[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Vedic Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda) › [Brāhmaṇas (ritual exegesis)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana) › [Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.kausitaki) › 5.6.1 # Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 5.6.1 Kauṣītakibrāhmaṇa 5.6.1 - **Language:** Sanskrit ### [5.6.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.kausitaki.5.6.1) aindro vā eṣa yajña kratur yat sākamedhāḥ / > v. 5. The Sākamedhas are a sacrificial rite for Indra. Just as a great king placing in front the advance guard of his army, pursues his way in safety, verily so does he sacrifice in front to the gods. Just as there is that Mahāvrata in the Soma sacrifice, even so is this a Mahāvrata in the Iṣṭi sacrifice. In that he offers to Agni of the front first of the deities, and Agni is the beginning of the gods, thus at the beginning he delights the gods. In that at midday he sacrifices to the Maruts, the heaters, (it is because) it is hot at midday; therefore at the midday he sacrifices to the Maruts, the heaters. Moreover, the Maruts are Indra's, the midday is Indra's; therefore at the midday he sacrifices to the Maruts, heaters. In that in the evening they proceed with the householder's sacrifice and the householder's sacrifice is a rite for prosperity, and prosperity is in the evening, therefore he offers the butter portions with the word 'prosperity'; verily thus he makes the sacrificer to prosper. In that in the morning they proceed with a full ladle, verily thus he unites the ceremony in the morning with the ceremony on the previous day. In that he sacrifices to the Maruts, the playful, and the Maruts, the playful, are Indra's, therefore he sacrifices to them in conjunction with Indra. In that they bring forward the fire, that it is kindled, the explanation of that has been given. In that there are seventeen kindling verses, the butter portions contain the word 'being', and the invitatory and offering verses (of the Sviṣṭakṛt) are Virāj verses, the explanation of that has been given. In that there are nine fore-offerings, nine after-offerings, eight oblations and the Sviṣṭakṛt as ninth, thus he obtains the brilliance of the Nakṣatras. The six accompanying oblations ending with that to Indra and Agni are the same, the explanation of them > — Arthur Berriedale Keith 1920, Rigveda Brahmanas: The Aitareya and Kauṣītaki Brāhmaṇas of the Rigveda (HOS 25) - [Previous: 5.5.26](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.kausitaki.5.5.26) - [Next: 5.6.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.kausitaki.5.6.2) - [Up: 5.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.kausitaki.5.6) ## Translations (2) - [Rigveda Brahmanas: The Aitareya and Kauṣītaki Brāhmaṇas of the Rigveda (HOS 25)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.kausitaki~en-keith.5.p12) — Arthur Berriedale Keith 1920, English - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.kausitaki~en-mt.5.6.1) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.kausitaki.5.6.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.kausitaki.5.6.1) · Pramāṇa