20. [Vag. S. XI, 8] ‘Further, O god Savitv2, this our sacrifice!’—the god Savitrz is yonder sun, and whatever sacrificial rite he furthers, thatp. 02p. 196 reaches its end safely and auspiciously ;—‘as one pleasant to the gods,—that is, as one which shall please the gods ;—‘ friend-gaining, ever-winning, wealth-winning, heaven-winning,—that is, one that may gain all this;—‘Make the hymn-tune successful with the ~z& (verse), the Rathantara with the GdAyatra (metre), and the Brzhat, moving in Gayatra measures!’—thus the sé4mans (hymns) ;—‘ Hail!’ thus the sacrificial formulas: this threefold science is first produced, even as it was there and then produced. And the Agni who was produced, he is this Agni (fire-altar) who is built up from hence upwards.
21. These then are the eight SAvitra (formulas?) ;— the GAyatrt has eight syllables, and Agni is Gayatra: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by just so much he pours him out as seed. There are nine of them, the call of ‘Hail’ (being) the ninth,— there are nine regions, and Agni is the regions; nine vital airs, and Agni is the vital airs: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he pours him out as seed. There are ten of them, the libation (being) the tenth,—the Virdg has ten syllables, and Agni is Virag: (the widely shining *) ; there are ten regions, and Agni is the regions; ten vital airs, and Agni is the vital airs: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, so great does this become.
22. This libation having been offered, Agni went away from the gods. The gods said, ‘Agni is the
1 Or, the single oblations, as distinguished from the whole continued libation.
3 Dipty4 viragamAnah, SAy.
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cattle (or, an animal), let us search for him by means of the (different kinds of) cattle: he will become manifest unto his own form.’ They searched for him by means of the cattle, and he became manifest to his own form: and hence even to this day the animal becomes manifest to its own form (kind) }, cow to cow, horse to horse, and man to man.
23. They said, ‘Surely, if we search with all of them, they will become used up and affording no livelihood ; and if not with all, we shall get him (Agni) incomplete.’ They saw one animal (as a substitute) for two animals *, namely, the ass (as a substitute) for the cow and the sheep; and because they saw that one beast (would do) for two beasts, therefore that one (the he-ass), whilst being one, doubly impregnates °.
24. The sham-man‘ (they saw to be a substitute) for man,—a sham-man doubtless is he who pleases neither the gods, nor the fathers, nor men. Thus they searched by means of all the beasts, and yet they (the beasts) did not come to be used up and affording no livelihood.
25. With three he searches,—Agni is threefold: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus searches for him. They are five
Thus they searched by means of all the beasts, and yet they (the beasts) did not come to be used up and affording no livelihood.
25. With three he searches,—Agni is threefold: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus searches for him. They are five
1 That is to say, it shows itself openly, appears fearlessly before others of its kind;—Svaya rfpdyeti tadarthye Aaturtht; Avi prak4éso bhavati, tadanukaérenedanim api pasu# svéya rfpaya samanagattyay4 prak4so bhavati, Say.
? That is to say, they saw that one animal might do for two,— pa#kamt pratinidhau, Say. (Paz. II, 3, 11.)
® Viz, the she-ass and the mare.
* Anaddh4-purusham alfka-purusham purushat pratyapasyan purushasth4ne kalitavantas, SAy. Thus probably a counterfeit of a man, a doll or human effigy.
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by way of (mystic) correspondence '!,—Agni (the fire-altar) has five layers; five seasons are a year, and the year is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, so great does this become.
26. They are fastened with halters of reed-grass to guard (Agni) against injury *;—Agni went away from the gods; he entered into a reed, whence it is hollow, and whence inside it is, as it were, smoketinged: (thus) that, the reed, is Agni’s womb, and Agni is these cattle; and the womb does not injure the child. For® it is from a womb that he who is born is born: ‘from the womb he (Agni) shall be born when he is born,’ thus he thinks.
27. They (the halters) are triple (strings), for Agni is threefold. They are made like a horse’s halter, for the horse’s halter lies all round the mouth, and the womb lies all round the child: thus it is made like the womb.
28. They (the animals) stand facing the east, first the horse, then the ass, then the he-goat; for this
' That is, in order that this item of the sacrificial performance should correspond with the nature of Agni. The number of five is obtained by the three beasts actually led forward,—a horse, an ass, and a he-goat—and the two beasts for which the ass was stated to be a substitute, viz. the cow (or bullock) and the sheep.—S4yaza, whose comment is very corrupt in this place, remarks,—nanaddh4purushostra gasryate.
? In the text the dative of purpose (‘ahimsfyai’) is as usual shifted right to the end of the train of reasoning explaining the raison détre of this item of the performance.
* This final clause with ‘vai’ supplies the reason why Agni entered the womb, viz. because otherwise he could not be born ;— just as the preceding clause with ‘ vai’ (the womb does not injure the child) supplies the reason why reed grass is used; whilst the preceding clauses explain how the reed comes to be the womb whence Agni sprung.
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because otherwise he could not be born ;— just as the preceding clause with ‘ vai’ (the womb does not injure the child) supplies the reason why reed grass is used; whilst the preceding clauses explain how the reed comes to be the womb whence Agni sprung.
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is their proper order. For that horse (asva) is the tear (asru) which there (at the creation) formed itself ; and that ass (rasabha) is that which, as it were, cried (ras); and that he-goat (aga, unborn) is the juice which adhered to the shell ; and that clay which they are about to fetch is nothing else than the shell (of the egg): for it was from these forms that he was created at first}, and from them he thus produces him.
29. They stand on the south side ;—for the gods at that time were afraid, lest the Rakshas, the fiends, should smite their sacrifice from the south. They saw that thunderbolt, yonder sun; for this horse is indeed yonder sun; and by means of that thunderbolt they drove off the Rakshas, the fiends, from the south, and spread this sacrifice in a place free from danger and devilry. And in like manner does the Sacrificer now by this thunderbolt drive off the Rakshas, the fiends, from the south, and spread this sacrifice in a place free from danger and devilry.
30. On the right (south) side is the Ahavantya fire, and on the left (north) lies that spade; for the Ahavantya (m.) is a male, and the spade (abhri, f.) a female, and the male lies on the right side of the female *, [It lies] at a cubit’s distance, for at a cubit’s distance the male lies hy the female.
31. It should be made of bamboo. Agni went away from the gods. He entered into a bamboostem; whence that is hollow. On both sides he made himself those fences, the knots, so as not
1 See VI, 1, 1, 11. * Dakshisato vai vrish4 yoshim upasete ;—compare: uttarato hi str? pum4msam upasete, I, 1,1, 20; II, 5, a, 17. ,p. 200 to be found out; and wherever he burnt through, those spots came to be.
