Pramāṇa · Search · About · API

Jaiminīya (Talavakāra) Brāhmaṇa 31

English (machine translation) 31

Language
English

Contents

31.182

Now the Sauparṇa, whose Brāhmaṇa has been explained.
Indeed, on the seventh day the sacrifice has passed away. That the Sauparṇa is used here is for the recommencement of the sacrifice. It is based on the Iḷā; cattle are Iḷā; the Chandomas are cattle; it is for obtaining cattle.

31.182.p1

Now the Rohitakūlīya.

31.182.p2

Viśvāmitra went to the Mahāvṛṣas with a wagon belonging to the Bharatas.

31.182.p3

There was a great high bank, either of the Gaṅgā or of the Yamunā.

31.182.p4

The Mahāvṛṣas said, "Who are the two oxen now who could pull [a load] up this so great steep bank?"

31.182.p5

Viśvāmitra said, "These two red ones of mine."

31.182.p6

He indeed had two red oxen.

31.182.p7

The Mahāvṛṣas said, "Let us lay a stake: if your two oxen pull [it] up,

31.182.p8

you shall fill your wagons with wares;

31.182.p9

but if they do not pull [it] up, we shall win the wares from you."

31.182.p10

"So be it," [he replied].

31.182.p11

They laid the stake.

31.182.p12

They yoked the two to the pole of a cart laden with barley or laden with rice.

31.183

Viśvāmitra desired: "May I win this race!"
He saw these two sāmans.
With them he drove them back as he encircled them.
They carried him through.
They won.
Then indeed he won that race.
Those who advance from the sixth day to the Chandomas go as if against the stream.
Therefore, that the Rohitakūlīya is here is for victorious conquest.
He wins, who knows thus.
And it is a granter of desires.
He desired this desire;
this desire of his was fulfilled.
Whatever desire one has when praising with this sāman, that desire of his is fulfilled.
And because he won at the bank (kūle) with the two bay horses (rohitābhyām), therefore they are called "Rohitakūlīyas."
"O Soma, being purified, in a stream"—
thus the Bṛhatī is of twofold form.
This [verse] indeed sustained both sāmans; therefore, those who have the Bṛhat-sāman use this, and those who have the Rathantara-sāman use this.

31.183.p1

Upon them, the Raurava [is sung].

31.183.p2

The gods tore off these unexhausted forms for battle against the Asuras.

31.183.p3

Agni tore off the Raurava.

31.183.p4

With it he burned against the Asuras.

31.183.p5

Being scorched, they cried out (aravanta).

31.183.p6

Because they cried out when being scorched, that is the Raurava-ness of the Raurava.

31.184

Becoming superior, he scorches his rival, who knows thus.
That sāman belonging to Agni is performed on a day belonging to Agni.
This day, which is the Gāyatra, belongs to Agni,
for Agni is the Gāyatrī.
Therefore, that the Raurava is performed here, thereby they make the day prosper in its own form.
By that prospering [day], it becomes prosperous for them among their own people.
It is set on an Iḷā-ending [verse], for cattle are iḷā;
the Chandomas are cattle, for the securing of cattle.
Now, the Rathantara.
They say: "There is a monotony in the twelve-day rite;
the sixth day is connected with the Bṛhat, the seventh day is connected with the Bṛhat."
In the Pavamāna [lauda], they introduce the Rathantara to avoid monotony.
They say: "A carrying-pole (vivadha) fastened on only one side is not carried [well]."
Therefore, that both the Bṛhat and the Rathantara are present is for the sake of being a carrying-pole.
Whoever wishes to step from the root to the top is not able; but whoever steps from top to top is able.
Those who go from the Bṛhat to the Bṛhat step from top to top.
Therefore, the sixth day is connected with the Bṛhat; the seventh day is connected with the Bṛhat.

31.185

Now, the Gauṅgava: the sāman praises the deity.
This sāman praises the deity; thereby the sacrificers come to have their wishes realized.
The gods and the Asuras vied for cattle.
The Asuras went down to the ocean together with the cattle.
The gods desired: "May we wrest away the cattle of the Asuras!"
They saw this sāman.
With it they praised.
With it they wrested away the cattle of the Asuras.
They said: "We have wrested away cow after cow (gāṃ gām) of the Asuras!"
That is the Gauṅgava-ness of the Gauṅgava.
This is a sāman conferring cattle.
He wrests away cow after cow of his hateful rival, secures cattle, and becomes rich in cattle, who knows thus.
Having slain the Asuras with the Gauṅgava, the gods made a clamor (ghoṣa), 'gaṃ-gaṇam'.
That, too, is the Gauṅgava-ness of the Gauṅgava.
And it is a slayer of rivals.
He slays his hateful rival, who knows thus.
It is sung as if upward and as if crosswise.
That which is sung as if upward is the form of the Bṛhat; that which is as if crosswise is that of the Rathantara.
This indeed is the fullness of the Chandomas: that it has both forms.

