6. Exalting the entertainment of guests.
[Brahman.—ṣaṭ paryāyāḥ. ātithyā uta vidyādevatyāḥ.]
This whole prose hymn is found in Pāipp. xvi., except a few verses, as noted below. It is not quoted by either Kāuç. or Vāit. In the Prāt., on the other hand, it has more than its fair share of notice. ⌊With regard to the paryāya-hymns in general, see pp. 471-2.⌋
Translated: Henry, 98, 137; Griffith, i. 448.
1. Whoever may know the obvious (pratyákṣa) bráhman, whose joints are the preparations (sambhārá), whose spine the verses (ṛ́c);
Ppp. reads, instead of our a, as follows: yo vā ekaṁ brahmā ’nuṣṭhā vidyāt sadya mahadvate, making an anuṣṭubh of the verse. The Anukr. is corrupt at this point, one ms. appearing to call the verse nāgī nāma tripād gāyatrū; one sees no reason why.
2. Whose hairs the chants (sā́man), [whose] heart the sacrificial formula (yájus) is called, [whose] litter (paristáraṇa) the oblation.
Ppp. reads chandāṅsi for sāmāni in a, and puts c before b. The unlingualized st of paristáraṇam is noted under Prāt. ii. 105. The 'obvious bráhman,' or 'bráhman in visible presence,' thus wondrously made up, is doubtless the guest, all attentions to whom the hymn proceeds to glorify by identifying them with sacred acts.
3. When in truth the lord of guests meets with his eyes the guests, he looks at a sacrificing to the gods.
Ppp. reads at the beginning yad atithipatiḥ preṣyate. The verse has one syllable too many for a regular sāmnī triṣṭubh; but the system of nomenclature affords no ⌊simple⌋ name for one of 23 syllables.
4. When he greets them, he enters upon consecration; when he offers
(yāc) water, he brings forward the [sacrificial] waters.
Prá ṇayati is quoted as an example under Prāt. iii. 79. We have to read yā́cati apáḥ to make out the defined meter.
5. Just what waters are brought in at the sacrifice, those are the very ones.
Praṇīyánte also is quoted under Prāt. iii. 79.
6. When they fetch a gratification (tárpaṇa)—that is just the same as an animal for Agni-and-Soma that is bound [for sacrifice].
Ppp. adds after this verse yat khātam āharanti puroḍāçā eva te.
7. In that they prepare lodgings, they so prepare the seat (sádas) and oblation-holders (havirdhā́na).
8. In that they strew [a couch], that is a barhís.
