Fetching
One moment.
Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1} That is, from the left to the right shoulder (north-east to southeast). * Or, perhaps, thus it goes to the gods; this tends godward. Whilst the last three furrows are indeed ploughed ‘sunwise’ (east to south, &c.), the first furrow was ploughed in the opposite direction (south-west to south-east). The reason for this is that the whole performance is to take place in an easterly direction, so as to tend towards the gods. Were he to start at the south-east corner, and then plough right round, he would be moving away from the gods, who are supposed to reside in the east, 330 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA, 14. He then ploughs (again) through the body: he thereby puts into him what food there is in the year. Silently (he does so), for what is silent is undetermined, and the undetermined is everything : by means of everything he thus puts food into him. He first ploughs thus (through the middle from south to north), then thus (south-west to north-east), then thus (east to west), then thus (north-west to south-east), —that is sunwise’, for thus it is with the gods. 15. Three furrows he ploughs each time,—threefold is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus puts food into him. 16. Twelve furrows he ploughs silently,—the year (consists of) twelve months, and the year is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus puts food into him. 17. Both kinds (of furrows) amount to sixteen,— of sixteen parts Pragdpati consists, and Prag4pati is Agni: he thus puts into him food proportionate to his body. And, indeed, the food which is proportionate to the body, satisfies, and does no harm; but that which is too much, does harm, and that which is too little, does not satisfy. 1 Here, again, the sunwise motion of the plough only applies to the three last furrows (or sets of furrows), which always move from left to right,—south-west to north-east, east to west, northwest to south-east. The first set of furrows—drawn from south to north, or along the ‘ cross-spine’ (as distinguished from the real, or easterly spine running from west to east)—are apparently drawn in this way, in order to avoid the southerly direction, as that would imply speedy death to the Sacrificer,—his going to the Fathers, or deceased ancestors, who are supposed to reside in the south. In drawing the furrows in the way they do, the priests not only avoid that region, but at the very outset move away from it, and thereby assure long life to the Sacrificer. VII KANDA, 2 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMANA, 21. 331 18. And, again, why he ploughs through him,— the gods being about to put him (Pragdpati) together, thereby in the first place put the vital airs into him; and in like manner does this (Sacrificer), being about to put him together, thereby in the first place put the vital airs into him. They (the furrows) are lines, for these vital airs (move) in lines (channels).
2They (the furrows) are lines, for these vital airs (move) in lines (channels). 19. Four furrows he ploughs with prayer: he thereby puts into him those four well-defined vital airs which are in the head; and this (he does) with prayer,—true is the prayer, and true (manifest, real) are these vital airs in the head. 20. And as to why he ploughs through the body : he thereby puts into him those vital airs which are inside the body. Silently (he does so), for who knows how many vital airs there are inside the body ? 21. Having gained the object for which he yokes those (oxen), he now unyokes them, with (Vag. S. XII, 73), ‘Be ye unyoked, ye inviolable (oxen)!’ for inviolable ! they indeed are with the gods ;—‘Ye godward-striding !’ for with them he performs the divine work;—‘ We have come to the end of this gloom ;’—gloom doubtless means famine: thus, ‘we have come to the end of this famine ;’—‘ we have attained the light!’ for he who attains the gods, the sacrifice, indeed attains the light. He then lets them loose towards north-east—the significance of this has been explained *. He gives them to the Adhvaryu, for it is he that does the work with them : let him assign them (to him) at the time of (the presentation of) the Dakshizas. 1 See part ii, p. 216, note 2, where ‘aghny4’ was used of cows. 2 See VI, 4, 4, 22. The plough is put aside on the utkara (heap of rubbish). 332 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA. TuirpD BrRAHMANA, 1. He then places a bunch of darbha (kusa) grass (poa cynosuroides) on (the middle of the altar-site) ; for the gods then placed plants thereon, and in like manner does the Sacrificer now place plants thereon. 2. And, again, why he places a bunch of grass thereon ;—when he (Agni) is built up, he is born, and he is born here for all (kinds of) food; but these darbha plants (contain) both kinds of food, for they are both water and plants. Now the waters which, loathing Vrztra, rose up on the dry land forming bushes, became those grasses !,—inasmuch as they rose forming bushes (dvzbh), they are (called) darbhagrasses. These darbha-grasses, then, are the water (which remained) pure, and meet for sacrifice, when Vritra flowed towards it; and inasmuch as they are darbha-grasses, they are plants: by both kinds of food he thus gratifies him (Agni). 3. [He places it] at the meeting of the furrows, for the meeting of furrows is speech (the mouth) 2, and the furrows (channels) are the vital airs; and this is their place of meeting; and in the mouth food is put for the vital airs. In the middle (he places the bunch), whereby he puts it into the very
