Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 19
English (machine translation) 19
- Language
- English
Contents
- 19.1 — 31 parts
- 19.2 — 43 parts
- 19.3 — 33 parts
- 19.4 — 33 parts
- 19.5 — 29 parts
- 19.6 — 45 parts
- 19.7 — 23 parts
19.1.1
Now, those who are about to undergo consecration collect their fires together.
19.1.2
In a single form do the sacrificers thereby place strength and vigour in themselves.
19.1.3
Then they perform this iṣṭi of collecting [the fires].
19.1.4
They offer an eight-pot-sherd cake to Agni possessed of the priesthood;
19.1.5
an eleven-pot-sherd [cake] to Agni possessed of the nobility;
19.1.6
a twelve-pot-sherd [cake] to Agni who is nobility itself.
19.1.7
Thereby the sacrificers mount upon the priesthood and the nobility.
19.1.8
By means of these two they safely cross over the year.
19.1.9
They sacrifice with this animal offering dedicated to Prajāpati,
19.1.10
[thinking,] 'Impelled by Prajāpati, may we safely reach through this year.'
19.1.11
Some indeed make it dedicated to Vāyu,
19.1.12
'For this is Prajāpati's visible form, namely Vāyu.'
19.1.13
Some, however, perform [it] for Agni as Desire.
19.1.14
Agni indeed is the desire, the master of the gods,
19.1.15
[and it is] for the pleasing of all the gods.
19.1.14_2
Some perform the animal sacrificial cake belonging to Vaiśvānara for him,
19.1.15_2
for the pleasing of all the gods.
19.1.16
Some perform the animal sacrificial cake belonging to Vaiśvānara for him.
19.1.17
That one indeed is Vaiśvānara, who shines yonder.
19.1.18
They thereby please him alone.
19.1.19
Now, the pot [used] for throwing together [the fires] of many, [and] for collecting, belongs to the single person about to be consecrated.
19.1.20
They arrange the impulses of consecration beforehand.
19.1.21
They should be consecrated one day after the new moon day of Taiṣa,
19.1.22
or of Māgha, they say.
19.1.23
Both [opinions] are expressed.
19.1.24
That of Taiṣa, however, is somewhat more commonly accepted.
19.1.25
They reach this thirteenth intercalary month.
19.1.26
The year is just this much: this thirteenth month.
19.1.27
Thus the whole year is obtained right here.
19.1.28
He indeed fasts on the new moon day of Māgha, being about to turn north.
19.1.29
These [sacrificers] observe the fast,
19.2.1
intending to sacrifice with the introductory Atirātra.
19.2.2
Thus they reach him first.
19.2.3
They commence him with the twenty-fourth day;
19.2.4
that is the nature of the commencement day as a commencement.
19.2.5
He goes north for six months;
19.2.6
they follow him with upward six-day periods.
19.2.7
Having gone north for six months, he stands still, about to turn south.
19.2.8
These [sacrificers] observe the fast, intending to sacrifice with the central day.
19.2.9
Thus they reach him a second time.
19.2.10
He goes south for six months;
19.2.11
they follow him with reversed six-day periods.
19.2.12
Having gone south for six months, he stands still, about to turn north.
19.2.13
These [sacrificers] observe the fast, intending to sacrifice with the Mahāvrata day.
19.2.14
Thus they reach him a third time.
19.2.15
Since they reach him three times—
19.2.16
the year is indeed three-fold arranged—
19.2.17
[it is] for the attainment of the year.
19.2.18
And concerning this, this [verse] is sung:
19.2.19
'Arranging the days and nights like an intelligent weaver,
19.2.20
the Āditya goes south for six months, the sun goes north for six.'
19.2.21
For he goes north for six months,
19.2.22
and south for six.
19.2.23
Now, some perform this consecration iṣṭi with five oblations at the fire-piling.
19.2.24
The sacrifice is indeed fivefold, for the attainment of the sacrifice.
19.2.25
Then some perform this guest-offering iṣṭi with five oblations.
19.2.26
The sacrifice is indeed fivefold, for the attainment of the sacrifice.
19.2.27
Then he recites verses addressing multiple fires.
19.2.28
For they lead forward many fires;
19.2.29
therefore he recites verses addressing multiple fires.
19.2.30
They are four.
19.2.31
Fourfold, indeed, is all this;
19.2.32
[it is] for the attainment of all this.
19.2.33
With the first [repeated] three times and the last three times, they amount to eight.
19.2.34
The Gāyatrī has eight syllables;
19.2.35
Agni belongs to the Gāyatrī, having the Gāyatrī metre.
19.2.36
With his own metre they lead forward the fires.
19.2.37
They are recited in a whisper.
