1 For the construction of the fire-pan, in which the sacred fire has to be kept up for a year, during which the initiation-ceremony is repeated day after day, see VI, 5, 2, 1 seq.
2 There is kept up in these paragraphs a play on the word ' loka,' meaning both ' space* and ' world (or place of living)/ — and apply- ing both to the space occupied by a brick, in building up the altar ; and to the place which the Sacrificer, by this performance, gains for himself in another world. The initiation period is here represented
VI KAiTOA, 2 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMAiVA, 29. l8l
born into the world made by him : hence they say, * Man is born into the world made (by him) V
28. Now, were he to be initiated during less than
a year, he would build up bricks without space (for
them)2: the bricks would exceed the spaces. And if,
after making more spaces 3, he were not to fill up
bricks in accordance therewith, * the spaces would
exceed the bricks. And when, after initiating him-
self at new moon, he buys (Soma) at new moon 4,
he piles up as many bricks as he (during the
interval) makes space for ; and when his (Agni's
second) wing is covered (with loose soil), the whole
Agni is built up.
29. As to this they say, ' If at the time of the
buying (of Soma) the days and nights (of the initia-
tion-period) amount to just as many as there are
bricks of that fire-altar, why then are not those
as the time during which the Sacrificer prepares both the requisite space for the altar (as it were, adding day by day so many brick- spaces, thus becoming available for the altar-pile at the time of construction), and an adequate place for himself in the celestial regions.
1 That is, man receives, in a future existence, the reward or punishment for his deeds during this life.
2 The author argues in support of the orthodox initiation-period of just one year, as just the amount of time required for preparing the exact amount of space (or brick-spaces) requisite for an altar of proper size. If the initiation were to last less than a year, he would not have had sufficient time to prepare the necessary amount of space, or rather, number of spaces required for the bricks ; and, by implication, he would not acquire for himself an adequate place hereafter.
3 That is to say, if he were to make the initiation-period last longer than a year, thus providing for more space than his supply of bricks would suffice to fill up.
4 That is, after the expiration of the period of initiation, or just a year after the commencement of the latter.
1 8 2 SATAPATHA-BRAHMAiVA.
spaces of his filled up (which are prepared) during
the days there are after the buying (of Soma) 1 ?
Well, when he buys (Soma) at new moon, after
becoming initiated at new moon (a year previously),
then he piles up just as many bricks as (during that
interval) he makes space for ; and what days there
then are after the buying (of Soma), during that
interval the Adhvaryu builds up the fire-altar. But
when should he build up, if there were not that
interval ? As many as there are days and nights in
the year, so many are the bricks of that fire-altar.
Thereto (comes) a thirteenth month, for there is
that thirteenth month ; — thus during the days there
are after the buying (of Soma), those spaces of it
(the altar) are filled up afterwards with those bricks
of the thirteenth month : thus the spaces and the
bricks become equal.
30. Thus, then, what first full moon there is (in
the year) on that he slaughters the victim; and
what first eighth-day there is, on that he prepares
the fire-pan ; and what first new moon there is, on
that he becomes initiated : thus whatever first days
there are in the year, of those he thereby takes
possession for him (Agni, the altar), those he thereby
gains. Now then as to the total amount (of the
fire-altar) 2.
1 That is, during the days from the commencement to the com- pletion of the altar. These are the upasad-days (part ii, p. 104 seq.), the number of which varies from three days up to three years. During this period the Upasads have to be performed twice daily, and in the interval between the two performances the building of the altar takes place, a certain number of bricks being added each day.
2 Or, rather, the correspondence, in toto, of the sacrificial per- formance with the object to be attained, viz. Agni, the fire-altar.
VI KANDA, 2 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMAiVA, 34. 1 83
31. Here now they say, 'How does that sacrificial
performance of his (the animal sacrifice) gain the
year, Agni ? how does it correspond x with the year,
with Agni ? ' Well, for those five victims there are
twenty-five kindling- verses, twelve Apr!- verses, — that
makes thirty-six ; — eleven after-offerings, eleven by-
offerings2, — that makes fifty-eight.
32. Now what forty-eight there are (in these
fifty-eight), they are the (9agati (metre) consist-
ing of forty-eight syllables ; — the Gagatf doubtless
is this earth, for it is thereon that everything is
that moves (^*agat) ; and Agni also is this earth, for
it is thereof that the whole Agni is built up : as
great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, so great
does this become3.
33. And, again, why there are forty-eight ; — of
forty-eight syllables consists the tragati ; the 6agati
(comprises) all the metres ; all the metres are
Pra^apati (the sacrifice4) ; and Pra^apati is Agni :
as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, so
great does this become.
34. And what (remaining) ten there are (in those
fifty-eight), they are the Viraf, consisting of ten
syllables ; and the Vira^* is Agni, — there are ten
regions, and the regions are Agni ; ten vital airs,
and the vital airs are Agni : as great as Agni is,
1 Or, come up to, tally with, — kathaw sazrcvatsarewa sampadyate sawga/£/£^ate*vayavasamyena, Say.
2 For these supplementary oblations at the animal sacrifice, see III, 8, 4, 10 seq.
3 That is, the animal sacrifice that has been performed is thus made out to be equal to Agni, or to the object for which it was performed.
4 That is, because all the metres are employed in the chants and recitations during the sacrifice.
1 84 SATAPATHA-BRAHMAtfA.
as great as is his measure, so great does this become.
35. The omentum and the animal cake, that
makes sixty ; — sixty are the days and nights of a
month : thus he gains the month ; the month gained
gains the season ; and the season (gains) the year :
he thus gains the year, Agni, and the wishes which
are contained in the year, and what other food than
that there is in the year, all that (he gains).
