Miscellaneous Supplements

3.5.1

a Full behind, and full in front,

In the middle has the full moon been victorious;

In it let the angels dwelling together

Rejoice here in the highest firmament.

b The share that the angels dwelling together

In greatness bestowed on thee, O new moon,

Therewith fill our sacrifice, O thou of every boon,

Grant us wealth of good heroes, O fortunate one.

c Holder and gatherer of riches,

Clad in all rich forms,

Granting a thousandfold prosperity,

The fortunate one has come to us with accordant radiance.

d O Radiant One and Giver of provision, first in strength,

Do Ye quicken the angels here;

Rejoice in the full moon in the midst,

Ye that are made to grow by holy power, won by good deeds,

And allot to us wealth with heroes.

The pious and the righteous of old laid out their altars; they desired to obtain the new-moon and the full-moon offerings; they made the offering, and then they saw these two offerings, and offered them; thus they first grasped the new-moon and full-moon offerings. He who is commencing the new-moon and full-moon sacrifices should first make these two offerings; thus straightway he commences the new-moon and full-moon sacrifices. The scholars say, 'He indeed would begin the new-moon and full-moon sacrifices who knows the normal and the reversed order.' What follows on the new moon is the normal, what is after the full moon is the reversed order; if he were to begin the full-moon offering first, he would offer these two libations in reverse order; he would waste away as the moon wanes; he should offer these libations first to the Lord of wisdom and the stream of wisdom (Sarasvant and Sarasvati); the stream of wisdom is the new moon; thus he commences them in normal order; he waxes as the moon waxes. He should offer first on eleven potsherds to God the Radiant and the All-Pervading, to the stream of wisdom an oblation, and to the Lord of wisdom on twelve potsherds. In that it is offered to God the Radiant, and the mouth of the sacrifice is the Radiant, he places in front prosperity and the mouth of the sacrifice; in that it is offered to the All-Pervading, and the sacrifice is for Him, commencing the sacrifice he continues it. There is an oblation for the stream of wisdom, and an offering on twelve potsherds for the Lord of wisdom; thus straightway he commences these offerings, and prospers by them. That to the Lord of wisdom is on twelve potsherds, for pairing, for generation. The sacrificial gift is a pair of kine, for prosperity.

3.5.2

The seers could not see God the Mighty face to face, for no eye sees Him; Vasistha was given knowledge through revelation; he said, 'Holy lore shall I proclaim to you, so that people may be propagated with thee as guide; therefore do thou proclaim me to the other seers.' To him He made known these shares in the chant; therefore people were propagated with Vasistha as their guide; therefore a man of the line of Vasistha should be chosen as the presiding priest; thus he is propagated. 'Thou art the ray; for dwelling thee! Quicken the dwelling,' he says; the dwelling is the angels; thus to the angels he announces the sacrifice. 'Thou art advance; for right thee! Quicken right,' he says; right is men; thus to men he announces the sacrifice. 'Thou art following; for sky thee! Quicken the sky,' he says; thus to these worlds he announces the sacrifice. 'Thou art a prop; for rain thee! Quicken rain,' he says; thus he wins rain. 'Thou art blowing forward; thou art blowing after,' he says, for pairing. 'Thou art the eager; for the Vasus thee! Quicken the Vasus,' he says; the Vasus are eight, the Rudras eleven, the Adityas twelve; so many are the angels; thus to them he announces the sacrifice. 'Thou art force; for the forefathers thee! Quicken the forefathers,' he says; thus the angels and the forefathers he connects. 'Thou art the thread; for offspring thee! Quicken offspring,' he says; thus the forefathers and offspring he connects. 'Thou dost endure the battle; for cattle thee! Quicken cattle,' he says; thus offspring and cattle he connects. 'Thou art wealthy; for the plants thee! Quicken the plants,' he says; thus in the plants he makes cattle find support. 'Thou art the victorious, with ready stone; for the Mighty One thee! Quicken the Mighty,' he says, for victory. 'Thou art the overlord; for breath thee! Quicken breath,' he says; thus upon offspring he bestows breath. 'Thou art the threefold, thou art the forward-moving,' he says, for pairing. 'Thou art the mounter, thou art the descender,' he says, for propagating. 'Thou art the wealthy, thou art the brilliant, thou art the gainer of good,' he says, for support.