32. It (the spade) should be spotted, for such a one is of Agni’s nature. If he cannot procure a spotted one, it may be unspotted, but hollow it must be, to guard (Agni) from injury! ;—(for) such a one alone is of Agni’s nature; that, the bamboo, is Agni’s womb; and this (lump of) clay is Agni; and the womb does not injure the child. For it is from a womb that he who is born is born: ‘ from the womb he (Agni) shall be born when he is born,’ so he thinks,
33. It may be a span long, for the voice here speaks but as far as a span’s distance? It is, however, a cubit long, for the cubit is the arm, and strength is exerted by the arm: it thus becomes equal to his strength.
It may be a span long, for the voice here speaks but as far as a span’s distance? It is, however, a cubit long, for the cubit is the arm, and strength is exerted by the arm: it thus becomes equal to his strength.
34. It may be sharp on one side only, for on one of the two sides is there a keen edge to this speech of ours*. But indeed it is one that is sharp on both sides, for on both sides is there a keen edge to this speech of ours, inasmuch as it speaks both what is divine and what is human‘, and both truth and untruth: therefore it is one that is sharp on both sides.
® According to Sayana the tip of the tongue is indicated (as VII, 2, 3, 3; 2, 4, 14, ‘va’ means ‘mouth’); but perhaps it is rather sharp, vituperative speech addressed to another person that is intended here.
‘ SAyana identifies the divine speech with Samskrit, and the human speech with the Apabhramsas, or low dialects (?mAnusham Aapatrosam, MS.).
vI KANDA, 3 ADHYAYA, I BRAHMANA, 38. 201
35. And, again, why it is sharp on both sides,— the strength of the spade doubtless is on that side on which there is its sharp edge: he thus lays strength into it on both sides.
36. And, again, why it is sharp on both sides,— when the gods had there discovered him (Agni), they dug him out from these worlds; and in like manner does he now, after discovering him, dig him out from these worlds.
37. When it digs thus (downwards), then it digs him out from this world ; and when it moves upwards, then from yonder world; and when it moves about between the two, then from the air-world: it thus digs him out from all these worlds.
38. He takes it up, with (V4g. S. XI, 9),‘At the impulse of the god Savitrz, I take thee by the arms of the Asvins, by the hands of Pashan, by the Gd4yatrt metre, Angiras-like!’ By means of those deities he thus takes it up, impelled by Savitrz; by the Gayatri metre: he thus imparts the G4yatrt metre to it. ‘From the Earth's seat, Angiras-like, bring thou Agni Purtshya?!’—
‘From the Earth's seat, Angiras-like, bring thou Agni Purtshya?!’—
* Mahfdhara says, Agni is called ‘ purfshya,’ because loose soil (purisha) is put in the fire-pan (ukh4), on which the fire is then placed. It also doubtless refers to the loose soil which is spread over the different layers of the altar, thus serving as mortar to the bricks. In this epithet of Agni, ‘ purtsha’ seems, however, to be taken in yet another, more subtle sense, the author apparently connecting with it its etymological meaning of ‘that which fills, fillings, Germ. Fillung, Fiillsel ;’ whilst the reference to cattle might also seem to point to the later ordinary meaning, ‘ faeces, manure.’ Mahidhara, on the force of the symbolical identification ‘pasavo vai purfsham,’ seems straightway to take ‘ purisha’ as a synonym of ‘ pasu,’ when he says,—purishebhya& pasubhyo hitah purishyaZ. Sdyama’s comment here is corrupt,—pasavo vai purisham pfirax4m(hi(?) kéryam pasavah prayanti.
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now soil means cattle: thus, ‘from the earth’s lap bring thou Agni, favourable to cattle, as Agni (did)!’"—‘by the Trish¢ubh metre, Angiraslike!’ he thereby takes it with the Trish¢ubh metre and thus lays into it the Trish¢ubh metre.
39. [Vag. S. XI, 10] ‘A spade thou art,—for a spade it is: he thus takes it by means of the truth ;— ‘A woman thou art!’—the spade is a thunderbolt, and the woman is a female, and a female injures no one: he thus appeases it so as not to do any injury. ‘By thee may we be able to dig out Agni in the seat!’ the.seat no doubt is this (spot): thus, ‘By thee may we be able to dig out Agni in this seat (place). —‘By the Gagatt metre, Angiras-like!’ he thus takes it up by means of the Gagatt metre, and lays the Gagatt metre into it.
40. With three (formulas) he takes it up,—threefold is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus takes it. Having taken it up with three (formulas), he addresses it with a fourth; for the gods having thus taken it with three (formulas), then laid vigour into it by means of a fourth; and in like manner does he now, after taking it up with three (formulas), lay strength into it with the fourth.
41. [V4g. S. XI, 11] ‘Having taken into his hand, Savityz,—for it has indeed been taken into his (the Adhvaryu’s) hand,‘ bearing the spade, — for he indeed bears it,—‘ the golden,—for golden indeed is the one that consists of the metres (the Veda) ;—‘ beholding Agni’s light,—that is, seeing Agni’s light,—‘ lifted it up from the earth, — for he indeed lifts it up from the earth ;—‘ by the Anushéubh metre, Angiras-like ;—he thus takesp. 203 it up by means of the Anush/ubh metre, and lays the Anushéubh metre into it: for his undertaking that spade of bamboo is thus made to be those metres.
=. 203 it up by means of the Anush/ubh metre, and lays the Anushéubh metre into it: for his undertaking that spade of bamboo is thus made to be those metres.
42. Some, indeed, make it of gold, saying, ‘It is spoken of as golden.’ Let him not do so: in that it is the metres, thereby that (spade) is gold, immortal gold, the immortal metres.
43. He takes it up with four (formulas), for all speech consists of four syllables: ‘v4k’ (speech) is one syllable, and ‘aksharam’ (syllable) consists of three syllables. Now that monosyllable ‘ vak’ is the same as this last one, the Anush¢ubh; and that trisyllable ‘aksharam’ is the same as those former formulas: he thus digs up Agni by the whole speech, and equips it with the whole speech,—hence with four (formulas).
44. And, again, why with four (formulas) ;—there are four quarters: he thus lays speech into the four quarters, whence speech speaks in the four quarters. He takes it up both by metres and by formulas, that makes eight—there are four quarters, and four intermediate quarters: he thus lays speech into ‘all the quarters, whence speech speaks in all the quarters.
THE SEARCH AND DIGGING FOR AGNI (THE LUMP OF CLAY).
Seconp BrRAHMANA,
1. The spade is still in his hand, when he addresses the beasts. For when the gods at that time were about to search (for Agni) in these (animals) they placed their vigour in front ; and in like manner doesp. 204 this one, now that he is about to search in these (animals), place his vigour in front.
2. He addresses the horse, with (Vag. S. XI, 12), ‘Most speedily}, O courser, run hither,—what is swift, that is speedy, and what is swifter than swift, that is most speedy ;—‘along the widest range, —the widest range doubtless is this (earth) : thus, ‘along this wide range ;’—‘ in the sky is thy highest home, in the air thy navel, upon earth thy womb: ’ he thus makes it to be those deities, Agni, VAyu, and Aditya (the sun), and thus lays vigour into the horse.
