Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ("of a hundred paths") 8.2

He lays down the second layer. For now the gods, having laid down the first layer, mounted it. But, indeed, the first layer is this (terrestrial) world: it is this same world which, when completed, they mounted.

They spake, 'Meditate ye!'--whereby, doubtless, they meant to say, 'Seek ye a layer! Seek ye (to build) from hence upwards!' Whilst meditating, they saw this second layer: what there is above the earth, and on this side of the atmosphere, that world was to their mind, as it were, unfirm and unsettled.

They said to the Asvins, 'Ye two are Brahmans and physicians: lay ye down for us this second layer!'--'What will therefrom accrue unto us?--'Ye two shall be the Adhvaryus at this our Agnikityâ.'--'So be it!'--The Asvins laid down for them that second layer: whence they say, 'The Asvins are the Adhvaryus of the gods.'

He lays down (the first Âsvinî brick, with Vâg. S. XIV, 1), 'Thou art firmly-founded, firmly-seated, firm!' for what is steady and settled, that is firm. Now that world was to their minds, as it were, unfirm and unsettled: having thereby made it firm, steady, they (the Asvins) went on laying down (bricks).--'Seat thee fitly in thy firm seat!'--that is, 'Seat thee fitly in thy steady seat;'--'enjoying the first appearance of the Ukhya,'--the Ukhya, doubtless, is this Agni; and that first layer is indeed his first appearance: thus, 'enjoying that.'--'May the Asvins, the Adhvaryus, settle you here!' for the Asvins, as Adhvaryus, did lay down (this brick).

[The second Âsvinî he lays down, with Vâg. S. XIV, 2], 'Nest-like, fat, wise,'--a nest, as it were, is indeed the second layer;--'seat thee in the soft seat of the earth!'--the second layer, no doubt, is the earth: thus, 'Sit on her pleasant seat!'--'May the Rudras, the Vasus sing thy praises!'--that is, 'May those deities sing thy praises!'--'Replenish them, O Brahman, for happiness!'--that is, 'Favour them, O Brahman, with a view to happiness.'--'May the Asvins, the Adhvaryus, settle thee here!' for the Asvins, as Adhvaryus, did lay down (this brick).

[The third Âsvinî brick he lays down, with Vâg. S. XIV, 3], 'By thine own powers seat thee here, a holder of powers,'--that is, 'By thy own energy seat thee here;'--'in the gods’ favour for high joy!' that is, 'for the favour of the gods, for great joy;"--'be thou kind, as a father to his son!'--that is, 'As a father is gentle, kind, to his son, so be thou kind!'--'rest thou readily accessible with thy form!'--the form, doubtless, is the body: thus, 'rest thou with readily accessible body!'--'May the Asvins, the Adhvaryus, settle thee here!' for the Asvins, as Adhvaryus, did lay down (this brick).

[The fourth Âsvinî he lays down, with Vâg. S. XIV, 4], 'Thou art the earth's soil-cover,'--the first layer, doubtless, is the earth, and this, the second (layer) is, as it were, its soil-cover (purîsha)--'her sap, in truth,'--that is, 'her essence, in truth,'--'May the All-gods sing thy praises!'--that is, 'May all the gods sing thy praises!'--'Seat thee here, laden with stomas, and rich in fat!'--whatever hymn-forms he will be spreading (constructing) thereon by them this (brick) is laden with stomas;--'Gain for us by sacrifice wealth (dravinâ, pl.) with offspring (adj. sing.)!'--that is, 'Gain for us, by sacrifice, wealth (dravinam, sing.) with offspring!'--'May the Asvins, the Adhvaryus, settle thee here!' for the Asvins, as Adhvaryus, did lay down (this brick).

These (bricks) are those regions (quarters); he places them on the range of the two retahsik (bricks), for the retahsik are these two (worlds): he thereby places the regions within these two (worlds), whence there are regions within these two (worlds). He lays down (these bricks) in every direction: he thus places the regions in all (the four) directions, whence the regions are in all directions. [He places them] on all sides so as to face each other: he thereby makes the regions on all sides face each other, and hence the regions on all sides face each other. He lays (the bricks) down separately, settles them separately, and pronounces the sûdadohas over them separately, for separate are the regions.

