Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 24: ADHYĀYA XXIV

Rigveda Brahmanas: The Aitareya and Kauṣītaki Brāhmaṇas of the Rigveda (HOS 25) 24

Language: English

ADHYĀYA XXIV

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xxiv. 1. The Abhijit (is explained). By the Abhijit the gods conquered these three worlds; therefore has it three turns and four endings. With

the Viçvajit they conquered these four quarters; therefore it has four turns and three endings. The Abhijit (is explained). By the Abhijit the gods conquered; what was left unconquered clung on as it were; that they conquered by the Viçvajit; the Viçvajit is so called (because they said) ‘All have we conquered.’ The Abhijit and the Viçvajit are these two, Indra and Agni; the Abhijit is Agni, for Agni conquered all this (universe); the Viçvajit is Indra, for Indra conquered all this wholly. The Abhijit has both Sāmans and all the Stomas; therefore both sets of hymns, those connected with the Bṛhat and the Rathantara, are recited. The two hymns, ‘Forward to the god, Agni’ and ‘What is best, that to Agni’ are its Ājya; ‘Forward’ is a symbol of the Rathantara; ‘aloud’ in ‘Sing aloud, O thou of wide radiance’ is (a symbol) of the Bṛhat. The two Praügas of Madhuchandas and Gṛtsamada should he interweave; having recited the Puroruc to Vāyu, then (he should insert) two triplets to Vāyu; then, having recited the Puroruc to Indra and Vāyu, two triplets to Indra and Vāyu; the Puroruc, then the two triplets, the Puroruc and then the two triplets; thus should he interweave. This he should not regard; he makes the triplets of Madhuchandas first, those of Gṛtsamada second. As to this they say ‘Why should he interweave the two (Praügas)? This he should not regard; the Praüga being that of Madhuchandas only, he should put on (the triplet) to the All-gods of Gṛtsamada above (the triplet) to the All-gods of Madhuchandas; there is one (hymn) with the Bṛhat character expressed.

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xxiv. 2. ‘O ye All-gods, come hither; hear this my call; sit on this strew’. (The word) “strew” is a symbol of the Bṛhat.’ Then (comes) (the triplet) to Sarasvatī of Madhuchandas. ‘Let him conclude with the last verse of it; so let the morning pressing be in the one-day form’ is the rule. The Abhijit is a one-day (rite); the one-day (rite) is a support; verily (it serves) for support. ‘Thee like a car for aid’ is the strophe of the Marutvatīya; ‘This drink, O bright one, is pressed’ is the antistrophe; this is the normal one-day form; the explanation of it has been given. ‘Thou hast been born dread for impetuous strength’, having recited this of Gaurīvīti first, he inserts a Nivid in the five-verse hymn of Bṛhatī verses,

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'O Indra, drink; for thee it hath been pressed for delight.' 'I shall proclaim the manly deeds of Indra', this of Hiraṇyastūpa having recited first, he inserts a Nivid in the hymn of nine Bṛhatī verses, 'Thy nearest, thy furthest aid.' So if the Pṛṣṭha be the Rathantara. 'But, if it be the Bṛhat, having recited the two of Bṛhatī verses first he should place Nivids in the two from the one-day (rite),' (they say). 'The Niṣkevalya and the Marutvatīya should be each of one hymn only' is the rule. 'Drink the Soma towards which, O dread one, thou hast penetrated' and 'Praise him who hath might to overcome' are (two hymns ) containing (the word) 'towards'; this is the symbol of the Abhijit. 'The third pressing should follow the normal one-day (rite)' is the rule; the Abhijit is a one-day (rite); the one-day (rite) is a support; verily (it serves) for support.

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The Svarasāmans.

