Philosophy and Religion / Satapatha Brahmana

The Satapatha Brahmana: Seventh Kânda, Second Adhyâya

The altar of Nirriti.

First Brâhmana

1. They now take the Nirriti (bricks) from there. For, having built the Gârhapatya, the gods then ascended it,--the Gârhapatya being this (earth-) world, it is this world they ascended after completing it. They saw nothing but darkness not to be seen through.

2. They said, 'Think ye upon this, how we may dispel that darkness, evil!' They said, 'Meditate ye (ketay)!'--whereby indeed they said, 'Seek ye to build an altar (kitim)!'--'Seek ye so that we may dispel that darkness, evil!'

3. Whilst meditating, they saw those Nirriti bricks; they piled them up, and by them dispelled that darkness, evil; for Nirriti (corruption, or destruction) is evil; and inasmuch as by them they dispelled Nirriti, evil, these are Nirriti's (bricks).

4. Now that same thing which the gods did, is done here: even now that darkness, that evil, has indeed been dispelled by the gods themselves; but when he now does this, it is because he thinks, 'I must do what the gods did.' And, besides, he removes, by means of these (bricks), whatever evil, whatever corruption there is; and because he removes by them evil, corruption (nirriti), therefore these are Nirriti's (bricks).

5. And, again, why they take these (bricks) of Nirriti;--when the gods restored the relaxed Pragâpati, they cast him as seed into the fire-pan, the womb; the fire-pan being indeed a womb. In the course of a year they prepared for him this foundation, even this (terrestrial) world; the Gârhapatya (hearth) being this world: therein they generated him. And whatever evil there was in him, whatever mucus, whatever inner and outer membrane, that they removed from him by means of these (bricks); and inasmuch as thereby they removed his evil, his corruption, these are Nirriti's (bricks).

6. In like manner the Sacrificer now casts his own self¹, as seed, into the fire-pan, the womb; the fire-pan being indeed a womb. In the course of a year he prepares for that (self of his) this foundation, even this (terrestrial) world; the Gârhapatya being this world: therein he generates it. And whatever evil there is of it, whatever mucus, whatever inner and outer membrane, that he removes therefrom by these (bricks); and inasmuch as he thereby removes its evil, its corruption, these are Nirriti's (bricks).

7. They measure a foot (square): he thus treads evil, corruption, under foot. They are unmarked; for whatever is not, that is unmarked (by characteristics): he thus makes evil, corruption to be non-existent. They get baked by (rice) husks, for husks belong to Nirriti: by Nirriti's own (objects) he thus performs Nirriti's rite. They are black, for black was that darkness; and black in truth is Nirriti (corruption).

8. With them they proceed towards that (southwestern) quarter, for that is Nirriti's quarter: he thus places Nirriti (corruption) in Nirriti's quarter And anywhere where there is a self-produced hollow² or cleft in the ground, he lays down those (bricks); for on whatever part of this (earth) there is a cleaving, or in whatever part of it plants are not produced, verily that part of it Nirriti seizes upon: he thus places corruption in a (part) of the earth set aside for Nirriti. Having put them in their places in a direction away from himself³, he lays them down⁴.

9. [He lays them down, with Vâg. S. XII, 62-64] 'Seek thou him that offereth not Soma, nor other offering!' him who neither presses Soma nor makes offering Nirriti indeed visits;--'Of the thief do thou follow the way, of the robber!' that is, 'follow the way both of the thief and the robber, and even as a thief or a robber remains concealed, so do thou remain concealed!'--'Seek thou some one other than us: this is thy way;' that is, 'seek him who is ignorant of this (sacred work);'--'Homage be to thee, O divine Nirriti!' he thus turns Nirriti aside by rendering homage to her.

10. 'Homage be unto thee full well, O sharp-edged Nirriti!' for Nirriti is indeed sharp-edged: to her he thereby renders homage;--'loose thou this iron bond!' for it is indeed with an iron bond that Nirriti binds him whom she binds;--'being of one mind with Yama and Yamî,'--Yama doubtless is Agni, and Yam is this (earth), and by these two everything here is kept in check: thus, 'being of one mind with those two,'--'raise him unto the highest firmament!' the firmament is the heavenly world: thus, 'raise the Sacrificer up to the heavenly world!'

