Philosophy and Religion / Satapatha Brahmana

The Satapatha Brahmana: Fifth Kânda, Fourth Adhyâya

First Brâhmana

1. He puts a piece of copper¹ into the mouth of a long-haired man, with (Vâg. S. X, 10), 'Removed by sacrifice are the mordacious.' For verily he who performs the Râgasûya escapes all kinds of death, all murderous blows, and old age alone is his death: hence whatever kind of death, whatever murderous blow there is, past that he now guides him, as past the mordacious ones.

2. And as to why it is of a long-haired man,--such a long-haired man is neither woman nor man; for being a male, he is not a woman, and being longhaired (a eunuch), he is not a man. And copper (or bronze) is neither iron nor gold; and those mordacious ones (snakes) are neither worms nor non-worms. And as to its being copper,--reddish to be sure are mordacious ones: therefore (he throws it in the face) of a long-haired man.

3. He then makes him ascend the regions, with (Vâg. S. X, 10-14), 'Ascend thou the East! May the Gâyatrî (metre) protect thee, the Rathantara-sâman, the threefold stoma, the spring season, the Priesthood, that precious treasure!'

4. 'Ascend thou the South! May the Trishtubh protect thee, the Brihat-sâman, the fifteenfold stoma, the summer season, the Knighthood, that precious treasure!'

5. 'Ascend thou the West! May the Gagatî protect thee, the Vairûpa-sâman, the seventeenfold stoma, the rainy season, the Peasantry, that precious treasure!'

6. 'Ascend thou the North! May the Anushtubh protect thee, the Vairâga-sâman, the twenty-onefold stoma, the autumn season, fruit, that precious treasure!'

7. 'Ascend thou the upper region! May the Paṅkti protect thee, the Sâkvara and Raivata-sâmans, the thrice-ninefold and the three and thirtyfold stomas, the winter and dewy season, spiritual lustre, that precious treasure!'

8. And as to why he makes him ascend the quarters,--that is a form of the seasons: it is the seasons, the year, that he thereby makes him ascend; and having ascended the seasons, the year, he is high, high above everything here, and everything here is below him.

9. On the hind part of the tiger's skin² a piece of lead is laid down. He kicks it off with his foot, with (Vâg. S. X, 14), 'Kicked off is Namuki's head!' Now there was once an Âsura, Namuki by name. Indra knocked him down, and trod with his foot upon him. And in that he, thus trodden upon, bulged out, that (is the origin of) a rupture. He tore off his head with his foot, and therefrom sprang a goblin (Rakshas). That one kept calling out to him, 'Whither art thou going? Where wilt thou rid thyself of me?'

10. He beat it off with (a disk of) lead: hence lead is soft, for it has lost its spring, as it beat off (the goblin) with all its might. Hence also, while being like gold, it is not worth anything; for it has lost its spring, as it beat off (the goblin) with all its might. And so, indeed, he (Indra) thereby beat off the fiends, the Rakshas; and in like manner this one (the king) thereby beats off the fiends, the Rakshas.

11. He then makes him step upon the tiger's skin, with (Vâg. S. X, 15), 'Thou art Soma's beauty;'--For because when Soma flowed through Indra, he (Indra) thereupon became a tiger, and therefore he is Soma's beauty: this is why he says, 'Thou art Soma's beauty;'--'May my beauty be like unto thine!'--The tiger's beauty he thereby bestows upon him: therefore he says, 'May my beauty be like unto thine!'

12. Below (the king's foot) he throws a (small) gold plate, with, 'Save (him) from death!'--Gold is immortal life: he thus takes his stand on immortal life.

13. Then there is (another) gold plate, perforated either with a hundred, or with nine, holes. If with a hundred holes,--man here lives up to a hundred (years), and has a hundred energies, a hundred powers; therefore it is perforated with a hundred holes. And if with nine holes,--there are in man those nine vital airs: therefore it is perforated with nine holes.

14. That (gold plate) he lays upon his head, with, 'Might thou art, victory thou art, immortality thou art!' Gold being immortal life, he thus lays immortal life into him. And as to why there are gold plates on both sides,--gold being immortal life,--he thus encloses him on both sides with immortal life: this is why there are gold plates on both sides.

