Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ("of a hundred paths") 5.4.3

North of the Âhavanîya he places a hundred, or more than a hundred, cows of that relative of his. The reason why he does so is this:

When Varuna was consecrated, his energy, his vigour departed from him. Probably that collected essence (life-sap) of the waters wherewith they were sprinkling him, drove out his energy, his vigour. He found it in the cattle, and because he found it in them, therefore cattle are an object of respect. And having found it in the cattle, he again took to himself his energy, his vigour. And in like manner this one;--that energy does not indeed depart from him, but he does it (thinking), 'This Râgasûya is Varuna's consecration, and Varuna did so.'

He takes down the chariot (from the stand); for whatever turns away from the warrior (râganya) that he overtakes with his chariot: for this reason he takes down the chariot.

He takes it down with (Vâg. S. X, 21), 'Thou art Indra's thunderbolt!' The chariot is indeed a thunderbolt; and the Sacrificer is Indra;--he is Indra for a twofold reason, namely because he is a Kshatriya, and because he is a Sacrificer: therefore he says, 'Indra's thunderbolt thou art.'

Having turned it (so as to stand) inside the Vedi, he yokes it with, 'I yoke thee by the direction of Mitra and Varuna, the directors;' for Mitra and Varuna are the two arms, and by his arms the Râganya belongs to Mitra and Varuna that is why he says, 'I yoke thee by direction of Mitra and Varuna, the directors.'

He yokes it with four (horses). He passes along by the same way as that on which the dakshinâs go,--behind the Sadas, and in front of the hall. He stops it behind the kâtvâla, and in front of the Âgnîdhra.

He mounts it with, 'For unfeebleness (I mount) thee, for svadhâ (I mount) thee!'--by 'for unfeebleness thee' he means to say, 'for a state free from afflictions (I mount) thee;' by 'for svadhâ thee' he means to say, 'for life-sap (I mount) thee;'--'I, the unharmed Arguna!' Now Indra is called Arguna, which is his mystic name; and this (king) is Indra for a twofold reason, namely because he is a Kshatriya, and because he is a Sacrificer: therefore he says, 'the unharmed Arguna.'

He then goads on the right yoke-horse, with, 'Conquer thou by the impulse of the Maruts!' For the Maruts are the clansmen, and it is by his clan that the chieftain wins what he desires to win: therefore he says, 'Conquer thou by the impulse of the Maruts!'

He then stops (the chariot) in the midst of the cows, with, 'May we obtain by the mind!' For it is by the mind that everything here (that is obtained) is obtained; and by the mind therefore he now obtains everything: therefore he says, 'May we obtain by the mind!'

He then touches a cow with the end of the bow, with, 'Together with energy!'--energy means vigour, kine: it is energy, vigour, he thereby takes to himself. And he adds, 'I overpower them, I seize them!'

Now as to why he stops amidst the cows of his relative,--whatever is tending away from a man, be it either fame, or anything else, that passes over to his relative foremost of all;--that energy, or vigour, he now takes again from his relative to himself: that is why he stops amidst the cows of his relative.

In return he presents to him just as many (cows), or more. For assuredly he, the Sacrificer, is not capable of a cruel deed; but cruelly indeed he acts when he says, 'I overpower them, I seize them;' and thus that is done by him without cruelty: this is why, in return, he presents to him just as many (cows) or more.

He then pulls the right-side (horses, or reins). He passes along on the same way as that on which the dakshinâ (cows) go,--in front of the sacrificial post, and along the south of the Vedi. Behind the Sadas, and in front of the hall, he stops that (car).

[Vâg. S. X, 22], 'Lest, O Indra, overpowerer of the mighty, we be wanting thee, heedless through ungodliness,--mount thou, O divine wielder of the thunderbolt, the chariot which thou restrainest (as well as its) well-horsed reins.' With this (verse) he stops (the chariot);--reins (rasmi) means bridle (abhîsu): therefore he says, 'Thou restrainest the well-horsed reins???.' Thereupon he offers the (four oblations) relating to the unyoking of the chariot. 'Well-pleased the chariot shall be when unyoked,' he thinks, and therefore he offers the (oblations) relating to the unyoking of the chariot.

He offers with (Vâg. S. X, 23), 'To Agni, the House-lord, hail!' He thereby pleases the part of the chariot relating to Agni; and it is the shoulder-pieces of the chariot that relate to Agni it is the shoulder-pieces (of the yoke) he thereby pleases. And the house-lord's position means prosperity: as much as he (the king) rules over, for the prosperity, the house-lordship, of that his kingship is thereby rendered free (unopposed).

