Philosophy and Religion / Satapatha Brahmana

The Satapatha Brahmana: Seventh Kânda, Fifth Adhyâya

First Brâhmana

1. He then puts down a (living) tortoise;--the tortoise means life-sap: it is life-sap (blood) he thus bestows on (Agni). This tortoise is that life-sap of these worlds which flowed away from them when plunged into the waters¹: that (life-sap) he now bestows on (Agni). As far as the life-sap extends, so far the body extends: that (tortoise) thus is these worlds.

2. That lower shell of it is this (terrestrial) world; it is, as it were, fixed; for fixed, as it were, is this (earth-)world. And that upper shell of it is yonder sky; it has its ends, as it were, bent down; for yonder sky has its ends, as it were, bent down. And what is between (the shells) is the air;--that (tortoise) thus is these worlds: it is these worlds he thus lays down (to form part of the altar).

3. He anoints it with sour curds, honey, and ghee,--sour curds doubtless are a form of this (earth-)world, ghee of the air, and honey of yonder sky: he thus supplies it (the tortoise) with its own form. Or, sour curds are the life-sap of this (earth-)world, ghee that of the air, and honey that of yonder sky: he thus supplies it with its own life-sap.

4. [He anoints it, with Vâg. S. XIII, 27-29; Rik S. I, 90, 6-8] 'Honey the winds pour forth for the righteous, honey the rivers; full of honey may the plants be for us!--Honey by night and morn, rich in honey may the region of the earth be for us, honey the father Heaven!--rich in honey may the tree be for us, rich in honey the sun, full of honey the kine!' To whatever deity a Rik-verse, and to whatever (deity) a Yagus formula applies, that very deity the verse is, and that very deity the sacrificial formula is². This triplet then is honey (madhu); and honey being life-sap, it is life-sap he thus puts into him (Agni). With three Gâyatrî verses (he performs): the significance of this has been explained.

5. And as to its being called 'kûrma' (tortoise);Pragâpati, having assumed that form, created living beings. Now what he created, he made; and inasmuch as he made (kar), he is (called) 'kûrma;' and 'kûrma' being (the same as) 'kasyapa' (a tortoise), therefore all creatures are said to be descended from Kasyapa.

6. Now this tortoise is the same as yonder sun: it is yonder sun he thus lays down (on the altar). He lays it down in front with the head towards the back (west): he thus places yonder sun in the east looking thitherwards (or moving westward); and hence yonder sun is placed in the east looking thitherwards. On the right (south) of the Ashâdhâ (he places it), for the tortoise (kûrma, masc.) is a male, and the Ashâdhâ a female, and the male lies on the right side of the female;--at a cubit's distance³, for at a cubit's distance the male lies by the female. That Ashâdhâ is the consecrated queen (mahishî) of all the bricks, hence being on the right (south) side of her, it (the tortoise) is on the right side of all the bricks.

7. And, again, why he puts down a tortoise;--the tortoise (kûrma) is the breath, for the breath makes (kar) all these creatures: it is breath he thus puts into him (Agni). He puts it down in front looking towards the back: he thus puts in the breath in front tending towards the back; whence the breath is taken in from the front backwards. [He puts it down so as to be] turned towards the (gold) man: he thus puts breath into the Sacrificer. South of the Ashâdhâ (he puts it), for the tortoise is breath, and the Ashâdhâ speech; and the breath (prâna, masc.) is the male, the mate, of speech (vâk, fem.).

8. [He sets it down, with Vâg. S. XIII, 30-32] Seat thee in the depth of the waters for that indeed is the deepest (place) of the (heavenly) waters where yonder (sun) burns;--'lest the sun, lest Agni Vaisvânara should scorch thee!' that is, lest the Sun, lest Agni Vaisvânara injure thee;--'Overlook the creatures with unbroken wings,' that is, overlook all these uninjured, unharmed creatures, that is, these bricks;--'may heaven's rain favour thee!' this he says in order that the rain of heaven may favour him.

9. He then makes it move⁴, with, 'Over the heaven-reaching three oceans he crept,' the three heaven-reaching oceans doubtless are these worlds, and over them he crept in the shape of a tortoise;--'the lord of waters, the bull of the bricks,' for he (the tortoise) indeed is the lord of waters, and the bull of the bricks;--'induing the covering of him, the well-made, in the world,' the covering (purîsha) means the cattle: thus, entering the (form of the) cattle of the well-made (Agni) in the world;--'go thither whither the former have passed away!' that is, go thither whither by this performance former (tortoises) went.

