Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 28: ADHYĀYA XXVIII

Rigveda Brahmanas: The Aitareya and Kauṣītaki Brāhmaṇas of the Rigveda (HOS 25) 28

Language: English

ADHYĀYA XXVIII

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The Recitations of the Hotrakas at the Morning Pressing.

xxviii. 1. Prajāpati created the sacrifice; with it when created the gods sacrificed; having sacrificed with it they obtained all desires. One half of it they deposited, namely the Praiṣas and the Nigadas. With the other (half of the) sacrifice the Ṛṣis sacrificed; they observed 'With an incomplete sacrifice are we sacrificing; we do not obtain all desires.' They toiled; they saw the Praiṣas and Nigadas. Having sacrificed with the sacrifice with the Praiṣas and Nigadas they obtained all desires, (thinking) 'The Praiṣas and the Nigadas are so much of the sacrifice as is not made up by the Ṛc verses. Thus with them shall we make up the whole.' These Praiṣas and Anupraiṣas Viçvāmitra saw, and also the Praiṣas for the cake offering; then other Ṛṣis (saw) others. As to this they say 'Why does the Maitrāvaruṇa alone give directions to all?' The deities ran a race regarding the Praiṣas; the race Mitra and Varuṇa won; therefore the Maitrāvaruṇa alone gives directions to all. He gives directions standing, (thinking) 'Standing is one strongest, standing also is one most easily heard; let me utter speech full of strength and resorting to the gods'.

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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.

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xxviii. 3. Six some repeat at the morning pressing for (the goblets) being filled; (six the Maitrāvaruṇa) himself, the Achāvāka the seventh; seven each at the second and third pressings, saying 'Seven seated eastwards perform the vaṣaṭ call.' As to this they say 'According to the hymn should he recite, for these are the invitatory verses of the Hotṛ, for these goblets they fill up goblet by goblet as the Hotṛ's; therefore should he recite according to the hymn.' Then the Hotrakas sacrifice together; the explana-

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tion of this has been given. The Maitrāvaruṇa uses (a verse) to Mitra and Varuṇa, ‘Mitra we hail,’ to secure that the beginning of the sacrifice shall be provided with its own deity. ‘Indra thee as a bull we’, (this verse) to Indra the Brāhmaṇācchaṅsin (uses), for the sacrificial rite is connected with Indra. ‘O Maruts in whose dwelling’, (this verse) to the Maruts the Potṛ (uses); when the Maruts purified Indra, then Indra gave them a share in the Soma drinking; therefore is it (a verse) addressed to the Maruts that the Potṛ uses as offering verse at the first and at the last. ‘O Agni bring hither the wives’, (this verse) which contains (the words) ‘O Agni, with the wives’ and (the word) ‘Tvaṣṭṛ,’ the Neṣṭṛ uses at the first and at the last; Agni is the one of the gods who is connected with (the words) ‘with the wives’, the Neṣṭṛ is the one of the priests (so connected); therefore it is (a verse) which contains (the words) ‘Agni with the wives’ and (the word) ‘Tvaṣṭṛ’ that the Neṣṭṛ uses as offering verse at the first and at the last. ‘To him whose food is the ox, whose food the cow’, (this verse) to Agni is used by the Agnīdh; he kindles the fires; therefore the Agnīdh uses (this verse) to Agni as offering verse at the first and at the last. They repeat the second vaṣaṭ, for the healing of the libations, for the support of the libations. Then comes the sacrificial food, then the bowl of the Hotṛ; the explanation of this has been given.

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xxviii. 4. When Nābhānediṣṭha Mānava sought an invitation from the Aṅgirases, he saw this Hotṛ function of the Achāvāka; he came when the sacrificial food had been invoked; therefore one does not select him. He came from this eastern intermediate region; therefore seated in this region the Achāvāka awaits his invitation. They say ‘Why do they keep a fragment of the cake for the Achāvāka?’ Alikayu Vācaspata was the Brahman at the consecration and Upasads of the Naimiṣīyas; he performed the Achāvāka’s function when the pressing had been done. They said ‘We have hitherto kept the Brahman’s portion for him; for whom shall we keep it?’ Then said they ‘For him do ye keep it.’ They kept it for

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him. This is the Brahman’s portion. Moreover the other goblets share in the sacrificial food; therefore they keep for the Achāvāka the fragment of the cake, to prevent the goblet having none of the sacrificial food.

