^ On the frequent symbolical employment of the metres in the ritual, as the embodiment of supreme harmony and the eflicacy of prayer, see Weber, Ind. Stud. VIII, 8 seq. The three principal Vedic metres are the gayatri (three times eight syllables), the trish/ubh (four times eleven syllables), and the ^agati (four times twelve syllables) ; and three anuya^as there are at these sacrifices, viz. to the barhis or sacrificial grass, to Narai-awsa and Agni Svish- /akrz't respectively. In the present instance (see par. 16) the trish- /ubh and ^agati metres are taken together as one, and as a fourth is added the anush/ubh (four times eight syllables).
I KANDA, 3 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMAA^A, 1 4. 8 1
in the dhruva, he takes it for the whole sacrifice, and
all this he takes in the form of butter without mak-
ing any announcement. To whom indeed should he
announce it, since he cuts it off for all the deities ?
He therefore takes it in the form of butter without
making any announcement.
11. Now the sacrificer stands behind the ^uhu,
and he who means evil to him stands behind
the upabhrz't. The eater stands behind the^uhii,
and what (or, he who) is to be eaten stands behind
the upabhrz't. And the^uhta, indeed, is the eater,
and the upabh?^n is that which is to be eaten. In
the ^^uhii he takes four times (with the sruva), and
in the upabhr/t eight times.
12. Now when he takes four times (butter) in the
^uh<i, he thereby makes the eater more limited,
smaller ; and when he takes eight times in the
upabh;'/t, he makes that which is to be eaten more
unlimited, more abundant : for a flourishing con-
dition indeed exists where the eater is smaller and
that which is to be eaten more abundant.
13. In taking four times in the ^uhu, he takes
(altogether) more butter, and in taking eight times
in the upabhm he takes less butter.
14. For when, in taking four times (butter with
the sruva) in the ^uhu, he takes more butter, he
thereby, in making the eater more limited, smaller,
imparts vigour and strength to him. And when, in
taking eight times in the upabhrz't, he takes less
butter, he thereby, in making that which (or, him
who) is to be eaten more unlimited, more abundant,
makes it (or, him) vigourless and weaker. And thus
a king who has established himself among a number-
less people, subdues them even from a single dwelling,
82 ^ATAPATHA-BRAHMAiVA.
and takes possession of whatever he Hkes ^ : with that
very same energy (the Adhvaryu acts) when he takes
a greater quantity of butter in the^^uhil. Now what
he takes in the ^uhil, that he offers with the ^^uh(i ;
and what he takes in the upabhrz't, that also he
offers with the^uhu.
15. And in reference to this point they say:
'Wherefore then is he to take it in the upabhr/t, if
he does not offer it with the upabhrn ?' Now, if he
were to offer it with the u pabhrz t, those subjects (of
the king) would assuredly become separated from
him, nor would there be either an eater or what is
to be eaten. When, on the other hand, he pours
(the butter) together and thus offers it with the
£-\ih(X, thereby the people pay tribute to the Ksha-
triya. Hence by what he takes in the upabhrz't,
the Vaii-ya (man of the people), under the rule of
the Kshatriya, becomes possessed of cattle; and
when he pours (the butter) together and offers it
with the ^uhtj, thereby the Kshatriya, whenever
he likes, says, ' Hallo Vai.fya, just bring to me what
thou hast stored away !' Thus he both subdues him
and obtains possession of anything he wishes by
dint of this very energy.
16. These butter-portions, then, are taken for the
metres. Now what he takes in the oxLhd (by ladling)
four times (with the sruva), that he takes for the
gayatri; and what he takes in the upabhr/t (by
ladling) eight times, that he takes for the trish/ubh
and^agati; and what he takes in the dhruva (by
' Tasmad uta ra^aparaw/ vis^m pravasaySpy ekavejmanaiva ('by one who has a single dwelling, i.e. by himself," Sayawa) ^inati tvad yatha tvat kaniayate tatha sa^'ate. The MS. of the Kawva text has : 'Tasmat kshatriyo ra^otaparad vijam pravasaya ^inati tvad yatha tva(t) kamayate tat karoti.'
I KANDA, 3 ADHYAYA, 3 BRAHMAiVA, I. 83
ladling) four times, that he takes for the anush/ubh.
