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Aitareyabrahmana 3

English (machine translation) 3

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3.1

This praüga [hymn] is indeed the recitation for the cups. Nine cups are drawn in the morning; with nine [verses] they chant the bahiṣpavamāna [stotra]. When the chant is sung, he draws the tenth; the hiṅkāra is the tenth of the others. That is the matching. He recites the [section] dedicated to Vāyu; thereby the [cup] for Vāyu has a recitation. He recites the [section] dedicated to Indra and Vāyu; thereby the [cup] for Indra and Vāyu has a recitation. He recites the [section] dedicated to Mitra and Varuṇa; thereby the [cup] for Mitra and Varuṇa has a recitation. He recites the [section] dedicated to the Aśvins; thereby the [cup] for the Aśvins has a recitation. He recites the [section] dedicated to Indra; thereby the Śukra and Manthin [cups] have a recitation. He recites the [section] dedicated to the Viśve Devas; thereby the Āgrayaṇa [cup] has a recitation. He recites the [section] dedicated to Sarasvatī. There is no cup for Sarasvatī, but Sarasvatī is speech. Whatever cups are drawn by means of speech, all of them have their recitations recited and are endowed with recitations for him who knows thus.

3.2

Verily, by this praüga [sastra] he secures food. Different deities are recited in the praüga; different praises are performed in the praüga; different foods of his are held in the cups, for one who knows thus. Verily, this praüga is the hymn that most closely pertains to the self of the sacrificer. Therefore they say: 'This should be observed most carefully by him, for by this the hotṛ priest perfects him.' He recites [the triplet] addressed to Vāyu. Therefore they say: 'Vāyu is breath; breath is semen; semen comes into being first when man comes into being.' When he recites the one addressed to Vāyu, he thus perfects his breath. He recites the one addressed to Indra and Vāyu. Where indeed breath is, there is out-breath. When he recites the one addressed to Indra and Vāyu, he thus perfects his in-breath and out-breath. He recites the one addressed to Mitra and Varuṇa. Therefore they say: 'Sight comes into being first when man comes into being.' When he recites the one addressed to Mitra and Varuṇa, he thus perfects his sight. He recites the one addressed to the Aśvins. Therefore they say concerning a newborn child: 'He listens, he looks.' When he recites the one addressed to the Aśvins, he thus perfects his hearing. He recites the one addressed to Indra. Therefore they say concerning a newborn child: 'He holds up his neck and then his head.' When he recites the one addressed to Indra, he thus perfects his virility. He recites the one addressed to the All-gods. Therefore a newborn child moves about only afterwards, for the limbs belong to the All-gods. When he recites the one addressed to the All-gods, he thus perfects his limbs. He recites the one addressed to Sarasvatī. Therefore speech enters a newborn child last, for speech is Sarasvatī. When he recites the one addressed to Sarasvatī, he thus perfects his speech. Truly, born he is born from all these deities, from all hymns, from all metres, from all praüga [śastras], from all pressings—who knows thus, and for whom, knowing thus, they recite this.

3.3

This praüga [śastra] is indeed the hymn of the vital breaths. He recites seven deities. Seven indeed are the vital breaths in the head; thus he places the vital breaths in the head. 'Why should he who is his hotṛ priest care about the good or evil of the sacrificer?' they used to say. 'Right here he may do with him as he wishes.' Whomever he should wish: 'Let me deprive him of breath,' he should recite his [hymn] addressed to Vāyu confusedly. He should skip a verse or a quarter-verse; thereby it is confused. He thus deprives him of breath. Whomever he should wish: 'Let me deprive him of in-breath and out-breath,' he should recite his [hymn] addressed to Indra and Vāyu confusedly. He should skip a verse or a quarter-verse; thereby it is confused. He thus deprives him of in-breath and out-breath. Whomever he should wish: 'Let me deprive him of sight,' he should recite his [hymn] addressed to Mitra and Varuṇa confusedly. He should skip a verse or a quarter-verse; thereby it is confused. He thus deprives him of sight. Whomever he should wish: 'Let me deprive him of hearing,' he should recite his [hymn] addressed to the Aśvins confusedly. He should skip a verse or a quarter-verse; thereby it is confused. He thus deprives him of hearing. Whomever he should wish: 'Let me deprive him of virility,' he should recite his [hymn] addressed to Indra confusedly. He should skip a verse or a quarter-verse; thereby it is confused. He thus deprives him of virility. Whomever he should wish: 'Let me deprive him of his limbs,' he should recite his [hymn] addressed to the All-gods confusedly. He should skip a verse or a quarter-verse; thereby it is confused. He thus deprives him of limbs. Whomever he should wish: 'Let me deprive him of speech,' he should recite his [hymn] addressed to Sarasvatī confusedly. He should skip a verse or a quarter-verse; thereby it is confused. He thus deprives him of speech. But whomever he should wish: 'Let me enrich him with all limbs, with his whole self,' he should recite this for him in regular order, straight and orderly. Thus he enriches him with all limbs, with his whole self. He thrives with all limbs, with his whole self, who knows thus.

3.4

As to this they say: 'As the chant is, so is the recitation.' The Sāman singers chant on verses addressed to Agni; the hotṛ priest begins with a verse addressed to Vāyu: how then are the verses addressed to Agni recited after for him? Verily, all these deities are the forms of Agni. When Agni burns as if blowing, that is his form relating to Vāyu. By that he recites after it for him. Then, when he burns making as if divided in two—and Indra and Vāyu are two—that is his form relating to Indra and Vāyu. By that he recites after it for him. Then, when he bristles up and bristles down, that is his form relating to Mitra and Varuṇa. By that he recites after it for him. When Agni is terrible to touch, that is his form relating to Varuṇa; when, although being terrible to touch, they serve him as if making a friend, that is his form relating to Mitra. By that he recites after it for him. Then, when they churn him with two arms, with two churning sticks—and the Aśvins are two—that is his form relating to the Aśvins. By that he recites after it for him. Then, when with a loud noise, thundering, making as if crackling noises, he burns, from which beings tremble, that is his form relating to Indra. By that he recites after it for him. Then, when, being one, they distribute him manifoldly, that is his form relating to the All-gods. By that he recites after it for him. Then, when crackling he burns as if uttering speech, that is his form relating to Sarasvatī. By that he recites after it for him. And so for him, even as he begins with the verse addressed to Vāyu, triplet by triplet with these deities the verse of the chant is recited after. Having recited the praise to the All-gods, he sacrifices with a verse addressed to the All-gods: / 'With all, Agni, with Indra, with Vāyu, / drink the sweet soma juice according to the domains of Mitra.' / Thus according to their portion he pleases the deities.

