Regarding this they say: 'The verse with which one sacrifices in the morning becomes spent for that day; why then is this one unspent at all the pressings?'

13.2.2

[It is] because he proceeds extending it through the pressings.

13.2.5

With 'at every morning-pressing...' [he sacrifices] at the third pressing.

13.2.6

Thereby it is unspent.

13.2.7

Regarding this they say: 'Why is there curdled milk only in the morning, and not at the midday [pressing] nor at the third pressing?'

13.2.8

The maitrāvaruṇa indeed is the sacrifice.

13.2.9

It is here that the sacrifice is born, when at the morning pressing.

13.2.10

A young child indeed is an enjoyer of milk.

13.2.11

Just as one would offer the breast to a newborn, so is that.

13.2.12

At the two later pressings, it has grown.

13.2.13

When it grows,

13.2.14

then it has surpassed the breast.

13.2.15

Therefore, the curdled milk offering is only in the morning, not at the midday, not at the third pressing.

13.3.1

With 'Enjoy the oblation, O Agni,' he sacrifices for the Sviṣṭakṛt offering of the sacrificial cake at each pressing.

13.3.2

Avatsāra Prāśravaṇa was the hotṛ of the gods.

13.3.3

Death lay in ambush against him at this splendour.

13.3.4

Death is indeed Agni.

13.3.5

Having pleased Agni with the oblation, saying, 'Enjoy the oblation, O Agni,' he then escaped.

13.3.6

In the very same way, the hotṛ who knows thus, having pleased Agni with the oblation, saying, 'Enjoy the oblation, O Agni,' then escapes.

13.3.7

By these intermediate spaces the gods went to the heavenly world.

13.3.8

Death lay in ambush against them at this splendour.

13.3.9

Death is indeed Agni.

13.3.10

Having pleased Agni with the oblation, saying, 'Enjoy the oblation, O Agni,' they then escaped.

13.3.11

In the very same way, the hotṛ who knows thus, having pleased Agni with the oblation, saying, 'Enjoy the oblation, O Agni,' then escapes.

13.3.12

These six syllables indeed are: 'havir agne vīhi' ('Enjoy the oblation, O Agni').

13.3.13

This self has six parts and is sixfold.

13.3.14

Having thus redeemed the self by the self, becoming free from debt, he then sacrifices.

13.3.15

That is this mantra of Avatsāra Prāśravaṇa.

13.3.16

He should not think: 'With what now, with what indeed do I sacrifice?'

13.3.17

'I sacrifice with a mantra composed by a seer, with a verse'—thus indeed should he know.

13.3.18

Now, we have said that Soma is the animal,

13.3.19

and so too the sacrificial cakes.

13.4.1

These ten indeed are the shoots of Soma:

13.4.2

The ancient shoot is this which they press;

13.4.3

the satisfied shoot is the waters;

13.4.4

the sap shoot is the rice;

13.4.5

the virile shoot is the barley;

13.4.6

the bright shoot is the milk;

13.4.7

the living shoot is the animal;

13.4.8

the immortal shoot is the gold;

13.4.9

and the Ṛg shoot, the Yajus shoot, the Sāman shoot.

13.4.10

These indeed are the ten shoots of Soma.

13.4.11

When all these come together,

13.4.12

thence is Soma, thence is it pressed.

13.4.13

Having performed with the sacrificial cakes, they proceed with the draughts for two deities.

13.4.14

The sacrificial cakes are the self of the sacrificer;

13.4.15

the draughts for two deities are the vital breaths.

13.4.16

In that, having performed with the sacrificial cakes, they proceed with the draughts for two deities,

13.4.17

the sacrificer thus reaches a full lifespan in this world and attains immortality and imperishability in the heavenly world.

13.4.18

These draughts for two deities are indeed the vital breaths:

13.4.19

Speech is Indra;

13.4.20

the in-breath is Vāyu;

13.4.21

the eye is the draught for Mitra and Varuṇa;

13.4.22

the ear is the draught for the Aśvins.

13.5.1

Therefore, he recites the offering verse without taking breath, for the continuity of the vital breaths.

13.5.2

For these vital breaths are, as it were, continuous.

13.5.3

He does not utter the secondary vaṣaṭ-call.

13.5.4

The draughts for two deities are the vital breaths;

13.5.5

the secondary vaṣaṭ-call is the completion.

13.5.6

[He does so, thinking:] 'Lest I bring the vital breaths to an end before the time.'

13.5.7

For these vital breaths are, as it were, joined together.

13.5.8

He sets down the draught for Indra and Vāyu in the front half.

13.5.9

For this [vital breath] belonging to the front half is, as it were, the most prominent among these breaths.

13.5.10

On either side of it he sets down the other two behind.

13.5.11

For the eye and the ear are indeed on either side.

13.5.12

Holding them, he sits,

13.5.13

[thinking:] 'Lest their edges roll away.'

13.5.14

He does not cover them.

13.5.15

The draughts for two deities are indeed the vital breaths.

13.5.16

[He does so, thinking:] 'Lest I cover up the vital breaths.'

13.5.17

"This is your sweet Soma-drink," [is] the offering verse for the set-forth offerings, dripping with honey and containing the word honey.

13.5.18

He utters the secondary vaṣaṭ-call for the appeasement of the oblations,

13.5.19

[and] for the firm establishing of the oblations.

13.5.20

Then the hotrās sacrifice together.

13.5.21

Thereby they completely release the sacrificer from debt.

13.5.22

First is the consumption of the two-deity draughts;

13.5.23

then the iḍā; then the cup of the hotṛ.

13.5.24

The sacrificial cakes are indeed the self of the sacrificer;

13.5.25

the two-deity draughts are the vital breaths;

13.5.26

the iḍā is food [and] cattle.

