४४

यो वा एष तपत्येषो ऽग्निष्टोम ।

(How the Śastras should be Repeated at each of the Three Libations. The Sun never rises nor sets. How the Phenomena of Sunrise and Sunset are to be Explained.)

The Agniṣṭoma is that one who burns (the sun).

यो वा एष तपत्येषो ऽग्निष्टोम ।

एष साह्नस्तं सहैवाह्ना संस्थापयेयुः ।

The sun shines during the day, and the Agniṣṭoma[23] should be completed along with the day.

[23]Agniṣṭoma is here taken in the strictest sense, as meaning only a Soma festival, lasting for one day, and comleted by means of the four Stomas mentioned. Therefore, Agniṣṭoma is often called th model (prakṛiti) of the Aikâhika Soma sacrifices, or such ones which last for one day only. But in a more comprehensive sense all the rites which precede it, such as the Dikṣaṇîya and other Iṣṭis, and the animal sacrifice, are regarded as part of the Agniṣṭoma. For, without these rites, nobody is allowed to perform any Soma sacrifice.

एष साह्नस्तं सहैवाह्ना संस्थापयेयुः ।

साह्नो वै नाम तेनासंत्वरमाणाश्चरेयुर्यथैव प्रातःसवन एवं माध्यंदिन एवं तृतीयसवनम् ।

It being a sâhna, i.e., going with the day, they should not perform it hurriedly (in order to finish it before the day is over), neither at the morning, nor midday, nor evening libations.

साह्नो वै नाम तेनासंत्वरमाणाश्चरेयुर्यथैव प्रातःसवन एवं माध्यंदिन एवं तृतीयसवनम् ।

एवमु ह यजमानो ऽप्रमायुको भवति ।

(Should they do so) the sacrificer would suddenly die.

एवमु ह यजमानो ऽप्रमायुको भवति ।

यद्ध वा इदं पूर्वयोः सवनयोरसंत्वरमाणाश्चरन्ति तस्माद्धेदं प्राच्यो ग्रामता बहुलाविष्टा ।

When they do not perform hurriedly (only) the rites of the morning and midday libations, then this, viz., the villages lying in the eastern direction, become largely populated,

यद्ध वा इदं पूर्वयोः सवनयोरसंत्वरमाणाश्चरन्ति तस्माद्धेदं प्राच्यो ग्रामता बहुलाविष्टा ।

अथ यद्धेदं तृतीयसवने संत्वरमाणश्चरन्ति तस्माद्धेदं प्रत्यञ्चि दीर्घारण्यानि भवन्ति तथा ह यजमानः प्रमायुको भवति ।

but hurry over the rites of the evening libation, whilst all that is in the western direction becomes a long tract of deserts, and the sacrificer dies suddenly.

अथ यद्धेदं तृतीयसवने संत्वरमाणश्चरन्ति तस्माद्धेदं प्रत्यञ्चि दीर्घारण्यानि भवन्ति तथा ह यजमानः प्रमायुको भवति ।

तेनासंत्वरमाणाश्चरेयुर्यथैव प्रातःसवन एवं माध्यंदिन एवं तृतीयसवनम् ।

Thence they ought to perform without any hurry the rites of the morning and midday, as well as those of the evening libation.

तेनासंत्वरमाणाश्चरेयुर्यथैव प्रातःसवन एवं माध्यंदिन एवं तृतीयसवनम् ।

एवमु ह यजमानो ऽप्रमायुको भवति ।

(If they do so) the sacrificer will not suddenly die.

एवमु ह यजमानो ऽप्रमायुको भवति ।

स एतमेव शस्त्रेणानु पर्यावर्तेत ।

In repeating the Śastras, the Hotar ought to be guided by the (daily) course (of the sun).

स एतमेव शस्त्रेणानु पर्यावर्तेत ।

यदा वा एष प्रातरुदेत्यथ मन्द्रं तपति तस्मान्मन्द्रया वाचा प्रातःसवने शंसेत् ।

In the morning time, at sunrise, it burns but slowly. Thence the Hotar should repeat the Śastras at the morning libation with a feeble voice.