3.5

The vaṣaṭ-call is indeed the vessel of the gods. When he utters the vaṣaṭ-call, he thereby gratifies the deities with the vessel of the gods. He makes the secondary vaṣaṭ-call. Just as over there they repeatedly refresh horses or cattle, in the very same way they repeatedly gratify the deities when he makes the secondary vaṣaṭ-call. They say: 'They revere these very fires, the dhiṣṇyas; then why do they offer in the front one alone, why do they make the vaṣaṭ-call at the front one?' Because he makes the secondary vaṣaṭ-call with 'O Agni, enjoy the Soma!', thereby he pleases the dhiṣṇyas. They say: 'They consume uncompleted Somas whose secondary vaṣaṭ-call is not made; what, then, is the Sviṣṭakṛt portion of the Soma?' Because he makes the secondary vaṣaṭ-call with 'O Agni, enjoy the Soma!', thereby, as it were, they consume completed Somas; and that itself is the Sviṣṭakṛt portion of the Soma. He utters the vaṣaṭ-call.

3.6

A thunderbolt indeed is this vaṣaṭ-call. When he is about to utter the vaṣaṭ-call, he should direct his mind toward whomsoever he hates; on him alone he launches that thunderbolt. He utters the vaṣaṭ-call as 'ṣaṭ'. Six indeed are the seasons. He thus puts the seasons in order, he establishes the seasons. When the seasons are established, everything whatsoever that is here is established in accordance with them. He who knows thus becomes established. And as to this, Hiraṇyadan Baida used to say: 'By this he establishes these six: heaven is established in the intermediate space, the intermediate space in the earth, the earth in the waters, the waters in truth, truth in brahman, brahman in ascetic heat.' When these foundations are established, everything whatsoever that is here is established in accordance with them. He who knows thus becomes established. He utters the vaṣaṭ-call as 'vauṣaṭ'. 'Vau' is that one [the sun], 'ṣaṭ' is the seasons. He thus places him in the seasons, he establishes him in the seasons. Just as one acts toward the gods, so the gods act toward him.

3.7

Three indeed are the vaṣaṭ-calls: the thunderbolt, the coverer of domain, and the empty. The one that he utters loudly and forcefully is the thunderbolt; he strikes down with it each hated rival as a deadly weapon, to overthrow him who is to be overthrown by him. Therefore it should be uttered by one who has a rival. Now, the one that is level, continuous, and not separated from the verse is the coverer of domain; offspring and cattle attend upon it each time. Therefore it should be uttered by one desiring offspring, desiring cattle. Now, that by which he misses the 'ṣaṭ' is the empty; it empties himself, it empties the sacrificer; worse off becomes the caller of the vaṣaṭ, worse off he for whom he calls the vaṣaṭ. Therefore one should not have any hope in it. 'Why should he care for the evil or good fortune of the sacrificer?' used he to say who might be his hotṛ priest: right here he may do with him as he may wish. If he should wish of him: 'Just as he was before sacrificing, so may he be after sacrificing,' he should utter his vaṣaṭ-call in the very same way as he speaks his verse. He thus makes him equal. If he should wish of him: 'May he become worse off,' he should speak his verse louder and make the vaṣaṭ-call more softly. He thus makes him worse off. If he should wish of him: 'May he become better off,' he should speak his verse more softly and make the vaṣaṭ-call louder. He thus places him in prosperity after prosperity. The vaṣaṭ-call must be made continuous with the verse, for continuity. He is joined with offspring and cattle, who knows thus.

3.8

For whichever deity the sacrificial offering may have been taken up, upon that deity he should meditate when about to utter the vaṣaṭ-call.
Directly he thereby pleases that deity; visibly he sacrifices to that deity.
The vaṣaṭ-call is indeed a vajra; hurled, it blazes unappeased.
Hardly anyone knows its appeasement or its foundation.
Therefore, even nowadays, death is fairly frequent.
This alone is its appeasement, this its foundation: 'Speech!'
Therefore, after uttering each vaṣaṭ-call, he should follow it with the formula: 'Speech!'
Appeased, it does not injure him.
'O vaṣaṭ-call, do not sweep me away; may I not sweep you away!
Through the Bṛhat [sāman] I invoke the mind, through the vyāna-breath the body.
A foundation are you; go to the foundation;
make me reach a foundation!'—thus he should follow the vaṣaṭ-call.
Now concerning this they have said: 'Being long, this [formula] is ineffective.
"Vital power, might, vital power!"
—thus alone should he follow the vaṣaṭ-call.'
For vital power and might are the two dearest forms of the vaṣaṭ-call;
with its dear abode he thus enriches it.
He who knows thus is enriched with a dear abode.
Speech, moreover, and out-breath and in-breath are the vaṣaṭ-call;
every time the vaṣaṭ-call is made, these depart.
He should follow them with the formula:
'Speech, vital power, might, vital power! In me be out-breath and in-breath!'
Thereby the hotṛ priest establishes speech and out-breath and in-breath in his own self,
possessing the full life-span, for obtaining the full life-span.
He reaches the full life-span who knows thus.

