Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 3: ADHYĀYA III

Rigveda Brahmanas: The Aitareya and Kauṣītaki Brāhmaṇas of the Rigveda (HOS 25) 3

Language: English

ADHYĀYA III

iii. 1. In that he fasts at the new and full moon it is because the gods do not eat the oblation of him who does not perform the fast. Therefore he fasts (desiring) 'May the gods eat my oblation'. 'On the first full moon (day) should he fast' is the view of Paiṅgya; 'on the second' that of Kauṣītaki; 'that on which (the moon) appears (full) about the setting of the sun' is the rule; he should fast on the second full moon day.

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In that he fasts on the new moon day not discerning the moon in the east, thereby he delights the first (new moon day); in that he sacrifices, thereby the second. He should fast on the second; on the second the ocean swells in accordance with the moon, its deity. The moon is the truth of the gods; therefore should he fast on the second.

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iii. 2. In that before the kindling verses he mutters, verily thus he makes a benediction. After uttering the sound _hiṅ_ he repeats the kindling verses; the sound _hiṅ_ is a thunderbolt; verily thus with a thunderbolt he smites the misfortune of the sacrificer. Three times he utters the sound _hiṅ_; the thunderbolt is threefold; verily thus he produces a thunderbolt. By this threefold thunderbolt the gods drove away the Asuras from these worlds, and verily so the sacrificer with this threefold thunderbolt drives away the enemies who hate him from these worlds. He repeats eleven kindling verses; the Triṣṭubh has eleven syllables; Indra is connected with the Triṣṭubh; thus both Indra and Agni he obtains. The first he thrice repeats, the last thrice; they make up fifteen; the days of the first and the second halves of the month are fifteen; thus by the kindling verses he obtains the first and the second halves of the month. Again, the kindling verses are a thunderbolt; the thunderbolt is fifteenfold; verily thus by a thunderbolt he smites the misfortune of the sacrificer. In that (he repeats) the first thrice and the last thrice, verily thus he ties the two ends of the sacrifice for firmness and to avoid slipping. There are three hundred and sixty syllables in these (verses); three hundred and sixty are the days of the year; thus by the kindling verses he obtains the days of the year. They are Gāyatrī verses; Agni is connected with the Gāyatrī, and has the Gāyatrī as his metre; verily thus he praises Agni with his own metre. They are appropriate; what in the sacrifice is appropriate is perfect; verily (they serve) for the perfection of the sacrifice. With the _om_ in the third uttering of the last (verse) he connects the address, 'O Agni, thou art great, O Brāhmaṇa, O Bhārata .' Agni is Bhārata; he bears (_bharati_) the oblation to the gods. In that he utters the Ṛṣi descent of the sacri-

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ficer, it is because the gods do not eat the oblation of one who has not descent from a Ṛṣi. Therefore he utters his descent from a Ṛṣi. He connects the address of fifteen elements; it is the Nivid of the kindling verses; therefore has it fifteen elements; for the kindling verses are fifteen. It is not in metre; all this is twofold, metrical and not in metre; (he says it thinking), ‘With all this let me praise Agni.’ Having connected seven elements he should stop; the metres are seven; verily (they serve) to obtain all the metres. Then (come) four, then four; all this is fourfold; verily (they serve) to obtain all this.

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iii. 3. In that he summons the deities severally, it is because the oblations are taken separately for them. In that he summons Agni through Agni, the form of Agni which bears the oblation is his sacrificial form. It is what there over yonder sun shines like light; therefore the sun (appears) to every man. Thus in that he says ‘O Agni bring Agni’, verily thus he says ‘That (form) bring.’ In that he invites the gods that drink the butter, thus he invites the fore-offerings and the after-offerings. In that he invites Agni for the Hotṛ's function, thus he invites the Sviṣṭakṛt (offering). In that he invites his own greatness, thus he invites Vāyu; Agni's own greatness is Vāyu, for by him he acquires and attains greatness. In that he recites by order, and sacrifices by order, thereby verily sacrifice is made to his own greatness. ‘Bring, O All-knower, and offer with good sacrifice’, (with these words) he says to him, ‘Bring the gods, O All-knower, and offer to the gods with good sacrifice.’ In that he mutters before the kindling verses, and the kindling verses are a thunderbolt, verily thus he appeases him both before and after. In that he takes up the two ladles with the verse for taking up the ladles, verily thus he yokes a chariot of the gods, being about to bestow the oblation upon the gods. With this chariot of the gods he attains safely the world of heaven.

