Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 7
English (machine translation) 7
- Language
- English
Contents
- 7.1 — 12 parts
- 7.2 — 24 parts
- 7.3 — 26 parts
- 7.4 — 16 parts
- 7.5 — 16 parts
- 7.6 — 37 parts
- 7.7 — 40 parts
- 7.8 — 21 parts
- 7.9 — 19 parts
- 7.10 — 17 parts
- 7.11 — 16 parts
- 7.12 — 43 parts
7.1.1
Speech is the consecration (dīkṣā);
7.1.2
for through speech one consecrates oneself.
7.1.3
The breath is the consecrated one (dīkṣita).
7.1.4
By speech as consecration, by breath as the consecrated one, the gods grasped all desires on both sides and placed them in themselves.
7.1.5
In the very same way, the sacrificer, by speech consecrating, by breath consecrated, grasps all desires on both sides and places them in himself.
7.1.6
He offers an eleven-potsherd sacrificial cake to Agni and Viṣṇu.
7.1.7
Agni is the lowest of the gods; Viṣṇu is the highest.
7.1.8
Therefore, whoever is the lowest of the gods and whoever is the highest—
7.1.9
by these two he encompasses all deities and attains companionship in their world.
7.1.10
Therefore, having consecrated oneself beforehand, one may press Soma at will [even if another presses];
7.1.11
for the deities of him who is first have been grasped.
7.1.12
He consecrates himself with bodiless consecrations of breath.
7.2.1
The fore-offerings are the out-breaths; the after-offerings are the in-breaths.
7.2.2
When they perform the fore-offerings and after-offerings,
7.2.3
thereby out-breath and in-breath are consecrated.
7.2.4
When [they perform] with the oblation, that is the body.
7.2.5
Thus, with the body being consecrated, he obtains all desires;
7.2.6
with out-breath and in-breath being consecrated, [he obtains] companionship in the world and union with all deities.
7.2.7
He recites fifteen kindling verses.
7.2.8
The kindling verses are a thunderbolt;
7.2.9
the fifteenfold is indeed a thunderbolt.
7.2.10
The two butter portions are Vṛtra-slaying;
7.2.11
a thunderbolt are the two Vṛtra-slaying butter portions.
7.2.12
The offering verse and invitatory verse of the oblation are in the Triṣṭubh metre;
7.2.13
the Triṣṭubh is a thunderbolt.
7.2.14
With this three-fold perfected thunderbolt, the gods drove away the asuras from these worlds.
7.2.15
In the very same way, the sacrificer, with this three-fold perfected thunderbolt, drives away his hateful rivals from these worlds.
7.2.16
A thunderbolt are the two Vṛtra-slaying butter portions—they have been explained.
7.2.17
Now next are the offering verse and invitatory verse for the oblation:
7.2.18
'May your tongue approach the ghee'—[this verse] contains [the prefix] ā;
7.2.19
that is the characteristic mark of an invitatory verse.
7.2.20
'May your tongue rise up toward the ghee'—[this verse] contains [the prefix] ud;
7.2.21
that is the characteristic mark of an offering verse.
7.2.22
The two samyājyā offering verses are in the Triṣṭubh metre.
7.2.23
The Triṣṭubh is indeed power and valor;
7.2.24
he thereby bestows power and valor upon the sacrificer.
7.3.1
In the Iḍā and in the Sūktavāka he says: 'To the completion of the ritual chant (āgura udṛcam).'
7.3.2
'When the sacrificial cake for Agni and Viṣṇu is offered,
7.3.3
at that point he is consecrated,' so he used to say.
7.3.4
Therefore he should simply say: 'To the completion of the ritual chant (āgura udṛcam).'
7.3.5
Just as [the hotṛ] does not mention the name of the consecrated sacrificer in the sūktavāka,
7.3.6
for he who is consecrated is indeed an embryo of the gods;
7.3.7
and they do not give a name to an unborn embryo;
7.3.8
therefore he does not mention his name.
7.3.9
He does not make the wife recite over the veda; he does not strew [it] thus.
7.3.10
For here the sacrifice is, as it were, uncompleted, because it is a Soma sacrifice;
7.3.11
[he does so] lest he bring the Soma sacrifice to completion before its proper time.
7.3.12
Regarding this they say: 'Why do they not eat the food of a consecrated person?'
7.3.13
He becomes an oblation when he undergoes consecration.
7.3.14
It is just as if one were to eat of an oblation from which the portions have not been cut off.
7.3.15
At will one may eat when it has been pressed.
7.3.16
For it is just as if one were to eat of an oblation that has passed its sacrificial moment.
7.3.17
Regarding this they say: 'Why do others not utter the name of a consecrated person?'
