vi. 3. 7.

By means of God the Radiant, as the one who calls upon the Lord, the believers overcame the deniers. "Recite for the Radiant One as he is kindled", he says, for the overcoming of foes. He recites seventeen kindling-verses; the Creator's order is seventeenfold; (verily it serves) to win the Creator's favour. He recites seventeen; there are twelve months and five seasons, that is the year; offspring are born in the course of the year; (verily it serves) for the propagation of offspring. The believers, after reciting the kindling-verses, could not discern the offering; the offering of ghee was made silently; then did the believers discern the offering; in that he silently performs the offering of ghee, (it serves) for the revelation of the offering. The offering was with the deniers; the believers took it by the silent offering; in that he silently performs the offering of ghee, he takes away the offering of his foe. He rubs the enclosing-sticks; verily he purifies them. Thrice each he rubs them, for the offering is thrice repeated; also (it serves) to drive away the evil ones. They make up twelve; the year has twelve months; verily he delights the year, verily also he endows him with the year, for the gaining of the world of heaven. The offering of ghee is the head of the sacrifice, the fire is a sign of God's light; in that he performs the offering of ghee, verily the one who offers at the beginning of the sacrifice wins the favour of God. The offering of ghee is the head of the sacrifice, the animal is the body; having performed the offering of ghee he anoints the animal; verily on the body of the sacrifice he places the head. "Let thy breath be united with the wind", he says; the breath is subject to the wind that God commands; verily he commits its breath to the wind. "Thy limbs with those who offer, the master of the sacrifice with his prayer", he says; verily he causes the master of the sacrifice to obtain its blessing. The son of the Fashioner vomited over the animal from above; therefore they do not cut off (portions) from the animal above; in that he anoints the animal from above, verily he makes it pure. He chooses the priests, verily he chooses the metres, he chooses seven; there are seven tame animals, seven wild; there are seven metres, (and so it serves) to win both. He offers eleven fore-offerings; ten are the vital airs of the animal, the body is the eleventh; verily his fore-offerings are of the same size as the animal. One (of them) lies around the omentum; verily the body lies around the body. The axe is a weapon, the splinter of the sacrificial post is a weapon; by means of the ghee they overcame the enemy. "Anointed with ghee, do ye guard the animal", he says; verily, overpowering it, he offers it.

vi. 3. 8.

He encircles (it) with fire; verily he makes it completely offered, that nothing may be lost, for that which falls of the offering is (thus) not lost. He encircles (it) with fire thrice, for the offering is thrice repeated; also (it serves) to drive away the evil ones. The scholars say, "Should the animal be grasped hold of, or not?" Now the animal is led to death; if he were to grasp hold of it, the one who offers would be likely to die. Or rather they say, "The animal is led to the world of heaven"; if he were not to grasp hold of it, the one who offers would be bereft of the world of heaven. He grasps hold (of it) by means of the omentum-forks; that is as it were neither grasped nor yet not grasped. "Give directions, O caller, for making ready the offerings for God", he says, for an act that is directed is carried out. "Ye wealthy ones, do ye kindly resort to the master of the sacrifice", he says; that is according to the text. With the fire he goes in front, to drive away the evil ones. "Guard from contact with earth", (with these words) he casts down the strew, that nothing may be lost, for that which falls on the strew is not lost; verily also he places it on the strew. The officiating priest turns away from the animal as it is slaughtered; verily he withdraws himself from cattle, that he may not be cut off. He attains fortune, and obtains cattle who knows thus. The wife is led forward from the back place; "Homage to thee, O extended one", he says; the extended are the rays of the sun, a sign of God; verily he gives thanks for them. "Come forward, irresistible", he says; the resisting is the foe; (verily it serves) to beat away the foe. "Along the stream of ghee, with offspring, with increase of wealth", he says; verily he asks this blessing. "O ye waters, purifying", he says; that is according to the text.

vi. 3. 9.

