१७

गवामयनेन यन्ति गावो वा आदित्या आदित्यानामेव तदयनेन यन्ति ।

(Story of the Sacrificial Session held by the Cows. Different kinds of the great Sattras, such as the Gavâm Ayanam, Âdityânâm Ayanam and Aṅgirasâm Ayanam).

They hold the Gavâm Ayanam, i.e., the sacrificial session, called “cow’s walk.” The cows are the Âdityas (gods of the months). By holding the session called the “cow’s walk,” they also hold the walk of the Âdityas.

गवामयनेन यन्ति गावो वा आदित्या आदित्यानामेव तदयनेन यन्ति ।

गावो वै सत्रमासत शफाञ्शृङ्गाणि सिषासत्यः ।

The cows being desirous of obtaining hoofs and horns, held (once) a sacrificial session.

गावो वै सत्रमासत शफाञ्शृङ्गाणि सिषासत्यः ।

तासां दशमे मासि शफाः शृङ्गाण्यजायन्त ।

In the tenth month (of their sacrifice) they obtained hoofs and horns.

तासां दशमे मासि शफाः शृङ्गाण्यजायन्त ।

ता अब्रुवन्यस्मै कामायादीक्षामह्यापाम तमुत्तिष्ठामेति ।

They said, “We have obtained fulfilment of that wish for which we underwent the initiation into the sacrificial rites. Let us rise (the sacrifice being finished).”

ता अब्रुवन्यस्मै कामायादीक्षामह्यापाम तमुत्तिष्ठामेति ।

ता या उदतिष्ठंस्ता एताः शृङ्गिण्यः अथ याः समापयिष्यामः संवत्सरमित्यासत तासामश्रद्धया शृङ्गाणि प्रावर्तन्त ता एतास्तूपराः ।

When they arose they had horns. They, however, thought, “let us finish the year,” and recommenced the session. On account of their distrust, their horns wept off, and they consequently became hornless (tûpara).

ता या उदतिष्ठंस्ता एताः शृङ्गिण्यः अथ याः समापयिष्यामः संवत्सरमित्यासत तासामश्रद्धया शृङ्गाणि प्रावर्तन्त ता एतास्तूपराः ।

ऊर्जं त्वसुन्वंस्तस्मादु ताः सर्वानृतून्प्राप्त्वोत्तरमुत्तिष्ठन्त्यूर्जं ह्यसुन्वन् ।

They (continuing their sacrificial session) produced vigour (ûrĵ). Thence after (having been sacrificing for twelve months and) having secured all the seasons, they rose (again) at the end. For they had produced the vigour (to reproduce horns, hoofs, &c., when decaying).

ऊर्जं त्वसुन्वंस्तस्मादु ताः सर्वानृतून्प्राप्त्वोत्तरमुत्तिष्ठन्त्यूर्जं ह्यसुन्वन् ।

सर्वस्य वै गावः प्रेमाणं सर्वस्य चारुतां गताः ।

Thus the cows made themselves beloved by all (the whole world), and are beautified (decorated) by all.[2]

[2]It is an Indian custom preserved up to this day to decorate cows, chiefly on the birth-day of Kriṣņa (Gokul aṣṭamî).

सर्वस्य वै गावः प्रेमाणं सर्वस्य चारुतां गताः ।

सर्वस्य प्रेमाणं सर्वस्य चारुतां गच्छति य एवं वेद ।

He who has such a knowledge, makes himself beloved by every one, and is decorated by every one.

सर्वस्य प्रेमाणं सर्वस्य चारुतां गच्छति य एवं वेद ।

आदित्याश्च ह वा अङ्गिरसश्च स्वर्गे लोके ऽस्पर्धन्त वयं पूर्व एष्यामो वयमिति ।

The Âdityas and Aṅgiras were jealous of one another as to who should (first) enter the celestial world, each party saying, “we shall first enter.”

आदित्याश्च ह वा अङ्गिरसश्च स्वर्गे लोके ऽस्पर्धन्त वयं पूर्व एष्यामो वयमिति ।

ते हा ऽऽदित्याः पूर्वे स्वर्गं लोकं जग्मुः पश्चेवाङ्गिरसः षष्ट्यां वा वर्षेषु ।

The Âdityas entered first the celestial world, then the Aṅgiras, after (they had been waiting for) sixty years.

