4. He digs, with, ' I dig/ — ' we dig ; ' for with, ' I
1 Or him, Agni ; the identity of the two being kept up through- out.
VI KAJV75A, 4 ADHYAYA, I BRAHMAiVA, 8. 2 I 5
dig,' Pra^&pati dug for him (Agni) ; and with, ' we
dig/ the gods dug for him, therefore (he digs), with,
4 1 dig/ — ' we dig/
5. Now while digging with the spade, he says
with speech * I dig/ ' we dig/ for the spade is speech.
It is for his undertaking that this bamboo (spade) is
made ; and with speech for a spade, the gods dug him
up ; and in like manner does this one now dig him up
with speech for a spade (or, with the speech-spade).
6. He then deposits it upon the black antelope skin, for the black antelope skin is the sacrifice l : in the sacrifice he thus deposits it (or him, Agni) ; — on the hair (side) ; for the hair is the metres : he thus deposits him on the metres. That (skin) he spreads silently ; for the black antelope skin is the sacrifice ; and the sacrifice is Pra^ipati, and undefined is Pra^apati. North (of the hole he spreads it), — the meaning of this (will be explained) hereafter ; — on (the skin spread) with the neck-part in front, for thus (it is turned) towards the gods.
7. And he deposits it on a lotus-leaf (placed on the
skin) ; for the lotus-leaf is the womb, and into the
womb he pours that seed ; and the seed which is
poured into the womb, becomes generative. He
spreads that (leaf) with a formula ; for the formula
is speech, and the lotus-leaf is speech 2.
8. [Va£*. S. XI, 29] 'Thou art the waters'
1 Regarding the skin of the black antelope, considered as a symbol of Brahmanical worship and civilisation, see part i, p. 23, note 2. As to the white and black hair of it representing the hymn-verses (rik) and tunes (saman), and those of undecided colour the Ya^-us- formulas, see I, 1, 4, 2.
2 Viz. because from speech the waters were produced (VI, 1, 1,9) and from them the lotus-leaf has sprung. Say.
2 1 6 SATAPATHA-BRAHMAiVA.
back, Agni's womb/ for this is indeed the back of
the waters, and the womb of Agni; — * around the
swelling sea/ — for the sea indeed swells around
it; — 'thou, growing mighty upon the lotus/ —
that is, ' growing, prosper thou on the lotus/ — ' With
the measure of the sky, extend thou in width ! ' —
with this he strokes along it (so as to lie even on the
skin); for that Agni is yonder sun; and him assuredly
none other than the width of the sky can contain :
' having become the sky, contain himF this is what
he thereby says.
9. He spreads it over the black antelope skin;
for the black antelope skin is the sacrifice ; and the
black antelope skin is this earth, and the sacrifice is
this earth, for on this earth the sacrifice is spread.
And the lotus-leaf is the sky ; for the sky is the
waters, and the lotus-leaf is the waters ; and yonder
sky is above this earth.
10. He touches both of them — he thereby brings
about concord between them — with (Va£\ S. XI, 30),
6 A shelter ye are, a shield ye are ! ' — for both a
shelter and a shield these two indeed are; — 'un-
injured both, and ample/ — for uninjured and
ample both these indeed are ; — ' capacious, guard
ye/ — that is, ' spacious, guard ye!' — 'bear ye
Agni Purishya!' — that is, 'bear ye Agni, favour-
able to cattle l ! '
11. [V&f. S. XI, 31] 'Guard ye, light-finders,
uniting with each other, with the breast, with
the self/ — that is, 'guard him, ye light-finders,
uniting with each other, both with your breast and
your self;' — 'bearing within the brilliant, the
1 See p. 201, note 1.
VI KANDA, 4 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMAiVA, 2. 217
everlasting; ' — this Agni indeed is yonder sun,
and he is the brilliant, the everlasting one ; and
him these two bear between (them) : hence he says,
' the brilliant, the everlasting/
12. He touches them with two (verses); — two-
footed is the Sacrificer, and the Sacrificer is Agni :
as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by
so much he thus brings about concord between these
two. And, again, (he does so) because that form of
theirs is twofold, (there being) a black antelope skin
and a lotus-leaf.
