Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ("of a hundred paths") 10.5.4

10.5.4.1

ayaṃ vāva loka eṣo'gniścitaḥ tasyāpa eva pariśrito manuṣyā yajuṣmatya iṣṭakāḥ sūdadohā oṣadhayaśca vanaspatayaśca purīṣamāhutayaḥ samidho'gnirlokampṛṇā tadvā etatsarvamagnimevābhisampadyate tatsarvo'gnirlokampṛṇāmabhisampadyate sa yo haitadevaṃ veda lokampṛṇāmenam bhūtametatsarvamabhisampadyate

Verily, this (brick-)built Fire-altar (Agni) is this (terrestrial) world:--the waters (of the encircling ocean) are its (circle of) enclosing-stones; the men its Yagushmatîs (bricks with special formulas); the cattle its Sûdadohas; the plants and trees its earth-fillings (between the layers of bricks), its oblations and fire-logs; Agni (the terrestrial fire) its Lokamprinâ (space-filling brick);--thus this comes to make up the whole Agni, and the whole Agni comes to be the space-filler; and, verily, whosoever knows this, thus comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler.

10.5.4.2

antarikṣaṃ ha tvevaiṣo'gniścitaḥ tasya dyāvāpṛthivyoreva saṃdhiḥ pariśritaḥ pareṇa hāntarikṣaṃ dyāvāpṛthivī saṃdhattastāḥ pariśrito vayāṃsi yajuṣmatya iṣṭakā varṣaṃ sūdadohā marīcayaḥ purīṣamāhutayaḥ samidho vāyurlokampṛṇā tadvā etatsarvaṃ vāyumevābhisampadyate tatsarvo'gnirlo

But, indeed, that Fire-altar also is the air:--the function of heaven and earth (the horizon) is its (circle of) enclosing-stones, for it is beyond the air that heaven and earth meet, and that (junction) is the (circle of) enclosing-stones; the birds are its Yagushmatî bricks, the rain its Sûdadohas, the rays of light its earth-fillings, oblations and fire-logs; Vâyu (the wind) is its space-filler; thus this comes to make up the whole Agni, and the whole Agni comes to be the space-filler; and, verily, whosoever knows this, thus comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler.

10.5.4.3

dyaurha tvevaiṣo'gniścitaḥ tasyāpa eva pariśrito yathā ha vā idaṃ kośaḥ samubjita evamime lokā apsvantastadyā imāṃlokānpareṇāpastāḥ pariśrito devā yajuṣmatya iṣṭakā yadevaitasmiṃloke'nnaṃ tatsūdadohā nakṣatrāṇi purīṣamāhutayaḥ samidha ādityo lokampṛṇā tadvā etatsarvamādityamevābhisampadyate tatsarvo'gnirlo

But, indeed, that Fire-altar also is the sky:--the (heavenly) waters are its enclosing-stones, for even as a case here is closed up so are these worlds (enclosed) within the waters; and the waters beyond these worlds are the enclosing-stones;--the gods are the Yagushmatî bricks; what food there is in that world is its Sûdadohas; the Nakshatras (lunar mansions) are the earth-fillings, the oblations and the fire-logs; and Âditya (the sun) is the space-filler;--thus this comes to make up the whole Agni; and the whole Agni comes to be the space-filler; and, verily, whosoever knows this, thus comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler.

10.5.4.4

ādityo ha tvevaiṣo'gniścitaḥ tasya diśa eva pariśritastāḥ ṣaṣṭiśca trīṇi ca śatāni bhavanti ṣaṣṭiśca ha vai trīṇi ca śatānyādityaṃ diśaḥ samantam pariyanti raśmayo yajuṣmatya iṣṭakāstāḥ ṣaṣṭiścaiva trīṇi ca śatāni bhavanti ṣaṣṭiśca ha vai trīṇi ca śatānyādityasya raśmayastadyatpariśritsu yajuṣmatīḥ pratyarpayati raśmīṃstaddikṣu pratyarpayatyatha yadantarā diśaśca raśmīṃśca tatsūdadohā atha yaddikṣu ca raśmiṣu cānnaṃ tatpurīṣaṃ tā āhutayastāḥ samidho'tha yaddiśa iti ca raśmaya iti cākhyāyate tallokampṛṇā tadvā etatsarvaṃ diśa iti caiva raśmaya iti cākhyāyate tatsarvo'gnirlo

But, indeed, that Fire-altar also is the sun:--the regions are its enclosing-stones, and there are three hundred and sixty of these, because three hundred and sixty regions encircle the sun on all sides;--the rays are its Yagushmatî bricks, for there are three hundred and sixty of these, and three hundred and sixty rays of the sun; and in that he establishes the Yagushmatîs within the enclosing-stones thereby he establishes the rays in the regions. And what is between the regions and the rays, is its Sûdadohas; and what food there is in the regions and rays that is the earth-fillings, the oblations and the fire-logs; and that which is called both 'regions' and 'rays' is the space-filling (brick):--thus this comes to make up the whole Agni; and the whole Agni comes to be the space-filler; and, verily, whosoever knows this, thus comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler.

