When the Hotr utters the name of the sacrificer, then he should say, 'Hither these blessings have come, fain for milking'; verily he milks the deities which he praises together; verily he milks the sacrifice on both sides, in front and behind. 'With the red steed may Agni convey thee to the god', he says; these are the steeds of the gods [3], the straw is the sacrificer; in that he casts forward the straw with them, he makes the sacrificers to go by the steeds of the gods to the world of heaven. 'I unyoke thy head ropes, thy reins', he says; that is the unyoking of Agni; verily thereby he unyokes him. 'By sacrifice to the god Visnu, by the sacrifice may I attain health and wealth and security', he says; Visnu is the sacrifice; verily the sacrifice finds support at the end. 'By sacrifice to the god Soma, possessing good seed [4], may I impregnate seed', he says; Soma is the impregnator of seed; verily he confers seed upon himself. 'By sacrifice to the god Tvastr, may I prosper the form of cattle'; Tvastr is the form-maker of the pairings of cattle, and thereby he confers upon himself the form of cattle. 'The wives of the gods, Agni, the lord of the house, are the pair of the sacrifice; by sacrifice to these deities may I be propagated with a pair.' 'Thou art the bundle, thou art gain, may I gain', he says; by the bundle (vedena) the gods won (avindanta) the desirable wealth of the Asuras, and that is why the bundle has its name. Whatever of his foe's he may covet, the name of that he should utter; verily he wing it all from him. 'May the bundle bestow increase of wealth, rich in ghee, rich in houses, a thousandfold, strong', he says; he obtains a thousand cattle. In his offspring a strong one is born who knows thus. Through the emptying of the Dhruva the sacrifice is emptied, through the sacrifice the sacrificer, through the sacrificer offspring.YV 7.2e · Yajur Veda
YV 7.2e
Yajur Veda · translated by Arthur Berriedale Keith
Themes in this passage
WorshipThe DivineTruthWealthChildrenStrengthGreedHealing
Worship in other traditions
The same theme, as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hellenism address it.
And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.Numbers 29:31 · Bible · Numbers
Nor will ye worship that which I worship.Quran 109:5 · Quran · The Unbelievers
Whatever a man sacrifice in this world as an offering or as an oblation for a whole year in order to gain merit, the whole of it is not worth a quarter (a farthing); reverence shown to the righteous is better.Dhp 8.108 · Dhammapada · The Thousands
Full fifty more from Athens stem the main, Led by Menestheus through the liquid plain. (Athens the fair, where great Erectheus sway’d, That owed his nurture to the blue-eyed maid, But from the teeming furrow took his birth, The mighty offspring of the foodful earth. Him Pallas placed amidst her wealthy fane, Adored with sacrifice and oxen slain; Where, as the years revolve, her altars blaze, And all the tribes resound the goddess’ praise.) No chief like thee, Menestheus! Greece could yield, To marshal armies in the dusty field, The extended wings of battle to display, Or close the embodied host in firm array. Nestor alone, improved by length of days, For martial conduct bore an equal praise.Iliad 2.41 · Iliad · 2
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