janako ha vaideho bahudakṣiṇena yajñeneje | tatra ha kurupañcālānāṃ brāhmaṇā abhisametā babhūvuḥ | tasya ha janakasya vaidehasya vijijñāsā babhūva -- kaḥ svid eṣāṃ brāhmaṇānām anūcānatama iti | sa ha gavāṃ sahasram avarurodha | daśadaśa pādā ekaikasyāḥ śṛṅgayor ābaddhā babhūvuḥ ||
FIRST BRÂHMANA
1. Adoration to the Highest Self (Paramâtman)!
Ganaka Vaideha (the king of the Videhas) sacrificed with a sacrifice at which many presents were offered to the priests of (the Asvamedha). Brâhmanas of the Kurus and the Pâñkâlas had come thither, and Ganaka Vaideha wished to know, which of those Brâhmanas was the best read. So he enclosed a thousand cows, and ten pâdas (of gold) were fastened to each pair of horns.
janako nāma ha kila samrāḍrājā babhūva videhānāṃ tatra bhavo vaidehaḥ | sa ca bahudakṣiṇena yajñena śākhāntaraprasiddho vā bahudakṣiṇo nāma yajño 'śvamedho vā dakṣiṇābāhulyādbahudakṣiṇa ihocyate teneje 'yajat | tatra tasminyajñe nimantritā darśanakāmā vā kurūṇāṃ deśānāṃ pañcālānāṃ ca brāhmaṇāsteṣu hi viduṣāṃ bāhulyaṃ prasiddhamabhisametā abhisaṃgatā babhūvuḥ | tatra mahāntaṃ vidvatsamudāyaṃ dṛṣṭvā tasya ha kila janakasya vaidehasya yajamānasya ko nu khalvatra brahmiṣṭha iti viśeṣeṇa jñātumicchā vijijñāsā babhūva | kathaṃ, kaḥsvitko nu khalveṣāṃ brāhmaṇānāmanūcānatamaḥ sarva ime 'nūcānāḥ kaḥsvideṣāmatiśayenānūcāna iti | sa hānūcānatamaviṣayotpannijijñāsaḥ saṃstadvijñānopāyārthaṃ gavāṃ sahasraṃ prathamavayasāmavarurodha goṣṭhe 'varodhaṃ kārayāmāsa |
kiṃviśiṣṭāstā gāvo 'varuddhā ityucyate |
palacaturthabhāgaḥ pādaḥ suvarṇasya |
daśa daśa pādā ekaikasyā goḥ śṛṅgayorābaddhā babhūvuḥ |
pañca pañca pādā ekaikasmiñśṛṅge || 1 ||
Bṛhad san, ca. B.C. 600, Adhyāya, Brāhmaṇa, verse 3,1.1;
Bṛhad-DSh, 1657, p.;
Bṛhad-Anq-Dup, 1801-02, p.;
Bṛhad-Mül, 1879-84;
Bṛhad-Śaṃ, 8th c. A.D.;
Permanent link http://www2.hf.uio.no/common/apps/permlink/permlink.php?app=polyglotta&context=record&uid=24a0218d-9200-11ee-937a-005056a97067
