Kanda XIV, adhyaya 3, brahmana 2

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

EXPIATORY CEREMONIES.

1. Now this--to wit, the sacrifice--is the self of all beings, and of all gods: after its successful consummation the Sacrificer prospers in offspring (or, people) and cattle; but he whose Gharma (pot) is shattered is deprived of his offspring and cattle. In that case there is an expiation.

2. He offers an oblation of a full (spoon of ghee); for the full means everything: with everything he thus heals whatever has been unsuccessful in the sacrifice.

3. [He offers, with Vāj. S. XXXIX, 1,] 'Hail to the vital airs with their over-lord!'--the over-lord of the vital airs, doubtless, is the mind (soul), for in the mind all the vital airs are established: it is thus by means of the mind that he thereby heals whatever has been unsuccessful in the sacrifice.

4. 'To the Earth hail!'--the earth, doubtless, is a place of abode for all the gods: it is thus by means of all the deities that he heals whatever has been unsuccessful in the sacrifice.

5. 'To Agni hail!'--Agni, doubtless, is the self of all the gods: it is thus by means of all the deities that he heals whatever has been unsuccessful in the sacrifice.

6. 'To the Air hail!'--the air, doubtless, is a place of abode for all the gods: it is thus by means of all the deities that he heals whatever has been unsuccessful in the sacrifice.

7. 'To Vāyu hail!'--Vāyu (the wind), doubtless, is the self of all the gods: it is thus by means of all the deities that he heals whatever has been unsuccessful in the sacrifice.

8. 'To the Sky hail!'--the sky, doubtless, is a place of abode for all the gods: it is thus by means of all the deities that he heals whatever has been unsuccessful in the sacrifice.

9. 'To Sūrya hail!'--Sūrya (the sun), doubtless, is the self of all the gods: it is thus by means of all the deities that he heals whatever has been unsuccessful in the sacrifice.

10. [Vāj. S. XXXIX, 2,] 'To the Regions hail!'--the regions, doubtless, are a place of abode for all the gods: it is thus by means of all the deities that he heals whatever has been unsuccessful in the sacrifice.

11. 'To Candra hail!'--Candra (the moon), doubtless, is the self of all the gods: it is thus by means of all the deities that he heals whatever has been unsuccessful in the sacrifice.

12. 'To the Nakṣatras hail!'--the Nakṣatras (lunar asterisms), doubtless, are a place of abode for all the gods: it is thus by means of all the deities that he heals whatever has been unsuccessful in the sacrifice.

13. 'To the Waters hail!'--the waters, doubtless, are a place of abode for all the gods: it is thus by means of all the deities that he heals whatever has been unsuccessful in the sacrifice.

14. 'To Varuṇa hail!'--Varuṇa, doubtless, is the self of all the gods: it is thus by means of all the deities that he heals whatever has been unsuccessful in the sacrifice.

15. 'To the Navel hail! To the Purified one^[1] hail!'--This is undefined, for undefined is Prajāpati, and Prajāpati is the sacrifice: it is thus Prajāpati, the sacrifice, he thereby heals.

16. These are thirteen oblations,--for there are thirteen months in the year, and the year is Prajāpati, and Prajāpati is the sacrifice: it is thus Prajāpati, the sacrifice, he thereby heals.

17. [Vāj. S. XXXIX, 3,] 'To the Voice hail!'--a mouth he thereby gives to it;--'to the Breath hail! to the Breath hail!'--two nostrils (a nose) he thereby gives to it;--'to the Eye hail! to the Eye hail!'--two eyes he thereby gives to it;--'to the Ear hail! to the Ear hail!'--two ears he thereby gives to it.

18. These are seven oblations,--now seven in number are these vital airs in the head: it is them he thereby gives to it. He offers a last oblation of a full (spoon),--the full means everything:

with everything he thus heals whatever has been unsuccessful in the sacrifice,--

19. With (Vāj. S. XXXIX, 4), 'The mind's purpose,'--by the mind, indeed, everything is gained here: by the mind he thus heals whatever has been unsuccessful in the sacrifice;--

20. 'The truth of speech may I freely obtain,'--by speech everything is gained here: by speech he thus heals whatever has been unsuccessful in the sacrifice;--'may the form of cattle, the essence of food, fame, and prosperity accrue unto me, hail!'--a blessing he thereby invokes.

