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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1The eleventh and twelfth kazdas are mainly taken up with additional remarks and directions on most of the sacrifices treated of in the first four kazdas, especially with expiatory ceremonies and oblations in cases of mishaps or mistakes occurring during the performance, or with esoteric speculations regarding the significance and mystic effect of certain rites. In this way the eleventh book deals with the New and Full-moon sacrifices; the Seasonal offerings (XI, 5, 2), the Agnihotra (XI, 5, 3; 6, 2), the Soma-sacrifice (XI, 5, 53 9), and the Animal-sacrifice (XI, 7, 2-8, 4); whilst the twelfth kazda treats of the ‘Gavam ayanam ’— or most common sacrificial session lasting for a year, thus offering a convenient subject for dilating upon the nature of Pragapati, as the Year, or Father Time ;—of additional expiatory rites for Soma-sacrifices (XII, 6), and of the Sautramazi, consisting of oblations of milk and spirituous liquor, supposed to obviate or remove the unpleasant effects of any excess in the consumption of Soma-juice (XII, 7-9). Though supplementary notes and speculations on such ceremonial topics cannot but be of a somewhat desultory and heterogeneous character, they nevertheless offer welcome opportunities for the introduction of much valuable and interesting matter. It is here that we find the famous myth of Purdravas and Urvasi (XI, 5, 1); and that of Bhrigu, the son of Varuaa, vividly illustrating the notions prevalent at the time regarding retribution after death (XI, 6,1); as also the important cosmogonic legend of the golden egg from which Pragdpati is born at the beginning of the evolution of the universe (XI, 1,6). Of considerable interest also are the chapters treating of the way in which INTRODUCTION. XV
2Of considerable interest also are the chapters treating of the way in which INTRODUCTION. XV the dead body of the pious performer of the Agnihotra, or daily milk-offering, is to be dealt with (XII, 5, 1-2); of the initiation and the duties of the Brahmazical student (XI, 3,33 5» 4); and, last not least, of the study of the Vedas (XI, 5, 6-7) and their subsidiary texts amongst which we meet, for the first time, with the AtharvAngiras as a special collection of texts recommended for systematic study. With the commencement of the thirteenth kaxda, we enter once more upon a regular exposition of a series of great sacrifices like those discussed in the early books; the first and most important of them being the Asvamedha, or Horse-sacrifice. Like the Ragasdya, or inauguration of a king, the Asvamedha is not a mere sacrifice or series of offerings, but it is rather a great state function in which the religious and sacrificial element is closely and deftly interwoven with a varied programme of secular ceremonies. But whilst the Ragasiya was a state ceremonial to which any petty ruler might fairly think himself entitled, the Asvamedha, on the contrary, involved an assertion of power and a display of political authority such as only a monarch of undisputed supremacy could have ventured upon without courting humiliation!; and its celebration must therefore have been an event of comparatively rare occurrence. Perhaps, indeed, it is owing to this exceptional character of the Asvamedha rather than to the later origin of its ritual and dogmatic treatment that this ceremony was separated from the Ragasiya which one would naturally have expected it to succeed. It is worthy of remark, in this respect, that, in Katydyana’s Anukramanit to the Vagasaneyi-samhit4, the term ‘ khila,’ or supplement, is not applied to the Asvamedha section? (Adhy. XXII-XXV), while the subsequent sections are distinctly characterised as such. As a matter of fact, however, the Asvamedha has ' Cf. Taitt. Br. III, 8, 9, 4,—para va esha sizyate yosbalo xssvamedhena yagate :—‘ Verily, poured away (dislodged) is he who, being weak, performs the Asvamedha;’ Ap, Sr. XX, 1, 1,‘ a king ruling the whole land (sarvabhauma) may perform the Asvamedha ;—also one not ruling the whole land.’ * Cf. Weber, History of Indian Literature, p. 107; Max Miiller, History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature, p. 358. Xvi SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
