The Upanishads, Part I — SBE Vol. 1 (trans. F. Max Müller, 1879)

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16. He who desires offspring and cattle should use the hymn, hot4ganish/a £etanah (Rv. II, 5, 1).

Seconp KuHawpa.

1. He who desires proper food' should use the hymn, agnim naro didhitibhiZ (Rv. VII, 1, 1)

2. Verily, Agni (fire) is the eater of food.

In the other (recitations accompanying the) offerings of 4gya (where Agni is likewise mentioned) the worshippers come more slowly near to Agni (because the name of Agni does not stand at the beginning of the hymn). But here a worshipper obtains proper food at once, he strikes down evil at once.

3. Through the words (occurring in the second foot of the first verse), hastanyuti ganayanta, ‘they caused the birth of Agni by moving their arms,’ the hymn becomes endowed with (the word) birth. Verily, the sacrificer is born from this day of the sacrifice, and therefore the hymn is endowed with (the word) birth.

4. There are four metrical feet (in the Trishéubh verses of this hymn). Verily, cattle have four feet, therefore they serve for the gaining of cattle.

5. There are three metrical feet (in the Virag verses of this hymn). Verily, three are these three-

2 Annfdyam is always explained as food, here as annam tad Adyam ka. It must be so translated here and elsewhere (I, 2, 10), though it is often an abstract of ann4da, an eater of food, a healthy man.

8 This hymn is prescribed in the Visvagit sacrifice, and taken over to the Mah4vrata, according to rule. It is used, however, both as obligatory and as optional at the same time, i.e. it is an essential part of the sacrifice, and at the same time to be used by those who wish for proper food.

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fold worlds. Therefore they serve for the conquest of the worlds.

6. These (the Trish¢ubh and Virdg verses of the hymn) form two metres, which form a support (pratish¢#4). Verily, man is supported by two (feet), cattle by four feet. Therefore this hymn places the sacrificer who stands on two feet among cattle which stand on four.

7. By saying them straight on there are twentyfive verses in this hymn. Man also consists of twenty-five. There are ten fingers on his hands, ten toes on his feet, two legs, two arms, and the trunk (4tman) the twenty-fifth, He adorns that trunk, the twenty-fifth, by this hymn.

8. And then this day (of the sacrifice) consists of twenty-five, and the Stoma hymn of that day consists of twenty-five! (verses); it becomes the same through the same. Therefore these two, the day and the hymn, are twenty-five ?.

9. These twenty-five verses, by repeating the first thrice and the last thrice, become thirty less one. This is a Virag verse (consisting of thirty syllables), too small by one. Into the small (heart) the vital spirits are placed, into the small stomach food is placed’, therefore this Virag, small by one, serves for the obtainment of those desires.

10. He who knows this, obtains those desires.

This is a Virag verse (consisting of thirty syllables), too small by one. Into the small (heart) the vital spirits are placed, into the small stomach food is placed’, therefore this Virag, small by one, serves for the obtainment of those desires.

10. He who knows this, obtains those desires.

11. The verses (contained in the hymn agnim naro didhitibhiZ) become the Brzhatt‘* metre andp. 1 the Virag metre, (they become) the perfection which belongs to that day (the mahdvrata), Then they also become Anush¢ubh’, for the offerings of Agya (ghee) dwell in Anush¢ubhs 2,

1 cf, Ait. Ar. I, 1, 4, 21; II, 3, 4, 2.

* The plural after the dual is explained by the fact that the hymn means the twenty-five verses.

5 Cf. I, 3, 7, 5.

* The hymn consists of eighteen Vir4g and seven Trishfubh

Tuirp KuHanpa’,

1. Some say: ‘Let him take a Gayatri hymn for the Pra-uga. Verily, GAyatrt is brightness and glory of countenance, and thus the sacrificer becomes bright and glorious.’

2. Others say: ‘Let him take a Ushzih hymn for the Pra-uga. Verily, Ushwih is life, and thus the sacrificer has a long life.’

Others say: ‘Let him take an Anush¢ubh hymn verses. Therefore the eighteen Virag verses remain what they are, only that the first is repeated three times, so that we have twenty Virag verses. The seven Trish‘ubhs, by repeating the last three times, become nine. We then take eight syllables away from each verse, thus changing them into nine Brzhatt verses. The nine times eight syllables, which were taken off, give us seventytwo syllables, and as each Brzhatf consists of thirty-six syllables, two Brzhatfs.

