The repetition of ‘4nati’ (bowing, prostration, submission) is strange. A strong alliterative cadence is noticeable in the verse.
* ? Hardly ‘return’ here; rather, perhaps, ‘attaining to (the other worlds),’ or, possibly, ‘the turning to him, gathering round him (of the people).’
* ? Or, he now calls these to himself in the meantime.
* That is, the Purusha, Agni-Pragdpati; and the Sacrificer.
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and whatever food a man consumes in this world, that (food), in return, consumes him in yonder world. Now this sacrifice is performed by means of spirituous liquor, and spirituous liquor (parisrut) is not to be consumed by a Brahmama: he thus is born from that which is not (to be) consumed, and the food does not, in return, consume him in yonder world. Therefore this (sacrifice), the Sautramazi, is a Brahmama’s sacrifice}.
2. The malted rice is the same as his (the man’s) hair, the malted barley his skin, the fried rice his flesh, the filtering-cloth his bones, the mash his marrow, the raw liquor (parisrut) his life-sap (serum), the seasoning (and fermentative substances) his blood, the milk his seed, the mature liquor (sur) his urine, and the impure matter the contents of the stomach.
3. Indra’s cake is his heart, that of Savitrz his liver, that of Varuza his lung, the asvattha and udumbara vessels his kidneys, the nyagrodha one his bile, the pan (sth4lt) his intestines *, the supernumerary (vessels) his bowels?, the two eagle feathers® the milt, the throne-seat his navel, the pot his rectum, the (pan) perforated with a hundred holes, the male organ,—and inasmuch as that (pan) is much perforated, therefore that organ is much divided,—the bowl (sata) is his mouth, the strainer
‘ That is, because to a man of another caste the spirituous liquor would not be ‘anddy4,’ but consumable, and hence it would consume him in the other world.
* The two terms ‘4Antrani’ and ‘ gud4f’ are usually taken as synonymous; the latter term probably means the lower or larger intestines ; cf. Vag. S. XIX, 86. ,
* See XII, 7, 3, 22.
x11 KANDA, 9 ADHYAYA, I BRAHMANA, 8. 261 his tongue, the dish (4apya) his anus, the tail (whisk) his bladder.
4. And the sacrificial animal of the Asvins is his limbs, that of Sarasvatt his trunk, Indra’s bull his form,—whence they say that man’s form (wealth) is kine,—the gold (plate) is his vital strength ; it is of the weight of a hundred (grains), whence man has a life of a hundred (years). ' §. The two cups of the Asvins are his eyes, and the ground wheat and kuvala (jujubes) his eyelashes ; the two cups of Sarasvatt are his nostrils, and the ground Indra-grain and badara (jujubes) the hair in his nostrils; the two cups of Indra are his ears, and the ground barley and karkandhu (jujubes) the hair of his ears and his eyebrows.
6. And the hairs of wolf are the hair on his abdomen and that below; and the hairs of tiger are the hair on his chest and that of his armpits; and the hairs of lion are the hair of his head and his beard.
7. There are three sacrificial animals, for this body of man consists of three parts: it is the body he thereby wins (in heaven) for him ;—what is below the navel (hewins) by that of the Asvins, what is above the navel and below the head by that of Sarasvatt, and the head itself by that of Indra: both as to its (bodily) form and as to its deities he thus delivers his own self from death, and makes it immortal.
8. There are three sacrificial cakes, for this life of man consists of three parts: it is life he thereby wins for him ;—the early life (he wins) by that of Indra, the middle (part of) life by that of Savitvz, and the last (part of) life by that of Varuza: both as to its (bodily) form and as to its deities he thus delivers his life from death, and makes it immortal.
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g. There are six cups (of milk and liquor), for there are these six (channels of) vital airs in the head: it is the vital airs he thereby wins for him ;— his eyes (he wins) by the two (cups) of the Asvins, his nostrils by those of Sarasvati, and his ears by those of Indra: both as to its (bodily) form and as to its deities he thus delivers his own self from death, and makes it immortal.
10. The invitatory and offering-formulas are made continuous’, and relate to the same deities— for the continuity and uninterruptedness of the vital airs. They are all of them invitatory formulas and all offering-formulas, whence all the vital airs pass onwards and all of them backwards. All (the formulas) are first, all of them intermediate, and all of them last, whence all the vital airs are first, all of them intermediate, and all of them last. All the cups have two (formulas, an) invitatory and (an) offering-formula,—this is of the form of the in (and out)-breathing and the up-breathing: it is the inbreathing and the up-breathing he thus secures for himself, and therefore all the vital airs are established on the in-breathing and the up-breathing.
11. Verily the Sautramaat is this body (of man): the Sacrificer is the mind, (that is) speech manifestly; the vedi (altar-ground) is the trunk, the uttara-vedi (high-altar) offspring, the barhis (grass-covering) cattle, the officiating priests the limbs, the fuel the bones, the ghee the marrow, the fire the mouth, the oblation is food, and the concluding rite is life, whence he who has performed the Sautramast attains life.
1 See p. 244, note 1.
x11 KANDA, 9 ADHYAYA, I BRAHMANA, 16, 263
1 See p. 244, note 1.
x11 KANDA, 9 ADHYAYA, I BRAHMANA, 16, 263
12, And, verily, these two men that seem to be in the eyes, they belong to the Asvins, and the black (in the eye) belongs to Sarasvatt, and the white to Indra; and in that, when the victim of the Asvins is being (offered), he makes offering to these deities in common, thereby he puts those (parts of the body) together and takes them to himself.
13. Indra, assuredly, is the mind, Sarasvatt speech, and the two Asvins are the ears. Now, whatever one thinks in his mind of that he speaks with his speech, and what he speaks with his speech that one hears with one’s ears: thus, in that, when the victim of Sarasvatt is being (offered), he makes offering to these deities together, thereby he puts these (parts of the body) together and takes them to himself.
14. Indra, assuredly, is the breath, Sarasvatt the tongue, and the two Asvins the nostrils; and inasmuch as through (the channel of) the breath (praza) one introduces (pr4-#t) food into himself that is the reason of its being (called) ‘praza.’ By means of the tongue one distinguishes the essence (taste) of food, and the nostrils, indeed, are the path of the breath; and in that, when the victim of Indra is being (offered), he makes offering to these deities in common, thereby he puts those (parts of the body) together and takes them to himself.
15. Indra, assuredly, is the heart, Savitrz the liver, and Varuza the lung; and in that, when Indra’s cake is being (offered), he makes offering to these deities in common, thereby he puts those (parts of the body) together and takes them to himself.
16. Savitz, assuredly, is the breath, Varuza thep. 264 through-breathing, and Indra the generative organ ; and whatever food one eats by means of (the channel of) the breath through that he breathes with his through-breathing, and by means of the generative organ he sheds the essence of food as seed; and in that, when Savitv7’s cake is being (offered), he makes offering to these deities in common, thereby he puts those (parts of the body) together and takes them to himself.
