Philosophy and Religion / Satapatha Brahmana

The Satapatha Brahmana: First Kânda, Seventh Adhyâya

First Brâhmana

1. He (the Adhvaryu) drives the calves away (from the cows) with a parna branch¹. The reason why he drives the calves away with a parna branch is this. When the Gâyatrî flew towards Soma (the moon), a footless archer aiming at her while she was carrying him off, severed one of the feathers (parna) either of the Gâyatrî or of king Soma²; and on falling down it became a parna (palâsa) tree; whence its name parna. May that which then was of the Soma nature³ be here with us now!' so he thinks, and for this reason he drives away the calves with a parna branch.

2. That (branch) he cuts off⁴, with the formula (Vâg. S. I, 1 a, b), 'For sap (I cut) thee! for pith thee!'--'for rain thee' he means to say, when he says 'for sap thee;' and when he says 'for pith thee' he means to say 'for that food-essence which springs from the rain.'

3. They then let the calves join their mothers. He thereupon touches (each) calf (in order to drive it away from the cow), with the formula (Vâg. S. I, 1 c), 'The winds are ye!'--for, indeed, it is this wind that here blows⁵, it is this (wind) that makes swell all the rain that falls here; it is it that makes those (cows) swell; and for this reason he says 'the winds are ye!' Some people add here the formula⁶, 'Going near are ye!' but let him not say this, because thereby another (an enemy) approaches (the sacrificer).

4. After separating one of the mothers from her calf, he touches her, with the text (Vâg. S. I, I d), 'May the divine Savitri animate you--' for Savitri, indeed, is the impeller (prasavitri) of the gods: 'may they, impelled by Savitri, prepare the sacrifice!' so he thinks, and for this reason he says, 'May the divine Savitri animate you!'

5. '--To the most glorious work!' for assuredly the sacrifice is the most glorious work: hence, when he says 'to the most glorious work!' he means to say 'to the sacrifice.'

6. 'Make swell, ye invincible (or inviolable) ones, the share for Indra!' In like manner as then⁷, taking the sacrificial food (rice), he announces it to the deity, so now also he announces that (libation of milk) to the deity when he says 'make swell, ye invincible ones, the share for Indra!

7. 'Over you that are rich in offspring, over you that are free from suffering and disease--;' in this there is nothing that is obscure; '--no thief, no ill-wisher may lord it!'--he thereby means to say, 'may the evil spirits, the Rakshas, not lord it over you!'--'May ye be numerous and constant to this lord of cattle!'--thereby he means to say 'may ye be numerous with this sacrificer, and not abandon him.'

8. He then hides the branch on the front (eastern) side either of the Âhavanîya or the Gârhapatya house, with the formula (Vâg. S. I, 1 e), 'Protect the sacrificer's cattle!' he thus makes over the sacrificer's cattle to it for protection by means of the Brahman (sacred writ).

9. On it he fastens a strainer (pavitram)⁸, with the formula (Vâg. S. I, 2 a), 'Vasu's means of purification (ventilator, strainer, pavitram) art thou!' Vasu, indeed, is the sacrifice: for this reason he says, 'Vasu's means of purification art thou!'

10. That night he performs the Agnihotra with rice-gruel (yavâgû). That milk, namely, (which he milks that night) has already been announced as sacrificial food to a (special) deity; hence, if he were to make the offering with milk, he would offer to one deity that which has been set apart as sacrificial food for another deity: this is the reason why on that night he performs the Agnihotra with rice-gruel. As soon as they have performed the Agnihotra, the pot is made ready. He (the Adhvaryu) thereupon says, 'Announce that she (the cow) has been let loose to (the calf)!' When he (or she, the milker⁹) announces, 'She has been let loose!'--

11. He puts the pot on (the Gârhapatya hearth), with the text (Vâg. S. I, 2 b, c): 'Thou art the sky! thou art the earth!'--he praises and eulogises her by thus saying, 'thou art the sky! thou art the earth!'--'Mâtarisvan's cauldron (gharma) art thou¹⁰!' he thereby makes it (a means of) sacrifice, and puts it on just as if he were putting on the (pravargya-) cauldron (gharma)¹¹.--'All-holding art thou! stand firm by the highest law! do not waver!'--thereby he steadies it, renders it firm.--'May thy Lord of Sacrifice not waver!'--the Lord of Sacrifice, doubtless, is the sacrificer, hence it is for the sacrificer that he thereby prays for steadiness.

12. He then puts the strainer (on the pot). He puts it down with the top turned eastwards, for the east is the region of the gods; or with the top turned northwards, for the north is the region of the men; means of purification (pavitram) assuredly is that (wind) which here blows, it sweeps across these worlds: let him therefore put it down with the front northwards¹².

13. Just as then (i.e. at the Soma-sacrifice) they clarify king Soma with a strainer, in like manner he now clarifies (the milk); and since the strainer wherewith on that occasion they clarify king Soma has its fringe directed towards the north, therefore let him now also put it down with the top northward.

14. He puts it down, with the text (Vâg. S. I, 3 a), 'Vasu's means of purification (pavitram) art thou!'--Vasu, indeed, is the sacrifice: for this reason he says, 'Vasu's means of purification art thou! flowing in a hundred streams, flowing in a thousand streams!'--he praises and eulogises it when he says, 'flowing in a hundred streams, flowing in a thousand streams.'

15. He now maintains silence as long as the milking of the three (cows) lasts, for the sacrifice, doubtless, is speech: 'May I perform the sacrifice undisturbed!' so he thinks.

16. When it (the milk of each of the three cows) is poured (by the milker from the wooden pail through the strainer into the pot), he (the Adhvaryu) consecrates it by (whispering each time) the formula (Vâg. S. I, 3 b), 'May the divine Savitri purify thee with Vasu's means of purification, well cleansing and flowing in a hundred streams!' for just as then (at the Soma-sacrifice) they clarify king Soma with a strainer, so he thereby clarifies (the milk).

17. He then says (Vâg. S. I, 3-4), 'Which didst thou milk?' 'Such and such a one,' (the milker replies.) 'This one is Visvâyu (containing all life),' he (the Adhvaryu) says. He then¹³ asks regarding the second one, 'Which didst thou milk?' 'Such and such a one,' is the reply. 'This one is Visvakarman (all-doing),' he says. He then asks regarding the third, 'Which didst thou milk?' 'Such and such a one,' is the reply. 'This one is Visvadhâyas (all-sustaining),' he says. The reason why he thus asks is that he thereby bestows certain energies on them. Three (cows) he milks, for three are these worlds: he thereby renders them fit for these worlds. He is now at liberty to speak.

18. After having the last (cow) milked, and having poured a drop of water into the pail which he has made the milker use, and stirred it, he pours it to (the milk)¹⁴, thinking 'what milk was left there, let that also be here!'--(he does so) for the completeness of the sap; for when it rains here, then plants spring up, and on the plants being eaten and the water drunk, thence is this juice produced: and therefore (the water is poured to the milk) for the completeness of the sap. Having then taken it off (the fire), he coagulates it¹⁵: he thereby makes it sharp (pungent); for this reason he coagulates it, after taking it off (the fire).

19. He coagulates it, with the formula (Vâg. S. I, 4 d), 'With Soma I coagulate thee, the portion of Indra!' Just as on a former occasion¹⁶, when taking sacrificial food for a deity, he announces it (to that deity), in like manner he now announces it to the deity, saying, 'Thee, the portion of Indra!' By saying 'with Soma I coagulate thee,' he makes it palatable to the gods.

