Created by Jijith Nadumuri at 14 Jul 2011 08:03 and updated at 14 Jul 2011 12:40
KRISHNA YAJUR VEDA
KANDA 5
THE EXPLANATION OF THE PILING OF THE FIRE ALTAR
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Table of Contents
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PRAPATHAKA VI (6)
The Piling of the Fire Altar (continued)
v. 6. 1.
a Golden of colour, pure, purifying, In which was born Kasyapa, in which Indra, They have conceived Agni as a germ, of varied forms; May these waters be gentle and kindly to us.
b Those in whose midst Varuna doth go, Gazing on the truth and falsehood of men, Dripping honey, pure, purifying; May these waters be gentle and kindly to us.
c Those of which in the sky the gods make their food, Those that are in many places in the sky, Those that inundate the earth with their sap [1], the pure ones May these waters be gentle and kindly to us.
d With auspicious eye gaze on me, O waters; With auspicious body, do ye touch my skin; I invoke all you Agnis that sit in the waters; Do ye confer upon me radiance and might and force.
e When as ye went below Ye cried (ánadata) on the slaying of the serpent, Therefore are yo criers (nadyáh) by name; These are your names, O streams.
When instigated by Varuna Ye wallowed speedily [2], Then Indra obtained (apnot) you as ye went Therefore ye are waters (ápah).
g As ye glided against his will, He stayed (ávivarata) your courses, Indra with his might, O goddesses; Therefore your name is water (váh).
h One god stepped upon them, As they glided, according to his will, (Saying) The great ones have breathed forth (úd) Therefore they are called water.
i The waters are kindly, the waters were ghee; These waters bear Agni and Soma; The bitter sap of those dispensing sweetness [3], the satisfying, Hath come to me with breath, with radiance.
k I behold, or I hear; The cry cometh to me, the voice of them to us; I consider that I have enjoyed the ambrosia then, When I delighted you, O ye of golden hue.
l Ye, waters, are healing; Further us to strength, To see great joy.
m The most auspicious flavour that is yours, Accord to us here, Like eager mothers.
n To him may we come with satisfaction, To whose dwelling ye quicken us, O waters, and propagate us.
O Arise to the sky, aim at the atmosphere, be united with the earth; thou art splendour; for splendour thee!
v. 6. 2.
He draws cups of water; the cups are the royal consecration; the fire is the consecration; the royal consecration is the consecration of Varuna; (the fire) to be piled is Agni s consecration; verily by them is he consecrated; verily also he conquers both the worlds, that of him who has offered the royal consecration and that of the piler of the fire.
There are waters; the waters are foes of Agni; in that he puts the waters down below the fire, (they serve) to overcome his foe; he prospers himself, his foe is defeated.
The waters are ambrosia [1]; therefore they sprinkle with water him who is faint; he does not go to ruin, he lives all his life, for whom these are put down, and who knows them thus.
The waters are food, the waters are cattle, cattle are food; an eater of food and rich in cattle he becomes, for whom these are put down, and who knows them thus.
They are twelve; the year has twelve months; verily by the year he wins food for him [2]; there are vessels used; in a vessel is food eaten; verily he wins food with its birthplace; up to the twelfth generation he eats food; moreover, he is not cut off from his vessel for whom these are put down, nor he who knows them thus.
The pots and the pans make pairs, for the propagation of pairing; with offspring, with cattle, with pairings is he propagated for whom these are put down and he who [3] knows them thus.
Agni is pain; he afflicts the Adhvaryu, the sacrificer, and offspring with pain; in that he puts down water, he soot es his pain; neither Adhvaryu nor sacrificer goes to ruin; offspring are soothed where these are put down.
The waters are the hearts of the waters; in that he puts these down, he unites these with (the waters) of the sky; Parjanya becomes likely to rain [4].
He who knows their home and their arrangement becomes possessed of a home, things go in order for him.
Along the furrows he puts (them) down; this is their home, their arrangements; he who knows thus becomes possessed of a home, and things go in order for him.
The others he puts down in pairs, but four in the middle, for support.
The bricks are food, this oblation is food in very presence; in that he puts down this oblation, verily straightway [5] he wins food for him; in the middle he puts (them) down; verily he bestows food on him in the middle; therefore in the middle is food eaten.
It is offered to Brhaspati; Brhaspati is the holy power of the gods: verily by holy power he wins food for him.
Thou art splendour; for splendour thee! he says; brilliant and resplendent does he become, for whom these are put down, and he who knows it thus.
v. 6. 3.