He then lays down the fifth regional (or Âsvinî brick). Now that region is the one above; and that same region above, doubtless, is yonder sun: it is yonder sun he thus places thereon. He places this (brick) within the southern regional one: he thus places yonder sun within the southern region, and therefore he moves within the southern region.

[He lays it down, with Vâg. S. XIV, 5], 'I settle thee upon the back of Aditi,'--Aditi doubtless is this (earth): it is upon her, as a foundation, that he thus founds him (Agni);--'the holder of the air, the supporter of the regions, the ruler of beings,'--for he (the sun) is indeed the holder of the air, the supporter of the regions, and the ruler of beings;--'thou art the wave, the drop, of water,'--the wave, doubtless, means the essence;--'Visvakarman is thy Rishi!'--Visvakarman (the all-shaper), doubtless, is Pragâpati: thus, 'Thou art fashioned by Pragâpati.'--'May the Asvins, the Adhvaryus, settle thee here!' for the Asvins, as Adhvaryus, did lay down (this brick).

Now as to why he lays down these Âsvinî (bricks). When Pragâpati had become relaxed (disjointed), the deities took him and went away in different directions. Now what part of him there was above the feet and below the waist, that part of him the two Asvins took and kept going away from him.

He said to them, 'Come to me and restore unto me that wherewith ye have gone away from me!'--'What will accrue to us therefrom?'--'That part of my body shall be sacred unto you!'--'So be it!' so the Asvins restored that (part) unto him.

Now these five Âsvinî (bricks) are that same (part) of his (Agni's) body; and when he now puts them into this (layer of the altar), he thereby restores to him what (part) of his body these (bricks) are: that is why he puts them into this (layer).

'Thou art firmly founded, firmly seated, firm,' he says, for whatsoever is steady and established that is firm. Now that part of his (Pragâpati-Agni's) body was, as it were, unsteady, unfirm; and having made it steady and firm they (the Asvins) restored it to him.

'Nestlike, fat, wise,' he says, for this indeed is as a nest for his body.--'By thine own powers seat thee here, a holder of powers,' he says, for they did make that (part) of him powerful.--'Thou art the Earth's soil-cover,' he says, for that (lower part) of his body is, as it were, in connection with the soil-cover. At the range of the Retahsik (he places the bricks),--the Retahsik are the ribs, for level with the ribs, as it were, is that (part) of his body. He places them on every side, for on every side the Asvins restored that (part) of his (Pragâpati's) body.

He then lays down two Ritavyâ (seasonal bricks);--these two, the Ritavyâ, are the seasons (ritu): it is the seasons he thus bestows thereon. [He lays them down, with Vâg. S. XIV, 6], 'Sukra and Suki, the two summer-seasons;'--these are the names of these two: it is with their names that he thus lays them down. There are two bricks, for a season consists of two months. He settles them once only: he thereby makes (the two months) one season.

And as to why he lays down these two in this (layer):--this Agni (fire-altar) is the year, and the year is these worlds. Now that part of him which is above the earth and below the atmosphere, is this second layer; and that same part of him (Agni, the year,) is the summer season. And when he lays down those two in this (layer), he thereby restores to him (Agni) that part of his body which these two are: this is why he lays down these two (bricks) in this (layer).

And, again, as to why he lays down these two in this (layer). This fire-altar is Pragâpati, and Pragâpati is the year. Now that (part) of him which is above the feet and below the waist is this second layer; and that same part of him is the summer season. Thus when he lays down those two in this (layer), he thereby restores to him that (part) of his body which these two ale: this is why he lays down these two (bricks) in this (layer).

He then lays down the Vaisvadevî (All-gods’ bricks). For this second layer is that one which the Asvins at that time laid down for them (the gods); and by laying it down they became everything here whatsoever there is here.

The gods spake, 'The Asvins have become everything here: think ye upon this as to how we also may share in it!' They said, 'Meditate ye (kit)!' whereby, no doubt, they meant to say, Seek ye a layer (kiti)! seek ye in what way we also may share in it!' whilst meditating, they saw these Vaisvadevî (All-gods’) bricks.

They said, 'The Asvins have become everything here: with the help of the Asvins let us lay down (bricks) along with the Asvins’ layer!' With the help of the Asvins they accordingly laid down (bricks) along with the Asvins’ layer, whence they call this the Asvins’ layer. Hence the end of these (bricks) is the same as that of the former ones; for they laid them down with the help of the Asvins along with the Asvins’ layer.