3.5.3

a By the Radiant One, the God, I win battles, with the Gayatri metre, the threefold chant, the Rathantara chant, the Vasat call, the thunderbolt, I trample under foot my foes born before me, I depress them, I repel them, in this home, in this world of earth; him who hates us and him whom we hate I step over him with the stride of the All-Pervading.

b By the Mighty One, the God, I win battles, with the Tristubh metre, the fifteenfold chant, the Brhat chant, the Vasat call, the thunderbolt, (I trample under foot my foes) born along with me, and so on.

c By the angels I win battles, with the Jagati metre, the seventeenfold chant, the Vamadevya chant, the Vasat call, the thunderbolt, (I trample under foot my foes) born after me, and so on.

d In unison with the Mighty One, may we

Withstand our foes, smiting the enemy irresistibly.

e With the brilliance that is Thine, O Radiant One, may I become brilliant; with the radiance that is Thine, may I become radiant; with the splendour that is Thine, may I become resplendent.

3.5.4

a The destroyers of the sacrifice, the stealers of the sacrifice,

That are seated on earth,

May the Radiant One protect me from them;

May we go to those that do good deeds.

b We have come, O noble ones, Friend and All-Seeing,

To the share of the nights that is Yours,

Grasping the firmament, in the place of good deeds,

On the third ridge above the light of the sky.

c The destroyers of the sacrifice, the stealers of the sacrifice,

That sit in the atmosphere,

From them may the Wind, God's sign, guard me;

May we go to those that do good deeds.

d The nights of Thine, O Light-giver, that go, traversed by the angels,

Between sky and earth,

With all your houses and offspring,

Do ye first mounting the light traverse the regions.

e The destroyers of the sacrifice, the stealers of the sacrifice,

That sit in the sky,

From them may the Sun, God's sign, guard me;

May we go to those that do good deeds.

f That highest oblation wherewith, O All-Knower,

Thou didst collect milk for the Mighty One,

Therewith, O Radiant One, make him grow;

Bestow on him lordship over his fellows.

The evil ones are destroyers of the sacrifice, stealers of the sacrifice; they sit in these worlds taking and destroying from him who gives and sacrifices. 'The destroyers of the sacrifice, that sit on the earth, that sit in the atmosphere, that sit in the sky,' he says; thus traversing the worlds, he goes to the world of heaven with his household, with his cattle. From him who has sacrificed with the offering of the pressed juice, the powers and the sacrifice depart; he should make an offering on five potsherds as the final act; all the powers are subject to God the Radiant, the sacrifice is fivefold; thus he wins the powers and the sacrifice. Now the Radiant is connected with the Gayatri and has the Gayatri as his metre; he severs him from his metre, if he offers on five potsherds; it should be made on eight potsherds; the Gayatri has eight syllables; thus he unites him with his own metre. The invitation and the offering verses are in the Pankti metre, the sacrifice is fivefold; thus he does not depart from the sacrifice.

3.5.5

a May the Sun, God's sign, protect me from the evil ones, the Wind from the atmosphere; may the Radiant One, may the sacrifices protect me from the evil eye; O strong One, O impetuous One, O Impeller, O Thou of all men, with these names, O Lord, we will worship Thee; with these names, O Lord, we will worship Thee.

b I from above, I from below,

I revealed the darkness with the light;

The atmosphere has become my shelter;

On both sides have I seen the sun;

May I become highest of my equals.

c To the ocean, to the atmosphere, God the Creator makes the cloud to fall; may the Mighty One distil it, may the angels cause it to rain.

d Flood the earth,

Break this heavenly cloud;

Give to us of the water of heaven;

Ruling, loosen the water bag.

e The Sun-cup is these cattle, the Radiant One is also the Healer here; having cast plants in the fire he offers the Sun-cup; thus he guards the cattle from harm, and causes the cattle to find support in the plants.

f The sage stretches the path of the sacrifice,

On the back of the vault, above the light of the sky,

Whereby Thou bearest the offering, Thou goest as messenger,

Hence wisely, thence with more gain.

g All the fire-sticks that are Thine, O Radiant One,

On earth, on the strew, or in the sun,

Let these of Thine approach the oblation of ghee,

A protection to the pious sacrificers.

h Invoking increase of wealth,

Rich in heroes and rich in steeds,

Bidden God-speed by the Lord of Prayer, with wealth

Abide Thou for me, the sacrificer.

