Aitareyabrahmana 3.3: ADHYĀYA III

Rigveda Brahmanas: The Aitareya and Kauṣītaki Brāhmaṇas of the Rigveda (HOS 25) 3.3

Language: English

ADHYĀYA III

iii. 25 (xiii. 1). Soma the king was in yonder world, on him the gods and the seers reflected 'How shall Soma the king come to us?' They said to the metres 'Do ye fetch for us this Soma the king.' 'Be it so' (they replied). Having become birds they flew up. In that having become birds they flew up, that (tale) those who know stories call the Sauparṇa; thus

3.3.p3

the metres went towards Soma, the king. The metres then were of four syllables each only. The Jagatī being of four syllables first flew up; she having flown up and having gone half of the way felt weary; having laid aside three syllables, and becoming of one syllable, she flew back down again, bearing consecration and fervour. Therefore by him is consecration obtained, is fervour obtained, who has cattle, for cattle are connected with the Jagatī, for the Jagatī brought them back. Then the Triṣṭubh flew up. She having flown up and having gone more than half the way felt weary; she having laid aside one syllable, having become of three syllables, came back again, bearing the sacrificial fees. Therefore at the midday the sacrificial fees are taken, in the place of the Triṣṭubh, for the Triṣṭubh brought them back.

3.3.p4

iii. 26 (xiii. 2). The gods said to the Gāyatrī ‘Do thou fetch the Soma, the king, for us.’ ‘Be it so,’ she replied, ‘do ye accompany me with the recitation of the whole (formula for a) safe passage.’ ‘Be it so’ (they said). She flew up; her the gods accompanied with the recitation of the whole (formula for a) safe passage, containing the words ‘forward’ and ‘hither’. (The words) ‘forward’ and ‘hither’ are the whole (formula for a) safe passage; therefore him who is dear to him he should accompany with this (recitation) containing ‘forward’ and ‘hither’; verily safely he goes, safely he returns. She, having flown and having terrified the guardians of the Soma, grasped with foot and mouth Soma the king, and also grasped the syllables which the other two metres had dropped. Having shot at her, Kṛçānu, a Soma guardian, cut off the nail of her left foot; that became a porcupine; therefore is it like a nail. The fat that flowed became the barren cow; therefore is it the oblation as it were. The socket and the point became a serpent, not biting; from its swiftness (came) the viper; the feathers became flying foxes, the sinews earthworms, the shaft the blind snake. Thus became the arrow.

3.3.p5

iii. 27 (xiii. 3). What she grasped with her right foot became the morning pressing; the Gāyatrī made it her own abode; therefore they regard it as the most perfect of all the pressings. The very first he becomes, he attains pre-eminence who knows thus. What she grasped with her left foot became the midday pressing; it slipped; having slipped it did not match the former pressing. The gods sought to remedy this; in it they placed the Triṣṭubh of metres, Indra of deities; thereby it became of equal strength with the former pressing; with the two pressings of equal strength and of similar quality he prospers who knows thus. That which she grasped with her mouth became the third pressing. Flying she sucked its sap; having

3.3.p6

its sap sucked, it did not equal the two former pressings. The gods sought to remedy this; they saw it in cattle. In that they pour in an admixture (of milk), and proceed with the (offering of) butter and the animal (offering), thereby it became of equal strength with the previous pressings. With all the pressings of equal strength and of similar quality he prospers who knows thus.

3.3.p7

iii. 28 (xiii. 4). The other two metres said to the Gāyatrī ‘Our property, the syllables have come round with (you).’ ‘No,’ replied the Gāyatrī; ‘ours are they as they were found (by us).’ They disputed before the gods; the gods said ‘They are yours as they were found (by you).’ Therefore even now in a question of property they say ‘It is ours by right of finding.’ Then the Gāyatrī was of eight syllables, the Triṣṭubh of three, the Jagatī of one. The eight-syllable Gāyatrī supported the morning pressing; the Triṣṭubh with three syllables could not support the midday pressing; to her the Gāyatrī said ‘Let me come; let there be a portion for me here also.’ ‘Be it so,’ replied the Triṣṭubh, ‘Do thou unite me with these eight syllables.’ ‘Be it so’ (she said); her she united; thus to the Gāyatrī at the midday belong the last two (verses) of the strophe of the Marutvatīya and the antistrophe. She, having become of eleven syllables, supported the midday pressing. The Jagatī having one syllable could not support the third pressing; to her the Gāyatrī said ‘Let me come; let there be a portion for me here also. ‘Be it so,’ replied the Jagatī, ‘Do thou unite me with these eleven syllables.’ ‘Be it so’ (she said); her she united; thus to the Gāyatrī at the third pressing belong the last two verses of the strophe of the Vaiçvadeva and the antistrophe. Having become of twelve syllables she supported the third pressing. Then indeed the Gāyatrī became of eight syllables, the Triṣṭubh of eleven syllables, and the Jagatī of twelve syllables. With all the metres of equal strength and of similar quality he prospers who knows thus. That which was one became three; therefore they say ‘It should be given to one who knows thus’; for being one it became three.