11. 'Thee, O awful (goddess), into whose mouth I offer--' Nirriti is indeed awful, and into her mouth he now offers when he performs this divine rite;--'for the unloosing of these bonds;' that is, of those bonds with which he has been bound;--'Thee whom people rejoice in calling Earth,'--the Earth is this (world), and he who exists, exists thereon,--'but I know thee to be Nirriti everywhere!' that is, in every respect I know that thou art Nirriti. Now Nirriti is this earth, and this earth makes him decay who becomes corrupted: in speaking thus, it is as if he were to say, 'Thou art So and So, the son of So and So, I know thee, do not injure me!' for in no wise does he who is known injure one when spoken to.

12. He does not touch (the bricks),--Nirriti being evil,--lest he put himself in contact with evil. He does not 'settle' them,--settlement being a firm footing--lest he give a firm footing to evil. He does not pronounce the Sûdadohas verse upon them,--the Sûdadohas being the vital air,--lest he should join Nirriti (corruption) together, and restore her.

13. Now some lay (the bricks) down from the farther end towards themselves,--Nirriti (corruption) being evil,--lest they themselves should go the way to corruption. Let him not do so, but let him lay them down in the direction away from him: he thus drives evil, corruption, away from him.

14. Three bricks he lays down,--threefold is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus repels evil, corruption.

15. The seat, the netting, the sling of the gold plate, and the two pads he throws down on the farther side (of the bricks),--the sling⁵ is sacred to Nirriti: from Nirriti's sling he is thus freed. [He throws them down, with Vâg. S. XII, 65] 'The indissoluble bond which the divine Nirriti hath fastened upon thy neck,'--indissoluble indeed for him who does not know this;--'that (bond) of thine I unloose, as from the middle of Âyus,'--Âyus⁶ doubtless is Agni, and his middle (body) is that Gârhapatya which has been built;--not yet built is the Âhavanîya: hence whether a youth builds the altar, or an old man, he says 'as from the middle of Âyus;'--'now, being urged forward, eat thou this nourishment!' nourishment means food: thus, 'now, set free, eat thou this food.' With Trishtubh verses (he performs this rite), for the Trishtubh is a thunderbolt: it is thus with a thunderbolt that he repels evil, corruption.

16. There are three bricks, the seat, the netting, the sling of the gold plate, and the two pads; that makes eight;--the Gâyatrî consists of eight syllables, and Agni is Gâyatra: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus repels evil, corruption.

17. On the space between (the Sacrificer and the bricks) he pours out a jarful of water,--water is a thunderbolt: with a thunderbolt he thus separates from himself evil, corruption. With 'Homage to (the goddess of) Prosperity who hath done this!' they rise, for it was with a view to prosperity that the gods at first performed this rite, and to that (goddess) they then rendered homage; and for prosperity indeed this (Sacrificer) now performs this rite, and to that (goddess) he now renders homage. They go back (to the sacrificial ground) without looking back: they thus abandon evil, corruption, even without looking back to it.

18. Having returned, he stands worshipping by the fire; for when he goes into that (south-western) direction whilst Agni is only half built up, he does what is improper: he now makes amends to him to prevent his doing any harm.

19. And again, why he stands by (the fire). The Gârhapatya (hearth) is this (terrestrial) world; for the Gârhapatya is a foundation, and the foundation doubtless is this (earth). Now when he goes into that direction, he goes where there is no path; and when he stands by (the fire), he thereby returns to this (earth), the foundation, and establishes himself upon this foundation.

20. [He worships, with Vâg. S. XII, 66] 'The harbourer and gatherer of riches,' for a harbourer this world indeed is, a gatherer of riches;--'all form he watches over with his favours,'--that is, 'all forms (of being) he watches over with his favours;'--'like the god Savitri, like Indra, he of true covenant stood at the meeting of ways⁷;' as the text, so its meaning.

Preparation of the site of the great (Âhavanîya) altar.

Second Brâhmana

1. He then prepares the Prâyanîya⁸ (opening sacrifice). With the Havishkrit of that (oblation) he releases (the Sacrificer's) speech⁹. Having released his speech, he throws away the grass-bush (stambayagus¹⁰). Having thrown away the grass-bush, and drawn the first line of enclosure¹¹, and the lines (across the mahâ-vedi), he says, 'Throw thrice!' and the Âgnîdhra throws thrice (the wooden sword)¹².

2. Having returned (to the offering, or hall-door fire) he proceeds with the opening sacrifice. Having performed the opening sacrifice, he yokes a plough. For the gods at that time, being about to heal him (Agni-Pragâpati), first supplied him with food, and in like manner does this (Sacrificer) now that he is about to heal him, first supply him with food. It (the food) is the plough (sîra), for 'sîra' is the same as 'sera¹³:' he thus puts food into him.

