Yajur Veda on Truth

For a month should he be consecrated; the year is the month; the Viraj is the year; he obtains the Viraj. For four months should he be consecrated; for four months the Vasus bore him, they conquered the earth, the Gayatri metre; for eight the Rudras, they conquered the atmosphere, the Tristubh metre; for twelve the Adityas, they conquered the sky, the Jagati metre; then they attained distinction, supremacy over the gods. Therefore after keeping the fire for twelve months, should one pile it up; the year has twelve months, the fire to be piled is the year, the bricks are days and nights; he piles him with the bricks obtained; verily also he attains distinction, supremacy over his equals. a Agni is piled for the world of heaven; if he were not to mount after him the sacrificer would be excluded from the world of heaven. 'I have mounted on the earth; let not breath forsake me'; 'I have mounted on the atmosphere; let not offspring forsake me'; 'I have mounted on the sky, we have attained the light', he says; this is the mounting after Agni verily by it he mounts after him, to attain the world of heaven. b If he were to set up (the eleven posts) commensurate with the wings [1], he would make the sacrificial rite too small, his offspring would be worse off than himself. He sets (it) up commensurate with the altar; verily he makes the sacrificial rite larger, his offspring does not become worse than himself. e He should pile (the fire) of a thousand (bricks) when first piling (it); this world is commensurate with a thousand; verily he conquers this world. He should pile (it) of two thousand when piling a second time; the atmosphere is commensurate with two thousand; verily be conquers the atmosphere. He should pile (it) of three thousand when piling for the third time [2]; yonder world is commensurate with three thousand; verily he conquers yonder world.

Those who knowing thus perform the twenty-four night (rite) strike off the misfortune, the evil, and win prosperity, for the conclave of the gods is in the case of man [1] prosperity. The Atiratra is light, for the lighting up of the world of heaven. There is a Prsthva Sadaha. The year consists of six seasons, and, entering it, the months, the half-months and the seasons reached the conclave of the gods. Those who knowing thus perform the twenty-four night rite, entering the year, reach a better station. There are three Trayastrinças before, and three Trayastrinças behind; verily with Trayastrinças on either hand they strike off the evil of misfortune and in the middle reach the conclave of the gods [2], for the conclave of the gods is the Prsthas. There is uniformity in that there are three Trayastrinças in succession, and a break in the uniformity in that there is in the middle one which is not defined. The Prsthas go onwards, the Chandomas go onwards; with both forms they go to the world of heaven. There can be no Sattra where there is no Chandoma; in that there are Chandomas, there is the Sattra. The gods they win by the Prsthas, the cattle by the Chandomas. The Prsthas are force and strength, the Chandomas cattle [3]; verily in force and strength and in cattle they find support. There are three Trayastrinças before, and three Trayastrinças behind; in the middle there are the Prsthas. The Trayastrinças are the breast, the Prsthas the breath; verily thus the sacrificers don a protection for the breath, to avoid injury. They proceed with the Brhat and the Rathantara. The Rathantara is this (world), the Brhat yonder (world); verily they proceed with them; verily also in them they find support. These indeed are the quick paths of the sacrifice; verily by them do they [4] proceed to the world of heaven. They mount the world of heaven turning away (from earth) who perform the Prsthas in succession.

'Be the desires of the sacrificer fulfilled', he says; this is the desire [5] of the sacrificer that (the sacrifice) should proceed to its conclusion without injury. 'Thou art the goat, resting in wealth', he says; verily in these worlds he makes it find support. 'In the sky be thy great radiance', he says; verily in the world of heaven he bestows light upon him. 'Stretching the thread of the atmosphere do thou pursue the light', he says; verily he makes these worlds full of light for him. 'Weave ye without a flaw the work of the singers, [6], he says; whatever flaw is committed in the sacrifice, this serves to atone for it. 'Become Manu; produce thou the host divine', he says; offspring are connected with Manu; verily he makes them fit for food. 'Thou art the offering of mind', he says, to make 'Godspeed'. 'May we share thy limbs', he says; verily he invokes this blessing. Of this (victim) there is one time unpropitious for sacrifice to the gods, when a cloud appears when it has been offered [7]; if a cloud should appear when it has been offered, he should either cast it into the waters or eat it whole; if he were to cast it into the waters, he would con fuse the sacrifice; he should eat it whole; verily he bestows power upon himself. By three people is this to be performed, him who performs a year-long Sattra, him who offers with a thousand (gifts), and him who is a domestic sacrificer; with it let them sacrifice, for them is it fit. The Jaya, Abhyatana, and Rastrabhrt Offerings a Thought and thinking, intent and intention, known and knowledge, mind and power, the new and the full moon, the Brhat and the Rathantara. b Prajapati bestowed victories on Indra The strong, he who is dread in battle contest, To him all the people bowed in reverence, For he waxed dread, worthy of The gods and the Asuras were in conflict.

The gods in the beginning seized these (nights), sharing the days [1]. One took one day, one another, and with them all equally prospered. Those, who knowing thus perform (the rite) of thirty-three days, all equally prosper, all gain the rank of village chief. There are five day periods; the year has five seasons; verily they rest on the seasons, the year. Again the Pankti has five syllables, the sacrifice is fivefold; verily they win the sacrifice. There are three (days with the) Açvina (Çastra); three are these worlds; verily in these [2] worlds they find support. Again three are the powers of the sacrifice; verily they win them. There is a Viçvajit (day), for the winning of food. It has all the Prsthas, for the conquest of all. The twelve-day (rite) is speech. If they were to perform the twelve-day (rite) before (what has already gone), they would perform speech imperfectly, and their speech would be likely to fail. They perform the twelve-day (rite) afterwards; verily they perform speech perfectly, and therefore we utter speech from above. Intermediately indeed [3] by means of a ten-nights' (rite) did Prajapati create offspring. In that there is a ten-nights' (rite), the sacrificers create offspring. Udanka Çaulbayana has declared the ten-night rite to be the prosperity of the Sattra. In that there is a ten- nights' rite, (it serves) for the prosperity of the Sattra. Verily also whatever is wrongly done in the former days, it serves to atone. These nights form two rows, the sacrificers are the Viçvajit, the first are sixteen with the Atiratra, the second are sixteen with the Atiratra. To those, who knowing thus perform (the rite) of thirty- three days, are born children in two rows. There are Atiratras on either side, for The Adityas desired, 'Let us go to the world of heaven.' They discerned not the world of heaven, they went not to the world of heaven. They saw this (rite) of thirty-six nights; they grasped it, and sacrificed with it.

The sacrificial cake is offered on five potsherds; the seasons are five; verily he wins it from the seasons and establishes it. He who removes the fire casts away the sacrifice and cattle. The sacrificial cake is offered on five potsherds; the sacrifice is fivefold, cattle are fivefold; verily he wins the sacrifice and cattle. Now he who removes the fire is the slayer of the hero among the gods; Brahmans desirous of holiness did not aforetime eat his food; the Yajyas and Anuvakyas are in the Pankti metre; the sacrifice is fivefold, man is fivefold; verily making recompense to the gods for the hero he re-establishes the fire [1]. They are of a hundred syllables; man lives a hundred years and has a hundred powers; verily he rests on life and power. In that Agni when established does not prosper, (it is that he is) desiring a greater portion; in that it is all Agni's, that is his prosperity. Speech is uttered together in the house of him who removes the fire; the sacrificer is liable to perish on account of the uttering together of speech. There are discriminations, to sever speech and preserve the sacrificer [2]. He makes a discrimination; verily he makes the holy power (Brahman). He speaks the Yajus, muttering; it is as if one who has found a rich treasure hides it. To Agni Svistakrt he speaks aloud; it is as if one who has found a rich treasure is fain to go openly. Uttering the discrimination he makes the Vasat cry with the foresacrifice; verily he leaves not his abode. The sacrificial cake is the sacrificer, the oblations are cattle; in that he offers these libations on either side of the cake [3], he thus surrounds the sacrificer on either side with cattle. 'After performing the Yajus and collecting the apparatus', they say: 'the apparatus should not be collected, the Yajus should not be performed,' they say: the apparatus should be collected and the Yajus performed, for the prosperity of the sacrifice.

If he were not to utter that formula (Yajus), so many cattle would be as he might consecrate himself for. 'O Soma, give so much [7] and bear more hither', he says; verily he obtains innumerable cattle. 'Thou art gold; be for my enjoyment', he says; verily he takes each according to its deity. He says, 'To Vayu thee, to Varuna thee!' If he did not so specify them, he would put the gifts out of correspondence with the deities, and would be brought low to the deities. Because he thus specifies them, he puts the gifts in correspondence with the deities, and is not brought low to the deities. 'O divine waters, son of the waters', he says. 'That divine part of yours, which is pure and fit for the sacrifice, may I not step upon', that he says in effect. 'The unbroken web of earth may I follow', he says; verily making a bridge he crosses over. The gods, having fixed up a place of sacrifice, could not distinguish the quarters. They ran up to one another, (saying) 'By thee shall we distinguish them, by thee.' They fixed upon Aditi, (saying, 'By thee shall we distinguish them.' She said, 'Let me choose a guerdon. Let the opening oblation in the sacrifice be mine, and the concluding oblation be mine.' Therefore the opening oblation of the sacrifice belongs to Aditi, and the concluding oblation belongs to Aditi. He offers to five gods; there are five quarters, (and so it serves) for the distinction of the quarters [1]. Now the Pankti is of five elements, the sacrifice is fivefold; verily he wins the sacrifice. They made sacrifice to Pathya Svasti. The eastern quarter they distinguished by her, by Agni the southern, by Soma the western, by Savitr the northern, by Aditi the zenith. He offers to Pathya Svasti; verily he distinguishes the eastern quarter. Having offered to Pathya Svasti, he offers to Agni and Soma. Agni and Soma indeed are the eyes of the sacrificer; verily he sees with them [2].

When the Hotr utters the name of the sacrificer, then he should say, 'Hither these blessings have come, fain for milking'; verily he milks the deities which he praises together; verily he milks the sacrifice on both sides, in front and behind. 'With the red steed may Agni convey thee to the god', he says; these are the steeds of the gods [3], the straw is the sacrificer; in that he casts forward the straw with them, he makes the sacrificers to go by the steeds of the gods to the world of heaven. 'I unyoke thy head ropes, thy reins', he says; that is the unyoking of Agni; verily thereby he unyokes him. 'By sacrifice to the god Visnu, by the sacrifice may I attain health and wealth and security', he says; Visnu is the sacrifice; verily the sacrifice finds support at the end. 'By sacrifice to the god Soma, possessing good seed [4], may I impregnate seed', he says; Soma is the impregnator of seed; verily he confers seed upon himself. 'By sacrifice to the god Tvastr, may I prosper the form of cattle'; Tvastr is the form-maker of the pairings of cattle, and thereby he confers upon himself the form of cattle. 'The wives of the gods, Agni, the lord of the house, are the pair of the sacrifice; by sacrifice to these deities may I be propagated with a pair.' 'Thou art the bundle, thou art gain, may I gain', he says; by the bundle (vedena) the gods won (avindanta) the desirable wealth of the Asuras, and that is why the bundle has its name. Whatever of his foe's he may covet, the name of that he should utter; verily he wing it all from him. 'May the bundle bestow increase of wealth, rich in ghee, rich in houses, a thousandfold, strong', he says; he obtains a thousand cattle. In his offspring a strong one is born who knows thus. Through the emptying of the Dhruva the sacrifice is emptied, through the sacrifice the sacrificer, through the sacrificer offspring.