10.5.4.5

nakṣatrāṇi ha tvevaiṣo'gniścitaḥ tāni vā etāni saptaviṃśatirnakṣatrāṇi saptaviṃśatiḥ saptaviṃśatirhopanakṣatrāṇyekaikaṃ nakṣatramanūpatiṣṭhante tāni sapta ca śatāni viṃśatiścādhi ṣaṭtriṃśattato yāni sapta ca śatāni viṃśatiśceṣṭakā eva tāḥ ṣaṣṭiśca trīṇi ca śatāni pariśritaḥ ṣaṣṭiśca trīṇi ca śatāni yajuṣmatyo'tha yānyadhi ṣaṭtriṃśatsa trayodaśo māsaḥ sa ātmā triṃśadātmā pratiṣṭhā dve śira eva ṣaṭtriṃśyau tadyatte dve bhavato dvyakṣaraṃ hi śiro'tha yadantarā nakṣatre tatsūdadohā atha yannakṣatreṣvannaṃ tatpurīṣaṃ tā āhutayastāḥ samidho'tha yannakṣatrāṇītyākhyāyate tallokampṛṇā tadvā etatsarvaṃnakṣatrāṇītyevākhyāyate tatsarvo'gnirlo

But, indeed, that Fire-altar also is the Nakshatras:--for there are twenty-seven of these Nakshatras, and twenty-seven secondary stars accompany each Nakshatra,--this makes seven hundred and twenty, and thirty-six in addition thereto. Now what seven hundred and twenty bricks there are of these, they are the three hundred and sixty enclosing-stones and the three hundred and sixty Yagushmatî bricks; and what thirty-six there are in addition, they are the thirteenth (intercalary) month, the body (of the altar); the trunk (consisting of) thirty, the feet of two, the (channels of the) vital airs of two, and the head itself being the (thirty-fifth and) thirty-sixth,--and as to there being two of these, it is because 'siras' (head) consists of two syllables;--and what (space) there is between (each) two Nakshatras that is the Sûdadohas; and what food there is in the Nakshatras that is the earth-fillings (between the layers of bricks), the oblations and the fire-logs; and what is called 'nakshatras' that is the space-filling (brick):--thus this comes to make up the whole Agni, and the whole Agni comes to be the space-filler; and, verily, whosoever knows this, thus comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler.

10.5.4.6

tā vā etāḥ ekaviṃśatirbṛhatya ekaviṃśo vai svargo loko bṛhatī svargo lokastadeṣa svargaṃ lokamabhisampadyata ekaviṃśaṃ ca stomam bṛhatīṃ ca candaḥ

Now, these (amount to) twenty-one Brihatîs; and--the heavenly world being the twenty-one-fold one and the Brihatî (the great one)--this (altar) thus comes to be equal to the heavenly world, and to the twenty-one-fold Stoma (hymn-form) and the Brihatî metre.

10.5.4.7

candāṃsi ha tvevaiṣo'gniścitaḥ tāni vā etāni sapta candāṃsi caturuttarāṇi tricāni teṣāṃ sapta ca śatāni viṃśatiścākṣarāṇyadhi ṣaṭtriṃśattato yāni sapta ca śatāni viṃśatiśceṣṭakā eva tāḥ ṣaṣṭiśca trīṇi ca śatāni pariśritaḥ ṣaṣṭiśca trīṇi ca śatāni yajuṣmatyo'tha yānyadhi ṣaṭtriṃśatsa trayodaśo māsaḥ sa ātmā triṃśadātmā pratiṣṭhā dve prāṇā dve śira eva ṣaṭtriṃśyau tadyatte dve bhavato dvyakṣaraṃ hi śiraḥ

But, indeed, that Fire-altar also is the Metres; for there are seven of these metres, increasing by four syllables; and the triplets of these make seven hundred and twenty syllables, and thirty-six in addition thereto. Now what seven hundred and twenty bricks there are of these, they are the three hundred and sixty enclosing-stones and the three hundred and sixty Yagushmatîs; and what thirty-six there are in addition, they are the thirteenth month, and the body (of this altar),--the trunk (consisting of) thirty, the feet of two, the vital airs of two, and the head itself being the (thirty-fifth and) thirty-sixth; and as to there being two of these, it is because 'siras' consists of two syllables.

