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I KÂNDA, 2 ADHYÂYA, 4 BRÂHMANA, 7.
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the arms of the Asvins, with the hands of Pashan; thee that performs sacred rites to the gods!' Savitri, namely, is the impeller of the gods: thus he thereby takes that (wooden sword) as one impelled by Savitri. • With the arms of the Asvins,' he says, because the Asvins are the two Adhvaryu priests (of the gods): with their arms he therefore takes it, not with his own. Pashan is distributer of portions (to the gods): with his hands he therefore takes it, not with his own; for it is the thunderbolt, and no man can hold that: he thus takes it with (the assistance of) the gods.
5. 'I take (thee) that performs sacred rites to the gods,' he says, because a sacred rite means a sacrifice:
that performs sacrifices to the gods,' he thereby says. After taking it in his left hand and touching it with his right, he murmurs-by what he murmurs he makes it sharp,
6. He murmurs (Vág. S. I, 24): 'Thou art Indra's right arm!' for Indra's right arm no doubt is the most powerful one, and for that reason he says: 'Thou art Indra's right arm!' The thousand-spiked, hundrededged !' he adds, for a thousand spikes and a hundred edges had that thunderbolt which he hurled at Vritra: he thereby makes it to be that (thunderbolt).
7. “The sharp-edged Vâyu (wind) art thou !' he adds; for that indeed is the sharpest edge, to wit, that (wind) which here blows: for that one sweeps right across these worlds. He thereby makes it sharp. When he (further) says: The killer of the enemy!' let him, whether he wishes to exorcise or not, say:
The killer of so and so !' When it has been sharpened, he must not touch either himself or the earth with it: 'Lest I should hurt either myself or the earth with that sharp thunderbolt,' thus he thinks, and for
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