Jaiminīya (Talavakāra) Brāhmaṇa 2-2

English (machine translation) 2-2

Language: English

2-2.p3

Her mother, the anuṣṭubh, looked after her.

2-2.p4

Therefore a mother should look after a son who is going among people, [saying]: 'May you return living, bringing [wealth].'

2-2.p6

They employ this [speech] in various ways.

2-2.p8

Reaching the first day, it becomes the Rathantara.

It is this earth. For the Rathantara is speech. It is this that speaks. Reaching the second day, it becomes the Bṛhat, which he spoke of as the speech that an eminent man speaks. For it is heard from afar. Reaching the third day, it becomes the Vairūpa, which is this transverse speech: 'Come, go forth, bring, bring near, give to eat, give to drink.' Reaching the fourth day, it becomes the Virāj, sitting in silence. For sitting in silence is the sovereign state of speech, which [speech] they wish to learn from an eminent man as he sits in silence. Reaching the fifth day, it becomes the Śakvarī, through which one who is instructed is able. Reaching the sixth day, it becomes the Revatī, through which food is distributed. It is not to be undertaken month after month. This is the nature of a chatterer, the speech which chatterers speak: 'Did he not speak this yesterday, this the day before yesterday, this last year? Alas, he speaks the same speech; alas, he does not surpass it.' Such is the case when they undertake the pṛṣṭhas month after month.

2-2.2

Now, just as someone, having sat silently, would utter whatever is auspicious and meritorious—[and people would say:] 'Ah, she has made an utterance! She is indeed a speaker!'—so it is when they undertake the pṛṣṭhas at the end of the year. He roars towards [the womb] with the Rathantara; he pours seed with the Bṛhat; he places the embryos with the Vairūpa; he brings them to birth with the Vairāja; he makes them grow with the Śakvarīs; food is bestowed with the Revatīs. How, then, could that be born month by month? When an embryo miscarries within a month, they say of it: 'It has miscarried.' Just as embryos would fall prematurely, or as raw plants would be cut—what would they be when cut? They would surely wither!—so it is when they undertake the pṛṣṭhas month by month.

2-2.2.p1

And just as someone, having borne an embryo for a year, would give birth to it, or [as people] would harvest plants ripened in their season and

2-2.2.p2

would fulfill their desires from them, so it is when they undertake the pṛṣṭhas at the end of the year.

2-2.2.p3

Now Citra Gāṅgyāyani used to say: 'This cow is a restive one, yielding much milk, namely the pṛṣṭhas.

2-2.2.p4

Who will seek keepers day after day for a restive cow?'

2-2.2.p5

'These are not milked in an unarranged [rite], nor are they milked after the arranged ten-day rite, when surrounded by the Gāyatrī.

2-2.3

Just as they would milk a restive cow having bound her with ropes on all sides, so these are milked after the arranged ten-day rite, surrounded by the Gāyatrī. As one would let loose [the calf], so is that three-day period with the Gāyatrī at the beginning; as one would bind [her legs], so is that with the Gāyatrī in the middle; as one would milk after taking [the milk-pail], so is that with the Gāyatrī at the end. Therefore they should be undertaken only at the end.' But Śāṭyāyani said: 'The moon here is indeed the year, he is Prajāpati, he is the month. He is of such extent as is the month. Having attained this [measure], he rolls back again. He goes upward for fifteen nights, downward for fifteen. The nights during which he fills up, he goes upward; then the nights during which he wanes, downward. Filling up, he goes to that world. Coming into contact with that world, he becomes food. Tasting what is savored for him there, waning with: "Taste!", he comes to this world. He enters these waters and plants. Having entered these waters and plants, having submerged himself in the waters and plants, filling up, he goes to that world.

