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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1S. XII, 116; Rzk S. VIII, 43, 18), ‘To thee, O Agni, best of Angiras, all good homesteads have laid themselves out for (the obtainment of) their desire’—(V4ag. S. XII, 117), ‘Agni, the one allruler, shineth in the beloved homes, the (object of) desire of all that is and shall be.’ 9. Verses addressed to Agni he recites for the obtainment of Agni’s forms ;—and such as relate to desire, for the obtainment of his desires ;—Géyatrt ones,—Agni is Gayatra: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus pours him forth as seed ;—with three (verses),—Agni is threefold: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus pours him forth as seed. These (three), with the (first and last verses) recited thrice, amount to seven,—of seven layers consists the fire-altar ?, seven 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. He recites in a low voice, for here in the sacrifice seed is (cast), and seed is cast silently. He (the Hotz) marches reciting behind (the bricks carried by the attendants); he thus marches, defending the sacrifice by the metres from behind. 1 See VII, 1, 1, 23. 2 See p. 249, note 3. VII KANDA, 3 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMANA, 12. 359 1o. And in front they lead a white horse. For at that time the gods were afraid lest the Rakshas, the fiends, should smite them here. They saw that thunderbolt,.even yonder sun; for that horse is yonder sun: having driven off the Rakshas, the fiends, in front, by that thunderbolt, they obtained well-being in a place free from danger and devilry. They arrive at the (site of) the fire-altar; south of the tail (of the altar) they set down the layer (of bricks) ; from the north they make the horse step (on the site of the altar). 11. They lead it eastward on the left (north) side of the altar, inside the enclosing-stones, whereby they ward off evil from the eastern region; then southward, whereby they ward off evil from the south; then westward, whereby they ward off evil from the western region; then northward, whereby they ward off evil from the northern region. Having thus warded off the Rakshas, the fiends, from all the regions, he sets it (the horse) free towards northeast : the significance of this has been explained. 12. Whilst it goes westward he makes it smell (kiss) that layer (of bricks) ;—that horse is yonder sun, and those bricks are the same as all these creatures (on earth): thus even as he makes (the horse) smell, so yon sun kisses these creatures'. And hence, by Pragdpati’s power, every one now thinks, ‘I am!’ And as to why he makes it smell while going westward, it is because, whilst going (from east) to west, that (sun) kisses all these creatures.
2And hence, by Pragdpati’s power, every one now thinks, ‘I am!’ And as to why he makes it smell while going westward, it is because, whilst going (from east) to west, that (sun) kisses all these creatures. 1 According to Sayaza, it is by his rays (identified with the vital airs of living beings) that the sun kisses (or puts himself in contact with) the creatures (and animates them) ; so that every one feels that he is ‘ labdh4tmaka,’ or has obtained ‘a self,’ or life and being. 260 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA, 13. And, again, why he makes it smell ;—that horse is yonder sun, and those naturally-perforated (bricks) are these worlds ; and even as he makes it smell, so yonder sun strings these worlds to himself onathread'. And as to that thread, the significance of that (will be explained) further on. 14. And, again, why he makes it smell ;—Agni went away from the gods; he entered the water. The gods said to Pragdpati, ‘Go thou in search of him : to thee, his own father, he will reveal himself.’ He became a white horse, and went in search of him. He found him on a lotus leaf, having crept forth from the water. He eyed him, and he (Agni) scorched him: hence the white horse has, as it were, a scorched mouth’, and indeed is apt to become weak-eyed. He (Agni) thought he had hit and hurt him, and said to him, ‘1 grant thee a boon!’ 15. He (Pragapati) said, ‘Whoever shall seek thee in that form (of a white horse), shall find thee!’ And, accordingly, he who seeks him (Agni) in that form, finds him; and having found him, he then builds him up. 16. It should be a white (horse), for that is a form of him (the sun) who burns yonder. If he cannot obtain a white one, one that is not white might do; but a horse it should be. If he cannot obtain a horse, even an ox might do, for the ox is of Agni’s nature, and Agni is the repeller of all evils. 1 That is, he passes a thread through them (as through pearls), fastened to himself. Regarding this Thread, or spiritual bond, holding together all sentient existences of the universe, see XIV, 6, 7, 2 seq. * That is, according to Sayama, a reddish mouth. VII KANDA, 3 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMANA, 19. 261