3- Then the ass, with (V4ag. S. XI, 13), ‘Yoke ye two the ass,’ he says this to the Adhvaryu and the Sacrificer;—‘ upon this course, ye showerers of wealth!’—that is, ‘upon this performance, ye showerers of wealth ;’—‘him, bearing Agni, and helpful? unto us;’—that is, ‘him, bearing Agni, and urged forward by us:’ he thereby lays vigour into the ass.
4. Then the he-goat, with (Vag. S. XI, 14), ‘At every yoking, at every race, we call him, the most powerful,—race® means food: thus, ‘in every performance, in respect of every food we call him, the most powerful ;’—‘ Indra to our help, we his friends! ’—that is, ‘him, the strong (indriyavat), to our help:’ he thereby lays vigour into the he-goat.
5. With three (formulas) he addresses (the victims),—threefold is Agni: as great as Agni is, as
1 Pratirtam, ‘sped forward, speeding forward.’
2 Asmayu, ‘tending towards us, favourable to us,’ is explained differently by the author of the Brahmaza.
5. With three (formulas) he addresses (the victims),—threefold is Agni: as great as Agni is, as
1 Pratirtam, ‘sped forward, speeding forward.’
2 Asmayu, ‘tending towards us, favourable to us,’ is explained differently by the author of the Brahmaza.
® The author here, as elsewhere, rather takes ‘vaga’ in the sense of ‘strength, sustenance.’
vi KANDA, 3 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMANA, IO. 205 great as is his measure, by so much he thus lays vigour into them.
6. He then makes them walk forward to the east : he thus searches for him (Agni) by means of these animals. He does not touch (them) lest he, Agni, should injure him; for Agni is the same as the animals 1.
7. He makes the horse walk on, with (Vag. S. XI, 15), ‘Forth-speeding, come treading down the curses !’—curse means evil: thus, ‘running come, treading down the evil!’—‘come, delighting, into Rudra’s chieftainship!’—beasts belong to Rudra: thus, ‘come thou, delighting, into the chieftainship of him who is thy deity!’ he thus searches for him by means of the horse.
8. Then the ass with, ‘Traverse the wide air, thou possessed of prosperous pastures and affording safety ! ’—as the text, so its meaning ;— ‘with POshan as thy mate;’—Pifshan, doubtless, is this earth; thus, ‘ together with her as thy mate:’ he thus searches for him by means of the ass.
9. Then the he-goat, with (V4g. S. XI, 16), ‘From the Earth’s seat, Angiras-like, bring thou Agni Purtshya!’—that is, ‘from the Earth’s lap bring thou Agni, favourable to cattle, as Agni
(did) !’ he thus searches for him (Agni) by means of the he-goat.
10. With three (animals) he searches,—threefold is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus searches for him.
1 The text here has the ordinary Sanskrit construction, running literally thus :—he does not touch—Agni (being) the same as the animals—‘ lest he, Agni, should injure me!’
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By three (formulas) he first addresses (the beasts) ; that makes six,—six seasons are a year, and the year is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, so great does this become.
Turrp BRAHMANA.
1. Those fires have been kindled (afresh); and they (the priests and sacrificer) betake themselves to the lump of clay! ;—those fires doubtless are these worlds: when they are kindled, then they are these worlds. For formerly the gods were seeking this sacred rite outside of these worlds; and when he fetches the lump of clay after passing by those fires, he is seeking him (Agni) outside of these worlds.
2. They go eastwards; for the east is Agni’s region: he thus seeks him in his own region, finds him in his own region.
3. They go forward, with, ‘Angiras-like, we go to Agni Purtshya;’—that is, ‘like Agni, we are going to Agni, favourable to cattle.’
4. He then looks at the sham-man, with, ‘ Angiras-like, we shall carry Agni Purtshya;—that is, ‘Like Agni, we shall carry Agni, favourable to cattle:’ he thus searches for him by means of the sham-man.
He then looks at the sham-man, with, ‘ Angiras-like, we shall carry Agni Purtshya;—that is, ‘Like Agni, we shall carry Agni, favourable to cattle:’ he thus searches for him by means of the sham-man.
5. Thereupon a hollow ant-hill is laid down midways (between the lump of clay and the Ahavantya fire). He looks along it?; for the ant-hill is this
* The lump of clay which is to be used for the making of the fire-pan has been placed in a square hole east of the Ahavantya fire.
* That is to say, he looks at the lump of clay through the hollow part of the ant-hill, whilst muttering the formula given in the next paragraph, vI KANDA, 3 ADHYAYA, 3 BRAHMANA, 9. 207 earth, and this earth is these worlds. For the gods searched for him (Agni) in these worlds part by part; and in like manner does this one now search for him in these worlds part by part.
6. [Vag. S. XI, 17] ‘Agni hath looked along the crest of the Dawns,—thereby they sought him in the dawns;—‘along the days, he, the first knower of beings,—thereby they sought him in the days;—‘and oftentimes along the rays of the sun,—thereby they sought him in the rays of the sun ;—‘along the sky and the earth hast thou spread ;’—therewith they sought him in the sky and the earth, and found him; and in like manner does this one thereby find him (Agni), When he sees him from afar, he throws down that (ant-hill) ; and they go up to the lump of clay.
7. He then addresses the horse ; for the gods then said, ‘Let us drive away his evil!’ Now evil is weariness: thus, ‘Let us drive away his weariness, the evil!’ They drove away his weariness, the evil; and in like manner does this one now drive away his weariness, the evil.
8. [Vag. S. XI, 18] ‘The courser, having started on his way,’—for his way has indeed been started upon;—‘shaketh off all assaults,— assaults mean evils: thus, ‘shakes off all evils;’ and hence, indeed, the horse, whilst running, shakes itself ;—‘Agni he seeks to descry with his eye on the great seat; ’—the great seat doubtless is this sacrificial (place) : thus, ‘ Agni he wishes to see with his eye on this great seat.’
9. He then makes it (the horse) step on (the lump of clay with the left fore-foot); for having discovered him (Agni), it (the horse) then indicatedp. 208 him to the gods, as if (it meant to say) ', ‘Just here he is!’
10. And, again, why he makes it step thereon ;— the gods then were afraid, thinking, ‘We hope the Rakshas, the fiends, will not slay here this our (Agni)!’ They placed that thunderbolt upon him as a protector, to wit, yonder sun; for that horse is indeed yonder sun; and in like manner does this (Sacrificer, or priest) now place upon him that thunderbolt as a protector.
11, [V4ag. S. XI, 19] ‘Having come upon the earth, O courser, seek thou Agni by thy light!’ —the light is the eye: thus, ‘Having come to the earth, thou, O courser, seek Agni with thy eye! ’— ‘by pawing? the ground tell us where we may dig him out! ’—that is, ‘by pointing out that (spot) of the ground tell us where we may dig him out.’