2-2.4

Rolling back again in just this way, he attains the year. Whatever [fruit] one secures by twelve years, that much he secures by just one year who, knowing thus, undertakes the pṛṣṭhas month by month. They undertake these four abhiplavas. Their nights are twenty-four. The year consists of twenty-four half-months. Thus, for them, at the end of the year, month by month, the year is attained. As the fifth [six-day period] they undertake the pṛṣṭhya [six-day period]. Thus, for them, at the end of the year, month by month, the pṛṣṭhas are undertaken.' Now Mahittha Śainmiṣi used to say: 'That which they call "the unasked-for turban of the unstable, which wraps itself around each family as it shoots up"—that is indeed this unasked-for turban of the unstable, which is the pṛṣṭhya six-day rite when stripped [of its pṛṣṭhas]. Why should they heed that, performing only the stomas of the pṛṣṭhya six-day rite? Having undertaken just these five abhiplavas, the pṛṣṭhas should be undertaken only at the end.'

2-2.4.p1

Yonder Āditya was originally here, where this cātvāla pit is.

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He burned upon all this here.

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The gods feared his conflagration.

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They said: 'He will burn all this completely.

2-2.5

Come, let us thrust him upward!' They thrust him upward through six months. They placed him upon the twenty-first, the Viṣuvant day. Placed upon the twenty-first, the Viṣuvant day, he burns. Both those worlds which are upward from here and those which are downward from yonder, between both of these is he on the Viṣuvant day. Because he is between both (viṣuvati), therefore he is the Viṣuvant. Just as all the spokes are united in the navel of a chariot wheel, so all worlds are united in him. Some undertake these same six-day rites as forward ones beyond the Viṣuvant day, saying: 'Just as they undertake them up to the Viṣuvant day, so also let them go forward beyond it. The heavenly world is forward. Forward let us ascend to this heavenly world. It would be a descent if we were to undertake them downward; thus, let it be without descent.' Those who undertake them in that way attain only those worlds which are downward from that Āditya. Even if they perform for many years, they attain only those. But those who undertake these six-day rites both forward and backward attain both these worlds, going forward and coming downward.

2-2.5.p1

He burned upon this world from close by.

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They shifted the wind around below him.

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With it they appeased him.

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The wind indeed carries the waters here.

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With the waters they appeased him then.

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He burned upon that further world.

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They shifted the moon around beyond him.

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With him they appeased him.

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The moon is indeed Prajāpati.

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With Prajāpati they appeased him then.

2-2.5.p11

This [wind] purifies across three worlds here.

2-2.5.p12

Āditya extends across three; the lunar mansions across three; therefore they are the finest, for they are in the furthest realm. These indeed are

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the twelve divine worlds.

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Now, as [there are realms of] Dawns, or whatever other worlds there are, so they are.

2-2.6

Recognizing this world as his dwelling, he pierced through it with the strings. They placed the Svarasāman days below him. He looked forth upon that further world; he pierced through it too with strings. They placed the Svarasāman days beyond him. They rescued him there; because they rescued (aspṛṇvan) him, that is the essence of the Svarasāman days (svaratva). The Svarasāmans are seventeen-fold. Food is indeed seventeenth. They placed him upon food then. Moreover, Prajāpati is seventeen-fold. Through Prajāpati they placed him upon food then. He burns, established upon the primordial food. These Svarasāmans amount to fifty-one Virājes of thirty-six syllables each: twenty-five below, twenty-five beyond. Now, having arranged himself in the middle of the fifty-first, he burns, placed upon it. There is neither heat nor cold, he hungers not, he thirsts not, and there is no return for him. He who knows thus does not hunger, does not thirst, and for him there is no return.

2-2.6.p1

Just as a jar of clarified butter or a jar of honey would be carried, hanging in a net,

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so is he held on all sides by these Virājes.

2-2.6.p3

proceeding forward and backward, held by these.

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Now, some make these Svarasāman days into Agniṣṭomas, saying, 'We are making this a bṛhatī of chants.'

2-2.6.p5

So saying [they do so].

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Those three Agniṣṭomas are thirty-six chants.

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Twelve of one, twelve of one, twelve of one: that is thirty-six.

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The bṛhatī indeed consists of thirty-six syllables.

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The bṛhatī is the heavenly world.

2-2.6.p10

It touches this [world].

2-2.6.p11

[They say:] 'By the bṛhatī let us go to that heavenly world.'

