(increased to four on the last day) which are peculiar to the Ajvamedha, and vary from day to day in respect of the deities to whom they are offered. But whilst, in the ^Srautas&tras, these special oblations are likewise called Audgrabha^ya (K&ty. XX, 4, 2-10), the author here applies to them the term Vaixvadeva, owing apparently to the fact of their being offered, not to the VLrve Devd^ properly speaking, but to different deities. In the dogmatic explanation of the Audgrabha^as of the ordinary sacrifice, reference was also made (at III, i, 4, 9) to the Vixve Dev^, but only incidentally. Harisv^min, indeed, points out that the designa- tion Valrvadeva refers in the first place to the invocations (V^. S. XXII, 30) used with these special oblations (as is, indeed, evident from paragraph 2 ; cf. also part ii, p. 20, note i) ; and the total of seven applied to them does not therefore refer here (as it does in paragraph 4) to the four ordinary and the three special Audgra- bha/ia oblations, but to the series of dedicatory formulas relating to the latter oblations, as explained p. 291, note i; and, of course, by implication, to the oblations themselves.
^ Though the Initiation only becomes perfect by the Sacrificer being girded with a hempen zone, whilst kneeling on a double black-antelope skin, and by a staff being handed to him (III, 2, i, 1-32); on the present occasion, the Sacrificer is on each day, after the performance of the Audgrabha»a oblations, at least to sit down on the antelope skin ; whilst on the seventh and last day of the Dikshaiffyesh/i, the remaining ceremonies take place, after which those of the Agni^yana, viz. the placing of the Ukhi, or fire-pan, on the fire and the putting of thirteen fire-sticks in the pan (VI, 6, 2, I seqq.), &c.
Digitized by
XIII KANDA, I ADHYAYA, 7 BRAhMAJVA, 4. 29 1
seven days they observe it; for there are seven
(outlets of) vital airs in the head, and the Dtkshd
is the vital airs: it is by means of the vital airs
he gains the Dikshd:, the vital airs, for him. He
makes offering by dividing (each) deity into three
parts * ; for the gods are of three orders *, and of
three orders are these worlds: he thus establishes
himself in these worlds in prosperity and vital power.
3. They amount to one and twenty (single invoca-
tions and oblations), — there are twelve months, five
seasons, these three worlds, and yonder sun as the
twenty-first, — that is the divine ruling-power, that
is the glory: that supreme lordship, that summit
of the fallow one (the Sun), that realm of light he
attains.
4. Thirty Audgrabha»as^ he offers, — of thirty
syllables the Vird^ (metre) consists, and the Virif
means all food : thus (he offers) for the obtainment
of all food. Four Audgrabha/^as he offers (on
each day), and three Vai^radevas ; — they amount to
seven ; for there are seven vital airs of the head,
and the D!ksh4 is the vital airs : by means of the
vital airs he thus gains the Dlksh4, the vital airs,
' The ka«(/M XXII, 20 is made up of seven parts, each of which consists of three distinct invocations addressed to the same deity ; the seven deities addressed in the whole formula being Ka, Pra^pati, Aditi, Sarasvatf, Pdshan, Tvash/r/, and Vish«u ; whilst the three invocations to Ka, for instance, are ' Kdya svdhS I Kasmai sv4hd! Katamasmai svdhdl' Cf. XIII, i, 8, 2 seqq.
* Viz. either the Vasus, Rudras, and Adityas (cf. IV, 5, 7, 2); or those of the sky, the air, and the earth, headed by Sftrya, Vdyu, and Agni respectively.
• That is, the four Audgrabha«as of the ordinary Soma-sacrifice offered on each of the seven days of the Dfksha, and two more added thereto on the seventh day.
Digitized by VjOOQ IC
2^2 ^ATAPATHA-BRAHMAiVA.
for him. A full (-spoon)-oblation ^ he offers last for the sake of invigoration and union.
Eighth BrAhmava.
1. Praj^pati poured forth the life-sap of the
horse ^ When poured forth, it weighed down the
rik (hymn-verse) and the siman (hymn-tune).
The Vai^vadeva (offerings) upheld that (A^va-
medha) : thus, when he offers the Vairvadevas, it
is for the upholding of the A^vamedha.
