^ Or, the Plaksha branches with which the altar was covered on the preceding night. See p. 120, note 3. The Ka«va text (as Taitt. S. VI, 3, 10, 2) speaks of one Plaksha branch put on the barhis.
2 Anuka, of which anukya is the adjective, means 'the fore- part of the spinal column.' The Ka«va text reads,— yan mastishko yad anuke ma^^a.
Ill KAiVDA, 8 ADHYAYA, 3 BRAHMAiVA, 1 4.
doubtless, is the same as ' prakhya.' With that
same sacrificial essence he now completes it (the
victim), and makes it whole : hence there are
Plaksha branches as an upper covering.
13. He then makes an 'underlayer' of ghee both
in the /uhu and the upahhrzt, and in the vasahoma-
havani \ and the samavattadhani ^ ; and puts a piece
of gold ^^ both in the^ihu and the upabhrz't.
14. Thereupon he addresses (the Hotrz) for the
recitation on the havis to the manota deity ^ The
reason why he addresses him for the recitation on
the havis to the manota deity is this. All the deities
draw nigh to the victim while it is immolated, thinking,
' My name he will choose, my name he will choose ! '
for the animal victim is sacrificial food for all deities.
The minds (manas), then, of all those deities are
•fixed upon (ota) that victim ; those (minds of theirs)
he thereby satisfies, and thus the minds of the gods
have not drawn nigh in vain. For this reason he
addresses him for the recitation on the havis to the
manota deity.
^ That is, the ladle used (as a substitute for the ^uhu) for ofifering the fat-liquor or gravy. See paragraph 20.
2 That is, the vessel used for holding the cuttings (samavatta) of the i^a ; also called ia'apatri, see part i, p. 219, note 3.
^ See p. 198, note i.
* Thereupon he says, 'Recite to the manota (deity) the invitatory prayer for (of) the havis which is being cut in portions (havisho 'vadiyamanasya).' Kawva text; cf. Ait. Br. II, 10.— While the sa- crificial portions are being cut into the respective spoons, the Hotrz' recites the Hymn to Agni, Rig-veda VI, i, 1-13, beginning, 'Thou, O wondrous Agni, the first thinker (manotrz) of this hymn, wert verily the priest. . . .' From the occurrence of this word manota, the latter has come to be the technical name both of the hymn itself and of the deity (Agni) to whom it is recited.
204 S'ATAPATHA-BRAHMAiVA.
15. He first makes a portion of the hearth The
reason why he first makes a portion of the heart
which is in the middle, is that the heart is the
breath, since it is from there that this breath moves
upward 2 ; and the animal is breath, for only so long
does the animal (live) as it breathes with the breath ;
but when the breath departs from it, it lies there
useless, even (as) a block of wood.
16. The heart, then, is the animal; thus he first
makes a portion of its very self (or soul). And,
accordingly, if any portion were omitted, he need
not heed this, since it is of his entire animal victim
that the first portion is made which is made of the
heart. He therefore first makes a portion of the
heart, that being in the middle. Thereupon accord-
ing to the proper order.
1 7. Then of the tongue, for that stands out from-
its fore-part. Then of the breast, for that also (stands
out) therefrom ^ Then of the simultaneously moving
(left) fore-foot \ Then of the flanks. Then of the
liver. Then of the kidneys.
18. The hind-part he divides into three parts;
the broad piece (he reserves) for the by-offerings ^ ;
the middle one he cuts into the ^uhu after dividing
it in two; the narrow piece (he reserves) for the
^ Literally, he makes a cutting of the heart (hr/dayasya-avadyati), that is to say, he puts the entire heart into the ^uhu as an offering- portion.
2 Etasmad dhy ayam urdhva/^ pra«a u^/^arati, Kawva rec.
^ Or, that (comes) after that (tongue): tad dhi tato 'nvak, Ka/zva rec,
* According to Katy. VI, 7, 6, it is the foremost (or upper) joint (purvana^/aka) of the left fore-foot which is taken. The Ka»va text has simply ' atha dosh«a-^.'
^ See in, 8, 4, 9 seq.
Ill KANDA, 8 ADHYAYA, 3 BRAHMAiVA, 2 2. 205
tryanga^. Then of the simultaneously moving (right) haunch I This much, then, he cuts into the^uhu.
