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FIFTH CHAPTER On the Sacrificial Drink uchich the King has to Taste instead of Soma, According to the Instruction given by Rāma Margaveya to the King Visvantara.)

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(Story of the Sy@parnas. Rama Defends their Rights.)

Vispantara, the son of Suṣādman, deprived the Syāparnas of their right of serving as his sacrificial [482] priests, and interdicted any one of this family to take part in his sacrifice. Having learnt (that) they went to the place of his sacrifice and seated themselves within the precincts of the Vedi. On observing them, Visvantara said (to his attendants), * There sit those Syāparnas, the scoundrels, who endeavour to sully another’s fame. Turn them out; let them not sit in the Vedi,” The attendants obeyed and turned the Syāparnas out. They then cried aloud, * \ben Janamejaya, the son of Pariṣkit, was performing a sacrifice without the Kaśyapas (who were lis hereditary priests), then the Asitamrigas from among the Kaśyapas turned the Bhūtaviras (who were officiating instead of the Kasyapas) out, not allowing them to administer the Soma rites. They succeeded because they had brave men with them. * Well, what hero is now among us, who might by force take away this Soma beverage (that we might administer it ourselves) ? " “This your man am I,” said Rama Mārgaveya, * This Rāma belonged to the Syāpar - nas, and had completed the sacred study. When the Syāparnas rose

This place is to be occupied by the priests and the sacrificer only. * In the text is asmika, instead of asmekam.

Son of a woman Msigavit or Mriganiyu (both forms are used). Say, He is quite different from Rama, the liero of the Rāmpāna,

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to leave, then he said to the king, “Will (thy servants), o king, turn out of the Vedi even a man (like me) who knows the sacred science ?” (The king answered), “O thou member of the vile Brahman brood, * whoever thou art, how hast thou any knowledge (of such matters) ? " .

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[483] (Why Indra was Excluded from Tris Share in the Soma. The Kṣattriya Race Became also Excluded.) -

(Rāma said) “I know it from the fact, that Indra had been excluded by the gods (from having any share in the sacrifices). For he had scornedVisvarūpa, the son of Tvaṣtar, cast down VỊitra · (and killed him), thrown ‘pious men (yatis) before the jackals (or wolves) and killed the Arurmaghas, and jebuked (484) (his teacher) Brihaspati.

• Sāy. explains bruhmabandhu by brahmana adhana, teen, lowest Brahman. No doubt, there is something contemptible in this expression,

• In the original, ablıya maista. This cannot mean (according to etymologs), “be killed” as Sāy, supposes, misguided by the story told in the Taittir. Sanik. 2, 4, where Indra is said to have cut the three heads of Visvarapa, which were somapánam (drinking of Soma), surapainan (drinking of spirituous liquor), and annadanam (eating of food). The reason alleged for Indra’s killing him is that he, as a relation of the Asuras, informed them about the secret portions of the sacrificial food, Soma, &c., whilst he told the Doras, whose associate he was, only the real and visible ones, Indra holding that he who knows the secret portions of Soma, &c., will come to know the real ones also, became afraid lost the Asuras might, strengthened by Soma, overthrow his rule, and killed the perpetralor of such a treason by cutting of his three heads, each of which was transform ed into a particular kind of bird, Visvarūpa being a Brahman, Indra thus became guilty of the horrible crime of Brahman-murder (brahmahatyā). All beings called bim “murderer of a Brahman,” so that he could not ūnd rest anywhere. He requested the Earth to take off the third part of his guilt, who under certain condi’ions complied with his request. To be relieved from the two remaining thirds of his burden, he applied to the trees, and the women, who readily took under certain conditions a part of his guilt upon then selves. Tvaṣtar, the father of Vairūpa, excluded Indra from any share in the Soma sacrifice ; but ho took his share with force. The remaining portion of Indra’s share was thrown into the sacrificial fire by Tyastar, with the words, “Grow (vardhasva) into an enemy of Indra.” This became the terrible foe of Indra, known in the legends by the name of vritra. Indra succeeded afterwards in killing him. See the same legend in the Kāusitaki Upaniṣad. 3, 1.