3.3.p8

iii. 29 (xiii. 5). The gods said to the Ādityas ‘With you let us support this pressing.’ ‘Be it so’ (they replied). Therefore the third pressing begins with the Ādityas; the cup for the Ādityas is before it. He uses (a verse) containing (the word) ‘be drunk’ and so perfect in form, as offering verse, ‘Let the Ādityas and Aditi be drunk’; that which contains (the word) ‘be drunk’ is a characteristic of the third pressing. He does not say the second

3.3.p9

vaṣaṭ, nor eat (thinking) ‘The second vaṣaṭ call is a conclusion; eating is a conclusion; the Ādityas are the breaths; let me not bring the breaths to a conclusion.’ The Ādityas said to Savitṛ ‘With thee let us support this pressing.’ ‘Be it so’ (he replied). Therefore the strophe of the Vaiçvadeva is addressed to Savitṛ, the cup for Savitṛ is before it. He uses (a verse ) containing (the word) ‘be drunk’, and so perfect in form, as offering verse, ‘God of the home Savitṛ the delectable’; that which contains (the word) ‘be drunk’ is a symbol of the third pressing. He does not say the second vaṣaṭ nor eat, (thinking) ‘The second vaṣaṭ call is a conclusion; eating is a conclusion; Savitṛ is the breath; let me not bring the breath to a conclusion.’ Savitṛ drinks of both these pressings, the morning pressing and the third pressing. In that there is in the beginning of the Nivid to Savitṛ a sentence containing (the word) ‘drink’ and at the end one containing (the word) ‘be drunk’, verily thus he gives him a share in both pressings, the morning pressing and the third pressing. Many verses to Vāyu are recited in the morning, but one only at the third pressing; therefore the upward breaths of a man are more numerous than the lower. He recites (a hymn ) to sky and earth; sky and earth are supports; this (earth) is a support here, yonder (sun) yonder. In that he recites (a hymn) to sky and earth, verily thus he establishes him on a pair of supports.

3.3.p10

iii. 30 (xiii. 6) He recites (a hymn) to the Ṛbhus ; the Ṛbhus by fervour among the gods won the drinking of Soma. For them they desired to arrange it at the morning pressing; them Agni with the Vasus repelled from the morning pressing. For them they sought to arrange it at the midday pressing; them Indra with the Rudras repelled from the midday pressing. For them they desired to arrange it at the third pressing; them the All-gods energetically repelled, (saying) ‘They shall not drink here, not here.’ Prajāpati said to Savitṛ ‘These are thy pupils; do thou drink together with them.’ ‘Be it so,’ replied Savitṛ, ‘Do thou drink round them on both sides.’ Prajāpati drank round them on both sides; these two inserted verses without mention (of the deity), intended for Prajāpati, are recited round (the hymn) for the Ṛbhus, ‘The maker of fair forms for aid’ and ‘Let Vena here impel those born of Pṛçni’; verily thus does Prajāpati drink on both sides of them. Therefore does one of high rank honour at his table him whom he desires. The gods had loathing of those because of the human

3.3.p11

scent; they interposed these inserted verses ‘In whom the mother’ and ‘To the father’.