31.185.p1

Now, the Samanta.

31.185.p2

Indra and Agni desired: "May we be contiguous (samanta); may we attain equal prosperity!"

31.185.p3

They saw this sāman.

31.185.p4

One saw one half, the other the other half.

31.185.p5

Bringing its two ends together, they joined them (samadhattām).

31.185.p6

Because they joined them, that is the Samanta-ness of the Samanta.

31.185.p7

With it they praised.

31.185.p8

Then indeed they both became contiguous; they attained equal prosperity.

31.185.p9

That brahman is Agni; nobility is Indra.

31.186

He who knows thus secures both brahman and nobility. Therefore this sāman is not to be omitted from this day. This [earth] is the Rathantara; that [sky] is the Bṛhat. This intermediate space is the Samanta, for making these two worlds contiguous. By this [sāman] these two are contiguous. One desirous of cattle should praise with the Samanta. The intermediate space is cattle; the Samanta is cattle. Having praised with the Samanta, he becomes rich in cattle. A Brahmin desirous of the office of domestic priest should praise with the Samanta. The Brahmin belongs to Agni; the nobleman belongs to Indra. The earth belongs to Agni; the sky belongs to Indra. They are contiguous facing the intermediate space. Having praised with the Samanta, he makes these two, both Brahmin and nobleman, contiguous. He attains the office of domestic priest; they place him at the head. Prajāpati desired: 'May I be contiguous with offspring and cattle.' He saw this sāman. With it he praised. Then indeed he became contiguous with offspring and cattle. That indeed is the contiguity of the Samanta. He who knows thus becomes contiguous with offspring and cattle.

31.187

Now the Āyāsya based on the Bṛhat and the Rathantara: both forms [are used] for prosperity, having a finale in the middle for a firm foundation. The Ādityas and the Aṅgirases were contending for the heavenly world. They considered: 'Whichever of us shall make the others sacrifice, they will be left behind.' Those Aṅgirases gathered the sacrifice first. For the soma-pressing of the next day, they sent Agni Āṅgirasa as a messenger: 'Announce to these Ādityas our soma-pressing of tomorrow.' Having arrived, he said: 'O Ādityas, the Aṅgirases announce to you the soma-pressing of tomorrow.' They said to him: 'Go away; having deliberated, we shall give you an answer.' Therefore even nowadays they say to a messenger: 'Go away; having deliberated, we shall give you an answer.' They said: 'Devise that whereby the Aṅgirases will make us sacrifice, not we the Aṅgirases. If we make them sacrifice, we shall be left behind; but if we do not make them sacrifice, we shall depart from the glory of the sacrifice.' Therefore one chosen should not walk away, [thinking:] 'Lest I depart from the glory of the sacrifice.'

31.187.p1

He should step back with a footprint.

31.187.p2

Or he should approach his own sacrifice, saying: 'And this has been done by you.'

31.187.p3

Those Ādityas gathered this Sadyaḥkrīya sacrifice.

31.187.p4

They said: 'O Agni, that which is tomorrow is distant; we announce to you this very pressing today.

31.187.p5

Of us, you shall be the Hotṛ, Gaur Āṅgirasa the Adhvaryu, Bṛhaspati the Udgātṛ, Ayāsya

31.187.p6

the Brahman.' Thus they chose all [of them].

31.187.p7

He said: 'I am going about as a messenger.'

31.187.p8

Thinking: 'Agni the messenger we choose,' they chose him as he was going about as a messenger.

31.187.p9

Having been chosen by them, he did not walk away.

31.187.p10

Having returned, he said: 'O Aṅgirases, the Ādityas announce to you the pressing today.'

31.187.p11

Then [the Aṅgirases said]: 'Surely you have chosen us!'

31.187.p12

'No,' he said.

31.187.p13

'I was your messenger; I am indeed chosen by them. Now indeed those

31.188

have become wiser or firmer than you, who saw this first.' Having been chosen, they did not walk away. Having come, they officiated at the sacrifice. To them, to Ayāsya the Brahman, the Ādityas, having brought that Āditya himself who had become a white horse fastened with a halter, as a Brahman's horse, went to the heavenly world. The Aṅgirases were left behind. Ayāsya, having accepted [a dakṣiṇā] equal to or better than himself, slipped down. He desired: 'May I unite myself [again]!' He saw this sāman. With it he united himself. The seventh day is, as it were, collapsed. In that here the Āyāsya occurs, with this they unite it; with this they heal it. Because Ayāsya saw it, therefore it is called the Āyāsya. 'Forth has gone the drop to the appointed place of Indra'—thus with a verse and a sāman possessing the word 'pra' (forth) they lead this day forward. Both forms [are used] for prosperity. Thinking 'forth!', the Bhṛgus, thinking 'forth!', the Aṅgirases, thinking 'forth!', the Ādityas ascended to the heavenly world. As if thinking 'forth!', they ascend by this to the heavenly world.

