The Satapatha-Brâhmana, Part III — SBE Vol. 41 (trans. Julius Eggeling, 1894)
The translator’s English as printed (Julius Eggeling). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
With
1 ‘Aga,’ he-goat, is here again taken in the sense of ‘ a-ga,’ unborn.
As to the gods having sprung from V4é, see VI, 1, 2, 6 seq.
? A fabulous animal with eight legs.
vil KANDA, 5 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMANA, 41. 413
a verse to Agni (he worships): it is to Agni he thereby makes amends ;—with an undefined one; the undefined means everything : by means of everything he thus makes amends to him ;—with (a verse) containing the word ‘ youngest :’ this indeed, to wit, the youngest, is his favourite form ;—inasmuch as when born he took possession (yu) of everything here, he is the youngest (yavish¢ha).
39. [Vag. S. XIII, 52; Ack S. VIII, 84, 3]‘ Shield thou, O youngest, the men of the liberal worshipper!’ the liberal worshipper is the Sacrificer, and the men are the people ;—‘hear thou the songs!’ that is, hear this hymn of praise !—‘ protect thou kin and self!’ the kin (race) means offspring : thus, ‘ protect both (the Sacrificer’s) offspring and himself.’
40. Having stepped on the altar and walked round behind the naturally-perforated (brick), he lays down the A pasy4A (water-bricks) ;—now the Apasy4/ are the same as water, and the water has gone out of these victims: he thus puts water into these victims, when he lays down the Apasy4z (bricks). He lays them down close to the (heads of the) animals: he thereby puts the water together with the animals. He lays down five (bricks) in each quarter, for five are those victims. He lays them down in every (quarter): everywhere he thus puts water into them.
41. Now the first fifteen are the A pasy44,— water is a thunderbolt, and the thunderbolt is fifteenfold ; —hence wherever the waters flow, there they destroy evil; and verily the thunderbolt destroys the evil of this place: hence, when it rains one should go about uncovered, thinking, ‘May that thunderbolt remove evil from me!’
p. 414
42. And the last five are the XAandasy4h (the metres’ bricks) ;—the metres are cattle, and cattle is food; or rather the flesh of cattle is food, and the flesh has departed from these victims: he therefore puts flesh on those cattle when he lays down the Khandasy4k. He places them close to the victims: he thereby puts the flesh close to the (bones of the) cattle. The Apasy4% are inside, the Khandasy4% outside; for the water is inside, and the flesh outside.
43. As to this they say, ‘If there are that water and that flesh, where then is the skin, and where the hair ?’ Well, the skin’ of cattle is food, and the hair of cattle is food; and when he lays down the Kandasy4f, that is the skin of the victims, that is their hair. Or, again, those goats’ hair which are in the fire-pan}, they are hair. The fire-pan is outside, and the victims’ heads are inside, for outside is the hair, and inside is the body. ‘Whether in the one way, or whether in the other,’ so Sandilya was wont to say, ‘in any case we make up the victims wholly and completely.’
The fire-pan is outside, and the victims’ heads are inside, for outside is the hair, and inside is the body. ‘Whether in the one way, or whether in the other,’ so Sandilya was wont to say, ‘in any case we make up the victims wholly and completely.’
44. And, again, why he lays down the ApasyaZ. When Prag4pati was disjointed the water went from him; that being gone, he sank down; and because he sank down (vis), therefore there are twenty (vimsati, viz. such bricks). It flowed from his fingers,— the fingers being the end, it (the water) went from him in the end.
45. Now the Pragapati who became disjointed is this very Agni who is now being built up; and the water (4pa%) which went from him is these very
* See VI, 4, 4, 223 5, 1, 4
p. 415
Apasyâk ;—hence when he lays them down, he thereby puts back into him that very water which went from him: therefore he now lays these down.
46. [V4ag. S. XIII, 43] ‘In the way of the waters I settle thee!’ the way of the waters is the wind; for when he blows hither and thither then the waters flow: in the wind he ‘settles’ this (first brick).