3. It is made of udumbara (ficus glomerata) wood,--the Udumbara tree being sustenance, life-sap: he thus supplies him with sustenance, with life-sap. The cordage of the plough consists of muñga grass, triply twisted: the significance of this has been explained.

4. Standing behind the right (southern) hip of Agni (the site of the fire-altar) he (the Pratiprasthâtri) addresses it (the plough) while being yoked (by the Adhvaryu) in front of the left (northern) shoulder, with (Vâg. S. XII, 67, 68; Rik S. X, 101, 4, 3), 'The skilful yoke¹⁴ the ploughs, and stretch across the yokes,'--the skilful are those who know, and they do yoke the plough and stretch the yokes across;--'the wise, with mind devoted to the gods,'--devotion means sacrifice: thus, 'the wise, performing sacrifice to the gods.'

5. 'Yoke ye the ploughs, and stretch across the yokes!'--they indeed yoke the plough, and stretch the yokes across;--'into the ready womb here cast ye the seed!' it is for the seed that that womb, the furrow, is made; and if one casts (seed) into unploughed (ground), it is just as if one were to shed seed elsewhere than into the womb. 'And plentiful yield¹⁵ be there through our song!'--the song is speech, and yield means food;--'and let the ripe crop go anigh the sickle!' for when food gets ripe, people approach it with the sickle. With two (verses) he yokes, a Gâyatrî and a Trishtubh one: the significance of this has been explained.

6. He yokes the right (ox) first, then the left one: thus it is (done) with the gods, differently in human (practice). It is a team of six oxen, or one of twelve oxen, or one of twenty-four oxen: it is the year (he obtains) as the consummation.

7. He then ploughs through it,--ploughing means food; and the gods at that time when they were about to heal him (Agni-Pragâpati) first put food into him; and in like manner does this (Sacrificer) now when he is about to heal him, first put food into him.

8. Only the body (of the altar-site) he ploughs through, not the wings and tail: he thus puts food into the body. And, indeed, the food which is put into the body benefits the body as well as the wings and tail; but that which (is put) into the wings and tail does not benefit either the body or the wings and tail.

9. On the right (south) side of the fire-altar, he ploughs first a furrow eastwards¹⁶ inside the enclosing-stones, with (Vâr. S. XII, 69; Rik S. IV, 57, 8), 'Right luckily may the plough-shares plough up the ground, luckily the tillers ply with their oxen!'--'luckily--luckily,' he says, 'for what is successful that is lucky:' he thus makes it (the furrow) successful.

10. Then on the hindpart (he ploughs a furrow) northwards¹⁷, with (Vâg. S. XII, 70), 'With sweet ghee let the furrow be saturated,'--as the text so its meaning;--'approved of by the All-gods, by the Maruts!' for both the All-gods and the Maruts have power over the rain;--'sapful, and teeming with milk,'--milk means life-sap: thus, 'teeming with life-sap and food;'--'with milk, O furrow, turn thou unto us!' that is, 'with life-sap, O furrow, turn thou unto us!'

11. Then on the left (north) side (he ploughs a furrow) eastwards¹⁸, with (Vâg. S. XII, 71), 'The share-shod¹⁹ plough,'--that is, 'the plough abounding in wealth,'--'propitious, offering prospect for the Soma-cup²⁰'--for Soma is food;--'it throweth up the cow, the sheep, the lusty wife, the swift-wheeled waggon,' for all this the furrow throws up (yields).

12. Then on the forepart he ploughs a furrow) southwards²¹, with (Vâg. S. XII, 72), 'Milk out, O cow of plenty, their desire to Mitra, and to Varuna, to Indra, to the Asvins, to Pûshan, to creatures and plants!' husbandry is (beneficial) to all deities: thus, 'Milk out for these deities all their desires!'--He first ploughs thus (south-west to southeast), then thus (south-west to north-west), then thus (north-west to north-east), then thus (north-east to south-east): that is (sunwise), for thus it is with the gods²².

13. Four furrows he ploughs with prayer: he thereby puts into him (Pragâpati-Agni) what food there is in the four quarters; and that with prayer,--true is the prayer, and true (manifest) are those quarters.

