Now, that there are seventeen kindling verses, that the two butter portions contain the word 'sad', and that the two samyājyā offering verses are in the Virāj metre—the brāhmaṇa explanation of that has been stated.

5.1.20

Now, that there are nine fore-offerings, nine after-offerings, eight oblations, and the vājina draught as the ninth:

5.1.21

thereby one obtains the sidereal Virāj.

5.2.1

Now, as to why he offers to Agni and Soma first among the deities:

5.2.2

these two deities belong indeed to the New and Full Moon sacrifices.

5.2.3

Therefore he sacrifices to the two first.

5.2.4

Now, as to why he sacrifices to Savitṛ:

5.2.5

Savitṛ indeed rules over impulses;

5.2.6

[it is] for being impelled by Savitṛ.

5.2.7

Now, as to why he sacrifices to Sarasvatī:

5.2.8

speech indeed is Sarasvatī;

5.2.9

he thereby gratifies speech itself.

5.2.10

Now, as to why he sacrifices to Pūṣan:

5.2.11

yonder Pūṣan is indeed he who burns yonder;

5.2.12

he thereby gratifies him.

5.2.13

Now, as to why he sacrifices to the Maruts who are self-strong:

5.2.14

dreadful indeed are the Maruts who are self-strong;

5.2.15

he thereby brings about healing.

5.2.16

Now, as to why there is a curds offering to the Viśve Devas:

5.2.17

all gods are indeed these, that is the Viśve Devas;

5.2.18

[it is] for the gratification of all the gods.

5.2.19

Now, as to why there is a cake on one potsherd for Dyāvāpṛthivī:

5.2.20

heaven and earth are indeed two firm foundations; [it is] for firm standing.

5.2.21

Now, as to why he gives a first-born cow [as dakṣiṇā]:

5.2.22

for this is the first rite.

5.2.23

Now, as to why he sacrifices to the Vājins, who are uninvited, either before or after the Śaṃyuvāka recitation:

5.2.24

the Vājins are indeed the horses of the gods;

5.2.25

he thereby gratifies them.

5.2.26

Here the gods become gratified along with their horses.

5.2.27

Moreover, the seasons are indeed the Vājins;

5.2.28

he thereby gratifies the seasons.

5.2.29

Now, as to why he sacrifices afterwards with the full moon rite:

5.2.30

thus in his case the sacrifice has been performed with the Vaiśvadeva in the first fortnight.

5.3.1

By means of the Vaiśvadeva, Prajāpati created creatures.

5.3.2

Having been created, [yet] not having brought forth offspring, they ate the barley of Varuṇa.

5.3.3

Varuṇa bound them with Varuṇa's nooses.

5.3.4

Those creatures approached their father Prajāpati and ran up to him [saying]:

5.3.5

"Devise that sacrificial rite by sacrificing with which we may be completely freed from Varuṇa's nooses and from all evil."

5.3.6

Then Prajāpati saw this sacrificial rite, the Varuṇapraghāsa.

5.3.7

He brought it, he sacrificed with it.

5.3.8

Having sacrificed with it, he gratified Varuṇa.

5.3.9

He, being gratified, released the creatures from Varuṇa's nooses and from all evil.

5.3.10

The offspring of him who knows thus are indeed completely released from Varuṇa's nooses and from all evil.

5.4.1

Now, as to why they carry forward the fire:

5.4.2

that which they churn in the Vaiśvadeva,

5.4.3

that very one they carry forward.

5.4.4

Now, that it is churned—the brāhmaṇa explanation of that has been stated.

5.4.5

5.4.6

Now, in that there are nine fore-offerings, nine after-offerings, [and] these nine oblations,

5.4.7

thereby he attains the nakṣatra Virāj.

5.4.8

The five recurring oblations ending with that to Pūṣan are common, belonging to the Vaiśvadeva.

5.4.9

The Brāhmaṇa for them has [already] been stated.

5.4.10

Now, as to why [there is] a cake on twelve potsherds for Indra and Agni:

5.4.11

Indra and Agni are indeed a support; [it is] just for support.

5.5.1

Moreover, Indra stands in the middle.

5.5.2

Therefore he sacrifices to him in the middle.

5.5.3

Now, as to why [there is] curdled milk for Varuṇa:

5.5.4

Varuṇa is indeed Indra.

5.5.5

And he is one whose food is milk.

5.5.6

Therefore [there is] curdled milk for Varuṇa.

