Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 12.9

12.9.1

atha āvāhane /

Now at the invocation:

12.9.2

āvaha devān yajamānāya /

"Bring the gods for the sacrificer!

12.9.3

agnim agna āvaha vanaspatim āvaha indram vasumantam āvaha iti / (soma: ekādaśinī)

O Agni, bring Agni! Bring Vanaspati! Bring Indra accompanied by the Vasus!"

12.9.4

tat prātaḥ savanam āvāhayati /

thereby he invokes [the deities of] the morning pressing.

12.9.5

indram rudravantam āvaha iti / (soma: ekādaśinī)

"Bring Indra accompanied by the Rudras!"

12.9.6

tan mādhyaṃdinam savanam āvāhayati /

thereby he invokes [the deities of] the midday pressing.

12.9.7

indram ādityavantam ṛbhumantam vibhumantam vājavantam bṛhaspativantam viśva devyā vantam āvaha iti / (soma: ekādaśinī)

"Bring Indra accompanied by the Ādityas, accompanied by the Ṛbhus, accompanied by the Vibhus, accompanied by the Vājas, accompanied by Bṛhaspati, accompanied by all the gods!"

12.9.8

tat tṛtīya savanam āvāhayati /

thereby he invokes [the deities of] the third pressing.

12.9.9

ata u ha eke vanaspatim āvāhayanti/ (soma: ekādaśinī)

At this point, however, some invoke Vanaspati,

12.9.10

antata āvāhyaḥ /

[saying]: "He is to be invoked at the end,

12.9.11

tṛtīya savane hy enam yajanti iti vadantaḥ /

for they sacrifice to him at the third pressing."

12.9.12

tad u vā āhur ātmā vai paśuḥ / (soma: ekādaśinī)

Regarding that, however, they say: "The animal victim is indeed the self;

12.9.13

prāṇo vanaspatiḥ /

Vanaspati is the breath.

12.9.14

yas tam tatra brūyāt /

If someone were to say of him there:

12.9.15

prāṇād ātmānam antaragān na jīviṣyati iti tathā ha syāt /

'He has separated the self from the breath; he will not live,' it would indeed happen so.

12.9.16

tasmāt paśum eva upasaṃdhāya vanaspatir āvāhyaḥ /

Therefore, Vanaspati is to be invoked immediately following the animal victim."

12.9.17

mīmāṃsitaḥ paśuḥ /

The animal victim has been examined.

12.9.18

prajāpatiḥ prajā sṛṣṭvā riricāna iva amanyata / (soma: ekādaśinī)

Prajāpati, having created creatures, felt as if emptied out.

xii. 8. Prajāpati, having created offspring, felt himself empty as it were; he pondered, ‘How now can I sacrifice with such a sacrificial rite that by sacrificing with it I shall obtain my desires and win proper food?’ He saw the set of eleven (victims); he grasped it and sacrificed with it; having sacrificed with it he obtained his desires and won proper food; verily thus also the sacrificer having sacrificed with this set of eleven obtains his desires, and wins proper food. Of this set of eleven the invitatory and offering verses are distinct and those for the oblation to Manotā, but the rest is the same. The first is for Agni; Agni is the holy power; (it serves) to win the glory of the holy power. The second is for Sarasvatī; Sarasvatī is speech; by speech is food made sweet and eaten; (it serves) to obtain proper food. The third is for Soma; Soma is the lordly power; (it serves) to win the glory of the lordly power. The fourth is for Pūṣan; Pūṣan is food; (it serves) to obtain proper food. The fifth is for Bṛhaspati; Bṛhaspati is the holy power; (it serves) to win the glory of the holy power. The

12.9.19

sa ha aikṣata /

He reflected:

12.9.20

katham nu tena yajña kratunā yajeya yena iṣṭvā upa kāmān āpnuyām ava anna adyam rundhīya iti / (soma: ekādaśinī)

"How now can I sacrifice with that sacrificial rite by sacrificing with which I may obtain my desires and secure food and nourishment?"

12.9.21

sa tām ekādaśinīm apaśyat /

He saw that set of eleven [victims].

12.9.22

tām āharat tayā ayajata / (soma: ekādaśinī)

He brought it; he sacrificed with it.

12.9.23

tayā iṣṭvā upa kāmān āpnod ava anna adyam arundhata /

Having sacrificed with it, he obtained his desires and secured food and nourishment.

12.9.24

tatho evaitad yajamāna etayā eva ekādaśinyā iṣṭvā upa kāmān āpnoty ava anna adyam rundhe / (soma: ekādaśinī)

In the same way, the sacrificer, having sacrificed with this very set of eleven [victims], obtains his desires and secures food and nourishment.