The Aitareya Brahmanam of the Rigveda; Containing the Earliest Speculations of the Brahmans on the Meaning of the Sacrificial Prayers

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1863. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... FIFTH BOOK FIRST CHAPTER. (The characteristics and Shasfras of the third and fourth days of the Uiadas'alia.) ( The characteristics of the third day. The Shastras of the morning and midday Libations.) The leading deities of the third day are the Vis'vedevah ; its (leading) Stomnis the so-called Saptadas'a (seventeen-fold), its Stiraan the Vuirupam, rts metre the Jagati. He who kiMws what deity, what Stoma, what Samnn, what metre (are required on the third day), becomes successful by it. What hymn has a refrain, that is a characteristic of the third day. Other characteristics are: asoa horse, anta end, repetition, (punardrritti) consonance (in the ending vowels), cohabitation, the term "covered, closed," (p'iryast'i^thc term three, what has the form of anta (end), the mentioning of the deity in the last pada, an allusion to that world, the Vairupam Saman, the Jagati metre, the past tense. The Ajya Shaftra is, yvkshvd hi dcvahutaman. (8,64). The gods went to heaven by means of the third day. The Asnras (and) Rakshas prevented them (from entering it). They said (to the A suras), "Become deformed, become deformed" (ra tipa) • when the Asuras were becoming deformed, the Devas entered (heaven). This produced the Saman called Vairupam; thence it is called so (from viriipa deformed). He who has become deformed in consequence of his own guilt, destroys it (his deformity) by means of this knowledge. The A suras persecutfd the Devas again, and came into contact with them. The Devas turned horses (as'va) arid kicked them with their feet. Thence the horses are call d ns'v'i (from as' to reach). He who knows this obtains (as'nute) all he desires. Thence the horse is the swiftest of animals, because of its kicking with the hind legs. He who has such a knowledge ...