By Agni the sacrificer discerns the world of the gods, by Soma the world of the Pitrs; in the north part he offers to Agni, in the south to Soma, for these worlds are thus, as it were, to illumine these worlds. Agni and Soma are the kings of the gods [1]. They are sacrificed to between the gods, to separate the gods. Therefore men are separated by the king. The theologians say, 'What is it that the sacrificer does in the sacrifice to support both those animals which have incisors on one side only and those which have incisors on both?' When he has repeated a Rc, he makes an offering of the portion of the oblation with the jusana formula; by that means he supports those with incisors on one side only. When he has repeated a Rc, he makes an offering of the sacrificial food (havis) with a Rc; by that means he supports those with incisors on both sides. The Puronuvakya contains the word 'head'; verily he makes him head of his peers [2]. He offers with averse containing the word 'team' (niyut); verily he appropriates (ni-yu) the cattle of his enemy. Keçin Satyakami said to Keçin Darbhya, 'The seven-footed Çakvari I shall use for thee at the sacrifice to-morrow, by whose strength one defeats the enemies that have arisen and those that shall be, by the first half of whose strength the ox feeds, by the second half the cow.' The Puronuvakya is marked in front; verily he defeats the enemies that have arisen; the Yajya is marked behind [3]; verily he defeats the enemies that shall be. The Puronuvakya is marked in front; verily he places light in this world; the Yajya is marked behind; verily he places light in yonder world. Full of light become these worlds to him who knows thus. The Puronuvakya, is marked in front; therefore the ox feeds with the first half. The Yajya is marked behind; therefore the cow feeds with the second half. Him who knows thus these two enjoy.

The beard is the characteristic of man, the lack of horns of the horse, having incisors on one side only that of cattle, having sheep-like hooves that of sheep, the goat-nature that of goats; so many are the domesticated animals; verily by their characteristics he wins them [5]. He who desires cattle should offer one of a triplet to Soma and Pusan; the she-goat has two teats, two are born separately, the third for strength and growth. Verily he has recourse to Soma and Pusan with their own share; verily they produce cattle for him; Soma is the depositor of seed, Pusan the producer of cattle; Soma deposits seeds for him, Pusan produces cattle. The sacrificial post is of Udumbara; the Udumbara is strength, cattle are strength; verily by strength he wins for him strength and cattle. Prajapati created offspring; they being created went away from him; they went to Varuna; he pursued them and asked them back; he would not give them back to him; he said, 'Choose a boon, and then give them back to me.' He chose a boon from them, it was the black (beast) with one white foot. He who is seized by Varuna should offer this black (beast) with one white foot to Varuna. Verily he has recourse to Varuna [1] with his own share; verily he sets him free from Varuna's noose. It is a black (beast) with one white hoof, for it has Varuna for its deity (and serves) for prosperity. Svarbhanu, the Asura, pierced the sun with darkness; the gods desired an atonement for him; the first darkness of his they struck off became a black sheep; the second a bright-coloured one; the third a white one; what they cut from the upper part of the bone became a barren ewe [2]. The gods said, 'Here has come into being a divine beast; to whom shall we offer him?' Now then the earth was small, plants were not born, they offered the barren ewe to the Adityas as desire.' Then the earth became broad, the plants grew.

With (the victim) for Agni he scatters, with that for Sarasvati he makes a pairing, with that for Soma he impregnates seed [1], with that for Pusan he propagates. There is one for Brhaspati; Brhaspati is the holy power (Brahman) of the gods; verily with the holy power (Brahman) he produces offspring for him. There is one for the All-gods; offspring are connected with the All-gods; verily he produces offspring, for him. By that for Indra he wins power, by that for the Maruts the people, by that for Indra and Agni force and might. That for Savitr is for instigation, that for Varuna to free oneself from Varuna's (noose). In the middle he offers that for Indra; verily in the middle he bestows power on the sacrificer [2]. In front of that for Indra he offers that for the All-gods; food is connected with the All-gods; verily he puts food in front; therefore food is eaten in front. Having offered that for Indra he offers that for the Maruts; the Maruts are the people; verily he fastens the people to him. If he desire, 'May he who has attained (power) be banished; may he who is banished return (to power)', in the place of that for Indra he should offer that for Varuna, in the place of that for Varuna that for Indra [3]. He who has attained (power) is banished, he who is banished returns (to power). If he desire, 'May the people fall into confusion', he should interchange the animals; verily he causes the people to fall into confusion. If he should offer that to Varuna along the stream of the waters, Varuna would seize his offspring; he offers (the victim) facing north on the south side against the stream of the waters, to prevent Varuna seizing his offspring. Indra caused Manu to sacrifice with his wife; after she had been encircled with fire he let her go; therewith Manu prospered; in that he lets go (the victim), (for Tvastr with the wives, the sacrificer prospers with the prosperity with which Manu prospered.

He who desires, 'May I be propagated', should sacrifice with (the rite) of twelve nights; verily he is propagated. The theologians say, 'The sacrifices have Agnistomas at the beginning; why then is Atiratra first employed?' The two Atiratras are the eyes of the sacrifice, the two Agnistomas the pupils; if [1] they were to employ the Agnistoma first, they would put the pupils outside; therefore the Atiratra is employed first; verily having inserted the eyes of the sacrifice they put the pupils in them. He, who knows the Gayatri to have sides of light, goes to the world of heaven with light and radiance. The sides are the Agnistomas, the eight Ukthyas in between are the body; verily the Gayatri has sides of light. He who knows thus goes to the world of heaven with light and radiance [2]. The twelve nights' (rite) is Prajapati in twelve divisions. The two sides are the Atiratras, the eight Ukthyas within are the body; Prajapati in such guise touches truth with the Sattra, truth is the breaths; verily he touches the breaths. Those who perform the Sattra perform it with the breath of all people, and therefore they ask, 'Are these performers of a Sattra?' Dear to people and noble is he who knows thus. vii. 2. 10. This (rite) with a Vaiçvanara on one side (only) was not able to win the world of heaven; it was stretched upwards and the gods piled round this Vaiçvanara, to overcome the world of heaven. The seasons made Prajapati sacrifice with it, and in them because of it he prospered. He prospers among the priests who knowing thus sacrifices with (the rite) of twelve days. They were desirous of obtaining (their desires) from him. He gave to the spring the sap [1], to the hot season barley, to the rains plants, to autumn rice, beans and sesamum to winter and the cool season. Prajapati made Indra sacrifice with it. Then indeed did Indra become Indra; therefore they say, 'It is the sacrifice of the inferior', for he by it first sacrificed.

' 'O reciter of hymns', he says in response at the morning pressing; the syllables herein are three, [2], the Gayatri has three Padas, the morning pressing is connected with the Gayatri; verily at the morning pressing he produces the metres in the response; now the Gayatri is brilliance, the morning pressing is brilliance; verily at the morning pressing he bestows brilliance upon himself. 'The hymn hath been uttered', he says in response at the midday pressing; the syllables herein are four, the Tristubh has four Padas, the midday pressing is connected with the Tristubh; verily at the midday pressing he produces the metres in the response; now the Tristubh is power, the midday pressing is power [3]; verily at the midday pressing he bestows power upon himself. 'The hymn hath been uttered to Indra', he says in response at the third pressing; the syllables herein are seven, the Çakvari has seven Padas, cattle are connected with the Çakvari, the third pressing is connected with the Jagati; verily at the third pressing he produces the metres in the response; now the Jagati is cattle, the third pressing is cattle; verily at the third pressing he bestows cattle upon himself that the Hotr addresses the Adhvaryu, he puts fear in him; if be were not to smite it off [4], they would have fear in his house before the year (was over). 'Recite, let us two rejoice',' he responds, and thereby he smites it off. Just as one looks for the exact interval, so the Adhvaryu looks for the response. If he were to respond in advance, that would be as when one goes to meets the exact interval. If the (response) were to be omitted after the half-verse, that would be as when one is left behind those that are running. The Udgithas are similar for the priests, the Udgitha for the Udgatrs, [5], the Rces and the Pranavas for the singers of hymns, the response for the Adhvaryus. He, who knowing thus responds, becomes an eater of food, a strong one is born among his offspring.

He takes a kindling-stick, for the support of the subsequent offerings; verily he pours on that which has a kindling stick. He rubs the enclosing-sticks; verily he purifies them. He rubs each once, for the sacrifice there is as it were turned away. It makes up four, cattle are four-footed; verily he wins cattle. 'O Brahman, will we set out?' he says; there indeed is the sacrifice placed [1], where the Brahman is; where the sacrifice is placed, thence does he commence it. If he were to instigate him with his hand, he would shiver; if with his head, he would have a headache; if he were to sit in silence, the sacrifice would not proceed; he should say, 'Set out! In speech the sacrifice is placed; where the sacrifice is placed, thence does he bestow it. 'O god Savitr, that he [2] hath proclaimed to thee', he says, for impelling. 'Brhaspati is the (priest) Brahman', he says, for he is fullest of the holy power (Brahman). 'Do thou guard the sacrifice, guard the lord of the sacrifice, guard me', he says; for the sacrifice, the sacrificer, and himself, for these he thus invokes a blessing, to prevent misfortune, Having caused (him) to call out, he says, 'Utter the verse for sacrifice to the gods.' The theologians say, 'The gods have been sacrificed to; what gods are they?' 'The metres', he should reply, 'Gayatri Tristubh [3], and Jagati.' Then they say, 'The metres are the Brahmans'; verily he sacrifices to them. The deities were sacrificed to by the gods; then Agni did not burn forth; the gods found him by the offerings in the after-sacrifices; in that he offers the after-sacrifices verily thus one kindles Agni. There was an Asura, named Etadu. He then appropriated the blessing of the sacrifice. If one were to say, 'That indeed (etád u) hath been glorious, O sky and earth' [4], one would cause Etadu to attain the blessing of the sacrifice. 'This (idám) has been glorious, sky and earth', he should say; verily he makes the sacrificer attain the blessing of the sacrifice.

He gathers with the ass; therefore the ass, even when grazing is bad, becomes fat beyond other animals, for by it they gather food and light. He gathers with the ass; therefore the ass, being of double seed, is born as the least of animals, for Agni burns his place of birth. Now he is mounted upon offspring [5], and is strong to burn with pain offspring. 'Be auspicious, for offspring', he says; verily he makes him calm for offspring. '(For offspring) of man, O Angiras', he says, for offspring are of men. 'Scorch not sky and earth, nor the atmosphere, nor the trees', he says; verily he makes him calm for these worlds. 'Let the steed advance, thundering', he says, for he is a steed. 'The sounding, the donkey, the flier' [6], he says, for the seers called him the 'donkey'. 'Bearing Agni of the dust', he says, for he bears Agni. 'May he fall not before his day', he says; verily he bestows life upon him; therefore an ass lives all its days; therefore are men afraid when an ass perishes before its day. 'The strong, bearing the strong Agni', he says, for he is strong, and Agni is strong. 'Germ of the waters [7], him of the ocean', he says, for Agni is the germ of the waters. 'O Agni, come hither for enjoyment', (at these words) the two worlds burst apart; in that he says, 'O Agni, come hither for enjoyment', it is for the separation (vityai) of these worlds. He, having left his place and not having reached a support, then thinks of the Adhvaryu and the sacrificer; 'holy order and truth', he says; holy order is this (earth), truth [8] is yonder (sky); verily in these two he establishes him, and neither the Adhvaryu nor the sacrificer is ruined. Agni when tied up, as Varuna, attacks the sacrificer; 'O plants, do ye accept Agni here', he says, for atonement. 'Casting aside all hostilities, all evil imaginings', he says, to smite away the Raksases. 'Sitting down, may he smite away from us misfortune', he says, for support.

He who desires sight should make the same offering; in that he offers to Agni, the purifying, he thereby bestows breath upon him; in that (he offers) to Agni, the purifier, thereby he bestows speech upon him; in that (he offers) to Agni, the pure, thereby he bestows sight upon him [3]; even if he is blind, he yet sees. He who desires offspring should offer a cake on eight potsherds to Agni with sons, and a cake on eleven potsherds to Indra, who has sons; verily Agni begets offspring for him and Indra makes it grow. He who desires, 'May I be possessed of sap', should offer an oblation cooked in goat's milk to Agni, full of sap; verily he has recourse to Agni, full of sap, with his own share; verily he makes him possessed of sap [4]; he becomes possessed of sap. It is cooked in goat's milk; the she-goat is connected with Agni; verily straightway he wins sap. He who desires, 'May I be possessed of wealth', should offer a cake on eight potsherds to Agni, possessed of wealth; verily he has recourse to Agni, possessed of wealth, with his own share, and he makes him possessed of wealth; he becomes possessed of wealth. When battle is joined, he should offer a cake on eight potsherds to Agni, the racer, for a race [5] he desires to run, who is fain to conquer in battle; Agni of the gods is the racer; verily he has recourse to Agni with his own share; he runs the race, he slays the foe, he conquers in the battle, and like Agni he is not to be overcome. He for whom fire they take out again (from the Garhapatya fire) to place on the Ahavaniya should offer a cake on eight potsherds to Agni with Agni; one of these (fires) has a portion assigned, one has not a portion assigned; they uniting overpower the sacrificer [6], and he is liable to suffer ruin; in that he offers to Agni with Agni, he appeases him with his own share; the sacrificer does not suffer ruin.

