Philosophy and Religion / Satapatha Brahmana

The Satapatha Brahmana: Seventh Kânda, Third Adhyâya

First Brâhmana

1. Built is the Gârhapatya, unbuilt the Âhavanîya; he then buys the king (Soma): the Gârhapatya being this (terrestrial) world, the Âhavanîya the sky, and Soma he that blows yonder, he thus places him (Vâyu, the wind) between these two worlds; and hence he blows between these two worlds.

2. And as to why he buys the king when the Gârhapatya is built, and the Âhavanîya unbuilt,--Agni is the body, and Soma the vital air: he thus places the vital air in the middle of the body, and hence that vital air is in the middle of the body.

3. And, again, why he buys the king when the Gârhapatya is built, and the Âhavanîya unbuilt,--Agni is the body, and Soma is the life-sap: he thus supplies the body with life-sap, and hence this body (of ours) is supplied with life-sap from end to end.

4. Having bought the king, and driven him about, he then takes out the material for the guest-meal. With the Havishkrit of that (ceremony) he releases speech. And in this way¹ he interlinks the performance of the (Soma) sacrifice and the performance of the fire (altar) for the purpose of unity of performance, thinking, 'Uniform shall be this performance!'

5. And, again, why he interlinks them,--Agni (the fire-altar) is the body, and the (Soma) sacrifice is the vital air: he thus places the vital air in the midst of the body, and hence that vital air is in the middle of the body.

6. And, again, why he interlinks them,--Agni is the body, and the (Soma) sacrifice is the vital sap: he thus supplies the body with vital sap, and hence this body is supplied with vital sap from end to end. He then returns to the site of the Âhavanîya.

7. Now some sweep with the palâsa branch on both occasions², saying, 'Surely, on both occasions he builds (an altar).' Let him, however, not do so; for by (building) the Gârhapatya he settles, and by the Âhavanîya he rises upwards: therefore let him not do so.

8. And only on the Gârhapatya (site) he throws saline soil, not on the Âhavanîya; for the Gârhapatya is this (terrestrial) world, and saline soil means cattle: he thus bestows cattle on this world, whence there are cattle in this world.

9. And only on the Âhavanîya (site) he places a lotus leaf, not on the Gârhapatya; for the lotus leaf means water, and the Âhavanîya the sky: he thus places the waters (vapours) in the sky. On both he scatters sand; for sand means seed, and in both (fire-altars) fashioning (of Agni) takes place: 'May he be fashioned from out of that seed!' thus he thinks.

10. He scatters it with two different formulas; for the Gârhapatya is the world of men, and the Âhavanîya is the world of the gods, and different indeed are the divine and the human. With the longer formula he scatters it on the Âhavanîya, and with the shorter one on the Gârhapatya, for longer is the life of the gods, and shorter the life of men. On the Gârhapatya he scatters the sand before (the setting up of) the enclosing-stones; for sand is seed: 'May these be fashioned from out of that seed!' thus he thinks.

11. As to this they say, 'If the enclosing-stones are the womb, and the sand is seed, and the sand is strown on the Gârhapatya before (the setting up of) the enclosing-stones, how, then, is that seed of his not shed aside, (but) is received (by the womb)?' Well, the saline soil is the amnion, and inasmuch as he strews first the saline soil, that seed of his is not shed aside, but is received by that amnion. He now addresses the enclosing-stones on the Âhavanîya: the meaning of this has been explained³. He then scatters sand: sand being seed, that seed of his is not shed aside, but is received also by that womb.

12. And only on the Âhavanîya he strokes it (even) with two (verses) containing (the verb) 'to grow⁴,' not on the Gârhapatya; for the Gârhapatya is this (terrestrial) world, and the Âhavanîya is the heavenly world; and this Sacrificer, being indeed born in this world, is really intended to be born in the heavenly world: when he strokes (the sand) even on the Âhavanîya with two (verses) containing (the verb) 'to grow,' and not on the Gârhapatya, he causes him to be born in the heavenly world.

13. He now puts clod-bricks thereon⁵,--that fire-altar is these worlds, and the clod-bricks are the regions: he thus places the regions into these worlds; whence there are those regions in these worlds.

14. He takes them from outside the (site of the) fire-altar; for those regions which are in these worlds are already possessed by him (Agni); and he now bestows on him those regions which are beyond these worlds.

15. From outside the Vedi (he takes them);--the Vedi being this (earth), and those regions which are on this (earth) being already possessed by him, he now bestows on him those regions which are beyond this (earth).

