०३

तिष्ठेद्यूपाः अनुप्रहरेतित्याहुः ।

(Speculations on the Yûpa, and the Meaning of the Sacrificial Animal.)

They (the theologians) argue the question : Is the Yûpa to remain standing (before the fire), or is it to be thrown (into the fire) ?

तिष्ठेद्यूपाः अनुप्रहरेतित्याहुः ।

तिष्ठेत्पशुकामस्य ।

They answer : ) For him who desires cattle, it may remain standing.

तिष्ठेत्पशुकामस्य ।

देवेभ्यो वै पशवो ऽन्नाद्यायालम्भाय नातिष्ठन्त ।

(About this the following story is reported). Once upon a time cattle did not stand still to be taken by the gods for food.

देवेभ्यो वै पशवो ऽन्नाद्यायालम्भाय नातिष्ठन्त ।

ते ऽपक्रम्य प्रतिवावदतो ऽतिष्ठन्नास्मानालप्स्यध्वे नास्मानिति ।

Having run away, they stood still (and turning towards the gods), said repeatedly : You shall not obtain us ! No ! no !

ते ऽपक्रम्य प्रतिवावदतो ऽतिष्ठन्नास्मानालप्स्यध्वे नास्मानिति ।

ततो वै देवा एतं यूपम्वज्रमपश्यंस्तमेभ्य उदश्रयन् ।

Thereupon the gods saw that Yûpa-weapon which they erected.

ततो वै देवा एतं यूपम्वज्रमपश्यंस्तमेभ्य उदश्रयन् ।

तस्माद्बिभ्यत उपावर्तन्त ।

Thus they frightened the animals, which then returned to them.

तस्माद्बिभ्यत उपावर्तन्त ।

तमेवाद्याप्युपावृत्ताः ।

That is the reason, that up to this day, the (sacrificial) animals are turned towards the Yûpa, (i.e., the head being bent towards the sacrificial post to which they are tied).

तमेवाद्याप्युपावृत्ताः ।

ततो वै देवेभ्यः पशवो ऽन्नाद्याया ऽऽलम्भायातिष्ठन्त ।

Then they stood still to be taken by the gods for their food.

ततो वै देवेभ्यः पशवो ऽन्नाद्याया ऽऽलम्भायातिष्ठन्त ।

तिष्ठन्ते ऽस्मै पशवो ऽन्नाद्याया ऽऽलम्भाय य एवं वेद यस्य चैवं विदुषो यूपस्तिष्ठति ।

The (sacrificial) animals of him who has such a knowledge, and whose Yûpa stands erected, stand still to be taken by him for his food.

तिष्ठन्ते ऽस्मै पशवो ऽन्नाद्याया ऽऽलम्भाय य एवं वेद यस्य चैवं विदुषो यूपस्तिष्ठति ।

अनु प्रहरेत्स्वर्गकामस्य ।

He (the Adhvaryu) should afterwards throw the Yûpa of that sacrificer who desires heaven (into the fire).

अनु प्रहरेत्स्वर्गकामस्य ।

तमु ह स्मैतं पूर्वे ऽन्वेव प्रहरन्ति ।

For the former (sacrificers) actually used to throw the Yûpa (into the fire), after it had been used for tying the sacrificial animal to it.

तमु ह स्मैतं पूर्वे ऽन्वेव प्रहरन्ति ।

यजमानो वै यूपो यजमानः प्रस्तरो ऽग्निर्वै देवयोनिः ।

For the sacrificer is the Yûpa, and the bunch[8] of Darbha grass (prastara) is the sacrificer (also), and Agni is the womb of the gods.

