Unit MBI 101/03
LESSON 3
The recommended minimum study time is 60 minutes with a 5-minute break of quiet introspection after each twenty minutes. Relax and read without ponderous thought but with internal understanding. The truth always lies beyond the words used to express that truth. Therefore look to the essence of what is presented in the selected Vedic poems and try, in these two Vedas, to capture the writer’s motivation and ideas. We cannot doubt their sincerity, but we can see the fragility of human consciousness when confronted by Mara and the opportunist mind at work.
As we have said before, if you approach this and other lessons with an academic approach, your study time will be much longer and the return less, therefore relax and open yourself to the true learning experience. If you wish to study the lesson more, then do so for fun not for achievement.
LESSON 3 THE SAMA VEDA AND YAJUR VEDA Study time 60 min.
Slowly over the years, to about 3100 BC, specialisation began, and a school of singing priests (Udgatri) arose who chanted the special hymns for each sacrificial occasion. Their collection, the Sama Veda of 1,225 hymns, were (except for 75) from the Rig Veda. A third book called the Yajur Veda was produced by a different class of priests who actually offered the sacrifice. Their collection was mainly the ritual muttered in a low voice during the various stages of the sacrifice.
The Sama Veda helped to train the musicians and functioned as a hymnal for the religious rites. It contains the melodies for the sacrificial chants. Almost all of its written verses are traceable to the Rig Veda, mostly the eighth and ninth books, and most are praises to Soma, Agni or Indra.
The chants extensively used in agricultural and soma rites are considered the origin of Indian music and probably stimulated great artistry to make the sacrifices sufficiently gratifying to patrons who supported the priests and the professional musicians and cantors.
But before we begin to look at the Sama and Yajur Vedas, we must be clear what we are seeing. The priests had developed power, as this newly developing priestly specialty was beyond the reach of ordinary people. As human nature is not exactly “uplifted,” it was clear that the more secret and elaborate the ceremonies, the more power was accrued. Thus there arose, as we see in modern commerce, a second powerful intermediary, the distributor (the professional priest and his helpers), who take their pound of flesh. So these new Vedas have a sophisticated chain of praise: sophisticated priests, Soma, Agni, Indra and a few other Gods, with a corresponding reduction in the direct human connection between the people and nature.
So in the Sama Veda and Yajur Veda we learn about the priests, a great deal about Soma and Agni and the new perception of the Gods and little about either the philosophical base or the people.
As in the Rig Veda, what it is important to capture is the way in which Buddha may have been affected by these works. He was not simply a young boy who was alien to these ideas. He was an intelligent student and a member of a privileged class who had teachers who would be rigorously presenting these ideas. He would have been learning by heart many of these poems.
He would have been interested and also at the same time critical, because he was not averse to expressing whatever he considered incorrect. But remember that it was these Vedas which in his time were still, after thousands of years, the social and spiritual motivators, which would, whether he wanted them to or not, be shaping his ideas and thoughts, along with all the other ideas related to his studies in armed combat, mathematics, astronomy, and all the other arts and sciences which were available to a prince of his time. These Vedas were a part of his education and shaped the lives of everyone, even in his time.
Thus the changes that we see in the Vedas themselves, together with any contradictions, would be evident to him. Remember too, as you read, that he was subconsciously an idealist; thus he would expect that what was said to be true spiritually to be applied in practice.
There are many who wish to transform the Vedas into a symbolic treatise of Good versus Evil, but this modern idea, easy though it is, and beautifully formed though it is, for us is not valid.
But, lest we fall into the trap of considering the Indian Aryan God to be similar to the God of modern religions, let us look at this fantastic description of the "Opulence of the Absolute" in Chapter Ten of the famous Bhagavad-Gita.
"The Opulence of the Absolute"
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Listen again, O mighty-armed Arjuna. Because you are My dear friend, for your benefit I shall speak to you further, giving knowledge that is better than what I have already explained.
Neither the hosts of demigods nor the great sages know My origin or opulences, for, in every respect, I am the source of the demigods and sages.
He who knows Me as the unborn, as the beginningless, as the Supreme Lord of all the worlds -- he only, undeluded among men, is freed from all sins.
