Philosophy and Religion / White Yajurveda (Vâjasaneyi-Sanhitâ)

The White Yajurveda (Vâjasaneyi-Sanhitâ)

Book the twenty-fifth

1. I GRATIFY Fresh Grass with his teeth, Avakâ with his gums, Clay with his tooth-sockets, Tegas with his fangs. The tongue-tip for Sarasvatî; I gratify the root of the tongue and the palate with his neigh, Vâja with his jaws, the Waters with his mouth, the Stallion with his testicles, the Âdityas with the beard, Path with his eyebrows, Heaven and Earth with his eyelashes, Lightning with the pupils of his eyes. Hail to the white! Hail to the black! Effectual are his eyelashes, irresistible are his lower eyelashes; irresistible are his eyelashes, effectual are his lower eyelashes.

2. With his breath I gratify Vâta; with his outbreath the two Nostrils; with his lower lip the Upayâma; with his upper lip Existence. With his bright look I please Antara, with his reflection Bâhya; the Whirlpool with his head; Thunder with his frontal bone; the Lightning-flash with his brain; Lightning with the pupils of his eyes; Hearing with his external ears; Ears with his internal ears; Blood with his lower neck; Waters with the fleshless part of his neck; Thought with the back neck-tendons; Aditi with his head; Nirriti with his ragged head; Vital Breathings with his roars; Tempest with his crest.

3. I gratify Flies with his hair; Indra with his active shoulder; Brihaspati with his quick spring; Tortoises with his hoofs; Approach with his fetlocks; Kapiñjalas with his heel-ropes; Speed with his two thighs; the Way with his two fore-legs; the Forest-God with a kneepan; Agni with his two knees; Pûshan with his two fore-feet; the Asvins with his shoulders; Rudra with his shoulder-joints,

4. The first rib is Agni's; the second Vâyu's; the third Indra's; the fourth Soma's; the fifth Aditi's; the sixth Indrânî's; the seventh the Maruts’; the eighth Brihaspati's; the ninth Aryaman's; the tenth Dhâtar's; the eleventh Indra's; the twelfth Varuna's; the thirteenth Yama's.

5. (On the left side) the first rib belongs to Indra-Agni; the second to Sarasvatî; the third to Mitra; the fourth to the Waters; the fifth to Nirriti; the sixth to Agni-Soma; the seventh to the Serpents; the eighth to Vishnu; the ninth to Pûshan; the tenth to Tvashtar; the eleventh to Indra; the twelfth to Varuna; the thirteenth to Yama. The right flank belongs to Heaven and Earth, the left to the All-Gods.

6. The shoulders belong to the Maruts; the first rib-cartilages to the All-Gods; the second to the Rudras; the third to the Âdityas; the tail belongs to Vâyu; the hind-quarters to Agni-Soma. I gratify the two Curlews with the hips; Indra-Brihaspati with the thighs; Mitra-Varuna with the groins; Approach with the buttocks; Strength with the two cavities of the loins.

7. I gratify Pûshan with the rectum; Blind-worms with the large intestines; Serpents with the entrails; Worms with the guts; the Waters with the bladder; Scrotum with the testicles; the Vâjins with his penis; Offspring with his seed; Blue jays with his bile; Fissures with his arms; Kûshmas with his lumps of dung.

8. His chest belongs to Indra; his belly to Aditi; his clavicles to the Quarters; his nether hind-part to Aditi. I gratify Clouds with his aorta; Firmament with his pericardium; Mist with his belly; the two Chakravâkas with his cardiac bones; Sky with his kidneys; Mountains with his ducts; hocks with his spleen; Ant-hills with his lungs; Shrubs with his heart-vessels; Streams with his veins; Lakes with his flanks; Sea with his belly; Vaisvânara with his ashes.

9. I gratify Separation with his navel; Butter with his flavour; the Waters with his broth; Sunbeams with his drops of fat; Hoar-frost with his heat; Ice with his marrow; Hailstones with his tears; Thunderbolts with the rheum of his eyes; Râkshasas with his blood; Bright things with his limbs; Stars with his beauty; Earth with his skin.
All-hail to Jumbaka!

10. In the beginning rose Hiranyagarbha, etc., as in XIII. 4; XXIII. 1.

11. Who by his grandeur, etc., as in XXIII. 3.

12. Whose, by his might, are these snow-covered mountains, and men call sea and Rasâ his possession: Whose are these arms, whose are these heavenly regions. What God shall we adore with our oblation?

13. Giver of vital breath, of power and vigour, he whose commandment all the Gods acknowledge:
The Lord of death, whose shade is life immortal. What God shall we adore with our oblation?

14. May powers auspicious come to us from every side, never deceived, unhindered and victorious,
That the Gods ever may be with us for our gain, our guardians day by day, unceasing in their care.

15. May the auspicious favour of the Gods be ours, on us descend the bounty of the righteous Gods.
The friendship of the Gods have we devoutly sought: so may the Gods extend our life that we may live.

16. We call them hither with a hymn of olden time, Bhaga, the friendly Daksha, Mitra, Aditi,
Aryaman, Varuna, Soma, the Asvins. May Sarasvatî, auspicious, grant felicity.

17. May the Wind waft to us that pleasant medicine, may Earth our Mother give it, and our Father Heaven,
And the joy-giving stones that press the Soma's juice. Asvins, may ye, for whom our spirits long, hear this.

