The Preparation of the Ground for the Fire

5.2.1

Headed by the All-Pervading the righteous won finally these worlds by the metres; in that he strides the strides of the All-Pervading, the sacrificer wins finally these worlds. 'Thou art the step of the All-Pervading, overcoming hostility,' he says; the earth is connected with the Gayatri, the atmosphere with the Tristubh, the sky with the Jagati, the quarters with the Anustubh; thus he wins in order these worlds with the metres. The Creator created the fire; he being created went away from him; he followed him with this verse, 'He has cried'; with it he won the home dear to the fire; in that he repeats this verse, he wins thereby the home dear to the fire. Now he who steps the strides of the All-Pervading is apt as he goes away to be burnt up; he turns with four verses; the metres are four, the fire's dear body is the metres; thus he turns round on his dear body; he turns round from left to right; thus he turns round on his own strength; therefore the right side of the body is the stronger; thus also does he turn with the turning of the sun. The All-Seeing seized Sunahsepa Ajigarti, he saw this verse addressed to the All-Seeing, by it he freed himself from the noose of the All-Seeing; the All-Seeing seizes him who takes the fire-pan; 'From us the highest knot, O All-Seeing,' he says; thus thereby he frees himself from the noose. 'I have drawn thee,' he says, for he draws him. 'Be thou firm and motionless,' he says, for support. 'Let all the folk desire thee,' he says; thus with the folk he unites him. 'In him establish the kingdom,' he says; thus in him he makes the kingdom to abide. If he desire of a man, 'May he be a ruler', he should think of him with his mind; thus he becomes a ruler. 'In greatness he has risen erect in the van of the dawns,' he says; thus he makes him the first of his peers. 'Emerging from the darkness,' he says; thus he smites away darkness from him. 'He has come with the light,' he says; thus he bestows light upon him. He places him with four verses; the metres are four; thus with the metres; with an Atichandas as the last; the Atichandas is the highest of metres; thus he makes him the highest of his peers; it contains the word 'sit'; thus he makes him attain reality. With the hymn of Vatsapri he reverences him; by that did Vatsapri Bhalandana win the home dear to the fire; thus by it he wins the home dear to the fire. It has eleven verses; thus in eleven places he bestows strength on the sacrificer. By the chant the righteous prospered in this world, by the metres in yonder world; the hymn of Vatsapri is the type of the chant; in that he pays reverence with the hymn of Vatsapri, he wins with it this world; in that he strides the steps of the All-Pervading, he wins by them yonder world. On the first day he strides forth, on the next day he pays reverence; therefore the minds of some creatures are set on energy, those of others on rest; therefore the active lords it over him who takes his ease, therefore the active fixes upon a man who takes his ease. He clenches his fist, he restrains his speech, for support.

5.2.2

'O Lord of food, accord us food,' he says; the lord of food is the Radiant One; thus he grants him food. 'Uninjurious, impetuous,' he says; he means in fact 'free from disease'. 'Do Thou further the donor, bestow strength on our bipeds, our quadrupeds,' he says; thus he invokes this blessing. 'May all the angels bear thee up,' he says; the angels are the breaths; thus with the breaths he raises him. 'O Radiant One, with their thoughts,' he says; with the purpose for which he raises him, he thus unites him. He places him with four verses; the metres are four; thus with the metres; with an Atichandas as the last; the Atichandas is the highest of the metres; thus he makes him the highest of his peers; it contains the word 'sit'; thus he makes him attain reality. 'Come forward, O Radiant One, rich in light,' he says; thus he bestows light upon him. With his body he injures him whom he injures; 'Harm not our offspring with Thy body,' he says; thus for his offspring he makes him gentle. The evil spirits infest that sacrifice where the axle creaks; 'He has cried,' he repeats, to smite away the evil spirits. They bear him with a cart; thus he confers honour upon him; therefore he that has a cart and he that has a chariot are of guests the most honoured; honour is his who knows thus. 'With kindling-wood serve the Radiant One,' with these words he puts a kindling-stick, made wet with ghee, upon him when put in place; that is as when hospitality with melted butter is offered to a guest on arrival; he puts it on with a Gayatri for a scholar, for the scholar is connected with the Gayatri, with a Tristubh for a ruler, for the ruler is connected with the Tristubh. He casts the ash into the waters; the fire's place of birth is in the waters; thus he makes him attain his own place of birth; with three verses he casts it; the fire is threefold; thus he makes the fire attain support through all his extent. Now he casts away the fire who puts the ash into the waters; he places it in the pan with verses containing the word 'light'; thus he bestows light upon him; with two he places it, for support. He throws away offspring and cattle who puts the ash in the waters; 'Return with strength,' 'With wealth,' with these words he comes back; thus he bestows upon himself offspring and cattle. 'May the Adityas, the Healers, the Vasus kindle thee again,' he says; these powers first kindled him; thus by them he kindles him. 'Hearken,' 'Be thou,' with these words he pays reverence; thus he awakens him; therefore after sleeping creatures awake. In his place he pays reverence, and therefore cattle returning go to their place.

