Shatapatha Brahmana 13.1

He (the Adhvaryu) cooks the priests’ mess of rice: it is seed he thereby produces. Having greased a rope with the ghee which is left over, he takes it; for ghee is (a type of) fiery spirit, and the horse is sacred to Pragâpati: he thus endows Pragâpati with fiery spirit. Impure, and unfit for sacrifice, indeed, is that (animal), to wit, the horse.

The rope consists of darbha grass (poa cynosuroides);--for darbha stalks are a means of purification: he thus purifies that (horse), and immolates it as one purified and meet for sacrifice.

Now, when the horse was immolated, its seed went from it and became gold: thus, when he gives gold (to the priests) he supplies the horse with seed.

Pragâpati produced the sacrifice. His greatness departed from him, and entered the great sacrificial priests. Together with the great priests he went in search of it, and together with the great priests he found it: when the great priests eat the priests’ mess of rice, the Sacrificer thereby secures for himself the greatness of the sacrifice. Along with the priests’ mess of rice he presents gold (to the priests); for the mess of rice is seed, and gold is seed: by means of seed he thus lays seed into that (horse, and Sacrificer). It (the gold) weighs a hundred (grains); for man has a life of a hundred (years), and a hundred energies: it is life, and energy, vigour, he lays into his own self. At midday he takes Vasatîvarî water of four kinds; it is brought together from the (four) quarters, for food is in (all) the (four) quarters, and water is food: by means of food he thus secures food for him.

Now, unsuccessful in the sacrifice, assuredly, is what is performed without a formula. (With Vâg. S. XXII, 2,) 'This rope did they take, at the first age of the truth, [the sages, at the rites: it hath been with us at this Soma-sacrifice, declaring the course in the gaining of the truth],' he takes the halter of the horse in order to supply a formula for the success of the sacrifice. It (the rope) is twelve cubits long,--twelve months make a year: it is the year, the sacrifice, he secures.

Concerning this they say, 'Is the rope to be made twelve cubits long, or thirteen cubits long?' Well, that year is the bull among the seasons, and the thirteenth (or intercalary) month is an excrescence of the year; and this Asvamedha is the bull among sacrifices; and inasmuch as the bull has an excrescence (hump), one may add on a thirteenth cubit to the rope as an excrescence to this (Asvamedha): even as the bull's hump is attached (to his back), suchlike would this be.

[He puts the halter on the horse, with Vâg. S. XXII, 3, 4,] 'Encompassing thou art,'-- therefore the offerer of the Asvamedha conquers all the quarters;--'the world thou art,'--the world he thus conquers;--'a ruler thou art, an upholder,'--he thus makes him a ruler and upholder;--'go thou unto Agni Vaisvânara,'--he thus makes him go to Agni Vaisvânara (the friend of all men);--'of wide extent,'--he thus causes him to extend in offspring and cattle;--'consecrated by Svâhâ (hail!),'--this is the Vashat-call for it;--'good speed (to) thee for the gods!'--he thus makes it of good speed for the gods;--'for Pragâpati,'--the horse is sacred to Pragâpati: he thus supplies it with his own deity.

But, verily, he who fetters the horse without announcing it to the Brahman and the gods is liable to incur injury. He addresses the Brahman (the superintending priest) by saying, 'O Brahman, I will fetter the horse for the gods, for Pragâpati: may I prosper therewith!' and having made the announcement to the Brahman, he ties up the horse, and thus incurs no injury. 'Fetter it for the gods, for Pragâpati: prosper thou therewith!' thus the Brahman urges him, and supplies it (the horse) with its own deity. He then sprinkles it (with water): the (symbolic) meaning of this is the same as before.

He sprinkles it, with (Vâg. S. XXII, 5), 'I sprinkle thee (so as to be) acceptable to Pragâpati,'--for Pragâpati is the most vigorous of the gods: it is vigour he bestows on it, whence the horse is the most vigorous of animals.

'I sprinkle thee, acceptable to Indra and Agni,'--for Indra and Agni are the most powerful of the gods: it is power he bestows on it, whence the horse is the most powerful of animals.