16. And, again, why he puts clod-bricks thereon,--when Pragâpati was disjointed, his vital sap flowed over all the regions (or, in all directions); and when the gods restored him⁶ they, by means of these clod-bricks, put into him that vital sap; and in like manner does this one now put that vital sap into him.

17. He takes them from outside (the site of) the fire-altar; for the vital sap which is in these worlds is already possessed by him (Agni), and he now puts into him that vital sap which flowed away beyond these worlds⁷.

18. From outside the Vedi (he takes them),--the Vedi being this (earth), and that vital sap which is in this (terrestrial) world being already possessed by him, he now puts into him the vital sap which flowed beyond this (earth).

19. He takes them with the sacrificial (wooden) sword,--the sword is a thunderbolt, and the thunderbolt means force, and this (earth) means wealth: by force he thus obtains wealth.

20. From the front side he brings one, with (Vâg. S. XII, 102), 'May he not injure me who is the begetter of the Earth!'--the begetter of the Earth doubtless is Pragâpati (the lord of creatures and generation): thus, 'May Pragâpati not injure me!'--'Or he of true ordinances who hath pervaded the sky,' that is, 'Or he of true ordinances who has created the sky;'--'Or he who first begat the shining waters,'--the shining waters doubtless are the men: thus, 'he who first created men;'--'To the god Ka (who?) let us do homage by offering!' Ka doubtless is Pragâpati, thus, 'To him let us do homage by offering!' Having brought it he puts it on the body (of the altar-site) inside the enclosing-stones: he thereby puts into him (Agni) what vital sap had flowed away from him in the eastern direction, and also the eastern region itself he bestows upon him.

21. Then (he fetches a clod) from the south, with (Vâg. S. XII, 103), 'Turn hither, O Earth, with sacrifice, with milk!' as the text, so the meaning;--'Agni, sent forth, hath mounted thy skin;' whatsoever is on this (earth) that is her skin; and that (skin) Agni mounts, when sent forth, when blazing forth. Having brought it he puts it on the body (of the altar) inside the junction of the (right) wing (and the body): he thereby puts into him (Agni) what vital sap had flowed from him in the southern direction, and also the southern region itself he bestows upon him.

22. Then from behind (he fetches one, with Vâg. S. XII, 104), 'O Agni, what in thee is pure, what brilliant, what clean, what meet for sacrifice,'--Agni doubtless is this (earth): of her he says this;--'that do we bring to the gods,' that is, 'that we bring for this divine work.' Having brought it he puts it on the body (of the altar) inside the junction of the tail (and the body): he thereby puts into him what vital sap had flowed away from him in the western direction, and also the western region itself he bestows upon him. Let him not take it exactly from the back (west) lest he should take the vital sap from the path of the sacrifice: he takes it from about there⁸.

23. Then from the north, with (Vâg. S. XII, 105), 'Sap and strength have I taken from here⁹,'--that is, 'Sap and strength I take from here;'--'the womb of sacred law,' the sacred law doubtless is the truth: thus, 'the womb of the truth;'--'the stream of the mighty,' the mighty (buffalo, or mahisha) doubtless is Agni, for he, being born here great (mahat), animated everything;--'May it accrue to me in the cows, in the bodies,'--the body is the self: thus, 'May it accrue to me both in the cows and in (my own) self;'--'I leave behind decline, weakness, sickness!' therewith he spreads the sand (by stroking): he thereby consigns to that (northern) region whatever decline, weakness, and sickness there is; whence hungry people (live) in that region. Having brought that (clod), he puts it on the body (of the altar) on the middle of the junction of the (left) wing (and the body): he thereby puts into him (Agni) what vital sap flowed away in the northerly direction; and also the northern region itself he bestows upon him.

24. These same (clods) are the regions; he places them on all sides: he thus places the regions on all sides; whence the regions are on every side. [He places the clods so] as to face each other from every side: he thereby places the regions to face each other from every side, and hence the regions face each other from every side. He places them separately, 'settles¹⁰' them separately, and separately pronounces the Sûdadohas upon them; for separate from each other are the regions. Standing he places them, for the regions, as it were, stand; and stronger, indeed, one is whilst standing.

25. These same (clods) are bricks having special prayers (yagushmatî¹¹): on the body (of the altar) he places them, not on the wings and tail; for bricks having special prayers are placed on the body, not on the wings or tail.