Intelligence, knowledge, freedom from doubt and delusion, forgiveness, truthfulness, control of the senses, control of the mind, happiness and distress, birth, death, fear, fearlessness, non-violence, equanimity, satisfaction, austerity, charity, fame and infamy -- all these various qualities of living beings are created by Me alone.
The seven great sages and before them the four other great sages and the Manus [progenitors of mankind] come from Me, born from My mind, and all the living beings populating the various planets descend from them.
One who is factually convinced of this opulence and mystic power of Mine engages in unalloyed devotional service; of this there is no doubt.
I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who perfectly know this engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.
The thoughts of My pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are fully devoted to My service, and they derive great satisfaction and bliss from always enlightening one another and conversing about Me.
To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.
To show them special mercy, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.
Arjuna said: You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the ultimate abode, the purest, the Absolute Truth. You are the eternal, transcendental, original person, the unborn, the greatest. All the great sages such as Narada, Asita, Devala and Vyasa confirm this truth about You, and now You Yourself are declaring it to me.
O Krishna, I totally accept as truth all that You have told me. Neither the demigods nor the demons, O Lord, can understand Your personality.
Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own internal potency, O Supreme Person, origin of all, Lord of all beings, God of gods, Lord of the universe!
Please tell me in detail of Your divine opulences by which You pervade all these worlds...
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Yes, I will tell you of My splendorous manifestations, but only of those which are prominent, O Arjuna, for My opulence is limitless.
I am the Supersoul, O Arjuna, seated in the hearts of all living entities. I am the beginning, the middle and the end of all beings.
Of the Adityas I am Vishnu, of lights I am the radiant sun, of the Maruts I am Marici, and among the stars I am the moon.
Of the Vedas I am the Sama Veda; of the demigods I am Indra, the king of heaven; of the senses I am the mind; and in living beings I am the living force [consciousness].
Of all the Rudras I am Lord Shiva, of the Yaksas and Raksasas I am the Lord of wealth [Kuvera], of the Vasus I am fire [Agni], and of mountains I am Meru.
Of priests, O Arjuna, know Me to be the chief, Brhaspati. Of generals I am Kartikeya, and of bodies of water I am the ocean.
Of the great sages I am Bhrgu; of vibrations I am the transcendental om. Of sacrifices I am the chanting of the holy names [japa], and of immovable things I am the Himalayas.
Of all trees I am the banyan tree, and of the sages among the demigods I am Narada. Of the Gandharvas I am Citraratha, and among perfected beings I am the sage Kapila.
Of horses know Me to be Uccaihsrava, produced during the churning of the ocean for nectar. Of lordly elephants I am Airavata, and among men I am the monarch.
Of weapons I am the thunderbolt; among cows I am the Surabhi. Of causes for procreation I am Kandarpa, the god of love, and of serpents I am Vasuki.
Of the many-hooded Nagas I am Ananta, and among the aquatics I am the demigod Varuna. Of departed ancestors I am Aryama, and among the dispensers of law I am Yama, the lord of death.
Among the Daitya demons I am the devoted Prahlada, among subduers I am time, among beasts I am the lion, and among birds I am Garuda.
Of purifiers I am the wind, of the wielders of weapons I am Rama, of fishes I am the shark, and of flowing rivers I am the Ganges.
Of all creations I am the beginning and the end and also the middle, O Arjuna. Of all sciences I am the spiritual science of the self, and among logicians I am the conclusive truth.
Of letters I am the letter A, and among compound words I am the dual compound. I am also inexhaustible time, and of creators I am Brahma.
I am all-devouring death, and I am the generating principle of all that is yet to be. Among women I am fame, fortune, fine speech, memory, intelligence, steadfastness and patience.
Of the hymns in the Sama Veda I am the Brhat-sama,
And of poetry I am the Gayatri. Of months I am Margasirsa [November-December], and of seasons I am flower-bearing spring.
I am also the gambling of cheats, and of the splendid I am the splendor. I am victory, I am adventure, and I am the strength of the strong.
Of the descendants of Vrsni I am Vasudeva, and of the Pandavas I am Arjuna. Of the sages I am Vyasa, and among great thinkers I am Usana.