19.2.38
The fire-piling is indeed the emission of seed;
19.2.39
seed is indeed emitted in secret.
19.2.40
They are appropriate [in form].
19.2.41
What is fitting in the sacrifice is successful, for the success of the sacrifice itself.
19.2.42
Then they pile it [the altar] for as many days as they desire.
19.2.43
Then, when it is piled up, they praise it all around with sāmans.
19.3.1
Then they say to the hotṛ, 'Recite the fire recitation.'
19.3.2
Indeed, this one is Rudra among the gods; when piled up, he is unappeased.
19.3.3
It is him they appease in this way.
19.3.4
He offers to clearly defined Vaiśvānara.
19.3.5
For he is clearly defined at that time when they lead forward the fires.
19.3.6
Then, following this, is the ritual of the one-day rite:
19.3.7
the moving forward of the two carts for the oblation, the leading forward of Agni and Soma, the animal for Agni and Soma; the Brāhmaṇa for this has been stated.
19.3.8
Then, following the animal sacrificial cake of the animal for Agni and Soma, they apportion oblations for the Devasūs.
19.3.9
For these deities indeed rule over the pressings [or impulses].
19.3.10
They propitiate them here.
19.3.11
Propitiated, they impel the pressings for them.
19.3.12
Therefore [they are called] Devasūs.
19.3.13
They are indeed eight.
19.3.14
By means of these, the gods attained all attainments.
19.3.15
In the very same way, the sacrificers attain all attainments by means of these.
19.3.16
Here, some apportion oblations for the Sarvapṛṣṭhā.
19.3.17
'The piling of the fire altar is all,' [they say],
19.3.18
'with all may we obtain all.'
19.3.19
These are indeed ten oblations.
19.3.20
The Virāj consists of ten decades.
19.3.21
The Virāj is prosperity and food.
19.3.22
[This is] for obtaining prosperity, the Virāj, and food.
19.3.23
Then they press [the soma] for as many days as they desire.
19.3.24
Then, when the omentum of the anūbandhyā cow is completed, they proceed with the animal for Tvaṣṭṛ.
19.3.25
The animal for Tvaṣṭṛ is indeed the effusion of semen.
19.3.26
They proceed in the shed of the wife.
19.3.27
In the wives indeed semen is effused.
19.3.28
They proceed in a whisper.
19.3.29
The animal for Tvaṣṭṛ is indeed the effusion of semen.
19.3.30
In a whisper indeed semen is effused.
19.3.31
Having carried fire around it, they let it loose; they do not conclude [its slaughter].
19.3.32
The animal for Tvaṣṭṛ is indeed the effusion of semen;
19.3.33
[they think], 'Lest we bring effused semen to a conclusion before its time.'
19.4.1
They say regarding this: 'When he invites these two deities, Tvaṣṭṛ and Vanaspati, where are these two sacrificed to by him?'
19.4.2
He sacrifices to these two deities in the fore-offerings.
19.4.3
It is right there that these two are sacrificed to by him.
19.4.4
Then, following the animal sacrificial cake of the anūbandhyā cow, they apportion oblations for the Devikās.
19.4.5
Exhausted indeed become the metres of him who sacrifices with soma.
19.4.6
The metres are indeed the Devikās.
19.4.7
Since they apportion oblations for the Devikās,
19.4.8
thereby they become unexhausted, having courses anew for him.
19.4.9
Moreover, dried of sap indeed become the metres of him who sacrifices with soma.
19.4.10
The metres are indeed the Devikās.
19.4.11
Since they apportion oblations for the Devikās,
19.4.12
it is for the restoration of sap to the metres.
19.4.13
These are indeed goddesses.
19.4.14
Then he is Ka, Prajāpati.
19.4.15
Therefore [they are called] Devikās.
19.4.16
These are indeed five oblations.
19.4.17
The Paṅkti has five feet.
19.4.18
The sacrifice is of the nature of the Paṅkti, for obtaining the sacrifice itself.
19.4.19
Here, some apportion oblations for the Devīs.
19.4.20
'The piling of the fire altar is all,' [they say],
19.4.21
'with all may we obtain all.'
19.4.22
These are indeed ten oblations.
19.4.23
The Virāj consists of ten decades.
19.4.24
The Virāj is prosperity and food.
19.4.25
for the attainment of prosperity, the virāj, and food.
19.4.26
Here some perform the aveṣṭis of the quarters,
19.4.27
[saying,] 'The piling of the fire altar is everything;
19.4.28
let us obtain everything through everything.'
19.4.29
They are indeed six oblations.
19.4.30
Six indeed are the seasons, [six is] the year;
19.4.31
[it is] for the attainment of the year.
