Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ("of a hundred paths") 11.4

Now Uddâlaka Âruni was driving about, as a chosen (offering-priest), amongst the people of the northern country. By him a gold coin was offered; for in the time of our forefathers a prize used to be offered by chosen (priests) when driving about, for the sake of calling out the timid to a disputation. Fear then seized the Brâhmanas of the northern people:--

'This fellow is a Kurupañkâla Brahman, and son of a Brahman--let us take care lest he should deprive us of our domain: come, let us challenge him to a disputation on spiritual matters.'--'With whom for our champion?'--'With Svaidâyana.' Svaidâyana, to wit, was Saunaka.

They said, 'Svaidâyana, with thee as our champion we will fight this fellow.' He said, 'Well, then, stay ye here quietly: I will just make his acquaintance.' He went up to him, and when he had come up, he (Uddâlaka) greeted him saying, 'Svaidâyana!'--'Halloo, son of Gautama!' replied the other, and straightway, began to question him.

'He alone, O son of Gautama, may drive about amongst people as chosen (offering-priest), who knows in the Full and New-moon sacrifices eight butter-portions (offered) previously, five portions of sacrificial food in the middle, six (portions) of Pragâpati, and eight butter-portions (offered) subsequently.

'He alone, O son of Gautama, may drive about amongst people as chosen (priest), who knows from the Full and New-moon sacrifices whereby it is that creatures here are born toothless, whereby they (the teeth) grow with them, whereby they decay with them, whereby they come to remain permanently with them; whereby, in the last stage of life, they all decay again with them; whereby the lower ones grow first, then the upper ones; whereby the lower ones are smaller, and the upper ones broader; whereby the incisors are larger, and whereby the molars are of equal size.

'He alone, O son of Gautama, may drive about amongst people as chosen (priest), who knows from the Full and New-moon sacrifices, whereby creatures here are born with hair; whereby, for the second time, as it were, the hair of the beard and the arm-pits and other parts of the body grow on them; whereby it is on the head that one first becomes grey, and then, again, in the last stage of life, one becomes grey all over.

'He alone, O son of Gautama, may drive about amongst people as chosen (priest), who knows from the Full and New-moon sacrifices whereby the seed of the boy is not productive, whereby in his middle age it is productive, and whereby again in his last stage of life it is not productive;--

'And he who knows the golden, brilliant-winged Gâyatrî who bears the Sacrificer to the heavenly world.' Then he (Uddâlaka) gave up to him the gold coin, saying, 'Thou art learned, Svaidâyana; and, verily, gold is given unto him who knows gold;' and he (Svaidâyana), having concealed it, went away. They asked him, 'How did that son of Gautama behave?'

He said, 'Even as a Brahman, and the son of a Brahman: the head would fly off of whosoever should (dare to) challenge him to a disputation.' They then went away in all directions. He (Uddâlaka) then came back to him, with fire-wood in his hand, and said, 'I want to become thy pupil.'--'What wouldst thou study?'--'Even those questions which thou didst ask me--explain them to me!' He said, 'I will tell them to thee even without thy becoming my pupil.'

And he then spoke thus to him:--The two libations of ghee, the five fore-offerings, and, eighth, Agni's butter-portion--these are the eight butter-portions (offered) previously. Soma's butter-portion, being the first of the portions of sacrificial food--for Soma is sacrificial food,---Agni's cake, Agni-Soma's low-voiced offering, Agni-Soma's cake, and (the offering to) Agni Svishtakrit--these are the five portions of sacrificial food in the middle.

The fore-portion, the Idâ, what he hands to the Agnîdh, the Brahman's portion, the Sacrificer's portion, and the Anvâhârya (mess of rice)--these are the six (portions) of Pragâpati. The three after-offerings, the four Patnîsamyâgas, and, eighth, the Samishtayagus--these are the eight butter-portions (offered) subsequently.