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iii. 4. He offers the fore-offerings. The fore-offerings are the seasons; verily thus he delights the seasons. They are five; with them he obtains whatever there is fivefold pertaining to the self or to the gods. He offers to the kindling sticks; verily (thus he delights) the spring; in the spring all

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this is kindled. He offers to Tanūnapāt; verily (thus he delights) the hot season, for the hot season heats the body. He offers to the sacrificial food; verily (thus he delights) the rains, for through the rains sacrificial food arises. He offers to the strew; verily (thus he delights) the autumn, for in the autumn the plants on the strew grow best. He offers at the end to the making of Hail!; verily (thus he delights) the winter, for in the winter over all this is Hail! made. They say 'Seeing that there are five fore-offerings and six seasons, where does he offer to the sixth season?' In that in the fourth fore-offering he mingles (the butter), thus he gives it a share in the others. Again, in that in the last fore-offering he mixes together the gods, he makes them sharers in the fore-offerings. Just as Agni has a share in all oblations, so he makes the deities sharers in the share of Agni. He does not say here 'Agni from the Hotṛ's office' (thinking), 'The fore-offerings are cattle; the Sviṣṭakṛt is Rudra; let me not bring the cattle of the sacrifice into contact with Rudra.' Some say 'Hail! May the gods, drinking the butter, rejoicing, O Agni, enjoy this butter.' He should not so do. The butter is one half of the sacrifice, the oblation is the other half; if he were to say one only of these, then one half of the sacrifice would have an accompaniment, the other half not. Therefore he should say 'Hail! May the gods, drinking the butter, rejoicing, O Agni, enjoy this butter, this oblation.'

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iii. 5. In that the butter portions at the full moon offering contain references to the slaying of Vṛtra, it is because Indra slew Vṛtra with the full moon offering. In that they have references to growth at the new moon offering, it is because then the moon becomes destroyed and verily thus does he cause it to swell up and to increase The offering verses in these offerings contain the word 'rejoicing', for they include the same oblations as the fore-offerings. Now 'rejoicing' is the holy power; verily thus by the holy power he offers the oblation to the gods. These offerings are threefold, *ye yajāmahe*, the Nigada, the sound *vaṣaṭ*; the butter portions

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are the eye; the eye is threefold, white, black, and red. These offerings he does not perform in the animal or Soma sacrifice (thinking), 'Through the animal offering the Soma sacrifice is possessed of eyes; let me not make the sacrifice four-eyed and loathsome.' In that the invitatory verses contain the words 'to' and 'offered', and the offering verses the words 'forward', that is, 'given', verily thus having sacrificed he gives the oblation to the gods. These (verses) are Gāyatrī and Triṣṭubh; the Gāyatrī is the holy power; the Triṣṭubh is lordly power; verily thus with the holy and lordly power he gives the oblation to the gods. So great is the extension of the metre; verily thus with the whole extension of the metre he gives the oblation to the gods. At the end of the Ṛc he utters the sound *vaṣaṭ*; so do all his offering verses become beautiful. With *ṣaṭ* he utters *vaṣaṭ*; the seasons are six; verily thus he pleases the seasons. He should utter *vaṣaṭ* as connected with the Bṛhat and the Rathantara, with a long in front and short behind; the short is the Rathantara, the long the Bṛhat; again, the Rathantara is this (earth); the Bṛhat is yonder (sky); verily thus in these two he finds support. So great is the extension of speech; verily thus with the whole extension of speech he gives the oblation to the gods. '*bhūr bhuvaḥ*' he mutters before *ye yajāmahe*, 'Strength is might, might is strength; light' after the sound *vaṣaṭ*: the sound *vaṣaṭ* is a thunderbolt; verily thus he quietens it, both in front and behind. Strength and might are the two most dear forms of the sound *vaṣaṭ*; verily with them he quietens it.

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iii. 6. In that he offers to Agni first of the deities, and because Agni is the mouth (beginning) of the gods, verily thus at the beginning he delights the gods. Now as to his sacrificing to Agni and Soma at the full moon offering, Agni and Soma were within Vṛtra; with regard to them Indra could not hurl his bolt; for them he arranged the portion at the full moon

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sacrifice; the two are offered to inaudibly, and in a higher tone, to prevent sameness. In that he sacrifices inaudibly, thereby he delights Soma; in that (he sacrifices) in a higher tone, thereby (he delights) Agni. In that he sacrifices to Indra and Agni at the new moon sacrifice, it is because Indra and Agni are supports; verily (the offering serves) for a support. In that, mingling, he sacrifices to Indra at the new moon sacrifice, that is the light of the new moon sacrifice, for the moon is not then seen. In that, without mingling, he offers the butter of the inaudible (sacrifice) between the two cakes, it is for preventing sameness. In that, mingling, he offers the butter of the inaudible (sacrifice) in the midst of the milk offering (sāmnāyya), the explanation of that has been given. In that he sacrifices at the end to Agni Sviṣṭakṛt, it is because he gives the oblation to the gods; he who divides out food tastes it himself last. Again Sviṣṭakṛt is Rudra and he enjoys at the end. Therefore to him at the end he sacrifices. In that (offering) the invitatory and offering verses are of the same metre, but the Nigada differs; though this sameness is avoided. After saying vaṣaṭ, he touches water; the waters are healing and medicine; verily thus are healing and medicine produced at the end in the sacrifice.