• In the Kaus. Up. 3, 1, we find the form Arunmiklu Sāy, thinks them to be Asuras in the disguise of Brahmans. With this explanation agrees Pankaracharya on the whole in his Commentary on the Kāuṣ. Up. (page 75, ed. Cowell). He divides the word into rurmuycha, and the negative as The üret is to mean “the study of the Vedas,” and the second mouth." Therefore the whole means, according to him, in " whose mouth is not the study of the Vedas." This explanation is quite artificial and unsatisfactory. The Arurmaghas (this is propably the right form) were, no doubt, a kind of degraded Aryas, very likely a tribe of the ancient Iranians, in whose language (the Zend) the words aurvo and magha are frequently to be met withi.On account of these faults, Indra was forth with excluded from partici pation in the Soma beverage. And after Indra had been excluded in this way from the Soma, all the Kṣattriyas (at whose head he is) were likewise excluded from it. But he was allowed a share in it afterwards, having stolen the Soma from Tvaṣtar. But the Ksattriya race remains excluded from the Soma beverage to this day. There is one here who knows the way in which the Kṣattriya, who is properly excluded from the Soma beverage, may relish in this juice. Why do thy men expel such a man from the Vedi?" The king asked then, “Dost thou. O Brahmana, know this way?” Ravia answered, “Yes, I know it." The king then replied, “Let me know it, 0 Brahmana.” Rama answered. “I will let thee know here, O king.”

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(Whiclt Portions of Sacrificial Drink the King has to Aroid.) The priests may take any one of the three portions (which are to be left), either Soma, or curds, or water. When they take the Soma, which is the portion allotted to Brahmaṇas, then thou wilt favour the Brahmanas by it.’ Thy progeny will be distinguished by the charac teristics of the Brahmana; for they will be ready to take gifts, tbirsty after drinking (Somal, and hupgry of eating food, and ready to roam about everywhere according to their pleasure. [485] When there is any fault on the Kṣattriya (who, when sacrificing, eats the Brāhmaṇa portion), then his progeny has the characteristics of a Brahmaṇa; but in the second or third generation he is then capable of entering com pletely the Brāhmaṇaship, and he will have the desire of living with the Brahmānic fraternity.

When they take the curds, which is the share of the Vaisyas, then thou wilt favour the Vaisyas by it (and consequently be brought near them). Thy offspring will be born with the characteristics of the Vais yas, paying taxes to another king, to be enjoyed by another; they will be oppressed according to the pleasure of the king. When there is any fault on the Kṣattriya who, when sacrificing, eats the Vaisya portion), then his progeny is born with the characteristics of a Vaidya ; and in the second or third degree, they are capable of entering the caste of the Vaibyas, and are desirous of living in the condition of a Vaišva (i.e., they will have the nature of a Vaisya).

• That is to say, thou wilt, when regenerated in thy son and grandson, bo accopted by the Brābmapas as a member of their caste,

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When thou takest the water, which is the share of the Sūdras, then thou wilt please the Sūdras by it. Thy progeny will have the character istics of the Sūdras, they are to serve another the three higher castes, to be expelled and beaten according to the pleasure of their masters.) When there is any fault on the Kṣattriya (who, when sacrificing, eats the Sūdra portion), then his offspring will be born with the character istics of the sūdras; and in the second or third degree, be is capable of entering the condition of the Sūdras, and will be desirous of passing his life in that condition.

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(Which Portion the King should choose at the Sacrifice. The Origin and

Meaning of Nyagrodha.) These are the three portions (bhakṣas,) O King, of which the Kṣattriya, when performing a sacrifice, [486] must choose none. But the following is liis own portion, which he is to enjoy. He must squeeze the airy descending roots of the Nyagrodha tree, together with the fruits of the Udumbaral, Asvattha, and Flakṣa trees, and drink the juice of them. This is his own portion.