20. He then covers it over by a vessel¹⁷, with the hollow part upwards and containing water, 'lest the evil spirits, the Rakshas, should touch it from above;' for water, indeed, is a thunderbolt; hence he thus drives away from it the evil spirits, the Rakshas, with a thunderbolt: this is the reason why he covers it over by a vessel with the hollow part upwards and containing water.

21. He covers it over, with the formula (Vâg. S. I, 4 e), 'O Vishnu, protect the oblation!' for Vishnu, indeed, is the sacrifice; hence he thereby makes over this sacrificial food to the sacrifice for protection: for this reason he says, 'O Vishnu, protect the oblation!'

Second Brâhmana

The chief offerings.

1. Verily, whoever exists, he, in being born, is born as (owing) a debt to the gods, to the Rishis, to the fathers, and to men¹⁸.

2. For, inasmuch as he is bound to sacrifice, for that reason he is born as (owing) a debt to the gods: hence when he sacrifices to them, when he makes offerings to them, he does this (in discharge of his debt) to them.

3. And further, inasmuch as he is bound to study (the Veda), for that reason he is born as (owing) a debt to the Rishis: hence it is to them that he does this; for one who has studied (the Veda) they call 'the Rishis' treasure-warden.'

4. And further, inasmuch as he is bound to wish for offspring, for that reason he is born as (owing) a debt to the fathers: hence when there is (provided by him) a continued, uninterrupted lineage, it is for them that he does this.

5. And further, inasmuch as he is bound to practise hospitality, for that reason he is born as (owing) a debt to men: hence when he harbours them, when he offers food to them, it is (in discharge of his debt) to them that he does so. Whoever does all these things, has discharged his duties: by him all is obtained, all is conquered.

6. And, accordingly, in that he is born as (owing) a debt to the gods, in regard to that he satisfies (ava-day) them by sacrificing; and when he makes offerings in the fire, he thereby satisfies them in regard to that (debt): hence whatever they offer up in the fire, is called avadânam (sacrificial portion)¹⁹.

7. Now this (oblation) consists of four cuttings; (the reason for this is, that) there is here first, the invitatory prayer (anuvâkyâ), then the offering-prayer (yâgyâ), then the vashat-call, and as the fourth, the deity for which the sacrificial food is (destined): for in this way the deities are dependent on the sacrificial portions, or the portions are dependent on the deities: hence what fifth cutting there is (made by some), that is redundant, for--for whom is he to cut it? For this reason it consists of four cuttings.

8. But a fivefold cutting also takes place (with some people): fivefold is the sacrifice, fivefold the animal victim, and five seasons there are in the year,--such is the perfection of the fivefold cutting; and he, assuredly, will have abundant offspring and cattle for whom, knowing this, the fivefold cutting is made. The fourfold cutting, however, is the approved (practice) among the Kuru-Pañkâlas, and for this reason a fourfold cutting takes place (with us²⁰).

9. Let him cut off only a moderate quantity; for were he to cut off a large quantity, he would make it human; and what is human is inauspicious at the sacrifice. Let him therefore cut off only a moderate quantity, lest he should do what is inauspicious at the sacrifice.

10. Having made an under-layer of butter (in the guhû-spoon) and cut off twice from the havis, he then pours over it some butter. There are, indeed, two (kinds of) oblations; the oblation of Soma being one, and the oblation of (or rather, with) butter being the other. Now the one, viz. the Soma-oblation, is (an oblation) by itself; and the other, viz. the butter-oblation, is the same as the offering of havis (rice, milk, &c.) and the animal offering²¹; hence he thereby makes it (the cake) butter, and therefore butter is on both sides of it. Butter, doubtless, is palatable to the gods; hence he thereby renders it palatable to the gods: for this reason butter is on both sides of it.

11. The invitatory prayer (anuvâkyâ, f.), doubtless, is yonder (sky), and the offering-prayer (yâgyâ, f.) is this (earth)--these two are females. With each of these two the vashat-call (vashatkâra, m.) makes up a pair²². Now the vashat, indeed, is no other than that scorching one (the sun). When he rises he approaches yonder (sky); and when he sets he approaches this (earth): hence whatever is brought forth here by these two, that they bring forth through that male.

12. Having recited the invitatory prayer and pronounced the offering-prayer²³, he afterwards (paskât) utters the vashat formula; for from behind (paskât) the male approaches the female: hence, after placing those two in front, he causes them to be approached by that male, the vashat. For the same reason let him make the offering either simultaneously with the vashat or (immediately) after the vashat has been pronounced.

13. A vessel of the gods, doubtless, is that vashat. Even as, after ladling, one would mete out (food) into a vessel, so here. If, on the other hand, he were to make the offering before the vashat, it would be lost, as would be that (food) falling to the ground: for this reason also let him make the offering either simultaneously with the vashat or after it has been pronounced.

14. As seed is poured into the womb, so here. If, on the other hand, he were to make the offering before the vashat, it would be lost, as would be the seed poured not into the womb: for this reason also let him make the offering either simultaneously with the vashat or after it has been pronounced.

15. The invitatory formula, doubtless, is yonder (sky), and the offering-formula is this (earth). The gâyatrî metre also is this (earth), and the trishtubh is yonder (sky)²⁴ He recites the gâyatrî verse, thereby reciting yonder (sky), for the invitatory formula (anuvâkyâ) is yonder (sky). He recites this (earth), for the gâyatrî verse (viz. the offering-formula) is this (earth).

16. He then presents the offering with a trishtubh verse²⁵, thereby presenting it by means of this (earth), for the offering-formula (yâgyâ) is this (earth). Over yonder (sky) he places the vashat, for yonder (sky) also is the trishtubh. Thereby he makes those two (sky and earth) yoke-fellows; and as such they feed together; and after their common meal all these creatures get food²⁶.

17. Let him pronounce the invitatory formula lingering, as it were: the invitatory formula, namely, is yonder (sky), and the brihat(-sâman) also is yonder (sky), since its form is that of the brihat. With the offering-formula let him, as it were, hurry on fast: the offering-formula, doubtless, is this (earth), and the rathantara(-sâman) also is this (earth), since its form is that of the rathantara²⁷. With the invitatory formula he calls (the gods), and with the offering-formula he presents (food to them): hence the invitatory formula (anuvâkyâ) has some such form as 'I call,' 'We call,' 'Come hither!' 'Sit on the barhis!' for with it he calls. With the offering-formula (yâgyâ) he offers: hence the offering-formula has some such form as, 'Accept the sacrificial food!' 'Relish the sacrificial food!' 'Accept the potation (âvrishâyasva)!' 'Eat! Drink! There²⁸!' for by it he offers that which (is indicated by) 'there!'

18. Let the invitatory formula be one that has its distinctive indication (in the form of the name of the respective deity) at the beginning (in front): for the invitatory formula is yonder (sky); and that (sky) yonder has the moon, the stars, and the sun for its mark below²⁹.

19. The offering-formula then should be one that has its characteristic indication (further) back³⁰; for the offering-formula is this (earth), and this same (earth) has plants, trees, waters, fire, and these creatures for its mark above.

20. Verily, that invitatory formula alone is auspicious, in the first word of which he utters the (name of the) deity; and that offering-formula alone is auspicious in the last word of which he pronounces the vashat upon the deity³¹; for the (name of the) deity constitutes the vigour of the Rik (verse): hence after thus enclosing it³² on both sides with vigour, he offers the sacrificial food to that deity for which it is intended.

