Śāṅkhāyana (Kauṣītaki) Āraṇyaka 1

English (machine translation) 1

Language: English

ŚĀ 1.1
Prajāpati is the year. His self is this Mahāvrata rite. Therefore, one should not recite it for another, lest one place the self of all beings in another. Moreover, Indra's self is this Mahāvrata rite. Therefore, one should not recite it for another, lest one place Indra's self in another. Moreover, the person consisting of the Ṛgveda, consisting of the Yajurveda, consisting of the Sāmaveda, whom they consecrate—his self is this Mahāvrata rite. Therefore, one should not recite it for another, lest one place the self of all metres in another. But at will, the Hotṛ of those performing a sacrificial session may recite it for his father or for his teacher; for him, that recited [rite] belongs indeed to the self; through the self he thus makes the sacrifice prosperous. Its stoma praise is the twenty-five-fold one. Twenty-four indeed are the half-months of the year, [and this is] for attaining the year. Moreover, Prajāpati is the year, the twenty-fifth. Moreover, the twenty-four-fold has been performed before; this twenty-five-fold is its goal. A bull sacred to Indra and a goat sacred to Prajāpati are to be seized. For this day belongs to Indra; and Indra is Prajāpati. That is the form sacred to Prajāpati. Moreover, that a bull [is seized] is the form sacred to Indra among animals.

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ŚĀ 1.2
Its ājya recitation consists of twelve verses, beginning with 'The guest of every clan' (viśoviśo vo atithim). Twelve indeed are the months of the year, [and this is] for attaining the year. In it there are two metres: Gāyatrī metres and Anuṣṭubh metres. He recites in addition this twenty-five-verse hymn, 'Men [churn] Agni with their reflections from the two fire-sticks' (agniṃ naro dīdhitibhiraraṇyoḥ). For the stoma praise is twenty-five-fold. That recitation is indeed prosperous which conforms to the stoma praise. In it there are two metres: Virāj metres and Triṣṭubh metres. These amount to four. Fourfold indeed is all this, [and this is] for attaining all this. The Praüga recitation is in the Triṣṭubh metre. Triṣṭubh is Indra's own metre, because he makes him prosper through his own metre. 'May not indeed those who are strengthened by reverence' (kuvid aṅga namasā ye vṛdhāsaḥ) is addressed to Vāyu, containing the word 'great' and containing the word 'strengthen'. It contains 'great', for this day contains 'great'. Immediately after it is the triplet addressed to Indra and Vāyu, 'As great as the span of the bodies, as great as the strength' (yāvattarastanvo yāvadojaḥ), having the characteristic form 'as many men seeing with the eye' (yāvannaraścakṣasā dīdhyānāḥ). 'Varuṇa, up [rises] your beautiful-faced eye' (ud vāṃ cakṣurvaruṇa supratīkam) is addressed to Mitra and Varuṇa, having the characteristic form 'the sun, spreading out, goes between the two gods' (devayoreti sūryastatanvān). 'Who will hear, which one of those worthy of sacrifice?' (ka u śravat katamo yajñiyānām) is addressed to the Aśvins, having the characteristic form 'whom the daughter of the Sun chose' (yaṃ sūryasya duhitāvṛṇīta). 'How has he grown great? Of which Hotṛ?' (kathā mahām avṛdhat kasya hotuḥ) is addressed to Indra, containing the word 'great' and containing the word 'strengthen'. It contains 'great', for this day contains 'great'. 'Who is your protector, O Vasus? Who your defender?' (ko vastrātā vasavaḥ kau varūtā) is addressed to the All-Gods, having the characteristic form 'Varuṇa, Mitra, from the stronger mortal' (sahīyaso varuṇa mitra martāt). 'And may that Sarasvatī, being pleased with us' (uta syā naḥ sarasvatī juṣāṇā) is addressed to Sarasvatī, having the characteristic form 'the fortunate one unclosed the doors of the enclosed [pen]' (dvārāvṛtasya subhago vyāvaḥ). This is the Praüga recitation composed by Vāmadeva, in the Triṣṭubh metre, containing the interrogative ka, arranged in triplets. Vāmadeva is Prajāpati; thus they attain all desires in Prajāpati. On this they say: the morning soma-pressing should not be in the Triṣṭubh metre; it confuses the opening of the sacrifice whose metres are fixed; it should be just like the one-day soma rite. For the one-day soma rite is Brahman; this day is Brahman; through Brahman he thus makes Brahman prosper.