He puts down the bricks of being; in every place is death born; wherever death is born, thence he removes it by sacrifice; therefore the piler of the fire lives all his life, for all deaths are removed by him; therefore the piler of the fire is not to be practised against; his witchcraft turns upon him (who does so) and lays him low.
He who piles the fire is consecrated; these are the offerings of the divine consecrators; so many are the consecrations of the gods, and they [1] confer consecrations upon him; they consecrate him, the fire is consecration; the royal consecration is the consecration of Varuna; (the fire) to be piled is the consecration of holy power.
On the instigation of the god Savitr, thee he says; verily instigated by Savitr he consecrates him with holy power, with the deities.
He pours down every sort of food, to win every sort of food.
He pours down over him from the front face to face; for from the front face to face is food eaten.
He pours down from the head, for from the head is food eaten; he causes (the water) to flow over up to the mouth [2]; verily on the mouth he bestows food eating upon him.
With the lordship of Agni I consecrate thee he says; this is the consecration of Agni; verily he consecrates him with it.
With the lordship of Brhaspati I consecrate thee he says; Brhaspati is the holy power of the gods; verily with holy power he consecrates him.
With the lordship of Indra I consecrate thee he says; verily he confers power from ab ve upon him.
That [3] is the form of the royal consecration.
He who knowing thus piles the fire conquers both the worlds, that of him who has offered the royal consecration and that of the piler of the fire.
When Indra had been consecrated, his power and strength fell away in ten places; the gods brought it together with the Sautramani; he who piles the fire is consecrated; having piled the fire he should sacrifice with the Sautramani; verily collecting power and strength he places them in himself.
v. 6. 4.
The year in unison with the Ayavans the dawn in unison with the ruddy (cows); Surya in unison with the steed; the Asvins in unison with the wondrous works.
Agni Vaisvanara in unison with the food offerings; with ghee; hail!
The year is the year, the Ayavas are the months, the red one the dawn, the steed Surya, the Asvins these two (worlds), Agni Vaisvanara the year, the food offerings cattle, ghee cattle.
With the year cattle are born; verily with the year he produces cattle for him.
He offers on a blade of Darbha grass [1]; the Darbhas are the ambrosia, the strength of the (earth); he offers on it; verily he is propagated.
An eater of food he becomes for whom they offer thus.
These deities are the foremost portions of Agni; verily he delights them; verily too he places the eye of Agni in front; he becomes not blind who knows thus.
Waters were the world at first, the Moving ocean; Prajapati, becoming wind, rocked about on a lotus leaf; he [2] could find no support; he saw that nest of the waters, on it he piled the fire, that became this (earth), then indeed did he find support.
(The brick) which he put down in front became the head, that is the eastern quarter; (the brick) which he put down on the right became the right side, that is the southern quarter; (the brick) which he put down behind became the tail, that is the western quarter; (the brick) which he put down on the left [3] became the left side, that is the northern quarter; (the brick) which he put down above became the back, that is the zenith.
Agni of the five bricks is this (earth); therefore when they dig in it they knock up against the brick, against gravel.
Now all this (earth) in the eyes of the birds shines at night, therefor birds do not at night rest upon it.
He who knowing this piles a fire finds support, and conquers all the quarters.
The Brahman is connected with Agni, therefore the Brahman finds prosperity in all the quarters; verily every quarter he goes to is his own.
The fire is the nest of the waters; therefore waters draw the fire; verily they enter their own birthplace.
v. 6. 5.
Having kept the fire in the pan for a year in the second year he should offer on eight potsherds to Agni, to Indra on eleven potsherds, to the All gods on twelve potsherds, to Brhaspati an oblation, to Visnu on three potsherds; in the third year he should sacrifice with the Abhijit (offering).
In that there is (an offering) on eight potsherds, the Gayatri has eight syllables, and the morning pressing is connected with Agni and the Gayatri, verily he supports by it the morning pressing and the Gayatri metre.
In that there is (an offering) on eleven potsherds, the Tristubh has eleven syllables, and the midday pressing is connected with Indra and the Tristubh, verily he supports by it the midday pressing and the Tristubh [1] metre.
In that there is (an offering) on twelve potsherds, the Jagati has twelve syllables, and the third pressing is connected with the All gods and the Jagati, verily he supports by it the third pressing and the Jagati metre.
In that there is an oblation to Brhaspati, and Brhaspati is the holy power of the gods, verily he supports by it holy power.
In that there is (an offering) to Visnu on three potsherds, and Visnu is the sacrifice, verily he supports by it the sacrifice.
In that he sacrifices with the Abhijit in the third year, (it serves) for conquest.