2-2.7

They indeed go, but just as one would go without food, so is it.
Now as to why they are Ukthyas:
Ukthas are cattle;
cattle are food.
Just as one would approach a superior who rejoices with food, in the very same way they approach this [day] with the Ukthya Svarasāman [days].
Moreover, these two—the Viśvajit and the Abhijit—are of the nature of the deities;
the Svarasāman days are food.
Just as one, having placed food on a platter, would bring it to a superior, even so one brings this food to him, namely the Viśvajit and Abhijit.
Moreover, a pacification is thereby performed.
There would be the Agniṣṭoma-sāman, the Āgnimāruta recitation, [and] the Viṣuvant.
Who could approach these three fires flaming on both sides? One would surely lie scorched.
Therefore, they are interspersed with Ukthas.
Ukthas are cattle;
cattle are food.
With food they pacified him;
having pacified him with the Nārmedha [sāman], they finally approach him.

2-2.7.p1

These indeed are the Viśvajit and the Abhijit.

2-2.7.p2

The one amounts to eight Virājs of thirty-six syllables, the other to eight.

2-2.7.p3

This world is the Abhijit; that [world] is the Viśvajit.

2-2.7.p4

The Svarasāman days are cattle.

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In that they chant with the Svarasāman days after chanting with the Abhijit, in this world indeed

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they establish cattle.

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And in that they chant with the Viśvajit after chanting with the Svarasāman days, therefore cattle live

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from the gift from yonder [world].

2-2.7.p9

Of that Viṣuvant day there are ten twenty-five-fold chants and two

2-2.7.p10

stotriya verses.

2-2.8

Then the ten twenty-five-fold chants are the Mahāvrata;
by them the Mahāvrata is undertaken by him on the Viṣuvant day.
Now the two stotriya verses: that is Āditya established on this day.
Now formerly they used to undertake the Mahāvrata three times: on the introductory day, on the Viṣuvant, and on the Mahāvrata day.
Of that introductory day there are fourteen twenty-five-fold chants and ten stotriya verses.
Then the fourteen twenty-five-fold chants are the Mahāvrata;
by them the Mahāvrata is undertaken by him on the introductory day.
Now the ten stotriya verses: the Virāj has ten syllables;
the Virāj is food;
with provisions, indeed, they go until the Viṣuvant day.
Now the two stotriya verses that are left over from the Viṣuvant: that is food and drink.
Twofold indeed is the form of food: that which one eats and that which one drinks.
Just as one would go eating and drinking, even so they go by means of these two until the Mahāvrata day.
They come to this heavenly world,
namely, this Mahāvrata day.
The heavenly world is indeed the Mahāvrata day.
He who knows thus—the Mahāvrata has been undertaken three times for him; he goes to the heavenly world.

2-2.8.p1

Regarding this they say: 'tam īṃ hinvanty agruvaḥ' ('Him the maidens urge on') should be made the opening verse of this day.

2-2.8.p2

'tam arkebhis tam sāmabhiḥ' ('Him with songs, him with chants') [is said] on account of the head; 'tad id āsa bhuvaneṣu jyeṣṭham' ('That indeed was the eldest in the worlds') on account of the body.

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They proceed with this day as if saying 'tat tat' ('father, father').

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From that [day] arose Prajāpati.

2-2.8.p5

From that [day] arose this [father] of all deities.

2-2.8.p6

This day is the father; the other days are the offspring.

2-2.9

Just as a son, having come to his father, would call, 'Father, father!' such is that.
It has a dual form:
'tam' is the form of the male; 'agruvaḥ' is of the female.
Having become both of these, Prajāpati brought forth offspring.
Regarding this they say: 'This opening verse is [only] at daybreak.
When the proper time has arrived, "pavasva vāco agriyaḥ" ("Flow, the foremost of speech") should be made the opening verse.'
Mind is Prajāpati;
mind is the forefront of speech.
Thus they begin him in his own form.
It becomes a pair:
'pavasva' is the form of the male; 'vācaḥ' is of the female.
Thus this pair is made productive.
He is born with a pair who knows thus.
Therefore this very one should be made the opening verse.
'upāsmai gāyatā naraḥ' ('Sing unto him, O men') is the second;
thereby they do not depart from this day.
'davidyutatyā rucā' ('With flashing radiance') is the third, the visible form of this day.
'tam īṃ hinvanty agruvaḥ' is the fourth, so that [they say], 'Lest we omit that opening verse which belongs to daybreak.'

