Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 26: ADHYĀYA XXVI

Rigveda Brahmanas: The Aitareya and Kauṣītaki Brāhmaṇas of the Rigveda (HOS 25) 26

Language: English

ADHYĀYA XXVI

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.'

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xxvi. 2. Then (follows) the discussion of the Go and Āyus. They should

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perform the Go and Āyus as inverted; the Go and Āyus are day and night; day and night are inverted towards each other; moreover the Go and Āyus are sky and earth; sky and earth are inverted towards each other; moreover the Go and Āyus are expiration and inspiration; expiration and inspiration, being inverted, find support in each other. Some perform them in the forward order, saying 'The Go and Āyus should be performed in the forward direction; the Abhiplava Stomas are reversed, and the Pṛṣṭhya Stomas in the ten-night (period).' They say 'The Go and Āyus are the second and the third day.'

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Expiations of Errors.

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xxvi. 3. Now they discuss (this question), 'Supposing some one in carelessness makes a blunder in a Çastra or a recitation or if there is doubt, should one, thinking that the error has passed unnoticed, mentally considering the (place of) occurrence, having gone back and remedied the error, proceed immediately from the (place of) occurrence (of the error)?' Now Paiṅgya used to say 'Superfluous would be a Mantra repeated twice when not prescribed; therefore he should not proceed immediately.' So used Paiṅgya to say. Now Kauṣītaki used to say 'These rites in which the number of Mantras employed is limited have limited fruits. Those in which an unlimited number of Mantras is employed have unlimited fruits; the unlimited is mind; mind is Prajāpati, Prajāpati is the sacrifice; the sacrifice rejoices in the sacrifice itself as mind in mind; therefore should he proceed immediately.' So used Kauṣītaki to say. 'By the limited he conquers the limited, the unlimited by the unlimited; (it serves) for the winning of the unlimited; in that there is no flaw', so used Kauṣītaki to say. He should not offer a libation. So the sacrificer obtains the worlds of heaven, all desires, all attainments, and all immortality, and acquires the pre-eminence, rule, and overlordship of all creatures, for whom it is done thus.

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xxvi. 4. 'Now if after the conclusion or after the Praṇava or vaṣaṭ call of the invitatory and offering verses, (an error) is perceived, by that time the flaw has been passed over', Prāgahi used to say. 'Therefore the priest in

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the Sadas should not call attention to a flaw passed over at this time', Paiṅgya used to say; 'he knocks into a pillar or falls into a pit or is put into one or perishes', he used to say. 'If the priest in the Sadas should call attention to a flaw passed over, there must not be repetition of what has been done,' Āruṇi used to say; 'There is loss of a secondary element,' said Çvetaketu. 'Therefore the priest in the Sadas should not call attention to a flaw passed over,' Paiṅgya used to say. 'It is a tribulation to the sacrifice if the priest in the Sadas calls attention to a flaw passed over'. 'Therefore the priest in the Sadas should not call attention to a flaw passed over,' Paiṅgya used to say.

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xxvi. 5. Further he used to say this. Daivodāsi Pratardana having gone to a sacrificial season of the Naimiṣīyas and having glided up asked a question on this point of doubt, 'If the priest in the Sadas should call attention to a flaw passed over or any one of the priests should note it, how would you remove the flaw?' They were silent; Alikayu Vācaspata was their Brahman priest; he said 'I know that not; but will ask Jātūkarṇya, the aged teacher of those formerly.' Him he asked, 'If the performer himself should note a flaw passed over or another should call attention to it, how is that flaw to be made flawless? By repetition of the Mantra or by an oblation?' 'The Mantra should be recited again', Jātūkarṇya said. Him Alikayu again asked, 'Should one recite in full the Çastra or recitation or Nigada or offering verse or whatever else it be?' 'So much as is erroneous only need be repeated, a verse, or half verse, or quarter verse, or word, or letter,' Jātūkarṇya replied. But Kauṣītaki used to say, 'He should not repeat the Mantra, nor offer a libation; there is no flaw', for, whatever flaw the Hotṛs make in the sacrifice through inattention, all that Agni as divine Hotṛ makes flawless. This is declared in a Ṛc,

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xxvi. 6. 'If that in poverty of mind, with feeble intellect,

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Men think not of the sacrifice, Then Agni the Hotṛ skilled in the offering, well knowing, Most skilled to offer, to the gods shall offer in due season.’ In that also, when the sacrifice is completed, he says ‘The All-knower hath offered the sacrifice,’ he says ‘The All-knower hath offered this sacrifice.’ In that he says ‘Having sat down before us,’ he says ‘Agni, as divine Hotṛ, having sat down before the human Hotṛ sacrifices.’ Verily with the second half verse or the first verse he utters a benediction.

