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

Säya~a's explanation, the brahmán is anirukta, because "he is not entrusted
with the functions described in (the . texts of) the different branches of the
Veda" 3. This may be taken to mean that his task is not definitely circumscribed:
cf. SB. 11, 5, 8, 7 where the three other priests are said to perform
their task with the Rg-, Yajur- and Sämaveda respectively, the brahmán
with the "triple knowiedge" (without further specification)" 4 "
Another occasion for offering a horse - the highest of animals (SB. 13,
3, 3, 1)5 - to an officiating brahmán priest is the Brhaspatisava (JB. 2,
128 ff.), by means of which Brhaspati, who was the first to perform it,
became the purohita of the gods inclusive of Prajäpati. On this occasion 33
(the number of the gods) cows are given as dak{>f~ä, and as the 34t h a
horse, which is expressly said to be a manifestation of Prajäpati (see also
MS. 2, 3, 3: 30,7). For the brahmán receiving a horse see also TB. I, I,
6, 10; for the horse being sacred to Prajäpati also SB. 6, 5, 3, 9 and 13, I,
2, 3, where the sacrificial horse, being announced to the brahmán and the
gods, is dedicated to Prajäpati. In a somewhat mysterious identification
this horse is declared to be brahmán (VS. 23, 14, SB. 13, 2, 7, 10), which
may mean "a manifestation of hráhman" 6. - The mythical performance of
the dak{>i~ähomas7 required four dak{>i~äs, gold for Agni, the agnfdh, a
cow for Rudra, the hotar, a cloth for Brhaspati, who chanted and a horse
for Yama, who acted as the brahmán, by which the sacrificer will have a
place in Yama's world (SB. 4, 3, 4, 27; cf. VS. 7, 47; KS. 10, 2, 31). Notice
that Yama's realm, yonder world, is, in opposition to our world, not
clearly defined, anirukta (MS. 3, 8, 10: 111, 8; KS. 28, 10: 164, 16; cf.
JUB. I, 16, 3, 6 with a reference to Prajäpati).
On the occasion of the dasapeya ceremony8 the brahmán receives twelve
heifers (more precisely, four-year-old pregnant cows, cf. TB. 1,8,2,4),
"for twelve months there are in the year, and the year is Prajäpati 9, and
Prajäpati is the sacrifice" ... and "the brahmán guards the sacrifice from
the south" (SB. 5, 4, 5, 20; 22). - When, at a räjasüya sacrifice, the brahmán
receives twelve pregnant heifers, he becomes firmly established in the
year, because twelve months are equal to the year (PB. 18, 9, 21). This
implicitly points to a statement such as "he wins Prajäpati". - In connexion
with the ägraya~a sacrifice the author of GB. 2, I, 17 statés that the dak­
{>i~ä is a one year old female (calf), because the brahmán priest is the year
and the image (pratimä) of the year. May we connect this homologation
with the statement in MaiU. 6, 15: the year is a manifestation (rüpam) of
the partite form of Bráhman, viz. time?
Three piec~s of gold are the dak{>i~ä presented to the brahmán at the
sauträma~f (SB. 5, 5, 5, 16), "for the brahmán neither performs (like the
adhvaryu), nor chants, nor recites, and yet he is an object of respect
(or honour, glory, yasas). And with gold they do nothing (it is no article
of food etc., comm.), and yet it is yasas ... ". Another motive is provided
3 Likewise, W. Caland, Pancavllpsa-Brahmal}a translated, Calcutta 1931, p. 474.
4 See also ch. VI, n. 32.
5 Here the horse is associated with the anustubh, in SB. 13, 2, 2, 19 it is said to
be of anu~tubh nature. See H.W. Bodewit~', Jaiminïya Brähmal}a I, 1-65. Thesis
Utrecht, Leiden 1973, p. 87 f.
6 Uvata and Mahïdhara explain brahmán by parivr{1ha "strong, superior".
7 W. Caland and V. Henry, L'agni~toma, Paris 1906, p. 289 ff.
8 J. C . Heesterman , The ancient Indian royal consecration , Thesis Utrecht, 's-Gravenhage
1957, p. 179 ff.
9 For other texts see Gonda, Prajäpati and the year, esp. ch. XVI.
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