Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ("of a hundred paths") 8.1

He lays down the Prânabhritah (breath-holders): now, the Prânabhritah being--the vital airs, it is the vital airs he thereby bestows upon (Agni). He lays them down in the first layer;--that which is the first layer is the forepart (ground-part) of Agni: it is thus in front that he puts (into Agni) the vital airs, whence there are (in creatures) these (orifices of the) vital airs in front.

He lays them down by ten and ten, for there are ten vital airs; and even though 'ten-ten' may mean many, times, here they mean only ten. Five times he puts on ten (bricks) each time; for it is those five (kinds of sacrificial) animals he bestows, and there are ten vital airs in each.animal: upon all of them he thus bestows the vital airs. He lays down (the bricks) so as not to be separated from the animals: he thus bestows vital airs not separated from the animals. He lays them down on every side: on every side he thus bestows on them (orifices of) the vital airs.

And again why he lays down the Prânabhritah. From Pragâpati, when relaxed (by producing creatures), the vital airs departed. To them, having become deities, he spake, 'Come ye to me, return ye unto me that wherewith ye have gone out of me!'--'Well then, create thou that food which we will await here looking on!'--'Well then, let us both create!'--'So be it!'--So both the final airs and Pragâpati created that food, these Prânabhrit (bricks).

In front (of the altar) he lays down (ten bricks,--the first) with (Vâg. S. XIII, 54), 'This one in front, the Existent,'--in front, doubtless, is Agni; and as to why he speaks of him (as being) 'in front,' it is because they take out the fire (from the Gârhapatya) towards the front, and attend on Agni towards the front. And as to why he says 'the existent (bhuva),' Agni is indeed the existent, for it is through Agni that everything exists (bhû) here. Agni, indeed, having become the breath, remained in front: it is that very form he now bestows (on Agni).

[The others with], 'His, the Existent's son, the Breath,'--from out of that form, fire, he (Pragâpati) fashioned the breath;--'Spring, the son of the breath,'--from out of the breath he fashioned the spring-season;--'The Gâyatrî, the daughter of the Spring,'--from out of the spring-season he fashioned the Gâyatrî metre;--'From the Gâyatrî the Gâyatra,'--from out of the Gâyatrî metre he fashioned the Gâyatra hymn-tune;--'From the Gâyatra the Upâmsu,'--from out of the Gâyatra hymn-tune he fashioned the Upâmsu-graha;-- 'From the Upâmsu the Trivrit,'--from out of the Upâmsu-graha he fashioned the nine-versed hymn-form;--'From the Trivrit the Rathantara,'--from out of the Trivrit-stoma he fashioned the Rathantara-prishtha.

'The Rishi Vasishtha,'--the Rishi Vasishtha, doubtless, is the breath: inasmuch as it is the chief (thing) therefore it is Vasishtha (the most excellent); or inasmuch as it abides (with living beings) as the best abider (vastri), therefore also it is Vasishtha.--'By thee, taken by Pragâpati,'--that is, 'by thee, created by Pragâpati,'--'I take breath for my descendants (and people)!'--therewith he introduced the breath from the front. Separately he lays down (these ten bricks): what separate desires there are in the breath, those he thereby lays into it. Only once he settles them: he thereby makes it one breath; but were he to settle them each separately, he assuredly would cut the' breath asunder. This brick is trivrit (threefold): the formula, the settling, and the sûdadohas, that is threefold, and threefold is Agni,--as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, so much he lays down (on the altar) by so dying.

And on the right (south) side with (Vâg. S. XIII, 55), 'This one on the right, the all-worker,'--the all-worker (visvakarman), doubtless, is this Vâyu (the wind) who blows here, for it is he that makes everything here; and because he speaks of him as (being) 'on the right,' therefore it is in the south that he blows most. Vâyu, indeed, having become the mind, remained in the right side (of the body): it is that form (part) he now bestows (on Agni).

