" The grave being constructed in such a way that the four comers lie in the direction of the four quarters, the back, or west side of the grave would really mean the side facing the north-west.
" Or, perhaps, more extended, more numerous or prosperous.
* In reality, the nonh means here the side facing the north-east The side of the tumulus is to form a quadrilateral, of which the two sides intersecting each other at the north corner, are to be longer than the two which intersect at the south corner ; viz. each of the
Digitized by
XIII kIyda, 8 adHyAya, 2 brAhmajva, i. 429
are offspring: he thus makes the offspring more
excellent. Having attended to this, he encloses it
with cords twisted (and extended) in the non-sunwise
way ^ ; for the (sacrificial) performance connected
with the Fathers is done in the non-sunwise way.
20. He then bids them cut out (the earth). He
should cut it out to whatever extent he intends to
raise (the sepulchral mound), but let him rather cut
it out so as to be just of man's size : he thus leaves
no room for another. For, on the one hand *, the
Fathers are the world of plants, and amongst the
roots of plants they (are wont to) hide ; and, on the
other *, (he does so) lest he (the deceased) should be
separated from this (earth).
Second BrAhmaya.
I. Now, some bank up (the sepulchral mound)
after covering up (the site). The gods and the
Asuras, both of them sprung from Pra^pati, were
contending for (the possession of) this (terrestrial)
world. The gods drove out the Asuras, their rivals
and enemies, from this world ; whence those who
fonner is to measure one man's length plus 9^ angulas (thumb's breadths), and each of the latter one man's length minus 9^ angulas. See comm. on Y&g, S. XXXV, i.
' That is, by twisting or spinning the strands from right to left, or contrary to the sun's course. The cord is extended round the grave from right to left (east, north, west, south) by means of pegs driven into the ground at the four comers ; see XIII, 8, 4, i.
* I do not see how the usual force of 'atho' — viz. that of introducing a new element or argument either analogous, or not quite conformable, to what precedes (cf. Delbrflck, Altind. Syntax, p. 513) — can apply to this double use of the particle. The two ' atho ' seem to introduce the reasons for his digging up the ground, and for his not digging up more than a man's size.
Digitized by
430 .satapatha-brAhmaj^a.
are godly people make their sepulchres so as not
to be separate (from the earth), whilst those
(people) who are of the Asura nature, the Easterns
and others, (make their sepulchral mounds) so as to
be separated (from the earth), either on a basin ^ or
on some such thing.
2. He then encloses it by means of enclosing-
stones: what those enclosing-stones (round the
fire-hearths) are, that they are here*. With
a formula he sets up those, silently these : he thus
keeps separate what refers to the gods and what
refers to the Fathers. With (an) undefined (number
of stones he encloses it), for undefined is yonder
world.
3, He then sweeps that (site) with a pali^a (Butea
frondosa) branch — what the sweeping (signified) on
that occasion', that (it does) here — with (V4f. S.
XXXV, i), 'Let the niggards avaunt from
hence, the perverse scorners of the gods!' —
he thereby expels from this world the niggards,
the perverse haters of the gods, the Asura- Rakshas ;
— *it is the place of this Soma-offerer,' for he
who has performed a Soma-sacrifice is a Soma-
offerer; — *(an abode) distinguished by lights,
by days, by nights,' — ^he thereby makes him to
' I take the * hund ' to be a shallow stone basin or trough, either solid or consisting of masonry (bricks) in the manner of our stone- lined graves.
• Cf. VII, I, 1, 12 seq. * The enclosing-stones are the womb: he thus encloses the seed here sown in a womb. . • And, again, the Gfirhapatya hearth is this (terrestrial) world, and the enclosing- stones are the waters : he thus surrounds this world with water.'
* Viz. in building the Gdrhapatya hearth (VII, i, i, ii seqq.); no such sweeping taking place in preparing the site for the Ahavantya (VII. 3. I. 7).