'Thee, O Agni, with the mind have I obtained; thee, O Agni, with the fervour have I obtained; thee, O Agni, with the consecration have I obtained; thee, O Agni, with the observances have I obtained; thee, O Agni, with the pressing-day have I obtained; thee, O Agni, with the sacrificial fees have I obtained; thee, O Agni, with the concluding bath have I obtained; thee, O Agni, with the barren cow have I obtained; thee, O Agni, with the cry of Godspeed I have I obtained', he says; I this is the obtaining of Agni verily therewith he obtains him. He pays reverence in front with the Gayatra (Saman); verily he confers breath upon him. (He reverences) the wings with the Brhat and the Rathantara; verily he confers might upon him. (He reverences) the tail with the seasonal Yajñayajñiya; verily he finds support in the seasons. He pays reverence with the Prstha (Stotras); the Prsthas are brilliance; verily he confers brilliance upon him. Prajapati created Agni; he, created, went away from him; him he checked (avarayata) by the Varavantiya, and that is why the Varavantiya has it name. By the Çyaita he congealed him, and that is why the Çyaita has its name [1]. In that he reverences, with the Varavantiya, he restrains him, and by the Çyaita he congeals him. At the joinings of the wings he reverences with the heart of Prajapati; verily he attains his With the eastern quarter I place thee, with the Gayatri metre, with Agni as the deity; with the head of Agni I put down the head of Agni. With the southern quarter I place thee, with the Tristubh metre, with Indra as the deity; with the wing of Agni I put down the wing of Agni. With the western quarter I place thee [2], with the Jagati metre, with Savitr as the deity; with the tail of Agni I put down the tail of Agni. With the northern quarter I place thee, with the Anustubh metre, with Mitra and Varuna as the deity; with the wing of Agni I put down the wing of Agni.

The Exposition of the Soma Sacrifce He makes a hall with beams pointing east. The gods and men divided the quarters, the gods (obtained) the eastern, the Pitrs the southern, men the western, the Rudras the northern. In that he makes a hall with beams pointing east, the sacrificer approaches the world of the gods. He covers it over, for the world of the gods is hidden from the world of men. 'It is not easy', they say, 'to go from this world; for who knows if he is in yonder world or not.' He makes at the corners apertures [1], for the winning of both worlds. He shaves his hair and beard, he trims his nails. The hair and the beard are dead and impure skin, and by thus destroying the dead and impure skin he becomes fit for the sacrifice and approaches the sacrifice. The Angirases going to the world of heaven placed in the waters consecration and penance. He bathes in the waters; verily visibly he secures consecration and penance. He bathes at a ford, for at a ford did they place (consecration and penance); he bathes at a ford [2]; verily he becomes a ford for his fellows. He sips water; verily he becomes pure within. He consecrates him with a garment; the linen garment has Soma for its deity. He who consecrates himself approaches Soma as his deity. He says, 'Thou art the body of Soma; guard my body.' He approaches his own deity; verily also he invokes this blessing. (Of the garment) the place where the border is belongs to Agni, the wind-guard to Vayu, the fringe to the Pitrs, the foreedge to the plants [3], the warp to the Adityas, the woof to the All-gods, the meshes to the Naksatras. The garment is thus connected with all the gods; in that he consecrates him with the garment, verily with all the gods he consecrates him. Man has breath without; his eating is his breath, he eats; verily he consecrates himself with breath. He becomes satiated. As great as is his breath, with it he approaches the sacrifice.

On a contiguous (aptá) place of sacrifice should he make him to sacrifice who has foes. He should make it touch the road or a pit so that neither a wagon nor a chariot can go between [1]. That is a contiguous place of sacrifice. He conquers (apnoti) his foe, his foe conquers him not. On a place of sacrifice which is elevated in one place he should make him to sacrifice who desires cattle. The Angirases produced cattle from a place of sacrifice elevated in one place. It should be elevated between the seat and the oblationholders. That is a place of sacrifice elevated in one place; verily he becomes possessed of cattle. On a place of sacrifice which is elevated in three places should he make him to sacrifice who desires heaven. The Angirases went to the world of heaven from a place of sacrifice elevated in three places. It should be elevated between the Ahavaniya fire and the oblation holder [2], between the oblation-holder and the seat, and between the seat and the Garhapatya fire. That is a place of sacrifice elevated in three places; verily he goes to the world of heaven. On a place of sacrifice which is firm should he make him to sacrifice who desires support. That is a place of sacrifice which is firm, which is level on all sides; verily he finds, support. Where diverse plants are intertwined, there should he make him sacrifice who desires cattle. That is the form of cattle; verily by the form he wins cattle for him [3]; verily be becomes possessed of cattle. On a place of sacrifice seized by destruction should he make him to sacrifice for whom he desires, 'May I cause his sacrifice to be seized by destruction.' That is a place of sacrifice seized by destruction where there is a bare patch of level ground; verily he causes his sacrifice to be seized by destruction. On a place of sacrifice which is distinctly marked should he cause him to sacrifice regarding whom they have doubts as to (admitting him to) common meals or to marriage.

The axle which is tied on both sides is Varuna of evil speech; if it were to creak, it would creak against the house of the sacrificer. 'With fair voice, O god, do thou address the dwelling', he says; the dwelling is the house; (verily it serves) for atonement. The wife (of the sacrificer) [1] anoints (them), for the wife is every one's friend, for friendship. The share of the wife in the sacrifice makes a pair; verily also the wife grasps the sacrifice that it may not be interrupted. Now the Raksases following in its track seek to injure the sacrifice; he makes a libation in the two tracks with Rc verses addressed to Visnu. The sacrifice is Visnu; verily he drives away the Raksases from the sacrifice. If the Adhvaryu were to pour the libation in (a place) without fire, the Adhvaryu would become blind, the Raksases would injure the sacrifice [2]. He puts gold down on it before making the libation; verily he makes the libation in that which has fire; the Adhvaryu does not become blind, the Raksases do not injure the sacrifice. 'Come ye two forward, ordaining the offering', he says; verily he makes them go to the world of heaven. 'There rejoice on the height of the earth ', he says, for the place of sacrifice is the height of the earth. Now the oblation-holder is the head of the sacrifice. 'From the sky, O Visnu, or from the earth' [3], with this Rc verse which contains a blessing he strikes in the prop of the southern oblation-holder; verily the sacrificer at the beginning of the sacrifice wins blessings. Now Danda Aupara split by the Vasat call the axle of the third oblation-holder; the third cover put on the oblation-holder (serves) to make up the third oblation-holder, The oblation-holder is the head of the sacrifice. 'Thou art the forehead of Visnu: thou art the back of Visnu', he says. Therefore so often is the head divided. 'Thou art the string of Visnu; thou art the fixed point of Visnu', he says, for the oblation-holder is connected with Visnu as its deity.

He scratches himself with the horn of the black antelope and smiles, holding it for the protection of his offspring. He should not let go the horn of the black antelope before the bringing of the gifts (to the priests). If he were to let go the horn of the black antelope before the bringing of the gifts, the womb of his offspring will be liable to miscarriage. When the gifts have been brought, he casts away the horn of the black antelope in the pit. The pit is the womb of the sacrificer; the horn of the black antelope is the womb; verily he places womb in womb, that the sacrificer may have a womb. Speech went away from the gods, not being willing to serve for the sacrifice. She entered the trees. It is the voice of the trees, the voice that is heard in the drum, the lute, and the flute. In that he offers the staff of the initiated, he wins speech. The (staff) is of Udumbara wood; the, Udumbara is strength; verily he wins strength. It is level with his mouth; verily from the mouth (downwards) he wins strength for him. Therefore from the mouth they enjoy strength [1]. After the buying of the Soma he hands the staff to the Maitravaruna (priest). For the Maitravaruna first assigns to the priests their utterance, and the priests plant it in the sacrificer. 'Hail! with my mind the sacrifice', he says; for man approaches the sacrifice with his mind. 'Hail! from heaven and earth', he says; for the sacrifice is in heaven and earth. 'Hail! from the broad atmosphere', he says; for the sacrifice is in the atmosphere. 'Hail! from the wind the sacrifice I grasp', he says [2]. The sacrifice is he who blows here; verily he clearly wins him. He clenches his fist; he restrains his speech, for the support of the sacrifice. 'This Brahman has consecrated himself', he says thrice in a whisper; verily he proclaims him to the gods. Thrice aloud (he says it); verily he proclaims him to both gods and men. He should not utter speech until the Naksatras appear.

When the gods went to the world of heaven, the quarters were in confusion; they saw these regional (bricks), they put them down, and by them they made firm the quarters; in that he put down the regional bricks, (it is) to support the quarters. Ten breath supporters he places in the east [2]; the breaths in man are nine, the navel is the tenth; verily he places the breaths in front; therefore the breaths are in front. He puts down the last with the word 'light'; there fore speech, which is the last, is the light of the breaths. He put down ten; the Viraj has ten syllables, the light of the metres is the Viraj; verily he puts the light in the east; therefore we revere the light in the east. The metres ran a race for the cattle; the Brhati won them; there fore cattle are called connected with the Brhati [3]. 'Ma metre', (with these words) he puts down on the south; therefore the months turn south wards; (with) 'Earth metre' (he puts down) on the west, for support; (with) 'Agni, the deity' (he puts down) on the north; Agni is might; verily on the north he places might; therefore he that advances to the north is victorious. They make up thirty-six; the Brhati has thirty-six syllables, cattle are connected with the Brhati; verily by the Brhati he wins cattle for him. The Brhati holds the sovereignty of the metres; he for whom these [4] are put down attains sovereignty. He puts down seven Valakhilya, (bricks) in the east, seven in the west; in the head there are seven breaths, two below; (verily they serve) to give the breaths strength. 'The head thou art, ruling', (with these words) he puts down on the east; 'Thou art the prop ruling', (with these words) he puts down on the west; verily he makes the breaths accordant for him. Whatever the gods did at the sacrifice the Asuras did. The gods saw these Aksnayastomiya (bricks), they put them down on one place after reciting in another; the Asuras could not follow it; then the gods prospered, the Asuras were defeated.

He who piles up the fire falls away from this world; his libation cannot be performed in a place without bricks; whatever libation he offers in a place without bricks, it runs away, and with its running away the sacrifice is ruined, with the sacrifice the sacrificer; in that he piles up a second piling, (it is) to support the libations; the libations find support [3], the sacrifice is not ruined, nor the sacrificer. He puts down eight; the Gayatri has eight syllables; verily he piles it with the Gayatri metre; if eleven, with the Tristubh, if twelve with the Jagati verily he piles it with the metres. The fire that is re-piled is called the descendant; he who knowing thus re-piles the fire eats food up to the third generation. The re-piling is like the re-establishment of the fire; he who does not succeed through the establishment of the fire [4] re-establishes it; he who does not succeed by the piling up of the fire re-piles it. In that he piles up the fire, (it is) for prosperity. Or rather they say, 'one should not pile it up.' The fire is Rudra, and it is as if one stirs up a sleeping lion. But again they say, 'One should pile it up.' It is as if one awakens a richer man with his due portion. Manu piled the fire; with it he did not prosper; he saw this re-piling, he piled it, with it he prospered; in that he piles the re-piling, (it is) for prosperity. He who desires cattle should pile a piling with the metres; the metres are cattle; verily he becomes rich in cattle. He should pile in hawk shape who desires the sky; the hawk is the best flier among birds; verily becoming a hawk he flies to the world of heaven. He should pile in heron form who desires, 'May I be possessed of a head in yonder world'; verily he becomes possessed of a head in yonder world. He should pile in the form of an Alaja bird, with four furrows, who desires support; there are four quarters; verily he finds support in the quarters.

