He pushed those three apart into two.
They became six seasons.
From summer he created spring, from the rainy season autumn, from winter the cool season.
Therefore, these [seasons] are as if attached, for they were created [from each other].
He practiced heat on the existing six.
He pushed them apart into two.
They became twelve months.
He practiced heat on the existing twelve.
He pushed them apart into two.
They became twenty-four half-months.
He practiced heat on the existing twenty-four.
He considered: 'If I push [these] apart into two, they will not be sufficient. Come, let me create!'
From them he created seven hundred and twenty days and nights.
He differentiated all this.
Just as gold is unformed, so this [universe] was before that.
All works, both formed and unformed, are known upon it by one who knows thus.

3.1.p1

And he indeed became this Prajāpati, the year.

3.1.p2

Having braced all this, he stood pervading it.

3.1.p3

He considered: 'By what sacrificial nourishment, by what food, by what invigorating draught might this [offspring] of mine pervade?'

3.1.p4

In him he saw this sacrificial nourishment, invigorating draught, food, and imperishability: the twelve full-moon days, the twelve aṣṭakā days,

3.1.p5

the twelve new-moon days.

3.1.p6

He wished to obtain her.

3.1.p7

She said to him: 'You shall not obtain me without having toiled.'

3.1.p8

He practiced austerity.

3.1.p9

He saw this twelve-day sacrifice.

3.2

He brought it.
He desired: 'Let the consecrated sacrifice me as a consecrated one.'
He said to the months and to the seasons: 'Sacrifice for me!'
The months did not speak to him:
'You shall indeed enjoy her [nourishment] when she is present only in us.'
Therefore, all these full-moon days, aṣṭakā days, and new-moon days belong only to the months.
Then, once the soma was pressed, the seasons realized behind [the months]: 'He has indeed given to them!'
They said to him: 'Give the sacrificial fee to us as well!'
To them he gave food.
That is why food ripens according to the season.
Through the consecrations he obtained the full-moon days; through the upasads, the aṣṭakā days; through the pressing, the new-moon days.
Whoever, knowing thus, sacrifices with the twelve-day rite obtains this very sacrificial nourishment, invigorating draught, food, and imperishability.
The seasons accepted; the months did not desire acceptance [of the fee].
Therefore, the months are as if more celebrated.
For one who does not accept becomes more celebrated.
Therefore, the seasons are the elder.
For one who accepts becomes the elder.
These indeed are the three nights: full-moon days, aṣṭakā days, and new-moon days.

3.2.p1

In the beginning, the gods did not submit to Indra for supremacy.

3.2.p2

He ran up to Prajāpati: 'Grant these to me!'

3.2.p3

To him he granted these two: the full-moon day and the new-moon day.

3.2.p4

In himself he retained the aṣṭakā day.

3.3

Thereupon the gods submitted to Indra for supremacy.
His own people submit to him for supremacy, who knows thus.
Therefore, on this night all dwell well-nourished.
For they dwell in the father, in Prajāpati, on this [night].
Therefore, on this night one should not offer; if one should offer, one should not pronounce [the formulas].
For Prajāpati is unexpressed.
Whatever three cavities he makes there, that they dwell well-nourished in his house, that indeed is his prosperity.
The months and the seasons said: 'With whatever sacrifice our father Prajāpati, having sacrificed, succeeded, with that let us sacrifice!'
They brought it.
Prajāpati considered: 'If they accomplish this, then just as I am this, so they will be.'
He said to them: 'Consecrate yourselves with me as the master of the house.'
They said: 'Let them proclaim you by us!'
'And you by me!'
Therefore, they proclaim the year by the months and the seasons, and the seasons and the months by the year.
Therefore, they proclaim the father by the son, and the sons by the father.
By this, people designate their household relations, who knows thus.

3.3.p1

They sacrificed. Those months and seasons were established in the year, and the year in the seasons

3.3.p2

and in the months.

