14 Black-necked victims sacred to Agni; brown to Soma; spotted to Savitar; weaned she-kids to Sarasvatî; dark-coloured goats to Pûshan; speckled victims to the Maruts; many-coloured to the All-Gods; barren cows to Heaven and Earth. 15 Called contemporary, the dappled belong to Indra-Agui; black ones to Varuna; speckled to the Maruts; hornless he-goats to Ka. 16 To Agui foremost in place he sacrifices firstling goats; to the consuming Maruts those born of one mother; to the Maruts who perform domestic rites those born after a long time; to the sportive Maruts those born together; to the self-strong Maruts those born in succession. 17 Called contemporaneous, the dappled belonging to IndraAgni; those with projecting horns to Mahendra; the many-coloured to Vigvakarman. 18 Smoke-coloured, those of brownish hue, to be offered to the Soma-possessing Fathers; the brown and the smoky-looking to the Fathers who sit on sacred grass; the black and the brownish-looking to the Fathers who have been tasted by Agni; the black and the spotted belong to Tryambaka. 19 Called contemporaneous, the dappled belong to Suna and Sira; white ones to Vâyu; white ones to Surya. 20 To Spring he offers Kapiñjalas; to Summer sparrows; to the Rains partridges; to Autumn quails; to Wiuter Kakaras; to the Dewy Season Vikakaras. 21 To the Sea he sacrifices porpoises; to Parjanya frogs; to the Waters fishes; to Mitra Kulipayas; to Varuna crocodiles. 15 Ka Prajapati. See I. 6, note. 16 Consuming or Fiery; santapanebhyaḥ. Who perform domestic rites: grihamedhibhyah. Sportive: kridibhyah. Self-strong: svutavdbhyaḥ; see XVII, 85, and S. B. E. XII. pp. 408, 409. 18 Three classes of Fathers are here mentioned; the Somavantaḥ, the Barhishadaḥ, and the Aguishvâttâh. Tryambaka: a name of Rudra. See III. 58, note. 19 Suna and Sira: two deities or deified objects which bless or are closely connected with agriculture. The words probably mean, as suggested in the St. Petersburg Lexicon, plougshare and plough. See The Hymns of the Atharva Veda, III. 17. 5, note. 20 Kapiñjalas: heathcocks or francolius. Kukaras... Vikakaras : identified. un 21 Kultpayas: unidentified. Crocodiles: the exact meaning of nákra, some kind of aquatic animal, is uncertain. 22 To Soma he sacrifices wild geese; to Vâyu female cranes to Indra-Agni curlews; to Mitra divers; to Varuņa Chakravakas. 23 To Agni he sacrifices cocks; to Vanaspatis owls; to AgniSoma blue jays; to the Asvins peacocks, to Mitra-Varuņa pigeous. 24 To Soma he sacrifices quails; to Tvashtar Kaulikas; Mainas to the Gods' Consorts; Kulikas to the Gods' Sisters ; Pârushṇas to Agui Lord of the Homestead. 25 To Day he sacrifices doves; to Night Sîchâpûs; to the Joints of Day and Night bats; to the Months gallinules; to the Year great eagles. 26 To Ground he sacrifices rats; to Firmament field-rats; to Day voles; to the Quarters mungooses; to the Intermediate Spaces brownish ichneumons. 27 To the Vasus he sacrifices black-bucks; to the Rudras stags; to the Adityas Nyanku deer; to the All-Gods spotted deer; to the Sadhyas Kulinga antelopes, 28 To Îsâna he sacrifices wild asses; to Mitra Gauras; to Varuna buffaloes; to Brihaspati Gayals; to Tvashtar camels. 29 To Prajapati he sacrifices men elephants; to Vâk white ants; to Sight flies; to Hearing black bees. 30 To Prajapati and to Vâyu a Gayal is to be offered; to Varuna a wild ram; to Yama a black ram; to a human king a monkey; to the Tiger a red doe; to the Bull a female Gayal, to the Kshiprasyena a quail; to the Nilańgu a worm; to the Sea a porpoise; to the Snowy Mountain an elephant. 