the back of the air, thee the brilliant one!' for on the back of the air that brilliant Vâyu indeed is.
8:3:2:44. 'For all up-breathing, down-breathing, through-breathing,'--for the Visvagyotis is breath,
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and breath indeed is (necessary) for this entire universe;--'give all the light!'--that is, 'give the whole light;'--'Vâyu is thine over-lord,'--it is Vâyu he thus makes the over-lord of that (layer and the air-world). Having settled it, he pronounces the Sûdadohas over it: the significance of this has been explained.
8:3:2:55. He then lays down two Ritavyâ (seasonal 1 bricks);--the two seasonal ones being the same as the seasons, it is the seasons he thus places therein.[Vâg. S. XIV, 15], 'Nabha and Nabhasya, the two rainy seasons,' these are the names of those two (bricks): it is by their names he thus lays them down. There are two (such) bricks, for a season consists of two months. He settles them once only: he thereby makes (the two months) one season. He places them on avakâ-plants and covers them
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with avakâ-plants 1; for avakâ-plants mean water he thus bestows water on that season, whence it rains most abundantly in that season.
8:3:2:66. Then the two upper ones, with (Vâg. S. XIV, I6), 'Isha and Ûrga, the two autumnal seasons,'--these are the names of those two (bricks): it is by their names he thus lays them down. There are two (such) bricks, for a season consists of two months. He settles them only once: he thereby makes (the two months) one season. He places them on avakâ-plants, for the avakâ-plants mean water: he thus bestows water before that season, whence it rains before that season. He does not cover them afterwards, whence it does not likewise rain after (that season).
8:3:2:77. And as to why he places these (four bricks) in this (layer),--this fire-altar is the year, and the year is the same as these worlds, and the middlemost layer is the air (-world) thereof; and the rainy season and autumn are the air (-world) thereof: hence when he places them in this (layer), he thereby restores to him (Agni) what (part) of his body these (formed),--this is why he places them in this (layer).
8:3:2:88. And, again, as to why he places them in this (layer),--this Agni (the fire-altar) is Pragâpati, and Pragâpati is the year. Now the middlemost layer is the middle of this (altar), and the rainy season and the autumn are the middle of that (year): hence when he places them in this (layer), he thereby restores to him (Agni-Pragâpati) what part of his
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body these (formed),--this is why he places them in this (layer).
8:3:2:99. There are here four seasonal (bricks) he lays down in the middlemost layer; and two in each of the other layers,--animals (cattle) are four-footed, and the middlemost layer is the air: he thus places animals in the air, and hence there are animals that have their abode in the air.
8:3:2:1010. And, again, why there are four,--animals are four-footed, and animals are food; and the middle-most layer is the middle (of Agni's body): he thus puts food in the middle.
8:3:2:1111. And, again, why there are four,--'antariksha' (air) consists of four syllables, and the other layers (kiti) consist of two syllables; hence as much as the air consists of, so much he makes it in laying it down.
8:3:2:1212. And, again, why there are four,--this Agni (altar), doubtless, is an animal: he thus makes the animal biggest towards the middle; whence an animal is biggest towards the middle.
8:3:2:1313. There are here four Ritavyâs, the Visvagyotis being the fifth, and five Disyâs,--this makes ten: the Virâg consists of ten syllables, and the Virâg is food, and the middlemost layer is the middle;--he thus puts food in the middle (of the body). He lays them down so as not to be separated from the naturally-perforated one 1, for the naturally-perforated one is the vital air: he thus places the food so as not to be separated from the vital air. Subsequently (to the central brick) he lays them down: subsequently
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to (or upon) the vital air he thus places food.
8:3:2:1414. He then lays down the Prânabhrit 1 (bricks);--the Prânabhrits (breath-holders), doubtless, are the vital airs: it is the vital airs he thus lays into (Agni's body). There are ten of them, for there are ten vital airs. He places them in the forepart (of the altar),--for there are these vital airs in front,--with (Vâg. S. XIV, 17), 'Protect my vital strength! protect mine up-breathing! protect my down-breathing! protect my through-breathing! protect mine eye! protect mine ear! increase my speech! animate my mind! protect my soul (or body)! give me light!'--He lays them down so as not to be separated from the seasonal ones, for the vital air is wind: he thus establishes the wind in the seasons.
Footnotes
47:1 The three Visvagyotis bricks, placed in (the fourth easterly place from the centre of) the first, third and fifth layer respectively, are supposed to represent the regents of the three worlds--earth, air and sky--which these three layers represent, viz. Agni, Vâyu and Âditya (Sûrya). See VI, 3, 3, 16.47:2 Though, properly speaking, the Visvagyotis lies close to only one of the Disyâs, viz. the eastern one, it may at any rate be said to lie close to the range of the Disyâs. Here, too, the sense 'immediately after, not separated from them in respect of time,' would suit even better.
47:3 See VIII, 3, 1, 4 with note.
48:1
These two Ritavyâs are placed beside (east of) the Visvagyotis, one north of the other, just over those of the first and second layers, that is to say, in the fifth space from the centre. In the present case, however, these bricks are only of half the usual thickness; two others, of similar size; being placed upon them.
49:1 As in the case of the live tortoise, in the first layer; see VII, 5, 1, 11 with note--'Blyxa octandra, a grassy plant growing in marshy land ("lotus-flower," Weber, Ind. Stud. XIII, p. 250).'
50:1 That is to say, the three sets of bricks are not separated by any others from the Svayamâtrinnâ.
51:1 The ten Prânabhrits are placed--five on each side of the spine--either along the edge of the altar, or so as to leave the space of one foot between them and the edge, to afford room for another set of bricks, the Vâlakhilyâs.
THIRD BRÂHMANA.
8:3:3:11. He then lays down the Khandasyâ 2 (metres’ bricks). Now the metres are cattle, and the middle-most layer is the air: he thus places cattle in the air, whence cattle have their abode in the air.p. 52
8:3:3:22. And, again, as to why he lays down Khandasyâs,--the metres are cattle, and cattle are food, and the middlemost layer is the middle (of Agni, the altar): he thus places food in the middle (of Agni's body).
8:3:3:33. He lays them down by twelves,--for the Gagatî consists of twelve syllables, and the Gagatî is cattle, and the middlemost layer is the air: he thus places cattle in the air, whence cattle have their abode in the air.
8:3:3:44. And, again, why (he lays them down) by twelves,--the Gagatî consists of twelve syllables, and the Gagatî is cattle, and cattle is food, and the middlemost layer is the middle: he thus places food in the middle. He places them so as not to be separated from the Prânabhrits: he thus places the food so as not to be separated from the vital airs subsequently (to them he places them): he thus bestows food after (bestowing) the vital airs.
8:3:3:55. [He lays down the right set, with, Vâg. S. XIV, 18], 'The metre Measure;'--the measure (mâ), doubtless, is this (terrestrial) world, for this world is, as it were, measured (mita);--'the metre Fore-measure!'--the fore-measure (pramâ), doubtless, is the air-world, for the air-world is, as it were, measured forward from this world;--'The metre Countermeasure,'--the counter-measure (pratimâ), doubtless, is yonder (heavenly) world, for yonder world is, as it were, counter-measured 1 in the air;--'The metre Asrîvayas,'--'asrîvayas,' doubtless, is food: whatever food there is in these worlds that is 'asrîvayas.' Or, whatever food (anna) flows (sravati) from these
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worlds that is 'asrîvayas.' Hereafter, now, he puts down only defined metres.
8:3:3:66. 'The Paṅkti metre! the Ushnih metre! the Brihatî metre! the Anushtubh metre! the Virâg metre! the Gâyatrî metre! the Trishtubh metre! the Gagatî metre!' these eight defined metres, including the Virâg, he puts down.--[The back set, with, Vâg. S. XIV, 19], 'The metre Earth! the metre Air! the metre Heaven! the metre Years! the metre Stars! the metre Speech! the metre Mind! the metre Husbandry! the metre Gold! the metre Cow! the metre Goat! the metre Horse!' he thus puts down those metres which are sacred to those particular deities.--[The left set, with, Vâg. S. XIV, 20], 'The deity Fire! the deity Wind! the deity Sun! the deity Moon! the deity Vasavah! the deity Rudrâh! the deity Âdityâh! the deity Marutah! the deity Visve Devâh! the deity Brihaspati! the deity Indra! the deity Varuna!'--these deities, doubtless, are metres: it is these he thus lays down.
8:3:3:77. He lays down both defined and undefined (metres). Were he to lay down such as are all defined, then the food would have an end, it would fail; and (were he to lay down) such as are all undefined, then the food would be invisible, and one would not see it at all. He lays down both defined and undefined ones: hence the defined (certain) food which is eaten does not fail.
8:3:3:88. These then are those (sets of) twelve he lays down,--that makes thirty-six, and the Brihatî consists of thirty-six syllables: this is that same Brihatî, the air, which the gods then saw as a third
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layer. In that (brihatî set of bricks) the gods come last (or, are highest).
8:3:3:99. And, again, as to why he lays down these bricks. When Pragâpati became relaxed, all living beings went from him in all directions.
8:3:3:1010. Now that same Pragâpati who became relaxed is this very Agni (fire-altar) that is now being built up; and those living beings which went from him are these bricks: hence when he lays down these (bricks), he thereby puts back into him (Pragâpati-Agni) those same living beings which went from him.
8:3:3:1111. Now when he first lays down ten (Prânabhrits), they are the moon. There are ten of these,--the Virâg; consists of ten syllables, and the Virâg is food, and the moon is food. And when subsequently he lays down thirty-six (Khandasyâs), they are the half-months and months--twenty-four half-months and twelve months: the moon, doubtless, is the year, and all living beings.
