The Satapatha- Brahmana - Part - III Books 5, 6 and 7 - 6th Kanda - 4th Adhayaya to 6th Adhayaya

THE SATAPATHA-BRÂHMANA

ACCORDING TO THE TEXT OF THE MÂDHYANDINA SCHOOL

Translated by

Julius Eggeling

 Part III

Sixth Kanda

FOURTH ADHYÂYA. FIRST BRÂHMANA.

6:4:1:11. He now digs it (the lump of clay) 1 up from that (hole);--for the gods, having found him (Agni), then dug him up; and in like manner this one, after finding him, now digs him up,--with (Vâg. S. XI, 28), 'At the impulse of the god Savitri, by the arms of the Asvins, by the hands of Pûshan, I dig thee, the Agni Purîshya, from the lap of the earth, Aṅgiras-like;'--impelled by Savitri, he thus, by means of those deities, digs him up, the Agni favourable to cattle, as Agni (did).
6:4:1:22. 'Thee, O Agni, the bright, the fair-faced,'--for this Agni is indeed bright and fair-faced;--'glowing with perpetual sheen,'--that is, 'shining with perpetual light;'--'thee, kind to creatures, and never harming, the Agni Purîshya we dig up from the lap of the earth, Aṅgiras-like;'--that is, thee, kind to creatures, and never harming, the cattle-loving Agni we dig up from the lap of the earth, as Agni (did).'
6:4:1:33. With two (formulas) he digs,--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 digs him up. And twofold also is that form of his, (consisting as it does of) clay and water.
6:4:1:44. He digs, with, 'I dig,'--'we dig;' for with, 'I
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dig,' Pragâpati dug for him (Agni); and with, 'we dig,' the gods dug for him, therefore (he digs), with, 'I dig,'--'we dig.'
6:4:1:55. Now while digging with the spade, he says with speech 'I dig,' 'we dig,' for the spade is speech. It is for his undertaking that this bamboo (spade) is made; and with speech for a spade, the gods dug him up; and in like manner does this one now dig him up with speech for a spade (or, with the speech-spade).
6:4:1:66. He then deposits it upon the black antelope skin, for the black antelope skin is the sacrifice 1: in the sacrifice he thus deposits it (or him, Agni);--on the hair (side); for the hair is the metres: he thus deposits him on the metres. That (skin) he spreads silently; for the black antelope skin is the sacrifice; and the sacrifice is Pragâpati, and undefined is Pragâpati. North (of the hole he spreads it),--the meaning of this (will be explained) hereafter;--on (the skin spread) with the neck-part in front, for thus (it is turned) towards the gods.
6:4:1:77. And he deposits it on a lotus-leaf (placed on the skin); for the lotus-leaf is the womb, and into the womb he pours that seed; and the seed which is poured into the womb, becomes generative. He spreads that (leaf) with a formula; for the formula is speech, and the lotus-leaf is speech 2.
6:4:1:88. [Vâg. S. XI, 29] 'Thou art the waters’
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back, Agni's womb,' for this is indeed the back of the waters, and the womb of Agni;--'around the swelling sea,'--for the sea indeed swells around it;--'thou, growing mighty upon the lotus,'--that is, 'growing, prosper thou on the lotus.'--'With the measure of the sky, extend thou in width!'--with this he strokes along it (so as to lie even on the skin); for that Agni is yonder sun; and him assuredly none other than the width of the sky can contain: 'having become the sky, contain him!' this is what he thereby says.
6:4:1:99. He spreads it over the black antelope skin; for the black antelope skin is the sacrifice; and the black antelope skin is this earth, and the sacrifice is this earth, for on this earth the sacrifice is spread. And the lotus-leaf is the sky; for the sky is the waters, and the lotus-leaf is the waters; and yonder sky is above this earth.
6:4:1:1010. He touches both of them--he thereby brings about concord between them--with (Vâg. S. XI, 30), 'A shelter ye are, a shield ye are!'--for both a shelter and a shield these two indeed are;--'uninjured both, and ample,'--for uninjured and ample both these indeed are;--'capacious, guard ye,'--that is, 'spacious, guard ye!'--'bear ye Agni Purîshya!'--that is, 'bear ye Agni, favourable to cattle 1!'
6:4:1:1111. [Vâg. S. XI, 31] 'Guard ye, light-finders, uniting with each other, with the breast, with the self,'--that is, 'guard him, ye light-finders, uniting with each other, both with your breast and your self;'--'bearing within the brilliant, the
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everlasting;'--this Agni indeed is yonder sun, and he is the brilliant, the everlasting one; and him these two bear between (them): hence he says, the brilliant, the everlasting.'
6:4:1:1212. He touches them with two (verses);--two-footed is the Sacrificer, and the Sacrificer is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus brings about concord between these two. And, again, (he does so) because that form of theirs is twofold, (there being) a black antelope skin and a lotus-leaf.

Footnotes

214:1 Or him, Agni; the identity of the two being kept up throughout.
215:1 Regarding the skin of the black antelope, considered as a symbol of Brâhmanical worship and civilisation, see part i, p. 23, note 2. As to the white and black hair of it representing the hymn-verses (rik) and tunes (sâman), and those of undecided colour the Yagus-formulas, see I, 1, 4, 2.
215:2 Viz. because from speech the waters were produced (VI, 1, 1, 9) and from them the lotus-leaf has sprung. Sây.
216:1 See p. 201, note 1.

SECOND BRÂHMANA.

6:4:2:11. He then touches the lump of clay, with (Vâg. S. XI, 32), 'Thou art the Purîshya 1,'--that is, 'Thou art favourable to cattle; all-supporting,'--for he (Agni) indeed supports everything here;--'Atharvan was the first that kindled thee, O Agni!'--Atharvan doubtless is the breath, and the breath indeed churned him out (produced him) at first: 'Thou art that Agni who was produced at first,' this he means to say; and that same (Agni) he thus makes it (the lump) to be.
6:4:2:22. He then takes hold of it with the (right) hand and spade on the right side; and with the (left) hand on the left side, with, 'From the lotus Atharvan churned thee forth,'--the lotus doubtless means the waters, and Atharvan is the breath; and the breath indeed churned him (Agni, the fire) out of the waters at first;--'from the head of every offerer 2,'--that is, 'from the head of this All (universe).'
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6:4:2:33. [Vâg. S. XI, 33; Rik S. VI, 16, 14] 'Also the sage Dadhyañk, the son of Atharvan, kindled thee;'--Dadhyañk, the Âtharvana, doubtless is speech; and he did kindle him therefrom;--'as the Vritra-slayer, the breaker of strongholds,'--Vritra is evil, thus: 'as the slayer of evil, the breaker of strongholds.'
6:4:2:44. [Vâg. S. XI, 34; Rik S. VI, 16, 15] 'Also Pâthya, the bull, kindled thee, as the greatest slayer of enemies,'--Pâthya, the bull, doubtless is the Mind, and he did kindle him therefrom;--'as a winner of wealth in every battle,'--as the text, so its meaning.
6:4:2:55. With Gâyatrî verses (he performs),--the Gâyatrî is the vital air: he thus lays vital air into him. With three (verses);--there are three vital airs, the out-breathing, the in-breathing, and the through-breathing: these he thus lays into him. These (verses) consist of nine feet, for there are nine vital airs, seven in the head, and two downward ones: these he thus lays into him.
6:4:2:66. And these two following ones are Trishtubhs,--(Vâg. S. XI, 35, 36; Rik S. III, 29, 8; II, 9, 1). Now, the Trishtubh is the body (self): it is his (Agni's) body he makes up by means of these two
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[paragraph continues] (verses). 'Seat thee, O Hotri, in thine own place, thou, the mindful,'--the Hotri, doubtless, is Agni; and this, the black antelope skin, is indeed his own place; 'the mindful,' that is, 'the wise one;'--'establish the sacrifice in the seat of the good work!'--the seat of the good work doubtless is the black antelope skin;--'god-gladdening, thou shalt worship the gods with offering!'--that is, 'being a god, gratifying the gods, thou shalt worship (them) with offering;'--'Bestow, O Agni, great vigour upon the Sacrificer!'--thereby he implores a blessing upon the Sacrificer.
6:4:2:77. 'The Hotri, in the Hotri's seat, the knowing,'--the Hotri, doubtless, is Agni; the Hotri's seat is the black antelope skin; and the knowing 1 means the wise one;--'the impetuous and glowing one, of great power, hath sat down,'--that is, the impetuous and shining one, of great power, has sat down;--'the guardian of undisturbed rites, the most wealthy,'--for he indeed is the guardian of undisturbed rites, and the most wealthy;--'the bearer of thousands, the brilliant-tongued Agni,'--a thousand means all, thus, 'the all-bearer, the brilliant-tongued Agni.' With two Trishtubh (verses) relating to Agni (he performs): the meaning of this has been told.
6:4:2:88. Then there is this last Brihatî verse, for this (fire-altar) when completely built up becomes like the Brihatî (the great) metre: whatlike seed is infused into the womb, suchlike is (the child) born; and because he now makes this verse a Brihatî,
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therefore this (altar) when completely built up becomes like the Brihatî.
6:4:2:99. [Vâg. S. XI, 37; Rik S. I, 36, 9] 'Seat thee, thou art great,'--he now causes the infused seed to establish itself, whence the seed infused into the womb establishes itself;--'burn thou, best gladdener of the gods!'--that is, 'shine thou, best gladdener of the gods; send forth, O Agni, worthy partaker of the offering, thy showy, ruddy smoke!' for when he (Agni) is kindled, he sends forth his ruddy smoke,--the showy, for it, as it were, shows itself.
6:4:2:1010. These (verses) amount to six,--six seasons are a year, and Agni is the year: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, so great does this become. And what comes to be like the year, comes to be like the Brihatî; for the year is the Brihatî,--twelve full moons, twelve eighth days 1 (of the fortnight of waning moon), twelve new moons, that makes thirty-six, and the Brihatî consists of thirty-six syllables. He takes it (the lump of clay) from the right (south) to the left (north) side (of the hole), for from the right side seed is infused into the womb; and this (hole) now is his (Agni's) womb. He takes it thither without stopping, so as not to stop the seed.

