Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 11.3

11.3.1

atha sarvā ha vai devatā hotāram prātar anuvākam anuvakṣyantam āśaṃsamānāḥ pratyupatiṣṭhante mayā pratipatsyate mayā pratipatsyata iti / (soma: prātar anuvāka)

Now, all deities await the hotṛ when he is about to recite the morning litany, hoping, ‘He will begin with me! He will begin with me!’

xi. 4. Now all the gods resort to the Hotṛ as he is about to recite the morning litany, expecting ‘With me will he commence, with me will he commence.’ If he were to commence indicating one deity, he would fall a victim to the other deities. He commences with (a verse) not addressed (to one deity); thereby he does not fall a victim to any deity. (With the verse), ‘O waters, the rich ones’ he commences; all the deities are the waters; verily thus with all the deities he commences. ‘Advancing

11.3.2

sa ya ekām devatām ādiśya pratipadyeta /

If he were to specify one deity and begin,

xi. 4. Now all the gods resort to the Hotṛ as he is about to recite the morning litany, expecting ‘With me will he commence, with me will he commence.’ If he were to commence indicating one deity, he would fall a victim to the other deities. He commences with (a verse) not addressed (to one deity); thereby he does not fall a victim to any deity. (With the verse), ‘O waters, the rich ones’ he commences; all the deities are the waters; verily thus with all the deities he commences. ‘Advancing

11.3.3

atha itarābhyo devatābhyo vṛścyeta / (soma: prātar anuvāka)

then he would be cut off from the other deities.

xi. 4. Now all the gods resort to the Hotṛ as he is about to recite the morning litany, expecting ‘With me will he commence, with me will he commence.’ If he were to commence indicating one deity, he would fall a victim to the other deities. He commences with (a verse) not addressed (to one deity); thereby he does not fall a victim to any deity. (With the verse), ‘O waters, the rich ones’ he commences; all the deities are the waters; verily thus with all the deities he commences. ‘Advancing

11.3.4

aniruktayā pratipadyate /

He begins with an unexpressed [verse];

xi. 4. Now all the gods resort to the Hotṛ as he is about to recite the morning litany, expecting ‘With me will he commence, with me will he commence.’ If he were to commence indicating one deity, he would fall a victim to the other deities. He commences with (a verse) not addressed (to one deity); thereby he does not fall a victim to any deity. (With the verse), ‘O waters, the rich ones’ he commences; all the deities are the waters; verily thus with all the deities he commences. ‘Advancing

11.3.5

tena u na kasyai cana devatāyā āvṛścyate / (soma: prātar anuvāka)

thereby he is not cut off from any deity.

xi. 4. Now all the gods resort to the Hotṛ as he is about to recite the morning litany, expecting ‘With me will he commence, with me will he commence.’ If he were to commence indicating one deity, he would fall a victim to the other deities. He commences with (a verse) not addressed (to one deity); thereby he does not fall a victim to any deity. (With the verse), ‘O waters, the rich ones’ he commences; all the deities are the waters; verily thus with all the deities he commences. ‘Advancing

11.3.6

āpo revatīḥ kṣayathā hi vasva iti pratipadyate /

He begins with: ‘O wealthy waters, for you possess wealth.’

xi. 4. Now all the gods resort to the Hotṛ as he is about to recite the morning litany, expecting ‘With me will he commence, with me will he commence.’ If he were to commence indicating one deity, he would fall a victim to the other deities. He commences with (a verse) not addressed (to one deity); thereby he does not fall a victim to any deity. (With the verse), ‘O waters, the rich ones’ he commences; all the deities are the waters; verily thus with all the deities he commences. ‘Advancing

11.3.7

āpo vai sarvā devatāḥ / (soma: prātar anuvāka)

The waters are indeed all deities;

xi. 4. Now all the gods resort to the Hotṛ as he is about to recite the morning litany, expecting ‘With me will he commence, with me will he commence.’ If he were to commence indicating one deity, he would fall a victim to the other deities. He commences with (a verse) not addressed (to one deity); thereby he does not fall a victim to any deity. (With the verse), ‘O waters, the rich ones’ he commences; all the deities are the waters; verily thus with all the deities he commences. ‘Advancing

11.3.8

sarvābhir eva tad devatābhiḥ pratipadyate /

he thus begins with all deities.

xi. 4. Now all the gods resort to the Hotṛ as he is about to recite the morning litany, expecting ‘With me will he commence, with me will he commence.’ If he were to commence indicating one deity, he would fall a victim to the other deities. He commences with (a verse) not addressed (to one deity); thereby he does not fall a victim to any deity. (With the verse), ‘O waters, the rich ones’ he commences; all the deities are the waters; verily thus with all the deities he commences. ‘Advancing

11.3.9

uparayanto adhvaram ity upasaṃdadhāti / (soma: prātar anuvāka)

He subjoins: ‘Coming near to the rite.’

forward up to the sacrifice’, (with this) he continues. ‘Up’ is the symbol of this world, ‘advancing’ is that of yonder (world); ‘up’ is the symbol of Agni, ‘advancing’ is that of yonder sun; so in all the formulae of recourse, in all the services to Agni, to Uṣas, and to the Açvins the first utterance is the symbol of Agni, the second that of yonder sun. There are varied metres and between them pits as it were; these two are the strongest, the uninjured, the untroubled, deities; with these two he commences. With the one hymn should he mount; that is the symbol of mounting without falling into a pit and is heavenly. When there occurs in the one hymn a difference of authorship, then without taking breath should he step over. Breath is immortality; thus by immortality he passes by death; just as one steps over a pit by means of a beam or a roller, so with the Praṇava he steps over; the Praṇava is holy power; verily thus with the holy power he continues the holy power.

11.3.10

upa iti tad asya lokasya rūpam /

‘Near’ (upa)—that is the form of this world.

11.3.11

prayanta it tad amuṣya /

‘Going’ (prayantaḥ)—that is [the form] of yonder [world].

11.3.12

upa iti tad agne rūpam / (soma: prātar anuvāka)

‘Near’ (upa)—that is the form of Agni.

11.3.13

prayanta iti tad amuṣya ādityasya /

‘Going’ (prayantaḥ)—that is [the form] of yonder Āditya.

11.3.14

evam eva sarvāsu pratipatsu sarveṣu ṛtuṣu / (soma: prātar anuvāka)

So it is with all beginnings, with all seasons: