Page Text
________________
142
SATAPATHA-BRÂHMANA.
I cut off the necks of the Rakshas!' for the spade is the thunderbolt: it is with the thunderbolt that he cuts off the necks of the evil spirits.
6. Thereupon he digs : eastwards he throws up the heap of earth. Having made the udumbara (post) of the same size as the sacrificer, he cuts it smooth all round, and lays it down, with the top to the east, in front (of the pit). Thereon he lays barhis-grass of the same length.
7. Now the sprinkling-water (used on this occasion) contains barley-corns. For the essence (sap) of plants is water; wherefore plants when eaten alone do not satiate; and the essence of water, on the other hand, are the plants; wherefore water when drunk alone does not satiate; but only when the two are united they satiate; for then they are sapful: 'with the sapful I will sprinkle,' so he thinks.
8. Now, the gods and the Asurus, both of them sprung from Pragâpati, were contending. Then all the plants went away from the gods, but the barley plants alone went not from them.
9. The gods then prevailed: by means of these (barley-grains) they attracted to themselves all the plants of their enemies; and because they attracted (yu) therewith, therefore they are called yava (barley).
10. They said, 'Come, let us put into the barley whatever sap there is of all plants !' And, accordingly, whatever sap there was of all plants, that they put into the barley: therefore the latter thrives lustily where other plants wither, for in such wise
1 It is the part which is to stand above ground that is to be of the sacrificer's size.
Digitized by Google
| SR No. | 007678 |
| Book Title | Satapatha Bramhana Part 02 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Julius Eggeling |
| Publisher | Oxford |
| Publication Year | 1885 |
| Total Pages | 2521 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 44 MB |