Jaiminīya (Talavakāra) Brāhmaṇa 2-4

English (machine translation) 2-4

Language: English

2-4.143

Now the Satrāsāhīya is for victory:
'May he entirely overpower him who is to be overpowered by him.'
Then the Utsedhaniṣedha [sāmans] are for the rising and repressing of the worse and the better.
Then the Viśoviśīya and the Sadoviśīya:
By means of the Viśoviśīya, Indra mounted over the gods;
he made them into subjects with the Sadoviśīya, thinking, 'Let them be subjects in the sadas.'
Then these are Triṣṭubhs.
Upon them is the Brahmasāman.
The Brahmasāman is spiritual power;
the Triṣṭubh is royal power.
The Brahmasāman is indeed the sacrificer's desire.
They fulfill the sacrificer's desires in his own domain.

2-4.144

These have verses as their Brāhmaṇas:
'That was the eldest in the worlds'—for that is Prajāpati;
for Prajāpati is the eldest in the worlds.
'Whence was born the fierce, brightly shining one'—that is Indra.
'As soon as born he crushes his foes'—for as soon as he was born, he struck down all adversaries.
'In whom all the helpers rejoice'—the seasons are indeed the helpers; they rejoice in him.
'Growing strong with power, abundant in might, the foe casts fear upon the Dāsa'—that is Indra.
'Both the one who does not breathe and the one who breathes, giving gifts, shouted together to you when offerings were presented in exhilarating drinks'—namely, that which breathes.
'In you all direct their inspiration twice and thrice, when these helpers arise'—the seasons are indeed the helpers; these arise twice and thrice.
'Sweet, sweeter, mix [it] with the sweet'—offspring is the sweet; that which is offspring to offspring is the sweet of the sweet.
'Fight off that honey with honey'—offspring is honey; that which is offspring to offspring is the honey of honey.
He who knows thus sees offspring unto offspring.
Upon them is the Śyaita, whose explanation has been told.

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Now these are the Gonāmas; the Gonāmas are indeed cattle, for obtaining cattle.

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The first is one-footed; the latter two are three-footed.

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They amount to seven feet.

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The Śakvarī verses are seven-footed.

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Cattle belong to the Śakvarī.

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— verily to secure cattle one after another.
Regarding this they say: ‘Verses not addressed to Pavamāna should not be used in the Pavamāna [lauds].’
And regarding this they also say: ‘Verses addressed to Pavamāna [should be used], for these are the verses of that moon.
He indeed is Pavamāna; he is King Soma.
Therefore they should indeed be used.’
‘Well-minded, bountiful, rejoicing, joyous, fair-formed, O bull, come hither! / These two auspicious draft-oxen—unto them these two creep up. / Wipe downward, as it were, the heads; he stands in the midst of the water, / pointing with ten horns.’
Those which are the rays of that sun are indeed his horns.
And he is in the midst of these waters.
On these [verses] the Vāravantīya [sāman is sung].
‘What we have obtained by this rite, may that remain held for us at the end by the Vāravantīya [sāman]!’
And regarding this they also say: ‘That which no other speech excels should be made the Agniṣṭoma-sāman of this day.’
No other speech excels the Yajñāyajñīya [sāman].
Speech indeed is the Yajñāyajñīya.
For whence could speech excel speech?
Therefore the Yajñāyajñīya should be made the Agniṣṭoma-sāman of this day.

2-4.146

Now comes this Vaiśvadeva [rite].
One desiring procreation should sacrifice with it.
Prajāpati desired: ‘May I be multiplied in offspring and cattle; may I create All-Godly creatures!’
He saw this sacrifice.
He grasped it.
He sacrificed with it.
Then indeed he was multiplied in offspring and cattle; he created All-Godly creatures.
If one should desire, ‘May I be multiplied in offspring and cattle; may I create All-Godly creatures!’, he should sacrifice with this.
He is multiplied in offspring and cattle; he creates All-Godly creatures.
As to why this is the Vaiśvadeva, it is for the creation of All-Godly creatures.
It is entirely upon [verses] addressed to the Viśve Devāḥ, for the procreation of All-Godly creatures.
It is a ninefold [trivṛt rite], for the trivṛt is deficient [in number].
Procreation is deficient [in fullness]: ‘May that which is procreation procreate me!’
Its pṛṣṭha is the Rathantara, for the Rathantara is procreation: ‘May that which is procreation procreate me!’
It is an Ukthya, for creatures and cattle are ukthas.
Creatures and cattle are procreation: ‘May that which is procreation procreate me!’

