Philosophy and Religion / Satapatha Brahmana

The Satapatha Brahmana: Third Kânda, Seventh Adhyâya

First Brâhmana

1. He takes the spade, with (Vâg. S. VI, 1), 'I take thee, at the impulse of the divine Savitri, with the arms of the Asvins, with the hands of Pûshan: thou art a woman.' The significance of that formula is the same (as before); and that spade (abhri, fem.) is indeed female: therefore he says 'thou art a woman.'

2. He thus draws the outline of the hole (for the stake¹), with, 'Herewith I cut off the necks of the Rakshas!' The spade is the thunderbolt: with the thunderbolt he thus cuts off the necks of the Rakshas.

3. He then digs, and throws up a heap of earth towards the east. He digs the hole, making it equal (in depth) with the (unhewn) bottom part (of the stake). In front of it he lays down the stake with the top towards the east. Thereon he puts sacrificial grass of the same size, and thereupon he puts the chip of the stake. In front on the (north) side (of the stake) he puts down the head-piece². The sprinkling-water has barley-corns mixed with it: the significance of this is the same (as before³).

4. He throws the barley-corns in with, 'Thou art barley (yava), keep thou (yavaya) from us the haters, keep from us the enemies!' There is nothing obscure in this. He then sprinkles: the significance of the sprinkling is one and the same: he thereby renders it sacrificially pure.

5. He sprinkles (the top, middle, and bottom parts) with, 'For the sky--thee! for the air--thee! for the earth--thee!' the stake being a thunderbolt (he does so) for the protection of these worlds⁴: 'I sprinkle thee for the protection of these worlds,' is what he thereby means to say.

6. The sprinkling-water that remains he then pours into the hole with, 'Be the worlds pure wherein the Fathers reside!' for a pit that is dug is sacred to the Fathers: this he thereby renders sacrificially pure.

7. Thereupon he strews barhis-grass therein, both eastward-pointed and northward-pointed, with, 'Thou art the seat of the Fathers!' for that part of it (the stake) which is dug into the ground is sacred to the Fathers: as though it were (naturally) established among plants, and not dug in, so does it become established among those plants.

8. He then throws in the (first) chip⁵ of the stake. Now that chip of the outer (bark) doubtless is the vigour of trees; hence, when a chip of their outer (bark) is cut off they dry up, for it is their vigour. Hence, when he throws in the chip of the stake, he does so thinking, 'I will plant it (the stake) full of vigour.' The reason why it is this (chip) and no other, is that this one has been produced with a formula, is sacrificially pure: therefore he throws in the chip of the stake.

9. He throws it in with (Vâg. S. VI, 2), 'Thou art a leader, easy of access to the Unnetris⁶;' for that (chip) is cut from it in front, wherefore he says, 'Thou art a leader, easy of access to the Unnetris.' 'Be thou mindful of this: it will stand upon thee!' for it (the stake) will indeed stand on it, wherefore he says, 'Be thou mindful of this: it will stand upon thee.'

10. Having then taken out ghee with the dipping-spoon, he offers it into the hole, 'lest the evil spirits should rise from below:' ghee is a thunderbolt, he thus repels the evil spirits by means of the thunderbolt, and thus the evil spirits do not rise from below. Having then gone round to the front, he sits down facing the north and anoints the stake. He says (to the Hotri), 'Recite to the stake as it is anointed⁷!'

11. He anoints it with, 'The divine Savitri anoint thee with sweet drink (milk)!' for Savitri is the impeller (prasavitri) of the gods, and that stake is in reality the sacrificer himself; and sweet drink is everything here; he thus puts it in connection with all that, and Savitri, the impeller, impels it for him: therefore he says, 'The divine Savitri anoint thee with sweet drink!'

12. Having then anointed the top-ring on both sides, he puts it on (the stake) with, 'To the full-berried plants--thee!' for that (top-ring) is as its berry. And as to its being, as it were, contracted in the middle, the berry⁸ here on trees is fastened (to the stalk) sideways; what connecting part there is between (the fruit and stalk) pressed in, as it were, that he thereby makes it. This is why it is, as it were, contracted in the middle.

13. He anoints from top to bottom the (corner) facing the fire; for the (corner) facing the fire is the sacrificer, and the ghee is sap: with sap he thus anoints the sacrificer; therefore he anoints from top to bottom the (corner) facing the fire. He then grasps the girding-part all round, and says (to the Hotri), 'Recite to the (stake) being set up!'

