Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 26.1

26.1.1

dvātriṃśī prathamo māso dvātriṃśy uttamaḥ /

The first month consists of thirty-two [days]; the last consists of thirty-two [days].

xxvi. 1. The first month has thirty-two (days), the last thirty-two; the Anuṣṭubh has thirty-two syllables; the Anuṣṭubh is speech; thus with speech they advance, in speech they conclude. There are two months of twenty-eight days on both sides of the Viṣuvant (day); the Uṣṇih has twenty-eight syllables; the neck is connected with the Uṣṇih. Now the Viṣuvant is the head of the sacrifice; verily thus having produced a neck they fit the head upon it. They say 'Of which of the two sets of days is it (the head), of the previous or the subsequent?' 'Neither of the previous nor of the subsequent,' they say. Of both sets of days is it (the head); both sets of days are its. They say 'How many sets of six days are in the year?' There are sixty six-day sets; thus the course of the year by six-day sets is unbroken. Those who yoke thus the days of the year, they attain those desires which are in the year. Those who yoke them otherwise than that, they attain not those desires which are in the year. Now some perform the months in the forward order only, and the days in the forward order, (saying) 'We are mounting the year in the forward direction in both ways.' 'The months alone should be reversed, not the days,' some (hold), saying 'The months are reversed in that this Pṛṣṭhya Ṣaḍaha comes round again from the back.' Others say 'The Trivṛt and the Trayastriñca Stomas are characterized by being at a great distance; it is as if from a mountain peak one should fall into a pit; that is a cleaving of the Stomas, therefore the days alone should be reversed, and not the months, to prevent cleaving of the Stomas.'

26.1.2

dvātriṃśad akṣara anuṣṭup /

The Anuṣṭubh consists of thirty-two syllables;

26.1.3

vāg anuṣṭup /

speech is the Anuṣṭubh.

26.1.4

tad vācā prayanti / (soma: chandomāh)

Thus they set out with speech;

26.1.5

vācam anūtttiṣṭhanti /

they rise up following speech.

26.1.6

aṣṭāviṃśināv abhito viṣuvantam māsau / (soma: chandomāh)

The two months on either side of the Viṣuvant consist of twenty-eight [days].

26.1.7

aṣṭāviṃśaty akṣara uṣṇik /

The Uṣṇih consists of twenty-eight syllables;

26.1.8

auṣṇihyo grīvāḥ /

the neck is related to the Uṣṇih.

26.1.9

atha etat śiro yajñasya yad viṣuvān / (soma: chandomāh)

Now this Viṣuvant is the head of the sacrifice.

26.1.10

grīvā eva tat kalpayitvā tāsu śiraḥ pratidadhati /

Having fashioned the neck, they place the head upon it.

26.1.11

tad āhuḥ katareṣām eṣo ahnām avareṣām pareṣām iti / (soma: chandomāh)

Regarding this they say: “To which of the days does this belong: the earlier or the later?”

26.1.12

na avareṣām na pareṣām ity āhuḥ /

“Neither to the earlier nor to the later,” they say;

26.1.13

ubhayeṣām vā eṣo ahnām /

“for this belongs to both sets of days.

26.1.14

ubhayāni vai tasya etāny ahāni / (soma: chandomāh)

Both these sets of days indeed belong to it.”

26.1.15

tad āhuḥ kati ṣaḍahāḥ saṃvatsara iti /

Regarding this they say: “How many six-day periods are in the year?”

26.1.16

ṣaṣṭiḥ ṣaḍahāḥ ṣaḍahaśaḥ / (soma: chandomāh)

“Sixty six-day periods, counted by six-day periods.”

26.1.17

tad etad avyavalambi saṃvatsara ayaṇam /

That is this non-overlapping course of the year.

26.1.18

tad ya evam saṃvatsarasya ahāni yuñjanti /

Now, those who thus yoke the days of the year,

26.1.19

ta etānt sarvān kāmān ṛdhnuvanti ye saṃvatsare /

they obtain all those desires that are in the year.

26.1.20

atha ye ato anyathā saṃvatsarasya ahāni yuñjanti / (soma: chandomāh)

On the other hand, those who yoke the days of the year otherwise than this,

26.1.21

na te tānt sarvān kāmān ṛdhnuvanti ye saṃvatsare / (soma: chandomāh)

they do not obtain all those desires that are in the year.