3.9

The sacrifice departed from the gods. They sought it by means of directions (praiṣa).
Because they sought (aichan) it by means of directions (praiṣa), that is the nature of directions (praiṣatva).
They made it visible by means of introductory verses (puroruc).
Because they made it visible (prārocayan) by means of introductory verses (puroruc), that is the nature of introductory verses (puroruktva).
They found it upon the altar (vedi).
Because they found (anvavindan) it upon the altar (vedi), that is the nature of the altar (veditva).
Having found it, they drew it by means of draughts (graha).
Because, having found it, they drew (vyagṛhṇata) it by means of draughts (graha), that is the nature of draughts (graha).
Having found it, they announced it by means of nivid-formulas.
Because, having found it, they announced (nyavedayan) it by means of nivid-formulas, that is the nature of nivid-formulas (nivittva).
A searcher for what is lost surely seeks the greater beyond the lesser;
whichever of the two seeks as if the superior, he indeed seeks better among the two.
And he who knows the directions to be increasingly great, he indeed knows them better;
for the directions are a search for what is lost.
Therefore, standing bent forward, he issues directions.

3.10

Embryos indeed of the uktha-chants are the nivid-formulas.
As to their being placed before the uktha-chants at the morning-pressing,
therefore embryos are implanted facing away and come into being facing away.
As to their being placed in the middle at the midday-pressing,
therefore embryos are held in the middle.
As to their being placed at the end at the third pressing,
therefore from yonder, facing downwards, embryos are born for propagation.
He is propagated with offspring and cattle who knows thus.
Embellishments indeed of the uktha-chants are the nivid-formulas.
As to their being placed before the uktha-chants at the morning-pressing,
that is just like putting an embellishment at the beginning of weaving.
As to their being placed in the middle at the midday-pressing,
that is just like putting an embellishment in the middle.
As to their being placed at the end at the third pressing,
that is just like putting an embellishment at the fringe.
He shines with the embellishment of the sacrifice on every side who knows thus.

3.11

Solar indeed are these deities, namely the nivid-formulas.
As to their being placed before the uktha-chants at the morning-pressing,
in the middle at the midday-pressing, [and] at the end at the third pressing,
they thereby turn around in accordance with the course of the sun.
Foot by foot the gods gathered the sacrifice; therefore nivid-formulas are recited foot by foot.
When the gods gathered the sacrifice, from that a horse was produced.
Therefore they say: 'One should give a horse to the reciter of the nivid-formulas.'
Moreover, they give the best.
He should not skip a word of a nivid-formula.
If he were to skip a word of a nivid-formula, he would make a hole in the sacrifice;
when the sacrifice leaks through a hole, the sacrificer becomes worse off.
Therefore he should not skip a word of a nivid-formula.
He should not transpose two words of a nivid-formula.
If he were to transpose two words of a nivid-formula, he would confound the sacrifice; the sacrificer would become confounded.
Therefore he should not transpose two words of a nivid-formula.
He should not merge two words of a nivid-formula.
If he were to merge two words of a nivid-formula, he would shorten the life-span of the sacrifice;
the sacrificer would be likely to die.
Therefore he should not merge two words of a nivid-formula.
'Forward this spiritual power, forward this royal power!'—these two alone he should merge,
for the mutual support of spiritual power and royal power.
Therefore spiritual power and royal power are mutually supported.
He should not hold cheap the insertion of a nivid-formula over a triplet or a four-verse passage;
each foot of a nivid-formula corresponds to a verse or a hymn.
Therefore he should not hold cheap the insertion of a nivid-formula over a triplet or a four-verse passage,
for by the nivid-formula the stotra is recited in excess.
Leaving one [verse], he should insert the nivid-formula at the third pressing.
If he were to insert it leaving two, he would strike down the organ of procreation;
he would deprive the offspring of embryos.
Therefore, leaving one [verse] only, he should insert the nivid-formula at the third pressing.
He should not pass beyond the nivid-formula with a hymn.
If he should pass beyond the nivid-formula with a hymn,
he should not return to it again; it is an abandoned dwelling.
Having fetched another hymn addressed to that deity and in that metre, he should insert the nivid-formula in it.
'May we not go away from the path!'—[this] he recites before the hymn.
He indeed strays from the path who is bewildered in the sacrifice.
'O Indra, from the sacrifice of the Soma-presser!'—thereby he does not fall away from the sacrifice.
'Let not the grudging ones stand inside us!'—thereby he wards off those who bear malice.
'The thread that accomplishes the sacrifice, stretched among the gods, / having offered it, may we attain it!'—
offspring indeed is the thread; he thus extends offspring for him.
'Now we invoke the mind with the Soma connected to Narāśaṃsa'—
by mind indeed the sacrifice is stretched out; by mind it is performed.
That is the expiation in that case, the expiation.

3.12

"The divine clans are to be arranged," they say, "[and] metre is to be established in metre."
He calls out at the morning pressing with three syllables: 'śoṃsāvom'.
The adhvaryu responds with five syllables: 'śaṃsāmodaivom'.
That amounts to eight syllables. The gāyatrī has eight syllables.
Thus the two arranged the gāyatrī in front at the morning pressing.
Having recited, he says four syllables: 'ukthaṃ vāci'.
The adhvaryu [says] four syllables: 'om ukthaśā'.
That amounts to eight syllables. The gāyatrī has eight syllables.
Thus the two arranged the gāyatrī on both sides at the morning pressing.
At the midday [pressing] he calls out with six syllables: 'adhvaryo śoṃsāvom'.
The adhvaryu responds with five syllables: 'śaṃsāmodaivom'.
That amounts to eleven syllables.
The triṣṭubh has eleven syllables.
Thus the two arranged the triṣṭubh in front at the midday [pressing].
Having recited, he says seven syllables: 'ukthaṃ vācīndrāya'.
The adhvaryu [says] four syllables: 'om ukthaśā'.
That amounts to eleven syllables.
The triṣṭubh has eleven syllables.
Thus the two arranged the triṣṭubh on both sides at the midday [pressing].
At the third pressing he calls out with seven syllables: 'adhvaryo śośoṃsāvom'.
The adhvaryu responds with five syllables: 'śaṃsāmodaivom'.
That amounts to twelve syllables.
The jagatī has twelve syllables.
Thus the two arranged the jagatī in front at the third pressing.
Having recited, he says eleven syllables: 'ukthaṃ vācīndrāya devebhyaḥ'.
The adhvaryu [says] one syllable: 'om'.
That amounts to twelve syllables.
The jagatī has twelve syllables.
Thus the two arranged the jagatī on both sides at the third pressing.
Seeing this, the ṛṣi declared:
'When the gāyatra [pada] was placed upon the gāyatrī, or when they fashioned the traiṣṭubha [pada] out of the triṣṭubh,
/ or when the jagat pada was placed upon the jagatī—they who know this attain immortality.'
Thus indeed does he establish metre in metre.
He arranges the divine clans, who knows thus.

