| Philosophy and Religion / Satapatha Brahmana |
The Satapatha Brahmana: Sixth Kânda, First Adhyâya
The Agnikayana, or building of the fire-altar.
Creation of the universe.
First Brâhmana
1. Verily, in the beginning there was here the non-existent1. As to this they say, 'What was that non-existent?' The Rishis, assuredly,--it is they that were the non-existent2. As to this they say, 'Who were those Rishis?' The Rishis, doubtless, were the vital airs: inasmuch as before (the existence of) this universe, they, desiring it, wore themselves out (rish) with toil and austerity, therefore (they are called) Rishis.
2. This same vital air in the midst doubtless is Indra. He, by his power (indriya), kindled those (other) vital airs from the midst; and inasmuch as he kindled (indh), he is the kindler (indha): the kindler3 indeed,--him they call 'Indra' mystically (esoterically), for the gods love the mystic. They (the vital airs), being kindled, created seven separate persons4 (purusha).
3. They said, 'Surely, being thus, we shall not be able to generate: let us make these seven persons one Person!' They made those seven persons one Person: they compressed two of them5 (into) what is above the navel, and two of them (into) what is below the navel; (one) person was (one) wing (or side), (one) person was (the other) wing, and one person was the base (i.e. the feet).
4. And what excellence, what life-sap (rasa) there was in those seven persons, that they concentrated above, that became his head. And because (in it) they concentrated the excellence (srî), therefore it is (called) the head (siras). It was thereto that the breaths resorted (sri): therefore also it is the head (siras). And because the breaths did so resort (sri) thereto, therefore also the breaths (vital airs, and their organs) are elements of excellence (srî). And because they resorted to the whole (system) therefore (this is called) body (sarîra).
5. That same Person became Pragâpati (lord of generation). And that Person which became Pragâpati is this very Agni (fire-altar), who is now (to be) built.
6. He verily is composed of seven persons, for this Person (Agni) is composed of seven persons6, to wit, the body (trunk) of four, and the wings and tail of three; for the body of that (first) Person (was composed of) four, and the wings and tail of three. And inasmuch as he makes the body larger by one person, by that force the body raises the wings and tail.7
7. And as to the fire which is deposited on the built (altar),--whatever excellence, whatever life-sap there was in those seven persons, that they now concentrate above, that is his (Pragâpati's) head. On that same (head) all the gods are dependent (srita), for it is there that offering is made to all the gods: therefore also it is the head (siras).
8. Now this Person Pragâpati desired, 'May I be more (than one), may I be reproduced!' He toiled, he practised austerity. Being worn out with toil and austerity, he created first of all the Brahman (neut.), the triple science. It became to him a foundation: hence they say, 'the Brahman (Veda) is the foundation of everything here.' Wherefore, having studied (the Veda) one rests on a foundation; for this, to wit, the Veda, is his foundation. Resting on that foundation, he (again) practised austerity.
9. He created the waters out of Vâk (speech, that is) the world; for speech belonged to it8: that was created (set free). It pervaded everything here; and because it pervaded (âp) whatsoever there was here, therefore (it is called) water (âpah); and because it covered (var), therefore also it (is called) water (vâr).
10. He desired, 'May I be reproduced from these waters!' He entered the waters with that triple science. Thence an egg arose. He touched it. 'Let it exist! let it exist and multiply!' so he said. From it the Brahman (neut.) was first created, the triple science. Hence they say, 'The Brahman (n.) is the first-born of this All.' For even before that Person the Brahman was created9: it was created as his mouth. Hence they say of him who has studied the Veda, that 'he is like Agni;' for it, the Brahman (Veda), is Agni's mouth.
11. Now the embryo which was inside was created as the foremost (agri): inasmuch as it was created foremost (agram) of this All, therefore (it is called) Agri: Agri, indeed, is he whom they mystically call10 Agni; for the gods love the mystic. And the tear (asru, n.) which had formed itself11 became the 'asru' (m.): 'asru' indeed is what they mystically call 'asva' (horse), for the gods love the mystic. And that which, as it were, cried12 (ras), became the ass (râsabha). And the juice which was adhering to the shell (of the egg) became the he-goat (aga13). And that which was the shell became the earth.
