Fetching
One moment.
Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1Katy. III, 1, 1 seq. ; Asv. I, 1, 4 seq. * This does not take place until the pravara or invitation addressed to Agni, the Hotr? of the gods, to assist in calling the 96 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA. become a Hotvz. Let him therefore say, ‘ Recite to the fire as it is being kindled!’ 4. He recites (verses) addressed to Agni: he accordingly kindles it (the fire) with the aid of its own deity. In the gd4yatri metre (are the verses which) he recites; for the gayatri is Agni’s metre: by means of its own metre he thereby kindles it. The gayatr! is vigour, the gayatrt is the brahman! (the priestly order): with vigour he thereby kindles it. 5. Eleven (verses) he recites; for of eleven syllables consists the trish¢ubh metre. The g4ayatrt is the brahman and the trish¢ubh is the kshatra (or military order)". With the aid 0’ these two energies he thus kindles it: for this reason he recites eleven (verses). 6. Thrice he recites the first verse, and thrice the last one; for of threefold beginning are sacrifices, and of threefold termination: therefore he recites thrice the first and the last (verses). 7. Fifteen simidhent verses result (from this repetition of the first and last of the eleven verses). The fifteen-versed chant’, doubtless, is the thunderbolt, gods to the sacrifice, cf. Sdyaza and Sat. Br. I, 5,1, 1 seq. According to some authorities, however, the choosing of the Hotrz seems to take place at this particular time, or even before, at the time of the agnyanvadhana,; cf. Hillebrandt, p. 73. 1 The géyatrf (though it is not the most frequent metre) is considered as the first, as it is the shortest, of Vedic metres. The hymns addressed to Agni are mostly in the g4yatri metre. 2 The hymns celebrating the heroic deeds of Indra and his associates, the wind-gods, are almost entirely composed in the trishfubh, the most frequent of Vedic metres, ® The pafikadasa-stoma, or form of recitation in fifteen verses at the Soma-sacrifice, is sacred to Indra (Nirukta 7, ro), the wielder of the thunderbolt, I KANDA, 3 ADHYAYA, 5 BRAHMANA, IO. 97 and the thunderbolt means strength; so that he thereby converts the sdmidhents into strength: hence, if he should hate any one, he may crush him with his great toes! at the time when those (verses) are recited. By saying, ‘I here crush so and so!’ he crushes him with that thunderbolt. 8. Fifteen nights indeed there are in a halfmoon; and growing by half-moons the year passes: hence he thereby obtains the nights. 9. Now in the fifteen gdyatri verses there are indeed three hundred and sixty syllables?; and three hundred and sixty days there are in a year: hence he thereby obtains the days, he thereby obtains the year. 10. For an ish¢i (which is performed in order to obtain the fulfilment of a special wish)* let him recite seventeen sAmidhent verses; for in a low voice he sacrifices to the deity to which he offers an ish#i.
