1. [He puts the horse to the chariot 2 with Vâg. S. XXIII, 5], 'They harness the ruddy bay,
3. But, indeed, fiery mettle and energy, cattle, and prosperity depart from him who offers the Asvamedha.
4. With (Vâg. S. XXIII, 8), 'May the Vasus anoint thee with the Gâyatra metre!' the queen consort anoints (the forepart of the unharnessed horse);--ghee is fiery mettle, and the Gâyatrî also is fiery mettle: two kinds of fiery mettle he thus bestows together on him (the Sacrificer).
5. With, 'May the Rudras anoint thee with the Traishtubha metre!' the (king's) favourite wife anoints (the middle part):--ghee is fiery mettle, and the Trishtubh is energy: both fiery
7. It is the wives 2 that anoint (the horse), for they to wit, (many) wives--are a form of prosperity (or social eminence): it is thus prosperity he confers on him (the Sacrificer), and neither fiery spirit, nor energy, nor cattle, nor prosperity pass away from him.
8. But even as some of the offering-material may get spilled before it is offered, so (part of) the victim is here spilled in that the hair of it when wetted comes off. When they (the wives) weave pearls (into the mane and tail) they gather up its hair. They are made of gold: the significance of this has been explained. A hundred and one pearls they weave into (the hair of) each part 3; for man has a life of a hundred (years), and his own self (or body) is the one hundred and first: in vital power, in the self, he establishes himself. They weave them in (each) with (one of) the (sacred utterings) relating to Pragâpati, 'Bûh! bhuvah! svar (earth, air,
9. Verily, fiery spirit and spiritual lustre pass away from him who performs the Asvamedha. The Hotri and the Brahman engage in a Brahmodya 2 (theological discussion); for the Hotri relates to Agni, and the Brahman (priest) to Brihaspati, Brihaspati being the Brahman (n.): fiery spirit 3 and spiritual lustre he thus bestows together on him. With the (central) sacrificial stake between them, they discourse together; for the stake is the Sacrificer 4: he thus encompasses the Sacrificer on both sides with fiery spirit and spiritual lustre.
10. [The Brahman asks, Vâg. S. XXIII, 9,] 'Who is it that walketh singly?'--it is yonder sun, doubtless, that walks singly 5, and he is spiritual
12. 'What is the remedy for cold?'--the remedy for cold, doubtless, is Agni '(fire): fiery spirit they thus bestow on him.
13. 'And what is the great vessel?'--the great vessel, doubtless, is this (terrestrial) world: on this earth he thus establishes himself.
14. [The Hotri asks the Brahman, Vâg. S. XXIII, 11,] 'What was the first conception?'--the first conception, doubtless, was the sky, rain: the sky, rain, he thus secures for himself.
15. 'Who was the great bird 1?'--the great bird, doubtless, was the horse:. vital power he thus secures for himself.
16. 'Who was the smooth one?'--the smooth one (pilippilâ), doubtless, was beauty (srî 2): beauty he thus secures for himself.
311:2 Along with the sacrificial horse three other horses are put to the chariot, with the formula Vâg. S. XXIII, 6. Previously to this, however, the Hotri recites eleven verses in praise of the horse (cf. XIII, 5, 1, 16). Both the horses and the chariot are decorated
313:2 The fourth and lowest wife of the King the Pâlâgalî (cf. XIII, 4, 1, 8; 5, 2, 8), though present at the sacrifice, does not take part in this ceremony, probably on account of her low-caste origin, as the daughter of a messenger, or courier.
313:3 Viz. either the mane on both sides, and the tail, or the hair of the head, the neck (mane) and the tail; each of the ladies apparently taking one of these parts.
314:1 Viz. the material left over after what was taken for the Annahomas, XIII, 2, 1, 1 seqq.
314:2 For a similar discussion between the four priests, prior to the offering of the omenta, see XIII, 5, 2, 11 seq.
314:3 'Tegas' is pre-eminently the quality assigned to Agni.
314:4 It must be remembered that the sacrificial horse here represented by the stake is identified with both Pragâpati and the Sacrificer.
314:5 The actual replies to the questions in Vâg. S. XXIII, 9 and 11, are contained in the corresponding verses ten and twelve; being given here in an expository way, with certain variations and paragraph 14). The answers to the first four questions are supposed to be given by the Hotri, and the last four by the Brahman.
315:1 This is the meaning assigned here to 'vayas' by Mahîdhara; but the other meaning of 'vayas,' viz. 'youthful vigour, or age, (generally),' would seem to suit much better, or at least to be implied. And Harisvâmin accordingly takes it in the sense of 'vârdhakam' (old age, or long life). Mahîdhara, moreover, identifies the horse with the horse-sacrifice, which, in the shape of a bird, carries the Sacrificer up to heaven. On this notion cp. part iv, introduction, pp. xxi-xxii.
315:2 Instead of 'srîh,' the answer given to this question in Vâg. S. XXIII, 12 was 'avih' which would either mean 'the gentle, kindly one,' or 'the sheep (f.),' but which Mahîdhara (in the former sense) Next: XIII, 2, 7. Seventh Brâhmana
