^ Katy. has the rules IV, 6,11: 'In the case of one, who only performs the Agnihotra (and no longer the Dar^'apfnv/amasa), the evening and morning Agnihotra-oblation (at the time of the Agra- ya«a) is performed with new (corn).' 12, 'Or with the milk of (a cow) which has been fed with such (new corn).' The Ka«va text has : ' Now at the Agnihotra also some offer (milk obtained from new corn), but let him not do so ; for he would raise a quarrel were he to offer (such milk).'
^ See Weber, Ind. Stud. I, p. 223; IV, p. 358; Ludwig, Rig- veda III, p. 195.
II KANDA, 4 ADHYAYA, 4 BRAHMAiVA, 2. 375
the first day was completely taken up with the preliminary cere- monies, the Dakshayawas spread the special offerings over both days, making each time two separate ish/is of them. The special ha vis, or sacrificial dishes, were, at the ordinary full-moon sacri- fice, a rice-cake (to Agni, and another) to Agni and Soma ; and at the new-moon sacrifice, a cake (to Agni, and another) to Indra and Agni, or, as an alternative, a dish of curds (sannayya) pre- pared of sweet and sour milk, ofi"ered to Indra (or Mahendra). The Dakshayawas, on the other hand, offered the Agni-Soma and Indra-Agni cakes in the fore-noon of the first day, that of full and new moon respectively. The afternoons of the same days were then taken up with preliminary rites, such as the eating of fast-day food, the cutting of a palaj-a branch, driving away of the calves from the cows, &c. The second day's performance com- mences (after the Agnihotra) with the election of the Brahman. The chief oblations of the day are (a cake to Agni, and) sour and sweet milk, offered separately to Indra at full moon ; and mixed (as sannayya or payasya) to Mitra and Varuwa at new moon.
At full moon some authorities add a special ish/i to Indra Vimr/dh ('the Averter of evil'). The new-moon performance con- cludes with libations of whey to the divine coursers (the horses of the gods); and, optionally, with an ish/i to Aditya.
The performance of the Dakshaya«a sacrifice was held to be obligatory only for a period of fifteen years (see XI, i, 2, 13), whereas the ordinary new and full-moon offerings had to be performed for double that period from the setting up of the sacred fires. Nay, even the daily performance of it with certain modifi- cations, for a whole year, was supposed to acquit the householder of any further obligation in this respect ; his sacrificial duties being henceforth limited to the performance of the Agnihotra, or morn- ing and evening libations. The daily performance of the Daksha- yawa is so regulated that an afternoon and following forenoon are alternately assigned to the two days' ceremonies of the ordinary fortnighdy Dakshayawa sacrifice.
1. In the beginning Pra^apati, being desirous of
offspring, sacrificed with this sacrifice : ' May I
abound in offspring and cattle ; may I obtain pros-
perity ; may I become glorious ; may I become an
eater of food!' so he thought.
2. Now he was indeed Daksha; and because
376 ^ATAPATHA-BRAHMAA^A.
he sacrificed in the beginning with this sacrifice, it
is called Dakshaya;^a-sacrifice, Some, however,
call it the Vasish//^a-sacrifice ; for he (Pra^apati)
is indeed vasish//^a (the best) \ and after him
they call it. He sacrificed with that sacrifice ; and
what race, what prosperity of Pra^apati was then
produced through his performing that sacrifice,
that same race he procreates, that same prosperity
he obtains, whosoever, knowing this, performs that
sacrifice : let him therefore perform that sacrifice.
3. Now that same sacrifice was afterwards per-
formed by Pratidar^a ^'vaikna; and he indeed
was an authority- to those who emulated him.
An authority, therefore, he will become, whosoever,
knowing this, performs that sacrifice : let him, there-
fore, perform that sacrifice.
