Philosophy and Religion / Satapatha Brahmana

The Satapatha Brahmana: Sixth Kânda, Fourth Adhyâya

First Brâhmana

1. He now digs it (the lump of clay)¹ up from that (hole);--for the gods, having found him (Agni), then dug him up; and in like manner this one, after finding him, now digs him up,--with (Vâg. S. XI, 28), 'At the impulse of the god Savitri, by the arms of the Asvins, by the hands of Pûshan, I dig thee, the Agni Purîshya, from the lap of the earth, Aṅgiras-like;'--impelled by Savitri, he thus, by means of those deities, digs him up, the Agni favourable to cattle, as Agni (did).

2. 'Thee, O Agni, the bright, the fair-faced,'--for this Agni is indeed bright and fair-faced;--'glowing with perpetual sheen,'--that is, 'shining with perpetual light;'--'thee, kind to creatures, and never harming, the Agni Purîshya we dig up from the lap of the earth, Aṅgiras-like;'--that is, thee, kind to creatures, and never harming, the cattle-loving Agni we dig up from the lap of the earth, as Agni (did).'

3. With two (formulas) he digs,--two-footed is the Sacrificer, and the Sacrificer is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus digs him up. And twofold also is that form of his, (consisting as it does of) clay and water.

4. He digs, with, 'I dig,'--'we dig;' for with, 'I dig,' Pragâpati dug for him (Agni); and with, 'we dig,' the gods dug for him, therefore (he digs), with, 'I dig,'--'we dig.'

5. Now while digging with the spade, he says with speech 'I dig,' 'we dig,' for the spade is speech. It is for his undertaking that this bamboo (spade) is made; and with speech for a spade, the gods dug him up; and in like manner does this one now dig him up with speech for a spade (or, with the speech-spade).

6. He then deposits it upon the black antelope skin, for the black antelope skin is the sacrifice²: in the sacrifice he thus deposits it (or him, Agni);--on the hair (side); for the hair is the metres: he thus deposits him on the metres. That (skin) he spreads silently; for the black antelope skin is the sacrifice; and the sacrifice is Pragâpati, and undefined is Pragâpati. North (of the hole he spreads it),--the meaning of this (will be explained) hereafter;--on (the skin spread) with the neck-part in front, for thus (it is turned) towards the gods.

7. And he deposits it on a lotus-leaf (placed on the skin); for the lotus-leaf is the womb, and into the womb he pours that seed; and the seed which is poured into the womb, becomes generative. He spreads that (leaf) with a formula; for the formula is speech, and the lotus-leaf is speech³.

8. [Vâg. S. XI, 29] 'Thou art the waters’ back, Agni's womb,' for this is indeed the back of the waters, and the womb of Agni;--'around the swelling sea,'--for the sea indeed swells around it;--'thou, growing mighty upon the lotus,'--that is, 'growing, prosper thou on the lotus.'--'With the measure of the sky, extend thou in width!'--with this he strokes along it (so as to lie even on the skin); for that Agni is yonder sun; and him assuredly none other than the width of the sky can contain: 'having become the sky, contain him!' this is what he thereby says.

9. He spreads it over the black antelope skin; for the black antelope skin is the sacrifice; and the black antelope skin is this earth, and the sacrifice is this earth, for on this earth the sacrifice is spread. And the lotus-leaf is the sky; for the sky is the waters, and the lotus-leaf is the waters; and yonder sky is above this earth.

10. He touches both of them--he thereby brings about concord between them--with (Vâg. S. XI, 30), 'A shelter ye are, a shield ye are!'--for both a shelter and a shield these two indeed are;--'uninjured both, and ample,'--for uninjured and ample both these indeed are;--'capacious, guard ye,'--that is, 'spacious, guard ye!'--'bear ye Agni Purîshya!'--that is, 'bear ye Agni, favourable to cattle⁴!'

11. [Vâg. S. XI, 31] 'Guard ye, light-finders, uniting with each other, with the breast, with the self,'--that is, 'guard him, ye light-finders, uniting with each other, both with your breast and your self;'--'bearing within the brilliant, the everlasting;'--this Agni indeed is yonder sun, and he is the brilliant, the everlasting one; and him these two bear between (them): hence he says, the brilliant, the everlasting.'

