4.6 - aśmannūrjaṃ parvate - kṛṣṇa yajurveda taittirīya saṃhitā pāṭhaḥ

Krishna Yajurveda Taittiriya Samhita, Fourth Kanda, Sixth Prashna — named the Parisechana (sprinkling) rite. Om, salutation to the Supreme Self; salutation to Shri Mahaganapati; salutation to the revered gurus. Harih, Om. O Ashan (stone), O Urja (strength), you who rest on the mountain, in the wind, in the rain-cloud, in the might of Varuna — you who are gathered from the waters, from the plants, from the trees — grant us food and strength, O Maruts, rejoicing together. May the stone strike your hunger and your pain; may it strike him whom we hate. O Agni, we surround you with the downward course of the ocean; O Purifier, be auspicious to us. O Agni, we surround you with the membrane of the snow; O Purifier, be auspicious to us. On the earth, on the reed, on the lower ground, in the rivers — O Agni, you are the bile of the waters. O frog, come with them; come to our sacrifice; make it of purifying color and auspicious. O Purifier, with the compassion of the one who perceives; you shine forth in the dry land like the radiance of the dawn. Swift as a course, O Eta, in the roar of the battle — he who is in the heat; not thirsting, unaging. O Agni, O Purifier, with your radiance, O god, with your gladdening tongue, bring the gods here; bring and offer. O Purifier, O shining Agni, bring the gods here; bring our sacrifice and oblation. This is the resting-place of the waters, the dwelling of the ocean; may other hostile powers burn away from us; O Purifier, be auspicious to us. Salutation to your fury, to your flame; salutation to your ray. May other hostile powers burn away from us; O Purifier, be auspicious to us. To the one seated among men, to the one seated in the waters, to the one seated in the forest, to the one seated on the sacred grass, to the one who finds heaven. The gods who are divine, who are worthy of sacrifice, who sit at the yearly portion of the sacrifices — O you who are not offered, offer the oblation with honey and ghee in this sacrifice. The gods who have attained divinity among the gods, who are the forerunners of this Brahman, without whom no abode breathes anything — they are not in heaven nor upon the earth, O daughters-in-law. Givers of breath, givers of downward breath, givers of diffused breath, givers of sight, givers of radiance, givers of welfare. May other hostile powers burn away from us; O Purifier, be auspicious to us. Agni with his sharp flame shall consume the hostile one everywhere; may Agni bring us wealth. With his army, the one of good gifts, the most sacrificing sacrificer, may he sacrifice to the gods for us with well-being. O Agni, undeceiving guardian and protector of us, shine forth brightly and richly. ^AI

He who, as the sage and priest, sat down as our father, offering all these worlds — he, desiring wealth with his blessing, entered the highest abode. The maker of all, who by his mind has fashioned this, the ordainer, the disposer, the supreme seer — their desired offerings rejoice in the sacrifice, where they say there is one beyond the seven sages. He who is our father, the generator, who is the disposer, who from what exists brought forth what is — he alone is the namer of the gods; other beings approach him for instruction. The ancient sages, the singers, sacrificed wealth to him; they were uncreated, created in the measure of the realm. They did not find him who generated this; another thing lies between you. Covered by mist and by chatter, they wander unsatisfied, reciting hymns. Beyond the sky, beyond the earth, beyond the gods and the asuras, what is hidden — what unborn one did the waters first hold? Where all the gods assembled. That unborn one the waters first held, where all the gods assembled. In the navel of the unborn one, one thing is placed, in which this whole world rests. The maker of all was born as a god; then the Gandharva became the second; the third was the father of plants; he placed the embryo of the waters in many places. The father of the eye, by his mind, the wise one, they, bowing, generated ghee for him. When the ends saw, then heaven and earth were spread apart. He has eyes on all sides, faces on all sides, hands on all sides, feet on all sides; with his arms and wings he brings together heaven and earth, the one god generating them. What was the support, the foundation? What was that? When the maker of all generated the earth, he spread out the sky by his greatness, the all-seeing one. What was the wood, what was the tree, from which they carved out heaven and earth? O wise ones, ask with your mind — that which he stood upon, holding the worlds. Whatever your highest, lowest, and middle abodes are, O maker of all, O praised one — grant to your friends in the offering, O self-possessed one; sacrifice yourself, enjoying your body. To the lord of speech, the maker of all, for protection, yoked by mind, for strength, today we call. May he, the nearest, enjoy our invocations, the benefactor of all, for help, the doer of good. O maker of all, increased by the offering, sacrifice yourself, enjoying your body. May other rivals be confounded on every side; may the generous one be our patron here. O maker of all, by the increasing offering you made Indra, the protector, unassailable. To him all the many directions bowed; may this mighty one be invoked. To the ocean, the wise one, the lord of rivers, salutation. To the father of all rivers, offer to the maker of all, the immortal offering every day. ^AI