3.13

Prajāpati distributed the sacrifice, the metres, as portions among the gods.
He allotted the gāyatrī to Agni and the Vasus at the morning pressing,
the triṣṭubh to Indra and the Rudras at the midday [pressing],
and the jagatī to the All-Gods and the Ādityas at the third pressing.
Then the metre that was his own, the anuṣṭubh,
he thrust away to the conclusion, towards the achāvāka's [recitation].
The anuṣṭubh said to him: 'You are indeed the most wicked of the gods,
whose own metre I am,
[and yet] you have thrust me away to the conclusion, towards the achāvāka's [recitation]!'
He recognized that; he brought forth his own Soma [sacrifice].
In his own Soma [sacrifice] he brought the anuṣṭubh around towards the beginning, the mouth.
Therefore the anuṣṭubh is employed as the foremost, the chief, of all the pressings.
He becomes foremost and chief, he attains pre-eminence, who knows thus.
He indeed arranged that in his own Soma [sacrifice].
Therefore, wherever there is the will of the sacrificer, there the sacrifice also succeeds;
it succeeds for that community where a sacrificer, knowing thus and in control, offers sacrifice.

3.14

Agni was the hotṛ priest of the gods; Death sat upon him at the bahiṣpavamāna.
He began the ājya [śastra] with the anuṣṭubh; thus he stepped around Death.
[Death] sat upon him at the ājya [śastra]. He began with the praüga; thus he stepped around Death.
[Death] sat upon him at the midday pavamāna.
He began the marutvatīya [śastra] with the anuṣṭubh; thus he stepped around Death.
[Death] could not sit upon him in the bṛhatī verses at midday.
The bṛhatī verses are vital breaths; thus he could not step between his vital breaths.
Therefore at midday the hotṛ priest begins among the bṛhatī verses with the stotriya verse itself.
The bṛhatī verses are vital breaths; thus he begins towards the vital breaths.
[Death] sat upon him at the third pavamāna.
He began the vaiśvadeva [śastra] with the anuṣṭubh; thus he stepped around Death.
[Death] sat upon him at the yajñāyajñīya [stotra].
He began the agnimāruta [śastra] with the vaiśvānarīya verse; thus he stepped around Death.
The vaiśvānarīya [verse] is a thunderbolt, the yajñāyajñīya [stotra] is a foundation;
thus by the thunderbolt he drives Death away from the foundation.
Escaping all the fetters and all the posts of Death, he was safely delivered.
Safely indeed is the hotṛ priest delivered, possessing full lifespan, for the attainment of a full lifespan.
He attains a full lifespan, who knows thus.

3.15

Indra, having slain Vṛtra, thinking 'I have not laid him low,' went to the farthest distances.
He went to the supreme distance.
The anuṣṭubh is the supreme distance, speech is the anuṣṭubh.
Having entered into speech, he lay down; all beings sought him out, dividing themselves.
The Fathers found him on the previous day; the gods [found him] on the following day.
Therefore the rite is performed for the Fathers on the previous day, and they sacrifice to the gods on the following day.
They said:
'Let us press [Soma]; thus indeed he will come to us most swiftly.' [They said:] 'So be it.'
They pressed [Soma]. By 'To you, as to a chariot, for help' they turned him toward themselves;
by 'Here, O bright one, is the pressed soma drink' he appeared to them at the mention of what was pressed;
by 'O Indra, come nearer here' they brought him into their midst.
He sacrifices with a sacrifice that has reached Indra,
he prospers through a sacrifice accompanied by Indra, who knows thus.
When Indra had slain Vṛtra, all the deities, thinking 'He has not laid him low,' abandoned him.
Only the Maruts, his close companions, did not abandon him.
The vital breaths are the Maruts, his close companions; the vital breaths indeed did not abandon him then.
Therefore this unchangeable pragātha verse-pair containing [the word] 'close companion' is recited:
'Come, O close companion, with close companions.'
Even if after this a metre dedicated to Indra alone is recited,
it all belongs to the Maruts,
if this unchangeable pragātha verse-pair containing [the word] 'close companion' is recited:
'Come, O close companion, with close companions.'

3.17

He recites the pragātha addressed to Brahmaṇaspati. The gods, having Bṛhaspati as their purohita, conquered the heavenly world; they conquered all around in this world. Just so, the sacrificer, having Bṛhaspati as his purohita, conquers the heavenly world; he conquers all around in this world. Indeed, these two pragāthas, although not sung [in the stotra], are recited taking up [the verses] repeatedly. On this they say: 'Since nothing that has not been sung is recited taking up [verses] repeatedly, then why are these two pragāthas, although not sung, recited taking up [verses] repeatedly?' This marutvatīya hymn is the recitation corresponding to the pavamāna chant. Here they chant on six gāyatrī verses, on six bṛhatī verses, and on three triṣṭubh verses; that midday pavamāna chant consists of three metres and fifteen verses. On this they say: 'How is this midday pavamāna chant of three metres and fifteen verses recited after [by the hotṛ]?' The two verses that follow the gāyatrī intro-verse and the gāyatrī follower verse—by these his gāyatrī verses are recited after. By these two pragāthas his bṛhatī verses are recited after. Indeed, on those bṛhatī verses the Sāman-singers chant with the Raurava and Yaudhājaya sāmans, taking up [the verses] repeatedly. Therefore these two pragāthas, although not sung, are recited taking up [the verses] repeatedly, so that the recitation corresponds to the stotra. The two triṣṭubh verses that are the dhāyyā verses and the triṣṭubh nivid insertion hymn—by these his triṣṭubh verses are recited after. Thus indeed this midday pavamāna chant of three metres and fifteen verses is recited after for him who knows thus.

