May he win booty in the fight for booty: may he quell foes in his triumphant onset. 45 I through your beauty have attained to beauty. The Tutha, the omniscient, allot you! Go forth, bright-gifted! on the path of Order. Look thou upon the heaven and air's mid-region. Unite thee with the priests who keep the Sadas. 46 This day may it be mine to find a Brâhman sprung from a lauded father and grandfather, Offspring of Rishis and himself a Rishi, the fit recipient of priestly guerdon. Go to the Gods, bestowed by me, and enter into him who gives. 47 To Agni, yea, to me let Varuna give thee. May I gain life that shall endure for ever. Be thou strong vital power to him who gives thee, and comfort unto me the gift's receiver. To Rudra, yea, to me let Varuna............for ever. Be thou the breath of life to him who gives thee, and vigour unto me the gift's receiver. To me Brihaspati let Varuna ... ....for ever. Be thou a covering skin to him who gives thee, and comfort unto me the gift's receiver. To Yama, yea, to me let Varuna...... .....for ever. Be thou a steed to him who gives the guerdon, and vital power to me the gift's receiver. 48 Who hath bestowed it? Upon whom bestowed it? Desire bestowed it, for Desire he gave it. Desire is giver and Desire receiver. This, O Desire, to thee is dedicated. 45 The Sacrificer, having some gold with him, addresses the cows that are to be given to the priests. The Tutha: the Brahman priest, or, according to Mahidhara, Prajapati in his form. Cf. V. 31. Allot you: distribute you among the officiating priests. Order: the sacrificial ceremony. Look thou: he addresses the representative cow, meaning, I, through you cows, behold the heavenly world. Unite thee with: or, exert thyself to enrich. Sadas: the priests' shed. See V. 28. 46 The Sacrificer goes to the Agnidh or Fire-Kindler and recites the text. Go to the Gods: he sits down beside the Agnidh and gives him the gold and other gifts which are thus addressed. Enter into: return to me, the Sacrificer, in the shape of earthly and heavenly blessings. To me, 47 The Adhvaryu recites the first formula as he receives the guerdon of gold. Thee: the gold. To Rudra: spoken as he receives the cow. Brihaspati: spoken as he receives a cloth. To Yama: God of the Dead; spoken as he receives the horse. 48 Spoken on the receipt of any additional gift such as gruel, sesamum, etc. Desire bestowed it: the reward has been given in hope of receiving blessings in return. The text is taken, with variations, from A. V. III. 29. 7. BOOK THE EIGHTH. TAKEN upon a base art thou. Thee for the Adityas. 2 Ne'er art thou fruitless, Indra; ne'er dost thou desert thy worshipper. But now, O Liberal Lord, thy bounty as a God is poured forth ever more and more. Thee for the Adityas. 3 Never art thou neglectful: thou guardest both races with thy care. The Soma feast, O Fourth Âditya, is thy strength. Amrit is stablished in the heavens. Thee for the Âdityas. 4 The sacrifice obtains the Gods' acceptance. Be graciously inclined to us, Âdityas. Hitherward let your favour be directed and be our best deliverer from trouble. Thee for the Âdityas. 5 This is thy Soma draught, O bright Âditya: take delight therein. To this mine utterance, O ye men, give credence, what good the man and wife obtain by praying: A manly son is born and gathers riches, and thrives for ever sinless in the dwelling. 6 Fair wealth, O Savitar, to-day, to-morrow, fair wealth produce for us each day that passes. May we, through this our song, be happy gainers, God! of a fair and spacious habitation. This Book contains the formulas required for the Third or Evening SomaPressing, and first, as a preliminary ceremony, for the Aditya Graha or Libation to the Adityas. 1 The Pratiprasthåtar draws the Soma from the trough into the Aditya vessel. Thee: I pour out' understood. Here: in the Sthalf, bowl, or pot into which he pours the juice from the Aditya vessel which is then placed on it as a cover. Them the evil spirits. 