2. With {V&g-. S. XXII, 20), • To Ka hail ! To
the Who hail! To the Whoever hail!' he
makes the one relating to Pra^pati the first (or
chief one), and thus upholds (the A^vamedha) by
means of the deities with Pra^pati as their chief.
3. 'Hail, meditation (we give) unto him
meditated upon! Hail, the mind unto the
Lord of creatures! Hail, thought unto him,
the known ' ! * what the mystic sense of the former
(utterances *) was that it is here.
^ For a full discussion of this final Audgrabha^ya oblation, the only one, it would seem, offered with the regular offering-spoon (^h<i) filled by means of the dipping-spoon (sniva), see III, i, 4, 9 ; 16-33 ; cf. also VI, 6, i, 21.
' See p. 289, note i. It is here taken to be represented by the Ya^s: — ajvamedha/n ya^urdtmakavigrahavantam sr2sh/kvin, Harisv. — the larger number of sacrificial formulas used at the performances being too heavy for the recited and chanted texts.
' Mahtdhara takes ' adhim Sdhttiya ' in the sense of * ddhSnam prSptaya' (who has obtained a consecrated fire); and 'rnana^ pra^^taye ' in the sense of ' manasi vartam&niya p.' (to P. who is in our mind); and 'iki3Jn vj^^Stdya' in the sense of * sarvesh&w iittasdkshi/re ' (to the witness, or knower, of all men's thoughts).
* Harisvfimin probably is right in supplying ' vyShritinim ; ' though possibly *devatinim' (deities) may be understood.
Digitized by
XIII kAjvda, 1 adhyAya, 8 brAhmajva, 8. ^93
4. 'To Aditi hail! To Aditi, the mighty,
hail! To Aditi, the most merciful, hail!'
Aditi, doubtless, is this (earth): it is by her that
he upholds it
5. *To Sarasvatl hail! To Sarasvatl, the
pure, hail! To Sarasvatl, the great, hail!'
Sarasvatl, doubtless, is speech : by speech he thus
upholds it.
6. 'To Piishan hail! To Pdshan, the pro-
tector of travellers, hail! To Pdshan, the
watcher of men, hail!* P6shan, doubtless, is
cattle : by means of cattle he thus upholds it
7. *To Tvash/r/ hail! To Tvash/r^*, the
seminal, hail! To Tvash/r/, the multiform,
hail!' Tvash/r^', doubtless, is the fashioner of the
couples of animals : by means of forms he thus
upholds it
8. *To Vish/^u hail! To Vish;tu, the pro- tector of what grows^ hail! To Vishnu, the bald 2, hai 1 ! ' Vish;tu, doubtless, is the sacrifice : by sacrifice he thus upholds it With (VS^. XXII, 21), *Let every mortal espouse the friendship of the divine guide, • . .^,' he offers last of all a full (-spoon)-oblation ; for the full-offering is this (earth) : he thus finally establishes himself on this (earth).
^ The meaning of ' nibhiiyapa ' is doubtliil; Mahtdhara explains it by ' nitardm bhiitv& matsyidyavataram kr/tvi p&ti.' Perhaps it may mean ' condescending protector,' though one expects a direct object with * pa.'
* The word ' jipivish/a,' as applied to Vish«u, is likewise of doubtful meaning. The native dictionaries assign both the meaning 'bald' and 'leprous' (or, affected with skin-disease) to it; whilst the first part ' ^pi ' is taken variously by commentators as meaning • cattle,' or * ray,' or * water,' or * living being.'
' See III, I, 4> 18; VI, 6, i, 21 ; and p. 294, note i.
Digitized by
294 ^ATAPATHA-BRAIIMAA^A.
Ninth BRAHMAiVA.
1. [Vfif. S. XXII, 22^], 'In the priestly office
(brahman) may the Br&hma«a be born, en-
dowed with spiritual lustre (brahmavariasa):'
on the Brdhmawa he thereby bestows spiritual lustre,
whence of old the Brfihma^a was born as one en-
dowed with spiritual lustre ^
2. *In the royal order may the Rd/anya be
born, heroic, skilled in archery, sure of his
mark, and a mighty car-fighter:' on the R&-
^anya he thereby bestows the grandeur of heroism ',
whence of old the RS^^nya was born as one heroic,
skilled in archery, certain of his mark, and a mighty
car-fighter.