5.2.3

The appointed term holds the overlordship of the whole extent of earth; he who without asking a place of it for divine sacrifice piles up the fire is piling it for the appointed term. 'Go hence,' with these words he makes him fix on the place; thus having asked a place of it for divine sacrifice, he piles the fire for himself. Seeking they could not find so much as an arrow point of it which was not covered with death; the righteous saw this Yajus, 'Go hence'; in that he makes him fix with this, he piles the fire on a place freed from death. He throws up the earth; thus he smites away any impurity in it; he sprinkles water on, for atonement. He puts down sand; that is the form of the fire common to all men; thus by his form he wins it. He puts down salt; salt is the nourishment and the propagating; thus he piles the fire in nourishment, in propagation, and also in concord; for the salt is the concord of cattle. Sky and earth were together; separating they said, 'Let us share together what is worthy of sacrifice.' What of yonder sky was worthy of sacrifice, it placed in this earth, that became salt; what of this earth was worthy of sacrifice, it placed in yonder sky and that is yonder black in the moon; when he puts down the salt he should think of yonder black; thus he piles the fire in that of sky and earth which is worthy of sacrifice. 'This is that fire' is Visvamitra's hymn; by that Visvamitra won the abode dear to the fire; thus by it he wins the abode dear to the fire. By the metres the righteous went to the world of heaven; he places four bricks pointing east, the metres are four; thus by the metres the sacrificer goes to the world of heaven. As they went to the world of heaven, the quarters were confused; they put down two in front, facing the same way, and two behind, facing the same way; by them they made firm the quarters. In that he places two in front, facing the same way, and two behind, facing the same way, it serves to make firm the quarters; again, the metres are cattle; thus he makes cattle available for him. He places eight bricks; the Gayatri has eight syllables, the Radiant One is connected with the Gayatri; thus he piles the fire in his full extent. He places eight; the Gayatri has eight syllables; the Gayatri knows in truth the world of heaven; thus it serves to reveal the world of heaven. He places thirteen world-fillers; they make twenty-one, the twenty-onefold chant is a support, the household fire is a support, thus he finds support in the support of the twenty-onefold chant, the household fire; he who knows thus finds support in the fire which he has piled. He who first piles the fire should pile in five layers; the sacrifice is fivefold, cattle are fivefold; thus he wins the sacrifice and cattle. He who piles for a second time should pile in three layers; these worlds are three; thus he finds support in these worlds. He who piles for a third time should pile in one layer; the world of heaven is in one place; thus he goes to the world of heaven by the single layer. He makes them firm with mortar; therefore the bone is covered with meat; he who knows thus does not become diseased of skin. There are five layers, he makes firm with five sets of dust; they make up ten, the Viraj has ten syllables, the Viraj is food; thus he finds support in the Viraj, in proper food.

