०३

आप्यन्ते वै स्तोमा आप्यन्ते छन्दांसि तृतीये ऽहन्येतदेव तत उच्छिष्यते वागित्येव ।

(On the Nyûñkha)[2]

(Sây. These periods of three days form part of the Navarâtra- nine nights included in the Dvâdaśâha. The first Tryahaḥ or period of three days is now explained, and the very same is the first part of the priṣṭhyam, comprising six days. Now the middle part of the Navarâtra (the second three days) are to be explained.)

The Stomas and Chhandas are at an end (i.e., all the Stoma combinations, and the metres are exhausted) on the third day; that one only remains.

[2]The rules for making the Nyûñkha are laid down in Aśval. Śr. S (7, 11). They are प्रातरनुवाक प्रतिपद्यद्वर्चा द्योर्यूंखो द्वितीयस्वरमोंकारं त्रिमात्रमुदात्तं त्रिस्तस्य तस्य चोपरिष्टादपरिमितान्पंचवाद्वौंकाराननुदात्तानुत्तमस्य तु त्रीन् पूर्वमक्षरम्निहन्यते न्यूख्यमाने, i.e., “on the fourth day is the second sound (syllable) of each of the two first half verses in the beginning of the Prâtaranuvâke to be pronounced with Nyûñkha. (This Nyûñkha is made in the following manner). The ô (in âpô revatir and râyô) is pronounced thrice with three moras, in the high tone (udâtta); this (ô thus pronounced in the high tone with three moras is each time followed by an indefinite number of half os (i.e., the vowel o pronounced very abruptly with half a mora only) or by five only, the last ô (with three moras) being, however, followed by three half os only; the first sound is pronounced with some impetus, when a syllable is spoken with Nyûñkha.

This description which is quite exact, as I can assure the reader from my having heard the Nyûñkha pronounced by a Śrotriya, is illustrated in Aśv by several instances. It occurs twice in the first verse of the Prâtaranuvâka (after the words yojña rayâs, the last syllable of both being changed into ô), and once in the Ajva Sukta (âgnim na 10 21), after the â of the word yajñâya, and in the Niṣkevalya Śastra. The Nyûñkha is always followed by a pratigara, pronounced by the Adhvaryu, containing also the Nyûñkha.

आप्यन्ते वै स्तोमा आप्यन्ते छन्दांसि तृतीये ऽहन्येतदेव तत उच्छिष्यते वागित्येव ।

तदेतदक्षरं त्र्यक्षरं वागित्येकमक्षरमक्षरमिति त्र्यक्षरम् ।

This “that one” is the syllable vāch, which consists of three sounds; vāch is one syllable, and (this) syllable consists of three sounds,

तदेतदक्षरं त्र्यक्षरं वागित्येकमक्षरमक्षरमिति त्र्यक्षरम् ।

स एवैष उत्तरस्त्र्याहो वागेकं गौरेकं द्यौरेकं ततो वै वागेव चतुर्थमहर्वहति ।

which represent the latter three days (out of the six), of which Vāch (Speech) is one, and Gāus (Cow) is one, and Dyaus (Heaven) is one. Therefore, Vāch alone is the leading deity of the fourth day.

स एवैष उत्तरस्त्र्याहो वागेकं गौरेकं द्यौरेकं ततो वै वागेव चतुर्थमहर्वहति ।

तद्यच्चतुर्थमहर्न्यूङ्खयन्त्येतदेव तदक्षरमभ्यायच्छन्त्येतद्वर्धयन्त्येतत्प्रबिभावयिषन्ति चतुर्थस्याह्व उद्यत्यै ।

On just the fourth day, they make Nyūṅkha of this syllable by pronouncing it with a tremulous voice, increasing and decreasing (dividing) the tone. It serves for rising the fourth day (to make it particularly important).

तद्यच्चतुर्थमहर्न्यूङ्खयन्त्येतदेव तदक्षरमभ्यायच्छन्त्येतद्वर्धयन्त्येतत्प्रबिभावयिषन्ति चतुर्थस्याह्व उद्यत्यै ।

अन्नं वै न्यूङ्खो यदेलवा अभिगेष्णाश्चरन्त्यथान्नाद्यं प्रजायते ।

Because the Nyūṅkha is (produces) food, for the singers seeking a livelihood wander about, in order to make food grow (by their singing for rain).

अन्नं वै न्यूङ्खो यदेलवा अभिगेष्णाश्चरन्त्यथान्नाद्यं प्रजायते ।

तद्यच्चतर्थमहर्न्यूङ्खयन्त्यन्नमेव तत्प्रजनयन्त्यन्नाद्यस्य प्रजात्यै ।

By making Nyūṅkha on the fourth day, they produce food; (because it is done) for producing food.

तद्यच्चतर्थमहर्न्यूङ्खयन्त्यन्नमेव तत्प्रजनयन्त्यन्नाद्यस्य प्रजात्यै ।

तस्माच्चतुर्थमहर्जातवद्भवति ।

Thence the fourth day is jātavat, i.e., productive.

