Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 8

English (machine translation) 8

Language: English

8.1 — 24 parts
8.2 — 29 parts
8.3 — 16 parts
8.4 — 16 parts
8.5 — 23 parts
8.6 — 27 parts
8.7 — 24 parts
8.8 — 40 parts
8.9 — 24 parts
8.10 — 18 parts
8.11 — 24 parts
8.12 — 21 parts

8.1.1

By means of the guest-offering, the gods indeed obtained two-footed and four-footed cattle.

8.1.2

In this very way, by means of the guest-offering, the sacrificer obtains two-footed and four-footed cattle.

8.1.3

When the oblation for the guest-offering has been set down, they churn fire.

8.1.4

The guest-offering is indeed the head of the sacrifice.

8.1.6

He thereby places the breath in the head.

8.1.7

He recites twelve [verses] to accompany the churning of the fire.

8.1.9

[It is] indeed for the attainment of the year.

8.1.10

He recites first a verse to Savitṛ: 'Towards you, god Savitṛ...'

8.1.12

For one who is impelled by Savitṛ, no injury at all occurs; [it is] for lack of injury.

8.1.13

He recites [a verse] to Heaven and Earth: 'May Great Heaven and Earth for us...'

8.1.14

Heaven and Earth are indeed the two firm foundations; [it is] indeed for a firm foundation.

8.1.15

For [the fire] being churned, he recites a triplet containing the word 'churned': 'You, O Agni, from the lotus...'

8.1.16

For [the fire] born, [he recites a verse] containing the word 'born': 'And let the creatures say...'

8.1.17

For [the fire] being held by the hand, [he recites a verse] containing the word 'hand': 'Whom like a ring in the hand...'

8.1.18

For [the fire] being carried forward, [he recites a verse] containing [the prefix] pra: 'Forward, the god for the feast of gods...'

8.1.19

For [the fire] being invoked, [he recites a verse] containing [the prefix] ā: 'Born into Jātavedas...'

8.1.20

For [the fire] being kindled, [he recites] two [verses] containing the word 'kindled': 'By fire is fire kindled,' and 'For you, O Agni, by fire...'

8.1.21

He concludes with [a verse] containing the word 'end': 'They groomed him of good wisdom, the swift runner in his own dwellings.'

8.2.1

With this [verse] now here, and in the Cāturmāsyas.

8.2.2

With the first [recited] thrice, [and] with the last thrice, they amount to sixteen.

8.2.3

This whole [world] indeed consists of sixteen parts.

8.2.4

[It is] for the attainment of this whole [world].

8.2.6

there, having recited this [verse] without stopping, he concludes with a Triṣṭubh verse: 'With the sacrifice the gods sacrificed to the sacrifice...'

8.2.7

Cattle are connected with the Triṣṭubh; [it is] indeed for the attainment of cattle.

8.2.8

With the first [recited] thrice, [and] with the last thrice, they amount to seventeen.

8.2.10

That rite is indeed prosperous which is commensurate with Prajāpati.

8.2.12

He recites seventeen kindling verses.
Prajāpati is indeed seventeenfold.

8.2.13

That rite is indeed prosperous which is commensurate with Prajāpati.

8.2.14

The two butter portions contain the slayer of Vṛtra, indeed for the slaying of evil.

8.2.15

And also his [sacrifice] does not deviate from the paradigm of the Full Moon.

8.2.16

Some indeed make [the two butter portions] containing the word 'guest'.

8.2.17

However, they are established as containing the slayer of Vṛtra.

8.2.18

Some indeed say: 'The two offering verses should be verses from the Ṛgveda,'

8.2.19

saying: 'These deities in the Upasads have offering verses from the Ṛgveda.'

8.2.20

However, they are established as having offering verses containing the word juṣāṇa.

8.2.21

Being Soma, he sacrifices to him as Viṣṇu.

8.2.22

Because having been purchased, he enters, as it were;

8.2.24

And since, being Soma, he sacrifices to him as Viṣṇu,

8.2.25

by that name, as 'Viṣṇu', he is the eater;

8.2.26

by that [name], as 'Soma', he is the food.

