Jaiminīya (Talavakāra) Brāhmaṇa 0

English (machine translation) 0

Language: English

0.3 — 4 parts
0.17 — 1 part

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Regarding this they say: "With what does he sacrifice? In what is the oblation offered?"

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With the breath alone he sacrifices; in the breath it is offered.

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As to that, when they churn out these fires, it is the breaths of the sacrificer that they generate.

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Now as long as they churn, he does not breathe.

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His breaths are then in the two kindling-sticks alone.

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He should know: "This food of mine has been born."

He should know: "This mind of mine has been born."
A live coal comes forth.
His eye alone is thereby born.
He should know: "This eye of mine has been born."
That coal swallows these ashes.
Just as a newborn child approaches the breast, so it creeps sideways.
His ear alone is thereby born.
He should know: "This ear of mine has been born."
Above, he shakes the grasses.
His breath alone is thereby born.
He should know: "This breath of mine has been born."
It flares up with a "bhā".
His speech alone is thereby born.
He should know: "This speech of mine has been born."
He generates these five breaths.
Having arranged them in threefold fashion and made them into gods, he sits offering into them.
The gods indeed become his gods;
indeed, these become his gods in whom he sits offering.

0.2

So when they say: "With what does he sacrifice? In what is the oblation offered?" he sacrifices with the breath alone; in the breath it is offered.
He offers this food into the breath.
He does not die before his time, for he sits offering into these breaths of his, causing them to increase.
Now this sacrificial offering is indeed the Brahmin's own property.
He deposits it in himself, in these immortal breaths.
Deposited in him, it does not perish.
Now when the mind departs, when the breath, when the eye, when the ear, when speech [departs], it goes to these very fires.
Then they cast this body of his into these very fires [with the formula]: "From this you were born; may this be born from you, svāhā!"
He then comes into being made of oblations, made of mind, made of breath, made of eye, made of ear, made of speech, made of verses, made of sacrificial formulas, made of sāmans, made of brahman, made of gold, immortal.
His breaths indeed become immortal.
He makes this body immortal.
He who, knowing thus, offers the fire-offering goes to immortality.

0.3

Prajāpati was engaged [in a rite] for a thousand years.
Having completed seven hundred years, he won this victory, the victory that is his.
Mounting to the heavenly world, he said to the gods: "You must complete these three hundred years."
"So be it," [they replied].
Having completed three hundred years, they won that very victory which Prajāpati had won.
They all became equal in measure to Prajāpati, saying: "We have attained! We have attained!"
They said: "With divine bodies, with immortal bodies we have completed this; mortals will not complete it. Come, let us gather together this sacrifice."
They gathered it together into the year.
They said: "This is indeed large; let us gather it together further."
They gathered it together into the twelve-day rite.
They said: "This is indeed large; let us gather it together further."
They gathered it together into the pṛṣṭhya six-day rite.
They said: "This is indeed large; let us gather it together further."

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Into the three-day rite, into the two-day rite, into the Aptoryāma, into the Atirātra, into the Vājapeya, into the Ṣoḍaśin, into the Ukthya,

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into the Agniṣṭoma, into the iṣṭis and animal sacrifices, into the four-month seasonal sacrifices, into the new- and full-moon sacrifices,

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into these two oblations of the fire-offering they gathered it together.

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Therefrom he is not defeated.

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That which is the fire-offering is indeed undefeated.
He who knows thus is not defeated.
When he touches water at the beginning—water is truth, truth is consecration—that is his consecration.
He offers with eight syllables: "Fire is light, light is fire, svāhā!"
The Gāyatrī has eight syllables.
That is the morning pressing.
With the mind alone he offers the second oblation.
That is the midday pressing.
When [the ladle] has been wiped, he eats [the residue].
That is the third pressing;
for that third pressing is as if licked.
He touches water at the end.
That is his purificatory bath.
When he offers these two evening oblations, with these two oblations of his it has been sacrificed with all these sacrificial rites.
And when he offers these two morning oblations, with these two oblations of his it has been sacrificed with all these sacrificial rites.
That which is the fire-offering is boundless.

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Now, one who desires cattle should offer the fire-offering in the evening when the cattle have come together.
The fire-offering is brahman.
With brahman he encloses the cattle.
In the morning, before they are let loose [he should offer].
The fire-offering is brahman.
With brahman he encloses the cattle.
He encloses these cattle with brahman on both sides.
He secures the cattle.
He becomes rich in cattle.
Now, one who desires heaven [recites]: "Two oceans, wide, extensive, great, roll round like two feet on a path."
Two oceans indeed are day and night.
Those who offer at night enter into the ocean that is night.
And those who offer when the sun has risen enter into the ocean that is day.
Now, there is a crossing between these two, just as there might be a boat, or a raft, or the crossing of a bridge:
[offering] after sunset before darkness [falls], and when dawn has fully broken before sunrise.