3.5.6

a I yoke thee with milk, with ghee;

I yoke thee with water and plants;

I yoke thee with offspring;

Today being consecrated do thou win strength for us.

b Let the lady of holy power advance,

Let her sit on the altar with fair colour;

c Then may I, full of desire,

Enter my own place, here.

d With fair offspring, with noble husbands,

We are come to Thee,

O Radiant One, to Thee who deceivest the foe,

The undeceivable, we that are not deceived.

e I loosen this bond of the All-Seeing,

Which the kindly Light-giver has bound,

And in the birthplace of the creator, in the place of good action,

I make it pleasant for me with my husband.

f Go forth, go up, to the lovers of holy order; may the Radiant One lead thy head, the Boundless One give thee a middle; harm me not.

g For the angels, for the Vasus, the Rudras, the Adityas, I take you, foot-washing waters;

h For the sacrifice I place you, foot-washing waters.

i In the sight of Thee who art all, who hast all, who hast manly power, O Radiant One, may I deposit in my beloved the seed of lawful offspring.

k The sacrifice has come to the angels, the blessings have left the sacrifice for the sacrificer who pours out offerings, accompanied by the cry 'Hail!'; standing in the waters, follow the rush of the wind, the food that is praised.

3.5.7

The Vasat call cleft the head of the Gayatri; its sap fell away, it entered the earth, it became the Khadira tree; he whose dipping-spoon is made of Khadira wood cuts off with the sap of the metres; his oblations are full of sap. The pure juice was in the third sky from here; the Gayatri fetched it, a leaf of it was cut off, that became the Parna tree, that is why the Parna is so called. He whose ladle is made of Parna wood has his oblations acceptable. The scholars discussed regarding holy power; the Parna overheard it; he whose ladle is made of Parna wood is styled famous; he hears no evil rumour. The Parna is holy power, the angels called Maruts are the people, the people are food, the Asvattha is connected with the Maruts; he whose ladle is made of Parna wood, and his spoon is of Asvattha, by holy power wins food, and the learned class is set over the people. The Parna is the royalty, the Asvattha is the people; in that the ladle is made of Parna wood and the spoon of Asvattha, he puts the royalty over the people. God the Creator offered; where the oblation found support, thence sprang the Vikankata tree; there He created offspring; the oblation of him whose firm spoon is made of Vikankata wood finds rest; thus he is propagated. That is the form of the offering-spoons; on him whose spoons are so formed all forms of cattle attend, nothing unshapely is born in him.

3.6.8

a Thou art taken with a support; for the Creator thee, for Him full of light, thee full of light I take; for the One who increases wisdom, (thee) that art acceptable to the angels, thee for those whose speech is righteous, whose highest is the Mighty One, whose king is the All-Seeing, whose friend is the Wind, whose breath is the rain-giver, for sky thee, for atmosphere thee, for earth thee!

b Smite away, O Mighty One, the mind of him who hates us, who desires to oppress us, smite away him who practises evil against us.

c For expiration thee, for inspiration thee, for cross-breathing thee, for being thee, for not being thee; for the waters thee, for the plants, for all beings thee; whence offspring arose unhurt, for that thee, for the Creator, of bounteous gifts, full of light, (thee) full of light I offer.

3.5.9

That power whom the officiating priest and the sacrificer overlook, they fall victims to it; he should draw the cup of curd for the Creator, all the powers are subject to the Creator; thus they make reparation. This is the foremost of cups; thus he for whom it is drawn attains a foremost place. This cup is the form of all the powers; on him for whom it is drawn all forms of cattle attend. 'Thou art taken with a support; for the Creator thee, for Him full of light, (thee) full of light I take,' he says; thus he makes him a light among his equals. 'For those whose speech is righteous,' he says; so many are the powers; thus for all of them he draws it. 'Smite away, O Mighty One, the mind of him who hates us,' he says, for the smiting away of foes. 'For expiration thee, for inspiration thee,' he says; thus he bestows the breaths on the sacrificer. 'For that thee, for the Creator, of bounteous gifts, full of light, (thee) full of light I offer,' he says; thus for all he offers it. He should draw the cup of butter for one who desires brilliance; butter is brilliance; thus he becomes brilliant; he should draw the cup of the pressed juice for one who desires splendour; the juice is splendour; thus he becomes resplendent; he should draw the cup of curd for one who desires cattle; curd is strength, cattle are strength; thus by strength he wins strength and cattle.