3. *The milch cow:' on the cow he thereby
bestows milk : whence of old the cow was born as
one yielding milk.
4. *The draught ox:' on the ox he thereby
bestows strength, whence of old the ox was bom as
a draught (animal),
5. *The swift racer:' on the horse he thereby
bestows speed, whence of old the horse was born as
a runner.
6. * The well-favoured woman:' on the woman
* These formulas are muttered after the thirteen samidhs have been put in the ukhi, or fire-pan. See p. 290, note i.
• * Whence formerly a BrShma«a was at once bom as Brahma- var^sin (whilst now he must study),' Delbrtlck, Altindische Syntax, p. 287. Perhaps, however, *purd' has here (as it certainly has in the following paragraphs) the force of * agre ' — at the beginning, from the first, from of old.
' I take ' ^uryam mahim&nam ' here (and '^itram mahimdnam ' in paragraph 7) to stand in apposition to one another, with some- thing of the force of a compound word. See above, p. 66, note 4.
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XIII KANDA, 2 ADHYAyA, I BRAHMAiVA, I, 295
he thereby bestows beautiful form, whence the beautiful maiden is apt to become dear (to men).
7. 'The victorious warrior:' on the RS^nya
he thereby bestows the grandeur of victoriousness *,
whence of old the RS^nya was born as one
victorious.
8. *The blitheful youth:' he, indeed, is a
blitheful (or, sociable) youth who is in his prime of
life ; whence one who is in his prime of life is apt to
become dear to women.
9. * May a hero be born unto this Sacrificer!'
on the Sacrificer s family he thereby bestows manly
vigour, whence of old a hero was born to him who
had performed the (A,rvamedha) sacrifice.
10. *May Par/anya rain for us whensoever
we list!' — where they perform this sacrifice, there
Par^nya, indeed, rains whenever they list; — 'may
our fruit-bearing plants ripen!' — there the fruit-
bearing plants indeed ripen where they perform
this sacrifice; — *may security of possession be
assured for us ! * — where they perform this sacrifice
there security of possession indeed is assured;
whence wherever they perform this (Arvamedha)
sacrifice, security of possession becomes assured to
the people.
Second AbhyAya. First BrAhmajva. The First Soma-day (Agnishttoma)*.
I. PrafSpati assigned the sacrifices to the gods; the A^amedha he kept for himself. The gods
^ See note 3, p. 294.
* There are three Sutyds, or Soma-days, at the Ajvamedha — viz. an Agnish/oma, an Ukthya, and an Atir&tra — ihe most im-
Digitized by
296 ^ATAPATHA-BRAHMAieA.
said to him, * Surely, this — to wit, the Awamedha —
is a sacrifice : let us have a share in that also/ He
contrived these Anna-homas (food-oblations) for
them: thus when he performs the Annahomas, it
is the gods he thereby g^tifies.
2. With ghee he makes offering, for ghee is fiery
mettle : by means of fiery mettle he thus lays fiery
mettle into him (the horse and Sacrificer). With
ghee he offers ; for that — to wit; ghee — is the gods'
favourite resource : it is thus with their favourite
resource he supplies them.
3. With parched groats he makes offering; for
that — to wit, parched groats — ^are a form of the
gods^: it is the gods he thus gratifies.
4. With grain he makes offering; for this— to
wit, grain — is a form of the days and nights * : it is
the days and nights he thus gratifies.
5. With parched grain he makes offering ; for
this — to wit, parched grain — is a form of the
Nakshatras * (lunar asterisms) : it is the Nakshatras
portant of which is the central day. The first day offers no special features, as compared with the ordinary Agnish/oma ; except that the stotras are chanted on the '^atush/oma' model (see note to XllI, 3, I, 4); and that the animal sacrifice of this day requires twenty-one sacrificial stakes, with twice eleven victims, two of which are tied to the central stake; see note on XIII, 2, 5, 2. The offerings referred to in the present Brdhma^ia, are performed, not during the day itself, but during the following night, as a pre- liminary to the important features of the second Soma-day.
* Viz., according to the commentary, because of the (particles of) groats being connected with each other.
* The commentary does not explain this comparison. It would seem to suit better the parched grain.
* Viz. on account of the capability (samarthatvit) of the (raw) grains; but whether this is meant to refer to their power of germinating and growing is not explained