'To Soma, the wood-lord (tree), hail!' There are two kinds of (objects) coming from trees, the wheels of chariots and waggons, for both of these he thereby ensures safety. And the wood-lord (tree) being Soma,--whatever part of the chariot comes from the tree, that he thereby pleases. Now the parts of the chariot coming from trees are the wooden pieces of the chariot: hence it is the wooden pieces he thereby pleases. And Soma being the nobility, it is over the nobility that his kingship is thereby rendered free.

'To the strength of the Maruts, hail!' He thereby pleases the part of the chariot belonging to the Maruts,--there are four horses, the chariot the fifth, and the warrior (chariot-fighter) and charioteer two--these are seven, and the host of the Maruts consists of (troops of) seven each: he thereby pleases the whole chariot; and the Maruts being the peasants, it is over the peasantry that his kingship is thereby rendered free.

'To Indra's energy, hail!' He thereby pleases the part of the chariot that belongs to Indra. Now the warrior relates to Indra, and it is the warrior he thereby pleases. And Indra's energy (indriya) means the vigour in Indra: it is in regard to energy, vigour, that his kingship is thereby rendered free.

He then puts on shoes of boar's skin. Now the gods once put a pot of ghee on the fire. Therefrom a boar was produced: hence the boar is fat, for it was produced from ghee. Hence also cows readily take to a boar: it is indeed their own essence (life-sap, blood) they are readily taking to. Thus he firmly establishes himself in the essence of the cattle: therefore he puts on shoes of boar's skin.

Looking down on this (earth) he then mutters, 'O mother Earth, injure me not, nor I thee!' For the Earth was once afraid of Varuna, when he had been consecrated, thinking, 'Something great surely has he become now that he has been consecrated: I fear lest he may rend me asunder!' And Varuna also was afraid of the Earth, thinking, 'I fear lest she may shake me off!' Hence by that (formula) he entered into a friendly relation with her; for a mother does not injure her son, nor does a son injure his mother.

Now this Râgasûya is Varuna's consecration; and the Earth is afraid of him, thinking, 'Something great surely has he become now that he has been consecrated: I fear lest he may rend me asunder!' And he also is afraid of her, thinking, 'I fear lest she may shake me off.' Hence he thereby enters into a friendly relation with her; for a mother does not injure her son, nor does a son injure his mother: therefore he mutters thus.

He steps down (from the chariot), muttering this atikhandas verse (Vâg. S. X, 24; Rik S. IV, 40, 5), 'The swan dwelling in the light, the Vasu dwelling in the air, the priest seated on the altar, the guest dwelling in the retreat (house),--the man-dwelling, the space-dwelling, the law-dwelling, the sphere-dwelling, the water-born, cow-born, law-born, rock-born (is) the great law.' For that atikhandas (or excessive metre) comprises all the metres: thus evil does not descend along with him.

Let not the charioteer get down along with (or, after) him, lest he should descend on the same world on which the anointed (king) has just descended. They put him up, along with the chariot, on the car-stand. Thence he leaps down: thus he does not descend on the same world on which the anointed has just descended.

North of the Âhavanîya is the original fire, taken up (from the hearth). Behind the right hind-wheel of the cart-stand he fastens two round satamânas.

He then hides an udumbara (ficus glomerata) branch (in the wheel-track). He touches one of those two (plates), with (Vâg. S. X, 25), 'So great thou art, life thou art: bestow life upon me! A yoke-mate thou art, lustre thou art: bestow lustre upon me!' He thereby takes life and lustre to himself.

He then touches the udumbara branch, with, 'Sustenance thou art: bestow sustenance upon me!' He thereby takes sustenance (strength) to himself. Those same two round satamânas are the fee for this ceremony. He gives them to the Brahman priest, for the Brahman protects the sacrifice from the south: therefore he gives them to the Brahman.

In front of the Maitrâvaruna's hearth the dish of curds for Mitra and Varuna has been deposited. He draws down to it his (the Sacrificer's) two arms, with, 'I draw you down, the arms of Indra, the doer of mighty deeds.' Now curds are the essence of cattle: hence it is to the essence of cattle that he thereby brings down his (the Sacrificer's) arms. And as to its being for Mitra-Varuna, it is because Mitra and Varuna are the two arms.