Fetching
One moment.
Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1one and the same thing : it is, therefore, for his (Agni's or the sacrificer's) attainment of splendour {sri) that he brings a mole-hill. 8. He then brings pebbles. Now the gods and the Asuras, both of them sprung from Pra^apati, once contended for superiority. This earth was then trembling like a lotus-leaf; for the wind was tossing it hither and thither : now it came near the gods, now it came near the Asuras. When it came near the gods, — 9. They said, ' Come, let us steady this resting- place ; and when firm and steady, let us set up akhu (mole, mouse, rat), as of that of the boar, with the thunder- bolt, see Dr. A. Kuhn's ingenious remarks, ' Herabkunft des Feuers und des Gottertranks,' p. 202. According to Taitt. Br. I, i, 3, 3, Agni at one time concealed himself from the gods, and having become a mole, dug himself into the earth ; so that the mole-hills thrown up by him, have some of Agni's nature attaching to them. The Taittiriyas also put on the hearth the earth of an ant-hill, which the Brahmawa (in the same way as our author does of the mole- hill) represents as the savour (or marrow, essence) of the earth. ^ The primary meaning of karisha is 'that which is scattered, or strewn about,' hence 'refuse, rubbish' (and akhu-karisha, 'mole- cast'). Its secondary meaning, as is that of purisha, is ' manure ' (or perhaps also ' soft, rich mould '), an article naturally valued by an agricultural population. See I, 2, 5, 17, where purisha is taken symbolically to represent cattle. 280 5'ATAPATHA-BRAHMAiVA. the two fires on it ; whereupon we will exclude our enemies from any share in it.' 10. Accordingly, in like manner as one would stretch a skin by means of wooden pins, they fastened down this resting-place ; and it formed a firm and steady resting-place. And when it was firm and steady, they set up the two fires on it ; and thereupon they excluded their enemies from any share in it^ 11. And in like manner that one (the Adhvaryu) now fastens down that resting-place by means of pebbles ; and on it, when firm and steady, he sets up the two fires ; whereupon he excludes the (sacri- ficer's) enemies from any share in it. This is the reason why he brings pebbles. 12. These then are the five equipments ^i for fivefold is the sacrifice, fivefold the animal victim ; and five seasons there are in the year. ^ The corresponding myth of Taitt. Br. I, i, 3, 5, though very different from ours, yet presents one or two points of resemblance.
2are the five equipments ^i for fivefold is the sacrifice, fivefold the animal victim ; and five seasons there are in the year. ^ The corresponding myth of Taitt. Br. I, i, 3, 5, though very different from ours, yet presents one or two points of resemblance. According to it, nothing was to be seen in the beginning except water and a lotus-leaf standing out above it. Pra^^apati (being bent on creating the firm ground) bethought himself that the lotus-stalk must rest on something; and having assumed the form of a boar, he dived and brought up some of the earth. This he spread out (prath) on the lotus-leaf, whence originated the earth (pnthivi), which he then fastened down by means of pebbles. Hence the latter are put on the hearth in order to afford a firm foundation for the fire. ^ According to the authorities of the Black Ya^^ur-veda there are not five, but fourteen sambharas, seven of which are taken from the earth, viz. sand, salt, a mole-hill, an ant-hill, mire from a dried- up pool, pebbles, and gold ; while the remaining seven consist of pieces of wood from the ajvattha, udumbara, palaja ( ? two pieces), jami, and vikankata trees, and from some tree that has been struck by lightning. The sprinkling of water about the fire-place is not counted by them as a sambhara, but as one of the usual acts of lustration. Taitt. Br. I, i, 3 seq. II KANDA, I ADHYAYA, I BRAHMAiVA, 1 4. 28 1 13. Now, as to this, they say, 'Six seasons there are in the year.' And in that case the very defi- ciency (nyuna) itself is rendered a productive union^, since it is from the lower part (nyuna, i.e. of the body) that offspring is here brought forth. Thus also a progressive improvement ^ (is assured to the sacrificer) : for this reason there are five equipments. And when (it is nevertheless insisted on that) there are six seasons in the year, then Agni is the sixth of them, and thus there is no deficiency. 14. Here also they say, ' He should not equip it even with a single equipment ! ' For (they argue) all those (objects) are on this earth, and hence, when he establishes the fire on this earth, the latter of itself obtains all those equipments : he need not, therefore, equip it with a single equipment. But let him never- theless bring (those objects) together ; for when he establishes the fire on this (earth), then it obtains all the equipments ; and what (benefit) accrues from the equipments being brought together, that also accrues to it ^ Let him for that reason bring (the objects) together.