यदा वा एष प्रातरुदेत्यथ मन्द्रं तपति तस्मान्मन्द्रया वाचा प्रातःसवने शंसेत् ।

अथ बलीयस्तपति तस्माद्बलीयस्या वाचा मध्यंदिने शंसेत् ।

When the sun is rising higher up (on the horizon), it burns with greater force. Thence the Hotar should repeat the Śastras at the midday libation with a strong voice.

अथ बलीयस्तपति तस्माद्बलीयस्या वाचा मध्यंदिने शंसेत् ।

अथ बलिष्ठतमं तपति तस्माद्बलिष्ठतमया वाचा तृतीयसवने शंसेत् ।

When the sun faces men most (after having passed the meridian), it burns with the greatest force. Thence the Hotar should repeat the Śastras at the third (evening) libation with an extremely strong voice.

अथ बलिष्ठतमं तपति तस्माद्बलिष्ठतमया वाचा तृतीयसवने शंसेत् ।

एवं शंसेद्यदि वाच ईशीत ।

He should (only) then (commence to) repeat it so (with the greatest force of his voice), when he should be complete master of his full voice.

एवं शंसेद्यदि वाच ईशीत ।

वाग्घि शस्त्रम् ।

For the Śastra is Speech.

वाग्घि शस्त्रम् ।

यया तु वाचोत्तरोत्तरिण्योत्सहेत समापनाय तया प्रतिपद्येतैतत्सुशस्ततममिव भवति ।

Should he continue to repeat (the Śastras of the third libation) with the same strength of voice with which he commenced the repetition, up to the end, then his recitation will be admirably well accomplished.

यया तु वाचोत्तरोत्तरिण्योत्सहेत समापनाय तया प्रतिपद्येतैतत्सुशस्ततममिव भवति ।

स वा एष न कदाचनास्तमेति नोदेति ।

The sun does never set nor rise.

स वा एष न कदाचनास्तमेति नोदेति ।

तं यदस्तमेतीति मन्यन्ते ऽह्न एव तदन्तमित्वा ऽथा ऽऽत्मानं विपर्यस्यते रात्रीमेवावस्तात्कुरुते ऽहः परस्तात् ।

When people think the sun is setting (it is not so). For, after having arrived at the end of the day, it makes itself produce two opposite effects, making night to what is below and day to what is on the other side.

तं यदस्तमेतीति मन्यन्ते ऽह्न एव तदन्तमित्वा ऽथा ऽऽत्मानं विपर्यस्यते रात्रीमेवावस्तात्कुरुते ऽहः परस्तात् ।

अथ यदेनं प्रातरुदेतीति मन्यन्ते रात्रेरेव तदन्तमित्वा ऽथा ऽऽत्मानं विपर्यस्यते ऽहरेवावस्तात्कुरुते रात्रिं परस्तात् ।

When they believe it rises in the morning (this supposed rising is thus to be accounted for). Having reached the end of the night, it makes itself produce two opposite effects, making day to what is below and night to what is on the other side.[24]

[24]This passage is of considerable interest, containing the denial of the existence of sunrise and sunset. The author ascribes a daily course to the sun, but supposes it to remain always in its high position in the sky, making sunrise and sunset by means of its own contrarieties.

अथ यदेनं प्रातरुदेतीति मन्यन्ते रात्रेरेव तदन्तमित्वा ऽथा ऽऽत्मानं विपर्यस्यते ऽहरेवावस्तात्कुरुते रात्रिं परस्तात् ।

स वा एष न कदाचन निम्रोचति ।

In fact, the sun never sets.

स वा एष न कदाचन निम्रोचति ।

न ह वै कदाचन निम्रोचत्येतस्य ह सायुज्यं सरूपतां सलोकतामश्नुते य एवं वेद य एवं वेद ।

Nor does it set for him who has such a knowledge. Such a one becomes united with the sun, assumes its form, and enters its place.

न ह वै कदाचन निम्रोचत्येतस्य ह सायुज्यं सरूपतां सलोकतामश्नुते य एवं वेद य एवं वेद ।