Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 9: ADHYĀYA IX

Rigveda Brahmanas: The Aitareya and Kauṣītaki Brāhmaṇas of the Rigveda (HOS 25) 9

Language: English

ADHYĀYA IX

ix. 1. Agni is the holy power; in that on the fast day they bring forward the fire, with the holy power do they strike away the evil of the sacrificer, in front with the Āhavanīya, behind with the Gārhapatya, on the north with the Āgnīdhrīya, on the south with the Mārjālīya, in the middle with those within the Sadas. Therefore on the fast day they lead forward the fire to the east, they take out the fires of the priests; verily (they serve) to smite away the evil of the sacrificer. The gods being about to consecrate themselves had recourse to speech, ‘Thou hast much and varied experience; but we wish to be compact of truth, compact of restraint.’ She desired a portion in the consecration, but the gods would not give her a share therein. She (desired a share) in the introductory sacrifice, and they would not (give) her (a share) therein; in the sale, and they would not (give) her (a share) therein; in the guest reception, and they would not (give) her (a share) therein. She did not at all approach the Upasads being as it were vexed; therefore there should they proceed inaudibly so that they can just hear one another. She came when the fire was being brought forward on the fast day; the gods gave her a share therein; therefore there first should he recite aloud, so that they may know that she has arrived and has been given a share in the sacrifice.

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ix. 2. He recites for him as he is taken forth the three verses containing ‘forth’, ‘Forth the god with the thought divine.’ ‘Thee in the footstep of the sacrificial food’, he says ; the sacrificial food is this (earth), for in it he praises (īṭṭe) all. He praises him when deposited with the half verse containing (the word) ‘deposit’, ‘O All-knower, we deposit thee.’ He praises him when he has sat down with (the verses ) containing (the word) ‘sit’, ‘O Agni, of fair face, with all the gods’; ‘Sit, O Hotṛ, in thine own place, discerning’, and ‘The Hotṛ in the Hotṛ’s seat, well knowing.’ He concludes with (a verse ) containing the word ‘herald’, ‘Thou art a herald; thou also our protector from afar.’ He recites appropriate verses; what in the sacrifice is appropriate, that is perfect; verily (it serves) for the perfection of the sacrifice. Eight he recites; the Gāyatrī has eight syllables; Agni is connected with the Gāyatrī, and has the Gāyatrī as his metre; verily thus with his own metre they bring Agni forward. (He recites) the first thrice, the third thrice; they make up twelve; the year has twelve months; verily (they serve) to obtain the year. They repeated together make up eighteen Gāyatrī verses; verily by the metre it is connected with Agni. Of whatever even metre there are six , they make up a Gāyatrī; of whatever there are seven, an Uṣṇih, of whatever there are eight an Anuṣṭubh, of whatever there are nine a Bṛhatī, of whatever there are ten a Paṅkti, of whatever there are eleven a Triṣṭubh, of whatever there are twelve (syllables) a Jagatī.

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The Moving forward of the Soma Carts.

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ix. 3. The two oblation holders are speech and mind; in speech and in mind is all this (universe) placed. In that they move forward the two oblation holders, verily (it serves) to obtain all desires. The oblation holders are two, the cover as the third they deposit; with them he obtains all that which is threefold regarding the gods or the self. He recites for them as they are moved forward (a verse ) containing (the word) ‘forward’, ‘Let the two come forward with weal for the sacrifice’, ‘May sky and earth for us this’, and ‘Rich in ghee is their milk’ he says ; the first (verse) contains a benediction; the second mentions two deities: the libation which

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the Adhvaryu offers in the track of the two oblation holders he accompanies with the first (verse); in that they move forward the two oblation holders, that he accompanies with the latter. He praises the two oblation holders with the appropriate (verse ), ‘What time ye came like twins striving.’ ‘Let men in service to the gods’ (he says ), for many drag the two. ‘In the two hast thou placed the word of praise’ and ‘All forms the sage doth assume’, (he says) ; in that they put on the cover third, that he accompanies with the first, in that they enclose the two oblation holders, that with the latter.