[8]At the beginning of the sacrifice the Adhvaryu makes of the load of Darbha or sacred grass, which has been brought to the sacrificial compound, seven muṣṭis or bunches, each of which is tied together with a stalk of grass, just as the Baresma (Barsom) of the Parsis. The several names of these seven bunches are: (1) yajamâna muṣṭi, the bunch kept by the sacrificer himself in his hand as long as the sacrifice lasts. (2) Three bunches form the Barhis, or the covering of the Vedi on which the sacrificial vessels are put. These are unloosened and spread all over the Vedi. (3) Prastara. This bunch, which must remain tied, is put over the Darbha of the Vedi. (4) Paribhojani. From this bunch the Adhvaryu takes a handful out for each priest, and the sacrificer and his wife, which they then use for their seat. [5) Veda. This bunch is made double in its first part; the latter part is cut off and has to remain on the Vedi; it is called parivâsana. The Veda itself is always wandering from one priest to another, and is given to the sacrificer and his wife. It is handed over to the latter only when one of the priests makes her recite a mantra. In our passage here, prastara cannot mean the bunch which is put on the Vedi, but we must understand by it the Yajamâna muṣṭi.

यजमानो वै यूपो यजमानः प्रस्तरो ऽग्निर्वै देवयोनिः ।

सो ऽग्नेर्देवयोन्या आहुतिभ्यः सम्भूय हिरण्यशरीर ऊर्ध्वः स्वर्गं लोकमेष्यतीति ।

By means of the invocation offerings (âhuti), the sacrificer joins the womb of the gods, and will go with a golden body to the celestial world.[9]

[9]If the Yûpa represents the sacrificer, then his ascent to heaven is effected by the throwing into the fire of the former.

सो ऽग्नेर्देवयोन्या आहुतिभ्यः सम्भूय हिरण्यशरीर ऊर्ध्वः स्वर्गं लोकमेष्यतीति ।

अथ ये तेभ्यो ऽवर आसंस्त एतं स्वरुमपश्यन्यूपशकलम् ।

The sacrificers who lived after the ancient ones, observed that the svaru,[10] being a piece of the Yûpa (represents the whole of it).

[10]Svaru means “shavings.” A small piece of the Yupa is put into the Juhu (sacrificial ladle) and thrown into the fire by the words: “may thy smoke go to heaven.”

अथ ये तेभ्यो ऽवर आसंस्त एतं स्वरुमपश्यन्यूपशकलम् ।

तं तस्मिन्काले ऽनुप्रहरेत् ।

He (who now brings a sacrifice) should, therefore, throw it, at this time, afterwards (into the fire).

तं तस्मिन्काले ऽनुप्रहरेत् ।

तत्र स काम उपाप्तो यो ऽनुप्रहरणे तत्र स काम उपाप्तो यः स्थाने ।

In this way, any thing obtainable through the throwing of the Yûpa (into the fire), as well as that one obtainable through its remaining standing, is obtained.

तत्र स काम उपाप्तो यो ऽनुप्रहरणे तत्र स काम उपाप्तो यः स्थाने ।

सर्वाभ्यो वा एष देवताभ्य आत्मानमालभते यो दीक्षते ।

The man who is initiated (into the sacrificial mysteries) offers himself to all deities.

सर्वाभ्यो वा एष देवताभ्य आत्मानमालभते यो दीक्षते ।

अग्निः सर्वा देवताः सोमः सर्वा देवताः ।

Agni represents all deities, and Soma represents all deities.

अग्निः सर्वा देवताः सोमः सर्वा देवताः ।

स यदग्नीषोमीयं पशुमालभते सर्वाभ्य एव तद्देवताभ्यो यजमान आत्मानं निष्क्रीणीते ।

When he (the sacrificer) offers the animal to Agni-Soma,[11] he releases himself (by being represented by the animal) from being offered to all deities.[12]

[11]The name of the animal, or animals, sacrificed on the day previous to the Soma festival, as well as that of the day itself, is Agniṣamîya.

[12]The same idea is expressed in the Kauaṣîtaki Brâhmaṇam 10, 3. अग्नीषोमयोर्वा एष आस्यमापद्येतेया दीक्षते तद्यदुपवसथे ऽग्नीषोमीय पशुमालभत आत्मनिष्क्रयणो हैवास्यैष तेन आत्मानं निष्क्रीयानृणो भूत्वाथ भजते तस्मादु तस्य नाश्नीयात्, i.e., He who is initiated (into the sacrificial mysteries) falls into the very mouth of Agni-Soma (to be their food). That is the reason, that the sacrificer kills on the day previous to the Soma festival an animal being devoted to Agni-Soma, thus redeeming himself (from the obligation of being himself sacrificed.) He then brings his (Soma) sacrifice after having thus redeemed himself, and become free from debts. Thence the sacrificer ought not to eat of the flesh of this (animal).

