BOOK THE THIRTY-EIGHTH. By impulse of God Savitar I take thee with arms of Aṣvins, with the bands of Púshan. A zone for Aditi art thou. 2 Idâ, come hither. Aditi, come hither. Sarasvati, come hither. Come hither, So-and-So. hither, So-and-So. Come hither, So-and-So. Come 3 Thou art a zone for Aditi, a diadem for Indrânî. Pushan art thou. Spare some for the Gharma. 4 Overflow for the Agvins. Overflow for Sarasvati. Overflow for Indra. All-hail, what belongs to Indra! All-hail, what belongs to 5 That breast of thine, exhaustless, fount of pleasure, wealthgiver, treasure-finder, free-bestower, Wherewith thon rearest all things that are choicest,-bring With 6 Thou art Gayatra metre. Thou art Trishṭup metre. Heaven and Earth I grasp thee. With the Firmament I raise thee up. Indra and Agvins, drink ye the hot draught of sweet honey: sacrifice, ye Vasus. Vâț! All-hail to the rain-winning beam of the Sun! The Pravargya formulas are continued. 1 The Adhvaryu takes the rope that is to tie the cow for milking. Thee: the rope. The formula has been used in XI. 9 and elsewhere. A zone: of. 1. 30; XI. 59. 2 In the first line he calls the cow by her three sacrificial names. Cf. III. 27; VIII. 43, note. In the second line he calls her three times by her ordinary name, White, Dapple, or whatever it may be, which is to be supplied accordingly. 3 A zone for Aditi: he ties the cow to a post. Pûshan art thou: he looses and addresses the calf. Some of the milk. The Gharma: the heated caldron. 4 He milks the cow, addressing the milk. What belongs to Indra: milk that drops on the ground, regarded as a sacrificial offering. 5 Taken from R. V. I. 164. 49, addressed originally to the Goddess, here to the cow also. Throughout, etc.: repeated from I. 7. 6 He addresses the Parisisa, a duplex implement, probably like a pair of tongs, with which the caldron is lifted from the fire. One leg is said to be Gayatra metre, and the other Trishṭup. Thee: the Mahavira, representing the Sun. 7 Thee with Svâhâ to Vâta the sea. Thee with Svâhâ to Vata the flood. Thee with Svâhâ to Vâta the unconquerable. Thee with Thee with Svâhâ to Vâta the protection-seeker. Thee with 8 Thee with Svâhâ to Indra Lord of Vasus. Thee with Svâbâ to Indra Lord of Rudras. Thee with Svâhâ to Indra killer of foes. Thee with Svâhâ to Savitar attended by Ribhu, Vibhu, aud Vâja. Thee with Svâhâ to Brihaspati beloved of all the Gods. 9 Svâhâ to Yama attended by the Angirases, attended by the Fathers! Svâhâ to the Gharma! The Gharma for the Father! 10 Here hath he worshipped, seated south, all the sky-regions, all the Gods. Drink, Asvins, of the heated draught, the Svâhâ-consecrated mead. 11 In heaven lay thou this sacrifice; lay thou this sacrifice in heaven. To sacrificial Agni hail! May bliss be ours from Yajus texts. 12 Drink, Aṣvins, with your daily helps, the Gharma, strengthener of hearts. To him who draweth out the thread be homage, and to 13 The Gharma have the Aṣvius drunk with Heaven and Earth have they agreed. Here, verily, be their boons bestowed. 14 Overflow for food. Overflow for energy. Overflow for the Priesthood. Overflow for the Nobility. Overflow for Heaven and Earth. Thou, O duteous one, art Duty. Innocent one, in us establish manly powers; establish the People. 7 Thee: the Mahâvîra; I consecrate,' understood, to Vâta the Wind God under various appellations. Protection-seeker: protection-giver, would be more suitable, but the word does not seem to bear this meaning. 8 Ribhu, Vibhu (more commonly Vibhavan), and Vaja: the Ribhus, sons of Sudhan van, raised to heaven and Godhead for their merits. See XXX. 15. note, and The Hymns of the Rigveda, Index. 11 Lay thou: the Mahâvira is addressed. 12 Him who draweth out the thread: or web, of time, the Sun, according to Mahidhara. 14 Innocent one: here the Caldron is placed on the khara or bed of earth prepared to receive it. 15 All-hail to Pûshan, to the milk's skin! All-hail to the press stones! All-hail to their echoes! All-hail to the Fathers who are above the grass, who drink the Gharma! All-hail to Heaven and Earth! All-bail to the All-Gods! 16 All-hail to Rudra invoked by worshippers! All-hail! Let light combine with light. May Day together with his sheen, fair-lighted with his light, accept. All-bail! May Night together with her sheen, fair-lighted with her light, accept. All-hail! May we enjoy the mead offered in most Indra-like Agni. Homage to thee, divine Gharma! Do not thou injure me. 17 Thy far-spread majesty, instinct with wisdom, hath surpas sed this heaven, And, with its glorious fame, the earth. Seat thee, for thou art mighty: shine, best entertainer of the Gods. Worthy of sacred food, praised Agni! loose the smoke ruddy and beautiful to see. 18 Gharma, that heavenly light of thine in Gâyatri, in the Soma-store, May it increase and be confirmed for thee, that light. Gharma, that light of thine in air, in Trishṭup, in the sacred hearth, May it increase and be confirmed for thee, that light. Gharma, that light of thine on earth, in Jagati, of the priest's shed, May that increase and be confirmed for thee, that light. 19 Thee for the sure protection of the Nobles. Guard thou from injury the Brahman's body. We follow thee in interest of the People, for the renewal of our peace and comfort. 15 He anoints the Mahavira with sacrificial butter, and offers oblation. Pûshan: represented by the Mahâvîra. The milk's skin: raised by boiling on the contents of the Mahavira. Cf. XXXIX. 