^ I adopt the interpretation of Harisvamin, who translates avirk/iet by adhaA patet. The St. Petersb. Diet, apparently proposes 'he would unharness them, as he would unharness a horse (or team).' According to Harisvamin, the author here con- troverts the view of the A'arakas (/^arakai'ruti), who apparently taught that the (symbolical) unharnessing of the spoons should succeed their being laid down on the yoke; while our author maintains that the unharnessing should precede the laying down.
2 The author now proceeds to give in detail the formulas to be recited by the Hot;-?' during the ceremonies treated in the pre- ceding Brahmawa (see p. 236, note 2); pars. 1-23 treating of the sfiktavaka; pars. 24-29 of th: -aniyuvaka.
248 5'ATAPATHA-BRAHMAA\\.
the human one is called upon for the song of praise
(sukta-vaka);'andwhen the Hotrz thereupon recites,
he recites good words only ^ : he thereby invokes
a blessing on the sacrificer. It is indeed after the
sacrifice that he thus invokes a blessing. A twofold
reason there is for his invoking the blessing after
the sacrifice.
2. He who sacrifices, assuredly, is the producer
of the sacrifice, since it is by his order that the
priests spread it, that they produce it. He (the
Hotr^*) now invokes a blessing; and that blessing
invoked by him, the sacrifice, on its part, realises
for this (sacrificer), knowing as it does that he has
produced it. For this reason he invokes a blessing
after the sacrifice.
3. He who sacrifices, assuredly, pleases the gods.
Having pleased the gods by that sacrifice, — that is,
partly by 7?zk-verses, partly by Ya^is-formulas, and
partly by oblations, — he obtains a share among them.
When he has obtained a share among them, then
(the Hotrz) invokes a blessing (on him) ; and that
blessing, invoked by him, the gods realise for this
(sacrificer), knowing as they do that he has pleased
them. For this reason also he invokes a blessinfj
after the sacrifice.
4. He intones^, — 'Successful this has turned out^
O heaven and earth — ,' for successful indeed it has
turned out, when one has completed the sacrifice. —
' We have completed the song of praise, and the
^ Sftktaiva tad aha, which the commentator paraphrases by suktany aha. It is apparently intended as an explanation of the term siiktavaka. The word sukta here has exceptionally the accent on the penultimate.
'^ See p. 240, note 2. The formulas are given Taitt. Br. Ill, 5, 10; Ajv. -S. I, 9, I.
I Kanda, 9 Adhyaya, I Brahmaa^a, 5. 249
Utterance of worship \' for indeed these two, the
singing of praises and the utterance of worship,
form the sacrifice : and accordingly he thereby says,
' We have accomplished the sacrifice, we have ob-
tained possession of the sacrifice. — ' Thou, O Agni,
art the voice of praise at the listening ^ of heaven
and earth,' he thereby says to Agni, ' Thou art the
voice of praise, while heaven and earth listen.' — ' May
heaven and earth be propitious to thee, O sacrificer,
at this sacrifice ! ' whereby he says, ' May heaven
and earth abound in food for thee, O sacrificer, at
this sacrifice.'
5. ' They, propitious to the cattle ^ profuse in gifts,' he thereby says, ' May they both be propitious to the cattle, and profuse in gifts.' — ' They, the fear- less and inscrutable ^ ; ' he thereby says, ' Mayest thou not be afraid of anybody ; may no one obtain before thee this thy wealth !'
^ ' Suktavakam uta namovakam.' Our author seems to refer these terms to the Rik-wevses and the Ya^us-formulas used during the sacrifice. Saya«a, on Taitt. S. II, 6, 9, takes 'namovaka' in a more restricted sense, viz. as referring to the formula ' namo deve- bhya)^.' Both the Black Ya^ur-veda and A^v. S. add 'r/dhyasma sukto/^yam,' which has probably to be taken in the sense of ' May we accomplish that which is expressed in the suktas.' [Sayawa, ' May we succeed with the siakta yet to be pronounced.']
2 For upa^ruti the Black Ya^ur-veda has upaj-rito, which
Saya«a explains, 'Since thou art established in heaven and earth,
thou art able to recite the siikta.'
2 .Sawgavi seems to be a corruption of -Sawgayi (propitious to the household), which is the reading of the Black Ya^ur-veda and Ajv. 6*. (cf. Rig-veda IX, 97, 17).
