XIV kXnda, 1 adhyAya, 3 brAhmaya, i8. 463
her: he thus keeps it separate from her. White it is, for white, as it were^ is this earth.
15. And when the Hotri recites this (verse,
jRig-v. I, 36, 9), *Sit thee down: thou art
great . • . ,' sheaths of reed-grass are kindled on
both sides ^ and throwing them (on the mound),
he puts (the Mahivtra pot) thereon. When the
sacrifice had its head cut off, its life-sap flowed
away, and therefrom these plants grew up: with
that life-sap he thus supplies and completes it.
16. And as to why they are kindled on both
sides: he thereby repels the Rakshas, the fiends,
from all the quarters. Whilst this (pot) is being
heated, the (Sacrificers) wife covers her head,
thinking, * Lest this one, when heated and glowing,
should rob me of my eyesight,' for it indeed
becomes heated and glowing.
17. He puts it on with, * Flame thou art, glow
thou art, heat thou art;' — for the Gharma is
he who shines yonder, and he indeed is all that:
it is him he thus gratifies, and therefore he says,
* Flame thou art, glow thou art, heat thou art.*
18. He (the Sacrificer) then invokes blessings on
this (earth) ', for the sacrifice is this (earth) : it is
thus (whilst being) on her that he invokes blessings,
and she fulfils them all for him,
* I read, * ra^teva ' ; cf. the corresponding ' hariniva hi dyau^,' XIV, I, 3, 29.
* That is, by dividing the sheaths in the middle lengthwise, and lighting both halves in the G&rhapatya fire.
* According to Kity. XXVI, 3, 5 he makes a span (of thumb and index)— or spreads his hand with the palm downwards — over the pot whilst muttering the respective formulas; apparently changing the position of the hand according to the point of the compass referred to in the formula.
Digitized by
464 flfATAPATHA-BRAHMAiVA*
19. [V4f, S. XXXVII, 12,] * Unmolested thou
art in front (in the east)/ — for unmolested by
the Rakshas, the fiends, indeed, this (earth) is
in front; — *in Agni's over-lordship,' — he thus
makes Agni her over-lord for the warding" off of
the fiends, the Rakshas; — * grant thou life unto
meT — ^he thus secures life for himself, and accord-
ingly he attains the full (term of) life.
20. * Possessed of sons towards the south,* —
in this there is nothing hidden, so to speak; — 'in
Indra's over-lordship,' — he thus makes Indra
her over-lord for the warding off of the fiends, the
Rakshas; — * grant thou offspring unto me!' —
he thus secures offspring and cattle for himselfj
and accordingly he becomes possessed of sons
and of cattle.
21. *Well to live on behind (towards the
western region),' — in this there is nothing hidden,
so to speak; — *in god Savitr/'s over-lordship;*
— the god Savitr^' he thus makes her over-lord for
the warding off of the fiends, the Rakshas; —
'grant thou eyesight unto me!' — he thus
secures eyesight for himself, and accordingly he
becomes possessed of eyesight.
22. 'A sphere of hearing towards the
north,' — 'causing (sacrificial calls) to be heard ^,'
is what he thereby means to say; — 'in the
creator's over-lordship,' — the creator he thus
* Or, calling for the *jrausha/'; cf. part i, p. 131, note 2. The masculine form of the participle is somewhat peculiar as the term it is meant to explain refers to the earth. It has probably to be understood in the sense of, * where he (viz. the Adhvaryu) calls for the ^rausha/.' Mahfdhara explains the term 'fixruti' by 'where they, the priests, utter the sacrificial calls/ i. e. ^ meet for sacrifice.'
Digitized by
XIV kInda, I adhvAya, 3 brAhmaj^ta, 25. 465
makes her over-lord for the warding off of the
fiends, the Rakshas; — 'grant thou prosperity
(increase) of wealth unto me!' — wealth, pros-
perity, he thus secures for himself, and accordingly
he becomes wealthy and prosperous.
23. 'Disposition above,' — 'disposing^ above'
is what he thereby means to say; — 'in Br^has-
pati's over-lordship,' — Br^'haspati he thus makes
her over-lord for the warding off of the fiends,
the Rakshas; — 'grant me vigour!' — vigour he
thereby secures to himself, and accordingly he
becomes vigorous, strong.