3.4

Therefore they say: 'The success of the one whom they sacrifice for and of those who sacrifice for him is of equal measure.' One should consider: 'My success through this [rite] is of equal measure indeed, just as his is, so is mine.' Therefore one should sacrifice alone. For Prajāpati alone prospered. But if more should sacrifice, twelve or thirteen should sacrifice: 'These four, these four, these four, and this one,' so they should arrange them. The one whom they might desire, saying, 'May the failure of the sacrifice pursue him,' the failure of the sacrifice indeed pursues him. But if more should sacrifice, sixteen or seventeen should sacrifice: 'These four, these four, these four, these four, and this one,' so they should arrange them. The one whom they might desire, saying, 'May the failure of the sacrifice pursue him,' the failure of the sacrifice indeed pursues him. But if more should sacrifice, twenty-four or twenty-five should sacrifice: 'These five, these five, these five, these five, these four, and this one,' so they should arrange them. The one whom they might desire, saying, 'May the failure of the sacrifice pursue him,' the failure of the sacrifice indeed pursues him. All the others prosper. Truly, he who knows the master of the house and the mistress of the house of the sacrificial session attains the status of householder, he reaches the status of householder. The year is indeed the master of the house, and this [earth] is the mistress of the house. He attains the status of householder, he reaches the status of householder, who knows thus.

3.5

He who knows the self-rule of the meters goes to self-rule, he reaches the world of self-rule. The Bṛhatī is indeed the self-ruler of the meters. They perform it backward, forward, and across for food. Therefore they live upon cattle [moving] backward, forward, and across. Just so much indeed is the faculty and vital power in the year: namely the twelve-day rite, twelve full-moon days, twelve eighth days, twelve new-moon days. Truly, through this he secures that. He who knows the Virāj established in the seasons, and the seasons established in the Virāj, goes to a firm standing, he secures food. The Virāj has thirty syllables; the seasons are six. Thus indeed the Virāj stands firmly in the seasons, and the seasons in the Virāj. He goes to a firm standing, he secures food, who knows thus. In performing the twelve-day rite, it is truly this Anuṣṭubh that they perform. The Anuṣṭubh has thirty-two syllables. Cattle are four-footed. Speech is the Anuṣṭubh. Through speech he holds fast cattle. Therefore cattle, controlled by speech, summoned by speech, come.

3.5.p1

The first three-day period has the Gāyatrī at its beginning.

3.5.p2

Therefore this fire shines upward.

3.5.p3

The second three-day period has the Gāyatrī in the middle.

3.5.p4

Therefore this wind blows across.

3.5.p5

The third three-day period has the Gāyatrī at the end.

3.6

Therefore yonder sun burns downward. By means of fiery splendor the Gāyatrī held fast the first three-day period, by means of feet the second, by means of syllables the third. The Gāyatrī is threefold fiery splendor; the first day is threefold. By that the first three-day period is held fast. The Gāyatrī has three feet; the three-day period is in the middle. By that the second three-day period is held fast. The Gāyatrī has twenty-four syllables; the seventh day is twenty-four-fold. Just by that the third three-day period is held fast. They say: 'How does the Gāyatrī hold the twelve-day rite?' Just as the felly goes around the spokes on all sides, so the Gāyatrī goes around the twelve-day rite on all sides for the sake of firmness. Just as the spokes are held fast in the nave of the chariot, so the twelve-day rite is held fast in the Gāyatrī against confusion. A peg or a support is this Gāyatrī; on it the twelve-day rite is held fast against wobbling. Indeed, this Anuṣṭubh is stretched out as the twelve-day rite. With eight syllables the Anuṣṭubh raises the first day, with eleven the second, with twelve the third. Just one tri-syllable is left over. That very one he disposes along the next three-day period.

3.7

The meters indeed bear its fourth [part]. They perform it backward, forward, and across for food. Therefore they live upon cattle [moving] backward, forward, and across. Prajāpati, when being born, was born together with evil. He desired: 'May I strike off evil.' He saw this sacrifice, the twelve-day rite with shifted meters. He took it; he sacrificed with it. By it he shifted evil in every direction. He who considers himself to be seized, as it were, by evil should sacrifice with this twelve-day rite with shifted meters. He shifts evil in every direction. But the creatures become gliding, as it were. In that the subsequent ājya-lauds are in the Gāyatrī [meter], it is for the non-slipping of the creatures. A peg or a support is this Gāyatrī; on it the twelve-day rite is held fast against slipping.

3.7.p1

With the ten-day rite, Prajāpati created creatures.

3.7.p2

When created, they were scattered in all directions.

3.7.p3

He saw these two Vaiśvānara Atirātras.

