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22
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
the clan when it had yoked up. He said: 'O0 serpent, circumvent her deserting [her] living friend.' As she goes (P)
"123. A black snake rose up against her. She noting this, sat down. Now the two Aévins, spoon-sacrificers (darvihómin), were going about there performing cures, not sharers in the soma (anapisómau). They came up to her and said: This is an old man, not whole, not fit for the office of husband (patitvandya); be our wife.' Not so,' she said: 'to whom my father has given me, his wife will I be.' This he listened to. Then they went forth. He said: 'Girl, what was that noise just now?' Two men came up to me here with a form that is the most beautiful of forms.' What did they say to you ? Girl, this is an old man, not whole, not fit for the office of husband; be our wife.' 'What did you say?' 'Not so, I said; to whom my father has given me, his wife will I be.'
"124. That, now, was pleasant to him; he said: Those were the two Asvins, spoon-sacrificers, that go about here performing cures, not sharers in the soma. They will come to-morrow and say the same thing to you; do you then say (brútát) to them: "You verily are not whole, who, being gods, are not sóma-drinkers (asomapau); whole in sooth is my husband, who is a sóma-drinker." They will say to you: "Who is competent to this, that we be sharers in the sóma (apisómau) ?" And do you say (brütdt): "My husband here." By this means there is hope of my becoming. young again. They came to her on the morrow, and said the same thing. She said: You verily are not whole, who being gods, are not sómadrinkers; whole in sooth is my husband, who is a sóma-drinker.' They said: Who is competent to this, that we be sharers in the sóma? My husband here,' said she.
"125. They said to him: Sage, make us sharers in the sóma, sir.' Very well,' said he; do you now make me young again.' They drew him away to the dišava of the Sarasvati. He said: Girl, we shall all come out looking alike; do you then know (jánítát) me by this sign. They all came out looking just alike, with that form which is the most beautiful of forms. She, recognizing him.. This is my husband.' They said to him: 'Sage, we have performed for you that desire which has been your desire; you have become young again; now instruct us in such wise that we may be sharera in the soma."
"126. He said: The gods here are engaged in sacrificing in Kurukshetra with a victim-sacrifice (pafishnydyajñéna); they do not obtain that desire which is the desire at the sacrifice; the head of the sacrifice was cut off; so then what
[JANUARY, 1884.
Dadhyafich the Atharvana saw, that do you supply; he will teach it to you; then you will become sharers in the soma.' That head of the sacrifice that was cut off is yonder sun; he in sooth is the pravargya. So they came to Dadhyañich the Athar. vana; they said to him: Sage, we would have recourse to thee.' For what desire P' We would learn about the head of the sacrifice.' 'Not so,' said he; Indra likewise saw that; he said to me: "If you were to tell this to any one else, I should cut off your head;" that is what I am afraid of." Then do you teach us with this head of a horse.' 'Very well,' said he; let me now see you talking together.' They then laid off his head, put on instead the head of a horse, and sat talking together, singing sd man, uttering rich and yajus. So he put confidence in them, and taught them with that horse's head.
"127. This Indra became aware of: 'He has told it to them,' said he; and running up, he cut off his head, that horse's head. Then what was his own head, that they skilfully (manishinau) put on instead. They came to the gods, who were sacrificing with a headless sacrifice. They said to them: Ye sit sacrificing with a headless sacrifice; hence ye do not obtain that desire which is the desire at the sacrifice.' Who knows that head of the sacrifice P' We do.' Put it on in its place.' Then draw a draught for us.' They drew for them that Aévins' draught. They said to them: Ye two verily are officiating priests; ye, who understand it, shall set on in its place that head of the sacrifice.' Very well.' They were officiating priests. Thus they became sharers in the soma.
"128. Then Chyavana the Bhargavan, having become young again, went to Saryâta the Mânavan, and conducted his sacrifice on the eastern site (prdchydm sthalydm). Then he gave him a thousand, with them he sacrificed. Thus Chyavana the Bhargavan, having praised with this sáman, became young again, won a girl for wife, sacrificed with a thousand. Those were the desires at that saman; just those desires he attained. With just what desire one praises with this sáman, that desire is fulfilled for him. With that same saman Chyavana the Bhargavan used to draw up out of the dišava of the Sarasvati whatever food he desired. That is a food-attaining sdman. He attains food-eating, he becomes the best foodeater of his kindred, who knows this. And since Chyavana the Bhargavan saw it, therefore it is called chydvana.
"
Whatever may be thought respecting the extract already published by Burnell (and in regard to it opinions will doubtless differ), it will hardly be denied that this story wears a