10. 'The mighty sky and the earth,' that is, the great sky and the earth;--'shall mix (prepare) this our sacrifice!' that is, shall favour this sacrifice;--'they shall fill us with nourishments!' that is, they shall nourish us with nourishments! With the last (verse) relating to heaven and earth he puts it down, for the tortoise represents heaven and earth.

11. With three (formulas) he puts it on (the altar);--three are these worlds, and threefold is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus puts it on. With three (formulas) he anoints it; that makes six: the significance of this (number) has been explained. There are avakâ-plants⁵ below and avakâ-plants above (the tortoise),--the avakâ-plant means water: he thus places it in the midst of water. Having 'settled' it, he pronounces the Sûdadohas upon it: the significance of this has been explained.

12. He then puts down a mortar and pestle. Vishnu desired, 'May I be an eater of food!' He saw these two bricks, the mortar and pestle. He placed them on (the altar); and by placing them thereon, he became an eater of food. In like manner, when the Sacrificer now places a mortar and pestle thereon, (he does so) thinking, 'I want to be an eater of food by the same means (rûpa), by performing the same rite by which Vishnu became an eater of food.' Now the mortar and pestle mean all (kinds of) food; for by the mortar and pestle food is prepared, and by means of them it is eaten.

13. He puts them down at the distance of the two retahsik⁶,--the retahsik being the ribs, and the ribs being the middle: he thus puts food into the middle of him (Agni);--on the north (upper) side (of the central brick): he thus puts the food upon him;--at the distance of a cubit, for from a cubit's distance food is (taken by the hand and) eaten.

14. They measure a span, for Vishnu, when an embryo, was a span long; and these (mortar and pestle) being food, he thus puts food into him (Agni-Vishnu) proportionate to his body. And indeed the food which is proportionate to the body satisfies, and does no harm; but that which is excessive does harm; and that which is too little does not satisfy.

15. They are made of Udumbara wood;--the Udumbara (ficus glomerata) being strength, life-sap, he thus puts strength, life-sap into him. And, again, the Udumbara being all the trees, by putting on those two, he puts all trees on (the altar). At the distance of the two retahsik (bricks, he places the mortar and pestle),--the 'seed-shedders' being these two (worlds⁷), he thus puts the trees in these two (worlds), and hence there are trees in these two (worlds). It (the mortar) is four-cornered,--there being four quarters, he thus places trees in all the quarters; whence there are trees in all the quarters. It is contracted in the middle, to give it the form of a (real) mortar.

16. And, again, why he places a mortar and pestle thereon. From Pragâpati, when relaxed, the breath wanted to go out from within. He kept it back by means of food: hence the breath is kept back by food, for he who eats food, breathes.

17. The breath being kept back, the food wanted to go out of him. He kept it back by means of the breath: hence food is kept back by the breath, for he who breathes, eats food.

18. Those two being kept back, strength wanted to go out of him. He kept it back by those two: hence strength is kept back by those two; for he who eats food, breathes; and to him it gives strength.

19. Strength being kept back, those two wanted to go out of him. He kept them back by means of strength: hence those two are kept back by strength; for he to whom one gives strength, breathes and eats food.

20. Those (energies) thus were kept back by one another. Having kept them back by one another, he (Pragâpati) caused them to enter his own self; and that food having entered, all the gods entered along with it; for everything here lives on food.

21. It is thereto that this verse applies,--'Then, indeed, he became that breath,'--for that breath he then indeed became;--'having become the great Pragâpati,'--for great he indeed then became, when those gods entered him;--'having obtained the benefits, the beneficial,'--the benefits doubtless are the vital airs (breaths), and the beneficial are the food: thus, having obtained all that;--'when he breathed the breaths in the stronghold;'--the stronghold doubtless is the self (body), and inasmuch as he breathed the breaths, the gods are the breaths; and inasmuch as Pragâpati breathed, the breath also is Pragâpati; and verily he who is that breath, he is that Gâyatrî;--and as to that food, that is Vishnu, the deity; and as to that strength, that is the Udumbara (tree).

22. He said, 'Verily this one has lifted me from out of all evil;' and because he said he has lifted me out (udabhârshît),' hence (the name) 'udumbhara;'--'udumbhara' doubtless being what is mystically called Udumbara, for the gods love the mystic. 'Wide space (uru) shall it make (karat) for me!' he said, hence 'urukara;' 'urukara' doubtless being what is mystically called 'ulûkhala' (the mortar); for the gods love the mystic. Now that mortar is the birth-place of all breaths; and the birth-place of the breaths being the head-

23. It (the mortar) is of the measure of a span, for the head is, as it were, of the measure of a span;--four-cornered, for the head is, as it were, four-cornered;--contracted in the middle, for the head is, as it were, contracted in the middle.