8:3:3:1212. And when the gods restored him (Pragâpati-Agni), they put all those living beings inside him, and in like manner does this one now put them therein. He lays them down so as not to be separated from the seasonal (bricks): he thus establishes all living beings in the seasons.
Footnotes
51:2 The thirty-six Khandasyâ bricks are laid down, in three sets of twelve each, along the edge of the body of the altar where the two wings and the tail join it; six bricks being placed on each side of the respective spine. At the back the bricks are not, however, placed close to the edge separating the body from the tail, but sufficient space is left (a foot wide) for another set of bricks to be laid down behind the Khandasyâs.52:1 That is, made a counterfeit, or copy, of the earth.
FOURTH BRÂHMANA.
8:3:4:11. He then lays down the Vâlakhilyâs;--the Vâlakhilyâs, doubtless, are the vital airs: it is the vital airs he thus lays (into Agni). And as to why they are called Vâlakhilyâs,--what (unploughed piece of ground lies) between two cultivated fields is calledp. 55
[paragraph continues] 'khila;' and these (channels of the) vital airs 1 are separated from each other by the width of a horsehair (vâla), and because they are separated from each other by the width of a horse-hair, they (the bricks) are called Vâlakhilyâs.
8:3:4:22. He places seven in front, and seven at the back. When he places seven in front, he thereby restores to him those seven (organs of the) vital airs here in front.
8:3:4:33. And those seven which (he places) behind he thereby makes the counter-breathings to those (first breathings); and hence by means of (the channels of) these breathings he passes over the food which he eats with those (other) breathings.
8:3:4:44. And, again, as to why he places seven in front,--there are seven (channels of the) vital airs here in the front part (of the animal) 2--the four upper and lower parts of the fore-feet, the head, the neck, and what is above the navel that is the sixth, for in each limb there is a vital air: this makes seven vital airs here in front; it is them he thus lays into him (Agni-Pragâpati).
8:3:4:55. And as to what seven (bricks) he places behind,--there are seven vital airs here in the back part--the four thighs and knee-bones, the two feet, and what is below the navel that is the seventh, for in each limb there is a vital air: this makes seven vital airs here at the back; it is them he thus lays into him.
8:3:4:66. [He lays them down, with, Vâg. S. XIV, 21,22], 'The head thou art, the ruler! steady thou
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art, steadfast! a holder thou art, a hold!'--'A guider, a ruler! a guider thou art, a guide! steady thou art, a steadier!' he truly bestows steady vital airs unto him.
8:3:4:77. And, again, as to why he lays down the Vâlakhilyâs,--it was by means of the Vâlakhilyâs that the gods then ranged over these worlds, both from hence upwards and from yonder downwards; and in like manner does the sacrifice now, by means of the Vâlakhilyâs, range over these worlds, both from hence upwards and from yonder downwards.
8:3:4:88. By 'The head thou art, the ruler!' they stepped on this (terrestrial) world; by 'Steady thou art, steadfast!' on the air-world; by 'A holder thou art, a hold!' on that (heavenly) world.--'For life-strength (I bestow) thee! for vigour thee! for husbandry thee! for prosperity thee!' There are four (kinds of) four-footed (domestic) animals, and (domestic) animals are food: by means of this food, these four four-footed animals, they (the gods) established themselves in yonder world; and in like manner does the Sacrificer now by means of this food, these four four-footed animals, establish himself in yonder world.
8:3:4:99. That was, as it were, an ascent away from hence; but this (earth) is a foothold: the gods came back to this foothold; and in like manner does the Sacrificer now come back to this foothold.
8:3:4:1010. By 'A guider, a ruler!' they stepped on that (heavenly) world; by 'A guider thou art, a guide!' on the air-world; by 'Steady thou art, a steadier!' on this (terrestrial) world.--'For sap (I bestow) thee! for strength thee! for wealth thee! for thrift thee!'--There are four four-footed (domestic) animals,
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and (domestic) animals are food: by means of this food, these four four-footed animals, they (the gods) established themselves in this world; and in like manner does the Sacrificer, by means of this food, these four four-footed animals, establish himself in this world.
8:3:4:1111. Now as to the restoration (of Pragâpati-Agni). Those eleven bricks he lays down 1, which (constitute) that first anuvâka 2, are the air and this body (of Agni, the altar). And as to why there are eleven of these, it is because the Trishtubh consists of eleven syllables, and the air is of the trishtubh nature. And the sixty subsequent (bricks) are Vâyu, Pragâpati, Agni, the Sacrificer.
8:3:4:1212. Those which he places in front are his head: there are ten 3 of them, because there are ten vital airs, and the head is (the focus of) the vital airs. He places them in front, because the head (of an animal) is here in front.
8:3:4:1313. And those which he places on the right (south) side are that (part) of him which is above the waist and below the head. And those at the back are that (part) of him which is above the feet and below the waist. Those on the left (north) side are the feet themselves.
8:3:4:1414. And the seven (Vâlakhilyâs) which he places in front are these seven vital airs here in the forepart (of an animal): it is these he thus puts into
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him (Agni). He places them so as not to he separated from those ten (Prânabhrits): he thereby puts in vital airs that are not separate from the head.
8:3:4:1515. And the seven he places at the back (of the altar) are those seven vital airs behind: it is these he thereby puts into him. He places them so as not to be separated from those twelve (Khandasyâs): he thereby puts into him vital airs that are not separate from the body. That same Vâyu-Pragâpati is turned round in all directions in this trishtubh-like air; and when he lays down the third layer, having made up both Vâyu (the wind) and the air, he thereby adds them to himself. He then puts down two Lokamprinâ (space-filling bricks) in that corner 1: the significance of them (will be explained) further on 2. He throws loose earth (on the layer): the significance of this (will be explained) further on 3.
Footnotes
55:1 Or, these bricks representing the vital airs.55:2 Or, in the upper part of man.
57:1 That is to say, the first eleven bricks of the third layer, viz. one svayamâtrinnâ, four disyâs, one visvagyotis, and four ritavyâs.
57:2 The formulas used with these bricks, Vâg. S. XIV, 11-16, constitute the first anuvâka of the texts relating to the third layer (XIV, II-22).
57:3 Viz. ten Prânabhrits, see VIII, 3, 2, 14.
58:1 Whilst, in laying down the Lokamprinâs of the first and second layers, he started from the south-east and south-west corners respectively, in the third layer he starts from the left hip (or north-west corner) of the altar, filling up the available spaces in two turns, in sunwise fashion. Cf. p. 22, note 1; and p. 41, note 1.
THE FOURTH LAYER.
FOURTH ADHYÂYA. FIRST BRÂHMANA.
8:4:1:11. He lays down the fourth layer. For the gods having laid down the third layer, now ascended; but, the third layer being the air; it was the air which, having completed it, they ascended.8:4:1:22. They spake, 'Meditate ye!' whereby, indeed,
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they meant to say, 'Seek ye a layer! Seek ye (to build) from hence upwards!' Whilst meditating, they saw that fourth layer, (to wit) what is above the air and below the heavens; that world was to their minds, as it were, unstable and unsettled.
8:4:1:33. They said to the Brahman, 'We will lay thee down (or, set thee up) here!'--'What will therefrom accrue to me?'--'Thou shalt be the highest of us!'--'So be it!' They accordingly laid the Brahman down here, whence people say that the Brahman is the highest of gods. Now, by this fourth layer these two, heaven and earth, are upheld, and the fourth layer is the Brahman, whence people say that heaven and earth are upheld by the Brahman. He lays down the Stomas (hymn-forms) 1: the stomas being the vital airs, and the Brahman also being the vital airs, it is the Brahman he thereby lays down.
8:4:1:44. And, again, as to why he lays down the Stomas. The gods, at that time, said to Pragâpati, 'We will lay thee down here! So be it!' He did not say, 'What will therefrom accrue unto me?' but whenever Pragâpati wished to obtain anything from the gods, they said, 'What will therefrom accrue to us?' And hence even now if a father wishes to obtain anything from his sons, they say, 'What will therefrom
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accrue unto us?' and when the sons (wish to obtain anything) from the father, he says, 'So be it!' for in this way Pragâpati and the gods used of old to converse together. He lays down the Stomas: the stomas being the vital airs, and Pragâpati also being the vital airs, it is Pragâpati he thus lays down.
8:4:1:55. And, again, as to why he lays down the Stomas. Those vital airs, the Rishis 1, that saw this fourth layer 2, and who stepped nigh with that essential element (of the altar), are these (vital airs): it is them he now lays down. He lays down the Stomas:--the stomas being the vital airs, and the Rishis also being the vital airs, it is the Rishis he thus lays down.
8:4:1:66. And, again, as to why he lays down the Stomas. When Pragâpati had become relaxed (disjointed), the gods took him and went away. Vâyu, taking that (part) of him which was above the waist and below the head, kept going away from him, having become the deities and the forms of the year.
8:4:1:77. He spake to him, 'Come to me and restore to me that wherewith thou hast gone from me!'--'What will therefrom accrue unto me?'--'That part of my self shall be sacred unto thee!'--'So be it!' thus Vâyu restored that unto him.
8:4:1:88. Those eighteen (bricks 3) which there are at
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first, are that very (part) of his (Pragâpati's) body; and when he places them in this (layer), he thereby restores to him that (part) of his body which these (form): therefore he places them in this (layer). He lays down the Stomas: the stomas being the vital airs, and Vâyu (the wind) also being the vital airs, it is Vâyu he thus lays down.
