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हविर्धानाभ्याम्प्रोह्यमाणाभ्यामनुब्रूहीत्याहाध्वर्युः ।

(The Carrying of the Repositories of Sacred Food to the Uttarâ Vedi).

The Adhvaryu calls (upon the Hotar): repeat the mantras appropriate to the two repositories with sacred food (havirdhâna) being carried (to the Uttarâ Vedi).

[8]The two Havirdhânas, are two carts, on which the Soma and the other offerings are put, and covered with a cover (chhadiḥ), for carrying all things from the Prâchîna-vaṁsa to the Uttarâ Vedi. The cover consists of grass. See Black Yajurveda, ed. Cowell i. p. 428.

हविर्धानाभ्याम्प्रोह्यमाणाभ्यामनुब्रूहीत्याहाध्वर्युः ।

युजे वाम्ब्रह्म पूर्व्यं नमोभिरित्यन्वाह ।

He repeats: yuje[9] vâm brahma, &c. (10, 13, 1), “the Brahma is joined to the praises of you both.”

[9]It is to be taken as third person of the Âtmanepadam, not as a first one.

युजे वाम्ब्रह्म पूर्व्यं नमोभिरित्यन्वाह ।

ब्रह्मणा वा एते देवा अयुञ्जत यद्धविर्धाने ।

For the two Havirdhânas, which are gods, were united with the Brahma.

ब्रह्मणा वा एते देवा अयुञ्जत यद्धविर्धाने ।

ब्रह्मणैवैने एतद्युङ्क्ते ।

By reciting this verse he joins both these (Havirdhânas) with the Brahma,

ब्रह्मणैवैने एतद्युङ्क्ते ।

न वै ब्रह्मण्वद्रिष्यति ।

and having this latter (Brahma) power, he does not suffer any harm.

न वै ब्रह्मण्वद्रिष्यति ।

प्रेतां यज्ञस्य शम्भुवेति तृचं द्यावापृथिवीयमन्वाह ।

He repeats the triplet: pretâm yajnasya śaṁbhuva (2, 41, 19-21), which is addressed to Heaven and Earth.

प्रेतां यज्ञस्य शम्भुवेति तृचं द्यावापृथिवीयमन्वाह ।

तदाहुर्यद्धविर्धानाभ्याम्प्रोह्यमाणाभ्यामनु वाचाहाथ कस्मात्तृचं द्यावापृथिवीयमन्वाहेति ।

They ask : “Why does the Hotar repeat a triplet addressed to Heaven and Earth, when he is reciting mantras to the two Havirdhânas being removed (to the Uttarâ Vedi) ?”

तदाहुर्यद्धविर्धानाभ्याम्प्रोह्यमाणाभ्यामनु वाचाहाथ कस्मात्तृचं द्यावापृथिवीयमन्वाहेति ।

द्यावापृथिवी वै देवानां हविर्धाने आस्ताम् ।

(The answer is): Because Heaven and Earth are the two Havirdhânas of the gods.

द्यावापृथिवी वै देवानां हविर्धाने आस्ताम् ।

ते उ एवाद्यापि हविर्धाने ।

They are always repositories for offerings;

ते उ एवाद्यापि हविर्धाने ।

ते हीदमन्तरेण सर्वं हविर्यदिदं किंच ।

for every offering is between them (Heaven and Earth).

ते हीदमन्तरेण सर्वं हविर्यदिदं किंच ।

तस्मात्तृचं द्यावापृथिवीयमन्वाह ।

The verse, yame iva yatamâne yadaitam (10, 13, 2), means : these two Havirdhânas, walk together, like twins, their arms stretched.

तस्मात्तृचं द्यावापृथिवीयमन्वाह ।

यमे इव यतमाने यदैतमिति यमे इव ह्येते यतमाने प्रबाहुगितः ।

(The second pada of this verse) pra vâm bharan mânuṣâ devayantaḥ means, that men bring both (these Havirdhânas) when worshipping god.

यमे इव यतमाने यदैतमिति यमे इव ह्येते यतमाने प्रबाहुगितः ।

प्र वाम्भरन्मानुषा देवयन्त इति देवयन्तो ह्येने मानुषाः प्रभरन्ति ।

(The third and fourth padas :) âsîdatam u lokam, &c., allude to Soma (by the name Indu).

प्र वाम्भरन्मानुषा देवयन्त इति देवयन्तो ह्येने मानुषाः प्रभरन्ति ।

आ सीदतं स्वमु लोकं विदाने स्वासस्थे भवतमिन्दवे न इति सोमो वै राजेन्दुः सोमायैवैने एतद्राज्ञ आसदे ऽचीकॢपद् ।

By repeating this (half verse), the priest prepares for the king Soma (a seat) to sit on (alluding to âsîdatam).