And, again, as to why he lays down the All-gods’ (bricks). These indeed are those same All-gods who saw this second layer, and who came nigh with that life-sap: it is them he thereby bestows, that is, all these creatures. He lays them down in the range of the Retahsik; for the Retahsik are these two (heaven and earth): within these two (worlds) he thus places creatures; whence there are creatures within these two (worlds). He places (bricks) on every side: he thus places creatures everywhere, whence there are creatures everywhere. He places them alongside of the regional ones: he thus places creatures in the regions (quarters); whence there are creatures in all the (four) quarters.

And, again, as to why he lays down the All-gods’ (bricks). When Pragâpati had become relaxed, all creatures went forth from the midst of him, from that birth-place of theirs. When that (central part) of his body had been restored, they entered him.

Now the Pragâpati who become relaxed is this very Agni (fire-altar) that is now being built up; and the creatures who went forth from the midst of him are these same All-gods’ bricks; and when he lays these down, he causes those creatures, which went forth from the midst of him, to enter him. In the range of the Retahsik (he places the Vaisvadevî bricks), for the Retahsik are the ribs, and the ribs are the middle: he thus causes the creatures to enter him in the very middle. He places them on all sides: on all sides he thus causes the creatures to enter him.

And, again, as to why he lays down the Vaisvadevî (bricks). At that time, when that (part) of his body had been restored, Pragâpati desired, 'May I create creatures, may I be reproduced!' Having entered into union with the seasons, the waters, the vital airs, the year, and the Asvins, he produced these creatures; and in like manner does this Sacrificer, by entering into union with those deities, now produce these creatures. Hence with all (of these bricks, the word) sagush ('in union with') recurs.

[He lays down the Vaisvadevî bricks, with Vâg. S. XIV, 7], 'In union with the seasons,'--he thereby produced the seasons, and having entered into union with the seasons he produced (creatures);--'in union with the ranges,'--the ranges, doubtless, are the waters, for by water everything is ranged (distributed or produced) here: having entered into union with the waters he produced (creatures);--'in union with the gods,'--he thereby produced the gods,--those who are called 'gods;'--'in union with the life-sustaining gods,'--the life-sustaining gods, doubtless, are the vital airs, for by the vital airs everything living here is sustained; or, the life-sustaining gods are the metres, for by the metres (sacred writ) everything living is sustained here; having entered into union with the vital airs he produced creatures;-- 'for Agni Vaisvânara,'--Agni Vaisvânara ('belonging to all men'), doubtless, is the year: having entered into union with the year he produced creatures;--'May the Asvins, the Adhvaryus, settle thee here!'--having entered into union with the Asvins he produced creatures.

'In union with the Vasus,' he says on the right side: he thereby produced the Vasus;--'in union with the Rudras,' he says at the back: he thereby produced the Rudras;--'in union with the Âdityas,' he says on the left side: he thereby produced the Âdityas;--'in union with the All-gods,' he says upwards: he thereby produced the All-gods. These (bricks) have the same beginning and end, but are different in the middle: as to their having the same beginning and end, it is because having become united with the deities in front and behind, he produced creatures; and as to their being different in the middle, it is that each time he produced different creatures from within him.

He then lays down the Prânabhrit (bricks). For at that time the gods said, 'Meditate ye!' whereby, doubtless, they meant to say, 'Seek ye a layer!' Whilst meditating, they saw even that layer, the wind: they put it into that (fire-altar), and in like manner does he (the priest) now put it therein.

He lays down the Prânabhrits,--wind, doubtless, is breath: it is wind (air) he thus bestows Upon him (Agni). On the range of the Retahsik (they are placed); for the Retahsik are these two (worlds): it is within these two (worlds) that he thus places the wind; whence there is wind within these two (worlds). He places them on every side: he thus places wind on all sides, whence the wind is everywhere. [He places them so as] on every side to run in the same direction: he thus makes the wind everywhere (to blow) in the same direction, whence, having become united, it blows from all quarters in the same direction. He lays them down alongside of the regional (bricks): he thereby places the wind in the regions, whence there is wind in all the regions.

And, again, as to why he lays down the Prânabhrits;--it is that he thereby bestows vital airs on these creatures. He places them so as not to be separated from the Vaisvadevîs: he thereby bestows vital airs not separated from the creatures. [He lays them down with, Vâg. S. XIV, 8], 'Preserve mine up-breathing! Preserve my down-breathing! Preserve my through-breathing! Make mine eye shine far and wide! Make mine ear resound!' He thereby bestows on them properly constituted vital airs.

