Questions of King Milinda Part 01

SR No.: 007681
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: T W Rhys Davids
Publisher: Oxford
Publication Year: 1890
Total Pages: 2695
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 47 MB

Page 1039

SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA,
34
(ficus religiosa) leaves; because Indra on that (former) occasion called upon the Maruts staying on the Asvattha tree1, therefore they are done up in asvattha leaves. Peasants (vis) throw them up to him, for the Maruts are the peasants, and the peasants are food (for the nobleman): hence peasants throw them up. There are seventeen (bags), for Pragâpati is seventeenfold: he thus wins Pragâpati.
18. Thereupon, while looking down upon this (earth), he mutters, 'Homage be to the mother Earth! homage be to the mother Earth!' For when Brihaspati had been consecrated, the Earth was afraid of him, thinking, ‘Something great surely has he become now that he has been consecrated: I fear lest he may rend me asunder?!' And Brihaspati also was afraid of the Earth, thinking, 'I fear lest she may shake me off!' Hence by that (formula) he entered into a friendly relation with her; for a mother does not hurt her son, nor does a son hurt his mother.
19. Now the Brihaspati Soma-feast is the same as the Vagapeya; and the earth in truth is afraid of that (Sacrificer), thinking, 'Something great
1 See part ii, p. 334, with note 2. On the 'asvattha devasadana cp. also Ath.-veda V, 4, 3; Rig-veda I, 164, 20-22; A. Kuhn, Herabkunft des Feuers und des Göttertranks, p. 126 seq. (Mythol. Stud. i. p. 112 seq.).
* Or, 'I hope he will not rend me asunder.' For this construction-exactly corresponding to the German dass (or, wenn) er mich nur nicht aufreisst!' (cf. also the colloquial use of the French 'pourvu,'-' pourvu qu'il ne me déchire pas !')-see part ii, p. 31,
note I.
The Brihaspati sava is performed by a Brahmana with a view to obtaining the office of Purohita (royal chaplain, or family priest). For Âsvalâyana's rule, which places it on a level with the Ragasiya sacrifice of a king, see p. 4, note 1.
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