3.5.10

a All turn their minds towards Thee

When these twice or thrice become helpers;

Mix with the sweet what is sweeter than sweet,

I have won with the mead the mead.

b Thou art taken with a support; to the Creator I take Thee acceptably; this is Thy birthplace; for the Creator Thee!

He draws the breath-cups; so much is there as are these cups, these chants, these metres, these hymn-tunes, these quarters; whatever there is, that he wins. The foremost scholars have proclaimed these before; they have therefore won all the quarters. He for whom these are drawn attains supremacy, he conquers the quarters. Five are drawn, the quarters are five; thus they prosper in all the quarters. Nine each are drawn; nine are the vital airs in man; thus upon the sacrificers he bestows the vital airs. At the beginning and at the end they are drawn; the breath-cups are the vital airs; thus they begin with the vital airs, and end with the vital airs. Now offspring leave their vital airs in that the Vamadevya chant departs from its norm; on the tenth day the Vamadevya departs from its norm; in that they are drawn on the tenth day, offspring do not leave their vital airs.

3.5.11

a Bring onward with divine meditation

The God who knows all;

May He duly bear our sacrifices.

b He, the invoking priest, is led forward for the sacrifice,

The servant of the angels;

Like a covered chariot glowing

He himself knows health.

c This Radiant One rescues

Us from the deathless race,

He that is stronger than strength,

The God made for life.

d In the place of Ida we set Thee down,

On the navel of the earth,

O Radiant One, All-Knower,

To bear the oblation.

e O Radiant One of kindly aspect, do Thou with the angels

Sit first on the birthplace made of wool,

Nest-like, rich in ghee, for the Light-giver

Do Thou lead well the sacrifice, for the sacrificer.

f Sit Thou, O invoking priest, in Thine own world, wise,

Place Thou the sacrifice in the birthplace of good deeds

Eager for the angels, do Thou sacrifice to them with oblation;

O Radiant One, bestow great strength on the sacrificer.

g The invoking priest has sat him down in the place of the invoker, wise,

Glittering, shining, skilful,

With vows and foresight undeceived, most wealthy,

Bearing a thousand, pure-tongued flame.

h Thou art the envoy, Thou our guardian,

Thou, O bull, leadest us to better fortune;

O Radiant One, be Thou the guardian of our offspring, our descendants

In their bodies, unfailing and radiant.

i To Thee, O God the Light-giver,

Lord of things delightful,

We come for fortune, O Thou of constant help.

k May the great ones, sky and earth,

Mingle for us this sacrifice,

May they sustain us with support.

l Thee, O Radiant One, from the lotus

Atharvan passed out,

From the head of every priest.

m Thee the sage, Dadhyanc,

Son of Atharvan, kindles,

Slayer of Vrtra, destroyer of forts,

n Thee Pathya Vrsan kindles,

Best slayer of foes,

Winner of booty in every conflict.

o Let men say too,

'The fire has been born, slayer of Vrtra,

Winning booty in every conflict.'

p Whom, like a quoit in their hands,

Like a child at birth, they bear,

The fair sacrificer of the folk.

q Bring forward the God, best finder of riches,

For offering to the angels;

May He sit down in His own birthplace.

r In the All-Knower cause to rest

The dear guest on birth,

In a pleasant place, the lord of the house.

s By the flame is the flame kindled,

The wise, the young, the lord of the house,

The bearer of the oblation, with ladle in his mouth.

t Thou, O Radiant One, by the flame,

The sage by the sage, the good by the good,

The comrade by the comrade, art kindled.

u Him they make bright, the wise,

Victorious in the contests,

Strong in his abodes.

v By the sacrifice the righteous sacrificed the sacrifice;

These were the first ordinances;

These mighty powers frequent the vault

Where are the ancient servants of God.