Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 4: ADHYĀYA IV

Rigveda Brahmanas: The Aitareya and Kauṣītaki Brāhmaṇas of the Rigveda (HOS 25) 4

Language: English

ADHYĀYA IV

iv. 1. By means of the supplementary offering the gods smote away the Asuras; verily so also does the sacrificer by the supplementary offering smite away the foes that hate him. He offers to Indra, driver away of enemies, a cake on eleven potsherds. Indra is the smiter away of enemies; verily he smites away his enemies. Again, he adds on the new moon ceremonial. In that at the full moon sacrifice he offers to Indra, therein the sacrificer has the new and full moon sacrifices completed; if he were to incur a disaster in the second half of the month, there would not be a dragging apart of his sacrifice. In that in the new moon sacrifice he offers to Aditi, it is to balance the sacrifice. From the invitatory and offering verses it is possessed of the characteristic of driving away enemies.

4.p3

iv. 2. Next as to the Abhyuditā sacrifice. He wanders from the path of the sacrifice at whose fast the moon is seen in the east. He offers to Agni, the giver, a cake on eight potsherds; Agni is the giver; verily he gives the sacrifice to him. (He offers) to Indra, the bestower, curds milked in the evening; Indra is the bestower; verily he bestows the sacrifice upon him. (He offers) to Viṣṇu Çipiviṣṭa a pap in milk milked in the morning; Viṣṇu is the sacrifice; verily he gives to him the sacrifice. In that he sacrifices to these deities, (it is because he thinks) 'Let me not wander from the path of the sacrifice.' The sacrificial fee is a bow with three arrows; that is a symbol of a safe journey.

4.p4

iv. 3. Next as to the Abhyuddṛṣṭā sacrifice. He wanders from the path of the sacrifice at whose fast the moon is seen in the west. He offers to Agni, maker of paths, a cake on eight potsherds; Agni is the maker of paths; verily he sets him again on the path of the sacrifice. To Indra, slayer of Vṛtra, (he offers a cake) on eleven potsherds; Indra is the slayer of Vṛtra; verily he sets him again on the path of the sacrifice. To Vaiçvānara (he offers a cake) on twelve potsherds; he who yonder gives heat is Vaiçvānara; verily he sets him again on the path of the sacrifice. In that he sacrifices to these deities, (it is because he thinks) ‘Let me not wander from the path of the sacrifice.’ The sacrificial fee is a pair of shoes and a staff; that is the symbol of fearlessness.

4.p5

iv. 4. Next as to the Dākṣāyaṇa sacrifice. He who means to proceed with the Dākṣāyaṇa sacrifice begins on the full moon night in the Phalgunīs; the full moon night in the Phalgunīs is the beginning of the year; therefore on it the proceedings of the unconsecrated are begun. Now Dakṣa Pārvatī, having sacrificed with this sacrifice, obtained all desires; in that he sacrifices with the Dākṣāyaṇa sacrifice, verily (it serves) for the obtaining of all desires. He should not take pleasure in eating ; ‘Soma, the king, the moon I eat’, thus thinking in his mind should he eat; now the moon is Soma, the king, the wise; it on the second half of the month the gods press out. In that on the second half of the month he performs the vows of the Dākṣāyaṇa sacrifice, (it is because he wishes) ‘Let me share in the Soma drinking of the gods.’ In that during the fast day he offers a cake on eleven potsherds to Agni and Soma, thereby he obtains the victim for

4.p6

Agni and Soma which is offered on the fast day of the Soma (sacrifice). In that he sacrifices in the morning with the new moon offerings, and the pressing day is Indra's, thus he obtains the pressing day. In that at the new moon offering on the fast day he offers a cake on twelve potsherds to Indra and Agni and the third pressing belongs as regards its Sāman to Indra and Agni, thus he obtains the third pressing. In that there is a milk mess for Mitra and Varuṇa, and the offering (of a cow) is for Mitra and Varuṇa, thus he obtains the offering of a cow. Thus Soma is present, having penetrated the Haviryajñas; therefore though unconsecrated he performs the vows of the consecrated.

4.p7

iv. 5. Next as to the Iḍādadha sacrifice. He who means to proceed with the Iḍādadha sacrifice begins on the same full moon night; the explanation of it has been given. It is a sacrifice for one desiring cattle or desiring proper food. With it should one desiring cattle or one desiring proper food sacrifice; verily in it thus also does he perform the vows, for it is a combination of the Dākṣāyaṇa sacrifice.

4.p8

iv. 6. Next as to the Sārvaseni sacrifice. He who means to proceed with the Sārvaseni sacrifice begins on the same full moon night; the explanation of it has been given. It is a sacrifice for one desiring propagation; with it should one desiring propagation sacrifice. In that the Adhvaryu produces the oblation, that is the symbol of propagation.

4.p9

iv. 7. Next as to the Çaunaka sacrifice. He who means to proceed with the Çaunaka sacrifice begins on the same full moon night; the explanation of this has been given. It is a sacrifice for one desiring to lay low (his enemies); with it should one desiring to lay low sacrifice; he who desires 'May I lay low the rival who hates me', should sacrifice with this; he lays him low indeed.

