३४

तदाहुर्यद्ग्रहान्मे ऽग्रहीत्प्राचारीन्म आहुतीर्मे ऽहौषीदित्यध्वर्यवे दक्षिणा नीयन्ते ।

(On the Work done by the Brahmâ. He Permits the Chanters to Chant)

They say, When the sacrificer has the reward (dakṣiṇā) given to the Adhvaryu, he thinks, “this priest has seized with his hands my Grahas (Soma cups), he has walked for me, he has sacrificed for me.”

तदाहुर्यद्ग्रहान्मे ऽग्रहीत्प्राचारीन्म आहुतीर्मे ऽहौषीदित्यध्वर्यवे दक्षिणा नीयन्ते ।

उदगासीन्म इत्युद्गात्रे ।

And when he has the reward given to the Udgātar, he thinks, “he has sung for me”;

उदगासीन्म इत्युद्गात्रे ।

अन्ववोचन्मे ऽशंसीन्मे ऽयाक्षीन्म इति होत्रे ।

and when he has the reward given to the Hotar, he thinks, “this priest has spoken for me the Anuvākyās, and the Yājyās, and repeated the Śastras.”

अन्ववोचन्मे ऽशंसीन्मे ऽयाक्षीन्म इति होत्रे ।

किं स्विदेव चक्रुषे ब्रह्मणे दक्षिणा नीयन्ते ।

But on account of what work done is the Brahmā priest to receive his reward?

किं स्विदेव चक्रुषे ब्रह्मणे दक्षिणा नीयन्ते ।

अकृत्वाहो स्विदेव हरन्ता इति ।

Shall he receive[12] the reward, thinks the sacrificer, without having done any work whatever?

[12]In the original, haratâ, which is to be taken in the sense of a future.

अकृत्वाहो स्विदेव हरन्ता इति ।

यज्ञस्य हैष भिषग्यद्ब्रह्मा यज्ञायैव तद्भेषजं कृत्वा हरति ।

Yes, he receives it for his medical attendance upon the sacrifice, for the Brahmā is the physician of the sacrifice (which is regarded as a man).

यज्ञस्य हैष भिषग्यद्ब्रह्मा यज्ञायैव तद्भेषजं कृत्वा हरति ।

अथो यद्भूयिष्ठेनैव ब्रह्मणा छन्दसां रसेनार्त्विज्यं करोति यद्ब्रह्मा तस्माद्ब्रह्मार्धभाक् ।

Because of the Brahmā priest performing his priestly function with the Brahma, which is the quintessence of the metres. He does one-half of the work,

अथो यद्भूयिष्ठेनैव ब्रह्मणा छन्दसां रसेनार्त्विज्यं करोति यद्ब्रह्मा तस्माद्ब्रह्मार्धभाक् ।

ह वा एष इतरेषामृत्विजामग्र आस यद्ब्रह्मार्धमेव ब्रह्मण आसार्धमितरेषामृत्विजाम् ।

for he was at the head of the other priests, and the others (Adhvaryu, Hotar, Udgātar) do the other half.

ह वा एष इतरेषामृत्विजामग्र आस यद्ब्रह्मार्धमेव ब्रह्मण आसार्धमितरेषामृत्विजाम् ।

तस्माद्यदि यज्ञ ऋक्त आर्तिः स्याद्यदि यजुष्टो यदि सामतो यद्यविज्ञाता सर्वव्यापद्वा ब्रह्मण एव निवेदयन्ते ।

(The Brahmā priests tell if any mistake has been committed in the sacrifice, and perform the Prāyaśchittas, as described above.)

[13]I have not translated the passage regarding the Prâyaśchitta to be performed by the Brahmâ priest if any mistake has been committed; for it is only a repetition from 5, 32.

तस्माद्यदि यज्ञ ऋक्त आर्तिः स्याद्यदि यजुष्टो यदि सामतो यद्यविज्ञाता सर्वव्यापद्वा ब्रह्मण एव निवेदयन्ते ।

तस्माद्यदि यज्ञ ऋक्त आर्तिर्भवति भूरिति गार्हपत्ये जुहुयात् ।

“When you commit a mistake in the Rik, you shall sacrifice in the Gārhapatya, saying Bhûḥ.

तस्माद्यदि यज्ञ ऋक्त आर्तिर्भवति भूरिति गार्हपत्ये जुहुयात् ।

यदि यजुष्टो भुव इत्याग्नीध्रीये ऽन्वाहार्यपचने वा हविर्यज्ञेषु ।

When you commit one in the Yajus, then you shall sacrifice in the Agnidhrîya fire[14] or (in the absence of it, as is the case) in the Havis offerings,[15] in the cooking fire (Dakṣiṇa Agni) saying, Bhuvaḥ.

[14]This is used only in the Soma sacrifices.

[15]Such as the Darśapurṇamâsa iṣṭi, Châturmâsya iṣṭi, &c.

यदि यजुष्टो भुव इत्याग्नीध्रीये ऽन्वाहार्यपचने वा हविर्यज्ञेषु ।

यदि सामतः स्वरित्याहवनीये ।

When a mistake is committed in the Sāman, then it is to be sacrificed in the Ahavaniya fire by saying, Svar.

यदि सामतः स्वरित्याहवनीये ।

यद्यविज्ञाता सर्वव्यापद्वा भूर्भुवः स्वरिति सर्वा अनुद्रुत्याहवनीय एव जुहुयात् ।

When a mistake has been committed out of ignorance, or in consequence of a general mishap, then you shall sacrifice in the Ahavaniya fire, reciting all three words, Bhûḥ, Bhuvaḥ, Svar.

