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He who knows this prospers after having found the sacrifice.^ What ai*e called oblations (Miiiti) are invocations (&hiiti) ; with them the sacrificer calls the gods, this is why they are called fthiitis.^ They are called tltis, for by their means the gods come to the calling of the sacrificer {dyanii^ they come). Or because they are the paths and the ways, they are called Atis ; for they are the way to heaven for the sacrificer.* There they say, as another priest makes the obla- tion {sell, the Adhvaryu), then why do they call him the Hotri (the oflTerer), who recites the prayers and formulas ?* Because he causes the deities to be brought near The commentator says, that the proper name for the Hotri would seem to be Anuvaktri or Yaslitri, because uO^^IWI bbIhmanas. 395 according to their station, saying, " Bring him, bring him," this is the reason why he is called Hotri ; he is a Hotri (from Avah^ to bring near.) ^ He who knows this, is called a Hotri.^ He whom the priests initiate (by means of the Dikshd ceremony), he is made again to be an embryo (he is born again.)* They sprinkle him with water.* Water is seed ; having thus given this to him, they initiate him.^ They anoint him with fresh butter (navanita). Clarified butter for the gods is (called) Ajya ; for men Surabhighrita ; for the manes Ayuta; for the embryos Navanita. Therefore by anointing him with navanita, they increase him with his own portion.^ The commentator quotes a verse to the effect that molten ghee is called ajya ; hardened^ it is called gh^iia ; slightly molten, it is called &yuta ; and well seasoned, it is called turabhi. But the Taittiriyas say, " ghfita is for the gods, astu for the manes, nish^ pakva for men." Asiu is here the same as AytUa, slightly molten, and nuhpakvay quite liquid. OiJK} isi&AiiJnAriAD. They anoint his eyes with a collyTrxiatn.^ Anointing is light for the eyes. Having thus im- parted light to him, they initiate him.* They rub him clean with twenty-one handfiils of Eu6a grass.^ Him who is pure and has tlina l>een cleaned, they initiate.* They take him to the hall.^ The hall is the womb for tine pnpil (dikshita). By taking him to the hall tlxey take him (who was before represented as aan embryo) into his womb.^ In this true womb he sits, and Inence he departs^ Therefore the fruit is borne ixx the true womb and brought forth from it.® Therefore let not the suu sKixi^ upon him in its The hall is called Dikshita-vimj^^^ ,^^ mita) for the initiated (dikshita). ;j^^ 5^^^^^^© it was made (vi- navanla. ^^ Commonly called PrgLcbi- BRAHMANAS. 397 rising or setting away from the hall| nor let the priests speak to him.^ They cover him with a cloth.^ This cloth is the caul in which the pupil is to be bom ; thus they cover him with the caul.* The skin of a black antelope is his next cloak.^ Next to the caul is the Jarllyu; thus they cover him with the Jar&yu.^ He closes his hands.^ With closed hands the embryo lies, with closed hands the child is bom. As he closes his Iiands, he holds the sacrifice, and all its gods between his hands/ They say, there is no confusion for him who has first finished his Diksh& ; for his sacrifice is held fast (between his hands), and the gods are so likewise. Therefore there can be no loss for him, like that which falls on him whose Diksh& was finished later.^ • ^mt ^ ^^iwi<ig ai<i^l(^i TTirt^^ii • gift ^r^B • ^f^TgA ^^tf^i ws^i^ ^it^TrtWlr ^ 398 BRiHMANAS. After having put off his cloak, he descends to the bath. Therefore an embryo is bom after he is sepa- rated from the Jar&yu.^ He descends together with his cloth — therefore a child is bom together with the caul.^ For him who has not offered a sacrifice before, let (the Hotri) recite two puronuv&ky&s, " tvam agne saprath^ asi," (v. 13. 4.) for the first, "soma y&s te mayobhuvah" (i. 91. 9.) for the second portion of the ghee.* (The third line of the first verse is) "through thee they carry out the sacrifice ; " and by reciting this line the Hotri carries out the sacrifice for the pupil.