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

lead me to goodness ! '

Ninth Adhyaya. First BRAHMAiVA.
I. Now^ when (the Adhvaryu) says, 'The divine
Hotre's are summoned for the proclamation of success,

^ I adopt the interpretation of Harisvamin, who translates avirk/iet by adhaA patet. The St. Petersb. Diet, apparently proposes 'he would unharness them, as he would unharness a horse (or team).' According to Harisvamin, the author here controverts the view of the A'arakas (/^arakai'ruti), who apparently taught that the (symbolical) unharnessing of the spoons should succeed their being laid down on the yoke; while our author maintains that the unharnessing should precede the laying down.

2 The author now proceeds to give in detail the formulas to be recited by the Hot;-?' during the ceremonies treated in the preceding Brahmawa (see p. 236, note 2); pars. 1-23 treating of the sfiktavaka; pars. 24-29 of th: -aniyuvaka.

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the human one is called upon for the song of praise (sukta-vaka);'andwhen the Hotrz thereupon recites, he recites good words only ^ : he thereby invokes a blessing on the sacrificer. It is indeed after the sacrifice that he thus invokes a blessing. A twofold reason there is for his invoking the blessing after the sacrifice.

2. He who sacrifices, assuredly, is the producer of the sacrifice, since it is by his order that the priests spread it, that they produce it. He (the Hotr^*) now invokes a blessing; and that blessing invoked by him, the sacrifice, on its part, realises for this (sacrificer), knowing as it does that he has produced it. For this reason he invokes a blessing after the sacrifice.

3. He who sacrifices, assuredly, pleases the gods. Having pleased the gods by that sacrifice, — that is, partly by 7?zk-verses, partly by Ya^is-formulas, and partly by oblations, — he obtains a share among them. When he has obtained a share among them, then (the Hotrz) invokes a blessing (on him) ; and that blessing, invoked by him, the gods realise for this (sacrificer), knowing as they do that he has pleased them. For this reason also he invokes a blessinfj after the sacrifice.

4. He intones^, — 'Successful this has turned out^ O heaven and earth — ,' for successful indeed it has turned out, when one has completed the sacrifice. — ' We have completed the song of praise, and the

^ Sftktaiva tad aha, which the commentator paraphrases by suktany aha. It is apparently intended as an explanation of the term siiktavaka. The word sukta here has exceptionally the accent on the penultimate.

'^ See p. 240, note 2. The formulas are given Taitt. Br. Ill, 5,
10; Ajv. -S. I, 9, I.

ntator paraphrases by suktany aha. It is apparently intended as an explanation of the term siiktavaka. The word sukta here has exceptionally the accent on the penultimate.

'^ See p. 240, note 2. The formulas are given Taitt. Br. Ill, 5,
10; Ajv. -S. I, 9, I.

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Utterance of worship \' for indeed these two, the singing of praises and the utterance of worship, form the sacrifice : and accordingly he thereby says, ' We have accomplished the sacrifice, we have obtained possession of the sacrifice. — ' Thou, O Agni, art the voice of praise at the listening ^ of heaven and earth,' he thereby says to Agni, ' Thou art the voice of praise, while heaven and earth listen.' — ' May heaven and earth be propitious to thee, O sacrificer, at this sacrifice ! ' whereby he says, ' May heaven and earth abound in food for thee, O sacrificer, at this sacrifice.'

5. ' They, propitious to the cattle ^ profuse in gifts,' he thereby says, ' May they both be propitious to the cattle, and profuse in gifts.' — ' They, the fearless and inscrutable ^ ; ' he thereby says, ' Mayest thou not be afraid of anybody ; may no one obtain before thee this thy wealth !'

^ ' Suktavakam uta namovakam.' Our author seems to refer these terms to the Rik-wevses and the Ya^us-formulas used during the sacrifice. Saya«a, on Taitt. S. II, 6, 9, takes 'namovaka' in a more restricted sense, viz. as referring to the formula ' namo devebhya)^.' Both the Black Ya^ur-veda and A^v. S. add 'r/dhyasma sukto/^yam,' which has probably to be taken in the sense of ' May we accomplish that which is expressed in the suktas.' [Sayawa, ' May we succeed with the siakta yet to be pronounced.']

2 For upa^ruti the Black Ya^ur-veda has upaj-rito, which
Saya«a explains, 'Since thou art established in heaven and earth,
thou art able to recite the siikta.'

2 .Sawgavi seems to be a corruption of -Sawgayi (propitious to the household), which is the reading of the Black Ya^ur-veda and Ajv. 6*. (cf. Rig-veda IX, 97, 17).

* ? Apravede, according to Sayawa, on Taitt. S. I; i, 13, in an active sense, 'they who do not tell of, do not betray, our faults' (hence 'verschwiegen,' reticent, discreet, St. Petersb. Diet.) 'Difficult to obtain,' Harisvamin. Our author apparently takes it in the sense of ' not obtained before.'

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6.

ctive sense, 'they who do not tell of, do not betray, our faults' (hence 'verschwiegen,' reticent, discreet, St. Petersb. Diet.) 'Difficult to obtain,' Harisvamin. Our author apparently takes it in the sense of ' not obtained before.'

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6. 'They, of wide abode, the afforders of safety;' he thereby says, 'May they both be possessed of wide abodes and exempt from danger.' — ' They, the rain-skied, the water-pouring,' he thereby says, ' May they both be possessed of rain.'

7. ' They, the genial and beneficent;' he thereby says, ' May they both be genial and beneficent' — ' They, the rich in sap and substance ; ' he thereby says, ' May they both abound in moisture and afford the means of subsistence.'

8. ' They, of easy access and good abode ; ' he thereby says, ' May yonder (sky), which thou approachest from below, afford thee easy access ; may this (earth) on which thou abidest (or movest) afford thee good abode.' — 'With their knowledge — ,' thereby he says, ' Both of these approving — '

9. ' Agni has graciously accepted this oblation, he has grown in strength, he has acquired greater power,' he thereby refers to Agni's butter-portion. — ' Soma has graciously accepted this oblation, he has grown in strength, he has acquired greater power,' he thereby refers to Soma's butter-portion. — ' Agni has graciously accepted this oblation, he has grown in strength, he has acquired greater power,' he thereby refers to the indispensable cake which is (offered) on both occasions (the new and full-moon sacrifice).

10. And in the same way according to the respective deities. ' The butter-drinking gods have graciously accepted the butter, they have grown in strength, they have acquired greater power;' thereby he refers to the fore-offerings and after-offerings ; for the butter-drinking gods truly are the fore-offerings and after-offerings. — 'Agni, by virtue of his Hotrzship, has graciously accepted this oblation, he hasI KANDA, 9 ADHYAYA, I BRAHMA A^A, I 3. 25 I grown In strength, he has acquired greater power;' thereby he refers to Agni, in virtue of his Hotrzship. With 'has graciously accepted' he thus enumerates those deities to whom offering has been made : in saying ' Such a one has graciously accepted the oblation, such a one has graciously accepted the oblation,' he accordingly prays for the accomplishment of the sacrifice ; for whatever oblation the gods graciously accept, by that he gains great things : hence he says, ' (he) has graciously accepted it.' And ' (he) has grown in strength ' he says, because what the gods delight in, they make