IV, 5, 6. Sixth Brâhma<I>n</I>a

Satapatha Brahmana Part II (SBE26), Julius Eggeling tr. [1885], at sacred-texts.com

p. 409

4:5:6

SIXTH BRÂHMANA.

4:5:6:11. Pragâpati, forsooth, is that sacrifice which is here performed, and whence these creatures have been produced, and in like manner are they produced therefrom even to this day. Having drawn the Asvina graha, he makes (the sacrificer) eye (the several cups, while muttering) the Avakâsa formulas ¹.

4:5:6:22. The Upâmsu cup he eyes first with (Vâg. S. VII, 27), 'For mine out-breathing, (a) giver of lustre ², become thou pure for lustre!' Then the Upâmsusavana stone with, 'For my through-breathing, giver of lustre, become thou pure for lustre!' Then the Antaryâma cup with, 'For mine up-breathing, giver of lustre, become thou pure for lustre!' Then the Aindravâyava with, 'For my voice, giver of lustre, become thou pure for lustre!' Then the Maitrâvaruna with, 'For mine intelligence and will, giver of lustre, become thou pure for lustre!' Then the Asvina with, 'For mine ear, giver of lustre, become thou pure for lustre!' Then the Sukra and Manthin with, 'For mine eyes, givers of lustre, become ye pure for lustre!'

4:5:6:33. Then the Âgrayana with (Vâg. S. VII, 28), 'For my mind, giver of lustre, become thou -pure for lustre!' Then the Ukthya with, 'For

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my vigour, giver of lustre, become thou pure for lustre!' Then the Dhruva with, 'For my life, giver of lustre, become thou pure for lustre!' Then the two Soma-troughs (Pûtabhrit and Âdhavanîya) with, 'For all mine offspring, givers of lustre, become ye pure for lustre!' Now the two troughs belong to the All-gods, for therefrom they draw (Soma) for the gods, therefrom for men, therefrom for the Fathers: therefore the two Soma-troughs belong to the All-gods.

4:5:6:44. Then the Dronakalasa with (Vâg. S. VII, 29), 'Who (ka) art thou? Which one art thou?'--Ka is Pragâpati;--'Whose (kasya, or Ka's) art thou? who (ka) art thou by name?'--Ka ('who') by name is Pragâpati;--'Thou upon whose name we have thought,' for he indeed thinks upon his name;--'Thou whom we have gladdened with Soma;'--for he indeed gladdens him with Soma. Having drawn the Âsvina cup, he prays for blessing part after part (of the sacrifice) with, 'May I be abundantly supplied with offspring,' thereby he prays for offspring;--'abundantly supplied with men,' thereby he prays for men (heroes);--'abundantly supplied with food!' thereby he prays for prosperity.

4:5:6:55. He must not let every one eye them, but only him who is well known, or one who is his friend, or one who, being learned in sacred lore, may acquire these (texts) through study. Having drawn the Âsvina cup, he (thus) produces the whole sacrifice; and having produced the whole sacrifice, he deposits it in his own self, and makes it his own.

Footnotes

409:1 For the proper place of this ceremony in the actual performance of the Agnishtoma, see p. 312, note 4.

409:2 Either, thou who bestowest lustre on my out-breathing . . ., or, Thou who art a bestower of lustre, become thou pure for lustre to my out-breathing.