47. ‘In the swell of the waters I settle thee!’ the swell of the waters is the plants, for wherever the waters keep swelling there plants grow: in the plants he settles this (brick). .
48. ‘In the ashes of the waters I settle thee!’ the ashes of the waters are the foam: in foam he settles this one.
49. ‘In the light of the waters I settle thee!’ the light of the waters is the lightning : in the lightning he settles this one.
50. ‘In the path of the waters I settle thee!’ the path of the waters is this earth, for on the earth the waters flow: on this earth he settles this one. Whatever water flowed from those (five) forms of his, that water he now (by these five formulas) puts back into him; and those forms themselves he thereby restores to him.
51. ‘In the flood, the seat, I settle thee!’ the flood is the breath: in the breath he settles this one.
52. ‘In the ocean, the seat, I settle thee!’ the sea is the mind; from the mind-ocean, with speech for a shovel, the gods dug out the triple science. Thereto this verse applies,—‘ May the true god know this day where the gods placed that offering, they who dug it out from the ocean withp. 416 sharp shovels ;’—the ocean is the mind, the sharp shovel is speech, the offering is the triple science: it is thereto this verse applies. In the mind he settles this (brick).
53. ‘In the stream, the seat, I settle thee!’ the stream is speech : in speech he settles this one.
54. ‘In the abode of the waters I settle thee!’ the abode of the waters is the eye, for there water always abides: in the eye he settles this one.
In the mind he settles this (brick).
53. ‘In the stream, the seat, I settle thee!’ the stream is speech : in speech he settles this one.
54. ‘In the abode of the waters I settle thee!’ the abode of the waters is the eye, for there water always abides: in the eye he settles this one.
55. ‘In the goal of the waters I settle thee!’ the goal of the waters is the ear: in the ear he settles this one. Whatever water flowed from those (five) forms of his, that water he now (by these five formulas) puts back into him; and those forms themselves he thereby restores to him.
56. ‘In the seat of the waters I settle thee!’ the seat of the waters is the sky, for in the sky the waters are seated : in the sky he settles this one.
57. ‘In the home of the waters I settle thee!’ the home of the waters is the air: in the air he settles this one.
58. ‘In the womb of the waters I settle thee!’ the womb of the waters is the sea: in the sea he settles this one.
59. ‘In the sediment of the waters I settle thee!’ the sediment (purtsha) of the waters is sand: in the sand he settles this one.
60. ‘In the resort of the waters I settle thee!’ the resort of the waters is food: in food he settles this one. Whatever water flowed from those (five) forms of his, that water he now (by these five formulas) puts back into him; and those forms themselves he thereby restores to him.
61. ‘By the Gayatri metre I settle thee!—
vil KANDA, 5 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMANA, 62. 417
By the Trish¢ubh metre I settle thee !—By the Gagatt metre I settle thee!—By the Anushéubh metre I settle thee!—By the Pankti metre I settle thee!’ Whatever water flowed from those metres of his, that he now (by these formulas) puts back into him; and those metres themselves he thereby restores to him.
62. These (bricks) are fingers (and toes): he puts them on all sides}, for these fingers (and toes) are on all sides; he puts them at the ends, for these fingers (and toes) are at the ends; in four sets he puts them on, for these fingers (and toes) are in four sets; five he puts on each time, for there are five fingers (or toes) at each (limb); separately he puts them on, for separate are these fingers (and toes); only once he ‘settles’ each (set): he thereby makes (each set) one and the same, whence they have a common connecting-link.
' The four sets of bricks are placed in the middle of the four sides of the square ‘ body’ of the altar-site, or at the ends of the two ‘spines’ intersecting each other.
[41] Ee
p. 418
CORRECTIONS.
Introduction, page xii, line 33. Read,—the day preceding the Soma-day, the animal offering to Agni-Soma being indeed a constant feature of that day’s proceedings at every Soma-sacrifice; whilst the slaughter of the special victim, or victims, of the respective sacrifice takes place during the morning service, &c.