14. He raises it with, 'With thy crest thou hast touched the sky; with thy middle thou hast filled the air; with thy foot thou hast steadied the earth;'--the sacrificial stake being a thunderbolt, (he raises it) for the conquering of these worlds; with that thunderbolt he gains these worlds, and deprives his enemies of their share in these worlds.

15. He then plants it (in the hole) with (Vâg. S. VI, 3), 'To what resorts of thine we long to go where are the swift-footed, many-horned kine; there, forsooth, was imprinted wide-striding Vishnu's highest mighty foot-step.' With this trishtubh verse he plants it; the trishtubh is a thunderbolt, as the sacrificial stake is a thunderbolt; therefore he plants it with a trishtubh verse.

16. That (corner which was) facing the fire he places opposite the fire; for the (corner) facing the fire is the sacrificer, and the sacrifice is fire. Hence were he to turn the fire-corner aside from the fire, the sacrificer would assuredly turn aside from the sacrifice; therefore he places the (corner which was) facing the fire opposite the fire. He then heaps up (earth) round it and presses it firmly all round, and pours water thereon⁹.

17. Thereupon he makes (the sacrificer) say while touching it (Vâg. S. VI, 4; Rig-veda I, 22, 19), 'See ye the deeds of Vishnu, whereby he beheld the sacred ordinances, Indra's allied friend!' For he who has set up the sacrificial stake has hurled the thunderbolt: 'See ye Vishnu's conquest!' he means to say when he says, 'See ye the deeds of Vishnu, whereby he beheld the sacred ordinances, Indra's allied friend.' Indra, forsooth, is the deity of the sacrifice, and the sacrificial stake belongs to Vishnu; he thereby connects it with Indra; therefore he says, 'Indra's allied friend.'

18. He then looks up at the top-ring with (Vâg. S. VI, 5; Rig-veda I, 22, 20), 'The wise ever behold that highest step of Vishnu, fixed like an eye in the heaven.' For he who has set up the sacrificial stake has hurled the thunderbolt: 'See ye that conquest of Vishnu!' he means to say when he says, 'The wise ever behold that highest step of Vishnu, fixed like an eye in the heaven.'

19. He then girds (the stake with a rope of kusa-grass). Now it is to cover its nakedness that he girds it; wherefore he girds it in this place (viz. on a level with the sacrificer's navel), for it is thus that this (nether) garment is (slung round)¹⁰. He thereby puts food into him, for it is there that the food settles; therefore he girds it at that place.

20. He girds it with a triple (rope), for threefold is food, and food means cattle; and (there is) the father and the mother, and what is born is the third; therefore he girds it with a triple (rope).

21. He girds it with (Vâg. S. VI, 6), 'Thou art enfolded; may the heavenly hosts enfold thee! may riches enfold this sacrificer among men!' He invokes a blessing on the sacrificer, when he says, 'May riches enfold this sacrificer among men.'

22. Thereupon he inserts a chip of the stake (under the rope) with, 'Thou art the son of the sky.' For it is doubtless the offspring of that (sacrificial stake); hence if there be the full number of eleven stakes¹¹, let him insert in each its own (chip) without confounding them; and his offspring is born orderly and not foolish. But whosoever inserts them in confusion, not its own in each, verily his offspring is born disorderly and foolish; therefore let him insert its own in each without confounding them.

23. Moreover, that chip of the stake is made an ascent to the heavenly world; there is this girdle-rope; after the rope the chip of the stake; after the chip of the stake the top-ring; and from the top-ring one reaches the heavenly world.

24. And as to why it is called svaru ('very sore'),--that (chip) is cut off from that (stake), and thus is its own (sva) sore (arus); therefore it is called 'svaru.'

25. With that part of it which is dug in, he gains the world of the Fathers; and with what is above the dug-in part, up to the girdle-rope, he gains the world of men; and with what is above the rope, up to the top-ring, he gains the world of the gods; and what (space of) two or three fingers’ breadths there is above the top-ring,--the gods called the 'Blessed¹²,'--their world he therewith gains; verily, whosoever thus knows this, he becomes one of the same world with the blessed gods.

26. That (sacrificial stake) he sets up on the fore-part (of the altar); for the stake is a thunderbolt, as the club is a thunderbolt. But in hurling the club one takes hold of its fore-part; and that (stake) is the fore-part of the sacrifice; therefore he sets it up on the fore-part (of the altar).

