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The Satapatha Brahmana: Twelfth Kânda, Third Adhyâya
First Brâhmana
1. 'Seeing that all this threefold universe keeps passing into one another, O Bâlâki, how is it that these,--to wit, the sacrifice, Man, and Pragâpati,--do not exceed one another?
2. Seeing that the upward Stomas follow the sacrifice, fitting themselves by repetitions with Sâmans, how do they enter man, and how do they become united with the vital airs?
3. The Prâyanîya Atirâtra, the Katurvimsa day, the four Abhiplavas, and the Prishthya (shadaha):how do these enter man, and how do they become united with the vital airs?
4. Fitted out with the Abhigit, the Svarasâmans join the Vishuvat on both sides:--how do these enter man, and how do they become united with the vital airs?
5. Setting out with the Trivrit, fitted out with the (Pañkadasa and) Saptadasa, and ending with the Trayastrimsa; with (the series of stomas increasing) successively by four (syllables1):--how do these enter man, and how do they become united with the vital airs?'
6. The Trivrit is his head, the Pañkadasa his neck; and the chest, they say, corresponds to the Saptadasa; the Ekavimsa they make the belly, and the two sides, by means of the Trinava, correspond to the ribs.
7. The Abhiplavas on both sides (of the Vishuvat) are his arms, the Prishthya is the back,--so say the wise; and his spine the Brâhmanas fashion in the year by means of the (series of stomas increasing) successively by four (syllables).
8. The Abhigit and Visvagit are his ears; and his eyes, they say, correspond to the Svarasâmans; the Vishuvat, they say, is the breath of the nostrils; and the Go and Âyus are those two downward breathings.
9. The Dasarâtra they call his limbs, and the Mahâvrata the Brâhmanas fashion (arrange) so as to be the mouth in the year2;--the Supreme Self has entered into that year endowed with all stomas and with all sâmans: having fashioned him alike with the body, the sage is seated free from pain3 on the heights of the ruddy one (the sun).
Second Brâhmana
1. The Year is Man4:--'Man' is one unit, and 'year' is another, and these now are one and the same;--there are in the year the two, day and night, and in man there are these two breathings, and these now are one and the same;--there are three seasons in the year, and these three breathings in man, and these (two) now are one and the same;--'samvatsara (year)' consists of four syllables, and so does 'yagamâna (sacrificer),' and these (two) now are one and the same;--there are five seasons in the year, and these five breathings in man, and these (two) now are one and the same;--there are six seasons in the year, and these six breathings in man, and these (two) now are one and the same;--there are seven seasons in the year, and these seven breathings in man, and these (two) now are one and the same.
2. There are twelve months in the year, and these twelve breathings in man, and these (two) now are one and the same;--there are thirteen months in the (leap-) year, and these thirteen (channels of) breathings in man, the navel being the thirteenth, and these (two) now are one and the same;--there are twenty-four half-months in the year, and this man is twenty-four-fold, being possessed of twenty fingers and toes and four limbs; and. these (two) now are one and the same;--there are twenty-six half-months in the (leap-) year, and this man is twenty-six-fold, the two feet making up the twenty-six; and these (two) now are one and the same.
3. And there are three hundred and sixty nights in the year, and three hundred and sixty bones in man, and these (two) now are one and the same;--there are three hundred and sixty days in the year, and three hundred and sixty parts of marrow in man, and these (two) now are one and the same.
4. And there are seven hundred and twenty days and nights in the year, and seven hundred and twenty bones and parts of marrow in man, and these (two) now are one and the same.
5. And there are ten thousand and eight hundred 'muhûrta' in the year; and fifteen times as many 'kshipras' as there are 'muhûrta'; and fifteen times as many 'etarhi' as there are 'kshipra;' and fifteen times as many 'idâni' as there are 'etarhi'; and fifteen times as many breathings as there are 'idâni'; and as many spirations as there are breathings5; and as many twinklings of the eye as there are spirations, and as many hair-pits as there are twinklings of the eye, and as many sweat-pores as there are hair-pits; and as many sweat-pores as there are so many drops it rains.
6. Concerning this, Vârkali, knowing this, once said, 'I know the raining cloud extending over the whole earth, and the drops of that rain.'
7. It is with reference thereto that this verse is told,--Whilst whirling round, be it standing, or sitting, or even sleeping, how often does man, otherwise than from toil, breathe and expel the air regularly6 by day and night?
8. And in answer thereto this verse is told,-- Inasmuch as man is what is measured a hundred hundred and eight hundred, therefore they say:--so often does man regularly7 breathe and expel the air by day and night.
