15 All-hail to Pûshan, to the milk's skin! All-bail to the press stones! All-bail to their echoes! All-hail to the Fathers who are above the grass, who drink the Gharma! All-hail to Heaven and Earth! All-hail 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-hail ! 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 surpassed 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 Gayatri, 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. Gharina, 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. Pashan: represented by the Mahâvîra. The milk's skin: raised by boiling ou the contents of the Mahâvira. 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. Most Indra-like: most mighty. 21. 17 The Mahavira is placed on the Âsandf or stool, the seat of which is made of muñja grass. Agni represented by the Mahâvira, is addressed. Seat thee etc. repeated from XI. 37. 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 and wax in strength thereby. May we too grow in strength and wax to greatness 22 Loudly the taway 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 To Surya, 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 In 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. Nuvel: 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 tuwny 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 Âhavaniya fire. The formula is repeated from XX. 23. 26 Seven Rivers: the five rivers of the Panjab, the Indus, and the Sarasvati or the Kubha. 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 contents of the caldron, SVAHA to the Vital Breathings with their Controlling Lord! To Earth Svâbâ! To Agni Svâbâ! To Firmament Svâhâ! To Vâyu Svâhâ! To Sky Svâha! To Sûrya Svâhâ! 2. To the Quarters Svâlâ! To the Moon Svâhâ. To the Stars Svâhâ! To the Waters Svâhâ! To Varuna Svâhâ! To the Navel Svâhâ! To the Purified Svâlâ ! 3 To Speech Sváhâ! To Breath Svâhâ! To Freath Svâlâ ! To Sight Svâbâ! 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. Svàhà ! 5 Prajapati while in preparation; Samrâj when prepared; All-Gods' when seated; Gharma when herted with fire; Splendour when lifted up; the Agvins' 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; Vậk when it has been offered. 6 Savitar ou the first day; Agni on the second; Vayu on the third; Aditya (the Sun) on the fourth; Chandraniâs (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 atone for any failure or defect in the performance of the Pravargya ceremony; in cage, 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 oblation 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 Mahidhara. 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 Rity: the Season, personified. 7 Fierce; Terrible; The Resonant; The Roarer; Victorious; Assailant; and Dispeller. Svâhâ. 8 Agni with the heart; Lightning with the heart's point; Pasupati with the whole heart; Bhava with the liver. Sarva with the two cardiac bones; Îşâna with Passion; Mahideva with the intercostal flesh; the Fierce God with the rectum; Vasishtha-hanuh, Singis with two lumps of flesh near the heart. 9 The Ferce with blood; Mitra with obedience, Rudra with disobedience; Indra with pastime; the Maruts with strength; the Sâdhyas with enjoyment. Bhava's is what is on the throat; Rudra's what is between the ribs; Mahâdeva's is the liver; Sarva's the rectum; Pasupat's the pericardium. 10 To the har Svâhâ! To the hair Svâhâ! To the skin Svâhâ! To the skin Svâhâ! To the blood Svâhâ! To the blood Svâha! To the fats Svâhâ! To the fats Svâhâ! To the fleshy parts Svâhâ! To the fleshy parts Svâhâ! To the sinews Svâhâ! To the sinews Svâhâ! Svâhâ to the bones! Svâbâ to the bones! To the marrows Svâhâ! To the marrows Svâhâ! To the seed Svâhâ! To the anus Svâhâ! 7 This formula, called technically aranye' núchyam, To be recited in the forest, contains the names of seven of the fiercest Maruts. See XVII. 81— 85, from the last line of which the formula is repeated. 8 With the heart; I propitiate or gratify, understood. Pasupati : Lord of Beasts or Cattle, a title of Rudra who is called also Bhava and Sarva. See XVI. 28. Cardiac bones: or, according to some, kidneys See XIX. 85; XXV. 8. Îșâna: Lord; Ruler; also one of the older names of Rudra. See A. V. XV. 5. Mahideva: the Great God; Rudra, Vasistha-hanuḥ, Șingis: nothing can be made out of the text which appears to be corrupt. 9 The Fierce Rudra in his terrible manifestations; I propitiate, being understood. Sadhyas: a class of ancient deities; Blessed Gods: Eggeling. 10 The object of the Pravargya, which is a purificatory and introductory ceremony like Dikshâ or Consecration (IV. 2; V. 6) is the bodily regene ration of the Sacrificer, the provision of a heavenly body with which alone he is permitted to enter the residence of the Gods (Haug, Aitareya Brâhmaņam, II. 42, note). At the conclusion of the ceremony, therefore, the sacrificial materials are so arranged as to form the semblance of a human figure. The Mahavîras represent the head; the Prastara or sacrificial bunch of grass the hair; the two milk-vessels are his ears; the plates of gold and silver his eyes; the Rauhina cake potsherds represent the heels; the contents of the caldron are the blood, and so on (see Hillebrandt, Ritual-Litteratur, p. 135). The formulas contained in this verse provide the Pravargyaman with the bodily parts enumerated, and the regeneration of the Sacrifi cer is thus completed. Faculties and feelings are imparted by the formulas which follow. 11 To Effort Svâhâ! To Exertion Svâhâ! To Endeavour Svâlâ! To Viyâsa Svâhâ! To Attempt Svâhâ! 12 To Grief Svâhâ! To the Grieving Svâhâ! To the Sorrowing Svâhâ! To Sorrow Svâhâ! To Heat Svâhâ! To him who grows hot Svâhâ! To him To Atonement Svâhâ! To Expiation Svâbâ! To Remedy 13 To Yama Svâhâ! To the Finisher Svâhâ! To Death Svâhâ! To the Priesthood Svâhâ! To Brâhmanicide Svâhâ! To the All-Gods Svåhâ! To Heaven and Earth Svâhâ! 11 Viydsa: the meaning of the word is not clear, and Mahidhara offers no explanation : a tormenting spirit of Yama's world, according to the Commentators' :-S. P. Lexicon. Formed from ri+yas, as the other words in the line are from â, pra-â, sam, and ud+yas, it might, perhaps, be rendered by Distraction or Distraint. 12 To Gharma: the word means (1) heat (2) the heated caldron (3) its heated contents. Atonement: Expiution: for defects in the sacrifice. See first note. Remedy: the putting together of the Pravargya-man and the bodily regeneration of the Sacrificer. The Pravargya, which was originally, probably, a milk-offering to the Sun and his heralds the Asvins, is alluded to in the Rigveda (V. 30. 15; VII. 103. 8), and the ritual (with formulas different from those of the Yajurveda) is described in the Aitareya-Brabшata which belongs to that Veda. See Haug, Ai. Br. II. 41-51. The Caldron is also glorified in A. V. IV. 1. 1–6. More details of the performance of the rite may be found in Prof. A. Hillebrandt's Ritual-Litteratur, and in Sacred Books of the East, Vol. XLV. See also Oldenberg, Die Religion des Veda, under Pravargya. |