He then lays down the Apasyâ (bricks). For the gods, at that time, spake, 'Meditate ye!' whereby, doubtless, they meant to say, 'Seek ye a layer!' Whilst meditating, they saw even that layer, rain: they put it into that (fire-altar) and in like manner does he now put it therein.

He put on the Apasyâs; for rain is water (ap); it is rain he thereby puts into it (the altar; or into him, Agni). On the range of the Retahsik (he places them), for, the Retahsik being these two (worlds), it is on these two (worlds) that he thereby bestows rain, whence it rains therein. He places them on every side: he thus puts rain everywhere, whence it rains everywhere. [He places them] so as everywhere to run in the same direction: he thereby bestows rain (falling) everywhere in the same direction, whence the rain falls everywhere, and from all quarters, in the same direction. He places them alongside of those referring to the wind: he thereby puts rain into the wind, whence rain follows to whatever quarter the wind goes.

And, again, as to why he lays down Apasyâs,--he thereby puts water into the vital airs. He places them so as not to be separated from the Prânabhrits: he thus places the water so as not to be separate from the vital airs. Moreover, water is food: he thus introduces food not separated from (the channels of) the vital airs. [He lays them down with, Vâg. S. XIV, 8], 'Make the waters swell! Quicken the plants! Bless thou the two-footed! Protect the four-footed! Draw thou rain from the sky!' He thereby puts water that is made fit, into those (vital airs).

He then lays down the Khandasyâ (bricks) for the gods, at that time, spake, 'Meditate ye!' whereby, doubtless, they meant to say, 'Seek ye a layer!' Whilst meditating, they saw even that layer, cattle (or beasts): they put it therein, and, in like manner, does he now put it therein.

He lays down the Khandasyâs; for the metres (khandas) are cattle: it is cattle he thus puts into it (or, bestows on him, Agni). On every side (he places them): he thereby places cattle (or beasts) everywhere, whence there are cattle everywhere. He places them alongside of the Apasyâs: he thus establishes the cattle on (or, near) water, whence cattle thrive when it rains.

And, again, as to why he lays down Khandasyâs. When Pragâpati was relaxed, the cattle, having become metres, went from him. Gâyatrî, having become a metre, overtook them by dint of her vigour; and as to how Gâyatrî overtook them, it is that this is the quickest (shortest) metre. And so Pragâpati, in the form of that (Gâyatrî), by dint of his vigour, overtook those cattle.

[He lays down four in front, with, Vâg. S. XIV, 9], 'The head is vigour,'--Pragâpati, doubtless, is the head: it is he that became vigour;--'Pragâpati the metre,'--Pragâpati indeed became a metre.

'The Kshatra is vigour,'--the Kshatra, doubtless, is Pragâpati, it is he that became vigour;--'the pleasure-giving metre,'--what is undefined that is pleasure-giving; and Pragâpati is undefined, and Pragâpati indeed became a metre.

'Support is vigour,'--the support, doubtless, is Pragâpati: it is he that became vigour;--'the over-lord the metre,'--the over-lord, doubtless, is Pragâpati, and Pragâpati indeed became a metre.

'The All-worker is vigour,'--the All-worker, doubtless, is Pragâpati: it is he that became vigour;--'the highest lord the metre,'--Pragâpati, the highest lord, doubtless, is the waters, for they (the waters of heaven) are in the highest place: Pragâpati, the highest lord, indeed became a metre.

These then are four kinds of vigour, and four metres; this (makes) eight,--the Gâyatrî consists of eight syllables: this, assuredly, is that same Gâyatrî in the form of which Pragâpati then, by his vigour, overtook those cattle; whence they say of worn-out cattle that they are overtaken by vigour (or, age), and hence (the word) 'vigour' recurs with all (these bricks). And those cattle which went away from him (Pragâpati) are these fifteen other (formulas): the cattle are a thunderbolt, and the thunderbolt is fifteenfold: whence he who possesses cattle, drives off the evildoer, for the thunderbolt drives off the evildoer for him. And in whatever direction, therefore, the possessor of cattle goes, that he finds torn up by the thunderbolt.

