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SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
FIFTH KÅNDA.
SEL
Pl.SE
UNI!
Y
A. THE VÅGAPEMA First ADHYAYA. FIRST BRÂHMANA. 1. Once upon a time the gods and the Asuras, both of them sprung from Pragàpati, strove together. And the Asuras, even through arrogance, thinking,
Unto whom, forsooth, should we make offering ?' went on offering into their own mouths. They came to naught, even through arrogance: wherefore let no one be arrogant, for verily arrogance is the cause of ruin.
2. But the gods went on making offerings unto one another. Pragâpati gave himself up to them : thus the sacrifices became theirs; and indeed the sacrifice is the food of the gods 3.
3. They then spake, 'To which of us shall this 4 belong?' They did not agree together, saying,
1 Lit. the mouth,' i.e. the opening or beginning, of ruin. The St. Petersburg Dict. compares Prov. xvi. 18: Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.'
* Pragâpati (the lord of creatures or generation) is both the sacrifice and the year (time); see III, 2, 2, 4.
See II, 4, 2, 1. To them (the gods) he (Pragâpati) said, *The sacrifice (shall be) your food, immortality your sustenance (Arg), and the sun your light!'
• For the neuter idam-hardly here this universe,' or vâ
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