12. He desired, 'May I generate, this (earth) from these waters!' He compressed it14 and threw it into the water. The juice which flowed from it became a tortoise; and that which was spirted upwards (became) what is produced above here over the wafers. This whole (earth) dissolved itself all over the water: all this (universe) appeared as one form only, namely, water.
13. He desired, 'May it become more than one, may it reproduce itself!' He toiled and practised austerity; and worn out with toil and austerity, he created foam. He was aware that 'this indeed looks different, it is becoming more (than one): I must toil, indeed!' Worn out with toil and austerity, he created clay, mud, saline soil and sand, gravel (pebble), rock, ore, gold, plants and trees: therewith he clothed this earth.
14. This (earth), then, was created as (consisting of) these same nine creations. Hence they say, 'Threefold (three times three) is Agni;' for Agni is this (earth), since thereof the whole Agni (fire-altar) is constructed.
15. 'This (earth) has indeed become (bhû) a foundation!' (he thought): hence it became the earth (bhûmi). He spread it out (prath), and it became the broad one (or earth, prithivî). And she (the earth), thinking herself quite perfect15, sang; and inasmuch as she sang (gâ), therefore she is Gâyatrî. But they also say, 'It was Agni, indeed, on her (the earth's) back, who thinking himself quite perfect, sang; and inasmuch as he sang (gâ), therefore Agni is Gâyatra.' And hence whosoever thinks himself quite perfect, either sings or delights in song16.
Second Brâhmana
1. That Pragâpati desired, 'May it multiply, may it be reproduced!' By means (or, in the form) of Agni he entered into union with the Earth: thence an egg arose. He touched it: 'May it grow! May it grow and multiply!' he said.
2. And the embryo which was inside was created as Vâyu (the wind). And the tear which had formed itself became those birds. And the juice which was adhering to the shell became those sun-motes. And that which was the shell became the air.
3. He desired, 'May it multiply, may it reproduce itself!' By means of Vâyu he entered into union with the Air: thence an egg arose. He touched it, saying, 'Bear thou glory!' From it yonder sun was created, for he indeed is glorious. And the tear which (asru) formed itself became that variegated pebble (asman); for 'asru' indeed is what they mystically call 'asman,' for the gods love the mystic. And the juice which was adhering to the shell became those sunbeams. And that which was the shell became the sky.
4. He desired, 'May it multiply, may it reproduce itself!' By means of the Sun he entered into union with the Sky: thence an egg arose. He touched it, saying, 'Bear thou seed!' From it the moon was created, for he (the moon) is seed. And the tear which formed itself became those stars. And the juice which was adhering to the shell became those intermediate quarters; and that which was the shell became those (chief) quarters (points of the compass).
5. Having created these worlds, he desired, 'May I create such creatures as shall be mine in these worlds!'
6. By his Mind (manas) he entered into union with Speech (vâk): he became pregnant with eight drops. They were created as those eight Vasus17: he placed them on this (earth).
7. By his Mind he entered into union with Speech: he became pregnant with eleven drops. They were created as those eleven Rudras18: he placed them in the air.
8. By his Mind he entered into union with Speech: he became pregnant with twelve drops. They were created as the twelve Âdityas19: he placed them in the sky.
9. By his Mind he entered into union with Speech: he became pregnant. He created the All-gods: he placed them in the quarters.
10. And so they say, 'After Agni having been created, the Vasus were created: he placed them on this (earth);--after Vâyu, the Rudras: (he placed) them in the air;--after the sun, the Âdityas: (he placed) them in the sky;--after the moon, the All-gods20: he placed them in the quarters.'
11. And so they say, 'Pragâpati, having created these worlds, was firmly established on the earth. For him these plants were ripened21 into food: that he ate. He became pregnant. From the upper vital airs he created the gods, and from the lower vital airs the mortal creatures.' In whatever way he created thereafter, so he created; but indeed it was Pragâpati who created everything here, whatsoever exists.
12. Having created creatures he, having run the whole race, became relaxed22; and therefore even now he who runs the whole race becomes indeed relaxed. From him being thus relaxed, the vital air went out from within. When it had gone out of him the gods left him.
