[ p. 193 ]
FIFTH ADHYÂYA.
1. He recites the Vasa hymn [^475], wishing, May everything be in my power.
2. They (its verses) are twenty-one [^476], for twenty-one are the parts (the lungs, spleen, &c.) in the belly.
3. Then the Ekavimsa is verily the support of all Stomas, and the belly the support of all food.
4. They consist of different metres. Verily, the intestines are confused, some small, some large.
5. He recites them with the pranava [1], according to the metre [2], and according to rule [3]. Verily, the intestines are according to rule, as it were; some shorter, some longer.
6. Next comes the Sûdadohas verse. Sûdadohas verily is breath. He joins the joints; with breath.
7. After having recited that verse twelve times he [ p. 194 ] leaves it off there. These prânas are verily twelvefold, seven in the head, two on the breast, three below. In these twelve places the prânas are contained, there they are perfect. Therefore he leaves it off there 1.
8. The hymn indrâgnî yuvam su nah (Rv. VIII, 40) forms the two thighs (of the bird) belonging to Indra and Agni, the two supports with broad bones.
9. These (verses) consist of six feet, so that they may stand firm. Man stands firm on two feet, animals on four. He thus places man (the sacrificer), standing on two feet, among four-footed cattle.
10. The second verse has seven feet, and he makes it into a Gâyatrî and Anushtubh. Gâyatrî is Brahman, Anushtubh is speech; and he thus puts together speech with Brahman.
11. He recites a Trishtubh at the end. Trishtubh is strength, and thus does he come round animals by strength. Therefore animals come near where there is strength (of command, &c.); they come to be roused and to rise up, (they obey the commands of a strong shepherd.)
1. When he recites the Nishkevalya hymn addressed to Indra (Rv. X, 50), pra vo mahe, he inserts a Nivid [4] (between the fourth and fifth verses). Thus he clearly places strength in himself (in the sastra, in the bird, in himself).
2. They are Trishtubhs and Gagatîs. [ p. 195 ] 3. There they say: ‘Why does he insert a Nivid among mixed Trishtubhs and Gagatîs [5]?’ But surely one metre would never support the Nivid of this day, nor fill it: therefore he inserts the Nivid among mixed Trishtubhs and Gagatîs.
4. Let him know that this day has three Nivids: the Vasa hymn is a Nivid, the Vâlakhilyas [6] are a Nivid, and the Nivid itself is a Nivid. Thus let him know that day as having three Nivids.
5. Then follow the hymns vane na vâ (Rv. X, 29) and yo gâta eva (Rv. II, 12). In the fourth verse of the former hymn occur the words anne samasya yad asan manîshâh, and they serve for the winning of proper food.
6. Then comes an insertion. As many Trishtubh and Gagatî verses [7], taken from the ten Mandalas and addressed to Indra, as they insert (between the two above-mentioned hymns), after changing them into Brihatîs, so many years do they live beyond the (usual) age (of one hundred years). By this insertion age is obtained.
7. After that he recites the Saganîya hymn, wishing that cattle may always come to his offspring.
8. Then he recites the Târkshya hymn [8]. Târkshya is verily welfare, and the hymn leads to welfare. Thus (by reciting the hymn) he fares well [9]. [ p. 196 ] 9. Then he recites the Ekapadâ (indro visvam vi râgati), wishing, May I be everything at once, and may I thus finish the whole work of metres [10].
10. In reciting the hymn indram visvâ avivridhan (Rv. I, 11) he intertwines the first seven verses by intertwining their feet [11]. There are seven prânas (openings) in the head, and he thus places seven prânas in the head. The eighth verse (half-verse) he does not intertwine [12]. The eighth is speech, and he thinks, May my speech never be intertwined with the other prânas. Speech therefore, though dwelling in the same abode as the other prânas, is not intertwined with them.
11. He recites the Virâg verses [13]. Verily, Virâg verses are food, and they thus serve for the gaining of food.
12. He ends with the hymn of Vasishtha [14], wishing, May I be Vasishtha!
13. But let him end with the fifth verse, esha stomo maha ugrâya vâhe, which, possessing the word mahat, is auspicious.
14. In the second foot of the fifth verse the word dhuri occurs. Verily, dhuh (the place where the horse is fastened to the car) is the end (of the car). This day also is the end (of the sacrifice which lasts a whole year) [15]. Thus the verse is fit for the day. [ p. 197 ] 15. In the third foot the word arka is auspicious.
16. The last foot is: ‘Make our glory high as heaven over heaven.’ Thus wherever Brahmanic speech is uttered, there his glory will be, when he who knows this finishes with that verse. Therefore let a man who knows this, finish (the Nishkevalya) with that verse.
1. Tat savitur vrinîmahe (Rv. V, 82, 1-3) and adyâ no deva savitar (Rv. V, 82, 4-6) are the beginning (pratipad) and the next step (anukara) of the Vaisvadeva hymn, taken from the Ekâha ceremonial and therefore proper [17].
2. On that day [18] much is done now and then which has to be hidden, and has to be atoned for. Atonement is rest, the one-day sacrifice. Therefore at the end of the year the sacrificers; rest on this atonement as their rest. He who knows this rests firm, and they also for whom a Hotri priest who knows this, recites this hymn.
