Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 1.4

1.4.1

vibhaktibhiḥ prayāja anuyājān yajati /

He offers the fore-offerings and after-offerings with case-forms.

i. 4. With discriminations he offers the fore-offerings and the after-offerings; the fore-offerings and the after-offerings are the seasons; thus does he gather him from the seasons. The discriminations are the head words of these Ṛcs, 'O Agni, come for enjoyment'; 'Agni we choose as messenger'; 'By Agni Agni is kindled'; 'May Agni smite the foes'; 'Of Agni the praise we meditate'; 'To Agni that mortal who doth service.' They are six; the seasons are six; verily from the seasons for a second time he gathers him. The last fore-offering and after-offering are unaltered. Thus he does not depart from the fore-offerings and the after-offerings. The first butter-portion is connected with the slaying of Vṛtra; verily (it serves) for the destroying of the evil one. Thus he does not depart from the model of the full-moon sacrifice. 'He should make the first (butter-portion) for Agni, the wise, (saying) "Agni do ye awaken with the praise",' some say, 'the

1.4.2

ṛtavo vai prayāja anuyājāḥ /

The fore-offerings and after-offerings are the seasons.

i. 4. With discriminations he offers the fore-offerings and the after-offerings; the fore-offerings and the after-offerings are the seasons; thus does he gather him from the seasons. The discriminations are the head words of these Ṛcs, 'O Agni, come for enjoyment'; 'Agni we choose as messenger'; 'By Agni Agni is kindled'; 'May Agni smite the foes'; 'Of Agni the praise we meditate'; 'To Agni that mortal who doth service.' They are six; the seasons are six; verily from the seasons for a second time he gathers him. The last fore-offering and after-offering are unaltered. Thus he does not depart from the fore-offerings and the after-offerings. The first butter-portion is connected with the slaying of Vṛtra; verily (it serves) for the destroying of the evil one. Thus he does not depart from the model of the full-moon sacrifice. 'He should make the first (butter-portion) for Agni, the wise, (saying) "Agni do ye awaken with the praise",' some say, 'the

1.4.3

ṛtubhya enam tat samāharanti / (agnyādhāna)

Thereby they gather him together from the seasons.

i. 4. With discriminations he offers the fore-offerings and the after-offerings; the fore-offerings and the after-offerings are the seasons; thus does he gather him from the seasons. The discriminations are the head words of these Ṛcs, 'O Agni, come for enjoyment'; 'Agni we choose as messenger'; 'By Agni Agni is kindled'; 'May Agni smite the foes'; 'Of Agni the praise we meditate'; 'To Agni that mortal who doth service.' They are six; the seasons are six; verily from the seasons for a second time he gathers him. The last fore-offering and after-offering are unaltered. Thus he does not depart from the fore-offerings and the after-offerings. The first butter-portion is connected with the slaying of Vṛtra; verily (it serves) for the destroying of the evil one. Thus he does not depart from the model of the full-moon sacrifice. 'He should make the first (butter-portion) for Agni, the wise, (saying) "Agni do ye awaken with the praise",' some say, 'the

1.4.4

agra āyāhi vītaye agnim dūtam vṛṇīmahe agninā agniḥ samidhyate agnir vṛtrāṇi jaṅghanad agneḥ stomam manāmahe agnā yo martyo duva ity etām ṛcām pratīkāni vibhaktayaḥ / (agnyādhāna)

“Agni, come to the feast,” “We choose Agni as messenger,” “Agni is kindled by Agni,” “May Agni slay the foes,” “We think on the praise of Agni,” “To Agni, who, a mortal, worships”—the opening phrases of these verses are the case-forms.

i. 4. With discriminations he offers the fore-offerings and the after-offerings; the fore-offerings and the after-offerings are the seasons; thus does he gather him from the seasons. The discriminations are the head words of these Ṛcs, 'O Agni, come for enjoyment'; 'Agni we choose as messenger'; 'By Agni Agni is kindled'; 'May Agni smite the foes'; 'Of Agni the praise we meditate'; 'To Agni that mortal who doth service.' They are six; the seasons are six; verily from the seasons for a second time he gathers him. The last fore-offering and after-offering are unaltered. Thus he does not depart from the fore-offerings and the after-offerings. The first butter-portion is connected with the slaying of Vṛtra; verily (it serves) for the destroying of the evil one. Thus he does not depart from the model of the full-moon sacrifice. 'He should make the first (butter-portion) for Agni, the wise, (saying) "Agni do ye awaken with the praise",' some say, 'the

1.4.5

tā vai ṣaḍ bhavanti /

They are six.