13. He said to Agni, 'Restore me!'--'What will then accrue to me?' said he.--'They shall call me after thee; for whichever of the sons succeeds (in life), after him they call the father, grandfather, son, and grandson: they shall call me after thee,--restore me, then!'--'So be it!' so (saying) Agni restored him: therefore, while being Pragâpati, they call him Agni; and verily, whosoever knows this, after him they call his father, grandfather, son, and grandson.
14. He said, 'Whereon shall we set thee up23?'--'On the hita (set, or suitable, good)!' he said: the vital air is indeed something good, for the vital air is good for all beings. And inasmuch as he set him up on the hita, therefore one says, 'I shall set up, I am setting up, I have set up24.'
15. As to this they say, 'What is hita, and what is upahita?' The vital air, forsooth, is the 'hita,' and speech is the 'upahita,' for it is on the vital air that this speech is based (upa-hitâ). The vital air, again, is the 'hita,' and the limbs are the 'upahita,' for on the vital air these limbs are indeed based.
16. This, then, was his (Pragâpati's) 'kitya' (Agni to be set up on an altar-pile); for he had to be built up (ki) by him, and therefore was his 'kitya.' And so indeed he now is the Sacrificer's 'kitya;' for he is to be built up by him, and therefore is his 'kitya.'
17. Now it was those five bodily parts (tanu) of his (Pragâpati's) that became relaxed,--hair, skin, flesh, bone, and marrow,--they are these five layers (of the fire-altar); and when he builds up the five layers, thereby he builds him up by those bodily parts; and inasmuch as he builds up (ki), therefore they are layers (kiti).
18. And that Pragâpati who became relaxed is the year; and those five bodily parts of his which became relaxed are the seasons; for there are five seasons, and five are those layers: when he builds up the five layers, he thereby builds him up with the seasons; and inasmuch as he builds up (lays down), therefore they are layers.
19. And that Pragâpati, the year, who became relaxed, is that very Vâyu (wind) who blows yonder. And those five bodily parts of his, the seasons, which became relaxed, are the regions (or quarters)25; for five in number are the regions, and five those layers: when he builds up the five layers, he builds him up with the regions; and inasmuch as he builds up, therefore they are layers.
20. And the Fire that is laid down on the built (altar), that is yonder Sun;--that same Agni is indeed (raised) on the altar, and that just because Agni had restored him (Pragâpati).
21. But they say,--Pragâpati, when relaxed, said to the gods, 'Restore me!' The gods said to Agni, 'In thee we will heal this our father Pragâpati.'-- 'Then I will enter into him, when whole,' he said.--'So be it!' they said. Hence, while being Pragâpati, they yet call him Agni.
22. In the fire the gods healed him by means of oblations; and whatever oblation they offered that became a baked brick and passed into him. And because they were produced from what was offered (ishta), therefore they are bricks (ishtakâ). And hence they bake the bricks by means of the fire, for it is oblations they thus make.
23. He spake, 'Even as much as ye offer, even so much is my happiness:' and inasmuch as for him there was happiness (ka) in what was offered (ishta), therefore also they are bricks (ishtakâ).
24. Here now Âktâkshya used to say, 'Only he who knows abundant bricks possessed of (special) prayers, should build up the fire (altar): abundantly indeed he then heals Father Pragâpati.'
25. But Tândya used to say, 'Surely the bricks possessed of prayers are the nobility, and the space-fillers26 are the peasants; and the noble is the feeder, and the peasantry the food; and where there is abundant food for the feeder, that realm is indeed prosperous and thrives: let him therefore pile up abundant space-fillers!' Such then was the speech of those two, but the settled practice is different therefrom.
26. Now that father (Pragâpati) is (also) the son: inasmuch as he created Agni, thereby he is Agni's father; and inasmuch as Agni restored him, thereby Agni is his (Pragâpati's) father; and inasmuch as he created the gods, thereby he is the father of the gods; and inasmuch as the gods restored him, thereby the gods are his fathers.
27. Twofold verily is this,--father and son, Pragâpati and Agni, Agni and Pragâpati, Pragâpati and the gods, the gods and Pragâpati--(for) whosoever knows this.