'I sprinkle thee, acceptable to Vâyu,'--for Vâyu is the swiftest of gods: it is speed he bestows on it, whence the horse is the swiftest of animals.

'I sprinkle thee, acceptable to the All-gods,'--for the All-gods are the most famous of gods: it is fame he bestows on it, whence the horse is the most famous of animals,---'I sprinkle thee, acceptable to all the gods.'

Concerning this they say, 'Seeing that the horse is sacred to Pragâpati, wherefore (does he say), "I sprinkle thee" for other deities also?' Well, all the gods are concerned in the horse-sacrifice; when he says, 'I sprinkle thee for all the gods,' he makes all the gods take a concern in the horse-sacrifice; whence all the gods are concerned in the horse-sacrifice. But his wicked enemy seeks to lay hold of him who performs the horse-sacrifice, and the horse is a thunderbolt;--having killed the four-eyed dog, he--with 'Undone is the man! undone is the dog!'--plunges it under the horse's feet: it is by means of the thunderbolt he thus stamps him down; and the wicked enemy does not lay hold of him.

Even as some of the havis (offering-material) may be spilled before it is offered, so also (part) of the victim is here spilled in that they let loose the sprinkled (horse) before it is slain. When he offers the Stokîyâs (oblations of drops), he offers that (horse) as a complete offering --so as to make good any spilling; for unspilled is any (part) of the offered (material) that is spilled. A thousand (oblations of drops) he offers for the obtainment of the heavenly world, for the heavenly world is equal in extent to a thousand.

Concerning this they say, 'Were he to offer measured (a specified number of oblations), he would gain for himself something limited:' he offers unspecified (oblations) for the obtainment of the unlimited. And indeed Pragâpati spake, 'Verily, upon the oblations of drops I establish the Asvamedha, and by it, when established, I pass upward from hence.'

[He offers, with Vâg. S. XXII, 6,] 'To Agni, hail!'--to Agni he thus offers it (the horse);--'to Soma, hail!'--to Soma he thus offers it;--'to the joy of the waters, hail!'--to the waters he thus offers it;--'to Savitri, hail!'--to Savitri he thus offers it;--'to Vâyu, hail!'--to Vâyu (the wind) he thus offers it;--'to Vishnu, hail!'--to Vishnu he thus offers it to;--'Indra, hail!'--to Indra he thus offers it;--'to Brihaspati, hail!'--to Brihaspati he thus offers it;--'to Mitra, hail!'--to Mitra he thus offers it;--'to Varuna, hail!'--to Varuna he thus offers it:--so many, doubtless, are all the gods: it is to them he offers it. He offers them straight away for the obtainment of the heavenly world, for straight away, as it were, is the heavenly world.

But, verily, he who offers the oblations straight away, would be liable to fall (pass) right away: he turns back again, and establishes himself in this (terrestrial) world. And this indeed he (Pragâpati) has declared to be the perfection of the sacrifice, so as to prevent falling away (spilling), for unspilled is what is spilled of the offered (material).

And even as some of the offering-material may be spilled before it is offered, so also (part) of the victim is here spilled in that they let loose the sprinkled (horse) before it is slaughtered. When he offers (the oblations relating to) the Forms (rûpa), he offers that (horse) as one that is wholly offered, so as to make good any spilling; for unspilled is what is spilled of the offered (material). With (Vâg. S. XXII, 7-8),'To the Hiṅ-call, hail! to the (horse) consecrated by Hiṅ, hail!...' (he offers them); for these are the forms (qualities) of the horse: it is them he now obtains.

Concerning this they say, 'The Forms are no offering: they should not be offered.' But, indeed, they also say, 'Therein assuredly the horse-sacrifice becomes complete that he performs (the oblations relating to) the Forms: they should certainly be offered.' And, indeed, one puts that (Sacrificer) out of his resting-place, and raises a rival for him when one offers for him oblations elsewhere than in the fire, where there is no resting-place.

