{"collection":"Hinduism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/hin/sbr/sbe43/sbe4303.htm","path":"hin/sbr/sbe43/sbe4303.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/hin/sbr/sbe43/sbe4303.htm","text":"Satapatha Brahmana Part IV (SBE43), Julius Eggeling tr. [1897]\n8:1:1:11. He lays down the Pr\u00e2nabhritah (breath-holders) 1: now, the Pr\u00e2nabhritah being--the vital\nairs, it is the vital airs he thereby bestows upon (Agni). He lays them down in the first layer;--that which is the first layer is the forepart (ground-part) of Agni: it is thus in front that he puts (into Agni) the vital airs, whence there are (in creatures) these (orifices of the) vital airs in front.\n8:1:1:22. He lays them down by ten and ten, for there are ten vital airs; and even though 'ten-ten' may mean many, times, here they mean only ten. Five times he puts on ten (bricks) each time; for it is those five (kinds of sacrificial) animals he bestows, and there are ten vital airs in each .animal: upon all of them he thus bestows the vital airs. He lays down (the bricks) so as not to be separated from the animals: he thus bestows vital airs not separated from the animals. He lays them down on every side: on every side he thus bestows on them (orifices of) the vital airs.\n8:1:1:33. And again why he lays down the Pr\u00e2nabhritah. From Prag\u00e2pati, when relaxed (by producing creatures), the vital airs departed. To them, having become deities, he spake, 'Come ye to me, return ye unto me that wherewith ye have gone out of me!'--'Well then, create thou that food which we will await here looking on!'--'Well then, let us both create!'--'So be it!'--So both the final airs and Prag\u00e2pati created that food, these Pr\u00e2nabhrit (bricks).\n8:1:1:44. In front (of the altar) he lays down (ten bricks 1,--the first) with (V\u00e2g. S. XIII, 54), 'This one in front, the Existent,'--in front, doubtless, is Agni; and as to why he speaks of him (as being) 'in front,' it is because they take out the fire (from the G\u00e2rhapatya) towards the front, and attend on Agni towards the front 2. And as to why he says 'the\nexistent (bhuva),' Agni is indeed the existent, for it is through Agni that everything exists (bh\u00fb) here. Agni, indeed, having become the breath, remained in front 1: it is that very form 2 he now bestows (on Agni).\n8:1:1:55. [The others with], 'His, the Existent's son, the Breath,'--from out of that form, fire, he (Prag\u00e2pati) fashioned the breath;--'Spring, the son of the breath,'--from out of the breath he fashioned the spring-season 3;--'The G\u00e2yatr\u00ee, the daughter of the Spring,'--from out of the spring-season he fashioned the G\u00e2yatr\u00ee metre;--'From the G\u00e2yatr\u00ee the G\u00e2yatra,'--from out of the G\u00e2yatr\u00ee metre he fashioned the G\u00e2yatra 4 hymn-tune;--'From the G\u00e2yatra the Up\u00e2msu,'--from out of the G\u00e2yatra hymn-tune he fashioned the Up\u00e2msu-graha 5;--\n[paragraph continues] 'From the Up\u00e2msu the Trivrit,'--from out of the Up\u00e2msu-graha he fashioned the nine-versed hymn-form;--'From the Trivrit the Rathantara,'--from out of the Trivrit-stoma he fashioned the Rathantara-prishtha 1.\n8:1:1:66. 'The Rishi Vasishtha 2,'--the Rishi Vasishtha, doubtless, is the breath: inasmuch as it is the chief (thing) therefore it is Vasishtha (the most excellent); or inasmuch as it abides (with living beings) as the best abider (vastri), therefore also it is Vasishtha.--'By thee, taken by Prag\u00e2pati,'--that is, 'by thee, created by Prag\u00e2pati,'--'I take breath for my descendants (and people)!'--therewith he introduced the breath from the front. Separately he lays down (these ten bricks): what separate desires there are in the breath, those he thereby lays into it. Only once he settles them 3: he thereby makes it one breath; but were he to settle them each separately, he assuredly would cut the' breath asunder. This brick is trivrit (threefold): the formula, the settling, and the s\u00fbdadohas 4, that is threefold, and threefold is Agni,--as great as\n[paragraph continues] Agni is, as great as is his measure, so much he lays down (on the altar) by so dying.\n8:1:1:77. And on the right (south) side 1 with (V\u00e2g. S. XIII, 55), 'This one on the right, the all-worker,'--the all-worker (visvakarman), doubtless, is this V\u00e2yu (the wind) who blows here, for it is he that makes everything here; and because he speaks of him as (being) 'on the right,' therefore it is in the south that he blows most. V\u00e2yu, indeed, having become the mind, remained in the right side (of the body): it is that form (part) he now bestows (on Agni).\n8:1:1:88. 