Fetching
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Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1Thus 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. 198 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA. 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. VI KANDA, 3 ADHYAYA, I BRAHMANA, 3I. 199
2because 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. VI KANDA, 3 ADHYAYA, I BRAHMANA, 3I. 199 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. , 200 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA. 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.
3It 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. 1 For the construction, see p. 198, note 2. 2 Pradesamatram hidam mukham abhi vag vadati, mukham abhi varnftmika vag vadati vaktastis(?) tasy4s 4a pradesamatratvam adhyatmAvadhfaritam atotrapi prddesamatra ... yukté, Say. ® 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?!’—
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.
1Thus 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. 198 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA. 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. VI KANDA, 3 ADHYAYA, I BRAHMANA, 3I. 199
2because 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. VI KANDA, 3 ADHYAYA, I BRAHMANA, 3I. 199 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. , 200 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA. 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.
3It 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. 1 For the construction, see p. 198, note 2. 2 Pradesamatram hidam mukham abhi vag vadati, mukham abhi varnftmika vag vadati vaktastis(?) tasy4s 4a pradesamatratvam adhyatmAvadhfaritam atotrapi prddesamatra ... yukté, Say. ® 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?!’—
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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