* Viz. after the eighth verse of the hymn jRig-vedz I, 32, the chief part of the normal Nishkevalya-jastra.
' For the complete verse see III, 3, 2, 1 2.
' This verse is again recited thrice, and thus takes the place of
the ordinary opening triplet.
* For this .Slastra, recited after the Arbhava-Pavam&na-stotra, see part ii, p. 361.
• Ajv. St. X, 10, 6 prescribes the ordinary anuihtra V, 82, 4-7 ; whence S&ya»a on I, 24, 3 (-5) offers no indication of the ritualistic use of that triplet on this occasion.
• Viz. IV, 54, before the last verse of which the Nivid is inserted.
Digitized by
382 5ATAPATHA-BRAHMAJVA,
he inserts the Nivid in the (hymn, I, m) of the
one-day's sacrifice. Having recited the (hymn,
V, 41) to the All-gods, * Who is there righteous
unto you, Mitra and Varu«a? . . • / he inserts
the Nivid in the (hymn, I, 89) of the one-day's
sacrifice. Thus as to the Vaiivadeva (-^astra),
12. Then as to the Agnim4ruta\ Having recited
the (hymn, VI, 7) to (Agni) Vaiivdnara, * The head
of the sky, and the disposer of the earth . • • /
he inserts the Nivid in the (hymn, HI, 3) of the
one-day's sacrifice. Having recited the (hymn,
V, 57) to the Maruts, * Hither, O Rudras, come
ye united with Indra . . . ,' he inserts the Nivid
in the (hymn, I, 87) of the one-day's sacrifice.
Having recited the nine verses (VI, 15, 1-9) to
Gdtavedas, *This guest of yours, the early*
waking . . . ,' he inserts the Nivid in the (hymn,
I, 143) of the one-day's sacrifice. And as to why
the (hymns) of the one-day s sacrifice are used for
inserting the Nivid, it is for the sake of his (the
Sacrificer s) not being deprived of a firm foundation,
for the G^yotish/oma is a foundation.
13. For this (day) there are those sacrificial
animals — 'A horse, a hornless he-goat, and a Go-
mr%a */ fifteen * paryangyas ' : the mystic import of
these has been explained. Then these wild ones—
for spring he seizes (three) kapi^/alas \ for summer
sparrows, for the rainy season partridges ; of these
^ Viz. the final .Sastra of the evening-service, preceded by the chanting of the Agnish/oma-s&man ; see part ii, p. 369.
* See p. 298, note 4 ; p. 338, note i.
* The ' Kapi^[$^' is a kind of wildfowl, apparently of the quail or partridge species — a hazel-cock, or francoline partridge. Some of the later authorities, however, identify it with the '^taka'
Digitized by
xiii kKnda, 5 adhvAya, i brAhmajva, 15. 383
(wild animals) also (the mystic import) has been told K
14, Then those (victims) for the twenty-one
(stakes). He seizes twenty-one animals for each
of the (eleven) deities of the Seasonal offerings ^ ;
for as many as there are gods of the Seasonal
offerings so many are all the gods ; and all objects
of desire are in the Arvamedha: *by gratifying
all the deities I shall gain all my desires/ so he
thinks. But let him not proceed in this way.
1 5. Let him seize seventeen victims for the central stake *, in order that he may gain and secure every-
(* cuculus melanoleucus '). With regard to some of the wild animals referred to in ihe corresponding section of the V^. S., the com- mentator Mahtdhara significantly remarks (V^. S. XXIV, 20; cf K&ty. XX, 6, 6 schoU.) that the meaning of such names as are not understood must be made out with the help of quotations (nigama), Vedic vocabularies (nighan/u) and their comments (nirukta), grammar (vydkara^a), the UnddivriUi, and dictionaries.
^ Viz. XIII, 2, 4, I seqq. It is not easy to see why the text should break off abruptly with the birds representing the rainy season. For autumn there are to be (three) quails, for winter * kakara,' and for the dewy season * vikakara.' Then follow, to the end of the 260 wild animals, a long series of divinities to each of which (or sometimes to allied deities) three animals are consigned. Thirteen of these wild animals are placed on each of the twenty spaces between the twenty-one stakes. *
• Or, perhaps, for the (eleven) deities of the Seasonal offerings he seizes twenty-one animals for each (stake) ; which would certainly simplify the distribution of those animals. Regarding the victims actually consecrated to the deities of the Aliturm&sya offerings, see p. 309, note 2.
