Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 11.5

11.5.1

śuddhaḥ praṇavaḥ syāt prajā kāmānām /

The praṇava should be pure for those who desire offspring;

xi. 5. The Praṇava should be uttered pure for those who desire offspring, with *m* at the end for those who desire support. ‘The Praṇava should have *m* at the end’, some say, but the rule is that it should be used pure. The Praṇava is investigated as to the fact that ‘Here it is pure, here it is in full form’. ‘The Praṇava should be pure in the middle of Çastras and of recitations’, Kauṣītaki used to say. This is continuity. It should have *m* at the end for the sake of a pause; the pause is a support; verily (it serves) for a support. Verily (the two serve) to obtain both desires. These are the carryings of the metres; they carry the subsequent over the preceding metre. No harm befalls him, who by the metre is carried over the metre. ‘When he is passing over, he should pierce with his mind as it were him whom he hates; in the fractures of the metre he either goes to ruin or is crushed,’ so he used to say. The Paṅktis at the end of the offerings he recites with the same endings; the end is sap, the metres are cattle; verily thus the metres end in sap; cattle ending as it were rejoice in the good grass. This is a Virāj with one syllable short; with one twice repeated it is exactly a Virāj; with one thrice repeated there is one over the Virāj.

11.5.2

makāra antaḥ pratiṣṭhā kāmānām / (soma: prātar anuvāka)

ending in the sound m for those who desire a firm foundation.

11.5.3

makāra antaḥ praṇavaḥ syād iti ha eka āhuḥ /

Now some say: 'The praṇava should end in the sound m.'

11.5.4

śuddha iti tv eva sthitaḥ / (soma: prātar anuvāka)

However, it is settled that [it is] pure.

11.5.5

mīmāṃsitaḥ praṇavaḥ /

The praṇava has been investigated [thus]:

11.5.6

atha ata iha śuddha iha pūrṇa iti /

now then, here [it is] pure, here complete.

11.5.7

śuddha eva praṇavaḥ syāt śastra anuvacanayor madhya iti ha sma āha kauṣītakiḥ / (soma: prātar anuvāka)

Kauṣītaki used to say: 'The praṇava should be pure between the recitation and the repeated recitation.'

11.5.8

tathā saṃhitam bhavati /

Thus it becomes continuous.

11.5.9

makāra anto avasāna arthe /

Ending in 'm' is for the purpose of a pause.

11.5.10

pratiṣṭhā vā avasānam pratiṣṭhityā eva / (soma: prātar anuvāka)

For a pause is a firm foundation, for the sake of a firm foundation indeed,

11.5.11

atho ubhayoḥ kāmayor āptyai /

and also for the attainment of both desires.

11.5.12

eta u ha vai chandaḥ pravāhā avaram chandaḥ param chando atipravahanti /

These indeed are metre-currents: they carry a lower metre across to a higher metre.

11.5.13

tasya ārtir na asti chandasā chando atiproḍhasya / (soma: prātar anuvāka)

There is no distress for him who is carried across from metre to metre by a metre.

11.5.14

atiyann eva yam dviṣyāt /

Passing beyond indeed, whomsoever he might hate,

11.5.15

tam manasā pra iva vidhyet chandasām kṛntatreṣu / (soma: prātar anuvāka)

him he should, as it were, pierce with his mind in the clefts of the metres.

11.5.16

dravati vā sam vā śīryata iti ha sma āha /

He used to say: 'He either flees or goes to ruin.'

11.5.17

samānodarkāṇy uttamāni kratūnām pāṅktāny anvāha / (soma: prātar anuvāka)

He recites the last [verses] of the rites, having identical endings, composed in Paṅkti.

11.5.18

raso vā udarkaḥ /

The end is sap.

11.5.19

paśavaś chandāṃsi /

Metres are cattle.

11.5.20

rasam eva tat chandāṃsy abhyupanivartante / (soma: prātar anuvāka)

Thereby the metres return toward the sap.

11.5.21

upanivartam iva vai paśavaḥ / (soma: prātar anuvāka)

Indeed, cattle return, as it were;