21. He pronounces (the syllable) vauk³³; for, assuredly, the vashat-call is speech; and speech means seed: hence he thereby casts seed. 'Shat' (he pronounces), because there are six seasons: he thereby casts that seed into the seasons, and the seasons cause that seed so cast to spring up here as creatures. This is the reason why he pronounces the vashat.

22. Now the gods and the Asuras, both of them sprung from Pragâpati, entered upon their father Pragâpati's inheritance³⁴, to wit, these two half-moons. The gods entered upon the one which waxes, and the Asuras on the one which wanes.

23. The gods were desirous as to how they might appropriate also the one that had fallen to the Asuras. They went on worshipping and toiling. They saw this haviryagña, to wit, the new- and full-moon sacrifices, and performed them; and by performing them they likewise appropriated the one--

24. Which belonged to the Asuras. Now when these two revolve, then the month is produced; and month (revolving) after month, the year (is produced). But the year, doubtless, means all; hence the gods thereby appropriated all that belonged to the Asuras, they deprived their enemies, the Asuras, of all. And in the same way he (the sacrificer) who knows this appropriates all that belongs to his enemies, deprives his enemies of all.

25. That (half-moon) which belonged to the gods is (called) yavan, for the gods possessed themselves (yu, 'to join') of it; and that which belonged to the Asuras is ayavan, because the Asuras did not possess themselves of it.

26. But they also say contrariwise:--That which belonged to the gods is (called) ayavan, because the Asuras did not get possession of it; and that which belonged to the Asuras is yavan, because the gods did get possession of it. The day is (called) sabda, the night sagarâ, the months yavya, the year sumeka³⁵: sveka ('eminently one'), doubtless, is the same as sumeka. And since the Hotri is concerned with these--to wit, the yavan and the ayavan, which (according to some) is yavan--they call (his office) yâvihotram³⁶.

Third Brâhmana

Oblation to Agni Svishtakrit, [and the brahman's portions.]

1. Now by means of the sacrifice the gods ascended to heaven. But the god who rules over the cattle was left behind here: hence they call him Vâstavya, for he was then left behind on the (sacrificial) site³⁷ (vâstu).

2. The gods went on worshipping and toiling with the same (sacrifice) by which they had ascended to heaven. Now the god who rules over the cattle, and who was left behind here,--

3. He saw (what occurred, and said), 'I have been left behind: they are excluding me from the sacrifice!' He went up after them, and with his raised (weapon)³⁸ rose up on the north--the time (when this happened) was that of the (performance of the) Svishtakrit.

4. The gods said, 'Do not hurl!' He said, 'Do not ye exclude me from the sacrifice! Set apart an oblation for me!' They replied, 'So be it!' He withdrew (his weapon), and did not hurl it; nor did he injure any one.

5. The gods said (to one another), 'Whatever portions of sacrificial food have been taken out by us, they have all been offered up. Try to discover some means by which we may set apart an oblation for him!'

6. They said to the Adhvaryu priest, 'Sprinkle the sacrificial dishes (with butter) in proper succession; and replenish them for the sake of one (additional) portion, and again render them fit for use; and then cut off one portion for each!'

7. The Adhvaryu accordingly sprinkled the sacrificial dishes in proper succession, and replenished them for the sake of one (additional) portion, and again rendered them fit for use, and cut off one portion for each. This then is the reason why he (Rudra) is called Vâstavya³⁹, for a remainder (vâstu) is that part of the sacrifice which (is left) after the oblations have been made: hence, if sacrificial food is offered to any deity, the Svishtakrit (Agni, 'the maker of good offering') is afterwards invariably offered a share of it; because the gods invariably gave him a share after themselves.

8. That (offering) then is certainly made to 'Agni,' for, indeed, Agni is that god;--his are these names: Sarva, as the eastern people call him; Bhava, as the Bâhîkas (call him); Pasûnâm pati ('lord of beasts,' Pasupati), Rudra, Agni⁴⁰. The name Agni, doubtless, is the most auspicious (sânta), and the other names of his are inauspicious: hence it is offered to (him under the name of) 'Agni,' and to (him as) the Svishtakrit.

9. They (the gods) said, 'What we have offered unto thee who art in yonder place⁴¹, do thou render that well-offered (svishta) for us!' He made it well-offered for them; and this is the reason why (it is offered) to (Agni as) the Svishtakrit.

10. Having recited the invitatory formula⁴², he (the Hotri) enumerates (those deities) which (have received oblations at the fore-offerings, butter-portions, &c.), as well as Agni Svishtakrit:--'May Agni offer Agni's favourite dainties!' thereby he refers to Agni's butter-portion⁴³. 'May he offer Soma's favourite dainties!' thereby he refers to Soma's butter-portion.--'May he offer Agni's favourite dainties!' thereby he refers to that indispensable cake for Agni which is (offered) on both occasions (at the new- and full-moon sacrifices).

11. And so with the several deities. 'May he offer the favourite dainties of butter-drinking gods!' thereby he refers to the fore-offerings (prayâga) and after-offerings (anuyâga), for, assuredly, the butter-drinking gods (represent) the fore-offerings and after-offerings.--'May he offer Agni the Hotri's favourite dainties!' thereby he refers to Agni as Hotri; for after the gods had set apart this oblation for him, they still further propitiated him by this (formula), and invited him to his favourite dainty⁴⁴: this is the reason why he thus enumerates.

12. Here now some make (the name of) the deity precede the 'may he offer (ayât)!' thus--'Of Agni may he offer (the favourite dainties)!' 'Of Soma may he offer!' But let him not do this; for those who make the deity precede the 'may he offer!' violate the proper order at the sacrifice, since it is by pronouncing the 'may he offer,' that he pronounces what comes first here: let him therefore place the 'may he offer' first.

13. [The Hotri continues to recite]: 'May he sacrifice to his own greatness!' When, on that occasion⁴⁵, he asks him (Agni) to bring hither the deities, he also makes him bring hither his own greatness; but before this no worship of any kind has been offered to 'his (Agni's) own greatness:' and he therefore now gratifies him, and thus that (fire) has been established so as to prevent failure on his (the sacrificer's) part. This is the reason why he says 'may he sacrifice to his own greatness.'

14. 'By sacrifice may he obtain for himself food worthy of sacrifice⁴⁶!' the food, doubtless, is these creatures: he thereby makes them eager to sacrifice, and these creatures go on sacrificing, worshipping and performing austerities.

15. 'May he, the knower of beings, (perform)⁴⁷ the sacred cult; may he graciously accept the sacrificial food!' Thereby he prays for success to this sacrifice; for when the gods graciously accept the sacrificial food, then he (the sacrificer) gains great things⁴⁸: for this reason he says 'may he graciously accept the sacrificial food!'

16. The reason why on this occasion the invitatory and offering-formulas are made closely to correspond to each other (avakliptatama), is that the svishtakrit (is equivalent to) the evening libation, and the evening libation, doubtless, belongs to the Visve Devâh (the 'All-gods )⁴⁹. 'Gladden thou the longing gods, O youngest!' this much in the invitatory formula refers to the Visve Devâh⁵⁰. 'O Agni, Hotri of the cult! when this day (thou comest) to the men⁵¹;' this much in the offering-formula refers to the Visve Devâh. And because such is the form of these two (formulas), therefore they are of the form of the evening libation; and this is why the invitatory and offering-formulas on this occasion are made closely to correspond to each other.

