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[[KANDA 2]]
PRAPATHAKA I
The Special Animal Sacrifices
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He who desires prosperity should offer a white (beast) to Vayu; Vayu is the swiftest deity; verily he
has recourse to him with his own share; verily he makes him attain prosperity; he prospers. 'He is an
overswift deity,' they say, 'he has power to burn him up.' This (beast) he should offer to Vayu of the
team; the team is his support; verily, being supported he attains prosperity to avoid being burnt; he
prospers [1]. He who desires a village should offer to Vayu of the team; Vayu leads these creatures
tied by the nose; verily he has recourse to Vayu of the team with his own share; verily he assigns
him creatures led by the nose; he becomes possessed of a village. It is offered to (Vayu) of the team;
verily he makes creatures abide steadfast with him. He who desires offspring should offer to Vayu
of the team; Vayu is expiration, the team is inspiration; expiration and inspiration depart from the
offspring of him [2] who being fit for offspring yet obtains not offspring. Verily he has recourse to
Vayu of the team with his own share; verily he for him begets offspring by means of expiration and
inspiration; he obtains offspring. He who has long been ill should offer to Vayu of the team; Vayu
is expiration, the team is inspiration, expiration and inspiration depart from him whose illness is
long. Verily he has recourse to Vayu of the team with his own share [3], he bestows on him
expiration and inspiration; even if his life be gone, he yet lives. Prajapati was here alone; he desired,
'May I create offspring and cattle'; he took out from his body the omentum, and placed it in the fire.
The hornless goat then came to life; he offered it to its own deity; then did he create offspring and
cattle. He who desires offspring [4] and cattle should offer to Prajapati a hornless goat. Verily he
has recourse to Prajapati with his own share; verily he begets for him offspring and cattle. The
beard is the characteristic of man, the lack of horns of the horse, having incisors on one side only
that of cattle, having sheep-like hooves that of sheep, the goat-nature that of goats; so many are the
domesticated animals; verily by their characteristics he wins them [5]. He who desires cattle should
offer one of a triplet to Soma and Pusan; the she-goat has two teats, two are born separately, the
third for strength and growth. Verily he has recourse to Soma and Pusan with their own share;
verily they produce cattle for him; Soma is the depositor of seed, Pusan the producer of cattle; Soma
deposits seeds for him, Pusan produces cattle. The sacrificial post is of Udumbara; the Udumbara is
strength, cattle are strength; verily by strength he wins for him strength and cattle.
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Prajapati created offspring; they being created went away from him; they went to Varuna; he
pursued them and asked them back; he would not give them back to him; he said, 'Choose a boon,
and then give them back to me.' He chose a boon from them, it was the black (beast) with one white
foot. He who is seized by Varuna should offer this black (beast) with one white foot to Varuna.
Verily he has recourse to Varuna [1] with his own share; verily he sets him free from Varuna's
noose. It is a black (beast) with one white hoof, for it has Varuna for its deity (and serves) for
prosperity. Svarbhanu, the Asura, pierced the sun with darkness; the gods desired an atonement for
him; the first darkness of his they struck off became a black sheep; the second a bright-coloured
one; the third a white one; what they cut from the upper part of the bone became a barren ewe [2].
The gods said, 'Here has come into being a divine beast; to whom shall we offer him?' Now then the
earth was small, plants were not born, they offered the barren ewe to the Adityas as desire.' Then
the earth became broad, the plants grew. He who desires, 'May I be extended with cattle, with
offspring be propagated' should offer this barren ewe to the Adityas as desire [3]. Verily he has
recourse to the Adityas as desire with their own share; verily they extend him with cattle and
propagate him with offspring. Yonder sun did not shine; the gods desired an atonement for him; for
him they offered these dewlapped (beasts), to Agni one with a black neck, to Indra one of different
Keith: Taittiriya-Samhita, Translation - Page 79 of 341