21. Thereupon, having pounded that spare (clay), and mixed it with powdered clay, he makes (a pot) in proper form, and bakes it in proper form for the purpose of the 'setting out'; and let him perform (the sacrifice) with whichever of the two reserve (pots) may be firm.

22. The Pravargya, indeed, is the year; for the year is everything, and the Pravargya is everything: when it is placed on the fire then it is spring; when it is burning-hot then it is summer; when it is flowing over then it is the rainy season;--but, indeed, when the rains overflow, all the gods and all beings subsist thereon; and, verily, the rains overflow for him who thus knows this.

23. The Pravargya, indeed, is these worlds, for these worlds are everything, and the Pravargya is everything: when it is placed on the fire then it is this (terrestrial) world; when it is burning-hot then it is the air-world; and when it flows over then it is yonder (heavenly) world;--but, indeed; when yonder world overflows, all the gods and all beings subsist thereon; and, verily, yonder world overflows for him who thus knows this.

24. The Pravargya, indeed, is those deities--Agni, Vāyu, and Āditya; for those deities are everything, and the Pravargya is everything: when it is placed on the fire then it is Agni; when it is burning-hot then it is Vāyu (the wind); and when it flows over then it is Āditya (the sun);--but, indeed, when yonder sun overflows, all the gods and all beings subsist upon him; and, verily, yonder sun overflows for him who thus knows this.

25. The Pravargya, indeed, is the Sacrificer, his own self, his offspring (or people) and cattle; for the Sacrificer is everything, and the Pravargya is everything when it is placed on the fire then it is his own self; when it is burning-hot then it is his offspring; and when it flows over then it is his cattle;--but, indeed, when the cattle overflow (with milk) all the gods and all beings subsist thereon; and, verily, the cattle overflow for him who thus knows this.

26. The Pravargya, indeed, is the Agnihotra, for the Agnihotra is everything, and the Pravargya is everything: when it (the Agnihotra milk) is put on the fire then it is the (Gharma) placed thereon; when it is ladled out then it is the burning-hot (Gharma); and when it is offered then it is the overflowing (Gharma);--but, indeed, when the Agnihotra overflows all the gods and all beings subsist thereon; and, verily, the Agnihotra overflows for him who thus knows this.

27. The Pravargya, indeed, is the New and Full-moon sacrifices; for the New and Full-moon sacrifices are everything, and the Pravargya is everything: when it (the havis) is put on the fire then it is the (Gharma) placed thereon; when it is standing ready then it is the burning-hot (Gharma); and when it is offered then it is the overflowing (Gharma); but, indeed, when the New and Full-moon sacrifices overflow all the gods and all beings subsist thereon; and, verily, the New and Full-moon sacrifices overflow for him who thus knows this.

28. The Pravargya, indeed, is the Seasonal sacrifices, for the Seasonal sacrifices are everything, and the Pravargya is everything: when it (the havis) is put on the fire then it is the (Gharma) placed thereon; when it is standing ready then it is the burning-hot (Gharma); and when it is offered then it is the overflowing (Gharma);--but, indeed, when the Seasonal sacrifices overflow then all the gods and all beings subsist thereon; and, verily, the Seasonal sacrifices overflow for him who thus knows this.

29. The Pravargya, indeed, is the Animal sacrifice, for the Animal sacrifice is everything, and the Pravargya is everything: when it (the meat) is put on the fire then it is the (Gharma) placed thereon; and when it is standing ready then it is the burning-hot (Gharma); and when it is offered then it is the overflowing (Gharma);--but, indeed, when the animal offering overflows all the gods and all beings subsist thereon; and, verily, the animal offering overflows for him who thus knows this.

30. The Pravargya, indeed, is Soma, for Soma is everything, and the Pravargya is everything: when it is poured out then it is the (Gharma) placed on the fire; when it is drawn (into the cups) then it is the burning-hot (Gharma); and when it is offered then it is the overflowing (Gharma);--but, indeed, when Soma overflows all the gods and all beings avail themselves thereof; and, verily, Soma overflows for him who thus knows this; and, verily, no sacrifice whatever is offered without the Pravargya for him who thus knows this.

31. And, verily, whosoever either teaches, or partakes of, this (Pravargya) enters that life, and that light: the observance of the rule thereof is the same as at the creation^[2].

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Mahīdhara takes 'pūta' in the sense of 'the purifier (śodhaka)' and apparently the name of a god (as he does also the Navel (nābhyai devatāyai)).

[2]:

See p. 458, note 1.