17. They are both trishtubh verses; for the svishtakrit is, as it were, the residue (or site, vâstu) of the sacrifice, and the residue (or, a vacant site) is without energy⁵². Now the trishtubh means manly power⁵³, energy: hence he thereby imparts manly power, energy to that residue, the svishtakrit. This is why they are both trishtubh verses.

18. Or they are both anushtubh verses. The anushtubh is residue (or site, vâstu), and the svishtakrit also is residue: hence he thereby puts a residue to a residue⁵⁴. And, verily, one who knows this, and whose (invitatory and offering-formulas) are two anushtubh verses, his homestead (vâstu) is prosperous, and he himself prospers in regard to progeny and cattle.

19. Now here Bhâllabeya⁵⁵ made the invitatory formula (consist of) an anushtubh verse, and the offering-formula of a trishtubh verse, thinking, 'I thus obtain (the benefits of) both.' He fell from the cart, and in falling, broke his arm. He reflected: 'This has befallen because of something or other I have done.' He then bethought himself of this: '(It has befallen) because of some violation, on my part, of the proper course of the sacrifice.' Hence one must not violate the proper course (of sacrificial performance); but let both (formulas) be verses of the same metre, either both anushtubh verses, or both trishtubh verses.

20. He cuts (the portions for Agni Svishtakrit) from the north part (of the sacrificial dishes)⁵⁶, and offers them up on the north part (of the fire): for this is the region of that god, and therefore he cuts from the north part and offers on the north part. From that side, indeed, he arose⁵⁷, and there they (the gods) appeased him: for this reason he cuts from the north part, and offers on the north part.

21. He offers on this side (in front), as it were, of the other oblations. Following the other oblations cattle are produced, and the Svishtakrit represents Rudra's power: he would impose Rudra's power on the cattle if he were to bring it (the Svishtakrit) into contact with the other oblations; and his (the sacrificer's) household and cattle would be destroyed. For this reason he offers on this side, as it were, of the other oblations.

22. That (fire)---to wit, the Âhavanîya--is, indeed, that sacrifice by which the gods then ascended to heaven; and that (other fire) which was left behind here, is the Gârhapatya: hence they take out the former from the Gârhapatya, (so as to be) before (east) of it.

23. He may lay it (the Âhavanîya) down at the distance of eight steps (from the Gârhapatya); for of eight syllables, doubtless, consists the gâyatrî hence he thereby ascends to heaven by means of the gâyatrî.

24. Or he may lay it down at the distance of eleven steps⁵⁸; for of eleven syllables, indeed, consists the trishtubh: hence he thereby ascends to heaven by means of the trishtubh.

25. Or he may lay it down at the distance of twelve steps; for of twelve syllables, indeed, consists the gaga: hence he thereby ascends to heaven by means of the gagatî. Here, however, there is no (fixed) measure: let him, therefore, lay it down where in his own mind he may think proper⁵⁹. If he takes it ever so little east (of the Gârhapatya), he ascends to heaven by it.

26. Here now they say, 'Let them cook the sacrificial dishes on the Âhavanîya; for thence, assuredly, the gods ascended to heaven, and therewith they went on worshipping and toiling: therein we will cook the sacrificial dishes; therein we will perform the sacrifice! For, as it were, a displacement⁶⁰ of the sacrificial dishes would take place, if they were to cook them on the Gârhapatya. The Âhavanîya is the sacrifice: we will perform the sacrifice in the sacrifice!'

27. However, they also do cook on the Gârhapatya, arguing, 'The former is indeed âhavanîya (i.e. "suitable for a burnt-offering"); but that one, surely, is not (intended) for this,--viz. that they should cook uncooked (food) on it; but it is (intended) for this,--viz. that they should offer up cooked (food) on it.' He may therefore do it on whichever (fire) he pleases.

28. That sacrifice spake, 'I dread nakedness.' 'What is unnakedness for thee?' 'Let them strew (sacrificial grass) all round me!' For this reason they strew (sacrificial grass) all round the fire. 'I dread thirst.' 'How art thou to be satiated?' 'May I satiate myself after the priest has been satisfied!' Let him therefore, on the completion of the sacrifice, order that the priest be satisfied; for then he satisfies the sacrifice.

Fourth Brâhmana

1. Pragâpati conceived a passion for his own daughter,--either the Sky or the Dawn⁶¹. 'May I pair with her!' thus (thinking) he united with her.

2. This, assuredly, was a sin in the eyes of the gods. 'He who acts thus towards his own daughter, our sister, [commits a sin],' they thought.

3. The gods then said to this god who rules over the beasts (Rudra)⁶², 'This one, surely, commits a sin who acts thus towards his own daughter, our sister. Pierce him!' Rudra, taking aim, pierced him. Half of his seed fell to the ground. And thus it came to pass.

4. Accordingly it has been said by the Rishi⁶³ with reference to that (incident), 'When the father embraced his daughter, uniting with her, he dropped his seed on the earth.' This (became) the chant (uktha) called âgnimâruta⁶⁴; in (connection with) this it is set forth how the gods caused that seed to spring⁶⁵. When the anger of the gods subsided, they cured Pragâpati and cut out that dart of this. (Rudra); for Pragâpati, doubtless, is this sacrifice.

5. They said (to one another), 'Think of some means by which that (part of the sacrifice torn out with the dart) may not be lost, and how it may be but a small portion of the offering itself!'

6. They said, 'Take it round to Bhaga (Savitri, the Patron), who sits on the south side (of the sacrificial ground): Bhaga will eat it by way of fore-portion⁶⁶, so that it may be as though it were offered.' They accordingly took it round to Bhaga, who sat on the south side. Bhaga (Savitri) looked at it: it burnt out his eyes⁶⁷. And thus it came to pass. Hence they say, 'Bhaga is blind.'

7. They said, 'It has not yet become appeased here: take it round to Pûshan!' They accordingly took it round to Pûshan. Pûshan tasted it: it knocked out his teeth. And thus it came to pass. Hence they say, 'Pûshan is toothless;' and therefore, when they prepare a mess of boiled rice (karu)⁶⁸ for Pûshan, they prepare it from ground rice, as is done for one toothless.

8. They said, 'It has not yet become appeased here: take it round to Brihaspati⁶⁹!' They accordingly took it round to Brihaspati. Brihaspati hasted to Savitri for his impulsion (influence, prasava⁷⁰), for assuredly Savitri is the impeller (prasavitri) of the gods. 'Impel (influence) this for me!' he said. Savitri, as the impeller, accordingly impelled it for him, and being thus impelled by Savitri, it did not injure him: and thus it was henceforth appeased. This, then, is essentially the same as the fore-portion.

9. Now when he cuts off the fore-portion, he cuts out what is injured in the sacrifice,--what belongs to Rudra. Thereupon he touches water: water is (a means) of lustration, hence he lustrates by means of water⁷¹. He now cuts off piece by piece the idâ⁷², (which represents) cattle.

10. Let him cut off (for the fore-portion) ever so small a piece⁷³: thus the dart comes out; let him therefore cut off ever so small a piece. He should (according to some) put clarified butter on one side only, either below or above: thus that which is hard becomes soft and flows forth; and for this reason he should put butter on one side only, either below or above.