17. Varuza, assuredly, is the womb, Indra the seed, and Savitr7 the generator of the seed; and in that, when Varuma’s cake is being (offered), he makes offering to these deities in common, thereby he puts those (parts of the body) together and takes them to himself. And whosoever thus knows this ‘comes into being along with these deities, and is born again (so as to be) along with these deities ; he increases in offspring and cattle; he becomes firmly established in this world, and wins the heavenly world, whosoever, knowing this, performs the Sautramamt, or whosoever thus knows this.
Seconp BrRAHMANA.
1. Having performed the sacrifice they betake themselves to the purificatory bath; for after a Soma-sacrifice they do betake themselves to the purificatory bath, and the Sautramami is the same as the Soma (sacrifice).
Seconp BrRAHMANA.
1. Having performed the sacrifice they betake themselves to the purificatory bath; for after a Soma-sacrifice they do betake themselves to the purificatory bath, and the Sautramami is the same as the Soma (sacrifice).
2. [He plunges the mash-pot into the water, with Vag. S. XX, 14-181,] ‘Whatever contumely
* Of the first three verses the text quotes only the first pada, the rest having been supplied in the translation.
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against the gods, O divine gods, we have committed, from that sin may Agni deliver me; may he deliver me from all trouble!’—he thereby delivers him from the sin committed against the gods—‘ Whether by day, whether by night we have committed sins, from that sin may Vayu deliver me; may he deliver me from all trouble!’—he thereby delivers him from whatever sin he commits by day and night.—‘ Whether waking, whether in sleep we have committed sins, from that sin may Sfrya deliver me; may he deliver me from all trouble!’—what is awake is men, and what is asleep is the Fathers: he thus delivers him from guilt against men and Fathers.
3. ‘Whatever sin we have committed in the village, in the forest —for either in the village or in the forest sin is committed: therefrom he delivers him ;—‘ whatever in the assembly ’—from the sin of the assembly he thereby delivers him ;—‘ whatever in our organs of sense’—from the sin against the gods he thereby delivers him ;—‘ whatever against the Sidra or the Arya, whatever against the right of any one, thereof thou art the expiation,—from all that sin he thereby delivers him.
4. ‘That we swear by the Inviolable Waters}, by Varuaa, therefrom deliver us, O Varuza!’ —he thereby delivers him from sin against Varuza.— [He then immerses the pot, with V4g. S. XII, 18;
1 Cf. III, 8, 5, 10, where the text varies slightly—‘ That they say, we swear by the Inviolable (cows, or waters), by Varuza, therefrom deliver us, O Varuna!’
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19,] ‘O laving bath, laving thou glidest along, —the bath, indeed, is that whirlpool (now produced) in the water, and that indeed is either Varuza’s son or brother: it is him he thereby praises ;—‘ with the help of the gods have I expiated! the sin committed against gods,—he thereby expiates the sin committed against gods ;—‘ with the help of mortals that committed against mortals, — he thereby expiates the sin committed against mortals ;—‘ preserve me, O God, from injury from the fiercely-howling (demon)!’ whereby he means fo say, ‘ Protect me against all inflictions!’
5. ‘Inthe ocean, in the waters, is thy heart, — for the ocean is the waters, and water is sap: with that sap he thus supplies him ;—‘ may the plants and waters unite with thee! ’—he thereby supplies him with both kinds of sap, that which is in plants, and that which is in water—He goes two steps northward from out (of the water); for as much as the step is the briskness in man: with what briskness there is in him he thus leaves evil behind him.
6. With, ‘May the waters and plants be friendly unto us!’ he takes water in his joined hands; for water is a thunderbolt: he thus makes a covenant with the thunderbolt ;—and with, ‘May they be unfriendly unto him who hateth us, and whom we hate!’ let him sprinkle it in whatever direction he who is hateful to him may be, and he thereby discomfits him.
7. With (Vag. S. XX, 20), ‘As one set free (is liberated) from the stake, as he who sweateth
1 Cf. II, 5, 2, 47; IV, 4, 5, 22, where the formula has ‘ava aydsisham ’ (correct,—‘ with the help of the gods have I wiped out the sin committed against the gods’) instead of ‘ava yakshi.’
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(is cleansed) from filth by bathing, as the ghee is purified by the strainer, so may the waters cleanse me from sin!’ he causes his garment to float away: even as one would pluck out a reed from its sheath, so he plucks him from out all evil. He bathes, and (thereby) drives the darkness (of sin) from himself.
8. [He comes out ', with Vag. S. XX, 21,] ‘From out of the gloom have we risen,—gloom is evil: it is gloom, evil, he thus keeps away ;—‘ beholding the higher light?,'—this (terrestrial) world is higher than the water: it is on this world he thus establishes himself ;—‘ God Sfrya, with the gods, the highest light,—Sarya, the highest light (gyotis), is the heavenly world: it is in the heavenly world he thus finally eStablishes himself. He walks along without looking back, and approaches the Ahavantya,—
9. With (Vag. S. XX, 22), ‘Along the waters have I gone this day,—the essence of the waters he thereby secures for himself;—‘with their essence have we united,—the essence of the waters he thus takes to himself;—‘rich in sap, O Agni, have I come: do thou unite (supply) me with splendour, with offspring, and with wealth!’ he thereby invokes a blessing.
10. With (Vag. S. XX, 23),‘A kindler thou art:
1 Having put on fresh garments, the Sacrificer and his wife are led out by the Unnetr7, the mantra being muttered at the same time; and they then return with the priests to the offeringground, whilst the Amatriya- -hymn (on Aig-veda S. VIII, 48, 3, ‘we have drunk Soma. ..’) is sung: see part ii, p. 385, note 2; KAty. Sraut. X, 9, 7.
* Mahfdhara takes ‘svar’ in the sense of ‘ svarga,’ heaven ; whilst the Brahmana seems rather to take it as referring to the earth or dry land on which the Sacrificer now steps.
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..’) is sung: see part ii, p. 385, note 2; KAty. Sraut. X, 9, 7.
* Mahfdhara takes ‘svar’ in the sense of ‘ svarga,’ heaven ; whilst the Brahmana seems rather to take it as referring to the earth or dry land on which the Sacrificer now steps.
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may we prosper?!’ he takes a kindling-stick, for a kindler of Agni (the fire) the kindling-stick indeed is. With, ‘Enkindling thou art, fire thou art: lay thou fire into me!’ he puts the kindling-stick on the Ahavaniya : he thereby kindles the fire, and, thus kindled, it kindles him with fire (energy) ?.
