The Satapatha- Brahmana - Part - III Books 5, 6 and 7 -Seventh kanda - 4th and 5th Adhyaya

The Satapatha Brahmana

 

translated by Julius Eggeling

THE SATAPATHA-BRÂHMANA

ACCORDING TO THE TEXT OF THE MÂDHYANDINA SCHOOL

Translated by

Julius Eggeling

 

Seventh Kanda

THE BUILDING OF THE ALTAR.

THE FIRST LAYER.

FOURTH ADHYÂYA. FIRST BRÂHMANA.

7:4:1:11. Being about to build Agni (the fire-altar), he takes him up into his own self; for from out of his own self he causes him to be born, and wherefrom one is born, suchlike he becomes. Now were he to build up Agni without taking him up into his own self, he would beget man from man, mortal from mortal, one not freed from sin from one not freed from sin; but when he builds up Agni after taking him up into his own self, he causes Agni to be born from Agni, the immortal from the immortal, the sinless from the sinless.
7:4:1:22. He takes him in (by muttering, Vâg. S. X III, 1), 'Within me I first take Agni,' he thereby first takes Agni into his own self;--'for increase of wealth, for healthy progeny, for vigorous manhood!' and hereby he takes all blessings to himself;--'and may the deities stand by me!' and hereby he takes all the gods to himself; and thus he takes into his own self all that he is about to generate from his own self. Having taken Agni
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into his own self whilst standing, he builds him up sitting;--Agni is an animal: hence the animal, having received the foetus standing, gives birth after lying down.
7:4:1:33. He now sings the Satya Sâman 1 (true hymn). For the gods then said, 'Let us make the truth (satya) his mouth (or beginning): thus we shall become the truth, truth will turn unto us, and true will become that wish of ours for which we are about to perform this rite!'
7:4:1:44. They sang that 'true hymn' at the outset, and thus made the truth his (Agni's) mouth; and they became the truth; the truth turned unto them, and true became that wish of theirs for which they performed this rite.
7:4:1:55. And in like manner when the Sacrificer now, at the outset, sings the 'true hymn,' he thereby makes the truth his (Agni's) mouth; and he (himself) becomes the truth; and truth turns unto him; and true becomes that wish of his for which he performs this rite.
7:4:1:66. Now that truth is the same as the waters, for the waters are the truth. Hence they say, 'Whereby 2 the waters flow, that is a form of the truth.' It is the waters indeed that were made first of this universe: hence when the waters (rains) flow, then everything whatsoever exists is produced here.
7:4:1:77. He then puts down a lotus-leaf (in the centre of
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the altar-site);--the lotus-leaf is a womb: he hereby puts a womb to it (for Agni to be born from).
7:4:1:88. And, again, why he puts down a lotus-leaf;--the lotus means the waters, and this earth is a leaf thereof: even as the lotus-leaf here lies spread on the water, so this earth lies spread on the waters. Now this same earth is Agni's womb, for Agni (the fire-altar) is this earth, since thereof the whole Agni is built up: it is this earth he thus lays down. He lays it down so as not to be separated from the truth: he thereby establishes this earth on the truth;--hence this earth is established on the truth; and hence the truth is this earth, for this earth is the most certain of these worlds.
7:4:1:99. [He lays it down, with Vâg. S. XIII, 2] 'The waters’ back thou art, the womb of Agni,' for this earth is indeed the back of the waters, and the womb of Agni;--'around the swelling ocean,' for the ocean indeed swells around this earth;--'growing great on the lotus,' that is, 'growing, flourish thou on the lotus;'--'spread out with the extent, with the breadth, of the sky!' with this he strokes along (the leaf),--for this Agni is yonder sun, and no other extent but that of the sky is able to contain him: he thus says (to the leaf), Having become the sky, contain him! He lays it down with a Svarâg verse, for self-rule (svârâgya) belongs to the waters. Having 'settled' it, he pronounces the Sûdadohas 1 upon it: the significance of this has been explained.
7:4:1:1010. He then puts the gold plate 2 thereon. Now
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this gold plate is yonder sun, for he shines over all the creatures here on earth; and 'rokas' (shine) they mystically call 'rukma' (gold plate), for the gods love the mystic: he thus lays down yonder sun (on the altar). It is golden, and round, with one and twenty knobs,--the significance of this has been explained. He puts it down with the knobs pointing downward; for the knobs are his (the sun's) rays, and his rays (shine) downwards.
7:4:1:1111. He puts it down on the lotus-leaf;--the lotus-leaf is a womb: in the womb he thus places him (Agni).
7:4:1:1212. And, again, why he puts it on the lotus-leaf;--the lotus-leaf is a foundation, for the lotus-leaf is this earth, and this earth is the foundation: he who is not settled on this earth, is unsettled even as one who is far away. Now by means of his rays that (sun) is settled on this earth: he thus settles him (Agni) on this earth, as his foundation.
7:4:1:1313. And, again, why he puts it on the lotus-leaf. When Indra had smitten Vritra, he, thinking that he had not laid him low, entered the waters. He said to them, 'I am afraid: make ye a stronghold for me!' Now what essence of the waters there was that they gathered upwards (on the surface), and made it a stronghold for him; and because they made (kar) a stronghold (pûh) for him, therefore it is 'pûshkara;' 'pûshkara' being what is mystically called 'push-kara' (lotus-leaf), for the gods love the mystic. Now when he puts it (the gold plate) on the lotus-leaf, he then establishes him (Agni) in that essence which the waters gathered together for him (Indra), and in that stronghold which they made for him.
7:4:1:1414. [He puts it down, with Vâg. S. XIII, 3]
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[paragraph continues] 'The Brahman first born in front;' the Brahman doubtless is yonder sun, and he is born day by day in front (in the east);--'from the summit 1 he, the longing, overspread the shining,' the summit doubtless is the middle, the shining ones are these worlds, and the longing one is yonder sun,--he is the longing one inasmuch as he longed to be born; and in rising he overspreads 2 these (worlds) from the summit, from the middle;--'he (overspread) the nighest extents of the deep,' his nighest extents of the deep doubtless are the regions, for he (the sun) does extend nigh to them;--'the womb of the existent and of the non-existent did he overspread!' the womb of the existent and of the non-existent doubtless are these worlds; for both what exists and what does not exist is born from these worlds. He puts it on with a trishtubh verse, for yonder (sun) is related to the Trishtubh 3. Having 'settled' it, he pronounces the Sûdadohas 4 verse upon it: the significance of this has been explained.
7:4:1:1515. He then lays the (gold) man thereon,--he is Pragâpati, he is Agni, he is the Sacrificer. He is made of gold, for gold is light, and fire is light; gold is immortality, and fire is immortality. It is a man (purusha), for Pragâpati is the Man.
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7:4:1:1616. And, again, why he lays down the man. When Pragâpati was relaxed, his pleasing form went out from within; when it had gone out of him, the gods left him. When the gods restored him, they put that pleasing form into him, and the gods were pleased with that (form) of his; and inasmuch as the gods were pleased (ram) with that pleasing (ramya) form of his, it is called 'hiramya;' 'hiramya' being what is mystically called 'hiranya' (gold), for the gods love the mystic. And in like manner does this (Sacrificer) now put that pleasing form into him (Agni), and the gods are pleased with that (form) of his. But that pleasing form of his is the vital air: it is that vital air he thus puts into him.
7:4:1:1717. He lays him on the gold plate, for the gold plate is yonder sun: that same man who is in that (sun's) disk, it is him he now lays down (on the altar).
7:4:1:1818. He lays him down on his back 1;--for the gods at that time said, 'If we lay down these two 2 both looking hitherwards, they will burn up everything here; and if (we lay) both so as to be turned away from here, they will give warmth only in the opposite direction; and if facing each other, then there will be light only between those two, and they will injure each other.' They laid down the one so as to look hitherwards, and the other so as to look away from here: that one (the sun), the gold disk, looking downwards, gives warmth by his rays, and
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that man (tends) upward by his vital airs 1. He lays him down (with the head) towards the east, for (with the head) towards the east this Agni (the fire-altar) is built up.
7:4:1:1919. [He lays him down, with Vâg. S. XIII, 4; Rik S. X, 121, 1] 'Hiranyagarbha came first into existence,' for that golden child did come first into existence;--'born he was the one lord of being;' for he indeed was born as the one lord of all this being;--'he upholdeth this earth and the sky,' for he (the sun) does uphold both the sky and the earth;--'to the god Ka let us do homage by offering!' Ka (Who?) is Pragâpati: thus, 'let us do homage to Him by offering!'
7:4:1:2020. [Vâg. S. XIII, 5; Rik S. X, 17, 11] 'The drop leaped along the earth and sky;' the drop is yonder sun, and he leaps both to the sky and to the earth--thus (in rising) to that (sky), and thus (in setting) to this (earth);--'along this seat, and that which was afore;' that is, to this world, and to that one; or this (Âhavanîya altar) which is now being built, and that (Gârhapatya altar) which yonder was built before;--'(the drop) moving along the common seat;' for he (the sun) moves along that common seat;--'the drop I offer along the seven hotrâs;' the drop is yonder sun; and the seven hotrâs are the regions: he thus establishes yonder sun in the regions.
7:4:1:2121. With two (verses) he lays him down;--two-footed is the Sacrificer, and the Sacrificer is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus lays him down;--with two trishtubh
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verses, for he (the sun) is related to the Trishtubh. Having 'settled' him, he pronounces the Sûdadohas on him: the significance of this has been explained.
7:4:1:2222. He then sings a Sâman. For the gods, having laid down that man, then saw him (looking) even suchlike as yonder dry plank.
7:4:1:2323. They said, 'Think ye upon this, how we may put vigour into this man!' They said, 'Meditate ye (ketay)!' whereby, doubtless, they meant to say, 'Seek ye to build up (kitim ish)! seek ye how we shall put vigour into this man!'
7:4:1:2424. Whilst meditating, they saw this Sâman, and sang it, and thereby put vigour into him; and in like manner does this (Sacrificer) thereby put it into him: he sings on the man, he puts vigour into the man;--he sings on the bright one 1, for Agni is all bright things. After he has laid him down, let him not walk round him in front, lest that Agni should injure him.
7:4:1:2525. He (the Sacrificer) then stands by (the gold man) worshipping him with the Sarpanâma (serpent-named) formulas. The serpents doubtless are these worlds, for these glide along (sarp) with everything here whatsoever there is; and Agni is no other than the self (body) of all the gods. They, the gods, having laid down (on the altar) that self of theirs, were afraid lest these worlds should glide away with that self of theirs.
7:4:1:2626. They saw those Sarpanâma and worshipped with them; by these (verses) they stopped these worlds for him, and caused them to bend themselves; and because they caused them to bend (nam) themselves,
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therefore (the formulas are called) Sarpanâma. And in like manner does the Sacrificer, when he stands by worshipping with the Sarpanâma formulas, stop these worlds for him, and cause these worlds to bend themselves; and so they do not glide away with that self of his.
7:4:1:2727. And, again, why he stands by worshipping with the Sarpanâma formulas;--the serpents are these worlds, for whatever creeps (sarp), creeps in these worlds. Now when he worships with the Sarpanâma formulas--whatever fiend there is in these worlds, whatever devourer, whatever ogress,--all that he thereby appeases.
7:4:1:2828. [Vâg. S. XIII, 6-8] 'Homage be to the serpents, whichever are on earth, and they that are in the air, and they that are in the sky, to those serpents be homage!' whatever serpents there are in these three worlds to them he thereby does homage.
7:4:1:2929. 'They that are the darts of demons,' for some (of the serpents), sent by demons, bite;--'and those on the trees, and those which lie in holes, to those serpents be homage!' he thereby does homage to the serpents that lie both in trees, and in holes.
7:4:1:3030. 'Or those that are in the luminous sphere of the sky; or those in the rays of the sun; those by which abode is made in the waters, to those serpents be homage!' he hereby does homage to them wheresoever they are. He does so by 'homage, homage,' for homage is sacrifice (worship): by sacrifice, by homage, he thus worships them. Let him therefore not say 'homage be to thee,' to one not worthy of sacrifice, for it
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would be just as if he said 'sacrifice (or, worship) be to thee!'
7:4:1:3131. With three (formulas) he worships,--three are these worlds, and threefold, also, is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus stops these worlds (from moving); and by so much does he appease everything here. Standing he worships, for these worlds stand, as it were; and besides, while standing one is stronger.
7:4:1:3232. Thereupon, having sat down he offers on (the gold man) with fivefold-taken ghee,--the significance of this has been explained. On each side (of the fire he offers), moving round: he thus gratifies him (Agni) with food from all quarters.
7:4:1:3333. And, again, why he offers thereon. The gods, having laid down that body of theirs, now were afraid lest the Rakshas, the fiends, should smite that (body) of theirs. They saw those Rakshas-killing counter-charms 1,--(Vâg. S. XIII, 9-13; Rik S. IV, 4, I-5),
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[paragraph continues] 'Put forth thy power, like a broad army!' slayers of Rakshas are the counter-charms: having, by means of these counter-charms, repelled the Rakshas, the fiends, in every quarter, they (the gods) restored that body in a place free from danger and devilry; and in like manner this Sacrificer, having, by means of these counter-charms, repelled the Rakshas, the fiends, in every quarter, now restores that body (of Agni) in a place free from danger and devilry.
7:4:1:3434. He offers with ghee; for the ghee is a thunderbolt: by the thunderbolt he thus repels the Rakshas, the fiends;--with fivefold-taken (ghee),--of five layers consists the fire-altar; five seasons are a year, and the year is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus repels the Rakshas, the fiends;--with (five) verses addressed to Agni, for the Rakshas-killing light is Agni: by Agni he thus repels the Rakshas, the fiends;--with trishtubh verses,--the Trishtubh is a thunderbolt: by the thunderbolt he thus repels the Rakshas, the fiends. On each side (he offers) moving round: in every quarter he thus repels the Rakshas, the fiends.
7:4:1:3535. Behind the altar (he offers) while seated with his face towards the east; then on the left (north) side (looking) to the south; then in front (looking) to the west; then going round behind, (he offers) on the right (south) side while sitting with his face towards the north. Thus (he moves) to the right, for
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that (leads) to the gods. Thereupon, going back, (he offers) while sitting behind, with his face towards the east; and in this way that performance of his takes place towards the east 1.
7:4:1:3636. He then lays down two offering-spoons,--the offering-spoons are arms 2: it is his arms he thus restores to him (Agni). And as to why offering-spoons (are laid down), it is because the arms are offering-spoons,--that bowl and the handle are two, for there are two of these arms. He lays them down at the (left and right) sides, for these arms (of ours) are at the sides.
7:4:1:3737. On the right (south) side he lays down one of kârshmarya (gmelina arborea) wood. For at that time the gods were afraid lest the Rakshas, the fiends, should destroy their sacrifice from the south. They saw that Rakshas-killing tree, the Kârshmarya: having by that tree repelled the Rakshas, the fiends, on the south, they spread that sacrifice in a place free from danger and devilry. And in like manner the Sacrificer, having by that tree repelled the Rakshas, the fiends, on the south, now spreads that sacrifice in a place free from danger and devilry. It (the spoon) is filled with ghee;--the ghee is a thunderbolt: it is by the thunderbolt he thus repels the Rakshas, the fiends, on the south.
7:4:1:3838. On the left (north) side he then lays down one of udumbara (ficus glomerata) wood; for the Udumbara means strength, life-sap: strength, life-sap he thus puts into him. It is filled with sour
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curds,--sour curds are life-sap: it is life-sap he thus puts into him.
7:4:1:3939. And, again, why he lays down two offering-spoons. When Pragâpati was relaxed, Agni took his (Pragâpati's) fiery spirit, and carried it off to the south, and there stopped; and because after carrying (karsh) it off he stopped (ud-ram), therefore the Kârshmarya (sprang up). And Indra took his (Pragâpati's) vigour and went away to the north: it became the Udumbara tree.
7:4:1:4040. He (Pragâpati) said to those two, 'Come ye to me, and put back into me that (substance) of mine wherewith ye have gone off!'--'Well then, bestow thou all food here on us two!' they said.--'Well then, join me, becoming these two arms of mine!'--'So be it!' He bestowed all food on them, and they joined him, becoming those two arms of his: hence it is by the arms that food is made, and by means of the arms that it is eaten, for he (Pragâpati) bestowed all food on the two arms.
7:4:1:4141. The kârshmarya one he lays down on the right side, with (Vâg. S. XIII, 13), 'By Agni's fiery spirit I settle thee!'--that fiery spirit of his (Pragâpati's) which Agni then took and carried off to the south, he now puts back into him.--'Agni, the head, the summit of the sky, he, the lord of the earth, animates the seeds of the waters,' for Agni indeed is this (spoon). With a Gâyatrî verse (he performs),--Agni is Gâyatra: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus lays down that (spoon). It is filled with ghee, for ghee belongs to Agni: with his own share, with his own life-sap he thus gratifies him.
7:4:1:4242. He then lays down the udumbara one on the
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left (north) side, with (Vâg. S. XIII, 14), 'By Indra's vigour I settle thee!' that vigour of his (Pragâpati's) which Indra then took and went away to the north, he now puts back into him.--(Vâg. S. XIII, 15; Rik S. X, 8, 6), 'Thou hast become the leader of the sacrifice, and of the sphere to which thou tendest with propitious teams; the light-giving head hast thou lifted to the sky; thy tongue, O Agni, hast thou made the bearer of the offering;'--Indra indeed is this (spoon). And as to its being a verse addressed to Agni, it is because it is the performance of Agni (the fire-altar);--and a trishtubh one, because Indra is connected with the Trishtubh; and Agni includes Indra and Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus lays it down. Moreover, all the gods are Indra and Agni, and Agni belongs to all the deities: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus lays it down. It is filled with sour curds, for sour curds belong to Indra: with his own share, with his own life-sap he thus gratifies him.
7:4:1:4343. Indra and Agni indeed are those two arms of his (Pragâpati's): they join him with fiery spirit and vigour. Where he (the Sacrificer) touches (the ground with his arms), whilst viewing intently the gold man with his breast close to him 1, there he
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[paragraph continues] (the Adhvaryu) makes a mark and lays down those (spoons); for that is the place of those two (arms).
7:4:1:4444. Now some lay them down sideways (from south to north), saying, 'Sideways run these two arms (of ours).' Let him not do so, but let him lay them with the bowl towards the front (east), for this Agni (altar) is built with the head towards the front; and, besides, in this way the arms are stronger. Separately he lays them down, separately he 'settles' them, and separately he pronounces the Sûdadohas verse on them; for separate are these two arms.
7:4:1:4545. As to this they say, 'Let him make no arms to this (gold) man 1, lest he should cause him to be redundant; for these two spoons are (in lieu of) his arms.' Let him nevertheless make (him with arms), for those two spoons are (merely) after the manner of the two arms. Moreover, those two (arms of Agni) are wings; and whatever forms, whatever stomas, whatever prishthas, whatever metres he will be applying to that fire-altar, that will be the perfection, that will be the growth of those two: let him therefore make arms to that (gold) man.

