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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
118. He then looks up at the top-ring with (V4g. S. VI, 5; Rig-veda I, 22, 20), ‘The wise ever behold that highest step of Vishzu, fixed like an eye in the heaven. For he who has set up the sacrificial stake has hurled the thunderbolt: ‘See ye that conquest of Vishzu!’ he means to say when he says, ‘ The wise ever behold that highest step of Vishau, fixed like an eye in the heaven.’ 19. He then girds (the stake with a rope of kusagrass). Now it is to cover its nakedness that he girds it; wherefore he girds it in this place (viz. on a level with the sacrificer’s navel), for it is thus that this (nether) garment is (slung round)". He thereby puts food into him, for it is there that the food settles ; therefore he girds it at that place. 20. He girds it with a triple (rope), for threefold is food, and food means cattle; and (there is) the father and the mother, and what is born is the third; therefore he girds it with a triple (rope). 21. He girds it with (Vag. S. VI, 6), ‘Thou art enfolded; may the heavenly hosts enfold ? According to the K4mva text it is to be slung round nividaghne, ‘on a level with the nether garment’ (nabhidaghne, Taitt. S. VI, 3, 4, 5). According to K4ty. VI, 3, 1, the girding is preceded by a call on the Hotr? to recite to the post being anointed ; but neither recension mentions this. III KANDA, 7 ADHYAYA, I BRAHMANA, 25. 173 thee! may riches enfold this sacrificer among men!’ He invokes a blessing on the sacrificer, when he says, ‘May riches enfold this sacrificer among men.’ 22. Thereupon he inserts a chip of the stake (under the rope) with, ‘Thou art the son of the sky.’ For it is doubtless the offspring of that (sacrificial stake); hence if there be the full number of eleven stakes!, let him insert in each its own (chip) without confounding them; and his offspring is born orderly and not foolish. But whosoever inserts them in confusion, not its own in each, verily his offspring is born disorderly and foolish ; therefore let him insert its own in each without confounding them. 23. Moreover, that chip of the stake is made an ascent to the heavenly world; there is this girdlerope; after the rope the chip of the stake; after the chip of the stake the top-ring; and from the top-ring one reaches the heavenly world. 24. And as to why it is called svaru (‘very sore’),—that (chip) is cut off from that (stake), and thus is its own (sva) sore (arus); therefore it is called ‘svaru.’ 25. With that part of it which is dug in, he gains the world of the Fathers; and with what is above the dug-in part, up to the girdle-rope, he gains the world of men; and with what is above the rope, up to the top-ring, he gains the world of the gods; and what (space of) two or three fingers’ breadths
2With that part of it which is dug in, he gains the world of the Fathers; and with what is above the dug-in part, up to the girdle-rope, he gains the world of men; and with what is above the rope, up to the top-ring, he gains the world of the gods; and what (space of) two or three fingers’ breadths 1 When, instead of a single he-goat to Agni, eleven victims are slaughtered, they are either bound to one stake each, or all to one and the same. See III, 9,1, 4seq. The chip alluded to is one of those obtained in rough-hewing the stake and making it eightcornered. 174 SATAPATHA-BRAHMAMA. there is above the top-ring,—the gods called the ‘ Blessed ',’—their world he therewith gains; verily, whosoever thus knows this, he becomes one of the same world with the blessed gods. 26. That (sacrificial stake) he sets up on the fore-part (of the altar); for the stake is a thunderbolt, as the club is a thunderbolt. But in hurling the club one takes hold of its fore-part; and that (stake) is the fore-part of the sacrifice; therefore he sets it up on the fore-part (of the altar). 27. Verily, by means of the sacrifice the gods gained that supreme authority which they now wield. They spake, ‘How may this (world) of ours be made unattainable to men?’ They sipped the sap of the sacrifice, as bees would suck out honey, and having drained the sacrifice and scattered it by means of the sacrificial stake, they disappeared. And because they scattered (yopaya) therewith, therefore it is called yfipa (sacrificial stake). At the head stands intelligence, at the head swiftness of thought; therefore he sets it up on the fore-part (of the altar). 28. It is eight-cornered; for the gdyatri metre consists of eight syllables, and the gdyatri is the fore-part of the sacrifice, as this (stake) is the forepart of the sacrifice; therefore it is eight-cornered. 29. Now the gods once threw it after (the prastara into the fire) even as now some throw it after, thinking, ‘So the gods did it.’ Thereupon the Rakshas sipped the sacrifice (Soma) after (the gods). 30. The gods said unto the Adhvaryu, ‘ Offer thou only a chip of the stake; thereby this (sacri- ? On the ‘sAdhyas’ see Weber, Ind. Stud. IX, p. 6, note 2. lI KANDA, 7 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMANA, 2. 175 ficer) will be bid good-speed'; and thus the Rakshas will not hereafter sip the sacrifice, thinking, “ that (stake) surely is a raised thunderbolt.”’ 31. The Adhvaryu, then, offered up only a chip of the stake, and thereby that (sacrificer) was bid good-speed; and thus the Rakshas did not thereafter sip the sacrifice, thinking, ‘that surely is a raised thunderbolt.’
