| Philosophy and Religion / Satapatha Brahmana |
The Satapatha Brahmana: Twelfth Kânda, Seventh Adhyâya
First Brâhmana
The Sautrâmanî.1
1. Indra slew Tvashtri's son, Visvarûpa. Seeing his son slain, Tvashtri exorcized him (Indra), and brought Soma juice suitable for witchery2, and withheld from Indra. Indra by force drank off his Soma-juice, thereby committing a desecration of the sacrifice. He went asunder in every direction, and his energy, or vital power3, flowed away from every limb.
2. From his eyes his fiery spirit flowed, and became that grey (smoke-coloured) animal, the he-goat; and what (flowed) from his eyelashes became wheat, and what (flowed) from his tears became the kuvala-fruit4.
3. From his nostrils his vital power flowed, and became that animal, the ram; and what (flowed) from the phlegm became the Indra-grain, and what moisture there was that became the badara-fruit5.
4. From his mouth his strength flowed, it became that animal, the bull; and what foam there was became barley, and what moisture there was became the karkandhu-fruit6.
5. From his ear his glory flowed, and became the one-hoofed animals, the horse, mule, and ass.
6. From the breasts his bright (vital) sap flowed, and became milk, the light of cattle; from the heart in his breast his courage flowed, and became the talon-slaying eagle, the king of birds.
7. From his navel his life-breath flowed, and became lead,--not iron, nor silver; from his seed his form flowed, and became gold; from his generative organ his essence flowed, and became parisrut (raw fiery liquor); from his hips his fire flowed, and became surd (matured liquor), the essence of food.
8. From his urine his vigour flowed, and became the wolf, the impetuous rush of wild beasts; from the contents of his intestines his fury flowed, and became the tiger, the king of wild beasts; from his blood his might flowed, and became the lion, the ruler of wild beasts.
9. From his hair his thought flowed, and became millet; from his skin his honour flowed, and became the asvattha tree (ficus religiosa); from his flesh his force flowed, and became the udumbara tree (ficus glomerata); from his bones his sweet drink flowed, and became the nyagrodha tree (ficus indica); from his marrow his drink, the Soma juice, flowed, and became rice: in this way his energies, or vital powers, went from him.
10. Now at that time he (Indra) had to do with Namuki, the Asura. Namuki bethought him, 'He has been undone once for all: I will seize upon his energy, his vital power, his Soma-drink, his food,' By (taking) that Surâ-liquor of his he seized upon his energy, or vital power, his Soma-drink, his food. He lay there dissolved. The gods gathered around him, and said, 'Verily, he was the best of us; evil has befallen him: let us heal him!'
11. They said to the two Asvins, 'Ye are Brahman physicians: heal ye this one!' They replied, 'Let there be a guerdon for us!' They spake, 'That he-goat there shall be your guerdon.' They said, 'So be it!' and hence the smoke-coloured (he-goat) is sacred to the two Asvins.
12. They (the gods) said to Sarasvatî, 'Verily, thou art healing medicine: heal thou this one!' She replied, 'Let there be a guerdon for me!' They spake, 'That ram there shall be thy guerdon!' She said, 'So be it!' and therefore the ram is sacred to Sarasvatî.
13. They then spake, 'Verily, there is even now as much in him (Indra) as that -bull: that one shall belong to him himself.' They said, 'So be it!' and therefore the bull is sacred to Indra.
14. The two Asvins and Sarasvatî, having taken the energy, or vital power, from Namuki, restored them to hire (Indra), and saved him from evil, 'Truly, we have saved him from evil so as to be well-saved (sutrâta),' they thought, and this became the Sautrâmanî: and this is the (saving) nature of the Sautrâmanî--it saves the self from death, and repels evil for whosoever thus knows that (saving) nature of the Sautrâmanî. There are (for this sacrifice) thirty-three Dakshinâs (presents to priests), for thirty-three were the gods who healed him: whence they say, 'Dakshinâs are healing medicine.'
Second Brâhmana
1. Verily, his fiery spirit, his energy, or vital power, depart from him whom Soma purges either upwards or downwards.
2. As to this they say, 'Truly, the Soma-juice is the Brâhmana's food; and, indeed, it is not owing to Soma when a Brâhmana vomits Soma; and he who vomits Soma is one who, whilst being fit to (gain) prosperity, does not gain prosperity, and who, whilst being fit to (gain) cattle, does not gain cattle7, for Soma is cattle.'