Footnotes

363:1 Probably Sâma-v. S. I, 99 (Rik S. I, 69, 4), 'O Agni, lord of bovine food, child of strength, grant unto us, O knower of beings, great glory!' See Weber, Ind. Stud. XII, p. 148, note 2.
363:2 ? Or, in that (or because, yena) the waters flow,--that is to say, the flowing of the waters (rain, &c.) is a manifestation of eternal truth.
364:1 See p. 301, note 3.
364:2 Viz., the one the Sacrificer wore round his neck during the initiation period. See VI, 7, 1, 1 seq.
366:1 'Sîmatah' would rather seem to mean 'from the boundary line,' but the author here takes 'sîman' in the sense of (sîmanta) 'hair-line, parting of the hair, crown of the head (Scheitel).'
366:2 In the Sanskrit participial (or gerundial) construction, the relation between the primary and secondary notions is usually the reverse of ours,--thus 'he rises in overspreading.'
366:3 It is usually with Indra that the Trishtubh metre is connected--see part i, introduction, p. xviii; Sat. Br. IX, 4, 3, 7 (cf. VIII, 5, 1, 10)--the Trishtubh being also the emblem of the nobility (III, 4, 1, 10).
366:4 See p. 301, note 3.
367:1 Professor Weber, Ind. Stud. XIII, p. 249, takes 'uttânam' in the sense of 'standing erect,' with his face towards the east; but this surely must be a mistake.
367:2 Viz. both the gold plate (the sun), which was laid down with the embossed or front side downwards, and the gold man.
368:1 Cf. VI, 7, 1, 11, where it is said that the immortal part of the vital air of man streams out by upward breathings. Cf. p. 359, n. 1.
369:1 That is, he sings the Kitra-sâman, Sâma-v. I, 169 (Vâg. S. XXVII, 39), 'With what favour will the bright one, the ever-growing friend, be with us; with what mightiest host?'
371:1 See p. 53, note 2. In the present instance, the sacrificial formulas themselves constitute these charms. The five verses, only the first pâda of the first of which is given in the text, are as follows:--
1. Put forth thy power as (if it were) a broad host (or, net); go forth, like a mighty king with his following, following up the swift host! An archer thou art: pierce the Rakshas with thy fieriest (darts).
2. Swiftly fly thy whirling (darts): fiercely burning attack thou boldly! Unfettered, O Agni, with thy tongue pour forth on all sides winged flames and firebrands.
3. Thou, the most rapid, send forth thy spies: be thou an undaunted protector to this people (from him) who planneth evil against us from afar or from near by; O Agni, let none dare to attack us without thy cognizance.
4. Rise, O Agni, spread thyself out, and burn down the foes, O sharp-darted: whosoever hath done us injury, burn him down, O flaming one, like dry brushwood. p. 372
5. Stand up, O Agni; strike out for our sake, and manifest thy divine powers! unstring the strong (arrows, or bows) of the goblins: crush the enemies, be they kindred or strangers!
373:1 The order in which he offers would thus be,--west, north, east, (then going back along the north and west sides) south, west.
373:2 They are indeed of an arm's length, with bowls of the shape and size of the hand, see part i, p. 67, note 2.
375:1 There seems to be considerable difference of opinion between Kâtyâyana and Sâyana regarding this point of the ceremonial. The gold man lies stretched out on his back with his head towards the east. According to Kâtyâyana, XVII, 4, 10, he (the Sacrificer) is to lie down so as to cover the gold man, but without actually touching him with his breast, and at the extreme end of where the arms touch (the ground) he is to make two marks, where the spoons are then to be laid down with the bowl towards the east. Sâyana, p. 376 on the other hand, explains--'Let the Adhvaryu lay down the two spoons close to the breast of the laid-down gold man. Having beheld (i.e. recognised)--or, whilst beholding (?)--that man, where-ever the laid-down pair of spoons reaches his breast there, having made a mark, let him lay down the two spoons: that part of the breast doubtless is the place of those two (spoons, or gods?) extolled as the arms.' Perhaps the text of this comment is somewhat corrupt. The ceremony is apparently intended to symbolise the identification of the Sacrificer with the sacrificial man, or the sacrifice itself: The Sacrificer lies down so as to rest on his forearms; the spoons being afterwards laid down on the marks left by the fore-arms (and naturally running in an easterly direction).--For Professor Weber's view, see p. 367, note 1.
376:1 That is to say, Let it be a gold statuette without arms.