3.18

He recites the dhāyyā verses. / By the dhāyyā verses Prajāpati sucked these worlds, whatever wish he desired; / just so the sacrificer by the dhāyyā verses sucks these worlds, whatever wish he desires, who knows thus. As to why they are called dhāyyās: / wherever the gods perceived an aperture in the sacrifice, / there they plugged it with the dhāyyās; that is the dhāyyā-nature of the dhāyyās. / With an aperture-free sacrifice has he sacrificed, who knows thus. And again, as to why they are called dhāyyās: / a seam, indeed, of the sacrifice are the dhāyyās. / Just as one would go joining cloth with a needle, / even so he goes joining the aperture of the sacrifice with these, who knows thus. And again, as to why they are called dhāyyās: / these are verily the ukthas of the upasads themselves, namely the dhāyyās. / 'Agni, the leader' [RV 3.20.4] is the first upasad belonging to Agni; this is its uktha. / 'Thou, O Soma, by intentions' [RV 1.91.2] is the second upasad belonging to Soma; this is its uktha. / 'They swell the waters' [RV 1.64.6] is the third upasad belonging to Viṣṇu; this is its uktha. / As great a world as one wins by sacrificing with the Soma sacrifice, / that [world] he wins from this by each single upasad, / who knows thus and who, knowing thus, recites the dhāyyā verses. / As to this, some say: 'He should recite "To these mighty ones of yours" [RV 7.34.1], for that is what we recognise being recited among the Bharatas,' so speaking. / That is not to be regarded. / If he were to recite that, Parjanya would be liable not to rain. / He should recite only 'They swell the waters'. / The quarter-verse is rain-winning; 'Maruts' [indicates that] it belongs to the Maruts; / 'like a courser they lead [the cloud] out to rain' contains [the word] *vinīta* ('trained/led out'). / What contains *vinīta* contains stride (*vikrānta*); what contains stride belongs to Viṣṇu. / 'The swift one' [indicates that] Indra is the swift one. In this [verse] there are four quarter-verses: / rain-winning, belonging to the Maruts, belonging to Viṣṇu, belonging to Indra. / This [verse], although having a share in the third pressing, is recited at the midday [pressing]. / Therefore indeed the cattle of the Bharatas, / although having their cowpens at evening, come together at midday to the gathering of the cows. / That is a jagatī, for cattle are connected with the jagatī; the midday [pressing] is the self of the sacrificer; / thereby he places cattle in the sacrificer.

3.19

He recites the Marutvatīya pragātha. Cattle are the Maruts, / cattle are the pragātha, for the securing of cattle. / He recites the hymn: 'Born fierce for swift power' [RV 3.49]. / That is verily the hymn of the birth of the sacrificer; / by this he brings forth the sacrificer from the sacrifice into divine womb. / It is victorious: he completely conquers and wins in various ways. / This is Gaurivīta. / Gaurivīti Śāktya indeed went closest to the heavenly world; / he saw this hymn; by it he won the heavenly world. / Just so the sacrificer wins the heavenly world by this hymn. / Having recited half of it and leaving half remaining, he places the nivid in the middle. / An ascent to the heavenly world is the nivid; / an ascending step to the heavenly world is the nivid. / As if stepping upon it, he should recite it; / he should draw the sacrificer close to him, whoever would be dear to him. / So much for one who desires heaven; now for one who performs an incantation. / He who should desire: / 'May I strike down the people with the royal power', he should then recite the hymn alternating thrice with the nivid. / Royal power is the nivid, the people are the hymn; thereby he strikes down the people with royal power. / He who should desire: / 'May I strike down the royal power with the people', he should then recite the nivid alternating thrice with the hymn. / Royal power is the nivid, the people are the hymn; thereby he strikes down royal power with the people. / And he who should desire: 'May I cut him off from the people on both sides', / he should then insert the nivid on both sides; / thereby he cuts him off from the people on both sides. / So much for one who performs an incantation; otherwise, however, it is for one who desires heaven. / He concludes with the last [verse]: 'The birds with fair wings have approached Indra, / the Priyamedhas, the seers, imploring: / "Dispel the darkness"' [RV 10.73.11]. / Whatever darkness he should think he is covered with, he should go to it with his mind; that is wiped away from him. / 'Fill the eyes', [at this] he should repeatedly rub both eyes; / possessing sight until old age is he who knows thus. / 'Deliver us as if bound by a snare'; / a snare is *nidhā*; 'Deliver us as if bound by a fetter,' is what he thereby says.

3.20

Indra, when about to slay Vṛtra, said to all the deities: / 'Stand by me! Call unto me!' Saying 'So be it', / they ran up when he was about to slay [him]. He perceived: / 'Verily, they are running up when I am about to slay [him]; come, let me frighten them.' / He blew forth against them; fleeing away from his snorting, all the gods ran away. / The Maruts, however, did not abandon him. / 'Strike, O Lord! Slay! Act heroically!'—so speaking these words they stood by him. / The seer, seeing this, recited: / 'Fleeing away from the snorting of Vṛtra, all the gods, who were your companions, abandoned you; / let there be friendship between you and the Maruts, O Indra; then shall you conquer all these armies' [RV 8.96.7]. / He perceived: 'These indeed are my helpers; these have favoured me; / come, let me make them share in this uktha.' / He made them share in this uktha. / Now at that time both these ukthas were niṣkevalya alone. / He draws the Marutvatīya cup; he recites the Marutvatīya pragātha; / he recites the Marutvatīya hymn; he places the Marutvatīya nivid: / that is the share of the Maruts. / Having recited the Marutvatīya uktha, he offers with the Marutvatīya offering verse; / according to their share he thereby pleases the deities: / 'They who magnified you at the slaying of the dragon, O bounteous one, who at Śambara's [slaying], O lord of bay steeds, who in the quest for kine, / who now cheer along, the poets: drink the Soma, O Indra, accompanied by the host, with the Maruts' [RV 3.47.4]. / Wherever he conquered along with them, wherever he performed virile deed, / having made known all that, he makes them partakers in the Soma-drink along with Indra.

