०२

अञ्ज्मो यूपमनुब्रूहीत्याहाध्वर्युः ।

(The Ceremony of Anointing the Sacrificial Post).

The Adhvaryu says (to the Hotar) : “We anoint the sacrificial post (Yûpa); repeat the mantra (required).”

अञ्ज्मो यूपमनुब्रूहीत्याहाध्वर्युः ।

अञ्जन्ति त्वामध्वरे देवयन्त इत्यौवाहाध्वरे ह्येनं देवयन्तो ऽञ्जन्ति वनस्पते मधुना दैव्येनेत्येतद्वै मधु दैव्यं यदाज्यम् ।

The Hotar then repeats the verse : “Aṁjanti tvâm adhvare” (3, 8, 1), i.e., “The priests anoint thee, O tree ! with celestial honey (butter); […]” The “celestial honey” is the melted butter (with which the priests anoint the Yûpa).

अञ्जन्ति त्वामध्वरे देवयन्त इत्यौवाहाध्वरे ह्येनं देवयन्तो ऽञ्जन्ति वनस्पते मधुना दैव्येनेत्येतद्वै मधु दैव्यं यदाज्यम् ।

यदूर्ध्वस्तिष्ठा द्रविणेह धत्ताद्यद्वा क्षयो मातुरस्या उपस्थ इति यदि च तिष्ठासि यदि च शयासै द्रविणमेवास्मासु धत्तादित्येव तदाह ।

[…] provide (us) with wealth if thou standest here erected, or if thou art lying on thy mother (earth).” (The second half verse from) “provide us,” &c., means : “thou mayest stand or lie,[2] provide us with wealth.”

[2]The Brâhmaṇam explains here only the two somewhat obscure verbal forms: tiṣṭhâ and kṣayo of the mantra, by tiṣṭhâsi (2nd person conjunctive, present tense), and śayasâī (2nd person conjunctive, middle voice, present tense), which are in the common Saṁskrit language equally obsolete: tiṣṭhâ stands instead of tiṣṭhâs, 2nd person conjunctive, present tense of the shorter form.

यदूर्ध्वस्तिष्ठा द्रविणेह धत्ताद्यद्वा क्षयो मातुरस्या उपस्थ इति यदि च तिष्ठासि यदि च शयासै द्रविणमेवास्मासु धत्तादित्येव तदाह ।

उच्छ्रयस्व वनस्पत इत्युच्छ्रीयमाणायाभिरूपा यद्यज्ञे ऽभिरूपं तत्समृद्धं वर्ष्मन्पृथिव्या अधीत्येतद्वै वर्ष्म पृथिव्यै यत्र यूपमुन्मिन्वन्ति। सुमिती मीयमानो वर्चो धा यज्ञवाहस इत्याशिषमाशास्ते ।

(The Hotar repeats the mantra.) Uchchhrayasva, &c. (3, 8, 3), i.e., “be raised, O tree ! on the surface of the soil; thou who hast well lain (on the ground), grant splendour to the carrying up of the sacrifice (to heaven).” This (verse) is appropriate to (the occasion of) erecting the Yûpa (for it contains the words : “be raised !”). What is appropriate in the sacrifice, that is sure of success. (The words) “on the surface of the soil” mean the surface of that soil over which they raise the Yûpa. (By the words) “thou hast lain well, grant us,” &c., the Hotar asks for a blessing (from the Yûpa).

उच्छ्रयस्व वनस्पत इत्युच्छ्रीयमाणायाभिरूपा यद्यज्ञे ऽभिरूपं तत्समृद्धं वर्ष्मन्पृथिव्या अधीत्येतद्वै वर्ष्म पृथिव्यै यत्र यूपमुन्मिन्वन्ति। सुमिती मीयमानो वर्चो धा यज्ञवाहस इत्याशिषमाशास्ते ।

समिद्धस्य श्रयमाणः पुरस्तादीति समिद्धस्य ह्येष एतत्पुरस्ताच्छ्रयते ब्रह्म वन्वानो अजरं सुवीरमीत्याशिषमेवाशास्त आरे अस्मदमतिम्बाधमान इत्यशनाया वई पाप्मामतिस्तामेव तदारान्नुदते यज्ञाच्च यजमानाच्चोच् छ्रयस्व महते सौभगायेत्याशिषमेवाशास्त ।