19. Then into the upabhm, he makes a portion
of the upper part of the fore-foot belonging to the
tryanga (viz. the right one) ; of the (narrow piece
of the) hind-part, after dividing it in two ; and of
the haunch belonging to the tryanga (viz. the left).
Thereupon he puts two pieces of gold on (the flesh
oblations in the spoons) and pours ghee thereon,
20. He then takes the oblation of gravy ^ with(Va^.
S. VI, 18), 'Thou art trembling,' for quivering,
as it were, is the broth : hence he says, ' Thou art
trembling;' — ' May Agni prepare* thee!' for the
fire does indeed cook it : hence he says, ' May Agni
prepare thee!' — 'The waters have washed thee
together,' for the water indeed gathers together
that (fat) juice from the limbs : hence he says,
' The waters have washed thee tog^ether.'
21. 'For the sweeping of the wind — thee!'
for verily yonder blower sweeps along the air, and
for the air he takes it : hence he says, ' For the
sweeping of the wind (I take) thee.'
22. 'For the speed of Pushan,' — Pushan's
speed, forsooth, is yonder (wind)^, and for that he
takes it: hence he says, 'For the speed of Pushan.'
^ Literally, the three-limbs, the technical name of the portion for Agni Svish/akrz't.
'^ For 'athaika/^arayai srone/i' the Ka«va text reads 'athlfdhyu- dhasa/^ srone/i,' of the hip above the udder.
^ Vasa, i. e. the melted fat (and juice) mixed with the water in which the portions have been cooked, and forming a rich gravy, offered with the Vasahomahavani.
* Literally, 'mix ' — sii, this root being here, as usual, confounded with srt, to cook.
^ Esha vava piisha yo 'yam pavata etasma u hi grihnati, Ka«va recension.
206 DATAPATH A-BRAHMAiVA.
23. ' From the hot vapour may totter — ;' the
hot vapour, namely, is yonder (wind), and for that he
takes it : hence he says, ' From the hot vapour may
totter — .' Thereupon he bastes it twice with ghee
above.
24. He then mixes it either with the crooked
knife or with the chopping-knife \ with ' — Con-
founded hatred"!' whereby he chases away from
here those evil spirits, the Rakshas.
25. The broth which is left he pours into the
Samavattadhani, and therein he throws the heart,
tongue, breast, the broad piece (of the back part),
the kidneys, and the rectum. He then bastes it
twice with ghee above.
26. The reason why there is a piece of gold on
each side is this. When they offer up the victim
in the fire, they slay it, and gold means immortal
life : thereby then it rests in immortal life ; and
so it rises from hence, and so it lives. This is why
there is a piece of gold on each side.
27. And because he cuts crossways, — of the left
fore-foot and the right haunch ; and of the right fore-
foot and the left haunch, — therefore this animal draws
forward its feet crossways. But were he to cut
straight on, this animal would draw forward its feet
(of the same side) simultaneously : therefore he cuts
crossways. Then as to why he does not make
cuttings of the head, nor the shoulders, nor the
neck, nor the hind-thighs.
^ 6'asena va par^vena va, Kawva text.
^ This forms part of the preceding formula (as subject to the verb ' may totter '), though the author seems to separate it therefrom, as does Mahidhara. The meaning of the formula seems to be, 'May the enemies perish, confounded by (?) the hot vapour !'
Ill KANDA, 8 ADHYAYA, 3 BRAHMAiVA, 30. 207
28. Now the Asuras, in the beginning, seized a
victim. The gods, from fear, did not go near it\
The Earth^ then said unto them, 'Heed ye not this :
I will myself be an eye-witness thereof, in whatsoever
manner they will perform this (offering),'
29. She said, ' Only one oblation have they offered,
the other they have left over.' Now that which they
left over are these same portions. Thereupon the
gods made over three limbs to (Agni) Svish/akm,
whence the Tryahga oblations. The Asuras then
made portions of the head, the shoulders, the neck, and
the hind-thighs : therefore let him not make portions
of these. And since Tvash^'rz spat upon the neck,
therefore let him not make a portion of the neck.
