Jaiminīya (Talavakāra) Brāhmaṇa 41

English (machine translation) 41

Language: English

41.232 — 2 parts
41.234 — 17 parts
41.237 — 17 parts
41.238 — 7 parts
41.239 — 2 parts
41.240 — 3 parts

41.p2

Uśanas Kāvya desired the immortal Gandharva world among the gods.

41.p5

Then indeed he attained the immortal Gandharva world among the gods, this Romaṇvant.

41.p7

Praising with this [sāman], one attains the immortal Gandharva world among the gods, having Romaṇvant.

41.p10

He, unpropitiated, went to Uśanas Kāvya.

41.p11

He said to him: "O sage, propitiate me; for I am unpropitiated."

He saw this sāman. With it he propitiated him: "I praise your dearest guest, beloved like a friend; like a chariot, Agni is to be known." Thus indeed he made him the dearest guest. He is, as it were, unpropitiated at this point, having borne the sacrifice. They propitiate him here at this moment. He, propitiated, carries whatever remains of the sacrifice here. Because Uśanas Kāvya saw it, therefore it is called the Auśana. "O Indra, come to us, dear one, winning everything, concealed from none, broad on all sides like a mountain, lord of heaven! For [you are] truthful, soma-drinker!" In that there is "abhi" (unto), that is the form of the Rathantara. This day belongs to the Rathantara. "You became both rodasi (heaven and earth)" — these two indeed are heaven and earth; it is these two that it addresses. "Indra, you are the increaser of him who presses [soma], lord of heaven" — for this forty-fourth day is increased.

41.232.p1

On these [verses], the Sāṃvarta [sāman] with word-final finale (padanidhana) belongs to the Rathantara.

41.232.p2

Therefore it is performed on the Rathantara day.

41.233

Saṃvarta Āṅgirasa, desiring heaven, practiced tapas. He saw this sāman. With it he praised. Saying "Lord of heaven! Lord of heaven!" he mounted to the heavenly world. Just as one would fly, even so it is when one says "Lord of heaven!" This is a heaven-winning sāman. He reaches the heavenly world who knows thus. And because Saṃvarta Āṅgirasa saw it, therefore it is called the Sāṃvarta. The gods and Asuras were contending. Those Asuras gaped wide. Indra desired: "May I strike down the Asuras by rolling them up together!" He saw this sāman. With it he praised: "For you, O Indra, are the shatterer of continuous strongholds, the slayer of the Dasyu, the strengthener of Manu, the lord of heaven!" Thus indeed, having rolled them up together, he struck them down. That indeed is the essence of the Sāṃvarta. Rolling up together, he strikes down his spiteful rival who knows thus.

41.234

Then the Maidhātitha. Medhātithi as householder, the Vibhindukīyas sat for a sacrificial session. Of them, Dṛḍhacyut Āgasti was the Udgātṛ, Gaurīviti was the Prastotṛ, Acyutacyut was the Pratihartṛ, Vasukṣaya was the Hotṛ, Sanaka and Navaka, the Kāvyas, were the Adhvaryus. Medhātithi desired cattle; Sanaka and Navaka desired wives; whatever desires the others had, they were desiring that. In ancient times they used to sit for a sacrificial session with various desires. Having prospered, having obtained their diverse desires, they would rise. Among them, Indra, having assumed the form of a ram belonging to Medhātithi, used to drink the soma. They used to drive him away, [saying]: "The ram of Medhātithi is drinking our soma!" Then, having assumed his own form, he used to drink their soma. Thence originated this: they call him "ram of Medhātithi." That Medhātithi, desiring cattle, saw this sāman. With it he praised: "Breaker of strongholds, youthful, wise..." — thus he broke Vala. "You, O wielder of the thunderbolt, uncovered the cave of Vala rich in cows" — with this [verse] he uncovered the cave.

41.234.p1

From it cattle were released.

41.234.p2

Those that were released first, these are the present cattle.

41.234.p3

Then indeed [cows] with golden horns and double udders followed out after them.

41.234.p4

And then indeed two Apsarases wearing golden skirts followed out after them.