SECOND BRÂHMANA.

7:4:2:11. He puts a Svayam-âtrinnâ (naturally-perforated brick) on (the gold man);--the (first) naturally-perforated one being this earth, he thus puts this earth thereon. He puts it on so as not to be separate from the man; for the naturally-perforated one means food, and the naturally-perforated one means this earth, and this earth is food, since it is on her that all food ripens: he thus places food close to him (the man, Agni). Upon (the man he puts it): he thus places the food upon him 1.
7:4:2:22. And, again, why he puts on a naturally-perforated one;--the naturally-perforated (brick) is the breath (or vital air), for the breath thus bores itself (svayam âtrintte) through the body: it is breath he thus bestows on it. He puts it so as not to be separate from the man; for the naturally-perforated one is the breath, and the naturally-perforated one is this earth, and this earth is the breath, since this earth bears everything that breathes: he thus puts the breath so as not to be separate from him. Upon (the man he places the brick): he thus puts the breath upon him 1.
7:4:2:33. And, again, why he puts thereon the naturally-perforated one. The deities, taking up the disjointed Pragâpati, separated; and, having obtained a resting-place in them, thus separated, he settled down.
7:4:2:44. Now that Pragâpati who became disjointed is this very Agni (fire-altar) that is now being built up; and that resting-place (or, foundation) is this first
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naturally-perforated (brick);--thus when he now puts it on, he thereby puts upon this (altar-site) that (foundation 1) which there was for his body: that is why he now puts it on.
7:4:2:55. He puts it on by means of Pragâpati, for Pragâpati thereby took back to himself (that foundation) of his body. [Vâg. S. XIII, 16] 'Steady thou art,' that is, 'Firm thou art, or established thou art;'--'supporting,' for that which supports is a foundation;--'laid down by Visvakarman;' Visvakarman is Pragâpati, thus, 'laid down by that one;'--'May the ocean, may the bird not injure thee!' the ocean doubtless is the gold plate, and the bird is the man: thus, 'May those two not injure thee!'--'Not shaking, steady thou the earth!' as the text, so the meaning.
7:4:2:66. [Vâg. S. XIII, 17] 'May Pragâpati settle thee'--for Pragâpati saw this first layer 2;--'on the back of the waters, on the way of the ocean,' the back of the waters doubtless is this earth, and the way of the ocean is this earth;--'thee, the wide, the broad one!' for this earth is both wide and broad;--'broaden thou: thou art the broad one!' that is, 'broaden thou, and thou art the broad (earth, prithivî).'
7:4:2:77. [Vâg. S. XIII, 18] 'Thou art the earth (bhû),' for this is the earth;--'thou art the ground (bhûmi),' for this is the ground;--'Thou art Aditi,'--Aditi is this earth, for this earth gives (dad)
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everything here;--'the all-containing,' for on this earth everything is contained;--'supporter of all the world,' that is, supporter of the whole world;--'sustain the earth, steady the earth, injure not the earth!' that is, sustain thyself, steady thyself, injure, not thyself!
7:4:2:88. [Vâg. S. XIII, 19] 'For all breathing, out-breathing, through-breathing, and up-breathing;' for the naturally-perforated (brick) is the breath, and the breath serves for all that;--'for a resting-place, for a moving-place;' the naturally-perforated (bricks) are these worlds 1, and these worlds are the resting-place, the moving-place;--'May Agni guard thee'--that is, may Agni protect thee!--'with mighty well-being!' that is, with great well-being;--'with the safest roof,' that is, with whatever roof (abode) is the safest. Having 'settled' it 2, he pronounces the Sûdadohas 3 on it: the meaning of this has been explained. He then sings a Sâman: the meaning of this (will be explained) further on.
7:4:2:99. Here now they say, 'How is it that that (gold) man is not held (weighed) down by the naturally-perforated (brick) 4?' Well, the naturally-perforated (brick) is food and breath; and man is not held down either by food or by his breath.
7:4:2:1010. He then lays the Darya-brick 5 thereon;--the Dûrvâ-brick being cattle; it is with cattle he
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thus endows it: these are the same cattle together with which Agni on that former occasion approached 1; it is them he now puts thereon. He lays it down immediately on the naturally-perforated (brick); the naturally-perforated (brick) being this earth, he thus places the cattle immediately on this earth. Upon (the brick he places it): upon this earth he thereby places cattle.
7:4:2:1111. And, again, why he lays down the Dûrvâ-brick. The hair of Pragâpati which were lying on the ground when he was disjointed became these herbs. The vital air then went out from within him, and, that having gone out, he fell down.
7:4:2:1212. He said, 'Verily, this (vital air) has undone me!' and because he said, 'it has undone (dhûrv) me,' hence (the name) 'dhûrvâ;' 'dhûrvâ' doubtless being what is mystically called 'dûrvâ,' for the gods love the mystic. That (dûrvâ grass) is the ruling power (Kshatra), for it is this vital sap, the breath; and the other plants are the hair: in laying down that (dûrvâ plant) he lays down all (kinds of) plants.
7:4:2:1313. When the gods restored him, they put that life-sap, the breath, inside him; and in like manner does this (Sacrificer) now put it into him. He lays it down immediately on the naturally-perforated (brick); the naturally-perforated one being this earth, he thus places the plants immediately on this earth. Upon (the brick he lays it): upon this earth he thus places the plants. It should be with root and top, for completeness' sake. Let him lay it on in such manner that while lying on the naturally-perforated (brick) it touches the ground (with its
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tops) 1, for on this earth those (plants) spring up, and along her they grow.
7:4:2:1414. He lays it on, with (Vâg. S. XIII, 20-21), 'Growing up joint by joint, knot by knot;' for joint by joint, and knot by knot that (grass) does grow up;--'so do thou prolong us, O Dûrvâ (plant), by a thousand, and a hundred (descendants)!' as the text, so its meaning.
7:4:2:1515. 'Thou that spreadest by a hundred, and branchest out by a thousand (shoots);' for by a hundred (shoots) it spreads, and by a thousand it branches out;--'to thee, O divine brick, we will do homage by offering;' as the text, so the meaning. With two (verses) he puts it on: the meaning of this has been explained. Having 'settled' it, he pronounces the Sûdadohas upon it: the meaning of this has been explained.
7:4:2:1616. He then puts down a Dviyagus 2 (brick). Indra and Agni desired, 'May we go to the heavenly world!' They saw that dviyagus brick, even this earth, and laid it down; and having laid it down, they went to the heavenly world from that foundation. In like manner when this Sacrificer lays down a dviyagus (brick), (he does so) thinking, 'I want to go to the heavenly world by the same means (rûpa), by performing the same rite by which Indra and Agni went to the heavenly world!' And as to its being called 'dviyagus,' it is because two deities saw it. And as to why he lays down a dviyagus one: the dviyagus doubtless is the Sacrificer.
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7:4:2:1717. Here now they say, 'If (the dviyagus) is that same Sacrificer who is that gold man, which then is that (real) form of his?' Well, that (gold man) is his divine body, and this (brick) is his human one. As to that gold man, that is his immortal form, his divine form; gold being immortal. And as to this (brick) being made of clay, it is because this is his human form.
7:4:2:1818. Now were he only to lay down that (golden man), and not to let this dviyagus (brick) remain 1, the Sacrificer surely would quickly pass away from this world; but now that he allows this (brick) to remain, he thereby leaves to him this human form of his; and so he attains with this body the full (measure of) life.
7:4:2:1919. And were he not to put it on after (the gold man), he assuredly would not afterwards find out that divine body 2; but now that he puts it on thereafter, he does so afterwards find out that divine body. He lays it down close to the dûrvâ-brick the dûrvâ-brick being cattle, he thus establishes the Sacrificer in (the possession of) cattle.
7:4:2:2020. Here now they say, 'How do those two bodies of his come to be connected together by the breath, and not severed?' Well, the naturally-perforated (brick) is the breath, and the dûrvâ-brick is the breath, and the dviyagus (-brick) is the Sacrificer:
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and inasmuch as he lays down the dûrvâ-brick close to the naturally-perforated one, he thereby connects and joins breath with breath; and inasmuch as he lays down the dviyagus one close to the dûrvâ-brick--the dûrvâ-brick being the breath, and the dviyagus the Sacrificer--those two bodies of his (the human one and the divine one) thus become connected together by the breath, and not severed.
7:4:2:2121. [He lays down the dviyagus brick, with Vâg. S. XIII, 22, 23] 'O Agni, what lights of thine in the sun overspread the sky by their beams, with all those help us to light and to people!--O ye gods, what lights of yours are in the sun, and what lights are in kine and horses, O Indra and Agni, with all those bestow light upon us, O Brihaspati!' for 'light' he prays each time: light being immortality, it is immortality he thus bestows on him (Agni, and the Sacrificer). With two (verses) he lays it down: the significance of this has been explained. And, moreover, it is because that material form (of the brick) is a twofold one, (consisting as it does of) clay and water. Having 'settled' it, he pronounces the Sûdadohas upon it: the significance of this has been explained.
7:4:2:2222. He then lays down two Retahsik (seed-shedding bricks);--the seed-shedders doubtless are these two worlds, for these two worlds do shed seed;--this (terrestrial world) sheds seed upwards from here (in the form of) smoke; it becomes rain in yonder world, and that rain yonder world (sheds) from above: hence (creatures) are born within these two worlds, and therefore these two worlds are seed-shedders.
7:4:2:2323. [He lays them down, with Vâg. S. XIII, 24]
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[paragraph continues] 'The wide-ruling one contained the light;' the wide-ruling ones doubtless is this (terrestrial) world: it contains this fire, the light.--'The self-ruling one contained the light,' the self-ruling 1 one doubtless is yonder world: it contains yonder sun, the light. And the wide-ruling one and the self-ruling one being these two worlds, he lays them down separately, for separate are these two worlds. He 'settles' them once: he thereby makes them one and the same (or, joined together), whence the ends of these two worlds meet.
7:4:2:2424. And, again, why he lays down two seed-shedders; the seed-shedders are the testicles, for only he who has testicles sheds seed. 'The wide-ruling one contained the light;--the self-ruling one contained the light,' he says; for the wide-ruling and the self-ruling ones are the testicles: they contain that light, the seed, Pragâpati. He lays them down separately, for separate are these testicles. He 'settles' them once: he thereby makes them one and the same, whence they have a common connecting-part. He lays them down close to the dviyagus (brick) 2: the dviyagus being the Sacrificer, he thus puts the testicles together with the Sacrificer.
7:4:2:2525. He then lays down a Visvagyotis (all-light brick) 3;--the first 'all-light' (brick) 4 is Agni, for Agni
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is all the light in this (terrestrial) world: it is Agni he thus lays down. He lays it down close to the seed-shedding ones,--the seed-shedding ones being these two worlds, he thus places Agni together with these two worlds. He lays it down between (the two Retahsik 1), for Agni (the fire) is within these two worlds.
7:4:2:2626. And, again, why he lays down an 'all-light' (brick);--the 'all-light' (brick) is progeny, for progeny is all the light: he thus lays generative power (into Agni). He lays it down so as not to be separated from the seed-shedding (bricks),--the seed-shedders being the testicles, he thus makes the generative power inseparable from the testicles. He lays it down between (those two), for within the testicles progeny is produced.
7:4:2:2727. [He lays it down, with Vâg. S. XIII, 24] 'May Pragâpati settle thee'--for Pragâpati saw this first layer 2;--'on the back of the earth, thee the brilliant one!' for on the back of the earth this brilliant Agni indeed is.
7:4:2:2828. 'For all breathing, out-breathing, through-breathing,'--the all-light (brick) is breath, and breath is (necessary) for this entire universe;--'give all the light!' that is, 'give the whole light;'--'Agni is thine over-lord,' he thus makes Agni the over-lord of this earth. Having 'settled' it 3, he
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pronounces the Sûdadohas upon it: the significance of this has been explained.
7:4:2:2929. He then lays down two Ritavya (seasonal bricks);--the two seasonal (bricks) being the same as the seasons, it is the seasons he thus lays down. [Vâg. S. XIII, 25] 'Madhu and Mâdhava, the two spring seasons,'--these are the names of those two: it is thus by their names that he lays them down. There are two (such) bricks, for two months are a season. He 'settles' them once 1: he thereby makes (the two months) one season.
7:4:2:3030. And as to why he now lays down these two;--this Agni (fire-altar) is the year, and the year is these worlds; the first layer is this (terrestrial) world thereof, and the spring season also is this world thereof; and when he now lays down those two (bricks), he thereby puts back into him (Agni-Pragâpati) what those two (the first layer and the spring) are to that body of his 2: this is why he now lays down those two (bricks).
7:4:2:3131. And, again, why he now lays down these two;--this Agni is Pragâpati, and Pragâpati is the year; the first layer is his foundation, and the spring season also is his foundation;--thus when he now lays down these two (bricks), he thereby puts back into him what those two are to that body of his: this is why he now lays down those two (bricks). He lays them down close to the 'all-light' brick: the 'all-light' brick being progeny, he thus lays progeny close together with the seasons; whence progeny is produced in accordance with the seasons, for by seasons people compute (the age of man)
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whilst in the state of embryo, and by seasons when he is born.
7:4:2:3232. He then lays down the Ashâdhâ (invincible brick) 1,--the 'invincible one' being this earth, it is this earth he thus lays down. He puts it on the fore-part (of the altar-site), for this earth was created first.
7:4:2:3333. And as to its being called Ashâdhâ. The gods and the Asuras, both of them sprung from Pragâpati, strove together. The gods saw this invincible brick, even this earth; they put it on (the altar); and having put it on, they conquered (and drove) the Asuras, the enemies, the rivals, from this universe; and inasmuch as (thereby) they conquered (asahanta), it is called Ashâdhâ. In like manner the Sacrificer, after putting on that (brick), conquers (and drives) his spiteful rival from this universe (or, from everything here).
7:4:2:3434. And, again, why he lays down the Ashâdhâ. The Ashâdhâ is speech, and by speech 2 the gods then indeed conquered (and drove) the Asuras, the enemies, the rivals, from this universe; and in like manner the Sacrificer, by means of speech, conquers (and drives) his spiteful rival from this universe: it was speech the gods then laid down (or bestowed on Agni), and in like manner the Sacrificer now lays down speech.
7:4:2:3535. This earth is the bearer of what is desirable; for--the desirable being the vital airs--this earth bears everything that breathes, and for that reason this earth is the bearer of what is desirable. But
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speech (the mouth) also indeed is the bearer of what is desirable; for the desirable is the vital airs, and for the (channels of) the vital airs food is put into the mouth: therefore speech is the bearer of what is desirable.
7:4:2:3636. Now the Ashâdhâ is the same as those vital airs; he lays it down in the fore-part (of the altar): he thus bestows (on Agni the organs of) the vital airs in front; whence there are here (organs of) the vital airs in front (of the body). Let him not in this layer enclose this (Ashâdhâ) in front by any other brick which has a special prayer of its own, lest he close up (the organs of) the vital airs.
7:4:2:3737. And as to why he lays down in front five Apasyâs 1,--water (ap) is food, and by food (the organs of) the vital airs are not closed up. He lays down (the Ashâdhâ) close to the two seasonal ones: he thereby establishes speech in the seasons, and hence speech (the mouth) speaks here, firmly established in the seasons.
7:4:2:3838. Here now they say, 'If the Visvagyotis (brick) is progeny, and the Ashâdhâ speech, why does he put the two seasonal ones between them?' Well, the seasonal ones being the year, he thus separates speech from progeny by the year, and hence children utter speech at the time (or age) of a year.
7:4:2:3939. [He lays down the Ashâdhâ, with Vâg. S. XIII, 26] 'Thou art Ashâdhâ, the conquering,' for the gods thereby conquered the Asuras,--'conquer the enemies! conquer the hostile!' as the text, so the meaning;--'thou hast a thousand energies: do thou speed me!' a thousand means
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all: thus, 'thou hast all energies, do thou speed me!' When he has 'settled' it, he pronounces the Sûdadohas on it: the significance of this has been explained.
7:4:2:4040. Here now they say, 'Why are those other bricks placed in front of the naturally-perforated one?' Let him say, There are two wombs (birthplaces)--the one being the womb of the gods, the other the womb of men: the gods have their birthplace in the east, and men in the west; and when he lays down those (bricks) in front, he thereby causes the Sacrificer to be born from the womb of the gods.