When the animal is offered in sacrifice, pain seizes its vital airs. "Let thy speech swell, let thy breath swell", he says; verily he removes the pain from the vital airs. From the vital airs the pain enters the earth; (with the words) "Hail to the day and night!" he pours it down; verily he removes the pain of the earth by day and night. "O plant, protect him", "O axe, harm him not", he says; (verily it serves) for atonement. He cuts from the sides, for men cut from the middle; he cuts crossways, for men cut along; for distinction. He casts the strew, having anointed it on the thick part; verily with the blood he turns away the evil ones. "This evil here I lead to the lowest darkness, who hateth us and whom we hate", he says; there are two (kinds of) persons, he whom he hates and he who hates him; both these he leads to the lowest darkness. "For food thee!" (with these words) he draws out the omentum, for he who sacrifices strives as it were. If he were to pierce (it), the Healer would be likely to slay his cattle; if he were not to pierce (it), it would not be fixed; with one he pierces, with the other not, for support. "In ghee, O sky and earth, be covered", he says; verily with fat he anoints sky and earth. "Uncut, with wealth of heroes (give us) riches", he says; that is according to the text. Now cruel as it were is what he does when he draws out the omentum. "Fare along the broad atmosphere", he says, for atonement. Now he who grasps hold of the animal as it is led to death falls away from this world; he takes again hold of the omentum-forks; verily he finds support in this world. With the fire he goes in front, to drive away the evil ones; verily also with the offering he follows the angels. He should not pass over the last of the embers; if he were to pass over the last of the embers, he would slight the angels. "O wind, taste the drops", he says; therefore the drops are produced separately. The omentum is the chief part of cattle, the strew the chief of plants; verily he unites the chief with the chief; verily also in the plants he establishes cattle. "Give directions for the cries of dedication", he says, for the completion of the sacrifice. The speckled butter is the expiration and inspiration of cattle, the omentum is the body; having poured butter on the speckled ghee, he pours on the omentum; verily in the body of cattle he deposits expiration and inspiration. "Go to the one who dwells on high, the offspring of the winds", he says; verily through him he casts the omentum-forks forward. He casts them forward in opposite directions; therefore expiration and inspiration are in opposite directions.

vi. 3. 10.

Having offered in sacrifice the animal, he strews over (it) a cake, verily he sacrifices it with its sap. Having performed the rite with the omentum, he performs with the cake; the cake is strength; verily he places strength in the midst of cattle; verily also he closes the cut in the animal. Having made offering of the speckled ghee, he thrice asks, "Is the offering cooked, O preparer?" for the believers found truth in three (cookings). He who says what is not cooked is cooked (is burdened) with sin. The speckled butter is the expiration and the inspiration of cattle; when the animal is offered the body comes into the heart; in that he sprinkles the heart with speckled ghee, he thus places expiration and inspiration in the body of cattle. By means of the animal the believers went to the world of heaven. They reflected, "Men will mount after us." They cut off its head and made its sap stream forth; it became the Praksa (tree); that is the nature of the Praksa. In that there is a branch of the Praksa above the strew, so he cuts off from the victim when it has its sap. As the animal is borne along the evil ones follow after it; he takes it between the sacrificial post and the altar of offering, to drive away the evil ones. When the animal is offered its mind departs. "Recite to the one who minds, for the offering which is being divided", he says; verily he secures its mind. He cuts off eleven portions; ten are the vital airs of the animal, the body is the eleventh, he cuts off as much as is the size of the animal. First he makes a portion of the heart, then of the tongue, then of the breast: what he conceives with the heart, that he says with the tongue; what he says with the tongue, that he utters from the breast. That is the order in the case of the animal. If he cuts off thus and then cuts from the rest at will, still the cutting off from that animal has been made in order. In the middle he makes a portion of the intestines, for breath is in the middle; he makes a portion of the upper part, for breath is in the upper part; whether he does one, or the other, there is variation in both cases. A scholar on birth is born with a threefold debt, of pupilship to the seers, of sacrifice to God, of offspring to the forefathers. He is freed from his debt who has a son, is one who offers, and who has lived as a pupil: this (debt) he discharges by these cuttings off, and that is why the cuttings-off have their name. The believers and the deniers were in conflict. The believers said to the Radiant One, "With thee as our hero let us overcome the deniers." He said, "Let me choose a boon; let me have a choice part of the animal." He chose that choice part (of the animal), the shoulder from the fore part, the intestines from the middle, the hip from the hind part. Then the believers prospered, the deniers were defeated; in that he makes portions of three members it is for the overcoming of his foe; he prospers himself, his foe is defeated. He cuts off transversely; therefore cattle move forward their limbs transversely, for support.