36. And for that (victim) of Pra^apati there are
twenty-one kindling-verses, and twelve Apri-verses,
that makes thirty-three ; — eleven after-offerings,
eleven by-offerings, that makes fifty-five; — omen-
tum, animal cake, and chief oblation, that makes
fifty-eight : whatever wish is contained in the fifty-
eight, that he gains even here l ; — two libations of
ghee, that makes sixty : whatever wish is con-
tained in the sixty, that he gains even here ; and
what other food than that there is in the year, all
that (he gains).
37. And for that (victim) of (Vayu) Niyutvat,
there are seventeen kindling-verses, and twelve Apri-
verses, that makes twenty-nine ; — eleven after-offer-
ings, and eleven by-offerings, that makes fifty-one; —
omentum, animal cake, and chief oblation, that
makes fifty-four ; — two libations of ghee, two (obla-
tions to Agni) Svish/akrzt, that makes fifty-eight :
whatever wish is contained in the fifty-eight, that he
gains even here ; — the wood-lord2 (tree) and the obla-
tion of gravy, that makes sixty: whatever wish is con-
1 ?That is, also in this calculation, or in the parts of the sacrifice here enumerated.
2 For the oblation to Vanaspati, see part ii, p. 208; for the vasahoma, ib. 205.
Vi Kanda, 2 Adhyaya, 2 Brahma2va, 39. 1 85
tained in the sixty, that he gains even here, and
what other food than that there is in the year, all
that (he gains) ; and thus that sacrificial performance
gains for him the year, Agni ; thus it (the animal
sacrifice) corresponds with the year, with Agni.
38. As to this they say, ' Of that animal he
should offer no Samish/aya^us, nor should he go
down with the heart-spit to the purificatory bath * ;
for that animal (sacrifice) is the commencement of
Agni; the Samish/'aya^us are the gracious dismissal
of the deities 2 ; and the purificatory bath is the
completion ; — lest he should at the very commence-
ment dismiss the deities, and complete the sacrifice/
Let him nevertheless complete (the sacrifice) :
Pra^apati, having offered that animal, saw that he
had not reached the end of him, Agni, — let him
therefore complete (the sacrifice). And, again, why
he completes it ; — that animal sacrifice is his vital
air, and if anything were to cut him off from that,
it would cut him off from the vital air ; and if
anything were to cut him off from the vital air, he
would thus die : let him therefore complete (the
sacrifice)* Now, then, as to the vows (rites of
abstinence).
39. Here now they say, 'After he has performed
that animal offering, he must not sleep upon (a
couch), nor eat flesh, nor hold carnal intercourse ;
for that animal sacrifice is the first Diksha, and
improper surely it would be, were the initiated to
sleep upon (a couch), or were he to eat flesh, or
hold carnal intercourse/ But in no way is this a
Diksha, for there is neither a girdle, nor a black
1 See III, 8, 5, 8 seq. 2 See I, 9, 2, 26-27.
I 86 DATAPATH A-BRAHMA2VA.
antelope skin * ; but he makes this the first brick 2 :
let him therefore, if he like, sleep upon (a couch) ;
and whatever food animals here eat, all that is here
obtained and taken possession of by him ; and
whatever kinds of food there are other than honey,
of all those he may eat at pleasure, if he can get
them. Carnal intercourse, however, he may not
hold prior to the (offering of) clotted curds to Mitra
and Varu^a3: the purport of this (will be explained)
hereafter.
40. Here now they say, ' At this sacrifice he
should give a Dakshma (sacrificial gift) ; thinking,
" Lest my sacrifice should be without a dakshi^i ! "
let him give to the Brahman the prescribed dak-
shi/za, for the Brahman is the entire sacrifice : thus
the entire sacrifice of his becomes healed/ Let
him not do so ; for he makes this a brick, and it
would be just as if he were to give a present with
each brick : only at that (proper) time 4 let him
therefore give what it befits him (to give).
Third Brahma^a.
1. Now, the gods said, ( Meditate ye ! ' — whereby,
no doubt, they meant to say, ' Seek ye a layer 5
(for the fire-altar) ! ' Whilst they were meditating,
1 For the antelope skin used at the initiation-ceremony, see III, 2, 1, 1 ; for the girdle, ib. 10.
2 See above, VI, 2, 1, 20.
3 This is the concluding oblation of the Sonia-sacrifice, per- formed at the close of the Agni^ayana ; see IX, 5, 1, 54.
4 Viz. at the proper time when the priests receive their fees, after the mid-day Soma-service, see part ii, p. 340.
5 The author here connects the causal verb * ^etay ' (to reflect) with '&,' to pile, to build; or rather with '&tim ish/ to desire building (an altar).
VI KANDA, 2 ADHYAYA, 3 BRAHMAiVA, 3. 1 87
Pra^apati saw this earth, as a first naturally-perfor-
ated 1 layer : hence it is by means of Pra^apati that
he lays on that (brick) 2.
2. Agni said to him (Pra^apati), 'I will step
nigh!'— ' Wherewith ?'— < With cattle ! '— < So be it!'
He thereby doubtless meant to say, 'with the cattle-
brick ; ' for that cattle-brick is the same as the durva-
brick 3 : hence the diirva-brick is laid so as not to be
separated from the first naturally-perforated one ;
hence also not separated from this earth are the
plants, the cattle, the fire, — for not separated (from
the earth) 4 he (Agni) stepped nigh with this (brick).
3. They said, ' Meditate ye yet ! ' whereby no
doubt they meant to say, 'Seek ye a layer! seek ye
(to build) from hence upwards ! ' Whilst they were