3hose objects) together ; for when he establishes the fire on this (earth), then it obtains all the equipments ; and what (benefit) accrues from the equipments being brought together, that also accrues to it ^ Let him for that reason bring (the objects) together. ^ Or, a deficient pairing is effected (on account of the uneven number). I do not quite understand Sayawa's interpretation of the passage, the published text of the commentary being apparently corrupt in one or two places. The Kawva text reads : Tad ahu^ sha^ va r/tava^ saz'zvatsarasyeti yadi vai sha/ r/tava^ sa/«vatsarasya nyunam u vai pra_^anana»/ nyunad va ima// pra_o-a^ pra^ayante, &c. 2 Literally, ' a prevailing (or advancing) better-to-morrow,' svah- jreyasam uttaravat. ^ The drift of the author's reasoning evidently is that it is safer, by putting those objects on the fire-place, to make sure of the magic benefits of those symbols being really secured to the fire, and thereby to the sacrificer. The Kawva text of this paragraph, though differently worded, yields the same sense ; except that it refers to 282 5'ATArATIIA-BRAIIMAiVA. Second Braiimana. 1. He may set up the two fires^ under the Kr/t- tikis; for they, the Kr/ttikas, are doubtless Agni's asterism, so that if he sets up his fires under Agni's asterism, (he will bring about) a correspondence (between his fires and the asterism) : for this reason he may set up his fires under the Krz'ttikas. 2. Moreover, the other lunar asterisms (consist of) one, two, three or four (stars), so that the Krit- tikas are the most numerous (of asterisms) - : hence he thereby obtains an abundance. For this reason he may set up his fires under the Kr/ttikas. 3. And again, they do not move away from the eastern quarter, whilst the other asterisms do move from the eastern quarter. Thus his (two fires) are established in the eastern quarter : for this reason he may set up his fires under the Kr/ttikas. 4. On the other hand (it is argued) why he should not set up the fires under the Krzttikas. Origi- nally, namely, the latter were the wives of the Bears (r/ksha) ; for the seven 7?/shis ^ were in former times the sacrificer himself and to the wishes he entertains in collecting the objects. ' That is, the Garhapatya and Ahavaniya, the two principal fires. ' Whilst the Kr/ttikas, or Pleiades, are supposed to consist of seven (or, according to others, of six) stars, the remaining twenty- six nakshatras or lunar mansions, according to our author, vary between one and four stars.
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.
1one and the same thing : it is, therefore, for his (Agni's or the sacrificer's) attainment of splendour {sri) that he brings a mole-hill. 8. He then brings pebbles. Now the gods and the Asuras, both of them sprung from Pra^apati, once contended for superiority. This earth was then trembling like a lotus-leaf; for the wind was tossing it hither and thither : now it came near the gods, now it came near the Asuras. When it came near the gods, — 9. They said, ' Come, let us steady this resting- place ; and when firm and steady, let us set up akhu (mole, mouse, rat), as of that of the boar, with the thunder- bolt, see Dr. A. Kuhn's ingenious remarks, ' Herabkunft des Feuers und des Gottertranks,' p. 202. According to Taitt. Br. I, i, 3, 3, Agni at one time concealed himself from the gods, and having become a mole, dug himself into the earth ; so that the mole-hills thrown up by him, have some of Agni's nature attaching to them. The Taittiriyas also put on the hearth the earth of an ant-hill, which the Brahmawa (in the same way as our author does of the mole- hill) represents as the savour (or marrow, essence) of the earth. ^ The primary meaning of karisha is 'that which is scattered, or strewn about,' hence 'refuse, rubbish' (and akhu-karisha, 'mole- cast'). Its secondary meaning, as is that of purisha, is ' manure ' (or perhaps also ' soft, rich mould '), an article naturally valued by an agricultural population. See I, 2, 5, 17, where purisha is taken symbolically to represent cattle. 280 5'ATAPATHA-BRAHMAiVA. the two fires on it ; whereupon we will exclude our enemies from any share in it.' 10. Accordingly, in like manner as one would stretch a skin by means of wooden pins, they fastened down this resting-place ; and it formed a firm and steady resting-place. And when it was firm and steady, they set up the two fires on it ; and thereupon they excluded their enemies from any share in it^ 11. And in like manner that one (the Adhvaryu) now fastens down that resting-place by means of pebbles ; and on it, when firm and steady, he sets up the two fires ; whereupon he excludes the (sacri- ficer's) enemies from any share in it. This is the reason why he brings pebbles. 12. These then are the five equipments ^i for fivefold is the sacrifice, fivefold the animal victim ; and five seasons there are in the year. ^ The corresponding myth of Taitt. Br. I, i, 3, 5, though very different from ours, yet presents one or two points of resemblance.