vi. 3. 11.

He covers the dipping-spoons with fat; cattle are distinguished by fat; verily he bestows on cattle their distinguishing mark. He covers (them) after putting (the fat) on the soup; the soup is the sap of cattle; verily he bestows sap upon cattle. He stirs the offering of fat with the rib; the rib is the middle of cattle, the fat is the sap of cattle; in that he stirs the offering of fat with the rib, he places sap in the middle of cattle. Now they kill the animal when they dispose of it; the expiration is by the command of God the Mighty, the inspiration likewise. "May the Mighty One's expiration be set in every limb", he says; verily he bestows expiration and inspiration upon cattle. "O God the Fashioner, let much be united for thee", he says; for cattle are fashioned by God. "When ye that are various become of one form", he says; for they being various become then of one form. "Over thee as thou goest to the angels for help let thy comrades and thy father and mother rejoice", he says; verily he makes him, approved by his mother and his father, go to the world of heaven. With a half-verse he offers the offering of fat; the half-verse is yonder (sky) and the half-verse is this (earth); verily with sap he adorns both. He offers toward the quarters; verily with sap he adorns the quarters; verily from the quarters he wins strength and sap. The speckled butter is the expiration and the inspiration of cattle; cattle are of the lord of the forest; in that having made offering of the speckled butter he says, "Recite for the lord of the forest, give directions for the lord of the forest", he bestows expiration and inspiration upon cattle. Of each he divides the divided pieces; therefore cattle have various forms. He moistens (it) with soup; soup is the sap of cattle; verily he bestows sap upon cattle. He invokes the portion; the portion is cattle; verily he invokes cattle. Four times he invokes, for cattle have four feet. If he desire of a man, "May he have no cattle", he should take for him (a piece) without fat; cattle are distinguished by fat; verily by means of their distinctive mark he deprives him of cattle, and he has no cattle. If he desire of a man, "May he have cattle", he should take for him (a piece) with fat; cattle are distinguished by fat; verily by means of their distinctive mark he wins cattle for him, and he has cattle. God the Creator created the sacrifice; He first created the butter, in the middle the animal, last the speckled butter; therefore the fore-offerings are performed with butter, the animal (is offered) in the middle, and the after-offerings with speckled butter. Therefore that is mixed as it were, for it was created last. He offers eleven after-offerings; ten are the vital airs of the animal, the body is the eleventh; he offers as many after-offerings as is the size of the animal. Now they kill the animal when they dispose of it; the speckled butter is the expiration and the inspiration of cattle; in that he performs the after-offerings with speckled butter, verily he bestows expiration and inspiration upon cattle.

Prapathaka Iv

The Exposition of the Soma Offering (continued)

vi. 4. 1.