(The words 'jajāna' — 'nau' — 'oṣadhīnām' — 'bhūmiṃ janayan' — 'nūtaye' — 'namo' — 'nava' and ca) (Section 2) O Agni, lead him upward and onward, [him who is] offered with ghee. Unite him with increase of wealth, with offspring and with riches. Make this man superior to his rivals; may he become the master of his kinsmen. Unite him with splendor; may he become a sharer of portions among the gods. O Agni, increase him in whose house the tortoise is the offering; for him the gods have spoken, and this Lord of the Sacred Word also. May all the gods bear you upward, O Agni, with their thoughts. May all the gods bear you upward with their thoughts. Be for us the most auspicious, of fair appearance, richly radiant. May the five divine quarters aid the sacrifice, the goddesses driving away evil thought and oppression, apportioning the lord of the sacrifice to increase of wealth. In increase of wealth the sacrifice has stood, upon the kindled Agni, being magnified. With the sacred verses as its leaves, worthy of praise, grasped, they have sacrificed, having encompassed the heated offering. When the gods rejoiced in the sacrifice with vigor, for the divine supporter and enjoyer — divine splendor, possessed of wealth, having a hundred cattle — having encompassed it, the gods went to the sacrifice. The sun-rayed, tawny-haired Savitar has risen in the east with unfailing light. To his impulse Pūṣan, the god, goes, beholding all beings, the guardian. The gods stood as priests for the gods, the priests for the sacrifice to be offered. The fourth sacrifice, where the oblation goes — from there may the purifying blessings delight in us. This one sat in the midmost measure of heaven, pervading the two worlds and the atmosphere. He looks forth in all directions, ghee-streaming, between the former and the latter signal. The bull, the sea, the ruddy one, the fair-winged, has entered the womb of the former father. Set in the midst of heaven, the dappled rock has strode forth; he guards the ends of the realm. All the songs have increased Indra, whose extent is the sea, the best of charioteers, the lord of the charioteers, the true lord of treasures. The sacrifice, calling for blessing, shall bring the gods hither; Agni, the god, shall bring the gods hither. By the impulse of strength he has seized me by the uplifting grasp; then Indra has made my rivals lower by the downward grasp. The uplifting grasp and the downward grasp — the gods have increased the Sacred Word. Then may Indra and Agni scatter my rivals in all directions. ^AI

Sharp and whetted like a bull eager for battle, a slayer of foes, a stirrer of the peoples; thundering, unwinking, the sole hero, Indra has conquered the armies all at once. With the thundering, unwinking, victorious, well-armed, unshakable, bold one — conquer by that with Indra, and bear it, O men, with the arrow-handed, bull-like one. He with arrow-bearers, he with quiver-bearers, the lord, the one who lets loose together, he, Indra, goes to battle with his host; victorious when let loose, drinker of soma, mighty of arm, with bow raised on high, with arrows set against the foe. O Brihaspati, drive around with your chariot, slayer of demons, thrusting back the enemies; shattering the armies, crushing them, conquering in battle, be the helper of our chariots. The one who splits the cow-pens, who finds the cows, the thunderbolt-armed, the conquering one in battle, the one who crushes with might — O kinsmen, follow this one and take hold of Indra, O friends. Known for his strength, aged, heroic, mighty, the vigorous one, the overpowering, the fierce one; heroic in attack, foremost in assault, born of might — O Indra, mount the victorious chariot that wins cows. Rushing upon the cow-pens with might, unassailable, a hero of a hundred wrath, Indra; unshakable, conqueror of armies, to be fought for — may he guard our army in the battles. Indra is the leader of these, Brihaspati, the sacrificial gift, the sacrifice, may Soma go before; may the Maruts go in front of the divine hosts, the shattering ones, the conquering ones. Of Indra the bull, of King Varuna, of the Adityas, of the Maruts, the fierce might; of the great-minded ones, the moving of the worlds — the shout of the gods has risen up, conquering. May Indra be ours when the banners are joined; may those arrows of ours conquer. May our heroes be in the front; may the gods protect us in the call to battle. Raise up, O generous one, the weapons; raise up the great deeds of my people; O slayer of Vritra, raise up the vigorous ones of the vigorous, and may the shout of the conquering chariots go up. Advance, O men, and conquer; may your arms be steady. May Indra grant you shelter, that you may be unassailable. Let loose, fly away, O arrow, sped by the sacred word; go to the enemies, enter them, spare not anyone. I cover your vital parts with armor; may King Soma clothe you with immortality. May there be wider room and space for you; may the gods rejoice, following you as you conquer. Where the arrows fly together like boys' arrows, may Indra, the slayer of Vritra, there grant us shelter always. ^AI

