२७

प्राणा वै द्विदेवत्या एकपात्रा गृह्यन्ते तस्मात्प्राणा एकनामानः ।

(The Rite of Drinking from the Aindravâyava, Maitrâvaruṇa, and Aśvina Grahas by the Hotar. The Formulas repeated at those occasions.)

The Soma offerings belonging to two deities are the vital airs;[3] but they are offered in the same jar for both (deities); for the reason is, that (all) the vital airs are of one and the same nature.

[3]By these, speech, eyes, and ears are meant.

प्राणा वै द्विदेवत्या एकपात्रा गृह्यन्ते तस्मात्प्राणा एकनामानः ।

द्विपात्रा हूयन्ते तस्मात्प्राणा द्वन्द्वम् ।

They are sacrificed from two[4] grahas (jars with small cups), for the vital airs are a pair (such as the respective deities).

[4]At the Soma offerings, there are always two Grahas required; one is held by the Adhvaryu, the other by his assistant Pratipasthâtar. The contents of both the grahas belong to the same pair of deities; both are therefore dvidevatya, belonging to two deities. The author of the Brâhmaṇa attempts here to explain the circumstance that, though the Soma offering contained in one graha belong to two deities (Vâyu and Indra, Mitra and Varuṇa, &c.), there are always two Grahas used, and their contents simultaneously sacrificed.

द्विपात्रा हूयन्ते तस्मात्प्राणा द्वन्द्वम् ।

येनैवाध्वर्युर्यजुषा प्रयछति तेन होता प्रतिगृह्णात्येष वासुः पुरूवसुरिह वसुः पुरूवसुर्मयि वसुः पुरूवसुर्वाक्पा वाचम्मे पाहीत्यैन्द्रवायवम्भक्षयति ।

When (after the Soma offering has been given to the two respective deities) the Adhvaryu hands over (the Soma cup to drink of the remainder of the juice) to the Hotar, he receives it with the same mantra by which the Adhvaryu presents it (to him). By the (words) : “This is a good,[5] this is a multitude of goods; here is good, a multitude of goods; in me is the good (when the Soma is drunk), a multitude of goods; rule of speech ![6] protect my speech !” the Hotar drinks Soma from the Aindravâyava graha.

[5]This formula resembles very much one of the most sacred prayers of the Parsis, viz., ashem vohu vahistem asti which is particularly repeated when the Zota priest (the Hotar of the Brahmans) is drinking the Homa (Soma) juice; vohū is etymologically vasu, which is very frequently used in formulas repeated by the Hotar before he tastes the sacrificial food; vahistem is the superlative of vohū, conveying the same sense as purūvasu.

[6]In this translation I followed the reading वाकपा. One of my Manuscripts and Sâyaṇa read वाक्या, which appears to be only a lapsus calami for वाक्पा.

येनैवाध्वर्युर्यजुषा प्रयछति तेन होता प्रतिगृह्णात्येष वासुः पुरूवसुरिह वसुः पुरूवसुर्मयि वसुः पुरूवसुर्वाक्पा वाचम्मे पाहीत्यैन्द्रवायवम्भक्षयति ।

उपहूता वाक्सह प्राणेनोप मां वाक्सह प्राणेन ह्वयतामुपहूता ऋषयो दैव्यासस्तनूपावानस्तन्वस्तपोजा उप मामृषयो दैव्यासो ह्वयन्तां तनूपावानस्तन्वस्तपोजा इति ।

(Then he repeats) : ‘Speech with breath is called hither (by me); may speech with breath call also me! The divine Ṛiṣis, the protectors of “(our) bodies,[7] who are born from austerities (tapoja) are called hither (by me)! may the divine Ṛiṣis, the protectors of our bodies, who are born from austerities, call (also) me!’

[7]The expression in the original is: tanūpâvânas tanvaḥ, the term “body” being thus put twice.

उपहूता वाक्सह प्राणेनोप मां वाक्सह प्राणेन ह्वयतामुपहूता ऋषयो दैव्यासस्तनूपावानस्तन्वस्तपोजा उप मामृषयो दैव्यासो ह्वयन्तां तनूपावानस्तन्वस्तपोजा इति ।

प्राणा वा ऋषयो दैव्यासस्तानूपावानस्तन्वस्तपोजास्तानेव तदुपह्वयते ।

By the divine Ṛiṣis, who are the “protectors of (our) bodies, the vital airs are to be understood. Thus he calls (invites) the Ṛiṣis.

प्राणा वा ऋषयो दैव्यासस्तानूपावानस्तन्वस्तपोजास्तानेव तदुपह्वयते ।

एष वसुर्विदद्वसुरिह वसुर्विदद्वसुर्मयि वसुर्विदद्वसुश्चक्षुष्पाश्चक्षुर्मे पाहीति मैत्रावरुणम्भक्षयति ।

(By the words) : “This is a good which has knowledge; here is a good which has knowledge; in me is a good which has knowledge; ruler of the eye, protect my eye !” the Hotar drinks Soma from the Maitrâvaruṇa graha.

