०६

दैव्याः शमितार आरभध्वमुत मनुष्या इत्याह ।

(The Formula to be Recited at the Slaughter of the Animal.* See Âśv. Śr. S. 3, 3).[24]

The Hotar then says (to the slaughterers) : Ye divine slaughterers, commence (your work), as well as ye who are human !

[24]It is called the Adhrigu-praiṣa-mantra, i.e., the mantra by which the Adhrigu is ordered to kill the animal. The word used for “killer, slaughterer,” is “Samitâ,” lit, silence-maker. This peculiar term accurately expresses the mode in which the sacrificial animal is to be killed. They stop its mouth, and beat it severely ten or twelve times on the testicles till it is suffocated. During the act of killing, no voice is to be heard.

दैव्याः शमितार आरभध्वमुत मनुष्या इत्याह ।

ये चैव देवानां शमितारो ये च मनुष्याणां तानेव तत्संशास्ति ।

that is to say, he orders all the slaughterers among gods as well as among men (to commence).

ये चैव देवानां शमितारो ये च मनुष्याणां तानेव तत्संशास्ति ।

उपनयत मेध्या दुर आशासाना मेधपतिभ्याम्मेधमिति ।

Bring hither the instruments for killing, ye who are ordering the sacrifice, in behalf of the two masters of the sacrifice.[25]

[25]Either the sacrificer and his wife, or the two deities, Agnîṣomâu, to whom the sacrificial animal is devoted. Sây, says: another Sâkhâ has Medha-pataye. In the Kauṣitaki Brâhmaṇam 10, 4, there is also the dual.

उपनयत मेध्या दुर आशासाना मेधपतिभ्याम्मेधमिति ।

पशुर्वै मेधो यजमानो मेधपतिर्यजमानमेव तत्स्वेन मेधेन समर्धयति ।

The animal is the offering, the sacrificer the master of the offering. Thus he (the Hotar) makes prosper the sacrificer by means of his (the sacrificer’s) own offering.

पशुर्वै मेधो यजमानो मेधपतिर्यजमानमेव तत्स्वेन मेधेन समर्धयति ।

अथो खल्वाहुर्यस्यै वाव कस्यै च देवतायै पशुरालभ्यते सैव मेधपतिरिति ।

Thence they truly say : for whatever deity the animal is killed, that one is the master of the offering.

अथो खल्वाहुर्यस्यै वाव कस्यै च देवतायै पशुरालभ्यते सैव मेधपतिरिति ।

स यद्येकदेवत्यः पशुः स्यान्मेधपतय इति ब्रूयाद्यदि द्विदेवत्यो मेधपतिभ्यामिति यदि बहुदेवत्यो मेधपतिभ्य इत्येतदेव स्थितम् ।

If the animal is to be offered to one deity only, the priest should say : medhapataye[26] “to the master of the sacrifice (singular)”; if to two deities, then he should use the dual “to both the masters of the offering,” and if to several deities, then he should use the plural “to the masters of the offering.” This is the established custom.

[26]This change in the formula is called ūha. See Sâyaṇa’s Introduction to Ṛigveda, vol. i., p. 10, 11, ed. Müller.

स यद्येकदेवत्यः पशुः स्यान्मेधपतय इति ब्रूयाद्यदि द्विदेवत्यो मेधपतिभ्यामिति यदि बहुदेवत्यो मेधपतिभ्य इत्येतदेव स्थितम् ।

प्रास्मा अग्निम्भरतेति ।

Bring ye for him fire !

प्रास्मा अग्निम्भरतेति ।

पशुर्वै नीयमानः स मृत्युम्प्रापश्यत्स देवान्नान्वकामयतैतुं तं देवा अब्रुवन्नेहि स्वर्गं वै त्वा लोकं गमयिष्याम इति ।

For the animal when carried (to the slaughter) saw death before it. Not wishing to go to the gods, the gods said to it : Come, we will bring thee to heaven !

पशुर्वै नीयमानः स मृत्युम्प्रापश्यत्स देवान्नान्वकामयतैतुं तं देवा अब्रुवन्नेहि स्वर्गं वै त्वा लोकं गमयिष्याम इति ।

स तथेत्यब्रवीत्तस्य वै मे युष्माकमेकः पुरस्तादैत्विति ।

The animal consented and said : One of you should walk before me.

स तथेत्यब्रवीत्तस्य वै मे युष्माकमेकः पुरस्तादैत्विति ।

तथेति तस्याग्निः पुरस्तदैत्सो ऽग्निमनुप्राच्यवत ।

They consented. Agni then walked before it, and it followed after Agni.

तथेति तस्याग्निः पुरस्तदैत्सो ऽग्निमनुप्राच्यवत ।

तस्मदाहुराग्नेयो वाव सर्वः पशुरग्निं हि सो ऽनुप्राच्यवतेति तस्माद्वस्याग्निम्पुरस्ताद्धरन्ति ।

Thence they say, every animal belongs to Agni, for it followed after him. Thence they carry before the animal fire (Agni).