The tortoise is put down for the world of heaven; 'To the four quarters let the fires advance', he says [2]; verily by it he recognizes the quarters; 'May he bear this sacrifice for us, well knowing', he says, for guidance to the world of heaven; 'The holy power is the kindling-stick of the libations', he says. By means of the holy power the gods went to the world of heaven; in that he puts down (the tortoise) with (a verse) containing the word 'holy power', by the holy power the sacrificer goes to the world of heaven. c The fire is Prajapati here; cattle are the offspring; the form the metres; all colours of bricks should he make; verily by the form he wins offspring, cattle, the metres; verily also he piles it winning it for offspring, cattle, the metres. a In me I take first Agni, For increase of wealth, for good offspring with noble heroes; In me offspring, in me radiance I place; May we be unharmed in our body with good heroes. b The immortal Agni who hath entered Into us mortals within the heart, O fathers, May we enclose him in ourselves; May he not abandon us and go afar. If the Adhvaryu without taking the fire in himself were to pile it, he would pile his own fire also [1] for the sacrificer. Now cattle depend upon the fire; cattle would be likely to depart from him. 'In me I take first Agni', he says; verily in himself he supports his own fire, cattle depart not from him. b The theologians say, 'Since clay and water are not food for Agni, then why is he piled with clay and water?' In that he joins with water [2] and all the deities are the waters, verily he unites him with the waters. In that he piles with clay and Agni Vaiçvanara is this earth, verily he piles Agni with Agni. c The theologians say, 'Since the fire is piled with clay and water, then why is it called the fire?' In that he piles with the metres and the metres are fires, therefore is it called fire.

From what is unsupported in the sacrifice the sacrifice comes to ruin; as the sacrifice comes to ruin the sacrificer comes to ruin along with it; in that he completes (the offering) (for Tvastr) with the wives with butter, (it serves) to support the sacrifice, and as the sacrifice finds support, the sacrificer finds support along with it. The offering of the caul [1] has been performed, the offering of the cow is not yet over, then he performs (the offering) (for Tvastr) with the wives; verily he performs it at the right moment; then indeed comes the conclusion. It is for Tvastr; Tvastr of the seed that is spilt moulds forms, him he sets loose as a male among wives; he for him moulds forms. They kill the Soma in that they press it; in that there is (an oblation) of Soma, that is as when they slay for the dead a barren cow. If he were to offer in the northern half or the middle, he would cause conflict with the gods; he offers on the southern half; this is the quarter of the Pitrs; verily in their own quarter he propitiates the Pitrs. They give to the Udgatrs, (the oblation) of Soma has the Saman for its deity; whatever of the Saman they do amiss, that is the atonement for it. They look at [1] (the victim) for Soma is a purifier; verily they purify themselves. He who cannot see himself would be dead. Having made it full all round, he should look at (it), for in it he sees himself; verily also he purifies himself. He whose mind is gone should look at (it), (saying), 'That mind of mine which hath gone away, or which hath gone elsewhere, by means of King Soma, we keep within us'; verily he keeps his mind in himself [2], his mind is not gone. At the third pressing the sacrifice departs from him who has sacrificed to him who has not sacrificed; he offers ghee with a verse to Agni and Visnu; all the deities are Agni, the sacrifice is Visnu; verily he supports the deities and the sacrifice. He sacrifices muttering, for pairing.

The Go and the Ayus (Stomas) are the Stomas in the middle; verily they place a pair in the middle of the year [4] for procreation. On either side there is the Jyotistoma. It is the releasing; verily the metres are released; verily also they go to the world of heaven with the six-day (rite) which has a Jyotistoma on either side. The theologians say, 'They sit; by what path do they go?' One should reply,' By the path that leads to the gods. The path that leads to the gods is the metres, the Gayatri, Tristubh, and Jagati. The Gayatri is the Jyotistoma, the Tristubh, the Gostoma, the Jagati the Ayustoma. In that there are these Stomas, so do they go by the path that leads to the gods [5]. There is used the same Saman. The Saman is the world of the gods; verily they leave not the world of the gods. There are used various verses. The verses are the world of man; verily they keep mounting one world of gods after another from the world of men. There is the Brahman's Saman as the Abhivarta to win the world of heaven. There is the Abhijit (day) for the gaining of the world of heaven. There is the Viçvajit (day) for the gaining of all. Month by month they perform the Prsthas, month by month the Atigrahyas are drawn; verily in each month they place strength, for the support of the months. They perform the Prsthas in the latter part of the month. Therefore it is on the top that the plants bear fruit. The cows performed that Sattra, being hornless and desiring to obtain horns. For ten months they performed it, and then horns appeared. They said, 'We have gained (them), let us cease (the rite), for we have attained the desire for the sake of which we began (the rite).' But others said, either half of them or as many as might be the case, 'Let us perform (the rite) for these months, the eleventh and the twelfth, and when we have made up the year, let us cease' [1]. In their case their horns grew in the twelfth month.

The Part of the Sacrificer in the New and Full Moon Sacrifices i. 7. 1. Cattle attend the cooked offerings of him who has established a fire. The cooked offering is the Ida; it is placed in the world of the sacrifice between the fore- and the after-offerings. Over it as it is brought up he should say, 'O thou of fair rain colour, come hither'; the cattle are the Ida; verily he summons cattle. The gods milked the sacrifice, the sacrifice milked the Asuras; the Asuras, being milked by the sacrifice, were defeated; he, who knowing the milking of the sacrifice [1] sacrifices, milks another sacrificer. 'May the blessing of this sacrifice be fulfilled for me', he says; this is the milking of the sacrifice; verily with it he milks it. The cow is milked willingly, and willingly the Ida is milked for the sacrificer; these are the teats of Ida, 'Ida is invoked'. Vayu is the calf. When the Hotr summons the Ida, then the sacrificer looking at the Hotr should in mind reflect on Vayu [2]; verily he lets the calf go to the mother. By the whole sacrifice the gods went to the world of heaven; Manu laboured with the cooked offering; the Ida went to Manu; the gods and the Asuras called severally upon her, the gods directly, the Asuras indirectly; she went to the gods; the cattle choose the gods, cattle deserted the Asuras. If he desire of a man, 'May he be without cattle', he should invoke the Ida indirectly for him; verily he becomes without cattle [3]. If he desire of a man, 'May he be rich in cattle', he should invoke the Ida directly for him; verily he becomes rich in cattle. The theologians say, 'He would invoke the Ida indeed who in invoking the Ida should invoke himself in the Ida.' 'To us be she dear, victorious, bountiful', he says; verily in invoking the Ida he invokes himself in the Ida. The Ida is as it were a breach in the sacrifice; half they eat [4], half they wipe; in this regard the sacrifice of the Asuras was broken; the gods united it by the holy power (Brahman).

To m O lord of the world, thou who hast houses above and here, do thou accord wide, great, protection to this holy power, this holy work. They should be offered for one who desires the kingdom; the Rastrabhrts are the kingdom; verily with the kingdom he wins the king dom for him; he becomes the kingdom. They should be offered for oneself; the Rastrabhrts are the kingdom, the people are the kingdom, cattle are the kingdom, in that he becomes the highest he is the kingdom; verily with the kingdom he wins the kingdom, he becomes the richest of his equals. They should be offered for one who desires a village; the Rastrabhrts are the kingdom, his fellows are the kingdom; verily with the kingdom he wins for him his fellows and the kingdom; he becomes possessed of a village [1]. He offers on the dicing-place; verily on the dicing-place he wins his fellows for him, and being won they wait upon him. They should be offered on the mouth of the chariot for him who desires force; the Rastrabhrts are force, the chariot is force; verily by force he wins force for him; he becomes possessed of force. They should be offered for him who is expelled from his kingdom; to all his chariots he should say, 'Be yoked'; verily he yokes the kingdom for him [2]. The oblations of him whose realm is not in order are disordered; he should take off the right wheel of his chariot and offer in the box; so he puts in order his oblation, and the kingdom comes into order in accord with their coming into order. They should be offered when battle is joined; the Rastrabhrts are the kingdom, and for the kingdom do they strive who go to battle together; he for whom first they offer prospers, and wins this battle. The kindling-wood is from the Madhuka tree [3]; the coals shrinking back make the host of his foe to shrink back. They should be offered for one who is mad; for it is the Gandharva and the Apsarases who madden him who is mad; the Rastrabhrts are the Gandharva and the Apsarases. 'To him hail!

The Piling of the Fire Altar (continued) a 'He who piles the fire without regard to the deity falls a victim to the deities; he becomes poorer; he who (piles it) according to the deity does not fall a victim to the deities; he becomes richer. With a Gayatri (verse) addressed to Agni should he stroke the first layer; with a Tristubh the second; with a Jagati the third; with an Anustubh the fourth; with a Pankti the fifth; verily he piles the fire according to the deity. He falls not a victim to the deities; he becomes richer. This is the dividing of the sacrificial food; the food is cattle, and he piles it with cattle [1]. b He who piles the fire after announcing to Prajapati does not go to ruin. The horses should stand on either side, on the left the black, on the right the white; having offered them he should put down the bricks; that is the form of Prajapati, the horse is connected with Prajapati; verily having announced to Prajapati in real presence he piles the fire, he does not go to ruin; the white horse is the form of day, the black of night; the bricks are the form of day [2], the mortar of night; when about to put down the bricks he should stroke the white horse, when about to put down the mortar he should stroke the black; verily with the days and nights he piles it. c A golden vessel full of honey he gives, (saying), 'May I be possessed of honey'; with (a verse) addressed to Surya, containing the word 'brilliant', he should gaze (on it); verily it becomes brilliant in the midday; he causes the horse to sniff it; Indra is yonder sun, Prajapati is he; the horse is connected with Prajapati; verily he wins him straightway. a To thee, O Agni, the bull, the wise, I have come, generating thee ever new; Be our household rites not halting; With thy keen holy power sharpen us. The bricks are cattle, in each layer he puts down a bull (brick); verily in his sacrifice he makes a pairing for propagation; therefore in every herd there is a bull.

Moreover Agni Vaiçvanara is this (earth); in that [3] he piles with clay, therefore is it called the fire. d He puts down golden bricks; gold is light; verily be confers light upon him; again gold is brilliance; verily he confers radiance upon himself. He, who piles (the fire) with faces on all sides, eats food in all his offspring, conquers all the quarters. In the east he puts down a Gayatri, a Tristubh on the south, a Jagati on the west, an Anustubh on the north, a Pankti in the middle; this is the fire with faces on all sides: he, who knowing thus piles it, eats food in all his offspring, conquers all the quarters; verily also he weaves quarter in quarter; therefore quarter is woven in quarter. Prajapati created the fire; it created ran away east from him; he cast the horse at it, it turned to the south; he cast the ram at it, it turned to the west; he cast the bull at it, it turned to the north; he cast the goat at it, it ran upwards. He cast the man at it. In that he puts down the heads of animals, he piles it [1], winning it on every side. The heads of animals are bricks, breath supporting, full of sight; in that he puts down the heads of animals, the sacrificer breathes with them in yonder world; verily also these worlds shine forth for him by them. He puts them down after smearing with mud, for purity. The fire is an animal, animals are food, the heads of animals are this fire; if he desire of a man, 'May his food be less' [2], he should put down for him the heads of animals more closely together; his food becomes less; if he desire of a man, 'May his food be similar (to what he has now)', he should put them down for him at a mean distance; verily his food becomes the same; if he desire of a man, 'May his food become more', he should put them down separating them at the ends of the pile; verily at the ends also he wins food for him; his food becomes more.

