| Philosophy and Religion / Satapatha Brahmana |
The Satapatha Brahmana: Tenth Kânda, Fifth Adhyâya
First Brâhmana
1. The mystic import of this Fire-altar, doubtless, is Speech; for it is with speech that it is built: with the Rik, the Yagus and the Sâman as the divine (speech); and when he (the Adhvaryu) speaks with human speech, 'Do ye this! do ye that!' then also it (the altar) is built therewith.
2. Now, this speech is threefold--the Rik-verses, the Yagus-formulas, and the Sâman-tunes;--thereby the Fire-altar is threefold, inasmuch as it is built with that triad. Even thus, then, it is threefold; but in this respect also it is threefold, inasmuch as three kinds of bricks are put into it--those with masculine names, those with feminine names, and those with neuter names; and these limbs of men also are of three kinds--those with masculine names, those with feminine names, and those with neuter names.
3. This body (of the altar), indeed, is threefold; and with this threefold body he obtains the threefold divine Amrita (nectar, immortality). Now all these (bricks) are called 'ishtakâ (f.),' not 'ishtakah (m.),' nor 'ishtakam (n.):' thus (they are called) after the form of speech (vâk, f.), for everything here is speech--whether feminine (female), masculine (male), or neuter--for by speech everything here is obtained. Therefore he 'settles' all (the bricks)1 with, 'Aṅgiras-like lie thou steady (dhruvâ, f.)!' not with, 'Aṅgiras-like lie thou steady (dhruvah, m.)!' or with, 'Aṅgiras-like lie thou steady (dhruvam, n.)!' for it is that Speech he is constructing.
4. Now, this speech is yonder sun, and this (Agni, the Fire-altar) is Death: hence whatsoever is on this side of the sun all that is field by Death; and he who builds it (the Fire-altar) on this side thereof, builds it as one held by Death, and he surrenders his own self unto Death; but he who builds it thereabove, conquers recurring Death, for by his knowledge that (altar) of his is built thereabove.
5. This speech, indeed, is threefold--the Rik-verses, the Yagus-formulas, and the Sâman-tunes the Rik-verses are the orb, the Sâman-tunes the light, and the Yagus-formulas the man (in the sun); and that immortal element, the shining light, is this lotus-leaf2: thus, when he builds up the Fire-altar after laying down the lotus-leaf, it is on that immortal element that he builds for himself a body consisting of the Rik, the Yagus, and the Sâman; and he becomes immortal.
Second Brâhmana
1. Now, that shining orb is the Great Litany, the Rik-verses: this is the world of the Rik. And that glowing light is (the hymn of) the Great Rite, the Sâman-tunes: this is the world of the Sâman. And the man in yonder orb is the Fire-altar, the Yagus-formulas: this is the world of the Yagus.
2. It is this threefold lore that shines, and even they who do not know this say, 'This threefold lore does indeed shine;' for it is Speech that, seeing it, speaks thus.
3. And that man in yonder (sun's) orb is no other than Death; and that glowing light is that immortal element: therefore Death does not die, for he is within the immortal; and therefore he is not seen, for he is within the immortal3.
4. There is this verse:--'Within Death is immortality,'--for below death is immortality;--'founded on Death is immortality,'--for established on that man (in the sun) the immortal shines4;--'Death putteth on the radiant,'--the radiant one (vivasvant), doubtless, is yonder sun, for he irradiates (vi-vas) day and night; and it is him that (Death) puts on, for on every side he is surrounded by him;--'Death's self is in the radiant,'--for the self (body) of that man indeed is in that orb: such, then, is that verse.
5. Now, that orb is the foundation (foothold) of both that light and that man; whence one must not recite the Great Litany for another5, lest he should cut away that foothold from beneath his own self; for he who recites the Mahad Uktham for another, indeed cuts away that foothold from beneath his own self: wherefore the (professional) singer of praises (sastra) is greatly despised, for he is cut off from his foothold. Thus in regard to the deity.
6. Now as to the sacrifice. That shining orb is the same as this gold plate (under the altar)6, and that glowing light is the same as this lotus-leaf (under the altar); for there are those (divine) waters7, and the lotus-leaf is water8; and that man in yonder orb is no other than this gold man (in the altar): thus, by laying down these (in the fire-altar), it is that (divine) triad he constructs. And after the consummation of the sacrifice it rises upwards and enters that shining (sun): one need not therefore mind destroying Agni, for he is then in yonder (world)9. Thus, then, in regard to the sacrifice.
7. Now as to the self (body). That shining orb and that gold plate are the same as the white here in the eye; and that glowing light and that lotus-leaf are the same as the black here in the eye; and that man in yonder orb and that gold man are the same as this man in the right eye.
8. The Lokamprinâ (space-filling brick) is the same as that (gold man in the sun)10: it is that (brick) which this entire Agni finally results in11. Moreover, this man (or person) in the left eye is the mate of that one (in the right eye and in the sun); and a mate is one half of one's own self12, for when one is with a mate he is whole and complete: thus it (the second man) is for the sake of completeness. And as to there being two of these (persons in the eyes), a pair means a productive couple: hence two Lokamprinâs are laid down each time13, and hence they set up the layer by two (kinds of bricks).
9. Now, that person in the right eye is the same as Indra, and (that other person is) the same as Indrânî: it is for the sake of these two that the gods made that partition (between the eyes), the nose; whence he (the husband) should not eat food in the presence of his wife14; for from him (who does not do so) a vigorous son is born, and she in whose presence (the husband) does not eat food bears a vigorous (son):--
10. Such, indeed, is the divine ordinance;--amongst men princes keep most aloof15, and for that reason a vigorous (son) is born to them; and of birds the Amritavâkâ (does so, and she) produces the Kshiprasyena16.