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Moreover, these two—day and night—are the dark and the brindled.
Day is the brindled; night is the dark.
Those who offer at night enter into the dark one, night.
And those who offer after sunrise enter into the brindled one, day.
Their crossing is just this: after sunset before darkness [falls], and when dawn has fully broken before sunrise.
Moreover, among these, Savitṛ is glory.
Savitṛ is Prajāpati; Prajāpati is the All-Gods.
It is offered for him in Prajāpati, in the All-Gods.
That which is the fire-offering belongs to Prajāpati.
Now, when it shines forth in the morning, in this glory Prajāpati propagated creatures.
Savitṛ is Prajāpati; Prajāpati is the All-Gods; it is offered for him in Prajāpati, in the All-Gods.
That which is the fire-offering belongs to the All-Gods.
Moreover, day and night connect together with such an opening.
The fire-offering is food.
With food he covers the mouths of day and night.
In the same way, in the morning he connects them again.
The fire-offering is food.
Having covered the mouths of day and night with food, he escapes those two repeated deaths that are day and night.

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Yonder Āditya, setting, disperses in six ways. 'He has dispersed,' the ancients indeed used to say of him; 'he has set,' they say now. He, setting, enters the Brahmin with faith, cattle with milk, fire with fiery splendor, plants with vigor, waters with essence, trees with own-nature. When the Brahmin washes the fire-offering vessels and busies himself [about the rite], with whichever faith he has entered him, that he gathers into this [offering]. When they milk the milk, with whichever milk he has entered cattle, that he gathers into this [offering]. When he pushes out the coals, with whichever fiery splendor he has entered fire, that he gathers into this [offering]. When he illuminates with a stalk of grass, with whichever vigor he has entered plants, that he gathers into this [offering]. When he pours water into it, with whichever essence he has entered waters, that he gathers into this [offering]. When he places the kindling-stick [on the fire], with whichever own-nature he has entered trees, that he gathers into this [offering].

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Having thus collected him, he offers in the evening. He dwells that night as an embryo. Having in this same way collected him again, he offers in the morning. He generates him. Being born, he strikes away all evil from him. The gods were indeed born from Prajāpati; he too is born from him who knows thus. As great a world as Prajāpati conquered, so great a world he conquers. And he thinks: 'This one indeed properly gathers me. Come, let this one go to old age with limbs intact, with body intact, uninjured!' Intact in limbs, intact in body, uninjured, he goes to old age. And he thinks: 'This one indeed knows me properly. Come, let me enter him!' He enters him who knows thus. That one hero who shines yonder, that is Indra, that is Prajāpati. Into him it becomes offered for him who, knowing thus, performs the fire-offering.

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Whatever evil is done by day, Āditya causes that to be done; whatever by night, Fire. The two said: 'If we shall be like this, then we will not be able to sustain the creatures. Come, let us be food, let us offer ourselves into each other!' When Āditya sets, he then offers himself into fire. Whatever evil Āditya does by day, Fire strikes that away from him by night. When Āditya rises, Fire rises after [him]. He then offers himself into Āditya. Whatever evil Fire does by night, Āditya strikes that away from him by day. Just as a snake would be freed from the snake-skin, just as one would pull out a stalk from Muñja grass, in the very same way he is freed from all evil, who, knowing thus, performs the fire-offering.

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By the evening oblation itself, whatever evil he does by day, Fire strikes that away from him by night. By the morning oblation itself, whatever evil he does by night, Āditya strikes that away from him by day. Just as a snake would be freed from the snake-skin, just as one would pull out a stalk from Muñja grass, in the very same way he is freed from all evil. Just as, when gold is melted, no trace of dross remains, so indeed no trace of evil remains in him who, knowing thus, performs the fire-offering.

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Now Nagarī Jānaśruteya used to say: 'Yonder Āditya, setting, enters fire as his womb.' When he offers these two evening oblations, he then firmly stands on the back of this very Āditya. As one standing on two feet would stand firmly, such is that. And when he offers these two morning oblations, he raises him up by means of those two. Just as an elephant would rise up carrying the elephant-seat and the one seated above, in the very same way this deity, having taken up the one who offers knowing this, rises up. It leads him to that world of his beyond which there is nothing further. Whatever is beyond Āditya, that is immortal; he wins that. And whatever is on this side of Āditya, day and night whirl that away from here, just as one would whirl [it] away by a whirlwind. Many indeed are the worlds beyond Āditya. All of them become attained by him, they are conquered. In all of them he has freedom of movement, who, knowing thus, performs the fire-offering.

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The gods indeed contended with Death. He who was that Death was Fire himself. They said: 'Come, let us conquer him!' They said: 'Let us offer a clarified-butter oblation; let us conquer him by it.' 'So be it.' They offered a clarified-butter oblation. He made it his food; he flared up against it. Therefore, wherever they offer a clarified-butter oblation, he flares up. They said: 'Let us offer an animal oblation; let us conquer him by it.' 'So be it.' Having seized the animal and cut off the omentum, they offered the animal oblation. He made it his food; he flared up against it. Therefore, wherever they offer an animal oblation, he flares up. They said: 'Let us offer a milk oblation; let us conquer him by it.' 'So be it.' They offered a milk oblation. By it they conquered him. Therefore, wherever they offer a milk oblation, there are only coals. They said: 'We have conquered him with food; come, let us win an unconquerable victory!'

