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The Satapatha Brahmana: Twelfth Kânda, Sixth Adhyâya
First Brâhmana
Expiatory oblations of Soma-sacrifice.
1. Verily, Pragâpati, the sacrifice, is King Soma; and these deities to whom he offers, and these oblations which he offers, are forms of him.
2. If any part of the sacrifice were to fail, let him make an oblation with regard to that same deity for whom he may have intended (that part),--on the Âhavanîya, if it is during the initiation and the Upasads; on the Âgnîdhra, if it is at the Soma-pressing;--for whatever joint of the sacrifice fails, that breaks; and whichever then is the deity in that (part of the sacrifice) through that deity he heals the sacrifice, through that one he makes the sacrifice complete again1.
3. If, however, the sacrifice, resolved upon in his mind, were not to incline to him2, let him perform an oblation with, 'To Parameshthin hail!' for Parameshthin (the most high) he (Soma3) then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
4. And if the sacrifice, bespoken by his speech4 were not to incline to him, let him perform an oblation with, 'To Pragâpati hail!' for Pragâpati (the lord of creatures) he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
5. And if any one's (people), having gone in quest of the King (Soma), do not come back bringing (Soma-plants), let him perform an oblation with, 'To the plant hail!' for the plant he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
6. And if, when acquired, (his Soma). were to meet with any mishap, let him perform an oblation with, 'To Savitri hail!' for Savitri he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
7. And if during the initiation (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap, let him perform an oblation with, 'To Visvakarman hail!' for Visvakarman he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
8. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap in regard to the (cow) given in exchange for the Soma, let him perform an ablation with, 'To Pûshan hail!' for Pûshan he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
9. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap when forthcoming for the purchase, let him perform an oblation with, 'To Indra and the Maruts hail!' for Indra and the Maruts he (Soma) then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
10. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap whilst being bargained for, let him perform an oblation with, 'To the Asura hail!' for the Asura he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
11. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap after he has been bought, let him perform an oblation with, 'To Mitra hail!' for Mitra he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
12. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap whilst seated on (the Sacrificer's) lap5, let him perform an oblation with, 'To Vishnu Sipivishta hail!' for Vishnu Sipivishta he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
13. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap whilst being driven about, let him perform. An oblation with, 'To Vishnu Narandhisha hail! for Vishnu Narandhisha he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
14. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap when he has reached (the hall), let him perform an oblation with, 'To Soma hail!' for Soma he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
15. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap when seated on the throne, let him perform an oblation with, 'To Varuna hail!' for Varuna he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
16. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap whilst staying in the Âgnîdhra, let him perform an oblation with, 'To Agni hail!' for Agni he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
17. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap whilst staying in the Havirdhâna, let him perform an oblation with, 'To Indra hail!' for Indra he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
18. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap whilst being taken down (from the ear), let him perform an oblation with, 'To Atharvan hail!' for Atharvan he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
19. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap when thrown down (on the pressing-board) in (the shape of) the Soma-stalks, let him perform an oblation with, 'To the All-gods hail!' for the All-gods he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
20. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap whilst being invigorated (moistened), let him perform an oblation with, 'To Vishnu Âprîtapâ hail!' for Vishnu Âprîtapâ (the protector of the appeased) he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
21. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap whilst being pressed, let him perform an oblation with, 'To Yama hail!' for Yama he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
22. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap whilst being gathered together6, let him perform an oblation with, 'To Vishnu hail!' for Vishnu he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
23. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap whilst being purified (strained), let him perform an oblation with, 'To Vâyu hail!' for Vâyu he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
24. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap when purified, let him perform an oblation with, 'To Sukra hail!' for Sukra (the clear one) he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
25. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap when mixed with milk, let him perform an oblation with, 'To Sukra hail!' for Sukra he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
26. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap when mixed with barley-meal, let him perform an oblation with, 'To Manthin hail!' for Manthin (Soma mixed with meal) he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
27. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap when drawn into the cups, let him perform an oblation with, 'To the All-gods hail!' for the All-gods he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
28. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap when ready for the libation, let him perform an oblation with, 'To Asu hail!' for Asu (the breath of life) he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
29. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap whilst being offered, let him perform an oblation with, 'To Rudra hail!' for Rudra he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
30. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap when he has returned7, let him perform an oblation with, 'To Vâta hail!' for Vâta (the wind) he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
31. And if, after being looked at, (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap, let him perform an oblation with, 'To Nrikakshas hail!' for Nrikakshas (man-viewing) he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
32. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap whilst being consumed, let him perform an oblation with, 'To Bhaksha hail!' for Bhaksha (drink) he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
33. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap when contained in the Nârâsamsa (cups8), let him perform an oblation with, 'To the Nârâsamsa Fathers hail!' for the Nârâsamsa (man-praising) Fathers he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
34. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap when ready for the purificatory bath9, let him perform an oblation with, 'To the Stream hail!' for a stream he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
35. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap whilst being taken down (to the water), let him perform an oblation with, 'To the Sea hail!' for a sea he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
36. And if (his Soma) were to meet with any mishap when immersed, let him perform an oblation with, 'To the Flood hail!' for a flood he then is: he repels evil, and the sacrifice inclines to him.