(For the origin of the Nyagrodha tree is as follows): When the gods, after the (successful) performance of their sacrifice, went up to heaven, they tilted over (1173-ubjan) the Soma cups, whence the Nyagrodha trees grew up. And by the name of Nyubja, i.e., tilted over, they are not called in Kuruksetra, where they grew first; from them all the others originated. They grew descending the roots (nyañcho rohanti). There fore what grows downwards, is a downward growth (nyagroha); and for this name, signifying “downward growth,” they called the tree “Nya yrudlia.” 8 It is called by the name Nyagrodha, whose meaning is Lidden (to men), and not by the more intelligible pame Nyagrola, for the gods like to conceal the very names of objects from men, and call them by names unintelligible to them.

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On the Meaning of the King’s Drinking the Juice of the Nyagrodha Tree

instead of Soma.) That portion of the juice in these Soma cups which went downwards became the descending roots, and of the other which went up, the fruits were produced. That Kṣattriya, therefore, who enjoys the juice of

• The word is traced to the rout ruh, lo grow, the older foru of which is rudh ; compare avoradha, " the descending roots,"

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the descending roots of the Nyagrodha tree, and that of its fruits, is not debarred from his own share (bhakṣa). Further, he thus obtains the Soma beverage by means of a substitute, though he does not enjoy [487] the real Soma, but only in the form of a substitute ; for the Nyagrodha is just this substitute of the Soma. The Kṣattriya (when drinking the juice of the Nyagrodha) enters the form of the Brahma by the medium of another (not direct), viz., through the relationship of his purohita (with the Brahmans), his own Dīkṣi (at which the king himself was made a Brāhmana for a little while), and the Pravara of his Parohita. The Ksattra (ruling power) occupies (among men the same place as) the Nyagrodha among the trees, for the Kṣattra are the royal princes, whose power alone is spread here (on this earth), as being alone invested with sovereign power. The Nyagrodha is,’ as it were, firmly established in the earth (and thus a sign of the duration of the royal power); and by means of its descending roots expanded (in all directions, and therefore a sign of the great extent of the power of the Ksattriyas over the whole earth). When the Kṣattriya who performs a sacrifice enjoys (the juice squeezed out of the) descending roots of the Nyagrodha tree, and its fruits, then he places in himself royal power (exercised by the Nyagrodha) over the trees, and into the Kṣattra his own Self. He then is in the Kṣattra, and the royal power represented by the Nyagrodha over the trees, is then placed in him. Just as the Nyagrodha tree has, by means of its descending roots, a firm footing on the earth (for it is multiplied in this way), the royal power of a Kṣattriya who enjoys, vlien sacrificing, this portion (as food) has a firm footing, and his rule cannot be overthrown.

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[488] (The Symbolical Meaning of the Fruits of the Udumbaroi, Asvaltha, and Plakṣa Trees. What Implements are Required for this quasi-Soma

Feast of the King.) As to the fruits of the Udumbara tree, which originated from the vigour which is in food, and in which there is all the vigour of the trees, furnishing nourishments, the Ksatriya (when drinking the juice prepared from its fruits) places in the Kṣattra food, and what yields nourishment from the trees.

• The tree (a kind of the Ficus indica) is very strong,

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As to the fruits of the Asvattha tree, which sprang out of lustre, and which has the sovereignty over the trees, the Kṣattriya (when drinking the juice prepared from its fruits) places in the Kṣattra lustre and the sovereignty over the trees.

As to the fruits of the Plakṣa tree, which sprang out of glory, and in which there is the independence and brilliancy of the trees represented, the Kṣattriya places in this way the independence and brilliancy which is in the trees in the Kshattra.