Second Brahmajva.
i. He then touches the lump of clay, with (Va£\
S. XI, 32), 'Thou art the Purishya1/ — that is,
■ Thou art favourable to cattle ; ' — ' all-support-
ing/— for he (Agni) indeed supports everything
here; — 'Atharvan was the first that kindled
thee, O Agni!' — Atharvan doubtless is the breath,
and the breath indeed churned him out (produced
him) at first : ' Thou art that Agni who was produced
at first/ this he means to say ; and that same (Agni)
he thus makes it (the lump) to be.
2. He then takes hold of it with the (right) hand
and spade on the right side; and with the (left)
hand on the left side, with, 'From the lotus
Atharvan churned thee forth/ — the lotus doubt-
less means the waters, and Atharvan is the breath ;
and the breath indeed churned him (Agni, the fire)
out of the waters at first; — 'from the head of
every offerer2/ — that is, 'from the head of this
All (universe)/
1 See p. 201, note 1.
2 ? Or, of every priest (vijvasya vaghata^). There is nothing to
2 1 8 SATAPATHA-BRAHMAtfA.
3. \V$g- S. XI, 33; Rik S. VI, 16, 14] 'Also
the sage Dadhya/z>£/ the son of Atharvan,
kindled thee;' — Dadhya#/£, the Atharvana, doubt-
less is speech ; and he did kindle him therefrom ; —
' as the Wz'tra-slayer, the breaker of strong-
holds,'— Wztra is evil, thus : ' as the slayer of evil,
the breaker of strongholds/
4. \V$g. S. XI, 34; Rik S. VI, 16, 15] 'Also
P&thya, the bull, kindled thee, as the greatest
slayer of enemies/ — Pathya, the bull, doubtless is
the Mind, and he did kindle him therefrom; — 'as a
winner of wealth in every battle/ — as the text,
so its meaning.
5. With Gayatri verses (he performs), — the
Gayatrt is the vital air : he thus lays vital air into
him. With three (verses) ;— there are three vital
airs, the out-breathing, the in-breathing, and the
through-breathing: these he thus lays into him.
These (verses) consist of nine feet, for there are
nine vital airs, seven in the head, and two downward
ones : these he thus lays into him.
6. And these two following ones are TrishAibhs, —
(Va^ S. XI, 35, 36; Rik S. Ill, 29, 8; II, 9, 1).
Now, the Trish/ubh is the body (self) : it is his
(Agni's) body he makes up by means of these two
show how the author of this part of the Brahmaraa interprets ' vaghat/ Cf. VI, 4, 3, 10. — Professor Ludwig (Ri\ S. VI, 16, 13) translates, ' from the head of the priest Vuva/ Mahidhara offers several interpretations, according to which 'vaghata^' may either be taken as nom. plur., the verb being again supplied in the plural, — 'the priests churned thee out from the head of the universe/ or 'the priests of the universe (or all priests) churned thee out/ — or 'vaghata^ ' may be ablative sing., like ' murdhna^/ qualifying ' push- karat/ — from the lotus, the head, the leader (or, starter, vahakat) of the universe.
2 1 8 SATAPATHA-BRAHMAtf A.
3. \V&g. S. XI, 33; Rik S. VI, 16, 14] 'Also
the sage Dadhya#>£/ the son of Atharvan,
kindled thee;' — Dadhya^, the Atharvana, doubt-
less is speech ; and he did kindle him therefrom ; —
' as the Wztra-slayer, the breaker of strong-
holds,'— VWtra is evil, thus : ' as the slayer of evil,
the breaker of strongholds/
4. [V^. S. XI, 34; Rik S. VI, 16, 15] 'Also
P&thya, the bull, kindled thee, as the greatest
slayer of enemies/ — Pathya, the bull, doubtless is
the Mind, and he did kindle him therefrom; — 'as a
winner of wealth in every battle/ — as the text,
so its meaning.