4. Him Suplan Sar?^^aya approached for the
sake of sanctity ; and accordingly he was taught
that sacrifice and another^ ; and having learnt it he
went back to the Srz'%ayas. Now they knew that
he was coming to them after studying the sacrifice
for their sake. They said, ' Verily, with the gods
(saha devai//) he has come to us who has come
after studying the sacrifice:' thus he (was called)
Sahadeva Sar;7^aya; and even now the saying
is, ' Lo, Suplan has taken another name!' He per-
formed that sacrifice ; and what race and prosperity
of the Sr/?^^^ayas was then produced through his
performing that sacrifice, that same race he pro-
creates, that same prosperity he obtains, whoso-
' The Kawva text has : — Sa u va ekena namna vasish//ns, ' and with one of his names he (Pra^apati) is indeed (called) Vasish//ia.' ^ Viva/;anam ; viva/('anam, Kawva recension. ^ Viz. the Sautramawi-sacrifice, according to XII, 8, 2, 3.
II KANDA, 4 ADHYA.YA, 4 BRAHMAiVA, 8. 7,^/
ever, knowing- this, performs that sacrifice : let him, therefore, perform that sacrifice.
5. That same sacrifice was afterwards performed
by Devabhaga 6'rautarsha. He was Purohita
both to the Kurus and the Sr//7^ayas. Now a very
high position (is held by him) who is the Purohita
of one kingdom : how much higher, then, is the
position (of one) who (is the Purohita) of two (king-
doms). A very high position accordingly he obtains,
whosoever, knowing this, performs that sacrifice : let
him, therefore, perform that sacrifice.
6. That same sacrifice was afterwards performed
by Daksha Parvati ; and even to this day these
(descendants of his) the Dakshaya;^as are possessed
of the royal dignity : royal dignity he, therefore, here
obtains, whosoever, knowing this, performs that sacri-
fice : let him, therefore, perform that sacrifice. — Day
by day there is one cake^: thereby Fortune (m) is
(wedded) to him without a rival wife and undis-
turbed. He offers on two days of the full moon
and on two of the new moon : for two means a
pair, so that a productive pair is thereby obtained.
7. Now when 2, at full moon, he offers a (cake)
to Agni and Soma on the first day, — these are two
deities, and two means a pair : hence a productive
pair is thereby obtained.
8. And on the morrow there are Agni's cake and
Indra's Sannayya^ — these are two deities, and two
means a pair, so that a productive pair is thereby
obtained.
^ Viz. on the first day of the full moon a cake to Agni-Soma ; on that of new moon a cake to Indra-Agni ; and on the second day of either ceremony the (ordinary) cake to Agni.
^ Or, 'Now, as to the reason why' (yad) here and in the sequel.
^ See I, 6, 4, 9 seq.
378 SATAPATHA-BRAHMAiVA.
9. Again when, at new moon, he offers a (cake)
to Indra and Agni on the first day, — these are two
deities, and two means a pair, so that a productive
pair is thereby obtained.
10. Then on the morrow there are Aoni's cake
and Mitra and Varu;m's curds. Now Agni's cake
(is offered), for the sole purpose that it may not
forsake the sacrificed Then those two, Mitra and
Varu;?a, are two deities, and two means a pair :
hence a productive pair is thereby obtained ; and thus
is (produced) that form (of the sacrifice) whereby he
becomes many, whereby he is reproduced.
11. And when, at full moon, he offers the Agni-
Soma (cake) on the first day, then this is for him
that victim which they slaughter for Agni and Soma
on the fast-day (of the Soma-sacrifice) ^.
12. And on the morrow there are Agni's cake
and Indra's Sannayya. Now Agni's cake is for him
what the morning libation is (at the Soma-sacrifice),
for the morning libation is indeed sacred to Agni ;
and the Sannayya is for him the mid-day libation,
for the mid-day libation is indr^ed sacred to Indra.
13. And again when, at new moon, he offers the
Indra- Agni (cake) on the first day, that is for him
the same as the third (or evening) libation ; for the
third libation is sacred to the All-gods, and Indra
and Agni truly are all the gods^.
14. And on the morrow there are Agni's cake
and Mitra and Varu;^a's curds. Now Agni's cake
is (offered) for the sole purpose that it should not
^ See I, 6, 2, 6, with note.
^ On the upavasatha (fast-day, or day of preparation) preceding the Soma-sacrifice a he-goat is sacrificed to Agni and Soma. ^ Compare II, 4, 3, 5 seq.