22 Chakravakas: ruddy geese, or Brahmany ducks; regarded by Indian poets as types of conjugal love and fidelity. So join thou this couple, Indra! like the Chakravaka and his mate':-Nuptial Hymn, A. V. XIV. 2. 64. 24 Kaulikas.... Kulikas...... Pârushnas: unidentified birds. Mainas: goshadis; settling on cows'; ludian starlings (Coracias Indica). 25 Sichapas: unidentified. Joints: evening and morning twilight, deified. 27 Sádkyas: meaning, probably, those who are to be propitiated.' According to Yaska the Gods whose dwelling-place is the sky. In the Amarakosha they are named among the minor deities, but they seem rather to be the most ancient of the Gods. Nyanku... Kulinga: the species have not been identified. 28 Îşîna: Lord, Ruler; one of the names or titles of Rudra. Wild asses: or, perhaps, wild buffaloes, the exact animal intended being uncertain. 30 Kshiprasjena: perhaps Swift Falcon, Nilangu; said to be a species of wor; perhaps a tape-worm, 31 The Kinnara belongs to Prajapati; the Ula, the Halikshṇa, the cat belong to Dhâtar; the heron belongs to the Quarters; the Dhunkshâ to Agni; sparrow, red snake, Sâras, these are Tvashtar's; the curlew belongs to Vâk. 32 To Soma an antelope is to be offered; wild goat, mungoose, Şaka, these are Pûshan's; the jackal is the Mâyu's; the Gaura Indra's; Pidva, antelope, cock, these are Anumati's; the Chakravâka is for Echo. 33 The female crane is Surya's; Sârga, Srijaya, Sayândaka, these are Mitra's; to Sarasvatî belongs the human-voiced Maina; to Ground the porcupine; tiger; wolf, viper belong to Passion; to Sarasvân the human-voiced parrot. 34 The eagle is Parjanya's; the Ati,, the Vahasa, the woodpecker, these are for Vayu; for Brihaspati Lord of Speech is the Paingaraja; the Alaja belongs to Firmament; pelican, cormorant, fish, these belong to the Lord of Rivers; the tortoise belongs to Heaven and Earth. 35. The buck belongs to the Moon; iguana, Kalakâ, woodpecker,. these belong to the Vanaspatis; the cock belongs to Savitar; the swan is Vâta's: crocodile, dolphin, Kulîpaya,. these belong to the Sea; the porcupine to Modesty. 36 The Black-doe belongs to Day; frog, female rat, partridge, these belong to the Serpents; the jackal belongs to the Asvins; the Black-buck to Night; bear, bat, Sushilîk ì, these belong to the Other Folk; the polecat belongs to Vishnu. 31 Kinnara: 'What sort of man?', or Mayu; probably a monkey. Ula.Halikshna: unidentified; according to Mabidhara, the latter is a kind of lion. Cut: vrishdams, the strong biter,' is thus explained by the Commentator. Dhunksha: a kind of bird, says Mahidhara. Saras: the Indian or Siberian Crane (Ardea Sibirica); a splendid bird, easily domesti cated. 32 Sika: variously explained as bird, fly, long-eared beast. MAyu: probably a Kimpurusha, or manlike monkey. Pidva: unidentified Anumati: Divine Favour personified. Echo: because the male and female bird are condemned to pass the night on opposite banks of a river, incessantly calling to each other. 33 Sirga, Srijay, Siyandaka: unidentified. Sarasvân: Sarasvati's Consort. 34 The birds and beasts whose names are left untranslated in this and: following verses are unidentified, Lord of Rivers: Ocean: 35 Vanaspatis: Sacrificial Stakes. 36 Other Folk: a euphemistic expression for certain beings who appear to be regarded as spirits of darkness. So, in England, fairies are called Folk, People, Neighbors; in Germany, Little Folk; in Switzerland. Hill! People and Earth People. 