15. He then lifts up his arms, with (Vâg. S. X, 16³), 'Golden-bodied, ye two lords rise like the sun: mount ye the chariot, O Mitra and Varuna, and thence behold Aditi and Diti!' Mitra and Varuna verily are the two arms, and the chariot (-seat) is the man: therefore he says, 'Mount ye the chariot, O Mitra and Varuna!'--'thence behold Aditi and Diti!' By this he means to say, 'See ye your own (property) and that of others''

16. Let him not lift up (the king's arms) with that one, but let him rather lift them up with, 'Thou art Mitra, thou art Varuna;' for Mitra-Varuna are the two arms, and by his arms the Râganya belongs to Mitra and Varuna: let him therefore lift up his arms with, 'Thou art Mitra, thou art Varuna.'

17. And as to why he anoints him (standing) with upstretched arms;--those arms in truth are the Râganya's power, and power also is that collected essence of the waters wherewith he now anoints him: 'Lest that power, the collected essence of the waters, weigh down (paralyze) this power of mine, the arms,' thus he thinks, and therefore he anoints him (standing) with upstretched arms.

Second Brâhmana

1. He (the king) is anointed (sprinkled) whilst standing with his face turned towards the east. A Brâhman--either the Adhvaryu, or he who is his (the king's) court chaplain--sprinkles him in front, from behind;--

2. With (Vâg. S. X, 17), 'With Soma's glory I sprinkle thee,'--'with vigour' he thereby says; 'With Agni's glow . . .⁴,'--'with vigour' he thereby says;--'With Sûrya's splendour . . .,'--'with vigour' he thereby says;--'With Indra's energy. . .,'--'with vigour' he thereby says;--'Be thou the chieftain of chiefs!'--'be thou the supreme king of kings' he thereby says;--'Guard (him)⁵ against darts!'--darts meaning arrows, it is past murder by arrows that he thus guides him: therefore he says, 'guard him against darts!'

3. [Vâg. S. X, 18] 'Quicken him, O gods, to be unrivalled!'--he thereby says, 'Quicken him, O gods, so as to be without an enemy;'--'For great chiefdom, for great lordship!'--in this there is nothing obscure;--'For man-rule!'--'for the ruling of men' he thereby says;--'For Indra's lordly sway!'--'for power' he means to say, when he says, 'for Indra's lordly sway!'--'Him, the son of such and such (a man), the son of such and such (a woman),'--whatever be his parentage regarding that he says this;--'of such and such a people'--that is to say, of the people whose king he is;--'This man, O ye (people), is your king, Soma is the king of us Brahmans!'--he thereby causes everything here to be food for him (the king); the Brâhman alone he excepts: therefore the Brâhman is not to be fed upon, for he has Soma for his king⁶.

4. He (the king) then rubs the sprinkled water over himself with the horn of a black antelope; for that collected essence of the waters wherewith he now anoints him means vigour: 'May this vigour of mine spread through my whole self,' thus he thinks, and therefore he rubs it all over himself.

5. He rubs it over himself, with (Vâg. S. X, 19), Forth from the back of the mountain, of the bull,'--even as the mountain stands out here, even as the bull stands out beyond the cattle, so does he who performs the Râgasûya stand out beyond everything here, and everything here is below him: therefore he says, 'Forth from the back of the mountain, of the bull,'--'The ships keep moving, the self-pouring; they, the upwards bent, have turned back downwards, flowing after the dragon of the deep⁷.'

6. He then makes him step the (three) Vishnu-steps within (the extent of) the tiger's skin, with, 'Vishnu's outstepping thou art! Vishnu's outstep thou art! Vishnu's step thou art!' Now Vishnu's outstepping (vikramana), Vishnu's outstep (vikrânta), and Vishnu's step (krânta)⁸ are these (three) worlds: thus having ascended these worlds, he is high above everything here, and everything here is below him.

7. He then pours the remainders (of the water) together into the Brâhman's vessel: he thereby makes the Brâhman an object of respect after the king, whence the Brâhman is an object of respect after the king.