When it was pierced (by him) [3] they cut off (a piece) of the size of a barleycorn; therefore one should cut off (a piece) the size of a barleycorn. If one were to cut off more, he would confuse that part of the sacrifice. If he were to make a layer and then to sprinkle, lie would make it swell on both sides. He cuts it off and sprinkles it; there are two operations; the sacrificer has two feet, for support. If he were to transfer it (to the Brahman) crosswise, he would pierce the unwounded part of the sacrifice; lie transfers it in front; verily he transfers it in the proper way. They transferred it for Pusan [4]. Pusan having eaten it lost his teeth; therefore Pusan has pounded food for his share, for he has no teeth. The gods said of him, 'He has lost (his teeth), he is not fit for the offering.' They transferred it to Brhaspati. Brhaspati was afraid, 'Thus indeed will this one fall on misfortune.' He saw this Mantra; 'With the eye of the sun I gaze on thee', he said, for the eye of the sun harms no one [5]. He was afraid, 'It will harm me as I take it.' 'On the impulse of the god Savitr, with the arms of the Açvins, with the hands of Pusan I take thee', he says; verily, impelled by Savitr, he took it with the holy power (Brahman) and with the gods. He was afraid, 'It will harm me as I eat.' 'Thee with the mouth of Agni I eat', he said, for nothing harms the mouth of Agni. He was afraid [6], 'It will harm me when I have eaten.' 'With the belly of the Brahman', he said, for nothing harms the belly of the Brahman. 'With the holy power (Brahman) of Brhaspati', (he said), for he is fullest of the holy power (Brahman). The breaths indeed depart from him who eats this offering; by purifying it with water he grasps the breaths; the breaths are ambrosia, the waters ambrosia; verily he summons the breaths according to their He takes a portion for the Agnidh; verily he delights the seasons whose mouth is Agni.

'For what good is the fire piled?' they say. 'May I be possessed of the fire' [1], (with this aim) is the fire piled; verily be becomes possessed of the fire. 'For what good is the fire piled?' they say. 'May the gods know me', (with this hope) is the fire piled; the gods know him. 'For what good is the fire piled?' they say. 'May I have a house', (with this hope) is the fire piled; verily he becomes possessed of a house. 'For what good is the fire piled?' they say. 'May I be rich in cattle', (with this hope) is the fire [2] piled; verily he becomes rich in cattle. 'For what good is the fire piled?' they say. 'May the seven men live upon me', (with this hope) is the fire piled; three before, three behind, the self the seventh; so many live upon him in yonder world. Prajapati desired to pile the fire; to him spake earth; 'Thou shalt not pile the fire on me; thou wilt burn me excessively, and I being burned excessively will shake you apart [3]; thou wilt fall into a sorry state.' He replied, 'So shall I act that it will not burn thee excessively.' He stroked it, (saying), 'May Prajapati seat thee; with that deity, in the manner of Angiras, do thou sit firm'; verily making this a brick he put it down, to prevent excessive burning. That on which he is to pile the fire he should stroke, (saying), 'May Prajapati seat thee; with that deity in the manner of Angiras, do thou sit firm' [4]; verily making this a brick he sets it down to prevent excessive burning. Prajapati desired, 'Let me be propagated', he saw this (fire) in the pan, he bore it for a year, then was he propagated. Therefore for a year must it be borne, then is he propagated. To him the Vasus said, 'Thou hast been propagated; let us be propagated.' He gave it to the Vasus, they bore it for three days, thereby [5] they created three hundred, three and thirty; therefore should it be borne for three days; verily is he propagated. To them the Rudras said, 'Ye have been propagated, let us be propagated.

'Thou, O Soma, brought about by ourselves', he says, for he is the one who brings about by himself; 'from hostility brought about by others', he says, for the Raksases are brought about by others; 'thou art the giver of wide protection', he says; in effect he says, 'give us wide (protection).' 'May the active one gladly partake of the ghee', he says; verily he makes the sacrificer active and causes him to go to the world of heaven, to prevent the Raksases seizing him. They take up the Soma [2], the pressing-stones, the cups for Vayu, the wooden trough; they lead forth the wife (of the sacrificer), they make the carts move along with them; verily whatever is his he goes with it to the world of heaven. He offers in the Agnidh's fire with a verse containing the word 'lead', for leading to the world of heaven. He places on the Agnidh's altar the pressing-stones, the cups for Vayu, and the wooden trough, for they take it away from them; if he were to put it with them, it would become spoiled. He makes it go forward with a verse addressed to Soma; verily by means of its own [3] divinity he makes it go forward. 'Thou art the seat of Aditi; do thou sit on the seat of Aditi', he says; that is according to the text. Hitherto the sacrificer has guarded the Soma. 'This, O god Savitr, is the Soma of you (gods)', he says; verily instigated by Savitr, he hands it over to the gods. 'Thou, O Soma, god to the gods, hast thou gone', he says, for it being a god [4] goes to the gods. 'I here, man to men', he says, for he being a man goes to men. If he were not to say that formula, the sacrificer would be without offspring or cattle. 'With offspring, with increase of wealth', he says; verily he abides in this world with offspring and with cattle. 'Homage to the gods', he says, for homage is the due of the gods; 'svadhá' to the Pitrs', be says, for the svadhá call is the due of the Pitrs [5]. 'Here (may) I (be free) from Varuna's noose', he says; verily he is freed from Varuna's noose.

'I pour thee on the head of the earth, on the place of sacrifice', he says; for the place of sacrifice is the head of the earth. 'On the abode of the offering', he says; for the foot of the cow by which the Soma is bought is the abode of the offering. 'Rich in ghee; hail!' [2], he says. Because it was from her foot that ghee was pressed out, he says thus. If the Adhvaryu were to offer a libation where there were no fire, the Adhvaryu would become blind, and the Raksases would destroy the sacrifice. He offers after putting down the gold; verily he offers in that which has fire, the Adhvaryu does not become blind, and the Raksases. do not destroy the sacrifice. As each part is performed, the Raksases are fain to injure the sacrifice. 'The Raksas is enclosed, the evil spirits are enclosed', he says, for the smiting away of the Raksases [3]. 'Thus I cut the necks of the Raksas'; 'Who hateth us and whom we hate', he says. There are two persons, one whom he hates and one who hates him; verily successively he cuts their necks. The foot of the cow with which the Soma is bought is cattle; he pours (the dust of the footprint) so far as it is mixed with the ghee; verily he wins cattle. (Saying) 'Ours be wealth', he pours it; verily the Adhvaryu [4] does not deprive himself of cattle. Saying 'Thine be wealth', he hands it to the sacrificer, and so bestows wealth on the sacrificer. Saying 'Thine be wealth', (the sacrificer hands it) to his wife. For a wife is the half of oneself, and to do so is as it were to deposit it in one's house. 'Let me attend on thee with Tvastr's aid', he says. Tvastr is the maker of the forms of offspring, of pairings; verily he places form in cattle. For this world the Garhapatya fire is piled up; for yonder world the Ahavaniya. If he were to cast it on-the Garhapatya fire, he would be rich in cattle in this world; if on the Ahavaniya, he would be rich in cattle in yonder world he casts it on both; verily he makes him rich in cattle in both worlds.

'This one on the left, the light', (with these words he puts down) on the north; verily with these he supports hearing. 'This one above, thought', (with these words he puts down) above; verily with these he supports speech. Ten by ten he puts (them) down, to give strength. Transversely [4] he puts (them) down; therefore transversely do animals move their limbs, for support. With those (put down) on the east Vasistha prospered, with those on the south Bharadvaja, with those on the west Viçvamitra, with those on the north Jamadagni, with those above Viçvakarman. He who knows thus the prosperity in these (bricks) prospers; he who knows thus their relationship becomes rich in relations; he who knows thus their ordering, (things) go orderly [5] for him; he who knows thus their abode becomes possessed of an abode; he who knows thus their support becomes possessed of support. Having put down the breath-supporters he puts down the unifying (bricks); verily having deposited in him the breaths he unifies them with the unifying (bricks); that is why the unifying have their name. Then too he puts inspiration upon expiration; therefore expiration and inspiration move together. He puts (them) down pointing in different directions; therefore expiration and inspiration go in different directions. The ununified part of the fire [6] is not worthy of heaven; the fire is worthy of heaven; in that he puts down the unifying (bricks), he unifies it; verily he makes it worthy of heaven. 'The eighteen-month- old calf the strength, the Krta of throws at dice', he says; verily by the strengths he wins the throws, and by the throws the strengths. On all sides (these verses) have the word wind', and therefore the (wind) blows on all sides. The Horse Sacrifice (continued) a May the Gayatri, the Tristubh, the Jagati, The Anustubh, with the Pankti, The Brhati, the Usnih, and the Kakubh, Pierce thee with needles.

Three boons should he give, the breaths are three; (verily they serve) to guard the breaths; two only should be given, for the breaths are two; one only should be given, for the breath is one. The fire is an animal here [2]; animals do not find pleasure in want of grass; a brick of Durva grass he puts down, to support animals; with two (verses), for support. 'Arising from every stem', he says, for it finds support with every stem; 'do thou, O Durva, extend us with a thousand, a hundred', he says; Prajapati is connected with a thousand; (verily it serves) to obtain Prajapati. The fact that it has three lines on it is a mark of the gods; the gods put it down with the mark uppermost, the Asuras with the mark undermost [3]; if he desire of a man, 'May he become richer', he should put it down for him mark uppermost; verily he becomes richer; if he desire of a man, 'May he become worse off', he should put his down mark undermost; verily he makes him depressed in accordance with its birthplace among the Asuras, and he becomes worse off. (The brick) has three lines on it; that with three lines is these worlds; verily he excludes its foe from these worlds. When the Angirases went to the world of heaven, the sacrificial cake becoming a tortoise crawled after them [4]; in that he puts down a tortoise, just as one who knows a place leads straight (to it), so the tortoise leads him straight to the world of heaven. The tortoise is the intelligence of animals; in that he puts down the tortoise, animals resort there, seeing their own intelligence; in that the heads of the dead animals are deposited, a burial-ground is made; in that he puts down the living tortoise, he is no maker of a burial-ground, the tortoise is suitable for a dwelling [5].

By the Brahman class he piled its front half, by the lordly class its right wing, by cattle its tail, by the people its left wing, by hope its middle. He who knowing thus piles the fire piles it with the seasons; verily he wins all [1]; they hearken to him who has piled the fire, he eats food, he is resplendent. The first layer is this (earth), the mortar the plants and trees; the second is the atmosphere, the mortar the birds; the third is yonder (sky), the mortar the Naksatras; the fourth the sacrifice, the mortar the sacrificial fee; the fifth the sacrificer, the mortar offspring; if he were to pile it with three layers, he would obstruct the sacrifice, the fee, the self, offspring; therefore should it be piled with five layers; verily he preserves all. In that there [2] are three layers, (it is) since Agni is threefold; in that there are two (more), the sacrificer has two feet, (it is) for support; there are five layers, man is five fold; verily he preserves himself. There are five layers, he covers (them) with five (sets of) mortar, these make up ten, man has ten elements; he preserves man in his full extent. Again the Viraj has ten elements, the Viraj is food; verily he finds support in the Viraj and the eating of food. The sixth layer is the year, mortar is the seasons; there are six layers, six (sets of) mortar, they make up twelve, the year has twelve months; verily he finds support in the year. The Horse Sacrifice (continued) The red, the dark red, the jujube red, these are for Prajapati; the brown, the reddish- brown, the parrot brown, these are for Rudra. The white, the white-eyed, the white- necked, these have the fathers as their deities. Three black barren cows are for Varuna, three white barren cows for the Sun; the dusky-spotted hornless ones are for Mitra and Brhaspati.

He, who knowing thus offers the five-night rite, becomes a speaker of speech, and men call him 'lord of speech'. The four-night rite is incomplete; the six-night rite is redundant, the correct sacrifice is the five-night rite. He who knowing thus sacrifices with the five-night rite sacrifices with the correct sacrifice. The (sacrifices) last five nights; the year consists of five seasons [3]; verily he stands firm in the year with its five seasons. Again the Pankti has five elements, the sacrifice is fivefold; verily he wins the sacrifice. There is an Agnistoma characterized by the Trivrt (Stoma); verily he wins brilliance. There is a Pañcadaça (Stoma); verily he wins power. There is a Saptadaça (Stoma), for the obtainment of food; verily also he gains offspring by reason of it. There is an Agnistoma with the Pañcadaça (Stoma), for the gaining of Prajapati; (it has) the characteristics of the Mahavrata, for the gaining of food. There is a Viçvajit Atiratra, with all the Prstha (Stotras), for the winning of all. The Horse Sacrifice (continued) vii. i. 11. a On the instigation of god Savitr, I take thee with the arms of the Açvins, with the hands of Pusan. b This bond of order they grasped At their assemblies in ages gone by, the sages; Therewith the gods mastered the pressed (juice), In the Saman of order declaring the stream. c Thou art surrounding; thou art the world; thou art the restrainer; thou art the supporter; do thou go, with the cry of 'Hail!' to Agni Vaiçvanara, the extending. d Thou art the restrainer, the ruler on earth; thou art the restrainer who dost thou art the supporter who dost support. c For ploughing thee! For comfort thee! For wealth thee! For increase thee! f For earth thee! For the atmosphere thee! For sky thee! g For being thee! For not being thee! For the waters thee! For the plants thee! For creatures thee! vii. 1. 12.

