Satapatha-brahmana

by Julius Eggeling | 1882 | 730,838 words | ISBN-13: 9788120801134

This is Satapatha Brahmana XIII.2.11 English translation of the Sanskrit text, including a glossary of technical terms. This book defines instructions on Vedic rituals and explains the legends behind them. The four Vedas are the highest authortity of the Hindu lifestyle revolving around four castes (viz., Brahmana, Ksatriya, Vaishya and Shudra). Satapatha (also, Śatapatha, shatapatha) translates to “hundred paths”. This page contains the text of the 11th brahmana of kanda XIII, adhyaya 2.

Kanda XIII, adhyaya 2, brahmana 11

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

1. Prajāpati desired, 'Would that I were great, and more numerous!' He perceived those two Mahiman (greatness) cups of Soma at the Aśvamedha; he offered them; and thereby, indeed, became great and more numerous: hence whosoever should desire to become great, and more numerous, let him offer up those two Mahiman cups of Soma at the Aśvamedha; and he indeed becomes great and more numerous.

2. He offers them on both sides (before and after) the omentum;--the Aśvamedha, doubtless, is the Sacrificer, and that Mahiman (cup) is the king: it is with royal dignity he thus encompasses him on both sides. Some gods have the svāhā-call ('hail') in front, and the other gods have the svāhā-call behind[1]: it is them he thus gratifies. With 'Hail to the gods!' and 'To the gods hail!' he makes offering by means of the king (Soma) on both sides of the omentum: he thereby gratifies those gods who are in this world, and those who are in the other, and thus gratified, both these kinds of gods lead him to the heavenly world.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The formula uttered whilst the first Mahiman cup is offered runs thus (Vāj. S. XXIII, 2): 'What greatness of thine there hath p. 328 been in the day and the year; what greatness of thine there hath been in the wind and the air; what greatness of thine there hath been in the heavens and the sun, to that greatness of thine, to Prajāpati, hail, to the gods!' whilst that of the second Mahiman cup runs thus (XXIII, 4): 'What greatness of thine there hath been in the night and the year; what greatness of thine there hath been in the earth and the fire; what greatness of thine there hath been in the Nakṣatras (lunar asterisms) and the moon, to that greatness of thine, to Prajāpati, to the gods, hail!' cf. XIII, 5, 2, 23; 3, 7.

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