26. As to this they say, 'How do these (clod-bricks) come to be put on as baked, as heated (burnt) ones?' Well, these (clods) are vital sap, and the vital sap (blood) is naturally-heated; and, moreover, whatever comes in contact with Agni Vaisvânara, even thereby comes to be put on as baked, as heated.

27. He then throws up the Uttara-vedi¹² (high-altar),--the Vedi is this (earth), the Uttara-vedi the sky, and the clod-bricks are the regions: thus when he puts on the clod-bricks between (the preparation of) the Vedi and (that of) the Uttara-vedi, he thereby places the regions between these two worlds; whence the regions are between these two worlds. He makes it either a yoke long on each side, or forty feet,--whichever way he pleases. He then throws sand thereon: the meaning of this has been explained.

28. He throws it on the Uttara-vedi;--the Uttaravedi is the womb: he thus infuses seed into the womb; and the seed which is infused into the womb becomes generative. He covers the whole body (of the altar) with that (sand): he thus puts seed into the whole body¹³; whence the seed is produced from the whole body.

29. [He throws it on the high-altar, with Vâg. S. XII, 106-I11; Rik S. X, 140] 'Thine, O Agni, is glory and vigour,'--his glory (sravas) and vigour doubtless is the smoke, for that announces (srâvaya) him in yonder world,--'mighty shine forth the flames, O rich-beamed one!' that is, 'the flames of (thee), the mighty one, shine forth, O thou, abounding in wealth!'--'With might, O wide-rayed one (thou bestowest) strength, worthy of song,' might is power: thus, 'By (thy) power, O wide-rayed one, (thou givest) food worthy of song;'--'bestowest thou upon the worship, O sage!' worship doubtless is the Sacrificer: thus, 'Upon the worship thou bestowest, O sage!'

30. 'Pure-flamed, bright-flamed,' for pure-flamed and bright-flamed he (Agni) is; 'full-flamed, didst thou burst forth with light,' that is, 'full-flamed shonest thou forth with light;'--'running about as their son thou helpest the two mothers,' for as their son he does help the two mothers;--'thou fillest both spheres,' the two spheres doubtless are these two, heaven and earth, and these two he indeed fills,--with smoke yonder (sky), with rain this (earth).

31. 'Child of strength, knower of beings, in benedictions,' that is, 'child of strength, knower of beings, in praises,'--'delight thou, kindly in thoughts,' that is, 'shine thou, kindly in thoughts;'--'in thee have they brought together multiform nourishments,' that is, 'in thee have they brought together many-formed nourishments;'--'of wondrous help are the fair-born,' as the text, so the meaning.

32. 'Ruling, O Agni, spread thou by beings'--the beings are men: thus, 'Shining, O Agni, spread thyself by men!'--'riches amongst us, O immortal!' that is, 'bestowing wealth upon us, O immortal!'--'Of beautiful form, shinest thou'--for he indeed shines, of beautiful form;--'thou fillest (us with) profitable¹⁴ wisdom;' that is, thou fillest (us with) perennial wisdom.'

33. 'Him, the wise arranger of the cult,'--the cult is the sacrifice: thus, 'him, the wise preparer of the sacrifice;'--'ruling over great wealth,' that is, 'ruling in great wealth;'--'the bestowal of good things,--prosperous, mighty (mah) nourishment,'--that is, 'the bestowal of good things; prosperous, ample (mahat) nourishment,'--'givest thou, and profitable substance,' that is, 'givest thou, and perennial substance.'

34. '[Thee,] the righteous,' that is, the truthful;'--'the mighty,' the mighty (or buffalo) doubtless is Agni;--'the all-remarkable,' for he (Agni) is indeed remarkable to all;--'(thee), Agni, men have placed foremost for happiness,' happiness doubtless is the sacrifice, and for the sacrifice they indeed place him foremost;--'thee, the hearer, the far-ruling, divine one, with song the human tribes;' that is, 'thee who hearest, thee, the far-ruling god, we men invoke.'

35. Now this hymn of six verses is that same Agni Vaisvânara; and it is in order to make a beginning (in the building of the altar) that that sand is scattered,--he thereby pours into it Agni Vaisvânara as seed;--(he does so) with a six-versed hymn: six seasons are a year and the year is Vaisvânara (belonging to all men).

36. As to this they say, 'If the seed is said to be seed what is its seed characteristic?'--Let him say, 'white;' for seed is white;--or 'speckled,' for seed is, as it were, speckled.