(Four [verses] — diya, adayo, jayantva, mitran pra.) Go forward, O wise one, along the eastern direction; O Agni, be the Agni before Agni here. Shining upon all the quarters, shine forth; grant us food for the two-footed and the four-footed. Strive with Agni toward the summit of heaven, bearing [him] in your hands. Having gone to the back of heaven, to the world of the sun, be united with the gods. I have climbed up from the earth to the mid-region, from the mid-region to heaven; from the back of heaven, from the summit of the sky, I have gone to the light of the sun. Those who are going to the sun, looking forth, ascend to heaven and the two worlds; the wise ones who have spread out the sacrifice that flows in all directions. O Agni, go forward as the first of the worshippers of the gods, the eye of the gods and of mortals. Those who are about to sacrifice, in fellowship with the Bhrigus, may they go to the sun in safety, the sacrificers. Night and Dawn, of one mind though of different forms, together nurse the single child. Heaven and Earth — the golden disk shines between them; the gods, givers of wealth, hold Agni. O Agni of a thousand eyes, a hundred heads, a hundred are your breaths, a thousand your out-breaths. You are lord of the thousandfold wealth; to you, to that strength, we offer — svaha. You are the eagle, the winged one; sit on the back of the earth, sit on the back of the earth; fill the mid-region with your radiance, cover heaven with light, spread the quarters with your splendor. Being invoked, of fair countenance, sit in front, O Agni, in your own womb, O you who are to be accomplished. In this seat, in the higher one, may all the gods and the sacrificer sit. Being kindled, O Agni, shine before us with unceasing radiance, O youngest one. The offerings come ever to you. We would serve you at your highest birth, O Agni; we would serve you with praises at the lower seat. From whatever womb you have risen, that I worship; at your kindling they have offered oblations to you. That fair, all-people's favor of the radiant Savitar I choose; which Kanva milked out, the abundant, thousand-streamed, great one with milk. Seven are your fuel-sticks, O Agni, seven your tongues, seven the seers, seven the dear abodes. Seven are the priesthoods; in seven ways they worship you; fill the seven wombs with ghee. Of this kind, of another kind, of that kind, of the opposite kind, measured and measured together, sharing together. Bright-light and variegated-light and true-light and luminous and true and of true form, and the ones whose course is upward. Truth-conquering and truth-conquering and army-conquering and of good army and the last foe and the foe afar, and the troop. Truth and truthfulness and firm and supporting and the supporter and the distributor and the distributer. Of this kind, of that kind, of the same kind, of the corresponding kind — this. Measured and measured together for our protection, O Maruts sharing together in this sacrifice, [bringing] Indra; may the divine peoples, the Maruts, following the path of Indra — just as the divine peoples, the Maruts, follow the path of Indra, so may the divine peoples and the human peoples follow the path of this sacrificer. ^AI