* This does not include the twelve ' paryangyas ' tied to the horse's limbs, but only the horse and two other victims sacred to Pra^pati, and twelve of a long series of beasts, of which three are dedicated to each successive deity (or allied group of deities). To these are afterwards added Agni's two victims belonging to the two sets of eleven victims (of the other twenty of which one is assigned to each of the other stakes).
Digitized by
384 5ATAPATHA-BRAHMAJVA.
thing, for the seventeenfold is Pra^pati, and the
seventeenfold (stoma) is everything, and the A^va-
medha is everything; — and sixteen at each of
the other (stakes) in order that he may gain and
secure everything, for everything here consists of
sixteen parts, and the A^vamedha is everything.
Thirteen wild (beasts) he seizes for e%ch interme-
diate space, in order that he may gain and secure
everything, for the year consists of thirteen months,
and the A^vamedha is everything.
1 6, Now, prior to the (chanting of the) Bahishpa-
vamd,na, they (the assistants of the Adhvaryu) bring
up the horse, after cleansing it; and with it they
glide along for the Pavam&na: the mystic import
of this has been explained ^ When the Bahishpa-
vamfina has been chanted, they make the horse
step on the place of chanting : if it sniffs, or turns
away, let him know that his sacrifice is successful.
Having led up that (horse), the Adhvaryu says,
*Hotri, sing praises!' and the Hotr/ sings its praises*
with eleven (verses, 7?/g-veda I, 163, i-ii) —
17. * When, first born, thou didst neigh . . .* —
thrice (he praises) with the first, and thrice with the
last (verse), these amount to fifteen, — fifteenfold is
the thunderbolt, and the thunderbolt means vigour :
with that thunderbolt, vigour, the Sacrificer thus
from the very first repels evil : thus *, indeed, it is
to the Sacrificer that the thunderbolt is given in
' XIII, 2, 3, I.
' The mode of recitation is similar to that of the kindling- verses (likewise eleven, brought up, by repetitions of the first and last, to fifteen), viz. by making a pause after each half-verse, but without adding the syllable ' om ' thereto. Axv. Sr. X, 8, 5.
' Harisvimin explains 'tad vai ' as standing for ' sa vai' (linga- vyatyayena) — viz. that fifteenfold thunderbolt.
Digitized by
XIII juXnda, 5 adhvAya, i brAhma^a, i8. 385
order to smite for him whoever is to be smitten, —
[7?/g-veda I, 163, 12. 13], 'The swift racer hath
gone forward to the slaying. . / — 'The racer
hath gone forward to the highest place . • . ' —
18. Having omitted these two (verses), he inserts
the hymn (1, 162), * Never (shall forget us) Mitra,
Varuwa, Aryaman, Ayu.,./ in the Adhrigu^
(litany). Some, however, insert this verse (I, 162,
18), * Thirty-four (ribs) of the steed, akin to
the gods, (doth the knife hit)...,' before the
(passage, — 'twenty-six are its) ribs,' thinking lest
tiiey should place the holy syllable 'om' in the
wrong place \ or lest they should suggest the plural
by a singular *. Let him not proceed thus, but let
him insert the hymn as a whole. — * The swift racer
hath gone forward to the slaying . • .' — The racer
hath gone forward to the highest place . . • ' —
^ On this recitation, consisting of a lengthy set of formulas, addressed to the slaughterers, see part ii, p. 188, note 2. The whole of the formulas are given Ait. 6r. II, 6-7. The hymn, ac- cording to Axv. X, 8, 7, is to be inserted either before the last formula of the liiany, or somewhat further back — viz. before the formula ' sh2Ldyims2i\iT asya vankrayas,' ' twenty-six are its ribs ' — whilst our Br&hma^ia rather allows the alternative of the eighteenth verse of I, 162 being inserted at the latter place, — unless, indeed, the insertion in that case is to be made immediately before the word ' vahkraya^ ' which is scarcely likely.