37 The cuckoo belongs to the Half Months; antelope; peacock, eagle, these are the Gaudharvas'; the otter belongs to the Months; tortoise, doe-antelope, iguana, Golathikâ belong to the Apsarases; the black snake belongs to Death.. 36 The frog belongs to the Seasons; the vole, the rat, the mouse; these are the Fathers'; the Python, the Balâya belong to the Vasus; Kapiñjala, pigeon, owl, hare belong to Nirriti ; the wild ram to Varuna. 39 The white animal belongs to the Âdityas; the camel, the Ghrinîvân, the rhinoceros to Mati; the Spimara belong to the Forest-God; the Ruru buck is Rudra's; Kvayi, cock, gallinule, these are the Vâjins"; the cuckoo belongs to Kâma.. 40 The Khanga is the All-Gods'; the black dog, the long-eared, the ass, the hyena, these are the Rakshasas'; the boar is for Indra; the lion is for the Maruts; the chameleon, the Pippaka, the vulture, these belong to Saravyâ ; the spotted antelope belongs to the All-Gods.. 38 Kapiñjala: see verse 20. Nirriti: the Goddess of Death and Destruction. See XII. 62. 39 Ghrintvin explained by Mahidhara as the splendid or strong victim. Mati: Thought or Devotion. Vajins: see verse 7. Cuckoo: pika; whose voice supposed to say Pi kahan, Where is my darling?) is chiefly heard in. Spring,, is the favourite bird of Kâma the God of Love. 40 Stravy: the arrow personified as a deity.. I GRATIFY Fresh Grass with his teeth, Avakâ with his gums, black! Effectual are his eyelashes, irresistible are his 2 With his breath I gratify Vâta; with his outbreath the two Nostrils; with his lower lip the Upayâma; with his upper lip Existence. With his bright look I please Antara, with his reflection Bâhya; the Whirlpool with his head; Thunder with his frontal bone; the Lightning-flash with his brain; Lightning with the pupils of his eyes; Hearing with his external ears; Ears with his internal ears; Blood with his lower neck; Waters with the fleshless part of his neck; Thought with the back neck-tendons ; Aditi with his head; Nirriti with his ragged head; Vital Breathings with his roars; Tempest with his crest. 3 I gratify Flies with his hair; Indra with his active shoulder; Brihaspati with his quick spring; Tortoises with his hoofs; Approach with his fetlocks; Kapiñjalas with his heel-ropes; Speed with his two thighs; the Way with his two fore-legs; the Forest-God with a kneepan; Agni with his two knees; Pûshan with his two fore-feet; the Asvins with his shoulders; Rudra with his shoulder joints. The Horse-sacrifice is continued. In the first nine verses (which constitute a Brahmana or Exegetical Treatise as distinct from the Texts and Formulas) oblation is made of the roasted flesh, the various parts of the victim being assigned, with the cry of Svâhâ! All-hail! to a host of deities and other objects which are regarded as deified for the occasion. 1 Avaka: a water-plant. See XIII. 30. Tegas: the Commentator gives no explanation, and the meaning is unknown. Vaja: Strength; or Sacrificial Food. The Path: cf. the Way in verse 3. The white: the lightcoloured part of the body. 2 Upayama: the formula accompanying certain Soma libations: Taken upon a base (upayâma) art thou. See VII. 4. Bright look: according to Mahidhara, the gloss on the upper part of his body. Antara: interior. Reflection: gloss on the lower part of his body, according to the Commentator. Bahya: exterior. Ragged: nirjarjalpa; the word (apparently meaningless here) is probably used as a sort of play upon the word jarjara, brain. 3 Hair: which has so often brushed them away. Active: the same word is an epithet of Indra. Hoofs: to renovate their shells with the horny material. Cf. A. V. IX. 4. 16: They gave the hooves to tortoises. |