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xxiv. 3. Svarbhānu, an Asura, pierced with darkness the sun; the Atris were fain to smite away its darkness; they performed, before the Viṣuvant, this set of three days, with the Saptadaça Stoma. They smote away the darkness in front of it; that settled behind ; they performed the same three-day (rite) after the Viṣuvant; they smote away the darkness behind it. Those who perform, knowing thus, this three-day (rite) with the Saptadaça Stoma on both sides of the Viṣuvant, verily those sacrificers smite away evil from both worlds. They call them the Svarasāmans; by them the Atris rescued (_apaspṛṇvata_) the sun from the darkness; in that they rescued, therefore are they Svarasāmans. This is declared in a Ṛc,

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xxiv. 4. 'The sun which Svarbhānu The Asura pierced with darkness, The Atris found it. None other could do so.'

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By this the Svarasāmans are mentioned. The Marutvatīyas have (the word) 'who'; the Pragāthas of the Niṣkevalyas have (the word) 'who'. Prajāpati is 'Who'; the Svarasāmans are Prajāpati; they have Anuṣṭubh Nivids inserted. The Anuṣṭubh is the waters; the Svarasāmans are the waters, for all this (universe) is surrounded with the waters, for on both sides of yonder sun there are waters below and above. This is declared in a Ṛc,

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xxiv. 5. 'The waters that stand above and below, In the realm of the sun.'

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'O god, the mortal with sacrifice hither' is the Ājya of the first Svarasāman (day), containing the word 'hither' and connected with the Rathantara. 'Great strength in the beam' is (the Ājya ) of the second, (containing the word) 'great', and connected with the Bṛhat. 'O Agni, bring hither the most mighty' is (the Ājya) of the third, containing (the word) 'hither', and connected with the Rathantara. The Praüga of the first Svarasāman is by Madhuchandas, that of the second by Gṛtsamada, and that of the third in Uṣṇih verses by Atri; the explanation of these has been given. The strophe and antistrophe of the Marutvatīyas, the verses to Brahmaṇaspati, follow the model of the three-day (rite); the explanation of them has been given. 'Where is this hero who hath seen Indra'? is the Marutvatīya of the first Svarasāman, containing (the word) 'who' in 'where'. 'With what array, of one age, of one home?' is (the Marutvatīya ) of the second, containing (the word) 'who' in 'what'. 'Let him sing the Sāman springing forth as of a bird' is (the Marutvatīya ) of the third, containing (the word) 'who' in 'work (ka-rma)' in 'Those works most welcome to him'; Prajāpati is 'Who'; the Svarasāmans are Prajāpati. 'When thou wast born, O unequalled one'; on this strophe , which has a Bṛhatī as the third verse, some daily bring in the Svaras; if they do so, the strophe and antistrophe and the inserted verse are the same. 'What newest of praisers?' is the Pragātha containing (the word) 'who'; the explanation of this has been given.

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xxiv. 6. Then the basis of the Rathantara (is recited). 'Which thou, O Indra, dost support' is a couple of verses, to avoid isolation; (it is used, thinking) 'Let not that Bṛhatī have been recited by itself alone as it were'. 'O Indra, O generous one, to thee we have turned' is the normal Triṣṭubh (triad) which supports the pressing; the explanation of this has been given. 'That most effectual for aid (power) of them' is the

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Niṣkevalya in Anuṣṭubhs, containing (the word) 'hither' in 'O Indra, do thou hither bear that power,' and connected with the Rathantara. 'What hath not been wrought by him?' is the Pragātha containing (the word) 'who'; the explanation of this has been given.

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xxiv. 7. Then the basis of the Bṛhat (is recited). 'They call thee, men, when (the juice) is pressed' is a couplet, to avoid isolation; (it is used, thinking) 'Let not that Bṛhatī have been recited by itself alone as it were.' 'O Adhvaryu, O hero, to the mighty the pressed (juices)' is the normal Triṣṭubh (triplet) which supports the pressing; the explanation of this has been given. 'The singers sing thee' is the Niṣkevalya in Anuṣṭubhs, containing (the word) 'up' in 'Up with a rod they have raised thee', and connected with the Bṛhat. 'These thee, O thou of much light' is the Pragātha, containing (the word) 'who (*ka*)' in *kavarṇa* in 'of pure hues (*pāvakavarṇāḥ*)'; the explanation of this has been given.