Digitized by
XIII kXnda, 8 adhyAya, 2 brAhmaj^a, 6. 431
be of the world of the seasons, the days and nights ; —
4. *May Yama grant him an abode;' — for
Yama has power over the abode in this (earth),
and it is him he solicits for an abode therein for
this (dead man). He throws out this (branch) to
the right (south), the other ^ to the left (north)
side : he thus keeps the divine separate from what
belongs to the FaUiers.
5. He (the Adhvaryu) then yokes (the team) to
the plough on the south side, — ^some say on the
north side: he may do as he chooses. Having
given the order, saying, * Yoke ! ' he (the Sacrificer)
utters the formula (V4f. S. XXXV, 2), *May
Savitrt vouchsafe for thy bones a place in
the earth!' — Savitn now indeed vouchsafes a
place in the earth for his (the deceased mans)
bones; — * Let the oxen be yoked therefore!* for
it is indeed for this work that the oxen ar6 yoked,
6. It is (a team) of six oxen, — six seasons are
a year: on the seasons, on the year, as a firm
foundation, he thus establishes him. Having
turned round (the plough) from right to left^
he ploughs the first furrow with (V^. S. XXXV,
3), *May Vdyu purify!' along the north side
(along the cord) towards the west®; with, *May
' Viz. that used in sweeping the Gdrhapatya, VII, 7, i, 5.
* That is, having driven the plough round from the south side to the north, in the non-sunwiae direction (i. e. keeping the sepulchral site on the left hand side).
* In ploughing the site of the fire-altar, the first furrow was drawn along the south side from west to east ; and then, in sunwise fashion, from the south-west comer round along the west, north, and east sides ; see VII, a, 2, 9 seqq.
Digitized by
432 .SATAPATHA-BRAHMAiVA.
Savitre purify!' along the west side towards
the south; with, 'With Agni's lustre!' along
the south side towards the east; with, 'With
SOrya's brilliance!' along the front side towards
the north.
7. Four furrows he ploughs with a formula : he
thereby establishes him in whatever food there is
in the four quarters. And (as to why it is done)
with a formula, — certain, assuredly, is the sacrificial
formula (yafus), and certain are these quarters.
8. He then ploughs across the body (of the
sepulchral site) — he thereby establishes him in
whatever food there is in the year ^ — silently with
(an) undefined (number of furrows), for undefined
is yonder world.
9. Having performed the work for which he has
put the team to that (plough), he now unfastens
it: *Let the oxen be unyoked!' he says, for.it
is for that work that the oxen were yoked. To the
right (south) side* he removes this (plough and
team), to the left (side) any other : he thus keeps
the divine separate from what belongs to the
Fathers.
Third BRAHMAiN^A.
I. He then sows (seed) of all (kinds of) herbs :
what the all-herb (seed signified) on that occasion \
that (it does) here. With many (verses *) he sows
* The Sacrificer's body (trunk) or self, like that of Prajg^pati, is as usual identified with the year (Father Time).
* Or rather to the south-west side, whilst at the Agniibyana (VII, 2, 2, 21) it was done towards the north-east.
" Viz. that it means food of every kind, see VII, 2, 4, 14. . * Viz. with fifteen verses (VII, a, 4, 15 seqq.) of which the one here used formed part (part iii, p. 340, note 2, verse 5).
Digitized by
XIII KkNDA, 8 adhyAya, 3 brAhmaya, 3. 433
that (former seed), with a single one this, — ^he thus
keeps the divine separate from what belongs to the
Fathers,— with (VAf. S. XXXV, 4), ^On the
A^vattha tree is your abode, on the Par»a
dwelling is made for you, (possessed of cattle
shall ye be, when ye save the Man):' for long
life he thereby prays for these (the Sacrificer s
family), and accordingly each subsequent one of
them dies of old age^
2, He then pours out that (jarful of bones *) ; for
this earth is the foundation: on this (earth), as
a foundation, he thus establishes him. Before
sunrise (he does so), for, in secret, as it were, are '
the Fathers, and in secret, as it were, is the night; —
in secret, indeed, he does this, (but) so that (the
sun) should rise over him doing it: on both day
and night he thus establishes him.