Among all means of suppressing lawlessness I am punishment, and of those who seek victory I am morality. Of secret things I am silence, and of the wise I am the wisdom.
Furthermore, O Arjuna, I am the generating seed of all existences. There is no being -- moving or non-moving -- that can exist without Me.
O mighty conqueror of enemies, there is no end to My divine manifestations. What I have spoken to you is but a mere indication of My infinite opulences.
Know that all opulent, beautiful and glorious creations spring from but a spark of My splendor.
But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.
From the concept of awe and happiness that stemmed from the Rig Veda; from an appreciation of the power of nature and the idea which they had developed about the interaction between the substance of the human creation (one quarter human compared to three quarters divine), part of a basic substrate of the super divine, from which even Purusha was generated; we see the living force of mind and matter without a separation of apparent materiality from mentality.
In this form, if we change the words “created by,” which are only once used, to “generated from” the God, Krishna, it is little different from the Dao or the Dharma, which is the nature of all things.
Thus this natural energy that we see in the later Vedas could be called the God-fountain rather than the one God. Think of the single God then, if you read the Sama or other Vedas, when he appears as the common natural essence of all things.
But look at that final line, “But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.”
Is this not reminiscent of the Arrow parable of Buddha, in which he asks: “Is it not better to extract the arrow and heal the wound before one asks how the arrows were made or who used the bow?”
THE SAMA VEDA
The Samaveda, or Veda of Holy Songs, ranks today next in sanctity and liturgical importance to the Rigveda, although it is placed third in the usual order of enumeration of the three Vedas. Its Sanhita, or metrical portion, consists chiefly of hymns to be chanted by the Udgatar priests at the performance of those important sacrifices in which the juice of the Soma plant was offered to various deities. The Collection is made up of hymns, portions of hymns, and detached verses. They are taken mainly from the Rigveda, transposed and re-arranged, without reference to their original order, to suit the religious ceremonies in which they were to be employed.
Rigor in ceremonies was unnecessary in the early times when the Aryans first came into India, but after expansion and settlement, more control was assumed by priests. Then rules and systems were required for guidance and use in the complicated ritual elaborated.
We find that Indra has assumed undisputed first place and still after thousands of years nothing much has changed for the people. They still want the same things: victory in battles, wealth, food, water and the general goodwill of the Gods.
The vehicle of praise, however, has taken first place over personal connection with the Gods of nature, and the Soma, now sought by all, was pressed in private homes and anywhere else where there was sufficient wealth to buy it in its virgin state, after being collected from the hills.
It was pressed between two stones and the juice allowed to filter through a lamb’s wool filter. After being mixed with hot curds or milk it is drunk or, if not needed immediately, stored in wooden casks.
II Soma Pavamana Part 2 Book 4 Chap 1
1. Through our desire of heroes, kine, and horses, vigorous Soma drops,
Brilliant and swift, have been effused.
2. They, beautified by holy men and purified in both the hands,
Are flowing through the fleecy cloth.
3. These Soma juices shall pour forth all treasures for the worshipper,
From heaven and earth and firmament.
XI Soma Pavamana Part 2 Book 4 Chap 2
1. The Soma juices which have been expressed afar or near at hand,
Or there on Saryanavan's bank,
2. Those pressed among Arjikas, pressed among the active, in, men's homes,
Or pressed among the Fivefold Tribes--
3. May these celestial drops, expressed, pour forth upon us, as they flow,
The poor, naturally, did not have access, so history tells us that they collected and drank the urine of those who had actually had the privilege of first choice.
To us this may seem like a barbaric practice, but it shows the power that the idea of praising the Gods had over the people and the clear belief in the necessity of contact in an extra-sensory state.
Without the personal contact and choice, the mighty Indra now holds prime place among the Gods, and Varuna slips down into relative obscurity. How fickle indeed man is shown to be then, as now.
“Come, Indra, and delight thee with the juice at all our Soma feasts,
Protector, mighty in thy strength.
O thou who slayest Vritras, come, O Indra, hither to our side,
Mighty one, with thy mighty aids!
That might of his shone brightly forth when Indra brought together, like
A skin, the worlds of heaven and earth,”
DECADE IV Indra Book 2
1. Tossing about, the active ones came nigh to Indra at his birth,
Winning themselves heroic might.