41.234.p5

The householder laid claim to them.

41.234.p6

He said: "These are mine, which I have enclosed in my Gārhapatya [hearth].

41.234.p7

All prosperity belongs indeed to the householder."

41.234.p8

"No!" said Sanaka and Navaka, "You sat [in the rite] desiring cattle.

41.234.p9

These cattle are yours.

41.234.p10

We two desired wives.

41.234.p11

These two are our wives."

41.234.p12

While they were arguing, one of them took hold of one [of the women].

41.234.p13

She struck back.

41.234.p14

She is the one who has, as it were, a scarred face.

41.234.p15

Then the other one smiled.

41.234.p16

She is Hariṇikā.

41.234.p17

Therefore these [women] serve cattle in the place where cattle are born.

41.235

Then these [cows] with golden horns and double udders fled right back whence they had come forth, saying: "The householder has spoken an untruth; we do not belong to him who speaks an untruth!" Even today these, having become dappled cows of fierce bulls, make themselves known in Vibhinduka. Two descendants of Kaṇva, Medhātithi and Triśoka, contended over the sacred power (brahman). The two said: "Come, let us cross through a kindled fire!" They crossed through the kindled fire. Triśoka crossed high above it, but the flames scorched the eyelashes of the other. He said to him: "I have conquered you!" "No," he said, "you are the son of an Asura woman; the deities did not desire contact with you." The two said: "Come, let us cross through water!" They crossed through a running river-chariot stream. Triśoka crossed high above it, but the two wheel-rims of the other were washed. That is the origin of the moist wheel-rim of the river-stream. He said to him: "I have conquered you!" "No," he said, "you are the son of an Asura woman; the deities did not desire contact with you." The two said: "Come, let us let loose cattle!"

41.236

Triśoka created on the same day earless, hairless cattle. Being heated here, they perished and sank down. That became pra. Therefore they say: 'Cattle are pra.' Therefore one who eats meat should not eat the early [flesh]. Then some, being distressed, fled westward. They entered the Sindhu. The bottom became salt. Therefore they say: 'Cattle are salt.' Therefore he who trades with salt obtains cattle indeed. Then Medhātithi, desiring cattle, spread [grass] for a year. From that very [cave of] Vala, called the stone, he let forth cattle, [saying:] 'You of the cattle-rich Vala...' This is the sāman of the release of cattle. He who knows this secures cattle and becomes rich in cattle. Because Medhātithi saw it, therefore it is called Maidhātitha.

41.237

They also call it the sāman of the Āṅgirasīs. The Āṅgirasīs were daughters of the ṛṣis. They desired: 'May we reach the heavenly world.' They saw this sāman. With it they praised. Thereupon they reached the heavenly world. This is a heavenly sāman. He who knows this reaches the heavenly world. Because the Āṅgirasīs saw it, therefore it is called the sāman of the Āṅgirasīs. They also call it the Māruta. The Maruts desired: 'May we become the most vigorous, strongest, most numerous, most powerful among the gods; may we conquer the heavenly world.' They saw this sāman. With it they praised. Thereupon they became the most vigorous, strongest, most numerous, most powerful among the gods; they conquered the heavenly world. He who knows this becomes the most vigorous, strongest, most numerous, most powerful among his own people, and conquers the heavenly world. Because the Maruts saw it, therefore it is called Māruta.

41.237.p1

They also call it Vaiśvāmitra.

41.237.p2

The Bharatas were on the further bank of the Sindhu, hemmed in by the Ikṣvākus.

41.237.p3

Viśvāmitra and Jamadagni were dwelling among them.

41.237.p4

Now Indra begged two bay steeds from Bhayadāma Asamātya.

41.237.p5

He did not give them to him.

41.237.p6

Because the two were not given, he called out at [the place called] Indrakrośa:

41.237.p7

Standing in that place, [he said:] 'Viśvāmitra and Jamadagni, these cows of the Ikṣvākus—

41.237.p8

find them!'

41.237.p9

The two, being on the further bank, heard it.