11. Having (nevertheless⁷⁴) made an underlayer of butter⁷⁵ and a double cutting from the oblation (havis), he pours butter on the upper side of it; for it is only in this way that this becomes part of the sacrifice.

12. Let him not carry it (to the Brahman) along the front (east) side of the Âhavanîya fire); (though) some, it is true, do carry it along the front side. For on the front side stand the cattle facing the sacrificer: hence he would impose the power of Rudra on the cattle, if he were to carry it along the front side, and his (the sacrificer's) household and cattle would be overwhelmed. Let him therefore cross over in this way (behind the paridhis); for thus he does not impose Rudra's power on the cattle and he removes that (dart) sideways⁷⁶.

13. He (the Brahman) receives⁷⁷ it, with the text (Vâg. S. II, 11 b, c), 'At the impulse (prasava) of the divine Savitri I receive thee with the arms of the Asvins, with the hands of Pûshan!'

14. And in like manner as Brihaspati then hasted to Savitri for his impulsion,--for, assuredly, Savitri is the impeller of the gods,--and said, 'Impel this for me!' and Savitri, the impeller, impelled it for him; and, impelled by Savitri, it did not injure him; so now also this one (the Brahman) hastes to Savitri for his impulsion,--for, assuredly, Savitri is the impeller of the gods,--and says 'impel this for me!' and Savitri, the impeller, impels it for him; and, impelled by Savitri, it does not injure him.

15. He eats⁷⁸ the fore-portion, with the text (Vâ;. S. II, 11 d), 'With Agni's mouth I eat thee!' for Agni, assuredly, it does not injure in any way; and so neither does it injure him (the Brahman).

16. He must not chew it with his teeth: 'lest this power of Rudra should injure my teeth!' so (he thinks), and therefore he must not chew it with his teeth.

17. He then rinses his mouth with water;--water is (a means of) purification: hence he purifies himself with water, (that is, a means of) purification. After he has rinsed the vessel⁷⁹,--

18. They bring him the Brahman's portion⁸⁰. The Brahman, in truth, sits south of the sacrifice, as its guardian. He sits facing that portion. As regards the fore-portion, that they have already brought to him and he has eaten it. In the Brahman's portion which they now bring to him, he obtains his own share; and henceforth he watches what remains incomplete of the sacrifice: for this reason they bring him the Brahman's portion.

19. He (the Brahman) must maintain silence (from the time he takes his seat on being elected)⁸¹ up to that speech (of the Adhvaryu), 'Brahman, shall I step forward?' Those (priests) who, in the midst of the sacrifice, perform the idâ, which represents the domestic offerings (pâkayagña)⁸², tear the sacrifice to pieces, injure it. Now the Brahman, assuredly, is the best physician: hence the Brahman thereby restores the sacrifice; but, if he were to sit there talking, he would not restore it: he must therefore maintain silence.

20. If he should utter any human sound before that time, let him there and then mutter some Rik or Yagus-text addressed to Vishnu; for Vishnu is the sacrifice, so that he thereby again obtains a hold on the sacrifice: and this is the expiation of that (breach of silence).

21. When he (the Adhvaryu) says, 'Brahman, shall I step forward?' the Brahman mutters thus (Vâg. S. II, 12), 'This thy sacrifice, O divine Savitri, they have announced . . .,'--thereby he has recourse to Savitri for his impulsion (prasava), for he is the impeller (prasavitri) of the gods;--'to Brihaspati, the Brahman,'--for Brihaspati, assuredly, is the Brahman of the gods: hence he announces that (sacrifice) to him who is the Brahman of the gods; and accordingly he says, 'to Brihaspati, the Brahman.'--'Therefore prosper the sacrifice, prosper the lord of sacrifice, prosper me!' In this there is nothing that requires explanation.

22. [He continues, Vâg. S. II, 13]: 'May his mind delight in the gushing (of the) butter⁸³!' By the mind, assuredly, all this (universe) is obtained (or pervaded, âptam): hence he thereby obtains this All by the mind.--'May Brihaspati spread (carry through) this sacrifice! May he restore the sacrifice uninjured!'--he thereby restores what was torn asunder.--'May all the gods rejoice here!'--'all the gods,' doubtless, means the All: hence he thereby restores (the sacrifice) by means of the All. He may add, 'Step forward!' if he choose; or, if he choose, he may omit it.

Footnotes

1. Parna = palâsa, Butea Frondosa.

2. Gâyatryai vâ somasya vâ='both of G. and of S.,' Sâyana. Apâd astâ, 'a footless shooter,' is a doubtful reading and perhaps an old corruption; Sâyana reads apâdhastâ (? adhastât); cf. Weber, various readings, p. 133. The Kânva MS. reads, 'devebhyas tasyâ âharantyâ avâdastâbhyâyatya parnam prakikheda.' According to Rig-veda IV, 27, 3, it was the archer Krisânu, who hit the falcon when it was carrying off the Soma from heaven, and brought down one of its feathers. On the whole myth, see A. Kuhn, Herabkunft des Feuers and des Göttertranks, p. 137 seq. Cf. Taitt. S. III, 5, 7, 1; Taitt. Br. I, 1, 3, 10, 'Soma was in the third heaven from here; Gâyatrî fetched him away; one of his feathers was cut off, it became a parna (palâsa) tree.' Similarly Taitt. Br. I, 2, 1, 6; see also Sat. Br. I, 8, 2, 10.

3. 'Somasya nyaktam,' see p. 167, note 2.

4. This act as well as that of letting the calves join the cows, of course, precedes the driving away of the calves. These proceedings take place on the day before the new moon, after the agnyanvâdhâna. According to Kâty., the sacrificer enters on the vow of abstinence, after the branch has been cut. Previously to these rites, however, the so-called Pinda-pitriyagña, or oblation of obsequial pindas (balls, dumplings) to the deceased ancestors, has to be performed; for which see II, 4, 2, 1 seq.

5. Pavate, 'blows, purifies.'

6. Thus Taitt. S. I, 1, 1, 1.

7. Viz. on the occasion of his taking from the cart the rice for the oblations, see I, 1, 2, 17-19.

8. See p. 19, note 1. According to Karka this takes place before the hiding of the branch, Scholl. on Kâty. IV, 2, 15. According to Kâty. IV, 2, 12, 13, the upavesha (see I, 2, 1, 3) is cut at this juncture--with the text, 'Accomplishing (vesha) art thou'--from the bottom part of the palâsa branch on the remaining part of which he thereupon fixes the strainer. When the sânnâyya oblation is not made (and consequently no palâsa branch is used), the upavesha is made of varana wood.

9. The milker may be anybody except a Sûdra, Taitt. Br. III, 2, 3, 9; Kâty. IV, 2, 22; Âpast. I, 12, 25.

10. Mâtarisvan's cauldron is identified in Taitt. Br. III, 2, 3, 2 with the atmosphere. Mâtarisvan, though sometimes identified with the wind, is more generally either a name of Agni, or the name of a mythic personage who (Prometheus-like) is supposed to have fetched the fire from heaven and brought it to the Bhrigus, who communicated it to man. See Roth, Nir. p. 111; Kuhn, Herabkunft des Feuers and des Göttertranks, p. 5 seq.

11. See I, 2, 2, 7, and note. Compare also the interesting introduction to Dr. Garbe's edition and translation of Âpastamba's aphorisms on the Pravargya ceremony, Zeitsch. der D. Morg. Ges. XXXIV, p. 319 seq.

