2. 'O Agni, thou art great! O priest (brahma;^a), O Bharata!' for Agni, indeed, is the brahman
^ Saumya adhvara is the common designation of the solemn Soma-sacrifice; hence, our author argues, the word adhvara is here used for sacrifice {ya.gna.) with a view to insure to this offering the efficacy of a Soma-sacrifice.
^ The invocations he now proceeds to recite, on the termination of the samidhenis or kindling verses, belong to the class of formulas called nigada. In the present case, they consist of the pravara mantra — or formula by which Agni is invited to assist the sacrificer as Hotr/ or Invoker on the present occasion, as he has of old assisted his ancestors (cf. the following note) — and of short detached formulas called nivid. Sayawa on Taitt. S. II, 5, 8.
I KANDA, 4 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMAiVA, 4. II5
(sacerdotium) : therefore he says ' O Brahma/2a !' —
' O Bharata' he says, because he (Agni) bears (bhar)
the oblation to the gods : therefore they say ' Agni
is bharata (the bearer).' Or, he, being the breath,
sustains (bhar) these creatures: therefore he says
'O Bharata (sustainer) !'
3. He now calls on (Agni as) the ancestral (Hotrz
priest) ^ He thereby introduces him both to the
J^ishis and to the gods (as if he were to say), ' Of
great vigour Is he who has obtained the sacrifice!'
This is the reason why he calls on (Agni as) the
ancestral (Hotr/).
4. He calls from the remote end (of the sacri-
^ Arsheyam pravr/nite, literally 'he chooses the ancestral' (r/shi). I take 'arsheyam' as a masculine adjective qualifying a supplied '(Agni/?/) hotaram.' In this way the formula is explained by Saya/zaon I, 5, i, 9 (r/shi;/aw sambandhinam adhvaryur hotara»z vn«ite), and this seems to me the most natural interpretation. It is true, however, that, as the formula ('he chooses the ancestral') became stereotyped, its exact import became forgotten, and arsheya was generally taken as a neuter, either adjective (viz. 'namadheyam,' 'apatyam') or noun (ancestral lineage). Agni is invoked as the one who has of old officiated as the Hotn of the sacrificer's ancestors, tliree or five ancestral names being usually mentioned : thus, in the case of a sacrificer belonging to the (?amadagna Vatsa family, claiming Bhngu,Aryavana,Apnavana,Aurva, and G^amadagni as its founders, Agni is invoked, on the present occasion, as 'Bhargava A'yavana Apnavana Aurva G^amadagna ! ' (Ajval. St. 12, 10, 6; Sayawa on Taitt. S. II, 5, 8). If the sacrificer be- longs to the Kshatriya or Vaijya castes, the priest substitutes for the sacrificer's ancestors those of his family priest (purohita) or his spiritual guide (guru); and in the case of kings the same course was adopted, or the names of their royal r/shi ancestors (ra^arshi) were chosen. As to the second pravara, or the election of the human Hotr/, for the present sacrifice, see I, 5, i, i. Cf. Max Miiller, History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature, p. 386 seq.; A.Weber, Ind. Stud. IX, 321 seq.; X, 78 seq. ; M. Haug, Aitar. Br,, Translation, p. 479.
Il6 S-ATAPATHA-BRAHMAiVA.
fleer's ancestral line) downwards ; for it is from the
remote end downwards that a race is propagated.
He (the Hotrz) also thereby propitiates the lord of
seniority for him (the Sacrificer) ; for here among
men the father comes first, then the son, and then
the grandson : this is the reason why he calls from
the remote end downwards.
5. Having named (him as) the ancestral one, he
says, ' (thou wert) kindled by the gods, kindled by
Manu ;' for in olden times the gods did kindle him :
for this reason he says 'kindled by the gods;' and
'kindled by Manu' he says, because in olden times
Manu did kindle him : for this reason he says
' kindled by Manu.'
6. He continues, ' Praised by the Tt/shis (wert
thou) ;* for in olden times the Tv/shis did praise him :
for this reason he says ' praised by the T^/shis.'
7. Further, 'Gladdened by bards (vipra);' for
those bards, the J^ishis, indeed gladdened him : for
this reason he says ' gladdened by bards.'
8. Further, 'Celebrated by sages (kavi);' for
those sages, the y?/shis, indeed celebrated him : this
is why he says ' celebrated by sages.'
9. Further, ' Sharpened by the brahman (the Veda
or vedic formulas),' for he is indeed sharpened by
the brahman; — -'the receiver of butter-offerings,' for
he is indeed the receiver of butter-offerines.