8. And to him who is his (the king's) dearest son, he hands that vessel, thinking, 'May this son of mine perpetuate this vigour of mine!'

9. He then returns to the Gârhapatya fire, (his son) holding on to him behind, and offers, with (Vâg. S. X, 20), 'O Pragâpati, than thee none other hath encompassed all these forms: for whatsoever object we sacrifice, let that accrue unto us!--This one is the father of N.N.!'--him who is the son, he makes the father, and him who is the father, he makes the son⁹: he thereby links together the vigour of both of them.--'N.N. is the father of this one!' him who is the father, he makes the father, and him who is the son, he makes the son: after linking together the vigour of these two, he puts it again in the proper way,--'May we be the lords of riches, hail!'--this is the blessing of that ceremony a blessing he thereby invokes.

10. And any residue that is left over, he offers in the Âgnîdhrîya; for redundant is that residue, and redundant also is the Âgnîdhrîya,--in the Gârhapatya they cook the oblations, and in the Âhavanîya they offer, but that one is redundant: thus he puts the redundant to the redundant. He offers it on the north part (of the hearth), for that is the region of that god (Rudra): hence he offers it on the north part. He offers with, 'O Rudra, whatever potent¹⁰, highest name is thine, therein thou art an offering, thou art a home-offering, hail!'

Third Brâhmana

1. North of the Âhavanîya he places a hundred, or more than a hundred, cows of that relative of his. The reason why he does so is this:

2. When Varuna was consecrated, his energy, his vigour departed from him. Probably¹¹ that collected essence (life-sap) of the waters wherewith they were sprinkling him, drove out his energy, his vigour. He found it in the cattle, and because he found it in them, therefore cattle are an object of respect. And having found it in the cattle, he again took to himself his energy, his vigour. And in like manner this one;--that energy does not indeed depart from him, but he does it (thinking), 'This Râgasûya is Varuna's consecration, and Varuna did so.'

3. He takes down the chariot (from the stand¹²); for whatever turns away from the warrior (râganya) that he overtakes with his chariot: for this reason he takes down the chariot.

4. He takes it down with (Vâg. S. X, 21), 'Thou art Indra's thunderbolt!' The chariot is indeed a thunderbolt; and the Sacrificer is Indra;--he is Indra for a twofold reason, namely because he is a Kshatriya, and because he is a Sacrificer: therefore he says, 'Indra's thunderbolt thou art.'

5. Having turned it (so as to stand) inside the Vedi, he yokes it with, 'I yoke thee by the direction of Mitra and Varuna, the directors¹³;' for Mitra and Varuna are the two arms, and by his arms the Râganya belongs to Mitra and Varuna that is why he says, 'I yoke thee by direction of Mitra and Varuna, the directors.'

6. He yokes it with four (horses). He passes along by the same way as that on which the dakshinâs¹⁴ go,--behind the Sadas, and in front of the hall. He stops it behind the kâtvâla, and in front of the Âgnîdhra.

7. He mounts it with, 'For unfeebleness (I mount) thee, for svadhâ¹⁵ (I mount) thee!'--by 'for unfeebleness thee' he means to say, 'for a state free from afflictions (I mount) thee;' by 'for svadhâ thee' he means to say, 'for life-sap (I mount) thee;'--'I, the unharmed Arguna!' Now Indra is called Arguna, which is his mystic name; and this (king) is Indra for a twofold reason, namely because he is a Kshatriya, and because he is a Sacrificer: therefore he says, 'the unharmed Arguna.'

8. He then goads on the right yoke-horse, with, 'Conquer thou by the impulse of the Maruts!' For the Maruts are the clansmen, and it is by his clan that the chieftain wins what he desires to win: therefore he says, 'Conquer thou by the impulse of the Maruts!'

9. He then stops (the chariot) in the midst of the cows¹⁶, with, 'May we obtain by the mind!' For it is by the mind that everything here (that is obtained) is obtained; and by the mind therefore he now obtains everything: therefore he says, 'May we obtain by the mind!'

10. He then touches a cow with the end of the bow, with, 'Together with energy!'--energy means vigour, kine: it is energy, vigour, he thereby takes to himself. And he adds, 'I overpower them, I seize them!'