' Harisv&min seems to take this to mean that as this verse is of the same nature as the formulas of the Adhrigu litany, he is to treat it as such, as otherwise, in reciting he would have to pronounce ' om ' after that verse, which is not done after those formulas.
• Or, the plurality by the individual. Owing to the corrupt state of the MS., the commentator's explanation of this passage is not clear. He seems, however, at any rate, to take the 'plural ' to refer to the formula ' sha^/vi/vjatir asya vankrayas,' where apparently <esh&m' has to be substituted for 'asya' on this occasion, as many victims are immolated, and the ribs of a plurality of beasts are thus indicated, whilst in verse eighteen of the hymn, on the
[44] cc
Digitized by
3 86 DATAPATH A-BRAhMAJVA.
Second BRAHMAiVA,
1. Having uttered these two (verses), he pro-
nounces what remains of the Adhrigu. * A cloth,
an upper cloth, and gold/ this is what they spread
out for the horse ^ : thereon they * quiet ' (slaughter)
it. When the victims have been 'quieted/ the
(kings) wives come up with water for washing the
feet, — four wives, and a young maiden as the fifth,
and four hundred female attendants.
2. When the foot- water is ready, they cause the
Mahishi to lie down near the horse, and cover her up
with the upper cloth, with * In heaven ye envelop
yourselves/ — for that indeed is heaven where they
immolate the victim • . . , * May the vigorous male,
the layer of seed, lay seed ! ' she says * for the com-
pleteness of union.
3. Whilst they are lying there, the Sacrificer
addresses the horse (V4f. S. XXIII, 21), *UtsakhyA
ava guda»f dhehi!' No one replies to him, lest
there should be some one to rival the Sacrificer.
4. The Adhvaryu then addresses the maiden,
' Hey hey maiden, that little bird , • , ' — The maiden
replies to him, * Adhvaryu 1 that little bird . , • '
5. And the Brahman addresses the Mahisht,
* Mahishi, hey hey Mahishi, thy mother and father
mount to the top of the tree . • . * — She has a hun-
dred daughters of kings attending upon her : these
contrary, only the ribs of one horse (thus forming a kind of unit) are referred to ; and if that verse were recited, along with the whole hymn, before the final formula which refers to all the victims, the necessary connection would be interrupted.
* See XIII, a, 8, i.
' Nir&yaty&^vasya sisnzm mahlshy upasthe nidhatte ' vri^hsl v^ retodh& reto dadh&tv ' iti mithunasyaiva sarvatv&ya.
Digitized by
XIII KAiVDA, 5 ADHYAyA, 2 BRAhMA?/A, IO. 387
reply to the Brahman, ' Brahman, hey hey Brahman, thy mother and father play on the top of the tree. . .'
6. And the XJdgSitrz addresses the favourite,
'Vdvdta, hey hey VdvAtd, turn upwards!' She
has a hundred noble-women (ri^ny4) attending
upon her : these reply to the IJdgktrt, * Hey hey
UdgSitri, turn upwards!'
7. And the Hotrt says to the discarded wife,
• Parivrzkti, hey hey Parivrzktd, when large meets
small in this a^^hubhedl . , . ' — She has a hundred
daughters of heralds and head-men of villages
attending upon her: these reply to the Hotrt,
* Hotri, hey hey Hotrt, when the gods favoured the lal&magu . • . '
8. Then the chamberlain addresses the fourth wife,
' P&l&gall, hey hey P&l&gall, when the deer eats the
corn, one thinks not of the fat cattle . • . ' — She has a
hundred daughters of chamberlains and charioteers
attending upon her ; these reply to the chamberlain,
^ Chamberlain, hey hey chamberlain, when the deer
eats the corn, one thinks not of the fat cattle . • • '
9. These speeches, the derisive discourses, indeed
are every kind of attainment, and in the A^vamedha
all objects of desire are contained : * By every kind
of speech may we obtain all objects of our desire'
thus thinking, they cause the Mahishl to rise. Those
(women) then walk back in the same way as they
had come ; and the others finally utter the verse
containing (the word) 'fragrant' {jRig-v. IV, 39, 6),
*To Dadhikr&van have I sung praises,..'
ID. For, indeed, life and the deities depart from
those who at the sacrifice speak impure speech : it
is their speech they thereby purify so that the
deities may not depart from the divine service,