10. Further, 'The leader of oblations (ya^/7a), the
carrier of (Soma-)sacrifices (adhvara),' for through
him they lead forward all oblations, both the domestic
oblations and the others : this is why he says ' the
leader of oblations.'
11. 'The carrier (rathi) of sacrifices;' for being a cart (as it were) he conveys the sacrifice to the"
I Kanda, 4 Adhyaya, 2 Brahmaa^a, 1 6. Ii7
gods : this is the reason why he says ' the carrier of sacrifices.'
12. Further, 'The unsurpassed Hotrz, the sur-
passing bearer of oblations ;' for him the Rakshas
do not surpass (tar): for this reason he says 'the
unsurpassed (attarta) Hot/^zV 'The surpassing
(thrjil, rather 'swift') bearer of oblations,' for he
overcomes (tar) every evil : therefore he says ' the
surpassing bearer of oblations^'
13. Further, 'The mouth-vessel", the offering-
spoon of the gods;' for he, Agni, is indeed the vessel
of the gods : therefore they make offerings in Agni
to all the gods, he being the vessel of the gods. And,
verily, whosoever knows this, obtains the vessel of
him whose vessel he desires to obtain^.
14. Further, 'The cup from which the gods
drink;' for from him, being (as it were) a cup,
the gods drink (the Soma-libations) : for this reason
he says ' the cup from which the gods drink.'
15. Further, 'Thou, O Agni! dost encompass
the gods, as the felly the spokes ;' 'in the same
way in which the felly on all sides encompasses
the spokes, so dost thou on all sides encompass
the gods,' this is what he thereby says.
16. ' Bring hither the gods for the sacrificer!' this he says in order that he (Agni) may bring the gods
^ At this point of the recitation a pause is made, during which (as already partly during the preceding recitation) the Adhvaryu and Agnidhra engage in the acts detailed in I, 4, 4, 13 seq. Cf. Hillebrandt, Neu und Vollm, p. 81.
^ As-patram: the fire is, as it were, the vessel into which the sacrificial food is thrown and from which it is eaten by the gods.
^ ? Saya«a supplies * food :' he obtains the vessel of that food of which he wishes to obtain the vessel.
I I 8 ^ATAPATHA-BRAHMAJVA.
to this sacrificed — ' Bring Agni hither, O Agni !' this
he says in order that he may bring Agni to the
butter-portion intended for Agni. — ' Bring Soma
hither!' this he says in order that he may bring
Soma to the butter-portion intended for Soma. —
'Bring Agni hither!' this he says in order that
he (Agni) may bring Agni hither to that indis-
pensable- cake which is offered to Agni on both
occasions (at the new and the full-moon sacrifices).
1 7. And (in the same way) according to the
respective deities^ He then continues, ' Bring
hither the butter-drinking gods!' this he says in
order that he may bring hither the prayagas and
anuyagas (fore and after-offerings), for the prayagas
and anuyigas (represent) indeed the butter-drinking
gods. — ' Bring Agni hither for the Hot;7ship!' this
he says in order that he may bring Agni hither for
the office of Hot;'/. — ' Your own greatness bring
hither!' this he says in order that he (Agni) may
^ Here begins what is called the devatanam avahanam, or invitation (lit. bringing) of the deities to the oblations. Whilst the Hot;-/ recites these formulas, the Adhvaryu performs what is set forth in I, 4, 5, 2 seq.
^ AX'yuta, lit. ' not fallen,' i. e. immutable, invariable. For the legendary explanation of this epithet of Agni and his oblation, see I, 6, I, 6 ; 2, 5-6.
' The three preceding invocations are used alike at the new and full-moon sacrifices, but the subsequent ones differ according to the oblations that are made, viz. a rice-cake to Indra-Agni (or an oblation of mixed milk and butter to Indra) at the new-moon ceremony; and to Agni-Soma at the full-moon sacrifice. Pre- viously to these an upa///.fuya^a or 'low-voiced oblation ' is made by some to Agni-Soma at the full moon, and one to Vishwu (or to Agni-Soma) at the new- moon sacrifice; according to others also one to Pra^apati, — the names of the gods being whispered in the respective formulas.
I KANDA, 4 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMAiVA, 1 9. II9
bring hither his own greatness ; his own greatness,
in truth, is his voice : hence he says it in order that
he may bring hither his voiced — ' Bring thou hither
(the gods), O G^atavedas-, and offer up a good
oftering!' what deities he bids him bring hither,
with regard to those (deities) he thereby says
* bring them hither!' When he says, 'offer up a
good offering!' he means to say, 'sacrifice in the
proper order!'