11. Those two (persons in the eyes) descend to the cavity of the heart17, and enter into union with each other; and when they reach the end of their union, then the man sleeps,--even as here on reaching the end of a human union he becomes, as it were, insensible18, so does he then become, as it were, insensible; for this is a divine union19, and that is the highest bliss.
12. Therefore let him, who knows this, sleep, for it makes for heaven20: he thereby, indeed, makes those two deities enjoy their dear wish, union. And one should not therefore forcibly21 awaken him who sleeps, lest he should hurt those two deities whilst enjoying their union; and hence the mouth of him who has been asleep is, as it were, clammy, for those two deities are then shedding seed, and from that seed everything here originates, whatsoever exists.
13. Now, that man in yonder orb (of the sun), and that man in the right eye truly are no other than Death;--his feet have stuck fast in the heart, and having pulled them out he comes forth; and when he comes forth then that man dies: whence they say of him who has passed away, 'he has been cut off22.'
14. And, indeed, he is the breath (prâna), for it is he (the man in the eye) that leads forward (pranayati) all these creatures. These vital airs (prâna) are his own (sva); and when he sleeps (svapiti) then these vital airs take possession of him23 as his own (svâ api-yanti): hence (the term) 'svâpyaya (being taken possession of by one's own people),' 'svâpyaya' doubtless being what they mystically call 'svapna (sleep),' for the gods love the mystic.
15. And when he is asleep, he does not, by means of them, know of anything whatever, nor does he form any resolution with his mind, or distinguish the taste of food with (the channel of) his speech, or distinguish any smell with (the channel of) his breath; neither does he see with his eye, nor hear with his ear, for those (vital airs) have taken possession of him. Whilst being one only, he (the man in the eye) is numerously distributed among living beings: whence the Lokamprinâ (representing the man in the sun), whilst being one only (in kind), extends over the whole altar; and because he (the man in the eye) is one only, therefore (the Lokamprinâ) is one.
16. As to this they say, 'One death, or many?' Let him say, 'Both one and many;' for inasmuch as he is that (man in the sun) in yonder world he is one, and inasmuch as he is numerously distributed here on earth among living beings, there are also many of them.
17. As to this they say, 'Is Death near or far away?' Let him say, 'Both near and far away;' for inasmuch as he is here on earth in the body he is near, and inasmuch as he is that one in yonder world he also is far away.
18. Regarding this there is the verse,--'Concealed in food he, the immortal, shineth at the flowing together of vital saps;'--yonder shining orb is food, and the man in that orb is the eater: being concealed in that food, he shines. Thus much as to the deity.
19. Now as to the body. This body indeed is food, and that man in the right eye is the eater: being concealed in that food he shines.
20. That same (divine person), the Adhvaryus (Yagur-veda priests) serve under the name of 'Agni' (fire-altar) and 'Yagus,' because he holds together (yug) all this (universe)24; the Khandogas (Sâma-veda priests, chanters) under that of 'Sâman,' because in him all this (universe) is one and the same (samâna)25; the Bahvrikas (Rig-veda priests, Hotars) under that of 'Uktham,' because he originates (utthâp) everything here; those skilled in sorcery, under that of 'sorcery (yâtu),' because everything here is held in check (yata) by him; the serpents under that of 'poison;' the snake-charmers under that of 'snake;' the gods under that of 'ûrg (strengthening food);' men under that of 'wealth;' demons under that of 'mâyâ (magic power);' the deceased Fathers under that of 'svadhâ (invigorating draught);' those knowing the divine host under that of 'divine host;' the Gandharvas under that of 'form (rûpa26);' the Apsaras under that of 'fragrance (gandha),'--thus, in whatsoever form they serve him that indeed he becomes, and, having become that, he is helpful to them; whence he who knows should serve him in all these (forms), for he becomes all that, and, having become all that, he is helpful to him.
21. Now this Agni (fire-altar) consists of three bricks,--the Rik being one, the Yagus another, and the Sâman another: whatever (brick) he lays down here with a rik (verse) that has the gold plate for its foundation27; whatever (brick he lays down) with a yagus (formula) that has the (gold) man for its foundation; and whatever (brick he lays down) with a sâman (hymn-tune) that has the lotus-leaf for its foundation. Thus he consists of three bricks.
22. And, indeed, these two, to wit, that gold plate and that lotus-leaf join that (gold) man, for both the Rik and the Sâman join the Yagus; and so he also consists of a single brick.
23. Now, that man in yonder orb (of the sun), and this man in the right eye, are no other than Death28; and he becomes the body (self) of him who knows this: whenever he who knows departs this world he passes into that body, and becomes immortal, for Death is his own self.
Third Brâhmana
1. Verily, in the beginning this (universe) was, as it were29, neither non-existent nor existent; in the beginning this (universe), indeed, as it were, existed and did not exist: there was then only that Mind.
2. Wherefore it has been said by the Rishi (Rig-veda X, 129, 1), 'There was then neither the non-existent nor the existent;' for Mind was, as it were, neither existent nor non-existent.
3. This Mind, when created, wished to become manifest,--more defined30, more substantial: it sought after a self (body)31. It practised austerity32: it acquired consistency33. It then beheld thirty-six thousand Arka-fires34 of its own self, composed of mind, built up of mind: mentally35 alone they were established (on sacrificial hearths) and mentally built up36; mentally the cups (of Soma) were drawn thereat mentally they chanted, and mentally they recited on (near) them,--whatever rite is performed at the sacrifice, whatever sacrificial rite there is, that was performed mentally only, as a mental performance, on those (fires or fire-altars) composed of mind, and built up of mind. And whatever it is that (living) beings here conceive in their mind that was done regarding those (mental Agnis37):--they establish them (on the hearths) and build them up (as fire-altars); they draw the cups for them; they chant on (near) them and recite hymns on them,--of that extent was the development of Mind, of that extent its creation,--so great is Mind: thirty-six thousand Arka-fires; and each of these as great as that former (fire-altar) was.
