Fetching
One moment.
Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1He lays it down close to the seed-shedding ones,—the seed-shedding ones being these two worlds, he thus places Agni together with these two worlds, He lays it down between (the two Retafsié?), for Agni (the fire) is within these two worlds, 26. And, again, why he lays down an ‘all-light’ (brick) ;—the ‘all-light’ (brick) is progeny, for progeny is all the light; he thus lays generative power (into Agni). He lays it down so as not to be separated from the seed-shedding (bricks)—the seedshedders being the testicles, he thus makes the generative power inseparable from the testicles. He lays it down between (those two), for within the testicles progeny is produced. 27. [He lays it down, with Vag. S.. XIII, 24] ‘May Prag4pati settle thee ’—for Pragdpati saw this first layer ?;—‘on the back of the earth, thee the brilliant one!’ for on the back of the earth this brilliant Agni indeed is. 28. ‘For all breathing, out-breathing, through-breathing, —the all-light (brick) is breath, and breath is (necessary) for this entire universe ;— ‘give all the light!’ that is, ‘give the whole light ;’ —‘Agni is thine over-lord,’ he thus makes Agni the over-lord of this earth. Having ‘settled’ it®, he of the altar, and representing the light (or ruling deity) of the respective world represented by the svayamAtrinn4 of the same layer. 1 In reality the Visvagyotis brick is not placed between the two RetaAsif, but in front of the line separating them from each other. 3 He ‘saw’ the first naturally-perforated brick, which, as the central brick of the first layer, represents the latter, as well as the lowest of the three worlds, the earth. See VI, 2, 3, 1. ® Viz. by adding, ‘ by that deity, Angiras-like, lie thou steady!’ [41] ce 386 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA. pronounces the Sfiidadohas upon it: the significance of this has been explained. 29. He then lays down two Aitavya (seasonal bricks) ;—the two seasonal (bricks) being the same as the seasons, it is the seasons he thus lays down. [Vag. S. XIII, 25] ‘Madhu and M4dhava, the two spring seasons, —these are the names of those two: it is thus by their names that he lays them down. There are two (such) bricks, for two months are a season. He ‘settles’ them once?: he thereby makes (the two months) one season. 30. And as to why he now lays down these two; —this Agni (fire-altar) is the year, and the year is these worlds ; the first layer is this (terrestrial) world thereof, and the spring season also is this world thereof; and when he now lays down those two (bricks), he thereby puts back into him (Agni- PragApati) what those two (the first layer and the spring) are to that body of his*: this is why he now lays down those two (bricks).
231. And, again, why he now lays down these two ;—this Agni is Pragdpati, and Pragdpati is the year; the first layer is his foundation, and the spring season also is his foundation ;—thus when he now lays down these two (bricks), he thereby puts back into him what those two are to that body of his : this is why he now lays down those two (bricks). He lays them down close to the ‘all-light’ brick : the ‘all-light’ brick being progeny, he thus lays progeny close together with the seasons; whence progeny is produced in accordance with the seasons, for by seasons people compute (the age of man) 1 That is, he pronounces the sédana-formula once only. ® Viz. its foundation. VII KANDA, 4 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMANA, 35. 387 whilst in the state of embryo, and by seasons when he is born. 32. He then lays down the Asha@a (invincible brick)',—the ‘invincible one’ being this earth, it is this earth he thus lays down. He puts it on the fore-part (of the altar-site), for this earth was created first. 33. And as to its being called Ash4ds4. The gods and the Asuras, both of them sprung from Pragapati, strove together. The gods saw this invincible brick, even this earth; they put it on (the altar); and having put it on, they conquered (and ~ drove) the Asuras, the enemies, the rivals, from this universe; and inasmuch as (thereby) they conquered (asahanta), it is called Ashé@Z4. In like manner the Sacrificer, after putting on that (brick), conquers (and drives) his spiteful rival from this universe (or, from everything here). 34. And, again, why he lays down the Ash4d/a. The Ash4dh4 is speech, and by speech? the gods then indeed conquered (and drove) the Asuras, the enemies, the rivals, from this universe; and in like manner the Sacrificer, by means of speech, conquers (and drives) his spiteful rival from this universe: it was speech the gods then laid down (or bestowed on Agni), and in like manner the Sacrificer now lays down speech. 35. This earth is the bearer of what is desirable ; for—the desirable being the vital airs—this earth bears everything that breathes, and for that reason this earth is the bearer of what is desirable. But 1 See VI, 5, 3, 1-2. Viz. by threats, vituperation, &c., Say. cc2 388 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA, speech (the mouth) also indeed is the bearer of what is desirable ; for the desirable is the vital airs, and for the (channels of) the vital airs food is put into the mouth: therefore speech is the bearer of what is desirable. 36. Now the AshadZa is the same as those vital airs; he lays it down in the fore-part (of the altar) : he thus bestows (on Agni the organs of) the vital airs in front; whence there are here (organs of) the vital airs in front (of the body). Let him not in this layer enclose this (AshAd#4) in front by any other brick which has a special prayer of its own, lest he close up (the organs of) the vital airs.
