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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1They get baked by (rice) husks, for husks belong to Nirvzti: by Nirvzti’s own (objects) he thus performs Nirvzti’s rite. They are black, for black was that darkness; and black in truth is Nirvzti (corruption). 8. With them they proceed towards that (southwestern) quarter, for that is Nirvzti’s quarter: he thus places Nirvzti (corruption) in Nirvzti’s quarter. Or (Pragpati’s), Agni’s self, or body. vil KAWDA, 2 ADHYAYA, I BRAHMANA, 10. 321 And anywhere where there is a self-produced hollow! or cleft in the ground, he lays down those (bricks) ; for on whatever part of this (earth) there is a cleaving, or in whatever part of it plants are not produced, verily that part of it Nirvzti seizes upon: he thus places corruption in a (part) of the earth set aside for Nirvzti. Having put them in their places in a direction away from himself ?, he lays them down °. 9. [He lays them down, with Vag. S, XII, 62-64] ‘Seek thou him that offereth not Soma, nor other offering!’ him who neither presses Soma nor makes offering Nirvzti indeed visits ;—‘ Of the thief do thou follow the way, of the robber!’ that is, ‘follow the way both of the thief and the robber, and even as a thief or a robber remains concealed, so do thou remain concealed !’—‘ Seek thou some one other than us: this is thy way;’ that is, ‘seek him who is ignorant of this (sacred work) ;"—‘ Homage be to thee, O divine Nirrtti!’ he thus turns Nirvzti aside by rendering homage to her. 10. ‘Homage be unto thee full well, O sharpedged Nirvzti!’ for Nirvzti is indeed sharp-edged : to her he thereby renders homage ;—‘loose thou 1 Or probably, a barren spot, see p. 43, note 2. 2 That is, whilst himself remaining north of the place, and facing the south, he puts them down in the direction from north to south. 5 That is, he performs the formal ceremony of ‘laying down (upadhana)’ whilst muttering the respective verses. In the present case the ‘laying down’ of the bricks is to be performed by him whilst muttering the formulas, but without touching the bricks themselves. The direction that the bricks are to be deposited in a direction ‘away from him’ perhaps refers to the ‘laying down’ instead of to the actual placing them. Ur) ¥ 322 SATAPATHA-BRAHMAMA. | this iron bond!’ for it is indeed with an iron bond that Nirvzti binds him whom she binds ;— ‘being of one mind with Yama and Yamt,— Yama doubtless is Agni, and Yamt is this (earth), and by these two everything here is kept in check: thus, ‘being of one mind with those two,—‘raise him unto the highest firmament!’ the firmament is the heavenly world: thus, ‘ raise the Sacrificer up to the heavenly world!’
211. ‘Thee, O awful (goddess), into whose mouth I offer— Nirvzti is indeed awful, and into her mouth he now offers when he performs this divine rite;—‘for the unloosing of these bonds;’ that is, of those bonds with which he has been bound ;—‘ Thee whom people rejoice in calling Earth,—the Earth is this (world), and he who exists, exists thereon,—‘ but I know thee to be Nirvzti everywhere!’ that is, in every respect I know that thou art Nirvzti. Now Nirvzti is this earth, and this earth makes him decay who becomes corrupted: in speaking thus, it is as if he were to say, ‘Thou art So and So, the son of So and So, I know thee, do not injure me!’ for in no wise does he who is known injure one when spoken to. 12. He does not touch (the bricks),— Nirvzti being evil,—lest he put himself in contact with evil. He does not ‘settle’ them,—settlement being a firm footing—lest he give a firm footing to evil. He does not pronounce the Sidadohas verse upon them, —the Sfdadohas being the vital air,—lest he should join Nirvzti (corruption) together, and restore her. 13. Now some lay (the bricks) down from the farther end towards themselves,—Nirvtti (corruption) being evil,—lest they themselves should go the way VII KANDA, 2 ADHYAYA, I BRAHMANA, 16. 323 to corruption. Let him not do so, but let him lay them down in the direction away from him: he thus drives evil, corruption, away from him. 14. Three bricks he lays down,—threefold is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus repels evil, corruption. 15. The seat, the netting, the sling of the gold plate, and the two pads he throws down on the farther side (of the bricks),—the sling} is sacred to Nirrzti: from Nirvzti’s sling he is thus freed. [He throws them down, with Vag. S. XII, 65] ‘The indissoluble bond which the divine Nirvzti hath fastened upon thy neck, —indissoluble indeed for him who does not know this ;—‘that (bond) of thine I unloose, as from the middle of Ayus,—Ayus * doubtless is Agni, and his middle (body) is that G4rhapatya which has been built ;— not yet built is the Ahavantya: hence whether a youth builds the altar, or an old man, he says ‘as from the middle of Ayus ;’—‘now, being urged forward, eat thou this nourishment!’ nourishment means food : thus, ‘now, set free, eat thou this food.’ With Trish¢ubh verses (he performs this rite), for the Trishéubh is a thunderbolt: it is thus with a thunderbolt that he repels evil, corruption. 16. There are three bricks, the seat, the netting, the sling of the gold plate, and the two pads; that makes eight ;—the Gayatrt consists of eight syllables, 1 According to Sayaza the sling of the gold plate is here singled out, because the other objects have necessarily been damaged by the hot fire-pan and are consequently thrown away as a matter of course.