5. 16 Let light, etc.: he pours some of the milk into the Upayamanî, a large wooden spoon from which the Sacrificer drinks, the two lights being the milk and the butter. May Day, etc.: these two lines are repeated from XXXVII. 21. Most Indra-like: most mighty., 17 The Mahâvîra is placed on the Âsandf or stool, the seat of which is made of muñja grass. Agni represented by the Mahâvîra, is addressed. Seat thee etc. repeated from XI. 37. 3 19 Thee: the Gharma or Mahâvira; we follow, being understood. The Sacrificer's wife is brought in and stationed in front of the Gharma. 20 Square, far-spread is the sacrifice's navel: it spreads for us wide, full of all existence, spreads wide for us full of complete existenee. We turn against the hate and guiles of him who keeps an alien law. 21 This, Gharma! is thy liquid store. Swell out aud wax in strength thereby. May we too grow in strength and wax to greatness 22 Loudly the tawny Stallion neighed, mighty, like Mitra fair to see. Together with the Sun the sea, the store shone out with flashing light. 23 To us let Waters and let Plants be friendly; to him who hates us, whom we hate, unfriendly. 24 Looking upon the loftier light above the darkness we have come ToSurya, God among the Gods, the light that is most excellent. 25 A brand art thou, fain would we thrive. Fuel art thou, and splendour: Give me splendour. 26 Far as the heaven and earth are spread in compass, far as the Seven Rivers are extended, So vast thy cup which I with strength am taking, Indra, unharmed in me, uninjured ever. 27 lu me be that great hero power, in me be strength and mental force. The Gharma shines with triple light, with lustre fulgent far away, with holy lore, with brilliancy. 28 Brought hither is the seed of milk. Through each succeeding year may we enjoy the bliss of draining it. Invited, I enjoy a share of that which hath been offered me, the savoury draught by Indra drunk and tasted by Prajâpati. 20 Square or four cornered; the Gharma which is placed on the High Altar. Navel: the central and chief point. Keeps an alien law: follows other than Vedic observances. Cf. R. V. V. 20. 2. 21 Repeated, with variation, from II. 14. 22 The tawny Stallion: the Caldrou representing the Sun. Together with : equally with; as brilliantly as. The sea the Caldron with its liquid contents. The store of blessings. 23 The priests and the Sacrificer perform ablutions at the Châtvâla or pit. The formula is repeated from VI. 22. 24 The Sacrificer returns from the Châtvâla and goes towards the northeast. The formula. taken from R. V. I. 50. 10, has been used in XX. 21; XXVII 10; XXXV. 14. 25 The Sacrificer lays a kindling-stick on the Âhavanîya fire. The formula is repeated from XX. 23. 26 Seven Rivers: the five rivers of the Panjâb, the Indus, and the Sarasvati or the Kubhâ. Thy cup: the draught from the caldron which the Sacrificer drinks. Unharmed: may it be unharmed, according to Mahidhara. 27 The Sacrificer and the priests drink the remains of the couteuts of the, caldron. SVAHA to the Vital Breathings with their Controlling Lord! To Earth Svâhâ! To Agni Svâbâ! To Firmament Svâhâ! To Vâyu Svâha! To Sky Svâhâ! To Sûrya Svâbâ! 2 To the Quarters Svâhâ! To the Moon Svâhâ! To the Stars Svâhâ! To the Waters Svâhâ! To Varuņa Svâhâ! To the Navel Svâhâ! To the Purified Svâhâ! 3 To Speech Sváhâ! To Breath Svâhâ! To Breath Svâbâ! To Sight Svâhâ! To Sight Svâhâ! To Hearing Svâhâ! To Hearing Svâhâ! 4 The wish and purpose of the mind and truth of speech may I obtain, Bestowed on me be cattle's form, sweet taste of food, and fame and grace. Svaha! 5 Prajapati while in preparation; Samraj when prepared; All-Gods' when seated; Gharma when heated with fire; Splendour when lifted up; the Agvius' while milk is poured in ; Pûshau's when the butter trickles down it; the Maruts' when the milk is clotting; Mitra's when the milk's skin is spreading; Vâyu's when it is carried off; Agni's while offered as oblation; Vak when it has been offered, 6 Savitar on the first day; Agni on the second; Vayu on the third; Aditya (the Sun) on the fourth; Chandranâs (the Moon) on the fifth; Ritu on the sixth; the Maruts on the seventh; Brihaspati on the eighth; Mitra on the ninth; Varuna on the tenth; Indra on the eleventh; the All-Gods on the twelfth. This Book contains expiatory formulas intended to remedy and ațone for any failure or defect in the performance of the Prayargya ceremony; in case, for instance. the caldron should break, or the contents be allowed to boil over, or the cow give sour or bloody milk. Oblations of butter, accompanied with the formulas, are offered to various deities and deited objects. 1 Svaha! the sacrificial exclamation on making an offering; May the obla tion be properly made! Their Controlling Lord: Hiranyagarbha or Prajapati. 2 Navel the central point; the High Altar may be meant. The Purified according to Mahidhara, the God who purifies. : 3 Speech, etc. meaning the deities who reside over these faculties. Cattle's form: beauty or splendour connected with cattle. says Mahidbara. 5, 6 The Mahavira represents or belongs to various deities at different stages of the ceremony, and expiatory oblations, if required, are to be offered accordingly. Milk's skin: Cf. XXXVIII. 15, 6 Ritu: the Season, personified. |