. 5, last line of text. Read,—therefor.
. 6, note a, 1. 3. Préshnhya shadaha, see Introduction, p. xxi.
With
1 ‘Aga,’ he-goat, is here again taken in the sense of ‘ a-ga,’ unborn.
As to the gods having sprung from V4é, see VI, 1, 2, 6 seq.
? A fabulous animal with eight legs.
vil KANDA, 5 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMANA, 41. 413 a verse to Agni (he worships): it is to Agni he thereby makes amends ;—with an undefined one; the undefined means everything : by means of everything he thus makes amends to him ;—with (a verse) containing the word ‘ youngest :’ this indeed, to wit, the youngest, is his favourite form ;—inasmuch as when born he took possession (yu) of everything here, he is the youngest (yavish¢ha).
39. [Vag. S. XIII, 52; Ack S. VIII, 84, 3]‘ Shield you, O youngest, the men of the liberal worshipper!’ the liberal worshipper is the Sacrificer, and the men are the people ;—‘hear you the songs!’ that is, hear this hymn of praise !—‘ protect you kin and self!’ the kin (race) means offspring : thus, ‘ protect both (the Sacrificer’s) offspring and himself.’
40. Having stepped on the altar and walked round behind the naturally-perforated (brick), he lays down the A pasy4A (water-bricks) ;—now the Apasy4/ are the same as water, and the water has gone out of these victims: he thus puts water into these victims, when he lays down the Apasy4z (bricks). He lays them down close to the (heads of the) animals: he thereby puts the water together with the animals. He lays down five (bricks) in each quarter, for five are those victims. He lays them down in every (quarter): everywhere he thus puts water into them.
41. Now the first fifteen are the A pasy44,— water is a thunderbolt, and the thunderbolt is fifteenfold ; —hence wherever the waters flow, there they destroy evil; and verily the thunderbolt destroys the evil of this place: hence, when it rains one should go about uncovered, thinking, ‘May that thunderbolt remove evil from me!’
p. 414
42. And the last five are the XAandasy4h (the metres’ bricks) ;—the metres are cattle, and cattle is food; or rather the flesh of cattle is food, and the flesh has departed from these victims: he therefore puts flesh on those cattle when he lays down the Khandasy4k. He places them close to the victims: he thereby puts the flesh close to the (bones of the) cattle. The Apasy4% are inside, the Khandasy4% outside; for the water is inside, and the flesh outside.
43. As to this they say, ‘If there are that water and that flesh, where then is the skin, and where the hair ?’ Well, the skin’ of cattle is food, and the hair of cattle is food; and when he lays down the Kandasy4f, that is the skin of the victims, that is their hair. Or, again, those goats’ hair which are in the fire-pan}, they are hair. The fire-pan is outside, and the victims’ heads are inside, for outside is the hair, and inside is the body. ‘Whether in the one way, or whether in the other,’ so Sandilya was wont to say, ‘in any case we make up the victims wholly and completely.’
The fire-pan is outside, and the victims’ heads are inside, for outside is the hair, and inside is the body. ‘Whether in the one way, or whether in the other,’ so Sandilya was wont to say, ‘in any case we make up the victims wholly and completely.’
44. And, again, why he lays down the ApasyaZ. When Prag4pati was disjointed the water went from him; that being gone, he sank down; and because he sank down (vis), therefore there are twenty (vimsati, viz. such bricks). It flowed from his fingers,— the fingers being the end, it (the water) went from him in the end.
45. Now the Pragapati who became disjointed is this very Agni who is now being built up; and the water (4pa%) which went from him is these very
* See VI, 4, 4, 223 5, 1, 4
p. 415
Apasy&k ;—hence when he lays them down, he thereby puts back into him that very water which went from him: therefore he now lays these down.
46. [V4ag. S. XIII, 43] ‘In the way of the waters I settle you!’ the way of the waters is the wind; for when he blows hither and thither then the waters flow: in the wind he ‘settles’ this (first brick).