8.2.27

Therefore, saying 'Soma', they offer and consume thus.

8.2.28

The offering verse and the invitatory verse of the oblation are Triṣṭubh verses.

8.2.29

The Triṣṭubh is indeed strength and manly power.

8.2.30

He thereby places strength and manly power in the sacrificer.

'The hotṛ with bright chariot of the sacrifice' [and] 'He who, well-horsed, well-golded, O Agni' are the two samyājyā offering verses, containing [the words] 'guest' and 'chariot', in the Triṣṭubh metre, addressed to Agni.

8.3.2

That is just as if it were fourfold successful.

8.3.3

Moreover, a chariot comes readily to him who performs these two.

8.3.4

It ends with the iḍā.

8.3.5

That is the form for advancing.

8.3.6

That is just as if one were to advance near and dwell in the closest proximity to the heavenly world.

8.3.7

These iṣṭis have an offering made in a whisper: the dīkṣaṇīyā, the prāyaṇīyā, the ātithyā, [and] the upasad sacrifices.

8.3.8

These iṣṭis are indeed the emitting of seed.

8.3.9

In a whisper, indeed, is seed emitted.

8.3.10

Omitting [successive] actions, they proceed.

8.3.11

The dīkṣaṇīyā ends with the patnīsaṃyājas.

8.3.12

The prāyaṇīyā ends with the śamyu [formula].

8.3.13

The ātithyā ends with the iḍā.

8.3.14

In the upasad sacrifices, he makes an offering to the deities individually.

8.3.15

Prajāpati went to the heavenly world by means of these actions, through omission.

8.3.16

In the same way the sacrificer goes to the heavenly world by means of these actions, through omission.

8.4.1

This Mahāvīra is indeed the head of the sacrifice.

8.4.2

One should not perform the Pravargya ceremony at a first sacrifice.

8.4.3

The subsequent sacrifice comes readily to him who does not perform the Pravargya ceremony at the first sacrifice.

8.4.4

At will, however, for one who is learned and proficient in Vedic lore, one may perform the Pravargya.

8.4.5

He is indeed the self of the sacrifice.

8.4.6

With the self he thus makes the sacrifice complete.

8.4.7

That Mahāvīra is indeed yonder one who burns.

8.4.8

Him indeed he thereby propitiates.

8.4.9

He should praise him with one hundred and one [verses].

8.4.10

He indeed burns placed at a distance of a hundred yojanas.

8.4.11

With a hundred [verses] he reaches him over the path of a hundred yojanas.

8.4.12

Then that which is the hundred and first is the world of the sacrificer.

8.4.13

Unto this self the sacrificer attains.

8.4.14

Whom they make known as this person in the sun,

8.4.15

he is Indra, he is Prajāpati, he is Brahman.

8.4.16

Here indeed the sacrificer attains identity of world and union with all the deities.

8.5.1

He should praise without drawing breath, for the continuity of the vital breaths.

8.5.2

For continuous, as it were, are these vital breaths.

8.5.3

He should praise aloud, explicitly.

8.5.4

The chants are indeed the vital breaths.

8.5.5

For this [sun] is explicit.

8.5.6

For he has speech as his deity.

8.5.7

He praises first with verses to Savitṛ,

8.5.8

for impulsion by Savitṛ.

8.5.9

No harm indeed comes to him who is impelled by Savitṛ, for safety from harm.

8.5.10

'Brahman born first in the east' [is the verse].

8.5.11

Yonder indeed is Brahman born first in the east,

8.5.12

where yonder one burns.

8.5.13

There he establishes the sacrificer.

8.5.14

With 'Whom the inspired poets anoint as they extend [him]' and 'Sit down, you are great', he praises with two appropriate verses, one containing [the word] 'anointed' and one containing 'seated'.

8.5.15

With 'Be well-disposed to us, O Agni, at our approach', 'Burn away completely, O Agni, the enemies within', [and] 'He who is secret, O Agni, should assault us', he praises with three appropriate verses containing [forms of the root] tap- ('burn').