12. He then pulls it up; for the gods now endowed it with vigour (for) having indicated (Agni) to them ; and in like manner does this one now endow it with vigour (for) having indicated (Agni) to him. He does so, with [V4g. S. XI, 20], ‘The sky is thy back, the earth thy resting-place, the air thy body, the sea thy womb;’—whereby he says, ‘Such
1 Or, as if one were to say,—yathayam iha-sthana Astha(?) iti kaskid brfty4d evam proktav4n, S&y.
* Or, by covering ;—it is not easy to see what the author makes of ‘vrittvaya,’ for which the St. Petersburg dictionary suggests ‘vritvaya.’ Mahfdhara derives it from ‘vart,’ in the sense of ‘to touch.’ Perhaps, however, ‘bhfimer’ depends on ‘yatas;’ hence ‘moving about, tell us from what spot of the ground we may dig him out’
* That is, he pulls up its head (?); ‘he rouses it, shakes it up,’ St. Petersb. Dict—Sf4yaza, on the other hand, in accordance with K&ty. XVI, 2, 18, interprets ‘unmrzsati’ by ‘he holds his hand over its back,’—prish/hasyopari pasim dharayati.
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thou art, such thou art;’—‘ Looking about with thine eye, tread down the assailers!’—that is, ‘Looking about with thy eye, tread down all evildoers!’ He does not touch it, lest this thunderbolt should injure him, for the horse is a thunderbolt '.
13. He then makes it step off (the lump of clay) ; —for the gods now said, ‘ What shall we cause it to obtain? ?’—‘ Great beauty*!’—They caused it to obtain great beauty; and in like manner does this one now cause it to obtain great beauty,—with (Vag. S. XI, 21), ‘Go thou unto great beauty!’ —that is, ‘Go to thy great beauty!’ and therefore, indeed, the horse is the most highly-favoured of animals ;—‘from this standing-place,—that is, ‘where thou now standest ;’—‘wealth-giver!’— for wealth it does give them ;—' Courser!’—for this is a courser;—‘ May we be in the Earth’s favour, whilst Agni we dig in her lap!’—that is, ‘May we be in the favour of this earth, whilst digging (for) Agni in her lap!’
14, When it has stepped off he addresses it ;— for as one would extol him who has given a gift, so the gods now praised and magnified it (for) having indicated (Agni); and in like manner does this one now praise and magnify it, with (Vag. S. XI, 22), ‘He hath come down, —for it has indeed come down,—‘the wealth-giver,—for wealth, indeed, is given them ;—‘the racing courser,—for it is indeed a racer and a courser;—‘ hath made good, well-made room on earth, —that is, ‘thou madest good, well-made room on earth ;’—‘thence let us
S. XI, 22), ‘He hath come down, —for it has indeed come down,—‘the wealth-giver,—for wealth, indeed, is given them ;—‘the racing courser,—for it is indeed a racer and a courser;—‘ hath made good, well-made room on earth, —that is, ‘thou madest good, well-made room on earth ;’—‘thence let us
2 For the construction, see on paragraph 6, p. 205, note.
* Literally, to step off to.
* Saubhaga, ‘the state of being well-endowed, well-favoured.’
(41] Pp. 210 dig out the fair-looking Agni, — fair-looking,’ he says, for Agni is indeed fair-looking on every side ;—‘ ascending the heaven, unto the highest sky,’—the sky is the heavenly world: thus, ‘mounting the heavenly world, unto the highest sky.’ He makes it come up on the right side (of the lump) to where the two other beasts are: they stand on the right side, facing the east. The significance of the right-hand (southern) position here is the same as it was on that former occasion.
15. Sitting down he now offers upon the lump of clay ;—for the gods then said, ‘ Meditate ye (4etay),’ whereby, doubtless, they meant to say, ‘Seek ye a layer (4iti)!’ Whilst meditating they saw this libation, and offered it: after offering it, they saw the fire-pan (representing) these worlds.
16. They said, ‘Meditate ye!’ whereby, doubtless, they meant to say, ‘Seek ye a layer!’ Whilst meditating they saw this second libation, and offered it: after offering it, they saw the Visvagyotis (alllight bricks), that is, those deities Agni, Vayu, and Aditya; for these deities are indeed all the light. And in like manner does the Sacrificer now, after offering those two libations, see the firepan, these worlds; and those all-light deities. He offers with two interlinked (verses)1: he thereby interlinks these worlds, and those deities.
17. And, again, why he offers these two libations ; —he thereby gratifies both the clay and the water; and having offered to, and gratified, these two, he then brings them together. With two interlinked
1 The two halves of the two verses (Vag. S. XI, 23, 24) are uttered in the order 1a, 2 b, 2a, 1b.
VI KANDA, 3 ADHYAYA, 3 BRAHMANA, 21. 21f
(verses) he offers: he thereby interlinks (combines thoroughly) the clay and the water.
18. He offers with ghee; for the ghee is a thunderbolt: he thus makes the thunderbolt its (or his, Agni’s) protector. The ghee, moreover, is seed: he thus pours forth seed,— with the sruva-spoon; for the sruva (m.) is a male, and the male pours forth seed,— with ‘ Sv4hé (hail !),’ for the Svah4k4ra (m.) is a male, and the male pours forth seed.
The ghee, moreover, is seed: he thus pours forth seed,— with the sruva-spoon; for the sruva (m.) is a male, and the male pours forth seed,— with ‘ Sv4hé (hail !),’ for the Svah4k4ra (m.) is a male, and the male pours forth seed.
19. [Vag. S. XI, 237] ‘Upon thee I sprinkle with thought, with ghee,—that is, ‘upon thee I offer with thought and ghee;’—‘that dwellest near all beings,—for he (Agni) indeed comes to dwell near evéry being ;—‘thee, large and great with side-spent force,—for large he is, and directed sideways, and great with force, with smoke; —‘most ample through food, and fierce to look at,—that is, ‘capacious with food, a consumer of food, and flaming.’
20. [Vag. S. XI, 24] ‘From all sides I sprinkle the hitherward looking,—that is, ‘from every side I offer upon the hitherward looking ;’—‘ with spiteless mind let him relish this,—that is, ‘with unchafing mind may he relish this;’'—' Agni, glorious as a wooer, and of pleasing colour, — for Agni is indeed glorious as a wooer?, and of pleasing colour;—‘not to be touched, while raging with his body,—for not to be touched is he, whilst flaming with his body.
21. With two (verses) he offers ; for the Sacrificer
1 Rik S. Il, ro, 4, beginning, however, ‘I sprinkle Agni with a ghee-oblation,’
* Mahidhara and Sayama (Ark S. II, 10, 5) take ‘maryasri’ in the sense of ‘resorted to, or worshipped, by men.’
P2
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is two-footed, and the Sacrificer is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus pours him forth as seed ;—with two (verses) relating to Agni: it is Agni he thereby pours forth as seed, Inasmuch as they relate to Agni, they are Agni; and inasmuch as they are Trish¢ubhs, they are Indra; and Agni (the fire) belongs to Indra and Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus pours him forth as seed. Moreover, Indra and Agni are all the gods, and Agni (thus) contains all deities: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus pours him forth as seed.
22. He offers on the horse’s footprint ;—the horse is the same as that Agni, and so, indeed, these two libations come to be offered over Agni.