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xxiv. 8. Then the basis of the Rathantara (is recited), then that of the Bṛhat. 'Bounding as a wild elephant' is a couplet, to avoid isolation; (it is used, thinking) 'Let not that Bṛhatī have been recited by itself alone as it were'. 'This bowl with the drink for Indra' is the normal Triṣṭubh (triplet) which supports the pressing; the explanation of this has been given. 'Indra all have caused to grow' is the Niṣkevalya in Anuṣṭubhs, containing (the word) 'towards' in 'Towards thee we sing our praise'; this is a symbol of the Rathantara. They say 'He should not place the Nivid in the Anuṣṭubh (hymns), he confuses the arrangement of metres at the midday (performance).' Having recited the Anuṣṭubhs first for the obtaining of desire, he inserts a Nivid in the Triṣṭubh (hymns); thus in due order is the Nivid inserted; it being inserted in due order places them in due order in all the worlds and in all desires. 'Hither thy car with every boon, O dread one'; (he inserts a Nivid) in (this hymn), containing (the word) 'hither' and connected with the Rathantara on the first day. 'He hath drunk hence, most marvellous and up for us', (he inserts a Nivid) in (this hymn) containing (the word) 'up', and connected with the Bṛhat on the second (day). 'In thee from of old the songs have gone together, O Indra', (he inserts a Nivid) in (this hymn), containing (the word) 'go' and being a symbol of the end on the third (day). If the Pṛṣṭhas are the Svaras the Sāman

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chanters use the Bṛhat and the Rathantara in the Pavamānas, but, if the Pṛṣṭhas are the Bṛhat and the Rathantara, then the Sāman chanters use the Svaras in the Pavamānas. ‘But the Pṛṣṭhas should be the Svaras only,’ Kauṣītaki used to say; ‘for they are the Svarasāmans; by the Pṛṣṭhas the gods have touched the world of heaven; the Pṛṣṭhas are the Svaras, for the touching of the world of heaven.’

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xxiv. 9. The strophes (used) are those of the Vaiçvadeva (litanies) of the first three days of the Pṛṣṭha Ṣaḍaha in conjunct form. The third pressings with the antistrophes are the third pressings of the second three days. The Vaiçvadeva (hymns) there are taken out and other crypto-Vaiçvadevas, without mention (of the deities), connected with Prajāpati, are inserted, ‘This drink to you, O swift to wrath,’ ‘Him of old, aforetime, at all times, now,’ and ‘What vessel here of those that are pious?’ in place of (the hymn) of Nābhānediṣṭha. There should, however, be used the open Vaiçvadevas, ‘Agni, Indra, Varuṇa, Mitra, Aryaman’ on the first day, containing (the word) ‘who’ in ‘Having established (s-ka-bhitvī) the sky’; ‘I hail the gods of great fame for security’ on the second, containing (the word) ‘who’ in ‘Light making (jyotiṣkṛtaḥ).’ ‘Dawn and night (uṣāsā naktā) the great ones, of fair form’ on the third (day), containing (the word) ‘who’ in ‘night’. Prajāpati is ‘Who’; the Svarasāmans are Prajāpati. They are made up as Agniṣṭomas or Ukthyas; ‘As Agniṣṭomas’ (is) Paiṅgya's view; they become possessed of splendour who perform Agniṣṭomas. ‘Let them be Ukthyas,’ Kauṣītaki used to say. The Ukthya is a successful form of sacrifice, for it has fifteen Stotras, fifteen Çastras; they make thirty Stotras and Çastras; it makes up the Virāj; the Virāj is prosperity and proper food; (it serves) for the winning of the Virāj as prosperity and proper food.

Linked texts (1)

Kauṣītakibrāhmaṇa — Kauṣītaki, Sanskrit