Footnotes

217:1 See p. 201, note 1.
217:2 ? Or, of every priest (visvasya vâghatah). There is nothing to p. 218 show how the author of this part of the Brâhmana interprets 'vâghat.' Cf. VI, 4, 3, 10.--Professor Ludwig (Rik S. VI, 16, 13) translates, 'from the head of the priest Visva.' Mahîdhara offers several interpretations, according to which 'vâghatah' may either be taken as nom. plur., the verb being again supplied in the plural,--'the priests churned thee out from the head of the universe,' or 'the priests of the universe (or all priests) churned thee out,'--or 'vâghatah' may be ablative sing., like 'mûrdhnah,' qualifying 'pushkarât,'--from the lotus, the head, the leader (or, starter, vâhakât) of the universe.
219:1 Thus the author evidently interprets 'vídânah,' instead of being found,' 'se trouvant,' as is its real meaning.

THIRD BRÂHMANA.

6:4:3:11. He then pours water into it (the hole), for whatever is injured or torn in this earth that is healed by water: by means of the water he thus joins together and heals what is injured and torn in her.
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6:4:3:22. [Vâg. S. XI, 38] 'Let flow the divine waters, the honey-sweet, for health, for progeny!'--honey means sap (essence): thus, 'the sapful, for health, for progeny;'--'from their seed let plants spring forth, full-berried!' for full-berried plants indeed spring forth from the seat of the waters.
6:4:3:33. He then heals her with air 1; for whatever is injured and torn in this earth that is healed by the air: by means of air he thus joins together and heals what is injured and torn in her.
6:4:3:44. [Vâg. S. XI, 39] 'May Vâyu Mâtarisvan heal,'--Vâyu Mâtarisvan, doubtless, is he (the wind) that blows yonder;--'the broken heart of thee stretched out with upward look!' for this (hole) is the broken heart of this earth stretched out with upward look;--'thou who goest along by the breath of the gods,'--for he (the wind) indeed goes along by means of the breath of all the gods;--'to thee, Ka, be vashat (success), O god!'--Ka ('Who?') doubtless is Pragâpati, for him he makes this earth to be the Vashat, for there is so far no other oblation than that.
6:4:3:55. He then heals her by means of the quarters, for whatever is injured and torn in this earth, that is healed by the quarters: by means of the quarters he thus draws and joins together what is injured and torn in her. He joins together this and this quarter 2, whence these two quarters are joined
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together; then this one and this one, whence these two also are joined together: first thus, then thus; then thus, then thus. This is moving (from left) to right, for so (it goes) to the gods: with this and this one a means of healing is prepared; with this and this one he heals.
6:4:3:66. He then takes up together the black antelope skin and the lotus-leaf; for the lotus-leaf is the womb, and with the womb he takes up that infused seed: whence the infused seed is taken up by the womb. [He does so, with, Vâg. S. XI, 40] 'Wellborn with splendour, the refuge and shelter, hath he settled down in the light;' for well-born he is, and he settles down in the refuge, and shelter, and light.
6:4:3:77. He then ties it (the lump) up: he thereby keeps the seed within the womb; whence the seed kept within the womb does not escape. With a string (he ties it), for with the string they yoke the draught beast;--with a triple one of reed grass: the significance of this has been told 1.
6:4:3:88. He lays it round (the skin), with, 'Invest thyself, O lustrous Agni, in the many-coloured garment!' In the sacrifice the cord is Varunic; having thereby made it non-Varunic, he makes him put on (the skin) as one would make a garment be put on.
6:4:3:99. He then takes it and rises;--that Agni being yonder sun, he thus causes yonder sun to rise;--with (Vâg. S. XI, 41) 2, 'Rise, thou of good rites,'--the sacrifice doubtless is a rite: thus, 'rise thou, well
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worthy of sacrifice;'--'Guard us with godly wisdom!'--that is, 'whatever divine wisdom is thine, therewith guard us!'--'Most brilliant to see with great light,'--that is, 'in order to be seen most brilliant with great light;'--'hither, O Agni, come thou with praises!'--the praises 1 are the steeds: thus, 'hither, O Agni, come with the steeds.'
6:4:3:1010. He then lifts it upwards from there towards the east; for this Agni is yonder sun: he thus places yonder sun upwards from here in the east, and hence yonder sun is placed upwards from here in the east. [He does so, with, Vâg. S. XI, 42; Rik S. I, 36, 13] 'Upright for our protection, stand thou like the god Savitri!'--as the text, so its meaning;--'upright, as a bestower 2 of strength,'--for standing upright he (the sun) indeed bestows 2 strength, food;--'when we utter our call with the shining offerers'--the shining offerers 3, doubtless, are his (the sun's) rays: it is these he means. He lifts it up beyond the reach of his arms, for beyond the reach of his arms is that (sun) from here. He then lowers it; and having lowered it, he holds it above the navel: the meaning of this (will be explained) hereafter 4.

Footnotes

220:1 See VI, 2, 2, 23.
221:1 Viz. by fanning air into the hole with the hand.
221:2 With his 'nameless' (or little) finger, he pushes some of the loose soil into the hole, first from the front (east) and back (west) . sides, and then from the right (south) and left (north) sides. Thus, according to Kâty. XVI, 3, 4, the sunwise movement is p. 222 obtained by the hand moving from east (along the south) to west, and then from south (along the west) to north.
222:1 See VI, 3 1, 27.
222:2 See Rik S. VIII, 23, 5, differing considerably.
223:1 The author might seem to connect 'sasti' (in susasti) with 'sâs,' to rule, control, instead of with 'sams,' to praise; Sâyana, however, takes 'susasti' as a bahuvrîhi, 'with the praiseworthy,' i.e. with the steeds deserving praise, because they draw well (sobhanâ sastir eshâm . . . sâdhu vahanty asvâh). It is indeed not improbable that this was the author's intention.
223:2 Or, a winner--wins.
223:3 Añgayo vâghatah. See p. 217, note 2.
223:4 See VI, 7, 1, 8 seq.

FOURTH BRÂHMANA.

6:4:4:11. That (lump of clay representing Agni) is still in his hand when he addresses the animals; for the gods, being about to equip 1 (Agni), now first laid vigour into them; and in like manner does this (Sacrificer, or priest) now, being about to equip (Agni), first lay vigour into these (cattle).
6:4:4:22. He addresses the horse, with (Vâg. S. XI, 43 Rik S. X, 1, 2), 'Thus born, art thou the child of the two worlds;'--the two worlds, doubtless, are these two, heaven and earth; and he (Agni) thus born, is the child of these two;--'O Agni, the lovely (child), distributed among the plants,'--for he, the lovely one, is indeed distributed among all the plants 2;--'a brilliant child, through gloom and night,'--for as a brilliant child, he (Agni) indeed shines beyond gloom and night;--'crying aloud thou didst go forth from the mothers;'--his mothers, doubtless, are the plants, and from them he comes forth crying aloud. He thereby lays vigour into the horse.
6:4:4:33. Then (he addresses) the ass, with (Vâg. S. XI, 44), 'Steadfast be thou, firm-limbed, and a swift racer be thou, O steed!'--that is, 'be thou steadfast, and firm-limbed, and swift, and a racer, O steed!'--'Ample be thou, and well to sit upon, thou, the bearer of Agni's supply!'--that is, 'be
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thou ample (broad), well to rest upon, thou, Agni's provender-bearer 1!' He thereby lays vigour into the ass.
6:4:4:44. Then the he-goat, with (Vâg. S. XI, 45), 'Be thou propitious unto human creatures, O Aṅgiras!'--for Agni is Aṅgiras, and the he-goat is sacred to Agni: he thus appeases him with a view to his doing no injury;--'Scorch not heaven and earth, nor the air, nor the trees!'--that is, 'do not injure anything!' He thereby lays vigour into the he-goat.
6:4:4:55. With three (verses) he addresses (the animals), for threefold is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus lays vigour into them.
6:4:4:66. He then holds it (Agni, the lump of clay) over these animals, whereby he equips him (Agni) with these cattle. He does not touch them, lest he should injure that seed by the thunderbolt, for cattle are a thunderbolt, and this (clay) is seed; or lest that Agni should injure those cattle, for that (lump of clay) is Agni, and these (animals) are cattle.
6:4:4:77. In the first place he holds it over the horse, with (Vâg. S. XI, 46), 'Let the racer start forth neighing lustily,'--that is, 'Let the racer start forth neighing repeatedly;'--'the running ass, crying aloud!' He thus mentions the ass in the formula of the horse, and thereby imbues the ass with sorrow 2;--'bearing Agni Purîshya, may he
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not perish before his full measure of time!'--that is, 'bearing Agni favourable to cattle, may he (the horse) not perish before (the completion of) this sacred work.' He thereby equips him (Agni) with the horse.
6:4:4:88. Then (over) the ass, with, 'The male carrying Agni, the male,'--for Agni is a male, and the he-ass is a male: that male carries the male;--'the sea-born child of the waters,'--for he (Agni) is the sea-born child of the waters. He thereby equips him with the ass.
6:4:4:99. He then takes it off, with, 'O Agni, come hither to the feast!'--that is, 'in order to rejoice.' By means of the brahman, the yagus (formula), he thus removes him (Agni) from the Sûdra caste.
6:4:4:1010. Then (he holds it over) the he-goat, with (Vâg. S XI, 47), 'The law--the truth, the law--the truth!'--the (divine) law doubtless is this Agni; and the truth is yonder sun; or, rather, the law is yonder (sun), and the truth is this (Agni); but, indeed, this Agni is both the one and the other: hence he says, 'the law--the truth, the law--the truth.' He thereby equips him with the he-goat
6:4:4:1111. With three (beasts) he equips (Agni),--three fold is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus equips him. With three (verses) he previously addresses (the beasts),--that mikes six: the significance of this (number) has been explained.
6:4:4:1212. They then make the beasts return (to the Âhavanîya): the he-goat goes first of them, then the ass, then the horse. Now, in going away from this
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[paragraph continues] (Âhavanîya 1), the horse goes first, then the ass, then the he-goat,--for the horse corresponds to the Kshatra (nobility), the ass to the Vaisya and Sûdra, the he-goat to the Brâhmana.
6:4:4:1313. And inasmuch as, in going from here, the horse goes first, therefore the Kshatriya, going first, is followed by the three other castes; and inasmuch as, in returning from there, the he-goat goes first, therefore the Brâhmana, going first, is followed by the three other castes. And inasmuch as the ass does not go first, either in going from here, or in coming back from there, therefore the Brâhmana and Kshatriya never go behind the Vaisya and Sûdra hence they walk thus in order to avoid a confusion between good and bad. And, moreover, he thus encloses those two castes (the Vaisya and Sûdra) on both sides by the priesthood and the nobility, and makes them submissive.
6:4:4:1414. He then looks at the sham-man, with, 'Agni Purîshya we bear, Aṅgiras-like;'--that is, 'Agni, favourable to cattle, we bear, like Agni.' He thereby equips him with the sham-man.
6:4:4:1515. He (the Adhvaryu) arrives (near the fire) while holding (the lump of clay) over the he-goat; for the he-goat is sacred to Agni: he thus equips him (Agni) with his own self, with his own godhead. And, moreover, the he-goat is the Brahman (priesthood): with the Brahman he thus equips him.
6:4:4:1616. He then takes it down, with, 'O plants, welcome ye with joy this propitious Agni coming hitherwards!' for the plants are afraid lest he (Agni) should injure them: it is for them that he
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now appeases him, saying, 'Welcome ye him with joy, propitious he comes to you; he will not injure you!'--'Removing all infirmities, afflictions; settling down, drive off from us evil intention!' that is, 'removing all infirmities and afflictions, settling down, drive off from us all evil!'
6:4:4:1717. [Vâg. S. XI, 48] 'O plants, receive him joyfully, ye blossoming, full-berried ones!' for that is their perfect form when they are blossoming and full-berried: thus, 'Being perfect, receive ye him joyfully!'--'this timely child of yours hath settled down in his old seat;' that is, 'this seasonable child of yours has settled down in his eternal seat.'
6:4:4:1818. With two (verses) he takes it 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 takes it down. He takes it down from the right (south) to the left (north) side: the significance of this has been explained. Raised and sprinkled is (the place) where he takes it down, for on a (mound), raised and sprinkled, the (sacrificial) fire is laid down. Gravel is strewed thereon: the significance of this (will be explained) hereafter 1.
6:4:4:1919. It is enclosed on all sides 2; for at that time the gods were afraid, thinking, 'We hope the Rakshas, the fiends, will not smite here this (Agni) of ours!' They enclosed him with this stronghold; and in like manner does this one now enclose him with this stronghold. And, again, this is a womb;
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and this (clay) is seed; and in secret, as it were, the seed is infused into the womb: it is thus made of the form of the womb; and hence it is only in secret that one would have intercourse even with his own wife.
6:4:4:2020. He then unties it (the lump of clay): whatever part of his (body) pains him (Agni) when tied up, that pain he now puts outside of him; and, moreover, he causes him to be born from that womb (the antelope skin).
6:4:4:2121. [He unties it, with Vâg. S. XI, 49; Rik S. III, 15, 1] 'Blazing forth with wide glare,'--that is, 'Shining brightly with wide glare;'--'chase away the terrors of the hating demons!'--that is, 'chase away all evils!'--'May I be in the protection of the great, the good protector, in the guidance of Agni, ready to our call!' thereby he invokes a blessing.
6:4:4:2222. He then cuts off some goat's hair, and lets loose the animals towards the north-east; for this, the north-east, is the region of both gods and men: he thus bestows cattle on that region, and hence both gods and men subsist on cattle.

