Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 22
English (machine translation) 22
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Contents
22.1.1
The first day is this world in its abode;
22.1.2
Agni [is its deity], the Gāyatrī [its metre], the Trivṛt its stoma, the Rathantara its sāman.
22.1.3
This, then, is its underlying basis.
22.1.4
These are its metrical forms:
22.1.5
the future participle in the first quarter [of the verse], the word 'sat', [the word] 'evam',
22.1.6
What will be, that will act.
What will be, that will act.
22.1.7
[a verse] containing 'ā', containing 'pra', containing 'iṣ', containing 'ṛṣ', containing 'adya', containing 'yukta', containing 'yuñjāna', and containing 'jyotis'.
22.1.8
'Upaprayanto adhvaram' is the ājya recitation, containing 'pra'.
22.1.9
For [a verse] containing 'pra' is the characteristic mark of the first day.
22.1.10
It is in the Gāyatrī, for this three-day period has a morning pressing in the Gāyatrī.
22.1.11
So much for the separated [order of days].
22.1.12
Having removed this, [he recites] 'Pra vo devāya agnaye' in the non-separated [order]; its explanation has been stated.
22.1.13
The prauga recitation belongs to Madhuchandas; its explanation has been stated.
22.1.14
'Ā yātv indro avasa upa naḥ' is the marutvatīya recitation, containing 'ā'.
22.1.15
For [a verse] containing 'ā' is the characteristic mark of the first day.
22.1.16
In 'svarṇarād avase no marutvān', that very [word] is the subtle mention of the Maruts in it.
22.1.17
'Ā na indro dūrād ā na āsāt' is the niṣkevalya recitation, containing 'ā'.
22.1.18
For [a verse] containing 'ā' is the characteristic mark of the first day.
22.1.19
The niṣkevalya and marutvatīya recitations are the two Sampātas on the first day.
22.1.20
By means of the Sampātas indeed the gods flew up to the heavenly world.
22.1.21
Therefore these two, which lead to heaven, are recited first here.
22.1.22
As to why the niṣkevalya and marutvatīya recitations are the two Sampātas on the first day,
22.1.23
it is for the attainment of the heavenly world.
22.2.1
'Yuñjate mana uta yuñjate dhiyaḥ', 'Pra dyāvā yajñaiḥ pṛthivī ṛtāvṛdhā', and 'Iheha vo manasā bandhutā naraḥ' are the ārbhava recitation.
22.2.2
With it he restrains [the sacrifice].
22.2.3
For hymns containing 'yukta' and containing 'pra' are recited on the first day.
22.2.4
As to why he uses 'Iheha vaḥ' as the ārbhava hymn:
22.2.5
it is a mark for restraint, for not falling away.
22.2.6
'Hayo na vidvān ayuji svayaṃ dhuri' is the vaiśvadeva recitation, containing 'yukta'.
22.2.7
For [a verse] containing 'yukta' is the characteristic mark of the first day.
22.2.8
He leaves out its last two verses [thinking]:
22.2.9
'Will not these two, having been determined, be recited in the Agnimāruta recitation?'
22.2.10
On this point Kauṣītaki used to say:
22.2.11
'He should indeed recite them, so that the hymn is not broken up.'
22.2.12
A verse does not lose its ritual potency by recitation,
22.2.13
nor by repetitive recitation;
22.2.14
it is by the vaṣaṭ-call indeed that it loses its ritual potency on the same day.
22.2.15
'Vaiśvānarāya pṛthupājase vipaḥ' is the vaiśvānara hymn.
22.2.16
In it occurs 'tasmint sumnāni yajamāna ā cake', containing 'ā'.
22.2.17
For [a verse] containing 'ā' is the characteristic mark of the first day.
22.2.18
'Pra śardhāya mārutāya svabhānave' is the māruta hymn, containing 'pra'.
22.2.19
For [a verse] containing 'pra' is the characteristic mark of the first day.
22.2.20
'Pra tavyasīṃ navyasīṃ dhītim agnaye' is the hymn to Jātavedas, containing 'pra'.
22.2.21
For [a verse] containing 'pra' is the characteristic mark of the first day.
22.2.22
By the first day they obtain this world,
22.2.23
the Gāyatrī among metres, the Trivṛt among stomas, the Rathantara among sāmans,
22.2.24
the eastern quarter, spring among seasons,
22.2.25
the Vasu gods, and Agni the overlord born of the gods.
22.3.1
The second day is the world of the atmosphere in its abode.
22.3.2
Indra, the Triṣṭubh, the fifteenfold stoma,
22.3.3
that is its primary basis.