11. Being about to offer'a pap to Aditi®, he prepares it: Aditi being this (earth), he who offers Aditi’s (pap) performs the sacrifice on this (earth), and by offering firmly establishes himself thereon. The sacrificial fee is a milch cow (with calf): the milch cow being this (earth), he milks out from the latter all his desires. The calf he gives away at the former (pap-offering to Aditi‘), and the mothercow at the latter; for when a calf sucks the mothercow, the latter gives milk when she is given away, and from her, when given away, he thus milks all his desires.
12. As to this they say, ‘Surely, he who goes down to the water for the purificatory bath falls away from this world!’ Well, when he has come out from the bath, he offers a dish of curds to Mitra and Varuza; now Mitra is this (terrestrial) world,
1 The text of the formula ‘edhossy edhishfmahi’ is evidently meant to suggest a connection (real or alliterative) between ‘ edha’ (root ‘indh’) and the final verb (root ‘ edh’).
® According to K4ty. XIX, 5, 20, and Mahfdhara, he now offers on the kindling-stick an oblation of ghee, with the text, Vag. S. XX, 23, ‘Hither come the earth, the dawn, the sun, and all this world.’
® See p. 213, note 2.
‘ This offering takes place at the beginning of the performance of the Sautramazt, cf. Katy. Sr. XIX, 1, 5-10. The dish of curds which according to this paragraph is to follow the second pap to Aditi, may, according to K4ty4yana, be offered before it.
x11 KANDA, 9 ADHYAYA, 3 BRAHMANA, 5. 269
Varuza yonder world, and the dish of curds is what there is here between (those two): thus, when he offers the dish of curds to Mitra and Varuma, he establishes himself in these worlds. And Mitra, indeed, is the in-breathing, Varuza the off-breathing, and the dish of curds the food: thus when he offers the dish of curds to Mitra and Varuma, he finally establishes himself in the vital air, in food.
Tuirp BRAHMANA.
1. Now, Dush/arttu PaumsAyana had been expelled from the kingdom which had come down to him through ten generations; and the Svz#gayas also expelled Revottaras Paéava Kakra Sthapati.
2. He said to Dush/aritu Paumsdyana, ‘I will perform the Sautramamt for thee, and will confer upon thee that dominion over the S7zzgayas.’'—‘ So be it!’ he replied. So he performed it for him.
2. He said to Dush/aritu Paumsdyana, ‘I will perform the Sautramamt for thee, and will confer upon thee that dominion over the S7zzgayas.’'—‘ So be it!’ he replied. So he performed it for him.
3. Now Balhika Pratiptya, the Kauravya king, heard (people say) this—‘ There is that Dush/aritu Paumsdyana who has been expelled from the kingdom which has come down to him through ten generations: for him that Aakra Sthapati wants to perform the Sautramamt and to confer upon him the dominion over the Srzagayas.’
4. He said, ‘I will just tell him that if he wants to confer dominion upon him, he will indeed exclude him from dominion.’ He came to him at that particular time (of the sacrifice) when the cups (of milk and liquor) are drawn.
5. He said, ‘ Sthapati Xakra, they say, Sur4-liquor must not be offered in the Ahavantya-fire, nor anywhere else than in the Ahavantya: if thou offerest
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Sur4-liquor in the Ahavantya thou wilt cause social confusion and a repetition in the sacrifice !, and if anywhere else than in the Ahavantya thou wilt exclude him (the king) from dominion, and wilt neither place him in dominion, nor confer dominion upon him.’
6. He replied, ‘I shall not offer Sur4-liquor in the Ahavantya nor anywhere else than in the Ahavantya : thus I shall not cause social confusion nor a repetition in the sacrifice, and shall not exclude him from dominion ; I shall place him in dominion, and shall confer dominion upon him.’
7. He said, ‘ How, then, wilt thou do it?’ He then told him this:—At first, indeed, that Yagéa (sacrifice, m.), the Sautramazt, was with the Asuras. He went forth towards the gods. He came to the waters, and the waters welcomed him, whence people welcome a better man when he comes to them. They said to him, ‘We pray thee, come, reverend sir!’
8. He said, ‘Nay, I am afraid: lead ye me forward!’ —‘Whereof art thou afraid, reverend sir?’ they asked—‘ Of the Asuras,’ he said.— ‘Be it, then!’ they said. The waters led him forward, whence he who is the protector leads forward him who is afraid ; and inasmuch as the waters led him forward (pra-zt) therefore the waters (themselves) are ‘led forward:’ this is the reason why they are (called) Pramitah?; and, verily, firmly established is he who thus knows that nature of the Pramtta.
* Probably inasmuch as the cups of milk are offered there previously.
* For this jarful of consecrated water, used at the sacrifice, see part i, pp. 9, note; 265.
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9. Now, the fore-offerings had been performed, but the fire had not been carried round? (the oblations), when the Asuras came after him. By means of the circumambient fire the gods shut out their hostile rivals, the Asuras, from Yagia (the sacrifice); and in like manner does this one now, by means of the circumambient fire, shut out his spiteful enemy from the sacrifice.
(the oblations), when the Asuras came after him. By means of the circumambient fire the gods shut out their hostile rivals, the Asuras, from Yagia (the sacrifice); and in like manner does this one now, by means of the circumambient fire, shut out his spiteful enemy from the sacrifice.
10. Verily, that Ahavantya is the womb (seat) of the gods, and those two fires? on either side thereof are its immortal wings: thus, when they perform the sacrifice on the Ahavantya, they indeed perform the sacrifice for the gods in the womb of the gods ; and, verily, the continued sacrifice inclines to him, and the sacrifice is not cut off from him who thus knows this, or for whom, knowing this, this sacrificial rite is performed.
11. On the northern fire they offer (libations from) the cups of milk, on the northern fire they cook the sacrificial animals: the sacrificial animals, whilst being mortal, he thus places in the immortal womb, and them that are mortal he causes to be born (again) from out of the immortal womb ; and, verily, whosoever thus knows this, or he for whom, knowing this, this sacrificial rite is performed, wards off the recurring death of his cattle, and the sacrifice is not cut off from him.
12. On the southern fire they offer (libations from) the cups of Sur4-liquor, near the southern fire
1 On the ceremony called ‘ paryagnikarazam,’ see part i, p. 145, note; part ii, p. 187, note.
* See p. 225, note 1. Properly speaking, the two fires of the two special Vedis are in front (or, rather, north-east and south-east) of the Ahavantya.
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they purify (the liquor) with triple strainers: the Fathers, whilst being mortal, he thus places in the immortal womb, and them that are mortal he causes to be born (again) from out of the immortal womb; and, verily, whosoever thus knows this, or he for whom, knowing this, this sacrificial rite is performed, wards off the recurring death of the Fathers, and the sacrifice is not cut off from him.
13. Now, inasmuch as these two fires are taken from the Ahavantya, they are Ahavantyas (offeringfires), and inasmuch as they do not again reach the Ahavantya, they are not Ahavantyas: he thereby obtains both kinds of oblations, that which is (offered) on the Ahavantya, and that which is (offered) on what is not an Ahavantya—both what is offered and what is not offered.