47. ‘In the swell of the waters I settle you!’ the swell of the waters is the plants, for wherever the waters keep swelling there plants grow: in the plants he settles this (brick). .
48. ‘In the ashes of the waters I settle you!’ the ashes of the waters are the foam: in foam he settles this one.
49. ‘In the light of the waters I settle you!’ the light of the waters is the lightning : in the lightning he settles this one.
50. ‘In the path of the waters I settle you!’ the path of the waters is this earth, for on the earth the waters flow: on this earth he settles this one. Whatever water flowed from those (five) forms of his, that water he now (by these five formulas) puts back into him; and those forms themselves he thereby restores to him.
51. ‘In the flood, the seat, I settle you!’ the flood is the breath: in the breath he settles this one.
52. ‘In the ocean, the seat, I settle you!’ the sea is the mind; from the mind-ocean, with speech for a shovel, the gods dug out the triple science. Thereto this verse applies,—‘ May the true god know this day where the gods placed that offering, they who dug it out from the ocean withp. 416 sharp shovels ;’—the ocean is the mind, the sharp shovel is speech, the offering is the triple science: it is thereto this verse applies. In the mind he settles this (brick).
53. ‘In the stream, the seat, I settle you!’ the stream is speech : in speech he settles this one.
54. ‘In the abode of the waters I settle you!’ the abode of the waters is the eye, for there water always abides: in the eye he settles this one.
In the mind he settles this (brick).
53. ‘In the stream, the seat, I settle you!’ the stream is speech : in speech he settles this one.
54. ‘In the abode of the waters I settle you!’ the abode of the waters is the eye, for there water always abides: in the eye he settles this one.
55. ‘In the goal of the waters I settle you!’ the goal of the waters is the ear: in the ear he settles this one. Whatever water flowed from those (five) forms of his, that water he now (by these five formulas) puts back into him; and those forms themselves he thereby restores to him.
56. ‘In the seat of the waters I settle you!’ the seat of the waters is the sky, for in the sky the waters are seated : in the sky he settles this one.
57. ‘In the home of the waters I settle you!’ the home of the waters is the air: in the air he settles this one.
58. ‘In the womb of the waters I settle you!’ the womb of the waters is the sea: in the sea he settles this one.
59. ‘In the sediment of the waters I settle you!’ the sediment (purtsha) of the waters is sand: in the sand he settles this one.
60. ‘In the resort of the waters I settle you!’ the resort of the waters is food: in food he settles this one. Whatever water flowed from those (five) forms of his, that water he now (by these five formulas) puts back into him; and those forms themselves he thereby restores to him.
61. ‘By the Gayatri metre I settle you!— vil KANDA, 5 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMANA, 62. 417
By the Trish¢ubh metre I settle you !—By the Gagatt metre I settle you!—By the Anushéubh metre I settle you!—By the Pankti metre I settle you!’ Whatever water flowed from those metres of his, that he now (by these formulas) puts back into him; and those metres themselves he thereby restores to him.
62. These (bricks) are fingers (and toes): he puts them on all sides}, for these fingers (and toes) are on all sides; he puts them at the ends, for these fingers (and toes) are at the ends; in four sets he puts them on, for these fingers (and toes) are in four sets; five he puts on each time, for there are five fingers (or toes) at each (limb); separately he puts them on, for separate are these fingers (and toes); only once he ‘settles’ each (set): he thereby makes (each set) one and the same, whence they have a common connecting-link.
' The four sets of bricks are placed in the middle of the four sides of the square ‘ body’ of the altar-site, or at the ends of the two ‘spines’ intersecting each other.
[41] Ee
p. 418
CORRECTIONS.
Introduction, page xii, line 33. Read,—the day preceding the Soma-day, the animal offering to Agni-Soma being indeed a constant feature of that day’s proceedings at every Soma-sacrifice; whilst the slaughter of the special victim, or victims, of the respective sacrifice takes place during the morning service, &c.
. 5, last line of text. Read,—therefor.
. 6, note a, 1. 3. Présh#hya shadaha, see Introduction, p. xxi.
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