२८

अग्नये प्रणीयमानायानुब्रूहीत्याहाध्वर्युः ।

(The Agni-praṇayana, i.e., Ceremony of Carrying the Sacrificial Fire to the Altar destined for the Animal and Soma Sacrifices.)

The Adhvaryu orders (the Hotar), when the sacrificial fire is to be carried (to the Uttarâ Vedi), to repeat mantras appropriate (to the ceremony).

अग्नये प्रणीयमानायानुब्रूहीत्याहाध्वर्युः ।

प्र देवं देव्या धिया भरता जातवेदसम्हव्य नो वक्षदानुषगिति गायात्रीम्ब्राह्मणस्यानुब्रूयात् ।

(He repeats :) pra devam devyâ (10, 176, 2). If the sacrificer be a Brahman, he ought to repeat a verse in the Gâyatrî metre;

प्र देवं देव्या धिया भरता जातवेदसम्हव्य नो वक्षदानुषगिति गायात्रीम्ब्राह्मणस्यानुब्रूयात् ।

गायत्रो वै ब्राह्मणस्तेजो वै ब्रह्मवर्चसं गायत्री ।

for the Brahman belongs to the Gâyatrî metre (has its nature). The Gâyatrî is beauty and acquisition of sacred knowledge.

गायत्रो वै ब्राह्मणस्तेजो वै ब्रह्मवर्चसं गायत्री ।

तेजसैवैनं तद्ब्रह्मवर्चसेन समर्धयति ।

(This metre) makes him (the sacrificer) thus prosper by means of the beauty and sacred knowledge (which is contained in it).

तेजसैवैनं तद्ब्रह्मवर्चसेन समर्धयति ।

इमम्महे विदथ्याय शूषमिति त्रिष्टुभं राजन्यस्यानुब्रूयात् ।

If the sacrificer be a Kṣattriya, he should repeat a Triṣṭubh, viz.- imam mahe vidathyâya (3, 54, 1).

इमम्महे विदथ्याय शूषमिति त्रिष्टुभं राजन्यस्यानुब्रूयात् ।

त्रैष्टुभो वै राजन्य ओजो वा इन्द्रियं वीर्यं त्रिष्टुब् ।

For the Kṣattriya belongs to the Triṣṭubh (has its nature). Triṣṭubh is strength, sharpness of senses and power.

त्रैष्टुभो वै राजन्य ओजो वा इन्द्रियं वीर्यं त्रिष्टुब् ।

ओजसैवैनं तदिन्द्रियेण वीर्येण समर्धयति ।

By repeating thus a Triṣṭubh, the Hotar makes him (the sacrificer of the Kṣattriya caste) prosper through the strength, sharpness of sense and power (contained in the Triṣṭubh).

ओजसैवैनं तदिन्द्रियेण वीर्येण समर्धयति ।

शश्वत्कृत्व ईड्याय प्र जभ्रुरिति स्वानामेवैनं तच्छ्रैष्ठ्यं गमायति ।

By the words of the second pada of the verse mentioned) : śaśvatkṛitva îḍyâya prajabhrur, i.e., “they brought to him who is to be praised always” (Agni), the Hotar brings the sacrificer at the head of his (the sacrificer’s) family.

शश्वत्कृत्व ईड्याय प्र जभ्रुरिति स्वानामेवैनं तच्छ्रैष्ठ्यं गमायति ।

शृणोतु नो दम्येभिरनीकैः शृणोत्वग्निर्दिव्यैरजस्र इत्याजरसं हास्मिन्नजस्रो दीदाय य एवं वेद ।

By the second half verse, śrinotu no damyebhir, &c., i.e., may Agni hear us with the hosts (the flames) posted in his house; may he, the imperishable, hear (us) with his hosts in heaven ! (the Hotar effects that). Agni shines in the house of the sacrificer till the end of his life (i.e., he is always protected by him).