Footnotes

377:1 ? Viz. inasmuch as the food is introduced into the body from above. It might also mean, he makes the food superior to the body, inasmuch as the body cannot exist without it. Similarly as regards the breath in the next paragraph.
378:1 The 'pratishthâ' (basis) of the bird-shaped Agni includes the parts on which the bird stands or sits, viz. the feet, and the hind-part of the body. Sâyana, on the other hand, takes it to mean the 'pumliṅga,' which seems very improbable.
378:2 See VI, 2, 3, 1.
379:1 See p. 155, note 8.
379:2. That is, by adding the formula, 'By that deity, Aṅgiras-like, lie thou steady!'
379:3 See p. 301, note 3.
379:4 That is to say, How will he (the Sacrificer) be able to rise upwards to heaven, when that brick is lying on him?
379:5 See p. 187, note 3.
380:1 See VI, 2, 3, 2.
381:1 The root is to lie on the brick from which (as representing the earth) it is supposed to have sprung; the tops then spreading along the ground.
381:2 This brick is placed close beside the svayamâtrinnâ (naturally-perforated one) in front (east) of it, on the 'anûka' or spine.
382:1 The verb 'apa-sish' is taken similarly by Sâyana (avaseshayet); whilst the St. Petersburg dictionary assigns to it the meaning 'to omit, leave out' (weglassen), which can hardly be correct (? misprint for übriglassen). It might, however, possibly be taken in the sense of 'vi-sish,' to specify, to single out.
382:2 That is to say, he would not, after quitting his mortal body, know or find out that divine body with which he wishes to invest himself.
384:1 Or, the wide-shining . . . the self-shining one.
384:2 The two Retahsik bricks are laid down immediately in front (east) of the Dviyagus one, one on each side of the 'spine,' which thus coincides with their line of separation.
384:3 See VI, 5, 3, 3.
384:4 As in the case of the Svayamâtrinnâs (naturally-perforated bricks, see pp. 155, note 8; 187, note 2), so there are three Visvagyotis or 'all-light' bricks, placed in the first, third, and fifth layers p. 385 of the altar, and representing the light (or ruling deity) of the respective world represented by the svayamâtrinnâ of the same layer.
385:1 In reality the Visvagyotis brick is not placed between the two Retahsik, but in front of the line separating them from each other.
385:2 He 'saw' the first naturally-perforated brick, which, as the central brick of the first layer, represents the latter, as well as the lowest of the three worlds, the earth. See VI, 2, 3, 1.
385:3 Viz. by adding, 'by that deity, Aṅgiras-like, lie thou steady!'
386:1 That is, he pronounces the sâdana-formula once only.
386:2 Viz. its foundation.
387:1 See VI, 5, 3, 1-2.
387:2 Viz. by threats, vituperation, &c., Sây.

FIFTH ADHYÂYA. FIRST BRÂHMANA.