31.188.p1

Now the Bṛhat.

31.188.p2

The Bṛhat is the height.

31.188.p3

They go, becoming firmly established in the height.

31.188.p4

It occurs on a Gāyatra day.

31.188.p5

The Bṛhat is the form of the male; the Gāyatrī is of the female.

31.188.p6

In that the Bṛhat is the pṛṣṭha here, by that this day is made a pair.

31.188.p7

Now the Vāmadevya.

31.188.p8

The Vāmadevya is cattle.

31.188.p9

Having praised with this, they become rich in cattle.

31.188.p10

'We indeed to you who have pressed [soma]...'

31.188.p11

Thus they mount the Satobṛhatī verses for the sake of not slipping down.

31.188.p12

Upon them is the Kāṇva with the finale 'abhi'.

31.189

Regarding this they say: 'It is contradictory of the Brahma-sāman when it expresses either form.' Because there is 'abhi', they do not depart from the form of the Rathantara. Indra wished to slay Vṛtra. He ran up to Kaṇva: 'O Seer, we run up to you; speak favorably to us here!' Kaṇva saw this sāman. With it he praised. Then Indra slew Vṛtra. He who knows thus slays his hateful rival. Because Kaṇva with this sāman roared the thunderbolt at him with 'abhi', therefore it is called the Kāṇva with the finale 'abhi'. Now these [verses] occur: 'None reached him by deed...'. At this time, the Bṛhatī surpasses the Bṛhatī; the Kakubh surpasses the Kakubh; the Anuṣṭubh surpasses the Anuṣṭubh. That Bṛhatī, being such, turns into a Jagatī. Thereby it surpasses. It oversteps the eighth day, takes hold of the ninth day, and runs back toward the sixth.

31.189.p1

Upon them is the Vaikhānasa.

31.189.p2

The Vaikhānasas saw these sāmans as the resumption and receding of the sacrifice.

31.189.p3

By resumptions, the gods excluded the asuras from the sacrifice.

31.189.p4

Now the little seers known as the Vaikhānasas were dear to Indra.

31.189.p5

Rahasyu Mārimlava killed them.

31.189.p6

Seeking them, [Indra] approached Rahasyu.

31.189.p7

He said to him: 'Rahasyu, have you not seen here those little seers known as the Vaikhānasas?'

31.189.p8

He said: 'Syo indeed, reverend sir, killed them.'

31.189.p9

He said to him: 'Rahasyu, whereas embryo-slaying is hard to confess,

31.189.p10

how then did you confess it?'

31.189.p11

He said: 'I weighed untruth and embryo-slaying.

31.189.p12

Untruth went [down] further.

31.189.p13

He went towards truth alone.'

31.189.p14

He said to him: 'Choose a boon, you who confessed!'

31.189.p15

He said: 'May a Brahmin indeed be born in my progeny.'

31.189.p16

Those are these Takṣans of the Rahasyu lineage.

31.189.p17

Moreover they say: 'The deities then blamed Indra; they censured Indra: "While you were there, your..."'

31.190

[Saying,] 'Mārimlava has caused them to die,' he desired: 'May I stir them up together!' He saw this sāman. With it he stirred them up together. This is a healing, expiatory sāman. Being a remedy, he made an expiation. Broken down, as it were, is this day which is the seventh. That they heal with this. A remedy, an expiation indeed they make with this. Moreover, it is a winner of desires. He indeed desired this desire; that desire was fulfilled for him. Whatever desire one has when one praises with this sāman, that desire is fulfilled for him. Now, Indra was indeed Vikhānas. Because Indra saw this sāman, therefore it is called Vaikhānasa. It becomes the Acchāvāka's sāman with an iḷā-ending. Cattle are indeed iḷā; in cattle they thus establish themselves.

31.190.p1

'What exhilarating intoxication of yours is choice...'—[with these words] the Gāyatrī verses of the Ārbhava Pavamāna contain [the word] 'exhilarating' (madvat). Exhilaration is sap. Drained, as it were, is this third pressing. Therefore, in that these contain [the word] 'exhilarating', they place sap in it; by this they swell the pressing. 'Flow on with it for the food-offering...'—they contain [the word] 'food-offering' (andhasvat); food indeed is food-offering, for the acquisition of food. 'Slayer of Vṛtra, the foe...'—this is the form of the Bṛhatī; what is above midday, that is the Bṛhatī-form of this day. 'Mingled, ruddy, you have become with well-yielding cows...'—broken down, as it were, is this day which is the seventh. Therefore, in that it says 'with well-yielding [cows]' (sūpasthābhiḥ), it is for the well-standing (upasthiti) of the day.

Linked texts (1)