शृणोतु नो दम्येभिरनीकैः शृणोत्वग्निर्दिव्यैरजस्र इत्याजरसं हास्मिन्नजस्रो दीदाय य एवं वेद ।

अयमिह प्रथमो धायि धातृभिरिति जगतीं वैश्यस्यानुब्रूयाज् ।

If the sacrificer be a Vaiśya, the Hotar should repeat a verse in the Jagatî metre, viz:- ayam iha prathamo (4, 7, 1).

अयमिह प्रथमो धायि धातृभिरिति जगतीं वैश्यस्यानुब्रूयाज् ।

जागतो वै वैश्यो जागताः पशवः ।

For the Vaiśya belongs to the Jagatî: cattle is of the same (Jagatî) nature.

जागतो वै वैश्यो जागताः पशवः ।

पशुभिरेवैनं तत्समर्धयाति ।

Thus he makes him prosper by means of cattle (provides him with it).

पशुभिरेवैनं तत्समर्धयाति ।

वनेषु चित्रं विभ्वं विशेविश इत्यभिरूपा ।

In its fourth pada vaneṣu, &c., the word viśe (Vaiśya) is mentioned. This is appropriate.

वनेषु चित्रं विभ्वं विशेविश इत्यभिरूपा ।

यद्यज्ञे ऽभिरूपं तत्समृद्धम् ।

What is appropriate, that is successful in the sacrifice.

यद्यज्ञे ऽभिरूपं तत्समृद्धम् ।

अयमुष्य प्र देवयुरित्यनुष्टुब्बि वाचं विसृजते ।

When repeating the verse : ayaṁ u ṣya pra devayur (10, 176, 3), which is in the Anuṣṭubh metre, the Hotar sends forth speech (i.e., he repeats for the first time, this mantra, with a loud voice again, after having only inaudibly muttered some of the preceding ones).

अयमुष्य प्र देवयुरित्यनुष्टुब्बि वाचं विसृजते ।

वाग्वा अनुष्टुब्वाच्येव तद्वाचं विसृजते ।

For the Anuṣṭubh metre is speech. By repeating (an Anuṣṭubh), he thus sends forth speech in speech.

वाग्वा अनुष्टुब्वाच्येव तद्वाचं विसृजते ।

अयमुष्य इति यदाहायमु स्यागमं या पुरा गन्धर्वेष्ववात्समित्येव तद्वाक्प्रब्रूते ।

By the words ayaṁ u ṣya he expresses the following sentence : I who formerly was living among the Gandharvas have come.[4]

[4]The author of the Brâhmaṇam tries to find in the words. ayaṁ u ṣya of the mantra in question, an allusion to the fable reported in 1, 27, on the Vâch’s (speech) residence among the Gandharvas. But this interpretation is wholly ungrammatical and childish. Ayam, the masculine of the demonstrative pronoun, is here, as Sâyaṇa explains, according to the Brâhmaṇam, taken as a feminine, in order to make it refer to Vâch, which word is feminine. The impossibility of such an explanation will be apparent to every reader. The verse in question refers to the ceremony of the Agni-praṇayanam, the carrying of the fire from the Ahavanîya fire to the Uttarâ Vedi; but its subject is Agni, and not Vâch. I translate it as follows: “This very Hotar (i.e., Agni, whom the Hotar represents) “desirous of worshipping the gods, is carried (thither, to the Uttarâ Vedí) for the performance of the sacrifice (animal and Soma offering). He (when being carried) appears by himself as a fiery chariot (the sun) surrounded (by a large retinue of priests and sacrificers).”

अयमुष्य इति यदाहायमु स्यागमं या पुरा गन्धर्वेष्ववात्समित्येव तद्वाक्प्रब्रूते ।

अयमग्निरुरुष्यतीत्ययं वा अग्निरुरुष्यत्यमृतादिव ।

By the verse : ayam agnir uruśyati, &c. (10, 176, 4) i.e., “this Agni makes (us) fearless by dint of his immortal nature, as it were,”

अयमग्निरुरुष्यतीत्ययं वा अग्निरुरुष्यत्यमृतादिव ।

जन्मन इत्यमृतत्वमेवास्मिंस्तद्दधाति ।

the Hotar provides him (the sacrificer) with immortality.