3In the middle (he places the bunch), whereby he puts it into the very 1 The author here alludes to the legend given at I, 1, 3, 4-5,— Vritra lay enveloping all that space which extends between heaven and earth, and because he lay enveloping (vr) all that, he is called Vritra. Him Indra slew. Being slain, he flowed stinking in all directions towards the water; for in every direction lies the ocean. Now some of the water loathed him, it rose higher and higher and flowed over: hence (sprang) these kusa grasses,—they are indeed the water which was not putrified; but with the other water some (matter) has indeed become mixed when the putrid Vretra flowed into it. 3 See p. 200, note 3. VII KANDA, 2 ADHYAYA, 3 BRAHMANA, 6. 333 middle of him; silently (he does so), for what is silent is undefined, and the undefined is everything : with everything he thus puts food into him. 4. He then offers thereon—when he (Agni) is built, he is born, and he is born here for all (kinds of) food; but that ghee is the life-sap (essence) of this universe, for it is the life-sap of both the waters and plants: he thus gratifies him by the life-sap of this universe. And as far as the life-sap extends, so far extends the body: he thus gratifies him by this universe. With (ghee) taken in five (ladlings, he offers),—the fire-altar consists of five layers, five seasons are a year, and the year is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much food he thus gratifies him. 5. And, again, why he offers thereon ;—when in the beginning the Azshis, the vital airs', put together this Agni, they gained for themselves that fore-share? in him: hence they are the fore-sharers, Thus when he offers on (the grass-bush) he thereby gratifies those Rishis, the vital airs, who gained for themselves the fore-share in him (Agni). With fivefold-taken ghee (he offers): the significance of this has been explained. 6. And, again, why he offers thereon ;—whatever forms, whatever modes of chanting, whatever pvzsh¢ha (stotras), whatever metres he is now going to bestow on Agni, for them he prepares this foreshare, and it is them he thereby gratifies, With 1 See VI, 1, 1, 1. ® Literally, a share in front, in the first place, i.e. a preferential share, or fore-taste. Being accented separately, ‘purastat’ here, however, forms no compound with ‘bh4ga;’ though it does in ‘ purastadbhaga,’ fore-sharer. Cf. Taitt. S.V, 6, 4, 2. 334 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA, fivefold-taken ghee (he offers): the significance of this has been explained. 7. And, again, why he offers thereon ;—at that time the gods were afraid, thinking, ‘Long indeed is this performance: we hope the Rakshas, the fiends, will not smite here this (Agni) of ours!’ They saw this preliminary conclusion! of this performance, and brought that whole (Agni) to completion even at that (point), and built him up then; and in like manner this (Sacrificer) brings that whole (Agni) to completion even at this (point), and builds him now.
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.
1} That is, from the left to the right shoulder (north-east to southeast). * Or, perhaps, thus it goes to the gods; this tends godward. Whilst the last three furrows are indeed ploughed ‘sunwise’ (east to south, &c.), the first furrow was ploughed in the opposite direction (south-west to south-east). The reason for this is that the whole performance is to take place in an easterly direction, so as to tend towards the gods. Were he to start at the south-east corner, and then plough right round, he would be moving away from the gods, who are supposed to reside in the east, 330 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA, 14. He then ploughs (again) through the body: he thereby puts into him what food there is in the year. Silently (he does so), for what is silent is undetermined, and the undetermined is everything : by means of everything he thus puts food into him. He first ploughs thus (through the middle from south to north), then thus (south-west to north-east), then thus (east to west), then thus (north-west to south-east), —that is sunwise’, for thus it is with the gods. 15. Three furrows he ploughs each time,—threefold is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus puts food into him. 16. Twelve furrows he ploughs silently,—the year (consists of) twelve months, and the year is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus puts food into him. 17. Both kinds (of furrows) amount to sixteen,— of sixteen parts Pragdpati consists, and Prag4pati is Agni: he thus puts into him food proportionate to his body. And, indeed, the food which is proportionate to the body, satisfies, and does no harm; but that which is too much, does harm, and that which is too little, does not satisfy. 1 Here, again, the sunwise motion of the plough only applies to the three last furrows (or sets of furrows), which always move from left to right,—south-west to north-east, east to west, northwest to south-east. The first set of furrows—drawn from south to north, or along the ‘ cross-spine’ (as distinguished from the real, or easterly spine running from west to east)—are apparently drawn in this way, in order to avoid the southerly direction, as that would imply speedy death to the Sacrificer,—his going to the Fathers, or deceased ancestors, who are supposed to reside in the south. In drawing the furrows in the way they do, the priests not only avoid that region, but at the very outset move away from it, and thereby assure long life to the Sacrificer. VII KANDA, 2 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMANA, 21. 331 18. And, again, why he ploughs through him,— the gods being about to put him (Pragdpati) together, thereby in the first place put the vital airs into him; and in like manner does this (Sacrificer), being about to put him together, thereby in the first place put the vital airs into him. They (the furrows) are lines, for these vital airs (move) in lines (channels).