8:4:1:99. In front he lays down one, with (Vâg. S. XIV, 23), 'The swift one, the Trivrit!' he therewith lays down that hymn-form which is trivrit (threefold, or thrice-three-versed). And as to why he calls it 'the swift one,' it is because this, indeed, is the swiftest of stomas. But the swift threefold one, doubtless, is Vâyu: he exists in these three worlds. And as to why he calls him 'the swift one,' it is because he is the swiftest of all beings: being (or, in the form of) Vâyu it remained in front,--it is that form he now lays down,
8:4:1:1010. [The back one 1, with], 'The bright one 2, the Pañkadasa!' he therewith lays down that
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hymn-form which is fifteenfold (fifteen-versed). And when he calls it 'the bright one,' it is that the bright one is the thunderbolt, and the thunderbolt is fifteenfold. But the bright, fifteenfold one, doubtless, also is the Moon: he waxes during fifteen days, and wanes during fifteen days. And as to his calling him 'the bright one,' the Moon indeed shines: being the Moon it remained on the right side,--it is that form he now lays down.
8:4:1:1111. [The left (north) one, with], 'The (aerial) space, the Saptadasa!' he therewith lays down that hymn-form which is seventeenfold. And as to his calling it 'the space,'--the (aerial) space is Pragâpati, and the seventeenfold one is Pragâpati. But indeed the seventeenfold space also is the year: in it there are twelve months and five seasons. And as to his calling it space, the year indeed is space: being space, it remained on the left side,--it is that form he now lays down.
8:4:1:1212. [The right (south) one, with], 'The upholder, the Ekavimsa!' he therewith lays down that hymn-form which is twenty-one-fold. And as to his calling it 'the upholder,'--the upholder means a foothold, and the Ekavimsa is a foothold. But indeed the twenty-one-fold upholder also is yonder sun: to him belong the twelve months, the five seasons, these three worlds, and yonder sun himself is the upholder, the twenty-one-fold. And as to his calling him 'the upholder,'--when he sets everything here holds its peace: being the sun, it remained at the back,--it is that form he now lays down; and the forms of the year he lays down.
8:4:1:1313. 'Speed, the Ashtâdasa!' he therewith lays down that hymn-form which is eighteenfold. Now,
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speed, the eighteenfold one, doubtless, is the year: in it there are twelve months, five seasons, and the year itself is speed, the eighteenfold. And as to his calling it 'speed,' the year indeed speeds all beings: it is that form he now lays down.
8:4:1:1414. 'Heat, the Navadasa!' he therewith lays down that hymn-form which is nineteenfold. But heat, the nineteenfold one, doubtless, is the year: in it there are twelve months, six seasons, and the year itself is heat, the nineteenfold. And as to his calling it 'heat,' the year indeed burns all beings: it is that form he now lays down.
8:4:1:1515. 'Victorious assault, the Savimsa!' he therewith lays down that hymn-form which is twentyfold. But victorious assault, the twentyfold one, doubtless, is the year: in it there are twelve months, seven seasons, and the year itself is victorious assault, the twentyfold. And as to why he calls it 'victorious assault,' the year indeed assails all beings: it is that form he now lays down.
8:4:1:1616. 'Vigour, the Dvâvimsa!' he therewith lays down that hymn-form which is twenty-two-fold. But vigour, the twenty-two-fold one, doubtless is the year: in it there are twelve months, seven seasons, the two, day and night, and the year itself is vigour, the twenty-two-fold. And as to why he calls it 'vigour,' the year is indeed the most vigorous of all existing things: it is that form he now lays down.
8:4:1:1717. 'The array, the Trayovimsa!' he therewith lays down that hymn-form which is twenty-three-fold. But array, the twenty-three-fold one, doubtless, means the year: in it there are thirteen months, seven seasons, the two, day and night, and the year itself is the array, the twenty-three-fold.
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[paragraph continues] And as to his calling it 'array,' the year is indeed arrayed over all beings: it is that form he now lays down.
8:4:1:1818. 'The womb, the Katurvimsa!' he therewith lays down that hymn-form which is twenty-four-fold. But the womb, the twenty-four-fold one, doubtless, is the year: in it there are twenty-four half-months. And as to his calling it 'the womb,' the year is indeed the womb of all beings: it is that form he now lays down.
8:4:1:1919. 'The embryos, the Pañkavimsa!' he therewith lays down that hymn-form which is twenty-five-fold. But the embryos, the twenty-five-fold one, doubtless; is the year: in it there are twenty-four half-months, and the year itself is the embryos, the twenty-five-fold. And as to his calling it 'the embryos,'--the year, as an embryo, in the shape of the thirteenth month, enters the seasons: it is that form he now lays down.
8:4:1:2020. 'Strength, the Trinava!' he therewith lays down that hymn-form which is thrice ninefold. And as to his calling it 'strength,'--strength (ogas) means the thunderbolt (vagra), and the Trinava is a thunderbolt. But strength also means the year: in it there are twenty-four half-months, the two, day and night, and the year itself is strength, the thrice-ninefold. And as to his calling it 'strength,' the year indeed is the strength of all beings: it is that form he now lays down.
8:4:1:2121. 'Design, the Ekatrimsa!' he therewith lays down that hymn-form which is thirty-one-fold. But design, the thirty-one-fold, doubtless, means the year: in it there are twenty-four half-months, six seasons, and the year itself is design, the thirty-one-fold. And
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as to his calling it 'design,' the year indeed designs (makes, forms) all beings: it is that form he now lays down.
8:4:1:2222. 'The foundation, the Trayastrimsa!' he therewith lays down that hymn-form which is thirty-three-fold. And as to why he calls it 'the foundation,' the thirty-three-fold is indeed a foundation. But indeed the foundation, the thirty-three-fold, also is the year: in it there are twenty-four half-months, six seasons, the two, day and night, and the year itself is the foundation, the thirty-three-fold. And as to his calling it 'the foundation,' the year is indeed the foundation of all beings: it is that form he now lays down.
8:4:1:2323. 'The range of the ruddy one, the Katustrimsa!' he therewith lays down that hymn-form which is thirty-four-fold. But the range of the ruddy one (the sun), the thirty-four-fold one, doubtless, is the year: in it there are twenty-four half-months, seven seasons, the two, day and night, and the year itself is the range of the ruddy one, the thirty-four-fold. And as to his calling it 'the range of the ruddy one,' the range of the ruddy one, doubtless, means supreme sway, and the thirty-four-fold one means supreme sway: it is that form he now lays down.
8:4:1:2424. 'The firmament, the Shattrimsa!' he therewith lays down that hymn-form which is thirty-six-fold. But the firmament, the thirty-six-fold one, doubtless, is the year: in it there are twenty-four half-moons, and twelve months. And as to why he calls it 'the firmament' (nâkam), it is because there is no pain (na akam) for whosoever goes there. And the firmament indeed is the year, the heavenly world is the year: it is that form he now lays down.
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8:4:1:2525. 'The revolving sphere, the Ashtâkatvârimsa!' he therewith lays down that hymn-form which is forty-eight-fold. But the revolving sphere, the forty-eight-fold, doubtless, is the year: in it there are twenty-six half-months, thirteen months, seven seasons, and the two, day and night. And as to his calling it 'the revolving sphere,' from the year all creatures indeed are evolved: it is that form he now lays down.
8:4:1:2626. 'The stay, the Katushtoma!' he therewith lays down the chant of praise consisting of four stomas 1. And as to his calling it 'the stay,'--stay means support, and the Katushtoma is a support. But the stay, the Katushtoma, doubtless, is Vâyu (the wind), for he sings from all those four quarters. And as to his calling him 'the stay,'--stay means support; and the wind indeed is the support of all beings: it is that form he now lays down. The wind he places first and last: by the wind he thus encloses all these beings on both sides.
8:4:1:2727. These, then, are eighteen bricks he lays down; this makes two Trivrits,--the Trivrit being breath, and breath being wind, this layer is Vâyu.
8:4:1:2828. And as to why there are eighteen,--the year is eighteenfold: twelve months and six seasons. And Pragâpati indeed is the year, Pragâpati is eighteenfold: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, so great he makes it when he lays it down.
Footnotes
59:1 This refers to the first eighteen bricks of the fourth layer; but as the names of the bricks (ishtakâ, f.) are invariably of the feminine gender, it is doubtful whether stoma (m.), in this case, is meant as the designation of these bricks, or merely as their symbolical analogon. In the former case, one would rather, from the analogy of other bricks, expect some such term as 'stomyâ.' To the first four of them Mahîdhara, on Vâg. S. XIV, 23, applies the epithet mrityumohinî, or 'confounders of death.'60:1 See VI, 1, 1, 1; VII, 2, 3, 5.
60:2 See VI, 2, 3, 7. 8.
60:3 These eighteen bricks, representing the Stomas, or hymn-forms, are laid down in the following order. At each end of the spine (running from west to east) one brick, of the size of the shank (from knee to ankle), is placed, with its line-marks running from west to east; the eastern one being placed north, and the western one south, of the spine. Thereupon an ordinary brick, a foot square, is placed p. 61 at the southern end of the 'cross-spine,' so as to lie on the spine (though not apparently exactly in the middle, but so that only one-fourth of the brick lies on one side of the spine) with its line-marks running from south to north; and a second brick of the same size is placed on the north, but so as to leave the full space of another such brick between it and the northern edge of the altar. Behind (west of) the front brick, fourteen half-foot bricks are then laid down, in a row from north to south, seven on each side of the spine.
61:1 The formulas of the first four of these (stoma) bricks are not given here (in paragraphs 9-12) in the order in which the bricks are actually laid down, viz. E. W. S. N., but in the order E. S. N. W.; cp. Kâtyây. Srautas. XVII, 10, 6-9. For a symbolic explanation of this change of order see VIII, 4, 4, 1 seq.
