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128
SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
he is about to perform the duties of the sacrificial priest. With the formula, "May ye two be easy to manage for me!' he takes the two offeringspoons: he thereby means to say, 'May ye two be easy to handle for me; may I be able to handle you !'-He further says (Vâg. S. II, 8), “May I this day offer up the butter to the gods unspilt!' whereby he means to say, 'May I to-day perform an undisturbed sacrifice to the gods !'
2. And again, “May I not sin against thee with my foot, O Vishnu !' Vishnu, indeed, is the sacrifice: it is the latter therefore that he propitiates by saying, 'may I not sin against thee!' Further, ‘May I step into thy wealth-abounding shade, O Agni! whereby he says, 'may I step into thy auspicious shade, O Agni?!
3. Further, “Thou art the abode of Vishnu!' Vishnu, indeed, is the sacrifice, and near to this he now stands: this is why he says,'thou art the abode of Vishnu!'--Here Indra performed his heroic deed ?;' for it was while standing in this place that Indra drove off towards the south the evil spirits, the Rakshas: for this reason he says, here Indra performed his heroic deed.'-—'Erect stood the cult;' cult,
1 While he pronounces this formula (and while the Hotri recites the formula of invitation to the gods, cf. note on I, 4, 2, 16) the Adhvaryu steps to the south side of the altar (and Ahavanîya fire) and in so doing must take care always to keep the left foot before the right (Kâty. III, 1, 16, 18) and not to touch the top of the prastara, ib. 17, schol. In returning (par. 5) to his former position he has to keep the right foot before the left.
With this and the succeeding formulas, the Adhvaryu makes the second libation (cf. note on I, 4, 4, 1). Before the butter is poured into the fire the sacrificer pronounces the dedicatory formula, Om! for Indra this, not for me!'
Digitized by Google
| 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 |