28. He builds up with27, 'By that deity'--that deity, doubtless, is Vâk (speech),--'Aṅgiras-like,'--Aṅgiras, doubtless, is the breath;--'lie thou steady!'--that is, 'lie thou firm;' or 'lie thou firmly established.' It is both with speech and with breath that he builds; for Agni is speech, and Indra is the breath; and the fire (agni) relates to Indra and Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus builds him up. And again, Indra and Agni are all the gods, (for) Agni belongs to all deities: thus as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much he thus builds him up.
29. Here now they say, 'Wherefore is Agni (the fire-altar) built of this (earth)?' But, surely, when that deity (Pragâpati) became relaxed (fell asunder), he flowed along this (earth) in the shape of his life-sap; and when the gods restored him (put him together), they gathered him up from this earth: this earth then is that one brick28, for Agni is this earth, since it is thereof29 that the whole Agni is built up. Now this earth is four-cornered, for the quarters are her corners: hence the bricks are four-cornered; for all the bricks are after the manner of this earth.
30. As to this they say, 'But if he (Agni) thus consists of one brick, how then (comes he to be) a five-bricked30 one?' Now surely the first brick of clay is this earth,--whatever made of clay he places on that (altar) that is that one brick. And when he puts thereon the heads of the animal victims31, that is the animal-brick. And when he puts on the gold plate and man32, when he scatters gold shavings thereon, that is the golden brick. And when he puts on two spoonfuls (of ghee)33 when he puts on the mortar and pestle34, and fire-sticks, that is the wood-brick. And when he puts on a lotus-leaf (petal), a tortoise35, sour curds, honey, ghee, and whatever other food he puts on, that is the fifth brick, the food. Thus, then, it is a five-bricked (Agni).
31. As to this they say, 'On which side is the head of the brick?'--'Where he touches it and says a prayer,' so say some, 'on one end of the naturally perforated (brick)36 alone indeed should he say a prayer while touching it, but thus all those (bricks) of his are turned towards the naturally perforated one.' Let him not do so, for those bricks doubtless are his (Agni's) limbs, his joints; and it would be just as if he were to put a head on each limb, on each joint. But indeed, the fire which is deposited on the pile, that is the head of all those (bricks).
32. Here they say, 'How many animal victims are laid upon the fire (altar)?'--Let him say 'Five,' for he does lay thereon those five victims.
33. Or, 'One,' he may say; 'a ewe;' for a ewe (avi) is this earth, since she favours (av) all these creatures. And the fire (altar) also is this earth, for the whole fire (altar) is built up thereof: hence he may say, 'One.'
34. Or, 'Two,' he may say, 'two sheep;' for sheep, indeed, are both this (earth) and that (sky), since these two favour all these creatures;--what clay (there is in the brick) that is this earth; and what water there is that is that sky; and the bricks consist of clay and water: therefore he may say, 'Two.'
35. Or he may say, 'A cow (or bullock, go);--'the cow forsooth means these worlds, for whatever walks (gam) that walks in these worlds37; and that fire also is these worlds: therefore he may say, 'A cow.'
36. As to this they say, 'For what object is this fire (altar) built? Having become a bird, he (Agni) shall bear me to the sky!' so say some; but let him not think so; for by assuming that form, the vital airs became Pragâpati38; by assuming that form, Pragâpati created the gods39; by assuming that form, the gods became immortal and what thereby the vital airs, and Pragâpati, and the gods became, that indeed he (the Sacrificer) thereby becomes.
Third Brâhmana
1. Verily, Pragâpati alone was here in the beginning. He desired, 'May I exist, may I reproduce myself!' He toiled, he practised austerity (or, became heated). From him, worn out and heated, the waters were created: from that heated Person the waters are born.
2. The waters said, 'What is to become of us?'--'Ye shall be heated,' he said. They were heated; they created foam: hence foam is produced in heated water.
3. The foam (m.) said, 'What is to become of me?'--'Thou shalt be heated!' he said. It was heated, and produced clay; for indeed the foam is heated, when it floats on the water, covering it; and when one beats upon it, it indeed becomes clay.