3. Let him seize for sacrifice that grey (he-goat) of the Asvins, the ram of Sarasvatî, and the bull of Indra; for the Asvins are the physicians of the gods, and it is by them that he heals this (Sacrificer); and Sarasvatî is healing medicine, and it is with her help that he prepares medicine for him; and Indra is energy (indriya), or vital power, and it is with his help that he bestows energy, or vital power, on this (Sacrificer).
4. The two Asvins, indeed, are the eyesight, fiery spirit; and inasmuch as there is (a victim) sacred to the Asvins, he (the priest) bestows eyesight, fiery spirit, on this (Sacrificer). And the ear also (he thereby bestows on him), for one and the same are the eye and the ear.
5. Sarasvatî is the breath, vital power; and inasmuch as there is (a victim) sacred to Sarasvatî, he bestows breath, vital power, on this (Sacrificer). And the off-breathing also (he thereby bestows on him), for one and the same are the breath (of the mouth) and the of breathing.
6. Indra is speech, strength; and inasmuch as there is (a victim) sacred to Indra, he bestows speech, strength, on this (Sacrificer); and mind also, for one and the same are speech and mind.
7. 'He-goats are sacred to the Asvins, ewes to Sarasvatî, and cows (and bulls) to Indra,' they say: if these animals are sacrificed, he, by means of those deities, gains those (three) animals.
8. There is a mare with a foal8: the one-hoofed (animal),glory, he thereby secures (for the Sacrificer9). There are hairs of wild beasts10, for the purpose of securing the wild beasts;--there are hairs of wolf: vigour, the impetuous rush of wild beasts, he thereby secures;--there are hairs of tiger: courage, the sway of wild beasts, he thereby secures;--there are hairs of lion: might, the rule of wild beasts, he thereby secures.
9. There are grains of rice and grains of millet, grains of wheat and kuvala jujubes, Indra-grain and badara jujubes, grains of barley and karkandhu jujubes, malted rice and barley11: both cultivated and wild-grain food he thereby secures; and by means of both kinds of food he duly lays energy and vital power into his own self.
10. With lead he buys12 the malted rice, with (sheep's) wool the malted barley, with thread the (fried) rice-grain,--that lead is a form of both iron and gold, and the Sautrâmanî is both an ishti-offering and an animal sacrifice, so that he thereby secures both of these.
11. With wool and thread13 he buys,--this, to wit, wool and thread, is women's work; and work, indeed, means energy, or vital power, and this latter is extinct in women: he thus secures (for the Sacrificer) that energy, or vital power, which is extinct in women.
12. Here now, other Adhvaryus buy the malted rice with lead from a eunuch, saying, 'That is that14; for the eunuch is neither woman nor man, and the Sautrâmanî is neither an ishti-offering nor an animal sacrifice.' But let him not do so, for the Sautrâmanî is both an ishti and an animal sacrifice, and the eunuch is something unsuccessful among men: they who do this thus place failure into the very mouth (opening) of the sacrifice. Let him rather buy them from a vendor of Soma, for the Sautrâmanî is Soma: he thus puts a form of Soma into the very mouth of the sacrifice so as to secure the sacrifice.
13. There is a pot (kumbhî) perforated with a hundred holes15, for in many ways did that (Soma) flow out of (Indra); and a hundred-sized also, indeed, is the sacrifice: it is the sacrifice he thereby secures. There is a bowl (rata16): it is the real (or good) thing (sat) he thereby secures. There is a dish (kapya) for him to secure food. There is a filter, for they cleanse him, (the Sacrificer, by this offering). There is a tail (-whisk) for turning away evil. There is gold for him to secure form (or colour); it weighs a hundred (grains), for man has a life of a hundred (years) and a hundred energies: life, and energy, vital power, he thus lays into his own self.
14. There is an asvattha (ficus religiosa) vessel: honour he thereby secures. There is an udumbara (ficus glomerata) one: force he thereby secures. There is a nyagrodha (ficus indica) one: sweet drink he thereby secures. There are (earthen) pots (sthâlî): the food of the earth he thereby secures.