210. For an ish¢i (which is performed in order to obtain the fulfilment of a special wish)* let him recite seventeen sAmidhent verses; for in a low voice he sacrifices to the deity to which he offers an ish#i. 1 Or, with his thumbs (angush/A4bhy4m). The K4mva text has ‘padyabhyam angush/Aadbhyam;’ but Katy. III, 1, 7 has ‘angush/habhyam padyabhy4m va,’ which would seem to leave a choice between the thumbs and the great toes; the commentator, however, takes v4 in a restrictive sense. The sacrificer is to press down the earth with his great toes (or thumbs) each time when a kindling verse is recited. 2 The g4yatri verse consists of three times eight syllables, and 24 x 15=360. In the place of the last samidhentf (called paridhaniy4), however, the Vasish/has have a trish/ubh stanza (4X11 syllables), so that the above computation of syllables does not hold good in their case. One might be inclined to infer from this that the trish¢ubh was the more original, a gayatrf being substituted later to yield the above symbolical number of syllables. Cf. Taitt. S. II, 5, 7 seq.; Taitt. Br. IIT, 5, 3. * The kAamyesh/is, and ish/is generally, are performed with certain modifications, on the model of the new and full-moon sacrifice, of which they are therefore said to be vikrztis or modifications, [12] H 98 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA. Twelve months, namely, there are in a year, and five seasons!: this (makes) the seventeenfold Pragapati. For verily Pragdpati is all: hence for what wish he performs the ish¢i, that wish he thus accomplishes by means of the All. In a low voice he sacrifices to the deity; for what is spoken in a low voice is undefined (indistinct), and undefined is the ‘All:’ hence for whatever wish he performs the ish¢i, that wish he thus accomplishes by means of the All. This is the practice in regard to an ishdéi. 11. Some people say: ‘ Let him recite twenty-one sAmidhent verses also at the full and new-moon sacrifice. Twelve, doubtless, are the months of the year, five the seasons, and three these worlds: this (makes) twenty; and the twenty-first is this very (sun) that here shines: he is the resort, he the stay; thereby he (the sacrificer) obtains this resort, this stay. He may therefore recite twenty-one. 12. Let him recite them only for one of established prosperity (gatasrt), who would not wish to become either better or worse. For, what he for whom they recite is like, like that he will either be or worse *, for whom, that knows this, they recite 1 In other passages, and in later times generally, six seasons, comprising two months each, are counted, but the transitional season between winter and spring, sisira, is not unfrequently, as in our passage, combined with the winter season (hemanta), or partially with that and the spring (vasanta). On the identification of PragApati with the year, cf. note on I, 2, 5, 12.
3On the identification of PragApati with the year, cf. note on I, 2, 5, 12. * The condition of one who is gatasrt cannot be improved, but only impaired. The construction of this paragraph is somewhat doubtful to me. It runs thus: T4 haité gatasrer evanubry4d ya ikkhen na sreyant sym na p4piy4n iti yAdrisfya haiva sate *nvahus t&drii va haiva bhavati papty4n v4 yasyaivam vidusha et I KANDA, 3 ADHYAYA, 5 BRAHMANA, I4. 99° those (twenty-one verses). This, however, is mere speculation, for those (twenty-one verses) are not recited}, 13. Thrice he should recite the first and thrice the last (verse), without drawing breath; for three are these worlds, so that he thereby spreads (santan) these worlds, gains these worlds. Also three breaths there are in man: this recitation thereby causes him (the sacrificer) to be extended (santata), not cut short (by death). 14. He (the Hotvz) should endeavour to recite ' thus (uninterruptedly) as long as his strength lasts. If, on the other hand, he were to take breath in the middle (of the verse), it would be a slight on this very (sacrifice)*: by reciting this (holy) com- anvahu& so esha mimamsaiva na tv evaité anfifyante. SAyana seems to take it thus:—‘ He should recite them only fora gatasrf. A householder who desires neither an improvement nor a lowering of his position, is just such a one or whom the Hotris recite the sAmidhenis in the appointed (niyatena) way. Further, for whomsoever, that thus knows the irregular ? aniyata, not regulated) way of recitation, they recite those twenty-one sAmidhents, he becomes either worse or better. What is set forth in the words from “A householder who desires neither an improvement” &c. is mere speculation; the recitation is not to be performed in this way.’ The corresponding paragraph of the Kamva recension is much briefer and clearer:—Tad etad gatasrir eva kurvita na ha sreyan na paptyan bhavati yasyaivam anvahu/ saisha mim4msaiva na tv anffyante, ‘only a gatasri, however, should do this; for neither better nor worse becomes he for whom they recite thus. This is indeed speculation, but they (the twenty-one samidhents) are not recited.’ 1 In the Taitt. S. II, 5, 10, the number of verses (effected by the repetition) is given as varying, according to the special object in view, between fifteen and forty-eight. 2 ? Or, it would be an act of neglect on his, the sacrificer’s, part : by (the Hotrz) reciting without fetching breath, that act, that neglect would be avoided. H 2 100 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA. position without taking breath, that slight will be avoided.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1Katy. III, 1, 1 seq. ; Asv. I, 1, 4 seq. * This does not take place until the pravara or invitation addressed to Agni, the Hotr? of the gods, to assist in calling the 96 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA. become a Hotvz. Let him therefore say, ‘ Recite to the fire as it is being kindled!’ 4. He recites (verses) addressed to Agni: he accordingly kindles it (the fire) with the aid of its own deity. In the gd4yatri metre (are the verses which) he recites; for the gayatri is Agni’s metre: by means of its own metre he thereby kindles it. The gayatr! is vigour, the gayatrt is the brahman! (the priestly order): with vigour he thereby kindles it. 5. Eleven (verses) he recites; for of eleven syllables consists the trish¢ubh metre. The g4ayatrt is the brahman and the trish¢ubh is the kshatra (or military order)". With the aid 0’ these two energies he thus kindles it: for this reason he recites eleven (verses). 6. Thrice he recites the first verse, and thrice the last one; for of threefold beginning are sacrifices, and of threefold termination: therefore he recites thrice the first and the last (verses). 7. Fifteen simidhent verses result (from this repetition of the first and last of the eleven verses). The fifteen-versed chant’, doubtless, is the thunderbolt, gods to the sacrifice, cf. Sdyaza and Sat. Br. I, 5,1, 1 seq. According to some authorities, however, the choosing of the Hotrz seems to take place at this particular time, or even before, at the time of the agnyanvadhana,; cf. Hillebrandt, p. 73. 1 The géyatrf (though it is not the most frequent metre) is considered as the first, as it is the shortest, of Vedic metres. The hymns addressed to Agni are mostly in the g4yatri metre. 2 The hymns celebrating the heroic deeds of Indra and his associates, the wind-gods, are almost entirely composed in the trishfubh, the most frequent of Vedic metres, ® The pafikadasa-stoma, or form of recitation in fifteen verses at the Soma-sacrifice, is sacred to Indra (Nirukta 7, ro), the wielder of the thunderbolt, I KANDA, 3 ADHYAYA, 5 BRAHMANA, IO. 97 and the thunderbolt means strength; so that he thereby converts the sdmidhents into strength: hence, if he should hate any one, he may crush him with his great toes! at the time when those (verses) are recited. By saying, ‘I here crush so and so!’ he crushes him with that thunderbolt. 8. Fifteen nights indeed there are in a halfmoon; and growing by half-moons the year passes: hence he thereby obtains the nights. 9. Now in the fifteen gdyatri verses there are indeed three hundred and sixty syllables?; and three hundred and sixty days there are in a year: hence he thereby obtains the days, he thereby obtains the year. 10. For an ish¢i (which is performed in order to obtain the fulfilment of a special wish)* let him recite seventeen sAmidhent verses; for in a low voice he sacrifices to the deity to which he offers an ish#i.