'The he-goat is vigour,'--the he-goat he overtook by his vigour;--'gapless the metre,'-- the gapless metre, doubtless, is the Ekapadâ: in the form of Ekapadâ (metre) the goats indeed went forth (from Pragâpati).

'The ram is vigour,'--the ram he overtook by his vigour;--'ample the metre,'--the ample metre, doubtless, is the Dvipadâ: in the form of the Dvipadâ the sheep indeed went forth.

'Man is vigour,'--the man he overtook by his vigour;--'slow the metre,'--the slow metre, doubtless, is the Paṅkti: in the form of the Paṅkti the men indeed went forth.

'The tiger is vigour,'--the tiger he overtook by his vigour;--'unassailable the metre,'--the unassailable metre, doubtless, is the Virâg, for the Virâg is food, and food is unassailable; in the form of the Virâg the tigers indeed went forth.

'The lion is vigour,'--the lion he overtook by his vigour;--'the covering the metre,'--the covering metre, doubtless, is the Atikkhandas, for that covers (includes) all metres: in the form of the Atikkhandas the lions indeed went forth. And so he places undefined metres along with defined beasts.

'The ox is vigour,'--the ox he overtook by his vigour;--'the Brihatî the metre,'--in the form of the Brihatî the oxen indeed went forth.

'The bull is vigour,'--the bull he overtook by his vigour;--'the Kakubh the metre,'--in the form of the Kakubh the bulls indeed went forth.

'The steer is vigour,'--the steer he overtook by his vigour;--'the Satobrihatî the metre,'--in the form of the Satobrihatî the steers indeed went forth.

'The bullock is vigour,'--the bullock he overtook by his vigour;--'the Paṅkti the metre,'--in the form of the Paṅkti the bullocks indeed went forth.

'The milch cow is vigour,'--the milch cow he overtook by his vigour;--'the Gagatî the metre,'--in the form of the Gagatî the milch cows indeed went forth.

'The calf of eighteen months is vigour,'--the calf of eighteen months he overtook by his vigour;--'the Trishtubh the metre,'--in the form of the Trishtubh the calves of eighteen months indeed went forth.

'The two-year-old bull is vigour,'--the two-year-old bull he overtook by his vigour;--'the Virâg the metre,'--in the form of the Virâg the two-year-old kine indeed went forth.

'The bull of two years and a half is vigour,'--the bull of two years and a half he overtook by his vigour;--'the Gâyatrî the metre,'--in the form of the Gâyatrî the kine of two years and a half indeed went forth.

'The three-year-old bull is vigour,'--the three-year-old bull he overtook by his vigour;--'the Ushnih the metre,'--in the form of the Ushnih the three-year-old kine indeed went forth.

'The four-year-old bull is vigour,'--the four-year-old bull he overtook by his vigour;--'the Anushtubh the metre,'--in the form of the Anushtubh the four-year-old kine indeed went forth.

These then are those very beasts which Pragâpati overtook by his vigour. The animal he (the priest) mentions first, then vigour, then the metre, for having hemmed them in with vigour and the metre, he put them into himself, and made them his own; and in like manner does he (the sacrificer) now hem them in with vigour and the metre, and put them into himself, and make them his own.

Now that animal is the same as Agni: (as such) he is even now made up whole and entire. Those (bricks) which he places in front are his head; those on the right and left sides are his body, and those behind his tail.

He first lays down those in front, for of an animal that is born the head is born first. Having then laid down those on the right (south) side, he lays down those on the left (north) side, thinking, 'Together with its sides this body shall be born.' Then those behind, for of (the animal) that is born the tail is born last.

The metres which are longest, and the animals which are biggest, he puts in the middle: he thus makes the animal biggest towards the middle; whence the animal is biggest towards the middle. And the animals which are the strongest he puts on the right side: he thus makes the right side of an animal the stronger; whence the right side of an animal is the stronger.

The fore and hind parts he makes smallest; for inasmuch as those (bricks in front) are only four in number, thereby they are the smallest; and inasmuch as here (at the back) he puts the smallest animals, thereby these are the smallest: he thus makes the fore and hind parts of an animal the smallest, whence the fore and hind parts of an animal are the smallest; and hence the animal rises and sits down by its fore and hind parts. He then lays down two Lokamprinâ (bricks) in that corner: the significance of them (will be explained) further on. He throws loose earth on the layer: the significance of this (will be explained) further on.