जन्मन इत्यमृतत्वमेवास्मिंस्तद्दधाति ।

सहसश्चित्सहीयान्देवो जीवातवे कृत इति देवो ह्येष एतज्जीवातवे कृतो यदग्निः ।

(The second half of this verse), sahasaś chit sahîyân devo jîvâtave kṛitaḥ, i.e., “the god has been made very powerful by means of (his own) power, in order to preserve (our) lives” signifies, that he (Agni) is the god who, by (our) repeating this verse, is made the preserver of (our) lives.

सहसश्चित्सहीयान्देवो जीवातवे कृत इति देवो ह्येष एतज्जीवातवे कृतो यदग्निः ।

इळायास्त्वा पदे वयं नाभा पृथिव्या अधीत्येतद्वा इळायास्पदं यदुत्तरवेदीनाभिः ।

(The Hotar now repeats :) iḷâyâs tvâ pade vayam, &c. (3, 29, 4), i.e., “we put thee, O Jâtavedas! (Agni) in the place of Iḷâ, in the centre (nâbhi of the Uttarâ Vedi)[5] on the earth to carry up (our) offerings.” By nâbhi (lit. navel), the nâbhi of the Uttarâ Vedi is meant.

[5]The Nâbhi of the Uttarâ Vedi (the altar outside the Prâchina vaṁśa or place for the Iṣṭis with the three fires) is a hole of a quadrangular form in the midst of this altar, filled with kuśa grass, &c. (see below) in which the fire brought from the Ahavanîya is deposited.

इळायास्त्वा पदे वयं नाभा पृथिव्या अधीत्येतद्वा इळायास्पदं यदुत्तरवेदीनाभिः ।

जातवेदो नि धीमहीति निधास्यन्तो ह्येनम्भवन्ति ।

Nidhîmahi (lit. we put down) means “they are about to put him (Agni) down.”

जातवेदो नि धीमहीति निधास्यन्तो ह्येनम्भवन्ति ।

अग्ने हव्याय वोळ्हव इति हव्यं हि वक्ष्यौ भवति ।

The term “havyâya voḷhave” means : he is about to carry up the sacrifice.

अग्ने हव्याय वोळ्हव इति हव्यं हि वक्ष्यौ भवति ।

अग्ने विश्वेभिः स्वनीक देवैरूर्णावन्तम्प्रथमः सीद योनिमिति विश्वाइरेवैनं तद्देवैः सहासादयति ।

(The Hotar repeats :) Agne viśvebhiḥ svanīka (6, 15, 16). “O Agni, with thy well-armed host (the flames), take first with all the gods thy seat in the hole which is stuffed with wool;

अग्ने विश्वेभिः स्वनीक देवैरूर्णावन्तम्प्रथमः सीद योनिमिति विश्वाइरेवैनं तद्देवैः सहासादयति ।

कुलायिनं घृतवन्तां सवित्र इति कुलायमिव ह्येतद्यज्ञे क्रियते यत्पैतुदारवाः परिधयो गुल्गुलूर्णास्तुकाः सुगन्धितेजनानीति ।

carry well the sacrificial offering, seasoned with melted butter, and deposited in thee as in a nest, for the sacrificer who is producing (the mystical sacrificial man) anew.” .” (When repeating the first and second padas :) agne viśvebhiḥ, he makes him (Agni) with all the gods sit. (When repeating the third pada : kulâyinam ghṛitavantam, &c.) a bird’s nest, as it were, consisting of sticks of fir-tree wood, an odoriferous gum (guggul), a braid of hair (ûrṇâstukâh), and a kind of fragrant grass[6], is prepared for Agni) at the sacrifice.

[6]The articles here mentioned, are put in the Nâbhi, or hole in the Uttarâ Vedi. They are regarded as forming the nest of Agni. As living in this nest like a bird, he is called kulâyî.

कुलायिनं घृतवन्तां सवित्र इति कुलायमिव ह्येतद्यज्ञे क्रियते यत्पैतुदारवाः परिधयो गुल्गुलूर्णास्तुकाः सुगन्धितेजनानीति ।

यज्ञं नय यजमानाय साध्विति यज्ञमेव तदृजुधा प्रतिष्ठापयति ।

(When repeating the fourth pada :) yajnam naya, &c., he thus places the sacrifice (the sacrificial personage) straight on him (Agni).

