II KANDA, 5 ADRYAYA, 2 BRAHMAJVA, 4I. 40,
Pratiprasthatr/ then makes an 'under-layer' of butter
(in his ^uhll), and two cuttings from the curds of
the Maruts, and with either of the two cuttings puts
the ewe (in the spoon). He then pours butter
thereon, replenishes (the place of) the two cuttings,
and steps across (to the south of the fire). The
Adhvaryu, having called for the ' ^'rausha// says (to
the Hotr^), ' Pronounce the offering-prayer to the
Maruts ! ' and on the ' Vasha/ ' being uttered, (the
Pratiprasthat/^z) he pours out the oblation.
39. The Adhvaryu then proceeds with the cake
on eleven potsherds for Ka; and having made that
offering, he says, ' Pronounce the invitatory prayer
to Agni Svish/akm (" the maker of good offering") ! '
The Adhvaryu then takes cuttings from all (his)
oblations, one from each ; and the Pratiprasthatr?
also takes one cutting from that oblation of curds
(to the Maruts). They then pour twice butter upon
(the portions), and step across (to the south side of
the fires). On stepping across and calling for the
'^rausha^f/ the Adhvaryu says, ' Pronounce the offer-
ing-prayer to Agni Svish^'akm ; and after the (con-
cluding) * Vasha/,' they both pour out the oblation.
40. The Adhvaryu now cuts off the fore-portion.
Having then cut off the Ida. piece by piece, he hands
it to the Pratiprasthatr/ ; and the Pratiprasthatn
puts thereon two cuttings from the Maruts' curds.
He (the Adhvaryu) then pours twice butter thereon.
After invoking (the I^a), they cleanse themselves \
41. Thereupon the Adhvaryu says, 'O Brahman,
shall I step forward?' Having put on the (remain-
ing) kindling-stick 2, he says, 'Agnidh, trim the fire!'
' See I, 8, 1, 18-43. ^ See 11, 5, 2, 19, and I, 8, 2, 3.
D d 2
404 ^-ATAPATHA-BRAHMAiVA.
He, the Adhvaryu, then pours the clotted butter^
(in the p?Vshada^a-upabhm) into the two spoons
(the ^uhu and upabhm) ; and the Pratiprasthatr/
also, if he have any clotted butter, divides it into
two parts and pours it (into the two spoons) ; but
if there is no clotted butter, he divides the butter
in the upabhr/t in two parts and pours them out
separately. Then both step across (to the south
side of the fires). The Adhvaryu, having stepped
across and called for the '^'rausha/,' says (to the
Hotrz), ' Pronounce the offering-formula to the
gods !' and, ' Pronounce the offering-formula !' at each
(subsequent after- offering). Thus they both perform
the nine after-offerings ^, pouring together (the butter
from the spoons) at the (or at every) fourth after-
offering. The reason why there are nine fore-
offerings and nine after-offerings, is that he thereby
delivers the creatures both times from Varu;^a's
noose, — by the former (he delivers) the upright and
by the latter those looking to the ground : for this
reason there are nine fore-offerings and nine after-
offerings.
42. They both then separate the spoons^, after
laying them (on the altars). Having separated the
spoons, and anointed the enclosing-sticks ; and hav-
ing thereupon taken hold of the (middle) enclosing-
* Pr?'shad-a^ya (lit. mottled butter) is clarified butter mixed with sour milk.
^ The recipients of the nine after-offerings are as follows : i. The divine Barhis ; 2. the divine doors ; 3. the divine dawn and night ; 4. the two divine benefactresses (^osh/ri) ; 5. the two goddesses of potent sacrifice (ur^ahuti); 6. the two divine Hot/Ys; 7. the three goddesses; 8. the divine Naraj'a?;/sa; 9. the divine Agni Svish- Aikr/t. Cf. p. 400, note 2.
* See I, 8, 3, I seq.
II KANDA, 5 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMAiVA, 45. 405
Stick, and called for the (Agnidhra's) '5'rausha/,' the
Adhvaryu thus addresses (the Hotrz)^, ' The divine
Hotr/s are summoned for the proclamation of suc-
cess ; the human is called upon for the song of
praise!' The Hotre then intones the song of praise
(sliktavaka). Thereupon both seize their prastara-
bunches and throw them (into the fires) ; both take
a single straw each therefrom and remain sitting
by (the fires) ; when the Hotrt recites the song of
praise, —
43. The Agnidhra says, 'Throw after!' Both (the
Adhvaryu and PratiprasthatW ) throw (the stalk) after
(the prastara) ; and both touch themselves.