4. That Mind created Speech. This Speech, when created, wished to become manifest,--more defined, more substantial: it sought after a self. It practised austerity: it acquired consistency. It beheld thirty-six thousand Arka-fires of its own self, composed of speech, built up of speech: with speech they were established, and with speech built up; with speech the cups were drawn thereat; with speech they chanted, and with speech they recited on them--whatever rite is performed at the sacrifice, whatever sacrificial rite there is, that was performed by speech alone, as a vocal performance, on those (fires) composed of speech, and built up of speech. And whatever beings here speak by speech that was done regarding those (fires): they establish them and build them up; they draw the cups for them; they chant on them and recite hymns on them,--of that extent was the development of Speech, of that extent its creation,--so great is Speech: thirty-six thousand Arka-fires; and each of these as great as that former (fire-altar) was.
5. That Speech created the Breath. This Breath, when created, wished to become manifest,--more defined, more substantial: it sought after a self. It practised austerity: it acquired consistency. It beheld thirty-six thousand Arka-fires of its own self, composed of breath, built up of breath: with breath they were established, and with breath built up; with breath the cups were drawn thereat; with breath they chanted and with breath they recited on them,--whatever rite is performed at the sacrifice, whatever sacrificial rite there is, that was performed by breath alone, as a breathing-performance, on those (fires) composed of breath, and built up of breath. And whatever beings here breathe with breath that was done regarding those (fires):--they establish them, and build them up; they draw the cups for them; they chant on them and recite hymns on them,--of that extent was the development of Breath, of that extent was its creation,--so great is Breath: thirty-six thousand Arka-fires; and each of these as great as that former (fire-altar) was.
6. That Breath created the Eye. This Eye, when created, wished to become manifest,--more defined, more substantial: it sought after a self. It practised austerity: it acquired consistency. It beheld thirty-six thousand Arka-fires of its own self, composed of the eye, built up of the eye: by means of the eye they were established, and by means of the eye built up; by the eye the cups were drawn thereat; by means of the eye they chanted and recited hymns on them,--whatever rite is performed as the sacrifice, whatever sacrificial rite there is, that was performed by the eye alone, as an eye-performance, on those (fires) composed of eye, and built up of the eye. And whatever beings here see with the eye that was done regarding those (fires):they establish them and build them up; they draw the cups for them; they chant on them and recite hymns on them,--of that extent was the development of the Eye, of that extent its creation,--so great is the Eye: thirty-six thousand Arka-fires; and each of these as great as that former (fire-altar) was.
7. That Eye created the Ear. This Ear, when created, wished to become manifest,--more defined, more substantial: it sought after a self. It practised austerity: it acquired consistency. It beheld thirty-six thousand Arka-fires of its own self, composed of the ear, built up of the ear: by means of the ear they were established, and by means of the ear built up; by the ear the cups were drawn thereat; by means of the ear they chanted and recited hymns on them,--whatever rite is performed at the sacrifice, whatever sacrificial rite there is, that was performed by the ear alone, as an ear-performance, on those (fires) composed of ear, and built up of the ear. And whatever beings here hear with the ear that was done regarding those (fires):--they establish them and build, them up; they draw the cups for them; they chant on them and recite hymns on them,--of that extent was the development of the Ear, of that extent its creation,--so great is the Ear: thirty-six thousand Arka-fires; and each of these as great as that former (fire-altar) was.
8. That Ear created Work, and this condensed itself into the vital airs, into this compound, this composition of food38; for incomplete is work without the vital airs, and incomplete are the vital airs without work.
9. This Work, when created, wished to become manifest,--more defined, more substantial: it sought after a self. It practised austerity: it acquired consistency. It beheld thirty-six thousand Arka-fires of its own self, composed of work, built up of (or by) work: by work they were established, and by work built up; by work the cups were drawn thereat; by work they chanted and recited hymns on them,--whatever rite is performed at the sacrifice, whatever sacrificial rite there is, that was performed by work alone, as a work-performance, on those (fires) composed of work, and built up of work. And whatever beings here work by work that was done regarding those (fires);--they establish them and build them up; they draw the cups for them; they chant on them and recite hymns on them,--of that extent was the development of Work, of that extent its creation,--so great is Work: thirty-six thousand Arka-fires; and each of these as great as that former (fire-altar) was.
10. That Work created the Fire,--Fire, doubtless, is more manifest than Work, for by work (sacrificial performance) they produce it, and by work they kindle it.
11. This Fire, when created, wished to become manifest,--more defined, more substantial: it sought after a self. It practised austerity39: it acquired consistency. It beheld thirty-six thousand Arka-fires of its own self, composed of fire, built up of fire: with fire they were established, and with fire built up; with fire the cups were drawn thereat; with fire they chanted and recited hymns on them;--whatever rite is performed at the sacrifice, whatever sacrificial rite there is, that was performed with fire alone, as a fire-performance, on those (fires) composed of fire, and built up of fire. And whatever fire beings here kindle that was done regarding those (fires):--they establish them and build them up; they draw the cups for them; they chant on them and recite hymns on them,--of that extent was the development of Fire, of that extent its creation,--so great is Fire: thirty-six thousand Arka-fires; and each of these as great as that former (fire-altar) was.
12. These fires (altars), in truth, are knowledge-built; and all beings at all times build them for him who knows this, even whilst he is asleep: by knowledge alone these fires (altars) are indeed built for him who knows this.
Fourth Brâhmana
1. Verily, this (brick-)built Fire-altar (Agni) is this (terrestrial) world:--the waters (of the encircling ocean) are its (circle of) enclosing-stones; the men its Yagushmatîs (bricks with special formulas); the cattle its Sûdadohas40; the plants and trees its earth-fillings (between the layers of bricks), its oblations and fire-logs41; Agni (the terrestrial fire) its Lokamprinâ (space-filling brick);--thus this comes to make up the whole Agni, and the whole Agni comes to be the space-filler42; and, verily, whosoever knows this, thus comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler43.
