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, Sarasvati put limbs and frame together, Giving the form and vital power of Indra, hundredfold, deathless and delightful lustre. 94 Sarasvati, as Consort of the Așvins, 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 Sarasvatî 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 Aṣvius, with the hands of Pushan, With leech-craft of the Asvins, I besprinkle for splendour, for the lustre of a Brâhman; With leech-craft of Sarasvatî, 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! Suṣloka! 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 Âsandf. 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 aud 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!: Bhúûh; 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. 16 If when awake or in our sleep we have committed acts of sin, May Surya set me free from that iniquity and all distress. 17 Each fault in village or in wild, company or corporeal sense, Each sinful act that we have done to Sûdra or Arya, or to either's disadvantage, e'en of that siu thou art the expiation. 18 Waters, Inviolable ones, etc. Said to be repeated from VI. 22. O ever-moving Cleansing Bath, etc. Repeated from III. 48. 19 Thy heart is in the flood, etc. Repeated from VIII. 25. To us let Waters, etc. Repeated from VI. 22. 20 As one unfastened from a stake, or cleansed by bathing after toil, As butter which the sieve hath purged, let water clean me from my sin. 21 Looking upon the loftier light above the darkness we have come To Surya, God among the Gods, the light that is most excellent. 22 The waters I this day have sought, and to their essence have we come. Agni, come hither rich in milk, splendour and brilliancy bestow on me, aud progeny and wealth. 23 A brand art thou: fain would we thrive. Fuel art thou and splendour: give me splendour. Earth comes again, the Dawn, the Sun. This Universe all comes again. May I possess Vaigvânara's light, may I attain my vast desires. Earth All-hail! 17 In village or in wild, etc.: cf. III. 45. Arya: one of the third caste; a Vaisya. To either's disadvantage: against the interest or wishes of the Sacrificer or his wife, according to Mahidhara. Thou: the jar of Mâsara. See 18 This beginning of a verse is the reading of the Taittiriya recension, the Black Yajurveda. differing slightly from the passage referred to. S. B. E. XXVI. p. 206, note. 20 Taken, with a variation ('water' for 'all') from A. V. VI. 115. 3. 21 Taken from R. V. I. 50. 10. 22 Varied from R. V. I. 23. 24. 23 He takes up a piece of wood and lays it on the Âhavaniya fire. Earth: here the Sacrificer offers an oblation of clarified butter. Comes again : sam vartti; according to Mahidhara≈maşyati, is lost, perishes. Earth!: see verse 12. 24 O Agni, Master of the Vow, on thee I lay the kindling. stick. To the fast-vow and faith I come. I, consecrated, kindle thee. 25 Fain would I know that holy world where Deities with Agui dwell, Where priestly rauk and princely power together in accord auce move. 26 Fain would I know that holy world where want and languor are unknown, Where in complete accordance move Indra and Vâyu side by side. 27 Let thy shoot be united with his tendril, joint combine with joint. Imperishable sap for joy, thine odour be the Soma's guard! 28 They pour it out, they sprinkle it, they scatter it, they make it pure. In the brown Surâ's ecstasy he says What art thou? What art thou? 29 Indra, at morn accept our cake accompanied with grain and groats, with wheaten bread and hymns of praise. 30 To Indra sing the lofty hymn, Maruts! that slayeth Vṛitra best, Whereby the Holy Ones created for the God the radiant light that never dies. 31 Adhvaryu, on the straining-cloth pour thou the Soma pressed with stones : Purify it for Indra's drink. 32 The Sovran Lord of living things, he upon whom the worlds depend, Mighty, the mighty's King-by him I take thee, take thee on myself. 24 He lays three kindling-sticks on the Âhavanîya fire, and recites three formulas. Master of the Vow: see I. 5. 27 The Surâ is addressed and mingled with the Soma. Thy shoot: the part thou hast in the mixture. His: the Soma's part. 28 He: Indra, when he tastes Surâ instead of his accustomed Soma. 29 A rice-cake is offered to Indra with a formula taken from R. V. VIII. 78. 1. 30 Maruts: chanters of their thunder-psalm; here meaning the loudvoiced singers of the hymn. The light divine: the Sun, which the Vive Devas or All-Gods generated or created for Indra. 32 Thee the thirty-third fat or marrow libation, completing the prescribed offerings to the thirty-three Gods, which he takes up in a bull's hoof vessel. |