४९

अग्निष्टोमं वै देवा अश्रयन्तोक्थान्यसुरास्ते समावद्वीर्या एवा ऽऽसन्न व्यावर्तन्त ।

(*Origin of the Ukthya. The Sâkamaśram Sâmans. The Pramamhiṣṭhiya Sâman.)[16]

The Devas took shelter in the Agniṣṭoma, and the Asuras in the Ukthyas. Both being (thus) of equal strength, the gods could not turn them out.

[16]The Ukthya is a slight modification of the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice. The noun to be supplied to it is kratu. It is a Soma sacrifice also, and one of the seven Saṁsthas or component parts of the Jyotiṣṭoma. Its name indicates its nature. For Ukthya means “what refers to the Uktha,” which is an older name for Śastra, i.e., a recitation of one of the Hotṛi priests at the time of the Soma libations. Whilst the Agniṣṭoma has twelve recitations, the Ukthya has fifteen. The first twelve recitations of the Ukthya are the same as those of the Agniṣṭoma; to these, three are added, which are wanting in the Agniṣṭoma. For, at the evening libation of the latter sacrifice, there are only two Śastras, the Vaiśvadeva and Agni-Mâruta, both to be repeated by the Hotar. The three Śastras of the so-called Hotrakas, i.e., minor Hotṛi-priests, who are (according to Āśval. Sr. S. 5, 10), the Praśâstar (another name of the Maitrâvaruṇa), the Brâhmaṇâchhansi, and Achâvâka, are left out. But just these three Śastras which are briefly described by Āśvalayana (Śr. S. 6, 1) form a necessary part of the Ukthya. Thus this sacrifice is only a kind of supplement to the Agniṣṭoma.

There is some more difference in the Sâmans than in the Ṛik verses required at the Ukthya. Of the three triplets which constitute the Bahiṣpavamâna Stotra (see page 120) at the morning libation of the Agniṣṭoma, only the two last are employed: for the first another one is chosen, pavasva vâcho agriyaḥ (Sâm. Saṁah. 2, 125-27). The four remaining Stotras of the morning libation, the so-called Arya-stotrâni, are different. They are all together in the Sâmaveda Saṁh, (2, 140-152). At the midday libation, there is the Bṛihat-Sâma (tvâm iddhi havâmahe, Sâm. S. 2, 159-160) used instead of the Rathantaram; the Śyaitam (abhi pra vaḥ surâdha-sam, Sâm. S. 2, 161-62 (instead of the Vâmadevyam). At the evening libation, there are three Stotras required, in addition to those of the Agniṣṭoma. (See note 18 to this chapter).

In the Hiraṇyakesi Sûtras (9, 18), the following description of the Ukthya is given :-

उक्थ्येन पशुकामो यजेत । तस्याग्निष्टोमे कल्पो व्याख्यातः । पंचदश छदिसदः क्रतुकरणं हुत्वा एतेन मंत्रेण मध्यमे परिधावभ्यंतरलेपं निर्माष्ट्यैन्द्राग्नमुक्थ्ये द्वितीयं सवनोयमालभते । तृतीयसवने धाराग्रहकाल आग्रयणं गृहीत्वोक्थ्यं गृहणात्येग्निष्टोमचमसानुन्नयं स्त्रिभ्यश्चमसगणेभ्यो राजानमतिरेचयति सर्वं राजानमुन्नय मातिरो रिचो दशाभिः कलशौ मृष्ट्वा न्युब्जेति च लुप्यत एतदग्निष्टोमचमसानां संप्रैषस्य यो य उत्तमः संस्थानचमसगस्तमुन्नयन्नेतरसंप्रेष्यत्यग्निष्टोमचमसैः प्रचर्यं त्रिभिरुवथ्यविग्रहैः प्रचरतो यथा पुरस्तादिंद्राय वरुणाभ्यां त्वेति प्रथमे ग्रहणसादनौ संनमन्तीन्द्राबृहस्पतिभ्यां त्वेति द्वितीय इन्द्राविष्णुभ्यां त्वेति तृतीये.

अग्निष्टोमं वै देवा अश्रयन्तोक्थान्यसुरास्ते समावद्वीर्या एवा ऽऽसन्न व्यावर्तन्त ।

तान्भरद्वाज ऋषीणामपश्यदिमे वा असुरा उक्थेषु श्रितास्तानेषां न कश्चन पश्यतीति ।

One of the Ṛiṣis, Bharadvāja, saw them (and said), “These Asuras have entered the Ukthas (Śastras); but none (else) sees them.”