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Moreover, they say: ‘It should just be seventeenfold [saptadaśa], for Prajāpati is seventeenfold.’

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‘Prajāpati is procreation: may he who is procreation procreate me!’

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Moreover, they say: ‘It should just be twenty-sevenfold [triṇava].’

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For they are three ninefold [stomas].

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Deficient indeed is the ninefold [trivṛt].

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Deficient is procreation:

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‘May that which is procreation procreate me!’

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Moreover, they say: ‘It should just be thirty-threefold [trayastriṃśa].’

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‘Prajāpati is thirty-threefold;
Prajāpati is procreation:
may he who is procreation procreate me!’
And regarding this they also say: ‘It should just be seventeenfold.
Prajāpati is indeed this, namely what is seventeenfold.
Therefore it should just be seventeenfold.’
And it attains the trivṛt stoma and the gāyatrī meter.
This indeed is the divine couple, procreation: the trivṛt stoma and the gāyatrī meter.
‘May that which is the divine couple, procreation, procreate me!’
It is an Ukthya; the people indeed are the ukthas, for the procreation of All-Godly creatures.
This sacrifice is verily named ‘Bhūḥ’.
By sacrificing with this sacrifice Prajāpati came to be [abhavat].
Because he came to be, therefore it is ‘Bhūḥ’.
He who knows thus comes to be.
This is indeed like the sacrifice of the Vaiśya, [just as] the Agniṣṭut is [the sacrifice] of the Brahmin, and the Indrastoma is of the Rājanya.
When they used to sacrifice with these [rites] distinguished in this manner, men were recognized even when addressed [from afar]:
‘A Brahmin speaks; a Rājanya speaks; a Vaiśya speaks.’
Now that they sacrifice nowadays with these [rites] according to mere report, they are not recognized unless they are addressed.

2-4.148

Now comes this Upahavya [rite].
Prajāpati created creatures.
When they were created, he did not know [them], nor did the creatures know: ‘Prajāpati has created us.’
He considered: ‘How now may I create these creatures, yet having created them, not know them?’
He saw this sacrifice.
He grasped it.
He sacrificed with it.
Then through it he called them toward himself [upāhvayata].
In that he called them toward himself, that is the Upahavya nature of the Upahavya.
It is seventeenfold upon undefined [verses].
Just as there are dense forests, so is the seventeenfold upon undefined [verses].
Just as he might appear having circumvented the dense forests, even so he appeared through these [verses] containing [the word] ‘seen’ [dṛṣṭa].
Upon these [verses] containing ‘seen’, ‘Since thou hast been seen, best finder of a path…’, the Agniṣṭoma-sāman is based.
Then indeed they knew him: ‘Verily, we are his; he was indeed ours.’
Moreover, having become food, he appeared to them.
Those creatures, seeing food, turned toward him.
Therefore, from whatever Rājanya the subjects depart, or from whatever Brahmin his kinsmen [depart], he should sacrifice with this.
At that [sacrifice] he should call in the officiating priests toward himself.
For these officiating priests are the subjects of the sacrificer.

2-4.149

Its pṛṣṭha is the Rathantara.
The Rathantara is food.
Moreover, one should give abundant cooked food at this [rite].
Those creatures, seeing food, turn toward him.
Prajāpati created the sacrifice.
He handed it over to the gods.
Having given away the sacrifice, he considered himself emptied.
He considered: ‘How now may I call this sacrifice back to myself?’
He sacrificed with this very sacrifice.
By it he called it back to himself.
In that he called it back to himself [upāhvayata], that too is the Upahavya nature of the Upahavya.
Therefore, one whom sacrifice does not favor, even having sacrificed once, should sacrifice with this.
Sacrifice has indeed departed from him.
One whom sacrifice does not favor, even having sacrificed once, by this [rite] he calls it back to himself.
Sacrifice favors him who knows thus.