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xxviii. 5. Then the Adhvaryu says to him ‘O Achāvāka, say what thou hast to say’; verily thus he says to him ‘O Achāvāka, expect an invitation.’ ‘Hither Agni for help for you’, (these verses) to Agni he recites; the morning pressing is connected with Agni; they are Anuṣṭubh verses; the Anuṣṭubh is the Gāyatrī; the metre of Agni is the Gāyatrī. They are three; Agni is threefold, coals, flame, and smoke. At the third saying with the Praṇava of the last verse, he unites the Nigada, ‘O sacrificer, O Hotṛ, O Adhvaryu, O Agnīdh, O Brahman, O Potṛ, O Neṣṭṛ, and thou also, O Upavaktṛ.’ The Upavaktṛ is the Praçāstṛ; it is said in a Ṛc, ‘The Upavaktṛ of men.’ ‘Be forcible with force, strong with strength’ (he says); ‘Force as food, strength as food with food do ye unite,’ in effect, he says to them. ‘To you may the kin, may those that are not kin yield (he says); ‘Whatever is kin, and whatever is not kin, may that yield to you,’ verily thus he says to them. This is declared in a Ṛc,

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xxviii. 6. ‘Kin or no kin, crush the foes.’ ‘The rivals beaten down in the way’ (he says); ‘Your rivals are destroyed in battle’, verily thus he says to them. ‘Conquer the attacking, conquer with the attacking’ (he says); the attacking is an army; ‘With an army an army conquer,’ verily thus he says to them. ‘May Indra hear, may Agni hearken to you’ (he says); ‘Let Indra hear you, let Agni hear’, verily thus he utters this benediction. ‘Standing forth, do ye proclaim the Soma to Indra and Agni, and do ye, O Brahmans, invite us who are Brahmans,’ verily thus he requires an invitation from all. ‘This Brahman here, or Achāvāka, desires an invitation’, the Adhvaryu says, ‘O Hotṛ, do thou invite him.’ Him the Hotṛ invites, for he is the chief sharer of them; ‘Whomever his chief invites, he indeed is invited’ Kauṣītaki used to say.

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xxviii. 7. ‘To him athirst’ the Achāvāka recites for (the goblet) being

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filled; these are four; all this (universe) is fourfold; verily (it serves) to obtain all this (universe). They are Anuṣṭubh verses, for reciting together. The last is a Bṛhatī; the Bṛhatī is prosperity; verily thus at the last he finds support in prosperity. 'Come with those that move at dawn,' with (this verse) to Indra and Agni he offers, for his litany is addressed to Indra and Agni. It is in Gāyatrī; the morning pressing is in Gāyatrī. He says the second vaṣaṭ, for the healing of the libations, for the support of the libations. 'Without taking in breath should they say the offering verses at the morning pressing,' Paiṅgya used to say, (thinking) 'Swiftly shall we give the oblation to the gods.' 'By half verses' Kauṣītaki (used to say). The half verse is the joint of the metres; verily thus by joints they give the oblation to the gods.

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xxviii. 8. Then comes the consideration of the Praiṣas for the season (sacrifices). Kaṇva it was who saw the Praiṣas for the seasonal (sacrifices); and Medhātithi the offering verses; Medhātithi is a descendant of Kaṇva. With this the two smote away evil. He who desires 'May I smite away death, the evil,' should sacrifice with these.

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xxviii. 9. The sacrifice is a man; the Ājya is his speech; speech is one only; therefore he recites the Ājya with one deity only. The Praüga is the breaths; the breaths are many; therefore many deities are celebrated at the Praüga. The Maitrāvaruṇa and the Achāvāka are the two arms; these are twofold; therefore they recite (verses) for two deities at the morning pressing. The Brāhmaṇācchaṅsin is the middle as this navel suture; therefore the Brāhmaṇācchaṅsin at the morning pressing recites (verses) to one deity. The midday (pressing) is the body; it is one only; therefore at the midday the Hotrā reciters recite (verses) to one deity; and the Hotṛ himself the Niṣkevalya. The Maitrāvaruṇa and the Achāvāka are the two thighs; these are twofold; therefore they recite at the third pressing (verses) to one deity. The Brāhmaṇācchaṅsin is the middle as this organ of generation; therefrom two forms arise, female and male; therefore the Brāhmaṇācchaṅsin at the third pressing recites (verses) to two deities. The Brāhmaṇācchaṅsin recites most (verses); the Brāhmaṇācchaṅsin is the body; therefore this middle of the body is the thickest.

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xxviii. 10. In that the strophes and the antistrophes contain (the word)

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'hither', this is a symbol of the first day. The strophes of the Maitrāvaruṇa and the Achāvāka are by Viçvāmitra, the two nine-versed conclusions by Vasiṣṭha; verily thus they two make the two ends alike. Having recited the strophes, they make as the antistrophes the strophes of the next day, to secure the form of the Ahīna, for the continuity of the Ahīna; verily thus they make day conformable to day; day indeed is conformable to day. They say 'Why is the Stotra followed in recitation? Why do they recite beyond the Stoma?' That is not indeed sung which is not followed in recitation; that Stoma goes not to the gods which is not recited beyond; therefore is the Stotra followed in recitation; therefore do they recite beyond the Stoma. The Çastras have four calls; the litanies are cattle; cattle are fourfold; moreover they are four-footed; verily (they serve) to obtain cattle. The offering verses of the litanies are from the one-day (rite); the one-day (rite) is a support; verily (it serves) for support. They say the second _vaṣaṭ_, for the healing of the libations, for the support of the libations.

Linked texts (1)

Kauṣītakibrāhmaṇa — Kauṣītaki, Sanskrit