आ सीदतं स्वमु लोकं विदाने स्वासस्थे भवतमिन्दवे न इति सोमो वै राजेन्दुः सोमायैवैने एतद्राज्ञ आसदे ऽचीकॢपद् ।

अधि द्वयोरदधा उक्थ्यं वच इति द्वयोर्ह्येतत्तृतीयं छदिरधिनिधीयत ।

(He repeats :) adhi dvayor adadhâ ukthyam vachaḥ (1, 83, 3). This ukthyam vachaḥ is as a cover, forming the third piece (in addition to the two Havirdhânas) put over both.

[10]This is symbolically to be understood. The author calls the expression ukthyam vachaḥ a cover, to which opinion he, probably, was led by the frequency of the term: uktham vâchi, i.e.,“the Śastra has been repeated” at the end of the recitations of the Hotṛi-priests at the Soma libations to denote that they are finished. The Hotar must stop after having recited the first half of the verse, adhi dvayor, as is said in the Âśval. Śrauta Sûtras, 4, 9, and indicated in the Saptahautra prayoga. The rule in Âśval., which is strictly observed by the Śrotriyas up to this day, runs as follows.- अधि द्वयोरदधा उक्थ्यं वच इति अर्धर्च आरमेद व्यवस्ता चेष्ट्रराटी विश्चारूपाणि प्रतिमुंचते व्यवस्तायां i.e., He should stop after having repeated half of the verse adhi dvayor, when the bunch of kuśa grass is not yet hang over the two posts. When this bunch is hung over, he recites (the second half of that verse, and) *viśvâ rûpâṇi. The form vyavasta is contraction of vyava-sita (from the root si, to tie, bind).

अधि द्वयोरदधा उक्थ्यं वच इति द्वयोर्ह्येतत्तृतीयं छदिरधिनिधीयत ।

उक्थ्यं वच इति यदाह यज्ञियं वै कर्मोक्थ्यं वचो यज्ञमेवैतेन समर्धयति ।

For ukthyam vachaḥ is the sacrificial performance. By means of this (ukthyam vachaḥ) he thus makes the sacrifice successful.

उक्थ्यं वच इति यदाह यज्ञियं वै कर्मोक्थ्यं वचो यज्ञमेवैतेन समर्धयति ।

यतस्रुचा मिथुउआ या सपर्यतः असंयत्तो व्रते ते क्षेति पुष्यतीति यदेवादः पूर्वं यत्तवत्पदमाह तदेवैतेन शान्त्या शमयति ।

The term yata, i.e., cruel, used in the second pada (yatasruchâ, 1, 83, 3), is propitiated in the following third pada by asaṁyata, i.e., appeased, propitiated.[11]

[11]The interpretation which the writer of the Brâhmaṇa gives of this passage, is egregiously wrong. Yata-sruk can only mean “with the sacrificial spoon kept in his hand;” asaṁyata (instead of asaṁyatasruk) then stands in opposition to it, meaning: having laid it aside. The meaning “cruel” is given to yata by Sâyaṇa.

यतस्रुचा मिथुउआ या सपर्यतः असंयत्तो व्रते ते क्षेति पुष्यतीति यदेवादः पूर्वं यत्तवत्पदमाह तदेवैतेन शान्त्या शमयति ।

भद्रा शक्तिर्यजमानाय सुन्वत इत्याशिषमाशास्ते ।

By the fourth pada, bhadrâ śaktir, &c., he asks for a blessing.

भद्रा शक्तिर्यजमानाय सुन्वत इत्याशिषमाशास्ते ।

विश्वा रूपाणि प्रति मुञ्चते कविरिति विश्वरूपामन्वाह ।

He repeats the Viśvarûpa verse[12] : viśvâ rûpâṇi pratimuñchate (5, 81, 2).

[12]So called from the beginning words: viśvá rûpâṇi. It refers to the objects of senses becoming manifest again by sunrise. For Savitar the sun, brings forth “all forms.”

विश्वा रूपाणि प्रति मुञ्चते कविरिति विश्वरूपामन्वाह ।

स रराट्यामीक्षमाणो ऽनुब्रूयाद्विश्वमिव हि रूपं रराट्याः शुक्लमिव च कृष्णमिव च ।

He ought to repeat this verse when looking at the upper part (rarâṭî)[13] of the posts (between which the two Havirdhânas are put); for, on this part there every form is hung, white and black, as it were.

[13]This translation is made according to oral information obtained from a Brahman who officiated as a Hotar. Sâyaṇa explains it as “a garland of Darbha.” It is true, a bunch of Darbha grass, consisting of dry and green stalks, the first representing the white, the latter the dark, colour, is hung up at the upper part of the two posts (called methi) between which the two Havirdhânas are put. Therefore, when the priest looks at the upper part of this gate, he necessarily glances at the bunch of Darbha grass which must be hung there. The garland which is hung up, is designated by the name: rarâṭam, as appears from the Yajus, which is repeated by the Adhvaryu at that time: viṣṇor rârâṭam asi. See Taittirîya Saṃh. 1, 2, 13, 3, and Sâyaṇa’s Commentary on it, vol. i. p. 429, ed. Cowell.