तस्मदाहुराग्नेयो वाव सर्वः पशुरग्निं हि सो ऽनुप्राच्यवतेति तस्माद्वस्याग्निम्पुरस्ताद्धरन्ति ।

स्तृणीत बर्हिरित्योषध्यात्मा व पशुः पशुमेव तत्सर्वात्मानं करोति ।

Spread the (sacred) grass ! The animal lives on herbs. He (the Hotar) thus provides the animal with its entire soul (the herbs being supposed to form part of it).

स्तृणीत बर्हिरित्योषध्यात्मा व पशुः पशुमेव तत्सर्वात्मानं करोति ।

अन्वेनम्माता मन्यतामनु पितानु भ्राता स गर्भ्यो ऽनु सखा सयूथ्य इति जनित्रैरेवैनं तत्समनुमतमालभन्त ।

The mother, father, brother, sister, friend, and companion should give this (animal) up (for being slaughtered) ! When these words are pronounced, they seize the animal which is (regarded as) entirely given up by its relations (parents, &c.).

अन्वेनम्माता मन्यतामनु पितानु भ्राता स गर्भ्यो ऽनु सखा सयूथ्य इति जनित्रैरेवैनं तत्समनुमतमालभन्त ।

उदीचीनाँ अस्य पदो नि धत्तात्सूर्यं चक्षुर्गमयताद्वातम्प्राणमन्ववसृजतादन्तरिक्षमसुं दिशः श्रोत्रम्पृथिवीं शरीरमिति ।

Turn its feet northwards ! Make its eye go to the sun, dismiss its breath to the wind, its life to the air, its hearing to the directions, its body to the earth.

उदीचीनाँ अस्य पदो नि धत्तात्सूर्यं चक्षुर्गमयताद्वातम्प्राणमन्ववसृजतादन्तरिक्षमसुं दिशः श्रोत्रम्पृथिवीं शरीरमिति ।

एष्वेवैनं तल्लोकेष्वादधाति ।

In this way he (the Hotar) places it (connects it) with these worlds.

एष्वेवैनं तल्लोकेष्वादधाति ।

एकधास्य त्वचमाछ्यतात्पुरा नाभ्या अपिशसो वपामुत्खिदतादन्तरेवोष्माणं वारयध्वादिति ।

Take of the skin entire (without cutting it). Before opening the navel, tear out the omentum ! Stop its breathing within (by stopping its mouth) !

एकधास्य त्वचमाछ्यतात्पुरा नाभ्या अपिशसो वपामुत्खिदतादन्तरेवोष्माणं वारयध्वादिति ।

पशुष्वेव तत्प्राणान्दधाति ।

Thus he (the Hotar) puts its breath in the animals.

पशुष्वेव तत्प्राणान्दधाति ।

श्येनमस्य वक्षः कृणुतात्प्रशसा बाहू शला दोषणी कश्यपेवांसाछिद्रे श्रोणी कवषोरू स्रेकपर्णाष्ठीवन्ता षड्विंशतिरस्य वङ्क्रयस्त अनुष्ठ्योच्च्यावयताद्गात्रंगत्रमस्यानूनं कृणुतात् ।

Make of its breast a piece like an eagle, of its arms (two pieces, like) two hatchets, of its forearms (two pieces, like) two spikes, of its shoulders (two pieces, like) two kaśyapas,[27] its loins should be unbroken (entire); (make of) its thighs (two pieces, like) two shields, of the two kneepans (two pieces, like) two oleander leaves; take out its twenty-six ribs according to their order; preserve every limb of it in its integrity.

[27]Probably another name for kūrma, i.e., tortoise. See Śatapathabrâhm. 7, 5, 1, 2.

श्येनमस्य वक्षः कृणुतात्प्रशसा बाहू शला दोषणी कश्यपेवांसाछिद्रे श्रोणी कवषोरू स्रेकपर्णाष्ठीवन्ता षड्विंशतिरस्य वङ्क्रयस्त अनुष्ठ्योच्च्यावयताद्गात्रंगत्रमस्यानूनं कृणुतात् ।

इत्यङ्गान्येवास्य तद्गात्राणि प्रीणाति ।

Thus he benefits all its limbs.

इत्यङ्गान्येवास्य तद्गात्राणि प्रीणाति ।

ऊवध्यगोहम्पार्थिवं खनतादित्याह ।

Dig a ditch in the earth to hide its excrements.

औषधं वा ऊवध्यमियं वा ओषधीनाम्प्रतिष्ठा ।

The excrements consist of vegetable food; for the earth is the place for the herbs.

औषधं वा ऊवध्यमियं वा ओषधीनाम्प्रतिष्ठा ।

तदेनत्स्वायामेव प्रतिष्ठायामन्ततः प्रतिष्ठापयति ।

Thus the Hotar puts them (the excrements) finally in their proper place.

तदेनत्स्वायामेव प्रतिष्ठायामन्ततः प्रतिष्ठापयति ।