27. Verily, by means of the sacrifice the gods gained that supreme authority which they now wield. They spake, 'How may this (world) of ours be made unattainable to men?' They sipped the sap of the sacrifice, as bees would suck out honey, and having drained the sacrifice and scattered it by means of the sacrificial stake, they disappeared. And because they scattered (yopaya) therewith, therefore it is called yûpa (sacrificial stake). At the head stands intelligence, at the head swiftness of thought; therefore he sets it up on the fore-part (of the altar).

28. It is eight-cornered; for the gâyatrî metre consists of eight syllables, and the gâyatrî is the fore-part of the sacrifice, as this (stake) is the forepart of the sacrifice; therefore it is eight-cornered.

29. Now the gods once threw it after (the prastara into the fire) even as now some throw it after, thinking, 'So the gods did it.' Thereupon the Rakshas sipped the sacrifice (Soma) after (the gods).

30. The gods said unto the Adhvaryu, 'Offer thou only a chip of the stake; thereby this (sacrificer) will be bid good-speed¹³; and thus the Rakshas will not hereafter sip the sacrifice, thinking, "that (stake) surely is a raised thunderbolt."'

31. The Adhvaryu, then, offered up only a chip of the stake, and thereby that (sacrificer) was bid good-speed; and thus the Rakshas did not thereafter sip the sacrifice, thinking, 'that surely is a raised thunderbolt.'

32. And in like manner does he now only offer up that chip of the sacrificial stake¹⁴; thereby this (sacrificer) is bid good-speed; and thus the Rakshas do not thereafter sip the sacrifice, thinking, 'that surely is a raised thunderbolt!' He offers it¹⁵ with the text (Vâg. S. VI, 21), 'May thy smoke rise up to the sky, thy light to the heavens! fill the earth with ashes, Hail!'

Second Brâhmana

1. Verily, as large as the altar is, so large is the earth. The sacrificial stakes are thunderbolts; and by means of these thunderbolts he obtains possession of this earth, and excludes his enemies from sharing therein. Hence there are eleven stakes, and the twelfth lies aside rough-hewn; he puts it down south (of the altar). The reason why the twelfth lies aside is this.

2. Now the gods, while performing this sacrifice, were afraid of an attack from the Asura-Rakshas. Those raised (sacrificial stakes), then, were as a discharged arrow,--therewith one either smites or smites not; as a hurled club,--therewith one either smites or smites not. But that twelfth (stake) lying aside,--even as an arrow drawn but not discharged, as (a weapon) raised but not hurled, so was that a thunderbolt raised for repelling the evil spirits on the south; therefore the twelfth (stake) lies aside.

3. He lays it down with (Vâg. S. VI, 6), 'This is thy place on earth; thine is the beast of the forest.' There are the animal (victim) and the sacrificial stake; to this one he thereby assigns of animals that of the forest, and thus it, too, is possessed of an animal (victim). That setting up of the eleven sacrificial stakes is said to be of two kinds,--some, namely, set (them all) up (on the previous day) for the morrow's Soma feast, and others set up (one) stake for the preparation¹⁶ of the morrow's Soma feast.

4. Let him, however, not do this; but let him only set up the one opposite the fire. For after setting it up the Adhvaryu does not quit his hold of it till the girding; but those (others) remain ungirt during that night. Thus there would be an offence, since it is for the victim that the stake is set up, and the victim is (only) slaughtered on the next morning: let him therefore set up (the others) on the next morning.

5. Let him first set up that (stake) which stands (immediately) north of the one opposite the fire, then the one on the south, then a northern one,--last of all the one on the southern flank: thus it (the row of stakes) inclines to the north.

6. But they also say conversely¹⁷, 'Let him first set up that which is south of the one opposite the fire, then the northern one, then a southern one,--last of all the one on the northern flank: and thus indeed his work attains completion towards the north.'

7. Let the largest be the one forming the southern flank; then shorter and shorter; and the one forming the northern flank the shortest: thus (the row of stakes) inclines to the north.