* ? Apravede, according to Sayawa, on Taitt. S. I; i, 13, in an active sense, 'they who do not tell of, do not betray, our faults' (hence 'verschwiegen,' reticent, discreet, St. Petersb. Diet.) 'Diffi- cult to obtain,' Harisvamin. Our author apparently takes it in the sense of ' not obtained before.'
250 SATAPATHA-BRAHMAiVA.
6. 'They, of wide abode, the afforders of safety;'
he thereby says, 'May they both be possessed of
wide abodes and exempt from danger.' — ' They,
the rain-skied, the water-pouring,' he thereby says,
' May they both be possessed of rain.'
7. ' They, the genial and beneficent;' he thereby
says, ' May they both be genial and beneficent' —
' They, the rich in sap and substance ; ' he thereby
says, ' May they both abound in moisture and afford
the means of subsistence.'
8. ' They, of easy access and good abode ; '
he thereby says, ' May yonder (sky), which thou
approachest from below, afford thee easy access ;
may this (earth) on which thou abidest (or movest)
afford thee good abode.' — 'With their knowledge — ,'
thereby he says, ' Both of these approving — '
9. ' Agni has graciously accepted this oblation,
he has grown in strength, he has acquired greater
power,' he thereby refers to Agni's butter-portion. —
' Soma has graciously accepted this oblation, he has
grown in strength, he has acquired greater power,'
he thereby refers to Soma's butter-portion. — ' Agni
has graciously accepted this oblation, he has grown in
strength, he has acquired greater power,' he thereby
refers to the indispensable cake which is (offered) on
both occasions (the new and full-moon sacrifice).
10. And in the same way according to the re-
spective deities. ' The butter-drinking gods have
graciously accepted the butter, they have grown in
strength, they have acquired greater power;' thereby
he refers to the fore-offerings and after-offerings ; for
the butter-drinking gods truly are the fore-offerings
and after-offerings. — 'Agni, by virtue of his Hotrz-
ship, has graciously accepted this oblation, he has
I KANDA, 9 ADHYAYA, I BRAHMA A^A, I 3. 25 I
grown In strength, he has acquired greater power;'
thereby he refers to Agni, in virtue of his Hotrzship.
With 'has graciously accepted' he thus enumerates
those deities to whom offering has been made : in
saying ' Such a one has graciously accepted the
oblation, such a one has graciously accepted the
oblation,' he accordingly prays for the accomplish-
ment of the sacrifice ; for whatever oblation the gods
graciously accept, by that he gains great things :
hence he says, ' (he) has graciously accepted it.'
And ' (he) has grown in strength ' he says, because
what the gods delight in, they make mountain high :
for this reason he says ' (he) has increased.'
11. '(He) has acquired (lit. made for himself)
greater power ' he says ; for assuredly the power
of the gods is the sacrifice : it is the latter therefore
which they make still greater; and for this reason he
says '(he) has acquired greater power.'
12. ' May he prosper In this sacrifice which goes to
the gods !' he thereby says, ' May he be successful in
this sacrifice which goes to the gods.' — ' Thus prays
this sacrificer, N. N. ^;' here he gives the name, and
thereby makes him directly successful in his prayer.
13. 'He prays for long life,' what there (viz. at
the Invocation of the i^a)^ was (called implicitly)
' future worship of the gods,' that is here (called)
expressly ' long life.'
^ Asv. S. reads twice asau 'N.N., N.N.;' and the commentary remarks that the Hot;-/ has here to pronounce both the ordinary name of the sacrificer, and his nakshatra name (i. e. the mystic name given him for the duration of the sacrifice, and derived from the respective lunar mansion, or its tutelary deity). This practice was probably not yet in vogue in the time of our author. Cf Weber, Nakshatra II, p. 316 seq.
'^ See I, 8, I, 30 seq.
252 DATAPATH A-BRAHMAJVA.
14. 'He prays for abundant offspring,' — what then
was ' more abundant offering,' that is here expressly
* abundant offspring.' He who proceeds in this way
will ensure dominion. He may, however, say, * He
prays for future worship of the gods,' for thereby
(he ensures) long life, offspring, cattle ^
15. 'He prays for more abundant offering,' thereby
(he prays for) that same object. ' He prays for
dominion over his co-evals (or countrymen);' — his
co-evals, doubtless, are his vital airs, for he is born
along with his vital airs : hence he thereby prays
for vital airs.