2. Never, O Gods, do we offend, nor are we ever obstinate
We walk as holy texts command.
3. Evening is come: sing loudly thou Atharvan's nobly singing son:
Give praise to Savitar the God!
4. Now Morning with her earliest light shines forth, dear daughter of the Sky:
High, Asvins, I extol your praise.
5. Armed with the bones of dead Dadhyach, Indra, with unresisted might
The nine-and-ninety Vritras slew.
6. Come, Indra, and delight thee with the juice at all our Soma feasts,
Protector, mighty in thy strength
7. O thou who slayest Vritras, come, O Indra, hither to our side,
Mighty one, with thy mighty aids!
8. That might of his shone brightly forth when Indra brought together, like
A skin, the worlds of heaven and earth,
9. This is thine own Thou drawest near, as turns a pigeon to his mate:
Thou carest, too, for this our prayer.
10. May Vata breathe his balm on us, healthful, delightful to our heart:
May he prolong our days of life
VII Indra Book 9 Chapter 3
1. Drive Rakshasas and foes away, break thou in pieces Vritra's jaws:
O Vritra-slaying Indra, quell the foeman's wrath who threatens us!
2. O Indra, beat our foes away, humble the men who challenge us:
Send down to nether darkness him who seeks to do us injury!
3. Strong, ever-youthful are the arms of Indra, fair unassailable, never to be vanquished:
These first let him employ when need hath come on us, wherewith the Asuras' great might was overthrown.
It is as the old saying goes, “Nothing succeeds like success," and Indra had reduced all enemies to dust, even the mighty Asuras.
But although they put trust in Agni and Varuna and other Gods, we see also that the Brahman priest Brijaspati is now up there among the noble to be trusted and in Hymn 1 to Agni, in Book six chapter I, we find that priests are now sages and the cantor of songs has assumed his place in the hierarchy within the songs themselves.
DECADE V Agni Chapter 1 1
1. We in King Soma place our trust, in Agni, and in Varuna,
The Aditya, Vishnu, Surya, and the Brahman-priest Brihaspati.
2. Hence have these men gone up on high and mounted to the heights of heaven:
On! conquer on the path by which Angirasas travelled to the skies!
3. That thou mayst send us ample wealth, O Agni, we will kindler thee:
So, for the great oblation, Steer, pray Heaven and Earth to come to us!
4. He runs when one calls after him, This is the prayer of him who prays.
He holds all knowledge in his grasp even as the felly rounds the wheel.
5. Shoot forth, O Agni, with thy flame: demolish them on every side!
Break down the Yatudhana's strength, the vigour of the Rakshasa!
6. Worship the Vasus, Agni! here, the Rudras and Adityas, all
Who know fair sacrifices, sprung from Mann, scattering blessings down!
DECADE VI Book I Agni Chapter 1
1. Agni, well kindled bring the Gods for him who offers holy gifts;
And worship them, pure Hotar-priest!
2. O Sage, Tanunapat, present our sacrifice to Gods to-day,
Sweet to the taste, that they may help!
3. Dear Narasansa, sweet of tongue, presenter of oblations, I
Invoke to this our sacrifice.
4. Agni, on thy most easy car, entreated, hither bring the Gods!
Manus-appointed Priest art thou.
Great order is now introduced into the system and we see that the Morning Sacrifice assumes great importance over which, of course, the Sun presides. Dawn is not forgotten and there still appears that sensitivity when the natural forces are touched by human sentiment and naturally also the need for Rain.
DECADE II Surya Book IV chapter 1
1. Advancing, sending forth her rays, the daughter of the Sky is seen.
The mighty one lays bare the darkness with her eye, the friendly Lady makes the light.
2. These morning sacrifices call you, Asvins, at the break of day.
For help have I invoked you rich in power and might: for, house by house, ye visit all.
3. Where are ye, Gods? What mortal man, O Asvins, glows with zeal for you,
Urging you with the crushing stone and with the stalk of Soma thus or otherwise?
4. This sweetest Soma juice hath been expressed for you at morning rites.
Asvins, drink this prepared ere yesterday and give treasures to him who offers it!