7:5:1:11. He then puts down a (living) tortoise;--the tortoise means life-sap: it is life-sap (blood) he thus bestows on (Agni). This tortoise is that life-sap of these worlds which flowed away from them when plunged into the waters 1: that (life-sap) he now bestows on (Agni). As far as the life-sap extends, so far the body extends: that (tortoise) thus is these worlds.
7:5:1:22. That lower shell of it is this (terrestrial) world; it is, as it were, fixed; for fixed, as it were, is this (earth-)world. And that upper shell of it is yonder sky; it has its ends, as it were, bent down; for yonder sky has its ends, as it were, bent down. And what is between (the shells) is the air;--that (tortoise) thus is these worlds: it is these worlds he thus lays down (to form part of the altar).
7:5:1:33. He anoints it with sour curds, honey, and ghee,--sour curds doubtless are a form of this (earth-)world,
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ghee of the air, and honey of yonder sky: he thus supplies it (the tortoise) with its own form. Or, sour curds are the life-sap of this (earth-)world, ghee that of the air, and honey that of yonder sky: he thus supplies it with its own life-sap.
7:5:1:44. [He anoints it, with Vâg. S. XIII, 27-29; Rik S. I, 90, 6-8] 'Honey the winds pour forth for the righteous, honey the rivers; full of honey may the plants be for us!--Honey by night and morn, rich in honey may the region of the earth be for us, honey the father Heaven!--rich in honey may the tree be for us, rich in honey the sun, full of honey the kine!' To whatever deity a Rik-verse, and to whatever (deity) a Yagus formula applies, that very deity the verse is, and that very deity the sacrificial formula is 1. This triplet then is honey (madhu); and honey being life-sap, it is life-sap he thus puts into him (Agni). With three Gâyatrî verses (he performs): the significance of this has been explained.
7:5:1:55. And as to its being called 'kûrma' (tortoise);Pragâpati, having assumed that form, created living beings. Now what he created, he made; and inasmuch as he made (kar), he is (called) 'kûrma;' and 'kûrma' being (the same as) 'kasyapa' (a tortoise), therefore all creatures are said to be descended from Kasyapa.
7:5:1:66. Now this tortoise is the same as yonder sun: it is yonder sun he thus lays down (on the altar). He lays it down in front with the head towards the back (west): he thus places yonder sun in the east
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looking thitherwards (or moving westward); and hence yonder sun is placed in the east looking thitherwards. On the right (south) of the Ashâdhâ (he places it), for the tortoise (kûrma, masc.) is a male, and the Ashâdhâ a female, and the male lies on the right side of the female;--at a cubit's distance 1, for at a cubit's distance the male lies by the female. That Ashâdhâ is the consecrated queen (mahishî) of all the bricks, hence being on the right (south) side of her, it (the tortoise) is on the right side of all the bricks.
7:5:1:77. And, again, why he puts down a tortoise;--the tortoise (kûrma) is the breath, for the breath makes (kar) all these creatures: it is breath he thus puts into him (Agni). He puts it down in front looking towards the back: he thus puts in the breath in front tending towards the back; whence the breath is taken in from the front backwards. [He puts it down so as to be] turned towards the (gold) man: he thus puts breath into the Sacrificer. South of the Ashâdhâ (he puts it), for the tortoise is breath, and the Ashâdhâ speech; and the breath (prâna, masc.) is the male, the mate, of speech (vâk, fem.).
7:5:1:88. [He sets it down, with Vâg. S. XIII, 30-32] Seat thee in the depth of the waters for that indeed is the deepest (place) of the (heavenly) waters where yonder (sun) burns;--'lest the sun, lest Agni Vaisvânara should scorch thee!' that is, lest the Sun, lest Agni Vaisvânara injure thee;--'Overlook the creatures with unbroken wings,' that is, overlook all these uninjured, unharmed creatures, that is, these bricks;--'may
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heaven's rain favour thee!' this he says in order that the rain of heaven may favour him.
7:5:1:99. He then makes it move 1, with, 'Over the heaven-reaching three oceans he crept,' the three heaven-reaching oceans doubtless are these worlds, and over them he crept in the shape of a tortoise;--'the lord of waters, the bull of the bricks,' for he (the tortoise) indeed is the lord of waters, and the bull of the bricks;--'induing the covering of him, the well-made, in the world,' the covering (purîsha) means the cattle: thus, entering the (form of the) cattle of the well-made (Agni) in the world;--'go thither whither the former have passed away!' that is, go thither whither by this performance former (tortoises) went.
7:5:1:1010. 'The mighty sky and the earth,' that is, the great sky and the earth;--'shall mix (prepare) this our sacrifice!' that is, shall favour this sacrifice;--'they shall fill us with nourishments!' that is, they shall nourish us with nourishments! With the last (verse) relating to heaven and earth he puts it down, for the tortoise represents heaven and earth.
7:5:1:1111. With three (formulas) he puts it on (the altar);--three are these worlds, and threefold is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus puts it on. With three (formulas) he anoints it; that makes six: the significance of this (number) has been explained. There are avakâ-plants 2 below and avakâ-plants above (the
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tortoise),--the avakâ-plant means water: he thus places it in the midst of water. Having 'settled' it, he pronounces the Sûdadohas upon it: the significance of this has been explained.
7:5:1:1212. He then puts down a mortar and pestle. Vishnu desired, 'May I be an eater of food!' He saw these two bricks, the mortar and pestle. He placed them on (the altar); and by placing them thereon, he became an eater of food. In like manner, when the Sacrificer now places a mortar and pestle thereon, (he does so) thinking, 'I want to be an eater of food by the same means (rûpa), by performing the same rite by which Vishnu became an eater of food.' Now the mortar and pestle mean all (kinds of) food; for by the mortar and pestle food is prepared, and by means of them it is eaten.
7:5:1:1313. He puts them down at the distance of the two retahsik 1,--the retahsik being the ribs, and the ribs being the middle: he thus puts food into the middle of him (Agni);--on the north (upper) side (of the central brick): he thus puts the food upon him;--at the distance of a cubit, for from a cubit's distance food is (taken by the hand and) eaten.
7:5:1:1414. They measure a span, for Vishnu, when an embryo, was a span long; and these (mortar and pestle) being food, he thus puts food into him (Agni-Vishnu) proportionate to his body. And indeed the food which is proportionate to the body satisfies,
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and does no harm; but that which is excessive does harm; and that which is too little does not satisfy.
7:5:1:1515. They are made of Udumbara wood;--the Udumbara (ficus glomerata) being strength, life-sap, he thus puts strength, life-sap into him. And, again, the Udumbara being all the trees, by putting on those two, he puts all trees on (the altar). At the distance of the two retahsik (bricks, he places the mortar and pestle),--the 'seed-shedders' being these two (worlds 1), he thus puts the trees in these two (worlds), and hence there are trees in these two (worlds). It (the mortar) is four-cornered,--there being four quarters, he thus places trees in all the quarters; whence there are trees in all the quarters. It is contracted in the middle, to give it the form of a (real) mortar.
7:5:1:1616. And, again, why he places a mortar and pestle thereon. From Pragâpati, when relaxed, the breath wanted to go out from within. He kept it back by means of food: hence the breath is kept back by food, for he who eats food, breathes.
7:5:1:1717. The breath being kept back, the food wanted to go out of him. He kept it back by means of the breath: hence food is kept back by the breath, for he who breathes, eats food.
7:5:1:1818. Those two being kept back, strength wanted to go out of him. He kept it back by those two: hence strength is kept back by those two; for he who eats food, breathes; and to him it gives strength.
7:5:1:1919. Strength being kept back, those two wanted
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to go out of him. He kept them back by means of strength: hence those two are kept back by strength; for he to whom one gives strength, breathes and eats food.
7:5:1:2020. Those (energies) thus were kept back by one another. Having kept them back by one another, he (Pragâpati) caused them to enter his own self; and that food having entered, all the gods entered along with it; for everything here lives on food.
7:5:1:2121. It is thereto that this verse applies,--'Then, indeed, he became that breath,'--for that breath he then indeed became;--'having become the great Pragâpati,'--for great he indeed then became, when those gods entered him;--'having obtained the benefits, the beneficial,'--the benefits doubtless are the vital airs (breaths), and the beneficial are the food: thus, having obtained all that;--'when he breathed the breaths in the stronghold;'--the stronghold doubtless is the self (body), and inasmuch as he breathed the breaths, the gods are the breaths; and inasmuch as Pragâpati breathed, the breath also is Pragâpati; and verily he who is that breath, he is that Gâyatrî;--and as to that food, that is Vishnu, the deity; and as to that strength, that is the Udumbara (tree).
7:5:1:2222. He said, 'Verily this one has lifted me from out of all evil;' and because he said he has lifted me out (udabhârshît),' hence (the name) 'udumbhara;'--'udumbhara' doubtless being what is mystically called Udumbara, for the gods love the mystic. 'Wide space (uru) shall it make (karat) for me!' he said, hence 'urukara;' 'urukara' doubtless being what is mystically called 'ulûkhala' (the mortar); for the gods love the mystic. Now that mortar is
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the birth-place of all breaths; and the birth-place of the breaths being the head-
7:5:1:2323. It (the mortar) is of the measure of a span, for the head is, as it were, of the measure of a span;--four-cornered, for the head is, as it were, four-cornered;--contracted in the middle, for the head is, as it were, contracted in the middle.
7:5:1:2424. Now when the gods restored him (Pragâpati-Agni), they put all that inside him--breath, food, strength; and in like manner this (Sacrificer) now puts that into him. At the distance of the two retahsik (he places it),--the retahsik being the ribs, and the ribs the middle, it is thus in the middle of (or, inside) him that he puts all that.
7:5:1:2525. [He sets them down 1, with Vâg. S. XIII, 33; Rik S. I, 22, 191 'See ye the deeds of Vishnu'--deed doubtless means power: thus, see ye the powers of Vishnu;--'whereby he beheld the sacred ordinances,'--ordinance means food: thus, whereby he did behold the food;--'Indra's allied friend,' for he is indeed Indra's allied friend. With a (verse) relating to two deities he sets them down, for the mortar and pestle are two. Once he 'settles' them: he thereby makes them one and the same; for one and the same is that food. Having 'settled' it, he pronounces the Sûdadohas on it: the significance of this has been explained.
7:5:1:2626. He then places the fire-pan thereon,--the fire-pan is a womb: a womb (birth-place) he thus gives to him (Agni). He places it on the mortar,--the mortar is the air, and everything that is above this
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earth is air; and the air is the middle: he thus places the womb in the middle; whence the womb of all beings, even of trees 1, is in the middle.
7:5:1:2727. And, again, why he places the fire-pan thereon;--that same Pragâpati who became disjointed doubtless is this same fire-pan, for the fire-pan is these worlds, and Pragâpati is these worlds. He places it on the mortar: he thereby establishes him (Pragâpati) in all that--breath, food, strength; and thus he places him se as not to be separated from all that.
7:5:1:2828. Thereupon, having pounded the remainder (of the clay), and having put the fire-pan in its place, he throws (the pounded clay) in front of the fire-pan; for this is the place of that (remainder 2), and thus that (remainder) is not separated therefrom 3.
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7:5:1:2929. Here now they say, 'How does that (remainder) of his come to be put on as cooked, as baked?'--In that it is prepared with a sacrificial formula; and, moreover, whatever comes in contact with Agni Vaisvânara even thereby comes to be put on as something cooked, as baked.
7:5:1:3030. [He sets the fire-pan down, with Vâg. S. XIII, 34-35] 'Steady thou art, supporting,' the meaning of this has been explained 1;--'from here he was at first born, from these wombs, the knower of beings;' for from these wombs the knower of beings (Agni) was indeed born at first;--'by the Gâyatrî, the Trishtubh, and the Anushtubh, may he, the knowing, bear the offering to the gods!'--by means of these metres he, the knowing, indeed bears the offering to the gods.
7:5:1:3131. 'For sap, for wealth, do thou rest, for might in glory, for strength, for offspring!' that is, for all that do thou rest!--'all-ruling thou art, self-ruling thou art!' for both all-ruling and self-ruling he (Agni) indeed is;--'may the two Sârasvata wells cheer thee!' Sarasvat (m.) is the Mind, and Sarasvatî (f.) Speech,--these two are the Sârasvata wells: thus, may these two cheer thee! With two (formulas) he sets it down: the significance of this has been explained; and, moreover, twofold is that form, (consisting as it does of) clay and water. Having 'settled' it, he pronounces the Sûdadohas on it: the significance of this has been explained.
7:5:1:3232. He then offers upon it;--now seed was poured into it before, (in the shape of) sand 2; that he now
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fashions 1, whence the seed injected into the womb is fashioned. He offers with the dipping-spoon, with 'Hail!' with two Gâyatrî verses relating to Agni: the significance of this has been explained.
7:5:1:3333. [Vâg. S. XIII, 36-37; Rik S. VI, 16, 43 VIII, 75,1] 'O Agni, harness those good steeds of thine: they draw equal to thy mettle!--Like a chariot-fighter, harness thou the steeds, the best callers of the gods, O Agni! take thy seat as the old Hotri!' with two (verses) containing the (verb) 'yug' (to harness, fasten),--he thus settles that seed injected into the womb, whence the seed settled in the womb does not escape.
7:5:1:3434. If (the fire in the pan) has been carried about for a year 2, in that case he should now offer; for (the fire) which has been carried about for a year is everything, and that also whereon he offers is everything. But if it has not been carried about for a year, let him only stand by (worshipping) it; for (the fire) which has not been carried about for a year is not everything; and that by which he stands (worshipping) is not everything. Let him nevertheless offer thereon.
7:5:1:3535. Now that Agni is an animal, and even now he is (being) made up whole and complete: the naturally-perforated (brick) is his lower vital air, the
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dviyagus the hip, the two retahsik the ribs, the visvagyotis the breast-bone, the two seasonal ones the back, the ashâdhâ the neck, the tortoise the head, and the vital airs in the tortoise are those vital airs in the head.
7:5:1:3636. Now that (Agni) he builds upwards from here (as flying) towards the east, and that Agni being yonder sun, he thereby places yonder sun upwards from here in the east; whence yonder sun is placed upwards from here in the east.
7:5:1:3737. He then turns him towards the right 1,--he thereby turns yonder sun towards the right, whence yonder sun moves round these worlds (from left) to right.
7:5:1:3838. The fire-pan is the belly, the mortar the womb;--the fire-pan is above, and the mortar below; for the belly is above, and the womb below. The pestle is the sisna; it is round-like, for the sisna is round-like. He places it to the right (south of the mortar), for the male lies on the right side of the female. And what food there is for the consecrated animal, that is the dûrvâ-brick. The left (north) side of that (Agni or altar) is more raised,--that Agni is an animal, and hence the left side of the belly of a well-filled beast is more raised (than the right side).

