४२

देवा वा असुरैर्विजिग्याना ऊर्ध्वाः स्वर्गं लोकमायन् ।

(Why Four Stomas are Required at the Agniṣṭoma.)

The Devas after having (once upon a time) been defeated by the Asuras, started for the celestial world.

देवा वा असुरैर्विजिग्याना ऊर्ध्वाः स्वर्गं लोकमायन् ।

सो ऽग्निर्दिविस्पृगूर्ध्व उदश्रयत स स्वर्गस्य लोकस्य द्वारमवृणोदग्निर्वै स्वर्गस्य लोकस्याधिपतिः ।

Agni touching the sky (from his place on earth), entered the upper region (with his flames), and closed the gate of the celestial world; for Agni is its master.

सो ऽग्निर्दिविस्पृगूर्ध्व उदश्रयत स स्वर्गस्य लोकस्य द्वारमवृणोदग्निर्वै स्वर्गस्य लोकस्याधिपतिः ।

तं वसवः प्रथमा आगच्छंस्त एनमब्रुवन्नति नो ऽर्जस्याकाशं नः कुर्विति ।

The Vasus first approached him and said : “Mayest thou allow us to pass over (thy flames) to enter (heaven); give us an opportunity (ākāśa).”

तं वसवः प्रथमा आगच्छंस्त एनमब्रुवन्नति नो ऽर्जस्याकाशं नः कुर्विति ।

स नास्तुतो ऽतिस्रक्ष्य इत्यब्रवीत्स्तुत नु मेति ।

Agni said, “Being not praised (by you), I shall not allow you to pass (through the gate). Praise me now.”

स नास्तुतो ऽतिस्रक्ष्य इत्यब्रवीत्स्तुत नु मेति ।

तथेति तं ते त्रिवृता स्तोमेनास्तुवन् ।

So they did. They praised him with nine verses (the Trivṛit Stoma).[18]

[18]The Trivṛit Stoma consists of the nine verses of the Bahiṣpavamâna Stotra (see Sâmaveda Saṁh. 2, 1-9), which are sung in three turns, each accompanied by the Hiṁkâra. In this Stoma, the same verses are not sung repeatedly, as is the case with all other Stomas. There are three kinds (viṣṭuti*) of this Stoma mentioned in the Tâṇdya Brâhmaṇam 2, 1-2, called the udyatî trivṛito viṣṭuti, parivarttinî, and kulâyinî. The difference of these three kinds lies in the order which is assigned to each of the three verses which form one turn (paryâya), and in the application of the Hiṁkâra (the sound hum pronounced very loudly) which always belongs to one turn. The arrangement of all the verses which form part of the Stoma (the whole musical piece), in three turns, each with a particular order for its several verses, and their repetition, is called in the technical language of the Sâma singers a viṣṭuti. Each Stoma has several variations. The first variation of the Trivṛit Stoma is the udyatî, i.e., the rising. This kind is very simple. The Hiṁkâra is pronounced in the first paryâya at the first verse (tisṛibhyohiṁkaroti sa prathamayâ), in the second at the middle verse of the triplet (tisṛibhyo hiṁkaroti sa madhyamayâ), and in the third, at the last verse (tisṛibhyo hiṁkaroti sa uttamayâ). The parivarttinî viṣṭuti consist in singing the several verses of the triplet in all three turns in the inverted order, that is to say, the first is always made the last, and the last the first (tisṛibhyo hiṁkaroti sa parâchibhih). The kuṭâyinî viṣṭuti is more complicated than the two others. In the first turn, the order of the verses is inverted (tisṛibhyo hiṁkaroti sa parâchibhiḥ), in the second turn the middle verse is made the first, the last becomes the middle verse and the first becomes the last (*tisṛibhyo hiṁkaroti yâ madhyamâ sa prathamâ, yâ uttamâ sâ madhyamâ, yâ prathamâ sâ uttamâ); in the third turn, the last becomes the first, the first the second, and the second the last. The Sâma singers mark the several turns, and the order of each verse in it as well as the number of repetitions by small sticks cut from the wood of the Udumbara tree, the trunk of which must always be placed behind the seat of the Udgâtar. They are called kuśâs. Each of the three divisions of each set in which they are put is called viṣṭavâ. Their making is minutely described in the Lâṭyâyâna Sûtras, 2, 6.

