430 OW THE VEDAS, 



sacrifices, as the name itself implies*. The first 

 chapter, and the greatest part of the second, con- 

 tain prayers adapted for sacrifices at the full and 

 chana,e of the moon: but the six last sections 

 regard oblations to the manes. The subject of 

 the third chapter is the consecration of a perpetual 

 fire, and the sacrifice of victims : the five next 

 relate chiefly to a ceremony called Agmshtbma^ 

 which includes that of drinking the juice of the 

 acid asclepias. The two following relate- to the 

 VajaphjOr and RqjasuyA; the last of which cere- 

 monies involves the consecration of a king. Eight 

 chapters, from the eleventh to the eighteenth; 

 regard the sanctifying of sacrificial fire; and the 

 ceremony, named Sauti^aman'i^ which was the sub- 

 ject of th.e last section of the tenth chapter, oc- 

 cupies three other chapters fiom the nineteenth tQ 

 the twenty-first. The prayers to be used at an 

 As'zvamcdlia^ or ceremony emblematic of the im- 

 molation of a horse and other animals, by a king 

 ambitions of universal empire, are placed in four 

 chapters, from the twen*^y-second to the twenty- 

 fifth. The two next are miscellaneous chapters ; 

 the Saatraman'i and Asivamedlia are completed in 

 two others ; and the Punishamecrha, or ceremony 

 perfornied as the type of the allegorical immolation 

 of Na'ra'yan'a, fills the thirtieth and thirty-first 

 chapters. The three next belong to the Sarvame- 

 dlia, or prayers and oblations for universal suc- 

 cess. A chapter follows on the Fitrimkdlia^ or 

 obsequies in commemoration of a deceased ances- 

 tor: and the last five chapters contain such pas- 

 sages ot" this Veda as are ascribed to Dad'iiyach, 



* Yijiish is derived from the verb Yaj, to worship or adore. 

 Another etymo'ogy is sometimes assigned : but this is most ron- 

 si'^trnt with the siUyect; viz. (Yujnya) sacvifices, and (koma) 

 obiailuas to tire. 