And inasmuch as the fore-offerings are without invitatory formulas, therefore creatures are horn here without teeth; and inasmuch as the chief oblations have invitatory formulas, therefore they (the teeth) grow in them; and inasmuch as the after-offerings are without invitatory formulas, therefore they (the teeth) decay in them; and inasmuch as the Patnîsamyâgas as have invitatory formulas, therefore they (the teeth) come to remain permanently with them; and inasmuch as the Samishtayagus is without invitatory formula, therefore they all decay again in the last stage of life.

And inasmuch as, after uttering the invitatory formula, he offers with the offering-formula, therefore the lower (teeth) grow first, then the upper ones; and inasmuch as, after uttering a gâyatrî verse as invitatory formula, he offers with a trishtubh verse, therefore the lower (teeth) are smaller, and the upper ones broader; and inasmuch as he pours out the two libations of ghee in a forward direction, therefore the incisors are larger; and inasmuch as the two samyâgyâs are in the same metre, therefore the molars are of equal size.

And inasmuch as he spreads a cover of sacrificial grass (on the Vedi), therefore creatures here are born with hair; and inasmuch as he for the second time, as it were, spreads the Prastara-bunch, therefore, for the second time, as it were, the hair of the beard and the arm-pits, and other parts of the body grow; and inasmuch as at first he only throws the Prastara-bunch after (the oblations into the fire), therefore it is on the head that one first becomes grey; and inasmuch as he then throws after it all the sacrificial grass of the altar-ground, therefore, in the last stage of life, one again becomes grey all over.

And inasmuch as the fore-offerings have ghee for their offering-material, a boy's seed is not productive, but is like water, for ghee is like water; and inasmuch as, in the middle of the sacrifice, they sacrifice with sour curds and with cake, therefore it is productive in his middle stage of life, for thick-flowing, as it were, is (that havis), and thick-flowing, as it were, is seed; and inasmuch as the after-offerings have ghee for their offering-material, it again is not productive in his last stage of life, and is like water, for ghee, indeed, is like water.

The Vedi (altar-ground), doubtless, is the Gâyatrî: the eight butter-portions (offered) previously are her right wing, and the eight butter-portions (offered) subsequently are her left wing: that same golden, brilliant-winged Gâyatrî, indeed, bears the Sacrificer who knows this to the heavenly world.

Now, then, as to the taking up of the two offering-spoons. Now, in this respect, some people, thinking themselves clever, take up the (guhû) with the right, and the upabhrit with the left (hand); but let him not do so; for if, in that case, any one were to say of him, 'Surely, this Adhvaryu has made the Sacrificer's spiteful enemy equal to him, and able to cope with him,' then that would indeed be likely to come to pass.

Let him rather do it in this way;--having taken the guhû with both hands, let him lay it down on the upabhrit; there is no question about this: it is good for (securing) cattle and life. Let him take them up without clinking them together,--were he to let them clink together, insecurity of property would befall the Sacrificer: let him, therefore, take them up without clinking them together.

Now as to the stepping past (the Vedi). By a thunderbolt, indeed, one, Adhvaryu scatters the Sacrificer's cattle, and by a thunderbolt another drives them together for him. Now that Adhvaryu, doubtless, scatters the Sacrificer's cattle by a thunderbolt, who steps past with his right (foot) when he is about to call (on the Âgnîdhra) for the Sraushat, and with his left (foot) when he has called for the Sraushat; and that (other) one drives them together for him who steps past with his left (foot) When he is about to call for the Sraushat, and with his right (foot) when he has called for the Sraushat; for he does indeed drive them together for him.

Now as to the holding (of the spoons). In this respect, some people, thinking themselves clever, hold the two spoons whilst stretching forward both arms; but let him not do so, for if, in that case, any one were to say of him, 'Surely, this Sacrificer has made two spears of his arms: he will become a spear-holder,' then that would indeed be likely to come to pass. But that (navel is the channel of the) central breathing: let him therefore hold (the spoon) by lowering them to that (breathing).

Now as to calling for the Sraushat: there are six (modes of) calling for the Sraushat,--the descending, the level, the ascending, the feeble, the outward-tending, and the inward-tending.

Now the descending mode, indeed, it is when he begins in a high tone and concludes in a low tone: whoever should wish that any one should be poorer, let him begin for him in a high tone and conclude in a low tone; and he will thereby become poorer.