2 He draws the Âditya cup with the text from R. V., Vâlakhilya III. 7. 3 He withdraws the cup, and again takes the juice with the text taken with a variation from R. V. Vàlakbilya IV. 7. Both races: Gods and men. Fourth Aditya: next to Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman. Amrit: or Ambrosia; celestial Soma. 4 He mixes the Aditya libation with sour milk with the text from R. V. I. 107. 1. 5 Bright Aditya: Surya the Sun is addressed. To this: the Sacrificer's wife recites the text which is taken partly, and with variations, from A. V. XIV. 2. 9. 6 He draws the Såvitra Graha or Cup for Savitar, with the text from R. V. VI. 71. 6. 7 Taken upon a base art thou. Savitar's giver of delight art thou. Giver of joy art thou: vouchsafe me joy. Speed thou the sacrifice, speed thou the sacrifice's lord to win his share. Thee for the God, for Savitar 8 Taken upon a base art thou. Thou art a good protector, firmly stablished. To the Great Bull be reverential homage. Thee for the Visvedevas. This is thy home: Thee for the Visvedevas. 9 Taken upon a base art thou. May it be mine to prosper the libations of thee Brihaspati's son, O radiant Soma, of thee, strong Indu, mated with thy Consorts. I am in heaven above, on earth beneath it. The intermediate region was my father. I saw the Sun both from above and under. I am what Gods in secret hold the highest. 10 Agni, associate with the Dames, accordant with the God Tvashtar, drink. All-hail! Thou art Prajapati, strong male, impregner may I obtain from thee, strong male, impregner, a son who shall himself become a father. 11 Taken upon a base art thou. Thou art bay-coloured, Yoker of Bay Coursers. Thee for the pair of tawny-coloured horses. United with the Soma, ye, for Indra, are corn for his two tawny steeds to feed on. 12 That draught of thine which winneth cows or horses, offered with sacrificial text and lauded 7 He addresses the Soma in the cup. 8 He draws from the Pûtabhrit, a vessel containing strained Soma juice, the Mahavaisvadeva Cup or Libation to the Great All-Gods. The Great Bull: Prajapati, the Lord of Creatures. 9 He drawn the Pâtnivata Cup or Libation to Him with Consorts, here meaning Soma. Brihaspati's son: poured forth by priests whose representative is Brihaspati. Indu: drop, juice; a common name of Soma. Consorts: the waters with which Soma is mixed. I am in heaven, etc.: the Adhvaryu recites, identifying himself in his sacerdotal character with the Supreme Self. 10 He offers the Pâtnivata Cup to Agni. The Dames: the Consorts of the Gods; with a reference also in this place to the wife of the Sacrificer. Thou art Prajapati: spoken by the Matron who is led up by the Neshtar (see V. 31) and directed to look at and address the Udgåtar or Sâma-Chanter. From thee through thy favour. 11 He draws the Hâriyojana Cup, or Libation to Indra Harnesser of the Haris or Bay Steeds. Ye: grains of parched corn which he throws into the cup. 12 The priests smell the grains taken from the cup, and throw them on the high altar. With chanted hymns and songs of adoration-of that permitted do I take permitted. 13 Of sin against the Gods thou art atonement. mankind thou art atonement. Of sin against For sin against the Fathers thou atonest. Of every sort of sin thou art atonement. Of sin against The sin that I have knowingly committed, the sin that unawares I have committed, of all that wickedness thou art the atonement. 14 We with our bodies have again united, with lustre, vital sap, and happy spirit. Giver of boons, may Tvashṭar grant us riches and smooth whate'er was injured in our body. 15 Lead us with thought to wealth in kine, O Indra, to princes, Lord of Bounty! and to welfare. Lead thou us on to God-inspired devotion, to favour of the 16 Verse 14 repeated. 