Philosophy and Religion / Satapatha Brahmana

The Satapatha Brahmana: Twelfth Kânda, First Adhyâya

The sacrificial session (Sattra).

First Brâhmana

1. Verily, this sacrifice is the same as this blowing (wind): it is that¹ they wish to secure who take the vow of initiation for a year. Of them the Grihapati is initiated first²; for the Grihapati is this (terrestrial) world, and upon this world everything here is established; and so, indeed, are his fellow-sacrificers established in the Grihapati: it is thus after they have become established on a firm foundation that they are initiated.

2. He (the Adhvaryu) then initiates the Brahman (priest). Now the Brahman is the moon, and the moon is Soma, and plants belong to Soma³: he thus connects the plants with this (terrestrial) world. Therefore no other person should be initiated between those two; for, assuredly, were any one else to be initiated between those two, he would separate (tear up) the plants from this (terrestrial) world, and they would be liable to dry up: let therefore no other person be initiated between those two.

3. He then initiates the Udgâtri. Now, the Udgâtri is the thunder-cloud, and from the thundercloud rain is produced: he thus connects the rain with the plants. Therefore no other person should be initiated between those two; for, assuredly, were any one else to be initiated between those two, he would separate the rain from the plants, and (the cloud) would be liable to lack rain: let therefore no other person be initiated between those two.

4. He then initiates the Ho tri. Now, the Hotri⁴ is Agni in respect of the deity, and speech in respect of the body; and rain is food: he thus connects both Agni (fire) and speech with food. Therefore no other person should be initiated between those two; for, assuredly, were any one else to be initiated between those two, he would separate fire and speech from food, and (people) would be liable to starve: let therefore no other person be initiated between those two.

5. The Pratiprasthâtri then initiates the Adhvaryu. Now, the Adhvaryu is the mind⁵, and the Hotri is speech: he thus connects mind and speech with one another. Therefore no other person should be initiated between those two; for, assuredly, were any one else to be initiated between those two, he would separate mind and speech, and (people) would be liable to perish: let therefore no other person be initiated between those two.

6. He then initiates the Brâhmanâkhamsin for the Brahman, for under him the former is. He then initiates the Prastotri for the Udgâtri, for under him the former is. He then initiates the Maitrâvaruna for the Hotri, for under him the former is. These four the Pratiprasthâtri initiates.

7. The Neshtri then initiates the Pratiprasthâtri for the Adhvaryu, for under him the former is. It is after the fitting out⁶ of these nine that the others are fitted out; for there are nine vital airs: he thus lays the vital airs into them; and so they attain the full term of life, and so they do not depart this world before their (full) term of life.

8. He then initiates the Potri for the Brahman, for under him the former is. He then initiates the Pratihartri for the Udgâtri, for under him the former is. He then initiates the Akhâvâka for the Hotri, for under him the former is. These four the Neshtri initiates.

9. The Unnetri then initiates the Neshtri for the Adhvaryu, for under him the former is. He then initiates the Âgnîdhra for the Brahman, for under him the former is. He then initiates the Subrahmanyâ for the Udgâtri, for under him the former is. He then initiates the Grâvastut for the Hotri, for under him the former is. These four the Unnetri initiates.

10. Either a Snâtaka⁷, or a Brahmakârin, or some one else who is not initiated, then initiates the Unnetri; for they say, 'No pure one should purify.' This is the regular order of initiation⁸; and; assuredly, only when, knowing this⁹, they become initiated, they make ready the sacrifice even whilst being initiated, and along with the getting ready of the sacrifice security of property accrues to the performers of the sacrificial session (Sattra); and, along with the accruing of security of property to the performers of the session, security of property also accrues to that district in which they perform the sacrifice.

11. Now, the Unnetri is initiated last of these, and when they come out from the purificatory bath it is he that comes out first; for the Unnetri is the vital air: he thus lays vital air into them on both sides; and so they attain the full term of life, and so they do not depart this world before their (full) term of life. This is the regular order of initiation: and, assuredly, he should become initiated only where such as know this become initiated.