24. Now when the gods restored him (Pragâpati-Agni), they put all that inside him--breath, food, strength; and in like manner this (Sacrificer) now puts that into him. At the distance of the two retahsik (he places it),--the retahsik being the ribs, and the ribs the middle, it is thus in the middle of (or, inside) him that he puts all that.

25. [He sets them down⁸, with Vâg. S. XIII, 33; Rik S. I, 22, 191 'See ye the deeds of Vishnu'--deed doubtless means power: thus, see ye the powers of Vishnu;--'whereby he beheld the sacred ordinances,'--ordinance means food: thus, whereby he did behold the food;--'Indra's allied friend,' for he is indeed Indra's allied friend. With a (verse) relating to two deities he sets them down, for the mortar and pestle are two. Once he 'settles' them: he thereby makes them one and the same; for one and the same is that food. Having 'settled' it, he pronounces the Sûdadohas on it: the significance of this has been explained.

26. He then places the fire-pan thereon,--the fire-pan is a womb: a womb (birth-place) he thus gives to him (Agni). He places it on the mortar,--the mortar is the air, and everything that is above this earth is air; and the air is the middle: he thus places the womb in the middle; whence the womb of all beings, even of trees⁹, is in the middle.

27. And, again, why he places the fire-pan thereon;--that same Pragâpati who became disjointed doubtless is this same fire-pan, for the fire-pan is these worlds, and Pragâpati is these worlds. He places it on the mortar: he thereby establishes him (Pragâpati) in all that--breath, food, strength; and thus he places him se as not to be separated from all that.

28. Thereupon, having pounded the remainder (of the clay), and having put the fire-pan in its place, he throws (the pounded clay) in front of the fire-pan; for this is the place of that (remainder¹⁰), and thus that (remainder) is not separated therefrom¹¹.

29. Here now they say, 'How does that (remainder) of his come to be put on as cooked, as baked?'--In that it is prepared with a sacrificial formula; and, moreover, whatever comes in contact with Agni Vaisvânara even thereby comes to be put on as something cooked, as baked.

30. [He sets the fire-pan down, with Vâg. S. XIII, 34-35] 'Steady thou art, supporting,' the meaning of this has been explained¹²;--'from here he was at first born, from these wombs, the knower of beings;' for from these wombs the knower of beings (Agni) was indeed born at first;--'by the Gâyatrî, the Trishtubh, and the Anushtubh, may he, the knowing, bear the offering to the gods!'--by means of these metres he, the knowing, indeed bears the offering to the gods.

31. 'For sap, for wealth, do thou rest, for might in glory, for strength, for offspring!' that is, for all that do thou rest!--'all-ruling thou art, self-ruling thou art!' for both all-ruling and self-ruling he (Agni) indeed is;--'may the two Sârasvata wells cheer thee!' Sarasvat (m.) is the Mind, and Sarasvatî (f.) Speech,--these two are the Sârasvata wells: thus, may these two cheer thee! With two (formulas) he sets it down: the significance of this has been explained; and, moreover, twofold is that form, (consisting as it does of) clay and water. Having 'settled' it, he pronounces the Sûdadohas on it: the significance of this has been explained.

32. He then offers upon it;--now seed was poured into it before, (in the shape of) sand¹³; that he now fashions¹⁴, whence the seed injected into the womb is fashioned. He offers with the dipping-spoon, with 'Hail!' with two Gâyatrî verses relating to Agni: the significance of this has been explained.

33. [Vâg. S. XIII, 36-37; Rik S. VI, 16, 43 VIII, 75,1] 'O Agni, harness those good steeds of thine: they draw equal to thy mettle!--Like a chariot-fighter, harness thou the steeds, the best callers of the gods, O Agni! take thy seat as the old Hotri!' with two (verses) containing the (verb) 'yug' (to harness, fasten),--he thus settles that seed injected into the womb, whence the seed settled in the womb does not escape.

34. If (the fire in the pan) has been carried about for a year¹⁵, in that case he should now offer; for (the fire) which has been carried about for a year is everything, and that also whereon he offers is everything. But if it has not been carried about for a year, let him only stand by (worshipping) it; for (the fire) which has not been carried about for a year is not everything; and that by which he stands (worshipping) is not everything. Let him nevertheless offer thereon.

35. Now that Agni is an animal, and even now he is (being) made up whole and complete: the naturally-perforated (brick) is his lower vital air, the dviyagus the hip, the two retahsik the ribs, the visvagyotis the breast-bone, the two seasonal ones the back, the ashâdhâ the neck, the tortoise the head, and the vital airs in the tortoise are those vital airs in the head.