Footnotes

224:1 For the ceremony of 'equipping' Agni, see part i, p. 276, note 1.
224:2 Viz. inasmuch as fire may be elicited from dry wood. See also I, 6, 4, 5, where Soma, frequently identified with Agni (see VI, 5, 1, 1), is said at new moon to come down to the earth, and enter the waters and plants in order to be born anew from them.
225:1 Literally, Agni's bearer of what is suitable for the cattle, or perhaps, be thou, for Agni, the bearer of (himself) favourable to cattle;--'pasavya' being here as elsewhere used (see p. 201, note *1*) to explain 'purîsha,' that which fills, the mould or soil used as mortar for the layers of bricks, in building up the fire-altar.
225:2 On account of his being compared with the horse, Sây. The author probably alludes to the dejected, spiritless look of the ass, as p. 226 compared with that of the horse. The word 'suk' might, however, perhaps also be taken in the sense of 'fervour, fire.'
227:1 See VI, 3, 2, 6 seq.
228:1 See VII, 1, 1, 9.
228:2 The lump of clay is deposited on a raised mound (or perhaps rather on a cut-out piece of ground, uddhata), in an enclosed shed, (with a door on the east side) north of the Âhavanîya.

Sixth Kânda

THE MAKING OF THE FIRE-PAN (UKHÂ).

FIFTH ADHYÂYA. FIRST BRÂHMANA.

6:5:1:11. That water (used for working the clay) has been boiled by means of resin of the palâsa tree (butea frondosa), just for the sake of firmness. And as to why (it is done) by palâsa resin;--the palâsa tree doubtless is Soma 1, and Soma is the moon, and that (moon) indeed is one of Agni's
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forms: it is for the obtainment of that form of Agni (that palâsa resin is used).
6:5:1:22. He pours it on (the clay), with (Vâg. S. XI, 50-52; Rik S. X, 9, 1-3), 'Refreshing ye are, O waters 1!' To whatever deity a Rik-verse, and to whatever deity a Yagus formula applies, that Rik-verse is that very deity, and that Yagus formula is that very deity: hence this triplet (XI, 50-52) is these waters, and they are those very waters which appeared as one form 2: that form he now makes it.
6:5:1:33. He then produces foam and puts it thereto: the second form which was created (in the shape of) foam 3, that form he thus makes it. And the clay he now mixes is that very clay which was created as the third form. It was from these forms that he (Agni) was created at the beginning, and from them he now produces him.
6:5:1:44. He then mixes it with the goat's hair, just for the sake of firmness. And as to why with goat's hair,--the gods then collected him (Agni) from out of the cattle, and in like manner does this one now collect him from out of the cattle. And as to why with goat's hair, it is because in the he-goat (is contained) the form of all cattle; and as to its being hair, form is hair 4.
6:5:1:55. [Vâg. S. XI, 53] 'Mitra having mixed the earth and ground with light,'--Mitra doubtless
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is the breath, and the breath first did this sacred work;--'I mix (fashion) thee, the well-born knower of beings, for health to creatures,'--as the text, so its meaning.
6:5:1:66. Then there are these three kinds of powder (dust)--(sand of) gravel, stone, and iron-rust--therewith he mixes (the clay), just for firmness. And as to why (it is mixed) therewith, it is because thereof this (earth) consisted when it was created in the beginning: thus whatlike this (earth) was created in the beginning, such he now makes it (the earth, or fire-pan).
6:5:1:77. [Vâg. S. XI, 54] 'The Rudras, having mixed the earth, kindled the great light;'--for this Agni is yonder sun: thus it is that great light which the Rudras, having mixed the earth, did kindle;--'yea, never-failing and brilliant, their light shineth among the gods;'--for that never-failing and brilliant light of theirs does indeed shine among the gods.
6:5:1:88. With two (verses) he mixes (the clay),--two-footed is the Sacrificer, and the Sacrificer is Agni as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, so great he thus mixes (fashions) him.
6:5:1:99. He then kneads it, with(Vâg. S. XI, 55), 'Mixed by the Vasus, the Rudras,'--for this (clay) has indeed been mixed both by the Vasus and the Rudras: by the Vasus, because by Mitra and by the Rudras, because by the Rudras;--'by the wise, the clay suitable for the work;'--for wise those (gods) are, and suitable for the (sacred) work is this clay;--'making it soft with her hands, may Sinîvalî fashion it!'--Sinîvalî doubtless is speech: thus, 'May she, having made it soft with her hands, fashion it!'
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6:5:1:1010. [Vâg. S. XI, 56] 'Sinîvalî, the fair-knotted, fair-braided, fair-locked,'--for Sinîvalî is a woman, and that is indeed the perfect form of woman, to wit, the fair-knotted, fair-braided, fair-locked: he thus makes her perfect;--'may she place the fire-pan into thy hands, O great Aditi!'--the great Aditi doubtless is this earth: it is to this earth that he says this.
6:5:1:1111. [Vâg. S. XI, 57] 'Let Aditi fashion the fire-pan, by her skill, her arms, her wisdom!'--for by her skill, by her arms, and by her wisdom she does indeed fashion it;--'may she bear Agni in her womb, even as a mother (bears) her son in her lap!'--that is, 'as a mother would bear her son in her lap, so may she (Aditi) bear Agni in her womb!'
6:5:1:1212. With three (formulas) he kneads (the clay),--threefold is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus kneads him. With two (verses) he mixes,--that makes five;--of five layers consists the fire-altar (Agni); five seasons are a year, and the year is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, so great does this become. With three (formulas) he pours water thereto,--that makes eight;--of eight syllables the Gâyatrî metre consists, and Agni is Gâyatra: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, so great does this become. And, moreover, as one of eight syllables 1 this (earth) was created in the beginning: thus as great as this (earth) was created in the beginning, so great he thus makes this (fire-pan representing the earth).

Footnotes

229:1 See part i, p. 183.
230:1 The whole triplet runs thus: 'Refreshing ye are, O waters; lead us to strength, to see great joy!--whatever is your most benign sap, therein let us share, like loving mothers!--For you we will readily go to him, to whose abode ye urge us, O waters, and quicken us.'

SECOND BRÂHMANA.