Prior to the (first) oblation to Savitri, he (the Adhvaryu) offers, once only, (the oblations relating to) the Forms in the Âhavanîya, whilst going rapidly over (the formulas): he thus offers the oblations at his (the Sacrificer's) resting-place, and raises no rival for him. He offers at each opening of sacrifice, for the continuity and uninterrupted performance of the sacrifice.

Concerning this they say, 'Were he to offer at each opening of sacrifice, he would be deprived of his cattle, and would become poorer.' They should be performed once only: thus he is not deprived of his cattle, and does not become poorer. Forty-eight (oblations) he offers;--the Gagatî consists of forty-eight syllables, and cattle are of Gâgata (movable) nature: by means of the Gagatî he (the Adhvaryu) thus wins cattle for him (the Sacrificer). One additional (oblation) he offers, whence one man is apt to thrive amongst (many) creatures (or subjects).

Pragâpati poured forth the life-sap of the horse (asva-medha). When poured forth, it went straight away from him and spread itself over the regions. The gods went in quest of it. By means of offerings (ishti) they followed it up, by offerings they searched for it, and by offerings they found it. And when he performs ishtis, the Sacrificer thereby searches for the horse (asva) meet for sacrifice (medhya).

They (the ishtis) belong to Savitri; for Savitri is this (earth): if any one hides himself thereon, if any one goes elsewhere, it is on this (earth) that they find him; for no one (creature), whether walking erect or horizontally (like an animal), is able to go beyond it. Their belonging to Savitri thus is in order to find the horse.

Concerning this they say, 'Surely the horse disappears when it goes straight away; for they do not turn (drive) it back.' Now when he performs the Dhriti offerings in the evening--dhriti (keeping) meaning peaceful dwelling, and the night also meaning peaceful dwelling--it is by means of peaceful dwelling that he keeps it; whence both men and beasts rest peacefully at night. And when he performs offerings in the morning, he seeks that (horse); whence it is in daytime that one goes to seek for what is lost. And again when he offers the Dhritis in the evening, and the (Savitri) ishtis in the morning, it is security of possession the Sacrificer thereby brings about, whence security of possession is brought about for the subjects where this sacrifice is performed.

But, indeed, distinction, royal sway, departs from him who performs the horse-sacrifice; and when a man attains to distinction, the lute is played to him. Two Brâhmanical lute-players sing (and play) for a year; for that--to wit, the lute--is a form (attribute) of distinction: it is distinction they thus confer upon him.

Concerning this they say, ‘Were both to be Brâhmanas who sing, noble rank (or political power) would depart from him; for he--to wit, a Brâhmana--is a form of the priestly office; and the nobility takes no delight in the priestly office (or priesthood).

‘And were both to be Râganyas (nobles), spiritual lustre would depart from him; for he--to wit, the Râganya--is a form of noble rank, and spiritual lustre takes no delight in noble rank.' One of those who sing is a Brâhmana, and the other a Râganya; for the Brâhmana means priestly office, and the Râganya noble rank: thus his distinction (social position) comes to be guarded on either side by the priesthood and the nobility.

Concerning this they say, ‘Were both to sing by day, his distinction would be apt to fall away from him: for that--to wit, the day--is a form of the priestly dignity; and when the king chooses he may oppress (despoil) the Brâhmana, but he will fare the worse (or, become the poorer) for it.

'And if both (were to sing) at night, spiritual lustre would fall away from him; for that--to wit, the night--is a form of the nobility, and spiritual lustre takes no delight in the nobility.' The Brâhmana sings by day, and the Râganya at night; and thus, indeed, his distinction comes to be guarded on either side by the priesthood and the nobility.

'Such sacrifices he offered,--such gifts he gave!' such (are the topics about which) the Brâhmana sings; for to the Brâhmana belongs the fulfilment of wishes: it is with the fulfilment of wishes he (the Brâhmana) thus endows him (the Sacrificer). 'Such war he waged,--such battle he won!' such (are the topics about which) the Râganya sings; for the battle is the Râganya's strength: it is with strength he thus endows him. Three stanzas the one sings, and three stanzas the other, they amount to six,--six seasons make up a year: he thus establishes (the Sacrificer) in the seasons, in the year. To both of them he presents a hundred; for man has a life of a hundred (years), and a hundred energies: it is vitality and energy, vital power, he confers upon him.