2. But, indeed, that Fire-altar also is the air:--the function of heaven and earth (the horizon) is its (circle of) enclosing-stones, for it is beyond the air that heaven and earth meet, and that (junction) is the (circle of) enclosing-stones; the birds are its Yagushmatî bricks, the rain its Sûdadohas, the rays of light its earth-fillings, oblations and fire-logs; Vâyu (the wind) is its space-filler; thus this comes to make up the whole Agni, and the whole Agni comes to be the space-filler; and, verily, whosoever knows this, thus comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler.
3. But, indeed, that Fire-altar also is the sky:--the (heavenly) waters are its enclosing-stones, for even as a case44 here is closed up so are these worlds (enclosed) within the waters; and the waters beyond these worlds are the enclosing-stones;--the gods are the Yagushmatî bricks; what food there is in that world is its Sûdadohas; the Nakshatras (lunar mansions) are the earth-fillings, the oblations and the fire-logs; and Âditya (the sun) is the space-filler;--thus this comes to make up the whole Agni; and the whole Agni comes to be the space-filler; and, verily, whosoever knows this, thus comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler.
4. But, indeed, that Fire-altar also is the sun:--the regions are its enclosing-stones, and there are three hundred and sixty of these45, because three hundred and sixty regions encircle the sun on all sides;--the rays are its Yagushmatî bricks, for there are three hundred and sixty of these46, and three hundred and sixty rays of the sun; and in that he establishes the Yagushmatîs within the enclosing-stones thereby he establishes the rays in the regions. And what is between the regions and the rays, is its Sûdadohas; and what food there is in the regions and rays that is the earth-fillings, the oblations and the fire-logs; and that which is called both 'regions' and 'rays' is the space-filling (brick):--thus this comes to make up the whole Agni; and the whole Agni comes to be the space-filler; and, verily, whosoever knows this, thus comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler.
5. But, indeed, that Fire-altar also is the Nakshatras:--for there are twenty-seven of these Nakshatras, and twenty-seven secondary stars accompany each Nakshatra,--this makes seven hundred and twenty47, and thirty-six in addition thereto. Now what seven hundred and twenty bricks48 there are of these, they are the three hundred and sixty enclosing-stones and the three hundred and sixty Yagushmatî bricks; and what thirty-six there are in addition, they are the thirteenth (intercalary) month, the body (of the altar); the trunk49 (consisting of) thirty, the feet of two, the (channels of the) vital airs of two50, and the head itself being the (thirty-fifth and) thirty-sixth,--and as to there being two of these, it is because 'siras' (head) consists of two syllables;--and what (space) there is between (each) two Nakshatras that is the Sûdadohas; and what food there is in the Nakshatras that is the earth-fillings (between the layers of bricks), the oblations and the fire-logs; and what is called 'nakshatras' that is the space-filling (brick):--thus this comes to make up the whole Agni, and the whole Agni comes to be the space-filler; and, verily, whosoever knows this, thus comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler.
6. Now, these (amount to) twenty-one Brihatîs51; and--the heavenly world being the twenty-one-fold one52 and the Brihatî (the great one)--this (altar) thus comes to be equal to the heavenly world, and to the twenty-one-fold Stoma (hymn-form) and the Brihatî metre.
7. But, indeed, that Fire-altar also is the Metres; for there are seven of these metres, increasing by four syllables53; and the triplets of these make seven hundred and twenty syllables, and thirty-six in addition thereto. Now what seven hundred and twenty bricks there are of these, they are the three hundred and sixty enclosing-stones and the three hundred and sixty Yagushmatîs; and what thirty-six there are in addition, they are the thirteenth month, and the body (of this altar),--the trunk (consisting of) thirty, the feet of two, the vital airs of two, and the head itself being the (thirty-fifth and) thirty-sixth; and as to there being two of these, it is because 'siras' consists of two syllables.
8. Now the first ten syllables of this Brihatî, consisting of thirty-six syllables, make an Ekapadâ54 of ten syllables; and the (first) twenty make a Dvipadâ of twenty syllables; and the (first) thirty a Virâg55 of thirty syllables; and the (first) thirty-three a (Virâg) of thirty-three syllables; and the (first) thirty-four a Svarâg56 of thirty-four syllables; and in that this fire-altar is built with all metres thereby it is an Atikhandas57, and (so) indeed are all these bricks58. And the three syllables 'ishtakâ (brick)' are a Gâyatrî tripadâ, whence this Agni is Gâyatra; and the three syllables 'mrid' (clay) and 'âpah' (water)59 also are a Gâyatrî tripadâ: thereby also he is Gâyatra. And what is between (each two) metres is the Sûdadohas; and the food which is in the metres is the earth-fillings, the oblations, and the fire-logs; and what is called 'metres,' that is the space-filling (brick):--thus this comes to make up the whole Agni; and the whole Agni comes to be the space-filler; and, verily, whosoever knows this, comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler.
9. Now, these (amount to) twenty-one Brihatîs; and--the heavenly world being the twenty-one-fold and the Brihatî--this (altar) thus comes to be equal to the heavenly world, and to the twenty-one-fold Stoma and the Brihatî metre.
10. But, indeed, that Fire-altar also is the Year,--the nights are its enclosing-stones, and there are three hundred and sixty of these, because there are three hundred and sixty nights in the year; and the days are its Yagushmatî bricks, for there are three hundred and sixty of these, and three hundred and sixty days in the year; and those thirty-six bricks which are over60 are the thirteenth month, the body (of the year and the altar), the half-months and months,--(there being) twenty-four half-months, and twelve months. And what there is between day and night that is the Sûdadohas; and what food there is in the days and nights is the earth-fillings, the oblations, and the fire-logs; and what is called 'days and nights' that constitutes the space-filling (brick):--thus this comes to make up the whole Agni, and the whole Agni comes to be the space-filler; and, verily, whosoever knows this, thus comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler.