The new and full moon and the four monthly sacrifices are the beginning of the sacrifice, these Vyahrtis are the Brahman; verily at the beginning of the sacrifice he makes the Brahman. When the year is completed, he should thus with them (Vyahrtis) set down (the oblations), and so with the Brahman he surrounds the year on both sides. To the kingly class falls the blessing of the part of the sacrifice which is performed with the Saman [3]; to the people (falls) the blessing of what (is performed) with the Rc; now the Brahman sacrifices with an offering without a blessing; when he is about to recite the kindling-verses he should first insert the Vyahrtis; verily he makes the Brahman the commencement, and thus the Brahman sacrifices with an offering which has a blessing. If he desire of a sacrificer, 'May the blessing of his sacrifice fall to his foe', he should insert for him those Vyahrtis in the Puronuvakya (verse); the Puronuvakya has the foe for its divinity; verily the blessing of his sacrifice falls to his foe [4]. If he desire of sacrificers, 'May the blessing of the sacrifice fall to them equally', he should place for them one of the Vyahrtis at the half-verse of the Puronuvakya, one before the Yajya, and one at the half-verse of the Yajya, and thus the blessing of the sacrifice falls to them equally. Even as Parjanya rains down good rain, so the sacrifice rains for the sacrificer; they surround the water with a mound, the sacrificer surrounds the sacrifice with a blessing. 'Thou art mind derived from Prajapati [5], with mind and true existence do thou enter me', he says; mind is derived from Prajapati, the sacrifice is derived from Prajapati; verily he confers upon himself mind and the sacrifice. 'Thou art speech, derived from Indra, destroying the foe; do thou enter me with speech, with power', he says; speech is derived from Indra; verily he confers upon himself speech as connected with Indra.

'Let free the rain from heaven; with waters fill the ocean', he says; verily these and yonder waters he unites; then with these he approaches yonder (waters). 'Thou art born of waters, first-born; thou art the might of the ocean', he says; that is according to the text. 'Flood the earth', (with these words) he offers in a Boerhavia procumbens; this of plants is that which wins rain, and thereby he causes rain to fall. 'The gods whose portion is in the sky', (with these words) he shakes the black antelope skin; verily to him these worlds become dear and desired. 'All' the metres are to be recited in this sacrifice', they say; the Kakubh is the strength of the Tristubh, the Usnih of the Jagati; in that he repeats the Usnih and the Kakubh, thereby he wins all the metres. The Usnih is the Gayatri; the four syllables over are fourfooted cattle; just as cake is over cake, so it is with the syllables which are over the verse; if he were to close with a Jagati [1], he would end the sacrifice; he closes with a Tristubh, the Tristubh is power and strength; verily he establishes the sacrifice on power and strength, he does not end it. 'O Agni, three are thy strengths, three thy abodes', with this (verse) containing the word 'three' he closes, for similarity of form: that which has three constituents is the whole of the sacrifice; for every desire it is employed, for the sacrifice is employed for all desires. He who is practising witchcraft should sacrifice with that of three constituents; that which has three constituents is the whole of the sacrifice [2]; verily with the whole of the sacrifice he bewitches him, and lays him low. With the same (offering) should he sacrifice who is practised against, that which has three constituents is the whole of the sacrifice; verily he sacrifices with the whole of the sacrifice, and he who practises witchcraft does not lay him low.

The last he repeats is connected with the Brhat (Saman); yonder world is connected with the Brhat; verily he conquers yonder world. 'Forward [2] your viands', he repeats, a verse which has not any indication (of its deity) and (therefore) is addressed to Prajapati. Prajapati is the sacrifice; verily he grasps the sacrifice as Prajapati. 'Forward your viands', he repeats; viands are food; verily he wins food. 'Forward your viands', he repeats; therefore seed is deposited in front. 'O Agni, come hither for the feast', he repeats; therefore offspring are born at the back. 'Forward your viands', he repeats [3]; 'viands' are the months, 'heavenwards' are the half-months, 'rich in the oblation' are the gods, 'full of butter' is the cow, 'he goes to the gods' (that is) the sacrifice, 'desirous of favour ' is the sacrificer. 'Thou art this, thou art this', (with these words) he wins the dear abode of the sacrifice. If he desire for a man, 'May he live all his days', he should repeat for him 'Forward your viands', and then continuously the next half-verse of 'Agni, come hither to the feast' [4]. Verily by expiration does he make steadfast his inspiration, and he lives all his days. He, who knows the elbow of the Samidhenis, puts his enemy in his elbow. He joins the half-verses; this is the elbow of the Samidhenis; he who knows thus puts his foe in his elbow. The Samidhenis were brought out by Rsi after Rsi; if they were not connected together, they would go away from the sacrificer's offspring and cattle. He unites the half-verses; verily he connects them together, and being so connected and secured they yield him all his desires. Without a Saman there is no sacrifice. 'O Agni, come hither for the feast', he says; this is the character of the Rathantara. 'Thee with the kindling-sticks, O Angiras', he says; this is the character of the Vamadevya. 'The great and powerful one, O Agni', he says. This is the character of the Brhat.

It should be sloping east of the Ahavaniya and west of the Garhapatya. That is a place of sacrifice which is distinctly marked, be is distinguished from his evil foe, they doubt not of him for common meal or wedding. On a place of sacrifice which is artificial should he make him sacrifice who desires wealth. Man must be made; verily he prospers. The high altar taking the form of a lioness went away and remained between the two parties. The gods reflected, 'Whichever of the two she joins, they will become this.' They called to her; she said, 'Let me choose a boon; through me shall ye obtain all your desires, but the oblation shall come to me before (it comes to) the fire.' Therefore do they besprinkle the high altar before (they sprinkle) the fire, for that was its chosen boon. He measures (it) round with the yoke-pin [1], that is its measure; verily also by what is fitting he wins what is fitting. 'Thou art the abode of riches (vitta) for me', he says, for being found (vitta) she helped them; thou art the resort of the afflicted for me', he says, for she helped them in affliction; 'protect me when in want', he says, for she protected them when in want; 'protect me when afflicted', he says, for she protected them when afflicted. 'May Agni, named Nabhas, know (thee) [2], O Agni Angiras', (with these words) he thrice strokes with (the wooden sword); verily he wins the fires that are in these worlds. He strokes in silence for the fourth time, verily he wins that which is not indicated. 'Thou art a lioness; thou art a buffalo', he says, for it (the high altar) taking the form of a lioness went away and remained between the two parties. 'Extend wide; let the lord of the sacrifice extend wide for thee', he says; verily he enriches the sacrificer with offspring and cattle. 'Thou art firm' [3], (with these words) he strikes (the earth) together, for firmness.

'May Brhaspati extend this for us', he says; Brhaspati is the holy power (Brahman) of the gods; verily by the holy power (Brahman) he unites the sacrifice. 'May he unite this scattered sacrifice', he says, for continuity. 'May the All-gods rejoice here', he says; verily continuing the sacrifice he indicates it to the gods. The [5] sacrificial fee which he gives at the sacrifice his cattle accompany; he having sacrificed is like to become without cattle; 'the sacrificer must so arrange', they say, 'that he may place among the gods what is given, but keep his cattle with himself.' 'Swell, O ruddy one', he says; the ruddy one is the sacrifice; verily he magnifies the sacrifice; thus he places among the gods what is given, but keeps his cattle with himself. 'May (my act) as I give be not destroyed', he says; verily he avoids destruction; 'May (my act) as I work not perish', he says; verily he attains prosperity. Samçravas Sauvarcanasa said to Tumiñja Aupoditi: 'When thou hast been a Hotr of Sattrins, what Ida hast thou invoked?' 'Her I have invoked', he said, 'who supports the gods by her expiration, men by her cross-breathing, and the Pitrs by her inspiration.' 'Does she divide, or does she not divide' (he asked). 'She divides', he replied. 'Her body then hast thou invoked', he said. Her body is the cow [1]; of the cow were they two talking. She who is given in the sacrifice supports the gods with her expiration; she by whom men live (supports) men by her cross-breathing; she whom they slay for the Fathers (supports) the Fathers by her inspiration; he who knows thus becomes rich in cattle. 'Her too I have invoked', he said, 'who is available to people as they increase.' 'Her food then [2] hast thou invoked', he replied. This food is plants, plants are available to people as they increase; he who knows thus becomes an eater of food. 'Her too I have invoked', he said, who supports people in distress and succours them as they improve.

The Rathantara is the past [2], the Brhat the future; verily he cuts him off from the past and the future. The Rathantara is the measured, the Brhat the unmeasured; verily he cuts him off from the measured and the unmeasured. Viçvamitra and Jamadagni had a quarrel with Vasistha. Jamadagni saw this Vihavya (hymn), and by means of it he appropriated the power and strength of Vasistha. In that the Vihavya is recited, the sacrificer appropriates the power and strength of his enemy. 'He who performs more rites of sacrifice', they say, 'appropriates the gods.' If the Soma (sacrifice) on the other side is an Agnistoma, he should perform an Ukthya; if it is an Ukthya, he should perform an Atiratra; verily by means of rites of sacrifice he appropriates his deities; he becomes better. a Ye are the Nigrabhyas, heard by the gods. Delight my life, delight my expiration, delight my inspiration, delight my cross-breathing, delight my eye, delight my ear, delight my mind, delight my speech, delight my trunk, delight my limbs, delight my offspring, delight my cattle, delight my house, delight my troops, delight me with all my troops, delight me [1]; may my troops not go thirsty. b The plants are the subjects of Soma; the subjects indeed are able to give up the king; Soma is connected with Indra. 'I have made you grow in my mind, O ye well born; O ye born of right, may we enjoy your favour; may the divine plants in accord with Indra grant us the Soma for the pressing', he says verily having begged him from the plants, his subjects, and his deity he presses him. c When the Soma is pressed [2] the first drop which falls has potency to destroy the power, strength, offspring, and cattle of the sacrificer; he should pronounce over it the formula, 'Thou hast fallen to me with offspring, with abundance of wealth; destroy not my power and strength'; verily he invokes this blessing to prevent the destruction of his power, strength, offering, and cattle.

'May Indra swell for thee; do thou swell for Indra', he says; verily he makes to swell both Indra and Soma. 'Make thy comrades to.swell with wealth and skill', he says. The priests are his comrades; verily he makes them to swell. 'With good fortune may I accomplish thy pressing, O god Soma' [5], he says; verily he invokes this blessing (on himself). Those who make the Soma to swell fall away from this world, for the Soma when made to swell has the atmosphere as its deity. 'Desired are riches exceedingly, for food, for prosperity', he says; verily by paying homage to heaven and earth they find support in this world. The gods and the Asuras were in conflict. The gods in fear entered Agni; therefore they say, 'Agni is all the gods'. They [6], making Agni their protection, overcame the Asuras. Now he as it were enters Agni who undergoes the intermediate consecration, (and it serves) for the overcoming of his foes; he prospers himself, his foe is overcome. He protects himself by the consecration, his offspring by the intermediate consecration. The girdle he makes tighter; for his offspring are closer to him than himself. He drinks warm milk, and rubs himself with bubbling water; for fire is extinguished by cold, (and these serve) for kindling. 'Thy dread form, O Agni', he says; verily with its own deity he consumes the hot milk, for unity, for atonement. The Asuras had three citadels; the lowest was of iron, then there was one of silver, then one of gold. The gods could not conquer them; they sought to conquer them by siege; therefore they say--both those who know thus and those who do not--'By siege they conquer great citadels.' They made ready an arrow, Agni as the point, Soma as the socket, Visnu as the shaft. They said, 'Who shall shoot it?' [1] 'Rudra', they said, 'Rudra is cruel, let him shoot it.' He said, 'Let me choose a boon; let me be overlord of animals.' Therefore is Rudra overlord of animals.