3.21

Indra, having slain Vṛtra and won all victories, said to Prajāpati: 'May I be what you are; may I be great.' That Prajāpati said: 'Then who (kaḥ) am I?' 'Just what you have said,' he replied. From that, Prajāpati became Ka by name; Prajāpati is indeed Ka by name. Since Indra became great, that is the great Indra-ship of Mahendra. Having become great, he said to the deities: 'Apportion a chosen share for me!' Just as even now one wishes who becomes someone and attains pre-eminence (he becomes great). The gods said to him: 'State yourself what shall be yours.' He chose this: the Māhendra cup, the midday soma-pressing among the soma-pressings, the niṣkevalya chant among the recitations, the triṣṭubh among the metres, the pṛṣṭha among the sāmans. They apportioned that chosen share to him. They apportione a chosen share to him who knows thus. The gods said to him: 'You have claimed everything! Let there be a share for us here too.' He said: 'No, how could there be a share for you?' They said to him: 'Let there be a share for us, O Maghavan!' He merely looked at them.

3.22

Those gods said: 'This beloved, favourite wife of Indra named Prāsahā—let us seek [a favour] through her.' 'So be it.' They sought [help] through her. She said to them: 'I will answer you in the morning.' Therefore women seek [desires] from their husband; therefore also a woman seeks [desires] from her husband during the night. They went to her in the morning. She set forth this: / 'Because, hero conquering ancient foes, you have fulfilled most of all / the names, O Indra, slayer of Vṛtra, / the mighty husband of Prāsahā has been made known'—Indra is indeed the mighty husband of Prāsahā— / 'Whatever we wish to do, may he do that.' / What she said to them was simply: 'Whatever we have spoken, that he will do.' Those gods said: 'Let there be a share here for her too, who found for us what was truly agreeable in this.' 'So be it.' They made a share for her here too. Therefore this verse is also recited here: 'Because, hero conquering ancient foes, you have fulfilled most of all.' The army is indeed the beloved, favourite wife of Indra named Prāsahā; Prajāpati named Ka is the father-in-law. Therefore, whose army one wishes to conquer, standing on its side, cutting off a blade of grass at both ends, he should throw it towards the other army, saying: 'O Prāsahā, Ka sees you!' Just as a daughter-in-law goes hiding in shame from her father-in-law, even so that army goes breaking and hiding, where one knowing thus cuts off a blade of grass at both ends and throws it towards the other army, saying: 'O Prāsahā, Ka sees you!' Indra said to them: 'Let there be a share for you here too.' Those gods said: 'Let the offering verse of the niṣkevalya cup be a virāj, which consists of thirty-three syllables.' Thirty-three indeed are the gods: eight Vasus, eleven Rudras, twelve Ādityas, and Prajāpati and the Vaṣaṭ call. He makes the deities share in the syllables; syllable by syllable the deities drink successively; with the vessel of the gods the deities are satisfied. For whomever he might wish that he be without support, he should sacrifice for him with a non-virāj, with a gāyatrī or a triṣṭubh or another metre, and utter the vaṣaṭ: he thereby makes him without support. For whomever he might wish that he have a support, he should sacrifice for him with a virāj: with 'Drink the soma, Indra, let it exhilarate you,' he thereby makes him have a support.

3.23

In the beginning, Ṛc and Sāman were here. Sā indeed was the name of the Ṛc, and Ama was the name of the Sāman.
That Ṛc addressed the Sāman: 'Let us unite as a copulative pair for procreation.'
'No,' said the Sāman, 'greater indeed than this is my greatness.'
Becoming two, they [both] addressed him; he did not converse back to the two of them.
Becoming three, they addressed him; he united with the three.
Because he united with three, therefore they praise with three [verses], they chant with three;
for the Sāman is commensurate with three.
Therefore there are many wives for one [man], but not many husbands for one [woman].
Because Sā and Ama united, it became Sāman: that is the Sāman-hood of the Sāman.
He who knows this becomes suitable.
He indeed who exists, who attains superiority, becomes suitable;
for they censure [one saying]: 'He is unsuitable.'
Becoming five each, they arranged themselves:
the call, the sound hiṃ, the prelude, the first Ṛc, the loud chant,
the middle [Ṛc], the response, the final [Ṛc], the cadence, and the vaṣaṭ-call.
Because they arranged themselves, having each become five, therefore they say:
'The sacrifice is fivefold, cattle are fivefold.'
And because they attained to the virāj of ten parts, therefore they say:
'The sacrifice is established in the ten-part virāj.'
The stotriya verse is the self, the anurūpa is offspring, the inserted verse is the wife,
the pragātha is cattle, the hymn is the home.
He indeed dwells in the home with offspring and cattle, both in this world and in that world, who knows thus.

3.24

He recites the stotriya; the stotriya is the self.
He recites it with a medium voice; thereby he refines the self.
He recites the anurūpa; the anurūpa is offspring.
That anurūpa should be recited in a somewhat louder voice;
thereby he makes the offspring better than himself.
He recites the dhāyyā; the dhāyyā is the wife.
That dhāyyā should be recited in a somewhat lower voice;
his wife does not talk back in his home where, knowing thus,
he recites the dhāyyā in a lower voice.
He recites the pragātha;
it should be recited with a resonant voice.
Resonance is cattle, the pragātha is cattle, for the attainment of cattle.
He recites the hymn: 'Now I will proclaim the virile deeds of Indra.'
This indeed is Indra's dear hymn, the niṣkevalya composed by Hiraṇyastūpa.
By this hymn, indeed, Hiraṇyastūpa Āṅgirasa went to the dear abode of Indra;
he conquered the supreme world.
He goes to the dear abode of Indra, he conquers the supreme world, who knows thus.
The hymn is the home, the foundation.
It should be recited with the firmest voice.
Therefore, even if one acquires cattle far away, as it were, he desires to come with them right home;
for the home is the foundation of cattle, the foundation.

