३८

होतृजपं जपति रेतस्तत्सिञ्चति उपांशु जपत्युपांश्विव वै रेतसः सिक्तिः ।

(The Japa which is Repeated before the Libations from the Dvidevatya Grahas are given. Its Several Sentences Explained.)

The Japa[14] which the Hotar mutters, is the seed. The effusion of seed is inaudible; so is the Japa. It is, as it were, the effusion of the seed.

[14]This Japa or inaudible utterance of words is the very commencement of the Ajya Śastra. It is given in full, Âśval, Śr. S. 5, 9. First the Adhvaryu is called upon by the Hotar to turn away his face with the words: पराड् अध्वर्यो, i.e., Away, Adhvaryu! Then he commences the Japa with the words: su-mat, &c. (sec 2, 24). We here give the whole of it:

सुमत्पद्वग्दे पिता मातरिश्वा छिद्रा पदा धादछिद्रोक्था कवयः शंसन्त्सोमो विश्वविग्नीधानि नेषद्बृहस्पतिरुक्था मदानि शंसिषद्वागायुर्विश्वायुर्विश्वमायुः क इदं शंसिष्यति स इदं शंसिष्यति.

i.e., May the fathor Mâtariśvan (wind, breath) make the verse feet without a breach! May the Kavis repeat the recitations without a breach! May Soma, the all-possessing, guide our performances! May Bṛihaspati repeat the recitations (and) the joyful choruses Vâch (speech) is life, she has the whole life. She is life. Who will repeat this (Śastra)? He (i.e., I, the Hotar, representing Vâch) will repeat it." From the contents of this Japa, it is evident that the Hotar invokes the deities presiding over breath, speech, and literary skill, for a successful recitation of the whole Śastra, to accomplish which is regarded as an arduous task. In one of the sentences of this Japa the repeaters are called kavis, which appears to have been the more ancient name of the Hotṛi priests. It is mentioned as signifying a class of priests in the Zend-Avesta also.

होतृजपं जपति रेतस्तत्सिञ्चति उपांशु जपत्युपांश्विव वै रेतसः सिक्तिः ।

पुरा ऽऽहावाज्जपति यद्वै किञ्चोर्ध्वमाहावाच्छस्त्रस्यैव तत् ।

He mutters the Japa before the call śoṁsāvom. For all that is repeated after the call, śoṁsāvom, forms part of the Śastra.

पुरा ऽऽहावाज्जपति यद्वै किञ्चोर्ध्वमाहावाच्छस्त्रस्यैव तत् ।

पराञ्चं चतुष्पद्यासीनमभ्याह्वयते ।

The Hotar addresses this call (śoṁsāvom) to the Adhvaryu, when the latter with his face turned away is lying prostrate on the earth (using the two hands as his two forelegs like beasts).

पराञ्चं चतुष्पद्यासीनमभ्याह्वयते ।

तस्मात्पराञ्चो भूत्वा चतुष्पादो रेतः सिञ्चन्ति ।

For four-footed beings (animals) emit their sperms (at the time of copulation) having turned their faces away from one another.

तस्मात्पराञ्चो भूत्वा चतुष्पादो रेतः सिञ्चन्ति ।

सम्यङ्द्विपाद्भवति तस्मात्सम्यञ्चो भूत्वा द्विपादो रेतः सिञ्चन्ति ।

He (the Adhvaryu) then stands upright on his two legs. For two-footed beings (men) emit their sperms when facing one another in a straight line.

सम्यङ्द्विपाद्भवति तस्मात्सम्यञ्चो भूत्वा द्विपादो रेतः सिञ्चन्ति ।

पिता मातरिश्वेत्याह ।

(The several sentences of the Japa are now explained.)

He mutters, pitā mātariśvā.

पिता मातरिश्वेत्याह ।

प्राणो वै पिता प्राणो मातरिश्वा ।

The breath is pitā (father), and the breath is mātariśvā;

प्राणो वै पिता प्राणो मातरिश्वा ।

प्राणो रेतो रेतस्तत्सिञ्चति ।

the breath is seed. By repeating these words, he (the Hotar) emits the seed (for a spiritual birth).

प्राणो रेतो रेतस्तत्सिञ्चति ।

अच्छिद्रा पदा ऽधा इति ।

Achhidrā padā dhā.[15]

[15]Âśval., dhât

अच्छिद्रा पदा ऽधा इति ।

रेतो वा अच्छिद्रम् ।

Achhidrā, i.e., without breach, is seed.