And the level one, indeed, it is when he concludes in the same tone in which he has begun: whoever should wish that any one should be neither more prosperous nor poorer, let him conclude for him in the same tone in which he has begun; and he will thereby become neither more prosperous nor poorer.

And the ascending one, indeed, it is when he begins in a low tone and concludes in a high tone: whoever should wish that any one should be more prosperous, let him begin for him in a low tone and conclude in a high tone; and he will thereby become more prosperous.

And the feeble one, indeed, it is when he calls for the Sraushat in a thin, long-drawn, toneless way: if, in that case, any one were to say of him, 'Surely, this Adhvaryu has made the Sacrificer feeble, and submissive to his spiteful enemy,' then that would indeed be likely to cone to pass.

And the outward-tending (bahih-sri) one, indeed, it is when he opens his lips wide and utters his call at a high, toneless pitch: tone being prosperity, he thereby puts prosperity (srî) outside (bahis) himself, and becomes hungry (poor).

And the inward-tending (antah-sri) one, indeed, it is when he closes his lips, and utters his call at a loud, toneful pitch: tone being prosperity, he thereby puts prosperity (srî) inside (antah) himself, and becomes an eater of food (rich).

Having kept back (the tone) deep in the breast, as it were, let him (keep up the middle pitch of) the Brihat (sâman) in both (words 'om srâvaya'), and finally leave off at a high pitch; there is no question about this: it is good for (securing) cattle and life.

Now as to the oblation. In this respect, some people, thinking themselves clever, having turned down the spoon eastwards, and poured out the oblation, turn it round and place it over the upabhrit. But let him not do this; for if, in that case, any one were to say of him, 'Surely, this Adhvaryu has made the Sacrificer dependent on, and submissive to, his spiteful enemy,' then that would indeed be likely to come to pass.

And some, having turned down the spoon sideways, and poured out the oblation, turn it round and place it over the upabhrit. But let him not do so; for if, in that case, any one were to say of him, 'Surely, this Advaryu has stopped the oblations by (following) the wrong way, he (the Sacrificer) will either be shattered, or become worm-eaten,' then that would indeed be likely to come to pass.

Let him rather do it in this way:--having turned down the spoon eastwards, and poured out the oblation, let him carry it up in the same way and place it over the upabhrit;--there is no question about this: it is good for (securing) cattle and life.

One Adhvaryu, indeed, burns the oblations, and another satisfies the oblations; and that Adhvaryu, assuredly, burns the oblations who, having offered ghee, offers portions (of sacrificial dishes): indeed, it is with reference to him that an invisible voice has said, 'Surely, this Adhvaryu burns the oblations.' And he, indeed, satisfies them who having offered ghee, offers sacrificial portions, and finally again offers ghee thereon: such a one certainly satisfies them; and, these (oblations) having been satisfied, the gods fill gold cups (for him).

Concerning this, Yâgñavalkya said, 'When, after making an underlayer (of ghee), and cutting portions (from the sacrificial dish), he bastes them (with ghee), then, indeed, he satisfies them; and, they being satisfied, the gods fill (for him) gold cups.' Now Saulvâyana was Adhvaryu to those who had Ayasthûna for their Grihapati.

He said, 'Surely, this sacrificial session is supplied with lean cattle and scanty ghee; and yet this one, forsooth, thinks himself a Grihapati!'

He (Ayasthûna) said, 'Adhvaryu, thou hast insulted us; and there now are those two spoons which, for a whole year, thou hast not been able to take up (in the proper manner): if I were to instruct thee in (the use of) them, thou wouldst become multiplied in offspring and cattle, and wouldst lead (the Sacrificer) to heaven.'

He said, 'Let me become thy pupil.' He answered, 'Even now, indeed, art thou worthy (of being instructed), who hast been our Adhvaryu for a year: I will teach thee this even without thy becoming my pupil.' And so, indeed, he taught him that taking up of the two spoons as we have here explained it: hence one ought only to make one who knows this his Adhvaryu, and not one who does not know it.