14. He then ploughs (again) through the body: he thereby puts into him what food there is in the year. Silently (he does so), for what is silent is undetermined, and the undetermined is everything: by means of everything he thus puts food into him. He first ploughs thus (through the middle from south to north), then thus (south-west to north-east), then thus (east to west), then thus (north-west to south-east),--that is sunwise²³, for thus it is with the gods.

15. Three furrows he ploughs each time,--threefold is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus puts food into him.

16. Twelve furrows he ploughs silently,--the year (consists of) twelve months, and the year is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus puts food into him.

17. Both kinds (of furrows) amount to sixteen,--of sixteen parts Pragâpati consists, and Pragâpati is Agni: he thus puts into him food proportionate to his body. And, indeed, the food which is proportionate to the body, satisfies, and does no harm; but that which is too much, does harm, and that which is too little, does not satisfy.

18. And, again, why he ploughs through him,--the gods being about to put him (Pragâpati) together, thereby in the first place put the vital airs into him; and in like manner does this (Sacrificer), being about to put him together, thereby in the first place put the vital airs into him. They (the furrows) are lines, for these vital airs (move) in lines (channels).

19. Four furrows he ploughs with prayer: he thereby puts into him those four well-defined vital airs which are in the head; and this (he does) with prayer,--true is the prayer, and true (manifest, real) are these vital airs in the head.

20. And as to why he ploughs through the body: he thereby puts into him those vital airs which are inside the body. Silently (he does so), for who knows how many vital airs there are inside the body?

21. Having gained the object for which he yokes those (oxen), he now unyokes them, with (Vâg. S. XII, 73), 'Be ye unyoked, ye inviolable (oxen)!' for inviolable²⁴ they indeed are with the gods;--'Ye god ward-striding!' for with them he performs the divine work;--'We have come to the end of this gloom;'--gloom doubtless means famine: thus, 'we have come to the end of this famine;'--'we have attained the light!' for he who attains the gods, the sacrifice, indeed attains the light. He then lets them loose towards north-east--the significance of this has been explained²⁵. He gives them to the Adhvaryu, for it is he that does the work with them: let him assign them (to him) at the time of (the presentation of) the Dakshinâs.

Third Brâhmana

1. He then places a bunch of darbha (kusa) grass (poa cynosuroides) on (the middle of the altar-site); for the gods then placed plants thereon, and in like manner does the Sacrificer now place plants thereon.

2. And, again, why he places a bunch of grass thereon;--when he (Agni) is built up, he is born, and he is born here for all (kinds of) food; but these darbha plants (contain) both kinds of food, for they are both water and plants. Now the waters which, loathing Vritra, rose up on the dry land forming bushes, became those grasses²⁶,--inasmuch as they rose forming bushes (dribh), they are (called) darbha-grasses. These darbha-grasses, then, are the water (which remained) pure, and meet for sacrifice, when Vritra flowed towards it; and inasmuch as they are darbha-grasses, they are plants: by both kinds of food he thus gratifies him (Agni).

3. [He places it] at the meeting of the furrows, for the meeting of furrows is speech (the mouth)²⁷, and the furrows (channels) are the vital airs; and this is their place of meeting; and in the mouth food is put for the vital airs. In the middle (he places the bunch), whereby he puts it into the very middle of him; silently (he does so), for what is silent is undefined, and the undefined is everything: with everything he thus puts food into him.

4. He then offers thereon,--when he (Agni) is built, he is born, and he is born here for all (kinds of) food; but that ghee is the life-sap (essence) of this universe, for it is the life-sap of both the waters and plants: he thus gratifies him by the life-sap of this universe. And as far as the life-sap extends, so far extends the body: he thus gratifies him by this universe. With (ghee) taken in five (ladlings, he offers),--the fire-altar consists of five layers, five seasons are a year, and the year is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much food he thus gratifies him.

5. And, again, why he offers thereon;--when in the beginning the Rishis, the vital airs²⁸, put together this Agni, they gained for themselves that fore-share²⁹ in him: hence they are the fore-sharers. Thus when he offers on (the grass-bush) he thereby gratifies those Rishis, the vital airs, who gained for themselves the fore-share in him (Agni). With fivefold-taken ghee (he offers): the significance of this has been explained.

6. And, again, why he offers thereon;--whatever forms, whatever modes of chanting, whatever prishtha (stotras), whatever metres he is now going to bestow on Agni, for them he prepares this fore-share, and it is them he thereby gratifies. With fivefold-taken ghee (he offers): the significance of this has been explained.

