Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 30: ADHYĀYA XXX
Rigveda Brahmanas: The Aitareya and Kauṣītaki Brāhmaṇas of the Rigveda (HOS 25) 30
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ADHYĀYA XXX
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The Soma Sacrifice (continued)
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The Litanies of the Hotrakas at the Third Pressing.
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xxx. 1. The morning pressing is the Vasus', the midday pressing the Rudras', the third pressing the Ādityas'. In that he begins the third pressing with the Āditya cup, verily thus he begins with its own deity. Moreover, the third pressing is a pressing which has the sap sucked out; the Āditya cup is a cup rich in sap; verily thereby he makes the third pressing rich in sap. He recites a Triṣṭubh as invitatory verse for the Āditya cup; the explanation of this has been given. Then, when the Pavamāna has been sung, they proceed with the animal victim, for this is the time for it; moreover (it serves) to confer sap on the pressing. Then they proceed with the sacrifice of five oblations; the explanation of this has been given. He recites (verses) by Vāmadeva at the third pressing for (the goblets) being filled, for Vāmadeva it was who proclaimed the Soma to Indra at the third pressing. They contain (the words) 'hither' and 'bay steed', with the symbol of the invitatory verses; they are Triṣṭubhs addressed to Indra and the Ṛbhus; verily thus he makes Indra a half-sharer in the pressing. Nine he recites; ten goblets do they fill here, but the concluding is as the introductory rite. The Hotrakas sacrifice together; the explanation of this has been given. The offering verses are Jagatī verses, containing (the words) 'draught', 'be drunk', and 'drunk', for the third pressing is connected with the Jagatī; they contain (the word) 'be drunk', for the third pressing contains (the word) 'be drunk'. They say a second vaṣaṭ for the healing of the libations, for the support of the libations. Then comes the sacrificial food, then the Hotṛ's goblet; the explanation of this has been given. Then they offer the cakes (for the Pitṛs) at the third pressing; the explanation of these has been given. Then they proceed with the cup for Savitṛ ; the explanation of this has been given. He recites one Triṣṭubh as invitatory verse for the cup for Savitṛ; the explanation of this has been given. Again in that between the two litanies the Agnīdh says the offering verses for the cup for the wives, thereby the two reach the Hotṛ.
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xxx. 2. The litanies of the Ukthya are addressed to Indra and Agni; the explanation of these has been given. These to Indra in Jagatī they recite day by day ; the Jagatī is cattle; cattle are connected with the Jagatī; verily (they serve) to obtain cattle. 'These should be unchanged' some state, saying 'These are the supporters of the pressing.' But the rule is 'They should be varied,' for one day, then another, they approach. (Recitations) to Varuṇa, to Bṛhaspati, and to Viṣṇu they recite; their metre is the Jagatī; Indra's the Triṣṭubh; in that the metres are inverted, it is to secure the characteristic of the deities. (Recitations ) to Indra and Varuṇa, to Indra and Bṛhaspati, to Indra and Viṣṇu they recite; verily with these they accompany the cups, for so are the cups drawn.
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xxx. 3. 'Holder of the people, the generous, worthy of praise' the Maitrāvaruṇa (says); the explanation of this has been given. The conclusion is by Vasiṣṭha day by day; Vasiṣṭha saw the third pressing for the Maitrāvaruṇa's function; therefore day by day the conclusion is by Vasiṣṭha. In Kakubh verses they give the lead to the Maitrāvaruṇa on the third day; thereby he falls into the power of the Brāhmaṇācchaṅsin. On the fourth day they give the lead to each in his own metre; verily thus each in his own metre they continue finding support. In Gāyatrī verses they give the lead to the Maitrāvaruṇa, in Uṣṇih verses to the Brāhmaṇācchaṅsin, in Anuṣṭubh verses to the Achāvāka, to secure a progressive increase. So their metres increase with four syllables each. In Paṅkti verses they give the lead to the Maitrāvaruṇa on the fifth day, for the fifth day is connected with the Paṅkti; in (verses) of two Padas they give the lead on the sixth day, for the sixth day is connected with (verses) of two Padas. Moreover they perform the Sāmans, Gūrda, Bhadra, Udvaṅcaputra; moreover the Çilpas are accompanied by (verses) of two feet; therefore here the Çilpas are recited, (thinking) 'Let us not depart from the Çilpas.'