Third Brâhmana
1. The gods were once performing the initiation ceremony for a (sacrificial session) of a thousand years. When five hundred years had passed with them, everything here was worn out--to wit, Stomas, and Prishthas, and metres (texts).
2. The gods then perceived that unexhausted element of the sacrifice, and by means of that unexhausted element they obtained what success there was in the Veda; and, verily, for him who thus knows this, the Vedas are unexhausted, and the work of the officiating priests is pet-formed with the unexhausted threefold science.
3. Now, this is that unexhausted element of the sacrifice:--o-srâvaya, astu sraushat, yaga, ye yagâmahe, and vaushat8. In these five utterances there are seventeen syllables:--o-srâvaya consists of four syllables, astu sraushat of four syllables, yaga of two syllables, ye yagâmahe of five syllables;
4. And the Vashat-call consists of two syllables. This is the seventeenfold Pragâpati, as established in the deity and in the body, and, verily, whosoever thus knows that seventeenfold Pragâpati, as established in the deity and in the body, establishes himself by offspring and cattle in this, and by immortality in the other, world.
5. The gods then spake, 'Find ye out that sacrificial performance which shall be a substitute for one of a thousand years; for what man is equal thereto that he could get through with (a performance of) a thousand years?'
6. They saw the Visvagit with all the Prishthas9 to be an accelerated Soma-feast in lien of the Prishthya-shadaha, for there are those (same) Stomas, those Prishthas, and those metres.
7. They saw the Prishthya-shadaha to be an accelerated Soma-feast in lieu of the Dvâdasâha, for there are those (same) Stomas, those Prishthas, and those metres10.
8. They saw the Dvâdasâha to be an accelerated Soma-feast in lieu of (a session of) a year11, for there are those (same) Stomas, those Prishthas, and those metres.
9. They saw the (session of a) year to be an accelerated Soma-feast in lieu of the Tâpaskita12, for there are those (same) Stomas, those Prishthas, and those metres.
10. They saw the Tâpaskita to be an accelerated Soma-feast in lieu of the thousand years’ performance, for there are those (same) Stomas, those Prishthas, and those metres.
11. He passes a year with the rites of initiation, a year with the Upasads, and a year with the pressings of Soma.
12. When he passes a year with the rites of initiation he thereby secures for himself the first part of the performance of a thousand years; and when he passes a year with the Upasads he thereby secures for himself the central part of the performance of a thousand years; and when he passes a year with the pressings he thereby secures for himself the last part of the performance of a thousand years.
13. Twelve months he passes with the rites of initiation, twelve with the Upasads, and twelve with the pressings,--that makes thirty-six. Now the Brihatî (metre) consists of thirty-six syllables, and by means of the Brihatî the gods strove to reach heaven, and by means of the Brihatî they indeed attained heaven; and in like manner does this one, by means of the Brihatî, now strive to reach heaven, and by means of the Brihatî he indeed attains heaven; and whatever object of desire there is in the Brihatî, that he thereby secures for himself.
14. But, indeed, there is that triad that is performed together,--the Agni (fire-altar), the Arkya, and the Mahad Uktham (great litany). When he passes a year with the rites of initiation, and a year with the Upasads, thereby the Agni and the Arka are secured by him; and when he passes a year with the pressings, thereby the Mahad Uktham is secured by him: this, then, to wit, the Tâpaskita, is the substitute for the performance of a thousand years, and this, to wit, the Tâpaskita, conduces to the procreation of creatures.
Fourth Brâhmana
1. Pragâpati once upon a time spake unto Purusha Nârâyana, 'Offer sacrifice! offer sacrifice!' He spake, 'Verily, thou sayest to me, "Offer sacrifice! offer sacrifice!" and thrice have I offered sacrifice: by the morning-service the Vasus went forth, by the midday-service the Rudras, and by the evening-service the Âdityas; now I have but the offering-place13, and on the offering-place I am sitting.'
2. He spake, 'Offer yet sacrifice! I will tell thee such a thing that thy hymns shall be strung as a pearl on a thread, or a thread through a pearl.'
3. And he spake thus unto him, ‘At the (chanting of the) Bahishpavamâna, at the morning-service, thou shalt hold on to the Udgâtri from behind, saying, "Thou art a falcon formed of the Gâyatrî metre,--I hold on to thee: bear me unto well-being!"
4. ‘And at the midday Pavamâna thou shalt hold on to the Udgâtri from behind, saying, "Thou art an eagle formed of the Trishtubh metre,--I hold on to thee: bear me unto well-being! "
5. ‘And at the Ârbhava-pavamâna, at the evening-service, thou shalt hold on to the Udgâtri from behind, saying, "Thou art a Ribhu formed of the Gagat metre,--I hold on to thee: bear me unto well-being!"