3.25

King Soma was in yonder world. The gods and the ṛṣis reflected:
‘How might this King Soma come to us?’
They said to the metres: ‘Bring this King Soma to us.’ ‘So be it [they replied].’
They, having become birds of fair wings, flew up.
Because they, having become birds of fair wings, flew up,
that is what those who know the legends call the Story of the Birds of Fair Wings (Sauparṇa).
The metres, indeed, went after King Soma.
At that time the metres were of four syllables each.
That jagatī of four syllables flew up first.
Having flown, and having traversed half of the distance, she grew weary.
Having dropped three syllables and become monosyllabic,
bringing consecration and ascetic heat, she flew down again.
Therefore, consecration is obtained and ascetic heat is obtained for him who possesses cattle,
for cattle belong to the jagatī, for the jagatī brought them.
Then the triṣṭubh flew up.
Having flown, and having gone beyond half of the distance, she grew weary.
Having dropped one syllable and become trisyllabic, bringing the sacrificial gifts, she flew down again.
Therefore, at midday sacrificial gifts are led along in the realm of the triṣṭubh, for the triṣṭubh brought them.

3.26

Those gods said to the gāyatrī:
‘Do thou bring this King Soma to us.’
She said, ‘So be it; but do you bless me with every formula for safe passage.’
‘So be it [they said].’ She flew up. The gods blessed her with every formula for safe passage:
‘Go forth and [return]!’ This indeed is every formula for safe passage, namely ‘Go forth and [return]!’
Therefore, him whom one holds dear, one should bless with this:
‘Go forth and [return]!’ Safely indeed does he go, safely does he return.
She, having flown and having frightened the guardians of Soma, seized King Soma
with her two feet and with her beak; and what syllables the other two metres had abandoned, those also she seized.
Aiming after her, Kṛśānu, the guardian of Soma, shot off the nail of her left foot.
That became a porcupine; therefore is it like a nail.
The fat that flowed became a barren cow;
therefore is it like a sacrificial offering. Then what was the arrow-head, what was the point, became a biting snake,
a boa constrictor.
The feathers became the manthāvala-worms, the sinews became earthworms,
the shaft became the blind snake.
So did that arrow become in this manner.

3.27

What she seized with her right foot became the morning pressing.
That the gāyatrī made her own abode;
therefore do they consider it the most thriving of all the pressings.
He becomes foremost and principal,
he attains superiority, who knows thus. Then what she seized with her left foot
became the midday pressing.
That slipped down; having slipped down, it did not equal the former pressing.
Those gods desired to find out [how to remedy it];
in it they placed the triṣṭubh among the metres and Indra among the deities.
By that, it became equal in virility to the former pressing. Through both pressings
equal in virility and equal in kinship does he prosper who knows thus. Then
what she seized with her beak became the third pressing.
Flying along, she sucked its juice; with its juice sucked out, it did not equal the former two pressings.
Those gods desired to find out [how to remedy it]; they saw it in cattle.
Therefore, in that they pour on the milk-mixture, and proceed with the animal offering and melted butter,
by that it became equal in virility to the former two pressings.
Through all the pressings equal in virility and equal in kinship does he prosper who knows thus.

3.28

Those other two metres indeed said to the gāyatrī:
‘Property has come to us: follow along [and give back] the syllables.’
‘No,’ said the gāyatrī, ‘as found, just so is it ours.’
They went with the question to the gods. Those gods said: ‘As found, just so is it yours.’
Therefore, even now, when finding [property], they say:
‘As found, just so is it ours.’
Then indeed the gāyatrī became of eight syllables, the triṣṭubh of three syllables,
the jagatī of one syllable.
That gāyatrī of eight syllables supported the morning pressing.
The triṣṭubh of three syllables could not support the midday pressing.
The gāyatrī said to her: ‘Let me come, let there be a share for me here too.’
The triṣṭubh said, ‘So be it;
do thou join me with these eight syllables.’ ‘So be it [said the other].’
She joined her.
That is the gāyatrī's share at midday, which consists of
the further introductory verses of the Marutvatīya cup and the follower verse.
Having become of eleven syllables, she supported the midday pressing.
The jagatī of one syllable could not support the third pressing.
The gāyatrī said to her: ‘Let me come, let there be a share for me here too.’
The jagatī said, ‘So be it;
do thou join me with these eleven syllables.’ ‘So be it [said the other].’
She joined her.
That is the gāyatrī's share at the third pressing,
which consists of the further introductory verses of the Vaiśvadeva cup and the follower verse.
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.
Through all metres equal in virility and equal in kinship does he prosper who knows thus. Being one,
it indeed became threefold. Therefore they say:
‘Gifts should be given to one who knows thus,’ for being one, it indeed became threefold.