5. Let me not, still beseeching thee with might and sound of Soma drops,
Anger at sacrifice a fierce wild creature! Who would not beseech the almighty one!
6. Adhvaryu, let the Soma flow, for Indra longs to drink thereof.
He even now hath yoked his vigorous bay steeds: the Vritraslayer hath come nigh.
7. Bring thou all this unto the good, O Indra, to the old and young!
For, Maghavan, thou art rich in treasures from of old, to be invoked in every fight.
8. If I, O Indra, were the lord of riches ample as thine own,
I would support the singer, God who scatterest wealth! and not abandon him to woe.
9. Thou in thy battles, Indra, art subduer of all hostile bands.
Father art thou, all-conquering, cancelling the curse, thou victor of the vanquisher!
10. For in thy might thou stretchest out beyond the mansions of the sky.
The earthly region, Indra, comprehends thee not. Thou hast waxed mighty over all.
DECADE XIV Dawn Book VI Chapter 3
1. This light is come, amid all lights the fairest: born is the brilliant, far-extending brightness.
Night, sent away for Savitar's uprising, hath yielded up a birthplace for the morning.
2. The fair, the bright is come with her white offspring to her the Dark one hath resigned her dwelling.
Akin, immortal, following each other, changing their colours both the heavens move onward.
3. Common, unending is the sisters' pathway: taught by the Gods alternately they travel,
Fair-formed, of different hues and yet one-minded, Night and Dawn clash not, neither do they tarry.
DECADE III Soma Pavamana
1. Pour down the rain upon us, pour a wave of waters from the sky.
And plenteous store of wholesome food!
2. Flow onward with that stream of thine, whereby the cows have come to us.
The kine of strangers to our home.
3. Dearest to Gods in sacred rites, pour on us fatness with thy stream,
Pour down on us a flood of rain!
4. To give as vigour, with thy stream run through the fleecy straining-cloth!
For verily the Gods will hear.
5. Onward hath Pavamana flowed and beaten off the Rakshasas.
Flashing out splendour as of old.
So what do we learn from all this? Academically we can see the change from the position of the earlier Vedas
THE YAJUR VEDA
The Yajur Veda follows many of the hymns of the Rig Veda, but deviates considerably from the original text in its collection of the rituals for the priests to use.
The Yajur Veda has two collections or samhitas called White and Black, the latter being more obscure in its meanings.
The Shukla Yajur Veda is the "White”. The Black was originally taught by Sage Vyasa to his disciple Vaisampayana, who then taught it to Yajñavalkya. It has been denoted as the "Krishna" or "Black" Yajur Veda. These names have nothing to do with the ideas of black and white spells or magic.
Elaborate and impressive ceremonies even today draw crowds, more wealth, and certainly more power and status for priests. One has only to see the great religious “festivals” to see that pomp and ceremony attract patronage.
In a ceremony for the inauguration of kings, for example, waters were drawn from various rivers to sprinkle on the king and indicate the area of his kingdom. Then in a physical show of sovereignty, he strode symbolically, with majesty, in each direction. He was anointed by the royal priest, giving some water to his son, the designated prince.
There was then a ritually enacted scene, perhaps a raid against a kinsman's cattle, affirming their history of conquest.
Perhaps most indicative of the change taking place, the booty was taken and divided into three parts. One for the priest, one for those who drank, and the original owner. The king then partook in a ritual dice game in which he was permitted to always win and he then rode out in his chariot and was acclaimed as a divine ruler.
It was no different then as it is now, so we should not too harshly condemn them. As a result, the priestly profession became attractive and rewarding. “Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.” No more need be said.
The soma sacrifice was the most important and could last up to twelve years and agricultural rites were common and regular. Here we present an example of a new and full moon sacrifice.
