The Satapatha-Brahmana, Part IV — Books VIII, IX & X (SBE Vol. 43, trans. Julius Eggeling, 1897)

Now day and night, revolving, destroy (the fruit of) man's righteousness in yonder world. But day and night are on this side (of the sun) from him (after he has gone up to heaven) ; and so day and night do not destroy (the fruit of) his righteousness.

12. And as, while standing inside a chariot, one would look down from above on the revolving chariot-wheels, even so does he look down from on high upon day and night : and, verily, day and night destroy not the reward of him who thus knows that release from day and night.

13. [The sacrificer] having gone round the Ahavaniya, (after entering) from the east \ passes

^ According to Katy. IV, 13, 12 [and Schol.], the householder [after taking out the fires and performing his regular twilight adoration (sandhya), that is, muttering the Savitri, Rig-veda III, 62, lo (see -Sat. Br. II, 3, 4, 39), when the sun has half disappeared or until it becomes visible ; cf. Ajval. Gr/hyas. XX, 3, 7] passes between the Garhapatya and Dakshiwa fires, or south of them,p. 345 between (it and) the Garhapatya (to his seat). For the gods do not know (this) man^; but when he now passes by them between (the fires), they know him, and think, ' This is he that now offers to us.' Moreover, Agni (the fire) is the repeller of evil ; and these two, the Ahavaniya and Garhapatya, repel the evil from him who passes between them ; and the evil being repelled from him, he becomes a very light in splendour and glory.

14. On the north side is the door of the Agnihotra^: thus (he approaches it) as he would enter (a house) by a door. If, on the other hand, he were to sit down after approaching from the south, it would be as if he walked outside.

15. The Agnihotra, truly, is the ship (that sails) heavenwards. The Ahavaniya and Garhapatya are the two sides ^ of that same heavenward-bound ship; and that milk-offerer is its steersman.

16. Now when he walks up towards the east, then he steers that (ship) eastwards towards the

[enters the Ahavaniya house by the east door], circumambulates the fire from right to left (apadakshi^zam), and sits down in his place (south of the Ahavaniya fire and altar). The same circumambulation is performed by the wife, who thereupon sits down in her place, south-west of the Garhapatya.

^ Or, ' the gods are not aware of (this) man' (na vai deva manushyaw viduy^). The gods are supposed to be assembled around the altar; see I, 3, 3, 8.

ambulation is performed by the wife, who thereupon sits down in her place, south-west of the Garhapatya.

^ Or, ' the gods are not aware of (this) man' (na vai deva manushyaw viduy^). The gods are supposed to be assembled around the altar; see I, 3, 3, 8.

2 I do not understand this, there being no door on the north side of the Ahavaniya fire-house. According to the commentator this passage is directed against those who make the sacrificer betake himself to the Ahavaniya from (or along) the south; and he quotes the words ' dakshiwena va' from Katyayana, apparently IV, 13, 12, where it is said that the sacrificer, in going to the Ahavaniya, has to pass between the two western fires, ' or south of them.'

^ 'Naumaw^e' ? according to the commentator = bhitti (the two walls or sides). The Petersb. Diet, proposes ' the two rudders (or oars).'

34^ 5ATAPATIIA-BRAHMAi\rA.

heavenly world, and he gains the heavenly world by it. When ascended from the north it makes him reach the heavenly world ; but if one were to sit down in it after entering from the south, it would be as if he tried to enter it after it has put off and he were left behind and remained outside.

17. And again, the stick which he puts on the fire (corresponds to) a brick, and the formula wherewith he offers is the Ya^us-text wherewith he puts on that brick ^ ; and when the brick is put on, then a libation is made : hence those same libations of the Agnihotra are offered on his pile of bricks ^

18. The fire, assuredly, is Pra^apati, and Pra^apati is the year. Year after year, therefore, is his Agnihotra consummated with the piled-up fire-altar ; and year after year does he obtain the piled-up firealtar, whosoever, knowing this, offers the Agnihotra.

19. Seven hundred and twenty eighties of Ri\^- verses (he should recite at the Agnihotra in the course of a year). When he offers the Agnihotra in the morning and evening, then there are two libations : hence those libations of his, in the course of a year, amount to —

20. Seven hundred and twenty. Thus, indeed, his Agnihotra is accomplished, year after year, with the great chant ^; and year after year does he obtain

^ Viz. at the AgniX'ayana, or piling up of the brick-altars at the Soma-sacrifice. As to the putting on of the stick, see II, 3, i, 17. The Kawva text of theVd^'. S. (but not that of the Brahm.) gives the formula ' Agni^yotishaw (Siirya^yotisha/?/, in the morning) tva vayumatim,' &c. See Katy. IV, 14, 13 ; 15, 9.

t the Soma-sacrifice. As to the putting on of the stick, see II, 3, i, 17. The Kawva text of theVd^'. S. (but not that of the Brahm.) gives the formula ' Agni^yotishaw (Siirya^yotisha/?/, in the morning) tva vayumatim,' &c. See Katy. IV, 14, 13 ; 15, 9.

^ After the completion of the fifth, and last, layer of the brickaltar, oblations of various materials are made thereon; especially the 6'atarudriyahoma, consisting of 425 single oblations; ^"at. Br IX, I, I, I seq., 2, i, i seq.

* The mahad (or, br^Tiad) uktha or great chant, which marksp. 347 the great chant, whosoever, knowing this, offers the Agnihotra.

Fourth BRAHMAivA.

1. Once on a time the gods deposited with Agni all their beasts, both domestic and wild ; either because they were about to engage in battle or from a desire of free scope, or because they thought that he (Agni) would protect them as the best protector.

2. Now Agni coveted them, and seizing them he entered the night with them. ' Let us go back thither,' said the gods, and betook themselves to where Agni was concealed. Now they knew that he had entered there, that he had entered the night ; and when the night returned in the evening, they approached him and said, ' Give us our beasts ! give us back our beasts!' Agni then gave them back their beasts.

3. For this then let him respectfully approach the two fires : the fires are givers, and thereby he supplicates them. Let him approach them in the evening, for in the evening the gods approached (Agni). And whosoever, knowing this, approaches (the two fires), to him, indeed, they grant cattle.

4. Then as to why he should not approach them. Now in the beginning both the gods and men were together here. And whatever did not belong to the men, for that they importuned the gods, saying, ' This is not ours : let it be ours !' Being indignant the conclusion of the Agni-^ayana, consists of 3 x 80 trika.s (strophes of three verses each), or together 720 verses. On the frequent use of number 80 in the fire-ritual, see Weber, Ind. Stud. XIII, p. 167.

34^ ^ATAPATIIA-BRAHMAJVA.

at this importunity, the gods then disappeared. Hence (it may be argued) one should not approach (the fires), fearing lest he should offend them, lest he should become hateful to them.

5. Then as to why he should nevertheless approach (the fires). The sacrifice, assuredly, belongs to the gods, and the prayer for blessing to the sacrificer.