3® See III, 4, 1, 22. In the formula ‘4yus’ may rather have to be taken in the sense of ‘life,’ or ‘vital power.’ Mahidhara takes ‘na’ in the sense of ‘now (samprati),’ instead of ‘as.’ Y2 324 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA. and Agni is Gayatra: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus repels evil, corruption. 17. On the space between (the Sacrificer and the bricks) he pours out a jarful of water,—water is a thunderbolt : with a thunderbolt he thus separates from himself evil, corruption. With ‘Homage to (the goddess of) Prosperity who hath done this!’ they rise, for it was with a view to prosperity that the gods at first performed this rite, and to that (goddess) they then rendered homage; and for prosperity indeed this (Sacrificer) now performs this rite, and to that (goddess) he now renders homage. They go back (to the sacrificial ground) without looking back: they thus abandon evil, corruption, even without looking back to it. 18. Having returned, he stands worshipping by the fire; for when he goes into that (south-western) direction whilst Agni is only half built up, he does what is improper: he now makes amends to him to prevent his doing any harm. 19. And again, why he stands by (the fire). The Gdrhapatya (hearth) is this (terrestrial) world; for the Garhapatya is a foundation, and the foundation doubtless is this (earth). Now when he goes into that direction, he goes where there is no path; and when he stands by (the fire), he thereby returns to this (earth), the foundation, and establishes himself upon this foundation. 20. [He worships, with Vag. S. XII, 66] ‘The harbourer and gatherer of riches,’ for a harbourer this world indeed is, a gatherer of riches ;— ‘all form he watches over with his favours, — that is, ‘all forms (of being) he watches over with Vil KANDA, 2 ADHYAYA, 2-BRAHMANA, 2. 325 his favours ;’—‘ like the god Savitvz, like Indra, he of true covenant stood at the meeting of ways!;’ as the text, so its meaning. PREPARATION OF THE SITE OF THE GREAT (AHAVANIYA) ALTAR. Sreconp BRAHMANA. 1. He then prepares the Prayasitya? (opening sacrifice). With the Havishkrzt of that (oblation) he releases (the Sacrificer’s) speech*. Having released his speech, he throws away the grass-bush (stambayagus *). Having thrown away the grassbush, and drawn the first line of enclosure®, and the lines (across the maha-vedi), he says, ‘ Throw thrice !’ and the Agntdhra throws thrice (the wooden sword) *. , 2. Having returned (to the offering, or hall-door 1 Mahidhara takes ‘samare pathindm’ in the sense of ‘in the battle of (i.e. with) the waylayers (paripanthibhi’ saha).’ ? See part ii, p. 47 seq. * Viz. by calling out three times ‘Havishkrit, come hither, whereby the Adhvaryu summons one of the priests, or maidservants, to assist in preparing the material for offering. See part i, p. 27 seq. ‘ Part i, p. 55 seq. ® Part i, p. 59 seq.