36. Now that (Agni) he builds upwards from here (as flying) towards the east, and that Agni being yonder sun, he thereby places yonder sun upwards from here in the east; whence yonder sun is placed upwards from here in the east.

37. He then turns him towards the right¹⁶,--he thereby turns yonder sun towards the right, whence yonder sun moves round these worlds (from left) to right.

38. The fire-pan is the belly, the mortar the womb;--the fire-pan is above, and the mortar below; for the belly is above, and the womb below. The pestle is the sisna; it is round-like, for the sisna is round-like. He places it to the right (south of the mortar), for the male lies on the right side of the female. And what food there is for the consecrated animal, that is the dûrvâ-brick. The left (north) side of that (Agni or altar) is more raised,--that Agni is an animal, and hence the left side of the belly of a well-filled beast is more raised (than the right side).

Second Brâhmana

1. He puts the heads of the victims in (the fire-pan),--the heads of the victims being animals (or cattle), it is animals he thus puts thereon. He puts them in the fire-pan;--the pan being these worlds, and the heads of the victims being beasts, he thus puts animals in these worlds; whence there are animals in these worlds.

2. And as to why (he puts the heads) in the fire-pan;--the fire-pan being a womb, and the heads of the victims being animals, he thus establishes the animals in the womb: hence animals, though being eaten and cooked, do not diminish, for he establishes them in the womb.

3. And, again, why he puts the heads of the victims therein;--what (animal) perfections (srî)¹⁷ there were, they are these victims’ heads; and what rumps there were, they are those five layers (of the altar). Now those five layers are these worlds, and these worlds are this very fire-pan: thus, when he puts the heads of the victims in the fire-pan, he thereby unites those rumps with those heads.

4. He puts them in the fore-part, so as to look towards the back (west). For when, on that (former) occasion, Pragâpati wanted to slaughter these animals, they, being about to be slaughtered, wanted to run away. He seized them by (the organs of) the vital airs¹⁸; and having seized them by the vital airs, he took them into himself from the front (mouth) towards the back (inside).

5. Now the same thing which the gods did is done here. The animals do not, indeed, want to run away from him; but when he does this, it is because he wants to do what the gods did: having thus seized them by (the outlets of) the vital airs, he takes them into himself from the front towards the back.

6. And, again, why he puts the heads of the victims thereon. Pragâpati alone was here at first¹⁹. He desired, 'May I create food, may I be reproduced!' He fashioned animals from his vital airs, a man from his soul (mind), a horse from his eye, a cow from his breath, a sheep from his ear, and a goat from his voice; and inasmuch as he created them from the vital airs, people say that 'Animals are vital airs.' The soul is the first of the vital airs; and inasmuch as he fashioned man from his soul, they say that 'Man is the first, and strongest of animals.' The soul is all the vital airs, for in the soul all the vital airs are established. And inasmuch as he fashioned man from his soul, they say that 'Man is all animals,' for they all belong to man.

7. Having created that food, he took it into himself from the front towards the back; and hence whosoever prepares for himself food, takes it into himself from the front towards the back (inside). That (animal food being put) in the fire-pan, and the fire-pan being the belly, he thus puts the food into the belly.

8. He now (in the first place²⁰) thrusts gold chips into each of them,--gold is vital air, and the vital airs go out of these animals when slaughtered: thus, when he thrusts gold chips into each of them, he puts the vital airs into them.

9. Seven (chips) he thrusts into each,--seven vital airs there are in the head: these he thereby puts into it. And if there are five victims, let him thrust in five times seven (chips); for those five victims he puts on (the fire-pan), and there are seven vital airs in each victim: he thus puts the vital airs into all of them.

10. Now, even if there is only one victim²¹, some people thrust five times seven (into that one head), thinking, 'Those five victims he puts down (symbolically), and there are seven vital airs in each victim: thus we put the vital airs into all of them.' Let him not do so, for in this animal the form of all animals is contained²²; and when he thrusts (seven chips) into this one, he thereby puts the vital airs into all of them.

11. The first (chip) he thrusts into the mouth, with (Vâg. S. XIII, 38; Rik S. IV, 58, 6, 5), 'Fitly flow the draughts of milk like rivers,'--draughts of milk are food, and that indeed flows fitly into this mouth;--'purified within by the heart, by the mind,'--for the food is indeed purified by the heart and mind within him who is righteous;--'the streams of ghee I behold,' he thereby means the libations he is about to offer on that fire;--'the golden reed (is) in the middle of Agni,' he thereby means that gold man.

