Sacrifice

The Vedic meters go away from the sacrificer when they lead the Soma-rite to those who drink Soma improperly.

Just as a well-appointed chariot without a charioteer, abandoning its left yoke-horse, goes on the course of demons — so the sacrifice forsakes the sacrificer when they lead the Soma-rite to those who drink Soma improperly.

Waxing strong through the oblation of Viśvāvasu, may this sacrifice go to the world of the well-doers.

Flow pure for us, O god, at this divine feast, O great Soma, flowing to the place where Indra drinks.

The pressed one, roaring, goes around the filter like a Hotṛ visiting cattle-rich homes.

The Apsarasas of the ocean, the inspired ones, sitting within, have streamed toward Soma.

I know furthermore, gentlemen of the jury, that if the witnesses were testifying against me that my presence on shipboard or at a sacrifice had been the occasion of some unholy manifestation, the prosecution would be treating that fact as supremely significant;

Many, too, have been proved to be defiled as they stood beside a sacrifice, because they prevented the proper performance of the rites.

but whenever I have attended a sacrifice, that sacrifice has invariably been successful.

I forbade the ass-drivers, as I said, to touch the wood, and after giving notice to Phaenippus to attend the sacrifice, as the law commands, I went back to the city.

Come to our pressed soma with thy bay steeds, for the great battle-joy and for sight.

Indra, the slayer of Vṛtra, of hundredfold wisdom, who knows both worlds — come to our pressed soma with thy bay steeds.

The mortal who has offered well-pressed soma to him — that army of our enemies, O Maruts, that comes against us without matching our strength — conceal it in darkness by your spell, so that among them one shall not know another.

Let us grant, then, that one can succeed to some office, so as to walk in any honour in the bare name of honour only, and neither sacrifice, nor lend his authority to sacrifices, nor let out victims, nor delegate the care of temples, nor procure their revenues, nor exhibit spectacles at his own or the public cost, nor preside over their exhibiting, nor pronounce or proclaim anything solemn, nor even swear;

But to these sacrifices are attached.

this legal procedure, when brought together, is declared to be equal to a sacrifice.

Just as a sacrifice is accomplished through the union of the animal, ghee, priests, and other elements, so a legal procedure is said to be connected in the same way.

By protecting his subjects according to *dharma* and by executing those who deserve death, a king performs sacrifices daily with hundreds of thousands in sacrificial fees.

From fire, wind, and the sun, he milked forth the triple eternal Veda—distinguished as Ṛc, Yajus, and Saman—for the accomplishment of the sacrifice.

The Lord also created the host of the gods, whose nature is action, and the subtle host of the Sādhyas, and the eternal *yajña* (sacred sacrifice).

To the Brāhmaṇas he assigned teaching and studying, sacrificing for oneself and sacrificing for others, giving and receiving alms.

For it has not been shown that I have sacrificed to new deities in the stead of Zeus and Hera and the gods of their company, or that I have invoked ill oaths or mentioned other gods.

for all who have happened to be near at the time, as well as Meletus himself,—if he so desired, — have seen me sacrificing at the communal festivals and on the public altars.