For the anush/ubh is speech, and from speech all
this (universe) springs : hence it is from the dhruva
that the whole sacrifice originates. The anush/ubh
also is this (earth), and from it all this (universe)
originates: hence it is from the dhruva that the
whole sacrifice originates.
17. He takes (butter with the sruva), with the
text (Va^. S. I, 31), 'Verily, thou art the favourite
resort (or, dainty) of the gods!' He thereby makes
that butter the most favourite resort of the gods : for
this reason he says, ' verily, thou art the favourite
resort of the gods!' — 'An unassailable means of
worship!' the butter is indeed a thunderbolt: there-
fore he says, 'an unassailable means of worship!'
18. Once he puts (butter with the sruva) into the
^ihu with this formula, three times silently. With
the same formula he puts (butter) once into the
upabhrz't, seven times silently. With the same for-
mula he puts once (butter) into the dhruva, three
times silently. Now, as to this, they say, 'Thrice he
should take with the formula in each case, for three-
fold is the sacrifice.' Nevertheless (it is done) only
once with each (spoon), for it is just in this way that
the taking thrice (with a formula) is accomplished.
Third BRAHMAiVA.
I. The Adhvaryu takes the sprinkling-water, and
sprinkles in the first place the fire-wood \ with the
^ The fire-wood had been brought by the Agnidhra and laid down on the altar. The Adhvaryu now unties and sprinkles it. [Before doing so he has, as usual, to ask and obtain the permission of the Brahman. The same is the case in regard to the bar his, but not in regard to the altar.] Katy. II, 7, 19.
84 5ATAPATHA-BRAHMAiVA.
text (Va^. S. II, i), 'A black deer, living in the
den, art thou^ ; I sprinkle thee, agreeable to Agni !'
He thereby makes it sacrificially pure for Agni,
2. He then sprinkles the altar, with the text (Va^.
S. II, i), ' Thou art the altar ; I sprinkle thee, agree-
able to the barhis (sacrificial-grass covering)!' He
thereby makes it sacrificially pure fi^r the grass
covering.
3. He (the Agnidhra) then hands the sacri-
ficial grass ^ to him (the Adhvaryu). The latter
puts it down (on the altar) with the knot turned
to the east, and sprinkles it, with the text (Vaj^. S.
II, i), 'Barhis art thou! I sprinkle thee, agree-
able to the spoons!' He thereby makes it sacri-
ficially pure for the spoons.
4. Thereupon he pours the sprinkling-water
* ? Akhare-shMa; it probably has a double meaning in this place, viz. 'that whirn dwells in a den (akhara)' and 'that which has its place on the hearth (khara).'
• ^ ' At the beginning of the sacrifice the Adhvaryu makes of the load of Darbha or sacred grass, which has been brought to the sacrificial compound, seven mush/is or bunches, each of which is tied together with a stalk of grass, just as the Baresma (Barsom) of the Parsis. The several names of these seven bunches are, i. Ya^amanamush/i, the bunch kept by the sacrificer himself in his hand as long as the sacrifice lasts. 2. Three bunches from the Barhis, or the covering of the Vedi on which the sacrificial vessels are put. These are unloosened and spread all over the Vedi. 3. Prastara. This bunch, which must remain tied, is put over the Darbha of the Vedi. 4. Paribho^ani. From this bunch the Adhvaryu takes a handful out for each priest, and the sacrificer and his wife, which they then use for their seat. 5. The Veda. This bunch is made double in its first part ; the latter part is cut off and has to remain on the Vedi ; it is called parivasana. The Veda itself is always wandering from one priest to the other, and is given to the sacrificer and his wife. It is handed over to the latter only when one of the priests makes her recite a mantra.' Ilaug's translation of the Ait. Br. p. 79.
I KANDA, 3 ADHYAYA, 3 BRAHMAiVA, 7. 85
which is left on the roots of the (grass) plants, with
the text (Va^. S. II, 2), 'A moistening art thou for
Aditi !' Aditi, indeed, is this earth ; hence it is for
the latter that he thus moistens the roots of the
plants : thereby these plants become root-moistened ;
and even if their tops are dry, their roots at least
remain moist.
5. Having thereupon untied the knot, he takes
the prastara bunch from the front (of the barhis),
with the text (Va^. S. II, 2), ' Vish;m's crest art
thou!' Vish;m, namely, is the sacrifice, and this
(the prastara) is his top-knot or crest: this he
thereby makes it at this sacrificed From the front
he takes it, because this top-knot also is (worn) on
the front (of the head) : for this reason he takes
it from the front.