When all these things (the roots of the Nyagrodha tree, &c.) are in readiness for him, then the priests buy the Soma, and perform for the king the several ceremonies preceding the eve of the festival, just in the same way as the real Soma is treated. Then the day before the celebration (of the feast) the Adhvaryu should have all these things ready which are required for the preparation of the Soma juice, such as the (goat) skin (placed below), the two boards required for squeezing, the Dronakalasa, the cloth (for purifying), the stones, the Půtabhrit, the Adhavaniya, the Sthali, the Udanehnam and the Chamasa,10 Then [489] they should make

1* Here are the principal implements required for squeezing, preparing, keeping, sacrificing and drinking the Soma juice mentioned. A detailed knowledge of them constitutes one of the principal qualifications of an Adhvaryu. Their description is thereforo to be found principally in the Satras of the Yajurveda (see the 9th and 10th Adhyaya of the Kitiya sātras, the 8th and 9th Praína of the Hiran yakesi Sūtras, SÅ yana’s Commentary on the 4th Prapathaka of the 1st Kānda of the Taittiriya Sau hita, founded on tho Apastamba Sranta Sūtras).

In ordor to make the use of these vessels intelligible to the reader, I subjoin here a short doscription of the preparation of the Soma juice, partially from what I myself have witnessed, partially from the ritual books and oral information,

The plant which is at present used by the sacrifcial priests of the Dekkhan at the Sona feast, is not tho Soma of the Vedas, but appears to belong to the same order. It grows on hills in the neighbourhood of Poona, to the height of about 4 to 5 feet, and formos a kind of bush, consisting of a certain number of shoots, all coming from the same root; thoir stom is solid like wood; the bark greyish; they are without leaves, the sap appears whitish, has a very stringent taste, is bitter, but not sour; it is a very nasty drink, and has soine intoxicating effect. I tasted it several times, but it was impossible for me to drink more than some tea-spoonfulls.

The juico is obtaind in the following way: The Adhvaryu firot spreads a skin (charma), and puts on it the Soma shoots which are called arsu or valli. He now takes two boards, adhiṣavara; tho first is placed above the Soma. He beats the board with one of the so-called grávanas, i.e., Soma squeezing stones, takes the shoots (as many as le requires for the particular Savana) from below the boards, ties them together, and places the other board above them. He then pours water from the Vasatīvari pot (see page 114-115) on this board ; this water is called nigrābhya. He now takes certain num ber of shoots (there are, for instance, for the libation from the Upāmsu Graha, which is the ürst of all, six required) out of the whole bunch which lies between the two boards,

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two parts of what is squeezed for the king (the roots of the Nyagrodha, &c); one is to [490] be made ready for the morning libation, the other - to be left for the midday libation.

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(The Drinking from the Traita Cups.) Vhen the priests lift the Traita cups for " sacrificing, then they shall lift up the cup of the eacrificer [491] also, having thrown upon it holds over them the Soma squeezing stone, and shakes them thrice in the Chamasa (cup) of the Hotar, towards the right side. This is the Nigrábhu. He wete them with the waters of the Vasativari pot. Now he puts them on a large stone, places upon them some grass, anil beats the shoots in order to extract the juice. The technical term for this beating is, abhisuoti. Each abhisava, or completo extracting of the Soma juice consists of three turns (paryayas); in the first, the Adhvaryu beats the shoots eight timos, and makes the Nigráhna in the manner described above, in the second turn, he beats them eleven times, and in the third twelve times, making at the end of each the Nigrābha. The juice which the Adhvaryu catches at the end of each turn with his band, is thrown into a vessel (at the first abhisava in the Upā msu Graha).

After this frst or preliminary abhisavo, follows the mahābhisava or the great squeezing ceremony, performed exactly in the same way as the first, with the only difference, that the Adhvaryu takes from between the two boards as many Sopa shoots as are required for the rest of the Savanam (libation). If the juice is extracted, it is poured in the Adhavaniya, a kind of trough. Thence it is poured in a cloth, in order to strain it. This cloth is called Pavitra or Daśđpavitra. Below the cloth is anotber trongh, called Pitābhșit (i.e., the bearer of what is strained, purified). The Udgātar must hold the cloth when the juice is strained.