5.2.4

The fire that was before and the one in the fire-pan are at variance; 'Be united,' with four verses he unites them together; the metres are four, the fire's dear body is the metres; thus with his dear body he puts them in order. 'Be united,' he says; therefore the kingly power unites with the holy power; in that after uniting them he separates them, therefore the holy power separates from the kingly power. With the seasons they consecrate him; with the seasons likewise he must be set free; 'As a mother her son, the earth the fire of the dust,' he says; thus having consecrated him with the seasons, with the season he sets him free. With a verse addressed to the Radiant One common to all men, he takes the sling; thus he makes it ready. For misfortune there are three bricks black, dried by a chaff fire; chaff is the portion of misfortune, black is the form of misfortune; thus by her own form he turns away misfortune. They go to this quarter; this is the quarter of misfortune; thus in her own quarter he turns away misfortune. He places it in a self-made hole or a cleft; that is the abode of misfortune; thus he turns away misfortune in her own abode. He places them over against the sling, the noose is connected with misfortune; thus he frees him straightway from the noose of misfortune. He places three, man is threefold in arrangement; thus he removes by sacrifice misfortune from the whole extent of man. He places them going away from the place of sacrifice; thus he drives away misfortune from him. They return without looking round, to conceal misfortune. Having purified, they pay reverence, for purity. To the household fire they pay reverence; thus having wandered in the world of misfortune, they return, purified, to the world of the righteous. They pay reverence with one verse; thus in one place they bestow strength on the sacrificer. 'Abode and collector of riches,' he says; rich are offspring and cattle; thus he unites him with offspring and cattle.

5.2.5

With man's measure he metes out; man is commensurate with the sacrifice; thus he metes him with a member of the sacrifice; so great is he as a man with arms extended; so much strength is there in man; thus with strength he metes him. Winged is he, for wingless he could not fly; these wings are longer by an ell; therefore birds have strength by their wings. The wings and the tail are a fathom in breadth; so much is the strength in man, he is commensurate in strength. He metes with a bamboo; the bamboo is connected with the fire; thus it serves to unite him with his birthplace. With a Yajus he yokes the team, with a Yajus he ploughs, for discrimination. He ploughs with a team of six oxen; the seasons are six; thus with the seasons he ploughs him. In that he ploughs with a team of twelve oxen, he ploughs with the year. This earth was afraid of excessive burning by the fire; she saw this of two sorts, ploughed and unploughed, then indeed he did not burn her excessively; in that there is ploughed and unploughed, it serves to prevent her being excessively burned. 'He should restrain the fire when twofold,' they say; in that there is ploughed and unploughed it serves to restrain the fire. So many are animals, bipeds and quadrupeds; if he were to let them loose to the east, he would give them over to harm; if to the south, he would deliver them to the forefathers; if to the west, the evil spirits would destroy them; to the north he let them loose; this is the auspicious quarter of the righteous and men; thus he lets them loose in that direction. Again he lets them loose to this quarter, the breath is yonder sun; thus he lets them loose following the breath. From left to right they turn, around their own strength they turn; therefore the right side of the body is the stronger; thus they turn with the turning of the sun. Therefore cattle depart from us, and come back towards us. Three by three he ploughs the furrows; thus he extends the threefold chant in the beginning of the sacrifice. He scatters plants, by holy power he wins food, in the Arka the Arka is piled. With fourteen verses he scatters; the domesticated plants are seven, the wild are seven; thus they serve to win both sets. He scatters seeds of diverse kinds of food, to win diverse foods. He scatters on the ploughed ground, for in the ploughed plants find support. He scatters along the furrows, for propagation. In twelve furrows he scatters; the year has twelve months; thus with the year he cooks food for him. If he who piles the fire should eat of what has not been obtained, he would be separated from what has been obtained. Those trees which bear fruit he should sprinkle in the kindling-wood, to obtain what has not been obtained. From the quarters he gathers clods; thus winning the strength of the quarters, he piles the fire in the strength of the quarters; he should take a clod from the quarter where is he whom he hates, saying, 'Food and strength do I take hence,' thus he wins from that quarter food and strength. He scatters over the high altar, for on the high altar is the fire piled; the high altar is cattle; thus he wins cattle; thus it serves for the avoidance of passing over a limb of the sacrifice.