4.p10

iv. 8. Next as to the Vasiṣṭha sacrifice. He who means to proceed with the Vasiṣṭha sacrifice begins on the new moon in the Phalgunis (thinking) ‘The full moon night is the holy power; the new moon night is the lordly power; this sacrifice is, as it were, the lordly power. By means of the lordly power let me overcome my foes.’ Vasiṣṭha desired, when his sons were slain, ‘May I be propagated with offspring, with cattle, may I overcome the Saudāsas.’ He saw this sacrificial rite, the Vasiṣṭha sacrifice; he grasped it and sacrificed with it; having sacrificed with it, he was propagated with offspring, with cattle; he overcame the Saudāsas. Verily thus also the sacrificer, in that he sacrifices with the Vasiṣṭha sacrifice, is propagated with offspring, with cattle; he overcomes the rivals who hate him.

4.p11

iv. 9. Next as to the Sākaṁprasthāyya sacrifice. He who means to proceed with the Sākaṁprasthāyya begins on the same new moon night; the explanation of it has been given. It is a sacrifice for one desiring pre-eminence, desiring heroism; with it should one desiring pre-eminence, desiring heroism, sacrifice. In that together they move forward, together they sacrifice, together they eat, therefore is it called Sākaṁprasthāyya (moving forward together).

4.p12

iv 10. Next as to the Munyayana. He who means to proceed with the Munyayana begins on the same full moon night; the explanation of it has been given. It is a sacrifice for one desiring all; with it should one desiring all sacrifice.

4.p13

iv. 11. Next as to the Turāyaṇa. He who means to proceed with the Turāyaṇa begins on the same full moon night; the explanation of this has been given. It is a sacrifice for one desiring heaven; with it should one

4.p14

desiring heaven sacrifice. In that he puts on a black antelope’s skin, and the black antelope’s skin is the holy power, verily thus he unites the sacrifice with holy power. There are three oblations; these worlds are three; verily thus he obtains these worlds.

4.p15

iv. 12. Next as to the Āgrayaṇa. He who desires proper food should sacrifice with the Āgrayaṇa. In the rains when the millet harvest has come, he gives orders to pluck millet. The new moon night which coincides with that time, on it should he sacrifice and then offer this sacrifice. If he is a full moon sacrificer, he should sacrifice with this and then offer the full moon sacrifice. If again he desires a Nakṣatra, he should in the first half of the month look out for a Nakṣatra and offer under the Nakṣatra which he desires. There are seventeen kindling verses in this sacrifice, the butter portions contain the word ‘being’; the invitatory and offering verses (of the Sviṣṭakṛt offering) are Virāj verses; the explanation of that has been given. There is a pap for Soma; Soma is the king of the plants; thus he delights him with his own subjects. In that he gives the honey drink, it is because this is the sap of the forest things.

4.p16

iv. 13. When spring has come and the bamboo seeds are ripe, he gives orders to pluck bamboo seeds. Of this (sacrifice) there is the same time, the same model, the same deity, the same fee, the same explanation. Some perform (the offering) for Agni, or Varuṇa, or Prajāpati, but with the same model and the same explanation.

4.p17

iv. 14. When the rice harvest or the barley harvest has come, he gives orders to pluck (grains) for the Āgrayaṇa: of this (sacrifice) there is the same time, the same model. In that there is (a cake) on twelve potsherds for

4.p18

Indra and Agni, and Indra and Agni are the beginning of the gods, verily thus at the beginning he delights the gods. In that there is a pap for the All-gods, and the All-gods are all the gods, verily (it serves) to delight all the gods. In that there is (a cake) on one potsherd for sky and earth, (it is because) sky and earth are the preparers of the harvest, and earth is a support, and by the flooding yonder (sky) co-operates. In that he sacrifices to these deities, (it is because he thinks) 'By these deities shall I eat food made calm.' In that he gives an ox of the first birth, it is because this is a first ceremony. If he is wearied of this (sacrifice), he should offer the oblation of the full or the new moon, with the new (plants) to obtain both. Or again he may employ the oblations at the full moon or the new moon (sacrifice) to secure the presence of the deities. Or again he may offer in the morning and in the evening the Agnihotra with barley gruel of the new (plants), to obtain both. Or again having cooked milk in a pot on the Gārhapatya he should make an offering of the new (plants) in the Āhavanīya to the gods of the Āgrayaṇa, with Sviṣṭakṛt for a fourth (saying) 'To N.N. hail. To N.N. hail!' to secure the presence of the deities. Or again having made the Agnihotra cow to eat the new (plants), he should offer in the morning and in the evening the Agnihotra with its milk, to obtain both. These are so many possibilities; he may offer with whichever he may desire, but the established rule is that of three oblations. Three are these worlds; verily thus he obtains these worlds.

Linked texts (1)

Kauṣītakibrāhmaṇa — Kauṣītaki, Sanskrit