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Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 2

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2.1.1

The Gharma, indeed, is prepared when the Agnihotra is [offered].

2.1.2

Now, that one who shines yonder is indeed the Gharma.

2.1.3

Him he thus gratifies.

2.1.4

He offers both in the evening and in the morning:

2.1.5

to Agni in the evening, to Sūrya in the morning.

2.1.6

The day belongs to Sūrya, the night belongs to Agni.

2.1.7

At the very head he thus gratifies day and night.

2.1.8

He should offer with milk.

2.1.9

Milk is indeed the sap of all plants.

2.1.10

With all saps he thus gratifies the fires.

2.1.11

Moreover, they say that he should offer of [his own] food.

2.1.12

All this is indeed food for Agni.

2.1.13

'With his own food he thus gratifies the fires,' [they say].

2.1.14

Having placed [it] over the Gārhapatya, he should offer in the Āhavanīya.

2.1.15

The Gārhapatya is the cooking [fire];

2.1.16

the Āhavanīya is for the offering.

2.1.17

Therefore, having placed [it] over the Gārhapatya, he should offer in the Āhavanīya.

2.1.18

He separates the embers into two ends.

2.1.19

He thus sets these two worlds apart.

2.1.20

Therefore these two worlds, although together, are as if distinct.

2.1.21

Then, in that he illuminates [the milk] having placed it over [the fire],

2.1.22

he thereby cooks it.

2.1.23

Then, in that he adds water to it,

2.1.24

all oblations indeed become complete through water;

2.1.25

[it is] for the completeness of the oblation.

2.1.26

Then, in that he illuminates [it] again,

2.1.29

for threefold is the rite of the gods.

2.1.30

'Carry [it] without breaking the stream,' [they say];

2.1.31

thus the sacrificer does not fall away.

2.1.32

Then, with the stirring-stick, he touches the embers to the south, [saying,] 'Homage to the gods.'

2.1.33

For the gods do not disregard homage.

2.1.34

He should shove back the embers well shoved back.

2.1.35

Thus not even [a cow] walking at the edge of his [herd] is lost.

2.2.1

He should ladle out four times.

2.2.2

Fourfold is all this;

2.2.3

[it is] to obtain this whole [world].

2.2.4

[Or] he should ladle out five times.

2.2.5

Fivefold is the sacrifice, [it is] to obtain the sacrifice.

2.2.6

The Upasads are to be understood in the Agnihotra.

2.2.7

Having ladled out, he sets it down to the north of the Gārhapatya;

2.2.8

thereby he obtains this world.

2.2.9

When about to offer in the Āhavanīya, [he sets it down] a second time;

2.2.13

he places a kindling-stick of Palāśa [on the fire].

2.2.14

The Palāśa is Soma.

2.2.15

That is the first Soma offering.

2.2.16

It is a span in length.

2.2.17

For these vital breaths above the body are a span in length.

2.2.18

Carrying [the ladle] two finger-breadths beyond the kindling-stick, he pours the offering, as if not breaking [the stream].

2.2.19

For within two finger-breadths food is placed into the mouth.

2.2.20

He should offer into the smoke for one who desires a village;

2.2.21

into the blazing fire for one who desires spiritual lustre;

2.2.22

into the embers for one who desires cattle.

2.2.23

The established rule, however, is: having placed [the stick] upon [the fire].

2.2.24

For in that case all these desires are obtained.

2.2.25

Having offered both oblations, he whispers:

2.2.26

"Whatever blessing belongs to the accomplished sacrifice, may that be accomplished for me."

2.2.27

For whatever blessing belongs to the accomplished sacrifice belongs to the sacrificer.

2.2.28

He should offer oblations that go ever downward [or progressively deeper].

2.2.29

Thereby he attains higher and higher heavenly worlds.

2.2.30

With the bottom of the ladle he touches the embers.

2.2.31

He thereby places the sacrificer in the heavenly world.

2.3.1

Twice he raises the ladle towards the north.

2.3.2

Having pleased Rudra in his own quarter, he lets it down.