4. The clay (f.) said, 'What is to become of me?'--'Thou shalt be heated!' he said. It was heated, and produced sand; for this clay becomes indeed heated when they plough it; and if only they plough very fine then it becomes, as it were, sandy. So much, then, as to that 'What is to become of me? what is to become of me40?'
5. From the sated he created the pebble: whence sand finally indeed becomes a pebble;--from the pebble the stone: whence the pebble finally indeed becomes a stone;--from the stone metal ore: whence from stone they smelt ore;--from ore gold: whence ore much smelted comes, as it were, to have the appearance of gold.
6. Now that which was created was flowing; and inasmuch as it was flowing (aksharat), a syllable (akshara) resulted therefrom; and inasmuch as it flowed eight times, that octosyllabic Gâyatrî was produced.
7. 'This has indeed become (bhû) a foundation (resting-place),' so he thought: whence it became the earth (bhûmi). He spread it out (prath): it became the broad (earth, prithivî). On this earth, as on a foundation, the beings, and the lord of beings, consecrated themselves for a year: the lord of beings was the master of the house41, and Ushas (the Dawn) was the mistress.
8. Now, those beings are the seasons; and that lord of beings is the year; and that Ushas, the mistress, is the Dawn. And these same creatures, as well as the lord of beings, the year, laid seed into Ushas42. There a boy (kumâra) was born in a year: he cried.
9. Pragâpati said to him, 'My boy, why criest thou, when thou art born out of labour and trouble?' He said, 'Nay, but I am not freed from (guarded against) evil; I have no name given me: give me a name!' Hence one should give a name to the boy that is born, for thereby one frees him from evil;--even a second, even a third (name), for thereby one frees him from evil time after time.
10. He said to him, 'Thou art Rudra43.' And because he gave him that name, Agni became suchlike (or, that form), for Rudra is Agni: because he cried (rud) therefore he is Rudra. He said, 'Surely, I am mightier than that: give me yet a name!'
11. He said to him, 'Thou art Sarva.' And because he gave the him that name, the waters became suchlike, for Sarva is the waters, inasmuch as from the water everything (sarva) here is produced. He said, 'Surely, I am mightier than that: give me yet a name!'
12. He said to him, 'Thou art Pasupati.' And because he gave him that name, the plants became suchlike, for Pasupati is the plants: hence when cattle (pasu) get plants, then they play the master44 (patîy). He said, 'Surely, I am mightier than that: give me yet a name!'
13. He said to him, 'Thou art Ugra.' And because he gave him that name, Vâyu (the wind) became suchlike, for Ugra is Vâyu: hence when it blows strongly, they say 'Ugra is blowing.' He said, 'Surely, I am mightier than that: give me yet a name!'
14. He said to him, 'Thou art Asani.' And because he gave him that name, the lightning became suchlike, for Asani is the lightning: hence they say of him whom the lightning strikes, 'Asani has smitten him.' He said, 'Surely, I am mightier than that: give me yet a name!'
15. He said to him, 'Thou art Bhava.' And because he gave him that name, Parganya (the rain-god) became suchlike; for Bhava is Parganya, since everything here comes (bhavati) from the rain-cloud. He said, 'Surely, I am mightier than that: give me yet a name!'
16. He said to him, 'Thou art Mahân Devah (the Great God).' And because he gave him that name, the moon became suchlike, for the moon is Pragâpati, and Pragâpati is the Great God. He said, 'Surely, I am mightier than that: give me yet a name!'
17. He said to him, 'Thou art Îsâna (the Ruler).' And because he gave him that name, the Sun became suchlike, for Îsâna is the Sun, since the Sun rules over this All. He said, 'So great indeed I am: give me no other name after that!'
18. These then are the eight forms of Agni. Kumâra (the boy) is the ninth: that is Agni's threefold state45.
19. And because there are eight forms of Agni-- the Gâyatrî consisting of eight syllables--therefore they say, 'Agni is Gâyatra.' That boy entered into the forms one after another; for one never sees him as a mere boy (kumâra), but one sees those forms of his46, for he assumed those forms one after another.
