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

at 14, 3, 1, 32: a gold plate is given to the brahmán, "for he is seated and
gold is lying (i.e. not moving) yasas". In 5, 1, 5, 28 this functionary receives
a cup of honey and a golden vessel which had been used in a preceding
rite (5, 1, 2, 19). "In presenting it to the brahmán, he imbues himself
with a complete life-time that is free from death (amrtam äyu~), for
gold is amrtam äyu~ (also 12,8,1,22 etc.). The rite which is being performed
is in 5, 1, 4, 1 said to be identical with Prajäpati. Now, when (Prajäpati
in the form of) a horse was immolated, its seed became gold (13, 1,
1, 3). A brahmaeärin may eat honey, because th is is the remainder (sistam)
- generally considered to contain fundamental and productive power 16 and
in this case to be the essential part of the triple Veda - and it is therefore
just as if he were to utter either a re, or a yajus or a säman (11, 5, 4,18):
the brahmán performs his work with the whole threefold Veda (11, 5, 8, 7).
For gold given to the brahmán see also ~B. 2, 9, 3 . .
At the rtapeya, a sacrificial rite lasting one day, the dak~iQ.ä presented
to the brahmán is a cup for taking up the soma made of udumbara wood
(JB. 2, 159). Although this tree is often mentioned and its wood is used
for many purposes ll , this fact is perhaps worth noticing , because the
udumbara, the ficus glomerata, is believed to be a manifestation of procreative
power 12 , and is no doubt for that reason in GG. 4, 7, 24 said to
be Prajäpati's tree.
When the patron of the sacrifice gives a dak~iQ.ä to the brahmán, he
pleases (propitiates, prïQ.äti) Prajäpati, because this officiant is of Prajäpati's
nature (präjapatya, GB. 2, 3, 18). - In TB. 3, 3, 8, 9 the brahmán
is likewise expressly stated to be präjäpatya~, i.e. of Prajäpati's nature,
belonging to Prajäpati, being (in the classification system) on Prajäpati 's
side. That is why the adhvaryu carries the brahmán's share to this officiant
on the veda (the so-called broom) which is also präjäpatya~13.
A student who, wishing to be initiated, reports himself to his teacher
pronounees the formula "I have come for brahmaearya (i. e. the state of a
brahmaeärin, i.e. one who fares in harmony with Bráhman, who cultivates
Bráhman, devotes himself to Bráhman). That means, it is observed (SB.
11, 5, 4, 1): "he makes himself over to Bráhman". Thereupon the teacher,
after asking him "what (ka~) is your name?" initiates him "after making
him one belonging to Prajäpati; Ká is Prajäpati" 1'+. It is true that here it
was the homonymy of the interrogative pronoun ka and Prajäpati's name
Ka that induced the ritualists to link the name of the god with Bráhman;
however, this association brought about at an important moment in the life
of Aryan men is a fact and will have induced them to ponder over aspects
of the relations bet ween and (partial) identity of Prajäpati and Bráhman.
At the beginning of the description of a remarkable expiatory rite in
~B. 2, 9, 1 präQ.a (breath) is said to be the deity of the brahmán, väe
that of the other officiants . (The comm. refers to 2, 7, 2 where the breath
galled vyäna is declared to be the sacrificer's brahmán). Why? According to
SB. 6, 3, 1, 9 präQ.a, the vital air, is (represents, embodies) Prajäpati; in
10 See J. Gonda, Atharvaveda 11,7 in Mélanges L. Renou, Paris 1968, p. 301 ff.
(= Selected Studies 111, Leiden 1975, p. 439 ff.).
11 See, e.g., Gonda, Vedic ritual, Index, p. 507 s.v.
12
13
I refer to Meyer, Trilogie, I, p. 152; 11, p. 78 f.; 111, p. 185; 192 f.; 332.
On the veda see J. Gonda, The ritual function and significance of grasses, Amsterdam
Acad. 1985, ch. XII, esp. p. 219.
14 See J. Gonda, The pronoun ka and the proper name Ka, in ALB 1986, p. 85 ff.
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