(The Hotar repeats :) samiddhasya śrayamâṇaḥ” (3, 8, 2), i.e., “placed before the (fire) which is kindled (here), thou grantest the Brahma power, which is indestructible and provides with abundance offspring. Stand erected, driving far off our enemies (amati), for our welfare.” By the words: “placed before,” &c., he means: placed before it (what is kindled, the fire). By the words: “thou grantest,” &c., he asks for a blessing. The wicked enemy (amati) is hunger. By the words: “driving far off,” &c., he frees the sacrifice as well as the sacrificer from hunger. By the words : “stand erected,” &c., he asks for a blessing.

समिद्धस्य श्रयमाणः पुरस्तादीति समिद्धस्य ह्येष एतत्पुरस्ताच्छ्रयते ब्रह्म वन्वानो अजरं सुवीरमीत्याशिषमेवाशास्त आरे अस्मदमतिम्बाधमान इत्यशनाया वई पाप्मामतिस्तामेव तदारान्नुदते यज्ञाच्च यजमानाच्चोच् छ्रयस्व महते सौभगायेत्याशिषमेवाशास्त ।

ऊर्ध्व ऊ षु ण ऊतये तिष्ठा देवो न सवितेति यद्वै देवानां नेति तदेषामोमिति तिष्ठ देव इव सवितेत्येव तदाहोर्ध्वो वाजस्य सनितेति वाजसनिमेवैनं तद्धनसां सनोति यदञ्जिभिर्वाघद्भिर्विह्वयामह इति छन्दांसि वा अञ्जयो वाघतस्तैरेतद्देवान्यजमाना विह्वयन्ते मम यज्ञमागछत मम यज्ञमिति यदि ह वा अपि बहव इव यजन्ते ऽथ हास्य देवा यज्ञमैव गछन्ति यत्रैवं विद्वानेतामन्वाह ।

(The Hotar repeats the mantra : ûrdhva û ṣu na ûtaye (1, 36, 13), i.e., “Stand upright for our protection just as the sungod! Being raised, be a giver of food, when we invoke thee in different ways (metres), whilst the anointing priests are carrying on (the sacrifice).” (As to the expression), deva na savitâ, “just as the sungod,” the (particle) na has with the gods the same meaning as om (yes) with these (men);[3] it means iva, “like as.” By the words, “being raised, be a giver of food,” he calls him (the Yûpa) a dispenser of food; he is giving them (men) grain; he dispenses (sanoti) it. The words, “aṁjayo vâghataḥ” (the anointing priests are carrying) mean the metres; for by their means the sacrificers call the different gods : “Come to my sacrifice, to my sacrifice !” If many, as it were, bring a sacrifice (at the same time), then the gods come only to the sacrifice of him, at which (there is a Hotar), who having such a knowledge repeats this (mantra).

[3]Sâyaṇa refers the demonstrative pronoun eṣâm to the Vedas. But there is no sufficient proof to show that the three Vedas are hinted at in this demonstrative. It stands in opposition to devânâm; thence it can only refer to men. The meaning of the explanatory remark, that “na has with the gods the same meaning as om (yes), with men,” is, that na is here no negative particle, as is generally the case, but affirmative, excluding negation, just as om, which is used for solemn affirmation.

ऊर्ध्व ऊ षु ण ऊतये तिष्ठा देवो न सवितेति यद्वै देवानां नेति तदेषामोमिति तिष्ठ देव इव सवितेत्येव तदाहोर्ध्वो वाजस्य सनितेति वाजसनिमेवैनं तद्धनसां सनोति यदञ्जिभिर्वाघद्भिर्विह्वयामह इति छन्दांसि वा अञ्जयो वाघतस्तैरेतद्देवान्यजमाना विह्वयन्ते मम यज्ञमागछत मम यज्ञमिति यदि ह वा अपि बहव इव यजन्ते ऽथ हास्य देवा यज्ञमैव गछन्ति यत्रैवं विद्वानेतामन्वाह ।