PRAPKTHAKA I
Ceremony 2 The New and Full Moon Sacrifices Kanda 1
1 Thou art the substance of the sacrifice.
2 The Raksas is burned up, the evil spirits are burned up.
3 The Vedi hath come to the sacrificial straw,
4 Made by Manu, fashioned with the Svadha call.
5 The sages fetch it from in front,
6 The delightful straw for the gods to sit on here.
7 Thou art impelled by the gods.
8 Thou art made to grow by the rains.
9 O divine straw, lot me not hit thee either across or along,
10 Let me hit thy joints,
11 Let me come to no harm in cutting thee.
12 O divine straw, rise with a hundred shoots,
13 Let us rise with a thousand shoots.
14 Guard from the contact of earth.
15 I gather thee with good gathering.
16 Thou art the girdle of Aditi, the cord of Indrani.
17 Let Pusan tie a knot for thee, that knot shall mount me.
18 I hold thee up with the arms of Indra, I seize thee with the head of Brhaspati.
19 Fare along the wide atmosphere.
20 Thou art going to the gods.
You can perhaps see that objects of ceremony are of exaggerated importance and everything has to perfect and in order for the celebration.
The straw had to be cut correctly, laid correctly, treated with rites and ceremonies and dogma. It was this same situation that Buddha, more than two thousand years later, referred to when he said that there should be no craving and clinging to dogma, rites and ceremonies. Those habits, encouraged by the priests, started here in the Sama Veda and Yajur Veda.
Every day we see MOST Buddhists doing exactly the same thing, and that is two thousand years after Buddha. It is essential that we must all understand what we are doing. We must look not only beyond the words, but also beyond the dogma, ritual and ceremony no matter if we are upon a Theravadin, Vajrayana, Chan, or other path.
PRAPKTHAKA II
Ceremony 9 The Soma Sacrifice Kanda 1
1 Move I forward, O lord of the world,
To all thy stations.
Let no opponent find thee,
Let not robbers find thee;
Let not the evil-working wolves (find) thee;
Nor the Gandharva, Viçvavasu, injure thee.
2 Become an eagle and fly away to the place in the house of the sacrificer
which we have prepared with the gods (for thee).
Thou art the good luck of the sacrificer.
3 We have reached the path
Which leadeth to bliss, without a foe,
Whereby a man defeateth all his foes and winneth wealth.
4 Honour to the radiance of Mitra and Varuna.
This worship, this reverence offer to the god;
To the far seeing, god-born, the banner,
The son of the sky, the sun, do ye sing.
5 Thou art the pillar of Varuna.
6 Thou art the prop of Varuna's pillar.
7 Varuna's noose is loosened.
You can see here, if you look carefully, a subtle change in tone from the Rig Veda. The previous relationship was Soma and Nature (the Gods). Here it is much more individual and personal and the emphasis is upon the relationship between he who Sacrifices and Soma. Clearly the Gods of nature are not forgotten, but “fly away to the place in the house of the sacrificer which we have prepared with the gods (for thee). Thou art the good luck of the sacrificer,” says all. Note too that there are those who might steal the Soma and it appears that wolves also found Soma attractive, probably less for its hallucinogenic properties than for its sweetness.
PRAPKTHAKA III
Victims of Agni y Soma Kanda 2
a. I dig those which slay the Raksas, which slay the spell, which are of Visnu.
b. Here do I cast out the spell which an equal or an unequal hath buried against us.
c. Here do I overthrow him who equal or unequal is ill-disposed to us.
d. The spell is overcome by the Gayatri metre.
e. What is here? Good. Let it be ours.
f. Thou art Viraj, slaying our rivals; thou art Samraj, slaying our foes; thou art Svaraj, slaying the enemy; thou art Viçvaraj, slayer of all destructive things [1].
g. I sprinkle those which slay the Raksas, which slay the spell, and which are of Visnu.
h. I pour down those which slay the Raksas, which slay the spell, and which are of Visnu.
i. Thou art barley (yava); bar (yavaya) from us foes, bar evil spirits.
k. I bestrew those which slay the Raksas, which slay the spell, and which are of Visnu.
l. I pour the libation over those which slay the Raksas, which slay the spell, and which are of Visnu.
m. I lay down the two Which slay the Raksas, which slay the spell, and which are of Visnu.
n. I surround the two which slay the Raksas, which slay the spell, and which are of Visnu.
o. I bestrew the two which slay the Raksas, which slay the spell, and which are of Visnu.
p. The two which slay the Raksas, which slay the spell, and which are of Visnu.
q. Thou art great, with a great pressing stone; call forth to Indra with a great voice.
