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I KÂNDA, 2 ADHYAYA, 3 BRÂHMANA, 2.
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18. He then pours out for the Âptya deities the water with which the dish has been rinsed and that in which he has washed his fingers ?. The reason why he pours it out for the Åptyas (is this):
THIRD BRÂHMANA.
THE PREPARATION OF THE ALTAR. 1. Fourfold, namely, was Agni (fire) at first. Now that Agni whom they at first chose for the office of Hotri priest passed away. He also whom they chose the second time passed away. He also whom they chose the third time passed away? Thereupon the one who still constitutes the fire in our own time, concealed himself from fear. He entered into the waters. Him the gods discovered and brought forcibly away from the waters. He spat upon the waters, saying, 'Bespitten are ye who are an unsafe place of refuge, from whom they take me away against my will!' Thence sprung the Âptya deities, Trita, Dvita, and Ekata.
2. They roamed about with Indra, even as nowadays a Brâhman follows in the train of a king. When he slew Visvarapa, the three-headed son of Tvashtri, they also knew of his going to be killed; and straightway Trita slew him. Indra, assuredly, was free from that (sin), for he is a gods.
The washing of the fingers and the dish, and has taken place after the putting on and touching over of the cake, and before the paryag nikaranam is performed.
* In I, 3, 3, 13-16, the three former Agnis (or the three brothers of Agni, acc. to Mahidh., Våg. S. II, 2) are said to have fled from fear of the thunderbolt, in the shape of the vashat formula
Cf. I, 6, 3, i seq. In the Taitt. Samh. II, 5, 1, 1, Visvarapa, the Tvâshtra, is said to have been a sister's son of the Asuras, and
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