3Let him not in this layer enclose this (AshAd#4) in front by any other brick which has a special prayer of its own, lest he close up (the organs of) the vital airs. 37. And as to why he lays down in front five Apasy4s',—water (ap) is food, and by food (the organs of) the vital airs are not closed up. He lays down (the Ash4d/4) close to the two seasonal ones: he thereby establishes speech in the seasons, and hence speech (the mouth) speaks here, firmly established in the seasons. 38. Here now they say, ‘If the Visvagyotis (brick) is progeny, and the Ash4d/4 speech, why does he put the two seasonal ones between them?’ Well, the seasonal ones being the year, he thus separates speech from progeny by the year, and hence children utter speech at the time (or age) of a year. 39. [He lays down the Ashédfé, with Vag. S. XIII, 26] ‘Thou art AshadA, the conquering,’ for the gods thereby conquered the Asuras,—‘ conquer the enemies! conquer the hostile!’ as the text, so the meaning ;—‘thou hast a thousand energies: do thou speed me!’ a thousand means 1 See VII, 5, 2, 40 seq. vil KANDA, 5 ADHYAYA, I BRAHMANA, 3. 389 all: thus, ‘thou hast all energies, do thou speed me!’ When he has ‘settled’ it, he pronounces the Sfidadohas on it: the significance of this has been explained. 40. Here now they say, ‘Why are those other bricks placed in front of the naturally-perforated one?’ Let him say, There are two wombs (birthplaces)—the one being the womb of the gods, the other the womb of men: the gods have their birthplace in the east, and men in the west ; and when he lays down those (bricks) in front, he thereby causes the Sacrificer to be born from the womb of the gods, Firty ApuyAya. First BRAHMANA. 1. He then puts down a (living) tortoise ;—the tortoise means life-sap : it is life-sap (blood) he thus bestows on (Agni). This tortoise is that life-sap of these worlds which flowed away from them when plunged into the waters!: that (life-sap) he now bestows on (Agni). As far as the life-sap extends, so far the body extends: that (tortoise) thus is these worlds. 2. That lower shell of it is this (terrestrial) world ; it is, as it were, fixed; for fixed, as it were, is this (earth-)world. And that upper shell of it is yonder sky; it has its ends, as it were, bent down; for yonder sky has its ends, as it were, bent down. And what is between (the shells) is the air ;—that (tortoise) thus is these worlds : it is these worlds he thus lays down (to form part of the altar). 3. He anoints it with sour curds, honey, and ghee,—sour curds doubtless are a form of this (earth-) 1 See VI, 1, 1, 12. 390 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA. world, ghee of the air, and honey of yonder sky: he thus supplies it (the tortoise) with its own form. Or, sour curds are the life-sap of this (earth-)world, ghee that of the air, and honey that of yonder sky: he thus supplies it with its own life-sap.