12. He touches them with two (verses);--two-footed is the Sacrificer, and the Sacrificer is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus brings about concord between these two. And, again, (he does so) because that form of theirs is twofold, (there being) a black antelope skin and a lotus-leaf.

Second Brâhmana

1. He then touches the lump of clay, with (Vâg. S. XI, 32), 'Thou art the Purîshya⁵,'--that is, 'Thou art favourable to cattle; all-supporting,'--for he (Agni) indeed supports everything here;--'Atharvan was the first that kindled thee, O Agni!'--Atharvan doubtless is the breath, and the breath indeed churned him out (produced him) at first: 'Thou art that Agni who was produced at first,' this he means to say; and that same (Agni) he thus makes it (the lump) to be.

2. He then takes hold of it with the (right) hand and spade on the right side; and with the (left) hand on the left side, with, 'From the lotus Atharvan churned thee forth,'--the lotus doubtless means the waters, and Atharvan is the breath; and the breath indeed churned him (Agni, the fire) out of the waters at first;--'from the head of every offerer⁶,'--that is, 'from the head of this All (universe).'

3. [Vâg. S. XI, 33; Rik S. VI, 16, 14] 'Also the sage Dadhyañk, the son of Atharvan, kindled thee;'--Dadhyañk, the Âtharvana, doubtless is speech; and he did kindle him therefrom;--'as the Vritra-slayer, the breaker of strongholds,'--Vritra is evil, thus: 'as the slayer of evil, the breaker of strongholds.'

4. [Vâg. S. XI, 34; Rik S. VI, 16, 15] 'Also Pâthya, the bull, kindled thee, as the greatest slayer of enemies,'--Pâthya, the bull, doubtless is the Mind, and he did kindle him therefrom;--'as a winner of wealth in every battle,'--as the text, so its meaning.

5. With Gâyatrî verses (he performs),--the Gâyatrî is the vital air: he thus lays vital air into him. With three (verses);--there are three vital airs, the out-breathing, the in-breathing, and the through-breathing: these he thus lays into him. These (verses) consist of nine feet, for there are nine vital airs, seven in the head, and two downward ones: these he thus lays into him.

6. And these two following ones are Trishtubhs,--(Vâg. S. XI, 35, 36; Rik S. III, 29, 8; II, 9, 1). Now, the Trishtubh is the body (self): it is his (Agni's) body he makes up by means of these two (verses). 'Seat thee, O Hotri, in thine own place, thou, the mindful,'--the Hotri, doubtless, is Agni; and this, the black antelope skin, is indeed his own place; 'the mindful,' that is, 'the wise one;'--'establish the sacrifice in the seat of the good work!'--the seat of the good work doubtless is the black antelope skin;--'god-gladdening, thou shalt worship the gods with offering!'--that is, 'being a god, gratifying the gods, thou shalt worship (them) with offering;'--'Bestow, O Agni, great vigour upon the Sacrificer!'--thereby he implores a blessing upon the Sacrificer.

7. 'The Hotri, in the Hotri's seat, the knowing,'--the Hotri, doubtless, is Agni; the Hotri's seat is the black antelope skin; and the knowing⁷ means the wise one;--'the impetuous and glowing one, of great power, hath sat down,'--that is, the impetuous and shining one, of great power, has sat down;--'the guardian of undisturbed rites, the most wealthy,'--for he indeed is the guardian of undisturbed rites, and the most wealthy;--'the bearer of thousands, the brilliant-tongued Agni,'--a thousand means all, thus, 'the all-bearer, the brilliant-tongued Agni.' With two Trishtubh (verses) relating to Agni (he performs): the meaning of this has been told.

8. Then there is this last Brihatî verse, for this (fire-altar) when completely built up becomes like the Brihatî (the great) metre: whatlike seed is infused into the womb, suchlike is (the child) born; and because he now makes this verse a Brihatî, therefore this (altar) when completely built up becomes like the Brihatî.

