Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 23.6

The verse 'tat savitur vareṇyam' ('That desirable [splendour] of Savitṛ') is the following verse (anucara) of Viśvāmitra; its Brāhmaṇa explanation has been stated.

‘Winning prizes through wisdom’ contains the word 'prize' (vāja).

That is the characteristic mark of this day.

‘Upward indeed has that divine Savitṛ, the domestic friend’ is addressed to Savitṛ.

‘[Grant us] today, O Savitṛ, what is lovely, tomorrow lovely things’—[the word] 'lovely' (vāma) contains [an allusion to] cattle.

Containing [an allusion to] cattle is indeed its characteristic mark.

‘Great Heaven and Earth here, the oldest’ is addressed to Heaven and Earth.

‘The bull bellows with widening paths’—[the word] 'bull' (ukṣan) contains [an allusion to] cattle.

Containing [an allusion to] cattle is indeed its characteristic mark.

‘May Ṛbhu, Vibhvan, Vāja, and Indra [come] towards us’ is addressed to the Ṛbhus.

‘They who [bestow] one rich in cattle, winning prizes, possessing good heroes’—[the word] 'rich in cattle' (gomant) contains [an allusion to] cattle.

Containing [an allusion to] cattle is indeed its characteristic mark.

‘Who now to you two, O Mitra and Varuṇa, maintaining cosmic order’ is addressed to the Viśvedevas.

‘He sacrifices as it were, not cattle-winning prizes’—[the word] 'cattle-winning' (paśuṣa) contains [an allusion to] cattle.

Containing [an allusion to] cattle is indeed its characteristic mark.

It has an intercalated line; that is the characteristic mark of the Paṅkti.

‘Guarding the oblation, unaging, finding the light of heaven’ is addressed to Vaiśvānara.

‘Guarding’ (pānta)—that is the characteristic mark of the fifth day.

‘Let this wondrous form now be for him who knows’ is addressed to the Maruts.

‘A common name, becoming master of the milch cow’—[the word] 'milch cow' (dhenu) contains [an allusion to] cattle.

Containing [an allusion to] cattle is indeed its characteristic mark.

‘Agni is the hotṛ, the master of the house, he is king’ is addressed to Jātavedas.

‘Help us, O generous one, in the winning of prizes’ contains the word 'prize' (vāja).

That is the characteristic mark of this day.

It has an intercalated line; that is the characteristic mark of the Paṅkti.

So much for the shifted [order of days].

Now for the unshifted [order]:

‘The head of heaven, the messenger of the earth’ is addressed to Vaiśvānara.

‘The navel of sacrifices, the abode of riches’ contains the word 'riches' (rayi).

Containing [the word] 'riches' is indeed its characteristic mark.

‘May the Rudras, accompanied by Indra, united in harmony, come hither’ is addressed to the Maruts.

‘With cattle, with horses, with chariots, with good heroes’—[the word] 'with cattle' (gomant) contains [an allusion to] cattle.

Containing [an allusion to] cattle is indeed its characteristic mark.

‘This your guest, awakening at dawn’ is addressed to Jātavedas; the explanation of it has been given.

It has an intercalated line; that is the characteristic mark of the Paṅkti.

By means of the fifth day they obtain cattle;

[they obtain] the Paṅkti metre, the twenty-seven-fold stoma, the Śākvara sāman,

the upward direction, and winter among the seasons;

[they obtain] the Maruts among the gods, the god-born, and Rudra the overlord.