Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 14.2

14.2.1

eṣa hi idam sarvam nivedayann eti /

for he goes making known this all.

14.2.2

sā purastāt sūktasya prātaḥ savane dhīyate / (soma: prātaḥ savana)

It is placed before the hymn at the morning pressing,

14.2.3

purastādd hy eṣa tadā bhavati /

for in front is he at that time.

14.2.4

madhye sūktasya mādhyaṃdine savane / (soma: prātaḥ savana)

In the middle of the hymn at the midday pressing,

14.2.5

madhye hy eṣa tadā bhavati /

for in the middle is he at that time.

14.2.6

uttamāḥ pariśiṣya tṛtīya savane /

having left the final [verses], at the third pressing.

14.2.7

paścādd hy eṣa tarhi parikrānto bhavati / (soma: prātaḥ savana)

For at that time it has moved over to the west.

14.2.8

tad etasya eva rūpeṇa nividam dadhad eti /

Thus, in accordance with the form of this [sun], he goes on inserting the nivid.

14.2.9

tad u vā āhur añjayo vai prātaḥ savanam vahanti / (soma: prātaḥ savana)

Now, on this they say: ‘Bay steeds indeed draw the morning pressing;

14.2.10

śiti pṛṣṭhā mādhyaṃdinam savanam /

white-backed ones, the midday pressing;

14.2.11

śveta anukāśās.(.anūkāśās.).tṛtīya savanam ity ādityena eva / (soma: prātaḥ savana)

white-shining ones, the third pressing’—[that is,] with the sun itself.

14.2.12

dvādaśa padām purorucam upasaṃśaṃsati /

He recites alongside a puroruc of twelve padas.

14.2.13

dvādaśa vai māsāḥ saṃvatsaraḥ / (soma: prātaḥ savana)

The year indeed consists of twelve months,

14.2.14

saṃvatsarasya eva āptyai /

for the obtaining of the year.

14.2.15

atha saptarcam ājyam śaṃsati /

Then he recites the ājya [śastra] of seven verses.

xiv. 2. Then he recites the seven-versed Ājya; the metres are seven;

14.2.16

sapta vai chandāṃsi / (soma: prātaḥ savana)

Seven indeed are the metres,

xiv. 2. Then he recites the seven-versed Ājya; the metres are seven;

14.2.17

sarveṣām eva chandasām āptyai /

for the obtaining of all the metres.

verily (it serves) to obtain all the metres. It is in Anuṣṭubh verses; the Anuṣṭubh is speech; whatever is described by speech, the Anuṣṭubh, all that he obtains. He separates the two Padas; that is a symbol of generation; a man takes apart as it were (the limbs) of his wife. Further, in that he takes apart, that is a symbol of support. Now that between these two Padas is the face of death; if a man say of one who breathes in at this place, ‘He has entered the face of death, he will not live’, so would it be. Therefore without drawing in breath should he pass over; breath is immortality; thus by immortality he crosses death. He utters the Praṇava at the end of the whole half-verse; verily thus he hurls a thunderbolt at his evil rival. They make up ten Gāyatrī verses, for the tenth Pada has eight syllables. The Anuṣṭubh is the Gāyatrī; the metre of Agni is the Gāyatrī; ten cups the Adhvaryu draws at the morning pressing; to nine (verses) they sing with the Bahiṣpavamāna (Stotra), the tenth is the call *hiṅ*; these ten they taking separately make up the Virāj; the Virāj is all proper food; having procured that they deposit it in the sacrificer. Thrice (he recites) with the first, thrice with the last; they make up eleven; the twelfth is the offering verse; the year has twelve months; verily (they serve) to obtain the year. They, recited together, make up sixteen Gāyatrīs; thus the Ājya becomes converted into Gāyatrī verses. He utters as offering verse one to Agni and Indra; verily thus he makes Indra a half-sharer in the pressing. ‘In the offering verse give the deities a portion,’ Kauṣītaki used to say. The Virāj has thirty-three syllables; the gods are thirty-three; he makes the gods sharers in the syllables. ‘O Agni, with Indra, in the home of the generous one,’ leaving over this Pada, he breathes in at the half-verse of the Virāj; the Virāj is prosperity and proper food; thus on the Virāj as prosperity and proper food he finds support. With the second half of the Virāj he utters the *vaṣaṭ* call; verily thus in the world of heaven he places the sacrificer; he utters the second *vaṣaṭ*, for the healing of the libations, for the support of the libations.

14.2.18

tad vā ānuṣṭubham bhavati /

It is composed in the anuṣṭubh metre.

14.2.19

vāg anuṣṭup / (soma: prātaḥ savana)

The anuṣṭubh is speech.

14.2.20

tad yat kiṃca vācā anuṣṭubhā vyanūktam tat sarvam āpnoti /

Thereby, whatever has been uttered with speech, with the anuṣṭubh, all that he obtains.

14.2.21

pade vigṛhṇāti /

He separates the two padas.

14.2.22

tat prajātyai rūpam / (soma: prātaḥ savana)

That is the form of procreation.

14.2.23

vi iva vai striyai pumān gṛhṇāti /

A male indeed, as it were, opens [the thighs of] the female.

14.2.24

yad v eva vigṛhṇāti /

Moreover, in that he separates them,

14.2.25

pratiṣṭhayos tad rūpam / (soma: prātaḥ savana)

that is the form of the two firm standings.

14.2.26

atho etadd ha vai mṛtyor āsyam yad ete pade antareṇa /

And furthermore, that which is between these two padas is indeed the mouth of death.

14.2.27

sa yo atra ava anantam brūyāt / (soma: prātaḥ savana)

If he were to say of someone who takes a breath here:

14.2.28

mṛtyor āsyam āpāti na jīviṣyati iti tathā ha syāt / (soma: prātaḥ savana)

‘He has fallen into the mouth of death; he will not live,’ it would indeed be so.