Whether by faith, or by lack of faith-that is, those which have no horns-both indeed were prosperous, those which gained horns and those which won strength. He who ceases after ten months is prosperous, and he who ceases after twelve also, if he knows thus. They go by their feet, and he who goes by his foot attains (what he seeks). The Ayana is successful, and therefore is it productive They perform the Prahas in the first month, they perform them in the middle month, they perform them in the last month. They say, 'In the case of a cow which they milk thrice a day, she yields sparingly at the latter two milkings; how then can she be milked who is twelve times milked?' Having made up the year, they should perform the Prsthas once in the last month; verily the sacrificers win the sacrifice and cattle. It is an ocean [1] without a near or a further shore that they enter upon who perform the year (rite). If they employ the Brhat and the Rathantara Samans, it would be as if they were to provide a boat in the middle of the ocean. Going continuously with the Brhat and the Rathantara they obtain support. The union is milked for all desires; thus the sacrificers obtain all desires. The Rcs are the same. The Rcs are the world of men; verily they leave not the world of man. There are different Samans; the Saman is the world of the gods; verily they descend from the world of the gods to one world after another of men. They first use the Jagati, and the metres descend from the Jagati, the cups from the Agrayana, the Prsthas from the Brhat, the Stomas from the Trayastrinça. Therefore the younger descends before an elder. The Viçvakarman cup is drawn; verily by it the sacrificers win all rites. The cup for Aditi [1] is drawn. Aditi is this (earth); verily they rest on this (earth). The one and the other are drawn, for pairing, for propagation.

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. He should think of whomsoever he hates; verily he causes him pain. The gods divided the sacrifice on the Agnidh's altar: 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 [1], 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 Brahman 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. Indra [2] slew Vrtra; he died upon the waters; of them what was pure, fit for sacrifice, and divine, 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 divine. He should not pass over the nearest Vahantis; if he were to pass over the nearest Vahantis, he would despise the sacrifice. He should not take of stagnant (waters); the stagnant (waters) are seized by Varuna; if he were to take of stagnant (waters) [3], be would cause Varuna to seize his sacrifice.

The Tryaha is reversed, for the return (from heaven), and for support. Having prospered in either world they cease (the rite). The (nights) are fourteen. As for ten of them, the Viraj is ten-syllabled, the Viraj is food; verily by the Viraj they win food. As for four, the quarters are four; verily they find support in the quarters. There are Atiratras on either side, for security. Indra was on a level with the gods, he was not distinguished from them. He ran up to Prajapati; he gave him this (rite) of fifteen nights. He grasped it, and sacrificed with it. Then indeed he became distinguished from the other gods. Those who knowing thus perform (the rite) of fifteen nights attain distinction from the evil enemy. The three days are Jyotis, Go, and Ayus. The Jyotis is this (earth), the Go the atmosphere [1], the Ayus yonder (sky); verily they find support in these worlds. There can be no Sattra where there is no Chandoma; in that there axe Chandomas, there is the Sattra. The gods they win by the Prsthas, the cattle by the Chandomas. The Prsthas are force and strength, the strength, and in cattle, they Chandomas cattle; verily in force and find support. (The rite) is of fifteen nights; the bolt is fifteenfold; verily they hurl the bolt at their enemies. There are Atiratras on either side, for securing power. Indra was as it were loose and unfixed. He was afraid of the Asuras. He ran up to Prajapati; he gave him this (rite) of fifteen nights as a bolt. With it he overcame and conquered the Asuras and attained prosperity. By the Agnistut he burned away the evil, by (the rite) of fifteen nights he placed force, might, power, and strength in himself. Those, who knowing thus perform (the rite) of fifteen nights overcome and conquer their enemies and attain prosperity. By the Agnistut they burn away the evil [1], by (the rite) of fifteen nights they place force, might, power, and strength in themselves. These (nights) are full of cattle.

Prajapati sacrificed; where the oblation found support, thence sprung the Vikankata; there he created offspring; the oblation of him whose Dhruva, is made of Vikankata, wood finds rest; verily 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. a Thou art taken with a support; for Prajapati thee, for him full of light, thee full of light I take; for Daksa who increases cleverness, (thee) that are acceptable to the gods, thee for those whose tongue is Agni, who are righteous, whose highest is Indra, whose king is Varuna, whose friend is Vata, whose breath is Parjanya, for sky thee, for atmosphere thee, for earth thee! b Smite away, O Indra, the mind of him who hateth us, Who desireth to oppress us, Smite him away who practiseth 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 Prajapati, of bounteous gifts, full of light, (thee) full of light I offer. To that deity whom the Adhvaryu and the sacrificer overlook do they fall victims; he should draw the cup of curd for Prajapati, all the gods are Prajapati; verily they make reparation to the gods. This is the foremost of cups; verily he for whom it is drawn attains a foremost place. This cup is the form of all the deities; on him for whom it is drawn all forms of cattle attend. 'Thou are taken with a support [1]; for Prajapati thee, for him full of light, (thee) full of light I take', he says; verily he makes him a light of his equals. 'For those whose tongue is Agni, who are righteous', he says; so many are the deities; verily for all of them he draws it. 'Smite away, O Indra, the mind of him who hateth us', he says, for the smiting away of foes.

Along the furrows he puts (them) down; this is their home, their arrangements; he who knows thus becomes possessed of a home, and things go in order for him. The others he puts down in pairs, but four in the middle, for support. The bricks are food, this oblation is food in very presence; in that he puts down this oblation, verily straightway [5] he wins food for him; in the middle he puts (them) down; verily he bestows food on him in the middle; therefore in the middle is food eaten. It is offered to Brhaspati; Brhaspati is the holy power of the gods: verily by holy power he wins food for him. 'Thou art splendour; for splendour thee!' he says; brilliant and resplendent does he become, for whom these are put down, and he who knows He puts down the bricks of being; in every place is death born; wherever death is born, thence he removes it by sacrifice; therefore the piler of the fire lives all his life, for all deaths are removed by him; therefore the piler of the fire is not to be practised against; his witchcraft turns upon him (who does so) and lays him low. He who piles the fire is consecrated; these are the offerings of the divine consecrators; so many are the consecrations of the gods, and they [1] confer consecrations upon him; they consecrate him, the fire is consecration; the royal consecration is the consecration of Varuna; (the fire) to be piled is the consecration of holy power. 'On the instigation of the god Savitr, thee', he says; verily instigated by Savitr he consecrates him with holy power, with the deities. He pours down every sort of food, to win every sort of food. He pours down over him from the front face to face; for from the front face to face is food eaten. He pours down from the head, for from the head is food eaten; he causes (the water) to flow over up to the mouth [2]; verily on the mouth he bestows food-eating upon him.

(The brick) which he put down in front became the head, that is the eastern quarter; (the brick) which he put down on the right became the right side, that is the southern quarter; (the brick) which he put down behind became the tail, that is the western quarter; (the brick) which he put down on the left [3] became the left side, that is the northern quarter; (the brick) which he put down above became the back, that is the zenith. Agni of the five bricks is this (earth); therefore when they dig in it they knock up against the brick, against gravel. Now all this (earth) in the eyes of the birds shines at night, therefore birds do not at night rest upon it. He who knowing this piles a fire finds support, and conquers all the quarters. The Brahman is connected with Agni, therefore the Brahman finds prosperity in all the quarters; verily every quarter he goes to is his own. The fire is the nest of the waters; therefore waters draw the fire; verily they enter their own birthplace. Having kept the fire in the pan for a year in the second year he should offer on eight potsherds to Agni, to Indra on eleven potsherds, to the All-gods on twelve potsherds, to Brhaspati an oblation, to Visnu on three potsherds; in the third year he should sacrifice with the Abhijit (offering). In that there is (an offering) on eight potsherds, the Gayatri has eight syllables, and the morning pressing is connected with Agni and the Gayatri, verily he supports by it the morning pressing and the Gayatri metre. In that there is (an offering) on eleven potsherds, the Tristubh has eleven syllables, and the midday pressing is connected with Indra and the Tristubh, verily he supports by it the midday pressing and the Tristubh [1] metre. In that there is (an offering) on twelve potsherds, the Jagati has twelve syllables, and the third pressing is connected with the All-gods and the Jagati, verily he supports by it the third pressing and the Jagati metre.

When a son is born he should offer on twelve potsherds to Vaiçvanara; in that there is (an offering) on eight potsherds, he purifies him with the Gayatri, with splendour; in that there is (an offering) on nine potsherds, he bestows brilliance upon him with the Trivrt (Stoma); in that there is (an offering) on ten potsherds, he bestows proper food upon him with the Viraj; in that there is (an offering) on eleven potsherds, he bestows power upon him with the Tristubh; in that there is (an offering) on twelve potsherds, he bestows cattle upon him with the Jagati; he upon whose birth he offers this sacrifice becomes pure [3], brilliant, an eater of food, powerful, possessed of cattle. He is cut off from the world of heaven who, being a sacrificer at new and full moon, the sacrifice either at the new or the full moon omits, for the new and full moon offerings are made for the world of heaven; if he has omitted the sacrifice either at the new or the full moon, he should offer to Vaiçvanara on twelve potsherds; Agni Vaiçvanara is the year; verily he delights the year; verily also he brings up the year for him for the winning of the world of heaven [4]; verily also grasping the deities he goes to the world of heaven. He who removes the fire is the slayer of the hero among the gods; formerly righteous Brahmans did not eat his food; he should offer to Agni on eight potsherds, to Vaiçvanara on twelve potsherds, when he is about to remove the fire; in that there is (an offering) on eight potsherds, the Gayatri has eight syllables, Agni is connected with the Gayatri; to Agni in his full extent he shows hospitality; verily also that is as when one makes preparation for a man about to go to (another) people [5]. (The offering) to Vaiçvanara is on twelve potsherds; the year has twelve months; the birthplace of Agni is the year; verily he makes him go to his own birth place; his food becomes fit to eat.

c Ye are missiles by name; your houses are in the east; your arrows are Agni; the water, &c. Ye are smearers by name [3]; your houses are in the south, your arrows are the fathers; the ocean, &c. Ye are the bearers of the bolt by name; your houses are in the west, your arrows are sleep; the cleft, &c. Ye are the stable by name; your houses are in the north; your arrows are the waters; the sea, &c. Ye are overlords by name; your houses are above; your arrows are the rain; the helper, &c. Ye are the raw-flesh eaters by name, of the earth; your houses are bore [4]; your arrows are food; winking is the name of the wind; to you homage; be ye gentle to us; him whom we hate and who hateth us I put in your jaws. d Some gods eat the offerings, others do not; verily the piler of the fire delights both sets. He offers these libations with curds mixed with honey; verily he delights them with their proper portion. Or rather they say, 'The gods who eat not the oblations are the bricks' [5]. He offers going round in order; verily he delights them completely. e Suck this mighty breast of the waters, Filled in the midst of the flood, O Agni; Rejoice in the spring of sweetness, O ocean, Enter thy seat of the sea. f If one having yoked the fire does not set it free, then just as a horse yoked and not set free in hunger is overcome, so his fire is overcome, and with it being overcome the sacrificer is overcome; he having piled the fire becomes aheat [6]; 'Suck this mighty breast of the waters', (with these words) he offers a ladle full of butter; this is the freeing of the fire; verily setting it free he gives it food. Therefore they say, both he who knows and he who knows not. 'A horse well loaded carries well'; the horse is Agni; verily he delights him, he delighted delights him; he becomes richer.

'Through thee I interpose sky and earth [1], I interpose the broad atmosphere', he says; verily with these worlds the sacrificer obstructs his foes. The gods reflected, 'Indra hath now become what we are'; they said, 'O bounteous one, give us a share'; 'In unison with the gods, the lower and the higher', he replied; to both (the sets of) gods, the lower and the higher [2], he gave a share. 'In unison with the gods, the lower and the higher', he says; to both (the sets of) gods, 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 sacrificer 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 [3], to separate expiration and inspiration. The Upançu and the Antaryama (cups) are expiration and inspiration, the Upançu 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. The cup for Indra and Vayu is speech; in that the cups are drawn beginning with that to Indra and Vayu, verily they follow speech. The gods said to Vayu, 'Let us slay Soma, the king'; he replied, 'Let me choose a boon; let your cups be drawn with mine first.' Therefore the cups are drawn with those for Indra and Vayu first. They slew him; he became putrid; the gods could not endure him, they said to Vayu, 'Make him sweet for us' [1]; he replied, 'Let me choose a boon; let your vessels, be said to have me as their deity.

