य एतं मन्त्रराजमानुष्टुभं नित्यमधीते सोऽग्निष्टोमेन यजते स उक्थ्येन यजते स षोडशिना यजते स वाजपेयेन यजते सोऽतिरात्रेण यजते सोऽप्तोर्यामेण यजते सोऽश्वमेधेन यजते स सर्वैः क्रतुभिर्यजते स सर्वैः क्रतुभिर्यजते
ya etaṃ mantrarājamānuṣṭubhaṃ nityamadhīte so'gniṣṭomena yajate sa ukthyena yajate sa ṣoḍaśinā yajate sa vājapeyena yajate so'tirātreṇa yajate so'ptoryāmeṇa yajate so'śvamedhena yajate sa sarvaiḥ kratubhiryajate sa sarvaiḥ kratubhiryajate
Who constantly repeats this anuṣṭubh king of mantras, he as it were sacrifices with the agniṣṭoma, sacrifices with the ukthya, with the ṣoḍaśin, with the vājapeya, with the atirātra, with the aptoryāma, with the aśvamedha, sacrifices with all the rites, sacrifices with all the rites.
6c81033b36ad · published Jul 29, 2026, 4:39:50 AM UTC
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The sixth fruit: the sacrifices, and they are named by name.
Agniṣṭoma, ukthya, ṣoḍaśin, vājapeya, atirātra, aptoryāma — these are the six forms of the soma sacrifice of which the whole solemn śrauta rite is composed. And seventh is named the aśvamedha, the horse sacrifice, open only to a conquering king.
The list is deliberately full and deliberately costly. Each of these rites required many priests, many days and great property; the aśvamedha — a year of preparation and an army.
And it is said that all this is credited to the repeater.
Here is the point, and it should be said plainly.
These sacrifices were open to few — to those who have cattle, land and priests. The mantra is open to anyone who has a voice.
So this reckoning is not boasting but substitution: what before was bought with property is now given for diligence.
We read the same measure in the twenty-fourth mantra of the Kaivalya and at the end of the Atharvaśiras, where it is said “by him all sacrifices are performed”.