Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 19.2

19.2.1

prāyaṇīyena atirātreṇa yakṣyamāṇāḥ /

intending to sacrifice with the introductory Atirātra.

19.2.2

tad enam prathamam āpnuvanti /

Thus they reach him first.

19.2.3

tam caturviṃśena ārabhante / (soma: gavāmayana)

They commence him with the twenty-fourth day;

19.2.4

tad ārambhaṇīyasya ārambhaṇīyatvam /

that is the nature of the commencement day as a commencement.

19.2.5

sa ṣaṇ māsān udann eti /

He goes north for six months;

19.2.6

tam ūrdhvaiḥ ṣaḍahair anuyanti / (soma: gavāmayana)

they follow him with upward six-day periods.

19.2.7

sa ṣaṇ māsān udannitvā tiṣṭhate dakṣiṇā āvartsyan /

Having gone north for six months, he stands still, about to turn south.

19.2.8

upa ime vasanti vaiṣuvatīyena ahnā yakṣyamāṇāḥ / (soma: gavāmayana)

These [sacrificers] observe the fast, intending to sacrifice with the central day.

19.2.9

tad enam dvitīyam āpnuvanti /

Thus they reach him a second time.

19.2.10

sa ṣaṇ māsān dakṣiṇā eti /

He goes south for six months;

19.2.11

tam āvṛttaiḥ ṣaḍahair anuyanti / (soma: gavāmayana)

they follow him with reversed six-day periods.

19.2.12

sa ṣaṇ māsān dakṣiṇetvā tiṣṭhata udann āvartsyan /

Having gone south for six months, he stands still, about to turn north.

19.2.13

upa ime vasanti māhāvratīyena ahnā yakṣyamāṇāḥ /

These [sacrificers] observe the fast, intending to sacrifice with the Mahāvrata day.

19.2.14

tad enam tṛtīyam āpnuvanti / (soma: gavāmayana)

Thus they reach him a third time.

19.2.15

tam yat trir āpnuvanti /

Since they reach him three times—

19.2.16

tredhā vihito vai saṃvatsaraḥ /

the year is indeed three-fold arranged—

19.2.17

saṃvatsarasya eva āptyai / (soma: gavāmayana)

[it is] for the attainment of the year.

19.2.18

tad uta eṣā abhigīyate /

And concerning this, this [verse] is sung:

19.2.19

ahorātrāṇi vidadhad ūrṇākā iva dhīryaḥ /

'Arranging the days and nights like an intelligent weaver,

Ordaining the days and nights,
Like a cunning spider,
For six months south constantly,
For six north the sun goeth.

19.2.20

ṣaṇ māso dakṣiṇā ādityaḥ ṣaḍ udann eti sūrya iti /

the Āditya goes south for six months, the sun goes north for six.'

Ordaining the days and nights,
Like a cunning spider,
For six months south constantly,
For six north the sun goeth.

19.2.21

ṣaḍḍ hy eṣa māsān udann eti / (soma: gavāmayana)

For he goes north for six months,

For six months he goes north, six south. They should not consecrate themselves at this time; the corn has not arrived, the days are short; shivering they come out from the final bath. Therefore they should not consecrate themselves at this time. They should consecrate themselves one day after the new moon of Caitra; the corn has come, the days are long, not shivering do they come out from the final bath. Therefore that is the rule.

19.2.22

ṣaḍ dakṣiṇā /

and south for six.

For six months he goes north, six south. They should not consecrate themselves at this time; the corn has not arrived, the days are short; shivering they come out from the final bath. Therefore they should not consecrate themselves at this time. They should consecrate themselves one day after the new moon of Caitra; the corn has come, the days are long, not shivering do they come out from the final bath. Therefore that is the rule.

19.2.23

atha etām agni cityāyām pañca haviṣam dīkṣaṇīyām iṣṭim eke tanvate / (soma: gavāmayana)

Now, some perform this consecration iṣṭi with five oblations at the fire-piling.

xix. 4. Then in the piling of the fire some offer this consecration sacrifice consisting of five oblations; the Paṅkti has five Padas; the sacrifice is fivefold; verily (it serves) to obtain the sacrifice. Then some offer this guest reception sacrifice, consisting of five oblations; the Paṅkti has five Padas; the sacrifice is fivefold; verily (it serves) to obtain the sacrifice. Then he recites these many fire (verses); for they carry forward many fires; they are four; all this (universe) is fourfold; verily (they serve) to obtain all this. (He recites) the first thrice and the last thrice; they make up eight; the Gāyatrī has eight syllables; Agni is connected with the Gāyatrī and has the Gāyatrī as metre; verily thus with their own metre they carry forward the fires. Then they pile for so much of the day as they wish. Then they celebrate it when piled with Sāmans. Then they say to the Hotṛ, ‘Mutter the Agni litany’; (the fire) when piled becomes Rudra, the unappeased one of the gods; him verily thus he appeases. He says the offering verse for Vaiçvānara distinctly, for he becomes distinct when they carry forward the fires.

19.2.24

pāṅkto vai yajño yajñasya eva āptyai /

The sacrifice is indeed fivefold, for the attainment of the sacrifice.

19.2.25

atha etām ātithyām pañca haviṣam eva iṣṭim eke tanvate /

Then some perform this guest-offering iṣṭi with five oblations.

19.2.26

pāṅkto vai yajño yajñasya eva āptyai / (soma: gavāmayana)

The sacrifice is indeed fivefold, for the attainment of the sacrifice.

19.2.27

atha etā bahv agnīr anvāha /

Then he recites verses addressing multiple fires.

19.2.28

bahūn hy agnīn praṇayanti /

For they lead forward many fires;

19.2.29

tasmād bahv agnīr anvāha / (soma: gavāmayana)

therefore he recites verses addressing multiple fires.

19.2.30

tā vai catasro bhavanti /

They are four.

19.2.31

catuṣṭayam vā idam sarvam /

Fourfold, indeed, is all this;

19.2.32

asya eva sarvasya āptyai /

[it is] for the attainment of all this.

19.2.33

triḥ prathamayā trir uttamayā aṣṭau sampadyante / (soma: gavāmayana)

With the first [repeated] three times and the last three times, they amount to eight.

19.2.34

aṣṭa akṣarā gāyatrī /

The Gāyatrī has eight syllables;

19.2.35

gāyatro vā agnir gāyatrac chandāḥ /

Agni belongs to the Gāyatrī, having the Gāyatrī metre.

19.2.36

svena eva tac chandasā agnīn praṇayanti / (soma: gavāmayana)

With his own metre they lead forward the fires.

19.2.37

tā vā upāṃśu bhavanti /

They are recited in a whisper.

19.2.38

retaḥ siktir vā agni cityā /

The fire-piling is indeed the emission of seed;

19.2.39

upāṃśu vai retaḥ sicyate / (soma: gavāmayana)

seed is indeed emitted in secret.

19.2.40

abhirūpā bhavanti /

They are appropriate [in form].

19.2.41

yad yajñe abhirūpam tat samṛddham yajñasya eva samṛddhyai /

What is fitting in the sacrifice is successful, for the success of the sacrifice itself.

19.2.42

atha enam cinvanti yāvad aham kāmayante / (soma: gavāmayana)

Then they pile it [the altar] for as many days as they desire.

19.2.43

atha enam saṃcitam sāmabhiḥ pariṣṭuvanti / (soma: gavāmayana)

Then, when it is piled up, they praise it all around with sāmans.