Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ("of a hundred paths") 4.4.4

Now, it is nine Samishtayagus he offers on this occasion. The reason why he offers nine Samishtayagus is that those stotra-verses at the Bahishpavamâna chant amount to nine. Thus there is at both ends an inferior (incomplete) virâg, for the sake of production: it was from that same inferior (lower) source of production on both sides that Pragâpati produced the creatures,--from the one (he created) the upright, and from the other those tending to the ground. And in like manner does he (the Adhvaryu) now create creatures from that lower source of production on both sides,--from the one the upright, and from the other those tending to the ground.

The call 'Him' is the tenth of stotra-verses, and the 'Svâhâ' (the tenth) of these (Samishtayagus): and thus does this incomplete virâg come to consist of tens and tens.

And as to why they are called Samishtayagus. Whatever deities he invites at this sacrifice, and for whatever deities this sacrifice is performed, they all are thereby 'sacrificed-to together' (sam-ishta); and because, after all those (deities) have been 'sacrificed-to together,' he now offers those (libations), therefore they are called Samishtayagus.

And as to why he offers the Samishtayagus. Now, the self of him who has sacrificed has, as it were, become emptied, since he gives away of whatever is his: it is him he fills again by three out of these (oblations).

And as to the three following which he offers,--whatever deities he invites at this sacrifice, and for whatever deities this sacrifice is performed, they continue waiting till the Samishtayagus are performed, thinking, 'These, forsooth, he must offer unto us!' It is these same deities he thereby dismisses in due form whithersoever their course lies.

And as to the three last which he offers,--in performing the sacrifice he has produced it, and, having produced it, he firmly establishes it where there is a safe resting-place for it: this is why he performs the Samishtayagus.

He offers (the first) with (Vâg. S. VIII, 15; Rig-veda V, 42, 4), 'With thought lead us, O Indra, to meet with kine,'--'with thought him who was emptied he thereby fills with thought; with kine;' him who was emptied he thereby fills with kine;--'with patrons, O mighty Lord, with well-being; with prayer which is divinely inspired,'--'with prayer:' him who was emptied he thereby fills with prayer;--'with the favour of the adorable gods! Hail!'

[The second with Vâg. S. VIII, 16], 'With lustre, with sap, with bodies,'--'with lustre him who was emptied he thereby fills with lustre; with sap,'--sap is vigour--him who was emptied he thus fills with sap;--'We have united, with the happy spirit: may Tvashtri, the dispenser of boons, grant us riches, and may he smooth what was injured in our body!' Thus they heal what was torn.

[The third with Vâg. S. VIII, I7; Atharva-veda VII, 17, 4], 'May the gracious Dhâtri, Savitri, Pragâpati, the guardian of treasures, and the divine Agni accept this (offering); and Tvashtri and Vishnu: grant ye willingly to the sacrificer wealth together with children! Hail!' Him who was emptied he fills again, when he says, 'grant ye wealth to the sacrificer, Hail!'

[The fourth with Vâg. S. VIII, 18 ], 'Accessible homes have we prepared for you, O gods, who graciously came to this Soma feast;'--whereby he means to say, 'seats easy of access we have prepared for you, O gods, who have graciously come to this Soma feast;'--'Carrying and driving the offerings,' thereby he dismisses the several deities; 'Those forsooth who are without cars may go away carrying; and those who have cars may go away driving,' this is what he means to say; therefore he says, 'Carrying and driving the offerings;'--'bestow goods on him, ye good! Hail!'

[The fifth with Vâg. S. VIII, 19; Atharva-veda VII, 97, 3], 'The willing gods whom thou, O God, broughtest hither, speed them each to his own abode, O Agni!' For to Agni he said, 'Bring hither such and such gods! bring hither such and such gods!' and to him he now says, 'Whatever gods thou hast brought hither, make them go whithersoever their course lies!'--'Ye have all eaten and drunk,'--for they have eaten the cakes of the animal offering, and they have drunk the king Soma: therefore he says, 'ye have all eaten and drunk;'--'Draw ye nigh to the air, to the heat, to the light! H ail!' Hereby, then, he dismisses the deities.

[The sixth with Vâg. S. VIII, 20], 'Thee, O Agni, have we chosen here for our Hotri at the opening of this sacrifice: severally hast thou offered to them, and severally hast thou toiled; well-knowing the sacrifice, draw thou nigh, thou the wise! Hail!' by this (verse) he releases Agni, dismisses Agni.

[The seventh with Vâg. S. VIII, 21], 'Ye path-finding gods,'--for the gods are, indeed, the finders of the path;--'having found the path,'--'having found the sacrifice,' he thereby means to say;--'go ye in the path!' therewith he dismisses them in due form;--'O divine Lord of mind, this sacrifice--Svâhâ!--give thou to the wind!' for the sacrifice, indeed, is yonder blowing (wind): having thus completed this sacrifice, he establishes it in that sacrifice, and thus unites sacrifice with sacrifice,--hence he says, 'Svâhâ! give (it) to the wind!'

[The eighth with Vâg. S. VIII, 22], 'O sacrifice, go to the sacrifice, go to the lord of the sacrifice, go to thine own womb, Hail!'--the sacrifice, thus established, he thereby establishes in its own womb. [The ninth he offers with], 'This is thy sacrifice, O lord of the sacrifice, bestowing numerous heroes, together with the song of praise: do thou accept it, Hail!' the sacrifice, thus established, bestowing numerous heroes, together with the song of praise he thereby finally establishes in the sacrificer.