स यदग्नीषोमीयं पशुमालभते सर्वाभ्य एव तद्देवताभ्यो यजमान आत्मानं निष्क्रीणीते ।

तदाहुर्द्विरूपो ऽग्नीषोमीयः कर्तव्यो द्विदेवत्यो हीति ।

They say : the animal to be offered to Agni-Soma, must be of two colours,[13] because it belongs to two deities.

[13]White and black according to Sâyaṇa.

तदाहुर्द्विरूपो ऽग्नीषोमीयः कर्तव्यो द्विदेवत्यो हीति ।

तत्तन्ना ऽऽदृत्यम् ।

But this (precept) is not to be attended to.

तत्तन्ना ऽऽदृत्यम् ।

पीव इव कर्तव्यः ।

A fat animal is to be sacrificed;

पीव इव कर्तव्यः ।

पीवोरूपा वै पशवः कृशित इव खलु वै यजमानो भवति ।

because animals are of a fat complexion, and the sacrificer (if compared with them) certainly lean.

पीवोरूपा वै पशवः कृशित इव खलु वै यजमानो भवति ।

तद्यत्पीवा पशुर्भवति यजमानमेव तत्स्वेन मेधेन समर्धयति ।

When the animal is fat, the sacrificer thrives through its marrow.

तद्यत्पीवा पशुर्भवति यजमानमेव तत्स्वेन मेधेन समर्धयति ।

तदाहुर्नाग्नीषोमीयस्य पशोरश्नीयात् ।

They say : “do not eat from the animal offered to Agni-Soma.”

तदाहुर्नाग्नीषोमीयस्य पशोरश्नीयात् ।

पुरुषस्य वा एषो ऽश्नाति यो ऽग्नीषोमीयस्य पशोरश्नाति ।

Who eats from this animal, eats from human flesh;

पुरुषस्य वा एषो ऽश्नाति यो ऽग्नीषोमीयस्य पशोरश्नाति ।

यजमानो ह्येतेना ऽऽत्मानं निष्क्रीणीत इति ।

because the sacrificer releases himself (from being sacrificed) by means of the animal.”

यजमानो ह्येतेना ऽऽत्मानं निष्क्रीणीत इति ।

तत्तन्ना ऽऽदृत्यम् ।

But this (precept) is not to be attended to.

तत्तन्ना ऽऽदृत्यम् ।

वार्त्रघ्नं वा एतद्धविर्यदग्नीषोमीयः ।

The animal offered to Agni-Soma is an offering to Vṛitraghna (Indra).

वार्त्रघ्नं वा एतद्धविर्यदग्नीषोमीयः ।

अग्नीषोमाभ्यां वा इन्द्रो वृत्रमहंस्तावेनमब्रूतामावाभ्याम् ।

For Indra slew Vṛitra through Agni-Soma.

अग्नीषोमाभ्यां वा इन्द्रो वृत्रमहंस्तावेनमब्रूतामावाभ्याम् ।

वै वृत्रमवधीर्वरं ते वृणावहा इति ।

Both then said to him : “Thou hast slain Vṛitra through us, let us choose a boon from thee.”

वै वृत्रमवधीर्वरं ते वृणावहा इति ।

वृणाथामिति ।

Choose yourselves, answered he.

वृणाथामिति ।

तावेतमेव वरमवृणातां श्वः सुत्यायां पशुम् ।

Thus they chose this boon from him. Thus they receive (now as their food) the animal which is sacrificed the day previous to the Soma feast.

तावेतमेव वरमवृणातां श्वः सुत्यायां पशुम् ।

स एनयोरेषो ऽच्युतो वरवृतो ह्येनयोः ।

This is their everlasting portion chosen by them.

स एनयोरेषो ऽच्युतो वरवृतो ह्येनयोः ।

तस्मात्तस्याशितव्यं चैव लीप्सितव्यं च ।

Thence one ought to take pieces of it, and eat them.

तस्मात्तस्याशितव्यं चैव लीप्सितव्यं च ।