22.3.4
These are its metrical characteristics:
22.3.5
an active participle (kurvan), [a characteristic] in the middle verse-quarter, accompanied by "eva" (sadevam);
22.3.6
what is directly perceptible, grasping forward, that is "acting" (kurvat);
22.3.7
containing "slain" (hatavat), containing "vajra" (vajravat), containing "Vṛtra-slayer" (vṛtrahavat), containing "bull" (vṛṣaṇvat), containing "up" (udvat), containing "vi-" (vivat), containing "stood" (sthitam), [and] "in the body" (tanvām).
22.3.8
"Agni as messenger we choose" is the ājya [recitation].
22.3.9
"The hotṛ of all-wealth" contains "vi-" (vivat); its brāhmaṇa explanation has been told.
22.3.10
It is in Gāyatrī, for this three-day period has a Gāyatrī morning pressing.
22.3.11
This is in the shifted (vyūḍha) [order].
22.3.12
Removing this, [the hymn] "For you [have attained] fame like Kṣetravat" is in the continuous (samūḍha) [order]; its brāhmaṇa explanation has been told.
22.3.13
The prauga [recitation] belongs to Gṛtsamada; its brāhmaṇa explanation has been told.
22.3.16
That is the characteristic feature of this day.
22.3.17
"Whatever aid of yours is lowest, whatever highest" is the niṣkevalya [recitation].
22.3.18
"With those very [aids] help us in the slaying of Vṛtra" contains the word "Vṛtra-slaying" (vṛtrahavat).
22.3.19
That is the characteristic feature of this day.
22.3.20
"Everyone [longs for the grace] of the god who leads" and "Unto the all-god, the lord of the good" are the stotriya and anurūpa; their brāhmaṇa explanation has been told.
22.4.1
"That great desirable [grace] of divine Savitṛ" is [the hymn] to Savitṛ.
22.4.2
"Three times through the intermediate space Savitṛ by his greatness"—
22.4.3
that directly addresses the intermediate space.
22.4.4
That is the characteristic feature of this day.
22.4.5
"[These two] indeed, Heaven and Earth, bringing well-being to all" is [the hymn] to Heaven and Earth, containing "vi-" (vivat); its brāhmaṇa explanation has been told.
22.4.6
"Fashioning a well-rolling chariot skillfully by work" is [the hymn] to the Ṛbhus.
22.4.7
"Fashioning the two bay steeds bearing Indra, possessing bulls' treasures" contains "bull" (vṛṣaṇvat); its brāhmaṇa explanation has been told.
22.4.8
"The charioteer of your sacrifice, the clan-lord of the clans" is the Śāryāta [hymn] to All the Gods.
22.4.9
"The bull, the banner, worthy of sacrifice, rested upon heaven" contains "bull" (vṛṣaṇvat); its brāhmaṇa explanation has been told.
22.4.10
"Of the spotted bull" and "For the virile host" contain "bull" (vṛṣaṇvatī); the brāhmaṇa explanation of these two has been told.
22.4.11
"Never indeed does the immortal hotṛ beat down" is [the hymn] to Jātavedas.
22.4.12
"When the hotṛ became the messenger of Vivasvat" contains "vi-" (vivat); its brāhmaṇa explanation has been told.
22.4.13
Its final verse is: "In the morning may he come quickly, rich in treasures of thought."
22.4.14
It directly addresses the further day.
22.4.15
"They abide grasping hold of the further day," Kauṣītaki used to say.
22.4.16
They obtain the world of the intermediate space by means of the second day,
22.4.17
the Triṣṭubh metre, the fifteenfold stoma, the Bṛhat sāman,
22.4.18
the southern direction, the summer among the seasons,
22.4.19
the Rudras among the gods, the god-born, [and] Indra as overlord.
22.5.1
The third day is yonder world indeed by its abode;
22.5.2
Varuṇa, the Jagatī, the seventeenfold stoma, the Vairūpa sāman—
22.5.3
that is its primary basis.
22.5.4
These are its metrical characteristics:
22.5.5
a perfect participle (cakṛvat), in the final verse-quarter, accompanied by "eva" (sad-evam);
22.5.6
what refers to the past, that is "having done" (cakṛvat);
22.5.7
containing "horse" (aśvāvat), containing "cow" (gomat), containing "chariot" (rathavat), containing "gone" (gatavat), containing "stood" (sthitavat), containing an end (antavat), having a concluding refrain (sodarka), unexpressed (anirukta), [and] having an introductory formula (saprabhṛti).
22.5.8
"Yoke, indeed, the most invoking of the gods" is the Ājya recitation.
22.5.9
As to this they say: "Since the third day is an end, then why is the Ājya recitation containing the word 'yoked'?"
22.5.10
"By means of this day, indeed, the gods went to the heavenly world.