He who desires a village should offer to the Maruts an oblation of panic seed in the milk of a speckled (cow); from the milk of a speckled (cow) were the Maruts born, of the speckled (cow) panic seed; his fellows have the Maruts for their deity; verily he has recourse to the Maruts with their own share; verily they subject his fellows to him; he becomes possessed of a village. The Yajya and the Anuvakya contain the word 'dear' [4]; verily he makes him dear to his fellows; the Puronuvakya, has two feet; verily he wins bipeds; the Yajya has four feet; verily he wins quadrupeds. The gods and the Asuras were in conflict; the gods were mutually at variance; unwilling to accept the pre-eminence of another they went apart in four bodies, Agni with the Vasus, Soma with the Rudras, Indra with the Maruts, Varuna with the Adityas. Indra had recourse to Prajapati; he made him [5] sacrifice with the verse for harmony; to Agni with the Vasus he offered a cake on eight potsherds, to Soma with the Rudras an oblation, to Indra with the Maruts a cake on eleven potsherds, to Varuna with the Adityas an oblation; then indeed the gods agreed to recognize Indra's pre-eminence. Him who is mutually at variance with his fellows he should cause to offer with the verse for harmony; he should offer to Agni with the Vasus a cake on eight potsherds, to Soma with the Rudras an oblation, to Indra with the Maruts a cake on eleven potsherds, to Varuna with the Adityas an oblation; so him becoming Indra his fellows recognize as superior; he becomes the best of his fellows. a The golden germ. b When the waters. c O Prajapati. d He as a son knoweth the father, he the mother, He is a son, he is of generous returns; He hath enveloped the sky, the atmosphere, he the heaven; He hath become all the worlds, he hath come to be. f The radiant. g Thou from of old with thy new glory, O Agni, with thy companion light, Hast mightily outstretched.

He should repeat all the metres for one who makes many sacrifices, for all the metres are won by him who makes many sacrifices. He should repeat indefinitely to win that which is not definite. The thread is worn around the neck for men, over the right shoulder for the Pitrs, over the left for the gods. He puts it over the left shoulder; verily he makes the mark of the gods. He repeats standing, for standing he speaks more audibly. He repeats standing, to conquer the world of heaven. He sacrifices sitting; verily he finds support in this world. In that he repeats in the Krauñca, note, that is connected with the Asuras, in the low note, that is connected with men, in the intermediate note, that is connected with the gods. One should repeat in the intermediate note, to secure the gods. Clever indeed [1] were the Hotrs of old; there fore the ways were held apart, and the paths did not conflict. One foot should be within the sacrificial altar, the other outside; then he repeats, to hold the ways apart and to avoid conflict of the paths. Then does he win the past and the future, the measured and the unmeasured does he win, domestic and wild cattle both does he win [2]; verily also the world of the gods and the world of men he conquers. The gods having repeated the Samidhenis could not see the sacrifice. Prajapati in silence performed the sprinkling of the butter. Then indeed did the gods see the sacrifice. In that he silently sprinkles, (it serves) to light up the sacrifice. Verily also he anoints the kindling-sticks. He who knows thus becomes soft. Verily also he delights them. He delights in offspring and cattle [3] who knows thus. If he were to sprinkle with one (verse), he would delight one; if with two, (he would delight) two; if with three, he would make (the offering) go beyond (all others). He sprinkles (repeating the verse) in the mind, for what is imperfect is made perfect by mind. He sprinkles across so as not to make a failure.

In that he prepares (them) with these two (verses), verily by addressing him with them he secures him, so that his self is not injured. He prepares (them) with two; the sacrificer has two feet; (verily it serves) for support. Having prepared them, he offers five libations; cattle are fivefold; I verily he wins cattle. Now the victim is led to death, and if he should lay hold on it, the sacrificer would be likely to die. ' The breath of the sacrifice is apart from the victim', he says, for distinction [1]. 'If the victim has uttered a cry'--(with these words) he offers a libation, for calming. 'O ye slayers, come to the sacrifices', he says; that is according to the text. When the omentum. is being taken, the strength goes away from Agni. 'Thee they keep to carry the offering'--(with these words) he pours a libation over the omentum; verily he wins the strength of Agni; (it serves) also for making (the victim) ready. In the case of some gods the cry of 'hail!' is uttered before (an offering), in the case of others the cry of 'hail!' is uttered after. 'Hail to the gods, to the gods hail!'--(with these words) he pours a libation on either side of the omentum; verily he delights both (sets of gods). a 'He who performs the sacrifice not according to the deities falls a victim to the deities, he becomes worse. He who (performs) in accordance with the deities does not fall a victim to the deities, he becomes better. He should rub the Agnidh's place with a verse addressed to Agni, the oblation-holder with one addressed to Visnu, the offering-spoons with one addressed to Agni, the Vayu cups with one addressed to Vayu, the Sadas with one addressed to Indra. Thus he forms the sacrifice in accordance with the deities, he does not fall a victim to the deities, he becomes better. b I yoke earth for thee with light, I yoke wind for thee with the atmosphere [1], I yoke speech for thee with the sun, I yoke the three spaces of the sun for thee.

The full moon in Citra, is the beginning of the year; verily they consecrate themselves grasping the year at the beginning. In that there is no objection at all. They should consecrate themselves on the fourth day before the full moon. Then the buying (of the Soma) falls for them on the Ekastaka; verily they do not waste the Ekastaka. In their case [2] the pressing-(day) falls on the first half (of the month), the months end in the first half, they complete (the rite) in the first half, and when they complete the rite the plants and trees come out after them. And after them follows the fair report, 'These sacrificers have succeeded', and therefore all succeed. They go to the world of heaven who perform the Sattra. They kindle themselves with the Diksas, and cook themselves with the Upasads. With two they cut off their hair, with two their skin, with two their blood, with two their flesh, with two their bones, with two their marrow. In the Sattra the self is the sacrificial gift; verily taking the self as the gift they go to the world of heaven. They cut off the top-knot, for prosperity, (thinking), 'More swiftly may we attain the world of heaven.' vii. 4. 10. The theologians say, 'The Atiratra is the highest of the forms of sacrifice. Why do they perform it first?' Now in doing so they really perform in order first the Agnistoma, then the Ukthya, then the Sodaçin, then the Atiratra, all the forms of sacrifice, and seizing and holding them, they keep drinking the Soma. They perform the Jyotistoma first; the Jyotistoma is the beginning of the Stomas; verily they commence the Stomas from the beginning [1]. The Stomas being sung together make up the Viraj, and two verses are redundant; the Gostoma has one too many, and the Ayustoma one too few. The Jyotistoma is the world of heaven, the Viraj is strength; verily by it they go to the world of heaven. 'The Rathantara is used in the day, the Rathantara at night', say the theologians, 'what is used to avoid repetition?

He should give four cows; verily with them the sacrificer in yonder world milks the fire. a 'To thought I offer with mind, with ghee', he says; the oblation to Viçvakarman is called the undeceivable; the foe cannot deceive him who has piled; verily also he wins the gods. b 'O Agni, to-day', (with these words) he offers with a Pankti verse, and by the Pankti and the libation he grasps the beginning of the sacrifice. C 'Seven are thy kindling-sticks, O Agni; seven thy tongues', he says; verily he wins the Hotr's offices. Agni went away from the gods, desiring a portion [1]; to him they assigned this as a portion; that is the Agnihotra, of Agni; then is he born indeed he is completely piled. Verily to him on birth he gives food; he delighted delights he becomes richer. d The theologians say, 'Since it is as the Garhapatya that (the fire) is piled, then is its Ahavaniya?' 'Yonder sun', he should reply, for in it they offer to all the gods He who knowing thus piles the fire straightway makes pleased the gods. e O Agni, the glorious, lead him to glory; Bring hither the fame that is Indra's; May he be head, overlord, resplendent, Most famed of his equals. With look auspicious first they underwent Fervour and consecration, the seers who found the heavenly light; Thence was born the kingly power, might and force; May the gods in unison accord that to us. Disposer, ordainer, and highest [3] onlooker, Prajapati, supreme lord, the ruler; The Stomas, the metres, the Nivids, mine they call; To him may we secure the kingdom. Turn towards me, come to me; May he be your ruler, your overlord; On his discernment do ye depend; Upon him henceforth do ye all serve. He puts down these supporters of the realm; this is the realm supporting piling of the fire; verily with it he bestows on him the kingly power, he becomes the kingly power, the kingly power does not fall away from him. a Just as a son born dies, so dies he whose fire in the pan is extinguished.

'We have won the utterance of prayer and homage', he says; 'we have won this', he says in effect. 'It resteth on sky and earth', he says, for the sacrifice rests on the sky and earth. 'Helpful for thee in this sacrifice, O sacrificer, be sky and earth' [5], he says; verily he invokes this blessing. If he were to say, 'easy of access and easy to dwell on', the sacrificer would be likely to perish, for when he perishes he has recourse to this (earth). 'Easy of approach, and easy to move on', he should say; verily he invokes for him a wider sphere, and he is not likely to perish. 'In the knowledge of these two Agni hath rejoiced in this offering', he says; 'the gods we have sacrificed to [6], we have made them to prosper', he says in effect. If he were not to indicate (the sacrificer), the blessing of the sacrifice would go to his neighbour. 'This sacrificer imploreth (a blessing) N. N.', he says; verily by indicating him he makes him attain the world of heaven. 'He imploreth length of days, he imploreth a noble offspring, he says; verily he invokes this blessing. 'He imploreth superiority over his equals', he says; his equals are the breaths; verily he does not obstruct his breaths [7]. 'Agni shall win, god, from the gods, we men from Agni', he says, 'Agni wins from the gods, we from men', he says in effect. 'Here is the path of favour, and this our homage to the gods', he says; to both the gods whom he sacrifices to and those to whom he does not sacrifice, he pays homage, for his own security. The gods could not find any one to utter the call Svaga at the sacrifice. They spoke to Çamyu Barhaspatya, 'Perform the Svaga call at this sacrifice for us.' He said, 'Let me choose a boon; if a faithless man sacrifice, or a man sacrifices without prescription, let the blessing of such a sacrificer be mine.' Therefore if a faithless man sacrifices, or a man sacrifices without prescription, the blessing of such a sacrifice goes to Çamyu Barhaspatya.

He pays reverence [3]; that is his bond. He pays reverence; that is his appeal. He pays reverence; that is as if an inferior brings (something) to a superior and pays him honour. 'Thou art giver of life, O Agni; give me life', he says, for he is a giver of life. 'Thou art giver of radiance, O Agni; give me radiance', he says, for he is a giver of radiance. I Thou art guardian of the body, O Agni; guard my body', he says [4], for he is a guardian of the body. 'O Agni, whatever is deficient in my body, do thou make that good for me', he says; 'whatever is deficient in my offspring and cattle, do thou make that good for me', be says in effect. 'O thou of various splendour, in safety may I reach the end of thee', he says; that of various splendour is the night. The Brahmans aforetime feared its not dawning; verily he wins the dawn. 'Kindling thee for a hundred winters' [5], he says; man lives a hundred years and has a hundred powers; verily he rests on life and power. This is a pipe with projections; by it the gods made piercings of hundreds of the Asuras; in that he takes up the kindling-stick with this verse, the sacrificer hurls the hundred-slaying (verse) as a bolt against his enemy to lay (him) low without fail. 'Thou, O Agni, hast attained the radiance of the sun', he says; 'that thou art, thus may I be', he says in effect. 'Thou, O Agni, hast the radiance of the sun', he says; verily he invokes this blessing. 'I gaze on offspring', he says; verily he wins all the domesticated animals. 'Ye are water; may I share your water', he says, for they are water. 'Ye are greatness; may I share your greatness', he says, for they are greatness. 'Ye are might; may I share your might', he says, for they are might. 'Ye are strength; may I share your strength', he says [1], for they are strength. 'Ye wealthy ones, stay', he says; the wealthy ones are cattle; verily he makes cattle stay with himself.