In the legend of Manu and the Flood (I, 8, i, i seq.) I find it impossible to accept Prof. Delbrlick's conjecture, which Prof. Whitney thinks the best and only acceptable one, viz. that (in par. 4) the sentence ' j-aj-vad ha ^//asha asa, sa hi ^yesh//^am vardhate' is an interpolated gloss. My reason for not accepting it is the fact that the passage occurs likewise in the Ka7/va recension, and is thus authenticated for so comparatively early a period that the difficulty of accounting for the interpolation might be even greater than that of the interpretation of the passage itself. Pro- fessor Ludwig, in his kindly notice in ' Gottinger Gel. Anz.' 1883, proposes to take jai-vat in the sense of -navTca^ : ' It quite so (i. e. in accordance with the prediction) became a large fish.' Prof. Max Miiller has again translated this legend in his ' India, what can it teach us?' p. 134 seq., where he renders this passage by 'He became soon a large fish
Introduction. Xxxi
(^//asha), for such a fish grows largest.' I am still inclined to take ^/z as ha as the name of some kind of fish, real or mythic.
Professor Whitney once more discusses the vexed question as to the real meaning of ' Catavedas,' and thinks the trans- lation ' Wesen-kenner,' ' being-knower,' or ' he who knoweth [all] beings' to be unacceptable. He remarks that 'The word may, indeed, fairly be regarded as an obscure one : that is to say, it is very strange that an appellation so frequently applied to Agni should not have its meanings distinctly pointed out, either by its applicableness, or by parallel expressions used in the descriptions of the same god or in ascriptions made to him ; but no such explanation has been found obtainable from the Vedic writings.' It is no doubt a fact that at the time of Yaska — who (7, 19) proposes five different derivations of the term, the first of which is the one given above, viz. ^atani veda, ' he knows (the things) that are born' — the real meaning of the compound was unknown ; and even at the time of the hymns the epithet seems to have been understood in different ways. That the meaning ' knower of beings ' was, at any rate, one of those commonly assigned to ' 6^atavedas' by the Vedic poets, seems to me, however, sufficiently manifest from a number of parallel expressions used in reference to Agni, such as Rig- veda VI, 15, 13, visva. veda ^anima ^ataveda/^ \ ' 6^atavedas knows all races (or existences);' I, 70, i, a daivyani vrata /^ikitvan a manushyasya ^anasya ^anma, ' he who minds the divine ordinances, and the race of the human kind;' ib. 3, devanam ^anma marta;;^j- ka. vidvan, ' knowing the race of gods and the men;' I, 189, i, vij-vani vayunani vidvan, ' knowing all works ; ' ib. 7, tvam tan agna ubhayan v vidvan veshi, &c. On the other hand, in ^at. Br. IX, 5, i, 68, the term is explained by gdlain gkiaw vindate ; he takes possession of being after being, or of whatsoever is born. How easily terms such as 6^atavedas and Wesen-
^ See Grassmann, Worterbuch s. v. ; M. Bergaigne, III, 334, takes this passage to supply the etymology of the word.
XXXll 5'ATAPATHA-BRAHMAA'A.
kenner (knower of beings) may assume different meanings, may be seen from Mr. Peile's remark (Notes on the Nalo- pakhyanam, p. 23), ' G^atavedas, the Vedic epithet of Agni, is described as the " knower of the essence" (^ata), Grass- mann, Diet. s. v.'
For the first chapter of the third book, treating of the
ceremony of consecration, I have had the advantage of
avaihng myself of the German translation, published by
Dr. B. Lindner in his pamphlet, ' Die Dikshi,' Leipzig, 1878.
5ATAPATHA-BRAHMAA^A.
THIRD KANBA.
THE AGNISHTOMA.
THE DIKSHA, or CONSECRATION.
First Adhyaya. First BRAHMAivA.
1. They choose a place of worship. Let them
choose (the place) which lies highest, and above
which no other part of the ground rises ^ ; for it was
from thence that the gods ascended to heaven, and
he who is consecrated indeed ascends to the gods.