15. There are supernumerary17 (vessels) of palâsa wood: the palâsa (butea frondosa) is the Brahman (holy writ, holiness, the priesthood): it is by the Brahman that he gains the heavenly world. There are two feathers of a talon-slaying (bird)18: courage, the sway of birds, he thereby secures. There are thirty-six of these (objects), for the Brihatî consists of thirty-six syllables, and cattle are related to the Brihatî: by means of the Brihatî he thus secures cattle for him.
16. As to this they say, 'The victims have one set of deities, and the cakes another set of deities: this is an improper performance19; how does it become right and proper?' To Indra belongs the last of the victims, and to Indra the first of the cakes; and Indra, indeed, is energy (indriya), or vital power: through (Indra's) energy he thus confers on him energy, or vital power; and through (Indra's) energy he secures energy, or vital power.
17. There is a cake to Savitri for him to become impelled by Savitri; and one to Varuna, for it is Varuna that seizes him who is seized by evil: through Varuna he thus delivers him from Varuna's power;--it is the final (cake): he thus delivers him finally from Varuna's noose.
18. Indra's (cake) is one on eleven potsherds, in order that he may secure (Indra's) energy, or vital power; for the Trishtubh consists of eleven syllables, and the Trishtubh is energy, or vital power.
19. Savitri's (cake) is one on twelve potsherds, for there are twelve months in the year, and the year means constantly existing food: from the year he thus secures for hire food.
20. Varuna's (cake) is one on ten potsherds, for the Virâg consists of ten syllables, and Varuna is Virâg (the widely ruling), the lord of food: through Varuna he thus secures food for him. In the middle (of the sacrifice) they proceed with (the offering of) these cakes, for the centre means their (mother's) womb: he thus causes them to be produced from their own (mother's) womb.
21. A mare with a foal is the sacrificial fee, for such a (mare) produces both the horse and the mule, and the Sautrâmanî is both an ishti-offering and an animal sacrifice: thus it is so in order that he may secure both of these.
Third Brâhmana
1. By means of the Surâ-liquor Namuki, the Asura, carried off Indra's (source of) strength, the essence of food, the Soma-drink. He (Indra) hasted up to the Asvins and Sarasvatî, crying, 'I have sworn to Namuki, saying, "I will slay thee neither by day nor by night, neither with staff nor with bow, neither with the palm of my hand nor with the fist, neither with the dry nor with the moist!" and yet has he taken these things from me: seek ye to bring me back these things!'
2. They spake, 'Let us have a share therein, and we will bring them back to thee.'--'These things (shall be) in common to us,' he said, 'bring them back, then!'
3. The Asvins and Sarasvatî then poured out foam of water (to serve) as a thunderbolt, saying, 'It is neither dry nor moist;' and, when the night was clearing up, and the sun had not yet risen, Indra, thinking, 'It is neither by day nor by night,' therewith struck off the head of Namuki, the Asura.
4. Wherefore it has been said by the Rishi (Rig-veda S. VIII, 14, 13), 'With foam of water, Indra, didst thou sever the head of Namuki, when thou wert subduing all thine enemies.' Now, Namuki is evil: having thus, indeed, slain that evil, his hateful enemy, Indra wrested from him his energy, or vital power. Let him who has an enemy perform the Sautrâmanî: he thereby slays that evil, his hateful enemy, and wrests from him his energy, or vital power. In his (Namuki's) severed head there was the Soma juice mixed with blood. They loathed it. They perceived that (means of) drinking separately (one of) the two liquids,--'King Soma, the drink of immortality, is pressed20;'--and having thereby made that (Soma) palatable, they took it in (as food).
5. With (Vâg. S. XIX, 1), 'Thee, the sweet (liquor I mix) with the sweet (Soma),' he compounds (the ingredients for the preparation of) the Surâ-liquor21, and makes it palatable;--'the strong with the strong,' he thereby bestows energy on him (the Sacrificer);--'the immortal with the immortal,' he thereby bestows life on him 'the honeyed with the honeyed,' he thereby bestows flavour to it (the liquor);--'I mix with the Soma,' he thereby makes it (the Surâ-liquor) a form of Soma.
6. 'Thou art Soma: get thee matured for the Asvins! get thee matured for Sarasvatî! get thee matured for Indra Sutrâman!' for these were the deities who first prepared that sacrifice, and with their help he now prepares it; and, moreover, he thereby provides these deities with their share. He distils it with a view to (its being like) the Soma-pressing. For three nights it remains standing, for the Soma remains standing for three nights after it has been bought: he thus makes it a form of Soma.