24. On the right (south) side (of the MahAvira)
he (the Sacrificer) then makes amends by (laying
down) the hand with the palm upwards, with,
'Shield me from all evil spirits!' whereby he
means to say, ' Protect me from all troubles ! '
When the sacrifice had its head cut off, its life-
sap flowed away, and went to the Fathers, but the
Fathers are three in number * : it is with these that
he thus supplies and completes it (the Pravargya).
25. Thereupon, whilst touching her (die earth) ^
* Here the masculine gender can hardly be understood otherwise than in the sense 'where (Brihaspati, or Brahman) disposes on high.' Mahidhara takes no notice of this interpretation of the Brdhmaita, but explains 'vidhriti' as either 'one who upholds (dhdrayati) in an especial manner/ or where ' the offering spoon, &c., is held upwards (uparish/id dhriyate, — ? who holds it upwards),' — an explanation which can hardly commend itself.
* This specification of the number seems to have no other dbject but that of limiting the general term of ' Fathers,' or deceased ancestors, to the specific signification it has at the •S'r&ddha, where offeiing is made to the &ther, grandfather, and great-grandfather.
* According to KSty. XXVI, 3, 8, he does so whilst spanning the earth north of the Mahdvf ra pot.
[44] H h
Digitized by
466 ^ATAPATHA-BRAHMAiVA.
*Thou art Manu's mare/ for, having become
a mare, she (the earth) indeed carried Manu, and
he is her lord, Pra^pati : with tjiat mate, his heart's
deh'ght, he thus supplies and completes him (Prs^-
pati, the Pravargya, and Sacrificer).
26. He then lays pieces of (split) Vikankata wood
round (the Mahfivlra), two pointing to the east\
with (Vfi^, S. XXXVII, 13), 'Hail! be thou
encompassed by the Maruts!' — the call of
*hail!' he places first, and the deity last*; for
the call of * hail ! * is he who shines yonder, and
the Pravargya also is that (sun) : it is him he thus
gratifies; and hence he places the call of 'hail!'
first, and the deity last.
27. 'Be thou encompassed by the Maruts,* he
says ; for the Maruts are the (common) people :
he thus surrounds the nobility by the people,
whence the nobility here is surrounded on both
sides by the people. Silently (he lays down) two
pointing to the north \ silently (again) two pointing
to the east, silently two pointing to the north,
silently two pointing to the east
28. He makes them to amount to thirteen, for there are thirteen months in the year, and the
^ That is, along the north and the south sides of the pot, on the burning sheaths of reed grass; or rather on hot cinders heaped thereon. Kity. XXVI, 3, 9. They would partly serve the purpose of the ordinary (three) enclosing-sticks; and Apast., indeed, calls them * paridhi/
' Literally, the call of 'haill' (sv&hi-k&ra) he makes to be the nearer, and the deity the farther.
' That is, along the west and the east sides of the pot According to Apast. 5r. XV, 8, 1-4, two pieces of wood are laid down alternately by the Adhvaryu and the Pratiprasth&tr/, the last pieces being then laid down (on the south side) by the former priest.
Digitized by
XIV kXnda, I adhyAya, 3 brAhmaa^a, 32. 467
year is he who shines yonder, and the Pravargya
also is that (sun) : it is him he thus gratifies, and
hence he makes them to amount to thirteen.
29. He then places a gold plate (weighing a
hundred grains) on the top (of the pot), with,
'Protect it from contact with the sky!' For
at that time the gods were afraid lest the Rakshas,
the fiends, might injure that (Pravargya) of theirs
from above ; and that — to wit, gold — being Agni's
seed, it (serves) for repelling the fiends, the Rakshas.
But, indeed, the Sky also was afraid of this lest this
(Pravargya), when heated and glowing, might injure
it : he thus keeps it separate therefrom. It is yellow,
for yellow, as it were, is the sky.
30. He (the Adhvaryu) then fans (the fire) thrice
by means of (three) fans \ whilst muttering,
* Honey ! ' each time; for honey means breath : he
thus lays breath into it. Three (fans) there are, for
there are three breathings, the out (and in)-breathing,
the up-breathing and the through-breathing: it is
these he thus lays into it.