Footnotes

389:1 See VI, 1, 1, 12.
390:1 That is to say, each Vedic text is identical with the deity to which it is addressed. Cf. VI, 5, 1, 2.
391:1 While the bricks generally measure a pâda or foot square, the cubit measures about two feet.
392:1 He sets the tortoise down with three verses; and in muttering the second verse he makes it move while he still holds it in his hand.
392:2 Blyxa octandra, a grassy plant growing in marshy land ('lotus-flower,' Weber, Ind. Stud. XIII, p. 250).
393:1 The mortar and pestle are to be placed as far north of the central (naturally-perforated) brick, as the two retahsik lie in front (towards the east) of it. This distance is ascertained by means of a cord stretched across the bricks hitherto laid down (from the Svayamâtrinnâ to the Ashâdhâ), and knots made in the cord over the centre of the respective bricks.
394:1 I do not see what else could here be referred to than the heaven and the earth (cf. VII, 4, 2, 22), though in that case one might rather expect 'imau (lokau)' instead of 'ime.' Possibly, however, the earth and atmosphere may be intended.
396:1 The mortar, according to the commentaries to Katy., is partly dug into the ground, with the open part upwards; the pestle being then placed to the right (south) of it.
397:1 Viz., according to Sâyana, because they spring from the germ in the centre of the fruit.
397:2 ? Or, of it (the fire-pan). There is some uncertainty regarding this item of the ceremonial. Kâtyâyana's rule (XVII, 5, 4)--'Having placed the Ukhâ (pan) on the mortar, pounded the remainder of clay, and thrown it down in front, with the text "Dhruvâ asi," (of) the Ukhâ'--is evidently intentionally vague. Mahîdhara (on Vâg. S. XIII, 34) gives the following interpretation of it,--'Having first silently placed the Ukhâ on the mortar, then pounded the remaining clay, and thrown it down on the ground in front of the Ukhâ, let him place the Ukhâ thereon with two formulas.' According to this, the Ukhâ would only temporarily be placed on the mortar, its proper and permanent place (loka) being on the powdered clay in front (to the east) of the mortar. The text of the Brâhmana, as it stands, however, cannot possibly be construed so as to accord with Mahîdhara's interpretation. This would require some such reading as,--athopasayâm pishtvâ, purastâd ukhâyâ upanivapya lokabhâgam ukhâm karoti. See, however, paragraph 38 below, which evidently applies to the permanent position of the pan.
397:3 For the genitive 'asya' (viz. lokasya) with 'antarita'--instead p. 398 of the more usual ablative--see VI, 2, 2, 38, 'prânasya tad antariyât.'
398:1 VII. 4, 2, 5.
398:2 See VII, 1, 1, 41.
399:1 The verb 'abhi-kri' is here taken in the sense of 'vi-kri' (he gives form to it); and in that sense I would now take it at II, 3; I, 4, 'he fashions (gives human shape to) that embryo,' instead of 'he benefits that embryo.' The St. Petersburg dictionary proposes the meaning, 'to do something with reference to (or, for the benefit of).' The proper German meaning would rather seem to be 'bearbeiten.' The preposition 'abhi' is probably used here with reference to the 'abhi-guhoti.'
399:2 See p. 269, note 3.
400:1 ? Viz. by filling up the vacant spaces of the altar from left to right.

SECOND BRÂHMANA.