37. As to this they say, 'As seed is moist, and he scatters dry sand, how does it become moist for him, after the manner of seed?' Well, the metres are vital sap, and vital sap is moist; and inasmuch as he scatters that (sand) with metres, it is thus that it becomes moist for him, after the manner of seed.

38. As to this they say, 'How does it come to be put on for him by means of the day and the night?' Well, day and night are two, and there are two (kinds of) seed, the white and the black: as black and white it is thus put on for him by means of the day and the night.

39. As to this they say, 'How does that (sand), put on by the days and nights, become complete (or perfect) for him, neither deficient, nor superabundant?' Well, endless are the days and nights, and endless is the sand: it is thus that, put on by the days and nights, it becomes complete for him, neither deficient, nor superabundant. 'And wherefrom (is obtained) the oceanic (Samudriya¹⁵) metre?' The ocean is endless, and the sand is endless: that is the oceanic metre.

40. As to this they say, 'How is that (sand) of his put on separately with different prayers?' Well, prayer is thought; this thought, prayer, comes to be equal to the whole sand¹⁶: and thus that (sand) of his comes to be put on separately with different prayers.

41. As to this they say, 'How does that (sand) of his come to be put on by all the metres?'--Inasmuch as he scatters it with that hymn of six verses; for as many syllables as there are in the seven metres, so many syllables there are in that hymn of six verses¹⁷: thus that (sand) of his comes to be put on by all the metres.

42. And as to why he scatters sand,--that Agni (fire-altar) is Pragâpati, and Pragâpati is the whole Brahman. Now that sand is (put) in (the place of) the lost part of the Brahman; and that part of it which has not been lost is this fire-altar which is now being built: thus when he scatters sand he restores to him that lost part of the Brahman. That (sand which) he scatters is unnumbered, unlimited; for who knows how great is that lost part of the Brahman? And verily he who, knowing this, scatters sand, restores the whole, complete Pragâpati.

43. As to this they say, 'What is the number of these unnumbered sand grains?' Let him say, 'Two;' for there are two kinds of sand, the white and the black; or let him say, 'Seven hundred and twenty,' for so many days and nights there are in the year; or 'Two hundred and fifty-two,' for so many syllables there are in that hymn of six verses; or 'Twenty-five,' for seed is twenty-fivefold¹⁸.

44. This same (sand represents) bricks with special prayers: he places it on the body (of the altar), not on the wings and tail; for bricks with special prayers are placed on the body, not on the wings and tail. He does not 'settle' it, lest he should stop the seed, and generation.

45. He then strokes it (the sand) even by means of two verses containing the verb 'to grow:' he thereby causes that infused seed to grow, whence the seed infused into the womb grows;--with two (verses) relating to Soma (he strokes the sand); for Soma is breath: he thus puts breath into the seed; whence the infused seed becomes possessed of breath. But, indeed, were it to come forth without breath it would become putrid; and this indeed is the Sûdadohas¹⁹ in this case; for Soma is breath, and the Sûdadohas is breath.

46. [Vâg. S. XII, 112, 113; Rik S. I, 91, 16, 18] 'Grow thou! let manly power gather in thee from all sides, O Soma!' manly power doubtless is seed: thus, 'Grow thou! let seed gather in thee from every side, O Soma!'--'Be thou in the gathering of strength!' in food doubtless is strength: thus, 'be thou in the gathering of food!'--'Let the drinks, let the forces gather in thee!'--drink doubtless means vital sap, and in food are forces: thus, let vital sap, let food gather itself in thee!'--'and manly powers in thee, the overcomer of enemies;' that is, 'and seed in thee, the overcomer of evil;'--'growing, O Soma, for the sake of immortality,' he thereby lays immortality into the generative power, whence generative power is immortal;--'gain thou the highest glory in the heavens!' his highest glory in the heavens doubtless is the moon, for that one causes him to be celebrated in yonder world²⁰. With two (verses) he makes him grow, a gâyatrî and a trishtubh one,--the significance of this has been explained.

47. Now then the (mystic) correspondence,--four clod-bricks he puts on; with a six-versed (hymn) he scatters (the sand); with two (verses) he makes (the seed) grow; that makes twelve,--twelve months are a year, and the year is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, so great does this become.