Pragâpati was becoming heated (by fervid devotion), whilst creating living beings. From him, worn out and heated, Srî (Fortune and Beauty) came forth. She stood there resplendent, shining, and trembling. The gods, beholding her thus resplendent, shining, and trembling, set their minds upon her.

They said to Pragâpati, 'Let us kill her and take (all) this from her.' He said, 'Surely, that Srî is a woman, and people do not kill a woman, but rather take (anything) from her (leaving her) alive.'

Agni then took her food, Soma her royal power, Varuna her universal sovereignty, Mitra her noble rank, Indra her power, Brihaspati her holy lustre, Savitri her dominion, Pûshan her wealth, Sarasvatî her prosperity, and Tvashtri her beautiful forms.

She said to Pragâpati, 'Surely, they have taken (all) this from me!' He said, 'Do thou ask it back from them by sacrifice!'

She perceived this offering with ten sacrificial dishes--a cake on eight potsherds for Agni, a pap for Soma, a cake on ten potsherds for Varuna, a pap for Mitra, a cake on eleven potsherds for Indra, a pap for Brihaspati, a cake on twelve or eight potsherds for Savitri, a pap for Pûshan, a pap for Sarasvatî, and a cake on ten potsherds for Tvashtri.

She invited them by means of this invitatory formula,--'May Agni, Soma, Varuna, Mitra, Indra, Brihaspati, and the thousandfold-bestowing Savitri,--May Pûshan, for our Sacrifices, unite us with cattle, Sarasvatî with favour, Tvashtri with beautiful forms!' They accordingly made their appearance again.

By this offering-formula she then approached them in inverted order (beginning) from the last:--'May Tvashtri grant me forms, and the bountiful Sarasvatî, and Pûshan good fortune, and may Savitri bestow gifts on me, and Indra power, and Mitra noble rank, and Varuna, and Soma and Agni!' They were ready to restore them to her.

She perceived these additional oblations:--'May Agni, the food-eater, the food-lord, bestow food upon me at this sacrifice, svâhâ!' Agni, taking the oblation, departed and restored her food to her.

'May Soma, the king, the lord of kings, bestow royal power upon me at this sacrifice, svâhâ!' Soma, taking the oblation, departed and restored her royal power to her.

'May Varuna, the universal sovereign, the lord of universal sovereigns, bestow universal sovereignty upon me at this sacrifice, svâhâ!' Varuna, taking the oblation, departed and restored her universal sovereignty to her.

'May Mitra, the Kshatra (nobility), the lord of the Kshatra, bestow noble rank upon me at this sacrifice, svâhâ!' Mitra, taking the oblation, departed and restored her noble rank to her.

'May Indra, the power, the lord of power, bestow power upon me at this sacrifice, svâhâ!' Indra, taking the oblation, departed and restored her power to her.

'May Brihaspati, the Brahman (priesthood), the lord of the Brahman, bestow holy lustre upon me at this sacrifice, svâhâ!' Brihaspati, taking the oblation, departed and restored her holy lustre to her.

'May Savitri, the kingdom, the lord of the kingdom, bestow the kingdom upon me at this sacrifice, svâhâ!' Savitri, taking the oblation, departed and restored her kingdom to her.

'May Pûshan, wealth, the lord of wealth, bestow wealth upon me at this sacrifice, svâhâ!' Pûshan, taking the oblation, departed and restored her wealth to her.

'May Sarasvatî, prosperity, the lord of prosperity, bestow prosperity upon me at this sacrifice, svâhâ!' Sarasvatî, taking the oblation, departed and restored her prosperity to her.

'May Tvashtri, the fashioner of forms, the lord of forms, bestow cattle with form upon me at this sacrifice, svâhâ!' Tvashtri, taking the oblation, departed and restored her cattle with (beautiful) form to her.

These, then, are ten deities, ten sacrificial dishes,. ten offerings, ten presents to priests,--the Virâg consists of decad after decad (of syllables), and the Virâg (shining one) is Srî (beauty, prosperity): he thus establishes (the Sacrificer) in the Virâg, in prosperity and food.