तान्भरद्वाज ऋषीणामपश्यदिमे वा असुरा उक्थेषु श्रितास्तानेषां न कश्चन पश्यतीति ।

सो ऽग्निमुदह्वयत् एह्यू षुब्रवाणि ते ऽग्न इत्थेतरा गिर इति असुर्या ह वा इतरा गिरः ।

He called out Agni with the mantra : *ehy û ṣu bravāṇi (6,16, 16). The itarā giraḥ, i.e., other voices (mentioned in this verse) are those of the Asuras.

सो ऽग्निमुदह्वयत् एह्यू षुब्रवाणि ते ऽग्न इत्थेतरा गिर इति असुर्या ह वा इतरा गिरः ।

सो ऽग्निरुपोत्तिष्ठन्नब्रवीत्किंस्विदेव मह्यं कृशो दीर्घः पलितो वक्ष्यतीति ।

Agni rose thereupon[17] and said : “What is it, then, that the lean, long, pale has to tell me?”

[17]Sây. reads upottiṣṭhann, but my MSS. have all upottiṣṭhanu, u being an encilitic.

सो ऽग्निरुपोत्तिष्ठन्नब्रवीत्किंस्विदेव मह्यं कृशो दीर्घः पलितो वक्ष्यतीति ।

भरद्वाजो ह वै कृशो दीर्घः पलित आस ।

For Bharadvāja was lean, of high stature, and pale.

भरद्वाजो ह वै कृशो दीर्घः पलित आस ।

सो ऽब्रवीदिमे वा असुरा उक्थेषु श्रितास्तान्वो न कश्चन पश्यतीति ।

He answered, “These Asuras have entered the Ukthas (Śastras); but nobody is aware of them.”

सो ऽब्रवीदिमे वा असुरा उक्थेषु श्रितास्तान्वो न कश्चन पश्यतीति ।

तानग्निरश्वो भूत्वा ऽभ्यत्यद्रवद्यदग्निरश्वो भूत्वा ऽभ्यत्यद्रवत्तत्साकमश्वं सामाभवत् ।

Agni then turned into a horse, ran against them and overtook them. This act of Agni became the Sākamaśvam[18] Sāman.

[18]This Sâman consists of the three verses, ehy û ṣu bravāņi yatra kvacha te and na hi te pûrtam (Sâmaveda Saṁh. 2, 55-57). This Sâman is regarded as the leader of the whole Ukthya ceremony, that is to say, as the principal Sâman. Thence the two other Sâmans, which follow it at this ceremony, the Sâubharam (*vayam u tvâm, Sâṁh, 2, 58-59), 5 and the Nârmadhasam (*adhâ hîndra girvaṇa 2, 60-62), are called in the Sâma prayogas the second and third Sâkamaśvam.

तानग्निरश्वो भूत्वा ऽभ्यत्यद्रवद्यदग्निरश्वो भूत्वा ऽभ्यत्यद्रवत्तत्साकमश्वं सामाभवत् ।

तत्साकमश्वस्य साकमश्वत्वम् ।

Thence it is called so from aśva, a horse.

तत्साकमश्वस्य साकमश्वत्वम् ।

तदाहुः साकमश्वेनोक्थानि प्रणयेदप्रणीतानि वाव तान्युक्थानि यान्यन्यत्र साकमश्वादिति ।

About this they say, the priest ought to lead the Ukthas by means of the Sākamaśvam. For if the Ukthas (Śastras) have another head save the Sākamaśvam, they are not led at all.

तदाहुः साकमश्वेनोक्थानि प्रणयेदप्रणीतानि वाव तान्युक्थानि यान्यन्यत्र साकमश्वादिति ।

प्रमंहिष्ठीयेन प्रणयेदित्याहुः प्रमंहिष्ठीयेन वै देवा असुरानुक्थेभ्यः प्राणुदन्त ।

They say, the priest should lead (the Ukthas) with the Pramaṁhiṣṭhiya Sāman (Sām. Saṁh. 2, 228, 229=2, 2, 2, 17, 1, 2); for, by means of this Sāman, the Devas had turned the Asuras from the Ukthas.

प्रमंहिष्ठीयेन प्रणयेदित्याहुः प्रमंहिष्ठीयेन वै देवा असुरानुक्थेभ्यः प्राणुदन्त ।

तत्प्राहैव प्रमंहिष्ठीयेन नयेत्प्र साकमश्वेन ।

(Which of both these opinions is preferable, cannot be settled.) He is at liberty[19] to lead (the Ukthas) by means of the Pramaṁhiṣṭhîya or the Sākamaśva.[20]

[19]At the Ukthya ceremonies which were performed in the Dekkhan, more than ten years ago, only the Sâkamaśvam Sâman was used.

[20]This meaning is conveyed by the particle aha, which has here about the same sense as athavâ, as Sây. justly remarks.

तत्प्राहैव प्रमंहिष्ठीयेन नयेत्प्र साकमश्वेन ।