10.5.4.8

tasyai vā etasyai ṣaṭtriṃśadakṣarāyai bṛhatyai yāni daśa prathamānyakṣarāṇi sā daśākṣaraikapadātha yāni viṃśatiḥ sā viṃśatyakṣarā dvipadātha yāni triṃśatsā triṃśadakṣarā virāḍatha yāni trayastriṃśatsā trayastriṃśadakṣarātha yāni catustriṃśatsā catustriṃśadakṣarā svarāḍatha yatsarvaiścandobhirayamagniścitastadaticandāstā u sarvā iṣṭakā eveṣṭaketi trīṇyakṣarāṇi tripadā gāyatrī tenaiṣa gāyatro'gnirmṛdāpa iti trīṇyakṣarāṇi tripadā gāyatrī teno evaiṣa gāyatro'tha yadantarā candasī tatsūdadohā atha yaccandaḥsvannaṃ tatpurīṣaṃ tā āhutayastāḥ samidho'tha yaccandāṃsītyākhyāyate tallokampṛṇā tadvā etatsarvaṃ candāṃsītyevākhyāyate tatsarvo'gnirlo

Now the first ten syllables of this Brihatî, consisting of thirty-six syllables, make an Ekapadâ of ten syllables; and the (first) twenty make a Dvipadâ of twenty syllables; and the (first) thirty a Virâg of thirty syllables; and the (first) thirty-three a (Virâg) of thirty-three syllables; and the (first) thirty-four a Svarâg of thirty-four syllables; and in that this fire-altar is built with all metres thereby it is an Atikhandas, and (so) indeed are all these bricks. And the three syllables 'ishtakâ (brick)' are a Gâyatrî tripadâ, whence this Agni is Gâyatra; and the three syllables 'mrid' (clay) and 'âpah' (water) also are a Gâyatrî tripadâ: thereby also he is Gâyatra. And what is between (each two) metres is the Sûdadohas; and the food which is in the metres is the earth-fillings, the oblations, and the fire-logs; and what is called 'metres,' that is the space-filling (brick):--thus this comes to make up the whole Agni; and the whole Agni comes to be the space-filler; and, verily, whosoever knows this, comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler.

10.5.4.9

tā vā etāḥ ekaviṃśatirbṛhatya ekaviṃśo vai svargo loko bṛhatī svargo lokastadeṣa svargaṃ lokamabhisampadyata ekaviṃśaṃ ca stomam bṛhatīṃ ca candaḥ

Now, these (amount to) twenty-one Brihatîs; and--the heavenly world being the twenty-one-fold and the Brihatî--this (altar) thus comes to be equal to the heavenly world, and to the twenty-one-fold Stoma and the Brihatî metre.

10.5.4.10

saṃvatsaro ha tvevaiṣo'gniścitaḥ tasya rātraya eva pariśritastāḥ ṣaṣṭiśca trīṇi ca śatāni bhavanti ṣaṣṭiśca ha vai trīṇi ca śatāni saṃvatsarasya rātrayo'hāni yajuṣmatya iṣṭakāstāḥ ṣaṣṭiścaiva trīṇi ca śatāni bhavanti ṣaṣṭiśca ha vai trīṇi ca śatāni saṃvatsarasyāhānyatha yā amūḥ ṣaṭtriṃśadiṣṭakā atiyanti yaḥ sa trayodaśo māsa ātmārdhamāsāśca te māsāśca caturviṃśatirardhamāsā dvādaśa māsā atha yadantarāhorātre tatsūdadohā atha yadahorātreṣvannaṃ tatpurīṣaṃ tā āhutayastāḥ samidho'tha yadahorātrāṇītyākhyāyate tallokampṛṇā tadvā etatsarvamahorātrāṇītyevākhyāyate tatsarvo'gnirlo

But, indeed, that Fire-altar also is the Year,--the nights are its enclosing-stones, and there are three hundred and sixty of these, because there are three hundred and sixty nights in the year; and the days are its Yagushmatî bricks, for there are three hundred and sixty of these, and three hundred and sixty days in the year; and those thirty-six bricks which are over are the thirteenth month, the body (of the year and the altar), the half-months and months,--(there being) twenty-four half-months, and twelve months. And what there is between day and night that is the Sûdadohas; and what food there is in the days and nights is the earth-fillings, the oblations, and the fire-logs; and what is called 'days and nights' that constitutes the space-filling (brick):--thus this comes to make up the whole Agni, and the whole Agni comes to be the space-filler; and, verily, whosoever knows this, thus comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler.

