Brihadâranyaka Upanishad: VI, 3

THIRD BR HMANA 2.

1If a man wishes to reach greatness (wealth for performing sacrifices), he performs the upasad rule during twelve days 3 (i. e. he lives on small quantities of milk), beginning on an auspicious day of the light half of the moon during the northern progress of the sun, collecting at the same time in a cup or a dish made of Udumbara wood all sorts of herbs, including fruits. He sweeps the floor (near the house-altar, âvasathya), sprinkles it, lays the fire, spreads grass round it according to rule 1, prepares the clarified butter (âgya), and on a day, presided over by a male star (nakshatra), after having properly mixed the Mantha 2 (the herbs, fruits, milk, honey, &c.), he sacrifices (he pours âgya into the fire), saying 3: 'O Gâtavedas, whatever adverse gods there are in thee, who defeat the desires of men, to them I offer this portion; may they, being pleased, please me with all desires.' Svâhâ!

'That cross deity who lies down 4, thinking that all things are kept asunder by her, I worship thee as propitious with this stream of ghee.' Svâhâ!

2He then says, Svâhâ to the First, Svâhâ to the Best, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into the Mantha (mortar).

He then says, Svâhâ to Breath, Svâhâ to her who is the richest, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into the Mantha (mortar).

He then says, Svâhâ to Speech, Svâhâ to the Support, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into the Mantha (mortar).

He then says, Svâhâ to the Eye, Svâhâ to Success, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into the Mantha (mortar).

He then says, Svâhâ to the Ear, Svâhâ to the [paragraph continues] Home, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into the Mantha (mortar).

He then says, Svâhâ to the Mind, Svâhâ to Offspring, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into the Mantha (mortar).

He then says, Svâhâ to Seed, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into the Mantha (mortar).

3He then says, Svâhâ to Agni (fire), pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into the Mantha (mortar).

He then says, Svâhâ to Soma, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into the Mantha (mortar).

He then says, Bhûh (earth), Svâhâ, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into the Mantha (mortar).

He then says, Bhuvah (sky), Svâhâ, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into the Mantha (mortar).

He then says, Svah (heaven), Svâhâ, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into the Mantha (mortar).

He then says, Bhûr, Bhuvah, Svah, Svâhâ, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into the Mantha (mortar).

He then says, Svâhâ to Brahman (the priesthood), pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into the Mantha (mortar).

He then says, Svâhâ to Kshatra (the knighthood), pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into the Mantha (mortar).

He then says, Svâhâ to the Past, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into the Mantha (mortar).

He then says, Svâhâ to the Future, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into the Mantha (mortar).

He then says, Svâhâ to the Universe, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into the Mantha (mortar).

He then says, Svâhâ to all things, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into the Mantha (mortar).

He then says, Svâhâ to Pragâpati, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into the Mantha (mortar).

4Then he touches it (the Mantha, which is dedicated to Prâna, breath), saying: 'Thou art fleet (as breath). Thou art burning (as fire). Thou art full (as Brahman). Thou art firm (as the sky). Thou art the abode of all (as the earth). Thou hast been saluted with Hiṅ (at the beginning of the sacrifice by the prastotri). Thou art saluted with Hiṅ (in the middle of the sacrifice by the prastotri). Thou hast been sung (by the udgâtri at the beginning of the sacrifice). Thou art sung (by the udgâtri in the middle of the sacrifice). Thou hast been celebrated (by the adhvaryu at the beginning of the sacrifice). Thou art celebrated again (by the âgnîdhra in the middle of the sacrifice). Thou art bright in the wet (cloud). Thou art great. Thou art powerful. Thou art food (as Soma). Thou art light (as Agni, fire, the eater). Thou art the end. Thou art the absorption (of all things).' 5. Then he holds it (the Mantha) forth, saying 'Thou 1 knowest all, we know thy greatness. He is indeed a king, a ruler, the highest lord. May that king, that ruler make me the highest lord.' 6. Then he eats it, saying: 'Tat savitur varenyam 1 (We meditate on that adorable light)--The winds drop honey for the righteous, the rivers drop honey, may our plants be sweet as honey! Bhûh (earth) Svâhâ!

'Bhargo devasya dhîmahi (of the divine Savitri)--May the night be honey in the morning, may the air above the earth, may heaven, our father, be honey! Bhuvah (sky) Svâhâ!' 'Dhiyo yo nah prokodayât (who should rouse our thoughts)--May the tree be full of honey, may the sun be full of honey, may our cows be sweet like honey! Svah (heaven) Svâhâ!' He repeats the whole Sâvitrî verse, and all the verses about the honey, thinking, May I be all this! Bhûr, Bhuvah, Svah, Svâhâ! Having thus swallowed all, he washes his hands, and sits down behind the altar, turning his head to the East. In the morning he worships ditya (the sun), with the hymn, 'Thou art the best lotus of the four quarters, may I become the best lotus among men.' Then returning as he came, he sits down behind the altar and recites the genealogical list 2.

7Uddâlaka runi told this (Mantha-doctrine) to his pupil Vâgasaneya Yâgñavalkya, and said: 'If a man were to pour it on a dry stick, branches would grow, and leaves spring forth.' 8. Vâgasaneya Yâgñavalkya told the same to his pupil Madhuka Paiṅgya, and said: 'If a man were to pour it on a dry stick, branches would grow, and leaves spring forth.' 9. Madhuka Paiṅgya told the same to his pupil Kûla Bhâgavitti, and said: 'If a man were to pour it on a dry stick, branches would grow, and leaves spring forth.' 10. Kûla Bhâgavitti told the same to his pupil Gânaki yasthûna, and said: 'If a man were to pour it on a dry stick, branches would grow, and leaves spring forth.' 11. Gânaki yasthûna told the same to his pupil Satyakâma Gâbâla, and said: 'If a man were to pour it on a dry stick, branches would grow, and leaves spring forth.' 12. Satyakâma Gâbâla told the same to his pupils, and said: 'If a man were to pour it on a dry stick, branches would grow, and leaves spring forth.' Let no one tell this 1 to any one, except to a son or to a pupil 2.

13Four things are made of the wood of the Udumbara tree, the sacrificial ladle (sruva), the cup (kamasa), the fuel, and the two churning sticks.

There are ten kinds of village (cultivated) seeds, viz. rice and barley (brîhiyavâs), sesamum and kidney-beans (tilamâshâs), millet and panic seed (anupriyaṅgavas), wheat (godhûmâs), lentils (masûrâs), pulse (khalvâs), and vetches (khalakulâs 3). After having ground these he sprinkles them with curds (dadhi), honey, and ghee, and then offers (the proper portions) of clarified butter 1 (âgya).