Second Brâhmana

1. Having smoothed (the sand) down with the two verses containing (the verb) 'to grow,' and returned (to the hall) he proceeds with the guest offering. Having performed the guest offering, he proceeds with the Pravargya and the Upasad²¹. Having performed the Pravargya and the Upasad, they appease that (first) layer on the (red ox-)skin. And as to why on a skin: for the obtainment of the forms, the skin being outward form;--on the hairy side: for the obtainment of the forms, hair being outward form;--on a ruddy (skin): for the obtainment of all forms, all forms (colours being contained) in the ruddy;--on (the skin) of an ox: for the obtainment of Agni's forms, the ox being the same as Agni;--on (the skin spread) with the neck towards the east, for that (tends) godward.

2. He spreads it in front of the Gârhapatya, on the Vedi, with the hairy side upwards, and the neck towards the east: thereon they appease that layer. Now he sprinkles (the bricks);--when he sprinkles, he thereby makes it pure, sacrificially clean;--with clarified butter (he sprinkles), for that is pure, sacrificially clean; and also with the view of its being unsurpassed²², for no other sacrificial food is sprinkled with ghee;--silently (he sprinkles), for what is (done) silently is undefined, and the undefined is everything: by means of everything he thus makes it pure, and sacrificially clean; and also with the view of its being unsurpassed, for no other sacrificial food is sprinkled silently.

3. And, again, why he sprinkles,--this (layer of bricks) is sacrificial food, and as such he bastes it²³; for whatever sacrificial food is buttered, and basted, that is palatable and sacrificially clean. With ghee (he bastes it), for sacrificial food is basted with ghee; silently (he does so), for silently sacrificial food is basted;--by means of stalks of Kusa grass, for these are pure, and sacrificially clean;--by means of the tops, for the top is sacred to the gods.

4. As to this they say, 'When he sprinkles only the first layer, how does that whole fire-altar of his come to be sprinkled, how does it come to be led forward on the skin, and how led forward by the horse²⁴?' Inasmuch as in this (layer) he (symbolically)²⁵ sprinkles the bricks of all the layers; and thus indeed that whole fire-altar of his comes to be sprinkled, and led forward on the skin, and led forward by the horse. They lift up this (first) layer²⁶.

5. He (the Adhvaryu) then says (to the Hotri), 'Recite to the fires being led forward!' For at that time when the gods were setting out to spread the sacrifice, the Rakshas, the fiends, sought to smite them, saying, 'Ye shall not sacrifice! ye shall not spread the sacrifice!!' Having made those fires, those bricks, to be sharp-edged thunderbolts, they hurled these at them, and laid them low thereby; and having laid them low, they spread that sacrifice in a place free from danger and devilry.

6. Now, what the gods did is done here,--even now those Rakshas are indeed smitten by the gods themselves; and when he nevertheless does this, it is because he thinks, 'I must do what the gods did.' And so, having made those fires, those bricks, to be sharp-edged thunderbolts, he hurls them at whatever Rakshas, whatever evildoers there may be, and lays them low thereby; and having laid them low, he spreads the sacrifice in a place free from danger and devilry.

7. And as to why (he recites) to the fires,--it is because there are here many fires, to wit, those layers; and as to (his reciting) to them being led forward (pra-har), it is because he hurls (pra-har) them forward (as thunderbolts).

8. Now some recite (Vâg. S. XII, 50), 'The Agnis Purîshyas, together with those of the streams,'--a form of starting²⁷. Let him not do so; let him recite gâyatrî verses addressed to Agni, and relating to (objects of) desire: (Vâg. S. XII, 115; Rik S. VIII, II, 7), 'Hither may Vatsa lead thy mind even from the highest seat, O Agni, with the song desirous of thee!'--(Vâg. S. XII, 116; Rik S. VIII, 43,18), 'To thee, O Agni, best of Aṅgiras, all good homesteads have laid themselves out for (the obtainment of) their desire.'--(Vâg. S. XII, 117), 'Agni, the one all-ruler, 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;--Gâyatrî ones,--Agni is Gâyatra: 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-altar²⁸, 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 Hotri) marches reciting behind (the bricks carried by the attendants); he thus marches, defending the sacrifice by the metres from behind.

10. 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 creatures²⁹. And hence, by Pragâpati'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.

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 on a thread³⁰. 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 Pragâpati, '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 mouth³¹, and indeed is apt to become weak-eyed. He (Agni) thought he had hit and hurt him, and said to him, 'I grant thee a boon!'

15. He (Pragâpati) 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.

17. Now, then, as to the mounting³² (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 body³³; 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 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.

Footnotes

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