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VIII KÂNDA, I ADHYAYA, 4 BRAHMANA, 10.
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and when an animal contracts and expands its limbs, it develops strength by them.
8. [Vâg. S. XXVII, 45] “Thou art Samvatsara,—thou art Parivatsara,-thou art Idâvatsara,—thou art Idvatsara,—thou art Vatsara, -May thy dawns prosper'!--may thy days and nights prosper!--may thy half-months prosper!-- may thy months prosper! — may thy seasons prosper!-may thy year prosper!For going and coming contract and expand thyself! – Of Eagle-build thou art: by that deity, Angiras-like, lie thou steady?!'
9. Satyayani also once said, 'Some one heard (the sound) 3 of the cracking wings of the (altar) when touched with this (formula): let him therefore by all means touch it therewith!'
10. And Svargit Nâgnagita or Nagnagit, the Gândhâra, once said, 'Contraction and expansion surely are the breath, for in whatever part of the body there is breath that it both contracts and expands; let him breathe upon it from outside when completely built: he thereby lays breath, the (power of) contraction and expansion, into it, and so it contracts and expands.' But indeed what he there said as to that contraction and expansion, it was only one of the princely order who said it; and assuredly were they to breathe upon it from outside a hundred
Or, perhaps,'may the dawns chime in (fit in) with thee !' ? For this last part of the formula (by that deity,' &c.), the socalled settling-formula, see part iii, p. 307, note 1.
Harisvâmin (Ind. Off. MS. 657) seems to supply sabdam ;' the sound of the cracking being taken as a sign of the powersul effect of the formula. Unfortunately, however, the MS. of the commentary is hopelessly incorrect.
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