i. 4. With discriminations he offers the fore-offerings and the after-offerings; the fore-offerings and the after-offerings are the seasons; thus does he gather him from the seasons. The discriminations are the head words of these Ṛcs, 'O Agni, come for enjoyment'; 'Agni we choose as messenger'; 'By Agni Agni is kindled'; 'May Agni smite the foes'; 'Of Agni the praise we meditate'; 'To Agni that mortal who doth service.' They are six; the seasons are six; verily from the seasons for a second time he gathers him. The last fore-offering and after-offering are unaltered. Thus he does not depart from the fore-offerings and the after-offerings. The first butter-portion is connected with the slaying of Vṛtra; verily (it serves) for the destroying of the evil one. Thus he does not depart from the model of the full-moon sacrifice. 'He should make the first (butter-portion) for Agni, the wise, (saying) "Agni do ye awaken with the praise",' some say, 'the

1.4.6

ṣaḍ vā ṛtavaḥ /

Six indeed are the seasons.

i. 4. With discriminations he offers the fore-offerings and the after-offerings; the fore-offerings and the after-offerings are the seasons; thus does he gather him from the seasons. The discriminations are the head words of these Ṛcs, 'O Agni, come for enjoyment'; 'Agni we choose as messenger'; 'By Agni Agni is kindled'; 'May Agni smite the foes'; 'Of Agni the praise we meditate'; 'To Agni that mortal who doth service.' They are six; the seasons are six; verily from the seasons for a second time he gathers him. The last fore-offering and after-offering are unaltered. Thus he does not depart from the fore-offerings and the after-offerings. The first butter-portion is connected with the slaying of Vṛtra; verily (it serves) for the destroying of the evil one. Thus he does not depart from the model of the full-moon sacrifice. 'He should make the first (butter-portion) for Agni, the wise, (saying) "Agni do ye awaken with the praise",' some say, 'the

1.4.7

ṛtubhya eva enam tat punar samāharati / (agnyādhāna)

Thereby he gathers him together again from the seasons.

i. 4. With discriminations he offers the fore-offerings and the after-offerings; the fore-offerings and the after-offerings are the seasons; thus does he gather him from the seasons. The discriminations are the head words of these Ṛcs, 'O Agni, come for enjoyment'; 'Agni we choose as messenger'; 'By Agni Agni is kindled'; 'May Agni smite the foes'; 'Of Agni the praise we meditate'; 'To Agni that mortal who doth service.' They are six; the seasons are six; verily from the seasons for a second time he gathers him. The last fore-offering and after-offering are unaltered. Thus he does not depart from the fore-offerings and the after-offerings. The first butter-portion is connected with the slaying of Vṛtra; verily (it serves) for the destroying of the evil one. Thus he does not depart from the model of the full-moon sacrifice. 'He should make the first (butter-portion) for Agni, the wise, (saying) "Agni do ye awaken with the praise",' some say, 'the

1.4.8

yathā yatham uttamau prayāja anuyājau yajati /

He offers the final fore-offering and after-offering according to their proper order.

i. 4. With discriminations he offers the fore-offerings and the after-offerings; the fore-offerings and the after-offerings are the seasons; thus does he gather him from the seasons. The discriminations are the head words of these Ṛcs, 'O Agni, come for enjoyment'; 'Agni we choose as messenger'; 'By Agni Agni is kindled'; 'May Agni smite the foes'; 'Of Agni the praise we meditate'; 'To Agni that mortal who doth service.' They are six; the seasons are six; verily from the seasons for a second time he gathers him. The last fore-offering and after-offering are unaltered. Thus he does not depart from the fore-offerings and the after-offerings. The first butter-portion is connected with the slaying of Vṛtra; verily (it serves) for the destroying of the evil one. Thus he does not depart from the model of the full-moon sacrifice. 'He should make the first (butter-portion) for Agni, the wise, (saying) "Agni do ye awaken with the praise",' some say, 'the

1.4.9

tathā ha asya prayāja anuyājebhyo anitam.(?).bhavati /

Thus there is no departure for him from the fore-offerings and after-offerings.

i. 4. With discriminations he offers the fore-offerings and the after-offerings; the fore-offerings and the after-offerings are the seasons; thus does he gather him from the seasons. The discriminations are the head words of these Ṛcs, 'O Agni, come for enjoyment'; 'Agni we choose as messenger'; 'By Agni Agni is kindled'; 'May Agni smite the foes'; 'Of Agni the praise we meditate'; 'To Agni that mortal who doth service.' They are six; the seasons are six; verily from the seasons for a second time he gathers him. The last fore-offering and after-offering are unaltered. Thus he does not depart from the fore-offerings and the after-offerings. The first butter-portion is connected with the slaying of Vṛtra; verily (it serves) for the destroying of the evil one. Thus he does not depart from the model of the full-moon sacrifice. 'He should make the first (butter-portion) for Agni, the wise, (saying) "Agni do ye awaken with the praise",' some say, 'the

1.4.10

vārtraghnaḥ pūrva ājya bhāgaḥ pāpmana eva vadhāya / (agnyādhāna)