ते हा ऽऽदित्याः पूर्वे स्वर्गं लोकं जग्मुः पश्चेवाङ्गिरसः षष्ट्यां वा वर्षेषु ।

यथा वा प्रायणीयो ऽतिरात्रश्चतुर्विंश उक्थ्यः सर्वे ऽभिप्लवाः षळहा आक्ष्यन्त्यन्यान्यहानि तदादित्यानामयनम् ।

(The performance of the sacrificial session called Âdityânâm ayanam agrees in several respects with the Gavâm ayanam). There is an Atirâtra at the beginning, and on the Chaturviṁśa day the Ukthya is performed; all the (five) Abhiplava Ṣaḷahas[3] are comprised in it; the order of the days is different, (that is to say, the performance of the first, second days, &c., of the Abhiplava are different from those of the Gavâm ayanam). This is the Âdityânâm ayanam.

[3]In the Gavâm ayanam there are only four Abhiplava Ṣalahas; but in the Adityanâm ayanam there are all five Abhiplava Ṣalahas required within a month.The last (fifth) Ṣalaha of the Gavâm ayanam is a Pṛiṣṭhya, that is, one containing the Pṛiṣṭhas. The difference between an Abhiplava Ṣalaha, and a Pṛiṣṭhya Ṣalaha, is, that during the latter, the Sâma Pṛiṣṭhas is required, that is to say, that on every day at the midday libation the Stomas are made with a combination of two different Sâmans in the way described above (page 282), whilst this is wanting in the Abhiplava.

यथा वा प्रायणीयो ऽतिरात्रश्चतुर्विंश उक्थ्यः सर्वे ऽभिप्लवाः षळहा आक्ष्यन्त्यन्यान्यहानि तदादित्यानामयनम् ।

प्रायणीयो ऽतिरात्रश्चतुर्विंश उक्थ्यः सर्वे पृष्ठ्याः षळहा आक्ष्यन्त्यन्यान्यहानि तदङ्गिरसामयनम् ।

The Atirâtra at the beginning, the Ukthya on the Chaturviṁśa day, all (five) Abhiplava performed with the Pṛiṣṭhas, the performance of the ceremonies of the several days (of the Abhiplava) being different (from the Gavâm ayanam, &c.) : this is the Âṅgirasâm ayanam.

सा यथा स्रुतिरञ्जसायन्येवमभिप्लवः षळहः स्वर्गस्य लोकस्य ।

सा यथा स्रुतिः अञ्जसायनी एवम् अभिप्लवः षळहः स्वर्गस्य लोकस्य।

The Abhiplava Ṣaḷaha is like the royal road, the smooth way to heaven.

अथ यथा महापथः पर्याण एवं पृष्ठ्यः षळहः स्वर्गस्य लोकस्य ।

अथ यथा महापथः पर्याणः एवम् पृष्ठ्यः षळहः स्वर्गस्य लोकस्य।

The Pṛiṣṭhya Ṣaḷaha is the great pathway which is to be trodden everywhere to heaven.

अथ यथा महापथः पर्याण एवं पृष्ठ्यः षळहः स्वर्गस्य लोकस्य ।

तद्यदुभाभ्यां यन्त्युभाभ्यां वै यन्न रिष्यत्युभयोः कामयोरुपाप्त्यै यश्चाभिप्लवे षळहे यश्च पृष्ठ्ये ।

When they avail themselves of both roads, they will not suffer any injury, and obtain the fulfilment of all desires which are attainable by both, the Abhiplava Ṣaḷaha and the Pṛiṣṭhya Ṣaḷaha.[4]

[4]In the Gavâm ayanam, both the Abhiplava Salaha and the Pṛiṣṭhya Ṣalaha are required. Thence the sacrificers who perform the Gavâm ayanam, avail themselves of both the roads leading to heaven.

तद्यदुभाभ्यां यन्त्युभाभ्यां वै यन्न रिष्यत्युभयोः कामयोरुपाप्त्यै यश्चाभिप्लवे षळहे यश्च पृष्ठ्ये ।