74 The Hamsa throned in light drank up by metre Soma from the floods. By Law, etc. 75 Prajapati by Brahma drank the essence from the foaming. food, the princely power, milk, Soma juice. By Law, etc. 76 The generative part enters the yoni: it leaves aside the retas and the mûtra. The caul-invested embryo leaves by its birth the covering folds. By Law, etc. 77 Viewing both forms Prajapati gave truth and falsehood different shapes. Prajapati assigned the lack of faith to falsehood, faith to truth. By Law, etc. 78 By holy lore Prajâpati drank up both forms, pressed and unpressed. By Law, etc. 79 Seeing the forming liquor's sap, Prajapati with the bright drank out the bright, the milk, the Soma juice. By Law, etc. 80 Wise, with mind, lead, and thread of wool the sages twine an amulet. Sarasvati, Savitar, Varuna, the Asvins span sacrifice and healed his form for Indra. 81 This his immortal shape with mighty powers three Deities bestowing gifts compounded. His hair they made with sprouts of grass and barley, and roasted grain with skin and flesh supplied him. 82 His inner shape Sarasvati arranges aud, borne on bright paths, the Physician Asvins: With Masaras and sieve his bone aud marrow, as on the Oxen's hide they lay the liquor. 74 The Humsa: the Swan, the Sun who floats through the sky. Cf. R. V. IV. 40. 1. By metre: with his rays in the shape of the metres of the Veda. 75 Brahma: sacred lore in the shape of the Gâ yatrî. 78 Pressed and unpressed: According to Mahîdhara, Soma and milk or the foaming liquor parisrut. 80 With bulls' hoofs- or vessels in their shape-he offers thirty-two oblations of fat or marrow. The sages as skilful men make an amulet as a protective power, so the Deities mentioned span or spread out a remedial sacrifice to cure Indra of his sickness (see introductory note), and recreated his body as described in the verses that follow. Lead: employed as a charm against demons and sorcery. See A. V. I. 16. 2; XII. 2. 1, 19, 20, 53. 81 Three Deities: the Asvins and Sarasvati. 82 Mâsaras: see introductory note. Liquor: Surâ. 67 Thou, Jâtavedas, knowest well the number of Fathers who are here and who are absent, Of Fathers whom we know and whom we know not. Accept the sacrifice arranged with portions. 68 Now let us pay this homage to the Fathers, to those who passed of old and those who followed, Those who have rested in the earthly region and those who dwell among the Mighty Races. 69 As in the days of old our ancient Fathers speeding the work of holy worship, Agni ! Sought pure light and devotion, singing praises, they cleft the ground and made red Dawns apparent. 70 Right gladly do we set thee down, right gladly make thee burn and glow. Gladly bring yearning Fathers nigh to eat the food of sacrifice. 71 Indra, with waters' foam didst thou wrench off the head of Namuchi, Subduing all contending hosts. 72 King Soma, pressed, the Drink of Life, left Death behind with Soma-dregs. By Law came truth and Indra-power, the pure bright drinking off of juice. The power of Iudra was this sweet immortal milk. 73 The Snipe of Angiras by thought from out the waters drank up milk. By Law came truth, etc., as in 72. 67 Taken from R. V X. 15. 13. 68 Taken from R. V. X. 15. 2. Earthly region: the part of the firmament nearest to the earth. Mighty Races: of the Gods. 69 Taken from R. V. IV. 2. 16. Cleft the ground: in constructing an altar, digging a pit, planting a sacrificial stake, and other preparations for sacrifice. Made red Dawns apparent: the return of the light of day being regarded as the reward of sacrifice and prayer. 70 Addressed to Agni and taken from R. V. X. 16. 12. 71 Taken from R. V. VIII. 14. 13. With waters' foam: with a thunderbolt in the shape of foam, according to a later legend. Prof. Lanman (Sanskrit Reader, p. 375) takes Namuchi to be a waterspont in a lake, and with foam' to mean 'together with its foam'. The traditional explanation of the name Namuchi, derived from na and much, 'not loosing', 'Holdfast', makes him a demon who withholds the seasonable rain, 72 The Adhvaryu reverently approaches the libation-cups of milk and Surâ, and recites eight verses illustrative of separation, selection and rejec tion, with special reference to the Soma drunk by Namuchi (says the Commentator), which though it had mixed with his blood was recovered in a pure state. 73 The Snipe: this bird, as well as the swan or flamingo is credited with the power of separating milk from the water with which i n mixed. 91 The bull for strength made Indra's form: the immortal hearing for both his ears by two libations. Barley and sacred grass composed his eyebrows: from his mouth came the jujube and sweet honey. 