He (Balhika Pratiptya) then went home, and said, ‘It is not so (as we had thought): that kingdom of the Srz#gayas now belongs to Dushéaritu;—in such and such a manner has that A akra Sthapati this day performed at the sacrifice.’
14. On the northern fire they thus perform the rites of the sacrificial animals, the (animal) cakes, and the cups of milk, and what other (rite) there is: it is the gods, in the world of the gods, he thereby gratifies, and, thus gratified, they gratify him, and he wins the world of the gods.
On the northern fire they thus perform the rites of the sacrificial animals, the (animal) cakes, and the cups of milk, and what other (rite) there is: it is the gods, in the world of the gods, he thereby gratifies, and, thus gratified, they gratify him, and he wins the world of the gods.
15. In the southern fire they offer (libations from) the cups of Sur4-liquor, near the southern fire they purify (the liquor) with triple strainers: it is the Fathers, in the world of the Fathers, he thereby gratifies, and, thus gratified, they gratify him, and he wins the world of the Fathers.
16. Verily, the Sautramaat is the same as thep. 273 body, whence it is (clearly) defined, for defined is the body. And (Indra) Vayodhas (the bestower of strength) is the world, whence he is undefined’, for undefined is the world. The Sautramamt is the body (trunk), and the Aindra (victim) and (the one to) Vayodhas ? are the two arms; and inasmuch as there are those two animal offerings on both sides (of the Sautramawt), therefore these two arms are on both sides of the body. And as the sacrificial animal, so the sacrificial stake; and inasmuch as there are those two stakes on both sides of the stake of the Sautramazti (bull of Indra), therefore these two arms are on both sides of the body *.
1 The term ‘vayodhas’ is said to be undefined inasmuch as, though it is meant to apply to Indra, the name of this god is not mentioned along with it in the formulas.
* During the performance of the Sautramani proper (on the fourth day) three victims are immolated, a he-goat to the Asvins, a ram to Sarasvatf, and another bull to Indra. But at the beginning of the whole performance—either before or after the first pap to Aditi (cf. XII, 9, 2, 11)—a bull is sacrificed to Indra ; and at the end—after the second pap to Aditi and the dish of curds to Mitra and Varuna (see p. 252, note 4)—another animal sacrifice is performed to Indra Vayodhas. The sacrificial stakes for the first and last of the three victims sacred to Indra, are to be placed north and south of that of Indra’s second bull, the one sacrificed as part of the Sautramazt proper.
5 The object of identifying different ceremonial acts and features with certain parts of the body is of course to impress upon the mind of the Sacrificer the efficacy of the Sautrdmanf in securing to him a new, complete body for the other life.
(44) T
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THIRTEENTH KANDA. THE ASVAMEDHA, or HORSE-SACRIFICE.
PRELIMINARY CEREMONIES} First ApuyAya. First BrAHMANA.
1. He (the Adhvaryu) cooks the priests’ mess of rice?: it is seed he thereby produces, Having greased a rope with the ghee which is left over’, he takes it; for ghee is (a type of) fiery spirit, and the horse is sacred to Prag4pati‘: he thus endows Prag4pati with fiery spirit. Impure, and unfit for sacrifice, indeed, is that (animal), to wit, the horse.
Impure, and unfit for sacrifice, indeed, is that (animal), to wit, the horse.
2. The rope consists of darbha grass (poa cynosuroides) ;—for darbha stalks * are a means of purification: he thus purifies that (horse), and immolates it as one purified and meet for sacrifice.
3. Now, when the horse* was immolated, its
1 The ceremonies treated of in the first six chapters (brahmasss) refer to the setting apart of the horse for its sacred office, a year before the sacrifice, and to the intervening period during which the horse is allowed to roam about, though under careful supers vision.
* For further particulars regarding this opening ceremony of the sacrifice see XIII, 4, 1, 1 seqq.
* Viz. from the ghee used for greasing the four dishes of cooked rice,
* Or, the horse is of the nature of Prag4pati.
® See above, p. 195, note 1.
* That is, as would seem, Pragfpati in the form of a horse,
see part iv, introd., p. xiv seqq.
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seed went from it and became gold!: thus, when he gives gold (to the priests) he supplies the horse with seed.
4. Pragdpati produced the sacrifice*. His greatness departed from him, and entered the great sacrificial priests*. Together with the great priests he went in search of it, and together with the great priests he found it: when the great priests eat the priests’ mess of rice, the Sacrificer thereby secures for himself the greatness of the sacrifice. Along with the priests’ mess of rice he presents gold (to the priests); for the mess of rice is seed, and gold is seed: by means of seed he thus lays seed into that (horse, and Sacrificer). It (the gold‘) weighs a hundred (grains) ; for man has a life of a hundred (years), and a hundred energies: it is life, and energy, vigour, he lays into his own self. At midday he takes Vasattivart® water of four kinds; it is brought together from the (four) quarters, for food is in (all) the (four) quarters, and water is food: by means of food he thus secures food for him.
} Prag&pati is Agni, and gold is Agni’s seed, cf. II, 1, 1, 5; III, 3,1, 3 &e.
* That is, the Asvamedha sacrifice, and thus the immolation (or emptying out) of his own self, so to speak.
* That is, the four principal officiating priests, Brahman, Hotr?, Adhvaryu, and Udgatr#, Cf. VIII, 4, 3, 1 seqq. where it is the vital airs that, in their capacity as Reshis, assist PragApati in the first sacrifice. .
‘ That is to say, each piece of gold weighs as much. According to K&ty. XX, 1, 6 he is to give to the priests 4000 cows and as many Satam4na coins,
® For this water used for the Soma-sacrifice where, however, it is taken from a cistern, or some course of flowing water, see part ii, p. 222 seqq. T2
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SEcOND BRAHMANA.
According to K&ty. XX, 1, 6 he is to give to the priests 4000 cows and as many Satam4na coins,
® For this water used for the Soma-sacrifice where, however, it is taken from a cistern, or some course of flowing water, see part ii, p. 222 seqq. T2
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SEcOND BRAHMANA.
1. Now, unsuccessful in the sacrifice, assuredly, is what is performed without a formula. (With Vag. S. XXII, 2,) ‘This rope did they take, at the first age of the truth, [the sages, at the rites: it hath been with us at this Soma-sacrifice, declaring the course in the gaining of the truth],’ he takes the halter of the horse in order to supply a formula for the success of the sacrifice. It (the rope) is twelve cubits long—twelve months make a year: it is the year, the sacrifice’, he secures.
