The Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads v2.c30.s11: § 11. Other Forms of Jyotiṣṭoma

The Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads v2.c30.s11

Language: English

§ 11. Other Forms of Jyotiṣṭoma

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The ritual texts rank the Agniṣṭoma as the first form of the series of Soma sacrifices which bear the generic title of Jyotiṣṭoma. The list is in their view the Atyagniṣṭoma, the Ukthya, the Ṣoḍaçin, the Vājapeya, Atirātra, and Aptoryāma or Āptoryāma. The number of the series is seven, and it is most probable that the number is simply the sacred seven, and not a trace of an original view. The Atyagniṣṭoma, the Vājapeya, and the Aptoryāma have not the place of forms of the Jyotiṣṭoma in the older Saṁhitās, and probably were added to make up the number to seven.¹

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¹ ApÇS. xiv. 1–4; BÇS. xvii. 1–10; KÇS. x. 9. 28 ff.; xii. 5. 1–6. 10; ĀÇS. vi. 1–7; xi. 1, 2; ix. 11; ÇÇS. ix. 1–21; LÇS. ii. 5. 23 ff.; iii. 1 ff.; v. 4. 24 ff.; Vait. xxv ff.; Eggeling, SBE. xli. pp. xiv ff.; Keith, *Taittirīya Saṁhitā*, i. pp. cxv ff.; *Rig-Veda Brāhmaṇas*, pp. 54 ff.

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The essential distinction of the Ukthya from the Agniṣṭoma lies in the fact, that at the third pressing of the Soma the number of Çastras and of Stotras is brought up to five each by the addition of three others, so as to correspond with the five of each which are found in the other two pressings. The Stotras and Çastras accompany the rounds of goblets at the other pressings. Further, the Çastras bear the name Uktha or Ukthya of the Ukthya cups which are given to Indra and Varuṇa, Indra and Bṛhaspati, and Indra and Viṣṇu, and not to the same deities as at the morning and afternoon pressings. The name of the sacrifice is of obscure origin: the more probable view is that it was so called, because there was a discussion as to whether the Ukthya cup in its three portions was to be used at the third pressing: the question would then be a disputed one and the sacrifice, in which they were used, would be called that with the Ukthya or more shortly Ukthya.² The Sāmans of the extra Stotras seem to have been the Sākamaçva, Saubhara, and Nārmedha. A further difference lies in the fact that there is a change of Sāmans at the Pṛṣṭha Stotras of the mid-day pressing : in the first and the third of these the Bṛhat and Çyaita replace the Rathantara and Naudhasa, while the second and the fourth retain the old Sāmans, Vāmadevya and Kāleya. There is also a second victim, a he-goat for Indra and Agni, for the day of the pressing.

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² Eggeling, SBE. xli. p. xv.

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The Ṣoḍaçin¹ differs from the preceding rite by the addition of a ram for Indra, and by the possession of a sixteenth cup, which is offered at the morning pressing or at all three, as the last of the Dhārāgrahas. It is accompanied by a special Stotra and Çastra making the number up to sixteen, with the fifteen of the Ukthya, and, in accordance with this increase, there are also four sets of goblets in place of three as at the Ukthya. The Soma cow has to be of very small stature and have red ears. The Ṣoḍaçin cup is treated with special care : it is placed in a square vessel of Khadira wood, addressed as soon as it is put on the Vedi, and, in giving the signal for the commencement of the Stotra when the sun is half set, a gold piece is handed to the Udgātṛ in place of the usual piece of grass. The sacrificial fee is a reddish brown horse or a female mule.

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¹ Hillebrandt (*Ved. Myth.* iii. 217 ff.) sees in it a rite to strengthen the sun at the winter solstice; cf. AB. iii. 41; KB. xvii. 1.

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The Atyagniṣṭoma is closely connected with the Ṣoḍaçin, though in the view of the ritual texts it is treated as if it were simply an Agniṣṭoma with an extra Stotra and Çastra. It is really a Ṣoḍaçin in which the three Stotras and Çastras of the Ukthya, and of course the corresponding goblets and Ukthya cup, are omitted. Its real place in the ritual is not as a separate sacrifice at all, but as the form of service on the tenth day of a Daçarātra, a period of ten days, which with an Atirātra before and after it makes up the common form of a Dvādaçāha rite : it must in all probability be treated as a variant form, produced by those theologians who did not approve the addition of the three Stotras and Çastras at the Ukthya rite.

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The Atirātra attains the number of twenty-nine Stotras and Çastras by adding a series of twelve of both, which are used to accompany three rounds, Paryāyas, each of four sets of goblets, which in turn are led off by that of the Hotṛ, Maitrāvaruṇa, Brāhmaṇācchaṅsin, and Achāvāka. The offerings are made during this nocturnal carouse, which gives the name to the rite, to Indra Apiçarvara. When the cups have been duly offered and the priests have drunk, then the Sandhi Stotra is performed, while a cake is made ready for the Açvins, the name of the Stotra being derived from the twilight, which is about to break. It has nine verses and is sung to the Rathantara tune. Then follows the Prātaranuvāka to the Açvins, which must contain a thousand verses or more, or a thousand Bṛhatī verses, made up artificially from other metres :² the last verse is to be said after sunrise. Then the Adhvaryu takes the cup of the Hotṛ, the other assistants of the Adhvaryu the rest, and with the Soma from the previous night, a cup is offered to the Açvins, while the Pratiprasthātṛ offers the cake. There is also a fourth animal victim, a he-goat for Sarasvatī.

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² Cf. Keith, *Aitareya Āraṇyaka*, pp. 29, 214; Eggeling, SBE. xliii. 111.

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The Atirātra might, it is clear, be performed without the Ṣoḍaçin cup and the corresponding Stotra and Çastra, but this is not the prevailing view. It lasted with its nocturnal continuation over the night, and so can be considered as the tail of the sacrifice, which laps over from the end of the month into the next month.¹

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¹ Keith, *Taittirīya Saṁhitā*, i. p. cxvii.

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The Aptoryāma is classed sometimes with the Atirātra as an Ahīna, that is a rite lasting more than a day, instead of as an Ekāha like the other forms of the Jyotiṣṭoma. It is marked out from the Atirātra by the addition after the Sandhi Stotra and the Āçvina Çastra of four more Stotras and Çastras, accompanying four sets of goblets for the priests which are drawn for Agni, Indra, the All-gods, and Viṣṇu, or according to others for the deities of the Sandhi goblets. As an independent rite, it is practically unknown: it is, however, occasionally mentioned with other forms of one day ceremonies.

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The last form of the Jyotiṣṭoma is the Vājapeya, which is of special nature and will be treated below.

Cites (2)

Kauṣītakibrāhmaṇa — Kauṣītaki, Sanskrit
Aitareyabrāhmaṇa — Mahidāsa Aitareya, Sanskrit