४५

यज्ञो वै देवेभ्यो ऽन्नाद्यमुदक्रामत् ।

(On the Gradual Recovery of the Sacrifice. What men are Unfit to Officiate as Sacrificial Priests. The Offerings to the Devis and Devikâs. The Ukthya Sacrifice.)

(How the Gods recovered the Sacrifice which had gone from them. How they Performed Different Rites. Under what Conditions the Sacrifice is Effectual.)

The sacrifice once left the gods and went to nourishing substances.

यज्ञो वै देवेभ्यो ऽन्नाद्यमुदक्रामत् ।

ते देवा अब्रुवन्यज्ञो वै नो ऽन्नाद्यमुदक्रमीदन्विमं यज्ञमन्नमन्विछामेति ते ऽब्रुवन्कथमन्विच्छामेति ब्राह्मणेन च च्छन्दोभिश्चेत्यब्रुवन् ।

The gods said, “The sacrifice has gone from us to nourishing substances, let us seek both the sacrifice and the nourishment by means of a Brāhmaṇa and the metres.”

ते देवा अब्रुवन्यज्ञो वै नो ऽन्नाद्यमुदक्रमीदन्विमं यज्ञमन्नमन्विछामेति ते ऽब्रुवन्कथमन्विच्छामेति ब्राह्मणेन च च्छन्दोभिश्चेत्यब्रुवन् ।

ते ब्राह्मणं छन्दोभिरदीक्षयंस्तस्यान्तं यज्ञमतन्वतापि पत्नीः समयाजयन् ।

So they did. They initiated a Brāhmaṇa by means of the metres. They performed all the rites of the Dîkṣaṇîya Iṣṭi up to the end, including even the Patnī-saṁyājas.[1]

[1]See page 24.

ते ब्राह्मणं छन्दोभिरदीक्षयंस्तस्यान्तं यज्ञमतन्वतापि पत्नीः समयाजयन् ।

तस्माद्धाप्येतर्हि दीक्षणीयायामिष्टावान्तमेव यज्ञं तन्वते ऽपि पत्नीः संयाजयन्ति तमनुन्यायामन्ववायन् ।

On account of the gods having at that occasion performed all the rites at the Dîkṣaṇîyâ Iṣṭi up to the end, including even the Patnī-saṁyājas,[2] men followed afterwards the same practice.

[2]The Patnî-saṁyājas generally conclude all Iṣṭis and sacrifices.

तस्माद्धाप्येतर्हि दीक्षणीयायामिष्टावान्तमेव यज्ञं तन्वते ऽपि पत्नीः संयाजयन्ति तमनुन्यायामन्ववायन् ।

ते प्रायणीयमतन्वत तं प्रायणीयेन नेदीयो ऽन्वागच्छंस्ते कर्मभिः समत्वरन्त तच्छंय्वन्तमकुर्वंस्तस्माद्धाप्येतर्हि प्रायणीयं शंय्वन्तमेव भवति ।

The gods (in their search for the sacrifice) came very near it by means of the Prāyaṇīya Iṣṭi. They performed the ceremonies with great haste and finished the Iṣṭi already with the Śaṁyuvāka.[3]

[3]This is a formula containing the words śam yoḥ which is repeated before the Patnî-saṁyâjas. Âśv. Śr. S. 1, 10. The mantra which is frequently used at other occasions also, runs as follows:

तच्छंयोरावृणीमहे गातुं यज्ञाय गातुं यज्ञपतये दैवीः स्वस्तिरस्तु नः स्वस्तिर्मानुषेभ्यः । ऊर्ध्वं जिगातु भेषजं शम्नो अस्तु द्विपदे शं चतुष्पदे ॥

ते प्रायणीयमतन्वत तं प्रायणीयेन नेदीयो ऽन्वागच्छंस्ते कर्मभिः समत्वरन्त तच्छंय्वन्तमकुर्वन् ।

तस्माद्धाप्येतर्हि प्रायणीयं शंय्वन्तमेव भवति तमनुन्यायमन्ववायन् ।

This is the reason that the Prāyaṇīya Iṣṭi ends with Śaṁyuvāka; for men followed (afterwards) this practice.

तस्माद्धाप्येतर्हि प्रायणीयं शंय्वन्तमेव भवति तमनुन्यायमन्ववायन् ।

त आतिथ्यमतन्वत तमातिथ्येन नेदीयो ऽन्वागच्छंस्ते कर्मभिः समत्वरन्त तदिळान्तमकुर्वन् ।

The gods performed the rites of the Atithya Iṣṭi, and came by means of it very near the sacrifice. They concluded hastily the ceremonies with the Iḷā[4] (the eating of the sacrificial food).

[4]See page 41. This rite precedes the Śaṁyuvāka

त आतिथ्यमतन्वत तमातिथ्येन नेदीयो ऽन्वागच्छंस्ते कर्मभिः समत्वरन्त तदिळान्तमकुर्वन् ।

तस्माद्धाप्येतर्ह्यातिथ्यमिळान्तमेव भवति तमनुन्यायमन्ववायन् ।

This is the reason that the Atithya Iṣṭi is finished with the Iḷā; for men followed (afterwards) this practice.

