१२

तस्य वपामुत्खिद्याहरन्ति तामध्वर्युः स्रुवेणाभिघारयन्नाह स्तोकेभ्यो ऽनुब्रूहीति ।

(The Offering of the Drops which fall from the Omentum).

After the Vapā (omentum) has been torn out (of the belly), they bring it (to the fire for being fried). The Adhvaryu causes to drip out of a Sruva drops of hot melted butter. When the drops are falling (to the ground), the Adhvaryu orders the Hotar to recite the mantra appropriate to the drops (falling down).

तस्य वपामुत्खिद्याहरन्ति तामध्वर्युः स्रुवेणाभिघारयन्नाह स्तोकेभ्यो ऽनुब्रूहीति ।

तद्यत्स्तोकाः श्चोतन्ति सर्वदेवत्या वै स्तोका नेन्म इमे ऽनभिप्रीता देवान्गछानिति ।

For the drops belong to all deities. He might think, they are not mine. (I, the priest, have nothing to do with them); they may, therefore, uninvited go to the gods; (but he ought to repeat mantras for them).

तद्यत्स्तोकाः श्चोतन्ति सर्वदेवत्या वै स्तोका नेन्म इमे ऽनभिप्रीता देवान्गछानिति ।

जुषस्व सप्रथस्तममित्यन्वाह वचो देवप्सरस्तमम् हव्याजुह्वान आसनीति ।

He repeats the Anuvākyā (for the drops :) “Be favourable to our loud voice (to be heard at a distance) which is agreeable to the gods, when swallowing our offerings with thy mouth ! (1, 75, 1.)”

जुषस्व सप्रथस्तममित्यन्वाह वचो देवप्सरस्तमम् हव्याजुह्वान आसनीति ।

अग्नेरेवैनांस्तदास्ये जुहोतीमम् ।

By this mantra he throws the drops into the mouth of Agni.

अग्नेरेवैनांस्तदास्ये जुहोतीमम् ।

नो यज्ञममृतेषु धेहीति सूक्तमन्वाहेमा ।

He further repeats the hymn : “Bring this our sacrifice among the gods” (3, 21).

नो यज्ञममृतेषु धेहीति सूक्तमन्वाहेमा ।

हव्या जातवेदो जुषस्वेति हव्यजुष्टिमाशास्ते ।

By the words (of the second pada of the first verse :) “be favourable to our offerings, O Jātavedas !” he begs for the acceptance of the offerings.

हव्या जातवेदो जुषस्वेति हव्यजुष्टिमाशास्ते ।

स्तोकानामग्ने मेदसो घृतस्येति मेदसश्च हि घृतस्य च भवन्ति ।

In the words (in the third pada of the first verse :) “eat, O Agni, the drops of the marrow[2] (and the) melted butter,” the drops of the marrow and the melted butter are mentioned.

[2]By medas, Sây. understands the Vapâ, which is ceatainly the right explanation.

स्तोकानामग्ने मेदसो घृतस्येति मेदसश्च हि घृतस्य च भवन्ति ।

होतः प्राशान प्रथमो निषद्येत्यग्निर्वै देवानां होताग्ने प्राशान प्रथमो निषद्येत्येव तदाह ।

The words (of the fourth pada of the first verse :) “eat, O Hotar, having first taken thy seat !” mean : Agni (for he is the Hotar of the gods) eat, after having taken, &c.

होतः प्राशान प्रथमो निषद्येत्यग्निर्वै देवानां होताग्ने प्राशान प्रथमो निषद्येत्येव तदाह ।

घृतवन्तः पावक ते स्तोका श्चोतन्ति मेदस इति मेदसश्च ह्येव हि घृतस्य च भवन्ति ।

(In the first half of the second verse :) “the drops of melted butter drip for thee, O purifier, from the marrow,” the drops both of the melted butter and the marrow are mentioned.

घृतवन्तः पावक ते स्तोका श्चोतन्ति मेदस इति मेदसश्च ह्येव हि घृतस्य च भवन्ति ।

स्वधर्मन्देववीतये श्रेष्ठं नो धेहि वार्यमित्याशिषमाशास्ते ।

(By the second half :) “grant us the best things which are desirable, for worshipping (thee) in the proper way,” he pronounces a blessing.