23. He draws lines around it (the lump, with the spade): he thereby puts a measure to it (or, to him, Agni), as if saying, ‘So great thou art!’
24. And, again, why he draws a line around it ;— the gods now were afraid, thinking, ‘We hope the Rakshas, the fiends, will not smite here this (Agni) of ours!’ They drew that rampart round it; and in like manner does this one now draw that rampart round it,—with the spade, for the spade is the thunderbolt, and he thus makes the thunderbolt its (or his, Agni’s) protector. He draws it all round: on every side he thus makes that thunderbolt to be its (or his) protector’. Three times he draws a line: that threefold thunderbolt. he thus makes to be a protector for him.
25. [V4g. S. XI, 25-27] ‘Around the wise lord
He draws it all round: on every side he thus makes that thunderbolt to be its (or his) protector’. Three times he draws a line: that threefold thunderbolt. he thus makes to be a protector for him.
25. [V4g. S. XI, 25-27] ‘Around the wise lord
1 Or, he makes that protecting thunderbolt for it (or him).
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of strength—', ‘Around (us) we (place) thee, O Agni, as a rampart—*, ‘With the days, thou Agni—, in thus praising Agni he makes a fence for him by means of (verses) containing the word ‘ pari’ (around), for all round, as it were, (run) the ramparts ;—(he does so by verses) relating to Agni: a stronghold of fire he thus makes for him, and this stronghold of fire keeps blazing ;—(he does so) by three (verses): a threefold stronghold he thus makes for him ; and hence that threefold stronghold is the highest form of strongholds. Each following (circular) line he makes wider, and with a larger metre: hence each following line of strongholds is wider, for strongholds (ramparts) are lines.
26. He then digs for him (Agni)*‘ in this earth. For the gods then were afraid, thinking, ‘We hope the Rakshas, the fiends, will not smite him here?! For the sake of protection they made this earth to be a self (body, 4tman) for him, thinking, ‘His own self will protect his own:self.’ It (the lump of clay) should be as large as the hole: thus this earth (or clay) becomes his (Agni’s) self. And as to its (being) as large as the hole,—this earth is the womb, and this (clay) is seed; and whatever part of the seed
1 Vag. S. XI, 25; Rk S. IV, 15, 3, ‘Around the offering, Agni, the wise lord of strength, hath come, bestowing precious gifts upon the worshipper.’
* Vag. S. XI, 26; Rsk S.X, 87, 22, ‘Around we place thee, the priest, as a rampart, O mighty Agni, the bold-raced slayer of the wily day by day.’ .
5 Vag. S. XI, 27; Ak S. Il, 1, 1, ‘With the days, O Agni, thou, longing to shine hither, art born forth from the waters, out of the shore, from the woods, from the herbs, thou the bright, O man-lord of men.’
“ Or he digs out that (lump of clay).
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exceeds the womb, becomes useless; and what is deficient, is unsuccessful ; but that part of the seed which is within the hole is successful. Four-cornered is this hole, for there are four quarters: from all the (four) quarters he thus digs him.
FourtH ApuyAya, First BRAHMANA.
1. He now digs it (the lump of clay)! up from that (hole) ;—for the gods, having found him (Agni), then dug him up; and in like manner this one, after finding him, now digs him up,—with (Vag. S. XI, 28), ‘At the impulse of the god Savitz, by the arms of the Asvins, by the hands of Pashan, I dig thee, the Agni Purtshya, from the lap of the earth, Angiras-like ;’—impelled by Savitvz, he thus, by means of those deities, digs him up, the Agni favourable to cattle, as Agni (did).
S. XI, 28), ‘At the impulse of the god Savitz, by the arms of the Asvins, by the hands of Pashan, I dig thee, the Agni Purtshya, from the lap of the earth, Angiras-like ;’—impelled by Savitvz, he thus, by means of those deities, digs him up, the Agni favourable to cattle, as Agni (did).
2.‘Thee, O Agni, the bright, the fairfaced, —for this Agni is indeed bright and fairfaced ;—‘ glowing with perpetual sheen,—that is, ‘shining with perpetual light ;’"—‘thee, kind to creatures, and never harming, the Agni Purishya we dig up from the lap of the earth, Angiras-like;’—that is, ‘thee, kind to creatures, and never harming, the cattle-loving Agni we dig up from the lap of the earth, as Agni (did).’
3. With two (formulas) he digs,—two-footed is the Sacrificer, and the Sacrificer is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus digs him up. And twofald also is that form of his, (consisting as it does of) clay and water.
4. He digs, with, ‘I dig,—‘we dig ;’ for with, ‘I
’ Or him, Agni; the identity of the two being kept up throughout.
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dig, Pragdpati dug for him (Agni); and with, ‘we dig,’ the gods dug for him, therefore (he digs), with, ‘I dig, —‘ we dig.’
5. Now while digging with the spade, he says with speech ‘I dig,’ ‘ we dig,’ for the spade is speech. It is for his undertaking that this bamboo (spade) is made ; and with speech for a spade, the gods dug him up; and in like manner does this one now dig him up with speech for a spade (or, with the speech-spade).
6. He then deposits it upon the black antelope skin, for the black antelope skin is the sacrifice !: in the sacrifice he thus deposits it (or him, Agni) ;—on the hair (side) ; for the hair is the metres: he thus deposits him on the metres. That (skin) he spreads silently ; for the black antelope skin is the sacrifice ; and the sacrifice is Pragapati, and undefined is Pragapati. North (of the hole he spreads it),—the meaning of this (will be explained) hereafter ;—on (the skin spread) with the neck-part in front, for thus (it is turned) towards the gods.
7. And he deposits it on a lotus-leaf (placed on the skin) ; for the lotus-leaf is the womb, and into the womb he pours that seed; and the seed which is poured into the womb, becomes generative. He spreads that (leaf) with a formula; for the formula is speech, and the lotus-leaf is speech *.
8. [Vag. S. XI, 29] ‘Thou art the waters’
1 Regarding the skin of the black antelope, considered as a symbol of Brahmanical worship and civilisation, see part i, p. 23, note 2. As to the white and black hair of it representing the hymn-verses (rk) and tunes (saman), and those of undecided colour the Yagusformulas, see I, 1, 4, 2.
2 Viz. because from speech the waters were produced (VI, 1, 1, 9). and from them the lotus-leaf has sprung. Say.
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As to the white and black hair of it representing the hymn-verses (rk) and tunes (saman), and those of undecided colour the Yagusformulas, see I, 1, 4, 2.
2 Viz. because from speech the waters were produced (VI, 1, 1, 9). and from them the lotus-leaf has sprung. Say.
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back, Agni’s womb, for this is indeed the back of the waters, and the womb of Agni;—‘around the swelling sea,—for the sea indeed swells around it ;—‘ thou, growing mighty upon the lotus,— that is, ‘growing, prosper thou on the lotus. —‘ With the measure of the sky, extend thou in width !’— with this he strokes along it (so as to lie even on the skin); for that Agni is yonder sun; and him assuredly none other than the width of the sky can contain: ‘having become the sky, contain him!’ this is what he thereby says.
g. He spreads it over the black antelope skin; for the black antelope skin is the sacrifice ; and the black antelope skin is this earth, and the sacrifice is this earth, for on this earth the sacrifice is spread. And the lotus-leaf is the sky; for the sky is the waters, and the lotus-leaf is the waters; and yonder sky is above this earth.