8.5.16

What is appropriate in the sacrifice is successful, for the success of the sacrifice.

8.5.17

With 'Put forth your power as an extensive snare', he praises with verses slaying rakṣases, for the striking down of rakṣases.

8.5.18

Agni is indeed the slayer of rakṣases.

8.5.19

They are five in number, in the form of the quarters.

8.5.20

From the quarters indeed he drives them away.

8.5.21

Moreover, whichever spans the adhvaryu measures out, those he accompanies with these [verses].

8.5.22

With 'Around you, lover of song, the songs' [and] 'Upon both you have placed the laudable speech', he praises with two appropriate verses addressed to Indra.

8.5.23

He accompanies the svāhā-call addressed to Indra with these two.

8.6.1

Moreover, whichever chips of wood the adhvaryu heaps around, those he accompanies with the former [verse];

8.6.2

the highest one which he places down upon [them], that [he accompanies] with the latter [verse].

8.6.3

With 'One [form] of yours is bright, one is worthy of sacrifice' [and] 'Worthy, he bears the arrows and the bow', he praises with two appropriate verses, one addressed to Pūṣan and one addressed to Rudra.

8.6.4

He accompanies the svāhā-call addressed to Pūṣan and that addressed to Rudra with these two.

8.6.5

Moreover, the two gold and silver flakes of gold which the adhvaryu prepares, those two he accompanies with these two [verses].

8.6.6

[With the verses beginning:] 'The bird anointed by the magic of the Asura...'

8.6.7

The bird is breath.

8.6.8

Vāyu is breath.

8.6.9

With these [verses], he echoes the svāhā-call belonging to Vāyu.

8.6.10

In place of this [hymn], for one desiring offspring, he should praise with: 'I saw thee with my mind, discerning...'

8.6.11

Moreover, both accomplish the desired end.

8.6.12

The whole [hymn]: 'At the corner of the drop blowing, they sounded together...'

8.6.13

Two [verses]: 'Thy filter is spread out, O Brahmaṇaspati...'

8.6.14

One [verse]: 'When the two Dhiṣaṇās spread out the filter...'

8.6.15

These are twelve Pavamāna verses.

8.6.16

With these, he echoes the svāhā-call belonging to Soma.

8.6.17

[With the hymn beginning:] 'This Vena stirred those having the spotted cow in their womb...'

8.6.18

Vena is Indra.

8.6.19

With these, he echoes the svāhā-call belonging to Indra.

8.6.20

He omits one [verse] of it: 'The fair-winged one flying upon the vault of heaven...'

8.6.21

This is an omission of the self.

8.6.22

He places it among the later [verses].

8.6.23

Thereby it does not become omitted.

8.6.24

For one accused of evil, he should recite the Pavamāna verses on both sides of the Vena [hymn].

8.6.25

Vena is the self.

8.6.26

The Pavamāna verses are a purifier.

8.6.27

Thus he purifies him.

8.7.1

With: 'Thee, leader of the troop, we invoke...', he recites the appropriate [verse] addressed to Brahmaṇaspati.

8.7.2

This is the head.

8.7.3

Brahmaṇaspati is the sacred word (brahman).

8.7.4

Thus he provides the head with the sacred word.

8.7.5

When he comes to: 'May we, rich in heroes, speak loudly at the gathering...'

8.7.6

Then, for one desiring heroes (sons), he should meditate on a hero.

8.7.7

He indeed obtains a hero.

8.7.8

With: 'What priestly office will satisfy you two, O Aśvins?', there are nine unbending (straightforward) [verses].

8.7.9

The unbending [verses] are, as it were, in the Gāyatrī metre.

8.7.10

Breath is of Gāyatrī nature.

8.7.11

Breath is the unbending.

8.7.12

[With:] 'Come to us with all your aids...', there is an Anuṣṭubh triplet; that is speech.

8.7.13

In place of this, for one desiring offspring, he should praise with: 'May Viṣṇu prepare the womb...'