18. He recites (the invitatory prayer)^ while stand-
ing, since it is yonder (sky) which he thereby
recites ; for, indeed, the invitator}' prayer (signifies)
yonder (sky), and by it he recites that which is
yonder (sky). This is the reason why he recites
standing.
19. The offering-prayer 3 he pronounces while
sitting, since the offering-prayer (represents) this
(earth) : hence no one pronounces the offering-
prayer while standing ; for the offering-pra}er is
^ Saya//a on Taitt. S. II, 5, 9 explains the formula 'Bring hither the own greatness' by 'bring hither whatever greatness or power is peculiar to each of the havis-eating gods,' and he remarks expressly that it is not to be referred to Agni, as our author certainly appears to do. Cf. I, 7, 3, 13.
- 6^atavedas probably means 'he who knoweth (all) beings,' but it is more generally explained by ' he who possesseth riches (or wisdom),' not to mention other interpretations. Acording to Haug, Ait. Br. vol. ii. p. 224. the proper meaning of the term is ' having possession of all that is born. i. e. pervading it.' He further mentions that the i?/shis are quite familiar with the idea of the fire being an all-pervading power; and that by Gatavedas the ' animal fire' is particularly to be understood. Our present fonnula ' a ita vaha ^^^ataveda/; suya^a H yii^x ' somewhat diifers from the corresponding formula of the TaitL S. II, 5, 9, 5, ' a -^agne devan vaha suya^ ia. yag^ gataveda/i.'
^ For the anuvakya or invitatory prayer, and the ya^ya or oflfermg-prayer, see p. 135 note.
1 20 ^-ATAPATHA-BRAHMAiSTA,
this earth, and by it he pronounces that which is
this (earth). This is the reason why he pronounces
the offering-prayer while sitting.
Third BRAHMAisrA.
1. The fire that has been kindled by means of the
kindling verses, assuredly, blazes more brightly than
any other fire ; for, indeed, it is unassailable, unap-
proachable.
2. And in like manner as the fire blazes when
kindled by means of the kindling verses, so also
blazes the priest (brahma;^a) that knows and re-
cites the kindling verses ; for, indeed, he is unas-
sailable, unapproachable.
3. He recites, 'Pra va//^;' for the (word) pri;2a
contains the syllable pra ('forwards;' or, is directed
forwards): hence it is the pra;/a (out-breathing)
which he kindles by this (the first s^midheni). [He
further recites the second verse], ' Come hidier,
Agni, to expand!' the backward breathing (apa-
na)-, doubtless, is of this nature: the backward
breathing he accordingly kindles with this (verse).
Further (in the third verse), ' Shine forth, O
youngest, brilliantly!' the high-flaming one^, indeed,
is the upward breathing (udana): the upward
^ The first two words of the first samidheni, cf. p. loi note. A mystic meaning is obtained for them by our author com- bining them and identifying the form obtained with the adjective pravant, meaning both ' containing the syllable pra' and 'directed forwards,' both of which meanings apply to the breathing-forlh or expiration (pra«a, cf. I, i, 3, 2).
''■ Bahir nirgatasya vayor atmabhimukhi vr/ttir hy apana//, udana- vayur dehasyotkshepawad adhikate^j^oyukia//. Sayawa.
^ The author apparently takes br /ha X-XV^o /(•;!(//) as a compound.
I KANDA, 4 ADHYAYA, 3 BRAHMAiVA, 8. 121
breathing he accordingly kindles with this (the third verse).
4. Further, * Sa na/i prithu i-ravayyam^,' the
' far-hearing one,' indeed, is the ear, for it is with
the ear that one hears here far or widely : the ear
he accordingly kindles with this (the fourth verse).
5. Further, 'Praiseworthy he, adorable;' the
praiseworthy^ one, doubtless, is the voice ; for it is
the voice which praises everything here ; by the
voice everything is praised here : he accordingly
kindles the voice with this (the fifth verse).
6. Further, ' Yea, as a horse that bears (to) the
gods ; ' that which conveys to the gods is indeed
the mind, for it is the mind which chiefly conveys
the wise man (to the gods) : the mind he accordingly
kindles with this (the sixth verse).
7. Further, 'O Agni, thee, that brightly shines!'
the eye, assuredly, shines : the eye he accordingly
kindles by this (the seventh verse).
8. Further, ' Agni we choose for messenger,^ —
what central breath there is (in the body), that he
kindles with this (the eighth verse) : that one indeed
is the internal motive force of the breathings ;
from it (two) others tend upwards, and from it (two)
others tend downwards, for it is indeed the internal
motive force. And whosoever knows that internal
motive force of the breathings, him they regard- as
the internal motive force.'