* It is Baid bj the commentator that if two or more Brahmans perform the Soma sacrifice on the same spot and at the same time, they commit a sin, which is called sansava, confusion of libations. Thej ought to be separated by a river or a mountain. He, how- ever, who has finished his Diksha first and holds tlie gods between his closed hands, is not exposed to the consequences of the san- sava, because the gods will be with him and not with the other man whose Diksh& was finished later. • '^^^ Hn^i ^if% ^V'l ^iT^ ira^^ Twrnanrr- ^^: ^C>*(^i4i^ ^PR^J ^4*i4tiM: ^ttt^h After the general remarks on the Dikshanijeshti which were given in the first three sections, without any particular regard to the offices of the Hotri, the fourth section begins with the cere- monial rules for the Hotri. The Hotri has to recite certain verses on being ordered to do so by the Adhvaryu. brAhuanas. 899 For him who has offered a sacrifice before, let the Hotri recite instead "Agnih pratnena manmand,/' (viii. 44. 12.) and ''soma girbhish tv& vayam" (i.91. ll.y By saying " pratnam " (former) a word which oc- curs in the first verse, he alludes to the former sacrifice.^ Both these rules (of using certain verses for a man who has not, and for a man who has, sacrificed before) are not to be observed.* Let him rather use the two verses on the destruc- tion of Vritra"Agnirvritrfi,nijanghanat," (vi. 16. 24.) and " tvam Sora^i satpatih " (i. 91. 6.)* For he whom the sacrifice approaches destroys Vritra ; therefore verses on the destruction of Vritra are to be used.* Having enjoined these two verses for the introduc- tory ceremony of the offering of ghee, the Brd^hmana now proceeds to detail the yfijy^nuvfi,kyli3 for the principal offering. ' hmUiU ^ *4iRic|<(^ii The reason which the commentator gives for this extraordinary proceeding is, that in each of the two couples of verses which were first recommended, the first verse only contained an allusion to the peculiarities of the sacrifices, while the two verses now enjoined both treat of the destruction of Vritra. 400 BRAHMANAS. ^^ Agnir mukham prathamo devatHD&m/' &c, is the Puronuy&ky&, ^' Agnih cha Yishno tapa uttamam mahah," etc. the Y&jy& verse. These two verses on Agni and Y ishnu are correct in form. The correctness of a sacrifice consists in its correctness of form ; it consists in this that the verse recited alludes to the act performed.^ Agni and Yishnu are the guardians of the Diksh& among the gods. They are the lords of the DikshJL Therefore as the oblation is to Agni and Yishnu, they who are the lords of the DikshU are pleased and grant the Dtksh&, saying, Let those who perform this rite be initiated.^ They are Trishtubhs (by their metre), in order that they may give bodily strength.* Having explained the verses used by the Hotri at the principal part of the sacrifice, the Br&hmana adds some rules on the Svishtakrit verses. %^!wV M^^4[ TP>% ^nro ^^^ M3|M4i4j^ ^n^ Instead of saying *' anovaky&jaj je," because the anayaky& comes before the y&jya, the compound yajjanuvakye is formed, the shorter word, according to grammar, standing first in a Dvandva compound. The verses are not in the lSulkaUi-d&kh& of the Rig-veda. ^m^iftii bkAumanas. 401 He who wishes for beauty and for wisklom, let him use the two GUyatri verses ^ of the Svishtakrit.^ The G&yatri is beauty, full of wisdom.* He who knowing this uses the two G&yatiis be- comes possessed of beauty and wisdom.^ He who desires long life, let him use two Ushnih verses,* Ushnih is life.^ He who knowing this uses the two Ushnihs, arrives at any ageJ He who desires heaven, let him use two Anush- tubhs.® There are sixty-four syllables in the two Anush- tubhs, and three are these worlds, (earth, sky and heaven) each of twenty-one parts. With each twenty-one syllables he ascends to these worlds, and with the sixty-fourth he stands firm in heaven.^ > Thej are '' 8a havjavai amartyah^" (iti. ii. 2.) and '< Agnir hot& purohitah." (iii. 11. 1.) They are *<Agne T^jasya gomatah," (i. 79.4.) and '<Sa idiiano vasash kavib." (i. 79. 5.) ^R^ 4si4m: ^|€f?Tl 8 They are "Tvam Agne vastin.'' (i. 45. 1.) DD 40^ BRAHifAKAS. He who knowing this uses the two Anushtubhs stands firm.^ He who desires wealth and glory, let him use two Brihatis.2 The Brihati is wealth and glory .