प्रस्तोता कुशाः कारयेद्यज्ञियस्य वृक्षस्य । खदिरस्य दीर्घसत्रेष्वेके । प्रदेशमात्रोः कुशपृष्ठास्त्वक्तः समा मज्जतों ऽगुष्ठपर्वपृथुमात्रोः प्रज्ञाताग्राः कारयित्वा गंधैः प्रलिप्य सर्पिषा सत्रेष्वेके वैष्टुतेन वसनेन परिवेष्ट्य क्षौमशाणकार्पासेन केनचिदुपयौर्दुबर्या वासयेत् ।

i.e., the Prastotar ought to get made the kuśâs (small piece of wood) from a wood which is used at sacrifices. Some are of opinion that at sacrificial sessions (sattras) which last long, they ought to be made of Khadira wood only. After having got them made of the length of a span (the space between the thumb and forefinger stretched), so that the part which is covered with bark resembles the back of the kuśâ grass, the fibre part of the stick being quite even, as big as the link of the thumb, the ends being prominent (easily to be recognized), he should besmear them with odoriferous substances, but at the Sattras, as some say, with liquid butter, put the cloth used for the Viṣṭutis, which is made of linen, or flax, or cotton, round them and place them, above the Udumbara branch (always required when singing).

तथेति तं ते त्रिवृता स्तोमेनास्तुवन् ।

तान्स्तुतो ऽत्यार्जत ते यथालोकमगच्छन् ।

After they had done, so he allowed them to pass (the gate), that they might enter the (celestial) world.

तान्स्तुतो ऽत्यार्जत ते यथालोकमगच्छन् ।

तं रुद्रा आगच्छंस्त एनमब्रुवन्नति नो ऽर्जस्याकाशं नः कुर्विति ।

The Rudras approached him and said to him, “Mayest thou allow us to pass on; give us an opportunity (by moderating thy flames).”

तं रुद्रा आगच्छंस्त एनमब्रुवन्नति नो ऽर्जस्याकाशं नः कुर्विति ।

स नास्तुतो ऽतिस्रक्ष्य इत्यब्रवीत्स्तुत नु मेति ।

He answered, “If I be not praised, I shall not allow you to pass. Praise me now.”

स नास्तुतो ऽतिस्रक्ष्य इत्यब्रवीत्स्तुत नु मेति ।

तथेति तं ते पञ्चदशेन स्तोमेनास्तुवन् ।

They consented. They praised him with fifteen verses.[19]

[19]This is the so-called Pânchadaśa Stoma. The arrangement is the same as with the Trivṛit Stoma. The same triplet of verses is here required for each of the three turns. Each turn is to consist of five verses. In the first turn, the first verse is chanted thrice, the second once, the third once (paṇchabhyo hiṁkaroti sa tisṛibhiḥ sa ekayâ sa ekayâ); in the second turn the first verse is chanted once, the second thrice, the third once; in the third turn the first and second verses are chanted each once, but the third thrice. This Stoma is required for those Sâmans of the morning libation which follow the Bahiṣpâvamânas. The saptadaśa and ekaviṁśa stomas follow the same order as the panchadaśa. The several verses of the triplet are in three turns chanted so many times as to obtain respectively the number 17 and 21. The former is appropriate to the midday libation, the latter to the evening libation.

तथेति तं ते पञ्चदशेन स्तोमेनास्तुवन् ।

तान्स्तुतो ऽत्यार्जत ते यथालोकमगच्छन् ।

After they had done so, he allowed them to pass, that they might enter the (celestial) world.