12. With (Vâg. S. XIII, 39), 'For praise thee!' (he thrusts one in) here (into the right nostril); praise (or splendour) means breath, for with breath one praises;--with, 'For sheen thee!' here (into the left nostril); sheen means breath, for by breath one shines; and also because everything here shines for breath;--with, 'For brightness thee!' here (into the right eye);--with, 'For lustre thee!' here (into the left eye), for bright and lustrous these two eyes indeed are;--with, 'This hath become the fiery spirit of all the world, and of Agni Vaisvânara,' here (into the right ear);--with (Vâg. S. XIII, 40), 'Agni, bright with brightness, the golden disk, lustrous with lustre,' here (into the left ear),--thus with two (formulas) containing 'all²³'; for the ear is all.

13. He then lifts up the human head--he thereby exalts it--with, 'Giver of a thousand thou art: for a thousand thee!' a thousand means everything: thus, 'the giver of everything, for everything (I bestow) thee!'

14. He then puts them (the heads) in (the fire-pan), first (that of) the man--having taken possession of the man by strength he sets him up;--the man in the middle; on both sides the other victims: he thus sets the man, as the eater, in the midst of cattle; whence man is the eater in the midst of cattle.

15. The horse and ram on the left (north) side: he thereby puts those two (kinds of) cattle in that region; whence those two (kinds of) cattle are most plentiful in that region.

16. The bull and he-goat on the right (south) side: he thereby puts those two (kinds of) cattle in that region; whence those two (kinds of) cattle are most plentiful in that region.

17. The (head of the) man he places on the milk²⁴,--milk means cattle: he thus establishes the Sacrificer among cattle,--with (Vâg. S. XIII, 41), 'With milk anoint thou Âditya, the unborn child!' that unborn child, the man, is indeed the sun: thus, Him anoint thou with milk!--'the all-shaped maker of a thousand,' the maker²⁵ of a thousand is man; for to him belong a thousand;--'spare him with thy heat, harbour not evil thoughts against him!' that is, spare him with thy fire, do not hurt him!--'make him live a hundred years, while thou art built!' he thereby makes man the one among animals (capable of) living a hundred years; whence man, among animals, lives up to- a hundred years.

18. Then on the left side (he puts the head of) the horse, with (Vâg. S. XIII, 42), 'The speed of the wind,'--this one, the horse, is indeed the speed of the wind;--'Varuna's navel'--for the horse is Varuna;--'the horse, born in the midst of the flood;' the flood is the water, and the horse is indeed the water-born;--'the tawny, rock-founded child of rivers;' rock means mountain, and the waters are indeed founded on the mountains;--'harm him not, Agni, in the highest region!' the highest region means these worlds: thus, do not harm him in these worlds!

19. Then on the right side (the head of) the bull, with (Vâg. S. XIII, 43), 'The imperishable, red drop,' the drop doubtless is Soma; and that bull is the same as the imperishable Soma;--'the eager one (bhuranyu),' that is, the bearer (bhartri);--'Agni, the forward-striving, I glorify with homages;' for the bull is sacred to Agni; and 'the forward-striving,' he says, because forward (towards the east) they hold up Agni²⁶, and towards the front²⁷ they attend upon him;--'duly fitting thyself by limbs,' when he is built up, then he does indeed duly fit himself limb by limb;--'harm not the inexhaustible, wide-ruling cow²⁸,' the cow is indeed wide-ruling (virâg), and the wide-ruling is food, and accordingly the cow is food.

20. Then on the left side (he puts the head of) the ram, with (Vâg. S. XIII, 44), 'The defender of Tvashtri, the navel of Varuna,' for the ewe is sacred both to Varuna and to Tvashtri;--'the ewe born from the highest sphere;' the highest sphere doubtless is the ear, and the ear is the regions,--(thus²⁹) the highest sphere is the regions;--'the mighty, thousandfold artifice of the Âsura,' that is, the great, thousandfold artifice of the Âsura³⁰;--'O Agni, harm it not in the highest region!' the highest region are these worlds: thus, do not harm him (the ram) in these worlds!

21. Then on the right side (he puts the head of) the he-goat, with (Vâg. S. XII I, 45), 'The Agni who was born from Agni,' for that Agni was indeed born from Agni³¹;--'from the pain of the earth or also of the sky;' for what was born from the pain (or heat) of Pragâpati, that was born from the pain of the sky and the earth;--'whereby Visvakarman begat living beings,'--the he-goat (or, the unborn one) is Vâk (Speech)³², and from Vâk Visvakarman³³ begat living beings;--'him, O Agni, may thy wrath spare!' as the text, so the meaning.

