Brihadaranyaka-Upanishad: Sixth Adhyâya, Third Brahmana

1. If a man wishes to reach greatness (wealth for performing sacrifices), he performs the upasad rule during twelve days (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, avasathya), sprinkles it, lays the fire, spreads grass round it according to rule, prepares the clarified butter (agya), and on a day, presided over by a male star (nakshatra), after having properly mixed the Mantha (the herbs, fruits, milk, honey, &c.), he sacrifices (he pours agya into the fire), saying:—“O Gatavedas, 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.” Svaha!

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

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

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

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

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

He then says, Svaha to the Ear, Svaha, to the Home, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into the Mantha (mortar).

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

He then says, Svaha toSeed, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into the Mantha (mortar).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4. Then 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 Hin (at the beginning of the sacrifice by the prastotri). Thou art saluted with Hin (in the middle of the sacrifice by the prastotri). Thou hast been sung (by the udgatri at the beginning of the sacrifice). Thou art sung (by the udgatri 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 agnidhra 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 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 (We meditate on that adorable light)—The winds drop honey for the righteous, the rivers drop honey, may our plants be sweet as honey! Bhuh (earth) Svaha!”

“Bhargo devasya dhimahi (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) Svaha!”

“Dhiyo yo nah prokodayat (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) Svaha!”

He repeats the whole Savitri verse, and all the verses about the honey, thinking, May I be all this! Bhur, Bhuvah, Svah, Svaha! 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 Aditya (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.

7. Uddalaka Aruni told this (Mantha-doctrine) to his pupil Vagasaneya Yagnavalkya, and said: “If a man were to pour it on a dry stick, branches would grow, and leaves spring forth.”

8. Vagasaneya Yagnavalkya told the same to his pupil Madhuka Paingya, and said: “If a man were to pour it on a dry stick, branches would grow, and leaves spring forth.”

9. Madhuka Paingya told the same to his pupil Kula Bhagavitti, and said: “If a man were to pour it on a dry stick, branches would grow, and leaves spring forth.”

10. Kula Bhagavitti told the same to his pupil Ganaki Ayasthuna, and said: “If a man were to pour it on a dry stick, branches would grow, and leaves spring forth.”

11. Ganaki Ayasthuna told the same to his pupil Satyakama Gabala, and said: “If a man were to pour it on a dry stick, branches would grow, and leaves spring forth.”

12. Satyakama Gabala 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 to any one, except to a son or to a pupil.

13. Four 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 (brihiyavas), sesamum and kidney-beans (tilamashas), millet and panic seed (anupriyangavas), wheat (godhumas), lentils (masuras), pulse (khalvas), and vetches (khalakulas). After having ground these he sprinkles them with curds (dadhi), honey, and ghee, and then offers (the proper portions) of clarified butter (agya).