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The Chandomas.

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xxvi. 7. On the sixth day the gods obtained the Stomas and the months; having obtained these Stomas they compressed these same Stomas in couples, being the Stomas of the Pṛṣṭhya, for whence could they have obtained another Stoma? The Trivṛt and the Pañcadaça Stomas becoming the Caturviṅça Stoma support the seventh day; the Saptadaça and the Triṇava Stomas, becoming the Catuṣcatvāriṅça Stoma, support the eighth day; the Ekaviṅça and the Trayastriṅça Stomas, becoming the Aṣṭācatvāriṅça Stoma, support the ninth day. Of them the first is measured by the Gāyatrī, the second by the Triṣṭubh, the third by the Jagatī; in that they are measured by the metres, therefore are they Chandomas. The six Stotriyā verses which are over the Aṣṭācatvāriṅça Stoma, these they call the seasons; the seasons are six; by these the tenth day is performed.

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xxvi. 8. The sixth day is the end; the seventh day is a repeated extension (of the rite); therefore on the seventh day are recited hymns containing the word ‘extend’, and with the symbols of the introductory (rite), for the seventh day is a second introduction. ‘Forward to the pure radiance do ye bear’ is the Ājya, containing (the word) ‘forward’; that which contains (the word) ‘forward’ is a symbol of the first day. ‘Forward to you, the pure, are offered boldly’ is (the triplet) to Vāyu, containing (the word) ‘forward’; that which contains ‘forward’ is a symbol of the first day. The next triplet is addressed to Mitra and Vāyu, ‘They perceiving with true mind’; it contains (the word) ‘yoke’ in ‘Yoked with their own insight they bear’; that which contains (the word) ‘yoke’ is a symbol of the first day. ‘Up the eye of you two, O Varuṇa, fair of aspect’ is (the triplet)

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to Mitra and Varuṇa; containing (the word) 'extend' in 'The sun goeth, extending of the pious one'; that which contains (the word) 'extend' is a symbol of the seventh day. 'Hither, O Nāsatyas, with chariot rich in cattle', 'Come hither to us, O impetuous god, with might,' 'Forward to you in the sacrifices the pious have sung,' and 'Forward she hath come forth with fostering current' (are the other triplets); the symbols of the introductory (day) are (the words) 'hither' or 'forward'; therefore on the seventh day are recited hymns containing (the words) 'hither' and 'forward' with the symbols of the introductory (day), for the seventh day is a second introduction. They say 'Whatever metre may be used in the morning pressing, the recitation of it is by half verses, with the symbol of the Gāyatrī, and thus moreover with the symbol of the morning pressing.' But as to this Kauṣītaki used to say, 'The Triṣṭubh and Jagatī are not suitable to be recited by half verses; even if they be employed at the morning pressing, they are to be recited by Padas only.' So is the rule. The Pṛṣṭha is the Bṛhat and the Çastra is connected with the Rathantara; this is a pairing, a symbol of generation. The strophes and antistrophes of the Marutvatīyas and (the Pragāthas) to Brahmaṇaspati are in accord with the form of the third day (rite); the explanation of these has been given.

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xxvi. 9. 'With what array, of one age, of one home?' is the Marutvatīya; that is called the 'prosperity hymn'. With it Indra and the Maruts came to an accord. The pre-eminence of him who knows thus men accept. It contains (the word) 'hither' in 'With what mind have they come hither, and whence?', and is connected with the Rathantara. 'That ram that winneth the light I glorify' is a Jagatī, containing (the word) 'hither' in 'Hither Indra would I turn for aid with good offerings', and is connected with the Rathantara. They say, 'Seeing that the Rathantara is normally the Pṛṣṭha of the seventh day, then why is the Bṛhat performed daily?' These days have great Stomas; therefore daily is the Bṛhat performed, to confer equality of might on these days, to secure inequality of might of these Stomas. Having recited the extension of the Bṛhat he recites the basis of the Rathantara. 'Our father did not teach us any recitation of the basis; each stood alone', Kauṣītaki used to say, 'But whenever the Sāmans fall together on the same day then he should recite also the basis of the one or the other'.

