Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 5: ADHYĀYA V

Rigveda Brahmanas: The Aitareya and Kauṣītaki Brāhmaṇas of the Rigveda (HOS 25) 5

Language: English

ADHYĀYA V

5.p3

v. 1. Next as to the four-monthly sacrifices. He who prepares the four-monthly sacrifices begins on the full moon night in the Phalgunīs.

The full moon night is the Phalgunīs in the beginning of the year; the latter two Phalgus are the beginning, the two former the end. Just as the two ends of what is round may unite, so these two ends of the year are connected. In that he sacrifices with the Vaiçvadeva sacrifice on the full moon night in the Phalgunīs, verily thus at the beginning he delights the year. Again the four-monthly sacrifices are sacrifices of healing; therefore are they performed in the joinings of the seasons, for in the joinings of the seasons pain is born. There are eight oblations, the oblations of four full moon days amount to eight; the Vaiçvadeva is a compound of four full moon days. In that Agni is kindled, it is because the Vaiçvadeva is propagation; therefore he generates this divine embryo. As to there being seventeen kindling verses, the butter portions containing the word 'being', the invitatory and offering verses being Virāj verses, the explanation of that has been given. In that there are nine fore-offerings and nine after-offerings, eight oblations and the offering for the steeds as the ninth, thus he obtains the brilliance of the Nakṣatras.

5.p5

v. 2. In that he sacrifices to Agni and Soma first of the deities, it is because these are the deities of the new and full moon sacrifices; therefore to them first he sacrifices. In that he sacrifices to Savitṛ, and Savitṛ is lord of instigations, (it serves) for the creation of instigation by Savitṛ. In that he sacrifices to Sarasvatī, and Sarasvatī is speech, verily thus he delights speech. In that he sacrifices to Pūṣan and Pūṣan is he who yonder gives heat, verily thus he delights him. In that he sacrifices to the Maruts as impetuous, and the Maruts as impetuous are terrible, verily thus he makes healing. In that there is a milk mess for the All-gods, and the All-gods are all these gods, verily (it serves) to delight all the gods. In that there is (a cake) on one potsherd for the sky and earth, and sky and earth are supports, verily (it serves) for support. In that he gives an ox of the first birth, it is because that is a first ceremony. In that before or after the Çaṁyuvāka, he sacrifices to the steeds uninvited, and the steeds are the horses of the gods, verily thus he delights these steeds.

5.p6

Therefore the gods with their horses become delighted. Now the steeds are also the seasons; verily thus he delights the seasons. In that he sacrifices afterwards with the full moon offering, thus by him in the first half of the month is the Vaiçvadeva offered.

5.p7

The Varuṇapraghāsas

5.p8

v. 3. By means of the Vaiçvadeva sacrifice Prajāpati created offspring; they, being created, not born, ate the barley of Varuṇa; Varuṇa grasped them with Varuṇa's nooses. The offspring having gone ran up to their father Prajāpati, 'Do thou devise that sacrificial rite by which we may sacrifice and be set free from the nooses of Varuṇa, from all ill.' Then Prajāpati saw this sacrificial rite, the Varuṇapraghāsas; he grasped it, and sacrificed with it; having sacrificed with it he delighted Varuṇa; Varuṇa being delighted, freed offspring from the nooses of Varuṇa and from all evil. From the nooses of Varuṇa and from all evil are freed the offspring of him who knowing thus sacrifices with the Praghasas. In that they bring forward the fire, verily thus do they bring forward yonder fire which they kindle at the Vaiçvadeva. In that the fire is kindled, the explanation of that has been given. In that there are seventeen kindling verses, the butter portions contain the word 'being' and the invitatory and offering verses are Virāj verses, the explanation of that has been given. In that there are nine fore-offerings and nine after-offerings, and nine oblations, thus he obtains the brilliance of the Nakṣatras; the five accompanying oblations ending with that to Pūṣan are the same; the explanation of them has been given.