13.5.27

By means of food, the vital breaths and the self are joined.

13.5.28

Therefore first is the consumption of the two-deity draughts;

13.5.29

then the iḍā; then the cup of the hotṛ.

13.5.30

He hands them over to the adhvaryu.

13.5.31

He does not let go until the pouring in of the residue.

13.5.32

The two-deity draughts are indeed the vital breaths.

13.5.33

[He does so thinking:] "Lest I release the vital breaths."

13.5.34

Twice he consumes of the draught to Indra and Vāyu;

13.5.35

for twice he utters the vaṣaṭ-call for it.

13.5.36

Once of the draught to Mitra and Varuṇa;

13.5.37

once of the draught to the Aśvins.

13.5.38

He consumes the draught to the Aśvins turning it all around;

13.5.39

for one hears in all directions with this ear.

13.6.1

He pours the residues into the cup of the hotṛ.

13.6.2

Thereby he makes them share in the iḍā.

13.6.3

Then he invokes the iḍā.

13.6.4

They raise up the cups.

13.6.5

He takes hold from behind of the cup of the hotṛ.

13.6.6

Without touching, he invokes the iḍā.

13.6.7

Clarified butter is indeed a thunderbolt;

13.6.8

Soma is seed.

13.6.9

[He does so thinking:] "Lest I injure the seed with the thunderbolt."

13.6.10

At it he does not say [the formula with] "the presser";

13.6.11

he does not utter the blessings.

13.6.12

Having invoked the iḍā [and] smelled it, he puts it down.

13.6.13

He eats the later iḍā.

13.6.14

Then, having sipped water, he consumes the cup of the hotṛ.

13.6.15

This is the supreme proper food, namely Soma.

13.6.16

All, having mutually invited one another, consume this supreme proper food.

13.6.17

Now indeed is the mutual invitation of the acchāvāka.

13.6.20

[…]: "The pressing sacrificer has grasped;

13.6.19

and, O master, and, O adviser, and our cows have been invited."

13.6.20_2

If he does not wish to invite [him in turn],

13.6.21

he repeats: "And he is invited," if he wishes to invite [him in turn].

13.6.22

The acchāvāka, having been invited in return, should recite after, as many [verses] as he can attain of this hymn: "Turn back, do not follow."

13.6.23

The hotṛ [treats] the acchāvāka as undesirable.

13.6.24

This is the expiation for that.

13.7.1

The season-offerings are indeed the vital breaths.

13.7.2

In that they perform the season-offerings,

13.7.3

they thereby place the vital breaths in the sacrificer.

13.7.4

This vital breath is threefold: out-breath, in-breath, and diffused breath.

13.7.5

Six [times] they sacrifice with [the formula]: "With the season";

13.7.6

thereby they place the out-breath in the sacrificer.

13.7.7

Four [times] they sacrifice with [the formula]: "With the seasons";

13.7.8

thereby they place the in-breath in the sacrificer.

13.7.9

Twice with [the formula]: "With the season," at the end;

13.7.10

thereby he places the diffused breath in the sacrificer.

13.7.11

Thus the sacrificer, having attained a full lifespan in this world, gains immortality [and] imperishability in the heavenly world.

13.7.12

These season-offerings are indeed the vital breaths.

13.7.13

Therefore they sacrifice without drawing breath, for the continuity of the vital breaths.

13.7.14

For continuous, as it were, are these vital breaths.

13.7.15

They do not utter a secondary vaṣaṭ-call.

13.7.16

The seasonal offerings are indeed the vital breaths.

13.7.17

The secondary vaṣaṭ-call is the conclusion [of the rite].

13.7.18

[They think:] 'Let us not bring the vital breaths to an end before their proper time.'

13.7.19

For connected, as it were, are these vital breaths.

13.7.20

Concerning this they ask: 'Why does he issue the ritual call to all of them with "May the hotṛ sacrifice, may the hotṛ sacrifice"?'

13.7.21

Speech indeed is the hotṛ.

13.7.22

In saying that, he means: 'May speech sacrifice, may speech sacrifice.'

13.7.23

Moreover, all these are the seven hotṛs.

13.7.24

It is also declared by a verse:

13.7.25

'The seven hotṛs sacrifice season by season.'

13.7.26

Now, that he assigns [the call] twice afterwards is to prevent monotony.

13.7.27

They are indeed twelve.

13.7.28

Twelve months indeed make up the year.

13.7.29

[This is] for the attainment of the year.

13.7.30

Now, if someone should partake [of the offering] here,

13.7.31

and someone should say of him on that occasion:

13.7.32

'Unappeased is the portion [eaten], having no secondary vaṣaṭ-call uttered over it;

13.7.33

he has departed from his vital breaths; he will not live'—it would surely happen thus.

13.7.34

And if someone should not partake,

13.7.35

and someone should say of him on that occasion:

13.7.36

'The portion is the vital breath;

13.7.37

he has separated himself from the vital breath; he will not live'—it would surely happen thus.

13.7.38

He should just smear [his lips] as it were, or just smell [it], both here and at the [draughts] for two deities.

13.7.39

Such is the instruction they declare in this matter.

13.7.40

Now, regarding the fact that those two cross over [each other's paths],

13.7.41

the two adhvaryus do not follow into each other['s footsteps].

13.7.42

Therefore season does not follow into season, season does not follow into season.

Translations (1)

Rigveda Brahmanas: The Aitareya and Kauṣītaki Brāhmaṇas of the Rigveda (HOS 25) — Arthur Berriedale Keith 1920, English

Linked texts (1)

Kauṣītakibrāhmaṇa — Kauṣītaki, Sanskrit

Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 13

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