For this (sacrifice) there are fifteen kindling-verses: he offers to the deities in a low voice. There are five fore-offerings, three after-offerings, and one Samishtayagus. The (formulas of the) two butter-portions contain the word 'affluence':--(Rig-veda S. I, 1, 3), 'Through Agni may he obtain wealth and affluence day by day, famous and abounding in heroes;'--(Rig-veda S. I, 91, 12), 'An increaser of the house, a remover of trouble, a procurer of wealth, an augmenter of affluence, a kind friend he thou unto us, O Soma!' The two formulas of the Svishtakrit contain the word 'thousand':--(Rig-veda S. III, 13, 7), 'Grant thou unto us wealth, a thousandfold, with offspring and affluence, and glorious manhood, O Agni, most excellent and never failing!'--(Rig-veda S. III, 13, 6), 'Favour thou our prayer, as the best invoker of the gods for our hymns: blaze up auspiciously for us, wind-fanned, O Agni, the dispenser of a thousand bounties!'

Now, indeed, it was Gotama Râhûgana who discovered this (sacrifice). It went away to Ganaka of Videha, and he searched for it in the Brâhmanas versed in the Aṅgas (limbs of the Veda), and found it in Yâgñavalkya. He said, 'A thousand we give thee, O Yâgñavalkya, in whom we have found that Mitravindâ.' He finds (vind) Mitra, and his is the kingdom, he conquers recurring death and gains all life, whosoever, knowing this, performs this sacrifice; or whosoever thus knows it.

Now, as to the successful issue of the sacrificial food. Now, indeed, there are six doors to the Brahman --to wit, fire, wind, the waters, the moon, lightning, and the sun.

He who offers with slightly burnt sacrificial food, enters through the fire-door of the Brahman; and, by entering through the fire-door of the Brahman, he wins his union with, and participation in the world of, the Brahman.

And he who offers with sacrificial food that has fallen (on the ground) enters through the wind-door of the Brahman; and, by entering through the wind-door of the Brahman, he wins his union with, and participation in the world of, the Brahman.

And he who offers with uncooked sacrificial food, enters through the water-door of the Brahman; and, by entering through the water-door of the Brahman, he wins his union with, and participation in the world of, the Brahman.

And he who offers with slightly browned sacrificial food, enters through the moon-door of the Brahman, and, by entering through the moon-door of the Brahman, he wins his union with, and participation in the world of, the Brahman.

And he who offers with browned sacrificial food, enters through the lightning-door of the Brahman, and, by entering through the lightning-door of the Brahman, he wins his union with, and participation in the world of, the Brahman.

And he who offers with well-cooked sacrificial food, enters through the sun-door of the Brahman; and, by entering through the sun-door of the Brahman, he wins his union with, and participation in the world of, the Brahman. This, then, is the successful issue of the sacrificial food, and, verily, whosoever thus knows this to be the successful issue of the sacrificial food, by him offering is made with wholly successful sacrificial food.

Then, as to the successful issue of the sacrifice. Now, whatever part of the sacrifice is incomplete (nyûna) that part of it is productive for him; and what is redundant in it that is favourable to cattle; and what is broken (disconnected) in it that makes for prosperity; and what is perfect in it that is conducive to heaven.

And if he think, 'There has been that which was incomplete in my sacrifice,' let him believe, 'That is productive for me: I shall have offspring produced (in men and cattle).'

And if he think, 'There has been that which was redundant in my sacrifice,' let him believe, 'That is favourable to cattle for me: I shall become possessed of cattle.'

And if he think, 'There has been that which was disconnected in my sacrifice,' let him believe, 'That makes for my prosperity: Prosperity, surrounded by splendour, fame and holy lustre, will accrue to me.'

And if he think, 'There has been that which was perfect in my sacrifice,' let him believe, 'That is conducive to heaven for me: I shall become one of those in the heavenly world.' This then is the successful issue of the sacrifice; and, verily, whosoever thus knows this to be the successful issue of the sacrifice, by him offering is made by a wholly successful sacrifice.