41.237.p10

They said to the Bharatas: 'Indra is indeed calling us two: "Find these cows of the Ikṣvākus!"

41.237.p11

Come! Let us find the cows.'

41.237.p12

[The Bharatas said:] 'Make this ford shallow for us.'

41.237.p13

[The two said:] 'Yoke your chariots!'

41.237.p14

They yoked them.

41.237.p15

They went down [to the water].

41.237.p16

The two said: 'Throw away whatever washing-troughs you have.'

41.237.p17

They threw them away.

41.238

Then there was a noble-fellow whose washing-trough it was; he tied it under the axle. The two desired: 'May this ford be shallow for us.' Viśvāmitra saw this sāman. With it he praised: 'The breaker of strongholds, young, wise, of unmeasured might was born, Indra, the upholder of every deed, wielder of the vajra, much praised. You opened the cave of cattle-rich Vala, O wielder of the stone; the gods, being impelled, entered into you without fear. With your gifts, O hero, I have returned, addressing the Sindhu'—speaking thus, the two returned. 'They approached [you], O you who delight in songs; your poets know that'—thus indeed the waters subsided. For the two there was a ford. They crossed over by the ford. Now, where this washing-trough was, right there the waters cut him off. [They said:] 'This one has perished (anaśat)'—these are the Naṃśus. 'The yoke was not raised (yogaḥ na udyataḥ)'—these are the Āyogavas. 'Let us dwell (vasāma) right here today'—these are the Vasātis.

41.238.p1

And the young maidens abandoned [their toys] while playing.

41.238.p2

That became the Maiden's Mountain.

41.238.p3

Now indeed, these forests and these rivers were formerly on the further bank of the Sindhu.

41.238.p4

The two, having gone around from behind, obstructed them [from flowing] eastward.

41.238.p5

Then whatever was foul-smelling, those became these salt tracts.

41.238.p6

And those that stood still, they became these small trees.

41.238.p7

[...] and the rivers which they caused to cross, those—

41.239

they caused these highest rivers to cross over at Vivasati. While they were being made to cross, it was displeasing to the Sindhu. He said: 'Have we not heard: "Your father Gāthin is a brāhmaṇa"? Whence has this thousandfold strength come to you, Viśvāmitra?' He replied: 'Even as a child speaking in the womb of Mamatā, Dīrghatamas the wise was born, arranging the limbs of the sacrifice. Why, O Ocean, do you boast?' Thereupon they won those cattle. This is a cattle-giving sāman. He who knows this secures cattle and becomes rich in cattle. Because Viśvāmitra saw it, therefore it is called Vaiśvāmitra. It is the acchāvāka's sāman containing iḷā. Iḷā is cattle; in cattle they thus become established.

41.239.p1

'The ocean has stepped out in the highest realm...'

41.239.p2

The horse is the highest among cattle; the ocean is the highest; the ninth day is the highest.

41.240

Therefore these [verses] are performed on the ninth day. 'Generating creatures, the guardian of the world...'—thus they contain [the word] jan ('generate'). What contains jan is the form of the Jagatī; this day belongs to the Jagatī. 'The bull upon the filter, on the woolly back, great Soma has grown loud, pressing the stone...'—thus they contain [the words] vṛṣan ('bull') and bṛhat ('great'), the form of the Bṛhat; this day belongs to the Bṛhat. 'Great was that which Soma, the buffalo, did...'—for this day is great, being forty-eight-fold. 'When the embryo of the waters chose the gods; the purified one placed vigor in Indra; the drop generated light in the sun...'—thus they contain jan. Right from the morning pressing they generate this ninth day. 'Exhilarate Vāyu for sacrifice and bounty; exhilarate Mitra and Varuṇa, being purified; exhilarate the troop of Maruts, exhilarate the gods; exhilarate heaven and earth, O divine Soma!'—thus it belongs to all deities. For this day, belonging to the Jagatī, belongs to the All-Gods.

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Jaiminīyabrāhmaṇa — Sanskrit

Jaiminīya (Talavakāra) Brāhmaṇa 41

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