11. Now, these (amount to) twenty-one Brihatîs; and--the heavenly world being the twenty-one-fold and the Brihatî--this (altar) thus comes to be equal to the heavenly world, and to the twenty-one-fold Stoma and the Brihatî metre.
12. But, indeed, that Fire-altar also-is the body,--the bones are its enclosing-stones, and there are three hundred and sixty of these, because there are three hundred and sixty bones in man; the marrow parts are the Yagushmatî bricks, for there are three hundred and sixty of these, and three hundred and sixty parts of marrow in man; and those thirty-six bricks which are over, are the thirteenth month, the trunk, the vital air (of the altar),--in his body there are thirty parts61, in his feet two, in his vital airs two, and in his head two,--as to there being two of these, it is because the head consists of two skull-bones. And that whereby these joints are held together is the Sûdadohas; and those three whereby this body is covered--to wit, hair, skin, and flesh--are the earth-fillings; what he drinks is the oblations, and what he eats the fire-logs; and what is called the 'body,' that is the space-filling (brick):--thus this comes to make up the whole Agni, and the whole Agni comes to be the space-filler; and, verily, whosoever knows this, thus comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler.
13. Now, these (amount to) twenty-one Brihatîs; and--the heavenly world being the twenty-one-fold and the Brihatî--this (altar) thus comes to be equal to the heavenly world, and to the twenty-one-fold Stoma and the Brihatî metre.
14. But, indeed, that built Agni (the fire-altar) is all beings, all the gods; for all the gods, all beings are the waters62, and that built fire-altar is the same as those waters63;--the navigable streams (round the sun) are its enclosing-stones, and there are three hundred and sixty of these, because three hundred and sixty navigable streams encircle the sun on all sides; and the navigable streams, indeed, are also the Yagushmatî bricks, and there are three hundred and sixty of these, because three hundred and sixty navigable streams flow towards64 the sun. And what is between (each) two navigable rivers is the Sûdadohas; and those thirty-six bricks which remain over are the same as that thirteenth month, and the body (of this altar, the waters65,) is the same as this gold man.
15. His feet are that gold plate and lotus-leaf(that is) the waters and the sun's orb66--are his feet; his arms are the two spoons, and they are Indra and Agni; the two naturally-perforated (bricks) are this earth and the air; and the three Visvagyotis (all-light) bricks are these deities--Agni, Vâyu, and Âditya, for these deities, indeed, are all the light; and the twelve seasonal (bricks) are the year, the body (of the altar, and the gold man); and the five Nâkasads and five Pañkakûdâs are the sacrifice, the gods; and the Vikarnî the (third) Svayamâtrinnâ and the variegated stone67; and the fire which is deposited (on the altar68) is the thirty-fifth; and the formula of the Lokamprinâ (brick)69 is the thirty-sixth;--that (gold man), indeed, the body (of the altar) is the end of everything here70: he is in the midst of all the waters, endowed with all objects of desire--for all objects of desire are the waters71; whilst possessed of all (objects of) desires he is without desire, for no desire of anything (troubles) him72.
16. Regarding this there is this verse--'By knowledge73 they ascend that (state) where desires have vanished74: sacrificial gifts go not thither75, nor the fervid practisers of rites without knowledge;'--for, indeed, he who does not know this does not attain to that world either by sacrificial gifts or by devout practices, but only to those who know does that world belong.
17. The welkin is the earth-fillings (between the layers of brick); the moon the oblations; the Nakshatras (lunar mansions) the fire-logs,--because the moon resides in (or with) the Nakshatra, therefore the oblation resides in the fire-wood: that76, indeed, is the food of the oblation, and its support; whence the oblation does not fail (na kshîyate), for that is its food and its support And what are called 'the gods' they are the space-filling (brick); for by (naming) the gods everything here is named.
18 It is regarding this that it is said by the Rik (X, 12, 3), 'The All-gods have gone after this thy Yagus,'--for all beings, all the gods, indeed, become the Yagus here. Thus this whole Agni comes to be the space-filler; and, verily, whosoever knows this, thus comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler.
19. Now, these (amount to) twenty-one Brihatîs; and--the heavenly world being the twenty-one-fold and the Brihatî--this (altar) thus comes to be equal to the heavenly world, and to the twenty-one-fold Stoma and the Brihatî metre.
Fifth Brâhmana
1. Kusri Vâgasravasa77 once built a fire-altar. Susravas Kaushya then said to him, 'Gautama, when thou wert just now building up Agni, didst thou build him with his face forward, or backward, or downward, or upward?
2. 'If perchance thou hast built him looking forward, it would be just as if one were to offer food from behind to one sitting with averted face78: he thereby will not receive thy offering.
3. 'And if thou hast built him looking backward, wherefore, then, hast thou made him a tail behind?
4. 'And if thou hast built him with his face downward, it would be just as if one were to put food on the back of one lying with his face downward: he surely will not receive thy offering.
5. 'And if thou hast built him with his face upward--surely, a bird does not fly towards heaven with its face turned upward79: he will not carry thee to heaven, he will not become conducive to heaven for thee.'
6. He said, 'I have built him with his face forward; I have built him with his face backward; I have built him with his face downward; I have built him with his face upward: I have built him in all directions.'
7. When he lays down the (gold) man with his head forward (eastward), and the two spoons (with their bowls) forward80, thereby he (Agni) is built looking forward; and when he lays down the tortoise81 with its head backward (westward), and the victims’ heads turned backward, thereby he is built looking backward; and when he, lays down the tortoise with its face downward, and the victims’ heads with their faces downward, and the bricks with their faces downward82, thereby he is built looking downward; and when he lays down the (gold) man with his face upward, and the two spoons (with their open bowls) turned upward, and the mortar turned upward, and the fire-pan turned upward, thereby he is built looking upward; and when he lays down the bricks whilst moving round (the altar) in every direction, thereby he is built (looking) in all directions.