By means of the sacrifice God the Creator created offspring; verily He created them by the subsidiary offerings; in that he offers the subsidiary offerings, verily thus the one who offers is granted offspring. He cuts off from the hind portion, for from the hind portion offspring are born; he cuts off from the thick side, for offspring are born from the thick side; he cuts off without confusion, to prevent confusion of the vital airs. He does not turn (it) round; if he were to turn (it) round, disease would be likely to seize his offspring. "Go to the ocean, hail!" he says; verily thus he asks for seed. "Go to the atmosphere, hail!" he says; verily by means of the atmosphere offspring are granted him, for in accord with the atmosphere offspring are born. "Go to God the Light-giver, hail!" he says; verily, by the instigation of God the Light-giver, offspring are granted him. "Go to day and night, hail!" he says; verily by means of day and night offspring are granted him, for in accord with day and night offspring are born. "Go to God the Friend and the All-Seeing, hail!" he says; verily he bestows expiration and inspiration on offspring when born. "Go to the gift of God, hail!" he says, for offspring are sustained by God's provision. "Go to the sacrifice, hail!" he says; verily he makes offspring fit for the sacrifice. "Go to the metres, hail!" he says; the metres are cattle; verily he wins cattle. "Go to the sky and the earth, hail!" he says; verily on either side he supports offspring when born with the sky and the earth. "Go to the clouds of the sky, hail!" he says; verily he procures rain for offspring when born; "Go to God the Light that belongs to all people, hail!" he says; verily he establishes in this (world) offspring when born. He makes a portion of the vital airs, who makes a portion of the intestines; "Give me mind and heart", he says; verily he summons the vital airs according to their places. When the animal is offered, pain reaches its heart; it gathers round the heart-spit. If he were to place the heart-spit on the earth, he would cause pain to the earth; if on the waters, he would cause pain to the waters; he places it in the meeting-place of dry and wet, to appease both.

vi. 4. 2.

The believers divided the offering on the altar of the fire-priest: of what was left over they said, "Let this remain here." That is why the Vasativari (waters) have their name. But in the morning they could not arrange (to divide it); they placed it in the waters, they became the Vasativaris. He takes the Vasativaris; the Vasativaris are the sacrifice; verily having taken from the beginning the sacrifice he stays (with it). If the sun set, on one who has not taken (the waters), his sacrifice would not be begun, and he would split the sacrifice. He should either take waters with radiance in them, or having deposited gold he takes them with light in them, or he should take them from the tank of a scholar who performs many sacrifices, for he is one who has taken the Vasativaris. He takes the Vasativaris; the Vasativaris are cattle; verily having taken cattle from the beginning he stays (with them). If he were to take them along the stream, his cattle would be likely to wander from him; he takes them standing against the stream; verily he obstructs cattle and seizes them for him. God the Mighty overcame the enemy; he died upon the waters; of them what was pure, fit for sacrifice, and sacred, that was set free. They became the Vahantis. He takes of the Vahantis; verily he takes those of waters which are pure, fit for sacrifice, and sacred. He should not pass over the nearest Vahantis; if he were to pass over the nearest Vahantis, he would slight the sacrifice. He should not take of stagnant (waters); the stagnant (waters) are seized by the All-Seeing; if he were to take of stagnant (waters), he would cause the seizing of his sacrifice. If it is done by day, the night enters the waters; therefore the waters appear dusky by day; if it is done by night, the day enters the waters; therefore the waters appear shining by night; he takes (them) at the union of shade and light; verily for him he secures the colour of day and night. "These waters are rich in offering", he says; verily he takes them made into an offering. "Rich in offering be the sun", he says; verily he takes them with light in them. He takes with an Anustubh; the Anustubh is speech; verily with the whole of speech he takes them. He takes with a verse of four feet, he places them thrice, they make up seven, the Sakvari has seven feet, the Sakvari is cattle; verily he wins cattle. For this world the household fire is established, for yonder the offering fire; if he were to place (them) on the household fire, he would have cattle in this world, if on the offering fire, in yonder world he would have cattle. He places (them) on both; verily he makes him have cattle in both worlds. He carries (them) round everywhere, to drive away the evil ones. "Ye are the share of the Mighty and the Radiant", he says; that is according to the text. He places (them) on the altar of the fire-priest; this altar is the invincible part of the sacrifice; verily he places (them) on the invincible part of the sacrifice. Wherever in the performance of a sacrifice nothing is done, in that (place) the evil ones infest the sacrifice. In that he takes of the Vahantis, that part of the sacrifices lies being performed, to prevent the infestation of the evil ones, for they do not move them, but they lie around until the third pressing, for the continuity of the sacrifice.

vi. 4. 3.