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.
1They get baked by (rice) husks, for husks belong to Nirvzti: by Nirvzti’s own (objects) he thus performs Nirvzti’s rite. They are black, for black was that darkness; and black in truth is Nirvzti (corruption). 8. With them they proceed towards that (southwestern) quarter, for that is Nirvzti’s quarter: he thus places Nirvzti (corruption) in Nirvzti’s quarter. Or (Pragpati’s), Agni’s self, or body. vil KAWDA, 2 ADHYAYA, I BRAHMANA, 10. 321 And anywhere where there is a self-produced hollow! or cleft in the ground, he lays down those (bricks) ; for on whatever part of this (earth) there is a cleaving, or in whatever part of it plants are not produced, verily that part of it Nirvzti seizes upon: he thus places corruption in a (part) of the earth set aside for Nirvzti. Having put them in their places in a direction away from himself ?, he lays them down °. 9. [He lays them down, with Vag. S, XII, 62-64] ‘Seek thou him that offereth not Soma, nor other offering!’ him who neither presses Soma nor makes offering Nirvzti indeed visits ;—‘ Of the thief do thou follow the way, of the robber!’ that is, ‘follow the way both of the thief and the robber, and even as a thief or a robber remains concealed, so do thou remain concealed !’—‘ Seek thou some one other than us: this is thy way;’ that is, ‘seek him who is ignorant of this (sacred work) ;"—‘ Homage be to thee, O divine Nirrtti!’ he thus turns Nirvzti aside by rendering homage to her. 10. ‘Homage be unto thee full well, O sharpedged Nirvzti!’ for Nirvzti is indeed sharp-edged : to her he thereby renders homage ;—‘loose thou 1 Or probably, a barren spot, see p. 43, note 2. 2 That is, whilst himself remaining north of the place, and facing the south, he puts them down in the direction from north to south. 5 That is, he performs the formal ceremony of ‘laying down (upadhana)’ whilst muttering the respective verses. In the present case the ‘laying down’ of the bricks is to be performed by him whilst muttering the formulas, but without touching the bricks themselves. The direction that the bricks are to be deposited in a direction ‘away from him’ perhaps refers to the ‘laying down’ instead of to the actual placing them. Ur) ¥ 322 SATAPATHA-BRAHMAMA. | this iron bond!’ for it is indeed with an iron bond that Nirvzti binds him whom she binds ;— ‘being of one mind with Yama and Yamt,— Yama doubtless is Agni, and Yamt is this (earth), and by these two everything here is kept in check: thus, ‘being of one mind with those two,—‘raise him unto the highest firmament!’ the firmament is the heavenly world: thus, ‘ raise the Sacrificer up to the heavenly world!’
211. ‘Thee, O awful (goddess), into whose mouth I offer— Nirvzti is indeed awful, and into her mouth he now offers when he performs this divine rite;—‘for the unloosing of these bonds;’ that is, of those bonds with which he has been bound ;—‘ Thee whom people rejoice in calling Earth,—the Earth is this (world), and he who exists, exists thereon,—‘ but I know thee to be Nirvzti everywhere!’ that is, in every respect I know that thou art Nirvzti. Now Nirvzti is this earth, and this earth makes him decay who becomes corrupted: in speaking thus, it is as if he were to say, ‘Thou art So and So, the son of So and So, I know thee, do not injure me!’ for in no wise does he who is known injure one when spoken to. 12. He does not touch (the bricks),— Nirvzti being evil,—lest he put himself in contact with evil. He does not ‘settle’ them,—settlement being a firm footing—lest he give a firm footing to evil. He does not pronounce the Sidadohas verse upon them, —the Sfdadohas being the vital air,—lest he should join Nirvzti (corruption) together, and restore her. 13. Now some lay (the bricks) down from the farther end towards themselves,—Nirvtti (corruption) being evil,—lest they themselves should go the way VII KANDA, 2 ADHYAYA, I BRAHMANA, 16. 323 to corruption. Let him not do so, but let him lay them down in the direction away from him: he thus drives evil, corruption, away from him. 14. Three bricks he lays down,—threefold is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus repels evil, corruption. 15. The seat, the netting, the sling of the gold plate, and the two pads he throws down on the farther side (of the bricks),—the sling} is sacred to Nirrzti: from Nirvzti’s sling he is thus freed. [He throws them down, with Vag. S. XII, 65] ‘The indissoluble bond which the divine Nirvzti hath fastened upon thy neck, —indissoluble indeed for him who does not know this ;—‘that (bond) of thine I unloose, as from the middle of Ayus,—Ayus * doubtless is Agni, and his middle (body) is that G4rhapatya which has been built ;— not yet built is the Ahavantya: hence whether a youth builds the altar, or an old man, he says ‘as from the middle of Ayus ;’—‘now, being urged forward, eat thou this nourishment!’ nourishment means food : thus, ‘now, set free, eat thou this food.’ With Trish¢ubh verses (he performs this rite), for the Trishéubh is a thunderbolt: it is thus with a thunderbolt that he repels evil, corruption. 16. There are three bricks, the seat, the netting, the sling of the gold plate, and the two pads; that makes eight ;—the Gayatrt consists of eight syllables, 1 According to Sayaza the sling of the gold plate is here singled out, because the other objects have necessarily been damaged by the hot fire-pan and are consequently thrown away as a matter of course.
