[[1-1-1]] [[Book-Chapter-Paragraph]] - Sanskrit Web

piled up a fire-altar and whose deity is faith should not choose a natural fissure, for that is the colour
of guilt. He appealed to the trees, 'Take a third part of my guilt.' They said, 'Let us choose a boon.
We deem that we shall be overcome through pruning [3]. Let us not be overcome by that.' He
replied, 'From pruning shall more (shoots) spring up for you.' Therefore from the pruning of trees
more (shoots) spring up, for that was what they chose as a boon. They took a third part of his guilt,
it became sap; therefore one should not partake of sap, for it is the colour of guilt. Or rather of the
sap which is red or which comes from the pruning one should not partake [4], but of other sap at
will. He appealed to a concourse of women, 'Take the third of my guilt.' They said, 'Let us choose a
boon; let us obtain offspring from after the menses; let us enjoy intercourse at will up to birth.'
Therefore women obtain offspring from after the menses, and enjoy intercourse at will up to birth,
for that was what they chose as a boon. They took a third of his guilt, it became (a woman) with
stained garments; therefore one should not converse with (a woman) with stained garments [5], one
should not sit with her, nor eat her food, for she keeps emitting the colour of guilt. Or rather they
say, 'Woman's food is unguent, and there fore one should not accept (from her) unguent, but
anything else (can be accepted) at will.' The son born of intercourse with (a woman) with stained
garments is accursed; (the son born) of intercourse in the forest is a thief; (the son born) of
intercourse with a (woman) who turns away is shamefaced and retiring; (the son born) of
intercourse with a woman bathing is fated to drown; (the son born) of one who [6] anoints herself
has a skin disease; (the son born) of one who combs her hair is bald and feeble; (the son born) of
one who anoints (her eyes) is blind; (the son born) of one who cleans her teeth has dirty teeth; (the
son born) of one who cuts her nails has bad nails; (the son born) of one who spins is a eunuch; (the
son born) of one who weaves ropes is unrestrained; (the son born) of one who drinks from a leaf is
drunken; (the son born) of one who drinks from a mutilated (vessel) is mutilated. For three nights he
should keep a vow and should drink from his hand or from a perfect vessel, to guard his offspring.
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Tvastr, his son being slain, offered Soma excluding Indra. Indra desired an invitation to the rite, but
he did not invite him; (saying) 'Thou hast slain my son.' He made a disturbance of the sacrifice, and
forcibly drank the Soma. The remains of it Tvastr cast upon the Ahavaniya (fire), (saying), 'Hail!
wax great, Indra's foe.' In that he cast it (avartayat), Vrtra is Vrtra; in that he said, 'Hail! wax great,
Indra's foe', therefore [1] Indra became his foe. He sprang into life and came into union with Agni
and Soma. He grew on all sides an arrow(shot), he enveloped these worlds. Because he enveloped
these worlds, therefore is Vrtra, Vrtra. Indra feared him. He ran up to Prajapati, (saying), 'A foe has
sprung up for me.' He dipped his bolt and gave it to him, (saying), 'Slay with it.' He went against
(him) with it. Agni and Soma said, 'Hurl it not [2]; we are within.' 'Ye are mine', he replied, 'come to
me.' They asked for a share; he gave them at the full moon this offering for Agni and Soma on
eleven potsherds. They said, 'We are bitten all round, and cannot come.' Indra produced from
himself cold and fever heat; that was the origin of cold and fever heat. Him who knows thus the
origin of cold and fever heat [3] neither cold nor fever heat slays. By them he led him on, and as he
gaped Agni and Soma went forth from him. Then expiration and inspiration deserted him; skill is
expiration, intelligence is inspiration; therefore one who gapes should say, 'Skill and intelligence
(remain) in me'; verily he places expiration and inspiration in himself and lives all his days. He,
having called off the gods from. Vrtra offered at the full moon the oblation to the Vrtra slayer; they
slay him at the full moon [4], but make him swell at the new moon; therefore verses are uttered at
the full moon referring to the slaying of Vrtra, at the new moon referring to his increase. Having
performed the oblation to the Vrtra slayer, he took his bolt and again went against (him). Sky and
earth said, 'Hurl it not; he rests in us two.' They said, 'Let us choose a boon.' 'May I be adorned with
the Naksatras', said yonder (sky); I May I be adorned with variegated things', said this (earth).
Therefore yonder (sky) is adorned with the Naksatras, this (earth) with variegated things. He who
knows thus the boon of sky and earth [5] attains a boon. Indra thus impelled by these two slew
Vrtra. The gods having slain Vrtra said to Agni and Soma, 'Bear the offering for us.' They said, 'We
two have lost our brilliance, our brilliance is in Vrtra.' They said, 'Who is there to go for it?' 'The
cow', they said, 'The cow is the friend of all.' She said [6], 'Let me choose a boon; ye shall feed off
both when they are in me.' The cow brought the (brilliance); therefore they feed off both things that
Keith: Taittiriya-Samhita, Translation - Page 108 of 341