3.3.p12

iii. 31 (xiii. 7). He recites (a hymn ) to the All-gods; as are peoples, so is the Vaiçvadeva. As are the peoples within, so are the hymns; as the wastes so the inserted verses. On both sides of the inserted verse he utters the call; ‘therefore these being wastes seem not to be such by reason of the beasts and birds’ he used to say. As is a man, so is the Vaiçvadeva; as are his members within, so are the hymns; as his joints, so the inserted verses. On both sides of the inserted verse he utters the calls; therefore the joints of a man being slack are made firm, for they are made firm by the holy power. The inserted verses and the offering verses are the root of the sacrifice; if they were to use different inserted verses and offering verses, they would uproot the sacrifice; therefore they should be the same. The Vaiçvadeva litany is connected with the five folks; it is the litany of all the five folks, gods and men, Gandharvas and Apsarases, serpents and fathers; of these five folks is it the litany; all the five folks know him; to him from the fivefold folk sacrificers go who knows thus. He who recites the Vaiçvadeva is the Hotṛ connected with all the gods. Of all the quarters should he think when about to recite; verily thus in all the quarters he places sap. He should not think of that quarter in which there is one whom he should hate; by omitting it he appropriates his strength. He concludes with the last (verse ) ‘Aditi is the sky, Aditi the atmosphere’; Aditi is this (earth); the sky this (earth), the atmosphere this (earth). ‘Aditi is mother, is father, is son’ (he says); the mother is this (earth), the father this (earth), the son this (earth). ‘Aditi is the All-gods, the five folks’ (he says); in this are the All-gods, in this the five folks. ‘Aditi is what is born, Aditi is what is to be born’ (he says); what is born is this (earth); what is to be born is this (earth). He recites twice by lines the concluding (verse); cattle are four-footed; (verily it serves) to win cattle; once by half verses, for support. Man has a double support, cattle have four feet; verily thus he causes men with his double support to find support in four-footed cattle. He should always conclude with (a verse) connected with the five folks; touching the earth should he conclude. Thus in the very place where he brings together the sacrifice in that at the end he establishes it. Having recited the Vaiçvadeva litany he uses (a verse) to the All-gods as offering verse, ‘O All-gods, harken to this my call’; thus according to their portions he delights the deities.

3.3.p13

iii. 32 (xiii. 8). The first offering verse for the ghee is addressed to Agni,

3.3.p14

the offering verse for (the pap for) Soma is addressed to Soma, the offering verse for the ghee is addressed to Viṣṇu. For (the pap for) Soma he uses as offering verse ‘Thou, O Soma, in unison with the fathers,’ which contains (the word) ‘fathers’. They slay the Soma in that they press it; for it they perform (the offering of) a barren cow in the form of (the pap) for Soma; the barren cow is for the fathers; therefore (a verse) containing (the word) ‘fathers’ he uses as offering verse for (the pap for) Soma. They have killed Soma in that they pressed it; thus do they again bring it into being; they swell it up again with the symbol of the Upasads, these deities, Agni, Soma, and Viṣṇu are the symbol of the Upasads. Having taken (the pap) for Soma before the Sāman singers the Hotṛ should look into it; some indeed give it first to the Sāman singers, but that he should not do. ‘The sayer of vaṣaṭ eats first all foods’, he used to say; in this way therefore the sayer of vaṣaṭ should first look into it, then they give it to the Sāman singers.

3.3.p15

The Āgnimāruta Çastra.

3.3.p16

iii. 33 (xiii. 9). Prajāpati felt love towards his own daughter, the sky some say, Uṣas others. Having become a stag he approached her in the form of a deer. The gods saw him, ‘A deed unknown Prajāpati now does.’ They sought one to punish him; they found him not among one another. These most dread forms they brought together in one place. Brought together they became this deity here; therefore is his name containing (the word) Bhūta; he prospers who knows thus his name. To him the gods said ‘Prajāpati here hath done a deed unknown; pierce him.’ ‘Be it so,’ he replied, ‘Let me choose a boon from you.’ ‘Choose’ (they said). He chose this boon, the overlordship of cattle; therefore does his name contain the word ‘cattle’. Rich in cattle he becomes who knows thus this name of his. Having aimed at him he pierced him; being pierced he flew upwards; him they call ‘the deer’. The piercer of the deer is he of that name. The female deer is Rohiṇī; the three-pointed arrow is the

3.3.p17

three-pointed arrow. The seed of Prajāpati outpoured ran; it became a pond. The gods said ‘Let not this seed of Prajāpati be spoiled.’ It became ‘not to be spoilt;’ that is why ‘not to be spoilt’ (māduṣa) has its name; connected with man is called ‘not to be spoilt’; that being ‘not to be spoilt’ they call mystically ‘connected with man (mānuṣa)’, for the gods are lovers of mystery as it were.