6:5:2:11. He then takes a lump of clay, as much as he thinks sufficient for the bottom part, with, 'Makha's head thou art!'--Makha, doubtless, is the sacrifice, and this is its head; for the Âhavanîya fire is the head of the sacrifice, and that Âhavanîya (fire-altar) he is now about to build: hence he says, 'Makha's head thou art!'
6:5:2:22. And, again, as to why he says, 'Makha's head thou art!'--when he (Agni) is built up, then he is born, and it is by the head (issuing first), by the top, that he who is born is born: 'when he is born, may he be born by the head, by the top!' so he thinks.
6:5:2:33. He spreads it out, with (Vâg. S. XI, 58), 'May the Vasus, Aṅgiras-like, fashion thee by the Gâyatrî metre!'--for the bottom part is this (terrestrial) world, and this the Vasus fashioned by means of the Gâyatrî metre; and in like manner does this one now fashion it by means of the Gâyatrî metre;--'Aṅgiras-like,' he says, for Aṅgiras is the breath. 'Thou art steadfast!'--that is, 'thou art firm,' or, 'thou art fixed;'--'Thou art the earth!'--for this bottom part is indeed the earth;--'Establish in me offspring, increase of wealth, lordship of cattle, manhood, clansmen for the Sacrificer!' For the Vasus, having fashioned this (terrestrial) world, invoked this blessing thereon; and in like manner does the Sacrificer, having fashioned this world, now invoke this blessing thereon. Having made it of the measure of a span (in each direction), he then turns up its edge on each side.
6:5:2:44. He then lays thereon the first (lower) side-part,
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with, 'May the Rudras, Aṅgiras-like, fashion thee by the Trishtubh metre!'--for this side-part is the air, and this the Rudras fashioned by means of the Trishtubh metre; and in like manner does this one now fashion it by means of the Trishtubh metre;--'Aṅgiras-like,' he says, for Aṅgiras is the breath;--'Thou art steadfast!'--that is, 'thou art firm,' or 'thou art fixed;'--'Thou art the air!' for this side-part is indeed the air;--'Establish in me offspring, increase of wealth, lordship of cattle, manhood, clansmen for the Sacrificer!' For the Rudras, having fashioned the air, invoked this blessing thereon; and in like manner does this Sacrificer, having fashioned the air, now invoke this blessing thereon. Having stroked and smoothed it all over--
6:5:2:55. He lays on the upper side-part, with, 'May the Âdityas, Aṅgiras-like, fashion thee by the Gagatî metre!' for this side-part is yonder sky, and this the Âdityas fashioned by means of the Gagatî metre; and in like manner does this one now fashion it by means of the Gagatî metre;--'Aṅgiras-like,' he says, for Aṅgiras is the breath;--'Thou art steadfast!'--that is, 'thou art firm,' or 'thou art fixed;'--'Thou art the sky!' for that side-part is indeed the sky;--'Establish in me offspring, increase of wealth, lordship of cattle, manhood, clansmen for the Sacrificer!' For the Âdityas, having fashioned the sky, invoked this blessing thereon; and in like manner the Sacrificer, having fashioned the sky, now invokes this blessing thereon.
6:5:2:66. He then makes it (complete), with this fourth prayer, 'May the All-gods, the friends of all
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men, fashion thee, Aṅgiras-like, by the Anushtubh metre!'--this prayer, doubtless, is the (four) quarters, and the All-gods, the friends of all men, did then, by means of this prayer, put the quarters into these worlds, (that is) into the fire-pan; and in like manner does the Sacrificer, by means of this prayer, now put the quarters into these worlds, into the fire-pan;--'Aṅgiras-like,' he says, because Aṅgiras is the breath;--'Thou art steadfast!'--that is, 'thou art firm,' or 'thou art fixed;'--'Thou art the quarters!' for this prayer indeed is the quarters;--'Establish in me offspring, increase of wealth, lordship of cattle, manhood, clansmen for the Sacrificer!' For the All-gods, the friends of all men, having fashioned the quarters, invoked this blessing on them; and in like manner the Sacrificer, having fashioned the quarters, now invokes this blessing on them.
6:5:2:77. With that same formula he fashions it both inside and outside, whence the quarters are both inside and outside these worlds. He therewith fashions it without restriction (to any part of the pan), for unrestricted are the quarters.
6:5:2:88. He makes it just a span high, and a span sideways; for Vishnu, when an embryo, was a span long, and this (fire-pan) is the womb: he thus makes the womb of equal size with the embryo 1.
6:5:2:99. Were it larger than a span, he would make it smaller by that prayer; and were it smaller, (he would make it) larger thereby 2.
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6:5:2:1010. If there be one victim, let him make it (the pan) one span wide; and if there be five victims, let him make it five spans wide, or an arrow's width; for the arrow means strength: he thus makes it to be composed of strength. But, indeed, an arrow formerly used to be five spans long 1.
6:5:2:1111. He then lays round the horizontal belt (or rim);--that is the quarters; for the gods, having made these worlds, the fire-pan, strengthened and encircled them by the quarters; and in like manner the Sacrificer, having made these worlds, the fire-pan, thus strengthens and encircles them by the quarters.
6:5:2:1212. He lays this (rim) on the upper third (of the side), for it is there the ends of these worlds meet, and he thus makes them firm thereby.
6:5:2:1313. [He does so, with Vâg. S. XI, 59] 'Thou art Aditi's girdle!'--in the sacrifice the string relates to Varuna: he thus lays this belt round after (expressly) making it one not relating to Varuna.
6:5:2:1414. He then silently makes four upright (bands), for these are the quarters;--for the gods, having made these worlds, the fire-pan, made them firm on all sides by means of the quarters 2; and in like manner the Sacrificer, having made these worlds, the fire-pan, now makes them firm on all sides by means of the quarters.
6:5:2:1515. These (vertical bands) run up to (the rim of) it, for they did then support it, and so do they now support it: thus that upper part of it becomes firm
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by means of the horizontal belt, and that lower part of it by means of these (vertical bands).
6:5:2:1616. At their tops they form nipples; for the gods, having made these worlds, the fire-pan, drew forth for themselves from these nipples all (objects of) their desires; and in like manner the Sacrificer, having made these worlds, the fire-pan, draws forth from these nipples all his desires.
6:5:2:1717. This (fire-pan) indeed is a cow, for the fire-pan is these worlds, and these worlds are a cow: that horizontal belt is its udder; it is in the (upper) third of it, for the udder is in one-third of the cow.
6:5:2:1818. He forms nipples to it, whereby he forms the nipples of the udder: it has four nipples, for the cow has four nipples.
6:5:2:1919. Some, indeed, make it with two nipples, or also with eight nipples; but let him not do so, for those cattle which have fewer nipples than a cow, and those which have more nipples, are less fit to yield him a livelihood: hence they make this (fire-pan) less fit to yield a livelihood; and, indeed, they do not make it (like) a cow, but (like) a bitch, or a ewe, or a mare; hence let him not do so.
6:5:2:2020. He then takes hold of its bowl, with, 'May Aditi seize thy bowl!' Aditi, doubtless, is Speech; and the gods, having then fashioned it, perfected it by means of Aditi, speech; and in like manner this one, having fashioned it, now perfects it by means of Aditi, speech.
6:5:2:2121. Having grasped it with both hands, he sets it down, with, 'She, having fashioned the great (mahîm) fire-pan,'--that is, 'she, having fashioned the great (mahatîm) fire-pan;'--'the earthen womb for Agni;'--for this is indeed Agni's
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earthen womb;--'Aditi offered it unto her sons, thinking, They shall bake it!'--for Aditi, indeed, having fashioned it, offered it to the gods, her sons, to bake it; and in like manner does this one now, after fashioning it, offer it to the gods to bake it.
6:5:2:2222. Now some make three (fire-pans), saying, 'Three (in number) are these worlds, and the fire-pans are these worlds;' and also for mutual expiation, thinking, 'If the one will break, we shall carry (Agni) in the other, and if the other (breaks), then in the other (or third).' Let him not do so; for that first bottom part is this world; and that first (lower) side-part is the air; and the upper one is the sky; and that fourth, the prayer, doubtless is the quarters; and just as much as these worlds and the quarters are, so much is this whole (universe). But were he to add anything thereto, he would make it to be redundant, and whatever redundant (act) is done in the sacrifice is left over for the Sacrificer's spiteful rival. And as to the expiation in case of the (fire-pan being) broken, that (will be told) in a subsequent chapter 1.

Footnotes

235:1 Vishnu is identical with Agni, inasmuch as both are the sacrifice.
235:2 That is to say, if the pan, thus fashioned, is not quite of the exact measure, the formula is supposed to set this right.
236:1 Yasmin kâle dhanurvedânusârena dharmatah kshatriyâ yudhyante tasmin kâle pañkaprâdeseshur âsît, adhunâ tv iyam aniyataparimânâ vartante, Sây.
236:2 Viz. by means of the mountains, according to Sâyana.