6. 'And at the close of each pressing thou shalt mutter, "In me be light, in me might, in me glory, in me everything!"'
7. Now light, indeed, is this (terrestrial) world, might the air-world, glory the heavens, and what other worlds there are, they are everything (else).
8. And light, indeed, is Agni, might Vâyu (the wind), glory Âditya (the sun), and what other gods there are they are everything.
9. And light, indeed, is the Rig-veda, might the Yagur-vela, glory the Sâma-veda, and what other Vedas there are they are everything.
10. And light, indeed, is speech, might the breath, glory the eye, and what other vital airs there are they are everything.
11. Let him know this:--'All the worlds have I placed within mine own self, and mine own self have I placed within all the worlds; all the gods have I placed within mine own self, and mine own self have I placed within all the gods; all the Vedas have I placed within mine own self, and mine own self have I placed within all the Vedas; all the vital airs have I placed within mine own self, and mine own self have I placed within the vital airs.' For imperishable, indeed, are the worlds, imperishable the gods, imperishable the Vedas, imperishable the vital airs, imperishable is the All: and, verily, whosoever thus knows this, passes from the imperishable unto the imperishable, conquers recurrent death, and attains the full measure of life.
Fifth Brâhmana
1. Of old, indeed, they were wont to seize this victim as one dedicated to Savitri, but now they seize it as one dedicated to Pragâpati, saying, 'Savitri, in truth, is the same as Pragâpati.' It is therefore after having thrown together the (sacrificial) fires that they ought to perform this (animal) sacrifice on the Grihapati's own fires, thinking, 'May we also have a share in this tail (of the. victim) wherewith they are now making offering together to the wives (of the gods).' They then perform the initiation ceremony whenever they choose.
2. Here now they say, 'They ought to have separate hearths; and if one of the initiates were to be taken ill let him stay aside offering the Agnihotra. If he gets well again, they bring (the fires) together and invite him to join them; but if he dies they burn him by his own (three) fires14 without an (ordinary) fire for (burning) a dead body; and the other sacrificers sit (through the sacrificial session);--such at least is the performance in the case of one who keeps up his sacrificial fires; but, indeed, they have their hearths in common: the theological explication of this is the same as in regard to the preparatory ceremonial15.'
3. They also say, 'Seeing that the performers of a year's session become initiated for a year, how does their Agnihotra come to be uninterrupted?' Let him reply, 'By the fast-milk.'
4. They also say, 'Seeing that the performers of a year's session become initiated for a year, how does their Full-moon oblation come to be uninterrupted?' Let him reply, 'By the ghee and the sacrificial cake.'
5. They also say, 'Seeing that the performers of a year's session become initiated for a year, how does their New-moon oblation come to be uninterrupted?' Let him reply, 'By the sour curds and the cake.'
6. They also say, 'Seeing that the performers of a year's session become initiated for a year, how does their offering to the Fathers come to be uninterrupted?' Let him reply,' By the Aupâsana (rites16).'
7. They also say, 'Seeing that the performers of a year's session become initiated for a year, how does their offering of firstfruits come to be uninterrupted?' Let him reply, 'By Soma's pap17.'
8. They also say, 'Seeing that the performers of a year's session become initiated for a year, how do their seasonal offerings come to be uninterrupted?' Let him reply, 'By the Payasyâ18.'
9. They also say, 'Seeing that the performers of a year's session become initiated for a year, how does their animal sacrifice come to be uninterrupted?' Let him reply, 'By the animal and the cake19.'
10. They also say, 'Seeing that the performers of a year's session become initiated for a year, how does their Soma come to be uninterrupted?' Let him reply, 'By the Soma-pressings.'
11. It is thus that these sacrificial rites enter into the year; and, verily, whosoever thus knows this entering of the sacrificial rites into the year becomes a sharer in the heavenly world.
12. In the year there should be known to be uniformity:--one Atirâtra they perform before, and one after, the Vishuvat; fifty three Agnishtomas they perform before, and fifty-three after, the Vishuvat; one hundred and twenty Ukthya days they perform before, and one hundred and twenty after, the Vishuvat,--thus at least in the case of those who perform the Svarasâmans as Ukthyas.
13. And in the case of those who (perform them) as Agnishtomas, they perform fifty-six Agnishtomas before, and fifty-six after, the Vishuvat; one hundred and seventeen Ukthya days they perform before, and one hundred and seventeen after, the Vishuvat; six Shodasins they perform before, and six after, the Vishuvat; thirty Shadahas20 they perform before, and thirty after, the Vishuvat:--such, then, is the uniformity of that (year), and, verily, he who thus knows this goes through a course of sacrificial performance which is uniform, and not ineffectual, neither defective nor redundant.