'His, the all-worker's child, the Mind,'--from out of that (all-working) form, the wind, he fashioned the mind;--'the summer, the son of the mind,'--from out of the mind he fashioned the summer season;--'the Trishtubh, the daughter of Summer,'--from out of the summer season he fashioned the Trishtubh metre;--'from the Trishtubh the Svâra tune,'--from out of the Trishtubh metre he created the Svâra hymn-tune;--'from the Svâra the Antaryâma,'--from out of the Svâra-sâman he fashioned the Antaryâma-graha;--'from the Antaryâma the Pañkadasa,'--from out of the Antaryâma-cup he fashioned the fifteen-versed hymn-form;--'from the Pañkadasa the Brihat,'--from out of the Pañkadasa-stoma he fashioned the Brihat-prishtha.

'The Rishi Bharadvâga,'--the Rishi Bharadvâga, doubtless, is the mind;--'vâga' means 'food,' and he who possesses a mind, possesses (bharati) food, 'vâga;' therefore the Rishi Bharadvâga is the mind.--'By thee, taken by Pragâpati,'--that is, 'by thee, created by Pragâpati;'--'I take the mind for my descendants!'--therewith he introduced the mind from the right side. Separately he lays down (these ten bricks): what separate desires there are in the mind, those he thereby lays into it. Only once he settles them: he thereby makes it one mind; but were he to settle them each separately, he assuredly would cut asunder the mind. This brick is threefold: the meaning of this has been explained.

And at the back (western part of the altar), with (Vâg. S. XIII, 56), 'This one behind, the all-embracer;'--the all-embracer, doubtless, is yonder sun, for as soon as he rises, all this embracing space comes into existence. And because he speaks of him as (being) 'behind,' therefore one sees him only when he goes towards the back (west). The Sun, indeed, having become the eye, remained behind: it is that form he now bestows (on Agni).

'His, the all-embracer's child, the Eye,'--from out of that (all-embracing) form, the Sun, he fashioned the eye;--'the rains, the offspring of the eye,'--from out of the eye he fashioned the rainy season;--'the Gagatî, the daughter of the rains,'--from out of the rainy season he fashioned the Gagatî metre;--'from the Gagatî the Riksama,'--from out of the Gagatî metre he fashioned the Riksama hymn-tune;--'from the Riksama the Sukra,'--from out of the Riksama-sâman he fashioned the Sukra-graha;--'from the Sukra the Saptadasa,'--from out of the Sukra cup he fashioned the seventeen-versed hymn-form;--'from the Saptadasa the Vairûpa,'--from out of the Saptadasa-stoma he fashioned the Vairûpa-prishtha.

'The Rishi Gamadagni,'--the Rishi Gamadagni, doubtless, is the eye: inasmuch as thereby the world of the living (gagat) sees and thinks, therefore the Rishi Gamadagni is the eye.--'By thee, taken by Pragâpati,'--that is, 'by thee, created by Pragâpati,'--'I take the eye for my descendants,' therewith he introduced the eye from behind. Separately he lays down (these ten bricks): what separate desires there are in the eye those he thereby lays into it. Only once he settles them: he thereby makes this eye one; but were he to settle them each separately, he assuredly would cut the eye asunder. This is a threefold brick: the meaning of this has been explained.

And on the left (upper, north) side, with (Vâg. S. XIII, 57), 'This, on the upper side, heaven,'--in the upper sphere, doubtless, are the regions (quarters); and as to why he speaks of them as being 'on the upper (left) side,' the regions, indeed, are above everything here. And as to why he says, 'heaven (or, the light),' the regions, indeed, are the heavenly world (or world of light). The regions, having become the ear, remained above: it is that form he now bestows (on Agni).

