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SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
31. With offerings him they glorify,' for with offerings men indeed glorify him; therefore he says, 'with offerings him they glorify.'
32. [He recites the seventh sâmidhent]: 'O mighty one 1! we mighty men do kindle thee, the mighty one!' for they indeed kindle him;-'O Agni, thee that brightly shines!' for he indeed shone brightly when he was kindled.
33. He recites this tristich which contains the
IIO
word (vrishan), 'mighty.' All these kindling verses, it is true, are addressed to Agni; Indra, however, is the deity of sacrifice, Indra is the mighty (hero); hence these his (the sacrificer's) kindling verses thereby become possessed of Indra : this is the reason why he recites the tristich containing the word 'mighty.'
34. He recites [the eighth sâmidhent]: 'Agni we choose as messenger!' Now the gods and the Asuras, both of them sprang from Pragâpati, were contending for superiority. When they were thus contending, the gâyatri stood between them. That gâyatri was the same as this earth, and this earth indeed lay between them 2. Now both of them knew that whichever she would side with, they would be victorious and the others would be defeated. Both parties then invited her secretly to come to them. Agni acted as messenger for the gods; and an Asura-Rakshas, named Sa
1 Vrishan, 'the male, the vigorous one, the bull;' cf. Max Müller, Translation of Rig-veda Sanhitâ, I, p. 121 seq.
2 On the top of Mount Meru lies the city of Amarâvatî, wherein the gods dwell; and beneath Meru lies Irâvati, the city of the Asuras between these two lies the earth.'
Sâyana.
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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 |