If the hymns and ceremonies had had clear sailing then the Priests would have had less power, so we see that failures are blamed on various causes, particularly “spells”. Thus there must be counter spells.
PRAPKTHAKA V
Reestablishing the Fire Kanda 2
He who removes the fire casts away the sacrifice and cattle. The sacrificial cake is offered on five potsherds; the sacrifice is fivefold, cattle are fivefold; verily he wins the sacrifice and cattle. Now he who removes the fire is the slayer of the hero among the gods; Brahmans desirous of holiness did not aforetime eat his food; the Yajyas and Anuvakyas are in the Pankti metre; the sacrifice is fivefold, man is fivefold; verily making recompense to the gods for the hero he re-establishes the fire
1. They are of a hundred syllables; man lives a hundred years and has a hundred powers; verily he rests on life and power. In that Agni when established does not prosper, (it is that he is) desiring a greater portion; in that it is all Agni's, that is his prosperity. Speech is uttered together in the house of him who removes the fire; the sacrificer is liable to perish on account of the uttering together of speech. There are discriminations, to sever speech and preserve the sacrificer
2. He makes a discrimination; verily he makes the holy power (Brahman). He speaks the Yajus, muttering; it is as if one who has found a rich treasure hides it. To Agni Svistakrt he speaks aloud; it is as if one who has found a rich treasure is fain to go openly. Uttering the discrimination he makes the Vasat cry with the foresacrifice; verily he leaves not his abode. The sacrificial cake is the sacrificer, the oblations are cattle; in that he offers these libations on either side of the cake
3. He thus surrounds the sacrificer on either side with cattle. 'After performing the Yajus and collecting the apparatus', they say: 'the apparatus should not be collected, the Yajus should not be performed,' they say: the apparatus should be collected and the Yajus performed, for the prosperity of the sacrifice. The sacrificial fee is a renovated chariot, a newly-sewn garment, a draught ox let loose again, for the prosperity of the re-establishing. 'Seven are thy kindling-sticks, O Agni, seven thy tongues'; (with these words) he offers the Agnihotra. Wherever there is anything of his nature, thence does he win him.
4. Now he who removes the fire is the slayer of the hero among the gods, Varuna is the exactor of the recompense; he should make an offering on eleven potsherds to Agni and Varuna; him whom he slays and him who exacts the recompense he delights with their own portion; the sacrificer is not ruined.
Once upon a time there was Agni, fire, a natural phenomenon, a plain and simple but a worthy God. Now there is a ceremonial rekindling of the fire. Eventually there will be at least three groups of priests with their own special duties and training schools. The priests had wealth, leisure to study and teach, and knowledge. This completed a cycle and the power brought more wealth.
PRAPATHAKA VI
The Part of the Sacrificer in the New and Full Moon Sacrifices Kanda 2
a. Thou art secure; may I be secure among my equals, wise, a guardian, a granter of wealth.
b. Thou art dread; may I be dread among my equals, dread, a guardian, a granter of wealth.
c. Thou art overcoming; may I be overcoming among my equals, overcoming, a guardian, a granter of wealth.
d. I yoke thee with the divine Brahman,
To bear this oblation, O wise one;
Kindling thee, may we live long with good children,
With good heroes, bearing thee tribute.
e. Whatever, O Agni, in this sacrifice of mine may be spoiled [1],
Whatever of the butter, O Visnu, may be spilt,
Therewith do I smite the rival who is hard to slay;
I place him on the lap of destruction.
f. Bhur, Bhuvah, Suvar!
g. O Agni, do thou strengthen the sacrificer; weaken him who plotteth evil.,
h. O Agni, kindled by the gods, kindled by Manu, with sweet tongue,
I touch the head of thee, the immortal, O Hotr, for increase of wealth, good offspring, strength.
i. Thou art mind, derived from Prajapati; with mind in true existence do thou enter me.
k. Thou art speech, derived from Indra, destroying the foe [2]; do thou enter me with speech, with power (indriyena).
l. Of the seasons spring I delight; delighted may it delight me.
m. Of the seasons summer I delight; delighted may it delight me.
n. Of the seasons the rains I delight; delighted may they delight me.