यज्ञं नय यजमानाय साध्विति यज्ञमेव तदृजुधा प्रतिष्ठापयति ।

सीद होतः स्व उ लोके चिकित्वानित्यग्निर्वै देवानां होता तस्यैष स्वो लोको यदुत्तरवेदीनाभिः ।

(The Hotar repeats) : sîda hotaḥ sva u loke, &c. (3, 29, 8), i.e., “sit, O Hotar! (Agni) in thy own place (the Nâbhi), being conspicuous; By “Hotar” Agni is to be understood; for he is the Hotar of the gods. “His own place” (sva u loke) is the Nâbhi of the Uttarâ Vedi.

सीद होतः स्व उ लोके चिकित्वानित्यग्निर्वै देवानां होता तस्यैष स्वो लोको यदुत्तरवेदीनाभिः ।

सादया यज्ञं सुकृतस्य योनाविति यजमानो वै यज्ञो यजमानायैवैतामाशिषमाशास्ते ।

make sit the sacrifice in the hole of the well-made (nest). By the words : make sit, &c., the Hotar asks a blessing for the sacrificer; for the “yajña” (sacrifice, mentioned in this verse) is the sacrificer.

सादया यज्ञं सुकृतस्य योनाविति यजमानो वै यज्ञो यजमानायैवैतामाशिषमाशास्ते ।

देवावीर्देवान्हविषा यजास्यग्ने बृहद्यजमाने वयो धा इति प्राणो वै वयः प्राणमेव तद्यजमाने दधाति ।

Mayst thou, Agni, who art going to the gods with the offering, repeat sacrificial verses addressed to the gods[7]. Mayst thou grant the sacrificer a life with abundance.” When repeating the second half of this verse : devâvîr, &c., the Hotar provides the sacrificer with life; for “vayas” (mentioned in this verse) is life.

[7]The verb yaj has here (as in many other cases) the meaning: to repeat the *Yâjyâ-mantra.

देवावीर्देवान्हविषा यजास्यग्ने बृहद्यजमाने वयो धा इति प्राणो वै वयः प्राणमेव तद्यजमाने दधाति ।

नि होता होतृषदने विदान इत्यग्निर्वै देवानां होता तस्यैतद्धोतृषदनं यदुत्तरवेदीनाभिः ।

(The Hotar repeats :) nî hotâ hotṛiṣadane (2, 9, 1), i.e., “the Hotar of great knowledge and skill, who is brightly shining, sat down on the Hotri-seat (place for the Hotar), By Hotar is Agni to be understood; hotṛiṣadanam is the nâbhi of the uttarâ vedi.

नि होता होतृषदने विदान इत्यग्निर्वै देवानां होता तस्यैतद्धोतृषदनं यदुत्तरवेदीनाभिः ।

त्वेषो दीदिवाँ असदत्सुदक्ष इत्यासन्नो हि स तर्हि भवति ।

By “he sat down” is expressed that he was put there.

त्वेषो दीदिवाँ असदत्सुदक्ष इत्यासन्नो हि स तर्हि भवति ।

अदब्धव्रतप्रमतिर्वसिष्ठ इत्यग्निर्वै देवानां वसिष्ठः ।

The term “vasiṣṭha” means, that Agni is the most shining (vasu) among the gods.

अदब्धव्रतप्रमतिर्वसिष्ठ इत्यग्निर्वै देवानां वसिष्ठः ।

सहस्रम्भरः शुचिजिह्वो अग्निरित्येषा ह वा अस्य सहस्रम्भरता यदेनमेकं सन्तम्बहुधा विहरन्ति ।

Agni, who deeply comprehends the inviolable laws (of the sacrificial art), he, the most splendid (vasiṣṭhaḥ) who bears a thousand burdens (i.e., preserver of all) and has a flaming tongue.” The term “sahasraṁbhara” means, that they, though he (Agni) be only one, multiply him by using him at different occasions.