ऊर्ध्वो नः पाह्यंहसो नि केतुना विश्वं समत्रिणं दहेति रक्षांसि वै पाप्मात्रिणो रक्षांसि पाप्मानं दहेत्येव तदाह कृधी न ऊर्ध्वाञ्चरथाय जीवस इति यदाह कृधी न ऊर्ध्वाञ्चरणाय जीवस इत्येव तदाह यदि ह वा अपि नीत इव यजमानो भवति परि हैवैनं तत्संवत्सराय ददाति विदा देवेषु नो दुव इत्याशिषमेवाशास्ते ।

(The Hotar then repeats:) “ûrdhvo” naḥ pâhi”[4] (1, 36, 14), i.e., “(Standing) upright protect us from distress; with thy beams burn down all carnivorous beings (ghosts). Make us (stand) upright, that we may walk and live ! Mayst thou as messenger carry (our offerings) to the gods! The wicked carnivorous beings are the Rakṣas. He calls upon him (the Yûpa) to burn the wicked Rakṣas down. (In the second half verse) the word charathâya, “ that he might walk,” is equivalent to charaṇâya, “for walking.” (By the word “to live”) he rescues the sacrificer, even if he should have been already seized, as it were (by death), and restores him to (the enjoyment of) the whole year. (By the words :) “mayst thou carry,” &c., he asks for a blessing.

[4]This and the preceding verse properly refer to Agni, and not to the Yūpa, as the contents of both clearly show. They form part of a hymn addressed to Agni. They appear to have been selected for being applied to the Yūpa, only on account of the word “ūrdhva,” “erected, upwards,” being mentioned in them. The Yūpa, when standing upright, required mantras appropriate to its position, and these appear to have been the only available ones serving this purpose.

ऊर्ध्वो नः पाह्यंहसो नि केतुना विश्वं समत्रिणं दहेति रक्षांसि वै पाप्मात्रिणो रक्षांसि पाप्मानं दहेत्येव तदाह कृधी न ऊर्ध्वाञ्चरथाय जीवस इति यदाह कृधी न ऊर्ध्वाञ्चरणाय जीवस इत्येव तदाह यदि ह वा अपि नीत इव यजमानो भवति परि हैवैनं तत्संवत्सराय ददाति विदा देवेषु नो दुव इत्याशिषमेवाशास्ते ।

जातो जायते सुदिनत्वे अह्नामिति जातो ह्येष एताज्जायते समर्य आ विदथे वर्धमान इति वर्धयन्त्येवैनं तत्पुनन्ति धीरा अपसो मनीषेति पुनन्त्येवैनं तत्देवया विप्र अदियर्ति वाचमिति देवेभ्य एवैनं तन्निवेदयति ।

(The Hotar then repeats :) “jâto jâyate sudinatve,” &c. (3, 8, 5), i. e., “After having been born, he (the Yûpa) is growing (to serve) in the prime of his life sacrifice of mortal man. The wise are busy in decorating (him, the Yûpa) with skill. He as an eloquent messenger of the gods, lifts his voice (that it might be heard by the gods).” He (the Yûpa) is called jâta, i.e., born, because he is born by this (by the recital of the first quarter of this verse). (By the word) vardhamâna, i.e., growing, they make him (the Yûpa) grow in this manner. (By the words:) punanti (i.e., to clean, decorate), they clean him in this manner. (By the words :) “he as an eloquent messenger, &c.,” he announces the Yûpa (the fact of his existence), to the gods.