3.7.p4

With these two he enclosed them on both sides: from below with this one, and from above with yonder one.

3.7.p5

With these two he held them in check.

3.7.p6

Because he held all being in check (avārayata), that is the Vaiśvānara-nature of the two Vaiśvānaras.

3.8

The Udgātṛ is this Prajāpati. With this ten-day rite he creates creatures. With these two Vaiśvānara [days] he holds them in check: with this one from below, with that one from above, for the stability of creatures, for avoiding scattering. The wealth of him who knows thus is not scattered. The prior Vaiśvānara is the in-breath; the latter is the out-breath. Through the completeness of in-breath and out-breath they reach the conclusion. Therefore one should sleep during their chant, [saying], 'Lest I cut off the breaths.' But as to that, they say: 'Who is master of sleep? When the breath is awake, that is being awake. One may sleep at will.' Now they say: 'Since this Atirātra is the highest sacrificial rite, why do they undertake it first, being the highest?' One should say: 'For the sake of obtaining the sacrificial rites.' All these sacrificial rites indeed are the Agniṣṭoma, the Ukthya, and the Atirātra. Through this he obtains them. He who knows the ten-day rite conforming to the Agniṣṭoma: through the morning pressing the first three-day period conforms for him, through the midday pressing the second, through the third pressing the third; through the Agniṣṭoma-sāman the tenth day conforms. Things conform for him who knows thus.

3.9

The breath is the first Vaiśvānara, the downward breath the subsequent one; then what sacrificial session there is, that is the other days.
The twelve-day rite is this Gāyatrī with wings of light.
The two Atirātra rites are the two wings; the two Agniṣṭoma rites are the two eyes; the two Atirātras are the outer ones, the two Agniṣṭomas are the inner ones.
Therefore, the two pupils are inside the eyes.
Now, the eight days that remain, that is the Gāyatrī.
By it the gods went to the heavenly world.
He goes to the heavenly world who knows thus.
They say: 'There is redundancy in the twelve-day rite,
because these eight days in the middle are ukthya rites.' One should say: 'There is no redundancy in that.'
For cattle are ukthas.
In this way, one gathers cattle with cattle.
For cattle, gathered with cattle, appear more abundant.
The Jyotiṣṭoma Atirātra amounts to the virāj.
The year is the virāj; the year is procreation.
Two stotriya verses of the first day exceed the virāj; two of the subsequent day.
Those that are around the virāj of the first day, they are the Bṛhat and the Rathantara; harnessed, they bear the sacrifice; then those of the subsequent day,
that is the milking, the establishment of the virāj.
One who desires the heavenly world should perform the Āyuṣṭoma.
The stomas go upward for the sake of avoiding a fall.

3.10

One who desires vital power should perform the Goṣṭoma.
The fifteenfold [stoma] is faculty and vital power.
As long as they live, so long are they full of vital power.
Yet they are liable to die prematurely,
for they go away from the breaths.
For those who have sacrificed, the ninefold [stoma] is prepared; but for those who have not sacrificed, it is unprepared.
If the Bṛhat is the pṛṣṭha, they chant praise to the Aśvins with the Rathantara.
This [earth] is the Rathantara; that [sky] is the Bṛhat.
Without stepping onto this [earth], they step onto that [sky].
They are liable to die prematurely or to become decrepit.
Moreover, just as one would place a vessel with its opening upward, then it is poured away and one does not drink;
such it is if the Rathantara is the pṛṣṭha and they chant praise to the Aśvins with the Rathantara.

3.10.p1

They say: 'That is [like] an offering made with sour milk.'

3.10.p2

One should say: 'There is no offering made with sour milk in that.'

3.10.p3

The Rathantara is speech; the Āśvina [śastra] is speech. Wherefrom would speech perish?

