Ishe Tvorje Tva Explained - Part 1

We will look at the very first mantra of Krishna Yajurveda Taittiriya Samhita:
इ॒षे त्वो॒र्जे त्वा॑ वा॒यवः॑ स्थोपा॒यव॑स्थ

In the Vedic tradition, the householder has to perform various religious duties in his life. The most important of these are yajnas. For this, he maintains two unextinguished Agnis at his home.

The first is called Smartagni or Ekagni (Single Agni). All duties prescribed by the smritis are performed in this Smartagni. The eligibility for performing these rites is acquired at the time of marriage. This Agni is also called Aupasanagni, which is generated for the first time at the time of marriage and maintained throughout life, unextinguished. The morning and evening aupasana homa is performed in this Agni.

There are some more rites performed with Aupasanagni: Vaishvadeva, Parvana, Ashtaka, Masi Sraadha, Sarpa Bali, and Ishana Bali. These seven are collectively called Paka Yajnas.

The second Agni is called Shrautagni or Tretagni (threefold Agni – Garhapatya, Ahavaniya, and Dakshinagni). It is a set of three Agnis, ignited in three separate homa kundas. This is generated through a procedure called Agnyadheyam at a prescribed time. All the rites prescribed in the Vedic corpus of Shrutis are performed in this Agni. They consist primarily of seven haviryajnas and seven Somayajnas, with some minor variations depending on the Shrauta Sutra followed.

Out of these, the morning and evening homa are called Agnihotra. The other haviryajnas are Darsapurnamaseshti, Agrayana, Pinda Pitruyajna, Chaturmasyani, Nirudha Pasubandha, and Sautramani. The Soma yajnas are Agnishtoma, Atyagnishtoma, Ukthya, Shodashi, Vajapeya, Atiratra, and Aptoryama.

The first prasna of the first kanda of the Taittiriya Samhita of Krishna Yajurveda deals with the mantras and procedures involved in the performance of Darsapurnamaseshti:
इ॒षे त्वो॒र्जे त्वा॑ वा॒यवः॑ स्थोपा॒यव॑स्थ
इ॒षे । त्वा॒ । ऊ॒र्जे । त्वा॒ । वा॒यवः॑ । स्थ॒ । उ॒पा॒यव॒ इत्यु॑प – आ॒यवः॑ । स्थ॒ ।

Among the shrauta yajnas performed on Tretagni, the morning and evening agnihotras are performed by the yajamana alone. Next comes Darshapurnamaseshti – the fortnightly yajnas. These are more elaborate: Darseshti is performed in connection with Amavasya, and Purnamaseshti is performed in connection with Purnima. In addition to the yajamana, more priests are required for performing these.

Yajurveda, as you know, comprises mantras and instructions for carrying out yajnas. This first mantra:
इ॒षे त्वो॒र्जे त्वा॑ वा॒यवः॑ स्थोपा॒यव॑स्थ
is employed for Vatsapakaranam.

What is Vatsapakaranam? There are three main offerings in Darsha yaga – eight pots of purodasha meant for Agni, curd for Indra, and milk for Indra.

तत्र प्रतिपद्दिने दधि होतुं दधि संपादनीयं, तदर्थम् अमावास्यायां रात्रौ गावो दोग्धव्याः ।
Darsha yaga is performed on the pratipada of Shukla Paksha. To offer the oblation of curd to Indra, it should be prepared, and for this purpose, the cows are milked in the night of Amavasya.

तद्दोहार्थं प्रातः काले लौकिकदोहादूर्ध्वं स्वमातृभिः सह चरन्तो वत्सा मातृभ्योऽपाकरणीयाः तदिदं वत्सापाकरणं यथोक्तरीत्या तस्य प्राथम्यं च ।
If the calves are allowed to roam around with their mothers during the day, they would drink away the entire milk, leaving nothing for the evening. Hence, after the regular milking in the morning, the calves should be separated from their mothers. This ceremonial driving away of the calves is called वत्सापाकरणम्.

This driving away of the calves should be performed with a freshly cut branch of a Palasha tree. This is what you have to see; every minor thing in the yajna is precisely planned and executed. Every step has to be divine. You cannot just casually drive the calves away.

It is done with a branch of a Palasha tree. Some minor variations could be there in the procedure. Boudhayanacharya is of the opinion that the branch is cut with the utterance of 'इषे त्वो॒र्जे त्वा', while Apastamba gives two opinions here: 'इषे त्वा' is used for cutting, and 'ऊर्जे त्वा' for straightening and cleaning the cut branch of dust.

The branch should be growing either towards the east or north. It should be sanctified with the mantra 'इषे त्वो॒र्जे त्वा'. The branch should be enriched by the properties indicated by the mantra.

Knowledge Bank

Meaning of Veda

The meaning of Veda should be understood as all the intelligent and divine processes that led to the creation of the universe, the establishment of order from chaos, and the emergence and sustenance of all life forms.

Ajivikas the fatalists

The Ajivikas were an ancient Indian philosophical school founded by Gosala Maskariputra, a contemporary of the Buddha. They were strict fatalists, believing that everything in life was predetermined by destiny (niyati), leaving no room for free will. According to their philosophy, religious practices or efforts could not influence future lives, as all actions were already preordained. They likened the cycle of reincarnation (samsara) to a ball of string that unrolls until its end. The Ajivikas lived an ascetic lifestyle, often shunning clothing, as they believed this was their destined path. Though influential in southern India for many centuries, the school eventually disappeared by the 14th century.