स्वधर्मन्देववीतये श्रेष्ठं नो धेहि वार्यमित्याशिषमाशास्ते ।

तुभ्यं स्तोका घृतश्चुतो ऽग्ने विप्राय सन्त्येति घृतश्चुतो हि भवन्त्यृषिः ।

(In the first half of the third verse :) “O ! Agni ! these drops are dripping melted butter for thee, the wise, who art to be worshipped with gifts,” the drops (of marrow) are described as “dripping melted butter.”

तुभ्यं स्तोका घृतश्चुतो ऽग्ने विप्राय सन्त्येति घृतश्चुतो हि भवन्त्यृषिः ।

श्रेष्ठः समिध्यसे यज्ञस्य प्राविता भवेति यज्ञसमृद्धिमाशास्ते ।

(By the second half :) “thou, the best Ṛiṣi art kindled; be a carrier of the sacrifice !” he (the priest) orders the sacrifice to be successful.

श्रेष्ठः समिध्यसे यज्ञस्य प्राविता भवेति यज्ञसमृद्धिमाशास्ते ।

तुभ्यं श्चोतन्त्यध्रिगो शचीव स्तोकासो अग्ने मेदसो घृतस्येति मेदसश्च ह्येव हि घृतस्य च भवन्ति ।

(In the first half of the fourth verse :) “to thee, O Adhṛigu ! drip the drops of marrow and melted butter, O Agni ! thou strong one !” the drops both, of the marrow and melted butter, are mentioned.

तुभ्यं श्चोतन्त्यध्रिगो शचीव स्तोकासो अग्ने मेदसो घृतस्येति मेदसश्च ह्येव हि घृतस्य च भवन्ति ।

कविशस्तो बृहता भानुनागा हव्या जुषस्व मेधिरेति हव्यजुष्टिमेवाशास्त ।

(By the second half :) “mayst thou, praised by poets, come (to us) with thy brightly shining flame ! kindly accept our offerings, O wise !” the priest asks the acceptance of the offerings.

कविशस्तो बृहता भानुनागा हव्या जुषस्व मेधिरेति हव्यजुष्टिमेवाशास्त ।

ओजिष्ठं ते मध्यतो मेद उद्भृतम्प्र ते वयं ददामहे श्चोतन्ति ते वसो स्तोका अधि त्वचि प्रति तान्देवशो विहीत्यभ्येवैनांस्तद्वषट्करोति ।

(After the recital of the fifth verses :) “we offer to thee the most juicy marrow (the Vapā), taken out of the midst (of the belly); these drops (of melted butter) drip on this thin skin[3] (the Vapā), carry them severally up to the gods !” the priest pronounces the formula Vāuṣaṭ ! for the drops (and thus concludes the offering of the drops).

[3]From this passage it is clear that by medas in the whole of this hymn, the Vapâ or omentum is to be understood; for it is called here tvach, i.e., skin, which (although it is very thin) it resembles.

ओजिष्ठं ते मध्यतो मेद उद्भृतम्प्र ते वयं ददामहे श्चोतन्ति ते वसो स्तोका अधि त्वचि प्रति तान्देवशो विहीत्यभ्येवैनांस्तद्वषट्करोति ।

यथा सोमस्याग्ने वीहीति तद्यत्स्तोकाः श्चोतन्ति सर्वदेवत्या वै स्तोकास्तस्मादियं स्तोकशो वृष्टिर्विभक्तोपाचरति ।

He then repeats the same formula (the Anuvaṣaṭkāra as is sacrificing the Soma), O Agni, enjoy the Soma ! (using instead of “Soma” the word “drops.”) These drops belong to all the gods. Thence the rain falls, divided in drops, down upon the earth.

यथा सोमस्याग्ने वीहीति तद्यत्स्तोकाः श्चोतन्ति सर्वदेवत्या वै स्तोकास्तस्मादियं स्तोकशो वृष्टिर्विभक्तोपाचरति ।