2.3.3

Therefore one should not stand to the north of what is being offered,

2.3.4

lest [one think]: "May I not be in the pathway of this whole [mighty] god!"

2.3.5

In the evening he wipes [the ladle] on the north towards the west;

2.3.6

thereby he leads the sun to its setting.

2.3.7

In the morning [he wipes it] on the south upwards;

2.3.8

thereby he leads the sun upward.

2.3.9

What he wipes off first, that he smears on the grass-bundle;

2.3.10

thereby he pleases the plants.

2.3.11

What [he wipes off] the second time, he places with an upturned hand to the south of the grass-bundle;

2.3.12

thereby he pleases the fathers.

2.3.13

Now, that he consumes [some] twice with the forefinger:

2.3.14

with the first he pleases the embryos;

2.3.15

therefore embryos breathe without eating.

2.3.16

[He pleases] the birds with the second;

2.3.17

therefore birds eat a great deal of little bits, as it were, and discharge whitish matter, as it were.

2.3.18

Now, that he consumes with the ladle:

2.3.19

thereby he pleases what has been and what is to be.

2.3.20

Now, that he licks the ladle clean:

2.3.21

thereby he pleases all classes of gods.

2.3.22

Now, that he cleanses the ladle:

2.3.23

thereby he pleases the demon-classes of gods.

2.3.24

Now, that he pours water towards the north-east:

2.3.25

thereby he pleases the Gandharvas and Apsarases.

2.3.26

Now, that he points the ladle towards the north-east:

2.3.27

thereby he places Rudra in his own quarter.

2.3.28

Thus, by means of the Agnihotra, he pleases all beings.

2.4.1

Some indeed say: "One should offer in the Āhavanīya alone."

2.4.2

He should, however, offer in all [three fires].

2.4.3

For these [fires] are established for offering.

2.4.4

Four [oblations] in the Gārhapatya;

2.4.5

four in the Anvāhāryapacana;

2.4.6

two in the Āhavanīya.

2.4.7

They amount to ten.

2.4.8

The Virāj consists of tens.

2.4.9

The Virāj is prosperity and proper food;

2.4.10

[this is] for the attainment of prosperity, the Virāj, and proper food.

2.4.11

He who offers the Agnihotra thus made to conform to the Virāj

2.4.12

attains all desires.

2.4.13

Now, that having offered he attends upon the fires:

2.4.14

having pleased [them], he finally declares his purpose among the gods.

2.4.15

And in that he touches the calf,

2.4.16

therefore it is [the hymn] of Vatsaprī.

2.4.17

Thus indeed the cattle do not wander away from the sacrificer.

2.4.18

Now, when he sips water and releases the vow,

2.4.19

he deposits that vow in the waters alone.

2.4.20

They protect his vow until the next offering.

2.4.21

Moreover, when, being about to set out on a journey and having returned from a journey, he attends upon the fires,

2.4.22

it is indeed a salutation to the deity when there is an appearance [before them].

2.4.23

Moreover, it is to the fires alone that he commits himself,

2.4.24

as well as those who follow him.

2.4.25

Now, when he takes up the fires into the two churning sticks,

2.4.26

the two churning sticks are indeed the divine chariot;

2.4.27

he mounts them onto the divine chariot itself.

2.4.28

By this divine chariot he safely reaches the heavenly world.

2.4.29

And when he churns them out again and again,

2.4.30

by that the re-establishment of the sacred fires is indeed obtained for him.

2.4.31

Whatever pleasures there are in food, in drink, in mating,

2.4.32

they are made continuous, uninterrupted by the night.

2.4.33

Night is their strainer.

2.4.34

And whatever pleasures there are,

2.5.1

they are all born from food alone.

2.5.2

The gods said:

2.5.3

"How now can we receive these pleasures from one like us?"

2.5.4

They pressed out the upward essence of the waters;

2.5.5

that became the plants and trees.

2.5.6

They pressed out the upward essence of the plants and trees;

2.5.7

that became the fruit.

2.5.8

They pressed out the upward essence of the fruit;

2.5.9

that became food.

