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I KÂNDA, 2 ADHYAYA, 5 BRÂHMANA, 17.
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"easterly line ?," for threefold is the sacrifice,' (so they say, but) in this there is no (fixed) measure: let him make it as long as he thinks fit in his own mind!
15. The two shoulders (of the altar) he carries along both sides of the (Ahavanfya) fire. For the altar (vedi, fem.) is female and the fire (agni, masc.) is male; and the woman lies embracing the man : thereby a copulation productive of offspring is obtained. For this reason he carries the two shoulders (of the altar) along both sides of the fire.
16. It (the altar) should be broader on the west side, contracted in the middle, and broad again on the east side ; for thus shaped they praise a woman : 'broad about the hips, somewhat narrower between the shoulders, and contracted in the middle (or, about the waist).' Thereby he makes it (the altar) pleasing to the gods.
17. It should be sloping towards east, for the east is the quarter of the gods; and also sloping towards north, for the north is the quarter of men. To the south side he sweeps the rubbish (loose soil), for that is the quarter of the deceased ancestors. If it (the altar) were sloping towards south, the sacrificer would speedily go to yonder world; and thus (by making the altar in the prescribed way) the sacrificer lives for a long time: for this reason he sweeps the loose soil to the south side. Let
1 I.e. a line drawn from the middle of the western side through the centre of the altar to the Ahavaniya fire. The same line prolongated from the western side of the altar westwards to the Gârhapatya would measure eight (eleven or twelve) steps (prakrama or vikrama, of two feet or pada each) from fire to fire. See I, 7, 3, 23-25
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| SR No. | 007674 |
| Book Title | Dhammapada |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Max Muller |
| Publisher | Oxford |
| Publication Year | 1881 |
| Total Pages | 2540 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 45 MB |