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198
SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
of the) deity constitutes the vigour of the Rik (verse): hence after thus enclosing it? on both sides with vigour, he offers the sacrificial food to that deity for which it is intended.
21. He pronounces (the syllable) vauk?; for, assuredly, the vashat-call is speech ; and speech means seed: hence he thereby casts seed. 'Shat' (he pronounces), because there are six seasons : he thereby casts that seed into the seasons, and the seasons cause that seed so cast to spring up here as creatures. This is the reason why he pronounces the vashat.
22. Now the gods and the Asuras, both of them sprung from Pragâpati, entered upon their father Pragâpati's inheritances, to wit, these two halfmoons. The gods entered upon the one which waxes, and the Asuras on the one which wanes.
23. The gods were desirous as to how they might appropriate also the one that had fallen to the Asuras. They went on worshipping and toiling. They saw this haviryagña, to wit, the new and full-moon sacrifices, and performed them; and by performing them they likewise appropriated the one
24. Which belonged to the Asuras. Now when these two revolve, then the month is produced; and month (revolving) after month, the year (is produced). But the year, doubtless, means all; hence the gods thereby appropriated all that belonged to
1 Viz. the invitatory and offering-formulas.
The sacrificial call vaushat (for vashat, irregular aorist of vah, 'to bear,' cf. p. 88, note 2) is here fancifully explained as composed of vauk, for vâk, 'speech,' + shal, six.'
3 Pragâpati, or Lord of Creatures, is here, as often (cf. I, 2, 5, 13), taken as representing the year, or Time.
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| SR No. | 007674 |
| Book Title | Dhammapada |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Max Muller |
| Publisher | Oxford |
| Publication Year | 1881 |
| Total Pages | 2540 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 45 MB |