11. Now as to why he stops amidst the cows of his relative,--whatever is tending away from a man, be it either fame, or anything else, that passes over to his relative foremost of all;--that energy, or vigour, he now takes again from his relative to himself: that is why he stops amidst the cows of his relative.

12. In return he presents to him just as many (cows)¹⁷, or more. For assuredly he, the Sacrificer, is not capable of a cruel deed; but cruelly indeed he acts when he says, 'I overpower them, I seize them;' and thus that is done by him without cruelty: this is why, in return, he presents to him just as many (cows) or more.

13. He then pulls the right-side (horses, or reins). He passes along on the same way as that on which the dakshinâ (cows) go,--in front of the sacrificial post, and along the south of the Vedi. Behind the Sadas, and in front of the hall, he stops that (car).

14. [Vâg. S. X, 22], 'Lest, O Indra, overpowerer of the mighty, we be wanting thee, heedless through ungodliness,--mount thou, O divine wielder of the thunderbolt, the chariot which thou restrainest (as well as its) well-horsed reins¹⁸.' With this (verse) he stops (the chariot);--reins (rasmi) means bridle (abhîsu): therefore he says, 'Thou restrainest the well-horsed reins¹⁹???.' Thereupon he offers the (four oblations) relating to the unyoking of the chariot. 'Well-pleased the chariot shall be when unyoked,' he thinks, and therefore he offers the (oblations) relating to the unyoking of the chariot.

15. He offers with (Vâg. S. X, 23), 'To Agni, the House-lord, hail!' He thereby pleases the part of the chariot relating to Agni; and it is the shoulder-pieces of the chariot that relate to Agni it is the shoulder-pieces (of the yoke) he thereby pleases. And the house-lord's position means prosperity: as much as he (the king) rules over, for the prosperity, the house-lordship, of that his kingship is thereby rendered free (unopposed).

16. 'To Soma, the wood-lord (tree), hail!' There are two kinds of (objects) coming from trees, the wheels of chariots and waggons, for both of these he thereby ensures safety. And the wood-lord (tree) being Soma,--whatever part of the chariot comes from the tree, that he thereby pleases. Now the parts of the chariot coming from trees are the wooden pieces of the chariot: hence it is the wooden pieces he thereby pleases. And Soma being the nobility, it is over the nobility that his kingship is thereby rendered free.

17. 'To the strength of the Maruts, hail!' He thereby pleases the part of the chariot belonging to the Maruts,--there are four horses, the chariot the fifth, and the warrior (chariot-fighter) and charioteer two--these are seven, and the host of the Maruts consists of (troops of) seven each: he thereby pleases the whole chariot; and the Maruts being the peasants, it is over the peasantry that his kingship is thereby rendered free.

18. 'To Indra's energy, hail!' He thereby pleases the part of the chariot that belongs to Indra. Now the warrior relates to Indra, and it is the warrior he thereby pleases. And Indra's energy (indriya) means the vigour in Indra²⁰: it is in regard to energy, vigour, that his kingship is thereby rendered free.

19. He then puts on shoes of boar's skin. Now the gods once put a pot of ghee on the fire. Therefrom a boar was produced: hence the boar is fat, for it was produced from ghee. Hence also cows readily take to a boar: it is indeed their own essence (life-sap, blood) they are readily taking to. Thus he firmly establishes himself in the essence of the cattle: therefore he puts on shoes of boar's skin.

20. Looking down on this (earth) he then mutters, 'O mother Earth, injure me not, nor I thee!' For the Earth was once afraid of Varuna, when he had been consecrated, thinking, 'Something great surely has he become now that he has been consecrated: I fear lest he may rend me asunder!' And Varuna also was afraid of the Earth, thinking, 'I fear lest she may shake me off!' Hence by that (formula) he entered into a friendly relation with her; for a mother does not injure her son, nor does a son injure his mother.

21. Now this Râgasûya is Varuna's consecration; and the Earth is afraid of him, thinking, 'Something great surely has he become now that he has been consecrated: I fear lest he may rend me asunder!' And he also is afraid of her, thinking, 'I fear lest she may shake me off.' Hence he thereby enters into a friendly relation with her; for a mother does not injure her son, nor does a son injure his mother: therefore he mutters thus.