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‘But, if they use the Rathantara of Kaṇva, then he should not recite also the basis, for the basis of other Pṛṣṭhas is not to be recited’, Kauṣītaki used to say. ‘Praise him who hath might to overcome’, and ‘Towards this ram much invoked, worthy of praise’ are hymns in Triṣṭubh and Jagatī, both containing (the word) ‘towards’; this is a symbol of the Rathantara. Two hymns each are recited in the Niṣkevalya and the Marutvatīya of the first Chandoma; the sacrificer has two feet; (they serve) for support. They make up four; the Chandomas are cattle; cattle are fourfold; moreover, they are four-footed; (they serve) for the obtaining of cattle.

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xxvi. 10. ‘That desirable of Savitṛ’ is (the triplet) to Savitṛ, containing (the word) ‘forward’ in ‘May he forward our prayers’; that which contains (the word) ‘forward’ is a symbol of the first day. ‘Let the two come forward with weal for the sacrifice’ is (the triplet) to sky and earth, containing (the word) ‘forward’; that which contains (the word) ‘forward’ is a symbol of the first day. ‘This to the race divine’ is (the triplet) to the Ṛbhus, containing (the word) ‘hither’ in ‘The hymn by the sages with their mouth (āsayā)’; that which contains (the word) ‘hither’ is a symbol of the first day. ‘With straight leading for us, O Varuṇa’ is a five-verse (hymn) to the All-gods, containing (the word) ‘lead’; that which contains (the word) ‘lead’ is a symbol of the seventh day. ‘Come hither with thy beauty’ is (a hymn) in verses of two Padas; it contains (the word) ‘hither’; that which contains (the word) ‘hither’ is a symbol of the first day. ‘Dread, supporting the people’ is (the hymn) to the All-gods, containing (the word) ‘hither’ in ‘O ye All-gods, come hither’; that which contains (the word) ‘hither’ is a symbol of the first day. It is in Gāyatrī, for this set of three days has the Gāyatrī at the third pressing. ‘Vaiçvānara to our aid’ is (the hymn) to Vaiçvānara; containing (the word) ‘hither’ in ‘Hither, hither come forward from afar’; that which contains (the word) ‘hither’ is a symbol of the first day. ‘Forward to you the Triṣṭubh, food’ is (the hymn) to the Maruts, containing (the word) ‘forward’; that which contains (the word) ‘forward’ is a symbol of the first day. ‘Singing, thee we invoke’ is (the hymn) to Jātavedas, containing (the words) ‘extend’ in ‘With thee they extend the sacrifice’; that which contains (the word)

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‘extend’ is a symbol of the seventh day. It is in Gāyatrī, for this set of three days has the Gāyatrī at the third pressing. These are the hymns of the Āgnimāruta. These are the hymns of this day. It is an Ukthya. It obtains what the first day obtains.

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xxvi. 11. The first Chandoma is this world, the second the world of the atmosphere, the last yonder world; therefore on the middle day are recited hymns containing (the word) ‘great’, for the atmosphere is great. ‘Moreover, they should contain (the word) “begun”; verily thus he refers to the next day, verily thus they keep taking hold of the next day’, Kauṣītaki used to say. ‘Agni for you the god, in unison with the flames’ is the Ājya; in ‘When he hath stood out from the great enclosure’ it contains (the word) ‘great’ and also contains (the idea) ‘begun’. ‘Were not they who were made great with homage?’ is (the triplet) to Vāyu, containing (the word) ‘great’; that which contains (the words) ‘made great’ contains (the word) ‘great’, for this day contains (the word) ‘great’. The following triplet is addressed to Indra and Vāyu, ‘So far as the power of the body, so far as the might’, containing (the idea) ‘begun’ in ‘So far as men can discern with the eye.’ ‘To you two at the rising of the sun with hymns’ is (the triplet) to Mitra and Varuṇa, containing (the word) ‘great’ in ‘I invoke Mitra, Varuṇa of pure strength’, and also (the idea) ‘begun’. ‘From her sister dawn night doth retreat’ is (the triplet) to the Açvins, containing (the word) ‘great’ in ‘With great guerdon in horses, in cows, let us invoke you’, and also (the idea) ‘begun’. ‘This Soma hath been pressed for you, O Indra’ is (the triplet) to Indra, containing (the idea) ‘begun’ in ‘O Brahman, O hero, rejoicing in the making of prayer.’ ‘Let the Brahmans, the Aṅgirases, come forward’ is (the triplet) to the All-gods, containing the idea) ‘begun’ in ‘Let the noise of the cloudy one have knowledge.’ ‘May Sarasvatī for us rejoicing’ is (the triplet) to Sarasvatī containing (the word) ‘great’ in ‘make great’ in ‘Make great, O beauteous one, to thy praiser accord strength’, for this day contains (the word) ‘great’. The Pṛṣṭha is connected with the Rathantara, the Çastra with the Bṛhat; this is a pairing, a symbol of generation.

