23 Who liberates thee from the yoke? He frees thee. For whom? For him he looses thee. For plenty. Thou art the Râkshasas' allotted portion. 24 We have combined with lustre, vigour, bodies; we have united with the blessed spirit. May Tvashṭar, bounteous each fault and blemish giver, grant us riches, and clear 25 By Jagatî metre in the sky strode Vishņu. Therefrom excluded is the man who hates us and whom we detest. By Trishṭup metre in the air strode Vishņu. Therefrom, etc. We have reached heaven. We have combined with lustre. 26 Thou, noblest ray of light, art Self-existent. Giver art thou of splendour. Give me splendour. I move along the path that Sûrya travels. 27 Agni, may I become a good householder, through thee, Home-master, O Householder Agni. Mayst thou become an excellent Householder through me the master of the house, O Agni. Through hundred winters may our household matters-not like a one-ox car-be smoothly managed. I move along the path that Sûrya travels. 28 I have performed the vow, Lord of Vows, Agni! Full power was mine, and it has proved successful. Now am I he I truly am, no other. : 23 He pours on the altar the holy water which has been brought forward (pranita) for the ceremony by the Adhvaryu from the Gârhapatya house. Who? or Ka. See I. 6. Thee: the holy water. He: Prajapati. Plenty: the prosperity of the Sacrificer. Thou: the refuse of the rice, which is strewn on the rice cake potsherd, under the black-buck's skin, as the allotted share of the Rakshasas or fierce and malicious demons. 24 The Adhvaryu, having gone round the fire, pours out a full vessel of water which the Sacrificer catches with both hands hollowed and placed together, and recites the text. Bodies: limbs and members fit for the performance of religious duties, or, perhaps, our wives and sons. Tvashtar : the divine Artificer, developer and shaper of the forms of living beings. 25 He makes the three ceremonial Vishņu-strides in imitation of that solar deity's strides through the three divisions of the world. By Jagati: supernatural powers are attributed to the Vedic metres as representations of effectual prayers. 26 Thou the Sun, to which he looks. 27 Hundred winters: regarded as the natural duration of human life. See The Hymns of the Rigveda, and The Hymns of the Atharva-veda, Index. I move: he turns from left to right. 28 Having completed the vow, the Sacrificer discharges himself of further obligations. He I truly am a man, not a semi-diyine being as I was while performing the vow. See 1. 5 and note. 29 To Agni Hail! who bears gifts due to Sages. To Soma Hail! accompanied by Fathers. Expelled are Asuras and fiends who sate upon the covering grass. 30 The Asuras, attracted by oblation, who roam at will assuming varied figures, from this our world may Agni drive them, whether they clothe themselves in large or little bodies. 310 Fathers, here enjoy yourselves. Come hither, like bulls, come each to his allotted portion. The Fathers have enjoyed themselves, and hither, like bulls, come each to his allotted portion. 32 Obeisance to your genial sap, O Fathers! Fathers, obeisance unto you for Ardour! Fathers, obeisance unto you for Svadhâ! Obeisance unto you for Life, O Fathers! Fathers, to you obeisance for the Awful! Fathers, obeisance unto you for Passion! O Fathers, unto you be adoration. Bestow upon us houses, O ye Fathers. Of what is ours, O Fathers, will we give you. With this your raiment clothe yourselves, O Fathers. 33 Fathers, bestow on me a babe, a boy enwreathed with lotuses, so that there may be here a man. 29 The following are texts for the Pindapitriyajña, the monthly ancestral sacrifice or offering of obsequial cakes to the Fathers or Manes as part of the New and Full Moon sacrifices. To Agni: part of the oblation is presented to him as the general receiver of all sacrificial offerings. Sages: a special class of Manes. To Soma: as especially connected with the Fathers. See R. V. VIII. 48. 13; A. V. XVIII. 4. 72, 73; Macdonell, Vedic Mythology, p. 109. Expelled: he draws a line of demarcation from north to south. 30 He lays down a firebrand to keep the fiends at a distance. Varied figures: even the forms of departed ancestors. Large or little bodies: this is Mahidhara's explanation of the doubtful words purapuraḥ and nipuraḥ. 32 Obeisance is offered to the Fathers six times in accordance with the seasons of the year. Your genial sap the fresh juices of trees and plants in Spring. Ardour: the Summer. Life: the vivifying water of the Rains. Svadha: or, viands; the food offered to the Fathers, representing fruitful Autumn. The Awful: the cold Winter. Passion: the chilling Dewy Season which kills the plants, Similarly it was the belief of the Old Northmen that their dead patriarchs had the power of sending good seasons. See Corpus Poeticum Boreale, II. 414, 418. Houses: wives and families. Raiment: threads, or wool, or hairs from the Sacrificer's chest, placed on each obsequial cake. 33 The matron who wishes for a son eats the middlemost of the three cakes and recites this formula. 