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iii. 7. In that he smears on the lower lip the first anointing of the sacrificial food on the forefinger, the lower lip is this world, the upper lip is yonder world, what is between the lips is the atmosphere here; therefore in that he eats, verily thus he delights these worlds continuously. In that he invokes the sacrificial food, verily thus he seeks renown among all beings. Again, the sacrificial food is food; verily thus he places food in himself; again the sacrificial food is cattle; verily (the invocation) serves to obtain cattle. On it four times he breathes; all this (universe) is fourfold; verily (it serves) to obtain all this (universe). Again, in that after invoking the sacrificial food he smells it and the sacrificial food is cattle, verily thus he confers cattle upon himself. Again, in that the Adhvaryu makes the cake to sit on the strew, verily thus he delights the fathers. Again, in that he eats the second portion of the sacrificial food with

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muttering, and the muttering is the holy power; verily thus with the holy power he appeases it. Again, in that they cleanse themselves on that (part of the strew) where the strainers are, and the waters are healing and medicine, verily thus at the end in the sacrifice are healing and medicine made. Again, in that they bring up the mess of food, it is because the new and full moon sacrifices have that as the sacrificial fees; therefore they bring up the mess of food. Again, in that he addresses the kindling stick, it is because it alone is left over of the kindling fuel; therefore he celebrates it.

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iii. 8. In that he offers three after-offerings, and these worlds are three, verily thus he obtains these worlds. In that he says all last, and the Sviṣṭakṛt is a support, verily (it serves) for a support. In that he says the Sūktavāka, and the Sūktavāka is a support, verily (it serves) for a support. In that he makes mention of earth and sky, and earth and sky are supports, verily (it serves) for a support. Some say 'Agni hath rejoiced in this oblation'. This he should not do; the deity to whom he is sacrificing comes forward thinking 'It is a renewed sacrifice; again will he give me the oblation', and takes away the blessings of the sacrificer; therefore 'He hath rejoiced in oblation, he hath rejoiced in oblation' only should he say. The deities to whom he sacrifices in the beginning, verily in the end through them he finds support. In that in the Sūktavāka he mentions the name of the sacrificer, it is because it is the divine self of the sacrificer which the priests make ready; therefore he mentions his name; for here is he born. He should mention it aloud, even if he be a teacher; thus is the sacrificer not likely to fall into ruin. Five blessings he utters; there are three in the sacrificial food; they make up eight; by them the gods attained all attainments (iṣṭiḥ); verily thus does the sacrificer by means of them attain all attainments. Having placed his clasped hands pointing east on the strew he mutters 'For homage', for the gods are not superior to homage. In that he says the Çaṁyuvāka, and the Çaṁyuvāka is a support, verily (it serves) for a support; again Çaṁyu Bārhaspatya appeased all sacrifices; therefore he utters the Çaṁyuvāka.

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In that he touches the waters, and the waters are healing and medicine, verily thus at the end in the sacrifice are healing and medicine produced.

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iii. 9. In that they perform in the Gārhapatya the sacrifices to the wives with (the gods), the wives share the Gārhapatya, the sacrificer the Āhavanīya; therefore they perform the sacrifices for the wives with (the gods) in the Gārhapatya. They are four in number; up to four (degrees), are pairing, union, propagation; (they serve) for generation. They are performed inaudibly; the sacrifices to the wives with (the gods) are a pouring of seed; inaudibly is seed poured; they are appropriate; what in the sacrifice is appropriate is perfect; verily (they serve) for the perfection of the sacrifice. He sacrifices to Soma, Tvaṣṭṛ, the wives of the gods; and Agni, lord of the house; these deities are the controllers of unions; them here he delights; they here being delighted confer unions. To Soma first he sacrifices; thus he pours seed; to Tvaṣṭṛ second, Tvaṣṭṛ transmutes the seed that is poured; then to the wives, for these are joint sacrifices for the wives; in that he sacrifices last to Agni, lord of the house, the wives are those of him that makes the sacrifice well performed; therefore he sacrifices to him at the end. In that he mutters the Ṛc, verily thus he procures a blessing. In that he invokes the sacrificial food, in that he purifies himself, in that he utters the Çaṁyuvāka, the explanation of that has been given. In that he causes the wife to speak on the grass bundle, and the grass bundle is male and the wife female, verily thus he confers union upon women; therefore the wife puts between her thighs blades of the grass bundle. In that he strews the grass bundle, thereby the new and full moon offerings are continued by him; verily also thereby the strew for his Agnihotra is spread. In that he pays reverence to the remnant of the grass bundle, verily thus he utters a prayer for blessing; in that he pays reverence to the Āhavanīya, verily thus having delighted (them) he speaks at

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the end his purpose to the gods; in that he touches the waters, and the waters are healing and medicine, verily thus at the end in the sacrifice are healing and medicine produced.

Linked texts (1)

Kauṣītakibrāhmaṇa — Kauṣītaki, Sanskrit