5.2.6

'O Radiant One, strength and fame are Thine,' with these words he scatters sand; that is the hymn of the Radiant One common to all men; thus with the hymn he wins it. With six verses he scatters; the year has six seasons, the Radiant One common to all men is the year; thus straightway he wins it. This metre is called the ocean; offspring are born like the ocean; in that he scatters sand with this hymn, it is for the propagation of offspring. The Mighty One hurled his bolt at the foe; it parted into three, one third the wooden sword, one-third the chariot, one-third the sacrificial post; the interior reeds which were crushed became gravel; that is the explanation of gravel; gravel is a thunderbolt, the fire is an animal; in that he supports the fire with gravel, he encircles with the bolt cattle for him; therefore cattle are encircled with the bolt; therefore the stronger does not receive the weaker. He should support the fire with twenty-one pieces of gravel for one who desires cattle; there are seven breaths in the head, cattle are the breaths; thus he wins cattle for him by the breaths. With twenty-seven should he support it for one who has foes; thus making the threefold bolt he hurls it at his foe, to lay him low. He should support it with unnumbered ones, to win what is unnumbered. If he desire of a man, 'May he be without cattle,' then without piling the gravel in support, he should separate the sand; thus he pours forth for him the seed on all sides in a place not encircled; thus he becomes without cattle. If he desire of a man, 'May he be rich in cattle,' he should separate the sand, after piling the gravel; thus he pours forth for him the seed in one direction in an encircled place, and he becomes rich in cattle. With a verse addressed to the Lord of provision he separates the sand; the provision is the impregnator of seed; thus he impregnates seed; with a Gayatri for a scholar, for the scholar is connected with the Gayatri, with a Tristubh for a ruler, for the ruler is connected with the Tristubh. To Samyu, son of the Lord of Prayer, the sacrifice did not resort; it entered the fire; it departed from the fire in the form of a black antelope, it entered the horse, it became the intermediate hoof of the horse; in that he makes the horse advance, he wins the sacrifice which has entered the horse. 'By the Creator must the fire be piled,' they say; the horse is connected with the Creator; in that he makes the horse advance, by the Creator he piles the fire. He puts down a lotus leaf; the lotus leaf is the birthplace of the fire; thus he piles the fire with its own birthplace. 'Thou art the back of the waters,' with these words he puts it down; the lotus leaf is the back of the waters; thus with its form he puts it down.

5.2.7

'The holy power born,' with these words he puts down the gold disk. The Creator created creatures with the scholar class as first; thus the sacrificer creates offspring with the scholar as first; 'the holy power born,' he says; therefore the scholar is the first; the first he becomes who knows thus. The scholars say, 'Nor on earth, nor in the atmosphere, nor on sky should the fire be piled'; if he were to pile it on earth, he would afflict the earth with pain; nor trees, nor plants would be born; if he should pile it in the atmosphere, he would afflict the atmosphere with pain, the birds would not be born; if he should pile it in the sky, he would afflict the sky with pain, the rain-cloud would not rain. He puts down a gold disk; gold is immortality; thus in immortality he piles the fire, for propagation. He puts down a golden man, to support the world of the sacrificer; if he were to put it over the perforation in the brick, he would obstruct the breath of cattle and of the sacrificer; he puts it down on the south side with head to the east; he supports the world of the sacrificer; he does not obstruct the breath of cattle and the sacrificer. Or rather he does place it over the perforation of the brick, to allow the breath to pass out. 'The drop has fallen,' with these words he touches it; thus he establishes it in the invoking priest's offices. He puts down two ladles, one made of Karsmarya and full of butter, one of Udumbara and full of curds; that made of Karsmarya is this earth, that of Udumbara is yonder sky; thus he deposits these two, earth and sky. In silence he puts them down, for he should not obtain them with a Yajus; the Karsmarya on the south, the Udumbara on the north; therefore is yonder sky higher than this earth; the Karsmarya filled with butter, the butter is a thunderbolt, the Karsmarya is a thunderbolt; thus by the thunderbolt he smites away the evil spirits from the south of the sacrifice; the Udumbara filled with curds, curds are cattle, the Udumbara is strength; thus he confers strength upon cattle. He puts them down filled; thus filled they wait on him in yonder world. 'In the Viraj should the fire be piled,' they say; the Viraj is the ladle; in that he puts down two ladles, he piles the fire in the Viraj. As each beginning of the sacrifice is being performed, the evil spirits seek to destroy the sacrifice; the golden disk is a beginning of the sacrifice; in that he pours butter over the gold disk, he smites away the evil spirits from the beginning of the sacrifice. With five verses he pours butter; the sacrifice is fivefold; thus he smites away the evil spirits from the whole extent of the sacrifice; he pours butter transversely; therefore animals move their limbs transversely, for support.