Single shoots of the Soua, and drops of its juice, are put in several sthālis or small vessels generally used for keeping butter. The libations are poured from two kinds of vessels, from the Grahas (see page 118), and the Chamasas ‘cups). Each offering from it Graha coosists of a certain number of Dharás or portions (of a liquid substance). So, for instance, the offering from the Agrayana Graha, at the evening libation, consists of the following four Dharás: that one which is in the Agrayana sthālī (not the Graha) taken by the Adhvarya; the two portions which remained in the Aditya Graha (the libation from which precedes that from the Agrayana), and in the Ajya sthali (the pot with melted butter); these two are taken by the Pratipastbātar; the fourth Dhārā is taken from the Adhavaniya trough by the Unnetar. Each of the four Dhārās is first strained by a cloth held over the Patábhrit vessel. The Unpetar takes his Dbārā with a vessel, called Udonchana, or with a Chamasa. These four Dhārās are then illed from the Půtabhrit in the Agrayana Graha, and sacrificed in the usual way. Certain offerings are filled in the Grabas from another very large trongh, the so-called Dronakalasa (one such vessel is in my possession). At certain occasions, there is not only the mouth of the Graha to be filled up to the brim, but the small cup, put in it (which alone was originally the Graba; but, after the latter term had become identical with Pátra, the vessel itself, the smill cap, was called atigraha), is also filled; this is called atigráhya.

l! They are called here traita cha masa. There are, on the whole, ten such curs; therefore traita cannot be referred to tri, i.e., three. In all likelihood, the word is

two young sprouts of Dharba grass; both are the one after the other) to be thrown on the wooden sticks surrounding the fire, by the formula Vaupat! liter having thrown the first, the priest repeats the rerse, cldliknitno akriṣum (4, 39, 6), concludiog with Srathi and Vaugat. After having thrown the second Dharba stalk, he repeats the verse, it dadhikmili śarasů (, 38, 10.) When the priests then take the Soma cups to drink themselves, the sacrificer should take his cup also. When they lift them up (to drink), the sacrificer should do the same. When the Hotar then calls the Ilā (just before drinking) to the place, and drinks from his cup, then the sacrificer should drink bis cup iThilst repeating the following verse, " That has remained of the juicy Soma beverage whilst Indra drank with his hosts, this his remainder I enjoy with my happy mind, I drink the king Soma." This beverage prepared from the trees (above men tioned) promising fortune to him, becomes drunk with a happy mind. The royal power of a Kṣattriya who, when sacrificing, drinks only this portion described, becomes strong, and is not to be chaken.

[492] By the words, “Be a blessing to our heart thou who art drunk ! prolong our life, o Soma, that we may live long!” he then cleans his mouth ; for, if the juice remaining on his lips) is not wiped off, then Soma, thinking, “an un torthy drinks ine,” is able to destroy the life of a mau. But if the juice is wiped off in this way, then he prolongs the life. With the following two verses, which are appropriate for the sacri. fice, āpyayusva sametu (1, 91, 10) and sanit te payāmsi samayantu (1, 91, 181, he blesses the Chamasa (i. e., vhat be has drunk from it) to bear fruit. That is appropriate in the sacrifice, that is successful. connected with Trita, who was the first physiciau, and the Sowa being the best of all mcdicincs, supposed to have invented such cups. Siiyana doos not explain the torin in his Commentary on tho Aitarera Brahmanam - but his attempt at an explanation in that on the Taittiriya Sambitā (ii. page 253, . Cowell) shows that he bad evidently no clear idea of what the original meaning mas; for after having tried more than one explanation

