BOOK XI

HYMN I

An accompaniment to the preparation and presentation of a Brahmaudana

1Agni, spring forth! Here Aditi, afflicted, cooks a Brahmaudana,
   yearning for children.
  Let the Seven Rishis, World-creators, rub thee into existence
   here with gift of offspring.
2Raise, as I bid, the smoke, my strong companions, lovers of free-
   dom from deceit and malice!
  Victor in fight heroic, here is Agni by whom the Gods subdued
   the hostile demons.
3Thou, Agni, wart produced for mighty valour, to cook Brahmau-
   dana, O Jātavedas.
  Seven Rishis, makers of the world, begat thee, Grant to this
   woman wealth with store of heroes.
4Burn up, O Agni, kindled with the fuel. Knowing the Gods who
   merit worship, bring them.
  Cooking, for these, oblation, Jātavedas! lift up this man to
   heaven's most lofty summit.
5Your portion from of old is triply parted, portion of Gods, of
  Fathers, and of mortals.
  Know, all, your shares. I deal them out among you. The portion
   of the Gods shall save this woman.
6Strong art thou, Agni, conquering, all-surpassing. Crush down
   our foemen, ruin those who hate us.
  So let this measure, measured, being measured, make all our kin
   thy tributary vassals.
7Increase with kinsmen and with all abundance: to mighty strength
   and power lift up this woman.
  Erect, rise upward to the sky's high station, rise to the lofty
   world which men call Svarga.
8May this great Earth receive the skin, this Goddess Prithivī,
   showing us her love and favour. Then may we go unto the
   world of virtue. p. 42
9Fix on the skin these two joined press-stones, duly rending the
   fibres for the sacrificer.
  Strike down and slay those who assail this woman, and elevating
   raise on high her offspring.
10Grasp with thy hand, O man, the well-formed press-stones: the
   holy Gods have come unto thy worship.
  Three wishes of thy heart which thou electest, these happy gains
   for thee I here make ready.
11Here thy devotion is, here is thy birthplace. Aditi, Mother of
   brave sons, accept thee!
  Wipe away those who fight against this woman with wealth and
   store of goodly sons endow her.
12Rest in the roaring frame of wood: be parted from husk and
   chaff, ye Sacrificial Fibres.
  May we surpass in glory all our rivals. I cast beneath my feet
   the men who hate us.
13Go, Dame, and quickly come again: the waters, enclosed, have
   mounted thee that thou mayst bear them.
  Take thou of these such as are fit for service: skilfully separating.
   leave the others.
14Hither these Dames have come in radiant beauty. Arise and seize=
   upon thy strength, O woman.
  To thee hath sacrifice come: take the pitcher, blest with a good
   lord, children, children's children.
15Instructed by the Rishis, bring those waters, the share of strength
   which was of old assigned you.
  Let this effectual sacrifice afford you protection, fortune, off-
   spring, men, and cattle.
16Agni, on thee the sacrificial caldron hath mounted: shining,.
   fiercely flaming, heat it.
  May hottest flames, divine, sprung from the Rishis, gathering,
   with the Seasons, heat this portion.
17Purified, bright, and holy, let these Women, these lucid waters
   glide into the caldron.
  Cattle and many children may they give us. May he who cooks.
   the Odana go to heaven.
18Ye, Sacrificial Rice and Soma Fibres, cleansed and made pure by
   prayer and molten butter. p. 43
  Enter the water: let the caldron take you. May he who dresses
   this ascend to heaven.
19Expand thyself abroad in all thy greatness, with thousand Prish-
   thas, in the world of virtue.
  Grandfathers, fathers, children, and descendants, fifteenth am I
   to thee when I have dressed it.
20With thousand streams and Prishthas, undecaying, Brahmaudana
   is celestial, God-reaching.
  Those I give up to thee with all their children. Force them to
   tribute, but to me be gracious.
21Rise to the altar: bless this dame with offspring. Promote this
   woman; drive away the demons.
  May we surpass in glory all our rivals. I cast beneath my feet the
   men who hate us.
22Approach this woman here with store of cattle: together with
   the deities come to meet her.
  Let not a curse or imprecation reach thee: in thine own seat
   shine forth exempt from sickness.
23Fashioned at first by Right, set by the spirit, this altar of Brahmau-
   dana was appointed.
  Place the pure boiler on it, woman! set thou therein the rice
   mess of Celestial Beings.
24This second hand of Aditi, this ladle which the Seven Rishis,
   world-creators, fashioned.
  May this scoop deftly pile upon the altar, therein, the members
   of the rice-oblation.
25Let the dressed offering and divine Ones serve thee: creep from.
   the fire again, own these as masters.
  Made pure with Soma rest within the Brāhmans: let not thine
   eaters, Rishis' sons, be injured.
26Give understanding unto these, King Soma! all the good Brāh
   mans who attend and serve thee.
  Oft, in Brahmaudana, and well I call on: Rishis, their sons, and
   those who sprang from Fervour.
27Here I set singly in the hands of Brāhmans these cleansed and.
   purifie d and holy Women,
  May Indra, Marut girt, grant me the blessing which as I sprinkle
   you, my heart desireth.
28Here is my gold, a light immortal: ripened grain from the field
   this Cow of Plenty give me! p. 44
  This wealth I place among the Brāhmans, making a path that
   leads to heaven among the Fathers.
29Lay thou the chaff in Agni Jātavedas: remove the husks and
   drive them to a distance.
  That, we have heard, that is the House-Lord's portion: we know
   the share allotted to Destruction.
30Mark him who toils and cooks and pours oblation: make this
   man climb the path that leads to heaven,
  That he may mount and reach life that is highest, ascending to
   the loftiest vault above us.
31Adhvaryu, cleanse that face of the Supporter. Make room, well
   knowing, for the molten butter.
  Purify duly all the limbs with fatness. I make a path to heaven
   amid the Fathers.
32Supporter, send to those men fiends and battle, to all non-Brah-
   mans who attend and serve thee.
  Famous and foremost, with their great possessions, let not these
   here, the Rishis sons, be injured.
33I set thee, Odana, with Rishis' children: naught here belongs to
   men not sprung from Rishis.
  Let Agni my protector, all the Maruts, the Visve Devas guard
   the cooked oblation.
34May we adore thee, Sacrifice that yieldeth an everlasting son,
   cow, home of treasures,
  Together with increasing store of riches, long life and immor-
   tality of children.
35Thou art a Bull that mounts to heaven: to Rishis and their off-
   spring go.
  Rest in the world of pious men: there is the place prepared for
   us.
36Level the ways: go thitherward, O Agni. Make ready thou the
  Godward-leading pathways.
  By these our pious actions may we follow sacrifice dwelling in
   the seven-rayed heaven.
37May we invested with that light go upward, ascending to the
   sky's most lofty summit.
  Wherewith the Gods, what time they had made ready
  Brahmaudana, mounted to the world of virtue.

p. 45

Next: Hymn 2: Prayer and praise to Bhava, Sarva and Rudra