5.2.8

He puts down the naturally perforated brick; the naturally perforated brick is this earth; thus he puts down the earth. He makes the horse sniff it; thus he bestows breath upon it; now the horse is connected with the Creator; thus he piles the fire with the Creator. The first brick that is put down obstructs the breath of cattle and of the sacrificer; it is a naturally perforated one, to permit the breath to pass, and also to reveal the world of heaven. 'In the fire must the fire be piled,' they say; the scholar is the Radiant One common to all men, and to him should he hand over the first brick over which a Yajus has been recited; with the scholar he should deposit it; thus in the fire he piles the fire. Now he who ignorantly puts down a brick is liable to experience misfortune. Three boons should he give, the breaths are three; thus they serve to guard the breaths; two only should be given, for the breaths are two; one only should be given, for the breath is one. The fire is an animal here; animals do not find pleasure in want of grass; a brick of Durva grass he puts down, to support animals; with two verses, for support. 'Arising from every stem,' he says, for it finds support with every stem; 'do thou, O Durva, extend us with a thousand, a hundred,' he says; the Creator is connected with a thousand; thus it serves to obtain the Creator. The fact that it has three lines on it is a mark of the righteous; the righteous put it down with the mark uppermost, the rebellious with the mark undermost; if he desire of a man, 'May he become richer,' he should put it down for him mark uppermost; thus he becomes richer; if he desire of a man, 'May he become worse off,' he should put it down mark undermost; thus he makes him depressed in accordance with its birthplace among the rebellious, and he becomes worse off. The brick has three lines on it; that with three lines is these worlds; thus he excludes its foe from these worlds. When the Angirases went to the world of heaven, the sacrificial cake becoming a tortoise crawled after them; in that he puts down a tortoise, just as one who knows a place leads straight to it, so the tortoise leads him straight to the world of heaven. The tortoise is the intelligence of animals; in that he puts down the tortoise, animals resort there, seeing their own intelligence; in that the heads of the dead animals are deposited, a burial-ground is made; in that he puts down the living tortoise, he is no maker of a burial-ground, the tortoise is suitable for a dwelling. 'To the pious the winds pour honey,' with these words he anoints with curds, mixed with honey; thus he makes him ready; curds is a food of the village, honey of the wild; in that he anoints with curds mixed with honey, it serves to win both. 'May the two great ones, heaven and earth,' he says; thus with them he encircles him on both sides. He puts it down to the east, to attain the world of heaven; he puts it down to the east facing west; therefore to the east facing west the animals attend the sacrifice. If he piles the fire without a navel, the fire enters the navel of the sacrificer, and is liable to injure him. He puts down the mortar; this is the navel of the fire; thus he piles the fire with its navel, to avoid injury. The mortar is of Udumbara wood; the Udumbara is strength; thus he wins strength; in the middle he puts it down; thus in the middle he bestows strength upon him; therefore in the middle men enjoy strength. So large is it, commensurate with the Creator, the mouth of the sacrifice. He pounds; thus he makes food; he puts it down with a verse addressed to the All-Pervading; the sacrifice is for Him, the trees are His sign; thus in the sacrifice he establishes the sacrifice.