22. These are the victims; separately he puts them down, separately he 'settles' them, and separately he pronounces the Sûdadohas on them; for separate from one another are those animals.

23. He then offers on the human head,--sacrifice is offering: he thus makes man the one among animals fit to sacrifice; whence man alone among animals performs sacrifice.

24. And, again, why he offers thereon:--he thereby lays vigour into the head. He offers with ghee,--ghee is a thunderbolt, and the thunderbolt means vigour: he thus lays vigour into it. With 'Hail' (he offers),--the 'Hail' (svâhâkâra, m.) is a male, and the male means vigour: he thus lays vigour into it. With a trishtubh verse (he offers);the Trishtubh is a thunderbolt, and the thunderbolt means vigour; the Trishtubh is vigour: with vigour he thus lays vigour into it.

25. Having run through³⁴ the (first) half-verse, he pronounces the Svâhâ;--the rik (verse) is a bone: having cleft asunder that skull-bone which is here inside the head, he there lays vigour into it.

26. Having then run through the (second) half-verse, he pronounces the Svâhâ,--having joined together that skull-bone which is here on the top of the head, he there lays vigour into it.

27. [Vâg. S. XIII, 46; Rik S. I, 115, 1] 'The brilliant front of the gods hath risen,' for that man is yonder sun, and he indeed rises as the brilliant front (face) of the gods;--'the eye of Mitra, Varuna, and Agni,' for that (sun) is the eye of both gods and men;--'he hath filled heaven, and earth, and the air,' for when he rises he indeed fills these worlds;--'Sûrya, the soul of the movable and immovable;' for that (sun) is indeed the soul of everything here that moves and stands.

28. He then stands by (the heads, revering them) with the Utsargas³⁵. For at that time when Pragâpati wanted to slaughter the victims, they, being about to be slaughtered, were distressed (or pained); and by these Utsargas he drove out their distress³⁶, their evil. In like manner does this one, by these Utsargas, now drive out their distress, their evil.

29. Now some remove the distress of whichever (head of a) victim they put down, thinking lest they might put distress, evil, thereon; but it is they that put distress, evil, thereon; for the distress they remove from the preceding one, they put on (the altar) with the succeeding one.

30. And some revere (the heads) whilst moving round them, thinking, 'we remove distress upwards;' but these indeed follow the distress, the evil, upwards; for upwards he (the Sacrificer) goes by this performance³⁷, and upwards they remove the distress.

31. Let him remove it outside the fire (-altar); that fire (-altar) being these worlds, he thus puts distress outside these worlds;--outside the Vedi; the Vedi being this earth, he thus puts distress outside this earth; (he does so) standing with his face towards the north; for in that region those animals are, and he thus puts distress into them in the region in which they are.

32. He first removes that of the man--for him he puts down first--with (Vâg. S. XIII, 47), 'Harm not this two-footed animal!' the two-footed animal doubtless is the same as man: thus, 'do not harm that one!'--'(thou) the thousand-eyed, being built for pith;'--the thousand-eyed he (Agni) is on account of the chips of gold; 'for pith,' that is, 'for food.'--'Graciously accept thou, O Agni, the sham-man, the victim, as pith!' a sham-man is a kim-purusha (mock-man)³⁸: thus, 'accept graciously the kim-purusha, O Agni!'--'Building up therewith thy forms, get thee settled!' the form is the self: thus, 'Building up therewith, perfect thyself³⁹!'--'Let thy burning heat reach the sham-man! let thy burning heat reach him whom we hate!' he thereby lays burning heat into the sham-man, and into him whom he hates.

33. Then that of the horse, with (Vâg. S. XIII, 48), 'Harm not this one-hoofed animal!' the one-hoofed animal doubtless is the same as the horse: thus, do not harm that one!--'the racer neighing among the racers;' for neighing indeed he is, and a racer among racers;--'The wild fallow (beast) do I assign unto thee,' he thereby assigns to him the wild fallow (beast)⁴⁰;--'building up therewith thy forms, get thee settled!' that is, 'building up therewith, perfect thyself!'--'Let thy burning heat reach the fallow beast! let thy burning heat reach him whom we hate!' he thereby lays burning heat into the fallow beast, and into him whom he hates.

