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VII KANDA, 5 ADHYÂYA, I BRÂHMANA, 3. 389
all: thus, 'thou hast all energies, do thou speed me!' When he has 'settled' it, he pronounces the Sûdadohas on it: the significance of this has been explained.
40. Here now they say, 'Why are those other bricks placed in front of the naturally-perforated one?' Let him say, There are two wombs (birthplaces)—the one being the womb of the gods, the other the womb of men: the gods have their birthplace in the east, and men in the west; and when he lays down those (bricks) in front, he thereby causes the Sacrificer to be born from the womb of the gods.
FIFTH ADHYAYA.
FIRST BRAHMANA.
1. He then puts down a (living) tortoise; the tortoise means life-sap: it is life-sap (blood) he thus bestows on (Agni). This tortoise is that life-sap of these worlds which flowed away from them when plunged into the waters1: that (life-sap) he now bestows on (Agni). As far as the life-sap extends, so far the body extends: that (tortoise) thus is these worlds.
2. That lower shell of it is this (terrestrial) world; it is, as it were, fixed; for fixed, as it were, is this (earth-)world. And that upper shell of it is yonder sky; it has its ends, as it were, bent down; for yonder sky has its ends, as it were, bent down. And what is between (the shells) is the air;-that (tortoise) thus is these worlds: it is these worlds he thus lays down (to form part of the altar).
3. He anoints it with sour curds, honey, and ghee, sour curds doubtless are a form of this (earth-)
1 See VI, I, I, 12.
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