THIRD BRÂHMANA

6:5:3:11. Of that same (clay) she (the queen) forms the first, the 'invincible' (brick); for the invincible one (Ashâdhâ) is this earth, and this earth was created first of these worlds. She forms it of that same clay, for this earth is (one) of these worlds. The (Sacrificer's) consecrated consort (mahishî) forms it: for this earth is a 'mahishî' (female buffalo, a cow). She who is first taken to wife is the consecrated consort.
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6:5:3:22. It measures a foot (in length and breadth), for the foot is a foundation, and this earth also is a foundation. It is marked with three lines, for this earth is threefold 1.
6:5:3:33. Now he (the Sacrificer) makes the fire-pan: he thereby makes these worlds. He then makes the (three) 'all-light' (bricks), that is these deities, Agni, Vâyu, Âditya, for those deities indeed are all the light. He makes them from that same clay (as the fire-pan): he thus produces these gods from these worlds. The Sacrificer makes them. They are marked with three lines, for threefold are these gods 2. Thus as regards the deities.
6:5:3:44. Now as regards the self (or body): the fire-pan, indeed, is the self (of Agni). The 'invincible' (brick) is speech: that she (the wife) makes first, for this speech is foremost in the body. She makes it from that same clay, for this speech is of the body. The (Sacrificer's) consecrated consort makes it, for speech is a 'mahishî.' It is marked with three lines, for speech is divided into three kinds, Rik-verses, Yagus-formulas, and Sâman-tunes; and because of this threefold form of speech, low-voiced, half-loud, and loud.
6:5:3:55. He makes the fire-pan: thereby he makes (Agni's) self. He then makes the 'all-light' (bricks),--the 'all-light' (brick) is offspring, for offspring indeed is all the light: he thus causes generation to take place. He makes them of the same clay (as the fire-pan): he thus produces offspring from the self. The Sacrificer makes them: the Sacrificer thus
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produces offspring from his own self. He makes them without interruption: he thus produces uninterrupted offspring from his own self. He makes them subsequently (to the fire-pan): he thus produces the offspring subsequently to his own self. They are marked with three lines, for generation is threefold, father, mother, and son; or, the embryo, and the inner and outer membrane.
6:5:3:66. He makes these from (clay) prepared with prayer, the others from (clay) prepared without prayer; for these are defined, the others undefined; these are limited (in number), the others unlimited.
6:5:3:77. That Agni is Pragâpati; but Pragâpati is both of this, defined and undefined, limited and unlimited: thus when he makes (bricks) from (clay) prepared with prayer, he thereby makes up that form of his (Pragâpati's) which is defined and limited; and when he makes them from (clay) prepared without prayer, he thereby makes up that form of his which is undefined and unlimited. Verily, then, whosoever knowing this does it on this wise, makes up the whole and complete Agni. From the (clay) lying ready prepared, he leaves over a lump for expiations 1.
6:5:3:88. He (the Adhvaryu) now fumigates it (the fire-pan)--just for the sake of strength, or to (mark) the progress of the work. And, again, as to why he fumigates,--that fire-pan is the head of the sacrifice, and the smoke its breath: he thus puts breath into the head.
6:5:3:99. He fumigates it with horse-dung, to insure it against injury; for the horse is sacred to Pragâpati,
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and Pragâpati is Agni, and one does not injure one's own self. And with dung (he does it) because that is what was eaten (by the horse) and is useless; and thus he does not injure the horse itself, nor the other cattle.
6:5:3:1010. [Vâg. S. XI, 60] 'May the Vasus make thee fragrant by the Gâyatrî measure, Aṅgiras-like!--May the Rudras make thee fragrant by the Trishtubh metre, Aṅgiras-like!--May the Âdityas make thee fragrant by the Gagatî metre, Aṅgiras-like!--May the All-gods, the friends of all men, make thee fragrant by the Anushtubh metre, Aṅgiras-like!--May Indra make thee fragrant!--May Varuna make thee fragrant!--May Vishnu make thee fragrant!'--he thus fumigates it by means of the deities.
6:5:3:1111. Seven balls of horse-dung are (used), and seven formulas: those deities are sevenfold 1, and seven vital airs there are in the head. But also what is many times, seven times seven, is (expressed by) seven 2: he thus puts the seven vital airs into the head.

Footnotes

239:1 See VI, 1, 1, 14.
239:2 Viz. those of the sky, the air, and the earth. See VI, 1, 2, 10.
240:1 That is, in case the fire-pan were to break. See VI, 6, 4, 8 seq.
241:1 ? Or, divided into groups of seven each, as, for instance, the Mantis, see II, 5, 1, 13.
241:2 Comp. the Germ. 'seine sieben Sachen (or, Siebensachen) packen,' to pack one's traps.

FOURTH BRÂHMANA.

6:5:4:11. He now digs that (hole) 3 in the earth; for the gods now were afraid, thinking, 'We hope the Rakshas, the fiends, will not smite here this (Agni) of
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ours!' They made this (earth) to be his self (body), for protection, thinking, 'The self will protect itself.'
6:5:4:22. He digs him out with (the help of) Aditi, in order to guard him from injury; for Aditi is this earth, and one does not injure one's own self; but were he to dig with (the help of) another deity, he surely would injure him (Agni).
6:5:4:33. [Vâ, . S. XI, 61] 'May the divine Aditi, clear to all the gods, dig thee, Aṅgiras-like, O hole, in the lap of the earth!'--for this hole (is dug) among the gods. That bamboo spade now disappears. This hole is four-cornered, for there are four quarters: he thus digs it from all the quarters 1. Having then laid down fuel in it, he silently puts the 'invincible' (brick) thereon, for that is made first.
6:5:4:44. He then sets down the fire-pan (with the bottom part upwards), with, 'May the divine wives of the gods, dear to all the gods, place thee, Aṅgiras-like, O fire-pan, in the lap of the earth!' for of old the divine wives of the gods, dear to all the gods, indeed, like Aṅgiras, placed that (fire-pan) into the lap of the earth, and by (the help of) them he now places it. But, surely, these are the plants,--the wives of the gods are indeed the plants; for by the plants everything here is supported: by means of the plants he thus supports this (fire-pan). He then lays down silently the all-light' (bricks). Having then placed fuel thereon he kindles it.
6:5:4:55. 'May the divine Dhishanâs, dear to all the gods, kindle thee, Aṅgiras-like, O fire-pan, in the lap of the earth!' for of old the divine
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[paragraph continues] Dhishanâs, dear to all the gods, indeed kindled it, like Aṅgiras, in the lap of the earth, and with their help he now kindles it. But, surely, this is Vâk (speech),--the Dhishanâs are indeed speech 1, for by speech everything is kindled here: by means of speech he thus kindles this (fire-pan). Whilst looking at it, he then mutters these three formulas:
6:5:4:66. 'May the divine protectresses, dear to all the gods, heat thee, O fire-pan, Aṅgiras-like, in the lap of the earth!' for of old the divine protectresses, dear to all the gods, indeed, like Aṅgiras, heated it in the lap of the earth; and by them he now heats it. But, surely, these are the days and nights,--the protectresses are indeed the days and nights; for by days and nights everything is covered here: by means of the days and nights he thus heats it.
6:5:4:77. 'May the divine ladies, dear to all the gods, bake thee, Aṅgiras-like, O fire-pan, in the lap of the earth!' for of old the divine ladies, dear to all the gods, did, like Aṅgiras, bake it in the lap of the earth, and with their help he now bakes it. But, surely, these are the metres,--the ladies (gnâ) are indeed the metres (scripture texts), for by means of these men go (gam) to the celestial world: by means of the metres he thus bakes it.
6:5:4:88. 'May the divine women, with unclipped wings, dear to all the gods, bake thee, Aṅgiras-like, O fire-pan, in the lap of the earth!' for
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of old the divine women, with unclipped wings, dear to all the gods, did bake it, like Aṅgiras, in the lap of the earth; and with their help he now bakes it. But, surely, these are the stars,--the women (gani) are indeed the stars, for these are the lights of those righteous men (gana) who go to the celestial world: it is by means of the stars that he thus bakes it.
6:5:4:99. Now he digs with one (formula), he sets down (the fire-pan) with one, he kindles with one, he heats with one, he bakes (pak) with two, whence twice in the year food is ripened (pak); these amount to six,--six seasons are a year, and Agni is the year: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, so great does this become.
6:5:4:1010. And as often as he attends to (the fire by adding fresh fuel) 1 he attends to it with the prayer relating to Mitra, '[The protection] of Mitra, the preserver of men 2 . . .;' for a friend (mitra) does not injure any one, nor does any one injure his friend; and in like manner does this one not injure that (fire-pan), nor does it (injure) him. By day he should put (fuel) on it, by day he should clear it (of the ashes).
6:5:4:1111. He clears it (of the ashes) with a prayer relating to Savitri,--for Savitri is the impeller: impelled
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by Savitri, he thus clears it--[Vâg. S. XI, 63] 'May the divine Savitri, the well-handed, well-fingered, and well-armed, clear thee by his might!'--for Savitri is all that.
6:5:4:1212. He then turns it (the fire-pan) round, with. 'Not tottering upon the earth, fill the regions, the quarters!'--that is, 'not tottering, fill thou with sap the regions and quarters on earth!'
6:5:4:1313. He then takes it up, with [Vâg. S. XI, 641 'Having risen, do thou become great,'--for these worlds, having risen, are great;--'and stand up steadfast!' that is, 'stand thou up firm and fixed!'
6:5:4:1414. Having taken it in both hands, he sets it down, with, 'O Mitra, unto thee I consign this fire-pan for safety: may it not break!' for Mitra is that wind which blows yonder: it is to him he thus consigns it for .protection; for these worlds are protected by Mitra (or by a friend), whence nothing whatever is harmed in these worlds.
6:5:4:1515. He then pours (milk) into it,--just for strength, or to (mark) the progress of the work. And, again, why he pours (milk) into it,--that fire-pan is the head of the sacrifice, and milk is breath: he thus lays breath into the head. Moreover, the fire-pan (ukhâ, f.) is a female: he thus lays milk into the female, whence there is milk in the female.
6:5:4:1616. He pours goat's milk into it to avoid injury 1; for the goat sprang from Pragâpati's head, and Pragâpati is Agni; and one does not injure one's own self. And as to why it is goat's (milk),--the goat eats all (kinds of) herbs: he thus pours into it (the pan) the sap of all (kinds of) herbs.
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6:5:4:1717. [Vâg. S. XI, 65] 'May the Vasus fill thee with the Gâyatrî metre, Aṅgiras-like!--May the Rudras fill thee with the Trishtubh metre, Aṅgiras-like!--May the Âdityas fill thee with the Gagatî metre, Aṅgiras-like!--May the All-gods, dear to all men, fill thee with the Anushtubh metre, Aṅgiras-like!'--by these deities he thus moistens it: by whatever deities he fashions it, by them he fumigates it, and by them he moistens it. For he who performs a work, knows the practice of it: hence by whatever deities he fashions it, by them he fumigates and moistens it.