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xxx. 4. With the Nābhānediṣṭha the Hotṛ sprinkles seed; it he hands to the Maitrāvaruṇa; it he develops with the Vālakhilyās; these Vālakhilyās he recites as divided; by Padas the first two hymns he divides; verily thus
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by joints he gathers him together; by half verses the second two; man consists of two portions; verily thus he unites them; verse by verse the third two hymns; verily thus he gathers him whole; he should invert in the Nārāçaṁsa ; therefore foetuses are born inverted.
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xxx. 5. In the Tārkṣya he mounts the difficult mounting; Tārkṣya is Vāyu; Vāyu is breath verily thus he places breath in him; him he hands over to the Brāhmaṇācchaṅsin. Him he receives in the womb of the Sukīrti (hymn ); for him born he recites in Paṅkti form with repetition of *o* the Vṛṣākapi (hymn); the repetition of *o* is food; verily thus born he finds support in proper food. Then he recites the Kuntāpa according to the metres, for the obtaining of all desires; viz. the Nārāçaṅsīs, the Raibhīs, the Kāravyās, the Indragāthās, the Bhūtechads, the Parikṣit verses, and the prattle of Etaça. Etaça, the sage, saw the life of the sacrifice. He said to his sons 'My boys, I have seen the life of the sacrifice; that I shall prattle forth; think me not mad.' They said 'Be it so.' Then he prattled it forth; his eldest son, creeping up, stopped his mouth, (saying) 'Our father has become mad.' To him he said 'Be gone; fie on thee, O fool; I make thine offspring the worst; hadst thou not, O fool, stopped my mouth, I had made the cow of a hundred (years of) life, and man of a thousand.' Therefore the descendants of Etaça being the Ājāneyas are the worst of the Bhṛgus, for they are under curse by a father, their own deity, their own Prajāpati.
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xxx. 6. (The verses) of the Ādityas and Aṅgirases he recites next. The Ādityas and the Aṅgirases were at variance, 'We shall go first to the world
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of heaven' (said) the Āditya; 'we' the Aṅgirases. The Aṅgirases sent to the Ādityas (saying) 'Ours is the pressing day to-morrow; do ye cause us to sacrifice.' Agni was their envoy; the Ādityas said 'Ours is the pressing day to-day; and thou art the Hotṛ for us here, Bṛhaspati the Brahman, Ayāsya the Udgātṛ, Ghora Āṅgirasa the Ādhvaryu.' Them they rejected; him they desired to please with these (verses); thus they repeat these (verses). They brought a white horse as sacrificial fee, that one which here gives heat; therefore the Ādityas went to heaven; he goes to heaven who knows thus.
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xxx. 7. He recites the orderings of the quarters ; the quarters are in order for him. He recites the man-ordering (verses) ; men are in order for him. He says the riddles, the Pratīrādhas, the Ativādā, the Āhanasyās, all forms of speech. Therefore a man speaks all forms of speech, but other animals one only. They are eight; by them the gods attained all attainments; so verily also the sacrificers by them attain all attainments. 'The Kapṛth, O men, the Kapṛth extend,' and 'What time forward ye came' are two (verses ); thus they become perfect . They make up ten; the Virāj consists of sets of ten; the Virāj is prosperity and proper food; verily (they serve) to obtain the Virāj as prosperity and proper food.
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xxx. 8. He recites the Dadhikrā (verse ); the Dadhikrā (verse) is speech; verily thus he places speech in him; he recites (the verses) to Soma the purifying ; (the verses) to Soma the purifying are a filter; verily thus he purifies him. Him he hands over to the Achāvāka; him he with the
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Evayāmarut (hymn ) makes to move when born; he repeats *o*; stumbling as it were one moves when first desirous to walk; verily thus from the immortal metre he propagates him for immortality; they obtain immortality who perform the sixth day (rite). Having recited the strophe and antistrophe, he recites the Vālakhilyās; the strophe and antistrophe are the body, the Vālakhilyās the breaths; these breaths are not separated (from the body). They say ‘Why are they (called) Vālakhilyās?’ That which is not in contact in two fields, they call Khila; these breaths are a hair (*vāla*) in breadth and are not separated; therefore are they Vālakhilyās.