II KANDA, 4 ADHYAYA, 4 BRAHMAiVA, I 5. 379
forsake the sacrifice ; and that dish of curds
(payasya) is to him the same as that barren cow,
the anubandhya, which has to be slaughtered for
Mitra and Varu;^a (at the Soma-sacrifice) ^ : thus
by performing the full and new-moon offering one
gains as much as is gained by performing a
Soma-sacrifice ; and that (offering) is indeed a
great sacrifice.
15. And again when, at full moon, he offers the
Agni-Soma (cake) on the first day, — it was by that
(offering) that Indra slew Vmra^; it was thereby
he gained that supreme authority which he now
wields^: and so does he (the sacrificer) thereby
slay his wicked spiteful enemy and gain the
superiority. And as to his mixing (sweet and sour
milk), — the Sannayya is (the oblation) of the new
moon (ama-vasya) *, and the new moon ^ means
being far away : to him who had slain Vmra this
was forthwith (offered), and him they regaled with
that draught. He therefore who, knowing this,
prepares the Sannayya at full moon, forthwith
^ In connection with the so-called udayaniya ish/i, or con- cluding ofifering, of the Soma-sacrifice, a barren cow, called anu- bandhya (literally, 'to be bound afterwards'), is offered to Mitra and Varu«a. In default of such a cow, an ox, or even a dish of curds (payasya) serves the same purpose. See Katy. Sr. X, 9, 12-15 ; -^a-t. Br. IV, 5, 2, I seq.
^ See I, 6, 4, 12.
' Thus the frequently-occurring phrase 'vya^ayata yasyeyam vi^tis tam' (literally, 'he conquered that conquest which is now theirs') has been translated throughout.
* On the derivation of ama-vasya ('dwelling at home, or toge- ther'), see I, 6, 4, 3 seq.
^ Or, 'the dwelling at home,' or ' (Indra' s) dwelling together (with Agni) means (Indra, the Vr/tra-slayer) being far away.'
3S0 i'ATAPATHA-BRAHMAiVA.
drives away evil. Now that moon doubtless is king
Soma, the food of the gods : they extract it on
the first day, intending to consume it on the next
day ; consequently when that (moon) wanes, it is
being consumed by them.
16. And when, at full moon, he offers the Agni-
Soma (cake) on the first day, he thereby (as it were)
extracts that (Soma) ; and, when extracted, he adds
that juice to it, and makes it strong by means of
that juice ^ Whosoever, then, knowing this, pre-
pares the Sannayya at full moon, renders his offering
palatable to the gods, and his offering is palatable
to the gods.
17. And again as to why, at new moon, he offers
the Indra-Agni (cake) on the first day. Indra and
Agni doubtless are the deities of the new and full
moon : it is to these, therefore, that he offers directly
and expressly; and directly to the new and full
moon is offering made by him who thus knows
this.
18. And on the morrow there is Aorni's cake and
Mitra and Varu;^a's curds. Now Agni's cake is
(offered) for the sole purpose that it may not for-
sake the sacrifice. Mitra and Varu;/a, on the other
hand, are the two half-moons : the waxingf one is
Varuna, and the waning one is Mitra. During that
night (of new moon) these two meet, and when
they are thus together he pleases them with that
(cake-offering): and, verily, all is pleased with him,
all is obtained by him who thus knows this.
19. In that same night Mitra implants seed in Varu;/a, and when it (the moon) wanes, then it is
^ See I, 6, 4, 6 seq.
.II KANDA, 4 ADHYAYA, 4 BRAHMAiVA, 21. 38 1
produced from that seed. Now as to why that
oblation of curds (payasya) to Mitra and Varu;^a
is here exactly analogous (to the Sannayya offered
at new moon) ^
20. The new moon doubtless is entitled to the
Sannayya : it is prepared both then and at full
moon. Now were he also here (at the full-moon
offering) to mix together (the sweet and sour milk),
he would commit a repetition and cause a quarrel
(between the respective gods)^. Having collected
that (Soma or moon) from the waters and plants,
he causes him to be born from out of the oblations ;
and on beingr born from the oblations, he is visible
in the western (sky).
21. It is through union that he produces him:
the curds (payasya, fem.) are female, and the whey
is seed. Now what is produced by union is (pro-
duced) properly: hence he thereby produces him
by a productive union ; and therefore there is an
offering of curds.