12. The direction from west to east is the chief one in all sacrificial arrangements: hence that from south to north is the one that lies across the former.

13. That is, when the milk has been poured through the strainer as before. The Taittirîya school make the mystic names (or epithets) of the three cows Visvâyu, Visvavyakas (all-embracing), and Visvakarman, cf. Taitt. S. I, 1, 3; Taitt. Br. III, 2, 3, 7. In the latter passage these names are, as here, identified with the earth, atmosphere, and heavens respectively. The milker, in replying to the Adhvaryu, apparently calls the cows by their ordinary names. Cf. p. 178, note 4.

14. According to Taitt. S. I, 1, 3, Kâty. IV, 2, 32, &c., he, whilst doing so, pronounces the text, 'Unite, ye that follow the eternal law, ye waving ones (with the wave, Katy.), ye sweetest,--[filling the milk with honey, Kâty.],--ye delightful ones, for the obtainment of wealth!'

15. Viz. by adding to it the (sour) milk that is left from the performance of the Agnihotra.

16. See I, 1, 2, 18.

17. According to Taitt. Br. III, 2, 3, 11, it may be either a metal or wooden vessel, but not an earthen one (Kâty. IV, 2, 34).

18. The wording of this passage is very ambiguous; so much so indeed, that it could also be taken in the sense that 'whoever exists, is born as (one to whom) a debt (is owed) from the gods,' &c.; cf. I, 1, 2, 19: 'Whichever deities are chosen (for the oblations), they consider it as a debt (clue from them), that they are bound to fulfil whatever wish he entertains while taking the oblation.' But see Taitt. Br. VI, 3, 10, 5: 'Verily, a Brâhmana who is born, is born as owing a debt in respect to three things: in the shape of sacred study (brahmakarya) to the Rishis, in the shape of sacrifice to the gods, and in the shape of offspring to the fathers. Free from debt, verily, is he who has a son, who is a sacrificer, who lives (for a time with a guru) as a religious student.' Ath.-veda VI, 117, 3 (Taitt. Br. III, 7, 9, 8): 'May we be debtless in this, debtless in the other, debtless in the third, world! What worlds (paths, Taitt. Br.) there are trodden by the gods and trodden by the fathers,--may we abide debtless on all (those) paths!'

19. The word is really derived from ava-dâ (do), 'to cut off.' The Taitt. Br. gives the same fanciful etymological explanation of the term as here.

20. The four 'cuttings' of which each oblation of rice-cake consists are made in the following way: first, some clarified butter, 'cut out' or drawn from the butter in the dhruvâ-spoon by means of the sruva (dipping-spoon) and poured into the guhû (this is called the upastarana or under-layer of butter); second and third, two pieces of the size of a thumb's joint, cut out from the centre and the fore-part of the rice-cake and laid on that butter; and fourth, some clarified butter poured on these pieces of cake (the technical name of this basting of butter being abhighârana). The family of the Gamadagnis, which is mentioned as always making five cuttings (Kâty. I, 9, 3-4), take three pieces of cake instead of two, viz. an additional one from the back (or west) part of the cake. Yâgñika Deva on Kâty. quotes a couplet from some Smriti, in which the Vatsas, the Vidas, and the Ârshtishenas are mentioned beside the Gamadagnis, as pañkâvattinah or making five cuttings. At the Upâmsuyâga (low-voiced offering),--which is performed between the cake-oblation to Agni and that to Agni-Soma at the full moon, and between the cake-oblation to Agni and that to Indra-Agni (or the sânnâyya, or oblation of sweet and sour milk, to Indra) at the new moon, and which consists entirely of butter,--the four cuttings are effected in the same way as described p. 193 page 174 note. At the sânnâyya, two (or three) sruva-fuls of both the sweet and the sour milk take the place of the two (or three) pieces of cake.

21. See page 26, note 1. The parts of the cakes or the sânnâyya, from which cuttings have been made, he bastes, each once, with butter taken with the sruva from the butter-pot; and whenever butter is ladled with the sruva from the dhruvâ into the guhû, the former is replenished from the butter-pot.

22. Tayor mithunam asti vashatkâra eva, 'to these two the vashat-call is the complement in forming a pair.' On the vashat (vaushat) and the other two formulas, see note on I, 5, 2, 16.

23. The usual formalities, which have been detailed before (see page 174 note), have, of course, to be gone through at each oblation.

24. In this passage the invitatory formula (anuvâkyâ or puro'nuvâkyâ), which is in the gâyatrî metre, is identified with the sky, and the offering-formula (yâgyâ), which is in the trishtubh metre, with the earth. On the other hand, the gâyatrî also is the earth (cf. I, 4, I, 34), and the trishtubh the sky; so that, according to this mode of reasoning, there is not only an intimate connection between the two metres, but actual identity. The gâyatrî verse, used as invitatory formula, on the occasion of the rice-cake offering to Agni, is Rig-veda VIII, 4.4, 16 [agnir mûrdhâ divah kakut, 'Agni, the head and summit of the sky,' &c.]; with that to Agni and Soma, at the full-moon sacrifice, Rig-veda I, 93, 3 [agnîshomau savedasau, sahûtî vanatam girah, 'O Agni and Soma, of self-same wealth and invocation, accept this song!' &c.]; and to Indra and Agni, at the new moon, Rig-veda VII, 94, 7 [indrâgnî avasâ gatam, 'O Indra and Agni, come to us with favour I' &c.] or with the (optional) milk-offering (sânnâyyam), at the new moon, Rig-veda I, 8, 1 [endra sânasim rayim, hither, O Indra, bring abundant treasure!!' &c.], if to Indra; or Rig-veda VIII, 6, 1 [mahâṅ indro ya ogasâ parganyo vrishtimâṅ iva, 'the Great Indra, who in might is equal to the rainy thunder-cloud,' &c.], if to Mahendra.

25. The trishtubh verse, used as offering-formula with the oblation of cake to Agni, both at the new and full moon, is Rig-veda X, 8, 6 [bhuvo yagñasya ragasas ka netâ . . . agne . . ., 'be thou the leader of the sacrifice and welkin, . . . O Agni!' &c.]; with that to Agni and Soma, at the full moon, Rig-veda I, 93, 5 [yuvam etâni divi rokanâni . . . agnîshomau . . ., 'you, O Agni and Soma, (fixed) those lights in the heaven,' &c.]; with that to Indra and Agni, at the new moon, Rig-veda VII, 93 4 [gîrbhir viprah pramatim ikkhamâna, .. indrâgnî . . ., 'the bard, seeking your grace by songs . . ., O Indra and Agni,' &c.]; and with the milk-offering, at the same sacrifice, if to Indra, Rig-veda X, 180, 1 [pra sasâhishe puruhûta satrûn . . . indrâ . . ., thou, O Indra, the much-invoked, hast vanquished the enemies!' &c.]; or, if to Mahendra, Rig-veda X, 50, 4 [bhuvas p. 196 tvam indra brahmanâ mahân, 'mighty, O Indra, mayest thou be through (our) prayer!' &c.].

26. For the notion that there is rain (and consequently food) when heaven and earth are on friendly terms with each other, see I, 8, 3, 12. The rain is the food of the earth; and the food, produced thereby, in its turn furnishes food for the sky (or the gods) in the form of oblations.