तस्माच्चतुर्थमहर्जातवद्भवति ।

चतुरक्षरेण न्यूङ्खयेदित्याहुश्चतुष्पादा वै पशवः पशूनामवरुद्ध्यै ।

Some say, one must make Nyūṅkha with a word comprising four sounds; for the animals are fourfooted, in order to obtain cattle.

चतुरक्षरेण न्यूङ्खयेदित्याहुश्चतुष्पादा वै पशवः पशूनामवरुद्ध्यै ।

त्र्यक्षरेण न्यूङ्खयेदित्याहुस्त्रयो वा इमे त्रिवृतो लोका एषामेव लोकानामभिजित्यै ।

Others say, one must make Nyūṅkha with three sounds. These three sounds are the three worlds. In order to conquer these worlds, they say,

त्र्यक्षरेण न्यूङ्खयेदित्याहुस्त्रयो वा इमे त्रिवृतो लोका एषामेव लोकानामभिजित्यै ।

एकाक्षरेण न्यूङ्खयेदिति ह स्मा ऽऽह लाङ्गलायनो ब्रह्मा मौद्गल्य एकाक्षरा वै वागेष वाव सम्प्रति न्यूङ्खं न्यूङ्खयति य एकाक्षरेण न्यूङ्खयतीति ।

one must make Nyūṅkha with one sound only. Sāngalāyana, the son of Mudgala, a Brahman, said “The word ‘Vāch’ comprises one syllable only; therefore he who makes Nyūṅkha by one sound only, does it in the right way.”

एकाक्षरेण न्यूङ्खयेदिति ह स्मा ऽऽह लाङ्गलायनो ब्रह्मा मौद्गल्य एकाक्षरा वै वागेष वाव सम्प्रति न्यूङ्खं न्यूङ्खयति य एकाक्षरेण न्यूङ्खयतीति ।

द्व्यक्षरेणैव न्यूङ्खयेत्प्रतिष्ठाया एव ।

They say, one must make Nyūṅkha with two sounds for obtaining a stand-point,

द्व्यक्षरेणैव न्यूङ्खयेत्प्रतिष्ठाया एव ।

द्विप्रतिष्ठो वै पुरुषश्चतुष्पादाः पशवो यजमानमेव तद्द्विप्रतिष्ठं चतुष्पात्सु पशुषु प्रतिष्ठापयति ।

for man has two legs, and the animals have four; thus he places the two-footed man among the four-footed animals.

द्विप्रतिष्ठो वै पुरुषश्चतुष्पादाः पशवो यजमानमेव तद्द्विप्रतिष्ठं चतुष्पात्सु पशुषु प्रतिष्ठापयति ।

तस्माद्द्व्यक्षरेणैव न्यूङ्खयेत् मुखतः प्रातरनुवाके न्यूङ्खयति मुखतो वै प्रजा अन्नमदन्ति मुखत एव तदन्नाद्यस्य यजमानं दधाति ।

Therefore, the Hotar ought to make Nyūṅkha with two sounds. At the beginning, he makes Nyūṅkha in the morning prayer (Prātaranuvāka); because creatures first eat food with the mouth. In this way, the Hotar places the sacrificer with his mouth (ready for eating) towards food.

तस्माद्द्व्यक्षरेणैव न्यूङ्खयेत् मुखतः प्रातरनुवाके न्यूङ्खयति मुखतो वै प्रजा अन्नमदन्ति मुखत एव तदन्नाद्यस्य यजमानं दधाति ।

मध्यत आज्ये न्यूङ्खयति मध्यतो वै प्रजा अन्नं धिनोति मध्यत एव तदन्नाद्यस्य यजमानं दधाति ।

In the Ajya Śastra, the Nyūṅkha is made in the middle; for, in the middle, he makes the creatures fond of food, and he places thus the sacrificer in the midst of food.

मध्यत आज्ये न्यूङ्खयति मध्यतो वै प्रजा अन्नं धिनोति मध्यत एव तदन्नाद्यस्य यजमानं दधाति ।

मुखतो मध्यंदिने न्यूङ्खयति मुखतो वै प्रजा अन्नमदन्ति मुखत एव तदन्नाद्यस्य यजमानं दधाति ।

In the midday libation, the Hotar makes Nyūṅkha at the beginning, because animals eat food with their mouth. Thus he places the sacrificer with his mouth towards food.

मुखतो मध्यंदिने न्यूङ्खयति मुखतो वै प्रजा अन्नमदन्ति मुखत एव तदन्नाद्यस्य यजमानं दधाति ।

तदुभयतो न्यूङ्खं परिगृह्णाति सवनाभ्यामन्नाद्यस्य परिगृहीत्यै ।

Thus he makes Nyūṅkha at both the libations (morning and midday) for obtaining food.

तदुभयतो न्यूङ्खं परिगृह्णाति सवनाभ्यामन्नाद्यस्य परिगृहीत्यै ।