3. [He does so, with YS^. S. XXXV, 5-6,] ' May
Savitr/ deposit thy bones in the mother's
lap,' — Savitr* thus deposits his bones in the lap
of the mother, this earth; — *0 Earth, be thou
propitious unto him!' he thus says this in order
that this (earth) may be propitious to him. — * In
the deity Pra^&pati I place thee, in the world
nigh unto the water*, O N. N.,' therewith he
mentions the name (of the deceased) ; for nigh to
^ That is, they die of old age, just as do the herbs now sown to which the verse is, of course, addressed in the first place. Cf, Mahfdhara on Vl^. S. XII, 79.
* On burning the dead body, immediately after death, the caW dned bones were carefully collected and kept in an earthen vessel ; cf. p. 117, note 3.
' Or, in a place near water. The SamhitA adds (either before or after the dead man's name), * May he (Prs^pati) bum away our sin I '
[44] r f
Digitized by
434 ^atapatha-brAhmajva.
the water, indeed, is this (terrestrial) world: he
thus places him in the deity Pra^pati, in the
world nigh unto the water.
4. He then says to some one, * Proceed in that
(southern) direction without drawing breath, and,
having thrown down the jar, return hither without
looking behind thee!' He then mutters (VAf. S.
XXXV, 7), *0 Death, go away another way,
what second way there is of thine other
than the path of the gods*; 1 call unto thee
that hast eyes and hearest: hurt not our
family nor our men!* for long life he thereby
prays for these, and accordingly each subsequent
one of them dies of old age.
5. He then arranges him (the dead man) limb
by limb, with (V^^. S. XXXV, 8^), ' Propitious
be the wind unto thee, propitious the heat
of the sun; propitious be the bricks; pro-
pitious be the fires unto thee, and may the
earthly ones not scorch thee! — May the
regions fit themselves to thee, and may the
waters be most kind unto thee, and the rivers ;
and kind also the air: may all the regions fit
themselves to thee!' — he thereby makes every-
thing fit itself to him, and be auspicious for him.
6. Now thirteen unmarked * bricks, measuring a
foot (square), have been made : they are just like
those bricks in the fire-altar. Those (altar bricks) he
lays down with a formula, silently these : he thus keeps
the divine separate from what belongs to the Fathers.
* Viz. the 'pitriydna,' or path of the Fathers. See I, 9, 3, 2.
* That is, not marked with lines, as those of the fire-altar are. As to the use of pebbles, instead of bricks, in the case of one who has not performed the Agniiayana, see XIII, 8, 4, 11.
Digitized by
xiii kXnda, 8 adhyAya, 3 brAhmajva, 12. 435
7. There are thirteen of them, — thirteen months
are a year: on the seasons, on the year, he thus
establishes him, as on a firm foundation.
8. They measure a foot (square), — the foot is
a foundation: a foundation he thus prepares for
him. Unmarked they are, for in secret, as it were,
are the Fathers, and in secret, as it were, is what is
unmarked : he thus secretes what is in secret
9. One of them he places in the middle, with the
front side towards the east: this is the body
(trunk); — three in front, fitted to (the position of)
the head: that is the head; — three on the right:
that is the right wing (side); — three on the left:
that is the left wing; — three behind: that is the
tail. Thus this his body, furnished with wings
and tail, is just like that of Agni (the fire-altar).
10. He then bids them bring some soil from
a cleft in the ground, for thus the Fathers' (share)
in this (earth) is not excessive ; and he also thereby
makes the (dead man's) sin to be restricted \ And
some, now, dig in that intermediate (south-eastern)
quarter, and fetch it from there ; and others, again,
do so towards the south-west, and fetch it northwards
from there : he may do as he chooses.
11. Let him not make it (the sepulchral mound)
too large, lest he make the (deceased's) sin large.
For a Kshatriya he may make it as high as a man
with upstretched arms, for a Br^ma^ia reaching up
.to the mouth, for a woman up to the hips, for a
VaLjya up to the thighs, for a ^Adra up to the knee;
for suchlike is their vigour.