10.5.4.11

tā vā etāḥ ekaviṃśatirbṛhatya ekaviṃśo vai svargo loko bṛhatī svargo lokastadeṣa svargaṃ lokamabhisampadyate ekaviṃśaṃ ca stomam bṛhatīṃ ca candaḥ

Now, these (amount to) twenty-one Brihatîs; and--the heavenly world being the twenty-one-fold and the Brihatî--this (altar) thus comes to be equal to the heavenly world, and to the twenty-one-fold Stoma and the Brihatî metre.

10.5.4.12

ātmā ha tvevaiṣo'gniścitaḥ tasyāsthīnyeva pariśritastāḥ ṣaṣṭiśca trīṇi ca śatāni bhavanti ṣaṣṭiśca ha vai trīṇi ca śatāni puruṣasyāsthīni majjāno yajuṣmatya iṣṭakāstāḥ ṣaṣṭiścaiva trīṇi ca śatāni bhavanti ṣaṣṭiśca ha vai trīṇi ca śatāni puruṣasya majjāno'tha yā amūḥ ṣaṭtriṃśadiṣṭakā atiyanti yaḥ sa trayodaśo māsa ātmā prāṇaḥ sa tasya triṃśadātmanvidhāḥ pratiṣṭhāyāṃ dve śīrṣandve tadyatte dve bhavato dvikapālaṃ hi śiro'tha yenemāni parvāṇi saṃtatāni tatsūdadohā athaitattrayaṃ yenāyamātmā pracanno loma tvaṅmāṃsamiti tatpurīṣaṃ yatpibati tā āhutayo yadaśnāti tāḥ samidho'tha yadātmetyākhyāyate tallokampṛṇā tadvā etatsarvamātmetyevākhyāyate tatsarvo'gnirlo

But, indeed, that Fire-altar also-is the body,--the bones are its enclosing-stones, and there are three hundred and sixty of these, because there are three hundred and sixty bones in man; the marrow parts are the Yagushmatî bricks, for there are three hundred and sixty of these, and three hundred and sixty parts of marrow in man; and those thirty-six bricks which are over, are the thirteenth month, the trunk, the vital air (of the altar),--in his body there are thirty parts, in his feet two, in his vital airs two, and in his head two,--as to there being two of these, it is because the head consists of two skull-bones. And that whereby these joints are held together is the Sûdadohas; and those three whereby this body is covered--to wit, hair, skin, and flesh--are the earth-fillings; what he drinks is the oblations, and what he eats the fire-logs; and what is called the 'body,' that is the space-filling (brick):--thus this comes to make up the whole Agni, and the whole Agni comes to be the space-filler; and, verily, whosoever knows this, thus comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler.

10.5.4.13

tā vā etāḥ ekaviṃśatirbṛha

Now, these (amount to) twenty-one Brihatîs; and--the heavenly world being the twenty-one-fold and the Brihatî--this (altar) thus comes to be equal to the heavenly world, and to the twenty-one-fold Stoma and the Brihatî metre.

10.5.4.14

sarvāṇi ha tveva bhūtāni sarve devā eṣo'gniścita āpo vai sarve devāḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni tā haitā āpa evaiṣo'gniścitastasya nāvyā eva pariśritastāḥ ṣaṣṭiśca trīṇi ca śatāni bhavanti ṣaṣṭiśca ha vai trīṇi ca śatānyādityaṃ nāvyāḥ samantam pariyanti nāvyā u eva yajuṣmatya iṣṭakāstāḥ ṣaṣṭiścaiva trīṇi ca śatāni bhavanti ṣaṣṭiśca ha vai trīṇi ca śatānyādityaṃ nāvyā abhikṣarantyatha yadantarā nāvye tatsūdadohā atha yā amūḥ ṣaṭtriṃśadiṣṭakā atiyanti yaḥ sa trayodaśo māsa ātmāyameva sa yo'yaṃ hiraṇmayaḥ puruṣaḥ

But, indeed, that built Agni (the fire-altar) is all beings, all the gods; for all the gods, all beings are the waters, and that built fire-altar is the same as those waters;--the navigable streams (round the sun) are its enclosing-stones, and there are three hundred and sixty of these, because three hundred and sixty navigable streams encircle the sun on all sides; and the navigable streams, indeed, are also the Yagushmatî bricks, and there are three hundred and sixty of these, because three hundred and sixty navigable streams flow towards the sun. And what is between (each) two navigable rivers is the Sûdadohas; and those thirty-six bricks which remain over are the same as that thirteenth month, and the body (of this altar, the waters,) is the same as this gold man.

