[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Vedic Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda) › [Brāhmaṇas (ritual exegesis)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana) › [Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.kausitaki) › 15.5.1 # Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 15.5.1 Kauṣītakibrāhmaṇa 15.5.1 - **Language:** Sanskrit ### [15.5.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.kausitaki.15.5.1) atha niṣkevalyam / > xv. 4. (Next) the Niṣkevalya. Both before and after are many gods mentioned in recitation; but the Niṣkevalya is Indra's only; that is why the Niṣkevalya has its name. In that he begins with a Bṛhatī, and he who gives heat here is connected with the Bṛhatī, thus he makes him to prosper with his own symbol. He makes two into three by repetition; that is the symbol of generation; two as it were are there at first, then they are propagated. Having recited the strophe, he recites the antistrophe; the strophe is the self; the antistrophe the offspring; therefore he should make the antistrophe to be corresponding in form; a corresponding one is born in his offspring, not one who does not correspond. He recites a supplementary verse; the supplementary verse is breath; verily thus in himself he places breath. He recites a Pragātha; the Pragātha is cattle; verily (it serves) to obtain cattle. Moreover the Bṛhatī Pragātha is expiration and inspiration; verily thus he places expiration and inspiration in himself. ‘I shall proclaim the manly deeds of Indra’ is the Niṣkevalya of fifteen verses; the thunderbolt is fifteenfold; verily thus with the thunderbolt he smites the evil of the sacrificer. In the middle of it he places a Nivid; in the middle of the body is food placed; then he recites Nivids; the Nivids are the breaths; verily thus he places the breaths in himself. Each quarter verse of these he recites, taking it separately; verily thus each breath he places in himself; with the last he utters the Praṇava; thus he lets go this breath; therefore all the breaths breathe along this breath. Now they say ‘The Nivids are food’; therefore should he recite them quietly, for not hastening as it were he eats unpleasant food. He should recite the concluding verse in a lower tone; so is his wife unlikely to fall away. (He should recite) in still lower a tone; so does his wife become as it were not uplifted in her mind. In that he gives a horse, and the horse is Indra, for the hymn is connected with Indra, verily thus he delights Indra. The strophe is the self; the antistrophe offspring; the supplementary verse the wife; cattle the Pragātha; the hymn the body; the Nivid what is within the body; the concluding verse a support; the offering verse food. > — Arthur Berriedale Keith 1920, Rigveda Brahmanas: The Aitareya and Kauṣītaki Brāhmaṇas of the Rigveda (HOS 25) - [Previous: 15.4.29](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.kausitaki.15.4.29) - [Next: 15.5.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.kausitaki.15.5.2) - [Up: 15.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.kausitaki.15.5) ## Translations (2) - [Rigveda Brahmanas: The Aitareya and Kauṣītaki Brāhmaṇas of the Rigveda (HOS 25)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.kausitaki~en-keith.15.p10) — Arthur Berriedale Keith 1920, English - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.kausitaki~en-mt.15.5.1) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.kausitaki.15.5.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.kausitaki.15.5.1) · Pramāṇa