XIII, 1, 9. Ninth Brâhma<I>n</I>a

Satapatha Brahmana Part V (SBE44), Julius Eggeling tr. [1900], at sacred-texts.com

p. 294

13:1:9

NINTH BRÂHMANA.

13:1:9:11. [Vâg. S. XXII, 22 ¹], 'In the priestly office (brahman) may the Brâhmana be born, endowed with spiritual lustre (brahmavarkasa):' on the Brâhmana he thereby bestows spiritual lustre, whence of old the Brâhmana was born as one endowed with spiritual lustre ².

13:1:9:22. 'In the royal order may the Râganya be born, heroic, skilled in archery, sure of his mark, and a mighty car-fighter:' on the Râganya he thereby bestows the grandeur of heroism ³, whence of old the Râganya was born as one heroic, skilled in archery, certain of his mark, and a mighty car-fighter.

13:1:9:33. 'The milch cow:' on the cow he thereby bestows milk; whence of old the cow was born as one yielding milk.

13:1:9:44. 'The draught ox:' on the ox he thereby bestows strength, whence of old the ox was born as a draught (animal).

13:1:9:55. 'The swift racer:' on the horse he thereby bestows speed, whence of old the horse was born as a runner.

13:1:9:66. 'The well-favoured woman:' on the woman

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he thereby bestows beautiful form, whence the beautiful maiden is apt to become dear (to men).

13:1:9:77. 'The victorious warrior:' on the Râganya he thereby bestows the grandeur of victoriousness ¹, whence of old the Râganya was born as one victorious.

13:1:9:88. 'The blitheful youth:' he, indeed, is a blitheful (or, sociable) youth who is in his prime of life; whence one who is in his prime of life is apt to become dear to women.

13:1:9:99. 'May a hero be born unto this Sacrificer!' on the Sacrificer's family he thereby bestows manly vigour, whence of old a hero was born to him who had performed the (Asvamedha) sacrifice.

13:1:9:1010. 'May Parganya rain for us whensoever we list!'--where they perform this sacrifice, there Parganya, indeed, rains whenever they list;--'may our fruit-bearing plants ripen!'--there the fruit-bearing plants indeed ripen where they perform this sacrifice;--'may security of possession be assured for us!'--where they perform this sacrifice there security of possession indeed is assured; whence wherever they perform this (Asvamedha) sacrifice, security of possession becomes assured to the people.

Footnotes

294:1 These formulas are muttered after the thirteen samidhs have been put in the ukhâ, or fire-pan. See p. 290, note 1.

294:2 'Whence formerly a Brâhmana was at once born as Brahmavarkasin (whilst now he must study),' Delbrück, Altindische Syntax, p. 287. Perhaps, however, 'purâ' has here (as it certainly has in the following paragraphs) the force of 'agre'--at the beginning, from the first, from of old.

294:3 I take 'sauryam mahimânam' here (and 'gaitram mahimânam' in paragraph 7) to stand in apposition to one another, with something of the force of a compound word. See above, p. 66, note 4.

295:1 See note ³, p. 294.