7. And, again, why he offers thereon;--at that time the gods were afraid, thinking, 'Long indeed is this performance: we hope the Rakshas, the fiends, will not smite here this (Agni) of ours!' They saw this preliminary conclusion³⁰ of this performance, and brought that whole (Agni) to completion even at that (point), and built him up then; and in like manner this (Sacrificer) brings that whole (Agni) to completion even at this (point), and builds him now.

8. [Vâg. S. XII, 74] 'The year,' this is a layer (of bricks);--'together with the dark half-months,' this is a layer of earth;--'the Dawn,' this is a layer (of bricks);--'together with the ruddy (cows),' this is a layer of earth;--'the two Asvins,' this is a layer (of bricks); 'together with their wonderful deeds,' this is a layer of earth;--'the Sun,' this is a layer (of bricks);--'together with the dappled horse,' this is a layer of earth;--'(Agni) Vaisvânara,' this is a layer (of bricks);--'together with Idâ,' this is a layer of earth;--'with ghee,' this is a layer (of bricks);--'Svâ-,' this is a layer of earth;--'hâ!' this is a layer (of bricks).

9. There are thirteen utterings,--thirteen months are a year; thirteen in number are the layers of bricks and earth of the fire-altar: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, so great he thus builds him up. With butter he sacrifices,--butter is the same as Agni: it is Agni he thus builds up. With fivefold-taken (butter he offers),--the altar consists of five layers,--five seasons are a year, and the year is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, so great he thus builds him up. He offers raising (the spoon) upwards: he thus builds Agni upwards by means of the layers (of the altar).

Fourth Brâhmana

1. He then pours out jarfuls of water,--for the gods then said, 'Meditate ye (ketay)!' whereby they doubtless meant to say, 'Seek ye a layer (kitim)!' Whilst meditating they saw the rain to be a (suitable) layer, and put it on that (altar-site); and in like manner does this (Sacrificer) now put it thereon.

2. Jarfuls of water are (poured out); for rain is water: it is rain he thereby bestows on it. With an udumbara jar (he pours them on): the significance of this has been told;--with a four-cornered one;--four quarters there are: from all quarters he thus bestows rain thereon.

3. Three jarfuls he pours out each time³¹,--threefold is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus bestows rain thereon.

4. Twelve jarfuls of water he pours on the ploughed ground,--twelve months are a year, and the year is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus bestows rain thereon.

5. On the ploughed ground he pours (water), whence it rains for (the benefit of) the ploughed land. Now were he only to pour it on the ploughed ground, and not on the unploughed, it would only rain for the ploughed land, not for the unploughed. And were he only to pour it on the unploughed ground, and not on the ploughed, it would only rain for the unploughed land, and not for the ploughed. He pours it both on the ploughed, and the unploughed, ground; whence it rains both for the ploughed, and the unploughed, ground.

6. Three (jarfuls)³² he pours both on the ploughed, and on the unploughed, ground;--threefold is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus bestows rain thereon.

7. And, again, why he pours out jarfuls of water;--at that time the gods, being about to put him (Agni-Pragâpati) together, in the first place put water into him; and in like manner does this one now, being about to put him together, in the first place put water into him.

8. Three jarfuls he pours out each time,--threefold is Agni: as large as Agni is, as large as is his measure, by so much he thus puts water into him.

9. Twelve jarfuls he pours on the ploughed ground,--twelve months are a year, and the year is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus puts water into him.

10. On the ploughed ground he pours it: he thereby puts water into the vital airs. But were he to pour (water) only on the ploughed ground, and not on the unploughed, there would be water only in (the channels of) the vital airs, and not in the other (parts of the) body. And were he to pour (water) only on the unploughed ground, and not on the ploughed, there would be water only in (the other parts of) the body, and not in the vital airs. He pours it both on the ploughed, and the unploughed, ground, whence there is water here both in (the channels of) the vital airs and in the body.

11. Three (jarfuls) he pours both on the ploughed, and on the unploughed, ground;--threefold is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus puts water into him.

12. Fifteen jarfuls of water he pours out,--fifteenfold is the thunderbolt: by that fifteenfold thunderbolt of his he thus drives away all evil.

13. He then sows all (kinds of) herb (-seed);--for the gods then said, 'Meditate ye!' whereby doubtless they meant to say, 'Seek ye a layer!' whilst meditating, they saw food to be a (suitable) layer, and put that on (or, into) him (Agni); and in like manner does this one now put it into him.