Second Brâhmana

1. Verily, from out of faith the gods fashioned the initiation, from out of Aditi the opening (sacrifice¹⁰), from out of Soma the buying (of Soma-plants), from out of Vishnu the guest-offering, from out of the sun the Pravargya, from out of the Svadhâ (the food of departed ancestors) the Upasads, from out of Agni and Soma the day of fasting, and from out of this world the opening Atirâtra¹¹.

2. From out of the year (they fashioned) the Katurvimsa day, from out of the priesthood the Abhiplava (shadaha), from out of the nobility the Prishthya (shadaha)¹², from out of Agni the Abhigit, from out of the waters the Svarasâman days, from out of the sun the Vishuvat,--the Svarasâman days have been told;--from out of Indra the Visvagit,--the Prishthya and Abhiplava have been told;--from out of Mitra and Varuna the Go and Âyus¹³, from out of the Visve Devâh the Dasarâtra¹⁴, from out of the regions the Prishthya-shadaha of the Dasarâtra, from out of these worlds the Khandoma days.

3. From out of the year (they fashioned) the tenth day, from out of Pragâpati the Mahâvrata, and from out of the world of heaven the Udayanîya Atirâtra:--such was the birth of the Year; and, verily, whosoever thus knows that birth of the Year becomes more (and more) glorious to (the end of) it, he becomes possessed of a (new) body, he becomes the Year, and, as the Year¹⁵, he goes to the gods.

Third Brâhmana

1. Now, when they are initiated they indeed offer sacrifice to the deities Agni and Vishnu: they become the deities Agni and Vishnu, and attain to fellowship and co-existence with Agni and Vishnu.

2. And when they perform the opening sacrifice they indeed offer sacrifice to the deity Aditi: they become the deity Aditi, and attain to fellowship and co-existence with Aditi.

3. And when they proceed with the buying (of Soma-plants) they indeed offer sacrifice to the deity Soma: they become the deity Soma, and attain to fellowship and co-existence with Soma.

4. And when they perform the guest-offering they indeed offer sacrifice to the deity Vishnu: they become the deity Vishnu, and attain to fellowship and co-existence with Vishnu.

5. And when they perform the Pravargya-offering¹⁶ they indeed offer sacrifice to the deity Âditya: they become the deity Âditya, and attain to fellowship and co-existence with Âditya (the sun).

6. And when they enter upon the Upasads they indeed offer sacrifice to those very deities¹⁷ who (receive oblations) at the Upasads: they become those deities, and attain to fellowship and co-existence with those deities.

7. And when they perform the animal sacrifice to Agni and Soma¹⁸ they indeed offer sacrifice to the deities Agni and Soma: they become the deities Agni and Soma, and attain to fellowship and co-existence with Agni and Soma.

8. And when they perform the opening Atirâtra (of the sacrificial session) they indeed offer sacrifice to those deities, the Day and Night¹⁹: they become those deities, the Day and Night, and attain to fellowship and co-existence with the Day and Night.

9. And when they enter upon the Katurvimsa day they indeed offer sacrifice to that deity, the Year²⁰: they become that deity, the Year, and attain to fellowship and co-existence with the Year.

10. And when they enter upon the Abhiplava-shadaha they indeed offer sacrifice to those deities, the Half-months and Months: they become those deities, the Half-months and Months, and attain to fellowship and co-existence with the Half-months and Months.

11. And when they enter upon the Prishthya-shadaha they indeed offer sacrifice to those deities, the Seasons: they become those deities, the Seasons, and attain to fellowship and co-existence with the Seasons.

12. And when they enter upon the Abhigit (day) they indeed offer sacrifice to the deity Agni: they become the deity Agni, and attain to fellowship and co-existence with Agni.

13. And when they enter upon the Svarasâman (days) they indeed offer sacrifice to that deity, the Waters: they become that deity, the Waters, and attain to fellowship and co-existence with the Waters.