He thus sacrifices on a place of worship frequented
by the gods ; but were any other part of the ground
to rise above it, he would indeed be lowered while
sacrificing : let them therefore choose (the place)
which lies highest.
2. While being high, that place should be even ;
and being even, it should be firm ; and being firm,
it should incline towards the east, since the east is
the quarter of the gods ; or else it should incline
^ Abhi-ji, 'to lie or rise above,' with Say. Dr. Lindner takes bhume^ as abl., and translates 'whereon nothing but earth lies.' The Ka«va rec.has bhiime^ (g^ri-) likewise in the preceding clause : ' tad yad eva varshish//^am bhumes tad eva devaya^ana/« syad ya- tranyad bhumer nabhij-ayiteto vai deva, &c.' The gods evidently ascended to heaven from the highest spot of the earth, and so is the sacrificer to choose the highest available place. See Katy, VII, I, n scholl.; La/y. S. I, r, 17, 'na Hsya sthalataram (higher place) adiare syat.'
i-ATAPATHA-BRAHMAAA.
towards the north, since the north is the quarter of
men. It should rise somewhat towards the south,
that being the quarter of the Fathers. Were it to
incHne towards the south, the sacrifice would quickly
go to yonder world ; but in this way the sacrificer
lives long : let it therefore rise somewhat towards
the south.
3. Let not the measure of the sacrificial ground
be exceeded on the east side, since such an excess
would be in favour of his spiteful enemy. It may
be so in the south, and also in the north ; but that
place of worship alone is thoroughly efficient where
the measure of the sacrificial ground is exceeded in
the west ; for to him (who possesses such a one) the
higher^ worship of the gods readily inclines. So
much as to the place of worship.
4. Now Ya^;'^avalkya spake, — 'We went to
choose a place of worship for Varsh;/ya2. Satya-
y3.gn2i then said, "Verily, this whole earth is divine :
on whatever part thereof one may sacrifice (for any
^ Or 'subsequent;' a play on the word 'uttara,' which has the meanings * upper (superior), later, and left (north).' Dr. Lindner takes it in the sense of 'from the north.' Possibly uttara also refers to the Soma-altars (uttara vedi and uttara-vedi) to be prepared later on (see III, 5, i, i seq.) on the eastern part of the sacrificial ground.
2 The Kawva text reads,— Accordingly Ya^wavalkya spake, ' Var- sh«a intended to sacrifice (ayakshyata). Thus we went (ayama 1) to look for a place of worship.' He who is known as Satyaya^Tli said, ' Verily, this whole earth is divine : a place of worship there is wheresoever one sacrifices on it, after enclosing it with a ya^s.' And thus indeed he thought, but the officiating priests doubtless constitute the (real) place (medium) of worship: where wise (priests) perform the sacrifice in due form, there alone no failure takes place. That (other definition) is not the characteristic of the place of worship. (Without final iti.)
Ill KANDA, I ADHYAYA, 1 BRAHMAiVA, 7. 3
one), after enclosing (and consecrating) it with a sacrificial formula, there is a place of worship."
5. ' It is, however, the officiating priests that con-
stitute the place (or medium) of worship : whereso-
ever wise and learned Brahmans, versed in sacred
lore, perform the sacrifice, there no failure takes
place : that (place of worship) we consider the
nearest (to the gods)\'
6. On this (ground) they erect either a hall or
a shed, with the top-beams running from west to
east^; for the east is the quarter of the gods, and
from the east westwards the gods approach men :
that is why one offers to them while standing with
his face towards the east.
7. For this reason one must not sleep with his
^ That is to say, one who employs such skilled Brahmans for his officiating priests (ri'tvig) may use sacrificial ground of any description. Katy. VII, i, 18.