61:2 Or, perhaps, 'the angry one.' The author of the Brâhmana, however, evidently connects 'bhânta' with the root 'bhâ,' to shine.
66:1 For particulars on the Katushtoma, see note on XIII, 1, 3, 4.
SECOND BRÂHMANA.
8:4:2:11. He then lays down the Spritah 2 (freeingp. 67
bricks). For when that (part) of his body had been restored, Pragâpati became pregnant with all beings: whilst they were in his womb, evil, death, seized them.
8:4:2:22. He spake to the gods, 'With you I will free all these beings from evil, from death 1!'--'What will accrue unto us therefrom?'--'Choose ye!' said he.--'Let there be a share for us!' said some to him. 'Let lordship be unto us!' said others. Having bestowed a share on some, and lordship on others, he freed all beings from evil, from death; and inasmuch as he freed (spri) them, therefore (those bricks are called) 'Spritah.' And in like manner does this Sacrificer, by bestowing a share on some, and lordship on others, now free all beings from evil, from death; and hence (the word) 'spritam (freed)' recurs with all of them.
8:4:2:33. [He lays them down 2, with, Vâg. S. XIV, 24-26], Agni's share thou art, Dîkshâ's lordship!'--Dîkshâ, doubtless, is Speech: having bestowed a share on Agni, he bestows lordship on Speech;--'the Brahman is freed; the Trivrit-stoma!'--by means of the thrice-threefold hymn-form he freed
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the Brahman (priesthood) for living beings from evil, from death.
8:4:2:44. 'Indra's share thou art, Vishnu's lordship!'--Having bestowed a share on Indra, he bestowed lordship on Vishnu;--'the Kshatra is freed; the Pañkadasa-stoma!'--by means of the fifteenfold hymn-form he freed the Kshatra (nobility) for living beings from evil, from death.
8:4:2:55. 'The man-viewers’ share thou art, the creator's lordship!'--the man-viewers, doubtless, are the gods: having bestowed a share on the gods, he bestowed lordship on the creator;--'the birthplace is freed, the Saptadasa-stoma!'--the birthplace, doubtless, is the peasantry: by means of the seventeenfold hymn-form he frees the peasantry for living beings from evil, from death.
8:4:2:66. 'Mitra's share thou art, Varuna s lordship!'--Mitra, doubtless, is the out-breathing, and Varuna the down-breathing: having bestowed a share on the out-breathing, he bestowed lordship on the down-breathing;--'heaven's rain, the wind is freed; the Ekavimsa-stoma!'--by means of the twenty-one-fold hymn-form he frees both rain and wind for living beings from evil, from death.
8:4:2:77. 'The Vasus’ share thou art, the Rudras' lordship!'--having bestowed a share on the Vasus, he bestowed lordship on the Rudras;--'the four-footed is freed, the Katurvimsa-stoma!'--by means of the twenty-five-fold hymn-form he freed the four-footed for living beings from evil, from death.
8:4:2:88. 'The Âdityas’ share thou art, the Maruts’ lordship!'--having bestowed a share on the Âdityas, he bestowed lordship on the Maruts;--'the
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embryos are freed, the Pañkavimsa-stoma!'--by means of the twenty-five-fold hymn-form he freed the embryos for living beings from evil, from death.
8:4:2:99. 'Aditi's share thou art, Pûshan's lordship!'--Aditi, doubtless, is this (earth): having bestowed a share on her, he bestowed lordship on Pûshan,--'vigour is freed; the Trinava-stoma!' by means of the thrice-ninefold hymn-form he freed vigour for living beings from evil, from death.
8:4:2:1010. 'God Savitri's share thou art, Brihaspati's lordship!'--having bestowed a share on the god Savitri, he bestows lordship on Brihaspati;--'the facing quarters are freed, the Katushtoma!'--by means of the chant of praise consisting of four stomas he freed all the (four) quarters for living beings from evil, from death.
8:4:2:1111. 'The Yavas’ share thou art, the Ayavas’ lordship!'--the Yavas, doubtless, are the first (light) fortnights, and the Ayavas the latter (dark) fortnights, for these gain (yu) and obtain (â-yu) everything here 1: having bestowed a share on the first fortnights, he bestowed lordship on the latter fortnights;--'the creatures are freed, the Katuskatvârimsa-stoma!'--by means of the forty-four-fold hymn-form he freed all creatures from evil, from death.
8:4:2:1212. 'The Ribhus’ share thou art, the All-gods’ lordship!'--having bestowed a share on the Ribhus, he bestowed lordship on the Visve-Devâh;--
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[paragraph continues] 'the living being is freed, the Trayastrimsa-stoma!'--by means of the thirty-three-fold hymn-form he freed all living beings from evil, from death; and in like manner does the Sacrificer, by means of the thirty-three-fold hymn-form, now free all living beings from evil, from death.
8:4:2:1313. These, then, are ten bricks he lays down,--the Virâg consists of ten syllables, and Agni is Virâg (wide-shining); there are ten regions, and Agni is the regions; there are ten vital airs, and Agni is the vital airs: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus frees all these creatures from evil, from death.
8:4:2:1414. He then lays down two Ritavyâs 1 (seasonal bricks);--the seasonal ones being the same as the seasons, it is the seasons he thus lays down;--with (Vâg. S. XIV, 27), 'Saha and Sahasya, the two winter-seasons!' These are the names of those two, it is with their names he thus lays them down. There are two such bricks, for a season consists of two months. Only once he settles them: he thus makes (the two months) one season.
8:4:2:1515. And as to why he places these two (bricks) in this (layer),--this Agni (fire-altar) is the year, and the year is these worlds: what part thereof is above the air, and below the sky, that is this fourth layer, and that is the winter-season thereof; and when he places these two in this (layer), he thereby restores to him (Pragâpati-Agni, the year and fire-altar) what part of his body these two (constitute). This is why he places these two in this (layer).
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8:4:2:1616. And, again, as to why he places these two in this (layer),--this Agni is Pragâpati, and Pragâpati is the year: what (part) of him there is above the waist, and below the head, that is this fourth layer, and that is the winter-season of him (or, of it, the year). And when he places these two in this (layer), he thereby restores to him what part of his body these two (constitute). This is why he places these two in this (layer).
Footnotes
66:2 The ten Spritah are placed in close connection with the preceding set;--viz. at the front and back ends of the spine, two p. 67 bricks, exactly corresponding in size to those already lying there, are placed south and north of these respectively. Similarly two bricks, a foot square, are placed on the 'cross-spine' immediately north of the two stoma-bricks lying there. The remaining six bricks are then placed behind the row of fourteen 'stomas' in the front part of the altar, three on each side of the spine.67:1 Or, from that evil, death.
67:2 In the case of the first four Spritah, as in that of the corresponding Stomas (see p. 6r, note r), while the bricks themselves are laid down in the order E. W. N. S., the order in which the formulas are given in paragraphs 3-6, is that of E. N. S.W.--Cp. Kâty. Srautas. XVII, 10, 11-14. For a symbolical explanation of this change of order, see VIII, 4, 4, 1 seq.
69:1 This is clearly a fanciful etymology. If 'yava' and 'ayava,' in the sense of the bright and dark fortnights, are really genuine terms, it is more likely that they are derived from yu, 'to keep off,'--the bright half of the moon being looked upon as capable of averting evil spirits, and the dark half as the reverse of this.
70:1 These are placed over the Ritavyâs of the preceding layers, viz. in the fifth place to the east of the centre, south and north of the spine.
THIRD BRÂHMANA.
8:4:3:11. He then lays down the Srishtis 1 (creations). For Pragâpati, having freed all beings from evil,p. 72
from death, he now desired, 'May I produce creatures, may I procreate!'
8:4:3:22. He spake unto the vital airs 1, 'Together with you, I will here bring forth creatures!'--'Wherewith shall we sing praises 2?'--'With me and with
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yourselves!'--'So be it!' So they sang praises both with the vital airs and with Pragâpati; and whatsoever the gods do, that they do with praise, that--praise being sacrifice--they do with sacrifice. Hence (the words) 'they sang praises' recur with all (these bricks).
8:4:3:33. [They lay them down, with, Vâg. S. XIV, 2831], 'With one they sang praises,'--the one, doubtless, is speech: it is with speech they then sang praises;--'creatures were conceived,'--creatures indeed were now conceived;--'Pragâpati was the lord!'--Pragâpati indeed was now the lord.
8:4:3:44. 'With three they sang praises,'--there are three vital airs: the out-breathing, the up-breathing, and the through-breathing: it is with them they then sang praises;--'the Brahman was created,'--the priesthood indeed was now created;--'Brahmanaspati was the lord!' Brahmanaspati indeed was now the lord.
8:4:3:55. 'With five they sang praises,'--what (four) vital airs there are here, with mind as a fifth: it is with them they then sang praises;--'the living beings were created,'--the living beings indeed were now created;--'the lord of beings was the lord!'--the lord of beings indeed was now the lord.
8:4:3:66. 'With seven they sang praises,'--what seven vital airs there are here in the head: it is with them they then sang praises;--'the seven Rishis were created,'--the seven Rishis indeed were now created;--'the creator was the lord!'--the creator indeed was now the lord.
8:4:3:77. 'With nine they sang praises,'--there are nine vital airs, seven in the head, and two downward
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ones: it is with them they then sang praises;--'the Fathers were created,'--the Fathers indeed were now created;--'Aditi was the ruler!'--Aditi indeed was now the ruler.
8:4:3:88. 'With eleven they sang praises,'--there are ten vital airs, and the trunk is the eleventh: it is therewith they then sang praises;--'the seasons were created,'--the seasons indeed were now created;--'the seasonal periods were the lords!'--the seasonal periods indeed were now the lords.