92 Hair of the wolf was on his waist and body: the beard upon his face was hair of tigers. Lion's hair were his locks, for fame and beauty, worn on his head, his crest and sheen and vigour. 93 The Asvins, Leeches, joined his limbs and body, Sarasvatî put limbs and frame together, Giving the form and vital power of Indra, hundredfold, deathless and delightful lustre. 94 Sarasvati, as Consort of the Aşvins, bears in her womb the nobly-fashioned Infant. King Varuna with waters' wealthy essence begetting Indra in the floods for glory. 95 Splendour of victims, powerful oblation, honey and meath with milk and foaming liquor, Healing Sarasvati effused, and Asvins; from pressed and unpressed Soma, deathless Indu. 91 Jujube and sweet honey: his saliva and rheum : Mahidhara, 94 Infant: Indra whom she has helped to recreate. ་ 95 Pressed and unpressed: parisrut and milk. Soma: was produced' understood, BOOK THE TWENTIETH. BIRTH PLACE of princely power art thou: centre art thou of princely power. Harm not thyself: do me no harm. 2 Varuna, Law's maintainer, hath sat down, etc., as in X. 27. Save me from death. Save me from lightuing. 3 Thee, by the radiant Savitar's impulsion, with arms of Agvins, with the hands of Pûshan, With leech-craft of the Asvins, I bespriukle for splendour, for the lustre of a Brâhman; With leech-craft of Sarasvati, besprinkle for manly vigour and for food to feed thee; Besprinkle thee, by special power of Indra, for strength of body and for fame and glory. 4 Thou art Ka. Noblest Ka art thou. Thee for the state and rank of Ka. Sumangala Susloka! Satyarajan! 5 My head be grace, my mouth be fame, my hair and beard be brilliant sheen ! My breath be King and deathlessness, mine eye Sole Lord, mine ear the Prince! 6 My tongue be bliss, my voice be might, my mind be wrath, my rage self-lord! Joys be my fingers, and delight my members, conquering strength my friend! The Sautrâmani is continued. An Asandi or Sacrificer's seat or stool (see XIX. 16, 86) representing a throne, is placed between the two altars, two of its legs being on the southern and two on the northern ground black-antelope's skin is spread over it on which the Sacrificer sits and recites the formulas. Thou: O Âsandt. A 2 Varuna: the moral Governor of the world, typifying a King. The formula, taken from R. V. I. 26 10, is repeated from X. 27. Preserve me : he puts a silver disc under his left foot as a charm agaiust death, and a golden one under the right to protect him from lightning. 3 The Adhvaryu besprinkles the Sacrificer with the remains of the libations of fat which are made to run down to his mouth. 4 Ka: or Who?; Prajapati. See VII. 29. Sumangala, etc.: meaning, Auspicious. Fairfamed, Having-a-real-King; ritual names of the attendants whom the Sacrificer is made to summon. 5 The Sacrificer touches all his members and bodily parts one after another, and recites the benedictory formulas. 7 Let my two arms be Indra's power, my hands be deed of manly might, my soul and breast be princely rule! 8 My ribs be royal government, my belly, shoulders, neck, and hips, Thighs, elbows, knees, the people, yea, my members universally! 9 My navel intellect, etc., etc. ... Duty am I in legs and feet, established King among the folk. 10 I take my stand on princely power and Kingship, on cows am I dependent, and on horses. On members I depend, and on the body, on vital breath dependent and on welfare, on heaven and earth and sacrifice dependent. 11 May Deities, eleven threes, the three and thirty bounteous Ones Whose House-Priest is Brihaspati, by impulse of bright 12 May the first Gods with the second, the second with the My flesh is inclination, wealth my bone, my marrow rever. ence. 14 Gods. Deities, whatever fault of ours have stirred the wrath of Gods, May Agni set me free from that iniquity and all distress. 15 If in the day-time or at night we have committed acts of sin, May Vâyu set me free from that iniquity and all distress. 10 He steps down on a black-antelope's skin. 12 Earth!: Bhûḥ; a mystical exclamation used in sacrifice. Cf. III. 5. 13 The Sacrificer drinks the remainder of the Graha or libation, and recites the formula attributing all-controlling powers and influences to the constituent elements of his body. Reverence and approach: that is, approached with reverential intentions. Reverence; paid to me by others. 14 The Avabhritha or Purificatory Ceremony is begun. by floating a jar of Masara (see XIX., introductory note) in water, and reciting the pres cribed formulas. |