स रराट्यामीक्षमाणो ऽनुब्रूयाद्विश्वमिव हि रूपं रराट्याः शुक्लमिव च कृष्णमिव च ।

विश्वं रूपमवरुन्द्ध आत्मने च यजमानाय च यत्रैवं विद्वानेतां रराट्यामीक्षमाणो ऽन्वाह ।

He who having such a knowledge repeats this verse when looking at the upper part of the posts, obtains for himself and the sacrificer every form.

विश्वं रूपमवरुन्द्ध आत्मने च यजमानाय च यत्रैवं विद्वानेतां रराट्यामीक्षमाणो ऽन्वाह ।

परि त्वा गिर्वणो गिर इत्युत्तमया परिदधाति ।

With the verse, pari tvâ girvaṇo gira (1, 10, 12), he concludes.

परि त्वा गिर्वणो गिर इत्युत्तमया परिदधाति ।

स यदैव हविर्धाने सम्परिश्रिते मन्येताथ परिदध्यात् ।

He should repeat this concluding verse at the time he might think both the Havirdhânas closed by hanging over them the bunch of Darbha[14] (between the two posts).

[14]The term in the original is pariśrita, which literally means surrounded.

स यदैव हविर्धाने सम्परिश्रिते मन्येताथ परिदध्यात् ।

अनग्नम्भावुका ह होतुश्च यजमानस्य च भार्या भवन्ति यत्रैवं विद्वानेतया हविर्धानयोः सम्परिश्रितयोः परिदधाति ।

He who knowing thus concludes with this verse, when the two Havirdhânas are thus closed, secures for himself and the sacrificer fine women who are not naked (covered with clothes, jewels, &c.).

अनग्नम्भावुका ह होतुश्च यजमानस्य च भार्या भवन्ति यत्रैवं विद्वानेतया हविर्धानयोः सम्परिश्रितयोः परिदधाति ।

यजुषा वा एते परिश्रीयेते यद्धविर्धाने यजुषैवैने एतत्परिश्रयन्ति ।

Both are closed with a Yajusmantra.[15] Thus the Adhvaryus do it with the said Yajus.

[15]This is, viṣṇoḥ priṣṭham asi. See Taitt. Saṁh. 6, 2, 9.

यजुषा वा एते परिश्रीयेते यद्धविर्धाने यजुषैवैने एतत्परिश्रयन्ति ।

तौ यदैवाध्वर्युश्च प्रतिप्रस्थाता चोभयतो मेथ्यौ निहन्यातामथ परिदध्यादत्र हि ते सम्परिश्रिते भवतः ।

When the Adhvaryu and Pratiprasthâtar on both sides (of the Havirdhânas) drive in the two stakes (methi), then he should conclude. For at that time the two Havirdhânas are closed.

तौ यदैवाध्वर्युश्च प्रतिप्रस्थाता चोभयतो मेथ्यौ निहन्यातामथ परिदध्यादत्र हि ते सम्परिश्रिते भवतः ।

ता एता अष्टावन्वाह रूपसमृद्धा एतद्वै यज्ञस्य समृद्धं यद्रूपसमृद्धं यत्कर्म क्रियमाणमृगभिवदति ।

These eight verses which he has repeated are complete in form. What is complete in form, that is, when the verse recited alludes to the ceremony which is being performed, is successful in the sacrifice.

ता एता अष्टावन्वाह रूपसमृद्धा एतद्वै यज्ञस्य समृद्धं यद्रूपसमृद्धं यत्कर्म क्रियमाणमृगभिवदति ।

तासां त्रिः प्रथमामन्वाह त्रिरुत्तमां ता द्वादश सम्पद्यन्ते ।

Of these, he repeats the first and last thrice, that makes twelve.

तासां त्रिः प्रथमामन्वाह त्रिरुत्तमां ता द्वादश सम्पद्यन्ते ।

द्वादश वै मासाः संवत्सरः संवत्सरः प्रजापतिः ।

For the year has twelve months. Prajâpati is the year.

द्वादश वै मासाः संवत्सरः संवत्सरः प्रजापतिः ।

प्रजापत्यायतनाभिरेवाभी राध्नोति य एवं वेद ।

He who has such a knowledge thus 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 thrice, he ties the two ends (knots) of the sacrifice for giving it a hold, and tighten it to prevent it from falling down.

त्रिः प्रथमां त्रिरुत्तमामन्वाह यज्ञस्यैव तद्बर्सौ नह्यति स्थेम्ने बलायाविस्रंसाय ।