7:5:2:11. He puts the heads of the victims in (the fire-pan),--the heads of the victims being animals (or cattle), it is animals he thus puts thereon. He puts them in the fire-pan;--the pan being these worlds, and the heads of the victims being beasts, he thus
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puts animals in these worlds; whence there are animals in these worlds.
7:5:2:22. And as to why (he puts the heads) in the fire-pan;--the fire-pan being a womb, and the heads of the victims being animals, he thus establishes the animals in the womb: hence animals, though being eaten and cooked, do not diminish, for he establishes them in the womb.
7:5:2:33. And, again, why he puts the heads of the victims therein;--what (animal) perfections (srî) 1 there were, they are these victims’ heads; and what rumps there were, they are those five layers (of the altar). Now those five layers are these worlds, and these worlds are this very fire-pan: thus, when he puts the heads of the victims in the fire-pan, he thereby unites those rumps with those heads.
7:5:2:44. He puts them in the fore-part, so as to look towards the back (west). For when, on that (former) occasion, Pragâpati wanted to slaughter these animals, they, being about to be slaughtered, wanted to run away. He seized them by (the organs of) the vital airs 2; and having seized them by the vital airs, he took them into himself from the front (mouth) towards the back (inside).
7:5:2:55. Now the same thing which the gods did is done here. The animals do not, indeed, want to run away from him; but when he does this, it is because he wants to do what the gods did: having thus seized them by (the outlets of) the vital airs, he takes them into himself from the front towards the back.
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7:5:2:66. And, again, why he puts the heads of the victims thereon. Pragâpati alone was here at first 1. He desired, 'May I create food, may I be reproduced!' He fashioned animals from his vital airs, a man from his soul (mind), a horse from his eye, a cow from his breath, a sheep from his ear, and a goat from his voice; and inasmuch as he created them from the vital airs, people say that 'Animals are vital airs.' The soul is the first of the vital airs; and inasmuch as he fashioned man from his soul, they say that 'Man is the first, and strongest of animals.' The soul is all the vital airs, for in the soul all the vital airs are established. And inasmuch as he fashioned man from his soul, they say that 'Man is all animals,' for they all belong to man.
7:5:2:77. Having created that food, he took it into himself from the front towards the back; and hence whosoever prepares for himself food, takes it into himself from the front towards the back (inside). That (animal food being put) in the fire-pan, and the fire-pan being the belly, he thus puts the food into the belly.
7:5:2:88. He now (in the first place 2) thrusts gold chips into each of them,--gold is vital air, and the vital airs go out of these animals when slaughtered: thus, when he thrusts gold chips into each of them, he puts the vital airs into them.
7:5:2:99. Seven (chips) he thrusts into each,--seven vital airs there are in the head: these he thereby puts into it. And if there are five victims, let him thrust in five times seven (chips); for those five victims he puts on (the fire-pan), and there are seven vital
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airs in each victim: he thus puts the vital airs into all of them.
7:5:2:1010. Now, even if there is only one victim 1, some people thrust five times seven (into that one head), thinking, 'Those five victims he puts down (symbolically), and there are seven vital airs in each victim: thus we put the vital airs into all of them.' Let him not do so, for in this animal the form of all animals is contained 2; and when he thrusts (seven chips) into this one, he thereby puts the vital airs into all of them.
7:5:2:1111. The first (chip) he thrusts into the mouth, with (Vâg. S. XIII, 38; Rik S. IV, 58, 6, 5), 'Fitly flow the draughts of milk like rivers,'--draughts of milk are food, and that indeed flows fitly into this mouth;--'purified within by the heart, by the mind,'--for the food is indeed purified by the heart and mind within him who is righteous;--'the streams of ghee I behold,' he thereby means the libations he is about to offer on that fire;--'the golden reed (is) in the middle of Agni,' he thereby means that gold man.
7:5:2:1212. With (Vâg. S. XIII, 39), 'For praise thee!' (he thrusts one in) here (into the right nostril); praise (or splendour) means breath, for with breath one praises;--with, 'For sheen thee!' here (into the left nostril); sheen means breath, for by breath one shines; and also because everything here shines for breath;--with, 'For brightness thee!' here (into the right eye);--with, 'For lustre thee!' here
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[paragraph continues] (into the left eye), for bright and lustrous these two eyes indeed are;--with, 'This hath become the fiery spirit of all the world, and of Agni Vaisvânara,' here (into the right ear);--with (Vâg. S. XIII, 40), 'Agni, bright with brightness, the golden disk, lustrous with lustre,' here (into the left ear),--thus with two (formulas) containing 'all 1'; for the ear is all.
7:5:2:1313. He then lifts up the human head--he thereby exalts it--with, 'Giver of a thousand thou art: for a thousand thee!' a thousand means everything: thus, 'the giver of everything, for everything (I bestow) thee!'
7:5:2:1414. He then puts them (the heads) in (the fire-pan), first (that of) the man--having taken possession of the man by strength he sets him up;--the man in the middle; on both sides the other victims: he thus sets the man, as the eater, in the midst of cattle; whence man is the eater in the midst of cattle.
7:5:2:1515. The horse and ram on the left (north) side: he thereby puts those two (kinds of) cattle in that region; whence those two (kinds of) cattle are most plentiful in that region.
7:5:2:1616. The bull and he-goat on the right (south) side: he thereby puts those two (kinds of) cattle in that region; whence those two (kinds of) cattle are most plentiful in that region.
7:5:2:1717. The (head of the) man he places on the milk 2,--milk means cattle: he thus establishes the Sacrificer among cattle,--with (Vâg. S. XIII, 41), 'With
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milk anoint thou Âditya, the unborn child!' that unborn child, the man, is indeed the sun: thus, Him anoint thou with milk!--'the all-shaped maker of a thousand,' the maker 1 of a thousand is man; for to him belong a thousand;--'spare him with thy heat, harbour not evil thoughts against him!' that is, spare him with thy fire, do not hurt him!--'make him live a hundred years, while thou art built!' he thereby makes man the one among animals (capable of) living a hundred years; whence man, among animals, lives up to- a hundred years.
7:5:2:1818. Then on the left side (he puts the head of) the horse, with (Vâg. S. XIII, 42), 'The speed of the wind,'--this one, the horse, is indeed the speed of the wind;--'Varuna's navel'--for the horse is Varuna;--'the horse, born in the midst of the flood;' the flood is the water, and the horse is indeed the water-born;--'the tawny, rock-founded child of rivers;' rock means mountain, and the waters are indeed founded on the mountains;--'harm him not, Agni, in the highest region!' the highest region means these worlds: thus, do not harm him in these worlds!
7:5:2:1919. Then on the right side (the head of) the bull, with (Vâg. S. XIII, 43), 'The imperishable, red drop,' the drop doubtless is Soma; and that bull is the same as the imperishable Soma;--'the eager one (bhuranyu),' that is, the bearer (bhartri);--'Agni, the forward-striving, I glorify with homages;' for
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the bull is sacred to Agni; and 'the forward-striving,' he says, because forward (towards the east) they hold up Agni 1, and towards the front 2 they attend upon him;--'duly fitting thyself by limbs,' when he is built up, then he does indeed duly fit himself limb by limb;--'harm not the inexhaustible, wide-ruling cow 3,' the cow is indeed wide-ruling (virâg), and the wide-ruling is food, and accordingly the cow is food.
7:5:2:2020. Then on the left side (he puts the head of) the ram, with (Vâg. S. XIII, 44), 'The defender of Tvashtri, the navel of Varuna,' for the ewe is sacred both to Varuna and to Tvashtri;--'the ewe born from the highest sphere;' the highest sphere doubtless is the ear, and the ear is the regions,--(thus 4) the highest sphere is the regions;--'the mighty, thousandfold artifice of the Âsura,' that is, the great, thousandfold artifice of the Âsura 5;--'O Agni, harm it not in the highest
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region!' the highest region are these worlds: thus, do not harm him (the ram) in these worlds!
7:5:2:2121. Then on the right side (he puts the head of) the he-goat, with (Vâg. S. XII I, 45), 'The Agni who was born from Agni,' for that Agni was indeed born from Agni 1;--'from the pain of the earth or also of the sky;' for what was born from the pain (or heat) of Pragâpati, that was born from the pain of the sky and the earth;--'whereby Visvakarman begat living beings,'--the he-goat (or, the unborn one) is Vâk (Speech) 2, and from Vâk Visvakarman 3 begat living beings;--'him, O Agni, may thy wrath spare!' as the text, so the meaning.
7:5:2:2222. These are the victims; separately he puts them down, separately he 'settles' them, and separately he pronounces the Sûdadohas on them; for separate from one another are those animals.
7:5:2:2323. He then offers on the human head,--sacrifice is offering: he thus makes man the one among animals fit to sacrifice; whence man alone among animals performs sacrifice.
7:5:2:2424. And, again, why he offers thereon:--he thereby lays vigour into the head. He offers with ghee,--ghee is a thunderbolt, and the thunderbolt means vigour: he thus lays vigour into it. With 'Hail' (he offers),--the 'Hail' (svâhâkâra, m.) is a male, and the male means vigour: he thus lays vigour into it. With a trishtubh verse (he offers);the Trishtubh is a thunderbolt, and the thunderbolt
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means vigour; the Trishtubh is vigour: with vigour he thus lays vigour into it.
7:5:2:2525. Having run through 1 the (first) half-verse, he pronounces the Svâhâ;--the rik (verse) is a bone: having cleft asunder that skull-bone which is here inside the head, he there lays vigour into it.
7:5:2:2626. Having then run through the (second) half-verse, he pronounces the Svâhâ,--having joined together that skull-bone which is here on the top of the head, he there lays vigour into it.
7:5:2:2727. [Vâg. S. XIII, 46; Rik S. I, 115, 1] 'The brilliant front of the gods hath risen,' for that man is yonder sun, and he indeed rises as the brilliant front (face) of the gods;--'the eye of Mitra, Varuna, and Agni,' for that (sun) is the eye of both gods and men;--'he hath filled heaven, and earth, and the air,' for when he rises he indeed fills these worlds;--'Sûrya, the soul of the movable and immovable;' for that (sun) is indeed the soul of everything here that moves and stands.
7:5:2:2828. He then stands by (the heads, revering them) with the Utsargas 2. For at that time when Pragâpati wanted to slaughter the victims, they, being about to be slaughtered, were distressed (or pained); and by these Utsargas he drove out their distress 3, their evil. In like manner does this one, by these Utsargas, now drive out their distress, their evil.
7:5:2:2929. Now some remove the distress of whichever (head of a) victim they put down, thinking lest they might put distress, evil, thereon; but it is they that
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put distress, evil, thereon; for the distress they remove from the preceding one, they put on (the altar) with the succeeding one.
7:5:2:3030. And some revere (the heads) whilst moving round them, thinking, 'we remove distress upwards;' but these indeed follow the distress, the evil, upwards; for upwards he (the Sacrificer) goes by this performance 1, and upwards they remove the distress.
7:5:2:3131. Let him remove it outside the fire (-altar); that fire (-altar) being these worlds, he thus puts distress outside these worlds;--outside the Vedi; the Vedi being this earth, he thus puts distress outside this earth; (he does so) standing with his face towards the north; for in that region those animals are, and he thus puts distress into them in the region in which they are.
7:5:2:3232. He first removes that of the man--for him he puts down first--with (Vâg. S. XIII, 47), 'Harm not this two-footed animal!' the two-footed animal doubtless is the same as man: thus, 'do not harm that one!'--'(thou) the thousand-eyed, being built for pith;'--the thousand-eyed he (Agni) is on account of the chips of gold; 'for pith,' that is, 'for food.'--'Graciously accept thou, O Agni, the sham-man, the victim, as pith!' a sham-man is a kim-purusha (mock-man) 2: thus, 'accept graciously the kim-purusha, O Agni!'--'Building up therewith thy forms, get thee settled!' the form is the self: thus, 'Building up
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therewith, perfect thyself 1!'--'Let thy burning heat reach the sham-man! let thy burning heat reach him whom we hate!' he thereby lays burning heat into the sham-man, and into him whom he hates.
7:5:2:3333. Then that of the horse, with (Vâg. S. XIII, 48), 'Harm not this one-hoofed animal!' the one-hoofed animal doubtless is the same as the horse: thus, do not harm that one!--'the racer neighing among the racers;' for neighing indeed he is, and a racer among racers;--'The wild fallow (beast) do I assign unto thee,' he thereby assigns to him the wild fallow (beast) 2;--'building up therewith thy forms, get thee settled!' that is, 'building up therewith, perfect thyself!'--'Let thy burning heat reach the fallow beast! let thy burning heat reach him whom we hate!' he thereby lays burning heat into the fallow beast, and into him whom he hates.
7:5:2:3434. Then that of the bull, with (Vâg. S. XIII, 49), 'This thousandfold, hundred-streamed well--,' for a thousandfold, hundred-streamed well he, the bull (cow), indeed is;--'extended in the middle of the flood,' the flood doubtless are these worlds: thus, subsisted upon in these worlds;--'the inexhaustible, milking ghee for man,'--for ghee this inexhaustible (cow) indeed milks for man--
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[paragraph continues] 'harm not, O Agni, in the highest region!' the highest region doubtless are these worlds: thus, do not harm it in these worlds!--'The wild buffalo do I assign unto thee,' he thereby assigns to him the wild buffalo (gavaya);--'building up therewith thy forms, get thee settled!' that is, 'building up therewith, perfect thyself!'--'Let thy burning heat reach the buffalo! let thy burning heat reach him whom we hate!' he thereby lays burning heat into the buffalo, and into him whom he hates.
7:5:2:3535. Then that of the sheep, with (Vâg. S. XIII, 50), This woollen--,' that is, 'this woolly,'--'navel of Varuna,' for the sheep is sacred to Varuna;--'the skin of animals, two-footed and four-footed,' for that (sheep) indeed is the skin of both kinds of animals 1, two-footed and four-footed;--'the first birth-place of Tvashtri's creatures,' for Tvashtri indeed fashioned this as the first form;--'harm not, O Agni, in the highest region!' the highest region is these worlds: thus, 'do not harm him in these worlds!'--'The wild buffalo do I assign unto thee,' he thereby assigns the wild buffalo (ushtra) to him;--'building up therewith thy forms, get thee settled!' that is, 'building up therewith, perfect thyself!'--'Let thy burning heat reach the buffalo! let thy burning heat reach him whom we hate!' he thereby lays burning heat into the buffalo, and into him whom he hates.
7:5:2:3636. Then that of the he-goat, with (Vâg. S. XIII, 51), 'Verily, the he-goat was produced from Agni's heat;'--that which was produced from
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[paragraph continues] Pragâpati's heat, was indeed produced from Agni's heat;--'he saw the progenitor at first,' the progenitor doubtless is Pragâpati: thus, 'he saw Pragâpati at first;'--'thereby the gods at first (agre) went to the godhead;' the he-goat 1 doubtless is speech; and from speech the gods doubtless first went to the godhead, to the summit (agram);--'thereby they went to the height, the wise;' the height doubtless is the heavenly world: thus, 'thereby they went to the heavenly world, the wise;'--'The wild sarabha do I assign unto thee,'--he thereby assigns the wild sarabha 2 to him;--'building up therewith thy forms, get thee settled!' that is, 'building up therewith, perfect thyself!'--'Let thy burning heat reach the sarabha! let thy burning heat reach him whom we hate!' he thereby lays burning heat into the sarabha, and into him whom he hates.
7:5:2:3737. As to this they say,--The pain (heat), the evil of these animals, which Pragâpati drove out, became these five animals; they, with their pith (sacrificial essence) gone out of them, are pithless, unfit for sacrifice; a Brâhmana should not eat of them: he consigns them to that region; whence Parganya does not rain in that region where these are.
7:5:2:3838. He returns (to the offering-fire) and stands thereby worshipping it;--for when he goes outside the Vedi, whilst Agni (the fire-altar) is only half built up, he does what is improper; he now makes amends to him to prevent his doing injury. With
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a verse to Agni (he worships): it is to Agni he thereby makes amends;--with an undefined one; the undefined means everything: by means of everything he thus makes amends to him;--with (a verse) containing the word 'youngest:' this indeed, to wit, the youngest, is his favourite form.;--inasmuch as when born he took possession (yu) of everything here, he is the youngest (yavishtha).
7:5:2:3939. [Vâg. S. XIII, 52; Rik S. VIII, 84, 3] 'Shield thou, O youngest, the men of the liberal worshipper!' the liberal worshipper is the Sacrificer, and the men are the people;--'hear thou the songs!' that is, hear this hymn of praise!--'protect thou kin and self!' the kin (race) means offspring: thus, 'protect both (the Sacrificer's) offspring and himself.'
7:5:2:4040. Having stepped on the altar and walked round behind the naturally-perforated (brick), he lays down the Apasyâh (water-bricks);--now the Apasyâh are the same as water, and the water has gone out of these victims: he thus puts water into these victims, when he lays down the Apasyâh (bricks). He lays them down close to the (heads of the) animals: he thereby puts the water together with the animals. He lays down five (bricks) in each quarter, for five are those victims. He lays them down in every (quarter): everywhere he thus puts water into them.
7:5:2:4141. Now the first fifteen are the Apasyâh,--water is a thunderbolt, and the thunderbolt is fifteenfold;--hence wherever the waters flow, there they destroy evil; and verily the thunderbolt destroys the evil of this place: hence, when it rains one should go about uncovered, thinking, 'May that thunderbolt remove evil from me!'
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7:5:2:4242. And the last five are the Khandasyâh (the metres’ bricks);--the metres are cattle, and cattle is food; or rather the flesh of cattle is food, and the flesh has departed from these victims: he therefore puts flesh on those cattle when he lays down the Khandasyâh. He places them close to the victims: he thereby puts the flesh close to the (bones of the) cattle. The Apasyâh are inside, the Khandasyâh outside; for the water is inside, and the flesh outside.
7:5:2:4343. As to this they say, 'If there are that water and that flesh, where then is the skin, and where the hair?' Well, the skin of cattle is food, and the hair of cattle is food; and when he lays down the Khandasyâh, that is the skin of the victims, that is their hair. Or, again, those goats’ hair which are in the fire-pan 1, they are hair. The fire-pan is outside, and the victims’ heads are inside, for outside is the hair, and inside is the body. 'Whether in the one way, or whether in the other,' so Sândilya was wont to say, 'in any case we make up the victims wholly and completely.'
7:5:2:4444. And, again, why he lays down the Apasyâh. When Pragâpati was disjointed the water went from him; that being gone, he sank down; and because he sank down (vis), therefore there are twenty (vimsati, viz. such bricks). It flowed from his fingers,--the fingers being the end, it (the water) went from him in the end.
7:5:2:4545. Now the Pragâpati who became disjointed is this very Agni who is now being built up; and the water (âpah) which went from him is these very
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[paragraph continues] Apasyâh;--hence when he lays them down, he thereby puts back into him that very water which went from him: therefore he now lays these down.
7:5:2:4646. [Vâg. S. XIII, 43] 'In the way of the waters I settle thee!' the way of the waters is the wind; for when he blows hither and thither then the waters flow: in the wind he 'settles' this (first brick).
7:5:2:4747. 'In the swell of the waters I settle thee!' the swell of the waters is the plants, for wherever the waters keep swelling there plants grow: in the plants he settles this (brick).
7:5:2:4848. 'In the ashes of the waters I settle thee!' the ashes of the waters are the foam: in foam he settles this one.
7:5:2:4949. 'In the light of the waters I settle thee!' the light of the waters is the lightning: in the lightning he settles this one.
7:5:2:5050. 'In the path of the waters I settle thee!' the path of the waters is this earth, for on the earth the waters flow: on this earth he settles this one. Whatever water flowed from those (five) forms of his, that water he now (by these five formulas) puts back into him; and those forms themselves he thereby restores to him.
7:5:2:5151. 'In the flood, the seat, I settle thee!' the flood is the breath: in the breath he settles this one.
7:5:2:5252. 'In the ocean, the seat, I settle thee!' the sea is the mind; from the mind-ocean, with speech for a shovel, the gods dug out the triple science. Thereto this verse applies,--'May the true god know this day where the gods placed that offering, they who dug it out from the ocean with
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sharp shovels;'--the ocean is the mind, the sharp shovel is speech, the offering is the triple science: it is thereto this verse applies. In the mind he settles this (brick).
7:5:2:5353. 'In the stream, the seat, I settle thee!' the stream is speech: in speech he settles this one.
7:5:2:5454. 'In the abode of the waters I settle thee!' the abode of the waters is the eye, for there water always abides: in the eye he settles this one.
7:5:2:5555. 'In the goal of the waters I settle thee!' the goal of the waters is the ear: in the ear he settles this one. Whatever water flowed from those (five) forms of his, that water he now (by these five formulas) puts back into him; and those forms themselves he thereby restores to him.
7:5:2:5656. 'In the seat of the waters I settle thee!' the seat of the waters is the sky, for in the sky the waters are seated: in the sky he settles this one.
7:5:2:5757. 'In the home of the waters I settle thee!' the home of the waters is the air: in the air he settles this one.
7:5:2:5858. 'In the womb of the waters I settle thee!' the womb of the waters is the sea: in the sea he settles this one.
7:5:2:5959. 'In the sediment of the waters I settle thee!' the sediment (purîsha) of the waters is sand: in the sand he settles this one.
7:5:2:6060. 'In the resort of the waters I settle thee!' the resort of the waters is food: in food he settles this one. Whatever water flowed from those (five) forms of his, that water he now (by these five formulas) puts back into him; and those forms themselves he thereby restores to him.
7:5:2:6161. 'By the Gâyatrî metre I settle thee!--
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[paragraph continues] By the Trishtubh metre I settle thee!--By the Gagatî metre I settle thee!--By the Anushtubh metre I settle thee!--By the Paṅkti metre I settle thee!' Whatever water flowed from those metres of his, that he now (by these formulas) puts back into him; and those metres themselves he thereby restores to him.
7:5:2:6262. These (bricks) are fingers (and toes): he puts them on all sides 1, for these fingers (and toes) are on all sides; he puts them at the ends, for these fingers (and toes) are at the ends; in four sets he puts them on, for these fingers (and toes) are in four sets; five he puts on each time, for there are five fingers (or toes) at each (limb); separately he puts them on, for separate are these fingers (and toes); only once he 'settles' each (set): he thereby makes (each set) one and the same, whence they have a common connecting-link.