37. These, then, are the thirty-three oblations he performs; for there are thirty-three gods, and Pragâpati is the thirty-fourth: with the help of all the gods he thus heals the sacrifice, and with the help of all the gods he makes it complete again.
38. The Brahman (superintending priest) himself should perform them, and no other than the Brahman; for the Brahman sits on the right (south) side of the sacrifice, and protects the sacrifice on the right side. If, however, the Brahman should not know (these formulas and oblations), any one who knows them may perform them; but (let him do so) after applying for leave to the Brahman, and with his permission. Now as to the meaning of these (formulas). Vasishtha knew the Virâg10: Indra coveted it.
39. He spake, 'Rishi, thou knowest the Virâg: teach me it!' He replied, 'What would therefrom accrue to me?'--'I would teach thee the expiation for the whole sacrifice, I would show thee its form.'--He replied, 'Well, but tell me, if thou wert to teach me the expiation for the whole sacrifice, what would become of him to whom thou wouldst show its form?'--'Verily, he would depart from this world to the heaven of the living.'
40. The Rishi then taught Indra that Virâg;--but the Virâg, they say, is this (earth), whence he who possesses most thereof is the most powerful.
41. And Indra then taught the Rishi this expiation from the Agnihotra up to the Great Litany. And formerly, indeed, the Vasishthas alone knew these utterances, whence formerly only one of the Vasishtha family became Brahman; but since nowadays anybody (may) study them, anybody (may) now become Brahman11. And, indeed, he who thus knows these utterances is worthy to become Brahman, or may reply, when addressed as 'Brahman12!'
Footnotes
1. Cf. IV, 5, 7, 6.
2. That is to say, if untoward circumstances were to arise threatening to prevent the intended Soma-sacrifice. The mental resolve (samkalpa), on the part of the Sacrificer, is the first act in the performance of a sacrifice.
3. Or, it (the sacrifice), as Harisvâmin takes it.
4. That is, after he has announced his intention to perform a Soma-sacrifice, by saying 'Somena yakshye,' 'I will sacrifice by means of Soma.'
5. See III, 6, 3, 4. This particular ceremony is rather out of place here, as in its regular order it should come after paragraph 15.
6. See III, 9, 4, 19, 'Thrice he presses, and thrice he gathers (the beaten plants) together . . .'
7. Viz. to the Havirdhâna where the cups from which libations have been made are deposited on the mound (khara); cf. III, 1, 2, 24.
8. See part ii, p. 154, note 1.
9. The pressed-out Soma-husks are taken down to (and thrown into) the water where the Sacrificer is to bathe, see IV, 4, 5, 1 seqq.
10. That is, the 'far-shining;' or 'far-ruling' (metre).
11. Professor Delbrück, Altindische Syntax, p. 570, takes this clause thus:--'and therefore even now he who remains of them (i.e. of the Vasishtha family) is (? becomes) Brahman.' This rendering takes, however, no account of the 'tu'; and, indeed, it will hardly fit in with the relative clause which precedes it.
12. That is to say, when, as superintending priest, he is addressed by another priest asking whether he may now begin some performance, or informing him that he is about to do so, he may give the desired direction. Such applications by the other priests begin with 'O Brahman!' cf. XIII, 1, 2, 4; and part i, p. 22, note 2.
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