Philosophy and Religion / Satapatha Brahmana

The Satapatha Brahmana: Eighth Kânda, Fifth Adhyâya

The fifth layer.

First Brâhmana

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. They desired, 'Would that we could make that world foeless, undisturbed!' They spake, 'Think ye upon this, how we shall make this world 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!'

4. 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.

5. He then lays down the Virâgs¹ (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.

6. 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).

7. 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. He lays down (one) in front², 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, 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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 sacrifice, wealth with offspring!' as the text so the sense.

13. This one he lays down with its line-marks running eastward and crosswise³; 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 string⁴ on the right side;--inside the one in the southern quarter, for it is for the sake of extension that he leaves that space.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. The soil-bedded one⁵ 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.

17. 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).

Second Brâhmana

1. He then lays down those Khandasyâs⁶ (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).

2. He lays them down by tens,--the Virâg consists of ten syllables, and all food is 'virâg' (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.

3. [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.

4. '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 'Arikupa⁷' 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 razor' metre, doubtless, is yonder sun;--'the Vestment metre, the Investment metre,'--the 'vestment' metre, doubtless, is food, and the 'investment' metre is food.

5. '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.

6. '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 'aṅkâṅka⁸' metre, doubtless, is water.

7. 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. 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.

9. 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.

10. And of those on the left (north) side, the first is the summer, the second the rainy season, the 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 thitherwards⁹.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. And those behind are the regions (quarters),--four regions, four intermediate regions, the upper region, and this (earth).

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. This, then, is, as it were, an ascent away from 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.

17. Now these are forty bricks and forty formulas,--that makes eighty, and eighty (asîti) means food¹⁰: thus whatever he now says that he makes to be food, asîti, and gives it him, and thereby gratifies him (Agni).

Third Brâhmana

1. 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.

2. 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 he gave a share (bhâga) to that Stoma, these are (called) Stomabhâgâs.

3. [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.

4. 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.

5. The first three (bricks) are this (terrestrial) 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.

6. 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.'

7. 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. 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

1. He lays them down on the range of the Ashâdhâ; for the Ashâdhâ is speech, and this (set of bricks¹¹) 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.

2. 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.

3. 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).

4. 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.

5. And, again, as to why (he covers it) with loose soil;--loose soil, doubtless, means food, and this (set of bricks) is the essence: he thus joins and unites the food and its essence.

6. 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.

7. 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. 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 itself¹² 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.

9. 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.

10. But, indeed, there are only six of them; for as to the Vikarnî and the Svayam-âtrinnâ, they belong to the sixth layer.

11. 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 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.

12. 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.

Footnotes

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