Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 27.10

27.10.1

audumbarīm anvārabhante /

They grasp the audumbarī post.

xxvii. 6. They lay hold of the branch of Udumbara; the Udumbara is strength and proper food; (it serves) for the obtaining of strength and proper food. The Hotṛ should make his two hands the highest (thinking),

27.10.2

ūrg vai anna adyam udumbaraḥ /

The udumbara is indeed sap and food;

xxvii. 6. They lay hold of the branch of Udumbara; the Udumbara is strength and proper food; (it serves) for the obtaining of strength and proper food. The Hotṛ should make his two hands the highest (thinking),

27.10.3

ūrjo anna adyasya upāptyai /

[they do so] to obtain sap and food.

xxvii. 6. They lay hold of the branch of Udumbara; the Udumbara is strength and proper food; (it serves) for the obtaining of strength and proper food. The Hotṛ should make his two hands the highest (thinking),

27.10.4

uttamau pāṇī hotā kurvīta / (soma: daśamam ahah)

The hotṛ should place his hands uppermost,

xxvii. 6. They lay hold of the branch of Udumbara; the Udumbara is strength and proper food; (it serves) for the obtaining of strength and proper food. The Hotṛ should make his two hands the highest (thinking),

27.10.5

uttamo asāni iti /

[thinking,] 'May I be uppermost.'

'Let me be the highest'; the highest does he become. In silence, with closed eyes, they sit until the Nakṣatras appear; speech do they make to grow strong in that they sit in silence, (thinking) 'Speech grown strong and poured upon may we obtain at the end.' Near the Mārjālīya, when the Nakṣatras (appear), they open their eyes; the Nakṣatras are light; verily thus they place light in themselves. They enter the two oblation holders by the western door; then the Adhvaryu approaching the pole of the northern oblation holder says 'Do thou sing the Prosperity of the Sacrificial Session'; he sings the 'Prosperity of the Sacrificial Session'; thus they obtain the prosperity of the sacrificial session. All perform the finale of the Sāman; the finale is a support; verily (it serves) for support. They creep beneath the axle of the northern oblation holder, muttering an Atichandas verse to Indra ; verily thus by the Atichandas verse the sacrificers smite away evil under the axle. 'We go round (them) to the north', Kauṣītaki used to say, 'following the path of the sacrifice, not being concealed from the Seven Ṛṣis.' Having taken up their places in front of the oblation holders they think of what they desire; whatever they desire 'Let this desire be fulfilled for us,' this desire for them is fulfilled; those who have many desires should mutter the three exclamations, _bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ, svar._ Having gone out to the east and to the north they vie in invoking speech, (thinking) 'Let not speech be averted.' They release the speech of the Subrahmaṇyā ; the Subrahmaṇyā is the holy power; verily thus with the holy power do they utter speech. They go to the Āgnīdhriya along with the king; this is as if men should conduct the king, or his vicegerent, when wearied to an abode; Soma the king they day by day, having taken down from the oblation holders, conduct to the Agnīdh's altar; at the Āgnīdhriya they settle down with the king.

27.10.6

uttamo ha eva bhavati /

He indeed becomes uppermost.

27.10.7

te vācam yamā āsata ā nakṣatrāṇām darśanāt / (soma: daśamam ahah)

Restraining their speech, they sit until the sighting of the stars.

27.10.8

vācam ha vā etad bhūtāny āpyāyayanti yad vācam yamāni śerate / (soma: daśamam ahah)

Indeed, when beings rest restraining their speech, they invigorate speech,

27.10.9

āpīnām vācam avyāsiktām antata ṛdhnavāma iti /

[thinking,] 'May we in the end prosper with swollen, undistributed speech.'

27.10.10

dṛśyamāneṣu nakṣatreṣv adīkṣito bahis tiṣṭhann āha dīkṣitā veda iti / (soma: daśamam ahah)

When the stars are visible, an uninitiated person standing outside says, 'The initiated [knows]!' or 'He knows!'

27.10.11

aporṇuvanti sadaso dvārau /

They uncover the two doors of the sadas;

27.10.12

evam śālāyai /

likewise of the hall.

27.10.13

te yathā prapannam upaniṣkramya mārjālīyany antena nakṣatreṣu cakṣur visṛjante tac cakṣur deva hitam śukram uccarad iti / (soma: daśamam ahah)

Coming out just as they had entered, along the end of the mārjālīya, they release their sight toward the stars [reciting], 'That eye placed by the gods, bright, rising…'

27.10.14

jyotir vai nakṣatrāṇi /

The stars are indeed light;

27.10.15

jyotir eva tad ātman dadhate /

thus they place light in themselves.

27.10.16

te parayā dvārā havir dhāne prapadyante / (soma: daśamam ahah)

They enter the two havirbhāna carts by the farther door.

27.10.17

atha adhvaryur uttarasya havir dhānasya kūbarīm abhipadya āha satrasya ṛdhim gāya iti / (soma: daśamam ahah)

Then the adhvaryu, taking hold of the pole of the northern havirdhāna cart, says, 'Sing the prosperity of the sacrificial session!'

27.10.18

gāyati satrasya ṛdhim /

He sings the prosperity of the sacrificial session;

27.10.19

tat satrasya ṛdhim āpnuvanti /

thereby they attain the prosperity of the sacrificial session.

27.10.20

sarve sāmno nidhanam upayanti / (soma: daśamam ahah)

All join in the finale of the sāman.

27.10.21

pratiṣṭhā vai nidhanam pratiṣṭhityā eva /

The finale is indeed a firm foundation, for the sake of a firm foundation.

27.10.22

ta uttareṇa havir dhāne gacchanty adhokṣam vā uttarasya aindrīm aticchandasam japantaḥ /

They go to the north of the two havirdhāna carts, or beneath the axle of the northern [cart], muttering an Indra verse in an atichandas metre.

27.10.23

aticchandasā eva tad adhokṣam pāpmānam apaghnate / (soma: daśamam ahah)

By the atichandas metre alone they strike away the evil beneath the axle.