14. It is (seed) of all herbs,--all herbs means all food; he thus puts all (kinds of) food into him. Let him omit one of those kinds of food, and not eat thereof as long as he lives. By means of the udumbara jar (he sows the seed): the significance of this has been explained;--with a four-cornered one,--there are four quarters: from all quarters he thus puts food into him (Agni). He sows it with anushtubh (verses),--the Anushtubh (metre) is speech, and by means of speech (the mouth³³) food is eaten.

15. With three verses he sows each time³⁴,--threefold is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus puts food into him.

16. With twelve verses he sows on the ploughed ground,--twelve months are a year, and the year is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus puts food into him.

17. On the ploughed ground he sows, whence food ripens on ploughed ground. Were he to sow only on the ploughed ground, and not on the unploughed, food would only ripen on ploughed ground, not on unploughed; and were he to sow only on unploughed ground, and not on ploughed ground, food would only ripen on unploughed ground, and not on ploughed ground. He sows on both the ploughed, and the unploughed, ground: hence food ripens both on ploughed, and on unploughed, ground.

18. With three (verses) he sows both on the ploughed, and on the unploughed, ground,--threefold is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus puts food into him.

19. And, again, why he sows all (kinds of) herb (-seed),--the gods at that time, being about to put him (Agni-Pragâpati) together, in the first place healed him by healing medicine; and in like manner does this one now, being about to put him together, first heal him with healing medicine.

20. It is (seed) of all herbs;--all herbs is the same as all (kinds of) medicine: by all (kinds of) healing medicine he thus heals him.

21. With three verses he sows each time,--threefold is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus heals him.

22. With twelve verses he sows on the ploughed ground,--twelve months are a year, and the year is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus heals him.

23. On the ploughed ground he sows: he thereby heals the vital airs. And were he to sow only on the ploughed ground, and not on the unploughed, he would only heal the vital airs, and not the other (parts of the) body; and were he to sow only on the unploughed, and not on the ploughed, ground, he would only heal the body, and not the vital airs: he sows both on the ploughed, and on the unploughed, ground; and thus he heals both the vital airs and the body.

24. With three (verses) he sows both on the ploughed, and on the unploughed, ground,--threefold is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much he thus heals him.

25. Fifteen jarfuls of water he pours out, and with fifteen verses he sows,--that makes thirty,--the Virâg (metre) consists of thirty syllables, and the Virâg (the far-shining, or far-ruling) is the whole food: the whole food he thus puts into him.

26. [He sows, with Vâg. S. XII, 75 seq.; Rik S. X, 97] 'The herbs first grown three ages before the gods³⁵,'--the gods doubtless are the seasons, and from them those (herbs) used to grow thrice, in spring, in the rainy season, and in the autumn;--'of the brown ones will I ponder,'--the brown one, doubtless, is Soma, and the herbs are related to Soma, and the Purusha (Pragâpati) is related to herbs³⁶;--'the hundred powers,'--inasmuch as he here lives a hundred (years), and has a hundred merits, and a hundred energies, there are in him those hundred powers;--'and seven,'--he thereby speaks of those seven vital airs in the head.

27. 'Yours, O Mother, are a hundred powers, and yours a thousand growths,'--inasmuch as (the plants) here are shooting out a hundredfold, and a thousandfold;--'Ye of a hundred virtues, render ye free from sickness this one of mine!' that is, him whom I am now healing.

28. These (verses)³⁷ have one and the same explanation with regard to this (Agni-Pragâpati),how he may heal him, and preserve him. They are anushtubh verses,--the Anushtubh is speech, and speech is all healing medicine: by means of all healing medicine he thus heals him.

29. Now, then, regarding the defined and the undefined (ceremonies);--with prayer he yokes two oxen, silently the others; with prayer he ploughs four furrows, silently the others; silently he puts on the grass-bush, with prayer he makes a libation thereon; silently he pours out the jarfuls of water, with prayer he sows.

30. This Agni is Pragâpati, and Pragâpati is both the defined and the undefined, the limited and the unlimited. Now whatever he does with prayer thereby he restores that form of his which is defined, limited; and whatever he does silently, thereby he restores that form of his which is undefined, unlimited,--verily, whosoever, knowing this, performs thus, restores this whole and complete Pragâpati. The outer forms are defined, and the inner ones are undefined; and Agni is the same as an animal: hence the outer forms of the animal are defined, and the inner ones undefined.

Footnotes

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