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xxvi. 12. ‘Great is Indra, manlike, spreading over mortals’ is the first of the Marutvatīyas in Triṣṭubh, containing (the word) ‘great’, for this day

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contains (the word) ‘great’. ‘These thee of many a poet’ is the second, containing (the word) ‘great’ in ‘Call thee that art to be invoked, O hero’, and also (the idea) ‘begun’. ‘Where is this hero, who hath seen Indra?’ is the third containing (the word) ‘great’ in ‘Going with the bays on a fair chariot’, and also (the idea) ‘begun’. ‘Even from great, O Indra, thou those that approach’ is the fourth, containing (the word) ‘great’ in ‘Even from great misfortune thou art the protector’, and also (the idea) ‘begun’. ‘Him sky and earth of one mind’ is the fifth in Jagatī, containing (the word) ‘great’ in ‘What time he went revealing greatness and power’, and also (the idea) ‘begun’. ‘Thou art great, O Indra; to thee the earth’ is the first in Triṣṭubh of the Niṣkevalyas, containing (the word) ‘great’, for this day contains (the word) ‘great’. ‘Thou art great, O Indra, who by thy might’ is the second, containing (the word) ‘great’ and also (the idea) ‘begun’. ‘Many not of old to him’ is the third, containing (the word) ‘great’, in ‘To the great, the hero, impetuous, eager’, and also (the idea) ‘begun’. ‘This fame for thee, O bounteous one, through thy greatness’ is the fourth, containing (the word) ‘great’ and (the idea) ‘begun’. ‘This prayer to thee I offer, the great one’ is the fifth in Jagatī, containing (the word) ‘great’ and (the idea) ‘begun’. Five hymns each are recited in the Niṣkevalya and the Marutvatīya in the middle Chandoma; the Chandomas are cattle; cattle are fivefold; verily (they serve) to obtain cattle.

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xxvi. 13. ‘The golden handed for aid’ is (the hymn) to Savitṛ, containing (the idea) ‘begun’ in ‘The son of the waters for aid’. ‘May the two great ones, sky and earth, for us’ is (the triplet) to sky and earth, containing (the word) ‘great’, for this day contains (the word) ‘great’. ‘Youthful the parents again’ is (the triplet) to the Ṛbhus, containing (the idea) ‘begun’ in ‘With Indra with the Maruts and the Ādityas, the kings.’ ‘The great aid of the gods’ is a nine-verse (hymn) to the All-gods. In ‘Favour be ours, O Aryaman, favour, O Varuṇa, to be celebrated’, it contains (the word) ‘great’, and (the idea) ‘begun’. ‘These worlds let us subject’ is a hymn in verses of two Padas, containing (the idea) ‘begun’ in ‘Indra and the All-gods’. ‘All-gods increasing holy order’ is (the hymn) to the All-gods, containing

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(the word) ‘great’ in the word ‘increase’, for this day contains (the word) ‘great’. It is in Gāyatrī, for this set of three days has the Gāyatrī at the third pressing. ‘Vaiçvānara hath produced’ is (the hymn) to Vaiçvānara, containing (the word) ‘great’ in ‘waxing great’ in ‘Waxing great with might on the earth’, for this day contains (the word) ‘great’. ‘What now, when as a dear?’ is (the hymn) to the Maruts, containing (the idea) ‘begun’. ‘The messenger of you, of all knowledge’ is (the hymn) to Jātavedas. Or ‘O Agni, be merciful; thou art great’, an eight-verse hymn for the eighth day, but the former is the rule. It contains (the word) ‘great’ in ‘He great the recess of the sky’, for this day contains (the word) ‘great’. It is in Gāyatrī, for this set of three days has the Gāyatrī at the third pressing. These are the hymns of the Āgnimāruta. These are the hymns of this day. It is an Ukthya. It obtains what the second day obtains.