'Its, heaven's, child, the Ear,'--from out of that form, the regions, he fashioned the ear;--'the autumn, the daughter of the ear,'--from out of the ear he fashioned the autumn season;--'Anushtubh, the daughter of the autumn,'--from out of the autumn season he fashioned the Anushtubh metre;--'from the Anushtubh the Aida,'--from out of the Anushtubh metre he fashioned the Aida-sâman;--'from the Aida the Manthin,'--from out of the Aida-sâman he fashioned the Manthin cup;--'from the Manthin the Ekavimsa,'--from out of the Manthi-graha he fashioned the twenty-one-versed hymn-form;--'from the Ekavimsa the Vairâga,'--from out of the Ekavimsa-stoma he fashioned the Vairâga-prishtha.

'The Rishi Visvâmitra,'--the Rishi Visvâmitra ('all-friend'), doubtless, is the ear: because therewith one hears in every direction, and because there is a friend (mitra) to it on every side, therefore the ear is the Rishi Visvâmitra.--'By thee, taken by Pragâpati,'--that is, 'by thee, erected by Pragâpati;'--'I take the ear for my descendants,' --therewith he introduced the ear from the left (or upper) side. Separately he lays down (these bricks): what separate desires there are in the ear, those he thereby lays into it. Only once he settles them: he thereby makes the ear one; but were he to settle them each separately, he assuredly would cut the ear asunder. This is a threefold brick: the meaning of this has been explained.

Then in the centre, with (Vâg. S. XIII, 58), 'This one, above, the mind,'--above, doubtless, is the moon; and as to why he speaks of him as (being) 'above,' the moon is indeed above; and as to why he says, 'the mind,' the mind (mati), doubtless, is speech, for by means of speech everything thinks (man) here. The moon, having become speech, remained above: it is that form he now bestows (on. Agni).

'Its, the mind's, daughter, Speech,'--from out of that form, the moon, he fashioned speech;--'Winter, the son of Speech,'--from out of speech he fashioned the winter season;--'Paṅkti, the daughter of Winter,'--from out of the winter season he fashioned the Paṅkti metre;--'from the Paṅkti the Nidhanavat,'--from out of the Paṅkti metre he fashioned the Nidhanavat-sâman;--'from the Nidhanavat the Âgrayana,'--from out of the Nidhanavat-sâman he fashioned the Âgrayana cup;--'from the Âgrayana the Trinava and Trayastrimsa,'--from out of the Âgrayana-graha he fashioned the thrice-nine-versed and the three-and-thirty-versed hymn-forms;-- 'from the Trinava and Trayastrimsa the Sâkvara and Raivata,'--from out of the Trinava and Trayastrimsa-stomas he fashioned the Sâkvara and Raivata-prishthas.

'The Rishi Visvakarman,'--the Rishi Visvakarman ('the all-worker'), doubtless, is Speech, for by speech everything here is done: hence the Rishi Visvakarman is speech:--'By thee, taken by Pragâpati,'--that is, 'by thee, created by Pragâpati;'--'I take speech for my descendants,'--therewith he introduced speech from above. Separately he lays down (these bricks): what separate desires there are in speech, those he now lays into it. Only once he settles them: he thereby makes speech one; but were he to settle them each separately, he assuredly would cut speech asunder. This is a threefold brick: the meaning of this has been explained.

This, then, is that same food which both the vital airs and Pragâpati created: just so great indeed is the whole sacrifice, and the sacrifice is the food of the gods.

He lays them down by ten and ten,--of ten syllables consists the Virâg (metre), and the Virâg is all food: he thus bestows on him (Agni) the whole food. He puts them down on every side: on every side he thus bestows the whole food on him. And verily these same Virâg (verses) sustain those vital airs, and inasmuch as they sustain (bhri) the vital airs (prâna) they are called Prânabhritah.

As to this they say, 'What are the vital airs (prâna), and what the Prânabhritah?'--The vital airs are just the vital airs, and the Prânabhritah (holders of the vital airs) are the limbs, for the limbs do hold the vital airs. But, indeed, the vital airs are the vital airs, and the Prânabhrit is food, for food does uphold the vital airs.

As to this they say, 'How do all these (Prânabhrit-bricks) of him (Agni and the Sacrificer) come to be of Pragâpati's nature?'--Doubtless in that with all of them he says, 'By thee, taken by Pragâpati:' it is in this way, indeed, that they all come to be for him of Pragâpati's nature.