सहस्रम्भरः शुचिजिह्वो अग्निरित्येषा ह वा अस्य सहस्रम्भरता यदेनमेकं सन्तम्बहुधा विहरन्ति ।

प्र ह वै साहस्रम्पोषमाप्नोति य एवं वेद ।

He who has this knowledge, has a thousand-fold profit.

प्र ह वै साहस्रम्पोषमाप्नोति य एवं वेद ।

त्वं दूतस्त्वमु नः परस्पा इत्युत्तमया परिदधाति ।

The Hotar concludes with the verse : tvam dûtas tvam u naḥ (2, 9, 2), i. e., “thou art our messenger, our protector behind (us);

त्वं दूतस्त्वमु नः परस्पा इत्युत्तमया परिदधाति ।

त्वं वस्य आ वृषभ प्रणेता अग्ने तोकस्य नस्तने तनूनामप्रयुछन्दीद्यद्बोधि गोपा इत्यग्निर्वै देवानां गोपा ।

“thou the bringer of wealth, O strong one! O Agni! do not neglect the bodies (members) in the spread of our families. The herdsman with his light was awake.” Agni is the herdsman (gopa) of the gods.

त्वं वस्य आ वृषभ प्रणेता अग्ने तोकस्य नस्तने तनूनामप्रयुछन्दीद्यद्बोधि गोपा इत्यग्निर्वै देवानां गोपा ।

अग्निमेव तत्सर्वतो गोप्तारम्परिदत्त आत्मने च यजमानाय च यत्रैवं विद्वानेतया परिदधाति ।

He who knowing this, concludes (the ceremony of Agni-praṇayanam) with this verse (mentioned), has Agni everywhere round him as herdsman (watchman) for himself and the sacrificer,

अग्निमेव तत्सर्वतो गोप्तारम्परिदत्त आत्मने च यजमानाय च यत्रैवं विद्वानेतया परिदधाति ।

अथो संवत्सरीणामेवैतां स्वस्तिं कुरुते ।

and secures thus welfare for the whole year.

अथो संवत्सरीणामेवैतां स्वस्तिं कुरुते ।

ता एता अष्टावन्वाह रूपसमृधा ।

He recites these eight verses (just enumerated), which are complete in form.

ता एता अष्टावन्वाह रूपसमृधा ।

एतद्वै यज्ञस्य समृद्धं यद्रूपसमृद्धं यत्कर्म क्रियमाणमृगभिवदति ।

What is complete in form, that is, when the mantra recited alludes to the ceremony which is being performed, that is successful in the sacrifice.

एतद्वै यज्ञस्य समृद्धं यद्रूपसमृद्धं यत्कर्म क्रियमाणमृगभिवदति ।

तासां त्रिः प्रथमामन्वाह त्रिरुत्तमां ता द्वादश सम्पद्यन्ते ।

Of these eight verses he repeats the first and last thrice; that makes twelve.

तासां त्रिः प्रथमामन्वाह त्रिरुत्तमां ता द्वादश सम्पद्यन्ते ।

द्वादस वै मासाः संवत्सरः संवत्सरः प्रजापतिः ।

Twelve months make a year; the year is Prajâpati.

द्वादस वै मासाः संवत्सरः संवत्सरः प्रजापतिः ।

प्रजापत्यायतनाभिरेवाभी राध्नोति य एवं वेद ।

He who has such a knowledge, prospers through these verses which reside in Prajâpati.

प्रजापत्यायतनाभिरेवाभी राध्नोति य एवं वेद ।

त्रिः प्रथमां त्रिरुत्तमामन्वाह यज्ञस्यैव तद्बर्सौ नह्यति स्थेम्ने बलायाविस्रंसाय ।

By repeating the first and last verses thrice, he ties the two ends of the sacrifice, in order to give it a hold and tighten it to prevent it from falling down.

त्रिः प्रथमां त्रिरुत्तमामन्वाह यज्ञस्यैव तद्बर्सौ नह्यति स्थेम्ने बलायाविस्रंसाय ।