34. Then that of the bull, with (Vâg. S. XIII, 49), 'This thousandfold, hundred-streamed well--,' for a thousandfold, hundred-streamed well he, the bull (cow), indeed is;--'extended in the middle of the flood,' the flood doubtless are these worlds: thus, subsisted upon in these worlds;--'the inexhaustible, milking ghee for man,'--for ghee this inexhaustible (cow) indeed milks for man-- 'harm not, O Agni, in the highest region!' the highest region doubtless are these worlds: thus, do not harm it in these worlds!--'The wild buffalo do I assign unto thee,' he thereby assigns to him the wild buffalo (gavaya);--'building up therewith thy forms, get thee settled!' that is, 'building up therewith, perfect thyself!'--'Let thy burning heat reach the buffalo! let thy burning heat reach him whom we hate!' he thereby lays burning heat into the buffalo, and into him whom he hates.

35. Then that of the sheep, with (Vâg. S. XIII, 50), This woollen--,' that is, 'this woolly,'--'navel of Varuna,' for the sheep is sacred to Varuna;--'the skin of animals, two-footed and four-footed,' for that (sheep) indeed is the skin of both kinds of animals⁴¹, two-footed and four-footed;--'the first birth-place of Tvashtri's creatures,' for Tvashtri indeed fashioned this as the first form;--'harm not, O Agni, in the highest region!' the highest region is these worlds: thus, 'do not harm him in these worlds!'--'The wild buffalo do I assign unto thee,' he thereby assigns the wild buffalo (ushtra) to him;--'building up therewith thy forms, get thee settled!' that is, 'building up therewith, perfect thyself!'--'Let thy burning heat reach the buffalo! let thy burning heat reach him whom we hate!' he thereby lays burning heat into the buffalo, and into him whom he hates.

36. Then that of the he-goat, with (Vâg. S. XIII, 51), 'Verily, the he-goat was produced from Agni's heat;'--that which was produced from Pragâpati's heat, was indeed produced from Agni's heat;--'he saw the progenitor at first,' the progenitor doubtless is Pragâpati: thus, 'he saw Pragâpati at first;'--'thereby the gods at first (agre) went to the godhead;' the he-goat⁴² doubtless is speech; and from speech the gods doubtless first went to the godhead, to the summit (agram);--'thereby they went to the height, the wise;' the height doubtless is the heavenly world: thus, 'thereby they went to the heavenly world, the wise;'--'The wild sarabha do I assign unto thee,'--he thereby assigns the wild sarabha⁴³ to him;--'building up therewith thy forms, get thee settled!' that is, 'building up therewith, perfect thyself!'--'Let thy burning heat reach the sarabha! let thy burning heat reach him whom we hate!' he thereby lays burning heat into the sarabha, and into him whom he hates.

37. As to this they say,--The pain (heat), the evil of these animals, which Pragâpati drove out, became these five animals; they, with their pith (sacrificial essence) gone out of them, are pithless, unfit for sacrifice; a Brâhmana should not eat of them: he consigns them to that region; whence Parganya does not rain in that region where these are.

38. He returns (to the offering-fire) and stands thereby worshipping it;--for when he goes outside the Vedi, whilst Agni (the fire-altar) is only half built up, he does what is improper; he now makes amends to him to prevent his doing injury. With a verse to Agni (he worships): it is to Agni he thereby makes amends;--with an undefined one; the undefined means everything: by means of everything he thus makes amends to him;--with (a verse) containing the word 'youngest:' this indeed, to wit, the youngest, is his favourite form.;--inasmuch as when born he took possession (yu) of everything here, he is the youngest (yavishtha).

39. [Vâg. S. XIII, 52; Rik S. VIII, 84, 3] 'Shield thou, O youngest, the men of the liberal worshipper!' the liberal worshipper is the Sacrificer, and the men are the people;--'hear thou the songs!' that is, hear this hymn of praise!--'protect thou kin and self!' the kin (race) means offspring: thus, 'protect both (the Sacrificer's) offspring and himself.'

40. Having stepped on the altar and walked round behind the naturally-perforated (brick), he lays down the Apasyâh (water-bricks);--now the Apasyâh are the same as water, and the water has gone out of these victims: he thus puts water into these victims, when he lays down the Apasyâh (bricks). He lays them down close to the (heads of the) animals: he thereby puts the water together with the animals. He lays down five (bricks) in each quarter, for five are those victims. He lays them down in every (quarter): everywhere he thus puts water into them.

41. Now the first fifteen are the Apasyâh,--water is a thunderbolt, and the thunderbolt is fifteenfold;--hence wherever the waters flow, there they destroy evil; and verily the thunderbolt destroys the evil of this place: hence, when it rains one should go about uncovered, thinking, 'May that thunderbolt remove evil from me!'