यद्यविज्ञाता सर्वव्यापद्वा भूर्भुवः स्वरिति सर्वा अनुद्रुत्याहवनीय एव जुहुयात् ।

स प्रस्तोतोपाकृते स्तोत्र आह ब्रह्मन्स्तोष्यामः प्रशास्तरिति ।

The Prastotar[16] says, after the order for chanting the Stotram has been given, “O Brahmā, we shall now chant, our commander !”

[16]The announcement of the Prastotar, that the chanters are ready to perform their chant, as well as the orders to do so given by the Brahmâ and Maitrâvaruṇa, are contained in full in the Aśval. Śr. S. (5, 2), and in the Sânk, Śr. S. (6, 8). I here give the text from the Aśv. S. :-

ब्रह्मन् स्तोष्यामः प्रशास्तरिति स्तोत्रायातिसर्जितावतिसृजतो भूरिन्द्रवन्तः सवितृप्रसूता इति जपित्वा स्तुध्वमिति ब्रह्मा प्रातःसवने भुव इति माध्यन्दिने स्वरिति तृतीयसवने भूर्भुवः स्वरिन्द्रवन्तः सवितृप्रसूता इत्यूर्ध्वमाग्निमारुतात् । स्तुतदेवेन सवित्रा प्रसूता ऋतं च सत्यं च वदत । आयुष्मत्य ऋचो मा गात तनू पात्साम्न ओ३मिति जपित्वा मैत्रावरुणः स्तुध्वमित्युचैः ॥

(When the Prastotar calls) “Brahmâ, we shall chant, O commander !” then the two priests (the Brahmâ and Maitrâvaruṇa) whose duty it is to allow (the chanters to sing) give their permission. The Brahmâ, after having first muttered the words “bhûr, be ye filled with Indra, created by Savitar (or permitted by Savitar),” at the morning libation, says, “chant;” at the midday libation he uses, instead of bhûr, bhuvaḥ; and at the evening libation, svar (the remainder of the Japa being the same). Before all the Stotras which follow the Agnimâruta Śastra (which concludes the Śastras of the Agniṣṭoma), that is to say, at the Ukthya, Solaśî, Atirâtra sacrifices, &c., the Brahmâ mutters all the three great words (bhûr, bhuvaḥ, svaḥ along with the remainder of the formula) at the same time. The Maitrâvaruṇa, after having muttered, “Speak what is right and true, ye who are created by Savitar, the god to whose honour praises are chanted, do not lose the sacred verses (chanted by you) which are life, may he protect both bodies of the Sâman (the verses and the tune) Om !” says aloud" chant!"

स प्रस्तोतोपाकृते स्तोत्र आह ब्रह्मन्स्तोष्यामः प्रशास्तरिति ।

स भूरिति ब्रह्मा प्रातःसवने ब्रूयादिन्द्रवन्तः स्तुध्वमिति ।

The Brahmā then shall say at the morning libation, “Bhûr ! filled with the thought of Indra, ye may sing !”

स भूरिति ब्रह्मा प्रातःसवने ब्रूयादिन्द्रवन्तः स्तुध्वमिति ।

भुव इति माध्यंदिने सवने ब्रूयादिन्द्रवन्तः स्तुध्वमिति ।

The Brahmā then shall say at the morning libation, “Bhuvaḥ ! filled with the thought of Indra, ye may sing !”

भुव इति माध्यंदिने सवने ब्रूयादिन्द्रवन्तः स्तुध्वमिति ।

स्वरिति तृतीयसवने ब्रूयादिन्द्रवन्तः स्तुध्वमिति ।

and at the evening libation, he says, “Svar ! filled with the thought of Indra, ye may sing.”

स्वरिति तृतीयसवने ब्रूयादिन्द्रवन्तः स्तुध्वमिति ।

भूर्भुवः स्वरित्युक्थे वातिरात्रे वा ब्रूयादिन्द्रवन्तः स्तुध्वमिति ।

At the time of the Ukthya or Atirātra sacrifice, all the three great words, Bhûr Bhuvaḥ Svar are required.

भूर्भुवः स्वरित्युक्थे वातिरात्रे वा ब्रूयादिन्द्रवन्तः स्तुध्वमिति ।

स यदाहेन्द्रवन्तः स्तुध्वमित्यैन्द्रो वै यज्ञ इन्द्रो यज्ञस्य देवता ।

If the Brahmā says, “Filled with the thought of Indra, ye may sing,” this means, that the sacrifice is Indra’s, for Indra is the deity of the sacrifice.

स यदाहेन्द्रवन्तः स्तुध्वमित्यैन्द्रो वै यज्ञ इन्द्रो यज्ञस्य देवता ।

सेन्द्रमेव तदुद्गीथं करोति ।

By the words, “filled with the thought of Indra,” the Brahmā priest connects the Udgītha (the principal part of the chant) with Indra.

सेन्द्रमेव तदुद्गीथं करोति ।

इन्द्रान्मा गादिन्द्रवन्तः स्तुध्वमिति एवैनांस्तदाह तदाह ।

This saying of the Brahmā means, “Do not leave Indra; filled with him, ye may sing.” Thus he tells them.

इन्द्रान्मा गादिन्द्रवन्तः स्तुध्वमिति एवैनांस्तदाह तदाह ।