Prajapati's relations with Brahman, Brhaspati and Brahma - DWC

HiraI;1yagarbha, Agni, Brahman and Prajäpati (AVPar. 13, 2, 1). - See also
19,9,12 (for appeasement and happiness): Bráhman, Prajäpati, Dhätar ...
In an enumeration of the vratahomas the names of Bráhman and Prajäpati
are coup led together in the same way as those of the three gods presiding
over the tripartite universe , of the moon and the nak~atras, of the seasons
and the year are connected with each other (T Ä. 1, 32, 2).
Attentiop. mayalso be drawn to the order in which the names of gods in
enumerations such as TB. 3, 10, 11, 6 f. are arranged (Agni, Väyu, Indra,
Brhaspati, Prajäpati, Bráhman). Here Agni's name leads the list: the demonrepelling
god of fire (cf. AVS. 8, 3, 1; SB . 7, 4, 1, 34 etc.) is of ten besought
to go in front (AVS. 1, 7,5; 5,29, 1 etc.). It is not infrequently followed by
that of Väyu"especially in the triad Agni, Väyu, Äditya (who are said to be
all the light: SB. 6, 3, 3,16; see also 8, 5, 2, 8; 9,1,1, 23, where they are
the heartsofthe gods; 9,2,1,21; 12, 3, 4, 8). Väyuisoften intimately aSsociated
with Indra; either of them could represent the deities of the atmosphere;
together they are of ten invoked as the dual deity Indraväyii4. On the
other hand, Indra is closely connected with Brhaspati who in T~ . , 1. c., is
the fourth in the series (see, e.g., lJV. 1, 90, 9; 10, 103,8; AVS. 3, 14. 2
where their names occur in immediate succession) ; Indra-and-Brhaspati is
another well-known dual deitys. These facts lead us to assume that the occurrence
of the names of Brhaspati, Prajäpati 6 and Bráhman in close proximity
at the end of this passage is no matter of chance: their bearers are supposed
to be closely connected and the arrangement seems to point to a climax:
the prospect of intimate union with Prajäpati which is held out to the reader
is immediately, and only, followed by that of union with Bráhman. - In the
long series of formulae accompanying oblations (MNU. 457) the first is agnaye
svëihëi and after many others there follows: indrëiya S., brhaspataye S., prajëipataye
S., bráhmalJe s. (462) .... It may be observed that the last place often
is a 'place of honour' ,given to the embracmg god (cf., e. g., TS. 7, 5, 23,
where it is Prajäpati; AVS. 15, 14, 12, where it is Param~!ilthin "the One who
resides in the Highest", and so on). Notice also that in SB. 11, 1, 2, 8 Prajäpati
is the fourth beyond the three worlds.
TB. 3, 8, 3, 1, dealing with the asvamedha, deserves to be mentioned also:
"when the adhvaryu binds the sacrificial horse without announcing it to Bráhman,
to the gods and to Prajäpati, he is separated from the deities , he becomes
(comparatively speaking) badly off". Since the mantra contains the
words devebhya1;t prajëipataye, the author of TB. declares that the vocative
of brahmán (masculine) is a substitute for the neuter word, the officiant called
brahmán being or representing bráhman. (However, VS. 22, 4 and SB. 13, 1,
2,4; MS. 3, 12, 1: 160,2 while addressing the brahmán (notice the vocative
bráhman) make no mention of Bráhman). - In the text of TB. Prajäpati is kept
distinct, not only from the (ot her) gods, but also from Bráhman. It may be
observed that af ter the consecration the royal sacrifieer is eulogized with the
gods, ~m the three pressing days however only with PrajäpatC, the 34th god
(e.g. SB. 5,1,2,13) surpassing and encompassing the 330thers. - The horse
is sacred to Prajäpati (SB. 6,5, 3, 9; 13, 1, 1, 1; 13, 1, 2, 3; 4; 5; 9). The
4 Gonda. Dual deities • ch. VI.
5 · Gonda. Dual deities • ch. IX; H. P. Schmidt. Brhaspati and Indra. Wiesbaden
1968. passim.
6 For Brhaspati and Prajäpati following each other immediately see, e. g .• AVP. 17.
26. 17 and 18. As to the last place see Gonda. Prajäpati 's rise. Index. p. 199. s. v .
last place.
7 For the ritual procedure see Gonda. Die Religionen Indiens. p. 170.
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