Satapatha Bramhana Part 03

SR No.: 007679
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Julius Eggeling
Publisher: Oxford
Publication Year: 1894
Total Pages: 2382
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 45 MB

Page 93

64
SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
now Rudra is Agni (fire), and the gaming-board being fire, and the dice being its coals, it is him (Rudra) he thereby pleases. And verily whosoever, that knows this thus, performs the Rågasaya, in his house that approved (cow) is killed. And he, the keeper of dice, and the huntsman, are (each of them) assuredly one of his (the king's) jewels : it is for these two that he is thereby consecrated, and these two he makes his own faithful followers. The sacrificial fee for this (jewel) is a bicoloured bullockeither one with white fore-feet, or a white-tailed one, -a claw-shaped knife, and a dice-board! with a horsehair banda; for that is what belongs to those two s.
11. And on the following day he goes to the house of the Courier, and having taken ghee in four ladlings, he offers the ghee to the way, with, 'May the way graciously accept of the ghee, hail!' For the courier is to be dispatched, and when dispatched goes on his way: therefore he offers the ghee to the way. And he, the courier, assuredly is one of his (the king's) jewels : it is for him that he is thereby consecrated, and him he makes his own faithful follower. The sacrificial fee for this (jewel) consists in a skin-covered bow, leathern quivers, and a red turban, for that is what belongs to him.
12. These are the eleven jewels (ratna) he completes; for of eleven syllables consists the Trishtubh, and the Trishtubh is vigour : it is for the sake
i Or, a dice-box, as 'akshâvapanam' is explained by some commentaries,-aksha upyante ssminn ity akshâvapanam aksha(?akshadyata-)sthânâvapanapatram, Sây.
* Or, fastened with a hair-chain (romasragâ prabaddham, Sây.).
* That is to say, the knife and the dice-board are the objects those two officials have chiefly to do with.
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