[The Adhvaryu and Sacrificer whisper in the right ear of the horse, Vâg. S. XXII, 19,] 'Plenteous by the mother, strengthful by the father,'--its mother, doubtless, is this (earth), and its father yonder (sky): it is to these two he commits it;--'a horse thou art, a steed thou art,'--he thereby instructs it, whence clever subjects (or children) are born to him;--'a courser (atya) thou art, a charger thou art,'--he therewith leads it beyond (ati), whence the horse goes beyond (surpasses) other animals, and whence the horse attains to pre-eminence among animals;--'a runner thou art, a racer thou art, a prize-winner thou art,'--in accordance with the text is (the meaning of) this;--'a male thou art, well-disposed towards man thou art,'--this is with a view to its (or, his) being supplied with a mate;--'Speedy thou art called, Child thou art called,'--this is the horse's favourite name: by its favourite name he thus addresses it; whence even if two enemies, on meeting together, address one another by name, they get on amicably together.

'Go thou along the way of the Âdityas!'--to the Âdityas he thus makes it go.--'Ye divine guardians of the quarters, protect this horse, sprinkled for sacrifice to the gods!'--the guardians of the quarters are a hundred princes born in wedlock: to them he commits it;--'here is joy: here let it rejoice!--here is safe keeping, here is its own safe keeping, hail!' For a year he offers the (four Dhriti) oblations --(amounting to) sixteen nineties, for they are the horse's chain, and it is therewith alone that he chains it; whence the horse when let loose returns to its chain: (they amount to) sixteen nineties; for these (oblations of safe keeping) are the horse's chain, and it is therewith alone that he chains it, whence the horse, when let loose, does not (entirely) abandon its chain.

Verily, the Asvamedha means royal sway: it is after royal sway that these strive who guard the horse. Those of them who reach the end become (sharers in) the royal sway, but those who do not reach the end are cut off from royal sway. Wherefore let him who holds royal sway perform the horse-sacrifice; for, verily, whosoever performs the horse-sacrifice, without possessing power, is poured (swept) away.--Now, were unfriendly, men to get hold of the horse, his sacrifice would be cut in twain, and he would become the poorer for it. A hundred men clad in armour guard it for the continuity and uninterrupted performance of the sacrifice; and he will not become the poorer for it; (but if it be lost) they should fetch another (horse), and sprinkle it: this is the expiation in that case.

Pragâpati desired, 'Might I perform a horse-sacrifice?' He toiled and practised fervid devotion. From the body of him, when wearied and heated, the deities departed in a sevenfold way: therefrom the Dîkshâ (initiation) was produced. He perceived those Vaisvadeva (oblations). He offered them, and by means of them he gained the Dîkshâ: and when the Sacrificer offers the Vaisvadeva (oblations) it is the Dîkshâ he thereby gains. Day after day he offers them: day after day he thus gains the Dîkshâ. Seven of them he offers; for seven were those deities that departed (from Pragâpati); it is by means of them that he (the priest) gains the Dîkshâ for him.

But, indeed, the vital airs depart from those who exceed (the duration of) the Dîkshâ. For seven days they observe it; for there are seven (outlets of) vital airs in the head, and the Dîkshâ is the vital airs: it is by means of the vital airs he gains the Dîkshâ, the vital airs, for him. He makes offering by dividing (each) deity into three parts; for the gods are of three orders, and of three orders are these worlds: he thus establishes himself in these worlds in prosperity and vital power.

They amount to one and twenty (single invocations and oblations),--there are twelve months, five seasons, these three worlds, and yonder sun as the twenty-first,--that is the divine ruling-power, that is the glory: that supreme lordship, that summit of the fallow one (the Sun), that realm of light he attains.