8. Thereupon they set up the wife-stake for the wives. It is for the sake of completeness, forsooth, that the wife-stake is set up: there they seize (and bind) the victim for Tvashtri, for Tvashtri fashions the cast seed, and hence he fashions the seed now cast. It (the victim to Tvashtri) is an animal with testicles, for such a one is a begetter. Let him not slay that one, but let him set it free after fire has been carried round it. Were he to slay it, there would assuredly be an end to offspring, but in this way he sets free the offspring. Therefore let him not slay it, but let him set it free after fire has been carried round it.

Third Brâhmana

B. The killing of the victim.

1. There are both an animal and a sacrificial stake, for never do they immolate an animal without a stake. And as to why this is so:--well, animals did not at first submit thereto that they should become food, as they are now become food; for just as man here walks two-footed and erect, so did they walk two-footed and erect.

2. Then the gods perceived that thunderbolt, to wit, the sacrificial stake; they raised it, and from fear thereof they (the animals) shrunk together and thus became four-footed, and thus became food, as they are now become food, for they submitted thereto: wherefore they immolate the animal only at a stake and never without a stake.

3. Having driven up the victim, and churned the fire, he binds it (to the stake). And as to why this is so:--well, animals did not at first submit thereto that they should become sacrificial food, as they are now become sacrificial food and are offered up in the fire. The gods secured them: even thus secured they did not resign themselves.

4. They spake, 'Verily, these (animals) know not the manner of this, that it is in fire that sacrificial food is offered, nor (do they know) that secure resort (the fire): let us offer fire into the fire after securing the animals and churning the fire, and they will know that this truly is the manner of sacrificial food, this its resort; that it is truly in fire that sacrificial food is offered: and accordingly they will resign themselves, and will be favourably disposed to the slaughtering.'

5. Having, then, first secured the animals, and churned the fire, they offered fire into the fire; and then they (the animals) knew that this truly is the manner of sacrificial food, this its resort; that it is truly in fire that sacrificial food is offered. And accordingly they resigned themselves, and became favourably disposed to the slaughtering.

6. And in like manner does he now offer fire into the fire, after securing the animal and churning the fire. It (the animal) knows that this truly is the manner of sacrificial food, this its resort; that it is truly in fire that sacrificial food is offered; and accordingly it resigns itself and becomes favourably disposed to the slaughtering. Therefore having driven up the victim and churned the fire, he binds it (to the stake).

7. As to this they say, 'Let him not drive up (the victim), nor churn the fire; but having taken the rope and straightway gone thither and put (the rope) round it, let him bind it.' Let him, however, not do this; for it would be as if he intended to commit secretly some lawless action. Let him therefore go round there.

8. Then, taking a straw, he drives it up, thinking, 'having a companion, I will secure it;' for he who has a companion is strong.

9. He takes the straw with (Vâg. S. VI, 7), 'Thou art a cheerer!' for a companion does cheer one: therefore he says, 'Thou art a cheerer.' 'The celestial hosts have approached the gods;' the celestial hosts, forsooth, are those beasts: 'they have submitted to the gods' he means to say, when he says, 'The celestial hosts have approached the gods.'

10. 'The considerate¹⁸, best of leaders;' for the gods are wise: therefore he says, 'The considerate, best of leaders.'

11. 'O divine Tvashtri, settle the wealth!' for Tvashtri is lord of beasts (cattle), and wealth means cattle, it is with regard to those which did not submit that the gods then said to Tvashtri, 'Quiet them,' when he says, 'O divine Tvashtri, settle the wealth!'

12. 'May the offerings be relished by thee!' Since they themselves submitted thereto that they should become sacrificial food, therefore he says, 'May the offerings be relished by thee!'

13. 'Rejoice, ye prosperous!' for cattle are prosperous: therefore he says, 'Rejoice ye prosperous.' 'O Lord of prayer, preserve our goods!' The Lord of prayer, forsooth, is the Brahman; and goods mean cattle: those, which did not submit, the gods on that occasion enclosed with the Brahman on the farther side, and they did not pass over it. And in like manner does he now enclose them with the Brahman on the farther side, and they do not pass over it: therefore he says, 'O Lord of prayer, preserve our goods!' Having made a noose he throws it over (the victim)¹⁹. Now then as to the binding itself.

Fourth Brâhmana

1. Having made a noose, he throws it over (the victim) with (Vâg. S. VI, 8), 'With the noose of sacred order I bind thee, O oblation to the gods!' for that rope, forsooth, is Varuna's: therefore he thus binds it with the noose of sacred order, and thus that rope of Varuna does not injure it.