22. He steps down (from the chariot), muttering this atikhandas verse (Vâg. S. X, 24; Rik S. IV, 40, 5), 'The swan dwelling in the light, the Vasu dwelling in the air, the priest seated on the altar, the guest dwelling in the retreat (house),--the man-dwelling, the space-dwelling²¹, the law-dwelling, the sphere-dwelling, the water-born, cow-born, law-born, rock-born (is) the great law.' For that atikhandas (or excessive metre) comprises all the metres: thus evil does not descend along with him.

23. Let not the charioteer get down along with (or, after) him, lest he should descend on the same world on which the anointed (king) has just descended. They put him up, along with the chariot, on the car-stand. Thence he leaps down: thus he does not descend on the same world on which the anointed has just descended²².

24. North of the Âhavanîya is the original fire, taken up (from the hearth²³). Behind the right hind-wheel of the cart-stand he fastens two round satamânas²⁴.

25. He then hides an udumbara (ficus glomerata) branch (in the wheel-track). He touches one of those two (plates), with (Vâg. S. X, 25), 'So great thou art, life thou art: bestow life upon me! A yoke-mate thou art, lustre thou art: bestow lustre upon me!' He thereby takes life and lustre to himself.

26. He then touches the udumbara branch, with, 'Sustenance thou art: bestow sustenance upon me!' He thereby takes sustenance (strength) to himself. Those same two round satamânas are the fee for this ceremony. He gives them to the Brahman priest, for the Brahman protects the sacrifice from the south: therefore he gives them to the Brahman.

27. In front of the Maitrâvaruna's hearth the dish of curds for Mitra and Varuna has been deposited. He draws down to it his (the Sacrificer's) two arms²⁵, with, 'I draw you down, the arms of Indra, the doer of mighty deeds.' Now curds are the essence of cattle: hence it is to the essence of cattle that he thereby brings down his (the Sacrificer's) arms. And as to its being for Mitra-Varuna, it is because Mitra and Varuna are the two arms.

Fourth Brâhmana

1. He proceeds with the curds for Mitra-Varuna. Whilst the Svishtakrit of it remains yet unoffered, they bring a throne-seat for him (the king); for truly he who gains a seat in the air, gains a seat above (others): thus these subjects of his sit below him who is seated above,--that is why they bring him a throne-seat. It is of khadira (acacia catechu) wood, and perforated, and bound with thongs as that of the Bhâratas.

2. He places it (on the tiger's skin), in front of the Maitrâvaruna's hearth, with (Vâg. S. X, 26), 'Thou art pleasant, thou art soft-seated!'--he thereby renders it kindly and auspicious.

3. He then spreads a mantle over it, with, 'Thou art the womb (seat) of knighthood!'--he thus makes it (the king's throne) the very womb of knighthood.

4. He then makes him sit down on it, with, 'Seat thee on the pleasant one! seat thee on the soft-seated!'--whereby he says, 'Seat thyself on the kindly and auspicious (seat)!'--'Seat thee in the womb of knighthood!'--thus he places him in what is the very womb of knighthood.

5. Having touched him on the chest, he then mutters (Vâg. S. X, 27; Rik S. I, 25, 10), 'He hath sat down, the upholder of the sacred law,'--the king indeed is the upholder of the sacred law, for he is not capable of all and every speech, nor of all and every deed; but that he should speak only what is right, and do what is right, of that he, as well as the Srotriya (the Brâhman versed in sacred writ), is capable; for these two are the upholders of the sacred law among men: therefore he says, 'He hath sat down, the upholder of the sacred law;'--'Varuna, in the home-steads,'--the home-steads are the peasants (clans, people): 'among the peasants' he means to say;--'for supreme rule, he the wise!'--'for kingship' he means to say when he says, 'for supreme rule, he the wise.'

6. He then throws the five dice²⁶ into his hand, with (Vâg. S. X, 28), 'Dominant thou art: may these five regions of thine prosper!'--now that one, the Kali, is indeed dominant over the (other) dice, for that one dominates over all the dice: therefore he says, 'Dominant thou art: may these five regions of thine prosper!' for there are indeed five regions, and all the regions he thereby causes to prosper for him.