8.7.14

Moreover, both accomplish the desired end.

8.7.15

The hymn in the morning is: 'Ye two that go early, worship first...'

8.7.16

In the afternoon: 'Agni shines forth, the forefront of the dawns...'

8.7.17

These are two Triṣṭubh hymns of five verses; that is sight.

8.7.18

[The hymn:] 'I praise Heaven and Earth for first thought...', in Jagatī metre, consisting of twenty-five verses, is hearing.

8.7.19

This is the head.

8.7.20

That head is complete in which there are breath, speech, sight, and hearing.

8.7.21

Thus he establishes these in it.

8.7.24

When 'The gharma has shone' is said, he praises with the appropriate [verse] containing the word 'shone': 'The dappled bull has made the dawns shine, Agni...'

8.7.25

What is appropriate in the sacrifice is complete, for the completeness of the sacrifice.

8.7.26

There are one hundred and one verses; their brāhmaṇa has been explained.

8.8.1

The subsequent verses are thirty-three.

8.8.2

All the deities are thirty-three.

8.8.3

They alone are worthy to lift it up at that time.

8.8.4

It is brought up together for them.

8.8.5

He recites the appropriate milking verses.

8.8.6

What is appropriate in the sacrifice is complete, for the completeness of the sacrifice.

8.8.7

He praises with the two appropriate verses containing the word 'pour': 'Pour out splendour into the pressed [soma]...' and 'Now indeed the ṛṣi of the Aśvins...'

8.8.8

As it is being raised, he praises with the appropriate verse containing the word 'raised': 'Up that god Savitṛ with golden...'

8.8.9

As they walk forward, he praises with the appropriate verse to Brahmaṇaspati containing 'forward': 'May Brahmaṇaspati go forward...'

8.8.10

As they walk, he praises with the appropriate verse containing 'flying': 'The fair-winged one flying upon the vault of heaven...'

8.8.11

He should sacrifice with two [verses].

8.8.12

A pair is virility, for the sake of virility.

8.8.13

In the morning, with two containing Triṣṭubhs.

8.8.14

For he belongs to the Triṣṭubh.

8.8.15

he stands having supported the three worlds.

8.8.16

With two [verses] containing the word 'jagat' in the afternoon;

8.8.17

for he is of Jagatī nature.

8.8.18

And when he enters, all that moves (jagat) enters after [him].

8.8.19

Some indeed say: 'Having transposed them, he should make the vaṣaṭ-call with two verses from the Ṛgveda.'

8.8.20

The established rule, however, is simply: 'as handed down in tradition'.

8.8.21

Then, he praises with a subsequent appropriate [verse].

8.8.22

What is appropriate in the sacrifice is successful, for the success of the sacrifice itself.

8.8.23

'An offering, O bearer of the offering, a great divine abode' [he recites] before the presentation of the oblation.

8.8.24

Thereby he makes him possessed of an oblation again, its vigor not exhausted.

8.8.25

He concludes with a verse containing a benediction: 'May you be rich through good pasture.'

8.8.26

Thereby he utters a benediction for the cattle.

8.8.27

Thus the cattle do not depart from the sacrificer.

8.8.28

Now indeed, when the Pravargya has been performed and the Bahiṣpavamāna has been chanted, they state:

8.8.29

"Then the gods invoked the two Aśvins."

8.8.30

At this time they should perform the Pravargya in the Āgnīdhra fire-chamber.

8.8.31

Then, just as in the case of the Upasads,

8.8.32

in the very same way here too, while praise is being sung,

8.8.33

the ritual procedure is without taking breath.

8.8.34

Then, when the rite has been completed,

8.8.35

the animal sacrifice rite is performed.

8.8.36

This Mahāvīra [rite] is the midday dismissal.

8.8.39

As to why they proceed with this at midday:

8.8.38

the Mahāvīra is yonder one that burns.

8.8.39_2

Thereby he gratifies him alone.

8.8.40

Thereby the manifestation of this very one is produced.

8.9.1

The Upasads.

First 200 of 299 passages. Read on

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 8

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