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xxx. 9. ‘In the Tārkṣya he mounts the difficult mounting,’ it has been said. In Gāyatrī verses they give the lead for the Brāhmaṇācchaṅsin on the second day, thereby he falls into the power of the Maitrāvaruṇa. ‘Forward to the most generous, the great, born of great wealth’ is a six verse (hymn ), twice as great as that of the Maitrāvaruṇa. The conclusion day by day is by Kṛṣṇa ; Kṛṣṇa Āṅgirasa saw this third pressing for the Brāhmaṇācchaṅsin’s office; therefore day by day the conclusion is by Kṛṣṇa. In Anuṣṭubhs they give the lead for the Achāvāka on the third day; thereby he falls into the power of the Brāhmaṇācchaṅsin. The ‘season mother’ (hymn ) has thirteen verses; it is twice as great as that of the Brāhmaṇācchaṅsin and there is one verse over. The conclusion day by day is by Bharadvāja ; Bharadvāja saw this third pressing for the Achāvāka’s office; therefore day by day the conclusion is by Bharadvāja. The Achāvāka alternates the two Viṣṇu (hymns ), the conclusions the other two. The Maitrāvaruṇa and the Brāhmaṇācchaṅsin have two conclusions; the Achāvāka has one conclusion. In that the Achāvāka has an unchanging conclusion, the Achāvāka is a support; verily (it serves) for support.
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xxx. 10. Thirty-six (verses) the Maitrāvaruṇa recites at the Caturviṅça, forty the Brāhmaṇācchaṅsin, and forty-four the Achāvāka. These are a hundred and twenty. A hundred and twenty are the days of the season; thus he obtains the season, with the season the year and the desires that are in the year. Five hymns the Maitrāvaruṇa recites on all the Chandoma days; the Chandomas are cattle; cattle are fivefold; verily (they
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serve) to obtain cattle. Four hymns the Brāhmaṇācchaṅsin recites in the first Chandoma; the Chandomas are cattle; cattle are fourfold, and also fourfooted; verily (they serve) to obtain cattle. Five hymns the Achāvāka recites in the first Chandoma; the Chandomas are cattle; cattle are fivefold; verily (they serve) to obtain cattle. Six (they recite) in the second and third; the year has six seasons; verily (they serve) to obtain the year. The Çastras have four calls; the litanies are cattle; cattle are fourfold, and also fourfooted; verily (they serve) to obtain cattle. On the sixth day that of the Maitrāvaruṇa has five calls; the litanies are cattle; cattle are fivefold; 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 (they serve) for support. They say the second vaṣaṭ, for the healing of the libations, for the support of the libations.
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xxx. 11. Five metres they recite at night, Anuṣṭubh, Gāyatrī, Uṣṇih, Triṣṭubh and Jagatī; these are the metres of night. The night has five calls, and so the additional litany of the Vājapeya. ‘The night goes beyond the Uktha; verily thus from metre to metre they call’ Kauṣītaki used to say, to prevent sameness. In that he uses a Triṣṭubh containing the word ‘over the night’ as invitatory verse for the Açvin litany cup, (it is because) the Praiṣa contains (the word) ‘over the night’, for the Somas are left over the night. Moreover, the Triṣṭubh is might and strength; verily thus might and strength he places in the sacrificer. The additional litanies of the Āptoryāma have four calls; the litanies are cattle; cattle are fourfold, and also fourfooted; verily (they serve) to obtain cattle. They use as concluding verses (verses) to the lord of the field, (thinking) ‘The field is this earth; in it undepressed shall we find support at the end’; verily thus in it undepressed do they find support at the end. In that the offering verses are Triṣṭubhs containing (the word) ‘over the night’, (it is) because the Somas are left over the night. Moreover, the Triṣṭubh is might and strength; verily thus might and strength he places in the sacrificer. They say the second vaṣaṭ, for the healing of the libations, for the support of the libations. They then proceed with (the cup) for the yoker of the bays; the
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explanation of this has been given. He recites a Triṣṭubh as invitatory verse for (the cup) for the yoker of the bays; the explanation of this has been given. In that he recites an invitatory verse for the Atipraiṣa, (it is because) without strength is the Praiṣa which has no invitatory verse. Moreover there are invitatory verses in the case of (the cups) for two deities, and in the case of all the Prasthitas; therefore he recites an invitatory verse for it. ‘In that he recites an Atipraiṣa, verily thus he refers to the next day, verily thus they keep taking hold of the next day’ Kauṣītaki used to say.
Linked texts (1)
- Kauṣītakibrāhmaṇa — Kauṣītaki, Sanskrit