3The Adhvaryu, then, offered up only a chip of the stake, and thereby that (sacrificer) was bid good-speed; and thus the Rakshas did not thereafter sip the sacrifice, thinking, ‘that surely is a raised thunderbolt.’ 32. And in like manner does he now only offer up that chip of the sacrificial stake?; thereby this (sacrificer) is bid good-speed; and thus the Rakshas do not thereafter sip the sacrifice, thinking, ‘that surely is a raised thunderbolt!’ He offers it® with the text (Vag. S. VI, 21), ‘May thy smoke rise up to the sky, thy light to the heavens! fill the earth with ashes, Hail!’ SEcoND BRAHMANA. 1. Verily, as large as the altar is, so large is the earth. The sacrificial stakes are thunderbolts; and by means of these thunderbolts he obtains possession of this earth, and excludes his enemies from sharing therein. Hence there are eleven stakes, and the twelfth lies aside rough-hewn; he puts it down south (of the altar), The reason why the twelfth lies aside is this. 2. Now the gods, while performing this sacrifice, 1 See I, 8, 3, 11 seq. * See Ait. Br. II, 3. * The offering of the chips does not take place till the end of the after-offerings (see note to III, 8, 5, 6). It is somewhat strange that it should be anticipated in this place, both in this and the K4ava recensions. 176 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA. were afraid of an attack from the Asura-Rakshas. Those raised (sacrificial stakes), then, were as a discharged arrow,—therewith one either smites or smites not; as a hurled club,—therewith one either smites or smites not. But that twelfth (stake) lying aside,—even as an arrow drawn but not discharged, as (a weapon) ‘raised but not hurled, so was that a thunderbolt raised for repelling the evil spirits on the south; therefore the twelfth (stake) lies aside. 3. He lays it down with (V4yg. S. VI, 6), ‘This is thy place on earth; thine is the beast of the forest.’ There are the animal (victim) and the sacrificial stake; to this one he thereby assigns of animals that of the forest, and thus it, too, is possessed of an animal (victim). That setting up of the eleven sacrificial stakes is said to be of two kinds,—some, namely, set (them all) up (on the previous day) for the morrow’s Soma feast, and others set up (one) stake for the preparation’ of the morrow’s Soma feast. 4. Let him, however, not do this; but let him only set up the one opposite the fire. For after setting it up the Adhvaryu does not quit his hold of it till the girding; but those (others) remain
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.
118. He then looks up at the top-ring with (V4g. S. VI, 5; Rig-veda I, 22, 20), ‘The wise ever behold that highest step of Vishzu, fixed like an eye in the heaven. For he who has set up the sacrificial stake has hurled the thunderbolt: ‘See ye that conquest of Vishzu!’ he means to say when he says, ‘ The wise ever behold that highest step of Vishau, fixed like an eye in the heaven.’ 19. He then girds (the stake with a rope of kusagrass). Now it is to cover its nakedness that he girds it; wherefore he girds it in this place (viz. on a level with the sacrificer’s navel), for it is thus that this (nether) garment is (slung round)". He thereby puts food into him, for it is there that the food settles ; therefore he girds it at that place. 20. He girds it with a triple (rope), for threefold is food, and food means cattle; and (there is) the father and the mother, and what is born is the third; therefore he girds it with a triple (rope). 21. He girds it with (Vag. S. VI, 6), ‘Thou art enfolded; may the heavenly hosts enfold ? According to the K4mva text it is to be slung round nividaghne, ‘on a level with the nether garment’ (nabhidaghne, Taitt. S. VI, 3, 4, 5). According to K4ty. VI, 3, 1, the girding is preceded by a call on the Hotr? to recite to the post being anointed ; but neither recension mentions this. III KANDA, 7 ADHYAYA, I BRAHMANA, 25. 173 thee! may riches enfold this sacrificer among men!’ He invokes a blessing on the sacrificer, when he says, ‘May riches enfold this sacrificer among men.’ 22. Thereupon he inserts a chip of the stake (under the rope) with, ‘Thou art the son of the sky.’ For it is doubtless the offspring of that (sacrificial stake); hence if there be the full number of eleven stakes!, let him insert in each its own (chip) without confounding them; and his offspring is born orderly and not foolish. But whosoever inserts them in confusion, not its own in each, verily his offspring is born disorderly and foolish ; therefore let him insert its own in each without confounding them. 23. Moreover, that chip of the stake is made an ascent to the heavenly world; there is this girdlerope; after the rope the chip of the stake; after the chip of the stake the top-ring; and from the top-ring one reaches the heavenly world. 24. And as to why it is called svaru (‘very sore’),—that (chip) is cut off from that (stake), and thus is its own (sva) sore (arus); therefore it is called ‘svaru.’ 25. With that part of it which is dug in, he gains the world of the Fathers; and with what is above the dug-in part, up to the girdle-rope, he gains the world of men; and with what is above the rope, up to the top-ring, he gains the world of the gods; and what (space of) two or three fingers’ breadths