The prior butter portion is Vṛtra-slaying, for the destruction of evil.

i. 4. With discriminations he offers the fore-offerings and the after-offerings; the fore-offerings and the after-offerings are the seasons; thus does he gather him from the seasons. The discriminations are the head words of these Ṛcs, 'O Agni, come for enjoyment'; 'Agni we choose as messenger'; 'By Agni Agni is kindled'; 'May Agni smite the foes'; 'Of Agni the praise we meditate'; 'To Agni that mortal who doth service.' They are six; the seasons are six; verily from the seasons for a second time he gathers him. The last fore-offering and after-offering are unaltered. Thus he does not depart from the fore-offerings and the after-offerings. The first butter-portion is connected with the slaying of Vṛtra; verily (it serves) for the destroying of the evil one. Thus he does not depart from the model of the full-moon sacrifice. 'He should make the first (butter-portion) for Agni, the wise, (saying) "Agni do ye awaken with the praise",' some say, 'the

1.4.11

atho ha asya paurṇamāsāt tantrād anitam bhavati /

Moreover, there is no departure for him from the paradigm of the full moon sacrifice.

i. 4. With discriminations he offers the fore-offerings and the after-offerings; the fore-offerings and the after-offerings are the seasons; thus does he gather him from the seasons. The discriminations are the head words of these Ṛcs, 'O Agni, come for enjoyment'; 'Agni we choose as messenger'; 'By Agni Agni is kindled'; 'May Agni smite the foes'; 'Of Agni the praise we meditate'; 'To Agni that mortal who doth service.' They are six; the seasons are six; verily from the seasons for a second time he gathers him. The last fore-offering and after-offering are unaltered. Thus he does not depart from the fore-offerings and the after-offerings. The first butter-portion is connected with the slaying of Vṛtra; verily (it serves) for the destroying of the evil one. Thus he does not depart from the model of the full-moon sacrifice. 'He should make the first (butter-portion) for Agni, the wise, (saying) "Agni do ye awaken with the praise",' some say, 'the

1.4.12

agnim stomena bodhaya ity agnaye buddhimate pūrvam kuryād iti ha eka āhuḥ / (agnyādhāna)

“He should make the first [butter portion] for Agni the wise, [with the verse] ‘Awake Agni with praise’,” say some.

i. 4. With discriminations he offers the fore-offerings and the after-offerings; the fore-offerings and the after-offerings are the seasons; thus does he gather him from the seasons. The discriminations are the head words of these Ṛcs, 'O Agni, come for enjoyment'; 'Agni we choose as messenger'; 'By Agni Agni is kindled'; 'May Agni smite the foes'; 'Of Agni the praise we meditate'; 'To Agni that mortal who doth service.' They are six; the seasons are six; verily from the seasons for a second time he gathers him. The last fore-offering and after-offering are unaltered. Thus he does not depart from the fore-offerings and the after-offerings. The first butter-portion is connected with the slaying of Vṛtra; verily (it serves) for the destroying of the evil one. Thus he does not depart from the model of the full-moon sacrifice. 'He should make the first (butter-portion) for Agni, the wise, (saying) "Agni do ye awaken with the praise",' some say, 'the

1.4.13

svapiti iva vā etasya agnir yo agmim udvāsayate /

For the fire of him who takes down his fires as it were sleeps;

fire of him who removes the fire is asleep as it were, verily so does he again awaken it.’ But that connected with the slaying of Vṛtra is the approved one. ‘O Agni, thou purifiest lives’ is the invitatory verse of the second (butter-portion). ‘Thou purifiest’ is the symbol of Soma, for the sacrificial offering is wholly for Agni; in that he makes mention of the purifying, so he departs not from the butter-portion for Soma. The offering and the invitatory verses are Padapaṅktis; the Paṅkti has five feet; the sacrifice is fivefold; verily (they serve) to obtain the sacrifice.

1.4.14

tad eva enam tat punaḥ prabodhayati iti / (agnyādhāna)

[they say] that thereby he awakens him again.

1.4.15

vārtraghnas tv eva sthitaḥ /

The Vṛtra-slaying [verse], however, is the settled rule.

1.4.16

agna āyūṃṣi pavasa ity uttarasya puronuvākyā / (agnyādhāna)

“O Agni, thou art purified with life,” is the invitatory verse of the second [butter portion].

1.4.17

pavasa it tat saumyam rūpam /

“Thou art purified” is the Soma-like form.

1.4.18

kevala āgneyo hi yajña kratuḥ /

For this sacrificial rite belongs to Agni alone.

1.4.19

tad yat pavamānasya kīrtayati /

Because he mentions Pavamāna,

1.4.20

tathā ha asya saumyād ājya bhāgād anitam bhavati / (agnyādhāna)

thus there is no departure for him from the butter portion belonging to Soma.