7. There are two Vedis22 (altar-grounds),--'Two worlds in truth there are,' they say, 'the world of the gods, and the world of the Fathers.' One (of the Vedis) is in the north, and the other in the south, for the world of the gods is in the north, and the world of the Fathers in the south; by the northern one he secures the world of the gods, by the southern one the world of the Fathers.
8. There are both milk and Surâ-liquor; for milk is Soma, and the Surâ-liquor food: through the milk he secures the Soma-drink, and through the Surâ-liquor food. And milk is the nobility (chieftaincy), and Surâ-liquor the peasantry (clan); the milk he purifies after purifying the Surâ-liquor: he thus produces the nobility from out of the peasantry, for the nobility is produced from out of the peasantry.
9. With (Vâg. S. XIX, 3), 'Purified by Vâyu's purifier is the backward-flowing, exceeding swift Soma,' he purifies (the liquor23) in the case of one purged by Soma: in a suitable manner he thus purifies him (the Sacrificer);--'Indra's faithful companion:' whatever energy, or vital power, had passed away from him with that (Soma), that he now restores to him.
10. With, 'Purified by Vâyu's purifier is the forward-flowing, exceeding swift Soma,' he purifies (the liquor) in the case of one who has vomited Soma: in a suitable manner he thus purifies him (the Sacrificer);--'Indra's faithful companion:' whatever energy, or vital power, had passed away from him with that (Soma), that he now restores to him.
11. With (Vâg. S. XIX, 4), 'She purifieth thy liquor,' he, for prosperity, purifies (the Surâ) in the case of one wishing for prosperity;--'thy Soma, she, the daughter of Sûrya:' the daughter of Sûrya (the sun) assuredly is Faith, and by faith that (liquor) becomes Soma juice, and by faith he makes it to be Soma-juice;--'with the perpetual tail,' for with a tail-whisk that (liquor) is purified.
12. With (Vâg. S. XIX, 5), 'The Brahman and Kshatra he purifieth,' he purifies the milk24: he thus produces the Kshatra from out of the Brahman, for from out of the priesthood the nobility is produced;--'the fiery spirit and energy;' fiery spirit and energy, vital power, he thus bestows on him;--'with the Surâ the Soma,' for with the Surâ-liquor is Soma;--'the juice, is distilled,' for from the distilled the juice is obtained;--'for joy,' to joy (intoxication), indeed, the Soma juice contributes, and to joy also does the Surâ-liquor: he thus secures both the joy of the Soma, and the joy of the Surâ;--'with the pure juice, O god, satiate the deities!' that is, 'with the pure juice satisfy thou the deities;'--'with sap bestow thou food on the Sacrificer,' sap and food he thereby bestows on the Sacrificer. The cups of milk are taken first, then the cups of Surâ-liquor: he thereby makes the peasantry obedient to the nobility.
13. With (Vâg. S. XIX, 6), 'Yea, even as the owners of barley cut their barley25. . .,' (the Adhvaryu) fills (three) cups of milk,--barley-stalks are Soma-stems, and milk is Soma juice: by means of Soma he thus makes it Soma-juice. With a single (verse) he fills them: singly and solely on the Sacrificer he thus bestows prosperity, for milk is prosperity.
14. With (Vâg. S. XIX, 7), 'Separately, indeed, a seat, acceptable to the gods, hath been prepared for you two,' he fills the (three) cups of Surâ-liquor; for separate, indeed, are the Soma-juice and the Surâ-liquor; and 'acceptable to the gods' he says, because these two are indeed acceptable to the gods; and 'separately a seat hath been prepared' he says, because there are two altar-grounds;--'do not ye mingle in the highest heaven!' he thereby keeps him (the Sacrificer) from evil;--'the potent Surâ-liquor thou art,' he thereby makes Surâ to be Surâ;--'and this is Soma,' he thereby makes Soma to be Soma;--'entering thine own seat, injure me not!' he thereby turns it (the Surâ-liquor) away to its own seat for his own safety. With a single (verse) he fills them: singly and solely on the Sacrificer he thus bestows fame, for the Surâ-liquor is fame.