2-4.150

In the beginning, the offspring of Prajāpati were twofold: the gods and the asuras.
Then the gods were, as it were, more successful, and the asuras were, as it were, less successful.
Prajāpati desired: 'May the gods thrive, and may the asuras perish.'
He saw this sacrifice.
He brought it.
With it he sacrificed.
At it he invited the gods.
Then he screened off the asuras with a long bamboo pole.
Then indeed the gods thrived, and the asuras perished.
He who knows thus thrives himself, and his spiteful rival perishes.
He who has a rival, who would perform sorcery, who would contend, let him sacrifice with this.
Then those who are favorable toward him, as it were, among the priests, them he should invite.
Then he should screen off the others with a long bamboo pole.
Immediately upon their being left uninvited, his spiteful rival perishes, and he himself attains prosperity.

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Now this is the Tīvrasoma.

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One who desires offspring should sacrifice with this.

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He who is without offspring is thin, as it were.

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By offspring, man indeed is dense and thick.

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"May I be intense and abundant through offspring!"

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Moreover, they say: "Only one who desires cattle should sacrifice with this."

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Thin, indeed, as it were, is he who is without cattle.

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Through cattle, indeed, a man is intense and abundant.

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"May I be intense and abundant through cattle!"

2-4.151

It is seventeen-fold.
Intense and abundant, indeed, is that which is seventeen-fold,
[thinking:] "May I be intense and abundant through offspring and cattle!"
It has both the Bṛhat and Rathantara sāmans.
Intense and abundant, indeed, are those which are both the Bṛhat and Rathantara,
[thinking:] "May I be intense and abundant through offspring and cattle!"
Its sacrificial gift is a pregnant mare.
Intense and abundant, indeed, is a mare;
intense and abundant thereby, because she is pregnant;
intense and abundant thereby, because she has teeth in both jaws;
intense and abundant thereby, because she, being one, is worth many cows,
[thinking:] "May I be intense and abundant through offspring and cattle!"
Moreover, they say: "A hundred milk-cows with assorted calves should be its sacrificial gift."
Intense and abundant, indeed, is that which is a hundred milk-cows;
intense and abundant thereby, because it is a hundred;
intense and abundant thereby, because it is their milk;
intense and abundant thereby, because it is their calves,
[thinking:] "May I be intense and abundant through offspring and cattle!"

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Indra, having hurled his thunderbolt at Vṛtra and thinking, "I have not struck him down," went to the farthest distance.

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The gods sought after him.

2-4.152

They did not find him.
They said: "Let us press [the soma] indeed; then he will come."
They pressed [it].
During their entire morning pressing, he did not come.
They held the cups close against their chests, drawing [the soma] upwards, [thinking,] "Lest we consume Soma without Indra."
And he came at the midday pressing.
They raised a shout of welcome, just as they raise a shout of welcome when an eminent person arrives.
And on this they say: "He came, rather, at the chant of the Acchāvāka during the morning pressing.
Excluded, indeed, would he have been from the sacrifice if he had not come at the chant of the Acchāvāka during the morning pressing."
Therefore, at the chant of the Acchāvāka of this sacrifice, they consume [the soma].
Therefore, both the Adhvaryu and the Pratiprasthātṛ respond to the Acchāvāka, and so do all the Camasādhvaryus.
They thereby raise a shout of welcome.
Therefore, he from whom prosperity has departed should sacrifice with this.
Prosperity, indeed, departed from them when their eminent one departed from them.
They found it through this very [rite].
He finds prosperity, nor does that prosperity depart from him, who knows thus.