om the mainile original weinings fit after has from the zomeral tri, he exclaims,” but it is not enouglı; one should see that traita means “good, excelleni,’ prasista),” But we need not despair of making out its mean ing. If we compare the term, traitu chamasa with that of narusansa chamasa, (in 7, 34), we can pretty clcarly see what it must mean. As I have stated abovo (in noto 24, on pago 124-125), tho Chamasa aro Narašalisa, that is to say, they belong to the deity Narisansa, after one has drank out of theia, sprinkled water over them, &c. Now, from 2 Chamasa, they generally drink twice. What is filled in for the first timo is Trūāta, ic, bclougs to Tritu ; afterwards, it is clcancd abd illed again. This then is the Nara San sa draught. [lu Corrigenda tlic translator says " my opinion on the Traita cups rcsts on a doubtful reading.” Again, in the Corrections to Vol, 1,, he writes : –" The rare word traitut appears to have been vory carly misunderstood."–Editor.]

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34.

(The Drinking from the Narāšamsa cups. The List of Teachers of the Suha

stitute for the Soma Juice, and the Rites Connected with it.)

When the priests put the Traita cups down, then the king should put down the sacrificer’s cup also; when they incline their cups (after having put them down), then the king should do the same with his cup. Then be should take up the [Narasaṁsa] cup, and by the recital of the verse “O thou divine Soma, who knowest my mind, who art drunk by Nara famsa, and enjoyed by the Uma-Pitaras " I enjoy thee !” In this way the king enjoys the Narāšansa portion at the morning libation. At the midday libation, le repeats the same mantra, but says, “enjoyed by the Uraucun (Pitaras)," and at the evening libation, he says, “enjoyed by the Kávya [493] (Pitaras)." For the Pitaras (present) at the morning libation, are the Umas, those (present) at the midday libation, are the Urvas, and those at the evening libation, are the Kāvyas. In this way, he makes the immoi tal Pitaras enjoy the libations,

Priyavrata, the Soina drinker, said, “Whoever enjoys the Soma beverage, he certainly will be inmortal." The ancestors of a king who enjoys, when sacrificing, this Narasaṁsa portion, therefore, become immortal (i c., they never will perish), when they enjoy (in such a way) the Souna libation, and his royal power will be strong anıl is not to be shaken. The ceremony of wiping off from the mouth what of the juice remained, and the sprinking of the cup with water (@pyāljanam) is the same as above (when the Traita Chamaṣa are emptied). All the three libations of the juice prepared for the king, should be performed in the same way as the real Soma libation,

This way of enjoying the Soma juice (by means of a substitute), was told by Rāma Mārgaveya to Visvantara, the son of Suṣadman. The king then, after having been told it, said, “We give thee a thousand cows, O Brahmaṇa. My sacrifice is to be attended by the Syāparnas.”

This portion (bhakṣa) was told by Tura, the son of Kavaṣı, to Jana mejaya, the son of Parikṣit; then by Parvala and Nārada to Somaka, the son of Sahadeva; thence (this traditional knowledge) passed to Saladeva

11 A division of the Pitaras, or manes. It is the proper name of a certain class of the Pitaras. The original meaning of the word is yucertain. The root is, no doubt, av, but it has so many moanings that it is difficult to stato satisfactorily the meaning. Another division of the Pitaras, see on pago 226.

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Sárjaya; thence to Babhru Daicarridha; thence to Bhima Vailarbh, and Nagnajit Gāndhira

This portion, further, was told hy Agni to Samnsrula Arindame; thence it passed to Kraturid Jānaki. This portion was further Lokal by Vasistha to Sudās, the son of Pijavanai.

[494] All these becanie great, in consequence of their having drunk the Soma in this way (by means of a substitute), and were great kings. Just as the sun (placed on the sky) sends forth varnith, thus the king who, when sacrificing drinks the Soma in this way, is placed amidst fortune and shines everywhere, from all directions he exacts tribute, bis kingdom becomes strong, and is not to be shaken.