As to this they say, 'As they chant and recite for the cup when drawn, wherefore, then, does he put in verses and hymn-tunes before (the drawing of) the cups?'--Doubtless, the completion of the sacrificial work has to be kept in view;--now with the opening hymn-verse the cup is drawn; and on the verse (rik) the tune (sâman) is sung: this means that he thereby puts in for him (Agni) both the verses and hymn-tunes before (the drawing of) the cups. And when after (the drawing of) the cups there are the chanting (of the Stotra) and the recitation (of the Sastra): this means that thereby he puts in for him both the stomas (hymn-forms) and the prishtha (sâmans) after (the drawing of) the cups.

As to this they say, 'If these three are done together--the soma-cup, the chant, and the recitation,--and he puts in only the soma-cup and the chant, how comes the recitation also in this case to be put (into the sacrificial work) for him?' But, surely, what the chant is that is the recitation; for on whatsoever (verses) they chant a tune, those same (verses) he (the Hotri) recites thereafter; and in this way, indeed, the Sastra also comes in this case to be put in for him.

As to this they say, 'When he speaks first of three in the same way as of a father's son, how, then, does this correspond as regards the rile and sâman?' The sâman, doubtless, is the husband of the Rik; and hence were he also in their case to speak as of a father's son, it would be as if he spoke of him who is the husband, as of the son: therefore it corresponds as regards the rik and sâman. 'And why does he thrice carry on (the generation from father to son)?'--father, son, and grandson: it is these he thereby carries on; and therefore one and the same (man) offers (food) to them.

Those (bricks) which he lays down in front are the holders of the upward air (the breath, prâna); those behind are the eye-holders, the holders of the downward air (apâna); those on the right side are the mind-holders, the holders of the circulating air (vyâna); those on the left side are the ear-holders, the holders of the outward air (udâna); and those in the middle are the speech-holders, the holders of the pervading air (samâna).

Now the Karakâdhvaryus, indeed, lay down different (bricks) as holders of the downward air, of the circulating air, of the outward air, of the pervading air, as eye-holders, mind-holders, ear-holders, and speech-holders; but let him not do this, for they do what is excessive, and in this (our) way, indeed, all those forms are laid (into Agni).

Now, when he has laid down (the bricks) in front, he lays down those at the back (of the altar); for the upward air, becoming the downward air, passes along thus from the tips of the fingers; and the downward air, becoming the upward air, passes along thus from the tips of the toes: hence when, after laying down (the bricks) in front, he lays down those at the back, he thereby makes these two breathings continuous and connects them; whence these two breathings are continuous and connected.

And when he has laid down those on the right side, he lays down those on the left side; for the outward air, becoming the circulating air, passes along thus from the tips of the fingers; and the circulating air, becoming the outward air, passes along thus from the tips of the fingers: hence when, after laying down (the bricks) on the right side, he lays down those on the left side, he thereby makes these two breathings continuous and connects them; whence these two breathings are continuous and connected.

And those (bricks) which he lays down in the centre are the vital air; he lays them down on the range of the two Retahsik (bricks), for the retahsik are the ribs, and the ribs are the middle: he thus lays the vital air into him (Agni and the Sacrificer) in the very middle (of the body). On every side he lays down (the central bricks): in every part he thus lays vital air into him; and in the same way indeed that intestinal breath (channel) is turned all round the navel. He lays them down both lengthwise and crosswise, whence there are here in the body (channels of) the vital airs both lengthwise and crosswise. He lays them down touching each other: he thereby makes these vital airs continuous and connects them; whence these (channels of the) vital airs are continuous and connected.