9. [Vâg. S. XI, 37; Rik S. I, 36, 9] 'Seat thee, thou art great,'--he now causes the infused seed to establish itself, whence the seed infused into the womb establishes itself;--'burn thou, best gladdener of the gods!'--that is, 'shine thou, best gladdener of the gods; send forth, O Agni, worthy partaker of the offering, thy showy, ruddy smoke!' for when he (Agni) is kindled, he sends forth his ruddy smoke,--the showy, for it, as it were, shows itself.

10. These (verses) amount to six,--six seasons are a year, and Agni is the year: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, so great does this become. And what comes to be like the year, comes to be like the Brihatî; for the year is the Brihatî,--twelve full moons, twelve eighth days⁸ (of the fortnight of waning moon), twelve new moons, that makes thirty-six, and the Brihatî consists of thirty-six syllables. He takes it (the lump of clay) from the right (south) to the left (north) side (of the hole), for from the right side seed is infused into the womb; and this (hole) now is his (Agni's) womb. He takes it thither without stopping, so as not to stop the seed.

Third Brâhmana

1. He then pours water into it (the hole), for whatever is injured or torn in this earth that is healed by water: by means of the water he thus joins together and heals what is injured and torn in her.

2. [Vâg. S. XI, 38] 'Let flow the divine waters, the honey-sweet, for health, for progeny!'--honey means sap (essence): thus, 'the sapful, for health, for progeny;'--'from their seed let plants spring forth, full-berried!' for full-berried plants indeed spring forth from the seat of the waters.

3. He then heals her with air⁹; for whatever is injured and torn in this earth that is healed by the air: by means of air he thus joins together and heals what is injured and torn in her.

4. [Vâg. S. XI, 39] 'May Vâyu Mâtarisvan heal,'--Vâyu Mâtarisvan, doubtless, is he (the wind) that blows yonder;--'the broken heart of thee stretched out with upward look!' for this (hole) is the broken heart of this earth stretched out with upward look;--'thou who goest along by the breath of the gods,'--for he (the wind) indeed goes along by means of the breath of all the gods;--'to thee, Ka, be vashat (success), O god!'--Ka ('Who?') doubtless is Pragâpati, for him he makes this earth to be the Vashat, for there is so far no other oblation than that.

5. He then heals her by means of the quarters, for whatever is injured and torn in this earth, that is healed by the quarters: by means of the quarters he thus draws and joins together what is injured and torn in her. He joins together this and this quarter¹⁰, whence these two quarters are joined together; then this one and this one, whence these two also are joined together: first thus, then thus; then thus, then thus. This is moving (from left) to right, for so (it goes) to the gods: with this and this one a means of healing is prepared; with this and this one he heals.

6. He then takes up together the black antelope skin and the lotus-leaf; for the lotus-leaf is the womb, and with the womb he takes up that infused seed: whence the infused seed is taken up by the womb. [He does so, with, Vâg. S. XI, 40] 'Wellborn with splendour, the refuge and shelter, hath he settled down in the light;' for well-born he is, and he settles down in the refuge, and shelter, and light.

7. He then ties it (the lump) up: he thereby keeps the seed within the womb; whence the seed kept within the womb does not escape. With a string (he ties it), for with the string they yoke the draught beast;--with a triple one of reed grass: the significance of this has been told¹¹.

8. He lays it round (the skin), with, 'Invest thyself, O lustrous Agni, in the many-coloured garment!' In the sacrifice the cord is Varunic; having thereby made it non-Varunic, he makes him put on (the skin) as one would make a garment be put on.

9. He then takes it and rises;--that Agni being yonder sun, he thus causes yonder sun to rise;--with (Vâg. S. XI, 41)¹², 'Rise, thou of good rites,'--the sacrifice doubtless is a rite: thus, 'rise thou, well worthy of sacrifice;'--'Guard us with godly wisdom!'--that is, 'whatever divine wisdom is thine, therewith guard us!'--'Most brilliant to see with great light,'--that is, 'in order to be seen most brilliant with great light;'--'hither, O Agni, come thou with praises!'--the praises¹³ are the steeds: thus, 'hither, O Agni, come with the steeds.'