3XX, 1, 1,‘ a king ruling the whole land (sarvabhauma) may perform the Asvamedha ;—also one not ruling the whole land.’ * Cf. Weber, History of Indian Literature, p. 107; Max Miiller, History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature, p. 358. Xvi SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA. received a very unequal treatment in the different rituals. Of the two recensions of the Brahmaza of the Azg-veda priests, the Aitareya-brahmawa takes no account whatever of the Horse-sacrifice, whilst its last two books (VII, VIII}— generally regarded as a later supplement, though probably already attached to the work in P4zini’s time—are mainly taken up with the discussion of the Ragashya. The Kaushitaki-brahmama, on the other hand, passes over both ceremonies, their explanation being only supplied by the Sankhayana-sdtra, along with that of some other sacrifices, in two of its chapters (15 and 36), composed in Brahmaza style, and said to be extracted from the Mah4-Kaushitaki-brahmavzal, In the principal Brahmaza of the Saman priests, the Pa#kavimsa-brahmama, the Asvamedha, as a triratra, or triduum, is dealt with in its proper place (XXI, 4), among the Ahinas, or several days’ performances. As regards the Black Yagus, both the K4¢saka and the Maitrayazit Samhita give merely the mantras of the Asvamedha 2, to which they assign pretty much the same place in the ritual as is done in the White Yagus. In the Taittiriya-sashita, on the other hand, the mantras are scattered piecemeal over the last four kandas; whilst, with the exception of a short introductory vidhi-passage, likewise given in the Samhita (V, 3, 12), the whole of the exegetic matter connected with this ceremony is contained, in a continuous form, in the Taittiriya-brahmaza (VIII and IX). Lastly, in the Vaitana-sitra of the Atharva-veda—doubtless a comparatively late work, though probably older than the Gopatha- 1 Besides the two chapters referred to, nothing more than quotations are known of this work. Possibly, however, the difference between it and the Kaushitaki-brahmama consisted merely of such supplements which would thus be very much of the same character as the last two pa#ikds of the Aitareyabrahmavza, except that they never became so generally recognised. 2 Though this circumstance seems to favour the supposition of the more recent ritualistic treatment of the Asvamedha, it may not be out of place to notice that, in the Maitrayamt Samhita, the Asvamedha section is followed by several Brabmama sections; amongst them that of the Ragas(lya which is not found in the K&skaka at all. Sat. Br. XIII, 3, 3, 6, calls the Asvamedha an ‘ utsannayagita’; but it is not quite clear what is meant thereby, seeing that the same term is applied to the AAturmAsy4ni, or Seasonal offerings (II, 5, 2, 48). INTRODUCTION. XVii brahmaza '—the Asvamedha is treated immediately after the Ragasiya, and followed by the Purushamedha and Sarvamedha; these four ceremonies being characterised at the end as the Kshatriya’s sacrifices ? (medha).
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.
1The eleventh and twelfth kazdas are mainly taken up with additional remarks and directions on most of the sacrifices treated of in the first four kazdas, especially with expiatory ceremonies and oblations in cases of mishaps or mistakes occurring during the performance, or with esoteric speculations regarding the significance and mystic effect of certain rites. In this way the eleventh book deals with the New and Full-moon sacrifices; the Seasonal offerings (XI, 5, 2), the Agnihotra (XI, 5, 3; 6, 2), the Soma-sacrifice (XI, 5, 53 9), and the Animal-sacrifice (XI, 7, 2-8, 4); whilst the twelfth kazda treats of the ‘Gavam ayanam ’— or most common sacrificial session lasting for a year, thus offering a convenient subject for dilating upon the nature of Pragapati, as the Year, or Father Time ;—of additional expiatory rites for Soma-sacrifices (XII, 6), and of the Sautramazi, consisting of oblations of milk and spirituous liquor, supposed to obviate or remove the unpleasant effects of any excess in the consumption of Soma-juice (XII, 7-9). Though supplementary notes and speculations on such ceremonial topics cannot but be of a somewhat desultory and heterogeneous character, they nevertheless offer welcome opportunities for the introduction of much valuable and interesting matter. It is here that we find the famous myth of Purdravas and Urvasi (XI, 5, 1); and that of Bhrigu, the son of Varuaa, vividly illustrating the notions prevalent at the time regarding retribution after death (XI, 6,1); as also the important cosmogonic legend of the golden egg from which Pragdpati is born at the beginning of the evolution of the universe (XI, 1,6). Of considerable interest also are the chapters treating of the way in which INTRODUCTION. XV