44. He (the Agnidhra) then says^, ' Discourse
(with me)!' [The Adhvaryu asks,] 'Has he gone
(to the gods), Agnidh?' — 'He has gone!' — 'Bid
(the gods) hear!' — 'Yea, may (one) hear!' — 'Good-
speed to the divine Hotr/s! Success to the human!'
— The Adhvaryu also (afterwards) -"^ says (to the
Hot?^?), 'Pronounce the "All-hail and blessing!'"
They both throw the enclosing-sticks (into the fire) ;
and after taking up the spoons together, they both
place them on the wooden sword*.
45. Thereupon the Adhvaryu returns (to the
Garhapatya fire) and performs the Patnisa;;2-
ya^as^ The Pratlprasthatr/, in the meantime,
1 See I, 8, 3, 10 seq. ' See I, 8, 3, 20 seq.
3 In thus briefly recapitulating the chief points of the course of sacrificial performance, the author's object is merely to assign to each officiating priest — especially to the Adhvaryu and his assist- ant, the Pratiprasthatr/ — his special share of business. In the actual performance, the pronunciation of the formula of ' All-hail and blessing' (see 1,9, r, 26), of course, comes after the throwing of the enclosing-sticks into the fire (see I, 8, 3, 22).
* Seel, 8, 3, 26. ' Seel, 9, 2, 1.
406 ^-ATAPATHA-BRAIIMAiVA.
remains waiting. After performing the Patnisaw-
ya^as, the Adhvaryu steps up (to the northern
fire).
46, He (the Adhvaryu) performs the three Sami-
sh/aya^us (with the respective texts)^- the Prati-
prasth^t;-/ takes up his spoon (and performs those
oblations) silently. — The same garments, worn by the
sacrificer and his wife at the Vaij-vadeva, should be
put on also on this occasion. They now take (the
havis) mixed with the burnt scrapings of the Varu^^a
curds, and betake themselves to (the place of) the
expiatory bath (avabhrztha). This (ablution) stands
in relation to Varuna, (being performed) with a view
to deliverance from Varu;^a's power. No Saman-
hymn is sung on this occasion, for at this (sacrifice)
nothing whatever is performed with a Saman-hymn.
Having silently walked thither and entered (the
water), he (the Adhvaryu) immerses (the vessel
containing the scrapings).
47. With the text (Vaf. S. HI, 48), 'O laving
bath, laving thou glidest along: with the help of
the gods may I wipe out the sin committed against
the gods, and with the help of mortals the sin
committed against mortals ! Preserve me, O God,
from injury from the fiercely-howling (demon)!'
Those (garments worn while bathing) ^ he may give
^ See p. 390, note 3.
^ Katy. V, 5, 30-33, and the scholiasts supply the following; par- ticulars : The sacrificer and his- wife, accompanied by the priests, are to repair to some quiet part of flowing water. The Adhvaryu then takes the sacrificer by the arm and makes him enter the water. Thereupon he himself enters, strews sacrificial grass on the water, puts a stick on it, and thereon oflfers a spoonful of butter to Agni. Then follow six oblations, viz. four fore-offerings, performed in the usual way (the one to the Barhis being omitted) ;
II KANDA, 5 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMAiVA, 48. 407
to whichever (priest) he chooses, since they are not
the garments of an initiated person. Even as a snake
casts its skin, so does he cast away all his sin.
48. Thereupon they shave (the sacrificer's) hair
and beard; and take up the two fires ^ — for only
after changing his place (to the ordinary sacrificial
ground) he performs that (other) sacrifice ^, since it is
not proper that he should perform the Agnihotra on
the uttaravedi : for this reason he changes his place.