5.2.9

The pan is the concentrated light of these lights; in that he puts down the pan, thus he wins the light from these worlds; in the middle he puts it down; thus he bestows upon it light; therefore in the middle we reverence the light; with sand he fills it; that is the form of the fire common to all men; thus by his form he wins it. If he desire of a man, 'May he become hungry,' he should put down for him a pan deficient in size; if he desire of a man, 'May he eat food that fails not,' he should put it down full; thus he eats food that fails not. The man accords a thousand of cattle, the other animals a thousand; in the middle he puts down the head of the man, to give it strength. In the pan he puts it down; thus he makes it attain support; the head of the man is impure as devoid of breaths; the breaths are immortality, gold is immortality; on the organs of the breaths he hurls chips of gold; thus he makes it attain support, and unites it with the breaths. He fills it with curds mixed with honey, saying, 'May I be fit to drink honey'; he fills with curds to be curdled with hot milk, for purity. The curds are the food of the village, honey of the wild; in that he fills it with curds mixed with honey, it serves to win both. He puts down the heads of the animals; the heads of the animals are cattle; thus he wins cattle. If he desire of a man, 'May he have no cattle,' he should put them down, looking away, for him; thus he makes cattle look away from him; he becomes without cattle. If he desire of a man, 'May he be rich in cattle,' he should put them down looking with the man's head; thus he makes the cattle look with him; he becomes rich in cattle. He puts the head of the horse in the east looking west, that of the bull in the west looking east; the beasts other than the oxen and the horses are not beasts at all; thus he makes the oxen and the horses look with him. So many are the animals, bipeds and quadrupeds; them indeed he puts down in the fire, in that he puts down the heads of the animals. 'I appoint for thee the creature of the forest,' he says; thus from the cattle of the village he sends pain to those of the wild; therefore of animals born at one time the animals of the wild are the smaller, for they are afflicted with pain. He puts down the head of a snake; thus he wins the brilliance that is in the snake. If he were to put it down looking with the heads of the animals, the snakes would bite the animals of the village; if turned away, those of the wild; he should speak a Yajus, he wins the brilliance that is in the snake, he injures not the animals of the village, nor those of the wild. Or rather should it be put down; in that he puts down, thereby he wins the brilliance that is in the serpent; in that he utters a Yajus, thereby is it appeased.

The First Layer of Bricks

5.2.10

The fire is an animal, now the birthplace of the animal is changed in that before the putting up of the bricks the Yajus is performed. The water bricks are seed; he puts down the water bricks; thus he places seed in the womb. Five he puts down on the east, cattle are fivefold; thus he produces cattle for him; five on the south, the water bricks are the thunderbolt; thus with the thunderbolt he smites away the evil spirits from the south of the sacrifice; five he puts down on the west, pointing east; seed is impregnated in front from behind; thus from behind he deposits seed for him in front. Five he puts down on the east, pointing west; five on the west pointing east; therefore seed is impregnated in front, offspring are born at the back. On the north he puts down five metre bricks; the metre bricks are cattle; thus he brings cattle on birth to his own dwelling. This earth was afraid of excessive burning by the fire; she saw these water bricks, she put them down, then the fire did not burn her excessively; in that he puts down the water bricks, it is to avoid excessive burning. She said, 'He shall eat food with holy power, for whom these shall be put down, and he who shall know them thus.' He puts down the breath-supporting bricks; thus he places the breaths in the seed; therefore an animal is born with speech, breath, sight, and bearing. 'This one in front, the existent,' with these words he puts down on the east; thus with these he supports breath. 'This one on the right, the all-worker,' with these words he puts down on the south; thus with these he supports mind. 'This one behind, the all-extending,' with these words he puts down on the west; thus with these he supports sight. 'This one on the left, the light,' with these words he puts down on the north; thus with these he supports hearing. 'This one above, thought,' with these words he puts down above; thus with these he supports speech. Ten by ten he puts them down, to give strength. Transversely he puts them down; therefore transversely do animals move their limbs, for support. With those put down on the east Vasistha prospered, with those on the south Bharadvaja, with those on the west Visvamitra, with those on the north Jamadagni, with those above Visvakarman. He who knows thus the prosperity in these bricks prospers; he who knows thus their relationship becomes rich in relations; he who knows thus their ordering, things go orderly for him; he who knows thus their abode becomes possessed of an abode; he who knows thus their support becomes possessed of support. Having put down the breath-supporters he puts down the unifying bricks; thus having deposited in him the breaths he unifies them with the unifying bricks; that is why the unifying have their name. Then too he puts inspiration upon expiration; therefore expiration and inspiration move together. He puts them down pointing in different directions; therefore expiration and inspiration go in different directions. The ununified part of the fire is not worthy of heaven; the fire is worthy of heaven; in that he puts down the unifying bricks, he unifies it; thus he makes it worthy of heaven. 'The eighteen-month-old calf the strength, the first throw of the dice,' he says; thus by the strengths he wins the throws, and by the throws the strengths. On all sides these verses have