15. Verily, the cups of milk are the nobility (chieftaincy), and the cups of Surâ-liquor are the peasantry (clan): thus, were he to draw (the cups) without interlinking them, he would detach the peasantry from the nobility, and the nobility from the peasantry, and would cause confusion between the higher and lower, and a failure of the sacrifice. He draws them so as to be interlinked26, and thereby combines the peasantry with the nobility, and the nobility with the peasantry, for the prevention of confusion between the higher and lower, and for the success of the sacrifice.
16. And the cups of milk are the vital airs, and the cups of Surâ-liquor the body: thus, were he to draw (the cups) without interlinking them, he would detach the body from the vital airs, and the vital airs from the body, and the Sacrificer would be liable to perish. He draws them so as to be interlinked, and thereby combines the body with the vital airs, and the vital airs with the body; and, indeed, he also lays vital power (or life) into him: whence he who has performed the Sautrâmanî, and even he who thus knows this, attains the full (measure of) life.
17. And the cups of milk are Soma, and the cups of Surâ-liquor food: thus, in that both cups of milk and cups of Surâ-liquor are taken, he indeed secures for himself both the Soma-drink and food.
18. And the cups of milk are cattle, and the cups of Surâ-liquor food: thus, in that both cups of milk and cups of Surâ-liquor are taken, he indeed secures for himself both cattle and food.
19. And the cups of milk are domestic animals, and the cups of Surâ-liquor wild animals: thus, in that both cups of milk and cups of Surâ-liquor are taken, he indeed secures for himself both domestic and wild animals. And he mixes the cups of milk with both cultivated and wild-growing (fruit), whereby both cultivated and wild-growing food is secured to the domestic animals.
20. As to this they say, 'In that there are those wild beasts, this is a form of that cruel deity; and if he were to mix the cups of milk with hairs of those beasts, he would thrust the cattle into the mouth of Rudra, and the Sacrificer would be without cattle let him not mix them, or cattle would not be secured by him, for Rudra is the ruler of animals.' The cups of Surâ-liquor alone he mixes with hairs of those beasts: he thus puts into the Surâ what belongs to Rudra, whence by drinking Surâ-liquor one becomes of violent (raudra) mind; and on the wild beasts alone he thus directs Rudra's shaft so as to insure safety to the domestic animals; and cattle are secured by him and he does not thrust the cattle into the mouth of Rudra.
21. [Vâg. S. XIX, 10; 11,] 'That dysentery which spareth both the tiger and the wolf, the winged eagle and the lion, may it spare this (Sacrificer) trouble!--Whereas, as a child, joyfully sucking, I chafed my mother, so now, O Agni, I become freed from my debt: unharmed by me are my parents.'
22. With two eagle-feathers, the Adhvaryu and Pratiprasthâtri purify the Sacrificer, turned towards the cast behind the altar-ground27, both upwards and downwards,--this is a form of the in-breathing and the upward breathing: the in-breathing and the upward breathing he thereby secures; for both upwards and downwards this breath passes along the body. With (Vâg. S. XIX, 1I), 'Uniting ye are: unite me with happiness28!' he touches the cups of milk: with prosperity and fame he thereby endows him. With, 'Disuniting ye are: disunite me from evil!' he touches the cups of Surâ-liquor: he thereby keeps him from evil.
Footnotes
1. The Sautrâmanî is usually classed as one of the seven divisions of the Haviryagña, though, in reality, it is much more than that; its peculiarity consisting in a combination of the ordinary features of the Haviryagña, or ishti (cf. XII, 7, 2, 22), with those of the animal sacrifice, whilst a third important element, viz. libations of spirituous liquor, imparts to it a certain resemblance, and doubtless an intended resemblance, to the Soma-sacrifice. Of this sacrifice we have already met with a variation in connection with the Râgasûya (cf. part iii, p. 229 seq.), that form being usually called the Karaka-Sautrâmanî, as being adopted from the ritual of the Karaka-adhvaryus; whilst the form described in the remaining portion of the present Kânda is, according to Lâty. Sraut. V, 4, 20, called Kaukili Sautrâmanî. (cf. Âsv. Sr. III, 9, 9 comm.; Weber, Ind. Stud. III, p. 385). The name itself is derived from 'sutrâman,' i.e. 'the good guardian,' as which Indra is worshipped in this sacrifice (cf. V, 5, 4. 1 seq.). The whole performance takes four days, during the first three of which the Surâ-liquor is prepared and matured, and offerings of a rice-pap to Aditi, and a bull to Indra are performed; whilst the main sacrifice takes place on the fourth day--the day of either full moon or new moon--the chief oblations offered on that day being three cups of milk, and as many of Surâ-liquor, to the Asvins, Sarasvatî, and Indra respectively; of three animal victims to the same deities; and of thirty-three libations of fat gravy, or liquid fat (vasâ), obtained from the cooking of the victims, and offered by means of bull's hoofs used as cups. At the end of the sacrifice, a third bull is offered to Indra in his form of Vayodhas (giver of life), together with another pap (karu) to Aditi and an oblation of curds to Mitra and Varuna. No mention is made of the Agnîshomîya he-goat usually offered .on the day preceding the Soma-pressing, the first bull offered to Indra probably taking its place on this occasion, whilst the hull to Indra Vayodhas would seem to take the place of the sacrifice of a barren cow (to Mitra and Varuna) which usually takes place at the end of a Soma-sacrifice. In an interesting variation (Sautrâmana-yagña), described in Sâṅkh. Sr. XIV, 12-13, and performed as a real (Agnishtoma) Soma-sacrifice, the final animal sacrifice indeed is that of a barren cow to Indra Sutrâman; only two other victims--a reddish he-goat to the Asvins and a ewe to Sarasvatî--being mentioned.