3.11

And this indeed is a single meter milked, which is speech, whether they have sacrificed or not sacrificed.
And they say regarding this:
'Clarify yourself, the foremost of speech; sing unto him, o men; of you as you clarify, o sage'—
these are the opening verses.
Into the clarifying [soma] they insert the Rathantara.
The Bṛhat becomes the pṛṣṭha.
With the Jarābodhīya they praise for the Aśvins.
The Jarābodhīya is indeed the sāman of this god Rudra.
By this indeed the god Rudra attained mastery and supremacy over cattle. By that by which the god Rudra attained mastery and supremacy over cattle, let us attain mastery and supremacy over cattle.
Regarding this they say: 'It is cruel, unappeased; it is capable of injuring the sacrificer's cattle.'
And regarding this they also say: 'All this speech is brahman, which is the Aśvina [śastra].
By all this speech, by the brahman, by the Aśvina [śastra], they pacify it.'
They insert the Aurdhvasadmana at nightfall.
By the Aurdhvasadmana the gods, having thrust the Asuras from these worlds, sat down for the sacrificial session in their own abode.
By the Aurdhvasadmana, having thrust away the hateful rival from these worlds, he sits down for the sacrificial session in his own abode,
who knows thus.

3.11.p1

The Agniṣṭoma is indeed brahman.

3.11.p2

The introductory day is brahman.

3.11.p3

This indeed is the measure of the sacrifice, which is the Agniṣṭoma.

3.11.p4

With that which is the measure of the sacrifice, they step forth into this sacrificial session, just as from the weaving-rod,

3.11.p5

as touch is from brushing against.

3.11.p6

Therefore with the Agniṣṭoma they go forward, with the Agniṣṭoma they go up.

3.12

Mind indeed is first, then speech.
Mind indeed is the Bṛhat; speech is the Rathantara.
The Bṛhat indeed is 'ancient' (pratna-); the Rathantara is 'unto' (upa-).
Therefore, when these [verses] have 'ancient' (pratna-) and 'unto' (upa-), the Bṛhat and Rathantara are thereby hitched for the sacrificial session.
And 'forward' (pra) and 'unto' (ā) are the form of the Gāyatrī.
Therefore, when there is 'forward' (pra) and 'unto' (ā), they go forward with the form of the Gāyatrī. These do not fail, nor indeed is it with a single harnessing: verse by verse the day is harnessed, just as one would insert the yoke-pins of a harnessed yoke; such is that.
Regarding this they say: 'They are deprived of their breaths who cut apart the triplets of the introductory day.'
They have the same characteristics; the breaths have the same characteristics, for the continuity of the breaths,
for not being cut off.
'Come, o Agni, to the feast; unto us, o Mitra-Varuṇa;
come, for we have pressed for you; o Indra-Agni, come to the pressed [juice]'—
thus, having 'come' (ā yāhi) and 'come' (ā yāhi), the Ājya [stotras] are formed.
With 'come' (ā yāhi) and 'come' (ā yāhi) they go forward in front of the harnessed ones,
just as one would go forward in front of harnessed [horses] with 'come, come'; such is that.
The stoma is the ninefold (trivṛt).
The ninefold [stoma] is brahman.
Standing firm in brahman they go forth.

3.12.p1

'Forward the wise somas; forward, o soma, to the feast of the gods;'
'Run forward, sit down around the tub'—
thus there are [verses] containing 'forward' (pra) on the Rathantara day.
This day is indeed to be led forward.
'Forward' (pra) is the form of the Gāyatrī.
With the form of the Gāyatrī they go forward.
That it has five sāmans is irregular, unprosperous.
Out-breath, in-breath, diffused breath—that is the triplet.
They cut that apart.
Self, offspring, wife, these worlds—they cut that apart.
There are three sāmans.
That is prepared: ninefold, having three sāmans.
Then the Āśva, with the word-finale, without stobha, is connected with the Rathantara.
Therefore it is performed on the Rathantara day.
The purifying [soma], rich in iḷā, is performed with the Somasāman.
A five-sāman [day] is truly fit to encompass the year.
Therefore, that the Yaudhājaya has a six-syllable finale, [it is because] there are six seasons, for the yoking of the year.
'Unto the vats, the brown ones'—
thus there is 'unto' (abhi), which is the form of the Rathantara.
This day is connected with the Rathantara.
'Pressed for Indra, Vāyu, Varuṇa, the Maruts'—
thus there are [verses] containing 'Maruts' (marutvat-).
Containing 'Maruts' is the form of the midday.
From that form of the midday they do not depart.
On them the Gāyatra has its Brāhmaṇa explained.

Linked texts (1)

Jaiminīyabrāhmaṇa — Sanskrit

Jaiminīya (Talavakāra) Brāhmaṇa 3

Contents

Linked texts (1)