तस्माद्धाप्येतर्ह्यातिथ्यमिळान्तमेव भवति तमनुन्यायमन्ववायन् ।

त उपसदो ऽतन्वत तमुपसद्भिर्नेदीयो ऽन्वागच्छंस्ते कर्मभिः समत्वरन्त ते तिस्रः सामिधेनीरनूच्य तिस्रो देवता अयजंस्तस्माद्धाप्येतर्ह्युपसत्सु तिस्र एव सामिधेनीरनूच्य तिस्रो देवता यजन्ति तमनुन्यायमन्ववायन् ।

The gods performed the rites of the Upasads[5] and came by means of them very near the sacrifice. They performed hastily the ceremonies, repeating only three Sāmidhenī verses, and the Yājyās for three deities. This is the reason that at the Upasad Iṣṭi only three Sāmidhenīs are repeated, and Yājyā verses to three deities; for men followed (afterwards) this practice.

[5]See 41, 23-26. At the Upasad Iṣṭi only three Sāmidhenī verses are required, whilst their number in other Iṣṭis amounts to fifteen, and now and then to seventeen. See page 56.

त उपसदो ऽतन्वत तमुपसद्भिर्नेदीयो ऽन्वागच्छंस्ते कर्मभिः समत्वरन्त ते तिस्रः सामिधेनीरनूच्य तिस्रो देवता अयजंस्तस्माद्धाप्येतर्ह्युपसत्सु तिस्र एव सामिधेनीरनूच्य तिस्रो देवता यजन्ति तमनुन्यायमन्ववायन् ।

त उपवसथमतन्वत तमुपवसथ्ये ऽहन्याप्नुवन् ।

The gods performed the rites of the upavasatha[6] (the eve of the Soma festival). On the upavasatha day they reached the sacrifice.

[6]This is the day for animal sacrifice called Agnîṣomîya. See 2, 1-14.

त उपवसथमतन्वत तमुपवसथ्ये ऽहन्याप्नुवन् ।

तमाप्त्वा ऽऽन्तं यज्ञमतन्वतापि पत्नीः समयाजयंस्तस्माद्धाप्येतर्ह्युपवसथ आन्तमेव यज्ञं तन्वते ऽपि पत्नीः संयाजयन्ति ।

After having reached the sacrifice (Yajña), they performed all its rites severally, even including the Patnī-saṁyājas. This is the reason that they perform at the day previous to the Soma festival all rites to the end, even including the Patnī-saṁyājas.

तमाप्त्वा ऽऽन्तं यज्ञमतन्वतापि पत्नीः समयाजयंस्तस्माद्धाप्येतर्ह्युपवसथ आन्तमेव यज्ञं तन्वते ऽपि पत्नीः संयाजयन्ति ।

तस्मादेतेषु पूर्वेषु कर्मसु शनैस्तरां शनैस्तरामिवानुब्रूयात् अनूत्सरमिव हि ते तमायन् ।

This is the reason that the Hotar should repeat the mantras at all ceremonies preceding the Upavasatha day (at which the animal sacrifice is offered) with a very slow voice. For the gods came at it (the sacrifice) by performing the several rites in such a manner as if they were searching (after something, i.e., slowly).

तस्मादेतेषु पूर्वेषु कर्मसु शनैस्तरां शनैस्तरामिवानुब्रूयात् अनूत्सरमिव हि ते तमायन् ।

तस्मादुपवसथे यावत्या वाचा कामयीत तावत्या ऽनुब्रूयादाप्तो हि स तर्हि भवतीति ।

This is the reason that the Hotar may repeat on the Upavasatha day (after having reached the sacrifice) the mantras, in whatever tone he might like to recite them. For, at that occasion the sacrifice is already reached (and the “searching” tone of repeating not required).

तस्मादुपवसथे यावत्या वाचा कामयीत तावत्या ऽनुब्रूयादाप्तो हि स तर्हि भवतीति ।

तमाप्त्वा ऽब्रुवंस्तिष्ठस्व नो ऽन्नाद्यायेति ।

The gods, after having reached the sacrifice, said to him, “Stand still to be our food.”

तमाप्त्वा ऽब्रुवंस्तिष्ठस्व नो ऽन्नाद्यायेति ।

स नेत्यब्रवीत्कथं वस्तिष्ठेयेति ।

He answered, “No. How should I stand still for you (to be your food)?”

स नेत्यब्रवीत्कथं वस्तिष्ठेयेति ।

तानीक्षतैव ।

He then only looked at them.

तानीक्षतैव ।

तमब्रुवन्ब्राह्मणेन च नश्छन्दोभिश्च सयुग्भूत्वा ऽन्नाद्याय तिष्ठस्वेति ।

They said to him, “Because of thy having become united with a Brāhmaṇa and the metres, thou shalt stand still.”

तमब्रुवन्ब्राह्मणेन च नश्छन्दोभिश्च सयुग्भूत्वा ऽन्नाद्याय तिष्ठस्वेति ।

तथेति ।

He consented.

तथेति ।

तस्माद्धाप्येतर्हि यज्ञः सयुग्भूत्वा देवेभ्यो हव्यं वहति ब्राह्मणेन च च्छन्दोभिश्च ।

That is the reason that the sacrifice (only) when joined to a Brāhmaṇa and metres carries the oblations to the gods.[7]

[7]The drift of this paragraph is to show, that, for the successful performance of the sacrifice, Brâhmaṇas, as well as the verses composed in the different metres and preserved by Brâhmaṇas only, are indispensible. The Kṣattriyas and other castes were to be deluded into the belief that they could not perform any sacrifice with the slightest chance of success, if they did not appoint Brâhmaṇas and employ the verses of the Ṛigveda, which were chiefly preserved by the Brâhmaṇas only.

तस्माद्धाप्येतर्हि यज्ञः सयुग्भूत्वा देवेभ्यो हव्यं वहति ब्राह्मणेन च च्छन्दोभिश्च ।