5.5.7

Now, as to why [there is] curdled milk for the Maruts:

5.5.8

The Maruts are resting in the waters.

5.5.9

Therefore he sacrifices to them with curdled milk.

5.5.10

For milk is waters.

5.5.11

Moreover, the Maruts belong to Indra.

5.5.12

Milk belongs to Indra.

5.5.13

Therefore [there is] curdled milk for the Maruts.

5.5.14

Now, as to why [there is a cake] on one potsherd for Ka:

5.5.15

Ka is Prajāpati.

5.5.16

He thereby gratifies him.

5.5.17

Moreover, 'kam' is a name for happiness.

5.5.18

He thereby places happiness in himself.

5.5.19

Now, in that he gives a pair of cattle [as dakṣiṇā],

5.5.20

that is a form of procreation.

5.5.21

Now, as to why he sacrifices to the Vājins:

5.5.22

The Brāhmaṇa for them has [already] been stated.

5.5.23

Now, as to why he sacrifices to Varuṇa in water:

5.5.24

He thereby gratifies him in his own abode.

5.5.25

Now, in that he sacrifices afterwards with the full moon sacrifice,

5.5.26

thus indeed his sacrificing with the Varuṇapraghāsa rites takes place in the bright fortnight.

5.6.1

This sacrificial rite, namely the Sākamedha, belongs to Indra.

5.6.2

Just as a great king, having deployed arrays of his army in front, would follow a path free of danger,

5.6.3

even so he sacrifices to the deities beforehand.

5.6.4

Just as the Mahāvrata is [the chief rite] of the Soma [sacrifice],

5.6.5

even so this is the Mahāvrata of the iṣṭis.

5.6.6

Now, as to why he sacrifices to Agni Anīkavant first among the deities:

5.6.7

Agni is the mouth of the gods.

5.6.8

He thereby gratifies the gods from the mouth [first].

5.6.9

Now, in that he sacrifices at midday to the Maruts Sāṃtapana,

5.6.10

indeed, at midday it burns intensely.

5.6.11

Therefore he sacrifices at midday to the Maruts Sāṃtapana.

5.6.12

Moreover, the Maruts belong to Indra.

5.6.13

Midday belongs to Indra.

5.6.14

Therefore he sacrifices at midday to the Maruts Sāṃtapana.

5.6.15

Now, in that they perform the Gṛhamedhīya in the evening:

5.6.16

This Gṛhamedhīya is an act of nourishment.

5.6.17

Evening is nourishment.

5.6.18

Therefore the two butter portions contain [words denoting] nourishment.

5.6.19

Thereby he causes the sacrificer to prosper.

5.6.20

Now, in that they perform with a full ladle in the morning,

5.6.21

he thereby connects the morning rite with the rite of the previous day.

5.7.1

Now, in that he sacrifices to the sporting Maruts (Krīḍin):

5.7.2

The sporting Maruts belong to Indra.

5.7.3

Therefore he sacrifices to them connected with Indra.

5.7.4

Now, in that he sacrifices to Mahendra at the end:

5.7.5

The eminent one partakes of the end.

5.7.6

Therefore he sacrifices to him at the end.

5.7.7

Now, as to why they lead forward the fire and why it is churned, the Brāhmaṇa for that has [already] been stated.

5.7.8

Now, as to the fact that there are seventeen kindling verses, that the two butter portions contain [the word] "sat", and that the two samyājyā offering verses are Virājs, the explanation for this has already been stated.

5.7.9

Now, as to the fact that there are nine fore-offerings, nine after-offerings, eight oblations, and [the oblation to Agni] Sviṣṭakṛt as the ninth,

5.7.10

thereby he obtains the stellar Virāj.

5.7.11

There are six common shifting oblations ending with [the one to] Indra and Agni, belonging to the Varuṇapraghāsa rites.

5.7.12

The explanation for them has already been stated.

5.7.13

Now, as to the fact that he sacrifices to Mahendra, the explanation for this has already been stated.

5.7.14

Now, as to the fact that there is a one-pot cake for Viśvakarman:

5.7.15

he who burns yonder is indeed Viśvakarman.

5.7.16

It is him he thus pleases.

5.7.17

Now, as to the fact that he gives a bull [as sacrificial fee]:

5.7.18

the sacrificial rite belongs to Indra.

5.8.1

Now, as to the fact that they perform the Pitṛyajña in the afternoon:

5.8.2

the fathers have a share in the waning [part of the day].

