Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 28.2

28.2.1

tān etān praiṣān viśvāmitro dadarśa /

Viśvāmitra saw these ritual calls,

28.2.2

atho puroḍāśa praiṣān /

and also the ritual calls for the sacrificial cakes;

28.2.3

atha itara ṛṣaya itarān / (soma: hotraka śastrāṇi(prātaḥ savanam))

then the other seers [saw] the others.

28.2.4

tad āhuḥ kasmān maitrāvaruṇa eva sarvebhyaḥ preṣyati iti /

Concerning this they say: "Why does only the Maitrāvaruṇa issue the ritual calls for all?"

28.2.5

etā ha vai devatāḥ praiṣāṇām ājimīyuḥ / (soma: hotraka śastrāṇi(prātaḥ savanam))

These deities indeed ran a race for the ritual calls.

28.2.6

tan mitrāvaruṇā ujjigyatuḥ /

Mitra and Varuṇa won it.

28.2.7

tasmān maitrāvaruṇa eva sarvebhyaḥ preṣyati /

Therefore only the Maitrāvaruṇa issues the ritual calls for all.

28.2.8

sa vai tiṣṭhan preṣyati / (soma: hotraka śastrāṇi(prātaḥ savanam))

He indeed issues the ritual calls standing.

28.2.9

tiṣṭhan vai vīryavattamaḥ /

Standing, indeed, one has the greatest virility;

28.2.10

tiṣṭhann āśruta vadanatamaḥ /

standing, one speaks most audibly.

28.2.11

vīryavatīm āśrutām deveṣu vācam udyāsam iti /

"May I utter powerful, audible speech among the gods," [he reflects].

28.2.12

kuvakra iva praṇato anubrūyāt / (soma: hotraka śastrāṇi(prātaḥ savanam))

He should recite bent over as if curved.

xxviii. 2. 'Leaning forward like one slightly bent should he recite; thus is Parjanya likely to rain' Kauṣītaki used to say. Now the Asuras and the Rakṣases used to impede the oblations; then Vāmadeva saw the appropriate (verses ), 'Agni the Hotṛ at our sacrifice'; with them they led Agni round. Therefore these Rakṣases, the destructive, they smote away. He recites an appropriate (verse ), containing (the word) 'accept', 'Accept our most extending', (thinking) 'Let me utter speech appropriate and containing (the word) "accept" among the gods.' 'Set this sacrifice for us among the immortals', with these (verses ) Viçvāmitra makes acceptable the drops. These are their invitatory verses, these their offering verses; therefore are they appropriate. A verse of Viçvāmitra's he recites as the invitatory verse for the Sviṣṭakṛt offering in (the sacrifice of) the cake; the explanation of this has been given. Verses of Viçvāmitra's he recites in each pressing as invitatory verses for the cakes; Viçvāmitra saw these Praiṣas for the cakes; (verily they serve) for correspondence. Two appropriate verses of Madhuchandas he recites as invitatory verses for the first of those for two deities; Madhuchandas saw these Praiṣas for these two deities; (verily they serve) for correspondence. A verse by Gṛtsamada and a verse by Medhātithi he recites, being appropriate, for the second two. Verses by Medhātithi he recites at the morning pressing for (the goblets) being filled; Medhātithi at the morning pressing proclaimed the Soma to Indra; these (verses) contain (the words) 'hither' and 'bay steeds' with the symbols of the invitatory verses; they are addressed to Indra, for the sacrificial rite is Indra's; they are Gāyatrī verses; the morning pressing is in Gāyatrī. Nine verses he recites; nine goblets do they fill.

28.2.13

tathā ha varṣukaḥ parjanyo bhavati iti ha sma āha kauṣītakiḥ / (soma: hotraka śastrāṇi(prātaḥ savanam))

"Thus Parjanya becomes prone to rain," so Kauṣītaki used to say.

28.2.14

tadd ha sma vai purā asura rakṣasāni havīṃṣi vimathnate /

Formerly, indeed, the Asuras and Rakṣases used to tear away the oblations.

28.2.15

tata etā vāmadevo abhirūpā apaśyad agnir hotā no adhvara iti / (soma: hotraka śastrāṇi(prātaḥ savanam))

Then Vāmadeva saw these fitting [verses]: "Agni is our hotṛ at the sacrifice..."

28.2.16

tābhir ha agnim pariniṇyuḥ /

With them, they carried fire around.

28.2.17

tato vai tāni rakṣāṃsi nāṣṭrā apajaghnire /

Thereupon they repelled those Rakṣases and destructive spirits.

28.2.18

juṣasva saprathastamam iti juṣṭavatīm abhirūpām anvāha / (soma: hotraka śastrāṇi(prātaḥ savanam))

With: "Enjoy the most expansive...", he recites a fitting verse containing the word "enjoyed" (juṣṭa);

28.2.19

juṣṭavatīm abhirūpām deveṣu vācam udyāsam iti /

"May I utter speech that is enjoyed and fitting among the gods," [he reflects].

28.2.20

imam no yajñam amṛteṣu dhehi iti /

"Place this sacrifice of ours among the immortals..."

28.2.21

stokān eva etābhir agnaye svadayati / (soma: hotraka śastrāṇi(prātaḥ savanam))

With these [verses] he makes the drops savory for Agni.

28.2.22

etā ha vā u teṣām puronuvākyā etā yājyāḥ /

These indeed are their invitatory verses, these the offering verses;

28.2.23

tasmād abhirūpā bhavanti / (soma: hotraka śastrāṇi(prātaḥ savanam))

therefore they are fitting.