2.5.10

They pressed out the upward essence of food;

2.5.11

that became semen.

2.5.12

They pressed out the upward essence of semen;

2.5.13

that became the person.

2.5.14

Now, when this person breathes in or breathes out,

2.5.15

he does not say by in-breath or by down-breath: "I have breathed in" or "I have breathed out."

2.5.16

By speech alone he says that.

2.5.17

Therefore in-breath and down-breath enter into speech [and] become composed of speech.

2.5.18

Now, when he sees with the eye,

2.5.19

he does not say with the eye: "I have seen."

2.5.20

By speech alone he says that.

2.5.21

That eye enters into speech [and] becomes composed of speech.

2.5.22

Now, when he hears with the ear,

2.5.23

he does not say with the ear: "I have heard."

2.5.24

By speech alone he says that.

2.5.25

That ear enters into speech [and] becomes composed of speech.

2.5.26

Now, when he intends with the mind,

2.5.27

he does not say with the mind: "I have intended."

2.5.28

By speech alone he says that.

2.5.29

That mind enters into speech [and] becomes composed of speech.

2.5.30

Now, when with his limbs he touches cold or hot,

2.5.31

he does not say with his limbs: "I have touched cold" or "[I have touched] hot."

2.5.32

By speech alone he says that.

2.5.33

Therefore the entire self enters into speech [and] becomes composed of speech.

2.5.34

This is expressed by a verse:

2.5.35

"Without Indra no domain whatsoever purifies itself."

2.5.36

Speech indeed is Indra;

2.5.37

for without speech no domain whatsoever purifies itself.

2.6.1

In the evening he offers with [the formula]: "Agni is light, light is Agni."

2.6.2

Being light, he addresses him as light;

2.6.3

he speaks truth.

2.6.4

This self of his, composed of speech, becomes composed of truth;

2.6.5

and the gods are composed of truth.

2.6.6

Then he offers [with the word]: "Svāhā."

2.6.7

The gods accept this offering of his, offered with truth.

2.6.8

And at the head of the night he speaks truth.

2.6.9

Even if after that he speaks falsely,

2.6.10

what has been uttered by him is indeed truth;

2.6.11

for at the head of the night he speaks truth.

2.6.12

Then in the morning he offers: "Sūrya is light, light is Sūrya."

2.6.13

Being light, he addresses it as light.

2.6.14

He speaks truth.

2.6.15

This self of his, consisting of speech, becomes composed of truth;

2.6.16

and the gods are composed of truth.

2.6.17

Then he offers [with the word]: "Svāhā."

2.6.18

The gods accept this offering of his, offered with truth.

2.6.19

And at the head of the day he speaks truth.

2.6.20

Even if after that he speaks falsely,

2.6.21

what has been uttered by him is indeed truth;

2.6.22

for at the head of the day he speaks truth.

2.6.23

This Agni indeed, when rising, offers himself into Āditya.

2.6.24

Yonder Āditya, setting in the evening, offers himself into Agni.

2.7.1

Night offers itself into day, day into night.

2.7.2

Prāṇa offers itself into apāna, apāna into prāṇa.

2.7.3

These six indeed offer themselves into one another.

2.7.4

He who knows these six that offer themselves,

2.7.5

even if he does not offer, his Agnihotra is offered;

2.7.6

and if he offers, it is offered twice for him who knows thus.

2.7.7

Even if one knowing thus offers the Agnihotra from a distance,

2.7.8

these gods indeed accept his two oblations.

2.7.9

And from whomever the gods eat even once,

2.7.10

from that very moment he is immortal.

2.7.11

He becomes composed of truth and composed of immortality, who knows thus.

2.7.12

Just as the offering of one who has faith, speaks truth, and practices austerity is truly offered,

2.7.13

so indeed is it offered for him,

2.7.14

who offers the Agnihotra knowing thus.

2.7.15

Therefore one who knows thus should offer the Agnihotra.

2.7.16

They deliberate: "Should the offering be made after sunrise or before sunrise?"

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