10. He then lifts it upwards from there towards the east; for this Agni is yonder sun: he thus places yonder sun upwards from here in the east, and hence yonder sun is placed upwards from here in the east. [He does so, with, Vâg. S. XI, 42; Rik S. I, 36, 13] 'Upright for our protection, stand thou like the god Savitri!'--as the text, so its meaning;--'upright, as a bestower 2 of strength,'--for standing upright he (the sun) indeed bestows¹⁴ strength, food;--'when we utter our call with the shining offerers'--the shining offerers¹⁵, doubtless, are his (the sun's) rays: it is these he means. He lifts it up beyond the reach of his arms, for beyond the reach of his arms is that (sun) from here. He then lowers it; and having lowered it, he holds it above the navel: the meaning of this (will be explained) hereafter¹⁶.

Fourth Brâhmana

1. That (lump of clay representing Agni) is still in his hand when he addresses the animals; for the gods, being about to equip¹⁷ (Agni), now first laid vigour into them; and in like manner does this (Sacrificer, or priest) now, being about to equip (Agni), first lay vigour into these (cattle).

2. He addresses the horse, with (Vâg. S. XI, 43 Rik S. X, 1, 2), 'Thus born, art thou the child of the two worlds;'--the two worlds, doubtless, are these two, heaven and earth; and he (Agni) thus born, is the child of these two;--'O Agni, the lovely (child), distributed among the plants,'--for he, the lovely one, is indeed distributed among all the plants¹⁸;--'a brilliant child, through gloom and night,'--for as a brilliant child, he (Agni) indeed shines beyond gloom and night;--'crying aloud thou didst go forth from the mothers;'--his mothers, doubtless, are the plants, and from them he comes forth crying aloud. He thereby lays vigour into the horse.

3. Then (he addresses) the ass, with (Vâg. S. XI, 44), 'Steadfast be thou, firm-limbed, and a swift racer be thou, O steed!'--that is, 'be thou steadfast, and firm-limbed, and swift, and a racer, O steed!'--'Ample be thou, and well to sit upon, thou, the bearer of Agni's supply!'--that is, 'be thou ample (broad), well to rest upon, thou, Agni's provender-bearer¹⁹!' He thereby lays vigour into the ass.

4. Then the he-goat, with (Vâg. S. XI, 45), 'Be thou propitious unto human creatures, O Aṅgiras!'--for Agni is Aṅgiras, and the he-goat is sacred to Agni: he thus appeases him with a view to his doing no injury;--'Scorch not heaven and earth, nor the air, nor the trees!'--that is, 'do not injure anything!' He thereby lays vigour into the he-goat.

5. With three (verses) he addresses (the animals), for threefold is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus lays vigour into them.

6. He then holds it (Agni, the lump of clay) over these animals, whereby he equips him (Agni) with these cattle. He does not touch them, lest he should injure that seed by the thunderbolt, for cattle are a thunderbolt, and this (clay) is seed; or lest that Agni should injure those cattle, for that (lump of clay) is Agni, and these (animals) are cattle.

7. In the first place he holds it over the horse, with (Vâg. S. XI, 46), 'Let the racer start forth neighing lustily,'--that is, 'Let the racer start forth neighing repeatedly;'--'the running ass, crying aloud!' He thus mentions the ass in the formula of the horse, and thereby imbues the ass with sorrow²⁰;--'bearing Agni Purîshya, may he not perish before his full measure of time!'--that is, 'bearing Agni favourable to cattle, may he (the horse) not perish before (the completion of) this sacred work.' He thereby equips him (Agni) with the horse.

8. Then (over) the ass, with, 'The male carrying Agni, the male,'--for Agni is a male, and the he-ass is a male: that male carries the male;--'the sea-born child of the waters,'--for he (Agni) is the sea-born child of the waters. He thereby equips him with the ass.

9. He then takes it off, with, 'O Agni, come hither to the feast!'--that is, 'in order to rejoice.' By means of the brahman, the yagus (formula), he thus removes him (Agni) from the Sûdra caste.