3.3.p18

iii. 34 (xiii. 10). It they surrounded with Agni; it the Maruts blew upon; Agni could not make it move; they surrounded it with Agni Vaiçvānara; the Maruts blew upon it; then Agni Vaiçvānara caused it to move. The first part of the seed that was kindled up became yonder Āditya; the second became Bhṛgu; him Varuṇa took; therefore is Bhṛgu descended from Varuṇa. The third (part), that was brilliant (adīdet) as it were, became the Ādityas. The coals became the Aṅgirases; in that the coals after being quenched blazed forth again, Bṛhaspati came into being. The extinguished coals became black cattle; the reddened earth ruddy (cattle). The ash which there was crept about in diverse forms, the buffalo, the Gayal, the antelope, the camel, the ass, and these ruddy animals. To them this god said ‘Mine is this, mine is what remains.’ Him they deprived of a claim by this verse which is recited as addressed to Rudra,

3.3.p19

‘O father of the Maruts, let thy goodwill approach us;
Do thou not sever us from the sight of the sun;
Do thou, hero, be merciful to our steeds’;

3.3.p20

so should he say, not ‘Towards us’ (in the last line); this god is not likely to attack offspring then;

3.3.p21

‘May we be multiplied with children, O thou of Rudra,’

3.3.p22

so he should say, not ‘O Rudra’, to avoid the use of the actual name. Or rather he should recite ‘Weal for us let him make’; with ‘weal’ he begins, for weal for all. ‘For men, for women, for cows’ (he says); men are males, women are females; (verily it serves) for weal for all. This verse, being without mention (of the name of the deity) though addressed to Rudra, is appeased; with full life, for fullness of life, a full life he lives who knows thus. It is a Gāyatrī; the Gāyatrī is holy power; verily thus with the holy power he honours him.

3.3.p23

iii. 35 (xiii. 11). He begins the Āgnimāruta with (a hymn) to Vaiçvānara; Vaiçvānara caused to move the seed when poured; therefore with a

3.3.p24

hymn to Vaiçvānara he begins the Āgnimāruta. Without taking in breath the first verse is to be recited. He who recites the Āgnimāruta keeps quenching the fires which have not been appeased, the blazing flames; verily thus with the breaths he crosses the fires. In reciting he may err; he should seek another to point out; verily thus making him a bridge he crosses. Therefore at the Āgnimāruta he should not himself correct, a correcter (of errors) should be found. He recites (a hymn) to the Maruts; the Maruts by blowing caused to move the seed when poured; therefore he recites (a hymn) to the Maruts. ‘At each sacrifice to Agni’ and ‘The god wealth gives to you’, the basis (of the Stotra) and the antistrophe he recites in the middle; in that in the middle he recites the basis (yoni) and the antistrophe, therefore is the womb placed in the middle. In that he recites after reciting two hymns, verily thus he places the organ of propagation above the two supports for generation. He is propagated with offspring and cattle who knows thus.

3.3.p25

iii. 36 (xiii. 12). He recites (a hymn) to Jātavedas; Prajāpati created offspring; they created went away and returned not. Them he surrounded with Agni; they came up to Agni; to him to-day even they come up. He said ‘Offspring born by him I have found.’ In that he said ‘Offspring born by him I have found’, that became (the hymn) to Jātavedas; that is why Jātavedas has his name. They, surrounded by Agni, and controlled, kept scorching and blazing; them he sprinkled with water. Therefore after (the hymn) to Jātavedas he recites the Āpohiṣṭhīya; therefore should it be recited by one who is appeasing. Having sprinkled them with water he thought that he had destroyed them; in them by means of the dragon of the deep he mysteriously placed brilliance. Agni Gārhapatya is the dragon of the deep; verily thus by Agni Gārhapatya mysteriously he places brilliance in them. Therefore they say ‘He who offers is more brilliant than he who does not offer.’