8:4:3:99. 'With thirteen they sang praises,'--there are ten vital airs, and two feet, and the trunk is the thirteenth: it is therewith they then sang praises;--'the months were created,'--the months indeed were now created;--'the year was the lord!' the year indeed was now the lord.
8:4:3:1010. 'With fifteen they sang praises,'--there are ten fingers, four fore-arms and upper arms, and what is above the navel is the fifteenth: it is therewith they then sang praises the Kshatra was created,'--the nobility indeed was now created;--'Indra was the lord!'--Indra indeed was now the lord.
8:4:3:1111. 'With seventeen they sang praises,'--there are ten toes, four thighs and shanks, two feet, and what is below the navel is the seventeenth: it is therewith they then sang praises the tame animals were created,'--the tame animals indeed were now created;--'Brihaspati was the lord!'--Brihaspati indeed was now the lord.
8:4:3:1212. 'With nineteen they sang praises,'--there are ten fingers, and nine vital airs: it is with these they then sang praises;--'the Sûdra and Ârya were created,'--the Sûdra and Ârya indeed
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were now created;--'the day and night were the rulers!'--the day and night indeed were now the rulers.
8:4:3:1313. 'With twenty-one they sang praises,'--there are ten fingers, ten toes, and the trunk is the twenty-first: it is therewith that they then sang praises;--'the one-hoofed animals were created,'--the one-hoofed animals indeed were now created;--'Varuna was the lord!'--Varuna indeed was now the lord.
8:4:3:1414. 'With twenty-three they sang praises,'--there are ten fingers, ten toes, two feet, and the trunk is the twenty-third: it is therewith they then sang praises;--'the small animals were created,'--the small animals indeed were now created;--'Pûshan was the lord!'--Pûshan indeed was now the lord.
8:4:3:1515. 'With twenty-five they sang praises,'--there are ten fingers, ten toes, four limbs, and the trunk is the twenty-fifth: it is therewith they then sang praises;--'the wild animals were created,'--the wild animals indeed were now created;--'Vâyu was the lord!'--Vâyu indeed was now the lord.
8:4:3:1616. 'With twenty-seven they sang praises,'--there are ten fingers, ten toes, four limbs, two feet, and the trunk is the twenty-seventh: it is therewith they then sang praises;--'Heaven and Earth went asunder,'--heaven and earth indeed now went asunder;--'the Vasus, Rudras and Âdityas separated along with them: they indeed were the lords!' and they indeed were now the lords.
8:4:3:1717. 'With twenty-nine they sang praises;'--
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there are ten fingers, ten toes, and nine vital airs: it is with these they then sang praises;--'the trees were created,'--the trees indeed were now created;--'Soma was the lord,'--Soma indeed was now the lord.
8:4:3:1818. 'With thirty-one they sang praises,'--there are ten fingers, ten toes, ten vital airs, and the trunk is the thirty-first: it is therewith they then sang praises;--'the creatures were created,'--the creatures indeed were now created;--' the Yavas and Ayavas were the lords,'--the bright and dark fortnights indeed were now the lords.
8:4:3:1919. 'With thirty-three they sang praises,'--there are ten fingers, ten toes, ten vital airs, two feet, and the trunk is the thirty-third: it is therewith they then sang praises;--'the living beings lay quiet,'--all living beings now indeed lay quiet;--'Pragâpati, the supreme, was the lord!'--Pragâpati, the supreme, indeed was now the lord.
8:4:3:2020. These, then, are seventeen bricks he lays down,--the year, Pragâpati, is seventeenfold, he is the progenitor: it is thus by this seventeenfold year, by Pragâpati, the progenitor, that he caused these creatures to be generated. And what he generated, he created; and inasmuch as he created (srig), therefore they are called creations (srishti). Having created them, he made them enter his own self: and in like manner does the Sacrificer now cause these creatures to be generated by that seventeenfold year, by Pragâpati, the progenitor; and having created them, he makes them enter his own self 1. On the
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range of the Retahsik (he lays down these bricks): the Retahsik being the ribs, and the ribs the middle (of the body), it is in the very middle that he causes these creatures to enter him. He lays them on all sides: from all sides he thus makes these creatures to enter him.
Footnotes
71:1 The seventeen Srishtis are to be placed round the centre, along the retahsik range, in such a way that nine bricks lie south(Seventeen srishti and two ritavyâ.)
and eight bricks north, of the spine; and that five bricks form the southern side, and four bricks each of the three other sides. Whilst the bricks of the south side are further specified as consisting of a brick, a foot square, lying on the cross-spine, being flanked on both sides by half-foot bricks, and these again by square bricks; no particulars are given regarding the other sides. Most likely, however, as indicated in the accompanying sketch, four square bricks, two on each side of the cross-spine, are to form the left (north) side, whilst the front and hind sides are to consist of two p. 72 square bricks lying north and south of the spine, and flanked by half-foot bricks.72:1 That is, to the deities representing the vital airs, viz. the regions, &c. Mahîdh.
72:2 Professor Delbrück, in his Altindische Syntax, pp. 136, 257, 265, takes 'stoshyâmahe' in this passage in a passive sense--'by whom shall we be praised?' I think, however, that this is a mistake, and Harisvâmin's commentary certainly takes it in the same sense as I have done; and, indeed, the paragraphs which follow seem to me to make it quite clear that no other interpretation is possible. Pragâpati is about to perform the 'srishtis,' i. e. the creation of living beings by means of sacrifice (his own self). He requires the assistance of the Prânas (vital airs) in order to produce creatures endowed with breath, and he also appeals to (the three most prominent of) them in their capacity as Rishis (VI, 1, 1, 1 seq.) to officiate as his (Udgâtri) priests. They ask, 'Wherewith shall we sing praises?' and he answers, 'With me and with your own selves.' The wherewith,' according to Harisvâmin, refers both to the 'stotriyâ' verses to be used, and to the deities of the srishti-stotras. That the former, at all events, is indeed the case, a glance at the subsequent paragraphs shows, where the stotriyâs are identified with the vital airs, and, when their number (ten) becomes exhausted, with parts of the year (Pragâpati), and of his (the Sacrificer's, or Pragâpati's) body. As regards the deities whom Harisvâmin considers to be likewise implied, this also is by no means improbable, though I must confess that it did not occur to me, before I looked at the commentary. In the Udgâtri's text-books, the chanting of stotras is usually interpreted as symbolising the production of 'food' (cf., for instance, Tândya-Br. I, 3, 6, 'annam karishyâmy annam pravishyâmy annam ganayishyâmi'), whilst here it seems identified with the production of life, or breath itself (cf. ib. 5, 'brihaspatis tvâ yunaktu devebhyah prânâya &c.'); and, accordingly, in Sat. Br. X, 3, 1, 1, 7, the principal vital air, the breath proper, is called 'praganana-prâna.'
76:1 That is, he makes them pass into his own power, makes them his own.
FOURTH BRÂHMANA.
8:4:4:11. Now, then, as to the order of proceeding. That (brick) which contains the Trivrit (thrice-threefold stoma) he places in front, that containing the twenty-one-fold (stoma) at the back, that containing the fifteenfold (stoma) on the right (south) side, that containing the seventeenfold (stoma) on the left (north) side.8:4:4:22. Now when the one containing the Trivrit had been laid down, Death lay in wait for Pragâpati in the one (on the south side) containing the fifteenfold (stoma), thinking, 'After that he will lay down this one: I will here seize upon him!' He (Pragâpati) was aware of him, and having seen him, he walked round and laid down (at the back) the (brick) containing the twenty-one-fold (stoma). Death came thither, and he (Pragâpati) laid down the one (on the south side) containing the fifteenfold (stoma). Death came to the fifteenfold one, and he (Pragâpati) laid down the one (on the north side) containing the seventeenfold (stoma). It was here 1 that he put down and confounded Death; and in like manner does the Sacrificer now put down and confound all evils
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8:4:4:33. Then as to the subsequent (bricks). Alongside of the one (in front) containing the Trivrit he lays down one containing the Trivrit; alongside of that (at the back) containing the Ekavimsa (he lays down) one containing the Ekavimsa; alongside of that (on the south, or right, side) containing the Pañkadasa (he lays down) one containing the Saptadasa; alongside of that (on the north, or left, side) containing the Saptadasa (he lays down) one containing the Pañkadasa. And because he thus changes in laying them down 1, therefore they (the bricks) are of diverse stomas; and because these stomas are then otherwise with regard to the former ones 2, therefore also they (the bricks) are of diverse stomas. And in this way the gods laid them down, and otherwise the Asuras; whereupon the gods succeeded, and the Asuras came to naught: he who knows this, succeeds of himself, and his hateful enemy comes to naught.
8:4:4:44. Now, this Agni (fire-altar) is an animal, and he is made up (restored) here whole and entire. His head is the two (bricks) containing the Trivrit; and as to why these two are such as contain the Trivrit,--the head is threefold (trivrit). There are two of them, because the head consists of two bones (kapâla). He lays them down in front, for this head is in the front (of the animal).
8:4:4:55. The two (behind) containing the Ekavimsa are the foundation (the feet). And as to why these are such as contain the Ekavimsa,--the Ekavimsa is
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a foundation. There are two of them,--because the foundation is a pair (of feet). He places them behind, because this foundation (the hind-feet) is behind.
8:4:4:66. The two containing the Pañkadasa 1 are the arms (or fore-feet). And as to why these are such as contain the Pañkadasa,--the arms are fifteenfold. There are two of them, because these arms are two. He places them on the sides, because these two arms are at the sides.