2-4.153

Three-headed, indeed, was the son of Tvaṣṭṛ.
He had three mouths: one for drinking soma, one for drinking surā, and one for eating food.
With one he would chant the prelude, with one he would sing [the sāman], with one he would chant the response; with one he would call for recitation, with one he would respond to the call, with one he would recite.
He, creeping around entirely by himself, would bring the whole sacrifice to completion.
So full of vital power was he.
And he was the son of an Asura woman.
He would speak openly to the gods, but secretly to the Asuras.
For to whomsoever one desires more, to him one speaks secretly.
Therefore, Indra was afraid, because he was the son of an Asura woman and because he was so full of vital power.
He considered: "This son of an Asura woman is indeed an Asura.
He speaks openly to us, but secretly to the Asuras.
Come, let me kill him."

2-4.154

He cut off his heads with his thunderbolt.
They became birds.
The one that was for drinking soma became a francolin partridge;
therefore it is brownish, as it were,
for brownish, as it were, is Soma.
And the one that was for drinking surā became a sparrow;
therefore it chirps as if intoxicated.
And the one that was for eating food became a black partridge;
therefore it is multi-colored, as it were,
for multi-colored, as it were, is food.
Therefore, its food is this: 'the scorpion situated on a peg'.
Tvaṣṭṛ, his son having been slain, brought forth soma excluding Indra.
Indra considered: "If he excludes me from this sacrifice, I shall indeed be excluded from the sacrifice.
Come, let me kill him."

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With thunderbolt in hand, he ran towards him.

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Tvaṣṭṛ, falling backward, took refuge with the wives [of the gods].

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He did not pursue him there.

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Therefore, they offer to Tvaṣṭṛ among the wives [of the gods].

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Therefore, one should not kill someone who has taken refuge with women.

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Indra stepped forth.

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Right between the two havirdhāna sheds, he approached the droṇakalaśa trough to purify King Soma.

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Putting his mouth to the droṇakalaśa trough itself and drinking, he went away.

2-4.155

Tvaṣṭṛ came after him.
He asked: "Is anything left over?"
They said: "There is this residue."
He rolled it into the fire, [saying,] "Grow, having Indra as thy slayer, svāhā!"
When he rolled it, that became Vṛtra.
As he was rolling, he encompassed both Agni and Soma;
therefore, they say that Agni and Soma are demonic.
He used to swell upwards to the measure of an arrow's flight;
thereupon, the earth became uninhabitable.
He encompassed the three-fold knowledge, all prosperity, and all food—even that which is spoken of as the thousand [cows] in the three-day rite;
all that he encompassed.
All this [world] paid tribute to him.
The rivers carried sweet liquor for him.
Then there were eight companions of the gods called the Abhiyugvans, eight of the ancestors, eight of men, and eight of the Asuras.
Indra, wishing to slay Vṛtra, became the eighth of them by magical power.
And therefore, Indra indeed slew him, because he rolled it saying, "Grow, having Indra as thy slayer, svāhā!"
Whereas, if he had rolled it saying, "Grow, thou slayer of Indra, svāhā!"—

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—he would never have slain him.

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King Soma, drunk uninvited, harmed this Indra.

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He flowed forth from all his openings, except his mouth alone.

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Therefore, he was in need of healing.

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That [discharge] of his which went downward became intoxicating liquor.

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That which [went] from his penis became parisrut.

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He spat out three times.

2-4.156

Then, what he spat out first became the karkandhu jujube; what [he spat out] second became the badara jujube; what [he spat out] third became the kuvala jujube. Therefore these are both food and sap. Having coughed up, he spat out a fourth time. That became the mango fruit. While he was in such a state, the gods sat around him: ‘This one was our unique hero. He has sunk down in this manner. Where shall we be?’ He said, ‘We do not know where we shall be.’ ‘Why?’ ‘I wish to sneeze.’ Now, before that time, people died as soon as they sneezed. They said to him, ‘Sneeze! We will say “Live!” to you.’ He sneezed. They said to him, ‘Live!’ He lived. Therefore even now, when someone sneezes, people say ‘Live!’ Therefore, to whomever one cares for, when he sneezes, one should say ‘Live!’ What came out of his nostrils—

2-4.156.p1

—those two became lions.