10. He touches both of them—he thereby brings about concord between them—with (Vag. S. XI, 30), ‘A shelter ye are, a shield ye are! ’—for both a shelter and a shield these two indeed are ;—‘uninjured both, and ample,—for uninjured and ample both these indeed are ;—‘ capacious, guard ye,—that is, ‘spacious, guard ye!’—‘bear ye Agni Purishya!’—that is, ‘bear ye Agni, favourable to cattle?!’
11, [V4g. S. XI, 31] ‘Guard ye, light-finders, uniting with each other, with the breast, with the self,—that is, ‘guard him, ye light-finders, uniting with each other, both with your breast and your self;’—‘bearing within the brilliant, the
1 See p. 201, note 1.
v1 KANDA, 4 ADHYAYA, 2 BR everlasting ;’—this Agni indeed is yonder sun, and he is the brilliant, the everlasting one; and him these two bear between (them) : hence he says, ‘ the brilliant, the everlasting.’
12. He touches them with two (verses) ;—twofooted is the Sacrificer, and the Sacrificer is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus brings about concord between these two. And, again, (he does so) because that form of theirs is twofold, (there being) a black antelope skin and a lotus-leaf.
SEconD BRAHMANA.
1. He then touches the lump of clay, with (V4g. S. XI, 32), ‘Thou art the Purishya},—that is, ‘Thou art favourable to cattle ;’—‘all-supporting,—for he (Agni) indeed supports everything here ;—‘ Atharvan was the first that kindled thee, O Agni!’—Atharvan doubtless is the breath, and the breath indeed churned him out (produced him) at first: ‘ Thou art that Agni who was produced at first,’ this he means to say ; and that same (Agni) he thus makes it (the lump) to be.
2. He then takes hold of it with the (right) hand and spade on the right side; and with the (left) hand on the left side, with, ‘From the lotus Atharvan churned thee forth,'—the lotus doubtless means the waters, and Atharvan is the breath; and the breath indeed churned him (Agni, the fire) out of the waters at first;—‘from the head of every offerer *,’—that is, ‘from the head of this All (universe).’
1 See p. 201, note 1. * ? Or, of every priest (visvasya vaghatak). There is nothing to
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3. [V4ag. S. XI, 33; Azk S. VI, 16, 14] ‘Also the sage Dadhyaz#&, the son of Atharvan, kindled thee;’—Dadhyaé, the Atharvana, doubtless is speech ; and he did kindle him therefrom ;— ‘asthe Vrztra-slayer, the breaker of strongholds, —Vrtra is evil, thus: ‘as the slayer of evil, the breaker of strongholds.’
4. [Vag. S. XI, 34; Azk S. VI, 16, 15] ‘Also
Pathya, the bull, kindled thee, as the greatest slayer of enemies, —PaAthya, the bull, doubtless is the Mind, and he did kindle him therefrom ;—‘as a winner of wealth in every battle,—as the text, so its meaning. ' 5. With Géyatrt verses (he performs),—the G4yatrt is the vital air: he thus lays vital air into him. With three (verses) ;—there are three vital airs, the out-breathing, the in-breathing, and the through-breathing: these he thus lays into him. These (verses) consist of nine feet, for there are nine vital airs, seven in the head, and two downward ones: these he thus lays into him.
6. And these two following ones are Trish¢ubhs,— (Vag. S. XI, 35, 36; zk S. III, 29, 8; II, 9, 1). Now, the Trishtubh is the body (self): it is his (Agni’s) body he makes up by means of these two show how the author of this part of the Braéhmaza interprets ‘vaghat.’ Cf. VI, 4, 3, 10.—Professor Ludwig (Ark S. VI, 16, 13) translates, ‘from the head of the priest Visva.’ Mahidhara offers several interpretations, according to which ‘vaghatah’ may either be taken as nom. plur., the verb being again supplied in the plural,— ‘the priests churned thee out from the head of the universe,’ or ‘the priests of the universe (or all priests) churned thee out,’—or ‘vaghatah ’ may be ablative sing., like ‘mfrdhna4,’ qualifying ‘ pushkarat,'—from the lotus, the head, the leader (or, starter, vahakat) of the universe.
vi KAWDA, 4 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMANA, 8. 219
(verses). ‘Seat thee, O Hotvz, in thine own place, thou, the mindful,’—the Hotvz, doubtless, is Agni; and this, the black antelope skin, is indeed his own place ; ‘ the mindful,’ that is, ‘ the wise one ; ’— ‘establish the sacrifice in the seat of the good work !’—the seat of the good work doubtless is the black antelope skin ;—‘ god-gladdening, thou shalt worship the gods with offering !’—that is, ‘ being a god, gratifying the gods, thou shalt worship (them) with offering ;—‘ Bestow, O Agni, great vigour upon the Sacrificer!’—thereby he implores a blessing upon the Sacrificer.
7. ‘The Hotvz, in the Hotvz’s seat, the knowing,—the Hotvz, doubtless, is Agni; the Hotvz’s seat is the black antelope skin; and the knowing? means the wise one ;—‘ the impetuous and glowing one, of great power, hath sat down,’—that is, the impetuous and shining one, of great power, has sat down ;—‘the guardian of undisturbed rites, the most wealthy,—for he indeed is the guardian of undisturbed rites, and the most wealthy;—‘the bearer of thousands, the brilliant-tongued Agni,—a thousand means all, thus, ‘the all-bearer, the brilliant-tongued Agni. With two Trishéubh (verses) relating to Agni (he performs) ; the meaning of this has been told.
8. Then there is this last Brvzhatt verse, for this (fire-altar) when completely built up becomes like the Brzhatt (the great) metre: whatlike seed is infused into the womb, suchlike is (the child) born ; and because he now makes this verse a Bvzhatt,
* Thus the author evidently interprets ‘vfdanah,’ instead of ‘being found,’ ‘ se trouvant,’ as is its real meaning.
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therefore this (altar) when completely built up becomes like the Bvzhatt.
g. (Vag. S. XI, 37; Azk S. I, 36,9] ‘Seat thee, thou art great,—he now causes the infused seed to establish itself, whence the seed infused into the womb establishes itself ;—‘ burn thou, best gladdener of the gods!’—that is, ‘shine thou, best gladdener of the gods;’—‘send forth, O Agni, worthy partaker of the offering, thy showy, ruddy smoke!’ for when he (Agni) is kindled, he sends forth his ruddy smoke,—the showy, for it, as it were, shows itself.