10. Then (he holds it over) the he-goat, with (Vâg. S XI, 47), 'The law--the truth, the law--the truth!'--the (divine) law doubtless is this Agni; and the truth is yonder sun; or, rather, the law is yonder (sun), and the truth is this (Agni); but, indeed, this Agni is both the one and the other: hence he says, 'the law--the truth, the law--the truth.' He thereby equips him with the he-goat

11. With three (beasts) he equips (Agni),--three fold is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus equips him. With three (verses) he previously addresses (the beasts),--that mikes six: the significance of this (number) has been explained.

12. They then make the beasts return (to the Âhavanîya): the he-goat goes first of them, then the ass, then the horse. Now, in going away from this (Âhavanîya²¹), the horse goes first, then the ass, then the he-goat,--for the horse corresponds to the Kshatra (nobility), the ass to the Vaisya and Sûdra, the he-goat to the Brâhmana.

13. And inasmuch as, in going from here, the horse goes first, therefore the Kshatriya, going first, is followed by the three other castes; and inasmuch as, in returning from there, the he-goat goes first, therefore the Brâhmana, going first, is followed by the three other castes. And inasmuch as the ass does not go first, either in going from here, or in coming back from there, therefore the Brâhmana and Kshatriya never go behind the Vaisya and Sûdra hence they walk thus in order to avoid a confusion between good and bad. And, moreover, he thus encloses those two castes (the Vaisya and Sûdra) on both sides by the priesthood and the nobility, and makes them submissive.

14. He then looks at the sham-man, with, 'Agni Purîshya we bear, Aṅgiras-like;'--that is, 'Agni, favourable to cattle, we bear, like Agni.' He thereby equips him with the sham-man.

15. He (the Adhvaryu) arrives (near the fire) while holding (the lump of clay) over the he-goat; for the he-goat is sacred to Agni: he thus equips him (Agni) with his own self, with his own godhead. And, moreover, the he-goat is the Brahman (priesthood): with the Brahman he thus equips him.

16. He then takes it down, with, 'O plants, welcome ye with joy this propitious Agni coming hitherwards!' for the plants are afraid lest he (Agni) should injure them: it is for them that he now appeases him, saying, 'Welcome ye him with joy, propitious he comes to you; he will not injure you!'--'Removing all infirmities, afflictions; settling down, drive off from us evil intention!' that is, 'removing all infirmities and afflictions, settling down, drive off from us all evil!'

17. [Vâg. S. XI, 48] 'O plants, receive him joyfully, ye blossoming, full-berried ones!' for that is their perfect form when they are blossoming and full-berried: thus, 'Being perfect, receive ye him joyfully!'--'this timely child of yours hath settled down in his old seat;' that is, 'this seasonable child of yours has settled down in his eternal seat.'

18. With two (verses) he takes it down,--two-footed is the Sacrificer, and the Sacrificer is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus takes it down. He takes it down from the right (south) to the left (north) side: the significance of this has been explained. Raised and sprinkled is (the place) where he takes it down, for on a (mound), raised and sprinkled, the (sacrificial) fire is laid down. Gravel is strewed thereon: the significance of this (will be explained) hereafter²².

19. It is enclosed on all sides²³; for at that time the gods were afraid, thinking, 'We hope the Rakshas, the fiends, will not smite here this (Agni) of ours!' They enclosed him with this stronghold; and in like manner does this one now enclose him with this stronghold. And, again, this is a womb; and this (clay) is seed; and in secret, as it were, the seed is infused into the womb: it is thus made of the form of the womb; and hence it is only in secret that one would have intercourse even with his own wife.

20. He then unties it (the lump of clay): whatever part of his (body) pains him (Agni) when tied up, that pain he now puts outside of him; and, moreover, he causes him to be born from that womb (the antelope skin).

21. [He unties it, with Vâg. S. XI, 49; Rik S. III, 15, 1] 'Blazing forth with wide glare,'--that is, 'Shining brightly with wide glare;'--'chase away the terrors of the hating demons!'--that is, 'chase away all evils!'--'May I be in the protection of the great, the good protector, in the guidance of Agni, ready to our call!' thereby he invokes a blessing.

22. He then cuts off some goat's hair, and lets loose the animals towards the north-east; for this, the north-east, is the region of both gods and men: he thus bestows cattle on that region, and hence both gods and men subsist on cattle.

Footnotes

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