7.3.18
In undergoing consecration, he is consecrated towards Agni as himself.
7.3.19
As to why others do not utter his name,
7.3.20
[it is] lest they come too near to Agni.
7.3.21
And as to why he does not utter the name of another,
7.3.22
[it is] lest, having become Agni, he burn him.
7.3.23
Whomever he hates,
7.3.24
his name he should indeed swallow, being consecrated;
7.3.25
then, having become Agni, he burns him.
7.3.26
Now whomever he favors,
7.4.1
his name he should utter with discerning speech;
7.4.2
that is the expiation in this case.
7.4.3
The eye is indeed discerning,
7.4.4
for through the eye one sees distinctly.
7.4.5
There is only one sacred utterance, the speech of the consecrated: truth alone.
7.4.6
He who speaks truth,
7.4.7
he is the consecrated one—thus indeed he used to say.
7.4.8
Regarding this they say: 'Why does the consecrated person not offer the agnihotra?'
7.4.9
The Asuras offered within themselves, when [the fire] had blown out, without fire;
7.4.10
they were defeated, offering without fire.
7.4.11
Then the gods placed this very breath as Agni within.
7.4.12
Thus, that fast-milk is given in the evening and morning,
7.4.13
this is indeed his agnihotra that he offers in this breath as Agni, continuous and uninterrupted.
7.4.14
This is the continuity of the agnihotra during the consecrations.
7.4.15
They proceed with the upasad days.
7.4.16
What doubt is there concerning the pressing day?
7.5.1
Now then, the consecration of Keśin.
7.5.2
Keśī Dārbhya, having consecrated himself, sat down.
7.5.3
A golden bird flew to him and said:
7.5.4
'You are unconsecrated. I know the consecration; let me tell it to you.'
7.5.5
'I have sacrificed once; I fear the exhaustion of that [sacrifice].'
7.5.6
'Do you know the imperishability of what has been sacrificed once? Tell it to me.'
7.5.7
He said: 'So be it.'
7.5.8
The two conversed.
7.5.9
He was indeed that [person]:
7.5.10
either Ula Vārṣṇavṛddha, or Iṭaṅga Kāvya, or Śikhaṇḍin Yājñasena.
7.5.11
Whichever of these he was, that he was.
7.5.12
He said:
7.5.13
'The bodies indeed undergo consecration through this iṣṭi.
7.5.14
Whatever these deities in the person are,
7.5.15
he whose deities these undergo consecration,
7.5.16
he is the consecrated one'—thus indeed he used to say.
7.6.1
When the adhvaryu offers the audgrabhaṇa offerings,
7.6.2
the sacrificer should offer five accompanying oblations:
7.6.3
'May my mind be consecrated through the mind, svāhā'—as the first;
7.6.4
'May my speech be consecrated through speech, svāhā'—as the second;
7.6.5
'May my breath be consecrated through the breath, svāhā'—as the third.
7.6.6
He places breath in the middle.
7.6.7
for this breath is in the middle.
7.6.8
"May my sight be consecrated with sight, svāhā!" [with this] fourth [offering].
7.6.9
"May my hearing be consecrated with hearing, svāhā!" [with this] fifth [offering].
7.6.10
Now, Kauṣītaki used to say:
7.6.11
"They should not be offered.
7.6.12
They would be superfluous offerings if they were offered.
7.6.13
Touching the adhvaryu as he offers, he should accompany [the offerings] with the formulas:
7.6.14
"May my mind be consecrated with mind," [with this] first [formula];
7.6.15
"May my speech be consecrated with speech," [with this] second [formula];
7.6.16
"May my breath be consecrated with breath," [with this] third [formula].
7.6.17
He mentions breath in the middle,
7.6.18
for this breath is in the middle.
7.6.19
"May my sight be consecrated with sight," [with this] fourth [formula];
7.6.20
"May my hearing be consecrated with hearing," [with this] fifth [formula].
7.6.21
Thus indeed he consecrates these deities which are in man,
7.6.22
and no superfluous offerings are offered."
7.6.23
Now indeed faith alone is the imperishableness of what is offered once.
7.6.24
He who sacrifices having faith,
7.6.25
what he has offered does not perish.
7.6.26
Water is imperishableness—
7.6.27
both that which is here in these worlds, and that which is within oneself.
7.6.28
He who sacrifices knowing, "Imperishableness consists of water,"
7.6.29
what he has offered does not perish.
7.6.30
This very imperishableness of what is offered once Keśin Dārbhya declared to the golden bird.
7.6.31
He is consecrated in the afternoon.
7.6.32
In the afternoon, indeed, this one absorbs all beings;
7.6.33
even the colorings pass over him.
7.6.34
Therefore, reddening as it were, he sets.