8:4:4:77. The two containing the Saptadasa are food. And as to why they are such as contain the Saptadasa,--food is seventeenfold. There are two of them, because 'anna' (food) has two syllables. He lays them down close to those containing the Pañkadasa he thus puts the food close to the arms. Those containing the Pañkadasa are on the outside, and those containing the Saptadasa on the inside: he thus encloses the food on both sides by the arms.
8:4:4:88. And those he places in the middle are the body (trunk). He places them on the range of the Retahsik (bricks), for--the Retahsik being the ribs, and the ribs being the middle (of the body)--this body is in the middle (of the limbs) 2. He places them in every direction, for this body (extends) in every direction. And as to what other (space) there is besides this, that is left over;--and what is left over for the gods, that is these metres;--and as to these
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metres, they are cattle;--and as to cattle, they are (objects of) good fortune;--and as to these (objects of) good fortune, they are yonder sun: he is that one to the south of them.
8:4:4:99. Now some lay down these (rows of bricks 1) immediately after the two containing the Trivrit, saying, 'They are the tongue and the jaws: those fourteen are the jaws, and those six are the tongue.' Let him not do so: they cause a redundancy,--it would be just as if one were to put two other jaws to the already existing jaws, as if one were to put another tongue to the already existing tongue. That (brick) wherein the head is indeed (includes) the jaws and the tongue.
8:4:4:1010. Now some lay down (these bricks) in the intermediate (south-eastern) space of it (the altar) 2, saying, 'This is the sun: we thus place yonder sun in that direction.' Let him not do so: surely there are those other rites 3 by which he places him in that (direction).
8:4:4:1111. Some, again, lay them down on the right
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[paragraph continues] (south 1) side, saying, 'We thus place these signs of good fortune (punyâ lakshmî) on the right side:' whence he who has a mark 2 (lakshman) on his right side is said to have good luck (punya-lakshmîka), and on the left side in the case of a woman 3; for the woman has her position on the left side (of the man): therefore it is done thus. But let him place them in front; for where the head is there are also the jaws and the tongue: and thus he places the signs of good fortune at the head (or, in the mouth, mukhatah), whence they say that he who has a (peculiar) mark in his mouth 4 has good luck.
8:4:4:1212. This, indeed, is Brahman's layer: inasmuch as they (the gods) laid down the Brahman 5, therefore it is Brahman's layer. It is Pragâpati's layer: inasmuch as they laid down Pragâpati 6, it is Pragâpati's layer. It is the Rishis’ layer: inasmuch as they laid down the Rishis 7, it is the Rishis’ layer. It is Vâyu's layer: inasmuch as they laid down Vâyu 8, it is Vâyu's layer. It is the Stomas’ layer: inasmuch as they laid down the hymn-forms 9, it is the Stomas’
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layer. It is the layer of the vital airs: inasmuch as they laid down the vital airs 1, it is the layer of the vital airs. Hence, whatsoever one may know, that comes to be included in the ancestry, in the kinship 2 of this layer.--He then lays down two Lokamprinâs (space-filling bricks) in that corner 3: the significance of these (will be explained) farther on 4. He throws loose soil thereon: the significance of this (will be explained) farther on 5.
Footnotes
77:1 That is, in the laying down of these bricks. For the order followed in laying down the bricks, see also p. 67, note 2.78:1 The Sanskrit text, as usual, makes our gerundial clause the principal clause: 'because he lays them down in changing them.'
78:2 On the south side a Sprit representing the Saptadasa is placed immediately north of a stoma (brick) representing the Pañkadasa; and vice versa on the north (left) side.
79:1 Viz. the southern one of the two on the south (right) side, and the northern one of the two on the north (left) side.
79:2 Atha yâ madhya npadadhâti sa âtmâ, tâ retahsikor velayopadadhâti--prishtayo vai retahsikau, madhyam u prishtayo--madhyato hy ayam âtmâ.--Here the two clauses with 'vai' are inserted to substantiate the reason introduced by 'hi.'
80:1 Viz. the row of fourteen bricks lying behind the two front bricks, and the row of six bricks again placed behind these. It will he remembered that only the northern one of the two front bricks was laid down at first, and that then three others were placed in the different directions, after which the row of fourteen was laid down behind the front one; and similarly the laying down of the second front brick was separated from that of the second row by the laying down of three other bricks in the different quarters.
80:2 In that case, the two shank-sized bricks are laid down in the south-east corner, and the rows of smaller bricks are placed to the north of them. See Kâty. Srautas. XIV, I0, 4.
80:3 See, for instance, VI, 7, 3, 9 where the Ukhya Agni, representing the sun, is held up by the Agnikit (sacrificer) in the south-easterly direction. The south-east corner is sacred to Agni.
81:1 In that case, they are laid down north of the two bricks lying on the southern end of the cross-spine, first the row of fourteen, and then, north of these, the row of six.
81:2 Yasya dakshinapârsve lakshanam kâyasya vâ varne vâ kimtarâtmakam (?) bhavati; comm.
81:3 This clause is rather abrupt, and is, moreover, hardly logical. It is not clear whether it is the two southern bricks that are compared with the woman, or the bricks to be placed alongside of them on the north (left) side.
81:4 Viz. such as an excess of sharp teeth (incisors)--yasya mukhalakshanam dakshinadamshtrâtirekâdi bhavati; comm.
81:5 See VIII, 4, 1, 3.
81:6 See VIII, 4, 1, 4.
81:7 See VIII, 4, 1, 5.
81:8 See VIII, 4, 1, 8.
81:9 See VIII, 4, 1, 4 seq.
82:1 See VIII, 4, 1, 5.
82:2 Or, in the (symbolic) meaning. The literal reading of the clause is,--'Thereby this layer of his becomes possessed of an ancestry and kinship (or mystic sense).'
82:3 Viz. in the north-east corner, or on the left shoulder, whence, in two turns, the available spaces of the altar are filled up. In laying down the Lokamprinâs of the first three layers he started from the south-east, the south-west, and the north-west corners respectively. Cf. p. 22, note 1; p. 41, note 1; p. 58, note 1.
THE FIFTH LAYER.
FIFTH ADHYÂYA. FIRST BRÂHMANA.
8:5:1:11. He lays down the fifth layer. For now, having laid down the fourth layer, the gods mounted it,--having completed what is above the air, and below the sky, they mounted it.8:5:1:22. They spake, 'Meditate ye (ketay)!' whereby, doubtless, they meant to say, 'Seek ye a layer (kiti)! Seek ye from hence upwards!' Whilst meditating, they saw that fifth layer, the far-shining heaven: that world pleased them.
8:5:1:33. They desired, 'Would that we could make that world foeless, undisturbed!' They spake, 'Think ye upon this, how we shall make this world
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foeless, undisturbed!' They spake, 'Meditate ye!' whereby, indeed, they meant to say, 'Seek ye a layer! Seek ye how we shall make this world foeless, undisturbed!'
8:5:1:44. Whilst meditating, they saw these Asapatnâ ('foeless') bricks; they laid them down, and by means of them they made that world foeless, undisturbed; and because by means of them they made that world foeless, undisturbed, these (are called) Asapatnâs. And in like manner does the Sacrificer, by laying them down, now make that world foeless, undisturbed. On all (four) sides he lays them down: on all sides he thus makes that world foeless, undisturbed. He places them on the other side: he thereby makes that whole world foe-less, undisturbed.
8:5:1:55. He then lays down the Virâgs 1 (far-shining bricks): this Virâg, indeed, is that far-shining (virâg) fifth layer which the gods saw. He lays them down by tens: the Virâg (metre) consists of ten syllables, and this layer is 'virâg.' He places them on every side; for he who shines (rules) in one direction only, does not shine far and wide, but whosoever shines in all directions, he alone shines far and wide.
8:5:1:66. And as to why he lays down those Asapatnâs. Now at that time, when that (part) of his body had been restored, evil beset Pragâpati on every side. He saw those foeless bricks, and laid them down, and by means of them he drove off evil, for foe means evil; and because, by means of them he drove off the foe, evil, therefore they are (called) 'foeless' (bricks).
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8:5:1:77. And what the gods did, the same is done now. Evil, indeed, does not now beset this (Sacrificer), but when he now does this, it is that he wants to do what the gods did; and he thereby drives off whatever evil, whatever foe besets him; and because, by means of them, he drives off the foe, evil, therefore they are (called) the 'foeless' (bricks). He places them on every side: he thereby drives off the foe, evil, on every side. He places them on the other side: from his whole self he thereby drives off the foe, evil.
8:5:1:88. He lays down (one) in front 1, with (Vâg. S. XV, 1), 'O Agni, drive away the foes of ours that are born, drive back those unborn, O knower of beings! cheer us, kindly and un-frowning! may we be in thy threefold-sheltering, steadfast protection!' as the text so the sense. Then behind, with (Vâg. S. XV, 2), 'With might drive away the foes of ours that are born,
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drive back, O knower of beings, those unborn! cheer us with kindly feeling! may we prevail! drive off our foes!' as the text so the sense.
8:5:1:99. That which is (placed) in front is Agni, and that behind is Agni: with Agni he (Pragâpati) then drove away evil both in front and in the rear; and in like manner now does the Sacrificer with Agni drive away evil both in front and in the rear.
8:5:1:1010. Then on the right (south) side, with (Vâg. S. XV, 3), 'The sixteenfold Stoma, vigour, wealth!' The Trishtubh consists of eleven syllables, and--the air being of Trishtubh nature--there are (in the air) four quarters. The thunderbolt is fifteenfold, and yonder sun is the sixteenfold wielder of that thunderbolt: with that thunderbolt, with that Trishtubh, he (Pragâpati) drove away evil in the south; and in like manner does the Sacrificer, with that thunderbolt, with that Trishtubh, now drive away evil in the south.