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.
1He lays it down close to the seed-shedding ones,—the seed-shedding ones being these two worlds, he thus places Agni together with these two worlds, He lays it down between (the two Retafsié?), for Agni (the fire) is within these two worlds, 26. And, again, why he lays down an ‘all-light’ (brick) ;—the ‘all-light’ (brick) is progeny, for progeny is all the light; he thus lays generative power (into Agni). He lays it down so as not to be separated from the seed-shedding (bricks)—the seedshedders being the testicles, he thus makes the generative power inseparable from the testicles. He lays it down between (those two), for within the testicles progeny is produced. 27. [He lays it down, with Vag. S.. XIII, 24] ‘May Prag4pati settle thee ’—for Pragdpati saw this first layer ?;—‘on the back of the earth, thee the brilliant one!’ for on the back of the earth this brilliant Agni indeed is. 28. ‘For all breathing, out-breathing, through-breathing, —the all-light (brick) is breath, and breath is (necessary) for this entire universe ;— ‘give all the light!’ that is, ‘give the whole light ;’ —‘Agni is thine over-lord,’ he thus makes Agni the over-lord of this earth. Having ‘settled’ it®, he of the altar, and representing the light (or ruling deity) of the respective world represented by the svayamAtrinn4 of the same layer. 1 In reality the Visvagyotis brick is not placed between the two RetaAsif, but in front of the line separating them from each other. 3 He ‘saw’ the first naturally-perforated brick, which, as the central brick of the first layer, represents the latter, as well as the lowest of the three worlds, the earth. See VI, 2, 3, 1. ® Viz. by adding, ‘ by that deity, Angiras-like, lie thou steady!’ [41] ce 386 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA. pronounces the Sfiidadohas upon it: the significance of this has been explained. 29. He then lays down two Aitavya (seasonal bricks) ;—the two seasonal (bricks) being the same as the seasons, it is the seasons he thus lays down. [Vag. S. XIII, 25] ‘Madhu and M4dhava, the two spring seasons, —these are the names of those two: it is thus by their names that he lays them down. There are two (such) bricks, for two months are a season. He ‘settles’ them once?: he thereby makes (the two months) one season. 30. And as to why he now lays down these two; —this Agni (fire-altar) is the year, and the year is these worlds ; the first layer is this (terrestrial) world thereof, and the spring season also is this world thereof; and when he now lays down those two (bricks), he thereby puts back into him (Agni- PragApati) what those two (the first layer and the spring) are to that body of his*: this is why he now lays down those two (bricks).
231. And, again, why he now lays down these two ;—this Agni is Pragdpati, and Pragdpati is the year; the first layer is his foundation, and the spring season also is his foundation ;—thus when he now lays down these two (bricks), he thereby puts back into him what those two are to that body of his : this is why he now lays down those two (bricks). He lays them down close to the ‘all-light’ brick : the ‘all-light’ brick being progeny, he thus lays progeny close together with the seasons; whence progeny is produced in accordance with the seasons, for by seasons people compute (the age of man) 1 That is, he pronounces the sédana-formula once only. ® Viz. its foundation. VII KANDA, 4 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMANA, 35. 387 whilst in the state of embryo, and by seasons when he is born. 32. He then lays down the Asha@a (invincible brick)',—the ‘invincible one’ being this earth, it is this earth he thus lays down. He puts it on the fore-part (of the altar-site), for this earth was created first. 33. And as to its being called Ash4ds4. The gods and the Asuras, both of them sprung from Pragapati, strove together. The gods saw this invincible brick, even this earth; they put it on (the altar); and having put it on, they conquered (and ~ drove) the Asuras, the enemies, the rivals, from this universe; and inasmuch as (thereby) they conquered (asahanta), it is called Ashé@Z4. In like manner the Sacrificer, after putting on that (brick), conquers (and drives) his spiteful rival from this universe (or, from everything here). 34. And, again, why he lays down the Ash4d/a. The Ash4dh4 is speech, and by speech? the gods then indeed conquered (and drove) the Asuras, the enemies, the rivals, from this universe; and in like manner the Sacrificer, by means of speech, conquers (and drives) his spiteful rival from this universe: it was speech the gods then laid down (or bestowed on Agni), and in like manner the Sacrificer now lays down speech. 35. This earth is the bearer of what is desirable ; for—the desirable being the vital airs—this earth bears everything that breathes, and for that reason this earth is the bearer of what is desirable. But 1 See VI, 5, 3, 1-2. Viz. by threats, vituperation, &c., Say. cc2 388 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA, speech (the mouth) also indeed is the bearer of what is desirable ; for the desirable is the vital airs, and for the (channels of) the vital airs food is put into the mouth: therefore speech is the bearer of what is desirable. 36. Now the AshadZa is the same as those vital airs; he lays it down in the fore-part (of the altar) : he thus bestows (on Agni the organs of) the vital airs in front; whence there are here (organs of) the vital airs in front (of the body). Let him not in this layer enclose this (AshAd#4) in front by any other brick which has a special prayer of its own, lest he close up (the organs of) the vital airs.