o. Of the seasons the autumn I delight; delighted may it delight me.
p. Of the seasons the winter and the cool I delight; delighted may they two delight me.
q. By sacrifice to the gods, Agni and Soma, may I be possessed of sight.
r. By sacrifice to the god Agni, may I be an eater of food [3].
s. Thou art a deceiver; may I be undeceived, may I deceive N. N.
t. By sacrifice to the gods, Agni and Soma, may I be a slayer of foes.
u. By sacrifice to the gods, Indra and Agni, may I be powerful and an eater of food.
v. By sacrifice to the god Indra, may I be powerful.
w. By sacrifice to the god Mahendra, may I attain superiority and greatness.
x. By sacrifice to the god Agni Svistakrt, may I attain security through the sacrifice, enjoying long life.
So now we see the focus on the individual who comes to the priests. He must be promised more than the general bounty of the Rig Veda.
Therefore, to misquote a well-known maxim, it is, “from each according to their ability to give and to each according to their future potential to give.”
So we see finally the price in the Rajasuya.
PRAPKTHAKA VIII
The Rajasuya Kanda 1
To Anumati he offers a cake on eight potsherds; the sacrificial fee is a cow. The (grains) which are thrown down to the west of the support he (offers) on one potsherd to Nirrti; the sacrificial fee is a black garment with a black fringe.
Go away, hail! Rejoicing in the oblation.
This is thy share, O Nirrti;
O thou who hast prospered, thou art rich in oblation;
Free him from evil. Hail!
Honour to him who hath done this.
He offers an oblation to Aditya; the sacrificial fee is a choice (ox). (He offers) to Agni and Visnu on eleven potsherds; the sacrificial fee is a dwarf beast of burden. (He offers) to Agni and Soma on eleven potsherds; the sacrificial fee is gold. (He offers) to Indra on eleven potsherds; the sacrificial fee is a bull as a beast of burden. (He offers) to Agni on eight potsherds, and curds to Indra; the sacrificial fee is a bull as a beast of burden. (He offers) to Indra and Agni on twelve potsherds, and an oblation (caru) to the All-gods; the sacrificial fee is a first-born calf. (He offers) an oblation of millet to Soma; the sacrificial fee is a garment. (He offers) an oblation to Sarasvati, and an oblation to Sarasvant; the sacrificial fee is a pair of oxen.
It is perhaps fitting that we end this lesson with two hymns from the Second Part of the Veda that praise Mitra and Varuna, “ Lords of the shining light of Law.” And Indra, “who gains the spoil”. The people and priests are then like children who must go to Mama for one thing and Papa for another, knowing that they are seldom refused by either.
There is, however, in the hymn to Indra, an important line that marks changes yet to come. The hymn below says, “Your Indra, much-invoked, I bend with song, as bends a wright his wheel of solid wood.”
Do you see that there is not so much a dignified plea involved? The priests are feeling their power. Now it is they that have the power to bend the Gods, including the mighty Indra.
VII Mitra Varuna Part 2 (Veda) Book 2 Chapter 1
1. Mitra and Varuna we call to drink the draught of Soma juice,
Those born endowed with holy strength.
2. Those who by Law uphold the Law, Lords of the shining light of Law,
Mitra I call, and Varuna.
3. Let Varuna be our chief defence, let Mitra guard us with all aids,
Both make us rich exceedingly!
XIII Indra Part 2 Book 2 Chapter 2
1. With Plenty for his true ally the active man will gain the spoil.
Your Indra, much-invoked, I bend with song, as bends a wright his wheel of solid wood.
2. They who bestow great riches love not paltry praise: wealth comes not to the niggard churl.
Light is the task to give, O Maghavan, to one like me on the decisive day.
EXERCISE 3
The third exercise for this course 101 allows you to be a more imaginative. In less than one page tell me how you would respond in words and actions, first, to these priests, and second to the common people, if you were any one of the Gods of Nature in the Rig Veda. This is a learning exercise and the idea is to enter into the spirit of the exercise. We are looking for an understanding and are not in the business of judging opinions.
There is no correct answer. There are only answers that reflect your personal understanding. Thus your own answer is part of your own learning process.