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SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
SECOND BRAHMANA.
1. Pragâpati produced creatures. Having produced creatures, and run the whole race, he became relaxed'. From him, when relaxed, the vital air went out from within: then his vigour went out of him. That having gone out, he fell down. From him, thus fallen, food flowed forth: it was from that eye on which he lay that his food flowed. And, verily, there was then no firm foundation whatever here.
2. The gods spake, 'Verily, there is no other foundation than this: let us restore even him, our father Pragâpati; he shall be our foundation.'
3. They said unto Agni, 'Verily, there is no foundation other than this: in thee we will restore this our father Pragâpati; he shall be our foundation.'-'What will then be my reward?' said he.
4. They spake, 'This Pragâpati is food: with thee for our mouth we will eat that food, and he (Pragâpati) shall be the food of us, having thee for our mouth.' He said, 'So be it!' Therefore the gods eat food with Agni as their mouth; for to whatsoever deity men offer, it is into Agni that they offer, since it is with Agni for their mouth that the gods thus took in the food.
5. Now the vital air which went out from within him is no other than the wind that blows yonder; and the vigour which went out of him is yonder sun; and the food which flowed from him is all the food which there is within the year.
6. The gods heated him in the fire; and when the
1 Literally, fallen asunder, i. e. broken to pieces, or disjointed ('opened,' Delbrück, Synt. F. V, p. 385).
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