जातो जायते सुदिनत्वे अह्नामिति जातो ह्येष एताज्जायते समर्य आ विदथे वर्धमान इति वर्धयन्त्येवैनं तत्पुनन्ति धीरा अपसो मनीषेति पुनन्त्येवैनं तत्देवया विप्र अदियर्ति वाचमिति देवेभ्य एवैनं तन्निवेदयति ।

युवा सुवासाः परिवीत आगादित्युत्तमया परिदधाति प्राणो वै युवा सुवासाः सो ऽयं शरीरैः परिवृतः स उ श्रेयान्भवति जायमान इति श्रेयाञ्छ्रेयान्ह्येष एतद्भवति जायमानस्तं धीरासः कवय उन्नयन्ति स्वाध्यो मनसा देवयन्त इति ये वा अनूचानास्ते कवयस्त एवैनं तदुन्नयन्ति ।

The Hotar then concludes (the ceremony of anointing the sacrificial post) with the verse “yuvâ suvâsâḥ parivitaḥ” (3, 8, 4.), i.e., “the youth,[5] decorated with ribands, has arrived; he is finer (than all trees) which ever grew; the wise priests raise him up under recital of well-framed thoughts of their mind.” The youth decorated with ribands, is the vital air (the soul), which is covered by the limbs of the body.[6] (By the words :) “he is finer,” &c., he means that he (the Yûpa) is becoming finer (more excellent, beautiful) by this (mantra). The wise priests (Kavis) those who have repeated the hymns are to be understood. Thus by this (mantra) they raise him up.

[5]There is a pun between yuvâ, young, a youth, and Yūpa. By this “youth” the Yūpa is to be understood.

[6]The limbs of the body are to correspond with the ribands to be put on the Yūpa.

युवा सुवासाः परिवीत आगादित्युत्तमया परिदधाति प्राणो वै युवा सुवासाः सो ऽयं शरीरैः परिवृतः स उ श्रेयान्भवति जायमान इति श्रेयाञ्छ्रेयान्ह्येष एतद्भवति जायमानस्तं धीरासः कवय उन्नयन्ति स्वाध्यो मनसा देवयन्त इति ये वा अनूचानास्ते कवयस्त एवैनं तदुन्नयन्ति ।

ता एताः सप्तान्वाह रूपसमृद्धा ।

When the Hotar has repeated these seven verses, which are complete in their form (corresponding to the ceremony for which they are used), the sacrifice is made successful;

ता एताः सप्तान्वाह रूपसमृद्धा ।

एतद्वै यज्ञस्य समृद्धं यद्रूपसंऋद्धं यत्कर्म क्रियमाणमृगभिवदति ।

that is, the form is complete, when the verse recited alludes to the ceremony which is being performed.

एतद्वै यज्ञस्य समृद्धं यद्रूपसंऋद्धं यत्कर्म क्रियमाणमृगभिवदति ।

तासां त्रिः प्रथमामन्वाह त्रिरुत्तमां ता एकादश सम्पद्यन्त ।

Of these seven (verses), he recites the first thrice, and the last thrice; that makes eleven.

तासां त्रिः प्रथमामन्वाह त्रिरुत्तमां ता एकादश सम्पद्यन्त ।

एकादशाक्षरा वै त्रिष्टुप्त्रिष्टुबीन्द्रस्य वज्र ।

The Triṣṭubh (metre) namely consists of eleven syllables (i.e, each quarter of the verse). Triṣṭubh is Indra’s thunderbolt.[7]

[7]The Yūpa represents Indra’s thunderbolt, see 2, 1. Thence the author is anxiously looking out for a relationship between the Yupa and anything belonging to Indra. Here he finds it in the circumstance, that, if the repetitions are counted, the number of the mantras required for the ceremony of anointing, raising, and decorating the Yūpa, amounts to eleven, which is the principal number of Indra’s sacred metre, Triṣṭubh.

एकादशाक्षरा वै त्रिष्टुप्त्रिष्टुबीन्द्रस्य वज्र ।

इन्द्रा यतनाभिरेवाभी राध्नोति य एवं वेद ।

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

इन्द्रा यतनाभिरेवाभी राध्नोति य एवं वेद ।

त्रिः प्रथमां त्रिरुत्तमामन्वाह यज्ञस्यैव तद्बर्सौ नह्यति स्थेम्ने बलायाविस्रंसाय ।

By repeating the first and last verses thrice, he ties together both ends of the sacrifice to fasten and tighten them, in order to prevent (the sacrifice) from slipping down.

त्रिः प्रथमां त्रिरुत्तमामन्वाह यज्ञस्यैव तद्बर्सौ नह्यति स्थेम्ने बलायाविस्रंसाय ।