रेतो वा अच्छिद्रम् ।

अतो ह्यच्छिद्रः सम्भवति ।

Thence a being which is unbroken (a whole) rises out of the seed.

अतो ह्यच्छिद्रः सम्भवति ।

अच्छिद्रोक्था कवयः शंसन्निति ।

Achhidrā ukthā kavayaḥ śaṁsann.

अच्छिद्रोक्था कवयः शंसन्निति ।

ये वा अनूचानास्ते कवयस्त इदमच्छिद्रं रेतः प्रजनयन्नित्येव तदाह ।

Those who have learnt by heart (the mantras) are called kavis. The sentence means : “They produced this unbroken (matter), i.e., the seed.”

ये वा अनूचानास्ते कवयस्त इदमच्छिद्रं रेतः प्रजनयन्नित्येव तदाह ।

सोमो विश्वविन्नीथा निनेषद्बृहस्पतिरुक्थामदानि शंसिषदिति ।

Somo viśvavid-saṁśiṣat. Brihaspati is Brahma; the Soma, who is praised by the singers, is the Kṣatram. The nīthāni and ukthā madāni are the Śastras. By repeating this sentence, the Hotar recites his Śastras, instigated (prasuta) by the divine Brahma and by the divine Kṣatra.

सोमो विश्वविन्नीथा निनेषद्बृहस्पतिरुक्थामदानि शंसिषदिति ।

ब्रह्म वै बृहस्पतिः क्षत्त्रं सोमः ।

Brihaspati is Brahma; Soma is the Kṣatram.

ब्रह्म वै बृहस्पतिः क्षत्त्रं सोमः ।

स्तुतशस्त्राणि नीथानि चोक्थामदानि च ।

The nīthāni and ukthā madāni are the Śāstras.

स्तुतशस्त्राणि नीथानि चोक्थामदानि च ।

दैवेन चैवैतद्ब्रह्मणा प्रसूतो दैवेन च क्षत्त्रेणोक्थानि शंसति ।

By repeating this sentence, the Hotar recites his Śastras, instigated (prasuta) by the divine Brahma and by the divine Kṣatra.

दैवेन चैवैतद्ब्रह्मणा प्रसूतो दैवेन च क्षत्त्रेणोक्थानि शंसति ।

एतौ ह वा अस्य सर्वस्य प्रसवस्येशाते यदिदं किंच ।

Both these (Brihaspati and Soma) preside over the whole creation, whatever exists.

एतौ ह वा अस्य सर्वस्य प्रसवस्येशाते यदिदं किंच ।

तद्यदेताभ्यामप्रसूतः करोत्यकृतं तद् ।

For all that the Hotar is doing without being incited by these two (deities), is not done.

तद्यदेताभ्यामप्रसूतः करोत्यकृतं तद् ।

अकृतमकरिति वै निन्दन्ति ।

(Just as) they reproach one (in common life, when something is done without order, saying) he has done what was not done (not to be done).

अकृतमकरिति वै निन्दन्ति ।

कृतमस्य कृतं भवति नास्याकृतं कृतं भवति य एवं वेद ।

Of him who has such a knowledge all that is done will be done, and nothing that is done be undone.

कृतमस्य कृतं भवति नास्याकृतं कृतं भवति य एवं वेद ।

वागायुर्विश्वायुर्विश्वमायुरित्याह ।

Vāg-āyur.

वागायुर्विश्वायुर्विश्वमायुरित्याह ।

प्राणो वा आयुः प्राणो रेतो वाग्योनिर्योनिं तदुपसंधाय रेतः सिञ्चति ।

Ayuḥ (life) is breath; seed is breath; the womb is vāch. By repeating this sentence, he pours the seed into the womb.

प्राणो वा आयुः प्राणो रेतो वाग्योनिर्योनिं तदुपसंधाय रेतः सिञ्चति ।

क इदं शंसिष्यति स इदं शंसिष्यतीत्याह ।

Kaidam-śaṁsiṣyati.

क इदं शंसिष्यति स इदं शंसिष्यतीत्याह ।

प्रजापतिर्वै कः प्रजापतिः प्रजनयिष्यतीत्येव तदाह ।

Kaḥ (who?) is Prajāpati. The meaning of the sentence is, Prajāpati will generate.

प्रजापतिर्वै कः प्रजापतिः प्रजनयिष्यतीत्येव तदाह ।