एष वसुर्विदद्वसुरिह वसुर्विदद्वसुर्मयि वसुर्विदद्वसुश्चक्षुष्पाश्चक्षुर्मे पाहीति मैत्रावरुणम्भक्षयति ।

उपहूतां चक्षुः सह मनसोप मां चक्षुः सह मनसा ह्वयतामुपहूता ऋषयो दैव्यासस्तनूपावानस्तन्वस्तपोजा उप मामृषयो दैव्यासो ह्वयन्तां तनूपावानस्तन्वस्तपोजा इति ।

(Then he repeats): “The eye with the mind is called hither. May the eye with the mind call (also) me! The divine Ṛiṣis,” &c. (just as above).

उपहूतां चक्षुः सह मनसोप मां चक्षुः सह मनसा ह्वयतामुपहूता ऋषयो दैव्यासस्तनूपावानस्तन्वस्तपोजा उप मामृषयो दैव्यासो ह्वयन्तां तनूपावानस्तन्वस्तपोजा इति ।

प्राणा वा ऋषयो दैव्यासस्तनूपावानस्तन्वस्तपोजास्तानेव तदुपह्वयत ।

By the divine Ṛiṣis, who are the “protectors of (our) bodies, the vital airs are to be understood. Thus he calls (invites) the Ṛiṣis.

प्राणा वा ऋषयो दैव्यासस्तनूपावानस्तन्वस्तपोजास्तानेव तदुपह्वयत ।

एष वसुः संयद्वसुरिह वसुः संयद्वसुर्मयि वसुः संयद्वसुः श्रोत्रापाः श्रोत्रम्मे पाहीत्याश्विनाम्भक्षयति ।

(By the words): “This is a good, a good which is lasting; here is a good, a good which is lasting; in me is a good, a good which is lasting; ruler of the sense of hearing![8] protect my sense of hearing !” the Hotar drinks Soma from the Aśvina graha.

[8]Sâyaṇa explains संयत् by नियत

एष वसुः संयद्वसुरिह वसुः संयद्वसुर्मयि वसुः संयद्वसुः श्रोत्रापाः श्रोत्रम्मे पाहीत्याश्विनाम्भक्षयति ।

उपहूतं श्रोत्रं सहात्मनोप मां श्रोत्रं सहात्मना ह्वयातमुपहूता ऋषयो दैव्यासस्तनूपावानस्तन्वस्तपोजा उप मामृषयो दैव्यासो ह्वयन्तां तनूपावानस्तन्वस्तपोजा इति ।

(Then he repeats) : “The sense of hearing with the soul is called hither: may the sense of hearing with the soul call (also) me! The divine Ṛiṣis,” &c. (just as above).

उपहूतं श्रोत्रं सहात्मनोप मां श्रोत्रं सहात्मना ह्वयातमुपहूता ऋषयो दैव्यासस्तनूपावानस्तन्वस्तपोजा उप मामृषयो दैव्यासो ह्वयन्तां तनूपावानस्तन्वस्तपोजा इति ।

प्राणा वा ऋषयो दैव्यासस्तनूपावानस्तन्वस्तपोजास्तानेव तदुपह्वयते ।

By the divine Ṛiṣis, who are the protectors of (our) bodies, the vital airs are to be understood. Thus he calls (invites) the Ṛiṣis.

प्राणा वा ऋषयो दैव्यासस्तनूपावानस्तन्वस्तपोजास्तानेव तदुपह्वयते ।

पुरस्तात्प्रत्यञ्चमैन्द्रवायवम्भक्षयति तस्मात्पुरस्तात्प्राणापानौ ।

When drinking from the Aindravâyava graha, the Hotar facing the cup turns its mouth towards his face (and drinks); for the inhaled and exhaled airs are in his front.

पुरस्तात्प्रत्यञ्चमैन्द्रवायवम्भक्षयति तस्मात्पुरस्तात्प्राणापानौ ।

पुरस्तात्प्रत्यञ्चम्मैत्रावरुणम्भक्षयति तस्मात्पुरस्ताच्चक्षुषी ।

In the same manner, he drinks from the Maitrâvaruṇa jar; for the two eyes are in his front.

पुरस्तात्प्रत्यञ्चम्मैत्रावरुणम्भक्षयति तस्मात्पुरस्ताच्चक्षुषी ।

सर्वतः परिहारमाश्विनम्भक्षयति तस्मान्मनुष्याश्च पशवश्च सर्वतो वाचं वदन्तीं शृण्वन्ति ।

When drinking from the Aśvina jar, he turns its mouth[9] round about; for men and animals hear speech sounding from all sides.

[9]The Aindravayava graha has one, the Maitrâvaruṇa two mouths. The drinking from the two latter ones is described as purastât pratyañcham, that is, to take the graha in one’s hands, so that its mouth faces the mouth of the drinker, and, when drinking, to turn the lower part of the vessel aside.

The Aśvina graha has three mouths. The drinking from it is described as parihâram, that is, to turn its three mouths one after the other to one’s mouth when drinking, so that the whole vessel becomes turned round. (Oral information.)

सर्वतः परिहारमाश्विनम्भक्षयति तस्मान्मनुष्याश्च पशवश्च सर्वतो वाचं वदन्तीं शृण्वन्ति ।