42. And the last five are the Khandasyâh (the metres’ bricks);--the metres are cattle, and cattle is food; or rather the flesh of cattle is food, and the flesh has departed from these victims: he therefore puts flesh on those cattle when he lays down the Khandasyâh. He places them close to the victims: he thereby puts the flesh close to the (bones of the) cattle. The Apasyâh are inside, the Khandasyâh outside; for the water is inside, and the flesh outside.

43. As to this they say, 'If there are that water and that flesh, where then is the skin, and where the hair?' Well, the skin of cattle is food, and the hair of cattle is food; and when he lays down the Khandasyâh, that is the skin of the victims, that is their hair. Or, again, those goats’ hair which are in the fire-pan⁴⁴, they are hair. The fire-pan is outside, and the victims’ heads are inside, for outside is the hair, and inside is the body. 'Whether in the one way, or whether in the other,' so Sândilya was wont to say, 'in any case we make up the victims wholly and completely.'

44. And, again, why he lays down the Apasyâh. When Pragâpati was disjointed the water went from him; that being gone, he sank down; and because he sank down (vis), therefore there are twenty (vimsati, viz. such bricks). It flowed from his fingers,--the fingers being the end, it (the water) went from him in the end.

45. Now the Pragâpati who became disjointed is this very Agni who is now being built up; and the water (âpah) which went from him is these very Apasyâh;--hence when he lays them down, he thereby puts back into him that very water which went from him: therefore he now lays these down.

46. [Vâg. S. XIII, 43] 'In the way of the waters I settle thee!' the way of the waters is the wind; for when he blows hither and thither then the waters flow: in the wind he 'settles' this (first brick).

47. 'In the swell of the waters I settle thee!' the swell of the waters is the plants, for wherever the waters keep swelling there plants grow: in the plants he settles this (brick).

48. 'In the ashes of the waters I settle thee!' the ashes of the waters are the foam: in foam he settles this one.

49. 'In the light of the waters I settle thee!' the light of the waters is the lightning: in the lightning he settles this one.

50. 'In the path of the waters I settle thee!' the path of the waters is this earth, for on the earth the waters flow: on this earth he settles this one. Whatever water flowed from those (five) forms of his, that water he now (by these five formulas) puts back into him; and those forms themselves he thereby restores to him.

51. 'In the flood, the seat, I settle thee!' the flood is the breath: in the breath he settles this one.

52. 'In the ocean, the seat, I settle thee!' the sea is the mind; from the mind-ocean, with speech for a shovel, the gods dug out the triple science. Thereto this verse applies,--'May the true god know this day where the gods placed that offering, they who dug it out from the ocean with sharp shovels;'--the ocean is the mind, the sharp shovel is speech, the offering is the triple science: it is thereto this verse applies. In the mind he settles this (brick).

53. 'In the stream, the seat, I settle thee!' the stream is speech: in speech he settles this one.

54. 'In the abode of the waters I settle thee!' the abode of the waters is the eye, for there water always abides: in the eye he settles this one.

55. 'In the goal of the waters I settle thee!' the goal of the waters is the ear: in the ear he settles this one. Whatever water flowed from those (five) forms of his, that water he now (by these five formulas) puts back into him; and those forms themselves he thereby restores to him.

56. 'In the seat of the waters I settle thee!' the seat of the waters is the sky, for in the sky the waters are seated: in the sky he settles this one.

57. 'In the home of the waters I settle thee!' the home of the waters is the air: in the air he settles this one.

58. 'In the womb of the waters I settle thee!' the womb of the waters is the sea: in the sea he settles this one.

59. 'In the sediment of the waters I settle thee!' the sediment (purîsha) of the waters is sand: in the sand he settles this one.

60. 'In the resort of the waters I settle thee!' the resort of the waters is food: in food he settles this one. Whatever water flowed from those (five) forms of his, that water he now (by these five formulas) puts back into him; and those forms themselves he thereby restores to him.

61. 'By the Gâyatrî metre I settle thee!-- By the Trishtubh metre I settle thee!--By the Gagatî metre I settle thee!--By the Anushtubh metre I settle thee!--By the Paṅkti metre I settle thee!' Whatever water flowed from those metres of his, that he now (by these formulas) puts back into him; and those metres themselves he thereby restores to him.

62. These (bricks) are fingers (and toes): he puts them on all sides⁴⁵, for these fingers (and toes) are on all sides; he puts them at the ends, for these fingers (and toes) are at the ends; in four sets he puts them on, for these fingers (and toes) are in four sets; five he puts on each time, for there are five fingers (or toes) at each (limb); separately he puts them on, for separate are these fingers (and toes); only once he 'settles' each (set): he thereby makes (each set) one and the same, whence they have a common connecting-link.

Footnotes

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