20. One ought to build him (Agni, the fire-altar) up in (the space of) a year, and recite for a year. 'For two (years),' however, say some; 'for in one year they laid the seed, and in one year that boy was born, therefore let him build for two (years), and recite for two (years).' Let him, however, build for a year only, and recite for a year; for the same seed which is laid is brought forth; it then lies changing and growing: hence let him build for a year only, and recite for a year. To him (Agni) when built up (kita) he gives a name: whereby he keeps away evil from him. He calls him by a bright (kitra) name47, saying, 'Thou art bright;' for Agni is all bright things.
Footnotes
1. Or, perhaps, In the beginning this (universe) was indeed nonexistent. Thus J. Muir, Or. S. T. IV, p. 22, of which translation of this cosmogonic myth considerable use has been made here. It need scarcely be remarked that 'idam' is constantly used in an adverbial sense in the Brâhmana.
2. In the original, 'the non-existent' is the subject of the clause, not the predicate as would appear from the translation. A similar transposition seems often advisable in English, for the sake of emphasis, and on other grounds. Muir's rendering, 'The Rishis say that in the beginning there was non-existence,' is a mistake.
3. The nominative here is striking, and vivid, cf. paragraph 11 below. In corresponding passages of the preceding books, the accusative would stand here; eg. II, 1, 2, 4, saptarshîn u ha sma vai purarkshâ ity âkakshate; similarly III, 1, 2, 3.
4. That is, living beings or souls, individualities, which, in their combined form, are here imagined to take the shape of a bird. Muir's rendering, 'males,' can scarcely commend itself.
5. Literally, 'those two.'
6. The fire-altar is usually constructed so as to measure seven man's lengths square; the particular length being that of the Sacrificer. This, however, is the smallest size allowed for an altar, there being altogether ninety-five different sizes specified, varying between seven and 101 man's lengths square.
7. 
Plan of fire-altar (Agnikshetra)
8. Or, perhaps, to him (Pragâpati). Sâyana merely says,--vâg evâsya sâsrigyata, vâk sahakâri rasanam abhavat, tad asrigyatety arthah; sâ vâk sahakâri rasanam prâgâpatya(m) srishtam sad idam sarvam âpnot.--On the part which Vâk (the personification of the Brahman or Veda) takes by the side of Pragâpati in the creation of the universe, and the parallelism between Vâk and λόγοσ, see Weber, Ind. Stud. IX, p. 473 seq.; Muir, Or. S. T. V, p. 391. Thus Pañk. Br. XX, 14, 2, 'Pragâpati alone existed here. He had Vâk indeed as his own, as a second to him.'
9. Muir takes this differently,--Further, (as) the Veda was first created from that Male, therefore it was created his mouth. This translation, however, takes no account of the particle 'hi.'
10. For the construction, see above, paragraph 2, with note *3*.
11. Literally, which had flowed together. It is explained as the embryonic liquid in the amnion, or innermost membrane enveloping the foetus.
12. ? Or, that part (of the egg) which made a noise (in cracking).
13. The word 'aga' is apparently fancifully taken here in the sense of 'unborn (a-ga).'
14. That is, the earth when as yet in the form of the egg-shell.
15. Abhimâninîstrîvigrahâ yasmâd agâyad tasmâd iyam Gâyatrî, Sây.--'Because, like a haughty woman, she (the earth) sang, therefore she is Gâyatrî.'
16. On this illustration, which might either be taken as applying to men in easy circumstances, not troubled with cares;--or, perhaps, to a new-born child which cries out lustily, and likes to be sung to,--Sâyana only remarks,--tasmâd u haitad iti svabhâvânuvâdah, kâryadharmena kâranadharmânupâdanâya.
17. As here, this class of deities--whose sphere of action are the terrestrial regions--was associated with Agni, the guardian of the earth, at III, 4, 2, 1.
18. Another class of (storm) deities, here associated with Vâyu, the wind, the guardian of the air-region.
19. This class of deities (of light) are here associated with the Sun, who indeed is called the Âditya in paragraphs 4 and 10 (instead of Sûrya).