17 May this please Savitar and liberal Dhâtar, Prajâpati the Treasure-Guard, bright Agni, Tvashtar, and Vishnu blessing him with children, grant store of riches to the Sacrificer. 18 Gods, we have made your seats easy of access, who, pleased with us, have come to this libation. Bearing and bringing hitherward your treasures, grant to this man, good Lords, abundant riches. All hail! 19. The willing Gods whom, God, thou hast brought hither, send them to their own dwelling-place, O Agni. As all of you have eaten and have drunken, approach the air, the heat, the light of heaven. 13 Thou: a splinter of the Sacrificial Stake. Six of these splinters are thrown on the fire and severally addressed with a formula. 14 The priests touch the Chamasas, cups or bowls, filled with water, and recite the text taken from A. V. VI 53. 3. 15 He makes nine offerings called Samish tayajuses or final sacrificial texts and oblations, and with the first he recites the text taken from R. V. V. 42. 4. Princes wealthy sacrificers who will liberally reward our services. 16 The second offering is made with repetition of verse 14. 17 The third offering, with the text from A V. VII. 17. 4. This our oblation. Liberal: or râti may mean the Oblation personified. Dhâtar: the Creator, or Ordainer. Grant: ye, the Deities mentioned. 18 The fourth, with the text whose first three Padas are taken from A. V. VII. 97. 4. Easy of access: sacrifice leading the worshipper to heaven. 19 The fifth, with the text from A. V. VII. 97. 3. Eaten: the sacrificial rice cakes. Drunken: libations of Soma. 20 Here, Agni, as this sacrifice proceedeth, have we elected thee to be our Hotar. Special have been thine offerings and thy labour. Well knowing sacrifice, as sage, come near us. 21 Do ye, O Gods, discoverers of the Pathway, go forward on the path when ye have found it. O God, thou Lord and Master of the Spirit, bestow-Allhail!-this sacrifice on Vâta. 22 Go, Sacrifice, to the sacrifice: seek thou the sacrifice's lord, seek thine own home. All-hail ! Lord of the sacrifice, this is thy sacrifice, followed by many heroes, loud with hymus of praise. Accept it thou. Allhail! 23 Become no serpent thou, become no viper. King Varuna hath made a spacious pathway, a pathway for the Sun wherein to travel. Where no way was he made him set his footstep, and warned afar whate'er afflicts the spirit. To Varuna be reverential homage! Varuna's noose beneath our feet is trampled. 24 The waters, face of Agni, have I entered, O Waters' Child, repelling evil spirits. Offer the fuel in each home, O Agni. Let thy tongue dart 25 Thy heart is in the flood, within the waters. With thee let plants and waters be commingled, That, Lord of Sacrifice, we may adore thee with singing praise and telling forth our homage. All-bail! 26 This, O celestial Waters, is your offspring. Support him dearly loved and gently nurtured. 20 The sixth, with the text whose first line is taken from A. V. VII. 97. 1. 21 The seventh, with the text repeated from II. 21. Pathway: the sacrifice. The path: your own homeward way. O God: Prajapati. 22 The eighth, with the text. This is thy sacrifice: he offers the ninth and last oblation of the series. 23 After this set of oblations, the Adhvaryu throws the black-buck's horu (see IV. 10, note) and the girdle into the Châtvâla or pit. Thou: the girdle of rope (see VI. 12). The Sacrificer then recites the text from R. V I. 24. 8. To Varuna: spoken by the Sacrificer as he steps into the Avabhṛitha or other water. Varuna's noose; affliction sent as a punishment for sin by the Moral Governor of the world. 24 The Sacrificer throws a kindling-stick into the water and makes an offering thereon with four ladlefuls of butter. 25 The Adhvaryu floats a jar containing the dregs of the Soma, and recites the text. Thy heart: O Soma. 26 This: Soma. Bring.... ward off: I follow Mahidhara. Prof. EggeJing refers vakshva in both cases to raksh instead of vah: 'thrive thou well therein and thrive thou thoroughly.' |