18. Him we invoke for aid who reigns supreme, the Lord of all that stands or moves, inspirer of the soul,
That Pûshan may promote the increase of our wealth, our keeper and our guard infallible for our good.

19. Illustrious far and wide, may Indra prosper us: may Pûshan prosper us, the Master of all wealth.
May Târkshya with uninjured fellies prosper us: Brihaspati vouchsafe to us prosperity.

20. The Maruts, Sons of Prisni, borne by spotted steeds, moving in glory, oft visiting holy rites,
Sages whose tongue is Agni and their eyes the Sun,——hither let all the Gods for our protection come.

21. Gods, may we with our ears listen to what is good, and with our eyes see what is good, ye Holy Ones.
With limbs and bodies firm may we extolling you attain the term of life appointed by the Gods.

22. A hundred autumns stand before us, O ye Gods, within whose space ye bring our bodies to decay;
Within whose space our sons become fathers in turn. Break ye not in the midst our course of fleeting life.

23. Aditi is the heaven, Aditi is mid-air, Aditi is the Mother and the Sire and Son.
Aditi is all Gods, Aditi five-classed men, Aditi all that hath been born and shall be born.

24. Slight us not Varuna, Aryaman, or Mitra, Ribhukshan, Indra, Âyu, or the Maruts,
When we declare amid the congregation the virtues of the Strong Steed, God-descended.

25. What time they bear before the Courser, covered with trappings and with wealth, the grasped oblation,
The dappled goat goeth straightforward, bleating, to the place dear to Indra and to Pûshan.

26. Dear to all Gods, this goat, the share of Pûshan, is first led forward with the vigorous Courser,
While Tvashtar sends him forward with the Charger, acceptable for sacrifice, to glory.

27. When thrice the men lead round the Steed, in order, who goeth to the Gods as meet oblation,
The goat precedeth him, the share of Pûshan, and to the Gods the sacrifice announceth.

28. Invoker, ministering priest, stoner, fire-kindler, Soma-presser, sage, reciter,
With this well ordered sacrifice, well finished, do ye fill full the channels of the rivers.

29. The hewers of the post and those who carry it, and those who carve the knob to deck the Horse's stake;
Those who prepare the cooking-vessels for the Steed,—may the approving help of these promote our work.

30. Forth, for the regions of the Gods, the Charger with his smooth back is come; my prayer attends him.
In him rejoice the singer and the sages. A good friend have we won for the Gods’ banquet.

31. May the fleet Courser's halter and his heel-ropes, the headstall and the girths and cords about him,
And the grass put within his mouth to bait him,—among the Gods, too, let all these be with thee.

32. What part of the Steed's flesh the fly hath eaten, or is left sticking to the post or hatchet,
Or to the slayer's hands and nails adhereth,—among the Gods, tog, may all this he with thee.

33. Food undigested steaming from his belly, and any odour of raw flesh remaining,
This let the immolators set in order and dress the sacrifice with perfect cooking.

34. What from thy body which with fire is roasted, when thou art set upon the spit, distilleth,—
Let not that lie on earth or grass neglected, but to the longing Gods let all be offered.

35. They who, observing that the Horse is ready, call out and say, The smell is good; remove it;
And, craving meat, await the distribution,—may their approving help promote our labour.

36. The trial-fork of the flesh cooking caldron, the vessels out of which the broth is sprinkled,
The warming-pots, the covers of the dishes, hooks, carving-boards,—all these attend the Charger.

37. Let not the fire, smoke-scented, make thee crackle, nor glowing caldron smell and break to pieces.
Offered, beloved, approved, and consecrated,—such Charger do the Gods accept with favour.

38. The starting-place, his place of rest and rolling, the ropes wherewith the Charger's feet were fastened,
The water that he drank, the food he tasted,—among the Gods, too, may all these attend thee.

39. The robe they spread upon the Horse to clothe him, the upper covering and the golden trappings,
The halters which restrain the Steed, the heel-ropes,—all these, as grateful to the Gods, they offer.

40. If one, when seated, with excessive urging hath with his heel or with his whip distressed thee,
All these thy woes, as with oblation's ladle at sacrifices, with my prayer I banish.

41. The four-and-thirty ribs of the swift Courser, kin to the Gods, the slayer's hatchet pierces.
Cut ye with skill so that the parts be flawless, and piece by piece declaring them dissect them.

42. Of Tvashtar's Courser there is one dissector: this is the custom: two there are who guide him.
Such of his limbs as I divide in order, all these, amid the lumps, in fire I offer.

43. Let not thy dear soul burn thee as thou comest, let not the hatchet linger in thy body.
Let not a greedy clumsy immolator, missing the joints, mangle thy limbs unduly.

44. No, here thou diest not, thou art not injured: only by easy paths to Gods thou goest.
Both Bays, both Spotted Mares are now thy fellows, and to the Ass's pole is yoked the Courser.

45. May this Steed bring us all-sustaining riches, wealth in good kine, good horses, manly offspring.
Freedom from sin may Aditi vouchsafe us; the Steed with our oblations gain us lordship!

46. We will, with Indra and all Gods to help us, bring these existing worlds into subjection.
With the Âdityas, with the band of Maruts, may Indra give us medicine to heal us.
Our sacrifice, our bodies, and our offspring may Indra regulate with the Âdityas.

47. O Agni, be our nearest Friend, etc., as in III. 25.
To thee then, O Most Bright, etc., as in III. 26.

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