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The Upanishads, Part 1 (SBE01), by Max Müller, [1879], at sacred-texts.com


SECOND ADHYÂYA.

FIRST KHAND1.

1. The two trikas, Rv. VIII, 68, 1-3, â tvâ ratham yathotaye, and Rv. VIII, 2, 1-3, idam vaso sutam andhah, form the first (pratipad) and the second (anukara) of the Marutvatîya hymn.

2. Both, as belonging to the one-day ceremonial 2, are perfect in form. On that day much is done now and then which has to be hidden, and has to be atoned for. Atonement is rest, the one-day sacrifice. Therefore at the end of the year the sacrificers rest on this atonement as their rest. He who knows this rests firm, and they also for whom a Hotri priest who knows this, recites this hymn 3.

3. In the second verse of (the Pragâtha 4), indra nedîya ed ihi, pra sû tirâ sakîbhir ye ta ukthinah (Rv. VIII, 53, 5, 6), there occurs the word ukthinah, reciters of hymns 5. Verily, this day (the mahâvrata) is an uktha (hymn), and as endowed with an uktha, the form of this day is perfect.

4. In the first verse (of another Pragâtha) the word vîra, strong, occurs (Rv. I, 40, 3), and as endowed with the word vîra, strong, the form of this day is perfect.

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5. In the second verse (of another Pragâtha) the word suvîryam, strength, occurs (Rv. I. 40, 1), and as endowed with the word suvîrya, strength, the form of this day is perfect.

6. In the first verse (of another Pragâtha) the word ukthyam, to be hymned, occurs (Rv. I, 40, 5). Verily, this day is an uktha, and as endowed with an uktha, the form of this day is perfect.

7. In the (Dhayyâ) verse agnir netâ (Rv. III, 2 0, 4) the word vritrahâ, killer of Vritra, occurs. The killing of Vritra is a form (character) of Indra, this day (the mahâvrata) belongs to Indra, and this is the (perfect) form of that day.

8. In the (Dhayyâ) verse tvam soma kratubhih sukratur bhûh (Rv. I, 91, 2) the word vrishâ 1, powerful, occurs. Powerful is a form (character) of Indra, this day belongs to Indra, and this is the (perfect) form of that day.

9. In the (Dhayyâ) verse pinvanty apah (Rv. I, 64, 6) the word vâginam, endowed with food, occurs. Endowed with food is a form (character) of Indra, this day belongs to Indra, and this is the (perfect) form of that day.

10. In the same verse the word stanayantam, thundering, occurs. Endowed with thundering is a form (character) of Indra, this day belongs to Indra, and this is the (perfect) form of that day.

11. In (the Pragâtha) pra va indrâya brihate (Rv. VIII, 89, 3) (the word brihat occurs). Verily, brihat is mahat (great), and as endowed with mahat, great, the form of this day (mahâvrata) is perfect.

12. In (the Pragâtha) brihad indrâya gâyata (Rv. VIII, 89, 1)

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[paragraph continues] (the word brihat occurs). Verily, brihat is mahat (great), and as endowed with mahat, the form of this day is perfect.

13. In (the Pragâtha) nakih sudâso ratham pary âsa na rîramad (Rv. VII, 32, 10) the words paryâsa (he moved round) and na rîramad (he did not enjoy) occur, and as endowed with the words paryasta and rânti the form of this day is perfect 1.

He recites all (these) Pragâthas, in order to obtain all the days (of the sacrifice), all the Ukthas 2, all the Prishthas 3, all the Sastras 4, all the Pra-ugas 5, and all the Savanas (libations).


Footnotes

166:1 In the first adhyâya the two hymns to be recited by the Hotri priest at the morning-libation (the âgya and pra-uga sastra) have been considered. Now follows the Marutvatîya hymn, to be recited by the Hotri priest at the noon-libation.

166:2 Taken from the Agnishtoma.

166:3 Cf. I, 1, 3, 7-8.

166:4 All these Pragâthas consist of two verses expanded into a trika.

166:5 Hotrâdaya ukthinah sastrinah.

167:1 Cf. I, 2, 2, 14.

168:1 Because the performance of the Mahâvrata sacrifice moves the worshipper round to another world and gives him enjoyment. Comm. It is difficult to surpass the absurdity of these explanations. Na rîramat means no one stopped the chariot of Sudâs. But even if it meant that no one rejoiced through the chariot of Sudâs, it would be difficult to see how the negative of enjoyment, mentioned in the hymn, could contribute to the perfection of a sacrifice which is to confer positive enjoyment on the worshipper.

168:2 The stotras following after the Yagñâyagñîya Sâman, serving for the ukthya-kratus.

168:3 The stotras of the noon-libation, to be performed with the Rathantara, Brihat, and other Sâmans.

168:4 The sastras, recitations, accompanying the oblations of âgya.

168:5 The pra-ugas, a division of sastras, described above.


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