20-24 septembrie 2009 - Biblioteca Metropolitana Bucuresti

The Sviṣṭakṛt: formal structure and self-reference in Vedic ritual 6091. Now by means of the sacrifice the gods ascended to heaven. But thegod who rules over the cattle was left behind here: hence they call himVāstavya, for he was then left behind on the (sacrificial) site (vāstu).2. The gods went on worshipping and toiling with the same (sacrifice)by which they had ascended to heaven. Now the god who rules over thecattle, and who was left behind here, –3. He saw (what occurred, and said), "I have been left behind: they areexcluding me from the sacrifice!" He went up after them, and with hisraised (weapon) rose up on the north – the time (when this happened)was that of the (performance of the) Sviṣṭakt.4. The gods said, "do not hurl!" He said, "Do not ye exclude me fromthe sacrifice! Set apart an oblation for me!" They replied, "So be it!" Hewithdrew (his weapon), and did not hurl it; nor did he injure any one.The sacrificing gods have to search for an offering substance for the Rudra-Agni who was left behind, since the sacrificial food has been offered up.What remains (of each preceding offering) is sprinkled with butter andoffered in the Sviṣṭakt. The explanation continues 15 :7. ... hence, if sacrificial food is offered to any deity, the Sviṣṭakt (Agni,"the maker of a good offering") is afterwards invariably offered a shareof it; because the gods invariably gave him a share after themselves.8. That (offering) then is certainly made to "Agni," for, indeed, Agni isthat god; – his are these names: Śarva, as the eastern people call him;Bhava, as the Bāhīkas (call him); Paśūnām pati ("lord of the beasts,"Paśupati), Rudra, Agni. The name Agni, doubtless, is the most auspicious(śānta), and the other names of his are inauspicious: hence it is offeredto (him under the name of) "Agni," and to (him as) the Sviṣṭakt.9. They (the gods) said: ‘What we have offered unto you who art inyonder place (Sāyaṇa: on the Āhavanīya fire place); do you render thatwell-offered for us!” He made it well-offered for them; and this is theté vaí mā yajñn māntárgathutiṁ me kalpayatéti tathéti sá sámabhat sá nsyat sá ná káñcanhinat // 4 //15ŚB 1.7.3.7-10:... tásmād yásyai kásyai ca devátāyai havír ghyáte sarvátraivásviṣṭakd anvbhaktaḥ sarvátra hy èvaìnaṁ dev anvbhajan // 7 // tád v agnáya ítikriyate / agnír vaí sá devás tásyaitni nmāni śarvá íti yáthā prācy ācákṣate bhavá ítiyáthā bāhīkḥ paśūnm pátī rúdro’gnír tny asyśāntāny evétarāṇi nmāny agnír íty eváśāntátamaṁ tásmād agnáya íti kriyate sviṣṭakta íti // 8 // té hocuḥ / yát tváyy amútrasaty áyakṣmahi tán naḥ svìṣṭaṁ kurv íti tád ebhyáḥ svìṣṭam akarot tásmāt sviṣṭakta íti// 9 // só’nuvkyām ancya sámpaśyati / yé táthāgní sviṣṭaktam áyāḍ agnír agnéḥpriy dhmānti tád āgneyám jyabhāgam āhyāṭ sómasya priy dhmānti tát saumyámjyabhāgam āhyāḍ agnéḥ priy dhmānti tád yá eṣá ubhayátrācyutá āgneyáḥ puroḍśobhávati tám āha /