210. For an ish¢i (which is performed in order to obtain the fulfilment of a special wish)* let him recite seventeen sAmidhent verses; for in a low voice he sacrifices to the deity to which he offers an ish#i. 1 Or, with his thumbs (angush/A4bhy4m). The K4mva text has ‘padyabhyam angush/Aadbhyam;’ but Katy. III, 1, 7 has ‘angush/habhyam padyabhy4m va,’ which would seem to leave a choice between the thumbs and the great toes; the commentator, however, takes v4 in a restrictive sense. The sacrificer is to press down the earth with his great toes (or thumbs) each time when a kindling verse is recited. 2 The g4yatri verse consists of three times eight syllables, and 24 x 15=360. In the place of the last samidhentf (called paridhaniy4), however, the Vasish/has have a trish/ubh stanza (4X11 syllables), so that the above computation of syllables does not hold good in their case. One might be inclined to infer from this that the trish¢ubh was the more original, a gayatrf being substituted later to yield the above symbolical number of syllables. Cf. Taitt. S. II, 5, 7 seq.; Taitt. Br. IIT, 5, 3. * The kAamyesh/is, and ish/is generally, are performed with certain modifications, on the model of the new and full-moon sacrifice, of which they are therefore said to be vikrztis or modifications, [12] H 98 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA. Twelve months, namely, there are in a year, and five seasons!: this (makes) the seventeenfold Pragapati. For verily Pragdpati is all: hence for what wish he performs the ish¢i, that wish he thus accomplishes by means of the All. In a low voice he sacrifices to the deity; for what is spoken in a low voice is undefined (indistinct), and undefined is the ‘All:’ hence for whatever wish he performs the ish¢i, that wish he thus accomplishes by means of the All. This is the practice in regard to an ishdéi. 11. Some people say: ‘ Let him recite twenty-one sAmidhent verses also at the full and new-moon sacrifice. Twelve, doubtless, are the months of the year, five the seasons, and three these worlds: this (makes) twenty; and the twenty-first is this very (sun) that here shines: he is the resort, he the stay; thereby he (the sacrificer) obtains this resort, this stay. He may therefore recite twenty-one. 12. Let him recite them only for one of established prosperity (gatasrt), who would not wish to become either better or worse. For, what he for whom they recite is like, like that he will either be or worse *, for whom, that knows this, they recite 1 In other passages, and in later times generally, six seasons, comprising two months each, are counted, but the transitional season between winter and spring, sisira, is not unfrequently, as in our passage, combined with the winter season (hemanta), or partially with that and the spring (vasanta). On the identification of PragApati with the year, cf. note on I, 2, 5, 12.
3On the identification of PragApati with the year, cf. note on I, 2, 5, 12. * The condition of one who is gatasrt cannot be improved, but only impaired. The construction of this paragraph is somewhat doubtful to me. It runs thus: T4 haité gatasrer evanubry4d ya ikkhen na sreyant sym na p4piy4n iti yAdrisfya haiva sate *nvahus t&drii va haiva bhavati papty4n v4 yasyaivam vidusha et I KANDA, 3 ADHYAYA, 5 BRAHMANA, I4. 99° those (twenty-one verses). This, however, is mere speculation, for those (twenty-one verses) are not recited}, 13. Thrice he should recite the first and thrice the last (verse), without drawing breath; for three are these worlds, so that he thereby spreads (santan) these worlds, gains these worlds. Also three breaths there are in man: this recitation thereby causes him (the sacrificer) to be extended (santata), not cut short (by death). 14. He (the Hotvz) should endeavour to recite ' thus (uninterruptedly) as long as his strength lasts. If, on the other hand, he were to take breath in the middle (of the verse), it would be a slight on this very (sacrifice)*: by reciting this (holy) com- anvahu& so esha mimamsaiva na tv evaité anfifyante. SAyana seems to take it thus:—‘ He should recite them only fora gatasrf. A householder who desires neither an improvement nor a lowering of his position, is just such a one or whom the Hotris recite the sAmidhenis in the appointed (niyatena) way. Further, for whomsoever, that thus knows the irregular ? aniyata, not regulated) way of recitation, they recite those twenty-one sAmidhents, he becomes either worse or better. What is set forth in the words from “A householder who desires neither an improvement” &c. is mere speculation; the recitation is not to be performed in this way.’ The corresponding paragraph of the Kamva recension is much briefer and clearer:—Tad etad gatasrir eva kurvita na ha sreyan na paptyan bhavati yasyaivam anvahu/ saisha mim4msaiva na tv anffyante, ‘only a gatasri, however, should do this; for neither better nor worse becomes he for whom they recite thus. This is indeed speculation, but they (the twenty-one samidhents) are not recited.’ 1 In the Taitt. S. II, 5, 10, the number of verses (effected by the repetition) is given as varying, according to the special object in view, between fifteen and forty-eight. 2 ? Or, it would be an act of neglect on his, the sacrificer’s, part : by (the Hotrz) reciting without fetching breath, that act, that neglect would be avoided. H 2 100 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA. position without taking breath, that slight will be avoided.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
No commentary for this page.