8. Now, the Koshas, whilst driving about, once drove up83 to an Agni with his head pulled out84. One of them said, 'The head (siras) means excellence (srî): he has pulled out his excellence, he will be deprived of his all!' and so indeed it happened to him.
9. And another said, 'The head means the vital airs: he has pulled out his vital airs, he will quickly go to yonder world!' and so, indeed, it happened to him.
10. Upwards, indeed, he (Agni) is built up, to wit, (in the shape of) the grass-bunch, the clod-bricks, the lotus-leaf, the gold plate and man, the two spoons, the naturally-perforated one, the grass-brick, the Dviyagus, the two Retahsik, the Visvagyotis, the two seasonal bricks, the Ashâdhâ, and the tortoise; and that fire which is placed on the altar-pile, assuredly, is then most manifestly his (Agni's) head: let him therefore not pull out (the head).
Footnotes
1. See VI, 1, 2, 28; VII, 1, 1, 30.
2. Viz. the lotus-leaf deposited in the centre of the altar-site, before the first layer is laid down, see VII, 4, 1, 7 seqq., where, however, it is represented as symbolising the womb whence Agni (the fire-altar) is to be born.
3. Mrityurûpah purushoऽmritarûpesऽrkishy antar vartate, . . . mrityoh purushasya amritam amritarûpârkir adhikaranam mandalam âhitam pratishthitam. Sâyana.
4. 'Antararam mrityor amritam ity avaram hy etan mrityor amritam' ity âdinâ, avaram adhastâdbhâvam amritam purushah parastâd ity arthasiddhah; anena amritamadhyavartitvam uktam ity arthah; dvitîyapâdagatâmritapadenârkir adhikaranam mandalam ukyate, tat purushe pratishthitam tapati, tena hi tasya mandalasya gagatprakâsakatvam asti. Sây. But for this interpretation, one might have rendered the first pâda by, 'Close unto death is immortality,' for after death comes immortality.
5. Cf. Aitareyâr. V, 3, 3, 1, 'No one but a dîkshita (initiated) should recite the Mahâvrata (sastra); and he should not recite it at a (Mahâvrata) unless it be combined with (the building of) a fire-altar; neither should he do so for another person, nor at a (sacrificial session lasting) less than a year,' so say some; but he may recite it for his father or for his teacher, for in that case it is recited on his own behalf.
6. In these symbolical identifications, one might also take the relative clause to be the predicate, not the subject, of the sentence; the former usually preceding the latter.
7. Though the sun itself does not consist of water, he at any rate floats along a sea of water; cf. VII, 5, 1, 8, 'For that indeed is the deepest of waters where yonder sun shines;' and there are waters above and below the sun, VII, 1, 1, 24; and the sun is encircled by 360 navigable streams, and as many flow towards it, X, 5, 4, 14.--Sâyana, on the other hand, takes it to mean, 'for that (light) is water,' inasmuch as the sun's rays produce the rain,--arkisho hy âpah sûryakiranânâm eva vrishtikartrikatvât kâryakâranayor abhedena arkir vâ âpa ity uktam. Possibly this may be the right interpretation.
8. See VII, 4, 1, 8, where the lotus-plant is said to represent the (cosmic) waters, whilst the earth is a lotus-leaf floating on the waters.
9. According to Sâyana, he is so in the shape of both the sun and the Sacrificer's body or self,--yatoऽsminn agnim kitavân paratrâdityo bhavati, atoऽgnim parihantum nâdriyeta, kitam agnim ishtakâviseshena nâsayitam âdaram na kuryât, kutah, eshoऽgnir amutra bhavati, paraloke yagamânasarîrâtmanotpadyate; yad vâ parihantum prâptum sprashtum ity arthah, kityâgnisparsane doshasravanât. Sâyana, thus, is doubtful as to how 'Agnim parihantum' is to be taken, whether it means 'to injure the altar (? or extinguish the fire) by some brick,' or to 'knock against (touch) the altar.' The St. Petersb. Dict. takes it in the sense of 'to extinguish the fire,' but it might also, perhaps, mean, 'to destroy the fire-altar' by taking it to pieces.
10. On the identification of the sun with the Lokamprinâ on the ground that the former fills these worlds (lokân pûrayati), see VIII, 7, 2, 1.
11. Or, finally comes to; viz. inasmuch as it is by the placing of the Lokamprinâ bricks that the altar is completed (Sây.); and inasmuch as Agni passes into the sun.
12. Purusho mithunam yoshid ity etasmin mithunam hy âtmanoऽrdham ardhabhâgah, ardho vâ esha âtmano yat patnîti taittirîyasruteh. Sây.
13. When the layers are filled up with 'space-fillers,' two Lokamprinâs are first laid down in one of the four corners, and from them the available spaces are then filled up, in two turns, in the sunwise direction; cf. p. 22, note 1.
14. Cf. I, 9, 2, 12, 'whenever women here eat, they do so apart from men;' where the use of the 'gighatsanti' (swallow their food)--as against asnîyât in our passage--is not meant disrespectfully, but as the regular desiderative of 'ad' (Pân. II, 4, 37), for which no doubt 'asisishanti' (Sat. Br. III, 1, 2, 1) might have been used.
15. Or, 'act most in secrecy.' Sâyana explains it: manushyânâm madhye râganyabandhavoऽnutamâm gopâyanti atyartham rahasyatvena kurvanti tasmât teshu viryavân putro gâyate. The St. Petersb. Dict., on the other hand, takes it in the sense of 'they protect most of all;' though it is difficult to see how the, 'protection' afforded by princes or rulers could have any bearing on men taking their food apart from their wives. If the above interpretation is right we may compare 'anu-gup' in the sense of 'to conceal.' See, however, the next note, where Sâyana takes 'gopâyati' in the sense of 'observes (that law),' which might also have suited here. Princes, having their seraglio, would naturally have less occasion for coming into contact with their wives at mealtime than men of lower stations of life. On the superlative of the preposition, see p. 287, note 1.