5. With Gayatri verses (he performs), — the
Gayatrl is the vital air : he thus lays vital air into
him. With three (verses) ;— there are three vital
airs, the out-breathing, the in-breathing, and the
through-breathing : these he thus lays into him.
These (verses) consist of nine feet, for there are
nine vital airs, seven in the head, and two downward
ones : these he thus lays into him.
6. And these two following ones are Trish/ubhs, —
(Va^r. S. XI, 35, 36; Rik S. Ill, 29, 8; II, 9, 1).
Now, the Trish/ubh is the body (self) : it is his
(Agni's) body he makes up by means of these two
show how the author of this part of the Brahmawa interprets ' vaghat/ Cf. VI, 4, 3, 10. — Professor Ludwig (Rik S. VI, 16, 13) translates, ' from the head of the priest VLrva.' Mahidhara offers several interpretations, according to which 'vaghata^' may either be taken as nom. plur., the verb being again supplied in the plural, — 'the priests churned thee out from the head of the universe/ or 'the priests of the universe (or all priests) churned thee out/ — or 'vaghata^ ' may be ablative sing., like ' murdhna^/ qualifying ' push- karat/ — from the lotus, the head, the leader (or, starter, vahakat) of the universe.
2 20 SATAPATHA-BRAHMA2VA.
therefore this (altar) when completely built up becomes like the Brzhati.
9. [Va^. S. XI, 37; jRtk S. I, 36,9] 'Seat thee,
thou art great/ — he now causes the infused seed
to establish itself, whence the seed infused into the
womb establishes itself; — 'burn thou, best glad-
dener of the gods!' — that is, 'shine thou, best
gladdener of the gods;' — 'send forth, O Agni,
worthy partaker of the offering, thy showy,
ruddy smoke ! ' for when he (Agni) is kindled, he
sends forth his ruddy smoke, — the showy, for it, as
it were, shows itself.
10. These (verses) amount to six, — six seasons
are a year, and Agni is the year : as great as Agni is,
as great as is his measure, so great does this become.
And what comes to be like the year, comes to be
like the Brzhati ; for the year is the Brzhati, — twelve
full moons, twelve eighth days 1 (of the fortnight of
Waning moon), twelve new moons, that makes thirty-
six, and the B^zhatl consists of thirty-six syllables.
He takes it (the lump of clay) from the right (south)
to the left (north) side (of the hole), for from the
right side seed is infused into the womb ; and this
(hole) now is his (Agni's) womb. He takes it thither
without stopping, so as not to stop the seed.
Third Brahma2va.
1. He then pours water into it (the hole), for
whatever is injured or torn in this earth that is
healed by water : by means of the water he thus
joins together and heals what is injured and torn
in her.
1 See VI, 2, 2, 23.
VI KANDA, 4 ADHYAYA, 3 BRAHMAiVA, 5. 22 1
2. \V$g. S. XI, 38] 'Let flow the divine
waters, the honey-sweet, for health, for pro-
geny!'— honey means sap (essence): thus, 'the
sapful, for health, for progeny ; ' — 'from their seed
let plants spring forth, full-berried! ' for full-
berried plants indeed spring forth from the seat of
the waters.
3. He then heals her with air1 ; for whatever is
injured and torn in this earth that is healed by the
air: by means of air he thus joins together and
heals what is injured and torn in her.
4. [Vaf. S. XI, 39] 'May Vayu Matari^van
heal/ — V&yu Matarisvan, doubtless, is he (the
wind) that blows yonder; — 'the broken heart of
thee stretched out with upward look ! ' for this
(hole) is the broken heart of this earth stretched out
with upward look; — 'thou who goest along by
the breath of the gods/ — for he (the wind) indeed
goes along by means of the breath of all the gods ; —
'to thee, Ka, be vasha/ (success), O god!' — Ka
(' Who ?' ) doubtless is Pra^apati, for him he makes
this earth to be the Vasha/, for there is so far no
other oblation than that.
5. He then heals her by means of the quarters,
for whatever is injured and torn in this earth, that is
healed by the quarters : by means of the quarters
he thus draws and joins together what is injured
and torn in her. He joins together this and this
quarter 2, whence these two quarters are joined