2are the five equipments ^i for fivefold is the sacrifice, fivefold the animal victim ; and five seasons there are in the year. ^ The corresponding myth of Taitt. Br. I, i, 3, 5, though very different from ours, yet presents one or two points of resemblance. According to it, nothing was to be seen in the beginning except water and a lotus-leaf standing out above it. Pra^^apati (being bent on creating the firm ground) bethought himself that the lotus-stalk must rest on something; and having assumed the form of a boar, he dived and brought up some of the earth. This he spread out (prath) on the lotus-leaf, whence originated the earth (pnthivi), which he then fastened down by means of pebbles. Hence the latter are put on the hearth in order to afford a firm foundation for the fire. ^ According to the authorities of the Black Ya^^ur-veda there are not five, but fourteen sambharas, seven of which are taken from the earth, viz. sand, salt, a mole-hill, an ant-hill, mire from a dried- up pool, pebbles, and gold ; while the remaining seven consist of pieces of wood from the ajvattha, udumbara, palaja ( ? two pieces), jami, and vikankata trees, and from some tree that has been struck by lightning. The sprinkling of water about the fire-place is not counted by them as a sambhara, but as one of the usual acts of lustration. Taitt. Br. I, i, 3 seq. II KANDA, I ADHYAYA, I BRAHMAiVA, 1 4. 28 1 13. Now, as to this, they say, 'Six seasons there are in the year.' And in that case the very defi- ciency (nyuna) itself is rendered a productive union^, since it is from the lower part (nyuna, i.e. of the body) that offspring is here brought forth. Thus also a progressive improvement ^ (is assured to the sacrificer) : for this reason there are five equipments. And when (it is nevertheless insisted on that) there are six seasons in the year, then Agni is the sixth of them, and thus there is no deficiency. 14. Here also they say, ' He should not equip it even with a single equipment ! ' For (they argue) all those (objects) are on this earth, and hence, when he establishes the fire on this earth, the latter of itself obtains all those equipments : he need not, therefore, equip it with a single equipment. But let him never- theless bring (those objects) together ; for when he establishes the fire on this (earth), then it obtains all the equipments ; and what (benefit) accrues from the equipments being brought together, that also accrues to it ^ Let him for that reason bring (the objects) together.
3hose objects) together ; for when he establishes the fire on this (earth), then it obtains all the equipments ; and what (benefit) accrues from the equipments being brought together, that also accrues to it ^ Let him for that reason bring (the objects) together. ^ Or, a deficient pairing is effected (on account of the uneven number). I do not quite understand Sayawa's interpretation of the passage, the published text of the commentary being apparently corrupt in one or two places. The Kawva text reads : Tad ahu^ sha^ va r/tava^ saz'zvatsarasyeti yadi vai sha/ r/tava^ sa/«vatsarasya nyunam u vai pra_^anana»/ nyunad va ima// pra_o-a^ pra^ayante, &c. 2 Literally, ' a prevailing (or advancing) better-to-morrow,' svah- jreyasam uttaravat. ^ The drift of the author's reasoning evidently is that it is safer, by putting those objects on the fire-place, to make sure of the magic benefits of those symbols being really secured to the fire, and thereby to the sacrificer. The Kawva text of this paragraph, though differently worded, yields the same sense ; except that it refers to 282 5'ATArATIIA-BRAIIMAiVA. Second Braiimana. 1. He may set up the two fires^ under the Kr/t- tikis; for they, the Kr/ttikas, are doubtless Agni's asterism, so that if he sets up his fires under Agni's asterism, (he will bring about) a correspondence (between his fires and the asterism) : for this reason he may set up his fires under the Krz'ttikas. 2. Moreover, the other lunar asterisms (consist of) one, two, three or four (stars), so that the Krit- tikas are the most numerous (of asterisms) - : hence he thereby obtains an abundance. For this reason he may set up his fires under the Kr/ttikas. 3. And again, they do not move away from the eastern quarter, whilst the other asterisms do move from the eastern quarter. Thus his (two fires) are established in the eastern quarter : for this reason he may set up his fires under the Kr/ttikas. 4. On the other hand (it is argued) why he should not set up the fires under the Krzttikas. Origi- nally, namely, the latter were the wives of the Bears (r/ksha) ; for the seven 7?/shis ^ were in former times the sacrificer himself and to the wishes he entertains in collecting the objects. ' That is, the Garhapatya and Ahavaniya, the two principal fires. ' Whilst the Kr/ttikas, or Pleiades, are supposed to consist of seven (or, according to others, of six) stars, the remaining twenty- six nakshatras or lunar mansions, according to our author, vary between one and four stars.
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.