10. These (verses) amount to six,—six seasons are a year, and Agni is the year : as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, so great does this become. And what comes to be like the year, comes to be like the Brzhatt ; for the year is the Brzhatt,—twelve full moons, twelve eighth days! (of the fortnight of waning moon), twelve new moons, that makes thirtysix, and the Brzhatt consists of thirty-six syllables. He takes it (the lump of clay) from the right (south) to the left (north) side (of the hole), for from the right side seed is infused into the womb; and this (hole) now is his (Agni’s) womb. He takes it thither without stopping, so as not to stop the seed.
Turrp BrRAHMANA.
1. He then pours water into it (the hole), for whatever is injured or torn in this earth that is healed by water: by means of the water he thus joins together and heals what is injured and torn in her.
1 See VI, 2, 2, 23.
vi KANDA, 4 ADHYAYA, 3 BRAHMANA, 5. 221
2. (Vag. S. XI, 38] ‘Let flow the divine waters, the honey-sweet, for health, for progeny!’—honey means sap (essence): thus, ‘the sapful, for health, for progeny ;’—‘ from their seed let plants spring forth, full-berried!’ for fullberried plants indeed spring forth from the seat of the waters.
(Vag. S. XI, 38] ‘Let flow the divine waters, the honey-sweet, for health, for progeny!’—honey means sap (essence): thus, ‘the sapful, for health, for progeny ;’—‘ from their seed let plants spring forth, full-berried!’ for fullberried plants indeed spring forth from the seat of the waters.
3. He then heals her with air’; for whatever is injured and torn in this earth that is healed by the air: by means of air he thus joins together and heals what is injured and torn in her.
4. [Vag. S. XI, 39] ‘May Vayu Matarisvan heal,—V4yu Métarisvan, doubtless, is he (the wind) that blows yonder ;—‘the broken heart of thee stretched out with upward look!’ for this (hole) is the broken heart of this earth stretched out with upward look;—‘thou who goest along by the breath of the gods,’-—for he (the wind) indeed goes along by means of the breath of all the gods ;— ‘to thee, Ka, be vasha?¢ (success), O god!’—Ka (‘Who ?’) doubtless is Pragdpati, for him he makes this earth to be the Vasha/, for there is so far no other oblation than that,
5. He then heals her by means of the quarters, for whatever is injured and torn in this earth, that is healed by the quarters: by means of the quarters he thus draws and joins together what is injured and torn in her. He joins together this and this quarter *, whence these two quarters are joined
? Viz. by fanning air into the hole with the hand.
* With his ‘nameless’ (or little) finger, he pushes some of the loose soil into the hole, first from the front (east) and back (west) sides, and then from the right (south) and left (north) sides. Thus, according to Katy. XVI, 3, 4, the sunwise movement isp. 222 together ; then this one and this one, whence these two also are joined together: first thus, then thus; then thus, then thus. This is moving (from left) to right, for so (it goes) to the gods: with this and this one a means of healing is prepared; with this and this one he heals.
6. He then takes up together the black antelope skin and the lotus-leaf; for the lotus-leaf is the womb, and with the womb he takes up that infused seed: whence the infused seed is taken up by the womb. [He does so, with, Vag. S. XI, 40] ‘ Wellborn with splendour, the refuge and shelter, hath he settled down in the light;’ for well-born he is, and he settles down in the refuge, and shelter, and light.
7. He then ties it (the lump) up: he thereby keeps the seed within the womb; whence the seed kept within the womb does not escape. With a string (he ties it), for with the string they yoke the draught beast ;—with a triple one of reed grass: the significance of this has been told’.
8. He lays it round (the skin), with, ‘Invest thyself, O lustrous Agni, in the many-coloured garment!’ In the sacrifice the cord is Varuzic; having thereby made it non-Varuzic, he makes him put on (the skin) as one would make a garment be put on.
8. He lays it round (the skin), with, ‘Invest thyself, O lustrous Agni, in the many-coloured garment!’ In the sacrifice the cord is Varuzic; having thereby made it non-Varuzic, he makes him put on (the skin) as one would make a garment be put on.
9. He then takes it and rises ;—that Agni being yonder sun, he thus causes yonder sun to rise ;—with (Vag. S. XI, 41)?, ‘Rise, thou of good rites,—the sacrifice doubtless is a rite: thus, ‘rise thou, well obtained by the hand moving from east (along the south) to west, and then from south (along the west) to north.
1 See VI, 3, 1, 27.
® See Ark S. VIII, 23, 5, differing considerably.
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worthy of sacrifice ;'—‘ Guard us with godly wisdom! ’—that is, ‘whatever divine wisdom is thine, therewith guard us! ’—‘Most brilliant to see with great light,—that is, ‘in order to be seen most brilliant with great light ;’—‘hither, O Agni, come thou with praises! ’—the praises! are the steeds : thus, ‘hither, O Agni, come with the steeds.’
10. He then lifts it upwards from there towards the east; for this Agni is yonder sun: he thus places yonder sun upwards from here in the east, and hence yonder sun is placed upwards from here in the east. [He does so, with, Vag. S. XI, 42; zk S. I, 36, 13] ‘Upright for our protection, stand thou like the god Savitrz!’—as the text, so its meaning;—‘upright, asa bestower? of strength,’ —for standing upright he (the sun) indeed bestows? strength, food;—‘when we utter our call with the shining offerers’—the shining offerers*, doubtless, are his (the sun’s) rays: it is these he means. He lifts it up beyond the reach of his arms, for beyond the reach of his arms is that (sun) from here. He then lowers it; and having lowered it, he holds it above the navel: the meaning of this (will be explained) hereafter +.
1 The author might seem to connect ‘sasti’ (in susasti) with ‘ ss,’ to rule, control, instead of with ‘sams,’ to praise ; S&yava, however, takes ‘susasti’ as a bahuvrihi, ‘ with the praiseworthy,’ i. e. with the steeds deserving praise, because they draw well (sobhan4 sastir eshAm ... sAdhu vahanty asv4z). It is indeed not improbable that this was the author’s intention.
3 Or, a winner—wins.
® Afigayo vaghatak. See p. 217, note 2.
‘ See VI, 7, 1, 8 seq.
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FourtH BrAHMANA.
1. That (lump of clay representing Agni) is still in his hand when he addresses the animals; for the gods, being about to equip? (Agni), now first laid vigour into them; and in like manner does this (Sacrificer, or priest) now, being about to equip (Agni), first lay vigour into these (cattle).
1. That (lump of clay representing Agni) is still in his hand when he addresses the animals; for the gods, being about to equip? (Agni), now first laid vigour into them; and in like manner does this (Sacrificer, or priest) now, being about to equip (Agni), first lay vigour into these (cattle).
2. He addresses the horse, with (Vag. S. XI, 43; Rik S. X, 1, 2), ‘Thus born, art thou the child of the two worlds;’—the two worlds, doubtless, are these two, heaven and earth; and he (Agni) thus born, is the child of these two;—‘O Agni, the lovely (child), distributed among the plants,’— for he, the lovely one, is indeed distributed among all the plants*;—‘a brilliant child, through gloom and night, —for asa brilliant child, he (Agni) indeed shines beyond gloom and night ;—‘crying aloud thou didst go forth from the mothers;’— his mothers, doubtless, are the plants, and from them he comes forth crying aloud. He thereby lays vigour into the horse.