3® See III, 4, 1, 22. In the formula ‘4yus’ may rather have to be taken in the sense of ‘life,’ or ‘vital power.’ Mahidhara takes ‘na’ in the sense of ‘now (samprati),’ instead of ‘as.’ Y2 324 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA. and Agni is Gayatra: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus repels evil, corruption. 17. On the space between (the Sacrificer and the bricks) he pours out a jarful of water,—water is a thunderbolt : with a thunderbolt he thus separates from himself evil, corruption. With ‘Homage to (the goddess of) Prosperity who hath done this!’ they rise, for it was with a view to prosperity that the gods at first performed this rite, and to that (goddess) they then rendered homage; and for prosperity indeed this (Sacrificer) now performs this rite, and to that (goddess) he now renders homage. They go back (to the sacrificial ground) without looking back: they thus abandon evil, corruption, even without looking back to it. 18. Having returned, he stands worshipping by the fire; for when he goes into that (south-western) direction whilst Agni is only half built up, he does what is improper: he now makes amends to him to prevent his doing any harm. 19. And again, why he stands by (the fire). The Gdrhapatya (hearth) is this (terrestrial) world; for the Garhapatya is a foundation, and the foundation doubtless is this (earth). Now when he goes into that direction, he goes where there is no path; and when he stands by (the fire), he thereby returns to this (earth), the foundation, and establishes himself upon this foundation. 20. [He worships, with Vag. S. XII, 66] ‘The harbourer and gatherer of riches,’ for a harbourer this world indeed is, a gatherer of riches ;— ‘all form he watches over with his favours, — that is, ‘all forms (of being) he watches over with Vil KANDA, 2 ADHYAYA, 2-BRAHMANA, 2. 325 his favours ;’—‘ like the god Savitvz, like Indra, he of true covenant stood at the meeting of ways!;’ as the text, so its meaning. PREPARATION OF THE SITE OF THE GREAT (AHAVANIYA) ALTAR. Sreconp BRAHMANA. 1. He then prepares the Prayasitya? (opening sacrifice). With the Havishkrzt of that (oblation) he releases (the Sacrificer’s) speech*. Having released his speech, he throws away the grass-bush (stambayagus *). Having thrown away the grassbush, and drawn the first line of enclosure®, and the lines (across the maha-vedi), he says, ‘ Throw thrice !’ and the Agntdhra throws thrice (the wooden sword) *. , 2. Having returned (to the offering, or hall-door 1 Mahidhara takes ‘samare pathindm’ in the sense of ‘in the battle of (i.e. with) the waylayers (paripanthibhi’ saha).’ ? See part ii, p. 47 seq. * Viz. by calling out three times ‘Havishkrit, come hither, whereby the Adhvaryu summons one of the priests, or maidservants, to assist in preparing the material for offering. See part i, p. 27 seq. ‘ Part i, p. 55 seq. ® Part i, p. 59 seq.
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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