Footnotes

401:1 See VI, 1, 1, 4; 2, 1, 7.
401:2 That is, by the head, according to Sâyana.
402:1 See J. Muir, Original Sanskrit Texts, V, p. 391.
402:2 That is, before putting the heads in the fire-pan.
403:1 Viz. a he-goat, as the animal sacrifice to either Pragâpati, or (Vâyu) Niyutvat; see pp. 178, 184.
403:2 See VI, 2, 2, 15.
404:1 Only the first of the two formulas, however, contains the word 'visva,' all.
404:2 The pan was partly filled with sand and milk, see VII, 1, 1, 41, 44.
405:1 'Pratimâ' is perhaps taken here by the dogmatic expositor in the sense of 'likeness, counterpart;' in which case one would have to translate, 'the counterpart of a thousand, the all-shaped one.'
406:1 See VI, 4, 3, 10.
406:2 Or, 'they attend upon him (Agni, the fire-altar) who tends towards the front (east);' inasmuch as the altar is built in the shape of a bird flying eastwards.
406:3 Or, harm not the cow, the wide-ruling (or wide-shining) Aditi!
406:4 After the two premises (with 'vai') the inference seems here to be introduced without any particle. Similarly in paragraph 24; while in paragraph 19 the particle 'u' is used to perform that office. Cf. however VII, 4, 2, 1, where a third parallel clause (which logically might have been the inference) is introduced by 'u vai.'
406:5 Sâyana refers to the legend in Taitt. S. II, I, 2, 2, here alluded to:--Svarbhânu, the Âsura, struck the sun with darkness. The gods sought an expiation for that (darkness): the first darkness of his which they dispelled became a black ewe, the second a red one, the third a white one; and what they cut off from the surface of the bone (?) that became a barren sheep, &c.
407:1 Viz. inasmuch as the fire to be ultimately deposited on the fire-altar was taken from the original (hall-door) fire.
407:2 See VI, 1, 1, 9.
407:3 That is, Pragâpati, the lord of procreation; see VI, 1, 2, 6 seq.
408:1 That is, having rapidly muttered it.
408:2 That is, (means of) deliverance or removal, a term applied to the next five mantras.
408:3 Lit. their burning heat (suk); cf. par. 32 seq.
409:1 The Sacrificer builds the fire-altar with a view to his securing for himself a place in heaven.
409:2 It is doubtful what is meant here by this term, unless it be a monkey, or a counterfeit human head; cf. p. 197, note 4.
410:1 This paraphrase does not make it clear how the author construes and interprets this part of the formula; especially in what sense he takes 'nishîda.'
410:2 Thus Mahîdhara (gauravarnam mrigam). In the St. Petersburg dictionary 'gaura' is taken here in the sense of 'buffalo, bos gavæus.' The parallelism in the next two formulas might indeed seem to point to that meaning.
411:1 Viz. inasmuch as its wool serves as a cover for man and beast.
412:1 'Aga,' he-goat, is here again taken in the sense of 'a-ga,' unborn. As to the gods having sprung from Vâk, see VI, 1, 2, 6 seq.
412:2 A fabulous animal with eight legs.
414:1 See VI, 4, 4, 22; 5, 1, 4.
417:1 The four sets of bricks are placed in the middle of the four sides of the square 'body' of the altar-site, or at the ends of the two spines' intersecting each other.

(My humble salutations to the translator Sreeman Julius Eggeling for the collection)