2. Concerning this they say, ‘Is the rope to be made twelve cubits long, or thirteen cubits long?’ Well, that year is the bull among the seasons, and the thirteenth (or intercalary) month is an excrescence of the year; and this Asvamedha is the bull among sacrifices; and inasmuch as the bull has an excrescence (hump), one may add on a thirteenth cubit to the rope as an excrescence to this (Asvamedha) : even as the bull's hump is attached * (to his back), suchlike would this be.
3. [He puts the halter on the horse, with Vag. S. XXII, 3, 4,] ‘Encompassing® thou art,—
? Or, possibly, it is for the space of a year that he secures the sacrifice, but see part iv, introduction, p. xxiii.
* Lit., spread out.
3 Some such meaning as this (or perhaps ‘encompassed, encircled’) seems to be assigned by the author to ‘abhidh44,’ with evident reference to ‘ abhidh4nt,’ ‘ halter,’ from ‘ abhi-dh,’ ¢ to fasten, enclose.’ The St. Petersburg Dict., on the other hand, takes it in the sense of ‘naming, denoting’ (? inasmuch as the horse gives the name to the horse-sacrifice); whilst Mahidhara explains it by ‘that which is named or praised.’
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therefore the offerer of the Asvamedha conquers all the quarters';—‘the world thou art,—the world he thus conquers ;—‘a ruler thou art, an upholder,—he thus makes him a ruler and upholder ;—‘ go thou unto Agni Vaisvanara,— he thus makes him go to Agni Vaisv4nara (the friend of all men) ;—‘of wide extent,—he thus causes him to extend in offspring and cattle ;— ‘consecrated by Svah4 (hail!),"—this is the Vashaé-call* for it;—‘ good speed (to) thee for the gods!’—he thus makes it of good speed for the gods ;—‘for PragApati,—the horse is sacred to Pragdpati: he thus supplies* it with his own deity.
4. But, verily, he who fetters the horse without announcing it to the Brahman and the gods is liable to incur injury. He addresses the Brahman (the superintending priest) by saying, ‘O Brahman, I will fetter the horse for the gods, for PragApati: may I prosper therewith!’ and having made the announce-
He addresses the Brahman (the superintending priest) by saying, ‘O Brahman, I will fetter the horse for the gods, for PragApati: may I prosper therewith!’ and having made the announce-
1 In epic times the Asvamedha is commonly performed by kings who have been successful in the ‘digvigaya,’ or conquest in all quarters.
* ‘Vashag’ is the sacrificial call uttered by the Hotrs’ at the end of the ‘yAgy4,’ or offering-verse of a regular oblation (4huti) as distinguished from minor libations, such as homas and dghfras, which require no ‘ yagy4,’ and for which the sacrificial call—marking the pouring out of the libation into the fire—is ‘svaha!’ The meaning of ‘vasha/’ is doubtful; but it would seem to be connected either with the root ‘vaksh,’ to grow, to wax, or with ‘vah,’ to bear; and would thus mean either ‘may it prosper!’ or ‘may he (Agni) bear it (to the gods)!’ By the mention of the Sv4h4 in our formula the horse is, as it were, marked as dedicated to the gods.
5 Or, perhaps, he causes it to succeed by means, or with the help, of its own deity.
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ment to the Brahman, he ties up the horse, and thus incurs no injury. ‘Fetter it for the gods, for Pragapati: prosper thou therewith!’ thus the Brahman urges him, and supplies it (the horse) with its own deity. He then sprinkles it (with water): the (symbolic) meaning of this is the same as before’.
5. He sprinkles? it, with (Vag. S. XXII, 5), ‘I sprinkle thee (so as to be) acceptable to Pragapati,—for Pragapati is the most vigorous of the gods: it is vigour he bestows on it, whence the horse is the most vigorous of animals.
6. ‘I sprinkle thee, acceptable to Indra and Agni, —for Indra and Agni are the most powerful of the gods: it is power he bestows on it, whence the horse is the most powerful of animals.
7. ‘I sprinkle thee, acceptable to Vayu,— for Vayu is the swiftest of gods: it is speed he bestows on it, whence the horse is the swiftest of animals.
8. ‘I sprinkle thee, acceptable to the Allgods,—for the All-gods are the most famous of gods: it is fame he bestows on it, whence the horse is the most famous of animals.—‘ I sprinkle thee, acceptable to all the gods.’
g. Concerning this they say, ‘Seeing that the horse is sacred to Pragdpati, wherefore (does he say), “I sprinkle thee” for other deities also?’ Well, all the gods are concerned in the horse-sacrifice ;
' For the sprinkling of (the material for) oblations see I, 1, 3, 6 seq.; and an animal victim in particular, III, 7, 4, 3.
* According to Katy. XX, 1, 37, he goes with the horse to stagnant water, and there sprinkles it. It would seem that the horse stands in the water during this ceremony.
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* According to Katy. XX, 1, 37, he goes with the horse to stagnant water, and there sprinkles it. It would seem that the horse stands in the water during this ceremony.
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when he says, ‘I sprinkle thee for all the gods,’ he makes all the gods take a concern in the horsesacrifice; whence all the gods are concerned in the horse-sacrifice. But his wicked enemy seeks to lay hold of him who performs the horse-sacrifice, and the horse is a thunderbolt ;—having killed the foureyed dog, he—with ‘Undone!’ is the man! undone is the dog!'—plunges* it under the horse’s feet: it is by means of the thunderbolt
» Mahfdhara explains ‘parak’ by ‘parabhfitah, adhaspadam nitah,’ i.e. defeated, laid low. Perhaps it may mean, ‘Away is the man, away the dog!’ As given in the Vag. Samh., this is only the last part of the formula, pronounced by the Sacrificer ; whilst during the killing of the dog, he is made to say, ‘Whosoever seeketh to slay the steed, him Varuza besetteth.’—According to Katy. XX, 1, 38 seqq., the priest says to an Ayogava (the offspring of a Sidra father and a Vaisy4 mother)—or, to a lewd man, according to others—‘ Kill the four-eyed dog!’ whereupon the man kills a dog by means of a club of Sidhraka wood; and (the priest?), by means of a rattan hoop (?or mat, kafa, comm. kafaka), makes the dead dog float beneath the horse. According to the comment. on K4ty. XX, 1, 38, in case a four-eyed dog— i.e. a (two-faced) one ‘yasya dve mukhe’ and hence looking in the four (intermediate) directions (vidis), Séy.—is not available (!), a dog with marks about the eyes should be used. The mention of the ‘four-footed’ dog in the formula is, however, doubtless meant merely symbolically, as representing evil threatening the Sacrificer from every quarter.
* Harisvimin seems to connect this with the sprinkling of the horse itself—prokshanam suna upapl4vanam udyate—perhaps in the sense that the water flowing down from the sprinkled horse would soak the dog, in which case the horse would apparently be supposed to stand on the dry ground. See, however, comm. on Katy. XX, 2, 2, ‘Svinam asvasy4dhafpradese galamadhye plavayati tArayati.’ The ‘offerings of drops’ to be performed immediately after this ceremony might seem to be offered with reference to the drops of water flowing from the horse, and as it were falling outside the sacrifice; but see paragraph 5.