16. 'He prays for a heavenly abode;' — he who
sacrifices assuredly sacrifices with the desire that
there may be for him also (a place) in the world of
the gods : he thereby confers on him a share in the
world of the gods 2. 'May he obtain, may he
accomplish what he prays for through this offering!'
he thereby says, ' May all, that he prays for through
this offering, be fulfilled to him !'
1 7. These five prayers for blessings he offers now,
and three (he offered) at the i^a, these are eight.
Of eight syllables, truly, consists the gayatri metre,
and the gdyatri means vigour : hence he thereby
imparts vigour to the prayers.
1 8. Let him not offer more than these ; for if he
offered more, he would do what is in excess ; and
what is in excess at the sacrifice, that remains over
^ The ritual of the Black Ya^ur-veda (Taitt. Br. Ill, 5. 10; Taitt. S. II, 6, 9, 7) and the Asv. S. prescribe both these formulas. The order of formulas also, as there given, differs somewhat from that of our work.
^ The Black Ya^ur-veda and Ajv. 5". insert here, ' lie prays for all that is dear to him.'
I KANDA, 9 ADFIYAYA, I BRAHMAiVA, 21. 253
for the benefit of his spiteful enemy : hence he should not offer more (prayers) than these.
19. Even less, — seven (he may offer) \ — 'May
the gods vouchsafe him that!' he thereby says,
* May the gods grant him that.' — ' May the god
Agni solicit that from the gods, we men from Agni — ,'
he thereby says, ' May the god Agni solicit that
from the gods, and we will then solicit it for this
(sacrificer) from Agni — '
20. ' — What was searched for and found 2;' they
indeed searched for the sacrifice, and found it : there-
fore he says, 'what was searched for and found.' —
And 'may both heaven and earth guard this one
(en am) from anxiety!' he thereby says, ' may both
heaven and earth protect him from suffering.'
2 1. Here now some say, 'And may both heaven
and earth guard me (ma 2) . . . ,' arguing that in this
way the Hotr^" does not exclude himself from the
benediction. Let him not, however, say this ; for,
surely, the benediction at the sacrifice is for the
sacrificer : what then have the officiating priests to
do with it ? Whatever blessing the officiating priests
invoke at the sacrifice, that is for the sacrificer only.
On the other hand, whoever says, 'and may both
heaven and earth guard me . . . ,' does not establish
^ That is, if he chooses to omit the second formula mentioned in par, 14.
^ ' Ish/aw ks. v'lttzm ka..' This is also the reading of the Asv. S. (P'What was wished for and obtained'). The Ka«va text reads ' ish/a7« H vittaw /^abhut.' Our author seems here to refer to the legend in I, 5, 2, 6 seq., or to that in I, 6, 2, i seq. The reading of the Black Ya^us, ish/a;« ka. vitaw X'a, 'what has been offered up and accepted (eaten by the gods),'is probably the original and correct one.
^ The Kaz/va recension, the Black Ya^ur-veda, and Asv. S. read no, 'us.'
2 54 5ATAPATHA-BRAHMAiVA.
that blessing anywhere : let him therefore say, ' and may both heaven and earth guard this one. . . .'
2 2. 'Hither lies the course of any boon;' he
thereby makes over to this (sacrificer) whatever is
excellent in the sacrifice : for this reason he says,
' hither lies the course of any boon.'
23. 'And this adoration (shall be offered) to the
gods!' having attained the completion of the sacrifice,
he thereby renders adoration to the gods : for this
reason he says, ' and this adoration to the gods !'
24. Thereupon he pronounces the 'All-hail and
blessing' (i-am-yos)\ Now it was 6'amyu Barhas-
patya who perceived, in its true nature, the con-
summation of the sacrifice. He went to share in
the world of the gods. Thereupon that (knowledge)
was entirely lost to men.
25. It then became known to the 7?/shis, that 6amyu
B^rhaspatya had perceived, in its true nature, the
consummation of the sacrifice, and had gone to share
in the world of the gods. By pronouncing the sam-
yo/i, they attained to that same consummation of the
sacrifice which ^Samyu Barhaspatya had perceived ;
and to that same consummation of the sacrifice,
which vSamyu Barhaspatya had perceived, this (Hot;-/)