Footnotes

241:3 One might take 'athainam asyâm khanati' to mean, 'he now digs for him (Agni) in the earth,' or 'digs him into the earth.' Cf. VI, 4, 1, 1, 'athainam atah khanati.' Sâyana, however (in accordance with the formula in paragraph 3), supplies 'avatam,' 'a hole.'
242:1 Sarvâbhyo digbhya enam avatam khanati tam ka sarvâsu dikshu nâshtrâ na himsanti, Sây.
243:1 Whether 'Dhishanâ' (the name of certain female divinities who have the power of bestowing prosperity and granting wishes) is here connected with 'dhishnya,' fire-hearth; or whether it is taken by the author in some such primary sense as 'intelligence' or 'inspiration,' it were difficult to decide. Sâyana connects it with 'dhî,'--vâg vai dhishanâ, sâ hi dhiyam karma gñâvâsani (?) sambhagate.
244:1 The St. Petersburg dictionary seems to take 'yâvat kiyak kopanyâkarati' in the sense of 'as much (or, as deep) as he enters (into the pan).' But see III, 2, 2, 29, where 'yâvat kiyakka . . . upaspriset' has likewise the meaning 'as often as he touches.' Cf. also Kâty. Sr. XVI, 4, 15, He keeps up (the fire by adding fuel), with 'Mitrasya . . .;' 16, [He repeats the formula] as often (or long) as he keeps it up (or, adds fuel).
244:2 Vâg. S. XI, 62; Rik S. III, 59, 6, 'The gainful protection of the God Mitra, the preserver of men, is glorious and of most wonderful renown.'
245:1 The construction of this, and similar previous passages, is the same as that referred to in part ii, p. 15, note 3.

THE DÎKSHÂ, OR INITIATION.

SIXTH ADHYÂYA. FIRST BRÂHMANA.

6:6:1:11. Many 1 are the oblations, in the building of the fire-altar, as well as at any other (special ceremony) than the building of the fire-altar. For there are supernumerary rites,--supernumerary are those which are (performed) over and above another rite: of these 2 are the building of the altar (Agnikityâ), the Râgasûya, the Vâgapeya, and the Asvamedha; and because they are over and above the other (normal) rites, therefore they are supernumerary.
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6:6:1:22. A cake 1 on eleven potsherds to Agni and Vishnu,--that is the initiation (offering) of the (Soma) sacrifice;--one on twelve potsherds to Vaisvânara, and a pap to the Âdityas,--these two belong to Agni.
6:6:1:33. Now were he to prepare only the one for Agni and Vishnu, and not the other two oblations, then only the initiation (offering) of the (Soma) sacrifice would be performed, and not those of Agni (the fire-altar); and were he to prepare only the other two oblations, and not the one to Agni and Vishnu, only the initiation (offering) of Agni would be performed, and not that of the sacrifice.
6:6:1:44. He prepares both that of the sacrifice, and those of Agni, for this rite is both a rite of sacrifice, and a rite of fire: first (comes) that of the sacrifice, and then that of the fire, for the rite of the fire is an accessory rite.
6:6:1:55. Now as regards that (cake) for Agni and Vishnu, its mystic import is the same as what is (implied) in a preparatory ceremony. And the (cake) on twelve potsherds for Vaisvânara is for
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the obtainment of all the fires, Vaisvânara being all the fires;--it is one of twelve potsherds, for twelve months are a year, and Vaisvânara is the year.
6:6:1:66. And, again, as to why he prepares one for Vaisvânara,--it is because he is about to produce Agni as Vaisvânara (belonging, or dear to, all men): in the initiation offering he first pours him forth as seed, and whatlike the seed is that is poured into the womb, suchlike is (the child) born therefrom; and inasmuch as he now pours forth that (Agni) Vaisvânara as seed, therefore he is born hereafter as Vaisvânara.
6:6:1:77. And why he prepares those two (other) oblations,--Vaisvânara is the ruling power, and that Âditya pap is the people: he thus makes both the ruling power and the people. The Vaisvânara (cake) he prepares first, and having thereby made the ruling power, he makes the people.
6:6:1:88. That (Vaisvânara cake) is one single (oblation), having one single deity: he thus makes the ruling power to be concentrated in one (person), and excellence to be concentrated in one. The other, the pap, has many deities, for the pap is a multiplicity of rite-grains, and those Âdityas are a multiplicity of gods: he thus bestows multiplicity on the people. Thus much as to the deities.
6:6:1:99. Now as regards the self (or body of Agni). The Vaisvânara (cake) is the head, and that Âditya pap is the body: he thus makes both the head and the body. The Vaisvânara (cake) he prepares first; and having thereby made the head, he then makes the body.
6:6:1:1010. That (Vaisvânara cake) is one single (oblation), for the head is, as it were, one only; and the
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other, the pap, has many deities, for that pap is a multiplicity of rice-grains, and this body is a multiplicity of limbs: he thus bestows on the body a multiplicity of limbs.
6:6:1:1111. That (pap) is (prepared) on ghee, for the Âdityas are consumers of ghee: he thus gratifies them, each by his own share, by his own liquor. These offerings are (made) silently, for here in the sacrifice there is seed, and silently seed is infused.
6:6:1:1212. He then offers the Audgrabhana (libations) 1, for by the Audgrabhanas (elevatory libations) the gods raised themselves from this world to the heavenly world: and inasmuch as (thereby) they raised themselves (ud-grabh), they are called 'audgrabhana;'--and in like manner does the Sacrificer, by means of the Audgrabhanas, now raise himself from this world to the heavenly world.
6:6:1:1313. There are many of these, in the building of the fire-altar as well as at any other (special ceremony): the significance of this has been told. They are of both kinds: (the significance) of this has been told;--first those of the sacrifice, and then those of the fire: (the significance) of this also has been told.
6:6:1:1414. He offers five of the sacrifice 2,--the sacrifice is fivefold: as great as the sacrifice is, as great as is its measure, by so much he thus pours it forth as seed. Seven (libations) of the fire,--the fire(-altar) consists of seven layers 3; seven seasons are a year, and
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[paragraph continues] Agni is the year: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus pours him forth as seed. Those two kinds (of libations) amount to twelve,--twelve months are a year, and Agni is the year: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, so great does this become.
6:6:1:1515. He offers 1, with (Vâg. S. XI, 66-67), 'The Purpose, Agni, the Impulse, hail!'--from purpose, indeed, this sacred rite originated at first, and he now impels (yokes, uses) it for this rite.
6:6:1:1616. 'Mind, Wisdom, Agni, the Impulse, hail!'--from the mind indeed this sacred rite originated at first, and he now impels it for this rite.
6:6:1:1717. 'Thought, knowledge, Agni, the Impulse, hail!'--from thought, indeed, this sacred rite originated at first, and he now impels it for this rite.
6:6:1:1818. 'The distinction of Speech, Agni, the Impulse, hail!'--from speech, indeed, this sacred rite originated at first, and he now impels it for this rite.
6:6:1:1919. 'To Pragâpati, to Manu, hail!'--Mann, forsooth, is Pragâpati, for he thought out (man) all this (universe); and Pragâpati, indeed, of old performed this rite, and he now makes use of him for this rite.
6:6:1:2020. 'To Agni Vaisvânara, hail!'--Agni Vaisvânara, doubtless, is the year; and the year, indeed,
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of old performed this rite; and he now makes use thereof for this rite.
6:6:1:2121. He then offers the one to Savitri, for Savitri, indeed, of old performed this rite, and he now makes use of him for this rite,--(Vâg. S. XI, 67; Rik S. V, 50, 1), 'Every mortal would choose the friendship of the divine Guide; every one craves riches, and would have glory for him to prosper, hail!' He who chooses the friendship of the god Savitri, chooses both glory and prosperity; and he who performs this rite, indeed chooses his friendship.
6:6:1:2222. Now some offer these Audgrabhana libations into the fire-pan itself, saying, 'These, surely, are offered for (special) objects of desire, and that fire-pan is the Sacrificer's self: we thus secure for the Sacrificer's self all his objects of desire.' Let him not do so; for the fire which is kindled (in the fire-pan) is the essence of the completed sacrifice and of those libations, and when he puts the fire-pan on the fire, after the sacrifice has been completed and the Audgrabhanas offered, then the sacrifice mounts it (the pan), and it bears the sacrifice: let him, therefore, put the fire-pan on the fire only after the sacrifice is complete, and the Audgrabhanas have been offered.
6:6:1:2323. It is covered with a layer of Muñga grass, just for the purpose that it may blaze up. And as to why it is with a layer of Muñga grass, (it is done) to avoid injury, for that Muñga grass is a womb, and the womb does not injure the child; for he who is born, is born from a womb: 'May he (Agni), when he is born, be born from the womb,' thus he thinks.
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6:6:1:2424. Inside 1 there is a layer of hemp, just for the purpose that it may blaze up. And as to its being a layer of hemp,--the inner membrane (amnion) of the womb from which Pragâpati was born consists of flax, and the outer membrane (chorion) of hemp: hence the latter is foul-smelling, for it is the outer membrane of the embryo. [It is so used] to avoid injury, for the outer membrane does not injure the embryo; and it is from the outer membrane of the embryo that he who is born is born: 'May he (Agni), when he is born, be born from the outer membrane of the embryo!' thus he thinks.

Footnotes

246:1 Or rather, too many, more (than are required at one of the normal Soma-sacrifices),--âdhvarikebhyo bahutarâni, Sây.
246:2 That is, as would seem from Sâyana, of such ceremonies as have supernumerary, or additional, oblations to the normal ones connected with them. This discussion seems to be introduced here on account of the additional oblation (that to Vaisvânara) offered at the initiation ceremony. As an 'additional' or special, oblation at the Vâgapeya, Sâyana refers to the pap of wild rice (V, 1, 4, 12); whilst at the Râgasûya the one to Anumati (V, 2, 3, 4) is said to belong to the same category.
247:1 These and the subsequent offerings form part of the Dîkshâ, or initiation ceremony, for the Soma-sacrifice to be performed after the completion of the fire-altar. This initiation ceremony commences on the day of new moon, a week after the preparation of the ukhâ, or fire-pan. An integral part of (the first day of) this ceremony is the kindling of a fire in the ukhâ--the 'Ukhya Agni'--which ultimately serves to supply the fires for the brick altars built on the completion of the period of initiation. The Dîkshâ is, as a rule, to be performed daily for a year, during which time the fire has to be kept up in the ukhâ, and carried about by the Sacrificer for a time each day. while the cake to Agni-Vishnu here mentioned is the ordinary cake-offering prescribed for the Dîkshâ of the normal Soma-sacrifice (see III, 1, 3, 1), the Vaisvânara cake is peculiar to the Agnikayana.
249:1 See III, 1, 4, 1.
249:2 Viz. the five Audgrabhana libations of the ordinary Soma-sacrifice offered in the manner there described. See part ii, p. 20, note.
249:3 Though Agni, or the fire-altar, is commonly called the five-layered one (pañkakitika), consisting as it does of five complete p. 250 layers of bricks, on the top of these there is a small additional pile of two layers, the lower one (punaskiti) in the form of the Gârhapatya hearth (VII, 1, 1, 1 seq.), and the upper one, consisting of two bricks, on which the fire is ultimately laid down. See p. 188, note 4. Hence Agni is also called 'saptakitika.'
250:1 Viz. the seven special Audgrabhana libations of the Agnikayana.
252:1 That is, underneath the layer of muñga. Both the reed-grass and the hemp are to be crushed and reduced to the condition of powder previously to their being strewed into the fire-pan.