34 Bearers of vigour and immortal fatness, milk and sweet beverage and foaming liquor, ye are a freshening draught. Delight my Fathers. 34 He addresses the waters which he pours on the cakes. Immortal fatness imperishable ghritam, ghi, or clarified butter which goes to the Gods. According to Mahidhara, amritam here means destroyer or banisher of all disease and death. Sweet beverage: kîlâla; a kind of Metheglin. Foaming beverage: parisrut; a sort of beer. BOOK THE THIRD. SERVE Agni with the kindling-brand, with drops of butter wake the Guest. In him pay offerings to the Gods. 2 To Agui Jâtavedas, to the flame, the well-enkindled God, Offer thick sacrificial oil. 3 Thee, such, O Angiras, with brands and sacred oil we magnify, O very brilliant, Youthfullest. 4 Rich in oblations, dropping oil, to thee, sweet Agni, let them go. Accept with favour these my brands. 5 Earth! Ether! Sky! Like heaven in plenty and like earth in compass! Upon thy back, Earth, place of sacrificing to Gods, for gain of food I lay food-eating Agni. 6 This spotted Bull hath come and sat before the Mother and before The Father, mounting up to heaven. This Book contains formulas for the Agnihotra or morning and evening burnt-oblation of milk which is obligatory on the householder during (with some exception) the whole of his life, and for the Four-monthly sacrifices at the beginning of the three chief seasons, Spring, Rains, and Autumn. 1 This verse and the following contain texts for the Agnyâdhâna, the ceremonial laying-down or establishment of his own sacrificial fires by the young householder. Guest: Agni who is constantly maintained in mens' houses. 2 Jatavedas: knower of (all) beings; Omniscient. The text is taken from R. V. V. 5. 1. 3 Angiras: Agni, as the chief messenger to the Gods. Youthfullest: youngest of Gods, as being perpetually reproduced at sacrifice. Them: the three kindling-sticks of Asvattha wood, anointed with sacrificial butter, which are put on the fire with the texts 1, 3. 4 respectively. 5 Earth! Ether! Sky: he lays down the Âhavaniya-fire on the place prepared for it, with this solemn sacrificial exclamation which is said to comprehend the Universe, the aid of which the sacrificer thus obtains. Or, according to Mahidhara, the three words refer to the respective creation of priests, nobles, and people; or self, human beings, and lower animals. Like heaven etc: May I become' understood. In plenty in the number of its stars. So numerous may my sons and cattle be. Like earth: so may I spread with my offspring, or be the refuge of living creatures. 6 With the recitation of this and the two following verses, which form Hymn 189 of Book X. of the Rigveda, he offers worship to Agni and lays down the Dakshinigni or Southern Fire. Spotted Bull: the Sun, here represented by Agni. The Mother Earth. The Father: the Sky. : 7 As expiration from his breath his radiance penetrates within: The Bull shines out through all the sky. 8 He rules supreme through thirty realms. Song is bestowed upon the Bird Throughout the days at break of morn. 9 Agni is light, and light is Agni. Hail! 10 Accordant with bright Savitar and Night with Indra at her side, May Agni, being pleased, enjoy. All-hail! 11 Approaching sacrifice, may we pronounce a text to Agni who Heareth us even when afar. 12 Agni is head and height of heaven, the Master of the earth is he : He quickeneth the waters' seed. 13 You two will I invoke, O Indra-Agni, will please you both together with oblation. Givers, you twain, of vigorous strength and riches, you twain do I invoke for gain of vigour. 14 This is thine ordered place of birth whence, sprung to life, thou shonest forth. Knowing this, Agni, rise thou up and cause our riches to increase. 15 Here by ordainers was this God appointed first Invoker, best at worship, to be praised at rites, Whom Apnavâna and the Bhrigus caused to shine, brightcoloured in the wood, spreading to every house. 8 Thirty realms: all the divisions of the world, the number being used indefinitely. The Bird: or the winged One; the Sun, his morning song representing prayer. 9 Here begin the formulas of the Agnihotra, or morning and evening oblations of burnt milk. Agni: formula to accompany the evening oblation. Súrya: formula to be employed in making the morning offering. 12 Taken from R. V. VIII. 44. 16. The waters' seed: as lightning, Agni impregnates the waters of the air. 14 This: the Gârhapatya fire. The verse is taken from R. V. III. 29. 10. 15 Taken from R. V. IV. 7. 1. Ordainers: regulators of sacrifice, the ancient fire-priests. Apnavâna: an ancient Ṛishi, connected with the priestly family of the Bhrigus and the earliest worship of Agni. Cf. R. V. VIII. 91. 4. |