14. And when they enter upon the Vishuvat (day) they indeed offer sacrifice to the deity Âditya they become the deity Âditya, and attain to fellowship and co-existence with Âditya. The Svarasâmans have been told.

15. And when they enter upon the Visvagit (day) they indeed offer sacrifice to the deity Indra: they become the deity Indra, and attain to fellowship and co-existence with Indra. The Prishthya and Abhiplava (shadahas) have been told.

16. And when they enter upon (the performance of) the Go and Âyus (stoma)²¹ they indeed offer sacrifice to the deities Mitra and Varuna: they become the deities Mitra and Varuna, and attain to fellowship and co-existence with Mitra and Varuna.

17. And when they enter upon the Dasarâtra they indeed offer sacrifice to that deity the Visve Devâh: they become that deity, the Visve Devâh, and attain to fellowship and co-existence with the Visve Devâh.

18. And when they enter upon the Prishthya-shadaha of the Dasarâtra they indeed offer sacrifice to those deities, the Regions: they become those deities, the Regions, and attain to fellowship and co-existence with the Regions.

19. And when they enter upon the Khandomas they indeed offer sacrifice to those deities, these Worlds: they become those deities, these Worlds, and attain to fellowship and co-existence with these Worlds.

20. And when they enter upon the tenth day (of the Dasarâtra) they indeed offer sacrifice to that deity, the Year: they become that deity, the Year, and attain to fellowship and co-existence with the Year.

21. And when they enter upon the Mahâvrata they indeed offer sacrifice to the deity Pragâpati: they become the deity Pragâpati, and attain to fellowship and co-existence with Pragâpati.

22. And when they enter upon the concluding Atirâtra (of the sacrificial session), then, indeed, having gained the Year, they establish themselves in the world of heaven. And were any one to ask them, 'To what deity are ye offering sacrifice this day? what deity are ye? with what deity do ye dwell?' let them name of those (deities) the one to whom they may be nearest (in the performance of the Sattra). And, verily, such (sacrificers) are seated (sad) in the good²² (place), for they are for ever seated among the good deities; and the others are mere partakers in the sacrificial session²³; and if any one were, during a sacrificial session, to speak evil of such initiates as know this, let them say to him, 'We cut thee off from those deities;' and he becomes the worse, and they themselves become the better for it.

23. That same year contains three great rites (mahâvrata):--the great rite on the Katurvimsa day, the great rite on the Vishuvat day, and the great rite²⁴ on the Mahâvrata day itself. Now, those of old used, indeed, to enter upon (perform) that (year's session) with three great rites, and they became glorious, truth-speaking, and faithful to their vow; but if nowadays any (sattrins) were to perform it on this wise, they assuredly would crumble away even as a jar of unbaked clay would crumble away if water were poured into it. They (who do so) perform too much: that (object) of theirs is gained by truth, by toil, by fervid devotion, by faith, by sacrifice, and by oblations.

Fourth Brâhmana

1. The Year, indeed, is Man;--the opening (prâyanîya) Atirâtra is his feet, for by means of their feet (men) go forward (prayanti): that part of them which is white is of the form of the day, and that which is black is (of the form) of the night; the nails are of the form of herbs and trees. The Katurvimsa day is the thighs, the Abhiplava the breast, and the Prishthya the back.

2. The Abhigit is this right arm, the Svarasâman days these three (openings of the) vital airs on the right side²⁵ the Vishuvat the head, and the (second period of) Svarasâman days these three vital airs on the left side.

3. The Visvagit is this left arm,--the Prishthya and Abhiplava have been told,--the Go and Âyus those downward vital airs; the Dasarâtra the limbs, the Mahâvrata the mouth; and the concluding (udayanîya) Atirâtra is the hands, for by means of the hands (men) move (reach) upwards (udyanti) that part of them which is white is of the form of the day, and that which is black is of that of the night; and the nails are of the form of the stars. Thus that year is established in respect of the body; and, verily, whosoever thus knows that year to be established in respect of the body, establishes himself by means of offspring and cattle in this, and by immortality in the other, world.

Footnotes

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