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What [came out] from his eyes, those two became tigers; what from his ears, those two became wolves, destructive beasts; what from his armpits,

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those two became barb-tailed birds.

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Therefore these possess greater vital power among birds.

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For Indra was their origin.

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Now, what flowed downward, that became this small vermin.

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He lay discharged of fluid.

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He was completely overgrown with grasses.

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They said to him, ‘Where are you? Where shall we heal you?’

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Therefore even nowadays they ask a sick man, ‘Where does it hurt you? Where shall we heal you?’

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Pointing around at the grasses, he said, ‘Just around here am I; just around here

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heal me.’

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They said to Agni, ‘Burn this!’

2-4.157

Agni burned it. Then they said to Parjanya, ‘Rain upon this!’ Parjanya rained upon it. Then auspicious plants were born. Cows grazed upon them. They milked that milk. They saw this sacrifice. They brought it. With it they caused him to sacrifice. His fresh milk they poured in at the morning pressing: ‘As it were, by this [milk] he was nourished beforehand (prati),’ and therefore it is fresh milk (pratidhuk). Boiled milk at the midday pressing: ‘As it were, he has attached (aśreṣṭa) himself to this,’ and therefore boiled milk (śrita). Curds at the third pressing: ‘As it were, he has settled (adādhī) upon this,’ and therefore curds (dadhi). Just as he had been before, he became far superior even to that. He who vomits soma or through whom soma purges should sacrifice with this. Just as he is before, he becomes far superior to that. Therefore one should not disparage one who vomits soma or through whom soma purges; for even Indra was so.

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Now this is the Ṛtapeya.

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Nourishment and food departed from the gods.

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The soma oblation departed from them.

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That indeed is the Virāj.

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Those gods said, ‘Come, let us search for this Virāj.’

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They practiced austerity.

2-4.158

They saw this Virāj as a sacrifice. They brought it; they consecrated themselves for it. For one day they did not eat. They perceived its trace. They said, ‘Let us practice yet further austerity.’ For a second day they did not eat. They heard its sound. They said, ‘Let us practice yet further austerity.’ For a third day they did not eat. They saw it afar off, like a great mountain looked up to, or like a great cloud. They stalked it, stepping forward and stepping back. For whoever stalks game only rushing straight ahead does not seize it, but whoever stalks it stepping forward and stepping back, he alone seizes it. They secured it on the tenth day itself. The Virāj has ten syllables. Food is the Virāj; [it is] for the securing of food from the Virāj.

2-4.159

Its observance consists of water and clarified butter. Bodiless is water, bodiless is clarified butter, bodiless is the ancestral offering (svadhā): ‘By means of the bodiless let us secure the bodiless ancestral offering,’ [so they say]. He consumes the observance meal in such portions: this much indeed is the measure of a man, lest he overfeed the man. And so in this way he puts together the limbs of his body, joint by joint. There is clarified butter inside, for complete attainment. There is a seventeenfold stoma. Prajāpati is seventeenfold. Prajāpati is the finder of what is lost: ‘He who is the finder of what is lost, through him let us find this ancestral offering.’ It has both the Bṛhat and the Rathantara as sāmans: ‘If in this world, let us find it with the Rathantara; if in the intermediate space, with the Vāmadevya; if in yonder world, with the Bṛhat.’ Its sacrificial gift is an udumbara cup of soma; for nourishment and food is the udumbara, for the securing of nourishment and food. Moreover, bodiless is soma, bodiless is the ancestral offering: ‘By means of the bodiless let us secure the bodiless ancestral offering,’ [so they say].

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He gives it to the brahman priest; for the brahman priest has a single sacrificial gift. As to that they say, ‘Should it be given offered, or unoffered?’ They say, ‘Unoffered. For it would be exhausted (yātayāma), as it were, if he should give what is offered.’ But regarding that they also say, ‘It must indeed be given offered.

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Jaiminīyabrāhmaṇa — Sanskrit

Jaiminīya (Talavakāra) Brāhmaṇa 2-4

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