Thirty Audgrabhanas he offers,--of thirty syllables the Virâg (metre) consists, and the Virâg means all food: thus (he offers) for the obtainment of all food. Four Audgrabhanas he offers (on each day), and three Vaisvadevas;--they amount to seven; for there are seven vital airs of the head, and the Dîkshâ is the vital airs: by means of the vital airs he thus gains the Dîkshâ, the vital airs, for him. A full (-spoon)-oblation he offers last for the sake of invigoration and union.

Pragâpati poured forth the life-sap of the horse. When poured forth, it weighed down the rik (hymn-verse) and the sâman (hymn-tune). The Vaisvadeva (offerings) upheld that (Asvamedha): thus, when he offers the Vaisvadevas, it is for the upholding of the Asvamedha.

With (Vâg. S. XXII, 20), 'To Ka hail! To the Who hail! To the Whoever hail!' he makes the one relating to Pragâpati the first (or chief one), and thus upholds (the Asvamedha) by means of the deities with Pragâpati as their chief.

'Hail, meditation (we give) unto him meditated upon! Hail, the mind unto the Lord of creatures! Hail, thought unto him, the known!' what the mystic sense of the former (utterances) was that it is here.

'To Aditi hail! To Aditi, the mighty, hail! To Aditi, the most merciful, hail!' Aditi, doubtless, is this (earth): it is by her that he upholds it.

'To Sarasvatî hail! To Sarasvatî, the pure, hail! To Sarasvatî, the great, hail!' Sarasvatî, doubtless, is speech: by speech he thus upholds it.

'To Pûshan hail! To Pûshan, the protector of travellers, hail! To Pûshan, the watcher of men, hail!' Pûshan, doubtless, is cattle: by means of cattle he thus upholds it.

'To Tvashtri hail! To Tvashtri, the seminal, hail! To Tvashtri, the multiform hail!' Tvashtri, doubtless, is the fashioner of the couples of animals: by means of forms he thus upholds it.

'To Vishnu hail! To Vishnu, the protector of what grows, hail! To Vishnu, the bald, hail!' Vishnu, doubtless, is the sacrifice: by sacrifice he thus upholds it. With (Vâg. XXII, 21), 'Let every mortal espouse the friendship of the divine guide,...,' he offers last of all a full (-spoon)-oblation; for the full-offering is this (earth): he thus finally establishes himself on this (earth).

[Vâg. S. XXII, 22 ], 'In the priestly office (brahman) may the Brâhmana be born, endowed with spiritual lustre (brahmavarkasa):' on the Brâhmana he thereby bestows spiritual lustre, whence of old the Brâhmana was born as one endowed with spiritual lustre.

'In the royal order may the Râganya be born, heroic, skilled in archery, sure of his mark, and a mighty car-fighter:' on the Râganya he thereby bestows the grandeur of heroism, whence of old the Râganya was born as one heroic, skilled in archery, certain of his mark, and a mighty car-fighter.

'The milch cow:' on the cow he thereby bestows milk; whence of old the cow was born as one yielding milk.

'The draught ox:' on the ox he thereby bestows strength, whence of old the ox was born as a draught (animal).

'The swift racer:' on the horse he thereby bestows speed, whence of old the horse was born as a runner.

'The well-favoured woman:' on the woman he thereby bestows beautiful form, whence the beautiful maiden is apt to become dear (to men).

'The victorious warrior:' on the Râganya he thereby bestows the grandeur of victoriousness, whence of old the Râganya was born as one victorious.

'The blitheful youth:' he, indeed, is a blitheful (or, sociable) youth who is in his prime of life; whence one who is in his prime of life is apt to become dear to women.

'May a hero be born unto this Sacrificer!' on the Sacrificer's family he thereby bestows manly vigour, whence of old a hero was born to him who had performed the (Asvamedha) sacrifice.

'May Parganya rain for us whensoever we list!'--where they perform this sacrifice, there Parganya, indeed, rains whenever they list;--'may our fruit-bearing plants ripen!'--there the fruit-bearing plants indeed ripen where they perform this sacrifice;--'may security of possession be assured for us!'--where they perform this sacrifice there security of possession indeed is assured; whence wherever they perform this (Asvamedha) sacrifice, security of possession becomes assured to the people.