2They (the furrows) are lines, for these vital airs (move) in lines (channels). 19. Four furrows he ploughs with prayer: he thereby puts into him those four well-defined vital airs which are in the head; and this (he does) with prayer,—true is the prayer, and true (manifest, real) are these vital airs in the head. 20. And as to why he ploughs through the body : he thereby puts into him those vital airs which are inside the body. Silently (he does so), for who knows how many vital airs there are inside the body ? 21. Having gained the object for which he yokes those (oxen), he now unyokes them, with (Vag. S. XII, 73), ‘Be ye unyoked, ye inviolable (oxen)!’ for inviolable ! they indeed are with the gods ;—‘Ye godward-striding !’ for with them he performs the divine work;—‘ We have come to the end of this gloom ;’—gloom doubtless means famine: thus, ‘we have come to the end of this famine ;’—‘ we have attained the light!’ for he who attains the gods, the sacrifice, indeed attains the light. He then lets them loose towards north-east—the significance of this has been explained *. He gives them to the Adhvaryu, for it is he that does the work with them : let him assign them (to him) at the time of (the presentation of) the Dakshizas. 1 See part ii, p. 216, note 2, where ‘aghny4’ was used of cows. 2 See VI, 4, 4, 22. The plough is put aside on the utkara (heap of rubbish). 332 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA. TuirpD BrRAHMANA, 1. He then places a bunch of darbha (kusa) grass (poa cynosuroides) on (the middle of the altar-site) ; for the gods then placed plants thereon, and in like manner does the Sacrificer now place plants thereon. 2. And, again, why he places a bunch of grass thereon ;—when he (Agni) is built up, he is born, and he is born here for all (kinds of) food; but these darbha plants (contain) both kinds of food, for they are both water and plants. Now the waters which, loathing Vrztra, rose up on the dry land forming bushes, became those grasses !,—inasmuch as they rose forming bushes (dvzbh), they are (called) darbhagrasses. These darbha-grasses, then, are the water (which remained) pure, and meet for sacrifice, when Vritra flowed towards it; and inasmuch as they are darbha-grasses, they are plants: by both kinds of food he thus gratifies him (Agni). 3. [He places it] at the meeting of the furrows, for the meeting of furrows is speech (the mouth) 2, and the furrows (channels) are the vital airs; and this is their place of meeting; and in the mouth food is put for the vital airs. In the middle (he places the bunch), whereby he puts it into the very
3In the middle (he places the bunch), whereby he puts it into the very 1 The author here alludes to the legend given at I, 1, 3, 4-5,— Vritra lay enveloping all that space which extends between heaven and earth, and because he lay enveloping (vr) all that, he is called Vritra. Him Indra slew. Being slain, he flowed stinking in all directions towards the water; for in every direction lies the ocean. Now some of the water loathed him, it rose higher and higher and flowed over: hence (sprang) these kusa grasses,—they are indeed the water which was not putrified; but with the other water some (matter) has indeed become mixed when the putrid Vretra flowed into it. 3 See p. 200, note 3. VII KANDA, 2 ADHYAYA, 3 BRAHMANA, 6. 333 middle of him; silently (he does so), for what is silent is undefined, and the undefined is everything : with everything he thus puts food into him. 4. He then offers thereon—when he (Agni) is built, he is born, and he is born here for all (kinds of) food; but that ghee is the life-sap (essence) of this universe, for it is the life-sap of both the waters and plants: he thus gratifies him by the life-sap of this universe. And as far as the life-sap extends, so far extends the body: he thus gratifies him by this universe. With (ghee) taken in five (ladlings, he offers),—the fire-altar consists of five layers, five seasons are a year, and the year is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much food he thus gratifies him. 5. And, again, why he offers thereon ;—when in the beginning the Azshis, the vital airs', put together this Agni, they gained for themselves that fore-share? in him: hence they are the fore-sharers, Thus when he offers on (the grass-bush) he thereby gratifies those Rishis, the vital airs, who gained for themselves the fore-share in him (Agni). With fivefold-taken ghee (he offers): the significance of this has been explained. 6. And, again, why he offers thereon ;—whatever forms, whatever modes of chanting, whatever pvzsh¢ha (stotras), whatever metres he is now going to bestow on Agni, for them he prepares this foreshare, and it is them he thereby gratifies, With 1 See VI, 1, 1, 1. ® Literally, a share in front, in the first place, i.e. a preferential share, or fore-taste. Being accented separately, ‘purastat’ here, however, forms no compound with ‘bh4ga;’ though it does in ‘ purastadbhaga,’ fore-sharer. Cf. Taitt. S.V, 6, 4, 2. 334 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA, fivefold-taken ghee (he offers): the significance of this has been explained. 7. And, again, why he offers thereon ;—at that time the gods were afraid, thinking, ‘Long indeed is this performance: we hope the Rakshas, the fiends, will not smite here this (Agni) of ours!’ They saw this preliminary conclusion! of this performance, and brought that whole (Agni) to completion even at that (point), and built him up then; and in like manner this (Sacrificer) brings that whole (Agni) to completion even at this (point), and builds him now.
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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