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SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
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sacrificially pure covering, he has relieved himself on its impure body, and now restores to it this its pure covering therefore he says, Unite with the earth!' 22. He then gives himself up to Agni (the fire) for protection and lies down to sleep. For he who is consecrated draws nigh to the gods and becomes one of the deities; but the gods do not sleep, while to him sleeplessness is not vouchsafed; and Agni being Lord of vows to the gods, it is to him that he now commits himself and lies down to sleep, with the text (Vâg. S. IV, 14), 'O Agni, be thou a good waker: may we thoroughly refresh ourselves!' whereby he says, 'O Agni, wake thou: we are going to sleep!''Guard us unremittingly!' whereby he means to say, 'protect us heedfully!'-'Make us awake again!' whereby he means to say, 'Order so that, having rested here, we may awake safely.'
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23. And when he has slept and does not wish to fall asleep again, (the Adhvaryu) makes him mutter the text (Vâg. S. IV, 15), 'Thought and life have come back to me, breath and soul have come back to me, eye and ear have come back to me;' for all these depart from him when he sleeps ; the breath alone does not; and after he has slept he again unites with them: therefore he says, 'Thought and life have come back to me...'-'May Agni Vaisvânara, the unassailable preserver of lives, preserve us from mishap and shame!' whereby he means to say, 'May Agni save us from whatever mistake (may be committed) on this occasion, either by sleep or otherwise:' this is why he says, 'May Agni Vaisvânara, the unassailable preserver of lives, preserve us from mishap and shame!' 24. For, when he who is consecrated utters any
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