2 Pra/^ina-va7//ja (prag-vawzi-a, K.). The 'va;;/jas' are the horizontal beams supported by the four corner-posts. In the first place two cross-beams are fastened on the corner-posts, to serve as the lintels of the eastern and western doors. Across them tie-beams are then laid, running from west to east, on which mats are spread by way of a roof or ceiling. The term ' pra/^ina-va;«ja ' refers to these upper beams (upari-vawja), and especially to the central beam (pr/sh///a-vaOTi-a or madhyavala) the ends of which rest on the middle of the lintels of the eastern and western doors ; cf Saya«a on Taitt. S. I, 2, i (vol. i, pp. 279, 286); Katy. VII, 1,20 schoU. Inside the Frakma.-va?ns^ there is the Ahavaniya fire immediately facing the east door ; the Garhapatya fire facing the west door ; be- tween the two the altar ; and south of the latter the Dakshiwagni. The shed (vimita) is to be erected on the back (west) part of the sacrificial ground, after the roots have been dug up. It is described as a square structure of ten (or twelve) cubits, somewhat higher in front than at the back ; with doors on each side (except, optionally, on the north). The jala, or hall, is to measure twenty cubits by ten. Katy. VII, i, 19-24 comm.
i-ATAPATIIA-BRAHMAiVA.
head towards the west, lest he should sleep stretching
(his legs) towards the gods. The southern quarter
belongs to the Fathers ; and the western one to the
snakes ; and that faultless one is the one where the
gods ascended (to heaven) ; and the northern quarter
belongs to men. Hence in human (practice) a hall
or shed is constructed with the top-beams running
from south to north, because the north is the quarter
of men. It is only for a consecrated, not for an
unconsecrated person that it is (constructed) with
the top-beams running from west to east.
8. They enclose it on every side, lest it should
rain upon (the sacrificer, while being consecrated):
this, at least, is (the reason for doing so in) the
rainy season ^ He who is consecrated, truly draws
nigh to the gods, and becomes one of the deities.
Now the gods are secreted from men, and secret
also is what is enclosed on every side : this is why
they enclose it on every side.
9. Not every one may enter it, but only a Brah-
man, or a Ra^anya, or a Vai^ya, for these are able
to sacrifice.
10. Let him not commune with every one ; for he
who is consecrated draws nigh to the gods, and
becomes one of the deities. Now the grods do not
commune with every one, but only with a Brahman,
or a Ra^anya, or a Vaii-ya ; for these are able to
sacrifice. Should there be occasion for him to con-
verse with a .5'udra, let him say to one of those,
'Tell this one so and so! tell this one so and so!'
' (?) Iti nv eva varsha/z. The same particles occur III, 2, i, 11. The Ka72va text has, — 'lest it should freeze in winter, lest it should pour in the rainy season, and lest there should be burning heat in summer.'
Ill KAiVXiA, I ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMA2VA, 1 . 5
This is the rule of conduct for the consecrated in such a case.
11. In the first place, having taken the two
churning-sticks in his hand, he approves of the hall.
Taking hold of the chief post of the front (east) side,
he pronounces this sacrificial formula (Va^. S. IV, i),
'We have come to this place of worship on
earth, wherein all the gods delighted.' Thereby
that (place of worship) of his becomes acceptable to
all the gods, as well as to the learned Brahmans
versed in sacred lore ; and that (place of worship) of
his, which those Brahmans versed in sacred lore see
with their eyes, becomes acceptable to them.
1 2. And when he says, ' Wherein all the gods
delighted,' thereby it becomes acceptable for him to
all the gods. 'Crossing over by means of the
rik and saman, and by the ya^us;' by means of
the rik and saman, and the ya^is, indeed, they reach
the end of the sacrifice : ' May I reach the end of
the sacrifice!' he thereby says. 'May we rejoice
in increase of substance and in sap!' Increase
of substance doubtless means abundance, and abun-
dance means prosperity: he thereby invokes a bless-
ing. ' May we rejoice in sap,' he says, because people
say of one who enjoys prosperity and attains to the
highest distinction, that 'he rejoices in sap;' there-
fore he says, ' May we rejoice in sap!'
Second BRAHMAiVA.