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ix. 4. Moreover (he accompanies) with the latter the offering on the front . When he thinks of the two, ‘They will not move them there’, when they make them standing in the middle, then (should he say ) ‘To your lap, O ye that deceive not’; when there is rest, then a lap is made. He concludes with (a verse ) containing (the word) ‘around’, ‘Around thee, O singer, the songs.’ He recites appropriate (verses); what in the sacrifice is appropriate, that is perfect; verily (they serve) for the perfection of the sacrifice. They make up eight; with them the gods attained all attainments; verily thus also with these the sacrificer attains all attainments. (He recites) the first thrice, the last thrice; they make up twelve; the year has twelve months; verily (they serve) to obtain the year. Further, in that (he recites) the first thrice and the last thrice, verily thus he ties the two ends of the sacrifice, for firmness and to avoid slipping. Then they say to the Hotṛ ‘Do thou, O Hotṛ, act so that there may be freedom from fear.’ Thus exhorted, before pronouncing the Ṛc, he pushes a clod westwards with the fore part of his right foot (saying ),

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‘From hence the fear from men and from others than men, O Vṛtra slayer.
Away the wheels have rolled’;

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Hence is there risk from the wheels; thus for this region there is freedom from fear. He should resort to the left track of the right

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oblation holder, which is facing east, (thinking) ‘The right oblation holder is this world; this world is a support; let me be unmoved in going on this support.’ He should not move to right or left from the place where he stands as he says the final verse. If he should move from it to right or left, and if some one were to say of him, ‘He shall fall away’, so would it be. After concluding, having wheeled round on his right arm, keeping silence, have gone as he came, having stood where standing he has uttered the first (verse), both in the rite and in the taking forth of the fires, he should go to his place.

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The Bringing forward of Agni and Soma.

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ix. 5. Agni is the holy power; Soma the lordly power; in that on the fast day they lead forward Agni and Soma, verily thus by the holy power and by the lordly power, they smite away the evil of the sacrificer. They say ‘Sitting the Hotṛ should recite this first (verse); all beings move forward with the leading forward of Soma, the king; in that sitting the Hotṛ recites this Ṛc, verily thus he restrains all beings in their due place.’ ‘Do thou pour forth, O god, for the first the father’, this verse for Savitṛ he first recites, to secure instigation by Savitṛ; to one instigated by Savitṛ no possible injury happens; (verily it serves) to secure freedom from injury. (With the verse), ‘Rise up, O Brahmaṇaspati’, he causes (the fire) to be removed; (with the verse), ‘Let Brahmaṇaspati move forward’ he leads (it) forward. He recites two appropriate (verses) for Brahmaṇaspati; Brahmaṇaspati is the holy power; verily thus by the holy power he makes the sacrifice successful. ‘The Hotṛ, the god, the immortal’ and ‘To thee, O Agni, day and day’, these sets of three verses for Agni alone he recites, for Agni they take first. These contain (the word) ‘go’, for he praises Agni as he is taken. When he comes to (the words), ‘The embryo of beings I take up’, then he should think of an embryo for one who desires an embryo; she obtains an embryo. In the Agnīdh's altar they put down the fire. When the Adhvaryu offers the libation, then should he repeat this (verse), ‘O Agni, rejoice; be glad in this prayer.’ This is the offering verse for this (libation), being appropriate as containing the words ‘rejoice’ and ‘be glad’.

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ix. 6. Then they lead Soma alone eastwards; therefore he recites verses for Soma alone, 'Soma goeth, who knoweth the way.' Reciting the three verses, which contain a reference to 'going', he follows on. There the Adhvaryu offers again a libation in the Āhavanīya; then he should recite this (verse ), 'To the dear one, the strengthener.' This is the offering verse for this (libation), being appropriate as containing (the word) 'increasing the libation'. Then they cause the king to enter by the eastern door; as he is made to enter, he recites for him made to enter (the verse ), 'This of him King Varuṇa, this the Açvins,' which is appropriate in having (the words), 'This stall doth Viṣṇu, with his companions, reveal.' For him when he has arrived he recites (the verse ) 'Within hast thou come forward; thou shalt be Aditi', which contains (the word) 'forward'. He praises him when seated with the verses containing (the word) 'sit', 'Like an eagle his nest, the seat wrought with devotion', 'Thee, lord of hosts, we invoke', and 'He hath established the sky, the Asura, all-knower.' He concludes with (a verse ) containing a benediction, 'Do thou welcome Varuṇa the great.' He recites appropriate verses; what in the sacrifice is appropriate, that is perfect; verily (they serve) for the perfection of the sacrifice. He recites twenty verses; they make up the Virāj; Soma is connected with the Virāj; the Virāj is food; Soma is food; thus by food he causes proper food to abound. (He recites) the first thrice and the last thrice; they make up twenty-four; the half months of the year are twenty-four; verily (they serve) to obtain the year. If they cause the king to enter by the eastern door thus is it; but if they (cause him to enter) by the western (door) the Hotṛ should follow after (thinking) 'The Hotṛ is the body of the sacrificer; Soma is the breath; let me not sever the body from the breath.' He concludes standing facing south to the north (of the oblation holder); Soma the king is glory; proper food from thence onwards he confers and glory upon himself.

Linked texts (1)

Kauṣītakibrāhmaṇa — Kauṣītaki, Sanskrit