2. 'Be bold, O man²⁰!' for at first man dared not²¹ to approach it (the victim); but now that he thus binds it with the noose of sacred order, as an oblation to the gods, man dares to approach it: therefore he says, 'Be bold, O man!'

3. He then binds it (to the stake) with (Vâg. S. VI, 9), 'At the impulse of the divine Savitri, I bind thee with the arms of the Asvins, with the hands of Pûshan, thee agreeable to Agni and Soma!' Even as on that occasion²², when taking out an oblation for a deity, he assigns it, so does he now assign it to the two deities. He then sprinkles it,--one and the same, forsooth, is the significance of sprinkling: he thereby makes it sacrificially pure.

4. He sprinkles with, 'For the waters--thee, for the plants!' whereby it (the victim) exists, thereby he thus makes it sacrificially pure. For when it rains, then plants are produced here on earth; and by eating plants and drinking water that sap originates, and from sap seed, and from seed beasts: hence whereby it exists, wherefrom it springs, thereby he thus makes it sacrificially pure.

5. 'May thy mother grant thee permission, and thy father--;' for it is from its mother and father that it is born: hence wherefrom it is born, thereby he thus makes it sacrificially pure; '--thine own brother, thy fellow in the herd;' whereby he means to say, 'whatever kin there is of thine, with their approval I slay thee.' 'I sprinkle thee, agreeable to Agni and Soma;' he thus makes it pure for those two deities for whom he slays it.

6. With (Vâg. S. VI, 10), 'Thou art a drinker of water,' he then holds (the lustral water) under (its mouth), whereby he renders it internally pure. He then sprinkles it underneath (the body), with, 'May the divine waters make it palatable, a true palatable offering to the gods!' he thus makes it sacrificially pure all over.

7. Thereupon he says (to the Hotri), 'Recite to the fire being kindled!' when he has made the second libation of ghee²³, and returned (to his former place) without letting the two spoons touch one another²⁴, he anoints the victim with the (ghee in the) guhû, For the second libation is the head of the sacrifice, and the sacrifice here indeed is that victim: hence he thereby puts the head on the sacrifice and therefore anoints the victim with the guhû.

8. With 'May thy breath unite with the wind!' he anoints it on the forehead; with 'Thy limbs with those worthy of sacrifice' on the shoulders; with 'The lord of sacrifice with (the object of) his prayer!' the loins; whereby he means to say, 'For whatsoever object the animal is slain, do thou obtain that!'

9. For, indeed, the breath of the victim when slain here passes into the wind: 'Obtain thou that thy breath may pass into the wind!' is what he thereby means to say. 'Thy limbs with those worthy of offering' he says, because it is with its limbs that they sacrifice: 'Obtain thou that they may sacrifice with thy limbs' is what he thereby means to say. 'The lord of sacrifice with his prayer,' hereby they invoke a blessing on the sacrificer: 'Obtain thou that through thee they may invoke a blessing on the sacrificer' is what he thereby means to say. He then deposits the two spoons and calls for the Sraushat with a view to the Pravara (election of the Hotri)²⁵. The significance of this is the same (as before).

10. Thereupon he calls a second time for the Sraushat, for on this occasion there are two Hotris it is with regard to the Maitrâvaruna²⁶ that he now calls for the Sraushat. But it is the sacrificer whom he chooses, saying, 'Verily, Agni is the leader of the divine hosts,' for Agni is the head of the deities; wherefore he says, 'Verily, Agni is the leader of the divine hosts;'--'this sacrificer of the human;' for that community wherein he sacrifices is behind (inferior to) him; wherefore he says, 'This sacrificer (is the head) of the human.' 'May the household of these two shine brightly, not (like a cart yoked) with one bullock, for a hundred winters,--two yoke-fellows!' whereby he means to say, 'May their household matters be free from calamities for a hundred years²⁷.'

11. 'Uniting blessings, not uniting bodies;' whereby he means to say, 'Unite ye your blessings only, but not also your bodies;' for were they also to unite their bodies, Agni (the fire) would burn the sacrificer. Now when this one sacrifices in the fire, he gives gifts to Agni; and whatever blessing the priests here invoke upon the sacrificer, all that Agni accomplishes. Thus they unite only their blessings, but not also their bodies: wherefore he says, 'Uniting blessings, not uniting bodies.'

Footnotes

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