तान्स्तुतो ऽत्यार्जत ते यथालोकमगच्छन् ।

तमादित्या आगच्छंस्त एनमब्रुवन्नति नो ऽर्जस्याकाशं नः कुर्विति ।

The Ādityas approached and said to him, “Mayest thou allow us to pass on; give us an opportunity.”

तमादित्या आगच्छंस्त एनमब्रुवन्नति नो ऽर्जस्याकाशं नः कुर्विति ।

स नास्तुतो ऽतिस्रक्ष्य इत्यब्रवीत्स्तुत नु मेति ।

He answered, “If I be not praised, I shall not allow you to pass. Praise me now!”

स नास्तुतो ऽतिस्रक्ष्य इत्यब्रवीत्स्तुत नु मेति ।

तथेति तं ते सप्तदशेन स्तोमेनास्तुवन् ।

They consented. They praised him with seventeen verses.

तथेति तं ते सप्तदशेन स्तोमेनास्तुवन् ।

तान्स्तुतो ऽत्यार्जत ते यथालोकमगच्छन् ।

After they had done so, he allowed them to pass, that they might enter the (celestial) world.

तान्स्तुतो ऽत्यार्जत ते यथालोकमगच्छन् ।

तं विश्वे देवा आगच्छंस्त एनमब्रुवन्नति नो ऽर्जस्याकाशं नः कुर्विति ।

The Viśve Devās approached and said to him, “Mayest thou allow us to pass on; give us an opportunity.”

तं विश्वे देवा आगच्छंस्त एनमब्रुवन्नति नो ऽर्जस्याकाशं नः कुर्विति ।

स नास्तुतो ऽतिस्रक्ष्य इत्यब्रवीत्स्तुत नु मेति ।

He answered: If I be not praised, I shall not allow you to pass. Praise me now!”

स नास्तुतो ऽतिस्रक्ष्य इत्यब्रवीत्स्तुत नु मेति ।

तथेति तं तं एकविंशेन स्तोमेनास्तुवन् ।

They consented. They praised him with twenty-one verses.

तथेति तं तं एकविंशेन स्तोमेनास्तुवन् ।

तान्स्तुतो ऽत्यार्जत ते यथालोकमगच्छन् ।

After they had done so, he allowed them to pass, that they might enter the (celestial) world.

तान्स्तुतो ऽत्यार्जत ते यथालोकमगच्छन् ।

एकैकेन वै तं देवाः स्तोमेनास्तुवंस्तान्स्तुतो ऽत्यार्जत ते यथालोकमगच्छन् ।

The gods having praised Agni each with another Stoma (combination of verses), he allowed them to pass.

एकैकेन वै तं देवाः स्तोमेनास्तुवंस्तान्स्तुतो ऽत्यार्जत ते यथालोकमगच्छन् ।

अथ हैनमेष एतैः सर्वैः स्तोमैः स्तौति यो यजते यश्चैनमेवं वेदाती तु तमर्जाता (र्जते) ।

The sacrificer who praises Agni with all (four) Stomas, as well as he (the priest) who knows it (the Agniṣṭoma) will pass on beyond him (Agni, who watches with his flames the entrance to heaven).[20]

[20]In this sentence, we have two peculiar forms: atî, instead of ati, beyond, and arjátai[[??]], 3rd pers, conjunct. middle voice, in the sense of a future.

अथ हैनमेष एतैः सर्वैः स्तोमैः स्तौति यो यजते यश्चैनमेवं वेदाती तु तमर्जाता (र्जते) ।

अति ह वा एनमर्जते स्वर्गं लोकमभि य एवं वेद ।

To him who has such a knowledge, he (Agni) allows to pass and enter the celestial world.

अति ह वा एनमर्जते स्वर्गं लोकमभि य एवं वेद ।