3.3.p26

iii. 37 (xiii. 13). He celebrates the wives of the gods after Agni, the lord of the house; therefore the wife sits behind the Gārhapatya. They say ‘Let him celebrate Rākā first; a sister has the first drink.’ That is not to

3.3.p27

be regarded; the wives of the gods he should celebrate first. Agni Gārhapatya places seed in the wives; verily thus in these wives with Agni Gārhapatya openly he places seed, for propagation. He is propagated with offspring and cattle, who knows thus. Therefore a sister, though of the same womb, lives as inferior to a wife, though of a different womb. He celebrates Rākā; Rākā is it that sews this suture in man which is in the organ. Male sons are born for him who knows thus. He celebrates Pāviravī; Pāviravī is speech, Sarasvatī; verily thus he places speech in speech. They say ‘Should he recite (the verse) to Yama first? Or that for the fathers?’ That to Yama should he recite first. ‘This strew, O Yama, do thou sit upon’; the first drink is the king's; therefore should he recite (the verse ) to Yama first. ‘Mātali with the sages, Yama with the Aṅgirases’, he recites after (it) for the sages. The sages are inferior to the gods, but above the fathers; therefore he recites it after (the verse to Yama). ‘Let them arise, the lower, the higher’, (these verses ) to the fathers he recites. ‘The midmost fathers, loving the Soma’ (he says); the lowest, the highest and the midmost, all these without omission he delights. ‘I have found the kindly fathers’ he recites as the second (verse). ‘Who sitting on the strew (the drink) pressed with the call’ (he says); ‘sitting on the strew’ is a reference to their dear abode (the strew); verily thus with their dear home he makes them prosper. With a dear home he prospers who knows thus. ‘May there be this homage to the fathers to-day’ he recites, containing the making of homage, at the end; therefore at the end is homage paid to the fathers. They say ‘Should he recite (the verses) to the fathers separating (them) with the call? Or without separating (them) with the call.’ He should recite separating (them) with the call; the good of the sacrifice to the fathers is incomplete ; he who recites separating (them) with the call completes the incomplete sacrifice to the fathers; therefore it is to be recited separating (them) with the call.

3.3.p28

iii. 38 (xiii. 14). ‘Sweet indeed is he, full of honey is he’, he recites (verses to) Indra for the drinking after of Indra; by these Indra drank after (the other gods) the third pressing; that is why (the verses) for the drinking after have their name. The deities become drunk as it were in that the Hotṛ recites these verses; therefore in their case the response (of the

3.3.p29

Adhvaryu) should contain (the word) 'be drunk'. 'By whose might the regions are established', this verse to Mitra and Varuṇa he recites; Viṣṇu guards what is ill offered in the sacrifice, Varuṇa what is well offered; verily (it serves) to appease them both. 'I will proclaim the mighty deeds of Viṣṇu', (this verse ) to Viṣṇu he recites. As is a roller, so is Viṣṇu to the sacrifice. Just as one may keep making well ploughed and well rolled what has been ill ploughed and ill rolled, so, in that the Hotṛ recites this verse, he keeps making well sung and well recited what has been ill sung and ill recited in the sacrifice. 'Weaving the web from the darkness follow to the light', (this verse ) to Prajāpati he recites; the web is offspring; verily thus he weaves the web of offspring for him. 'Guard the paths, full of light, wrought by prayer' (he says); the paths full of light are those that go to the gods; verily thus he extends them for him. With 'Weave without a flaw the works of the singers; be Manu, bring to birth the divine folk' verily he extends him with the offspring of Manu, for generation. He is propagated with offspring and cattle who knows thus. 'Do thou to us, the generous one, Indra, the resplendent', with this last (verse ) he concludes; the generous one, Indra, the resplendent, is this (earth); 'May he make true (blessings), supporter of the folk, the unequalled' (he says); the true, supporter of the folk, the unequalled is this (earth); 'Do thou, king of beings, confer upon us' (he says); the king of beings is this (earth). 'The great fame that is a singer's' (he says); great is this (earth); fame is the sacrifice; the singer is the sacrificer; verily thus he invokes this benediction for the sacrificer. Touching the earth should he say the conclusion; verily thus in the very same place in which he gathers together the sacrifice, in that he establishes it at the end. Having recited the Āgnimāruta litany he recites (a verse ) to Agni and the Maruts as offering verse 'O Agni with the Maruts brilliant and resounding'; thus according to their portions he delights the gods.

Linked texts (1)

Aitareyabrāhmaṇa — Mahidāsa Aitareya, Sanskrit