Thereupon he says (to the Hotrz), ' Recite (the in-
vitatory prayer) to Agni and Soma for the havis of the
buck!' Having called for the ^'rausha/, he says (to
the Maitravaru;^a), ' Prompt (the Hotrz to recite
the offering-prayer ^ for) the havis of the buck to
Agni and Soma!' He does not say '(the havis)
made ready:' when the Soma has been pressed
he says ' made ready.'
30. In the interval between the two half-verses of
the offering-prayer he offers the oblation of gravy.
It is from out of this that that essence (juice) has
risen upwards here, — that sap of this earth whereby
creatures exist on this side of the sky^ ; for the
^ The St. Petersburg Diet, takes ' Na-upaveyu/z ' in the sense of 'they did not fall in therewith; they did not feel inclined for it;' as above, III, 7, 3, 3. Saya7?a explains it by ' nopagata/^ ' (MSS. napagata^).
2 That is, Aditi, according to the Ka«va recension.
^ The yagya. and anuvakya are I, 93, 3 and 7 respectively.
* Ito va ayam urdhva uMkrAo raso yam idam imn/i pra^a upa^ivanty arvag divo 'sminn antarikshe, Kmva, recension.
2o8 S-ATAPATHA-BRAHMAiVA.
oblation of gravy is sap, and essence is sap : thus he
renders the sap strong by means of sap, whence this
sap when eaten does not perish.
31. And as to why he offers the oblation of gravy
in the interval between the two half-verses of the
offering-prayer, — one half-verse, forsooth, is this
earth, and the other half-verse is yonder sky. Now
between the sky and the earth is the air, and it. is to
the air that he offers : therefore he offers the oblation
of gravy between the two half-verses of the offering-
prayer,
32. He offers with (Va^. S. VI, 19), ' Drink the
ghee, ye drinkers of ghee ! Drink the gravy,
ye drinkersof gravy ! thou art the havis of the
air, Hail!' With this prayer to the All-gods he
offers, for the air belongs to the All-gods : because
creatures move about here in the air breathing in
and breathing out therewith, therefore it belongs to
the All-gods. As the Vasha^ (of the offering-prayer
for the meat portions) is pronounced, he offers the
portions that are in the ^uhu.
33. Thereupon, while taking clotted ghee with the
^uhu, he says (to the Hotr/), ' Recite (the invitatory
prayer) to the Lord of the forest !' Having called
for the ^'rausha/, he says (to the Maitravaru;ja),
' Prompt (the Hotrz to recite the offering-prayer) to
the lord of the forest!' and offers, as the Vasha/
is pronounced ^ The reason why he offers to the
lord of the forest (the tree) is, — he thereby makes
that thunderbolt, the sacrificial stake, a sharer (in the
sacrifice); and, the lord of the forest being Soma 2,
^ For the formulas used with this oblation, as well as the Svish/a-
kn't, see Haug, Transl. Ait. Br. pp. 95-96 n,otes.
^ Or, Soma being a tree (plant).
Ill KAA^DA, 8 ADHYAYA, 3 BRAHMAiVA, 36. 209
he thereby makes the victim to be Soma. And as
to his offering (to the tree) between the two oblations,
he thus fills both completely : therefore he offers
between the two oblations.
34. Thereupon, while pouring together the meat
portions that are for the upabhr/t, he says (to the
Hotri), * Recite (the invitatory prayer) to Agni
Svish/ak/'/t (the maker of good offering) !' Having
called for the K^raiisha/, he says (to the Maitra-
varu;2a), ' Prompt for Agni Svish/akr/t !' and offers
as the Vasha/ is pronounced.
35. With what is left of the offering of gravy, he
then sprinkles the quarters, with, 'The regions, —
the fore-regions, — the by-regions, — the inter-
mediate regions, — the upper regions, — to the
regions. Hail !' For the offering of gravy is sap :
thus he imbues all the regions with sap, and hence
sap is obtained here on earth in every region.
36. Thereupon he touches (what remains of) the
victim^: now is the time for the touching. And
whether he has touched it before, fearing ' those
(evil spirits) that hover near will tear it about,' or
whether he be not afraid" of its being torn about,
let him in any case now touch (the victim).