Now some lay down (these bricks) so as to be in contact with the (gold) man, for he is the vital air, and him these (bricks) sustain; and because they sustain (bhri) the vital air (prâna), therefore they are called 'Prânabhritah.' Let him not do so: the vital air is indeed the same as that gold man, but this body of his extends to as far here as this fire (altar) has been marked out. Hence to whatever limb of his these (breath-holders) were not to reach, that limb of his the vital air would not reach; and, to be sure, to whatever limb the vital air does not reach, that either dries up or withers away: let him therefore lay down these (bricks) so as to be in contact with the enclosing stones; and by those which he lays down in the middle this body of his is filled up, and they at least are not separated from him.

Here now they say, 'Whereas in (the formulas) "This one, in front, the existent--this one, on the right, the all-worker--this one, behind, the all-embracer--this, on the left, heaven--this one, above, the mind"--they (these bricks) are defined as exactly opposite the quarters, why, then, does he lay down these (bricks) in sidelong places?' Well, the Prânabhritah are the vital airs; and if he were to place them exactly opposite the quarters, then this breath would only pass forward and backward; but inasmuch as he now lays down these (bricks) thus defined in sidelong places, therefore this breath, whilst being a backward and forward one, passes sideways along all the limbs and the whole body.

Now that Agni (the altar) is an animal, and (as such) he is even now made up whole and entire,--those (bricks) which he lays down in front are his fore-feet, and those behind are his thighs; and those which he places in the middle are that body of his. He places these in the region of the two retahsik (bricks), for the retahsik are the ribs, and the ribs are the middle, and that body is in the middle (of the limbs). He places them all round, for that body extends all round.

Here now they say, 'Whereas in the first (four) sets he lays down a single stoma and a single prishtha each time, why, then, does he lay down here (in the centre) two stomas and two prishthas?' Well, this (central set) is his (Agni's) body: he thus makes the body (trunk) the best, the largest, the most vigorous of limbs; whence that body is the best, the largest, and most vigorous of limbs.

Here now they say, 'How does that Agni of his become made up whole and entire in brick after brick?'--Well, the formula is the marrow, the brick the bone, the settling the flesh, the sûdadohas the skins, the formula of the purîsha (fillings of earth) the hair, and the purîsha the food: and thus indeed that Agni of his becomes made up whole and entire in brick after brick.

That Agni is possessed of all vital power: verily, whosoever knows that Agni to be possessed of all vital power (âyus), attains his full measure of life (âyus).

Now, then, as to the contraction and expansion (of the body). Now some cause the built (altar) in this way to be possessed of (the power of) contraction and expansion: that Agni indeed is an animal; and when an animal contracts and expands its limbs, it develops strength by them.

[Vâg. S. XXVII, 45] 'Thou art Samvatsara,--thou art Parivatsara,--thou art Idâvatsara,--thou art Idvatsara,--thou art Vatsara,--May thy dawns prosper!--may thy days and nights prosper!--may thy half-months prosper!--may thy months prosper!--may thy seasons prosper!--may thy year prosper!--For going and coming contract and expand thyself!--Of Eagle-build thou art: by that deity, Aṅgiras-like, lie thou steady!'

Sâtyâyani also once said, 'Some one heard (the sound) of the cracking wings of the (altar)-when touched with this (formula): let him therefore by all means touch it therewith!'

And Svargit Nâgnagita or Nagnagit, the Gândhâra, once said, 'Contraction and expansion surely are the breath, for in whatever part of the body there is breath that it both contracts and expands; let him breathe upon it from outside when completely built: he thereby lays breath, the (power of) contraction and expansion, into it, and so it contracts and expands.' But indeed what he there said as to that contraction and expansion, it was only one of the princely order who said it; and assuredly were they to breathe upon it from outside a hundred times, or a thousand times, they could not lay breath into it. Whatever breath there is in the (main) body that alone is the breath: hence when he lays down the Prânabhritah (breath-holders), he thereby lays breath, the (power of) contraction and expansion, into it; and so it contracts and expands. He then lays down two Lokamprinâ (bricks) in that corner: the meaning of them (will be explained) further on. He throws loose earth (on the layer): the meaning of this (will be explained) further on.