2. 'Exposed (liable) to witching,' Delbrück, Altindische Syntax, p. 401.
3. 'Vîrya' (virile power) is constantly used to explain 'indriya.'
4. The words 'kuvala, badara, and karkandhu' are the names of three varieties of the jujube, or fruits of Zizyphus Jujuba, for a description of which see the comm. on Kâty. Sr. XIX, 17 seqq. According to Stewart and Brandis’ Forest Flora of North-West and Central India (p. 87), 'this species varies exceedingly, in the shape and size of the fruits, the shape and tomentum of the leaves, and general habit;' 'the Zizyphi of North India want more investigation on the spot.' . . . 'Lakh is produced on this tree in Sindh, the Panjab, and Central India, The bark is used as dye-stuff; the root is a febrifuge in native pharmacy. A gum exudes from the trunk; and in Kangra a wild silkworm lives on the tree, the silk of which was much employed formerly to tie the barrel to the stock of the matchlock. But the tree is mainly cultivated for its fruit, which is more or less globose on the wild and commoner sorts, and ovoid or oblong on the cultivated and improved kinds.'
5. See note 3 on preceding page.
7. According to Kâty. XIX, 1, 4, the Sautrâmanî may also be performed by one who finds himself in the unfortunate position here referred to; as also (acc. to ib. 3) by a king who has been deprived of his kingdom.
8. According to XII, 9, 2, 11, a milch cow with her calf are given as dakshinâ for the two paps offered to Aditi, whilst a mare and foal, according to XII, 7, 2, 21, are the fee for the offering of the three victims; though Kâtyâyana, it is true, makes no mention of this dakshinâ.
9. Or, perhaps, he (the Sacrificer) secures for himself; but see paragraph 15, 'asmai avarunddhe.'
10. Hairs of a wolf, tiger, and lion are put into the cups of spirituous liquor from which libations are made.
11. That is, rice and barley grain that has germinated, and subsequently become dry.
12. As on the occasion of the purchase of Soma-plants (part ii, p. 63 seq.), the bargain is effected near the antahpâtya-peg at the back of the Vedi, where an ox-hide is spread for the purpose; the Adhvaryu asking the seller, 'Seller of Surâ and Soma, hast thou Surâ and Soma for sale?'
13. Thus 'ûrnâ-sûtram' is to be resolved, according to Kâty. XIX, 1, 18; the wool being used for buying malted barley, and the thread for buying fried rice.
14. That is, one is the same as the other.
15. For the use of this pot, see note on XII, 8, 1, 8.
16. See XII, 8, 3, 14. 15.
17. At III, 7, 2, 1. 2, I would also now translate 'upasaya' by 'supernumerary' or 'additional':--there are eleven stakes, and a twelfth, rough-hewn, supernumerary one, &c.
18. For the use of the two feathers of an eagle, see XII, 7, 3, 22.
19. The rule (as laid down in III, 8, 3, 1) is that the Pasu-purodâsa, or animal cakes, offered after the animal portions, should belong to the same deities to whom the victims are sacred. On the present occasion this is, however, not the case; for while the three sacrificial animals of the main performance belong to the Asvins, to Sarasvatî and Indra, the three cakes are offered to Indra, Savitri, and Varuna respectively.