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xxvi. 14. Going is the end; so yonder sky, yonder world, and the ninth day; therefore at the ninth day are recited hymns containing (the word) ‘go’. ‘We have gone with great praise to the youngest’ and ‘Me, the strong, O Agni, of the Soma’, these two (hymns) are the Ājya, containing (the word) ‘go’ in ‘We have gone’; this is a symbol of the end; the ninth day is the end; he returns as it were, having gone to the end, for hence whitherward should he go? It contains (the word) ‘stand’ in ‘Here stand the cows, fattening’; this is a symbol of the end; the ninth day is the end; having gone to the end, he stands as it were, for hence whitherward should he go? ‘“We have gone with great praise to the youngest”, this triplet alone should form the Ājya,’ Paiṅgya used to say. It contains (the word) ‘go’ in ‘We have gone’; this is a symbol of the end; the ninth day is the end; he returns as it were, having gone to the end, for hence whitherward should he go? ‘How can a triplet make up the Aṣṭācatvāriṅça Stoma?’ Kauṣītaki used to say. ‘Me the strong, O Agni, of the Soma’ he should also recite; this contains a symbol of ending in its reference to what has taken place; ‘We have brought forward the sacrifice’ and ‘From the sky they have learned’ are regarding what has taken place as it were. ‘Here however, the Stoma is not pervaded’ Paiṅgya used to say, ‘since by verses alone the Stoma cannot be pervaded’. ‘The verse by means of syllables makes up the Stoma, with syllables the Nivid or Puroruc the verse; the Stoma is pervaded then when either a Nivid or a Puroruc is recited.

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Therefore yonder triplet alone should be the Ājya' (they say). 'Yonder' is according to the order of Paiṅgya. But the rule is 'both'. By it Viçvāmitra and Vasiṣṭha came into accord; they grant accord to the pre-eminence of him who knows thus. Therefore should both be the Ājya, first that of Vasiṣṭha, then that of Viçvāmitra.

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xxvi. 15. 'O Vāyu, come to us, drinker of the pure' is (the triplet) to Vāyu and to Indra and Vāyu, containing (the word) 'go' in 'gone'; this is a symbol of the end; the ninth day is the end; he returns as it were, being gone to the end, for hence whitherward should he go? In 'The lively pourer hath stood at the sacrifices', it contains (the word) 'stand'; this is a symbol of the end; the ninth day is the end; having gone to the end, he stands as it were, for hence whitherward should he go? 'Dwelling in the sky, from the atmosphere, on the earth' is (the triplet) to Mitra and Varuṇa, containing (the word) 'dwell' in 'dwelling'; this is a symbol of the end; the ninth day is the end; having gone to the end, he dwells as it were, for hence whitherward should he go? 'Come hither to us with all boons, O Açvins' is (the triplet) to the Açvins, containing (the word) 'stand' in 'That standing place hath been proclaimed for you on earth'; this is a symbol of the end; the ninth day is the end; having gone to the end, he stands as it were, for hence whitherward should he go? 'Indra men invoke in the conflict' is (the triplet) to Indra; 'That he may make our prayers effective', (in this) 'effective' denotes the highest; this is a symbol of the end; the ninth day is the end; in the end he places the end. 'Agni, erect, hath established the favour of the bright one' is (the triplet) to the All-gods, containing (the word) 'establish'; this is a symbol of the end; the ninth day is the end; having gone to the end he establishes as it were, for hence whitherward should he go? 'Forward she hath come forth with fostering current' is (the triplet) to Sarasvatī. In 'Forcing forward' there is repetition; the ninth day is the end; having gone to the end, he repeats as it were, for hence whitherward should he go? These are the Praügas by Vasiṣṭha, arranged in triplets; Vasiṣṭha is Prajāpati; he is the extender of

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the sacrifice; he is renewed at the repeated extension of the sacrifice; verily in Prajāpati they attain all their desires. The Pṛṣṭha is the Bṛhat, the Çastra connected with the Rathantara; this is a pairing, a symbol of generation.