SECOND BRÂHMANA.

6:6:2:11. Standing he puts it (the pan) on the fire, for the fire-pan is these worlds, and these worlds stand, as it were. And, moreover, whilst standing one is strongest.
6:6:2:22. Standing (with his face) towards north-east, for standing towards north-east Pragâpati created creatures.
6:6:2:33. And, again, why (he does so) standing towards north-east;--that (quarter), the north-east, is the quarter of both gods and men.
6:6:2:44. And, again, why standing towards north-east,--in that quarter is the gate of the world of heaven, hence it is standing with his face towards northeast that one offers libations, and standing towards north-east that one leads up the dakshinâs: it is by the gate that he thus makes him enter into the world of heaven.
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6:6:2:55. [Vâg. S. XI, 68] 'Break not! Suffer not injury!'--as the text, so its meaning;--'O mother, bear up bravely!'--for the fire-pan (ukhâ, f.) is a woman; and 'O mother' is a term for addressing a woman: 'bear up well, indeed!'--(Thou) and Agni will do this (work)!'--for (the fire-pan) and Agni will indeed be doing this (sacred work).
6:6:2:66. [Vâg. S. XI, 69] 'Stand firm, divine Earth, for our well-being!' as the text, so its meaning;--'A divine (âsura) contrivance thou art made in the wonted manner;'--the vital spirit (asu) is the breath, and this (are-pan) has indeed been made its contrivance in the wonted manner;--'May this offering be agreeable to the gods!' he thereby means those libations which he intends to offer in that fire; and moreover, that (fire-pan) itself is an offering;--'unharmed rise thou in this sacrifice!' this he says with the view that it may rise unharmed, uninjured, in this sacrifice.
6:6:2:77. With two (verses) he heats it on the fire,--the Sacrificer is two-footed, and the Sacrificer is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus heats it (the pan). [He does so] with a gâyatrî and a trishtubh verse,--the Gâyatrî is the vital air, and the Trishtubh the body; and the animal is as much as the vital air and the body: thus by as much as the animal (consists of) he puts that (pan) on the fire. And, again, the Gâyatrî is Agni, and the Trishtubh is Indra; and the fire relates to Indra and Agni: as great as the fire is, as great as is its measure, by so much he thus heats it. These two (verses) have seven feet (viz. three and four respectively),--the fire-altar consists of seven
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layers 1; seven seasons are a year, and Agni is the year: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, so great does this become.
6:6:2:88. When the fire heats it, then the flame mounts up to it; for the fire-pan is a female, and the fire is a male: hence when the male heats the female, he infuses seed into her.
6:6:2:99. Now, if the flame is too long in mounting up, some throw coals on (the pan), thinking, 'There is fire now on both sides.' But let him not do so; for the animal is indeed born with bones 2; but it is not forced in with bones, as it were, at first; but it is introduced only as seed. Now that flame is boneless seed: hence the flame alone should mount up to it.
6:6:2:1010. When the flame mounts up to it, he places a kindling-stick thereon: thereby the seed enters it (the fire-pan), and that fire imparts growth to that seed (in the shape of) this (kindling-stick).
6:6:2:1111. It should be one of krimuka wood. Now, the gods and the Asuras, both of them sprung from Pragâpati, strove together. The gods, having placed Agni in front, went up to the Asuras. The Asuras cut off the point of that flame held forward. It settled down on this earth, and became that krimuka tree: hence it is sweet, for there is vital essence (in it). Hence also it is red, for it is a flame, that krimuka
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tree being the same as this Agni: it is (in the shape of) fire that he imparts growth to it.
6:6:2:1212. It (the kindling-stick) is a span long, for Vishnu, as an embryo, was a span long: he thus imparts to it growth equal to his body.
6:6:2:1313. It is soaked in ghee;--the inner membrane of the womb from which Agni was produced consisted of ghee: hence he now blazes up towards it, for it (the stick) is his self (body); and hence it (the krimuka) has no ashes: (Agni) himself now enters into his own self,--to avoid injury 1, for the inner membrane does not injure the embryo; and it is from the inner membrane that he who is born is born: 'When he (Agni) is born, may he be born from the inner membrane!' thus he thinks.
6:6:2:1414. He puts it (the kindling-stick) on, with (Vâg. S. XI, 60; Rik S. II, 7, 6), 'The wood-eating, ghee-drinking,'--that is, he who has wood for his food, and ghee for his drink,--'the primeval, desirable Hotri,'--that is, 'the old, desirable Hotri;'--'the wonderful son of power,'--power is strength: thus, 'the wonderful son of strength.' Standing he puts it on with the 'Svâhâ:' the meaning of this (will be explained) hereafter 2.
6:6:2:1515. Now the fire-pan is the body, the reed-grass (fuel) the womb, the hemp the inner membrane 3,
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the ghee the outer membrane, and the kindling-stick the embryo.
6:6:2:1616. The pan is outside, and the reed-grass (fuel) is inside; for the body is outside, and the womb inside. The reed-grass is outside, and the hemp inside; for the womb is outside, and the outer membrane is inside. The hemp is outside, and the ghee is inside; for the outer membrane is outside, and the inner membrane is inside. The ghee is outside, and the kindling-stick is inside; for the inner membrane is outside, and the embryo is inside. It is from these that he who is born is born, and from them he thus causes him (Agni) to be born.

Footnotes

254:1 See p. 249, note 3.
254:2 The fire ultimately to be placed on the new Gârhapatya hearth (VII, 1, 1, 1 seq.)--whence the Âhavanîya on the great fire-altar has to be kindled--is to be produced in the ukhâ, or pan, as it were in its womb; but the material (grass and hemp) which has already been put in the pan, is only to be kindled by the blaze of the fire on which the pan has been placed, without any burning coals being applied to the fuel within the pan.
255:1 The dative 'ahimsâyai' again doubtless belongs to the first sentence of the paragraph ('it is soaked in ghee'), the intervening clauses being inserted for explanation. For a similar construction, see above, p. 198, note 2.
255:2 See VI, 7, 2, 1.
255:3 The inverted order of the words 'sanâ garâyu' is peculiar. It seems to have been resorted to with the view of keeping together the two pairs of subjects, 'muñgâh-sanâh' and 'garâyu-ulbam.'

THIRD BRÂHMANA.

