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SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
and became the nyagrodha tree (ficus indica); from his marrow his drink, the Soma-juice, flowed, and became rice: in this way his energies, or vital powers, went from him.
10. Now at that time he (Indra) had to do with Namuki, the Asura. Namuki bethought him, 'He has been undone once for all: I will seize upon his energy, his vital power, his Soma-drink, his food. By (taking) that Surå-liquor of his he seized upon his energy, or vital power, his Soma-drink, his food. He lay there dissolved. The gods gathered around him, and said, “Verily, he was the best of us; evil has befallen him: let us heal him!'
11. They said to the two Asvins, 'Ye are Brahman physicians : heal ye this one!' They replied, 'Let there be a guerdon for us!' They spake, “That he-goat there shall be your guerdon. They said,
So be it!' and hence the smoke-coloured (he goat) is sacred to the two Asvins.
12. They (the gods) said to Sarasvati, Verily, thou art healing medicine: heal thou this one!' She replied, 'Let there be a guerdon for me!' They spake, 'That ram there shall be thy guerdon!' She said, 'So be it!' and therefore the ram is sacred to Sarasvati.
13. They then spake, 'Verily, there is even now as much in him (Indra) as that bull: that one shall belong to him himself. They said, 'So be it!' and therefore the bull is sacred to Indra.
14. The two Asvins and Sarasvati, having taken the energy, or vital power, from Namuki, restored them to him (Indra), and saved him from evil. *Truly, we have saved him from evil so as to be well-saved (sutrata),' they thought, and this became
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