20. Vâg. S. XIX, 72 seq. On the myth cp. Muir, O. S. T., vol. v, p. 94.
21. The preparation of the Surâ is described in Kâty. XIX, i, 20-21 and comms., and by Mahîdhara on Vâg. S. XIX, 1, in the following way. Having purchased (a) malted rice (sashpa), malted barley (tokma), and fried rice (lâgâh), and (b) various vegetable substances (called with the generic name of nagnahu) serving as spices and ferments, such as the bark of Vatica robusta, three myrobalans (nutmeg, areca-nut, and cloves), ginger, hog-weed, &c., he takes them into the fire-house, and pounds the two lots separately. He then prepares two gruels or mashes of rice and millet respectively, adding more water than is ordinarily used, puts them on the fire till they boil over, and catches the overflowing water in two separate vessels. He then acids thereto one-third part of the (still separate) pounded malted rice and barley and fried rice (or one-sixth part into each vessel), and likewise one-half of the spice (or one-fourth part into each vessel): this mixture, called mâsara (serving both as malt and as flavouring matter), is allowed to dry and is then pounded. One-half of the remaining pounded malted rice and barley and fried rice, as well as the whole of the remaining spices, is then, in equal parts, added to the two mashes, which are thereupon poured into a large vessel, after which the pounded 'mâsara' is mixed with the compound whilst the above formula is pronounced; and the pot is deposited in a hole dug in the south-western corner of the fire-shed (sâlâ), where it remains standing for three days (and nights), during which the milk of one, two, and three cows respectively, and the remaining quantities of malted and fried grain are gradually added to it (see XII, 8, 2, 8-10).
22. The two Vedis are prepared, in front of the Âhavanîya, by the Adhvaryu and Pratiprasthâtri respectively in a way similar to those required for the Varunapraghâsâh, see part i, p. 392, note. There is some space between them, but not more than will allow a seat to stand on both Vedis (XII, 8, 3, 6). The dimensions (of the northern altar-ground) are in accordance with those of the mahâvedi (measuring thirty-six prakramas or steps long, twenty-four on the hind (west) side, and thirty-six (or thirty) on the front (east) side), except that the unit of measure, in this case, is one-third prakrama,--the area being thus equal to one-ninth of the mahâvedi (some authorities, however, making it one-third). Behind the two Vedis two mounds (khara) are thrown up for the three cups of milk, or three cups of Surâ-liquor respectively, to be deposited thereon. On the northern Vedi an uttara-vedi (high-altar), occupying about one-third of its area, is prepared, on which a sacrificial fire (taken from the Âhavanîya) is afterwards laid down for the use of the Adhvaryu in making libations from the cups of milk; another fire being laid down on the southern mound for the use of the Pratiprasthâtri in making libations from the cups of Surâ-liquor.
23. This performance thus takes place on the fourth day. Behind the mound of the southern Vedi a hole is dug, and an ox-hide spread over it. On this skin the unstrained liquor (parisrut) is either poured, a fine strainer (made of bamboo) being then laid thereon so that the clear liquor percolates through the holes, and the dregs remain below; or the strainer is placed on the skin, and the unstrained liquor is poured on it so as to allow the clear liquor to flow through on the skin. The liquor is then poured into a pan (sata), and further purified by a whisk of cow and horse-hair being drawn through it, or the liquor being strained through the hair.
24. This takes place on the northern Vedi, by means of a wooden (reed) vessel and a strainer of goat's and sheep's hair.
25. For the complete verse, see V, 5, 4, 24.
26. That is to say, in drawing the cups he draws alternately a cup of milk, and a cup of Surâ; Kâty. Sr. XIX, 2, 21. According to ib. 22, the three cups of milk may, however, be drawn first, and then the cups of liquor.
27. That is, behind the mahâ-vedi, near the antahpâtya-peg, where the purchase of the ingredients for the preparation of the Surâ had taken place.
28. Cf. V, 1, 2, 18, where the same two formulas are used whilst the Soma and Surâ-cups are first held together, and then withdrawn from each other; and the terms 'samprik' and 'viprik' were accordingly taken in a passive sense, 'united' and 'disunited;' whilst here the active sense seems preferable, the term 'viprik' probably referring to the tendency of fiery liquor for producing broils.
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