7. They (the Adhvaryu and his assistants) then silently strike him with sticks on the back;--by beating him with sticks (danda) they guide him safely over judicial punishment (dandabadha): whence the king is exempt from punishment (adandya), because they guide him safely over judicial punishment.

8. Thereupon he chooses a boon; and, verily, whatsoever boon he who has been anointed chooses, that is completely fulfilled for him: therefore he chooses a boon.

9. 'O Brahman!' thus he addresses (the priest) the first time²⁷, thinking, 'I will first utter the (word) Brahman, I will speak speech sped by the Brahman:' this is why he first addresses him with 'O Brahman!' The other answers, 'Thou art Brahman! Thou art Savitri of true impulsion!'--he thereby lays vigour into him, and causes Savitri to be of true impulsion.

10. 'O Brahman!' thus he addresses him the second time. The other answers, 'Thou art Brahman! Thou art Varuna of true power!'--he thereby lays vigour into him, and causes Varuna to be of true power.

11. 'O Brahman!' thus he addresses him the third time. The other answers, 'Thou art Brahman! Thou art Indra, mighty through the people²⁸!'--he thereby lays vigour into him, and causes Indra to be mighty through the people.

12. 'O Brahman!' thus he addresses him the fourth time. The other answers, 'Thou art Brahman! Thou art Rudra, the most kindly!'--he thereby lays into him (the king) those former energies, and he appeases him (Rudra); and he, Rudra, therefore, is gracious to every one, because he (the priest) appeases him.

13. 'O Brahman!' thus he addresses him the fifth time. The other answers (undefinedly), 'Thou art Brahman!'--undefined means unlimited: thus heretofore he laid limited vigour into him; but now he answers undefinedly; and undefined meaning unlimited, he thereby lays complete, unlimited vigour into him: therefore he answers here undefinedly.

14. He then hails him as one bearing auspicious names,--'Much-worker, better-worker, more-worker²⁹!' Whoever bears such names speaks auspiciously even with a human voice.

15. A Brâhmana then hands to him the sacrificial (wooden) sword,--either the Adhvaryu, or he who is his (the king's) domestic chaplain--with, 'Indra's thunderbolt thou art: therewith serve me!'--the sacrificial sword being a thunderbolt, that Brâhmana, by means of that thunderbolt, makes the king to be weaker than himself; for indeed the king who is weaker than a Brâhmana, is stronger than his enemies: thus he thereby makes him stronger than his enemies.

16. The king hands it to the king's brother, with, 'Indra's thunderbolt thou art: therewith serve me!' Thereby the king makes his brother to be weaker than himself.

17. The king's brother hands it either to the Sûta (minstrel and chronicler), or to the Governor, with, 'Indra's thunderbolt thou art: therewith serve me!' Thereby the king's brother makes the Sûta, or the Governor, to be weaker than himself.

18. The Sûta, or the Governor, hands it to the Grâmanî (village-headman³⁰), with, 'Indra's thunderbolt thou art: therewith serve me!' Thereby the Sûta, or the Governor, makes the headman to be weaker than himself.

19. The Grâmanî hands it to a tribesman³¹, with, 'Indra's thunderbolt thou art: therewith serve me!' Thereby the headman makes the tribesman to be weaker than himself. And as to why they mutually hand it on in this way, they do so lest there should be a confusion of classes, and in order that (society) may be in the proper order.

20. Thereupon the tribesman and the Pratiprasthâtri³², with that sacrificial sword, prepare the gaming-ground, (close) by the original fire³³, with the puroruk verse of the Sukra³⁴. The Sukra is the eater: he thereby makes (him) the eater.

21. With the puroruk verse of the Manthin³⁵ they then put up a shed (vimita). The Manthin cup is he that is to be eaten,--thus having first made (him) the feeder, they now make for him one to be fed upon: that is why they put up a shed with the puroruk verse of the Manthin cup.