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he thus stamps him down; and the wicked enemy does not lay hold of him.
Tuirp BRAHMANA.
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he thus stamps him down; and the wicked enemy does not lay hold of him.
Tuirp BRAHMANA.
1. Even as some of the havis (offering-material) may be spilled before it is offered, so also (part) of the victim is here spilled in that they let loose the sprinkled (horse) before it is slain. When he offers the Stokty4s (oblations of drops), he offers that (horse) as a complete offering '—so as to make good any spilling*; for unspilled is any (part) of the offered (material) that is spilled. A thousand (oblations of drops) he offers for the obtainment of the heavenly world, for the heavenly world is equal in extent to a thousand.
2. Concerning this they say, ‘Were he to offer measured (a specified number of oblations), he would gain for himself something limited:’ he offers unspecified (oblations) for the obtainment of the unlimited. And indeed Pragdpati spake, ‘Verily, upon the oblations of drops I establish the Asvamedha, and by it, when established, I pass upward from hence.’
3. [He offers, with Vag. S. X XII, 6,]‘To Agni, hail!’—to Agni he thus offers it (the horse *) ;— ‘to Soma, hail!’—to Soma he thus offers it ;—‘to the joy of the waters, hail!’—to the waters he thus offers it;—‘to Savitrs, hail!’—to Savitri
"Cf. I, 1, 4, 33 3, 3, 16 seqq.; LV, 2, 5, 1 seqq. ? Lit., for non-spilling, i.e. to neutralise any spilling that may have taken place. 5 Harisvamin seems rather to lay the stress on the direct object :—agnaye param evisvam guhoti na kevalam fgyam. The context, however, does not admit of this interpretation.
x11 KANDA, I ADHYAYA, 3 BRAHMANA, 5. 281 he thus offers it ;—‘to Vayu, hail!’—to VAyu (the wind) he thus offers it;—‘to Vishzu, hail!’—to Vishau he thus offers it;—‘to Indra, hail!’— to Indra he thus offers it;—‘to Brzhaspati, hail!’ —to Brthaspati he thus offers it;—‘to Mitra, hail!’—to Mitra he thus offers it;—‘to Varuza, hail!’—to Varuaa he thus offers it:—so many, doubtless, are all the gods: it is to them he offers it. He offers them straight away? for the obtainment of the heavenly world, for straight away, as it were, is the heavenly world.
4. But, verily, he who offers the oblations straight away, would be liable to fall (pass) right away?: he turns back again*, and establishes himself in this (terrestrial) world. And this* indeed he (Pragdpati) has declared to be the perfection of the sacrifice, so as to prevent falling away (spilling), for unspilled is what is spilled of the offered (material).
5. And even as some of the offering-material may be spilled before it is offered, so also (part) of the
And this* indeed he (Pragdpati) has declared to be the perfection of the sacrifice, so as to prevent falling away (spilling), for unspilled is what is spilled of the offered (material).
5. And even as some of the offering-material may be spilled before it is offered, so also (part) of the
? According to Katy. XX, 2, 3-5, he offers either a thousand oblations, or as many as he can offer till the dripping of the water from the horse has ceased. For every ten oblations he uses the formulas here given, after which he begins again from the beginning. The ‘straight on’ apparently means that he is neither to break the order of the deities, nor to offer more than one oblation at a time to the same deity.
* That is, he would die; ‘praitity arthas,) Comm. The St. Petersburg Dict., on the other hand, takes ‘isvara# pradaghah’ in the sense of ‘liable to fall down headlong’ (absttirzen).
* That is, by commencing the ten oblations again from the beginning.
* Viz. repetition of performance,—etim eva fa sa prag4patir &vrittimattim yagfasya samsthitim (uviéa). On repetitions in the chanting of stotras, see III, 2, 5, 8; cf. also XII, 2, 3, 13.
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victim is here spilled in that they let loose the sprinkled (horse) before it is slaughtered. When he offers (the oblations relating to) the Forms! (rapa), he offers that (horse) as one that is wholly offered, so as to make good any spilling; for unspilled is what is spilled of the offered (material). With (Vag.S. X XII, 7-8%),‘To the Hin-call, hail! to the (horse) consecrated by Hin, hail!...’
! These forty-nine oblations performed after the letting loose of the horse, are called Prakramas (i.e. steps, or movements); cf. XIII, 4, 3, 4; Katy. XX, 3, 3.—Harisvamin remarks, asvarfpan4m hinkdradinim nishkramandtmika (!) ripakhy4 4hutaya uéyante, t4 evatra prakramé iti vakshyante.
These forty-nine oblations performed after the letting loose of the horse, are called Prakramas (i.e. steps, or movements); cf. XIII, 4, 3, 4; Katy. XX, 3, 3.—Harisvamin remarks, asvarfpan4m hinkdradinim nishkramandtmika (!) ripakhy4 4hutaya uéyante, t4 evatra prakramé iti vakshyante.
* These (rather pedantic) formulas, all of them ending in ‘ svah4,’ occupy two Kandikas of the Samhita, consisting of 24 and 25 formulas respectively :—1. To the hinkara, svaha! 2. To the one consecrated by ‘hin,’ hail! 3. To the whinnying one, hail! 4. To the neighing, hail! 5. To the snorting one, hail! 6. To the snort, hail! 7. To smell, hail! 8. To the (thing) smelled, hail! 9. To the stabled one, hail! 10. To the resting one, hail! 11. To the clipped one, hail! 12. To the prancing one, hail! 13. To the seated one, hail! 14. To the lying one, hail! 15. To the sleeping one, hail! 16. To the waking one, hail! 17. To the groaning one, hail! 18. To the awakened one, hail! 19. To the yawning one, hail! 20. To the untethered one, hail! 21. To the upstarting one, hail! 22. To the standing one, hail! 23. To the starting one, hail!
24. To the advancing one, hail!—25. To the trotting one, hail!
26. To the running one, hail! 27. To the bolting one, hail! 28. To the flighty one, hail! 29. To the geeho, haill 30. To the one urged on by geeho, hail! 31. To the prostrate one, hail! 32. To the risen one, hail! 33. To the swift one, hail! 34. To the strong one, hail! 35. To the turning one, hail! 36. To the turned one, hail! 37. To the shaking one, hail! 38. To the shaken one, hail!
39. To the obedient one, hail! 40. To the listening one, hail!
41. To the looking one, hail! 42. To the one looked at, hail! 43. To the out-looking one, hail! 44. To the winking one, hail! 45. To what it eats, hail! 46. To what it drinks, hail!
