Dhammapada

SR No.: 007674
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Max Muller
Publisher: Oxford
Publication Year: 1881
Total Pages: 2540
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 45 MB

Page 980

148
SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
and now this one also appropriates the autumn, and deprives his rivals of the autumn: this is why he pronounces the prayer to the barhis.
13. He then pronounces the offering-prayer with Svâhâ ! Svâhâ ?!' The Svâhâ-call, namely, marks the end of the sacrifice, and the end of the year is the winter, since the winter is on the other (remoter) side of the spring. By the end of the sacrifice) the gods, at that time, appropriated the end (of the year); by the end they deprived their rivals of the end; and by the end this one also now appropriates the end; by the end he deprives his rivals of the end: this is why he pronounces the offering-prayers with Svẫhâ! Svẫha!
14. Now the spring, assuredly, comes into life again out of the winter, for out of the one the other is born again: therefore he who knows this, is indeed born again in this world.
15. In order to avoid sameness he prays (alternately) with 'may they accept!' and 'may he (or it) accept?!' for he. would commit (the fault) of repe
1 See further on, par. 22. As to Svâhâl marking the conclusion of the sacrifice, see the Samishtayagus I, 9, 2, 25-28.
• The first offering-prayer (to the logs) is 'yê yagâmahe samidhah, samidho agna ágyasya vyantů vâushatl' i.e.' we who pronounce the offering-prayer to the Samidhs--the Samidhs, O Agni, may accept the butter! vâushall' Similarly at the other fore-offerings; but at the second and fourth, where the object of worship is a single one (viz. Tanûnapât and the Barbis respectively), may he (or it) accept (vetu) l' has to be substituted for 'may they accept (vyantu)!' The difference of number in these verbal forms is symbolically explained as implying a distinction of sex, for the reason that there may be more wives to one man, but only one husband to a woman. The elliptic expression ye yag ama he is thus explained by Sayana on Taitt. S. I, 6, 11: All we Hotri priests that are urged on by the Adhvaryu calling "Recite (thou)?” we do recite, we do pronounce
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