०४

त्वमग्ने सप्रथा असि सोम यास्ते मयोभुव इत्याज्यभागयोः पुरोनुवाक्ये अनुब्रूयाद्यः पूर्वमनीजानः स्यात्तस्मै ।

The Hotar ought to repeat for him who has not yet brought a sacrifice two Puronuvākyā verses, tvam agne saprathā asi (Rig-veda Samhitâ 5, 13, 4) for the first, and Soma yās te mayobhuvaḥ (1, 91, 9) for the second portion of (the offering of) melted butter.

त्वमग्ने सप्रथा असि सोम यास्ते मयोभुव इत्याज्यभागयोः पुरोनुवाक्ये अनुब्रूयाद्यः पूर्वमनीजानः स्यात्तस्मै ।

त्वया यज्ञं वि तन्वत इति यज्ञमेवास्मा एतद्वितनोति ।

(By reading the third pāda of the first verse tvayā yajnam “through thee (thy favour) they extend[20] the sacrifice," the Hotar extends thus the sacrifice for him (who has not yet brought a sacrifice).

[20]Vitanvate. The sacrifice is regarded as a kind of chain which, when not used, lies rolled up; but which when being used, is, as the instrument for ascending to heaven, to be wound off. This winding off of the sacrificial chain is expressed by the term vitan, to extend. Connected with this term are the expressions vitāna and vaitānika.

त्वया यज्ञं वि तन्वत इति यज्ञमेवास्मा एतद्वितनोति ।

अग्निः प्रत्नेन मन्मना सोम गीर्भिष्ट्वा वयमिति यः पूर्वमीजानः स्यात्तस्मै ।

For him who has brought a sacrifice before, the Hotar has to recite (two other mantras instead): agniḥ pratnena manmanâ (8, 44, 12) and Soma gîrbhiṣ ṭvâ vayam (1, 91, 11).

अग्निः प्रत्नेन मन्मना सोम गीर्भिष्ट्वा वयमिति यः पूर्वमीजानः स्यात्तस्मै ।

प्रत्नमिति पूर्वं कर्माभिवदति ।

For by the word pratnam, i. e. former (which occurs in the first verse), he alludes to the former sacrifice.

प्रत्नमिति पूर्वं कर्माभिवदति ।

तत्तन्नादृत्यमग्निर्वृत्राणि जङ्घनत्त्वं सोमासि सत्पतिरिति वार्त्रघ्नावेव कुर्यात् ।

But the recital of these verses (for a man who has performed a sacrifice, and for one who has not done so) may be dispensed with. Let the Hotar rather use the two verses which refer to the destruction of Vṛitra (vârtraghna), viz., Agnir vṛitrâṇi janghanat (6, 16, 24), and, tvam soma asi satpatiḥ (1, 91, 5).

तत्तन्नादृत्यमग्निर्वृत्राणि जङ्घनत्त्वं सोमासि सत्पतिरिति वार्त्रघ्नावेव कुर्यात् ।

वृत्रं वा एष हन्ति यं यज्ञ उपनमति तस्माद्वार्त्रघ्नावेव कर्तव्यौ ।

Since he whom the sacrifice approaches, destroys Vṛitra (the demon whom Indra conquers), the two verses referring to the destruction of Vṛitra are to be used.[21]

[21]The verses mentioned here are the Puronuvākyā, i.e., such ones as are to be recited before the proper Anuvākyā with its Yājyā is to be repeated. The Puro-anuvākyās are introductory to the Anuvākyā and Yājyā.

वृत्रं वा एष हन्ति यं यज्ञ उपनमति तस्माद्वार्त्रघ्नावेव कर्तव्यौ ।

अग्निर्मुखम्प्रथमो देवतानामग्निश्च विष्णो तप उत्तमम्मह इत्याग्नावैष्णवस्य हविषो याज्यानुवाक्ये भवत आग्नावैष्णव्यौ रूप-समृद्धे ।

The Anuvākyā for the Agni-Viṣṇu-offering is: Agnir mukham prathamo devatānām, the Yājyā: agnīścha viṣṇo tapa.[22] These two verses (addressed) to Agni and Viṣṇu are corresponding (appropriate) in their form.

[22] Both verses are not to be found in the Śākala Śākhā of the Rig-veda, but they are in Āśval Śrauta Sūtras 4, 2. I put them here in their entirety:

अग्निर्मुखं प्रथमो देवतानां सङ्गतानामुत्तमो विष्णुरासीत् । यजमानाय परिगृह्य देवान् दीक्षयेदं ह॒विरागच्छतं नः ॥ अग्निश्चविष्णो तप उत्तमं महो दीक्षापालाय वनतं हि शक्रा । विश्वैर्देवैर्यज्ञियैः संविदानौ दीक्षामस्मै यजमानाय धत्तम् ॥

i.e., “Among the deities assembled, Agni, being at the head, was the first, and Viṣṇu the last (god). Ye both, come to our offering with the Dîkṣā, taking (with you all) the gods for the sacrificer! (i.e., come to this offering, and grant the Dîkṣā to the sacrificer). Agni and Viṣṇu! ye two strong (gods)! burn with a great heat to the utmost (of your power) for the preservation of the Dîkṣā. Joined by all the gods who participate in the sacrifice, grant, ye two, Dîkṣā to this sacrificer.” Agni and Viṣṇu, the one representing the fire, the other the sun, are here invoked to burn the sacrificer, by combination of their rays, clean, and to purify him from all gross material dross. The Dîkṣā should be made as lasting as a mark caused by branding.

अग्निर्मुखम्प्रथमो देवतानामग्निश्च विष्णो तप उत्तमम्मह इत्याग्नावैष्णवस्य हविषो याज्यानुवाक्ये भवत आग्नावैष्णव्यौ रूप-समृद्धे ।

एतद्वै यज्ञस्य समृद्धं यद्रूपसमृद्धं यत्कर्म क्रियमाणमृगभिवदति ।

What is appropriate in its form, is successful in the sacrifice; that is to say, when the verse which is recited refers to the ceremony which is being performed.

एतद्वै यज्ञस्य समृद्धं यद्रूपसमृद्धं यत्कर्म क्रियमाणमृगभिवदति ।

अग्निश्च ह वै विष्णुश्च देवानां दीक्षापालौ तौ दीक्षाया ईशाते ।

(Now follows a general paraphrase of the contents of these two verses) Agni and Viṣṇu are among the gods, the “guardians of the Dîkṣā” (that is to say), they rule over the Dîkṣā.

अग्निश्च ह वै विष्णुश्च देवानां दीक्षापालौ तौ दीक्षाया ईशाते ।

तद्यदाग्नावैष्णवं हविर्भवति यौ दीक्षाया ईशाते तौ प्रीतौ दीक्षाम्प्रयछतां यौ दीक्षयितारौ तौ दीक्षयेतामिति ।

When they offer the Agni-Viṣṇu oblation, then those two who rule over the Dîkṣā become pleased, and grant Dîkṣā, that is to say, the two makers of Dîkṣā, they both make the sacrificer a Dīkṣita.

तद्यदाग्नावैष्णवं हविर्भवति यौ दीक्षाया ईशाते तौ प्रीतौ दीक्षाम्प्रयछतां यौ दीक्षयितारौ तौ दीक्षयेतामिति ।

त्रिष्टुभौ भवतः सेन्द्रियत्वाय ।

These verses are in the Triṣṭubh metre, that the sacrificer might acquire the properties of the god Indra (vigour and strength).

त्रिष्टुभौ भवतः सेन्द्रियत्वाय ।