He becomes like the front of a cloud when the armored warrior goes into the midst of battle. Conquer with an unwounded body; may the greatness of the armor protect you. With the bow may we win cows, with the bow may we win the battle; with the bow may we conquer fierce conflicts. The bow turns away the enemy's desire; with the bow may we conquer all the quarters. She comes forward as if about to speak, embracing her dear friend with her ear; like a woman she hums, the bowstring stretched upon the bow, carrying one across in the assembly. The two ends of the bow, moving together like a woman, like a mother bearing her son in her lap, strike down the enemies; the two horns of the bow, quivering, destroy the foes. The father of many, he has many sons; he makes them equal, coming together. The quiver, the gathering, and all the hosts — bound upon the back, he is sent forth and conquers. Standing in the chariot, the good charioteer drives the horses forward wherever he desires. Praise the greatness of the reins; the reins direct the mind from behind. The bull-handed ones raise fierce shouts, the horses with the chariots, seeking spoil. Stepping forward with their strides, they destroy the enemies, striking down the foes without turning back. 'Chariot-bearing' is the name of this offering, where his weapon is laid and his armor. There may we sit in the chariot, auspiciously, all our days, being well-disposed. Sweet is the seat of the fathers, the age-makers, resting in difficulty, mighty, deep; with bright armies, with arrow-strength, unshaken, with good heroes, wide, overcoming the host. The Brahmins, the fathers, the Soma-loving ones — may heaven and earth be gracious to us, free from harm. May Pushan protect us from evil; O you who grow by truth, protect us; let no evil-speaking one have power over us. The beast is your eagle; its tooth is bound with cows; sent forth it flies. Where men run together and apart, there may the arrows bring us shelter. Cut around us, O straight-flying one; may the stone become our body. May Soma speak for us; may Aditi grant us shelter. They go limping along the ridges, they strike at the rear; the horses are born, O wise one, urge the horses in the contests. Like a serpent with its coils he goes around the arm, warding off the force of the bowstring. Knowing all the ways, the smiter with the hand, a man, may he protect man from every side. O Lord of the forest, be well-armed, be a friend to us, a furtherer, with good heroes. Bound with cows you are; be strong; may your stander conquer the things to be conquered. The strength taken from heaven and earth, the force taken from the lords of the forest, the might of the waters, covered with cows — with the offering worship the chariot, the thunderbolt of Indra. The thunderbolt of Indra, the army of the Maruts, the embryo of Mitra, the navel of Varuna — rejoicing in this our offering-gift, O divine chariot, accept the offerings. Make the earth and heaven breathe; may your course be manifold, the moving world. O drum, together with Indra and the gods, drive the enemies far, farther away. Cry aloud, give us strength and might; roar, driving away evils. O drum, strike away misfortune from here; you are the fist of Indra — be strong. Roar here, turn these back; the drum with the banner resounds. Our men move with horses and wings; may our chariot-warriors, O Indra, conquer. ^AI

When you first neighed at your birth, rising from the ocean or from the dust, the wings of the falcon and the arms of the deer were praised — great is your birth, O horse. Yama gave you, Trita fashioned you, Indra first mounted you. The Gandharva grasped your rein, and the Vasus carved the horse from the sun. You are Yama, you are Aditya, O horse; you are Trita by the secret vow. You are joined with Soma in the same course — they say you have three bonds in heaven. They say you have three bonds in heaven, three in the waters, three within the sea. And, O horse, Varuna seems to me to be your highest origin. These are your cleansings, O swift one; these are the resting places of the hoof of the one who speeds. There I saw your auspicious reins, which the guardians protect as those of truth. I knew your self by my mind from afar — the bird flying down from the sky. I saw your head moving along the good, dustless paths, O winged one. There I saw your highest form, eager for victory, in the footprint of the cow. When a mortal attained to your enjoyment, then, most greedy, you swallowed the plants. The chariot follows you, the young man follows, O horse; the cows follow, the portion of the maidens follows. The hosts have followed your friendship; the gods have measured your valor. Golden-horned, your feet are of iron; swift as mind was Indra below you. The gods came to this your offering of food — he who first mounted the horse. The swift mares, speckled, ran together; the divine coursers, the heroes, together. Like geese in rows they strive, when the horses have sped on the divine course. Your body is eager to fly, O horse, and your mind is like the wind's rush. Your horns are set in many places, wandering, moving about in the forests. The swift horse has come near to the call, looking with a mind turned toward the gods. The goat is led before him, his navel; behind him the poets, the singers, go. The horse has come near to the highest abode, toward his father and his mother. Today he is the most welcome to the gods, and has come; now may the desirable things be for the worshiper. ^AI