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ŚĀ 1.3
'To thee, as into a chariot, for aid' (ā tvā rathaṃ yathotaye) is the opening verse of the Marutvatīya recitation. 'Here, O Vasu, is the pressed juice' (idaṃ vaso sutam andhaḥ) is the following verse. This is the constant arrangement of the one-day soma rite. Its Brāhmaṇa has been stated. Having first recited the hymn composed by Vasukra, 'May it truly be [heard] by me, O singer, with impetuous energy' (asat su me jaritaḥ sābhivegaḥ), he inserts the nivid into this Triṣṭubh hymn: 'Indra is great, manly, filling the peoples' (mahāṁ indro nṛvad ā carṣaṇiprāḥ). As to why he recites the hymn composed by Vasukra first: Vasukra is Indra. Then, as to 'Indra is great, manly, filling the peoples', it contains the word 'great'; for this day contains 'great'.

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ŚĀ 1.4
Then he offers these oblations of clarified butter. He thereby performs a rite of well-being, for the pacification of the sacrifice and for the healing of the sacrificers. They are eight. Through these the gods obtained all attainments; similarly the sacrificers obtain all attainments through them. Then he mutters these muttered prayers of the parimād recitations. The parimād recitations: the parimād recitations are the waters, for by the waters all this is surrounded and drunk. Further, the parimād recitations: this recitation is food; the waters come beforehand to the coming of food; the waters are the parimād recitations. Further, the parimād recitations are the nails, the teeth, the bodies, the hairs. Therefore, they are rites of action, for they are endowed with attainment. The cadence is twenty-five-fold. It has the form of the Āṅgirasa for establishment: 'With metres consisting of creatures, the sāman has approached the dear domain of Indra'; 'at the shout and counter-shout, they have succeeded'; 'and their milk, they have succeeded'; 'the arka and the arka-flower'. This Agni is the arka; yonder sun is the arka-flower. When the Sāman-singers chant the round over them, they then tell the Hotṛ: 'Mutter along!' If they chant, he should then mutter along. Whether they chant in this way or [otherwise] chant, he should simply mutter along.

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ŚĀ 1.5
These are indeed the seven metres of the gods. Therefore he should murmur them. Moreover, this day belongs to Indra; the murmurs belong to Indra. Therefore he should murmur them. Then, standing right there, he pays reverence to Agni according to his limbs with 'Homage, homage!' For the gods do not bypass homage. He should pay reverence to these parts of the kindled fire if it is on the high altar (uttaravedi). Then, standing right there, he pays reverence to the sun. 'They should make an opening in the hall,' so indeed some say. But he should rather pay reverence towards its direction. Veiled indeed, he utters supreme wishes during this supreme recitation (uktha): 'The great one has united with the great one.' Agni indeed is the great one, this earth is the great one; for these two united. 'The god has united with the goddess.' Vāyu indeed is the god, the mid-space the goddess; for these two united. 'Brahman has united with the Brāhmaṇī.' That sun is Brahman, that sky the Brāhmaṇī; for these two united. Thus he unites these worlds for the one who will recite this recitation.