In that he keeps the fire in the pan for a year, he [2] saves this world by it; in that he piles the fire in the second year, he saves the atmosphere by it; in that he sacrifices in the third year, he aves yonder world by it.
This (fire) Para Atnara, Kaksivant Ausija, Vitahavya Srayasa, and Trasadasyu Paurukutsya piled, being desirous of offspring; then indeed did they win thousands each of children; he is extended with offspring, with cattle, that measure he attains which they attained, who knowing thus piles the fire.
v. 6. 6.
a Prajapati piled the fire; it kept being razor edged; the gods in terror did not approach it; they, clothing themselves in the metres, approached it, and that is why the metres have their name.
The metres are holy power; the black antelope skin is the form of holy power; he puts on a pair of black antelope skin shoes; verily clothing himself with the metres he approaches the fire, to prevent injury to himself.
b The fire is put down as a treasure of the gods [1].
Now a treasure unguarded others find, or he cannot recollect where it is; he steps on the fire pan; verily he makes himself its overlord, for guardianship.
Or rather they say, It should not be stepped on the pan is connected with Nirrti; if he were to step on it, he would hand himself over to Nirrti; therefore it should not be stepped on.
He puts down the human head, for guardianship; and moreover this is just as if one should say, Guard that for me [2].
c Atharvan is Prajapati; Dadhyanc Atharvana is the fire, his bones are the bricks; as to that the seer says, Indra with the bones of Dadhyanc
In that he piles the fire with the bricks, he piles up the fire with itself; he has his own self in yonder world who knows thus.
d (The fire) to be piled is the body of Agni, Vaisvanara is the self; in that he offers to Vaisvanara after the piling, he prepares its [3] body and mounts it; the sacrificer thus prepares his body, in that he piles the fire; in that he offers to Vaisvanara after the piling, verily having pre pared his body he mounts it with the self; therefore they do not cut off from it; verily living he goes to the gods.
e He puts on dust with a verse addressed to Vaisvanara; Agni Vaisvanara is this (earth), the dust is its piling; verily he piles Agni Vaisvanara; Vaisvanara is the form dear to Agni; verily he wins the form dear to him.
v. 6. 7.
The gods obtained the brilliance (virájam) of Agni by means of the consecration; for three nights should he be consecrated; the Viraj has three feet, he obtains the Viraj.
For six nights should he b consecrated; the year consists of six seasons; the Viraj is the year, he obtains the Viraj.
For ten nights should he be consecrated; the Viraj has ten syllables; he obtains the Viraj.
For twelve nights should he be consecrated; the year has twelve months; the Viraj is the year; he obtains the Viraj.
He should be consecrated for thirteen nights; the year has thirteen months [1]; the Viraj is the year; he obtains the Viraj.
For fifteen nights should he be consecrated; the nights of the half month are fifteen; the year is made up by the half months; the Viraj is the year; he obtains the Viraj.
For seventeen nights should he be consecrated; the year has twelve months and seven seasons; the Viraj is the year; he obtains the Viraj.
For twenty four nights should he be consecrated; the year has twenty four half months; the Viraj is the year; he obtains the Viraj.
For thirty nights should he be consecrated [2]; the Viraj has thirty syllables; he obtains the Viraj.
For a month should he be consecrated; the year is the month; the Viraj is the year; he obtains the Viraj.
For four months should he be consecrated; for four months the Vasus bore him, they conquered the earth, the Gayatri metre; for eight the Rudras, they conquered the atmosphere, the Tristubh metre; for twelve the Adityas, the conquered the sky, the Jagati metre; then they attained distinction, supremacy over the gods.
Therefore after keeping the fire for twelve months, should one pile it up; the year has twelve months, the fire to be piled is the year, the bricks are days and nights; he piles him with the bricks obtained; verily also he attains distinction, supremacy over his equals.
v. 6. 8.
a Agni is piled for the world of heaven; if he were not to mount after him the sacrificer would be excluded from the world of heaven.
I have mounted on the earth; let not breath forsake me I have mounted on the atmosphere; let not offspring forsake me I have mounted on the sky, we have attained the light he says; this is the mounting after Agni verily by it he mounts after him, to attain the world of heaven.
b If he were to set up (the eleven posts) commensurate with the wings [1], he would make the sacrificial rite too small, his offspring would be worse off than himself.
He sets (it) up commensurate with the altar; verily he makes the sacrificial rite larger, his offspring does not become worse than himself.
e He should pile (the fire) of a thousand (bricks) when first piling (it); this world is commensurate with a thousand; verily he conquers this world.