16. ? The swift eagle,--vayasâm pakshinâm madhye amritavâkâ nâma pakshigâtir etad vratam gopâyati, atah sâ kshipram sîghragâminam syenam nâma pakshinam ganayati. Sây.
17. Hridayasyâkâsam daharam prâpya. Sây.
18. That is, 'unconscious,' with something of 'indifferent, apathetic,' implied:--Loke mânushasya maithunasyântam gatvâऽ samvidâ agânâneva nrâ strî bhavati (marg. corr. agânânâv eva strîpurushau bhavatah) evam tadâ tayor mithunabhâve (? mithunâbhâve) purushoऽsamvida iva bhavati. Sây.
19. Viz. because it is the union of Indra and Indrânî.
20. Or, perhaps, it is the usual practice (lokyam), as the St. Petersb. Dict. takes it.
21. Dhureva pîdayaiva na bodhayet, na prabuddham kuryât, dhûrvater himsârthat kvipi tâblope rûpam. Sây.
22. ? His (life) has been cut off; or, his (life-string) has been severed. Sâyana (unless there is an omission in the MS.) does not explain 'kâkhedy asya,' but seems to take 'pretam' (passed away) as the word on which the stress lies:--tasmâd imam pretam ity âhuh, prapûrvâd eteh ktapratyaye rûpam; katham, akshipurushanirgame purushasya maranam.
23. Or, they keep within him, they nestle in him,--apiyanti prâpnuvanti, âliyanta ity arthah. Sây.
24. Esha purusha idam sarvam gagad yunakti sarvatra svayam samgata iti. Sây.
25. Etasmin paramâtmani kârane sarvam kâryagâtam samânam iti. Sây.
26. The characteristic attributes of the Gandharvas and Apsaras are evidently exchanged in the text as it stands; cf. IX, 4, 1, 4.
27. Viz. inasmuch as the (round) gold plate (representing the sun) is deposited in the centre of the altar-site, before the first layer is constructed. In the same way the other two objects.
28. Sâyana seems to construe this somewhat differently: sa esho gnir yagurâtmakoऽdhidaivam mandalamadhyavartî adhyâtmam dakshinâkshivartî purusho mrityurûpah.
29. Sâyana seems to take 'iva' here in the sense of 'eva,' as indeed it often has to be taken, especially in negative sentences.
30. Niruktataram niruktam sabdanirvâkyam. Sây.
31. Sâyana also allows the interpretation, 'after (its source, or cause,) the (supreme) self,'--âtmânam svakâranam paramâtmânam svasvarûpam vâऽnvaikkhat. What seems, indeed, implied in these esoteric lucubrations, is that meditation on the infinite is equivalent to all ceremonial rites which are supposed to be incessantly performed for one so engaged, even during his sleep (paragraph 12).
32. I. e. intense meditation (paryâlokanam), Sây.? 'it became heated.'
33. Sâyana apparently takes 'prâmûrkhat' in the sense of 'became great, or important,'--samukkhritam babhûva.
34. Sâyana here takes 'arka' in the sense of 'arkanîya (worthy of veneration)', as, indeed, he did several times before; though once he seems to call them 'agnyarkâh,' as being the highest, merely speculative or immaterial form of sacrificial fires or fire-altars (dhyeyâ agnayah); cf. X, 3, 4, 3 seq.--The 36,000 fires are calculated so as to be equal to the number of days in the life of the perfect man living a hundred years (X, 2, 6, 9); there being thus for each day of his life a (spiritual) sacrificial fire, a mental exercise or discipline, as Sâyana expresses it,--tatraikasmin dine (âgneyâ?) manovrittih.
35. The text has everywhere the instrumental 'manasâ,' which would imply either the agent, the instrument, or the material, as the case might be.
36. That is, the ceremonies of Agnyâdhâna (establishment of the sacrificial fire) and Agnikayana (building of the fire-altar) were performed by means of these fires. Sâyana remarks that these rites were performed by the same 'beings (bhûtâni),' which are mentioned immediately after, as would, indeed, appear to be the case from paragraph 12.
37. Yat kim ka bhûtâni manasâ dhyâyanti vâkâ vadanti taih samkalpavadanâdibhir eva teshâm agnînâm karanam. Sây.
38. Sâyana explains 'samdegham annasamdeham' by 'annaprânâsrayam sarîram,'--svayam asamdeham asarîram sat karma prânânnayor anyonyasâhakaryâd abhivriddhim vyatirekam makhyenâha, akritsnam &c. Sâyana would thus take 'samdegha' as equivalent to the later 'deha' (body), and in no depreciatory sense.
39. Or, fervid devotion; though perhaps the physical sense of 'it became heated' would suit better here.
40. That is, either the food obtained by the milking of the drink of immortality (amritadohânnam), or the verse Rig-veda VIII, 69, 3 (tâ asya sûdadohasah, &c.) pronounced over the 'settled' brick, and supposed to supply vital air to the different parts of Agni-Pragâpati's body (whence it is also repeated in the Brihad Uktham between the different parts of the bird-like body; cf. p. 112, note 1). Sây.
41. Sâyana seems to interpret this in two different ways,--oshadhivanaspataya eva purîshâhutisamittrayarûpâ etasya purîshâhutisamittrayarûpatvam uttaratra spashtîkarishyate; atha (vâ) yad dikshu ka rasmishu kânnam tat purîsham tâ ahutayas tâh samidhah.
42. See X, 5, 2, 8. Viz. 'inasmuch as all become fit for their work by being provided with fire.' Sây.
43. Or, the word-filler, the ruler of the world (lokâdhishthâtri). Sây.
44. Or, as (the valves, or shells, of) a pod are closed up.
45. See p. 354, note 2.
46. See IX, 4, 3, 6.
47. On this inaccurate calculation (the real product being 729), resorted to in order to get a total amount equal to the number of Yagushmatî bricks (756), see A. Weber, Nakshatra, II, p. 298.