19.4.32
Then, when the udavasānīyā [iṣṭi] is concluded, he should sacrifice with a curd-offering to Mitra and Varuṇa; its Brāhmaṇa has been stated.
19.4.33
One who has piled the fire altar should not engage in sexual intercourse without having sacrificed with this [offering].
19.5.1
The twenty-fourth [day] is the mouth of the year.
19.5.2
Therefore it is an Agniṣṭoma;
19.5.3
for the Agniṣṭoma is the mouth of sacrifices.
19.5.4
They gratify the year right from the mouth.
19.5.5
Some indeed make it an ukthya,
19.5.6
for the completeness of the sacrifice.
19.5.7
Its stoma is the twenty-fourfold [stoma].
19.5.8
Twenty-four indeed are the half-months of the year;
19.5.9
[it is] for the attainment of the year.
19.5.10
It has three hundred and sixty stotriya verses.
19.5.11
Three hundred and sixty indeed are the days of the year;
19.5.12
thereby they obtain the days of the year.
19.5.13
Its pṛṣṭha is the Bṛhat.
19.5.14
This is the second of the days, and the Bṛhat is the second of the pṛṣṭhas;
19.5.15
therefore its pṛṣṭha is the Bṛhat.
19.5.16
Now, where they adopt the twenty-fourfold stoma,
19.5.17
the Mahāvrata is firmly fixed there;
19.5.18
and by its domain, the Bṛhat is the pṛṣṭha of the Mahāvrata;
19.5.19
therefore the Bṛhat alone should be the pṛṣṭha of this day.
19.5.20
Its metrical forms are addressed throughout each year.
19.5.21
The ājya [śastra] is of eight verses, [beginning,] 'The hotṛ was born, the mindful one,' of the measure of the Gāyatrī.
19.5.22
The stoma is indeed of the measure of the Gāyatrī.
19.5.23
That recitation is successful which accords with the stoma.
19.5.24
The prauga [śastra] is that composed by Madhuchandas; it is successful;
19.5.25
after its model other praugas are arranged,
19.5.26
[thinking,] 'May the rite performed by me in the beginning be successful.'
19.5.27
'To thee the chariot, as for help' is the pratipad of the Marutvatīya [śastra];
19.5.28
'This pressed food, O good one' is the anucara.
19.5.29
This is the regular scheme of a one-day sacrifice; its Brāhmaṇa has been stated.
19.6.1
'With what splendour, of like age, sharing the same nest' is the Marutvatīya hymn.
19.6.2
Its ninth [verse] is 'Not to be surpassed for thee, O generous one, indeed no one'.
19.6.3
With it he concludes, having recited the later [verses] earlier;
19.6.4
for they are dedicated to the Maruts,
19.6.5
whereas this [verse] belongs to [Indra] alone;
19.6.6
therefore he concludes with it.
19.6.7
In it there is: 'Equally the Maruts mixed'.
19.6.8
Containing 'sam', that addresses the year.
19.6.9
That is the symbol of this day.
19.6.10
'That indeed was the oldest in the worlds' is the Niṣkevalya [hymn] of Bṛhaddiva.
19.6.11
By means of the Bṛhaddiva [hymn], the hotṛ here sheds seed.
19.6.12
He brings it to birth yonder, by the Mahāvrata day, in the year.
19.6.13
In a year, indeed, seed that has been shed is born.
19.6.14
In it there is: 'They roared together when [the draughts] were offered in their exhilarations'.
19.6.15
Containing 'sam', that addresses the year.
19.6.16
That is the symbol of this day.
19.6.17
'That of Savitṛ we choose' and 'Today for us, god Savitṛ' are the regular pratipad and anucara of the Vaiśvadeva [recitation]; the brāhmaṇa of the two has [already] been stated.
19.6.18
'That great desirable [wealth] of the god Savitṛ' is the hymn to Savitṛ.
19.6.19
In it there is: 'May he bestow upon us wealth rich in offspring'.
19.6.20
Containing 'sam', that addresses the year.
19.6.21
That is the symbol of this day.
19.6.22
'They indeed, Heaven and Earth, beneficent to all' is the hymn to Heaven and Earth.
19.6.23
In it there is: 'Bestow upon us admirable might'.
19.6.24
Containing 'sam', that addresses the year.
19.6.25
That is the symbol of this day.
19.6.26
'Has the eldest, has the youngest not come to us?' is the hymn to the Ṛbhus.
19.6.27
In it there is: 'In the year, this day, speak out!'
19.6.28
That explicitly addresses the year.
19.6.29
That is the symbol of this day.
19.6.30
'The charioteer of your sacrifice, the lord of the clans' is the Vaiśvadeva [hymn] of Śaryāta.
19.6.31
In it there is: 'Indra, Mitra, and Varuṇa have understood together'.
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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