2Of considerable interest also are the chapters treating of the way in which INTRODUCTION. XV the dead body of the pious performer of the Agnihotra, or daily milk-offering, is to be dealt with (XII, 5, 1-2); of the initiation and the duties of the Brahmazical student (XI, 3,33 5» 4); and, last not least, of the study of the Vedas (XI, 5, 6-7) and their subsidiary texts amongst which we meet, for the first time, with the AtharvAngiras as a special collection of texts recommended for systematic study. With the commencement of the thirteenth kaxda, we enter once more upon a regular exposition of a series of great sacrifices like those discussed in the early books; the first and most important of them being the Asvamedha, or Horse-sacrifice. Like the Ragasdya, or inauguration of a king, the Asvamedha is not a mere sacrifice or series of offerings, but it is rather a great state function in which the religious and sacrificial element is closely and deftly interwoven with a varied programme of secular ceremonies. But whilst the Ragasiya was a state ceremonial to which any petty ruler might fairly think himself entitled, the Asvamedha, on the contrary, involved an assertion of power and a display of political authority such as only a monarch of undisputed supremacy could have ventured upon without courting humiliation!; and its celebration must therefore have been an event of comparatively rare occurrence. Perhaps, indeed, it is owing to this exceptional character of the Asvamedha rather than to the later origin of its ritual and dogmatic treatment that this ceremony was separated from the Ragasiya which one would naturally have expected it to succeed. It is worthy of remark, in this respect, that, in Katydyana’s Anukramanit to the Vagasaneyi-samhit4, the term ‘ khila,’ or supplement, is not applied to the Asvamedha section? (Adhy. XXII-XXV), while the subsequent sections are distinctly characterised as such. As a matter of fact, however, the Asvamedha has ' Cf. Taitt. Br. III, 8, 9, 4,—para va esha sizyate yosbalo xssvamedhena yagate :—‘ Verily, poured away (dislodged) is he who, being weak, performs the Asvamedha;’ Ap, Sr. XX, 1, 1,‘ a king ruling the whole land (sarvabhauma) may perform the Asvamedha ;—also one not ruling the whole land.’ * Cf. Weber, History of Indian Literature, p. 107; Max Miiller, History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature, p. 358. Xvi SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
3XX, 1, 1,‘ a king ruling the whole land (sarvabhauma) may perform the Asvamedha ;—also one not ruling the whole land.’ * Cf. Weber, History of Indian Literature, p. 107; Max Miiller, History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature, p. 358. Xvi SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA. received a very unequal treatment in the different rituals. Of the two recensions of the Brahmaza of the Azg-veda priests, the Aitareya-brahmawa takes no account whatever of the Horse-sacrifice, whilst its last two books (VII, VIII}— generally regarded as a later supplement, though probably already attached to the work in P4zini’s time—are mainly taken up with the discussion of the Ragashya. The Kaushitaki-brahmama, on the other hand, passes over both ceremonies, their explanation being only supplied by the Sankhayana-sdtra, along with that of some other sacrifices, in two of its chapters (15 and 36), composed in Brahmaza style, and said to be extracted from the Mah4-Kaushitaki-brahmavzal, In the principal Brahmaza of the Saman priests, the Pa#kavimsa-brahmama, the Asvamedha, as a triratra, or triduum, is dealt with in its proper place (XXI, 4), among the Ahinas, or several days’ performances. As regards the Black Yagus, both the K4¢saka and the Maitrayazit Samhita give merely the mantras of the Asvamedha 2, to which they assign pretty much the same place in the ritual as is done in the White Yagus. In the Taittiriya-sashita, on the other hand, the mantras are scattered piecemeal over the last four kandas; whilst, with the exception of a short introductory vidhi-passage, likewise given in the Samhita (V, 3, 12), the whole of the exegetic matter connected with this ceremony is contained, in a continuous form, in the Taittiriya-brahmaza (VIII and IX). Lastly, in the Vaitana-sitra of the Atharva-veda—doubtless a comparatively late work, though probably older than the Gopatha- 1 Besides the two chapters referred to, nothing more than quotations are known of this work. Possibly, however, the difference between it and the Kaushitaki-brahmama consisted merely of such supplements which would thus be very much of the same character as the last two pa#ikds of the Aitareyabrahmavza, except that they never became so generally recognised. 2 Though this circumstance seems to favour the supposition of the more recent ritualistic treatment of the Asvamedha, it may not be out of place to notice that, in the Maitrayamt Samhita, the Asvamedha section is followed by several Brabmama sections; amongst them that of the Ragas(lya which is not found in the K&skaka at all. Sat. Br. XIII, 3, 3, 6, calls the Asvamedha an ‘ utsannayagita’; but it is not quite clear what is meant thereby, seeing that the same term is applied to the AAturmAsy4ni, or Seasonal offerings (II, 5, 2, 48). INTRODUCTION. XVii brahmaza '—the Asvamedha is treated immediately after the Ragasiya, and followed by the Purushamedha and Sarvamedha; these four ceremonies being characterised at the end as the Kshatriya’s sacrifices ? (medha).
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.
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