Having gone to the house ^ and 'churned out' the
fires, he performs the full-moon offering. These
seasonal offerings doubtless are detached sacrifices ;
whereas the full-moon offering is a regular, esta-
blished sacrifice : hence he finally establishes him-
self by means of that regular sacrifice ; and therefore
he changes his place (to the ordinary sacrificial
ground).
an oblation of butter to Varu;za, and another of the scrapings of curds to Agni and Varu«a. Other authorities offer ten oblations instead of six, viz. four fore-offerings, two 'butter-portions' to Agni and Soma, the two oblations to Varu«a and Agni-Varu«a, and two after-offerings. The Adhvaryu then immerses the butter-pot, with the text Va^. S. Ill, 48. Thereupon the sacrificer and his wife bathe without diving, but wash each other's back. They then come out of the water and put on fresh clothes.
^ Viz. by lighting (or heating) at them two arawis or churning- sticks, by means of which the fires are transferred to the old hearths. According to the Paddhati, the remaining ceremonies of the ish/i, from the offering of the Barhis (see I, 9, 2, 29) to the end, are performed previously to the Hfting of the fi:-es.
2 Viz. the full-moon sacrifice, see II, 6, 2, 19, where, however, agnau instead of agni. The construction here is quite irregular. The Ka^va text has : keja-rma^riiptvagni samarohayata udavasaya hy etena ya^ate.
* That is, to the ordinary sacrificial ground.
408 SATAPATHA-BRAHMAA^A.
Third BRAHMAiVA. C. The Sakamedha Offerings \
1. Verily, by means of the Variu^apraghasa/^
Praj^apati delivered the creatures from Varu;^a's
noose ; and those creatures of his were born without
disease and blemish. Now with these Sakamedha
offerings, — therewith indeed the gods slew Vr/tra,
therewith they gained that supreme authority which
they now wield ; and so does he now therewith slay
his wicked, spiteful enemy and gain the victory :
this is why he performs these offerings in the fourth
month (after the Varu/^apraghasa//). He performs
them on two successive days.
2. On the first day he offers a cake on eight potsherds to Agni Anikavat-. For it was after
^ The performance of the Sakamedha offerings requires two days. In the first place — after the Ahavaniya has been 'taken out' from the Garhapatya — both fires are taken up by means of (or 'made to mount') the two kindling-sticks, and transferred (by •churning out') to another altar (the uttaravedi). On the first day oblations are then made to Agni Anikavat, the Maruta// Santapana^ and the Maruto Gr/hamedhina//, these being completed on the next morning by a Darvihoma to Indra, and an oblation of cake to the Maruta/z Kri</ina//. Then follows the Mahahavis, consisting — besides the five constant oblations — of oblations to Indra-Agni, Mahendra, and Vi^vakarman. In the afternoon takes place the Mahapitr^'ya^fia, or (Great) sacrifice to the Manes (performed on a special altar and fire-place, south of the Dakshi«agni) ; which is succeeded by the Traiyambaka- homa, or offering to Rudra Tryambaka, performed on a cross-way somewhere north of the sacrificial ground.
, ^ That is, Agni, the 'sharp-pointed' or 'sharp-edged;' an epi- thet apparently referring to the pointed flames or tongues of Agni. The St. Petersburg Diet, takes it to mean 'Agni, possessed of a face.' Perhaps it may mean, 'Agni, constituting the front or van of the army.' In ^at. Br. Ill, 4, 4, 14, Agni is likened to the point (anika) of the thunderbolt, Soma to its shaft (j-alya), and Vish/m
II KANDA, 5 ADIIYAYA, 3 BRAHMAiVA, 4. 409
shaping Agni Into a sharp points that the gods
rushed forward, intent on slaying Vr/tra ; and that
sharp point, Agni, swerved not. And so does he
(the Sacrificer) now rush forward, after shaping Agni
into a sharp point, intent on slaying his wicked,
spiteful enemy ; and that sharp point, Agni, swerves
not : this is why he sacrifices to Agni Anikavat.
3. Thereupon, at midday, he offers a potful of
boiled grain (/('aru) to the Maruts, the Scorchers
(Santapana//), for at midday indeed the scorching
winds scorched Vr/tra ; and thus scorched he lay
panting and gasping, being rent all over. And so
do the scorching winds scorch his (the Sacrificer's)
wicked, spiteful enemy : hence (he sacrifices) to the
Maruts, the Scorchers.
4. Thereupon, (in the evening, he offers a potful of
boiled grain) to the Maruts, the Householders (Gri-
hamedhina^). That pap he cooks after driving