8:5:1:1111. Then on the left (north) side, with, 'The forty-four-fold Stoma, lustre, wealth!' The Trishtubh consists of forty-four syllables, and the thunderbolt is of Trishtubh nature: with that forty-four-fold thunderbolt, with that Trishtubh, he (Pragâpati) drove away evil in the north; and in like manner does the Sacrificer, with that thunderbolt, with that Trishtubh, now drive away evil in the north.
8:5:1:1212. Then in the middle (the fifth), with, 'Agni's soil-cover thou art!'--the fourth layer indeed is the Brahman, and the Brahman is Agni, and this, the fifth layer is, as it were, the (soil-)cover of that (fourth layer);--'his sap, in truth: may the All-gods sing thy praises! Seat thee here, laden with Stomas, and rich in fat! Gain for us, by
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sacrifice, wealth with offspring!' as the text so the sense.
8:5:1:1313. This one he lays down with its line-marks running eastward and crosswise 1; for by that one Pragâpati then cut out the root of evil, and in like manner does this (Sacrificer) now thereby cut out the root of evil. On the right (south) side (from the centre he places it), for the thunderbolt has a string 2 on the right side;--inside the one in the southern quarter, for it is for the sake of extension that he leaves that space.
8:5:1:1414. The one which (lies) in front is the out-breathing, the one at the back the off-breathing: by the out-breathing he (Pragâpati) then drove away evil in front, and by the off-breathing in the rear; and in like manner does the Sacrificer now by the out-breathing drive away evil in front, and by the off-breathing in the rear.
8:5:1:1515. And the two on both sides (of the spine) are the two arms: whatever evil there was sideways of him, that he drove away with his arms; and in like manner does this Sacrificer now drive away with his arms whatever evil there is sideways of him.
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8:5:1:1616. The soil-bedded one 1 means food: whatever evil there was above him, that he (Pragâpati) drove away by means of food; and in like manner does the Sacrificer now, by means of food, drive away whatever evil there is above him.
8:5:1:1717. And, verily, whenever he, knowing this, breathes out, he thereby drives away the evil which is in front of him; and when he breathes backward, he thereby (drives away) that which is in the rear; and when he does work with his arms, he thereby (drives away) that which is sideways of him; and when he eats food, he thereby (drives away) that (evil) which is above him: at all times, indeed, even while sleeping, does he who knows this drive away evil. Hence, one must not speak ill of him who knows this, lest one should be his evil (enemy).
Footnotes
83:1 For particulars respecting these, also called Khandasyâh, see VIII, 5, 2, 1, seq.84:1 The first four of the five Asapatnâs are laid down near the four ends of the spines (in the order east, west, south, north); their exact place being the second space on the left side of the spine (in looking towards them from the centre), that is to say, the space of one (? or half a) foot being left between them and the respective spine. Their position thus is the same as those of the Âsvinîs in the second layer (see p. 31, note 1) except that these were placed on the Retahsik range instead of at the ends of the spines. The line-marks of these four bricks run parallel to the respective spines. The fifth Asapatnâ is thus laid down north of the southern one, so as to leave the space of a cubit (about a foot and a half) between them. These latter two Asapatnâs are full-sized bricks (one foot square), and not half-sized, as were the two southern Âsvinîs. Moreover, whilst the southern Asapatnâ has its line-marks running parallel to the adjoining cross-spine (south to north), the fifth Asapatnâ has them running from west to east (? as well as from south to north).
86:1 That is to say, crosswise, or marked in the opposite direction to the Asapatnâ brick near it, viz. to the one placed east of the southern end of the cross-spine which (like all bricks placed between shoulder and thigh) has its line-marks running from south to north. The fifth Asapatnâ, lying immediately north of that southern one, thus has its line-marks parallel, not (as one would expect) to the cross-spine, but to the further removed spine.
86:2 This is a doubtful rendering of 'udyâma,' which is accepted by the St. Petersb. Dict. for 'shad-udyâma,' at VI, 7, 1, 16, 18; whilst in the present case 'dakshinata-udyâma' seems to be taken by it to mean southward erected, southward drawn (aufgespannt).' Udyâma,' in the sense 'extension,' might mean a protruding part, serving as a handle.
87:1 That is, the fifth Asapatnâ, which has a bed or layer of loose soil (purîsha) spread under it.
SECOND BRÂHMANA.
8:5:2:11. He then lays down those Khandasyâs 2 (relating to the metres). For Pragâpati, having freed himself from evil, death, asked for food; hence, to this day, a sick man, when he gets better, asks for food; and people have hope for him, thinking, 'He asks for food, he will live.' The gods gave him that food, these (bricks) relating to the metres; for the metres are cattle, and cattle are food. They (the metres) pleased him, and inasmuch as they pleased (khand) him they are (called) metres (khandas).8:5:2:22. He lays them down by tens,--the Virâg consists of ten syllables, and all food is 'virâg'
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[paragraph continues] (shining, or ruling): he thus bestows all food on him. On all (four) sides he places them: from all sides he thus bestows food on him.
8:5:2:33. [He lays them down, with, Vâg. S. XV, 4. 5], 'The Course metre,'--the 'course' metre, doubtless, is this (terrestrial) world;--'the Expanse metre,'--the 'expanse' metre, doubtless, is the air; 'the Blissful metre,'--the 'blissful' metre, doubtless, is the sky;--'the Encircler metre,'--the 'encircler' metre, doubtless, is the regions;--'the Vestment metre,'--the 'vestment' metre, doubtless, is food;--'the Mind metre,'--the 'mind' metre, doubtless, is Pragâpati; 'the Extent metre,'--the 'extent' metre, doubtless, is yonder sun.
8:5:2:44. 'The Stream metre,'--the 'stream' metre, doubtless, is the breath;--'the Sea metre,'--the 'sea' metre, doubtless, is the mind;--'the Flood metre,'--the 'flood' metre, doubtless, is speech;--'the Kakubh (peak) metre,'--the 'Kakubh' metre, doubtless, is the out (and in)-breathing;--'the Three-peaked metre,'--the 'three-peaked' metre, doubtless, is the up-breathing;--'the Wisdom metre,'--the wisdom' metre, doubtless, is the threefold science;--'the Arikupa metre,'--the 'Arikupa 1' metre, doubtless, is the water;--'the Aksharapaṅkti metre,'--the Aksharapaṅkti (row of syllables) metre, doubtless, is yonder (heavenly) world;--'the Padapaṅkti metre,'--the Padapaṅkti (row of words or steps) metre, doubtless, is this (terrestrial) world;--'the Vishtârapaṅkti metre,'--the Vishtârapaṅkti (row of expansion) metre, doubtless, is the regions;--'the Bright Razor metre,'--the 'bright
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razor' metre, doubtless, is yonder sun;--'the Vestment metre, the Investment metre,'--the 'vestment' metre, doubtless, is food, and the 'investment' metre is food.
8:5:2:55. 'The Uniting metre,'--the 'uniting' metre, doubtless, is the night;--'the Separating metre,'--the 'separating' metre, doubtless, is the day;--'the Brihat metre,'--the 'brihat' (great) metre, doubtless, is yonder world;--'the Rathantara metre,'--the 'rathantara' metre, doubtless, is this world;--'the Troop metre,'--the 'troop' metre, doubtless, is the wind;--'the Yoke metre,'--the 'yoke' metre, doubtless, is the air;--'the Devourer metre,'--the 'devourer' metre, doubtless, is food;--'the Bright metre,'--the 'bright' metre, doubtless, is the fire;--'the Samstubh metre, the Anushtubh metre,'--the 'samstubh' metre, doubtless, is speech, and the 'anushtubh' metre is speech;--'the Course metre, the Expanse metre,'--the meaning of this has been explained.
8:5:2:66. 'The Strength metre,'--the 'strength' metre, doubtless, is food;--'the Strength-maker metre,' the 'strength-maker' metre, doubtless, is Agni (the fire);--'the Striver metre,'--the 'striver' metre, doubtless, is yonder world;--'the Ample metre,'--the 'ample' metre, doubtless, is this world;--'the Cover metre,'--the 'cover' metre, doubtless, is the air;--'the Unclimbable metre,'--the 'unclimbable' metre, doubtless, is yonder sun;--'the Slow metre,'--the 'slow' metre, doubtless, is the Paṅkti;--'the Aṅkâṅka metre,'--the 'aṅkâṅka 1' metre, doubtless, is water.
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8:5:2:77. Now of those which he lays down in front, the first is the out (and in)-breathing, the second the through-breathing, the third the up-breathing, the fourth the up-breathing, the fifth the through-breathing, the sixth the out-breathing, the seventh the out-breathing, the eighth the through-breathing, the ninth the up-breathing, and the tenth, in this case, is the Sacrificer himself: this same Sacrificer, being raised and firmly established on this Virâg (brick), made up of breath, lays down (bricks) extending both backward and forward, for the breathings move both backward and forward.
8:5:2:88. And of those on the right (south) side, the first is Agni (fire), the second Vâyu (the wind), the third Âditya (the sun), the fourth Âditya, the fifth Vâyu, the sixth Agni, the seventh Agni, the eighth Vâyu, the ninth Âditya, and the tenth, in this case, is the Sacrificer himself: this same Sacrificer, being raised and firmly established on this Virâg, made up of deities, puts on (bricks) extending both hitherwards and thitherwards, for those gods move both hitherwards and thitherwards.