3Regarding this Thread, or spiritual bond, holding together all sentient existences of the universe, see XIV, 6, 7, 2 seq. * That is, according to Sayama, a reddish mouth. VII KANDA, 3 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMANA, 19. 261 17. Now, then, as to the mounting ! (of the altar). Now some mount it from the front (east) towards the back, or from the back towards the front: let him not do so; for that Agni (the fire-altar) is an animal; and if one mounts an animal (ox) from the front towards the back, it strikes him with its horns; and if he mounts it from the back towards the front, it does so with its feet. Let him mount it only by the middle body*; for the animal which people mount by the (middle) body, carries them forward, and does not hurt them. From the left (north) side (he should mount it), for any animal which people mount they mount from the left side. By mounting the (body of the) altar from the left side, and performing the work connected with the Uttara-vedi, he takes hold of Agni in the (middle) body (or, into himself); and having taken Agni into his own self, he sings the ‘true hymn.’ He puts a lotus-leaf on (the altar): thereof further on. 18. Now that horse they lead about when evening is closing in; for at that time the gods were afraid lest the Rakshas, the fiends, should there smite that (Agni, or altar) of theirs. They made that thunderbolt, to wit, yonder sun, his protector, for that horse is yonder sun; and in like manner does this one now make that thunderbolt his (Agni’s) protector. 19. He leads it about towards the setting of the sun; for he (the sun) is manifestly his protector by day; and the Rakshas are the associates of the 1 That is, as to the way in which the priests and sacrificer are to step on the body of the altar-site, when coming from outside. * That is to say, from sideways as in getting on the saddle of a horse. 362 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA. night : for the night he thus makes that thunderbolt his protector. He leads it about on every side: on every side he thus makes that thunderbolt his protector. Thrice he leads it about: he thus makes that thunderbolt his (Agni’s) threefold protector. He then lets it loose towards north-west: the purport of this has been explained. It afterwards returns (to the sacrificial ground): the purport of this (will be explained) further on. THE BUILDING OF THE ALTAR. THE FIRST LAYER. Fourty ApuyAya. First BRAHMAWA. 1. 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.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1S. XII, 116; Rzk S. VIII, 43, 18), ‘To thee, O Agni, best of Angiras, all good homesteads have laid themselves out for (the obtainment of) their desire’—(V4ag. S. XII, 117), ‘Agni, the one allruler, shineth in the beloved homes, the (object of) desire of all that is and shall be.’ 9. Verses addressed to Agni he recites for the obtainment of Agni’s forms ;—and such as relate to desire, for the obtainment of his desires ;—Géyatrt ones,—Agni is Gayatra: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus pours him forth as seed ;—with three (verses),—Agni is threefold: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus pours him forth as seed. These (three), with the (first and last verses) recited thrice, amount to seven,—of seven layers consists the fire-altar ?, seven 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. He recites in a low voice, for here in the sacrifice seed is (cast), and seed is cast silently. He (the Hotz) marches reciting behind (the bricks carried by the attendants); he thus marches, defending the sacrifice by the metres from behind. 1 See VII, 1, 1, 23. 2 See p. 249, note 3. VII KANDA, 3 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMANA, 12. 359 1o. And in front they lead a white horse. For at that time the gods were afraid lest the Rakshas, the fiends, should smite them here. They saw that thunderbolt,.even yonder sun; for that horse is yonder sun: having driven off the Rakshas, the fiends, in front, by that thunderbolt, they obtained well-being in a place free from danger and devilry. They arrive at the (site of) the fire-altar; south of the tail (of the altar) they set down the layer (of bricks) ; from the north they make the horse step (on the site of the altar). 11. They lead it eastward on the left (north) side of the altar, inside the enclosing-stones, whereby they ward off evil from the eastern region; then southward, whereby they ward off evil from the south; then westward, whereby they ward off evil from the western region; then northward, whereby they ward off evil from the northern region. Having thus warded off the Rakshas, the fiends, from all the regions, he sets it (the horse) free towards northeast : the significance of this has been explained. 12. Whilst it goes westward he makes it smell (kiss) that layer (of bricks) ;—that horse is yonder sun, and those bricks are the same as all these creatures (on earth): thus even as he makes (the horse) smell, so yon sun kisses these creatures'. And hence, by Pragdpati’s power, every one now thinks, ‘I am!’ And as to why he makes it smell while going westward, it is because, whilst going (from east) to west, that (sun) kisses all these creatures.