20. Professor Weber (Ind. Stud. XIII, p. 268) has drawn attention to the discrepancy between this passage and III, 4, 2, 1, where the Visve Devâh (with Brihaspati) are denied the privilege of forming a special class of deities,--this being one of many points of difference, doctrinal as well as linguistic, between Books 1-5 and 6-10.
21. Professor Delbrück, Altind. Synt. p. 147, reads 'apakanta,'--the plants matured fruit.
22. Literally, he fell asunder, or to pieces, became disjointed. Hence, when the gods 'restored' Pragâpati (the lord of generation, identified with the sacrifice, and with Agni, the fire), the verb used is samskri; 'to put together;' and this putting together, or restoration, of Pragâpati is symbolically identified with the building up of the fire-altar.
23. Upa-dhâ. Paragraphs 14 and 15 involve a double meaning of the word hita, the past participle of dhâ, to put,--viz. put, set, or suitable, beneficial.
24. Or, 'I shall put on,' &c., upa-dhâ, the verb used of the putting on of bricks in building up the altar. Cf. II, 1, 2, 15.
25. That is, the four quarters, or cardinal points of the compass; and the upper region, or rather the upward (or perpendicular) direction.
26. In contradistinction to the yagushmatî (prayerful) bricks, which bear special names, and have special formulas attached to them; lokam-prinâ (space-filling ones) is the technical term for those bricks which have no special prayers belonging to them, but are piled up with a common formula (Vâg. S. XII, 54; Sat. Br. VIII, 7, 2, 1 seq.), beginning 'lokam prina khidram prina,' 'fill the space, fill the gap!'
27. This is the formula (Vâg. S. XII, 53) with which the so-called 'sâdanam' or 'settling' of the bricks is performed. See VII, 1, 1, 30.
28. That is, the first brick which the wife of the Sacrificer herself forms, and which is called Ashâdhâ. See VI, 3, 1, 1; 5, 3, 1.
29. Viz. by means of the clay bricks, and the loose soil put between the layers.
30. Sâyana only refers here to the fact that the sacrifice (yagña) is called 'pâṅkta,' 'the fivefold.'
31. See VII, 5, 2, 1 seq.
32. See VII, 4, 1, 15 seq.
33. See VII, 4, 1, 32 seq.
34. See VII, 5, 1, 12 seq.
35. See VII, 5, 1, 1 seq.
36. Apparently some kind of porous stone. Three such perforated stones or 'bricks' are used in the construction of the fire-altar; viz. one which is laid on the gold man in the centre of the bottom layer (a sâman relating to bhûs, the earth, being pronounced on it while touching it); the second in the centre of the third layer; and the third one being laid upon the centre of the completed fifth layer. They are meant to represent the three worlds, the holes being intended to afford to the Sacrificer (represented by the gold man) a passage to the highest regions. See VI, 2, 3, 1 seq.
37. It is not quite clear whether the author indulges in etymological trifling (go--gû). The Bombay MS. of Sâyana reads,--imâmstallokân gakkhatîti kavana(?gavana)karmasâdhanam gosabdam darsayati.
38. See VI, 1, 1, 2 seq., where the seven vital airs are represented as assuming the form of a bird--the Purusha Pragâpati.
39. See paragraphs 7-11.
40. He means to say that he will leave this to be supplied in the enumeration of the subsequent creations.
41. At sacrificial sessions the Sacrificer is called Grihapati. On this, see IV, 6, 8, 3-5.
42. On the legend regarding Pragâpati and his daughter Ushas, see I, 7, 4, 1 seq.
43. On this and several of the other names, see part i, p. 201.
44. As, when a horse gets much corn, it becomes spirited, 'masterful.' The St. Petersburg dictionary suggests the meaning, 'they become strong.' It might also mean, 'they lord it (over the plants).'
45. That is, his state of being trivrit, or three times three.
46. Tatas ka tatprabhriti tam Agnim kumârarûpam na kvakana pasyanti kimtv etâny etaggvalanâdîni rûpâny apurushavidhâni pasyanti, Sây.
47. Or, he calls him by the name of Kitra (bright), that being the name by which he is actually to address the fire on the altar at the end of the performance. Kâty. XVIII, 6, 23.
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