5.p9

v. 4. In that there is (a cake) on twelve potsherds for Indra and Agni, and Indra and Agni are supports, verily (it serves) for support. Indra is in the middle; therefore to him in the middle he sacrifices. In that there is a milk mess for Varuṇa, (it is because) Varuṇa is Indra, and he has milk as his portion; therefore there is a milk mess for Varuṇa. In that there is a milk mess for the Maruts, (it is because) the Maruts are situated in the waters; therefore with milk he sacrifices to them, for milk is the waters. Moreover the Maruts are Indra's, milk is Indra's; therefore is there a milk mess for the Maruts. In that there is (a cake) on one potsherd for Ka,

5.p10

and Ka is Prajāpati, verily thus he delights him; moreover the word Ka is a name of happiness; verily thus he confers happiness upon himself. In that he gives two pairing cattle, that is the symbol of propagation. In that he sacrifices to the steeds, the explanation of that has been given. In that he sacrifices to Varuṇa in the waters, verily thus he delights him in his own home. In that afterwards he sacrifices with the full moon sacrifice, thus in the first half of the month does he sacrifice with the Varuṇapraghāsas.

5.p11

The Sākamedhas

5.p12

v. 5. The Sākamedhas are a sacrificial rite for Indra. Just as a great king placing in front the advance guard of his army, pursues his way in safety, verily so does he sacrifice in front to the gods. Just as there is that Mahāvrata in the Soma sacrifice, even so is this a Mahāvrata in the Iṣṭi sacrifice. In that he offers to Agni of the front first of the deities, and Agni is the beginning of the gods, thus at the beginning he delights the gods. In that at midday he sacrifices to the Maruts, the heaters, (it is because) it is hot at midday; therefore at the midday he sacrifices to the Maruts, the heaters. Moreover, the Maruts are Indra's, the midday is Indra's; therefore at the midday he sacrifices to the Maruts, heaters. In that in the evening they proceed with the householder's sacrifice and the householder's sacrifice is a rite for prosperity, and prosperity is in the evening, therefore he offers the butter portions with the word 'prosperity'; verily thus he makes the sacrificer to prosper. In that in the morning they proceed with a full ladle, verily thus he unites the ceremony in the morning with the ceremony on the previous day. In that he sacrifices to the Maruts, the playful, and the Maruts, the playful, are Indra's, therefore he sacrifices to them in conjunction with Indra. In that they bring forward the fire, that it is kindled, the explanation of that has been given. In that there are seventeen kindling verses, the butter portions contain the word 'being', and the invitatory and offering verses (of the Sviṣṭakṛt) are Virāj verses, the explanation of that has been given. In that there are nine fore-offerings, nine after-offerings, eight oblations and the Sviṣṭakṛt as ninth, thus he obtains the brilliance of the Nakṣatras. The six accompanying oblations ending with that to Indra and Agni are the same, the explanation of them

5.p13

has been given. In that he sacrifices at the end to Mahendra, (it is because) the leader occupies the end; therefore at the end he sacrifices to him. In that there is (a cake) on one potsherd for Viçvakarman, and he yonder that gives heat is Viçvakarman, verily thus he delights him. In that he gives a bull, (it is) because the sacrificial rite is Indra's.

5.p14

v. 6. In that in the afternoon they proceed with the sacrifice to the fathers, (it is because) the fathers have the waning as their portion; therefore in the afternoon they proceed with the sacrifice to the fathers. They say 'Seeing that the fathers have the second half as their portion, then why do they sacrifice to them on the first half (of the month)?' The fathers are connected with the gods; therefore they sacrifice to them on the first half of the month. In that he recites one kindling verse only, it is because the fathers are one (offering) as it were, therefore he recites one kindling verse only. It is an Anuṣṭubh verse; the Anuṣṭubh is speech; the fathers are turned away; verily thus with the Anuṣṭubh as speech he causes them to come. In that he does not recite the Ṛṣi descent of the sacrificer, (it is because he thinks) 'Let me not place the sacrificer in the fire'. He recites this Nigada; the explanation of it has been given. In that he invites Soma with the fathers, or the fathers with Soma, the fathers sitting on this strew, and the fathers made ready by Agni, (it is because) the fathers are connected with the gods; therefore he unites them. In that he invites Agni, bearer of the oblations, (it is because) the fathers are Sviṣṭakṛt's; therefore he invites him. Some do not invite his greatness, saying 'This is the greatness of the sacrificer'; but the rule is 'He should invite', for it is the greatness of Agni.