22.5.11
Yoked, indeed, they then went.
22.5.12
For that reason," he should say.
22.5.13
"The horses, O Agni, like charioteers" contains the word 'chariot'.
22.5.14
That is the symbol of this day.
22.5.15
It is in Gāyatrī verses, for this three-day period has its morning pressing in Gāyatrī verses.
22.5.16
Thus it is in the shifted order.
22.5.17
Leaving this out, [he uses] "You, O Agni, the Vasus here" in the regular order; the explanation of it has been stated.
22.5.18
The Prauga recitation is in Uṣṇih verses, composed by Atri.
22.5.19
The third day is connected with the Jagatī metre.
22.5.20
As to why the Prauga recitation of the third day is in Uṣṇih verses and composed by Atri,
22.5.21
thereby the Jagatī metre shares in the morning pressing.
22.5.22
"Threefold Aryaman, human, godhead" is the Marutvatīya hymn.
22.5.23
"Threefold"—that is the symbol of the third day.
22.5.24
"If to you, O Indra, twice one hundred" is the stotriya of the Vairūpa [sāman].
22.5.25
"And one hundred earths should be" contains dance.
22.5.26
The third day is an end.
22.5.32
For having reached an end, one dances down, as it were.
22.5.33
For where could he go from there?
22.5.34
"Indra, threefold refuge" is a pragātha containing the word 'three'.
22.5.35
"Threefold"—that is the symbol of the third day.
22.5.36
"I have become the first master of wealth" is the hymn to Indra.
22.5.37
"I, I"—it has a repeated initial expression.
22.5.38
Just as that which has a refrain, even so that which has a repeated initial expression is a symbol of the end, belonging to the Jagatī.
22.5.39
The third day is indeed connected with the Jagatī.
22.5.40
Thus he makes it prosper with its own metre.
22.5.41
In this [hymn] in the Triṣṭubh metre, "Who, as soon as born, the first thoughtful one", he inserts the nivid.
22.5.42
That is this hymn to Indra's body.
22.5.43
Inserting the nivid in this hymn, Gṛtsamada Bābhrava reached Indra's dear abode.
22.5.44
He indeed reaches Indra's dear abode and wins the highest world who inserts the nivid in this hymn.
22.5.45
Its symbol of the end is just this: that it refers to past events—"Who made the Dāsa color lowest in concealment"—
22.5.46
in that this is, as it were, past.
22.5.47
It has a refrain; that is the second symbol of the end.
22.6.1
"Towards you, divine Savitṛ" is the follow-up verse containing the word 'towards'.
22.6.2
It is just for the variety of the pṛṣṭha stotras.
22.6.3
As to this they say: "Since the third day is an end, then why is the follow-up verse containing the word 'towards'?"
22.6.4
"By means of this day, indeed, the gods went to the heavenly world.
22.6.5
Striving towards it, indeed, they then went.
22.6.6
For that reason," he should say.
22.6.7
"High indeed that god Savitṛ with golden" [and] "Rich in ghee, for the beauty of beings" contain the word 'ghee'; the explanation of the two has been stated.
22.6.8
"Without a horse, unborn, without reins, worthy of praise" is [the hymn] to the Ṛbhus.
22.6.9
"The three-wheeled chariot traverses the space" [is read].
22.6.10
"Three-wheeled"—that is the symbol of the third day.
22.6.11
"Those from afar who maintained alliance" is the Vaiśvadeva hymn.
22.6.18
Some [verses] have refrains at the half-verse.
22.6.19
Now this one has a refrain at the third quarter.
22.6.20
That is the symbol of the third day.
22.6.21
"To Vaiśvānara, our devotion, who increases truth" is the hymn to Vaiśvānara.
22.6.22
"Ghee like purified to the front runner of people we offer" contains the word 'ghee'; its explanation has been stated.
22.6.23
"Best at pouring streams, the Maruts, bold in might" is the hymn to the Maruts.
22.6.24
"Best at pouring streams" contains dance.
22.6.25
The third day is an end.
22.6.26
For having reached an end, one dances down, as it were.
22.6.27
For where could he go from there?
22.6.28
"You, O Agni, were the first seer Aṅgiras" is the hymn to Jātavedas.
22.6.29
"You, you"—it has a repeated initial expression.
22.6.30
Just as that which has a refrain, even so that which has a repeated initial expression is a symbol of the end.
22.6.31
By the third day they attain that yonder world.
22.6.32
[They obtain] the Jagatī metre, the seventeenfold stoma, and the Vairūpa sāman;
22.6.33
the western direction, and the rainy season among seasons;
22.6.34
the Ādityas among the gods, the god-born;
22.6.35
Varuṇa the overlord, Varuṇa the overlord.
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