May Mitra, Varuna, Aryaman, Indra, the Rbhukshas and the Maruts not overlook us — may they not overlook our life. O divine-born steed, we shall proclaim in the assembly the heroic deeds of the swift horse. The remnant of the offering, taken with the remaining substance of the covered oblation, they lead away from the mouth. Well-going, bellowing, of all forms, the goat dear to Indra and Pushan goes to the appointed place. This goat, of all the gods, is led before the swift horse as Pushan's portion. The fore-offering which they drive before with the horse — Tvashtar furthers it for fair renown. The oblation which men, in due season, lead three times along the path of the gods with the horse — there Pushan's first portion goes, the goat announcing the sacrifice to the gods. The Hotar, the Adhvaryu, the one who kindles the fire, the one who presses the stones, and the well-inspired Shamsa priest — with that well-performed, well-offered sacrifice, fill the desires. May the regard of those who hew the sacrificial post, who carry the post, who fashion the peg for the horse's post, and those who cook the cauldron for the steed — may their regard further us. The well-disposed one has come near; my hymn has been set down; the prayer of the gods has approached, he whose back is covered. The inspired seers rejoice after him; we have made him a good kinsman in the prosperity of the gods. O swift horse, whatever is the cord, the perpetual food, the head-band, the rope that is on his head; whatever grass is placed in his mouth — may all that be among the gods. Whatever of the horse's flesh the fly has eaten, or whatever is smeared on the ladle or the knife; whatever is in the hands of the butcher or on his nails — may all that be among the gods. Whatever passes from the belly, whatever smell there is of the raw flesh — may the butchers make that well-done, and may they cook it well-cooked for me. Whatever of your limb, being cooked by fire, drips down upon the spit of the slain one — let that not cling to the earth, not to the grass; may that be given to the gods who desire it. ^AI

Those who look upon the cooked horse and say of it, 'It is fragrant — carry it away,' and those who approach the horse's flesh as alms — may their invocation also further us. The gazing, the cooking in the cauldron, the vessels, the pouring of the broth, the covers for the hot portions, the ladles of the pots, the sunas — these serve the horse. The stepping forth, the sitting down, the turning about, and the halter of the horse; whatever he drank and whatever grass he ate — may all that be among the gods. May the fire not smother you with its smoke-smell, nor the blazing flame with its greedy tongue consume you. The gods receive the horse that is offered, sought after, invoked, and consecrated with the vashat-cry. The garments they spread for the horse, the covering, the golden ornaments for him, the binding, the halter — these lead the beloved horse among the gods. Whatever of you was injured by the great one at the mounting, by the heel or by the whip, or was goaded — as with a ladle at the offerings in the sacrifices — all that I cause to flow away by the sacred word. The thirty-four ribs of the horse, companion of the gods, come together with the knife. Make the limbs without flaw; make the marks; proclaim joint by joint with the cry. One is the cutter of Tvashtar's horse; two become the guides, and so the season. Whatever of your limbs I make in due season, I offer those portions into the fire. May the dear self not burn you; may the dear self not harm the one being led; may the knife not stand upon your body. May the greedy one, the impious one, not pass over and cut your limbs asunder with the sword. Truly you do not die, nor are you harmed; you go to the gods by easy paths. The two bay mares have been yoked for you; the stallion has stood at the pole of the ass. May the stallion win for us good cows and good horses, sons, men, and all-nourishing wealth. May Aditi make guiltlessness for us; may the horse, possessed of the offering, win dominion for us. ^AI

(Ashman — ya imo — dena — māśuḥ — prācīm — jīmūtasya — yad akrando — mā no mitro — ye vājinam — nava) (ashman — manoyujam — prācīm anu — śarma yacchatu — teṣām abhigūrtiḥ — six and thirty) ^AI

Harih Om. Here ends the sixth section of the fourth Kanda of the Krishna Yajurveda Taittiriya Samhita. Om, salutation to the Supreme Self; salutation to Shri Mahaganapati; salutation to the revered gurus. Harih Om. ^AI