1 The change of the first verse, which is a Virfg of thirty-three syllables, into an Anush/ubh is produced by a still easier process. The first Virég consists here of thirty-three syllables, the Anushfubh should have thirty-two. But one or two syllables more or less does not destroy a metre, according to the views of native metricians. The Virfg itself, for instance, should have thirty syllables, and here has thirty-three. Therefore if changed into an Anush/ubh, it simply has one syllable over, which is of no consequence. Comm.

2 Cf. Ait. Ar. I, 1,1, 4.

® Thus far the hymn which has to be recited by the Hotrz’ priest, after the eating of the rztugrahas, has been considered. What follows next is the so-called Pra-uga hymn, consisting of seven trikas, which the Hotr? has to recite after the Visvedevagraha. Different Sakhâs recommend hymns of different metres, our Sakh4 fixes on the Gayatri.

[3] Mp. 162 for the Pra-uga. Verily, Anush/ubh is valour, and it serves for obtaining valour.’

Others say: ‘Let him take a Brzhatt hymn for the Pra-uga. Verily, Bvzhatt is fortune, and thus the sacrificer becomes fortunate.’

Others say: ‘Let him take a Pankti hymn for the Pra-uga. Verily, Pankti is food, and thus the sacrificer becomes rich in food.’

Verily, Bvzhatt is fortune, and thus the sacrificer becomes fortunate.’

Others say: ‘Let him take a Pankti hymn for the Pra-uga. Verily, Pankti is food, and thus the sacrificer becomes rich in food.’

Others say: ‘Let him take a Trish¢ubh hymn for the Pra-uga. Verily, Trish¢ubh is strength, and thus the sacrificer becomes strong.’

Others say: ‘Let him take a Gagatt hymn for the Pra-uga. Verily, cattle is Gagatt-like, and thus the sacrificer becomes rich in cattle.’

3. But we say: ‘Let him take a Gdyatrt hymn
only. Verily, G4yatrt is Brahman, and that day
(the mah4vrata) is (for the attainment of) Brahman.
Thus he obtains Brahman by means of Brahman.

4. ‘And it must be a Gayatri hymn by Madhukkhandas,

5. ‘For Madhuéé/andas is called Madhué&éfandas, because he wishes (4/andati) for honey (madhu) for the Azshis.

6. ‘ Now food verily is honey, all is honey, all desires are honey, and thus if he recites the hymn of Madhuééfandas, it serves for the attainment of all desires.

7. ‘He who knows this, obtains all desires.’

This (Gdyatrt pra-uga), according to the one-day (ek4ha) ceremonial?, is perfect in form*. On that day (the mah4vrata) much is done now and then which

? It is copied from the Visvagit, and that from the Agnish/oma. * Nothing is wanting for its performance, if one only follows the rules given in the Agnish/oma.

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has to be hidden’, and has to be atoned for (by recitation of hymns). Atonement (sAnti) is rest, the one-day sacrifice. Therefore at the end of the year (on the last day but one of the sacrifice that lasts a whole year) the sacrificers rest on this atonement as their rest.

8. He who knows this rests firm, and they also for whom a Hotrz priest who knows this, recites this hymn.

FourtH Kuawpa?,

1. Rv. I, 2, 1-3. Vayav 4 y4hi darsateme soma aram kritah, ‘Approach, O VAyu, conspicuous, these Somas have been made ready.’ Because the word ready occurs in these verses, therefore is this day (of the sacrifice) ready (and auspicious) for the sacrificer and for the gods.

2. Yes, this day is ready (and auspicious) to him who knows this, or for whom a Hotvz priest who knows this, recites.

3. Rv. I, 2, 4-6. Indrav4yi ime suta, 4 yatam upa nishkvztam, ‘Indra and Vayu, these Somas are prepared, come hither towards what has been prepared.’ By nishkrzta, prepared, he means what has been well prepared (samskvita).

4. Indra and Vayu go to what has been prepared by him who knows this, or for whom a Hotz? priest who knows this, recites.

' Dastnritya-bahubhfitamaithuna -brahmaAéripumsfalisamprav4dadikam. See Rajendralal Mitra, Introduction to his edition of the Aitareya-franyaka, p. 25. It might be better to join ekaha’ with sintyém, but even then the argumentation is not quite clear.

* Next follows a list of the verses which form the seven trzkas (groups of three verses) of the Pra-uga hymn, with occasional remarks on certain words.

M 2

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