5.8.3

Therefore they perform the Pitṛyajña in the afternoon.

5.8.4

Regarding this they say: "Since the fathers have a share in the dark fortnight, why then do they sacrifice to them in the bright fortnight?"

5.8.5

These fathers are divine.

5.8.6

Therefore they sacrifice to them in the bright fortnight.

5.8.7

Now, as to the fact that he recites one kindling verse:

5.8.8

the fathers are, as it were, once [for all].

5.8.9

Therefore he recites one kindling verse.

5.8.10

It is an Anuṣṭubh.

5.8.11

Speech is an Anuṣṭubh.

5.8.12

And the fathers have turned away.

5.8.13

It is them that he causes to come by means of speech, the Anuṣṭubh.

5.8.14

Now, as to the fact that he does not recite the ancestral lineage of the sacrificer:

5.8.15

[he does so thinking:] "Lest I should set apart the sacrificer [from the living]."

5.8.16

Now, he recites this ritual formula; the explanation for it has already been stated.

5.8.17

Now, as to the fact that he invokes [with]: "Soma accompanied by the fathers", or "the fathers accompanied by Soma", "the fathers seated on the sacred grass", "the fathers consumed by Agni":

5.8.18

these fathers are divine.

5.8.19

Therefore he invokes them.

5.8.20

Now, as to the fact that he invokes Agni Kavyavāhana:

5.8.21

the fathers have this [deity] for their Sviṣṭakṛt.

5.8.22

Therefore he invokes him.

5.8.23

Some indeed do not invoke "his own greatness", saying: "This greatness belongs to the sacrificer."

5.8.24

However, it is established that he should invoke [it].

5.8.25

For this greatness belongs to Agni.

5.8.26

Now, as to the fact that he leaves out the two [verses] containing the word "sacred grass" from the fore-offerings and after-offerings:

5.8.27

offspring is the sacred grass.

5.8.28

[He does so thinking:] "Lest I should exclude offspring thereby."

5.8.29

They are indeed six.

5.8.30

There are six seasons.

5.8.31

The seasons are the fathers.

5.8.32

It is the fathers he thus pleases.

5.8.33

Now, as to the fact that the two butter portions contain [the word] "living":

5.8.34

it is the sacrificer that he thus causes to live.

5.8.35

Now, as to the fact that there are three [verses] for each oblation:

5.8.36

there are three oblations.

5.8.37

He cuts off [portions] from them.

5.8.38

Therefore there are three [verses] for each oblation.

5.8.39

Moreover, he thereby separates the rite for the fathers from the rite for the gods.

5.8.40

Moreover, the fathers have gone to the furthest distance.

5.8.41

He invokes them with the first [verse].

5.8.42

With the second, he causes them to come.

5.8.43

With the third, he presents [the oblation to them].

5.9.1

Now, as to the fact that he sacrifices to Agni Kavyavāhana at the end:

5.9.2

the fathers have this [deity] for their Sviṣṭakṛt.

5.9.3

Therefore he sacrifices to him at the end.

5.9.4

Now, as to the fact that he touches water, the explanation for this has already been stated.

5.9.5

Now, as to the fact that after invoking and smelling the Iḍā, they do not eat of it:

5.9.6

the Iḍā is cattle.

5.9.7

[thinking], 'Lest I cut off the sacrificer's cattle.'

5.9.8

Now, as to why the adhvaryu gives to the fathers:

5.9.9

he thereby pleases the fathers.

5.9.10

Now, as to why they cleanse themselves with a strainer, the brāhmaṇa explanation of that has been stated.

5.9.11

Now, as to why they mutter a verse, they thereby perform a rite of auspiciousness.

5.9.12

Now, as to why, having gone towards the north, they revere the Gārhapatya and Āhavanīya [fires]:

5.9.13

having pleased [the fathers], they then state their wish among the gods at the end.

5.9.14

Moreover, the sacrifice to the fathers indeed concludes in the south.

5.9.15

They thereby make it conclude in the north.

5.9.16

Now, as to why, having stepped out towards the east, they revere the sun:

5.9.17

the sun is indeed the world of the gods;

5.9.18

the fathers are the world of the fathers.

5.9.19

They thereby step up to the world of the gods from the world of the fathers.

5.9.20

Now, as to why he does not utter the name of the sacrificer in the sūktavāka:

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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

Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 5

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