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They said: 'Let us offer a soma oblation; let us conquer him by it.' 'So be it.' They sacrificed with soma. They offered a soma oblation. By it they completely conquered him. Therefore, wherever they offer a soma oblation, there are only coals. He who, knowing thus, offers the clarified-butter oblation and the animal oblation, he thereby attains his dear abode. And when he offers the milk oblation, he thereby conquers him. And when he offers the soma oblation, just as one having conquered would completely conquer, such is that. He is freed beyond these two recurring deaths, which are day and night.

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[The section on] the striking of the soma oblation: 'For breath, thee!'—[with this] he places the kindling-stick [on the fire]. 'In the out-breath I have placed the immortal, svāhā!'—[with this] he offers. Then he touches the ladles: 'The heart is the going forth, continuity; the eye is obedience; the ear is submission; speech is coming. Welcomed by the gods, acceptable, the sacrificial offering has stood firm. He has placed me in the immortal. May the breaths enter me for greater good deed!' He indeed does a greater good deed. And in yonder world bad speech does not come to him who, knowing thus, performs the fire-offering.

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Regarding this, they say: 'Since a living person does good and does evil, what is the separation between those two—the evil deed and the good deed?' Whatever good a living person does, that reaches the breaths; and whatever evil [he does], that [reaches] the body. When he who knows thus departs from this world, his good deed ascends with his breath, [and] his evil deed is abandoned with the body. Regarding this, they say: 'It is indeed poorly understood when someone endowed with mortality dwells with an evil deed. But he who, while living, separates himself by this [knowledge]—that is well understood.' That, indeed, is attained by this very fire-offering.

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The breaths follow the mind; speech follows the self. When he offers the first oblation with speech and the second with the mind, he thereby separates the evil deed and the good deed. Therefore they say: 'These two oblations should not be mixed together, for by these two he separates the evil deed and the good deed.' When, among the evening oblations, he offers the first oblation with speech, by that very [oblation] he separates himself from whatever evil he does by day. And when [he offers] the second with the mind, by that very [oblation] he separates himself from whatever evil he does by night. And when, among the morning oblations, he offers the first oblation with speech, by that very [oblation] he separates himself from whatever evil he does by night. And when [he offers] the second with the mind, by that very [oblation] he separates himself from whatever evil he does by day. He who knows thus and offers the fire-offering proceeds day by day separating himself from the evil deed.

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There are, indeed, two wombs: one is the divine womb, the other is the human womb. There are, indeed, two worlds: one is the world of the gods, the other is the world of humans. That which is the human womb, that is the human world; it is a woman's generative organ. From this, offspring are born. Therefore one should desire a beautiful wife, thinking, 'May my self come into being in a beautiful [womb].' And therefore one should guard one's wife, thinking, 'Lest another come into being in my womb, in my world.' For when he is about to come into being, the breaths enter first; then the semen is emitted. He develops towards these breaths, these spaces. Therefore, although the semen is the same, of whatever sort [the father] is, of such sort [the child] is born. Now, this divine womb, the world of the gods, is the Āhavanīya [fire]. This is indeed the divine womb, the world of the gods. Therefore, if one should offer into the Gārhapatya [fire], they would consider him as doing what is undone. When he makes an offering, when he does good, in this very divine womb he pours himself. That self of his comes into being in yonder Āditya. He who knows thus has two selves and two wombs. He who does not know this has only one self and one womb. When he who knows thus departs from this world—

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—his breath ascends first. It announces to the gods the measure [of his deeds]: 'So much good was done by him, so much evil.' Then this one ascends upward along with the smoke. The seasons are his doorkeepers. He should declare to them with this [formula]: 'From the far-seeing, O seasons, the semen has been brought, formed in a half-month, from the generative [father] possessed of fathers. Set me, such as I am, in a male who is an agent; poured from a male who is an agent into a mother, being born and reborn through the twelfth [month], as the thirteenth, an intercalary month—I know that together, I know that in response; as such, O seasons, lead me to the immortal.' Then the seasons lead him. Just as one who knows [leads] one who knows, just as one who understands [leads] one who understands, so indeed the seasons lead him. They let him pass through. He comes to this one who burns [above]. To him who has arrived, he asks: 'Who are you?' He who proclaims himself by name or by lineage, to him he says: 'This self of yours which was in me, this is that of yours.' When he has received that self, the seasons, having run together, seize him by the feet and drag him away. Day and night take possession of his world. Therefore he should declare with this [formula]: 'Who (Ko) am I; heaven (suvas) are you. As such, I have come to you, the heavenly, to heaven.' 'Who' (Ka) is indeed Prajāpati.

Linked texts (1)

Jaiminīyabrāhmaṇa — Sanskrit