10.5.4.15

tasyaite pratiṣṭhe rukmaśca puṣkaraparṇaṃ cāpaścādityamaṇḍalaṃ ca srucau bāhū tāvindrāgnī dve svayamātṛṇe iyaṃ cāntarikṣaṃ ca tisro viśvajyotiṣa etā devatā agnirvāyurāditya etā hyeva devatā viśvaṃ jyotirdvādaśartavyāḥ sa saṃvatsaraḥ sa ātmā pañca pañcacūḍāḥ sa yajñaste devā atha yadvikarṇī ca svayamātṛṇā cāśmā pṛśniryaścite'gnirnidhīyate sā pañcatrīṃśī lokampṛṇāyai yajuḥ ṣaṭtriṃśī so'syaiṣa sarvasyāntamevātmā sa eṣa sarvāsāmapām madhye sa eṣa sarvaiḥ kāmaiḥ sampanna āpo vai sarve kāmāḥ sa eṣo'kāmaḥ sarvakāmo na hyetaṃ kasya cana kāmaḥ

His feet are that gold plate and lotus-leaf(that is) the waters and the sun's orb --are his feet; his arms are the two spoons, and they are Indra and Agni; the two naturally-perforated (bricks) are this earth and the air; and the three Visvagyotis (all-light) bricks are these deities--Agni, Vâyu, and Âditya, for these deities, indeed, are all the light; and the twelve seasonal (bricks) are the year, the body (of the altar, and the gold man); and the five Nâkasads and five Pañkakûdâs are the sacrifice, the gods; and the Vikarnî the (third) Svayamâtrinnâ and the variegated stone; and the fire which is deposited (on the altar) is the thirty-fifth; and the formula of the Lokamprinâ (brick) is the thirty-sixth;--that (gold man), indeed, the body (of the altar) is the end of everything here: he is in the midst of all the waters, endowed with all objects of desire--for all objects of desire are the waters; whilst possessed of all (objects of) desires he is without desire, for no desire of anything (troubles) him.

10.5.4.16

tadeṣa śloko bhavati vidyayā tadārohanti yatra kāmāḥ parāgatāḥ na tatra dakṣiṇā yanti nāvidvāṃsastapasvina iti na haiva taṃ lokaṃ dakṣiṇābhirna tapasānevaṃvidaśnuta evaṃvidāṃ haiva sa lokaḥ

Regarding this there is this verse--'By knowledge they ascend that (state) where desires have vanished: sacrificial gifts go not thither, nor the fervid practisers of rites without knowledge;'--for, indeed, he who does not know this does not attain to that world either by sacrificial gifts or by devout practices, but only to those who know does that world belong.

10.5.4.17

abhram purīṣam candramā āhutayo nakṣatrāṇi samidho yaccandramā nakṣatre vasatyāhutistatsamidhi vasatyetadu vā āhuterannameṣā pratiṣṭhā tasmādāhutirna kṣīyata etaddhyasyā annameṣā pratiṣṭhātha yaddevā ityākhyāyate tallokampṛṇā tadvā etatsarvaṃ devā ityevākhyāyate

The welkin is the earth-fillings (between the layers of brick); the moon the oblations; the Nakshatras (lunar mansions) the fire-logs,--because the moon resides in (or with) the Nakshatra, therefore the oblation resides in the fire-wood: that, indeed, is the food of the oblation, and its support; whence the oblation does not fail (na kshîyate), for that is its food and its support And what are called 'the gods' they are the space-filling (brick); for by (naming) the gods everything here is named.
18 It is regarding this that it is said by the Rik (X, 12, 3), 'The All-gods have gone after this thy Yagus,'--for all beings, all the gods, indeed, become the Yagus here. Thus this whole Agni comes to be the space-filler; and, verily, whosoever knows this, thus comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler.

10.5.4.18

tadetadṛcābhyuktam viśve devā anu tatte yajurguriti sarvāṇi hyatra bhūtāni sarve devā yajureva bhavanti tatsarvo'gnirlokampṛṇāmabhisampadyate sa yo haitadevaṃ veda lokampṛṇāmenam bhūtametatsarvamabhisampadyate

10.5.4.19

tā vā etāḥ ekaviṃśatirbṛhatya ekaviṃśo vai svargo loko bṛhatī svargo lokastadeṣa svargaṃ lokamabhisampadyata ekaviṃśaṃ ca stomam bṛhatīṃ ca candaḥ

Now, these (amount to) twenty-one Brihatîs; and--the heavenly world being the twenty-one-fold and the Brihatî--this (altar) thus comes to be equal to the heavenly world, and to the twenty-one-fold Stoma and the Brihatî metre.