Footnotes
1. The Trivrit, or nine-versed stoma, is, however, followed by the Pañkadasa, or fifteen-versed stoma--the thirteen-versed form not being in ordinary use--and these are succeeded by the Saptadasa (17), Ekavimsa (21), &c. Possibly, however, this last sentence may refer to the six days of the Prishthya-shadaha for which the stomas consisting of 9, 25, 17, 21, 27 and 33 verses respectively are used. On the Abhigit day, each of the first four stomas is used in succession for three stotras, the four hymn-forms thus making up the twelve stotras of the Agnishtoma. On the Visvagit day, on the other hand, only three stomas are used--the Trivrit, Pañkadasa, and Saptadasa--four stotras being assigned to each of these three hymn-forms.
2. Though the Mahâvrata day is actually the last day but one of the one year's sacrificial session, whilst the Katurvimsa day is the second, these two days mark really the end and beginning of the year, whilst the nominal first and last days of the sessional performance may be considered as consisting of mere preliminary and concluding (winding-up) rites. The above symbolic identification of the Mahâvrata with the mouth of Agni-Pragâpati, the Year, might thus lead one to suppose (as, indeed, is done by Prof. Hillebrandt, Die Sonnwendfeste in Alt-Indien, p. 11) that if two such annual sessions were immediately to succeed each other, the Mahâvrata and Katurvimsa would fall on one and the same day. The Mahâvrata, representing (at least symbolically) the winter-solstice, would thus mark both the end and the beginning of two successive solar periods.
3. Literally, with unborn pain (or, with the pain of one unborn).
4. Or, the man, identified with the Sacrificer.
5. Perhaps the distinction. between 'prâna' and 'ana' here is that of out-breathing and in-breathing.
6. Or, uniformly (gleichmässig). The St. Petersb. Dict. here takes 'samena' in the sense of 'exactly.'
7. See note 2 on p. 369.
8. For these sacrificial calls, see part i, p. 142, note 2.
9. For such a day's performance with all the Prishtha-sâmans, see part iii, introd., p. xx seq.
10. The Dvâdasâha, or twelve-days’ performance, includes a Prishthya-shadaha as its second to seventh days.
11. The one year's session includes a Dasarâtra, or ten-days’ performance, forming the central part of the Dvâdasâha; and the first and last days of the latter being, like those of the Gavâm ayanam, a prâyanîya and udayanîya Atiratra.
12. See part iv, p. 317, note 2.
13. ? That is to say, those deities have taken possession of everything else. Cf. J. Muir, Orig. Sansk. Texts, vol. v, p. 377.
14. This is the regular procedure in accordance with Grihya rites, cf. Âsv. Grihy. IV, 2, 11-13; whilst Pâraskara, III, 10, 11, merely says, 'with the domestic fire they burn him who has established his (sacred) fire.'
15. For the 'puraskarana,' see part iv, p. 337, note 2.
16. Viz., by those rites which, during the time for which the Sacrificer is initiated, may be performed on his domestic (Âvasathya or Aupâsana) fire. Cf. Kâty. I, 1, 20. 21. Whether the domestic offerings to the Fathers (srâddha) may be so performed seems doubtful.
17. For the ordinary performance of the Âgrayaneshti, see part i, p. 370 seqq. According to Kâty. IV, 6, 11 seq. the performance of a year's sattra is to mark the time at which the offering of first-fruits would otherwise have taken place by using new grain for his vrata-food, as well as for two Rauhina cakes at the Upasads, and for the cakes offered in the animal sacrifice of the Soma days; and that a pap of new syâmâka (millet) is to be offered to Soma at the proper season (during the rains, or autumn), and a pap of bamboo grain in summer.
18. For this dish, made by the addition of fresh boiled milk to sour curds, see part i, p. 381, note 2.
19. That is, by the animal offered on each successive Soma day, and the (savanîya) purodâsas offered subsequently; cf. IV, 2, 5, 14-22.
20. That is, counting the Prâyanîya Atirâtra, Katurvimsa, Abhigit, and three Svarasâmans as one six-days’ performance, before the Vishuvat; and the three Svarasâmans, the Visvagit, Goshtoma, Âyushtoma, four days of the Dasarâtra (preceding and succeeding the central Shadaha), the Mahâvrata, and Udayanîya Atirâtra as two six-days’ performances after the Vishuvat.
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