Khandogya Upanishad. Ii, 24
*
"The Upanishads, Part 1 (sbe01)\", by Max Mller, [1879],
Twenty-fourth Kha\"N"D"A.
1. The teachers of Brahman (Veda) declare, as the Prta"h"-savana (morning-oblation) belongs to the Vasus, the Mdhyandina-savana (noon-libation) to
p. 36
the Rudras, the third Savana (evening-libation) to the dityas and the Vi"s"ve Devas,
2. Where then is the world of the sacrificer? He who does not know this, how can he perform the sacrifice? He only who knows, should perform it 1.
3. Before the beginning of the Prtaranuvka, (matin-chant), the sacrificer, sitting down behind the household altar (grhapatya), and looking towards the north, sings the Sman, addressed to the Vasus:
4. 'Open the door of the world (the earth), let us see thee, that we may rule (on earth).'
5. Then he sacrifices, saying: 'Adoration to Agni, who dwells on the earth, who dwells in the world! Obtain that world for me, the sacrificer! That is the world for the sacrificer!'
6. 'I (the sacrificer) shall go thither, when this life is over. Take this! (he says, in offering the libation.) Cast back the bolt!' Having said this, he rises. For him the Vasus fulfil the morning-oblation.
7. Before the beginning of the Mdhyandina-savana, the noon-oblation, the sacrificer, sitting down behind the gnidhrya altar, and looking towards the north, sings the Sman, addressed to the Rudras:
8. 'Open the door of the world (the sky), let us see thee, that we may rule wide (in the sky).'
9. Then he sacrifices, saying: 'Adoration to
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[paragraph continues] Vyu (air), who dwells in the sky, who dwells in the world. Obtain that world for me, the sacrificer! That is the world for the sacrificer!'
10. 'I (the sacrificer) shall go thither, when this life is over. Take this! Cast back the bolt!' Having said this, he rises. For him the Rudras fulfil the noon-oblation.
11. Before the beginning of the third oblation, the sacrificer, sitting down behind the havanya altar, and looking towards the north, sings the Sman, addressed to the dityas and Vi"s"ve Devas:
12. 'Open the door of the world (the heaven), let us see thee, that we may rule supreme (in heaven).' This is addressed to the dityas.
13. Next the Sman addressed to the Vi"s"ve Devas: 'Open the door of the world (heaven), let us see thee, that we may rule supreme (in heaven).'
14. Then he sacrifices, saying: 'Adoration to the dityas and to the Vi"s"ve Devas, who dwell in heaven, who dwell in the world. Obtain that world for me, the sacrificer!'
15. 'That is the world for the sacrificer! I (the sacrificer) shall go thither, when this life is over. Take this! Cast back the bolt!' Having said this, he rises.
16. For him the dityas and the Vi"s"ve Devas fulfil the third oblation. He who knows this, knows the full measure of the sacrifice, yea, he knows it.
Footnotes
36:1 The commentator is always very anxious to explain that though it is better that a priest should know the hidden meaning of the sacrificial acts which he has to perform, yet there is nothing to prevent a priest, who has not yet arrived at this stage of knowledge, from performing his duties.
"The Upanishads, Part 1 (sbe01)\", by Max Mller, [1879],
Twenty-fourth Kha\"N"D"A.
1. The teachers of Brahman (Veda) declare, as the Prta"h"-savana (morning-oblation) belongs to the Vasus, the Mdhyandina-savana (noon-libation) to
p. 36
the Rudras, the third Savana (evening-libation) to the dityas and the Vi"s"ve Devas,
2. Where then is the world of the sacrificer? He who does not know this, how can he perform the sacrifice? He only who knows, should perform it 1.
3. Before the beginning of the Prtaranuvka, (matin-chant), the sacrificer, sitting down behind the household altar (grhapatya), and looking towards the north, sings the Sman, addressed to the Vasus:
4. 'Open the door of the world (the earth), let us see thee, that we may rule (on earth).'
5. Then he sacrifices, saying: 'Adoration to Agni, who dwells on the earth, who dwells in the world! Obtain that world for me, the sacrificer! That is the world for the sacrificer!'
6. 'I (the sacrificer) shall go thither, when this life is over. Take this! (he says, in offering the libation.) Cast back the bolt!' Having said this, he rises. For him the Vasus fulfil the morning-oblation.
7. Before the beginning of the Mdhyandina-savana, the noon-oblation, the sacrificer, sitting down behind the gnidhrya altar, and looking towards the north, sings the Sman, addressed to the Rudras:
8. 'Open the door of the world (the sky), let us see thee, that we may rule wide (in the sky).'
9. Then he sacrifices, saying: 'Adoration to
p. 37
[paragraph continues] Vyu (air), who dwells in the sky, who dwells in the world. Obtain that world for me, the sacrificer! That is the world for the sacrificer!'
10. 'I (the sacrificer) shall go thither, when this life is over. Take this! Cast back the bolt!' Having said this, he rises. For him the Rudras fulfil the noon-oblation.
11. Before the beginning of the third oblation, the sacrificer, sitting down behind the havanya altar, and looking towards the north, sings the Sman, addressed to the dityas and Vi"s"ve Devas:
12. 'Open the door of the world (the heaven), let us see thee, that we may rule supreme (in heaven).' This is addressed to the dityas.
13. Next the Sman addressed to the Vi"s"ve Devas: 'Open the door of the world (heaven), let us see thee, that we may rule supreme (in heaven).'
14. Then he sacrifices, saying: 'Adoration to the dityas and to the Vi"s"ve Devas, who dwell in heaven, who dwell in the world. Obtain that world for me, the sacrificer!'
15. 'That is the world for the sacrificer! I (the sacrificer) shall go thither, when this life is over. Take this! Cast back the bolt!' Having said this, he rises.
16. For him the dityas and the Vi"s"ve Devas fulfil the third oblation. He who knows this, knows the full measure of the sacrifice, yea, he knows it.
Footnotes
36:1 The commentator is always very anxious to explain that though it is better that a priest should know the hidden meaning of the sacrificial acts which he has to perform, yet there is nothing to prevent a priest, who has not yet arrived at this stage of knowledge, from performing his duties.