31. They then fan it thrice* in the non-sunwise
way. When the sacrifice had its head cut off, its
life-sap flowed away, and went to the Fathers, —
the Fathers being three in number * : with them
he thus supplies it.
32. But, indeed, the breathings depart from those who perform the fanning at the sacrifice. They
• They consist of pieces cut from the black antelope-skin (with black and white hair, according to Apast XV, 5, 12), fastened to sticks.
• That is, the Adhvaryu, Pratiprasthdtn; and Agntdh then take each one of the fans, and move round the fire whilst keeping it on their left side (the Agntdh going in front).
• See p. 465, note 2.
H h 2
Digitized by
468 .satapatha-brAhmajva.
fan again thrice in the sunwise way, — this makes
six ; and six in number are these breathings (vital
airs) in the head : it is these he thus lays into it
They cook the two Rauhi«a (cakes). When a blaze
is produced, he takes oflf the gold (plate).
33. And when the Hotrt recites this (verse,
Hig'V. I, 112, 24), * Successful, O A^vins, make ye
our voice,' the Adhvaryu steps up, and says,
* The Gharma is aglow K' If it be aglow, he may
know that the Sacrificer will become more pros-
perous ; and if it be not aglow, he may know that
he will become poorer ; and if it be neither aglow
nor the reverse, he may know that he (the Sacrificer)
will become neither more prosperous nor poorer;
but indeed (the pot) should be fanned so (long) as
to be aglow.
34. And, verily, whosoever either teaches, or
partakes of, this (Pravargya) enters that life, and
that light: the observance thereof is the same as
at the creation*.
^ That is, apparently, red-hot, glowing (ju;Hta), or perhaps, entirely ablaze, enveloped in flames— outside as well as inside, owing to the ghee with which it was greased all over ; hence hardly,
* bestrahlt ' (illumined, shone upon), as the St. Petersb. Diet takes it; cf. ^ju^na, XIV, 2, i, 18 ; 3, x, 14. According to Apast.^V., the three priests, having completed their circumambulation, sit down on the east, south, and north side respectively, and continue to fan the pot, at the same time oiling it with ghee, until the pot is ablaze, when the Adhvaryu takes off the gold plate. According to Kity., on the other hand, the Pratiprasthdtrj' proceeds with the baking of the cakes, whilst the Adhvar}ai sprinkles the pot with ghee each time that the Hotri', in his recitation, utters the syllable ' cm ' at the end of a verse. Before the last verse, the twenty-fifth, of the same hymn concluding the first part of the recitation, a special verse, IX, 83, 3, is inserted. Axv. Sr. IV, 6, 2-3.
• See p. 458, note i.
Digitized by
XIV kAjvda, I adhyAya, 4 brAhmajva, 5. 469
Fourth BaAHMAivA.
1. Now, when the Adhvaryu here steps up and
says, 'The Qharma is aglow/ they step up and
revere it (the Mah&vlra) with the Avakdja*; but
the ' avaklsa ' are the vital airs : it is thus the vital
airs he lays into it Six of them * step up to it, for
six in number are these vital airs in the head : it is
these he thus lays into it
2. [V&g. S. XXXVII, 14,] 'The child of the
gods,' — the child (garbha) of the gods, in truth, is
he that shines yonder, for he holds (grabh) every-
thing here, and by him everything here is held;
and the Pravargya also is that (sun) : it is him he
thus gratifies, and therefore he says, 'The child
of the gods/
3. 'The father of thoughts/ — for he (the sun)
is indeed the father of thoughts; — *the lord of
creatures,' — for he is indeed the lord of creatures.
4. 'The god hath united with the god
Savitr^V — for the god (the Mah&vfra) has indeed
united with the god Ssvitri (the sun); — 'with
SCkrya he shineth,' — for (equally) with Sfirya (the
sun) he has indeed shone.
5. [Va^. S. XXXVII, i5,]*Agni hath united
with Agni,' — for Agni (fire) has indeed united with
Agni; — 'with the divine Savitri,' — for with the
divine Savitrt he has indeed united; — 'with SCkrya