The scholars say, "He indeed would be an officiating priest who in making the Soma descend should make it descend for all." "To the heart thee!" he says; verily he makes it for men; "To mind thee!" he says; verily he makes it for the forefathers; "To the sky thee! To the sun thee!" he says; verily he makes it for the angels and the creation; so many are the created powers; verily he makes it descend for them all. Before the utterance of speech he begins the morning litany; verily he wins all that there is of speech. "The waters" is the first thing he utters; the waters are the sacrifice; verily over the sacrifice he utters speech. He recites all (kinds of) metres; the metres are cattle; verily he wins cattle. For one who desires brilliance he should conclude with a Gayatri verse, for one who desires power with a Tristubh verse, for one who desires cattle with a Jagati verse, for one who desires support with an Anustubh verse, for one who desires the sacrifice with a Pankti verse, for one who desires food with a Viraj verse. "Let the Radiant One (kindled) with the kindling-stick hear my appeal", he says; verily, by the instigation of God the Light-giver, having made proclamation to the angels, he goes for the waters. "O caller, give directions for the waters", he says; for an action which is directed is done. "O bowl priest, run hither", he says; the Friend and the All-Seeing are the guides of the waters; verily with them he goes for them. "O ye sacred waters, child of the water", he says; verily by the offering requiting them he seizes them: then he takes of them made into an offering and covered with ghee. "Thou art the dragger", he says; verily he removes dirt from them. "I draw you for the sustenance of the ocean", he says; therefore the waters though eaten and drunk do not waste away. The pit is the birthplace of the sacrifice, the Vasativaris are the sacrifice; bringing the bowls of the caller and the bowl priest into contact he pours in the Vasativaris reciprocally, so that the sacrifice may have its birthplace; verily he produces it from its own birthplace. "O officiating priest, didst thou seek the waters?" he says; "they came to me; look upon them", in effect he says. If it is an Agnistoma, he makes a libation; if an Ukthya, he rubs (butter) on the enclosing-sticks; if it is an Atiratra, he goes forward uttering a text, to distinguish the sacrifices.

vi. 4. 4.

"On the instigation of God the Light-giver", (with these words) he takes up the pressing-stone, for instigation, "with the arms of the two physicians", he says; for the two were the officiating priests of the angels; "with the hands of the Nourisher", he says, for support. The Soma is cattle, the Upansu pressing-(stone) is cross breathing; in that he measures round the Upansu pressing-(stone), he confers cross-breathing upon cattle. "To the Mighty thee! To the Mighty thee!" (with these words) he measures, for the Soma is taken for God the Mighty. Five times he measures with the text; the Pankti has five syllables, the sacrifice is fivefold, verily he wins the sacrifice. Five times (he measures) in silence; these make up ten; the Viraj has ten syllables, the Viraj is food; verily he wins food by the Viraj. "Ye are savoury, conquerors of the enemy", he says; this is the Soma-drinking of the waters; he who knows thus reaches not destruction in the waters. "With thy light which is in the sky", he says; verily from these worlds he gathers him. The king of the Soma reflected on the quarters, he entered the quarters; "forward, behind, upward, downward", he says, verily from the quarters he gathers him; verily also he wins the quarters for him. "O mother, come forth", he says; women are likely to desire him who knows thus. "Thy unerring, watchful name, O Soma", he says; this is Soma's Soma-drinking; he who knows thus reaches not destruction from Soma. When they press Soma they kill him; he keeps back shoots; verily he protects him. The shoots are the vital airs, Soma is cattle; he later lets go the shoots; verily he bestows vital airs upon cattle; two by two he lets them go; therefore the vital airs are in pairs.

vi. 4. 5.