'His, the all-worker's child, the Mind,'--from out of that (all-working) form, the wind, he fashioned the mind;--'the summer, the son of the mind,'--from out of the mind he fashioned the summer season 2;--'the Trishtubh, the daughter of Summer,'--from out of the summer season he fashioned the Trishtubh metre;--'from the Trishtubh the Sv\u00e2ra tune,'--from out of the Trishtubh metre he created the Sv\u00e2ra hymn-tune 3;--'from\nthe Sv\u00e2ra the Antary\u00e2ma,'--from out of the Sv\u00e2ra-s\u00e2man he fashioned the Antary\u00e2ma-graha;--'from the Antary\u00e2ma the Pa\u00f1kadasa,'--from out of the Antary\u00e2ma-cup he fashioned the fifteen-versed hymn-form;--'from the Pa\u00f1kadasa the Brihat,'--from out of the Pa\u00f1kadasa-stoma he fashioned the Brihat-prishtha.\n8:1:1:99. 'The Rishi Bharadv\u00e2ga,'--the Rishi Bharadv\u00e2ga, doubtless, is the mind;--'v\u00e2ga' means 'food,' and he who possesses a mind, possesses (bharati) food, 'v\u00e2ga;' therefore the Rishi Bharadv\u00e2ga is the mind.--'By thee, taken by Prag\u00e2pati,'--that is, 'by thee, created by Prag\u00e2pati;'--'I take the mind for my descendants!'--therewith he introduced the mind from the right side. Separately he lays down (these ten bricks): what separate desires there are in the mind, those he thereby lays into it. Only once he settles them: he thereby makes it one mind; but were he to settle them each separately,\nhe assuredly would cut asunder the mind. This brick is threefold: the meaning of this has been explained.\n1:1 The construction of the first of the five layers of the altar which, as far as the special bricks are concerned, is now nearing its completion, may be briefly recapitulated here. The altar (agni) is constructed in the form of a bird, the body (\u00e2tman) of which consists of a square, usually measuring four man's lengths, or forty feet (Indian=c. 30 ft. Engl.) on each side. The ground of the 'body' having been ploughed, watered, and sown with seeds of all kinds of herbs, a square mound, the so-called uttaravedi, measuring a yuga (yoke= 7 ft. Ind.) on each side, is thrown up in the middle of the 'body,' and the whole of the latter then made level with it. In the centre of the 'body' thus raised, where the two 'spines'--connecting the middle of each of the four sides of the square with that of the, opposite side--meet, the priest puts down a lotus-leaf, and thereon the gold plate (a symbol of the sun) which the Sacrificer wore round his neck during the time of initiation. On this plate he then lays a small gold figure of a man (representing Agni-Prag\u00e2pati, as well as the Sacrificer himself), so as to lie on his back with the head towards the east; and beside him he places two offering-spoons, one on each side, filled with ghee and sour curds p. 2 respectively. Upon the man he then places a brick with naturally-formed holes in it (or a porous stone), a so-called Svayam-\u00e2trinn\u00e2 (self-perforated one), of which there are three in the altar, viz. in the centre of the first, third, and fifth layers, supposed to represent the earth, air, and sky respectively, and by their holes to allow the Sacrificer (in effigy) to breathe, and ultimately to pass through on his way to the eternal abodes. On this stone he lays down a plant of d\u00fbrv\u00e2 grass--with the root lying on the brick, and the twigs hanging down--meant to represent vegetation on earth, and food for the Sacrificer. Thereupon he puts down in front (east) of the central stone, on the 'spine,' a Dviyagus brick; in front of that, on both sides of the spine, two Retahsik; then in front of them, one Visvagyotis; then again two Ritavy\u00e2h; and finally the Ash\u00e2dh\u00e2, representing the Sacrificer's consecrated consort. These bricks, each of which is a pada (foot, Ind.) square, occupy nearly one-third of the line from the centre to the middle of the front side of the 'body' of the altar. South and north of the Ash\u00e2dh\u00e2, leaving the space of two bricks, he places a live tortoise, facing the gold man, and a wooden mortar and pestle respectively. On the mortar he places the ukh\u00e2, or fire-pan, filled with sand and milk; and thereon the heads of the five victims, after chips of gold have been thrust into their mouths, nostrils, eyes, and ears. At each of the four ends of the two spines' he then puts down five Apasy\u00e2h bricks, the middle one lying on the spine itself, with two on each side of it. The last set of five bricks, those hid down at the north (or left) end of the 'cross-spine,' are also called Khandasy\u00e2h by the Br\u00e2hmana. He now proceeds to lay down the Pr\u00e2nabhritah, meant to represent the orifices of the vital airs, in five sets of ten bricks each. The first four sets are placed on the four diagonals connecting the centre with the four corners of the body of the altar, beginning from the corner (? or, according to some, optionally from the centre), in the order S.E., N.W., S.W., N.E.; the fifth set being then laid down round the central stone at the distance (or, on the range) of the retahsik bricks. See the diagram at p. 17.