2With that part of it which is dug in, he gains the world of the Fathers; and with what is above the dug-in part, up to the girdle-rope, he gains the world of men; and with what is above the rope, up to the top-ring, he gains the world of the gods; and what (space of) two or three fingers’ breadths 1 When, instead of a single he-goat to Agni, eleven victims are slaughtered, they are either bound to one stake each, or all to one and the same. See III, 9,1, 4seq. The chip alluded to is one of those obtained in rough-hewing the stake and making it eightcornered. 174 SATAPATHA-BRAHMAMA. there is above the top-ring,—the gods called the ‘ Blessed ',’—their world he therewith gains; verily, whosoever thus knows this, he becomes one of the same world with the blessed gods. 26. That (sacrificial stake) he sets up on the fore-part (of the altar); for the stake is a thunderbolt, as the club is a thunderbolt. But in hurling the club one takes hold of its fore-part; and that (stake) is the fore-part of the sacrifice; therefore he sets it up on the fore-part (of the altar). 27. Verily, by means of the sacrifice the gods gained that supreme authority which they now wield. They spake, ‘How may this (world) of ours be made unattainable to men?’ They sipped the sap of the sacrifice, as bees would suck out honey, and having drained the sacrifice and scattered it by means of the sacrificial stake, they disappeared. And because they scattered (yopaya) therewith, therefore it is called yfipa (sacrificial stake). At the head stands intelligence, at the head swiftness of thought; therefore he sets it up on the fore-part (of the altar). 28. It is eight-cornered; for the gdyatri metre consists of eight syllables, and the gdyatri is the fore-part of the sacrifice, as this (stake) is the forepart of the sacrifice; therefore it is eight-cornered. 29. Now the gods once threw it after (the prastara into the fire) even as now some throw it after, thinking, ‘So the gods did it.’ Thereupon the Rakshas sipped the sacrifice (Soma) after (the gods). 30. The gods said unto the Adhvaryu, ‘ Offer thou only a chip of the stake; thereby this (sacri- ? On the ‘sAdhyas’ see Weber, Ind. Stud. IX, p. 6, note 2. lI KANDA, 7 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMANA, 2. 175 ficer) will be bid good-speed'; and thus the Rakshas will not hereafter sip the sacrifice, thinking, “ that (stake) surely is a raised thunderbolt.”’ 31. The Adhvaryu, then, offered up only a chip of the stake, and thereby that (sacrificer) was bid good-speed; and thus the Rakshas did not thereafter sip the sacrifice, thinking, ‘that surely is a raised thunderbolt.’
3The Adhvaryu, then, offered up only a chip of the stake, and thereby that (sacrificer) was bid good-speed; and thus the Rakshas did not thereafter sip the sacrifice, thinking, ‘that surely is a raised thunderbolt.’ 32. And in like manner does he now only offer up that chip of the sacrificial stake?; thereby this (sacrificer) is bid good-speed; and thus the Rakshas do not thereafter sip the sacrifice, thinking, ‘that surely is a raised thunderbolt!’ He offers it® with the text (Vag. S. VI, 21), ‘May thy smoke rise up to the sky, thy light to the heavens! fill the earth with ashes, Hail!’ SEcoND BRAHMANA. 1. Verily, as large as the altar is, so large is the earth. The sacrificial stakes are thunderbolts; and by means of these thunderbolts he obtains possession of this earth, and excludes his enemies from sharing therein. Hence there are eleven stakes, and the twelfth lies aside rough-hewn; he puts it down south (of the altar), The reason why the twelfth lies aside is this. 2. Now the gods, while performing this sacrifice, 1 See I, 8, 3, 11 seq. * See Ait. Br. II, 3. * The offering of the chips does not take place till the end of the after-offerings (see note to III, 8, 5, 6). It is somewhat strange that it should be anticipated in this place, both in this and the K4ava recensions. 176 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA. were afraid of an attack from the Asura-Rakshas. Those raised (sacrificial stakes), then, were as a discharged arrow,—therewith one either smites or smites not; as a hurled club,—therewith one either smites or smites not. But that twelfth (stake) lying aside,—even as an arrow drawn but not discharged, as (a weapon) ‘raised but not hurled, so was that a thunderbolt raised for repelling the evil spirits on the south; therefore the twelfth (stake) lies aside. 3. He lays it down with (V4yg. S. VI, 6), ‘This is thy place on earth; thine is the beast of the forest.’ There are the animal (victim) and the sacrificial stake; to this one he thereby assigns of animals that of the forest, and thus it, too, is possessed of an animal (victim). That setting up of the eleven sacrificial stakes is said to be of two kinds,—some, namely, set (them all) up (on the previous day) for the morrow’s Soma feast, and others set up (one) stake for the preparation’ of the morrow’s Soma feast. 4. Let him, however, not do this; but let him only set up the one opposite the fire. For after setting it up the Adhvaryu does not quit his hold of it till the girding; but those (others) remain
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.
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