22. The Adhvaryu then takes clarified butter in four ladlings, places a piece of gold on the gaming-ground, and offers with (Vâg. S. X, 29), 'May ample Agni, the lord of rites, delighted,--may ample Agni, the lord of rites, accept of the butter, hail!'

23. He (the Adhvaryu) throws down the dice, with, 'Hallowed by Svâhâ, strive ye with Sûrya's rays for the middlemost place among brethren!' For that gaming-ground is the same as 'ample Agni,' and those dice are his coals, thus it is him (Agni) he thereby pleases; and assuredly in the house of him who offers the Râgasûya, or who so knows this, the striking³⁶ of that cow is approved of. On those dice he says, 'Play for the cow!' The two draught oxen of the original (hall-door) fire are the sacrificial fee.

24. He then says, 'Pronounce the invitatory prayer to Agni Svishtakrit!' And as to why that ceremony is performed between two oblations,--verily, Pragâpati is that sacrifice which is here performed, and from which these creatures have been produced,--and, indeed, they are even now produced after this one;--thus he places him (the Sacrificer) in the very middle of that Pragâpati, and consecrates him in the very middle: that is why that ceremony is performed between two oblations. Having called for the Sraushat, he says, 'Pronounce the offering-formula to Agni Svishtakrit,' and offers as the Vashat is uttered.

25. He then puts the idâ on (the fire). After the invocation of Idâ, he touches water and draws the Mâhendra cup. Having drawn the Mâhendra cup, he sets the chant agoing. He urges him (the Sacrificer) forward to the chant: he gets down (from the throne-seat); he is in attendance at the chant (stotra), in attendance at the recitation (sastra).

The Dasapeya.

Fifth Brâhmana

1. Now when Varuna was consecrated, his lustre departed from him,--lustre means vigour: that Vishnu, the Sacrifice, it was he that departed from him,--probably that collected essence of the waters wherewith he is anointed on that occasion, drove out his lustre.

2. He stole after it with those deities³⁷,--with Savitri, the impeller (prasavitri); with Sarasvatî, speech; with Tvashtri, the forms of being; with Pûshan, cattle; with Indra, on the part of him³⁸ (the Sacrificer); with Brihaspati, holiness; with Varuna, might; with Agni, fiery spirit; with Soma, the King; --but only through Vishnu³⁹, the tenth deity, he found it.

3. And because he there stole after (anu-sam-srip) with those deities, hence the name Samsripah. And because he becomes consecrated on the tenth day, therefore (this ceremony is called) Dasapeya⁴⁰. And because each time ten (men) steal along⁴¹ after each cup, therefore also it is called Dasapeya.

4. Here now they say,--'Let him steal forth after enumerating ten Soma-drinking grandfathers⁴²: it is thus that he obtains for himself the Soma-draught of this (Dasapeya), for it is a "drinking of ten."' But that is an overburdening⁴³, for people (will be able to) obtain only two or three Soma-drinking grandfathers: hence let him steal forth after enumerating those same deities⁴⁴.

5. For, surely, it was by those same deities that Varuna obtained the Soma-draught of that (Consecration-ceremony); and in like manner does this one now obtain the Soma-draught of that (ceremony): let him therefore steal forth after enumerating those same deities. Now as soon as the completing oblation⁴⁵ of that Consecration-ceremony comes to an end,--

6. He prepares those (samsrip) oblations,--a cake on twelve, or eight, potsherds for Savitri; for Savitri is the impeller of the gods: impelled by Savitri, Varuna on that occasion stole along; and in like manner does this one now steal along impelled by Savitri. At this (oblation) he presents one lotus-flower⁴⁶.

7. He then prepares a (rice) pap for Sarasvatî,--for Sarasvatî is speech, and it was with speech that Varuna on that occasion stole along; and in like manner does this one now steal along with speech. At this (oblation) he presents one lotus-flower.

8. He then prepares a cake on ten potsherds for Tvashtri,--for Tvashtri (the fashioner, creator) rules over living forms, and with Tvashtri, the living forms, Varuna on that occasion stole along; and in like manner does this one now steal along with Tvashtri, the living forms. At this (oblation) he presents one lotus-flower.