27. The brihat-sâman (tvam id dhi havâmahe, 'on thee, indeed, we call,' &c., Sâma-veda II, 159-160 = Rig-veda VI, 46, 1-2) and the rathantara-sâman (abhi tvâ sûra nonumah, 'to thee, O Hero, we call,' &c., Sâma-veda II, 30-31 = Rig-veda VII, 32, 22-23) are two of the most highly prized Sâma-hymns, which are especially used in forming the so-called prishthas, or combinations of two hymns in such a way that one of them (being a mystic representation of the embryo) is enclosed in the other, which is supposed to represent the womb. In these symbolical combinations the brihat and rathantara, which must never be used together, are often employed as the enclosing chants, representative of the womb. They are already mentioned in Rig-veda X, 181. See also Sat. Br. IX, 1, 2, 36-37. Taitt. S. VII, 1, I, 4, Pragâpati is said to have first created from his mouth Agni together with the Gâyatrî, the Rathantara-sâman, the Brâhmana, and the goat; and then from his chest and arms Indra, the Trishtubh, the Brihat-sâman, the Râganya, and the ram.

28. Literally, 'forwards, thither (pra).'

29. Avastâllakshma, 'the sign below or on this (the, to us, nearest or front) side.' See the formulas above, p. 195, note 1.

30. Or upwards, on the upper side, uparishtâllakshanam. See the offering-formulas above, p. 195, note 2.

31. Vashat, or rather vâushat ['may he (Agni) carry it (to the gods)!'], is pronounced after each yâgyâ or offering-formula, which contains the name of the deity towards the end, or at least not at the very beginning.

32. Viz. the invitatory and offering-formulas.

33. The sacrificial call vaushat (for vashat, irregular aorist of vah, 'to bear,' cf. p. 88, note 2) is here fancifully explained as composed of vauk, for vâk, 'speech,' + shat, 'six.'

34. Pragâpati, or Lord of Creatures, is here, as often (cf. I, 2, 5, 13), taken as representing the year, or Time.

35. Sumeka is taken by the St. Petersburg Dictionary to mean 'firmly established;' by Grassmann, 'bountiful,' literally 'well-showering.' Our author identifies it with su-eka. The words sabdam (sabdam, Kânva rec., ? = the sounding one) and sagarâ are obscure; yavya here apparently means, 'consisting of the yavas or half-months.'

36. The term yâvihotram is obscure, and does not seem to occur anywhere else. The Kânva MS. reads yâmihotram (? = gâmihotram). Sâyana's comment is corrupt in several places and affords little help.

37. Or perhaps, he was left behind with, or in, the remains (of the sacrifice);' vâstu being evidently also taken in this sense by our author, in par. 7.

38. The text has ayatayâ merely, which, to become intelligible, clearly requires some noun, which may have been lost here. Sâyana is silent on this point. In Dr. Muir's version of the legend, Original Sanskrit Texts, IV, p. 202, the word is left untranslated. I am inclined to supply some such noun as heti, 'weapon;' cf. XII, 7, 3, 20, where this very word is used in connection with Rudra: in later times it is also specially applied to Agni's weapon or flame (gihvâ, 'tongue'). It is not impossible, however, that we have to supply tanvâ ('with his raised body, or self'). To mâ vi srâkshîh (for which the Kânva recension reads mâ ’sthâh), 'do not hurl,' and to samvivarha ('he drew back'), Sâyana supplies yagñam, 'sacrifice:' hence he apparently takes it thus,--'do not scatter (the sacrifice),'--'he kept (the sacrifice) together and did not injure it in any way.'

39. On the identification of Agni with Rudra, see also VI, 1, 3, 7; and Muir, Original Sanskrit Texts, IV, p. 339 seq.

40. Passages such as this and VI, 1, 3, 7 seq. are of considerable interest, as showing, on the one hand, the tendency towards identifying and blending originally distinct and apparently local Vedic gods, especially Rudra, with the person of Agni, the representative of the divine power on earth in the later Vedic triad; and, on the other hand, the origin of the conception of Siva, in the pantheistic system of the post-Vedic period. On our passage, see also Weber, Ind. Stud. II, p. 37; I, p. 189; Muir, Original Sanskrit Texts, IV, p. 328.

41. That is, according to Sâyana, on the Âhavanîya fire-place.

42. The anuvâkyâ for the Svishtakrit is Rig-veda X, 2, 1: piprîhi devân̐ usato yavishtha ('gladden thou the longing gods, O youngest!') &c. Âsv. S. I, 6, 2.

43. See I, 4, 2, 16-17. These formulas (nigada) of enumeration (ayad agnir agneh priyâ dhâmâni, &c.--yakshad agner hotuh priyâ dhâmâni, &c.) form part of the offering-formula. The yâgyâ proper, however, which they precede is Rig-veda VI, 15, 14, agne yad adya viso adhvarasya hotah ['O Agni, Hotri of the cult! when this day (thou comest) to the men '], &c.

44. Or, resort, abode, dhâman.

45. Viz. at the 'devatânâm âvahanam,' cf. I, 4, 2, 17; p. 118, n. 1.

46. 'Âyagatâm egyâ ishah.' Mahîdhara, on Vâg. S. XXI, 47, interprets it thus: 'May these (ishah) desirous (creatures), fit for sacrifice, sacrifice properly!' Similarly perhaps Sâyana on our passage.

47. Here krinotu is omitted in the text, but cf. Vâg. S. XXI, 47; Taitt. Br. III, 5, 7, 6; Âsv. S. I, 6, 5. Dr. Hillebrandt, Altind. Neu- and Vollmondsopfer, p. 11 construes it with the preceding formula: 'er mache darbringungswerth die Speisen; er, der Wesenkenner, nehme beim Opfer das havis an.' (?)

48. Mahat, 'grosses.'

49. See Vâg. S. XIX, 26. Here the author, as usual (cf. p. 5 note), attempts to enhance the solemnity of the ceremony by identifying it with the tritîya-savana, or evening libation at the Soma-sacrifice, both offerings constituting the final ceremonies in the main performance of the respective sacrifices. We shall, however, see (cf. I, 8, 3, 25) that as at the evening libation the remains of the Soma are offered up, so also are the remains of havis offered to the visve devâh at the conclusion of the present sacrifice. At IV, 4, 5, 17 it is more especially the offering of rice-cake to Agni and Varuna, at the evening libation, which is identified with the svishtakrit.

50. See p. 202, note 2.

51. See p. 202, note 3.

52. Avîryam; cf. II, 1, 2, 9, where the (sarîra) empty body (of Pragâpati) is called a vâstu ayagñiyam avîryam. See also above, I, 7, 3, 7, where we met with vâstu in the sense of 'remainder, that which remains,' as Sâyana also seems to take it here.

53. Indriyam, literally 'Indra's power.' The trishtubh often (eg. Rig-veda X, 130, 5) appears specially related to Indra; and the hymns addressed to him are almost entirely in this metre. Taitt. S. VII, 1, 1, 4 it is said to have been created by Pragâpati from his own chest and arms, immediately after Indra, and together with the Brihat-sâman, the Râganya, and the ram; and that these are therefore vîryâvant, having been created out of vîrya (i.e. the seats of 'manly power').

54. For this symbolical explanation see Taitt. S. VII, 1, 1, 5, where the anushtubh is said to have been created by Pragâpati, by his fourth and last creative act, from his feet, together with the Vairâga-sâman, the Sûdra, and the horse; the two last named being, therefore, styled 'bhûta-saṅkrâmin (? subservient to creatures).' I do not find it stated anywhere, what anushtubh verses may optionally be taken for the anuvâkyâ and yâgyâ of the svishtakrit.