3. Then (he addresses) the ass, with (V4g. S. XI, 44), ‘Steadfast be thou, firm-limbed, and a swift racer be thou, O steed! ’—that is, ‘be thou steadfast, and firm-limbed, and swift, and a racer, O steed!’—‘ Ample be thou, and well to sit upon, thou, the bearer of Agni’s supply!’—that is, ‘be
1 For the ceremony of ‘equipping’ Agni, see part i, p. 276, note 1.
® Viz. inasmuch as fire may be elicited from dry wood. See also I, 6, 4, 5, where Soma, frequently identified with Agni (see VI, 5, 1, 1), is said at new moon to come down to the earth, and enter the waters and plants in order to be born anew from them.
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thou ample (broad), well to rest upon, thou, Agni’s provender-bearer'!’ He thereby lays vigour into the ass.
4. Then the he-goat, with (Vag. S. XI, 45), ‘Be thou propitious unto human creatures, O Angiras!’—for Agni is Angiras, and the he-goat is sacred to Agni: he thus appeases him with a view to his doing no injury ;—‘ Scorch not heaven and earth, nor the air, nor the trees! ’—that is, ‘do not injure anything!’ He thereby lays vigour into the he-goat.
5. With three (verses) he addresses (the animals), for threefold is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus lays vigour into them.
6. He then holds it (Agni, the lump of clay) over these animals, whereby he equips him (Agni) with these cattle. He does not touch them, lest he should injure that seed by the thunderbolt, for cattle are a thunderbolt, and this (clay) is seed ; or lest that Agni should injure those cattle, for that (lump of clay) is Agni, and these (animals) are cattle.
7. In the first place he holds it over the horse, with (Vag. S. XI, 46), ‘Let the racer start forth neighing lustily,—that is, ‘Let the racer start forth neighing repeatedly ;'—‘the running ass, crying aloud!’ He thus mentions the ass in the formula of the horse, and thereby imbues the ass with sorrow’ ;—‘ bearing Agni Purishya, may he
S. XI, 46), ‘Let the racer start forth neighing lustily,—that is, ‘Let the racer start forth neighing repeatedly ;'—‘the running ass, crying aloud!’ He thus mentions the ass in the formula of the horse, and thereby imbues the ass with sorrow’ ;—‘ bearing Agni Purishya, may he
1 Literally, Agni’s bearer of what is suitable for the cattle, or perhaps, be thou, for Agni, the bearer of (himself) favourable to cattle ;—‘ pasavya’ being here as elsewhere used (see p. 201, note) to explain ‘purfsha,’ that which fills, the mould or soil used as mortar for the layers of bricks, in building up the fire-altar.
4 On account of his being compared with the horse, Say. The author probably alludes to the dejected, spiritless look of the ass, as
(41) Qp. 226 not perish before lis full measure of time!’— that is, ‘bearing Agni favourable to cattle, may he (the horse) not perish before (the completion of) this sacred work.’ Hethereby equips him (Agni) with the horse.
8. Then (over) the ass, with, ‘The male carrying Agni, the male,—for Agni is a male, and the heass is a male: that male carries the male ;—‘the sea-born child of the waters,—for he (Agni) is the sea-born child of the waters. He thereby equips him with the ass.
9. He then takes it off, with, ‘O Agni, come hither to the feast!’—that is, ‘in order to rejoice.’ By means of the brahman, the yagus (formula), he thus removes him (Agni) from the Sddra caste.
10. Then (he holds it over) the he-goat, with (Vag. S. XI, 47), ‘The law—the truth, the law—the truth!’—the (divine) law doubtless is this Agni; and the truth is yonder sun; or, rather, the law is yonder (sun), and the truth is this (Agni) ; but, indeed, this Agni is both the-one and the other: hence he says, ‘the Jaw—the truth, the law—the truth. He thereby equips him with the he-goat.
11, With three (beasts) he equips (Agni),—threefold is Agni: .as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus equips him. With three (verses) he previously addresses (the beasts),— that makes six: the significance of this (number) has been explained.
12. They then make the beasts return (to the Ahavantya): the he-goat goes first of them, then the ass, then the horse. Now, in going away from this compared with that of the horse. The word ‘suk’ might, however, perhaps also be taken in the sense of ‘ fervour, fire.’
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(Ahavantya?), the horse goes first, then the ass, then the he-goat,—for the horse corresponds to the Kshatra (nobility), the ass to the Vaisya and Sfidra, the he-goat to the Brahmaza.
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(Ahavantya?), the horse goes first, then the ass, then the he-goat,—for the horse corresponds to the Kshatra (nobility), the ass to the Vaisya and Sfidra, the he-goat to the Brahmaza.
13. And inasmuch as, in going from here, the horse goes first, therefore the Kshatriya, going first, is followed by the three other castes; and inasmuch as, in returning from there, the he-goat goes first, therefore the Brahmaaa, going first, is followed by the three other castes. And inasmuch as the ass does not go first, either in going from here, or in coming back from there, therefore the Brahmaza and Kshatriya never go behind the Vaisya and Sddra: hence they walk thus in order to avoid a confusion between good and bad. And, moreover, he thus encloses those two castes (the Vaisya and Sddra) on both sides by the priesthood and the nobility, and makes them submissive.
14. He then looks at the sham-man, with, ‘Agni Purishya we bear, Angiras-like;’—that is, ‘Agni, favourable to cattle, we bear, like Agni.’ He thereby equips him with the sham-man.
15. He (the Adhvaryu) arrives (near the fire) while holding (the lump of clay) over the he-goat; for the he-goat is sacred to Agni: he thus equips him (Agni) with his own self, with his own godhead. And, moreover, the he-goat is the Brahman (priesthood): with the Brahman he thus equips him.
16. He then takes it down, with, ‘O plants, welcome ye with joy this propitious Agni coming hitherwards!’ for the plants are afraid lest he (Agni) should injure them: it is for them that he
1 See VI, 3, 2, 6 seq. Q2
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now appeases him, saying, ‘Welcome ye him with joy, propitious he comes to you; he will not injure you !’—' Removing all infirmities, afflictions ; settling down, drive off from us evil intention!’ that is, ‘removing all infirmities and afflictions, settling down, drive off from us all evil!’
17. [Vag. S. XI, 48] ‘O plants, receive him joyfully, ye blossoming, full-berried ones!’ for that is their perfect form when they are blossoming and full-berried: thus, ‘Being perfect, receive ye him joyfully !’—‘this timely child of yours hath settled down in his old seat;’ that is, ‘this seasonable child of yours has settled down in his eternal seat.’
18, With two (verses) he takes it down,—twofooted is the Sacrificer, and the Sacrificer is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus takes it down. He takes it down from the right (south) to the left (north) side: the significance of this has been explained. Raised and sprinkled is (the place) where he takes it down, for on a (mound), raised and sprinkled, the (sacrificial) fire is laid down. Gravel is strewed thereon: the significance of this (will be explained) hereafter 1.