9. He then prepares a pap for Pûshan;--for Pûshan is cattle, and with cattle Varuna on that occasion stole along; and in like manner does this one now steal along with cattle. At this (oblation) he presents one lotus-flower.

10. He then prepares a cake on eleven potsherds for Indra;--for Indriya means energy, vigour, and with vigour Varuna on that occasion stole along; and in like manner does this one now steal along with energy, with vigour. At this (oblation) he presents one lotus-flower.

11. He then prepares a pap for Brihaspati;--for Brihaspati means holiness, and with holiness Varuna on that occasion stole along; and in likes manner does this one now steal along with holiness. At this (oblation) he presents one lotus-flower.

12. He then prepares a barley pap for Varuna;--with what vehemence Varuna seized the creatures, with that vehemence Varuna on that occasion stole along; and in like manner does this one now steal along with vehemence. At this (oblation) he presents one lotus-flower.

13. The deities of the Upasad are the (eighth, ninth, and) tenth⁴⁷. At these (oblations) he presents five lotus-flowers. That wreath of twelve lotus-flowers he puts on himself; that is the initiation: by that initiation he initiates himself.

14. And as to why there are twelve (flowers),--there being twelve months in the year, and the year being All, it is by the All that he thus initiates him: what flowers there are of the lotus, they are a form (an image) of the sky, they are a form of the stars; and what seed-stalks there are, they are a form of the air; and what suckers there are, they are a form of this (earth): thus he initiates him (to rule) over these worlds.

15. And having bought the King (Soma)⁴⁸, and tied him up in two parts, they drive him around. Having then placed one-half on the throne-seat, he proceeds therewith. Having then placed on the throne-seat that portion which was deposited in the Brahman's house, he proceeds with the guest-meal. Whilst he is proceeding with the guest-meal, he performs the Upasads. Whilst he is performing the Upasads,--

16. He prepares those (three) oblations,--a cake on eight potsherds for Agni; a pap for Soma; and a cake on three potsherds, or a pap, for Vishnu. Thus he performs the sacrifice in this way, if it pleases him.

17. But let him not do it in this way; for he who departs from the path of the sacrifice stumbles, and he who departs from the path of the Upasads certainly departs from the path of the sacrifice: let him therefore not depart from the path of the Upasads.

18. Now when he offers to Agni, he steals along with Agni, with fiery spirit; and when he offers to Soma, he steals along with Soma, the King; and when he offers to Vishnu,--Vishnu being the sacrifice,--he visibly obtains the sacrifice, and having visibly obtained it, he makes it his own (or, takes it in).

19. This same (Dasapeya) is an Agnishtoma sacrifice (performed) with the seventeenfold (stoma)⁴⁹ for Pragâpati is seventeenfold, and Pragâpati is the sacrifice⁵⁰: thus he visibly obtains the sacrifice, and having visibly obtained it, he makes it his own.

20. Twelve heifers with first calf are the sacrificial fee for this (sacrifice); for twelve months there are in the year, and the year is Pragâpati, and Pragâpati is the sacrifice: thus he visibly obtains the sacrifice, and having visibly obtained it, he makes it his own.

21. These (heifers) have twelve embryo calves,--that makes twenty-four; for twenty-four half-moons there are in the year, and the year is Pragâpati, and Pragâpati is the sacrifice: thus he visibly obtains the sacrifice, and having visibly obtained it, he makes it his own.

22. He gives them to the Brahman, for the Brahman guards the sacrifice from the south: therefore he gives them to the Brahman. To the Udgâtri (chanter) he gives the gold wreath, to the Hotri the gold plate, to the two Adhvaryus two golden mirrors, to the Prastotri (presenter) a horse, to the Maitrâvaruna a sterile cow, to the Brâhmanâkhamsin a bull, to the Neshtri and Potri two garments, to the Akhâvâka (a cart) laden with barley, and yoked (with an ox) on one side, to the Agnîdh an ox⁵¹.

23. Now there are here either twelve or thirteen⁵² presents,--for either twelve or thirteen are there months in the year, and the year is Pragâpati, and Pragâpati is the sacrifice: thus he visibly obtains the sacrifice, and having visibly obtained it he makes it his own.

Footnotes

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