48. That is, Nakshatras considered as the bricks of which the fire-altar is constructed. The latter being identical with the year, the 720 bricks represent the days and nights of the year.
49. Thus Sâyana (madhyadeha),--the âtman (in that case, however, the whole body) is usually represented as consisting of twenty-five parts. Here the thirty parts would probably be the trunk, the head, the upper and fore-arms, the thighs and shanks, and the fingers and toes.
50. Viz. inasmuch as eyes, ears, and nostrils are in pairs. Sây.
51. The Brihatî verse consisting of 36 syllables, this makes a total of 756 syllables, or the same amount as that of the days and nights of the year, plus the days (36) of the intercalary month.
52. Viz. inasmuch as the sun is 'the twenty-first,' cf. I, 3, 5, 11; VI, 2, 2, 3: svargas tv âditya iti surake(tu)rûpo vâ lokah svargah ekavimsatisamkhyâpûrakah. Sây
53. The seven metres, increasing by four syllables from 24 up to 48, consist together of 252 syllables, and hence the triplets of them amount to 756 = 720 + 36 syllables.
54. The Ekapadâ is a verse consisting of a single pâda, and the Dvipadâ one of two pâdas, whilst verses in the ordinary metres consist of three or four pâdas.
55. The Virâg is a metre consisting of 1 to 4 (usually 3) decasyllabic pâdas; the one consisting of four such pâdas being, however, commonly called Paṅkti. Besides this, the principal, Virâg, there is, however, another consisting of 3 pâdas of 11 syllables each.
56. This name, which is here applied to a verse of 34 syllables, was in VII, 4, 1, 9 used of a verse of 10 + 10 + 11 + 11 = 42 syllables (Vâg. S. XI, 29); cf. Weber, Ind. Stud. VIII, p. 63.
57. That is, an over-metre, excessive metre, consisting of more than 48 syllables. The fire-altar, being built up with all the metres (viz. with the Khandasyâ bricks, representing the metres, cf. VIII, 3, 3, 1 seqq.), would thus-far exceed the latter number.
58. ? Thus Sâyana: kityâgnir atikhandâ iti yat tena sarvâ ishtakâ atikhandomayya ity uktam.
59. That is, the materials used for making bricks.
60. Viz. those required to make up the 756 Yagushmatîs.
61. See p. 383, note 3.
62. Viz. inasmuch as they are the foundation and ultimate source of the universe; cf. VI, 8, 2, 2. 3; and everything is contained therein, X, 5, 4, 3.
63. Viz. inasmuch as the built Agni is the same as the sun, and the sun is surrounded by water; cf. p. 368, note 1.
64. It is not clear whether these rivers are meant to be different ones from those flowing round the sun, or whether they are the same as 'washing against' the sun.
65. Athokteshu paryâyeshv agnyavayava-trayodasamâsâtmika âtmâ agnyâtmanâ dhyeyânâm apâm âtmety arthah. Sây.
66. That is, in regard to the sacrifice, the gold plate and lotus-leaf are his feet, and in regard to the deity, the waters and the sun's disk. Sây. They are, nevertheless, counted as four.
67. For this stone, which was deposited near the Âgnîdhrîya shed, and afterwards placed in the Âgnîdhra hearth, see p. 243, note 2.
68. For this stone, which was deposited near the Âgnîdhrîya shed, and afterwards placed in the Âgnîdhra hearth, see p. 243, note 2.
69. See VIII, 7, 2, 6.
70. See X, 5, 2, 6-8.
71. Sa eva . . . shattrimsadishtakâmayo hiranmayah purusha âtmâ sarvabhûtadevâtmanâm apâm agnyâtmanâ dhyeyânâm madhye vartate. Sây.
72. Sâyana does not explain this last sentence.
73. 'Only by knowledge is such a body (self) to be obtained by all, not by hundreds of religious performances.' Sây.
74. Yatra svarûpe kâmâh sarve parâgatâ vivrittâh (? nivrittah) svayam akâmam ity arthah, tad âtmasvarûpam vidyayâ svarûpena ârohanti âpnuvanti. Sây.
75. Sâyana takes 'dakshinâ' as instrumental, in accordance with the comment offered by the Brâhmana, which, however, is probably not meant as a close grammatical explanation.
76. Viz. the staying (of the moon) in, or with, the Nakshatras, whose name is then made use of for a fanciful etymology.
77. That is, Kusri Gautama, (son and) disciple of Vâgasravas.
78. The oblations are offered by the Adhvaryu whilst standing south, or south-west, of the fire, with his face turned towards northeast,--hence Agni, looking eastwards, would not see the food offered him.
79. Yady agnir uttânas kitas tarhi yathâ uttânam vayah pakshî svayam âkâsam utpatitum na saknoti kim utânyam purusham dvâbhyâm pakshâbhyâm grihîtvotpatitum na sakta iti . . . tvâm kitavantam svargam lokam prâpayitum na saknoty uttâna kayanâd ity arthah; abhivakshyatîti vahah prâpane lriti syapratyaye rûpam. Sây.
80. See VII, 4, I, 15. 16.
81. See VII, 5, 1, 1.
82. Ishtakânâm nîkîtvenopadhânam nâma rigulekhâdakshinâpasavyatryâlikhitâdilekhânâm uparibhâge darsanam. Sây. The broad side of the bricks not marked with lines is thus looked upon as their face.
83. That is to say, according to Sâyana, whilst going about officiating at sacrifices, they built the altar in that way at some one's house.
84. That is, with a head built on to the altar on the front side of the body; see the diagram of the syenakiti in Burnell's Cat. of Vedic MSS. (1870), p. 29.
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