8:5:2:99. And of those behind, the first is this (terrestrial) world, the second the air, the third the sky, the fourth the sky, the fifth the air, the sixth this world, the seventh this world, the eighth the air, the ninth the sky, and the tenth, in this case, is the Sacrificer himself: this same Sacrificer, being raised and firmly established on that Virâg made up of the worlds, lays down (bricks) extending both hitherwards and thitherwards;--whence these worlds extend both hitherwards and thitherwards.
8:5:2:1010. And of those on the left (north) side, the first is the summer, the second the rainy season, the
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third the winter, the fourth the winter, the fifth the rainy season, the sixth the summer, the seventh the summer, the eighth the rainy season, the ninth the winter, and the tenth, in this case, is the Sacrificer himself: this same Sacrificer, being raised and firmly established on that Virâg, made up of the seasons, lays down (bricks) extending both hitherwards and thitherwards;--whence those seasons move both hitherwards and thitherwards 1.
8:5:2:1111. And, again, those which he lays down in front are the vital airs. There are ten of them, for there are ten vital airs. He places them in the front part, for these vital airs are in the front part.
8:5:2:1212. And those on the right (south) side are the deities,--Agni, the Earth, Vâyu, the Air, Âditya, the Sky, Kandra (the moon), the Stars, Food, and Water.
8:5:2:1313. And those behind are the regions (quarters),--four regions, four intermediate regions, the upper region, and this (earth).
8:5:2:1414. And those on the left (north) side are the months,--two spring-months, two summer-months, two months of the rainy season, two autumn-months, and two winter-months.
8:5:2:1515. And, again, the first ten are this (terrestrial) world, the second the air, the third the sky. By the first set of ten they (the gods) ascended this (earth), by the second the air, by the third the sky; and in like manner does the Sacrificer now, by the first set of ten, ascend this (earth), by the second the air, and by the third the sky.
8:5:2:1616. This, then, is, as it were, an ascent away from
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here; but this (earth) is the foundation: the gods came back to this (earth), the foundation; and in like manner does the Sacrificer now come back to this (earth), the foundation. And that last set of ten is this world: hence, even as (takes place) that start from the first set of ten, so from the last; for this is the same,--those two sets of ten (the first and last) are this (terrestrial) world.
8:5:2:1717. Now these are forty bricks and forty formulas,--that makes eighty, and eighty (asîti) means food 1: thus whatever he now says that he makes to be food, asîti, and gives it him, and thereby gratifies him (Agni).
Footnotes
87:2 The Khandasyâ or Virâg bricks are laid down at the end of the spines, ten in each quarter.88:1 A word of doubtful meaning (? drinking its own windings).
89:1 Another word of doubtful meaning (? winding-winding).
91:1 That is to say, they come and go.
92:1 The author apparently connects 'asîti' with the root 'as,' to eat.
THIRD BRÂHMANA.
8:5:3:11. He then lays down the Stomabhâgâ (praise-sharing bricks). For at that time Indra set his mind upon that food of Pragâpati, and tried to go from him. He spake, 'Why dost thou go from me? why dost thou leave me?'--'Give me the essence of that food: enter me therewith!'--'So be it!' so he gave him the essence of that food, and entered him therewith.8:5:3:22. Now he who was that Pragâpati is this very Agni (the fire-altar) that is now being built up; and that food is these Khandasyâ (bricks); and that essence of food is these Stomabhâgâs; and he who was Indra is yonder Âditya (the sun): he indeed is the Stoma (hymn of praise), for whatsoever praises they sing, it is him they praise thereby,--it is to that same Stoma he gave a share; and inasmuch as
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he gave a share (bhâga) to that Stoma, these are (called) Stomabhâgâs.
8:5:3:33. [He lays them down, with, Vâg. S. XV, 6. 7], 'By the ray quicken thou the truth for truth!'--the ray, doubtless, is that (sun), and ray is food; having put together that (sun) and the essence thereof, he makes it enter his own self;--'by the starting, by the law, quicken the law!'--the starting, doubtless, is that (sun), and the starting also means food: having put together that (sun) and the essence thereof, he makes it enter his own self;--'by the going after, by the sky, quicken the sky!'--the going after, doubtless, is that (sun), and the going after also means food; having put together that (sun) and the essence thereof, he makes it enter his own self. Thus whatever he mentions here, that and the essence thereof he puts together and makes it enter his own self: 'By such and such quicken thou such and such!'--'Such and such thou art: for such and such (I deposit) thee!'--'By the lord, by strength, quicken strength!' thus they (the bricks) are divided into three kinds, for food is of three kinds.
8:5:3:44. And as to why he lays down the Stomabhâgâs. Now the gods, having laid down the far-shining layer, mounted it. They spake, 'Meditate ye!' whereby, doubtless, they meant to say, 'Seek ye a layer!' Whilst meditating, they saw even the firmament, the heavenly world, and laid it down. Now that same firmament, the heavenly world, indeed is the same as these Stomabhâgâs, and thus in laying down these, he lays down the firmament, the heavenly world.
8:5:3:55. The first three (bricks) are this (terrestrial)
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world, the second (three) the air, and the third (three) the sky, the fourth the eastern, the fifth the southern, the sixth the western, and the seventh the northern regions.
8:5:3:66. These twenty-one bricks, then, are these worlds and the regions, and these worlds and the regions are a foundation, and these worlds and the regions are twenty-one: whence they say, 'the Ekavimsa (twenty-one-fold) is a foundation.'
8:5:3:77. And the eight bricks which remain over are the Gâyatrî consisting of eight syllables; but the Gâyatrî is the Brahman, and as to that Brahman, it is yonder burning disk: it burns, while firmly-established on that twenty-one-fold one, as on a foundation, whence it does not fall down.
8:5:3:88. Now some lay down a thirtieth (Stomabhâgâ), with, 'Beautifully arrayed, quicken thou the kshatra for the kshatra!' saying, 'Of thirty syllables is the Virâg (metre) and this layer is virâg (far-shining).' But let him not do so: they (who do so) exceed (this layer so as not to be) amounting to the twenty-one-fold, and to the Gâyatrî; and that undiminished Virâg, doubtless, is the world of Indra: in the world of Indra they raise a spiteful enemy of equal power (to Indra), and thrust Indra out of the world of Indra. And at his own sacrifice the Sacrificer assuredly is Indra: in the Sacrificer's realm they raise for the Sacrificer a spiteful enemy of equal power, and thrust the Sacrificer out of the Sacrificer's own realm. But, surely, that fire which they bring hither is no other than this Sacrificer: by means of his foundation it is he who is the thirtieth (brick) in this (layer).
FOURTH BRÂHMANA.
8:5:4:11. He lays them down on the range of the Ashâdhâ; for the Ashâdhâ is speech, and this (set of bricks 1) is the essence (of food): he thus lays into speech the essence of food; whence it is through (the channel of) speech that one distinguishes the essence of food for all the limbs.8:5:4:22. And, again, as to why (on the range) of the Ashâdhâ;--the Ashâdhâ, doubtless, is this (earth), and the Stomabhâgâs are yonder sun: he thus establishes yonder sun upon this earth as a firm foundation.
8:5:4:33. And, again, why (on that) of the Ashâdhâ;--the Ashâdhâ, doubtless, is this (earth), and the Stomabhâgâs are the heart: he thus lays into this (earth) the heart, the mind: whence on this (earth) one thinks with the heart, with the mind. He lays them down on every side: he thus places the heart, the mind everywhere; whence everywhere on this (earth) one thinks with the heart, with the mind. And, moreover, these (bricks) are lucky signs: he places them on all sides; whence they say of him who has a (lucky) sign (lakshman) on every (or any) side that he has good luck (punyalakshmîka).
8:5:4:44. He then covers them with loose soil; for loose soil (purîsha) means food, and this (set of bricks) is the essence (of food): he thus makes it invisible, for invisible, as it were, is the essence of food.
8:5:4:55. And, again, as to why (he covers it) with loose
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soil;--loose soil, doubtless, means food, and this (set of bricks) is the essence: he thus joins and unites the food and its essence.
8:5:4:66. And, again, as to why with loose soil;--the Stomabhâgâs are the heart, and the loose soil is the pericardium: he thus encloses the heart in the pericardium.
8:5:4:77. And, again, as to why with loose soil;--this fire-altar is the year, and by means of the soil-coverings of the layers he divides it: those first four layers are four seasons. And having laid down the Stomabhâgâs, he throws loose soil thereon: that is the fifth layer, that is the fifth season.
8:5:4:88. Here now they say, 'Since the other layers conclude with Lokamprinâs (space-filling bricks), and no space-filler is laid down in this (layer): what, then, is the space-filler therein?' The space-filler, surely, is yonder sun, and this layer is he; and this is of itself 1 a space-filling layer. And what there is above this (layer) up to the covering of soil that is the sixth layer, that is the sixth season.
8:5:4:99. He then throws down the loose soil. Thereon he lays down the Vikarnî and the naturally-perforated (brick); he bestrews them with chips of gold, and places the fire thereon: that is the seventh layer, that is the seventh season.
8:5:4:1010. But, indeed, there are only six of them; for as to the Vikarnî and the Svayam-âtrinnâ, they belong to the sixth layer.
8:5:4:1111. And, indeed, there are only five of them,--on the other (layers) he throws down the loose soil with a prayer, and here (he does so) silently: in that
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respect this is not a layer. And the other layers end with space-fillers, but here he lays down no space-filler: in that respect also this is not a layer.
8:5:4:1212. And, indeed, there are only three of them,--the first layer is this very (terrestrial) world; and the uppermost (layer) is the sky; and those three (intermediate layers) are the air, for there is, as it were, only one air here: thus (there are) three, or five, or six, or seven of them.
(My humble salutations to the translator Sreeman Julius Eggeling for the collection)
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