7.6.35
Being consecrated, he is consecrated towards this very self, as it were.
7.6.36
As to why he is consecrated in the afternoon,
7.6.37
it is to obtain all desires.
7.7.1
By the opening offering the gods obtained out-breath; by the concluding offering, in-breath.
7.7.2
In this very way the sacrificer by the opening offering obtains out-breath, [and] by the concluding offering, in-breath.
7.7.3
These two, the opening and concluding offerings, are indeed out-breath and in-breath.
7.7.4
Therefore, those who are priests of the opening offering should be [the priests] of the concluding offering,
7.7.5
for these two, out-breath and in-breath, are equal.
7.7.6
Having set forth to the heavenly world by the opening offering, the gods did not discern the directions.
7.7.7
Agni said to them:
7.7.8
"Offer one butter offering to me; I shall discern one direction."
7.7.9
They offered to him.
7.7.10
He discerned the eastern direction.
7.7.11
Therefore they lead forward Agni towards the east.
7.7.12
The sacrifice is extended eastward.
7.7.13
Facing east, sitting by it, they offer,
7.7.14
for this direction of his has been discerned.
7.7.15
Then Soma said:
7.7.16
"Offer one butter offering to me; I shall discern one direction."
7.7.17
They offered to him.
7.7.18
He discerned the southern direction.
7.7.19
Therefore, they carry round the purchased Soma southwards.
7.7.20
Standing to the south, he praises.
7.7.21
Standing to the south, he recites the concluding verse.
7.7.22
Sitting to the south, they press it,
7.7.23
for this direction of his has been discerned.
7.7.24
Then Savitṛ said:
7.7.25
"Offer one butter offering to me; I shall discern one direction."
7.7.26
They offered to him.
7.7.27
He discerned the western direction.
7.7.28
That Savitṛ is indeed yonder one who shines there.
7.7.29
Therefore they see him going westward day after day, not eastward.
7.7.30
For this is his recognized quarter.
7.7.31
Then Pathyā Svasti said:
7.7.32
"Offer me one oblation of clarified butter; I will discern one quarter."
7.7.33
They offered to her.
7.7.34
She discerned the northern quarter.
7.7.35
Pathyā Svasti is indeed speech.
7.7.36
Therefore in the northern direction speech is spoken more discerningly.
7.7.37
And people go north to learn speech.
7.7.38
Or whoever comes from there,
7.7.39
to him people wish to listen, so he used to say.
7.7.40
For this is the recognized quarter of speech.
7.8.1
Then Aditi said:
7.8.2
"Offer me one oblation of food; I will discern one quarter."
7.8.3
They offered to her.
7.8.4
She discerned the upward quarter.
7.8.5
This [earth] is indeed Aditi.
7.8.6
Therefore on her herbs stand upright, trees stand upright, human beings stand upright.
7.8.7
Agni blazes upward.
7.8.8
Whatever is on her, that is turned upward.
7.8.9
For this is her recognized quarter.
7.8.10
Thus indeed the gods discerned the heavenly world by means of the introductory [sacrifice].
7.8.11
Just so the sacrificer likewise discerns the heavenly world by means of the introductory [sacrifice].
7.8.12
The two—the introductory and the concluding [sacrifices]—should be equal.
7.8.13
This sacrifice is indeed a chariot of the gods.
7.8.14
Its two side-panels are the introductory and the concluding [sacrifices].
7.8.15
He who makes them equal,
7.8.16
just as driving along the course in a chariot having both side-panels and powerful draft-animals, one would attain where one intended,
7.8.17
so he safely attains the heavenly world.
7.8.18
Now he who makes them unequal,
7.8.19
just as driving along the course in a chariot having a side-panel on one side only and powerful draft-animals, one would not attain where one intended,
7.8.20
so he does not safely attain the heavenly world.
7.8.21
Therefore the introductory and concluding [sacrifices] should indeed be equal.
7.9.1
The introductory [sacrifice] ends with the Śaṃyu [formula]; the concluding [sacrifice] ends with the Śaṃyu [formula].
7.9.2
He offers to Pathyā Svasti first in the introductory [sacrifice],
7.9.3
then to Agni, then to Soma, then to Savitṛ, then to Aditi.
7.9.4
He sets out toward the heavenly world by means of the introductory [sacrifice].
7.9.5
In that he offers to Pathyā Svasti first,
7.9.6
thereby he makes a safe journey for the attainment of the heavenly world.
7.9.7
He offers to Agni first in the concluding [sacrifice],
7.9.8
then to Soma, then to Savitṛ, then to Pathyā Svasti, then to Aditi.
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Linked texts (1)
- Kauṣītakibrāhmaṇa — Kauṣītaki, Sanskrit