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ŚĀ 1.6
Viśvāmitra indeed went to the dear abode of Indra by means of recitation and the observance of vows. Indra said to him, 'Viśvāmitra, choose a boon.' Viśvāmitra said, 'May I know you alone.' 'A second [boon],' [Indra said]. 'You alone.' 'A third [boon],' [Indra said]. 'You alone.' Indra said to him: 'I am the great one and the great one [fem.]; I am the god and the goddess; I am Brahman and the Brāhmaṇī.' Thereupon Viśvāmitra set about inquiring further. Indra said to him: 'Indeed I am this that I have spoken, or, O seer, whatever further austerity you performed, that would be just what I am.' Indra then spoke the sacred utterances (vyāhṛti); they were obtained. Then, having laid down the swing-board, [he breathes] in thrice and breathes out thrice.

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ŚĀ 1.7
It is made of Udumbara wood. Udumbara is vigor and proper food, for the attainment of vigor and proper food. Then, having touched it with his chest and moving the right side of his body across, he murmurs: 'You are Arka; may the Vasus mount you with the Gāyatrī metre; they are your mounters'—so indeed he says. 'I mount after them for kingship.' Kingship indeed is what they call this [world]. Then, moving the left side of his body across, he murmurs: 'May the Rudras mount you with the Triṣṭubh metre; they are your mounters'—so indeed he says. 'I mount after them for self-rule.' Self-rule is indeed somewhat higher than kingship. Then, moving the right side of his body across, he murmurs: 'May the Ādityas mount you with the Jagatī metre; they are your mounters'—so indeed he says. 'I mount after them for universal rule.' Universal rule is indeed somewhat higher than self-rule. Then, moving the left side of his body across, he murmurs: 'May the All-Gods mount you with the Anuṣṭubh metre; they are your mounters'—so indeed he says. 'I mount after them for the fulfillment of desires.' Fulfillment of desires is indeed the highest of all. Then, having moved on evenly, extending his two feet forward, he firmly establishes them on the earth. He indeed becomes more elevated than this world. As to why he establishes them firmly: thereby he is firmly established in this world in a firm foundation, without falling away. Then [he breathes] in thrice and breathes out thrice. Then, having placed his right lap over the left upon the swing-board, he touches the swing-board from behind facing eastward with his right span: 'May Prajāpati mount you; may Vāyu swing you.' Prajāpati indeed mounts this, and Vāyu swings it, which is the living [breath]. Then [he breathes] in thrice and breathes out thrice. Then, clasping his forward-held hands, he murmurs:

1.9

ŚĀ 1.8
'Speech unites with breath, I unite with breath; the eye unites with the mind, I unite with the mind; Prajāpati unites with cattle, I unite with cattle'—thus he utters a blessing. 'You are the fair-winged Garutmat.' Prāṇa indeed is the fair-winged [bird]. 'Forth I will speak this speech'—for about to speak forth he utters this speech: 'doing much, about to do much.' For this speech is doing much; he who attains the recitation of this day does much. 'Doing more than much, about to do more than much'—for this speech is doing more than much; he who attains the recitation of this day does more than much. 'Going to heaven, about to go to heaven'—for this speech is going to heaven; he who attains the recitation of this day goes to heaven. 'About to carry these sacrificers to heaven'—so he should say. Whomever he might hate, regarding him he should say: 'Not so-and-so, not so-and-so.' However many he shakes off, counting them away from this divine place, them he shakes out; those two do not serve for enjoyment. Him he thus overpowers; having overpowered him, he places him in himself. Becoming Vāyu, becoming breath, he recites this recitation. Him he thus overpowers; having overpowered him, he places him in himself. To a heavy task indeed is he yoked who attains the recitation of this day; when he is yoked to a heavy task, breath is capable [of failing], lest it perish. Him he thus overpowers; having overpowered him, he places him in himself. Indeed, for this deity there is no cutting down by a poisoned arrow, nor by a sword, nor by an axe, nor by anything whatsoever. Therefore, whoever reviles one who knows thus becomes more evil. Not so he who knows thus. There is no cutting down for one who knows thus, there is no cutting down for one who knows thus. ||8

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Thus ends the first chapter in the Śāṅkhāyana Āraṇyaka.

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Śāṅkhāyanāraṇyaka — Sanskrit