3Let him not in this layer enclose this (AshAd#4) in front by any other brick which has a special prayer of its own, lest he close up (the organs of) the vital airs. 37. And as to why he lays down in front five Apasy4s',—water (ap) is food, and by food (the organs of) the vital airs are not closed up. He lays down (the Ash4d/4) close to the two seasonal ones: he thereby establishes speech in the seasons, and hence speech (the mouth) speaks here, firmly established in the seasons. 38. Here now they say, ‘If the Visvagyotis (brick) is progeny, and the Ash4d/4 speech, why does he put the two seasonal ones between them?’ Well, the seasonal ones being the year, he thus separates speech from progeny by the year, and hence children utter speech at the time (or age) of a year. 39. [He lays down the Ashédfé, with Vag. S. XIII, 26] ‘Thou art AshadA, the conquering,’ for the gods thereby conquered the Asuras,—‘ conquer the enemies! conquer the hostile!’ as the text, so the meaning ;—‘thou hast a thousand energies: do thou speed me!’ a thousand means 1 See VII, 5, 2, 40 seq. vil KANDA, 5 ADHYAYA, I BRAHMANA, 3. 389 all: thus, ‘thou hast all energies, do thou speed me!’ When he has ‘settled’ it, he pronounces the Sfidadohas on it: the significance of this has been explained. 40. Here now they say, ‘Why are those other bricks placed in front of the naturally-perforated one?’ Let him say, There are two wombs (birthplaces)—the one being the womb of the gods, the other the womb of men: the gods have their birthplace in the east, and men in the west ; and when he lays down those (bricks) in front, he thereby causes the Sacrificer to be born from the womb of the gods, Firty ApuyAya. First BRAHMANA. 1. He then puts down a (living) tortoise ;—the tortoise means life-sap : it is life-sap (blood) he thus bestows on (Agni). This tortoise is that life-sap of these worlds which flowed away from them when plunged into the waters!: that (life-sap) he now bestows on (Agni). As far as the life-sap extends, so far the body extends: that (tortoise) thus is these worlds. 2. That lower shell of it is this (terrestrial) world ; it is, as it were, fixed; for fixed, as it were, is this (earth-)world. And that upper shell of it is yonder sky; it has its ends, as it were, bent down; for yonder sky has its ends, as it were, bent down. And what is between (the shells) is the air ;—that (tortoise) thus is these worlds : it is these worlds he thus lays down (to form part of the altar). 3. He anoints it with sour curds, honey, and ghee,—sour curds doubtless are a form of this (earth-) 1 See VI, 1, 1, 12. 390 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA. world, ghee of the air, and honey of yonder sky: he thus supplies it (the tortoise) with its own form. Or, sour curds are the life-sap of this (earth-)world, ghee that of the air, and honey that of yonder sky: he thus supplies it with its own life-sap.
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.