3. Then (follows) the hymn addressed to Savitri, tad devasya savitur vâryam mahat (Rv. IV, 53). Verily, mahat, great, (in this foot) is the end [19]. This day too is the end. Thus the verse is fit for the day. [ p. 198 ] 4. The hymn katarâ pûrvâ katarâ parâyoh (Rv. I, 185), addressed to Dyâvâprithivî, is one in which many verses have the same ending. Verily, this day also (the mahâvrata) is one in which many receive the same reward [20]. Thus it is fit for the day.
5. The hymn anasvo gâto anabhîsur ukthyah (Rv. IV, 36) is addressed to the Ribhus.
6. In the first verse the word tri (kakrah) occurs, and trivat [21] is verily the end. This day also is the end (of the sacrifice). Thus the verse is fit for the day.
7. The hymn asya vâmasya palitasya hotuh (Rv. I, 164), addressed to the Visvedevas, is multiform. This day also is multiform [22]. Thus the verse is fit for the day.
8. He recites the end of it, beginning with gaurîr mimâya (Rv. I, 164, 41).
9. The hymn â no bhadrâh kratavo yantu visvatah (Rv. I, 89), addressed to the Visvedevas, forms the Nividdhâna, taken from the Ekâha ceremonial, and therefore proper.
10. On that day much is done now and then which has to be hidden, and has to be atoned for. Atonement is rest, the one-day sacrifice. Therefore at the end of the year the sacrificers rest on this atonement as their rest. He who knows this rests firm, and they also for whom a Hotri priest who knows this, recites this hymn.
11. The hymn vaisvânarâya dhishanâm ritavridhe [ p. 199 ] (Rv. III, 2) forms the beginning of the Âgnimâruta. Dhishanâ, thought, is verily the end, this day also is the end. Thus it is fit for the day.
12. The hymn prayagyavo maruto bhrâgadrishtayah (Rv. V, 55), addressed to the Maruts, is one in which many verses have the same ending. Verily, this day also is one in which many receive the same reward. Thus it is fit for the day [23].
13. He recites the verse gâtavedase sunavâma somam (Rv. I, 99, 1), addressed to Gâtavedas, before the (next following) hymn. That verse addressed to Gâtavedas is verily welfare, and leads to welfare. Thus (by reciting it) he fares well [24].
14. The hymn imam stomam arhate gâtavedase (Rv. I, 94), addressed to Gâtavedas, is one in which many verses have the same ending. Verily, this day also (the mahâvrata) is one in which many receive the same reward. Thus it is fit for the day, yea, it is fit for the day.
193:1 Having recited the verses which form the body, neck, head, wings, and tail of the bird, also the food intended for the bird, he now describes the Vasa hymn, i.e. the hymn composed by Vasa, Rv. VIII, 46. That hymn takes the place of the stomach which receives the food intended for the bird. Cf. Ait. Âr. V, 2, 5. In I, 5, 2, 4 it is called a Nivid. ↩︎
193:2 Verses 1-20 of the Vasa hymn, and one Sûdadohas. ↩︎
193:3 Pranâvam means ‘with pranava,’ i.e. inserting Om in the proper places. ↩︎
193:5 According to rule, i.e. so that they should come right as Âsvalâyana has prescribed the recitation of Dvipadâ and Ekapadâ verses. In a Dvipadâ there should be a stop after the first foot, and Om at the end o f the second. Ira an Ekapadâ there should be Om at the beginning and at the end. ↩︎
194:1 He repeats the Sûdadohas verse no more. Comm. ↩︎
194:2 Sentences like indro devah somam pibatu. ↩︎
195:1 According to the Prakriti of the Agnishtoma they ought to be all Trishtubhs. Comm. ↩︎
195:2 These hymns occur in the eighty Brihatî tristichs. ↩︎
195:3 From the Samhitâ, which consists of ten thousand verses. Comm. ↩︎
195:4 Rv. X, 178. Târksha Garuda being the deity of the hymn, it is called Târkshya. ↩︎
195:5 Cf. I, 5, 3, 13 ↩︎
196:1 The Ekapadâ forms the last metre in this ceremony. ↩︎
196:2 The first and last half-verses of the hymn are not to be intertwined. Of the remaining fourteen half-verses he joins, for instance, the fourth foot of the first verse with the second foot of the second verse, and so on. Comm. ↩︎
196:3 Because nothing more follows. Comm. ↩︎
196:4 Rv. VII, 22, 1-6. ↩︎
196:5 Rv. VII, 24. ↩︎
196:6 The last day is the udayanîyâtirâtra. Comm. ↩︎
197:1 After finishing the Nishkevalya of the noon-libation, he explains the vaisvadevasastra of the third libation. ↩︎
197:2 The norm of the Mahâvrata is the Visvagit, and the norm of that, the Agnishtoma Ekâha. The verses to be used for the Vaisvadeva hymn are prescribed in those normal sacrifices, and are here adopted. ↩︎
197:3 Cf. Ait. Âr. I, 2, 1, 2. ↩︎
197:4 Nothing higher than the great can be wished for or obtained. Comm. ↩︎
198:1 All who perform the ceremony obtain Brahman. Cf. § 12. ↩︎
198:2 The third wheel, in addition to the usual two wheels, forms the end of a carriage, as before the dhuh, Cf. I, 5, 2, 14. This day also is the end. ↩︎
198:3 Consisting of Vedic hymns and dances, &c. Comm. ↩︎