47. To the water it makes, hail! 48. To the working one, hail!
49. To the wrought one, hail !
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(he offers them); for these are the forms (qualities) of the horse: it is them he now obtains.
6. Concerning this they say, ‘The Forms are no offering: they should not be offered.’ But, indeed, they also say, ‘ Therein assuredly the horse-sacrifice becomes complete that he performs (the oblations relating to) the Forms: they should certainly be offered.’ And, indeed, one puts that (Sacrificer) out of his resting-place, and raises a rival for him when one offers for him oblations elsewhere than in the fire, where there is no resting-place.
7. Prior to the (first) oblation to Savitzz*, he (the Adhvaryu) offers, once only, (the oblations relating to) the Forms® in the Ahavantya, whilst going rapidly over (the formulas): he thus offers the oblations at his (the Sacrificer’s) resting-place, and raises no rival for him. He offers at each opening of sacrifice‘, for the continuity and uninterrupted performance of the sacrifice.
8. Concerning this they say, ‘Were he to offer
He offers at each opening of sacrifice‘, for the continuity and uninterrupted performance of the sacrifice.
8. Concerning this they say, ‘Were he to offer
' According to Katy. XX, 3, 3, the Prakramas are to be offered in the Dakshizégni; but our Br&éhmasa, whilst mentioning, at XIII, 4, 3, 4, both that fire, and the horse’s footprint as optional places of offering, there as well as here decides in favour of the Ahavantya; whence Harisvimin remarks:—anyatragner iti anvabaryapakane vasvapade v4 parilikhite vakshyamAvakalp4ntaranind4.
® See XIII, 1, 4, 2.
* That is to say, without repeating them, when he has come to the end, as he did in the case of the ‘ oblations of drops.’ Nor are they to be repeated day after day throughout the year, as some of the other offerings and rites are.
‘ Viz., according to Harisvamin, at (the beginning of) the dikshavty4, prayantya, atithya, pravargya; the upasads, agnfshomiya, sutya, avabhritha, udayaniy4, and udavasdnty4 offerings (ish/). This view is, however, rejected by the author.
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at each opening of sacrifice, he would be deprived of his cattle, and would become poorer. They should be performed once only: thus he is not deprived of his cattle, and does not become poorer. Forty-eight (oblations) he offers ;—the Gagatt consists of forty-eight syllables, and cattle are of GAagata (movable) nature: by means of the Gagatt he (the Adhvaryu) thus wins cattle for him (the Sacrificer). One additional (oblation) he offers, whence one man is apt to thrive amongst (many) creatures (or subjects).
Fourtu BrRAHMANA.
1. Pragdpati poured forth the life-sap of the horse (asva-medha)?. When poured forth, it went straight away from him and spread itself over the regions. The gods went in quest of it. By means of offerings (ish¢i) they followed it up, by offerings they searched for it, and by offerings they found it. And when he performs ish¢is, the Sacrificer thereby searches for the horse (asva) meet for sacrifice? (medhya).
2. They (the ishis*) belong to Savitz; for Savitr2 is this (earth): if any one hides himself thereon, if any one goes elsewhere‘, it is on this
1 Or, as it might also be translated, Prag&pati produced (created) the Asvamedha.
2 Or, for the horse full of life-sap ; or, simply, the sacrificial horse.
5 Viz. three oblations of cakes on twelve kap4las to Savitrr Prasavitrr, Savitr’ Asavitr:, and Savitr: Satyaprasava respectively For particulars see XIII, 4, 2, 6 seqq.
* Harisvamin seems to take this in the sense of ‘who moves about elsewhere (in another sphere),’ and mentions, as an instance, a bird which flies in (? up into) the air—pakshy&dir antarikshe gakkhati—but is ultimately caught on earth.
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(earth) that they find him; for no one (creature), whether walking erect or horizontally (like an animal), is able to go beyond it. Their belonging to Savit7z thus is in order to find the horse.
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(earth) that they find him; for no one (creature), whether walking erect or horizontally (like an animal), is able to go beyond it. Their belonging to Savit7z thus is in order to find the horse.
3. Concerning this they say, ‘Surely the horse disappears when it goes straight away; for they do not turn (drive) it back'.’ Now when he performs the Dhvrzti offerings* in the evening—dhvtti (keeping) meaning peaceful dwelling, and the night also meaning peaceful dwelling—it is by means of peaceful dwelling that he keeps it; whence both men and beasts rest peacefully at night. And when he performs offerings in the morning, he seeks that (horse); whence it is in daytime that one goes to seek for what is lost. And again when he offers the Dhv#tis in the evening, and the (Savitz) ish¢is in the morning, it is security of possession the Sacrificer thereby brings about, whence security of possession is brought about for the subjects where this sacrifice is performed.
FirtH BRAHMANA.
1. But, indeed, distinction, royal sway, departs from him who performs the horse-sacrifice; and when a man attains to distinction, the lute is played to him. Two Brahmazical lute-players sing (and play) for a year; for that—to wit, the lute—is a form (attribute) of distinction: it is distinction they thus confer upon him.
1 See XIII, 4, 2, 16.
* The four Dhrstis are performed on the Ahavantya after sunset on the first day; cf. XIII, 4, 3, 5. For the four formulas used with these oblations (‘here is joy,’ &c.), see XIII, 1, 6, 2.
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2. Concerning this they say, ‘Were both to be Brahmaazas who sing, noble rank (or political power) would depart from him; for he—to wit, a Brahmaa —is a form of the priestly office; and the nobility takes no delight in the priestly office (or priesthood).
3. ‘And were both to be R4ganyas (nobles), spiritual lustre would depart from him; for he—to wit, the Raganya—is a form of .noble rank, and spiritual lustre takes no delight in noble rank.’ One of those who sing is a Brahmama, and the other a Raganya; for the Brahmaaa means priestly office, and the Réganya noble rank: thus his distinction (social position) comes to be guarded on either side by the priesthood and the nobility.
4. Concerning this they say, ‘Were both to sing by day, his distinction would be apt to fall away from him: for that—to wit, the day—is a form of the priestly dignity ; and when the king chooses he may oppress (despoil) the Brahmaza, but he will fare the worse (or, become the poorer) for it.
5. ‘And if both (were to sing) at night, spiritual lustre would fall away from him; for that—to wit, the night—is a form of the nobility, and spiritual lustre takes no delight in the nobility. The Bréhmaza sings by day?, and the Raganya at night*; and thus, indeed, his distinction comes to be guarded on either side by the priesthood and the nobility *.
The Bréhmaza sings by day?, and the Raganya at night*; and thus, indeed, his distinction comes to be guarded on either side by the priesthood and the nobility *.
6. ‘Such sacrifices he offered—such gifts he gave!’ such (are the topics about which) the xl KAwpDA, I ADHYAYA, 6 BRAHMANA, I. 287
1 Viz. at the fore-offerings of the three cake-offerings (ishéis) to Savitrz, whilst staying in the south part of the sacrificial ground.
