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

is the world of heaven. (With the words), 'Thou art this; thou art this', he invokes the dear abode of
the sacrifice. 'All that is dear to it is invoked', he says; verily not vainly does he invoke.
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Food is cattle, he takes it himself; verily by himself he fills his desires of cattle, for no one else can
grant him his desire of cattle. 'Thee offered to the lord of speech I eat', he says; verily he delights
speech with a share. 'Thee offered to the lord of the Sadas I eat', he says, for completion.' (The food)
is divided. in four; what is divided in four is the offering, what is divided in four is cattle; if the Hotr
were to eat it, the Hotr would [1] experience misfortune; if he were to offer it in the fire, he would
give the cattle to Rudra, and the sacrificer would be without cattle. 'Thee offered to the lord of
speech I eat', he says; verily secretly does he offer it. 'Thee offered to the lord of the Sadas', he says,
for completion. They eat; they eat at a suitable moment; he gives a sacrificial gift; at a suitable
moment be gives a gift. They cleave the sacrifice [2], if they eat in the middle. They purify it with
water; all the gods are the waters; verily they connect the sacrifice with the gods. The gods excluded
Rudra from the sacrifice; he pierced the sacrifice, the gods gathered round it (saying), 'May it be
right for us.' They said, 'Well offered will this be for us, if we propitiate him.' That is why Agni is
called the 'well offerer' (svistakrt). When it was pierced (by him) [3] they cut off (a piece) of the
size of a barleycorn; therefore one should cut off (a piece) the size of a barleycorn. If one were to
cut off more, he would confuse that part of the sacrifice. If he were to make a layer and then to
sprinkle, lie would make it swell on both sides. He cuts it off and sprinkles it; there are two
operations; the sacrificer has two feet, for support. If he were to transfer it (to the Brahman)
crosswise, he would pierce the unwounded part of the sacrifice; lie transfers it in front; verily he
transfers it in the proper way. They transferred it for Pusan [4]. Pusan having eaten it lost his teeth;
therefore Pusan has pounded food for his share, for he has no teeth. The gods said of him, 'He has
lost (his teeth), he is not fit for the offering.' They transferred it to Brhaspati. Brhaspati was afraid,
'Thus indeed will this one fall on misfortune.' He saw this Mantra; 'With the eye of the sun I gaze on
thee', he said, for the eye of the sun harms no one [5]. He was afraid, 'It will harm me as I take it.'
'On the impulse of the god Savitr, with the arms of the Açvins, with the hands of Pusan I take thee',
he says; verily, impelled by Savitr, he took it with the holy power (Brahman) and with the gods. He
was afraid, 'It will harm me as I eat.' 'Thee with the mouth of Agni I eat', he said, for nothing harms
the mouth of Agni. He was afraid [6], 'It will harm me when I have eaten.' 'With the belly of the
Brahman', he said, for nothing harms the belly of the Brahman. 'With the holy power (Brahman) of
Brhaspati', (he said), for he is fullest of the holy power (Brahman). The breaths indeed depart from
him who eats this offering; by purifying it with water he grasps the breaths; the breaths are
ambrosia, the waters ambrosia; verily he summons the breaths according to their places.
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He takes a portion for the Agnidh; verily he delights the seasons whose mouth is Agni. He takes a
kindling-stick, for the support of the subsequent offerings; verily he pours on that which has a
kindling stick. He rubs the enclosing-sticks; verily he purifies them. He rubs each once, for the
sacrifice there is as it were turned away. It makes up four, cattle are four-footed; verily he wins
cattle. 'O Brahman, will we set out?' he says; there indeed is the sacrifice placed [1], where the
Brahman is; where the sacrifice is placed, thence does he commence it. If he were to instigate him
with his hand, he would shiver; if with his head, he would have a headache; if he were to sit in
silence, the sacrifice would not proceed; he should say, 'Set out! In speech the sacrifice is placed;
where the sacrifice is placed, thence does he bestow it. 'O god Savitr, that he [2] hath proclaimed to
thee', he says, for impelling. 'Brhaspati is the (priest) Brahman', he says, for he is fullest of the holy
power (Brahman). 'Do thou guard the sacrifice, guard the lord of the sacrifice, guard me', he says;
for the sacrifice, the sacrificer, and himself, for these he thus invokes a blessing, to prevent
misfortune, Having caused (him) to call out, he says, 'Utter the verse for sacrifice to the gods.' The
theologians say, 'The gods have been sacrificed to; what gods are they?' 'The metres', he should
reply, 'Gayatri Tristubh [3], and Jagati.' Then they say, 'The metres are the Brahmans'; verily he
sacrifices to them. The deities were sacrificed to by the gods; then Agni did not burn forth; the gods
Keith: Taittiriya-Samhita, Translation - Page 120 of 341