The Upansu Cup is breath; in that the cups are drawn beginning with the Upansu, they follow on breath. Aruna Aupavesi used to say, "At the morning pressing I establish the sacrifice and then I proceed with it when it has been established." He first presses eight times; the Gayatri has eight syllables, the morning pressing is connected with the Gayatri; verily thereby he obtains the morning pressing. (He presses) eleven times on the second occasion; the Tristubh has eleven syllables, the midday pressing is connected with the Tristubh; verily thereby he obtains the midday pressing. (He presses) twelve times on the third occasion; the Jagati has twelve syllables, the third pressing is connected with the Jagati; verily thereby he obtains the third pressing. This is what he calls the establishment of the sacrifice, to prevent loss; for what falls when the sacrifice is established is not lost. Or rather they say, "The Gayatri is not open to question at the morning pressing"; he who knows thus is not liable to question from his foe; therefore eight times in each case he should press. The scholars say, "Other cups are drawn with a strainer; what strainer has the Upansu?" "Speech is the strainer", he should reply. "Be pure for the lord of speech, O strong one", he says; verily by speech he purifies him. "With the shoots of the male", he says, for the shoots of the Soma are the shoots of the male; "purified by the arms", he says, for by the arms he purifies him; "thou art the purifier of the sacred", he says; "to those thee whose portion thou art", he says, for he draws him for those whose portion he is. "Thou art he who is appropriated", he says; verily he makes breath his own; "make our food full of sweetness for us", he says; verily he makes all food sweet for him; "to all the powers of sky and earth thee!" he says; verily upon both angels and men he bestows the vital airs. "May mind enter thee!" he says; verily he attains mind. "Fare along the broad atmosphere", he says, for the breath is subject to the atmosphere that God commands. "Hail! Thee, of kindly nature, to the sun!" he says; the kindly powers are the breaths; verily in them he secretly offers. "To the powers that drink the rays thee!" he says; the rays are the rays of the sun; that is their share; verily thereby he delights them. If he desire, "May the rain-cloud rain", he should rub (the cup) with the (palm of) the hand downwards; verily he brings down the rain. If he desire, "May it not rain", he should rub with the hand upwards; verily he keeps up the rain. He purifies by means of six shoots; the seasons are six; verily he purifies him by means of the seasons; thrice he purifies; these worlds are three; verily he purifies him by means of these worlds. The scholars say, "For what reason is it that three animals take by the hand?" In that thrice he draws separately the Upansu with his hand, therefore there are three animals which take by the hand, man, the elephant, and the ape.

vi. 4. 6.

Whatever the believers did as the sacrifice, that the deniers did. The believers saw that the sacrifice must be established in the Upansu (cup), and they established it in the Upansu. The deniers grasping the weapon attacked the believers; the believers in fear ran up to God the Mighty, and He obstructed them by means of the Antaryama (cup), and that is why the Antaryama has its name, "the obstructor". In that the Antaryama cup is drawn, verily thus the one who offers obstructs his foes. "Through thee I interpose sky and earth, I interpose the broad atmosphere", he says; verily with these worlds the one who offers obstructs his foes. The believers reflected, "The Mighty One hath now become what we are"; they said, "O bounteous one, give us a share"; "In unison with the angels, the lower and the higher", he replied; to both (the sets of) angels, the lower and the higher, he gave a share. "In unison with the angels, the lower and the higher", he says; to both (the sets of) angels, the lower and the higher, he gives a share. "O bounteous one, do thou rejoice in the Antaryama", he says; verily he does not cut off the one who offers from the sacrifice. "Thou art taken with a support", he says, for the support of inspiration. If both (cups) were drawn without a filter, inspiration would follow expiration, he would be likely to die. The Antaryama is drawn with a filter, to separate expiration and inspiration. The Upansu and the Antaryama (cups) are expiration and inspiration, the Upansu pressing-(stone) is cross-breathing. If he desire of a man, "May he be likely to die", he should set them down for him without being in contact; verily he severs his expiration and inspiration from cross-breathing; swiftly he dies. If he desire of a man, "May he live all his days", he should set them down for him in contact; verily he connects his expiration and inspiration with cross-breathing; he lives all his days.