Aitareyabrahmana 2.14
English (machine translation) 2.14
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2.14
This oblation of the omentum is truly an oblation of immortality;
an oblation to Agni is an oblation of immortality; an oblation of melted butter is an oblation of immortality; an oblation of Soma is an oblation of immortality.
These indeed are bodiless oblations. Whatever bodiless oblations there are,
by them the sacrificer wins immortality.
The omentum is truly semen. Semen, as it were, melts away; the omentum, as it were, melts away.
Semen is white; the omentum is white. Semen is bodiless; the omentum is bodiless.
What is red, what is meat, that is the body.
Therefore he should say: 'Trim it off as long as it is free from blood.'
It is cut into five portions. Even if the sacrificer is one who takes four portions,
the omentum is strictly taken in five portions: he spreads an underlayer of melted butter,
[places] a piece of gold,
the omentum, a piece of gold, and pours melted butter over the top.
Concerning this they say: 'If gold is not found, how should it be?'
Having spread twice an underlayer of melted butter, he cuts out the omentum and pours melted butter twice over the top.
Melted butter is immortality; gold is immortality. The desire that is in melted butter is obtained there;
the desire that is in gold is obtained there. Thus they amount to five.
Man is fivefold, five-fold constituted: hair, skin, flesh, bone, marrow.
Having prepared the sacrificer to the full extent of a man, he offers him into Agni, the womb of the gods.
Agni is indeed the womb of the gods. He, being born from Agni, the womb of the gods, through the oblations,
goes upwards with a golden body to the heavenly world.
Translations (1)
- Rigveda Brahmanas: The Aitareya and Kauṣītaki Brāhmaṇas of the Rigveda (HOS 25) — Arthur Berriedale Keith 1920, English
Commentaries (1)
- Aitareyabrāhmaṇabhāṣya (Vedārthaprakāśa) — Sāyaṇa, Sanskrit
Linked texts (1)
- Aitareyabrāhmaṇa — Mahidāsa Aitareya, Sanskrit