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

ck (of the nether garment) 2 and makes obeisance (to the Fathers). The tuck, doubtless, is sacred to the Fathers : hence he makes obeisance to them after pulling down the tuck; and obeisance means worship: hence he thereby recognises them as entitled to worship. Six times he makes obeisance to them, since there are six seasons, and the Fathers are the seasons : hence he thereby establishes his sacrifice in the seasons, — that is why he makes obeisance six times ^ 'Give houses

^ The Kawva text has, ' The reason why he moves thrice round, sprinkling from left to right, is that, after going after those three ancestors of his, he thereby leaves them, and returns to this, his own, world.' See II, 6, i, 15.

' On the ntvi, or unwoven end of the waist-cloth (Hindi dhoti, Mahr. dhotar), which had to be passed under and tucked up behind, at the beginning of the present ceremony, see p. 368, note 2. Cf. Apast. Dharmas. I, 2, 6, 19.

^ For the six formulas used for this purpose, see p. 368, note 2.

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unto US, O Fathers !' he (further) says, because the Fathers are the guardians of houses ; — and this is the prayer for blessing at this sacred performance.

43. Being now about to proceed with the afterofferings, they all invest themselves sacrificially (by shifting the cord over to the left shoulder); and thus (invested) the Sacrificer and Brahman walk round to the west, and the Agnidhra to the east, side ; and the Hotrz sits doAvn on the Hot/Vs seat.

44. He (the Adhvaryu) then says, ' Brahman, I shall step forward.' Thereupon he puts the stick (reserved at the time of kindling) on (the fire), and says, * Agnidh, trim the fire!' He then takes the two spoons and crosses over to the west side. After crossing over and calling for the '^'rausha/,' he says (to the Hotrz), 'Pronounce the offering-prayer to the gods!' He performs two after-offerings, omitting the one to the Barhis ; for the Barhis means offspring : hence he performs two after-offerings, omitting the one to the Barhis, lest he should consign his offspring to the Fathers.

45. He then separates the two spoons \ after laying them down (in their respective places on the altar); and having separated them, and anointed the enclosing-sticks, he takes one enclosing-stick, calls for the '.S"rausha/,' and says, ' The divine Hotrt's are summoned for the proclamation of success, the human is called upon for the song of praise ! ' The Ylotri intones the ' song of praise (suktavaka).' The Adhvaryu, on the other hand, does not seize the prastara-bunch, but watches while the

The divine Hotrt's are summoned for the proclamation of success, the human is called upon for the song of praise ! ' The Ylotri intones the ' song of praise (suktavaka).' The Adhvaryu, on the other hand, does not seize the prastara-bunch, but watches while the Hotrl recites the song of praise.

^ See I, 8, 3, I seq.

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46. Thereupon the Agnidhra says, ' Throw it after M' He (the Adhvaryu) throws nothing after, but silently touches himself.

47. He (the Agnidhra) then says, ' Discourse together!' [The Adhvaryu asks], ' Has he gone (to the gods), Agnidh?' — 'He has gone!' — 'Bid (the gods) hear!' — 'May one (or, they) hear!' — 'Goodspeed to the divine Hotr/s ! Success to the human! — Pronounce the All-hail and blessing!' Thus saying, he merely touches the enclosing-sticks, but does not (now) throw them (into the fire). The Barhis and enclosinor-sticks he throws in afterwards ^.

48. And here some throw also the remaining sacrificial food into the fire ; but let him not do so ; for that (remaining havis) is the residue of an offering ; and lest he should offer the residue of an offering, let them (the priests) rather throw it into the water or eat it.

Second Brahmajva.

1. Verily, by means of the Great Oblation the gods slew Vr/tra ; by it they gained that supreme authority which they now wield. Now whichever of them were hit by (the Asuras') arrows in that battle, those same darts they extracted, those they pulled out, by performing the Tryambaka-offerings.

2. And, accordingly, when he performs those offerings, he either does so hoping that thus no arrow

^ See I, 8, 3, 19 seq.

2 Viz. after the strewing of the Veda, — see I, 9, 2, 24, the formulas being pronounced by the Hotn'on this occasion, — at the time when the Samish/aya^us, which is here omitted, would have to be performed in an ordinary ish/i.

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(misfortune) will hit any of his, or because the gods did so. And thereby he delivers from Rudra's power both the descendants that are born unto him and those that are unborn; and his offspring is brought forth without disease and blemish. This is why he performs these offerings.

3. They are (offered) to Rudra : Rudra's, indeed,
is the dart ; and hence (these offerings) belong to
Rudra. They consist of (cakes) on one potsherd:
' To one deity they shall belong!' so (he thinks, and)
therefore they consist of (cakes) on one potsherd.

4. There is one for each individual, — as many as he has descendants, — exceeded by one.

ferings) belong to Rudra. They consist of (cakes) on one potsherd: ' To one deity they shall belong!' so (he thinks, and) therefore they consist of (cakes) on one potsherd.

4. There is one for each individual, — as many as he has descendants, — exceeded by one. (There being) one for each individual, he thereby delivers from Rudra's power the descendants that are born unto him ; and there being an additional one, he thereby delivers from Rudra's power the descendants that are not yet born to him : this is why there are (as many cakes as there are descendants) exceeded by one.

5. He takes out (the rice for) those (cakes), while seated behind the Garhapatya, sacrificially invested and facing the north. From thence he rises and threshes (the rice), while standing with his face towards the north. He places the two mill-stones on (the black antelope skin, so as to incline) towards the north ; and puts the potsherds on the north side of the Garhapatya hearth. As to why they keep the northern quarter, — that indeed is the quarter of that god (Rudra), and hence they keep the northern quarter.

6. They (the cakes) maybe anointed (with ghee), — for the havis is anointed^; — but let them rather be

^ This refers to the so-called pra/;adana, or 'bestowal of lifep. 439 unanointed ; for, Indeed, Rudra would be hankerincr after the (sacrificer's) cattle, if he were to anoint (the cakes): let them therefore be unanointed.

7. Having removed all (the cakes from the potsherds) into one dish, and taken a fire-brand from the Dakshi;^a-fire, he walks aside towards the north — for that is the region of that god — and offers. He offers on a road, — for on roads that god roves ; he offers on a cross-road, — for the cross-road, indeed, is known to be his (Rudra's) favourite haunts This is why he offers on a cross-road.

8. He offers with the central leaflet of a palai-aleaf. The palai-a-leaf, truly, is the Brahman (priesthood) -: with the Brahman, therefore, he offers. He takes a cutting from (the northern part of) all the cakes ; from the additional one alone he takes no cutting.

(or soul),' that is, the anointing of the sacrificial dishes with ghee, previously to their being placed on the altar. The anointing takes place with the text (Va^. S. ed. p. 35), 'That life(or soul,pra«a) of thine which has entered into the cattle, and becomes diffused through the various forms of the gods, — endowed with (that) life (atmanvan) — for thou art laden with ghee — go to Agni, O Soma ! and obtain bliss (svar) for the Sacrificer!' Katy. II, 8, 14.