3.29

Those gods said to the Ādityas:
'With you let us take up this pressing.' 'So be it,' [they replied].
Therefore the third pressing has the Ādityas as its beginning; the Āditya cup is before it.
He offers [the offering verse]: 'May the Ādityas, may Aditi exhilarate,' which contains the word 'exhilarate', congruous in form.
Indeed, containing the word 'exhilarate' is the characteristic form of the third pressing.
He does not make the secondary vaṣaṭ-call, nor does he consume.
Completion indeed is what the secondary vaṣaṭ-call is, completion is consumption, and the Ādityas are the vital breaths:
lest he bring the vital breaths to completion.
Those Ādityas said to Savitṛ:
'With you let us take up this pressing.' 'So be it,' [he replied].
Therefore the opening verse of the Vaiśvadeva [śastra] belongs to Savitṛ;
the cup to Savitṛ is before it.
He offers: 'The domestic god Savitṛ, the desirable,' which contains the word 'exhilarate', congruous in form.
Indeed, containing the word 'exhilarate' is the characteristic form of the third pressing.
He does not make the secondary vaṣaṭ-call, nor does he consume.
Completion indeed is what the secondary vaṣaṭ-call is, completion is consumption, and Savitṛ is the vital breath:
lest he bring the vital breath to completion.
He drinks of both these pressings, that is, Savitṛ:
the morning pressing and the third pressing.
In that a phrase containing [the root] 'drink' belongs to the nivid to Savitṛ in the beginning, and a phrase containing 'exhilarate' at the end,
he thereby causes him to share in both pressings:
in the morning pressing and in the third pressing.
Many verses to Vāyu are recited in the morning, [only] one at the third pressing.
Therefore the upper vital breaths of a man are more numerous than the downward ones.
He recites [a hymn] to Heaven and Earth.
Heaven and Earth are indeed the two foundations: this one here is the foundation here, that one there [is the foundation] yonder.
In that he recites [a hymn] to Heaven and Earth, he establishes him upon the two foundations.

3.30

He recites the hymn to the Ṛbhus.
The Ṛbhus indeed won by ascetic heat the drinking of Soma among the gods.
They wished to allot [a share] to them at the morning pressing;
Agni with the Vasus drove them away from the morning pressing.
They wished to allot [a share] to them at the midday pressing;
Indra with the Rudras drove them away from the midday pressing.
They wished to allot [a share] to them at the third pressing; the All-Gods kept driving them away:
'They shall not drink here, they shall not!'
Prajāpati said to Savitṛ:
'These are indeed your pupils; do you drink together with them.'
Savitṛ said: 'So be it; you indeed drink around them on both sides.'
Prajāpati drank around them on both sides.
These two undefined inserted verses belonging to Prajāpati are recited on both sides of the hymn to the Ṛbhus:
'Him of fair form for aid', and 'This bird has stirred, the embryo of Pṛśni.'
Thus Prajāpati drinks around them on both sides.
And therefore a master of a guild approves into his cup only whomsoever he wishes.
The gods indeed shrank away from them because of human scent;
they interposed these two inserted verses:
'Whose mother...' and '...or the father'.

3.31

He recites the vaiśvadeva [sastra].
Just as mankind is, so is the vaiśvadeva [śastra].
Just as human settlements are within, so are the hymns; just as the forests are, so are the dhāyyā verses.
Therefore, he calls on both sides of a dhāyyā verse.
Therefore, though being wildernesses, they are not wild, having wild beasts and birds—so indeed he used to say.
Just as man is, so is the vaiśvadeva [śastra].
Just as the limbs are within him, so are the hymns; just as the joints are, so are the dhāyyā verses.
Therefore, he calls on both sides of a dhāyyā verse.
Therefore, a man's joints, though loose, are firm,
for they are held by the brahman.
The dhāyyā verses and the offering verses are indeed the root of the sacrifice.
If they were to use different dhāyyā verses and different offering verses,
they would uproot the sacrifice.
Therefore, they should be the same.
This sastra, namely the vaiśvadeva, belongs to the five peoples.
It is the sastra of all the five peoples:
of gods, men, gandharvas and apsarases, serpents, and the fathers; of these
five peoples this is the sastra.
All the five peoples know him;
invocations from the fivefold people go to him who knows thus.
This hotṛ priest who recites the vaiśvadeva [śastra] belongs to all deities.
When about to recite, he should meditate on all quarters; thereby he places essence in all quarters.
If there should be one he hates in a quarter, he should not meditate on it;
having passed him by, he takes away his virility.
With the final verse, 'Aditi is heaven, Aditi is the intermediate space,'
he concludes. This [earth] is Aditi; this is heaven; this is the intermediate space.
'Aditi is the mother, he the father, he the son.' This [earth] is the mother, this the father, this the son.
'All the gods are Aditi, the five peoples.' In her indeed are all the gods; in her the five peoples.
'Aditi is what is born, Aditi is what is to be born.' This [earth] is what is born, this what is to be born.
Twice he concludes by verse-quarters, for cattle are four-footed, for the attainment of cattle;
once by half-verses, for a foundation.
Man has two foundations; cattle are four-footed.
He thus establishes the sacrificer, who has two foundations, upon four-footed cattle.
He should always conclude with the verse belonging to the five peoples.
Touching the ground, he should conclude.
Upon that in which he prepares the sacrifice,
upon that he establishes him in the end.
Having recited the vaiśvadeva sastra, with 'O Viśve Devas, hear this call of mine,'
he offers with a verse to the Viśve Devas;
thereby he pleases the deities according to their share.

3.32

The first ghee offering verse belongs to Agni, the soma offering verse belongs to Soma, and the [second] ghee offering verse belongs to Viṣṇu.
With 'Thou, O Soma, in concord with the fathers' [ṚV 8.48.13], he offers for the [caru] dedicated to Soma with [a verse] containing the word 'fathers'.
They kill Soma when they press him;
they make this [caru] dedicated to Soma his cow-for-covering-the-corpse [anustaraṇī].
The anustaraṇī cow belongs to the fathers; therefore he offers for the [caru] dedicated to Soma with [a verse] containing the word 'fathers'.
They killed Soma when they pressed him; they restore him again,
they swell him again through the form of the upasads. For the form of the upasads is indeed these deities:
Agni, Soma, and Viṣṇu.
Having received the [caru] dedicated to Soma, the hotṛ priest should look upon it before the Chandogas [do].
Some carry it to the Chandogas beforehand. He should not do so.
'The maker of the vaṣaṭ-call consumes all portions first,' they say;
by that very form, therefore, only the maker of the vaṣaṭ-call
should look upon it first; then they carry it to the Chandogas.

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