He should pile (it) of two thousand when piling a second time; the atmosphere is commensurate with two thousand; verily be conquers the atmosphere.
He should pile (it) of three thousand when piling for the third time [2]; yonder world is commensurate with three thousand; verily he conquers yonder world.
d Knee deep should he pile (it), when piling for the first time; verily with the Gayatri he mounts this world; navel deep should he pile (it) when piling for the second time; verily with the Tristubh he mounts the atmosphere; neck deep should he pile (it) when piling for the third time; verily with the Jagati he mounts yonder world.
e After piling the fire he should not have intercourse with a woman of pleasure, thinking, I shall deposit seed in that which is no womb nor after piling for the second time should he have intercourse with the wife of another [3], nor after piling for a third time should he have intercourse with any woman whatever.
In that he piles the fire, he deposits seed; if he were to have intercourse.
he would be deprived of seed.
Or rather they say, If he were not to have intercourse, there would be no offspring.
In that he puts down the two Retahsic (bricks), they support the seed of the sacrificer; therefore he should have intercourse, for the non spilling of seed.
f Three seeds are there, father, son, grandson [4]; if he were to put down two Retahsic (bricks), he would cleave his seed; three he puts down, for the continuity of seed; the first Retahsic is this (earth), this (earth) is speech, therefore they see this (earth), they see speech speaking; the second is the atmosphere, the atmosphere is breath, therefore they see not the atmosphere, nor breath; the third is yonder (sky), yonder (sky) is the eye, therefore they see yonder (sky), they see the eye.
With a Yajus he sets down this one [5] and yonder one, but with mind only the middle, to arrange these worlds, and also the breaths.
g The sacrifice offered by the Bhrgus, the Vasus, accord our desires; of thee thus offered, enjoyed, may I here enjoy wealth, he says; verily he milks thereby the song and the recitation.
h Father Matarisvan, bestow flawless abodes; the flawless abodes the Usijs have made; let Soma, all knowing, the leader, be leader; let Brhaspati recite hymns and rejoicing, he says; that is Agni s hymn, and with it he recites after him.
v. 6. 9.
a That fire which is kept in the pan is consecrated of fires; if he were to put it down their embryos would be liable to abortion, and that would be like descending after consecration.
He sets it on a throne, to support and prevent the falling of embryos, and he makes thus a consecration.
b (The fire) in the pan is an embryo, the sling is the womb; if he were to remove the pan from the sling, he would strike the embryo from the womb; the sling has six ropes; man is sixfold [1], the body, the head, four limbs; verily in himself he bears it.
c The fire is Prajapati, his breasts are the pan and the mortar; his offspring live on them; in that he puts down the pan and the mortar, with them the sacrificer milks the fire in yonder world.
d The fire is the year, its bricks are arranged threefold, those of Prajapati, of Visnu [2], of Visvakarman; the Prajapati (bricks) are the days and nights; in that he keeps (the fire) in the pan, he puts down the Prajapati (bricks); in that he takes up the kindling sticks, and the trees are Visnu s, verily he puts down the Visnu (bricks); in that he piles the fire with bricks, and Visvakarman is this (earth), verily he puts down the Visvakarman (bricks).
Therefore they say, Threefold is Agni.
e This thus should the sacrificer himself pile; if another pile his fire, if he should not prosper him with sacrificial gifts, he would appropriate his fire; him who piles his fire he should prosper with sacrificial gifts; verily thus he preserves his fire.
v. 6. 10.
Prajapati piled the fire as the year by the seasons; by the spring he piled its front half, by the summer its right wing, by the rains its tail, by the autumn its left wing, by the winter its middle.
By the Brahman class he piled its front half, by the lordly class its right wing, by cattle its tail, by the people its left wing, by hope its middle.
He who knowing thus piles the fire piles it with the seasons; verily he wins all [1]; they hearken to him who has piled the fire, he eats food, he is resplendent.
The first layer is this (earth), the mortar the plants and trees; the second is the atmosphere, the mortar the birds; the third is yonder (sky), the mortar the Naksatras; the fourth the sacrifice, the mortar the sacrificial fee; the fifth the sacrificer, the mortar offspring; if he were to pile it with three layers, he would obstruct the sacrifice, the fee, the self, offspring; therefore should it be piled with five layers; verily he preserves all.
In that there [2] are three layers, (it is) since Agni is threefold; in that there are two (more), the sacrificer has two feet, (it is) for support; there are five layers, man is five fold; verily he preserves himself.
There are five layers, he covers (them) with five (sets of) mortar, these make up ten, man has ten elements; he preserves man in his full extent.