2And hence, by Pragdpati’s power, every one now thinks, ‘I am!’ And as to why he makes it smell while going westward, it is because, whilst going (from east) to west, that (sun) kisses all these creatures. 1 According to Sayaza, it is by his rays (identified with the vital airs of living beings) that the sun kisses (or puts himself in contact with) the creatures (and animates them) ; so that every one feels that he is ‘ labdh4tmaka,’ or has obtained ‘a self,’ or life and being. 260 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA, 13. And, again, why he makes it smell ;—that horse is yonder sun, and those naturally-perforated (bricks) are these worlds ; and even as he makes it smell, so yonder sun strings these worlds to himself onathread'. And as to that thread, the significance of that (will be explained) further on. 14. And, again, why he makes it smell ;—Agni went away from the gods; he entered the water. The gods said to Pragdpati, ‘Go thou in search of him : to thee, his own father, he will reveal himself.’ He became a white horse, and went in search of him. He found him on a lotus leaf, having crept forth from the water. He eyed him, and he (Agni) scorched him: hence the white horse has, as it were, a scorched mouth’, and indeed is apt to become weak-eyed. He (Agni) thought he had hit and hurt him, and said to him, ‘1 grant thee a boon!’ 15. He (Pragapati) said, ‘Whoever shall seek thee in that form (of a white horse), shall find thee!’ And, accordingly, he who seeks him (Agni) in that form, finds him; and having found him, he then builds him up. 16. It should be a white (horse), for that is a form of him (the sun) who burns yonder. If he cannot obtain a white one, one that is not white might do; but a horse it should be. If he cannot obtain a horse, even an ox might do, for the ox is of Agni’s nature, and Agni is the repeller of all evils. 1 That is, he passes a thread through them (as through pearls), fastened to himself. Regarding this Thread, or spiritual bond, holding together all sentient existences of the universe, see XIV, 6, 7, 2 seq. * That is, according to Sayama, a reddish mouth. VII KANDA, 3 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMANA, 19. 261
3Regarding this Thread, or spiritual bond, holding together all sentient existences of the universe, see XIV, 6, 7, 2 seq. * That is, according to Sayama, a reddish mouth. VII KANDA, 3 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMANA, 19. 261 17. Now, then, as to the mounting ! (of the altar). Now some mount it from the front (east) towards the back, or from the back towards the front: let him not do so; for that Agni (the fire-altar) is an animal; and if one mounts an animal (ox) from the front towards the back, it strikes him with its horns; and if he mounts it from the back towards the front, it does so with its feet. Let him mount it only by the middle body*; for the animal which people mount by the (middle) body, carries them forward, and does not hurt them. From the left (north) side (he should mount it), for any animal which people mount they mount from the left side. By mounting the (body of the) altar from the left side, and performing the work connected with the Uttara-vedi, he takes hold of Agni in the (middle) body (or, into himself); and having taken Agni into his own self, he sings the ‘true hymn.’ He puts a lotus-leaf on (the altar): thereof further on. 18. Now that horse they lead about when evening is closing in; for at that time the gods were afraid lest the Rakshas, the fiends, should there smite that (Agni, or altar) of theirs. They made that thunderbolt, to wit, yonder sun, his protector, for that horse is yonder sun; and in like manner does this one now make that thunderbolt his (Agni’s) protector. 19. He leads it about towards the setting of the sun; for he (the sun) is manifestly his protector by day; and the Rakshas are the associates of the 1 That is, as to the way in which the priests and sacrificer are to step on the body of the altar-site, when coming from outside. * That is to say, from sideways as in getting on the saddle of a horse. 362 SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA. night : for the night he thus makes that thunderbolt his protector. He leads it about on every side: on every side he thus makes that thunderbolt his protector. Thrice he leads it about: he thus makes that thunderbolt his (Agni’s) threefold protector. He then lets it loose towards north-west: the purport of this has been explained. It afterwards returns (to the sacrificial ground): the purport of this (will be explained) further on. THE BUILDING OF THE ALTAR. THE FIRST LAYER. Fourty ApuyAya. First BRAHMAWA. 1. 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.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
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