6:6:3:11. He then puts on a vikaṅkata (flacourtia sapida) one. When Pragâpati performed the first offering, a vikaṅkata tree sprang forth from that place where, after offering, he cleansed (his hands). That vikaṅkata, then, is that first offering; it is that he now offers on this (fire), and he therewith gratifies him (Agni). [Vâg. S. XI, 71; Rik S. VIII, 75, 15] 'From the far region come thou over to the near one: do thou protect that wherein I am!' as the text, so its meaning.
6:6:3:22. He then puts on an udumbara (ficus glomerata) one. The gods and the Asuras, both of them sprung from Pragâpati, strove together. Now all the trees sided with the Asuras, but the udumbara tree alone did not forsake the gods. The gods, having conquered the Asuras, took possession of their trees.
6:6:3:33. They said, 'Come, let us lay into the udumbara tree whatever pith, whatever vital sap there is in these trees: were they then to desert us, they would
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desert us worn out, like a milked-out cow, or like an ox that has been (tired out by) drawing (the cart).' Accordingly they laid into the udumbara tree what pith and essence there was in those trees; and on account of that pith it matures (fruit) equal to all the (other) trees 1: hence that (tree) is always moist, always full of milky sap,--that udumbara tree, indeed, (being) all the trees, is all food: he thus gratifies him (Agni) by every kind of food, and kindles him by all trees (kinds of wood).
6:6:3:44. [Vâg. S. XI, 72] 'From the farthest distance,'--that is, '(from) what farthest distance there is;'--'O red-steeded, come hither!' for red, indeed, is Agni's horse;--'Purîshya, much-loved,'--that is, 'favourable to cattle, dear to many;'--'O Agni, overcome thou the scorners!' that is, 'O Agni, overcome all evil-doers!'
6:6:3:55. He then puts on one not cut by an axe,--that (Agni) is born when he is built up: it is for all (kinds of) food that he is born. Now that (wood) not cut by an axe is one kind of food (for the fire): it is thereby that he now gratifies him. [Vâg. S. XI, 73; Rik S. VIII, 102, 20] 'Whatsoever wood we lay upon thee, O Agni, let all that be ghee unto thee, do thou relish that, O youngest!' as the text, so its meaning: whatever (wood there is) not cut by the axe, that he makes palatable to him; and having made it food for him, he sets it before him.
6:6:3:66. He then puts on one that has lain on the ground,--he (Agni) is born when he is built up: it is for all (kinds of) food that he is born. Now that
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[paragraph continues] (wood) which has lain on the ground is one kind of food (for the fire): it is thereby he now gratifies him. [Vâg. S. XI, 74; Rik S. VIII, 102, 21] 'What the red ant eats, what the white ant crawls over,'--for either the red ant eats it, or the white ant crawls over it;--'let all that be ghee for thee, do thou relish that, O youngest!' as the text, so its meaning: whatever (wood) has lain on the ground, that he makes palatable for him; and having made it food for him, he sets it before him.
6:6:3:77. The remaining (kindling-sticks) are of palâsa wood (butea frondosa);--the Palâsa tree is the Brahman, it is by the Brahman he thus kindles him (Agni). And, again, why they are palâsa ones--;the Palâsa tree is Soma, and he, Soma, doubtless is the supreme offering: it is that he now offers on this (fire), and by that he gratifies him (Agni).
6:6:3:88. [He puts them on, with Vâg. S. XI, 75-82] 'Day by day bearing unremittingly,'--that is, 'Day by day bringing not unmindful;'--'food to him like unto a standing horse,'--that is, 'food as to a standing (resting) horse;'--'we, rejoicing in wealth-thrift and sap,'--that is, 'rejoicing in wealth, and thrift, and sap;'--'O Agni, let not us, thy associates, suffer injury!' this he says with a view that his (Agni's) associate (the Sacrificer) may not suffer injury.
6:6:3:99. 'While Agni is kindling on the earth's navel,'--that (place) where he is now being kindled is indeed the navel of the earth;--'we call for great wealth-thrift,'--that is, 'we call for wealth and great thrift;'--'Unto him, the draught-delighted,'--for he is indeed delighted (or, inebriated)
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by the draught,--'of high praise,'--for he is indeed highly praised;--'the adorable'--that is, 'worthy of adoration;'--'Agni, the conqueror, overpowering in battles;'--for Agni is indeed a conqueror, and overpowering in battles.
6:6:3:1010. 'Whatever aggressive armies there are, onrushing with drawn-up lines; whatever thieves and robbers, those I cast into thy mouth, O Agni.'--'Devour thou in a lump the waylayers with thy two tusks, the thieves with thy teeth, and the robbers with thy jaws, O holy one!'--'What waylayers there are among men, what thieves and robbers in the wood, what miscreants in the lurking-places, I throw them into thy jaws.'--'Whatever man may plot against us, and whosoever may hate us, or abuse and seek to hurt us, every one of them burn thou to ashes!'
6:6:3:1111. For the gods then made food of whosoever hated them, and of whomsoever they hated, and gave them up to him (Agni), and thereby gratified him; and this, then, became his food, and he burnt up the evil of the gods: and in like manner does the Sacrificer now make food of whosoever hates him, and of whomsoever he hates, and give them up to him (Agni), and thereby gratify him; and this, then, becomes his food, and he burns up the Sacrificer's evil.
6:6:3:1212. These eleven (kindling-sticks) he puts on for one who is not either a noble, or a domestic chaplain (purohita); for incomplete are those eleven, and incomplete is he who is not either a noble, or a domestic priest.
6:6:3:1313. Twelve (he puts on) for a noble or a domestic
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chaplain; for those twelve are a complete whole (or everything), and he who is either a noble or a domestic chaplain is everything.
6:6:3:1414. In the case of a Purohita, he puts it on, with (Vâg. S. XI, 80, 'Perfected is my sanctity (brahman), perfected the vigour, the strength, perfected the victorious power (kshatra) whose Purohita I am!'--he thus perfects both his sanctity and power 1.
6:6:3:1515. And in the case of a nobleman, with (Vâg. S. XI, 82),'I have raised their arms, their lustre and strength: by the spiritual power I destroy the enemies, and elevate mine own (relatives)!' this he says with the view that he may destroy his enemies, and elevate his own relatives. Let him put on both these (kindling-sticks); for both the Brahman and the Kshatra are this Agni; and it is this Agni he thus kindles by those two, by the Brahman and the Kshatra.
6:6:3:1616. These (kindling-sticks) amount to thirteen;--thirteen months are a year, and Agni is the year: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much food he thus gratifies him.
6:6:3:1717. They are a span long, for Vishnu, as an embryo, was a span long; and this is (Agni's or Vishnu's) food: he thus gratifies him with food proportionate to his own body. But the food which is proportionate to one's body satisfies, and does no injury; but what is too much that does injury, and what is too little that does not satisfy. Standing he puts them on--the significance of this (will be explained)
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further on;--and with the Svâhâ ('hail!'); for seed is infused here (in the sacrifice,--to wit,) this Agni; and were he to put on the logs unconsecrated by Svâhâ, he would injure him (Agni). Now inasmuch as they are kindling-sticks, they are not oblations; but inasmuch as (they are put on) with the Svâhâ, they are food, for the Svâhâ is food; and thus he does not injure him (Agni).

FOURTH BRÂHMANA.

6:6:4:11. Having then stridden the Vishnu strides, and reverentially stood by (the fire) with the Vâtsapra 1 (hymn), after the sun has set, he in the first place throws out the ashes (from the fire-pan). For at that (former) time he regales him (Agni) with that food, those kindling-sticks; and the foul part of that eaten food sinks to the bottom as ashes. He now clears him thereof, and infuses speech into him 2, thus freed from foulness. Having infused speech, he puts on a kindling-stick,--and thereby regales him with food for the night,--with, 'Night for night bearing unremittingly 3'--the meaning of this has been told: he prays for that same security and wellbeing for the night; and whatsoever he puts on 'thereafter by night, that he puts on as a libation offered to him 4.
6:6:4:22. And in the morning, when the sun has risen, he in the first place throws out the ashes. For at that (former) time he regales him with that food, that kindling-stick; and the foul part of that eaten food which he puts on during the night sinks to the
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bottom as ashes. He now clears him thereof, and infuses speech into him thus freed from foulness. Having infused speech, he puts on a kindling-stick,--and thereby regales him with food for the day--with, 'Day by day bearing unremittingly;'--the meaning of this has been told: he prays for that same security and well-being for the day; and whatsoever he puts on thereafter by day, that he puts on as a libation offered to him.
6:6:4:33. Verily, day and night passing on come up to a year, and the year is everything here: he prays for that security and well-being for a succession of days.
6:6:4:44. And when they give him (the Sacrificer) the fast-milk, he puts on a kindling-stick, after dipping it into the fast-milk. Some, however, say, 'Let him not dip it into the fast-milk: he would be offering a libation, and it would be improper were one who is initiated to offer a libation.'
6:6:4:55. Let him nevertheless dip it in, for that (Âhavanîya fire) is his (the Sacrificer's) divine body, and this (real body of his) is his human one. Now were he not to dip it in, he would not be satisfying that divine body of his; but when he clips it in, he does so satisfy that divine body. And in that it is a kindling-stick, it is not a libation; and in that it is dipped into the fast-milk, it is food, for the fast-milk is food.
6:6:4:66. And having put on the kindling-stick, he drinks the fast-milk; for that (fire) is his divine body, and this (body of his) is the human one; and the gods (come) first, and then men: hence he drinks the fast-milk after putting the kindling-stick on (the fire).
6:6:4:77. [He puts it on, with Vâg. S. XI, 83] 'O
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[paragraph continues] Lord of food; give us of thy food!'--that is, 'O Lord of viands, give us of thy viands!'--'of the pain-allaying, strengthening'--that is, 'of the hunger-allaying, strengthening (food),'--'Onward, onward lead thou the giver!'--the giver, doubtless, is the Sacrificer: thus, 'Onward lead thou the Sacrificer!'--'Give us sustenance for the two-footed and the four-footed!'--he thereby asks a blessing. Now as to the expiation in case of (the fire-pan being) broken which, he said, would be explained 'in a subsequent chapter 1.'
6:6:4:88. If the fire-pan were to break, let him pour that (fire in the pan) into any such unbroken, new pot with a wide mouth as there may be; for the pan which is broken indeed suffers injury, but uninjured is this deity (Agni): 'Uninjured I will bear him in the uninjured!' so he thinks. Into that (pot) he first throws a potsherd of the (broken) pan, and thus he (Agni) is not deprived of that womb of his.
6:6:4:99. He then takes the (remaining 2) clay, and having pounded both the (broken) pan and that remainder, and mixed it, he makes a (new) pan in the very same way, without using any formula, quite silently. Having baked it, he pours (the fire) over. The expiation in this case is one of performance only. Having again thrown that potsherd into the (new) pan, and pounded both the (temporary) pan and the remaining clay, and mixed it, he lays it aside for expiation.
6:6:4:1010. And if the fire in the pan (Ukhya Agni) were to go out, it is doubtless to the Gârhapatya that it goes, for from the Gârhapatya it has been taken. Having then taken it out of the Gârhapatya eastwards (to the place of the Âhavanîya), and put fuel on it, let him
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put the fire-pan on it in the same way (as before), without using any formula, quite silently. When the fire rises up to it,--
6:6:4:1111. He performs two expiations. For it is for (the obtainment of) all his wishes that he makes up that (fire); and whatever part of his wishes is here cut off when the fire goes out, that he thereby joins together and heals. He performs both expiations, that of the (Soma) sacrifice and that of the fire-altar,--first that of the sacrifice, then that of the fire-altar: the significance of this has been explained 1.
6:6:4:1212. Having cut out with a kindling-stick some of the butter, he offers sitting a libation, with (Vâg;. S. XII, 4,), 'To Visvakarman, hail!' Then stepping near he puts the kindling-stick on the fire, with (Vâg. S. XII, 44), 'Again the Âdityas, the Rudras, the Vasus may kindle thee, again the Brahmans with sacrifices, O bringer of good things!'--that is, 'May those deities again kindle thee!'--'With ghee make thou grow thy body, let the wishes of the Sacrificer be true!'--that is, 'With ghee indeed make thou grow thy body, and for whatever wishes the Sacrificer makes up a fire, may they all come true!'
6:6:4:1313. And if the Gârhapatya fire were to go out, it is doubtless to the churning-sticks that it goes, for from the churning-sticks it has been taken. Having churned it out with the churning-sticks, and put fuel on it, he performs two expiations.
6:6:4:1414. And if the Âhavanîya fire were to go out whilst the pressing (of Soma) proceeds, it is doubtless to the Gârhapatya that it goes, for from the Gârhapatya it has been taken. Having taken it straightway
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eastward from the Gârhapatya, and put fuel on it, he performs two expiations: whatever (kind of Soma) sacrifice may be (performed) at the time, the expiation of that sacrifice he should perform; and of like kind is the expiation of the fire-altar.
6:6:4:1515. And if the Âgnîdhrîya fire were to go out, it is doubtless to the Gârhapatya that it goes, for from the Gârhapatya it has been taken. Having taken it from the Gârhapatya eastward along the north of the Sadas, and put fuel on it, he performs two expiations. And if the Gârhapatya were to go out, the meaning (procedure) of that has been explained.

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