6. He then undoes the band (of the barhis), ' His
(the sacrificer's) wife is sure to bring forth without
difificulty^,' thinking thus he undoes the band. He
puts it down on the right hip (of the altar) ; for this
represents his (the sacrificer's) waist-band, and it is
on the right side that the waist-band is (tied) : this
is the reason why he puts it down on the right hip.
He again covers it over (with sacrificial grass) ; for
the waist-band also is covered (by the upper gar-
ment) : for this reason he again covers it.
7. He now spreads the barhis (on the altar). For the prastara is the top-knot; and this other
^ Because, according to Sayawa, it lies on the front, or eastern side of the altar, near the Ahavaniya fire, and men also wear their top- knot (in the form of a ball or Imiip) on the fore-part of their head. The prastara he hands to the Brahman-priest. Katy. II, 7, 22.
2 Prak/z'ptam; Sayawa takes it in the sense of 'a completely formed (child).'
S6 ^ATAPATHA-BRAHMAJVA.
sacrificial grass is for this (sacrifice) what other hair
there is below that (top-knot, viz. the beard, &c.) : —
that (hair) he thereby puts on it, and for this reason
he spreads the barhis.
8. Now the altar (vedi, fern.) is a woman, and
around her sit the gods and those priests who have
studied and teach revealed lore ^ ; and as they thus
sit around her, he makes her not naked : hence it
is in order to avoid nudity (on her or the altar's
part) that he spreads the barhis.
9. As large as the altar is, so large is the earth ;
and the plants (are represented by) the barhis;
so that he thereby furnishes the earth with plants ;
and those plants are firmly established in this earth :
for this reason he spreads the barhis.
I o. H ere now they say, ' Let him strew abundantly ;
for where the plants are most abundant on her, there
the means of subsistence are most amply afforded
by her: let him therefore strew abundantly!' It is
in favour of him (the sacrificer) who procures (the
sacrificial grass), then, (that this is done.) He strews
it threefold -, for threefold is the sacrifice. Or he
may also spread it whilst lifting up (the tops) ^ ; for
^ 'Around her on the south sit the gods and those man-gods (manushyadeva/i), the priests who have studied and teach revealed lore.' Kawva recension.
^ Viz. in three layers, one beside the other, each consisting of one handful of grass. He first spreads a layer on the east side from the southern to the northern shoulder of the altar, with the tops of the blades turned towards the east ; then a second one west of it, so as to cover the roots of the first with the tops of the second layer ; and in the same way a third one on the west side of the altar. If he thinks fit, he may make more than three layers, but their number shouKl be uneven. Katy. II, 7, 22-26 (schol.).
^ That is to say, he is to begin on the west side, and in laying down the successive layers, he is to lift up (with a stick or some
I KANDA, 3 ADHYAYA, 3 BRAHMAiVA, 1 3. S"/
it has been said by the seer (Va^. S. VII, 32), 'They
spread the barhis continuously.' He spreads it
with the roots below (the tops); for it is with their
roots below that those plants are firmly established
in this earth : for this reason he spreads it with the
roots below.
11. He spreads it, with the text (Va^. S. II, 2),
' I spread thee, soft as wool, pleasant to sit upon
for the gods ! ' — when he says ' thee, soft as wool,' he
thereby means to say 'agreeable to the gods;' and
by ' pleasant to sit upon for the gods,' he means to
say ' forming a good seat for the gods.'
12. He now trims the fire ^ The Ahavaniya,
doubtless, is the head of the sacrifice, for the head
is the fore-part ^ : that fore-part of the sacrifice he
thereby trims. He trims it while holding the
prastara (which he has received back from the
Brahman) close over it; for the prastara is the
top-knot, and it is this which he thereby puts on
it : for this reason he trims (the fire) while holding
the prastara close over it.
13. He then lays the (three) enclosing-sticks
(paridhi) around (the fire). The reason why he
lays the enclosing-sticks around (is this). When
at first the gods chose Agni for the office of Hotri,
he said : ' Verily, I am not equal to this, that I
should be your Hotrz, and that I should carry your
oblation. Already you have chosen three before,