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xxvi. 16. 'Three friendships hath man's worship' is the first of the Marutvatīyas in Triṣṭubh, containing (the word) 'three'; it is a symbol of the third day. 'Indra maketh for the car a way forward' is the second, containing (the word) 'stand' in 'hath stood upon' in 'Which in strength the generous one hath stood upon'; this is a symbol of the end; the ninth day is the end; having gone to the end, he stands as it were, for hence whitherward should he go? 'Stand on the bays being yoked to the car' is the third, containing (the word) 'stand' in 'stand'; this is a symbol of the end; the ninth day is the end; having gone to the end, he stands as it were, for hence whitherward should he go? 'Let him sing the Sāman springing forth as of a bird' is the fourth; (the word) 'Sāman' is a symbol of yonder world. 'Sing ye forth to the glad one the song rich in food' is the fifth in Jagatī; in that it has the same ending, it has the symbol of the end. 'May the true one come hither, the generous, he of the Soma lees' is the first of the Niṣkevalyas in Triṣṭubh. There is repetition in 'Let loose, O hero'; the ninth day is the end; having gone to the end, he repeats as it were, for hence whitherward should he go? 'To him the strong, the impetuous' is the second, having the same beginning in 'To him', and 'To him'; just as that which has the same ending, so that which has the same beginning is a symbol of the end. 'As the sky surpasseth the earth, O Indra, that which our foes' is the third; (the word) 'sky' is a symbol of yonder world. 'That highest power of thine is on high' is the fourth; there is repetition in 'highest on high'; the ninth day is the end; having gone to the end, he repeats as it were, for hence whitherward should he go? 'I was the first lord of wealth' and 'To the all conquering, the booty conquering, the light conquering' are two (hymns) in Jagatī; in 'I' and 'I' there is the same beginning; just as that which has the same ending, so that which has the same beginning is a symbol of the end; in 'conquering' and 'conquering' there is repetition; the ninth day is the

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end; having gone to the end he repeats as it were; for hence whitherward should he go? In the Marutvatīya are recited five hymns in the last Chandoma; the Chandomas are cattle; cattle are fivefold; verily (they serve) to obtain cattle. Six at the end (are recited) in the Niṣkevalya; the year has six seasons; verily (they serve) to obtain the year.

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xxvi. 17. 'Towards thee, O god Savitṛ' is (the triplet) to Savitṛ; yonder world is turned towards (this) as it were; this is a symbol of yonder world. 'Forward towards you, mightily, sky and earth' is (the triplet) to sky and earth; there is repetition in 'Mightily, sky and earth, towards'; the ninth day is the end; having gone to the end, he repeats as it were, for hence whitherward should he go? 'Let Indra give for food to us' is one (verse); 'Give ye jewels' are two; these are (the triplet) to the Ṛbhus; there is repetition in 'one one' in 'Each one each one with wise direction'; the ninth day is the end; having gone to the end he repeats as it were, for hence whitherward should he go? Then the Vaiçvadeva is composed of the whole of Manu's (hymns); Manu is life; verily thus he places life in the sacrifice and in the sacrificers. Here are (the verses) with two Padas; the explanation of them has been given. 'O ye All-gods, come hither' is (the triplet) to the All-gods, containing (the word) 'go' in 'come hither'; this is a symbol of the end; the ninth day is the end; he returns as it were, having gone to the end, for hence whitherward should he go? It is in Gāyatrī, for this set of three days has the Gāyatrī at the third pressing. 'Present in the sky he shone' is to Vaiçvānara; 'in the sky' is a symbol of yonder world. 'O Maruts, in whose dwelling' is (the hymn) to the Maruts, containing (the word) 'dwell' in 'dwelling'; this is a symbol of the end; the ninth day is the end; having gone to the end, he dwells as it were, for hence whitherward should he go? 'Agni is the Hotṛ, the Purohita' is (the hymn) to Jātavedas, containing (the word) 'dwell' in 'The dwelling, O thou of pure radiance'; this is a symbol of the end; the ninth day is the end; having gone to the end, he dwells as it were, for hence whitherward should he go? It is in Gāyatrī, for this set of three days has the Gāyatrī at the third pressing. These are the hymns of the Āgnimāruta. These are the hymns of this day. It is an Ukthya. It obtains what the third day obtains. Daily in all the

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Chandomas (the verses) of two Padas are recited; the Chandomas are cattle; (the verses) with two Padas are the metre of the sacrificer; verily thus he places the sacrificers in the overlordship of cattle; man stands over cattle as it were.

Linked texts (1)

Kauṣītakibrāhmaṇa — Kauṣītaki, Sanskrit