2-2.10

'sanā ca soma jeṣi ca' ('Win both formerly and now, O Soma') is a ten-verse hymn.
The seers, desiring prosperity, saw this dear standing-place of speech.
With 'athā no vasyasas kṛdhi' ('Now make us richer'), they praised him.
Then indeed they all prospered.
All prosper indeed who, knowing thus, praise with this ten-verse hymn.
In that regard, Śakti used to say: 'The Virāj should be sung: sanā ca soma jeṣi ca pavamāna mahi śravaḥ, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, hum-bhā-oi-bhūḥ.'
Regarding this they say: 'This Virāj is artificial, merely an imitation;
it confuses the metrical correspondence.
Only the syllable "om" should be sung.'
For this entire world is this syllable.
Just as leaves would be pierced together with a needle, even so these worlds are pierced together by this syllable.
Piercing through, this [syllable] flows tenfold to these [worlds], hundredfold to these, thousandfold to these.
Therefore this very syllable should be sung as the turn-verse:
'Whatever desire is in the turn-verse, may that be attained by us.'
They amount to twenty-five stotriya verses.
Prajāpati is twenty-five-fold;
the Mahāvrata belongs to Prajāpati; thus it is provided with its proper characteristic.

2-2.11

Now Āryakacit used to say: 'This entire day should be made twenty-four-fold; they should make only this one stotra twenty-five-fold. It is indeed an overreaching of a single stotra when they make the whole [day] twenty-five-fold; thus this stotra would not be overreached.' But Śāṭyāyani said regarding this: 'It is like falling into a pit when it is cut off by even one stotriyā verse, or by two, or by three. For that indeed they may find an expiation or they may not; then what when it is cut off by eleven? What is the expiation for that? Indeed, this day has a single deity: it belongs to Prajāpati alone. He serves Prajāpati through this day. Therefore, this entire day should be made twenty-five-fold.' Its stotriyā verses are three hundred and sixty-two. There, the three hundred are the virāj; then the sixty are the udder; and the two are the two teats, for the milking of this very day.

2-2.11.p1

With 'Well-kindled, bring [the gods] to us,' the āprī-verses become the ājyastotra.

2-2.11.p2

Wherever there are āprī-verses, that belongs to Prajāpati alone.

2-2.11.p3

Through that they gladden Prajāpati alone.

2-2.11.p4

'Do ye two help us to the earthly [wealth]' is the maitrāvaruṇa [stotra].

2-2.11.p5

It has that [appropriate] characteristic.

2-2.11.p6

And that which belongs to Prajāpati is unexpressed.

2-2.11.p7

On the day of Prajāpati, that [stotra] is made of corresponding characteristic.

2-2.11.p8

'Indra, who with his great might' is the indra [stotra].

2-2.11.p9

That is the form of a gold neck-ornament.

2-2.11.p10

Therefore they wear a gold ornament, a jewel, and a garland in front.

2-2.12

'That indeed was the eldest in the worlds'—that is the form of the chariot; therefore they stand striding over it. 'O rock-bearer, being praised as great'—that is the form of an elephant; therefore they mount it from the side. These indeed turn into great forms; Prajāpati is indeed of great form. The Mahāvrata belongs to Prajāpati; each [stotra] is made with that characteristic. These forms wait unbought upon him who knows thus. 'This devotion of mine to you two' is the indrāgni [stotra]. 'Indra and Agni, the ancient praise was born like rain from a cloud'—by 'was born' they mean 'produced.' And he is born through this day. Just as here [young birds] would break out of an egg, so indeed they break out of this day. 'Hear the call of the singer, O Indra and Agni; accept his words, O ye who are capable, nourish our thoughts! Let us not come to evil, O heroes Indra and Agni, nor to reproach; do not deliver us to censure!'—thus this is the warding off of evil.

2-2.12.p1

'Upward is your juice born'—the verses with the word 'andhas' of the midday pavamāna are gāyatrīs. They belong to Prajāpati; on the day of Prajāpati, each is made with that characteristic.

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Jaiminīyabrāhmaṇa — Sanskrit

Jaiminīya (Talavakāra) Brāhmaṇa 2-2

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