Again the Viraj has ten elements, the Viraj is food; verily he finds support in the Viraj and the eating of food.
The sixth layer is the year, mortar is the seasons; here are six layers, six (sets of) mortar, they make up twelve, the year has twelve months; verily he finds support in the year.
The Horse Sacrifice (continued)
v. 6. 11.
The red, the dark red, the jujube red, these are for Prajapati; the brown, the reddish brown, the parrot brown, these are for Rudra.
The white, the white eyed, the white necked, these have the fathers as their deities.
Three black barren cows are for Varuna, three white barren cows for the Sun; the dusky spotted hornless ones are for Mitra and Brhaspati.
v. 6. 12.
The dappled, the one with cross lines dappled, the one with dappled marks running up, these are for the Maruts; the bright, the ruddy woolled, the white, are for Sarasvati; the piebald, the grey piebald, the slightly piebald, these are for the All gods; three dark barren cows are for Pusan, three ruddy barren cows for Mitra; the red spotted hornless ones are for Indra and Brhaspati.
v. 6. 13.
The white limbed, the one with white limbs on one side the one with white limbs on both sides, these are for Indra and Vayu; the one with white ear holes, that with one white ear hole, the one with both white ear holes, they are for Mitra and Varuna; the one with a pure tail, the one with a completely pure tail, the one with a tail in lumps, these are for the Asvins; three barren cows of varied colours are for the All gods, three white for the supreme lord; the white spotted hornless ones are for Soma and Pusan.
v. 6. 14.
The humped, the bull, the dwarf (animal), these are for Indra and Varuna; the one with white hump, the white backed, the white rumped, these are for Indra and Brhaspati; the white footed, the white lipped, the white browed, these are for Indra and Visnu; the three white flecked barren cows are for Visvakarman; the three with piebald bellies are (to be offered) to Dhatr; the white spotted hornless ones are for Indra and Pusan.
v. 6. 15.
Three long eared ones are for Yama; three white footed for Soma; three ichneumons are (to be offered) to Agni, the youngest; three ruddy eighteen month old (sheep), these are for the Vasus; three red gallinules, these are for the Rudras; the brown spotted hornless ones are for Soma and Indra.
v. 6. 16.
Three small eared are for Visnu; three with red tipped ears are (to be offered) to Visnu, the wide strider; three with dewlaps are (to be offered) to Visnu, the wide goer; three of two and a half years old are for the Adityas; three of three years old are for the Angirases; the yellow spotted hornless ones are for Indra and Visnu.
v. 6.17.
To Indra, the king, are (to be offered) three white backed; to Indra, the overlord, three with white humps; to Indra, the self ruler, three with white buttocks; three four year old (cows) are for the Sadhyas; three draught cows are for the All gods; the black spotted hornless ones are for Agni and Indra.
v. 6. 18.
To Aditi are (to be offered) three ruddy spotted; to Indrani three black spotted; to Kuhu three red spotted; three calves to Raka; three heifers to Sinivali; the red spotted hornless ones are for Agni and Visnu.
v. 6. 19.
Three reddish brown ones are for Soma; to Soma, the king, are (to be offered) three dappled ones; the cloud formed are for Parjanya; three goats with dewlaps are (to be offered) to Indrani; three ewes are for Aditi; those of auspicious mark and hornless are for sky and earth.
v. 6. 20.
There are three black spotted for Varuna; to Varuna, the king, are (to be offered) three red spotted; to Varuna, destroyer of foes, three ruddy spotted; three of varied colours are for the All gods; three dappled for all the deities; the white spotted hornless ones are for Indra and Surya.
v. 6. 21.
To Soma, self ruler, there are (to be offered) two oxen which drag the cart; to Indra and Agni, the givers of force, two camels; to Indra and Agni, givers of might, two sheep that drag the plough; two heifers are for earth; to the quarters are (to be offered) two mares; two heifers are for earth; two females are for the Viraj two heifers are for earth; two oxen that drag the carriage are (to be offered) to Vayu; two black, barren cows are for Varuna; two bulls with high horns, destructive, are for the sky.
v. 6. 22.
In the morning eleven beasts of the ox kind are offered; the goat with spots, the blue jay, the Vidigaya, these are for Tvastr.
For Surya there are nine white barren cows to be offered; those for Agni, Indra and Agni, and the Asvins are offered at the great stake.
v. 6. 23.
There are three reddish brown ones for spring; three dappled ones for summer; three piebald (deer) for the rains; three dappled for autumn; three with dappled thighs for winter; three smeared over for the cool season; to the year are (offered) those with hanging bellies.
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