55. That is, Indradyumna Bhâllabeya, as the Kânva recension reads here and II, 1, 4, 6. Cf. X, 6, 1, 1.

56. He makes, as usual, an under-layer (upastarana) of butter in the guhû; cuts a piece from the north part of each of the two cakes (or of the one cake and of both the sweet and the sour milk constituting the sânnâyya); and thereupon bastes the pieces twice (not once) with butter.

57. See above, par. 3. The same quarter is assigned to Rudra, IX, 1, 1, 10. See also Weber, Ind. Stud, I, p. 225.

58. The Baudhây. Sulvas. (66) lays it down as the rule that the Brâhmana has to construct his Âhavanîya fire at the distance of eight prakramas (step of two padas or feet each) to the east of the Gârhapatya, the Râganya at the distance of eleven, and the Vaisya at the distance of twelve, steps. Thibaut, Pandit X, p. 22.

59. See 1, 2, 5, 14.

60. Apaskhala. Sâyana takes skhala to mean winnowing- (or threshing-) floor (? khala): hence apaskhala would mean 'the leaping (of the husk, &c.) out of the winnowing-floor.' The Kânva MS. reads, 'apaskhala iva sa havishâm yad gârhapatyah' (? 'the Gârhapatya is to the sacrificial food the outside of a winnowing-floor, as it were.')

61. For other versions of this legend about Pragâpati (Brahman)'s illicit passion for his daughter, which, as Dr. Muir suggests, probably refers to some atmospheric phenomenon, see Ait. Br. III, 33, and Tândya Br. VIII, 2, 10; cf. Muir, Original Sanskrit Texts, IV, p. 45; I, p. 107. See also Sat. Br. II, 1, 2, 9, with note.

62. The construction here is irregular. Perhaps this is part of the speech of the gods, being a kind of indirect address to Rudra in order to avoid naming the terrible god. Dr. Muir translates: The gods said, "This god, who rules over the beasts, commits a transgression in that he acts thus to his own daughter, our sister: pierce him through."' In the Kânva MS. some words seem to have been omitted at this particular place. According to the Ait. Br., the gods created a god Bhûtavat, composed of the most fearful forms of theirs. After piercing the incarnation of Pragâpati's sin, he asked, and obtained, the boon that he should henceforth be the ruler of cattle.

63. Viz., Rig-veda X, 61, 7, where verses 5-7 contain the first allusion to this legend.

64. The âgnimâruta is one of the sâstras recited at the evening libation of the Soma-sacrifice; and made up chiefly of a hymn addressed to Agni Vaisvânara and one to the Maruts; and [following the stotriya and anurûpa pragâtha] a hymn to Gâtavedas; [and one to the Âpas, followed by various detailed verses or couplets]; viz., Rig-veda III, 3, 'vaisvânarâya prithupâgase,' &c., and I, 87, 'pratvakshasah pratavaso,' &c.; [Rig-veda I, 168, 1-2, stotriya; VII, 16, II-32, anurûpa]; and Rig-veda I, 143, 'pratavyasîm navyasîm,' &c. (and X, 9, 'âpo hi shthâ mayobhuvas,' &c.) respectively, at the Agnishtoma (and first day of the dvâdasâha). See Âsv. Sr. V, 20, 5; Ait. Br. III, 35; IV, 30.

65. According to Ait. Br. III, 35, where this legend is also given in connection with the âgnimâruta sâstra, Agni Vaisvânara, aided by the Maruts, stirred (and heated) the seed; and out of it sprang successively Âditya (the sun), Bhrigu, and the Âdityas; whilst the coals (aṅgâra) remaining behind became the Aṅgiras, and Brihaspati, and the coal dust, the burnt earth and ashes were changed into various kinds of animals. According to Harisvâmin it would seem that our passage has to he understood to the effect that the composition of the âgnimâruta sâstra shows the order of beings which the gods caused to spring forth from the seed. See also IV, 5, I, 8.

66. See note on I, 7, 4, 18.

67. 'Nirdadâha.' The Kaushît. Br. VI, 10 (Ind. Stud. II, 306) and Yâska Nir. 1 2, 14 have nirgaghâna, 'it knocked out his eyes.' The Kaushît. Br. also makes them first take the prâsitra to Savitri, and when it cut his hands, they gave him two golden ones.

68. Karu, in the ordinary sense of the word, is a potful of rice (barley, &c.) grains boiled, or rather steamed (antarûshmapakva), so as to remain whole, as in Indian curry. Cf. Weber, Ind. Stud. IX, p. 216.

69. According to Kaushît. Br. VI, 10, they took it from Pûshan to Indra, as the mightiest and-strongest of the gods; and he appeased it with prayer (brahman); whence the Brahman (in taking the prâsitra) says, 'Indra is Brahman.' Weber, Ind. Stud. II, p. 307.

70. The consistent use of derivations from one and the same root (pra-su) in this and similar passages is, of course, quite as artificial in Sanskrit as must be any imitation of it in English.

71. He thereby averts the evil effects of the act which is connected with Rudra, 'the terrible god;' see p. 2, note 2. Besides, the idâ with which he now proceeds representing the cattle, he thereby guards the cattle from the rudriya, cf. above I, 7, 3, 21.

72. See I, 8, 1, 12, 13.

73. According to Kâty. III, 4, 7, the prâsitra, or (Brahman's) fore-portion, is to be of the size of a barley-corn or a pippala (Ficus Religiosa) berry.

74. There is no indication in the text of two different practices being here referred to. The Kânva recension, however, puts in here, 'but let him not do so,' which is evidently understood in our text also.

75. Viz. in the prâsitraharana, or pan which is to receive the Brahman's portion. The hollow part of the vessel is to be either of the shape of a (hand-)mirror, i.e. with a round bowl, or of that of a kamasa or jug, i.e. with a square bowl (p. 7, note 1). Kâty. I, 3, 40, 42. On the underlayer' of butter, see I, 7, 2, 8.

76. 'Tiryag evainam nirmimîte.' I am in doubt as to whether enam (which is omitted in the Kânva text) really refers to Rudra's dart. Cf. par. 9.

77. According to Kâty. II, 2, 15, he first looks at it, with the text (Vâg. S. p. 58): 'With Mitra's eye I look on thee!'

78. According to Kâty. II, 2, 17, he previously puts it down on the shoulder of the altar, with the text (Vâg. S. p. 58), 'I put you down, on the navel of the earth, in the lap of Aditi!' According to 19, however, this is optional (except when the Brahman does not eat the prâsitra immediately).

79. According to Kâty. II, 2, 20, the Brahman, having rinsed the vessel [or, according to the comment, the two prâsitraharana, one of which is used as lid to the other], touches his navel, with the text (Vâg. S. p. 58), 'May the deities there are in the waters purify this! Enter the stomach of Indra, being offered with "Hail!" Mix not with my food! Settle down above my navel! In Indra's stomach I make thee settle!'

80. The Brahman's regular portion (brahmabhâga) of the sacrificial food is cut, like the prâsitra or fore-portion (which apparently he receives as the representative of Brihaspati), from Agni's cake.

81. See I, 1, 4, 9.

82. According to the scholiast, it represents the pâkayagña or domestic (cooked) offerings, because at the latter, as in the idâ, the remains of the offerings are eaten.