5.p15

v. 7. In that from the fore-offerings and the after-offerings he leaves out the two for the strew, (it is because he thinks) 'The strew is offspring; let me not cast offspring in the fire.' They are six; the seasons are six; the fathers are the seasons; verily thus he delights the fathers. In that he offers the butter portions with the word 'living', verily thus he causes the sacrificer to live. In that there are three for each oblation, (it is because) there are three oblations, and he cuts off from them together; therefore

5.p16

there are three for each oblation. Moreover thus he discriminates the rite for the fathers from the rite for the gods. Now the fathers are at a great distance; verily he summons them with the first, brings them with the second, and offers with the third. In that he sacrifices at the end to Agni, bearer of the oblation, (it is because) the fathers are Sviṣṭakṛt's; therefore he sacrifices to him at the end. In that after invoking the sacrificial food and smelling it they do not eat it, (it is because they think) ‘The sacrificial food is cattle; let us not cast the sacrificer's cattle in the fire’. In that the Adhvaryu gives to the fathers, verily thus he delights the fathers. In that they cleanse themselves (in the place) where the filters are, and the waters are healing and medicine, verily thus at the end in the sacrifice are healing and medicine produced. In that they mutter the Ṛc, verily thus they produce a benediction. In that having gone north they reverence the Gārhapatya and the Āhavanīya, verily thus having given delight, they declare at the end their purpose to the gods. Moreover the sacrifice to the fathers is terminated in the south; verily thus they make it terminated in the north. In that having gone eastwards they reverence the sun, and the sun is the world of the gods, and the fathers are the world of the fathers, verily thus they ascend from the world of the fathers to the world of the gods. In that in the Sūktavāka he does not mention the name of the sacrificer, (it is because he thinks) ‘Let me not cast the sacrificer in the fire.’ In that they do not perform the offering to the wives with (the gods), (it is because they think) ‘Let us not cast the wives in the fire.’ In that having gone north they perform the offerings to Tryambaka, verily thus they delight Rudra in his own quarter. Moreover, the sacrifice to the fathers is terminated in the south; verily thus they make it terminated in the north. In that at the end having sacrificed he sacrifices with an Iṣṭi, (it is because) the Sākamedhas terminate in that; therefore at the end having sacrificed he sacrifices with an Iṣṭi. In that afterwards he sacrifices with the full moon offering, thus in the first half of the month he sacrifices with the Sākamedhas.

5.p17

v. 8. He obtains the thirteenth month in that he sacrifices with the

5.p18

Çunāsīrya sacrifice; so great is the year as the thirteenth month; in that there is the thirteenth month, verily thus here is the whole year obtained. If the fire is kindled, the model is the framework of the Vaiçvadeva; if it is not kindled, then the model is the full moon sacrifice; the full moon sacrifice is a support; verily (it serves) for support. In that the fire is kindled, the explanation of that has been given. In that there are seventeen kindling verses, the butter portions contain the word 'being', and the invitatory and offering verses are Virāj verses, the explanation of that has been given. In that there are nine fore-offerings, nine after-offerings, eight oblations and the Sviṣṭakṛt as the ninth, thus he attains the brilliance of the Nakṣatras. The five accompanying oblations ending with that for Pūṣan are the same; the explanation of them has been given. In that he sacrifices to Çunāsīrau, and Çunāsīrau are healing and medicine, verily thus at the end in the sacrifice are healing and medicine produced. In that he sacrifices to Vāyu, and Vāyu is breath, verily thus he delights breath. In that there is (a cake) on one potsherd for Sūrya, and he yonder that gives heat is Sūrya, verily thus he delights him. In that the sacrificial fee is a white (cow ), verily thus he delights him; verily thus is his form produced.

5.p19

v. 9. In that they perform the expiations and the substitutions, in that they offer the libations, verily thus do they produce a benediction, for the healing of the sacrifice and the medicine of the sacrificer.

5.p20

v. 10. In that they lay to rest the sacrificer with his own fires , and the fires are a chariot of the gods, verily thus they lay him to rest on a chariot of the gods; he with this chariot of the gods goes to the world of heaven, where is the world of those who do good.

Linked texts (1)

Kauṣītakibrāhmaṇa — Kauṣītaki, Sanskrit