\n3:1 Whilst standing in front (east) of the altar, he puts down the first set of ten bricks on the line from the south-west corner (or right shoulder) of the altar towards the centre. The formulas with which each set of ten bricks are deposited are spread over three paragraphs, the first of which gives that of the first brick, the second those for two to eight, the third for the last two.\n3:2 Viz. in taking out the fire from the G\u00e2rhapatya and transferring p. 4 it to the \u00c2havan\u00eeya, as well as in approaching the sacrificial fire for offerings. It should also be borne in mind that the altar (agni) is built in form of an eagle flying towards the east, or front.\n4:1 See VII, 5, 1, 7, 'The breath is taken in from the front backwards.'--In the text 'pr\u00e2no h\u00e2gnir bh\u00fbtv\u00e2 purast\u00e2t tasthau,' I take 'pr\u00e2nah' to be the predicate.\n4:2 At VII, 4, 1, 16, the vital air is called Prag\u00e2pati's (Agni's) pleasing form (or part).\n4:3 For a similar connection of the East with the G\u00e2yatr\u00ee, the Rathantara, the Trivrit, the Spring, and the Brahman (priesthood) see V, 4, I, 3, (part iii, p. 91).\n4:4 The G\u00e2yatra-s\u00e2man is the simplest, and by far the most common of all hymn-tunes. It is especially used in connection with the trivrit-stoma, or nine-versed hymn, and is invariably employed for the Bahishpavam\u00e2na-stotra. It is also the tune of the first triplet both of the M\u00e2dhyandina and \u00c2rbhava-pavam\u00e2na; as well as for all the four \u00c2gya-stotras.\n4:5 See part ii, pp. 238 seqq., where this soma-cup is repeatedly connected with the G\u00e2yatr\u00ee. Though its pressing is performed by three turns of eight, eleven, and twelve beatings respectively, representing the three chief metres, it is expressly stated (IV, 1, 1, 14) p. 5 that he who is desirous of obtaining holiness, should press eight times at each turn.\n5:1 For this and the other Prishtha-s\u00e2mans see part iii, introd. pp. xvi, xx seqq.\n5:2 In Taitt. S. IV, 3, 2, 1, this formula is connected with the preceding one,--'from the Rathantara (was produced) the Rishi Vasishtha.' Similarly in the corresponding passages of the subsequent sets of bricks.\n5:3 The s\u00e2dana, or settling, consists in the formula, 'By that deity, A\u1e45giras-like, lie thou steady!' being pronounced over the bricks. See VI, 1, 2, 28.\n5:4 For the s\u00fbdadohas verse, the pronunciation of which, together with the 'settling,' constitutes the two necessary (nitya) ceremonies, see part iii, p. 307.\n6:1 Whilst standing on the right (south) side of the altar he lays down the third set of ten Pr\u00e2nabhritah, viz. those on the diagonal from the south-west corner (or right thigh) towards the centre. Whilst, in the actual performance, these bricks are only laid down after those referred to in paragraphs 1-3 of the next Br\u00e2hmana, the author, in his explanation of the formulas, follows the course of the sun from left to right.\n6:2 For a similar combination of the south with the Trishtubh metre, the Brihat-s\u00e2man, the Pa\u00f1kadasa-stoma, the summer season, and the Kshatra, see V, 4, 1, 4 (part iii, p. 91).\n6:3 Sv\u00e2ra-s\u00e2man is called a chanted verse which has no special concluding nidhana, or finale, but in which the svarita (circumflex), or first rising then falling pitch (eg., f-g-f) of the final vowel, takes the place of the finale; whence 'sv\u00e2ra' is often explained by 'svaranidhana,' i.e. having the svara (svarita) for its nidhana. See p. 7 Pa\u00f1k. Br. IX, 3, 11, where a sv\u00e2ra-s\u00e2man is prescribed in case the Udg\u00e2tris have previously committed an excess in their chanting. The last tristich of the M\u00e2dhyandina-pavam\u00e2nastotra of the Agnishtoma, the Ausana-s\u00e2man (to S\u00e2ma-v., vol. ii, pp. 27-29), is chanted in this way, probably in order to make good the excess committed in the preceding triplet, the Yaudh\u00e2gaya (ii, pp. 25, 26), in which each verse is chanted with three nidhanas, one at the end, and two inserted inside the s\u00e2man. L\u00e2ty. Srautas. VI, 9, 6, the sv\u00e2ra-s\u00e2mans thus treated are called 'pad\u00e2nusv\u00e2r\u00e2ni;' whilst those with which the musical syllables 'h\u00e2-i' are used with a similar effect, are called 'h\u00e2ik\u00e2rasv\u00e2r\u00e2ni.' As an instance of the former, the Ausana (S\u00e2ma-v., vol. iii, p. 8r) is adduced, and of the latter the V\u00e2madevya (iii, p. 89). It is not only the final syllable of a s\u00e2man, however, that may be modulated in this way, but also that of a musical section of the s\u00e2man; cf. Pa\u00f1k. Br. X, 12, 2, where the Udg\u00eetha is to be so treated to make up for the preceding Prast\u00e2va, chanted without a Stobha. Sacrificial calls such as the 'Sv\u00e2h\u00e2' and 'Vashat' are also modulated in this way,' ib. VII, 3, 26; XI, 5, 26.","title":"Satapatha Brahmana Part IV (SBE43): Eighth K\u00e2nda: VIII, 1, 1. First Adhy\u00e2ya. First Br\u00e2hmana","type":"page"}