* Viz. during the performance of the Dhritis after sunset.
* The ‘iti’ at the end belongs to the following paragraph.
Brahmama sings'; for to the Brahmaza_ belongs the fulfilment of wishes?: it is with the fulfilment of wishes he (the Brahmaza) thus endows him (the Sacrificer). ‘Such war he waged,—such battle he won!’ such (are the topics about which) the Raganya sings; for the battle is the Raganya’s strength: it is with strength he thus endows him. Three stanzas the one sings, and three stanzas the other, they amount to six,—six seasons make up a year: he thus establishes (the Sacrificer) in the seasons, in the year. To both of them he presents a hundred; for man has a life of a hundred (years), and a hundred energies: it is vitality and energy, vital power, he confers upon him.
SixtHo BrRAHMANA.
1. [The Adhvaryu and Sacrificer whisper in the right ear of the horse, Vag. S. XXII, 19%] ‘Plenteous by the mother, strengthful by the father,—its mother, doubtless, is this (earth), and its father yonder (sky): it is to these two he commits it;—‘a horse thou art, a steed thou art, —he thereby instructs it, whence clever subjects (or children) are born to him ;—‘a courser (atya) thou art, a charger thou art,—he therewith leads it beyond (ati), whence the horse goes beyond (surpasses) other animals, and whence the horse attains to pre-eminence among animals ;—‘a runner thou art, a racer thou art, a prize-winner thou
1 Cf, XII, 4, 2, 8
* The author apparently takes ‘ishfdpfrta’ in the sense of either ‘sacrifice and fulfilment,’ or ‘the fulfilment of (the objects of) sacrifice. Cf, Weber, Ind. Stud. IX, p. 319; X, p. 96.
® See XIII, 4, 2, 15.
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art, —in accordance with the text is (the meaning of) this;—‘a male thou art, well-disposed towards man thou art,—this is with a view to its (or, his) being supplied with a mate ;—‘ Speedy thou art called, Child thou art called,—this is the horse’s favourite name: by its favourite name he thus addresses it; whence even if two enemies ', on meeting together, address one another by name, they get on amicably together.
2.‘Go thou along the way of the Adityas!’ —to the Adityas he thus makes it go—‘ Ye divine guardians of the quarters, protect this horse, sprinkled for sacrifice to the gods!'—the guardians of the quarters are a hundred princes born in wedlock: to them he commits it ;—‘ here is joy: here let it rejoice!—here is safe keeping, here is its own safe keeping, hail!’ For a year he offers the (four Dhvzti) oblations 7— {amounting to) sixteen nineties, for they are the horse’s chain’, and it is therewith alone that he chains it; whence the horse when let loose returns to its chain: (they amount to) sixteen nineties‘; for these (oblations of safe keeping) are the horse’s chain, and it is therewith alone that he chains it, whence the horse, when let loose, does not (entirely) abandon its chain.
3. Verily, the Asvamedha means royal sway: it is after royal sway that these strive who guard the horse. Those of them who reach the end become
? Harisvamin, perhaps rightly, takes ‘Amitrau’ in the sense of “amitrayoA putrau,’ ‘the sons of two enemies.’
* See note on XIII, 4, 3, 5.
* Or, place of confinement, stable,—‘ bandhanasthanam.’ Harisv.
‘ That is, four times 360.
x1II KANDA, I ADHYAYA, 7 BRAHMANA, I. 289
(sharers in) the royal sway, but those who do not reach the end are cut off from royal sway. Wherefore let him who holds royal sway perform the horse-sacrifice ; for, verily, whosoever performs the horse-sacrifice, without possessing power, is poured (swept) away.—Now, were unfriendly men to get hold of the horse, his sacrifice would be cut in twain, and he would become the poorer for it. A hundred men clad in armour guard it for the continuity and uninterrupted performance of the sacrifice; and he will not become the poorer for it; (but if it be lost) they should fetch another (horse), and sprinkle it: this is the expiation in that case.
SEVENTH BRAHMANA. Tue IniTIATION OF THE SACRIFICER.
1. Pragdpati desired, ‘Might I perform a horsesacrifice }?’ He toiled and practised fervid devotion. From the body of him, when wearied and heated, the deities departed in a sevenfold way: therefrom the Diksha (initiation) was produced. He perceived those Vaisvadeva? (oblations). He offered
! Or, ‘might I make offering with the life-sap of the horse?’ the natural, as well as the technical, meaning of the term ‘asvamedha’ being generally understood in these speculations,
He perceived those Vaisvadeva? (oblations). He offered
! Or, ‘might I make offering with the life-sap of the horse?’ the natural, as well as the technical, meaning of the term ‘asvamedha’ being generally understood in these speculations,
* The oblations offered prior to the initiation—here, as at any Soma-sacrifice—are called Audgrabhaza (elevatory) oblations. On the present occasion he, in the first place, performs, on each of the first six days of the Diksha, the four oblations of this kind offered at the ordinary Soma-sacrifice (for which see III, 1, 4, 1 seqq.); whilst on the seventh day he offers, instead of these, the six corresponding oblations of the Agnigayana (which forms 9 necessary element of the Asvamedha), see VI, 6, 1, 15-20; fora further and final oblation offered on all these occasions, see p. 292, note r. He then performs on each day three additional oblations
(44] Up. 290 them, and by means of them he gained the Diksha : and when the Sacrificer offers the Vaisvadeva (oblationsy it is the Diksha he thereby gains. Day after day he offers them: day after day he thus gains the Diksha. Seven of them he offers ; for seven were those deities that departed (from Pragdpati); it is by means of them that he (the priest) gains the Diksha for him.
2. But, indeed, the vital airs depart from those who exceed (the duration of) the Dtksha. For
(increased to four on the last day) which are peculiar to the Asvamedha, and vary from day to day in respect of the deities to whom they are offered. But whilst, in the Srautasfitras, these special oblations are likewise called Audgrabhawza (K&ty. XX, 4, 2-10), the author here applies to them the term Vaisvadeva, owing apparently to the fact of their being offered, not to the Visve Devak properly speaking, but to different deities. In the dogmatic explanation of the Audgrabhazas of the ordinary sacrifice, reference was also made (at III, 1, 4, 9) to the Visve Devas, but only incidentally. Harisvamin, indeed, points out that the designation Vaisvadeva refers in the first place to the invocations (Vag. S. XXII, 20) used with these special oblations (as is, indeed, evident from paragraph 2; cf. also part ii, p. 20, note 1); and the total of seven applied to them does not therefore refer here (as it does in paragraph 4) to the four ordinary and the three special Audgrabhava oblations, but to the series of dedicatory formulas relating to the latter oblations, as explained p. 291, note 1; and, of course, by implication, to the oblations themselves.