Satapatha Bramhana Part 03

SR No.: 007679
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Julius Eggeling
Publisher: Oxford
Publication Year: 1894
Total Pages: 2382
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 45 MB

Page 426

VII KÂNDA, 5 ADHYAYA, I BRÂHMANA, 28. 397
earth is air; and the air is the middle: he thus places the womb in the middle; whence the womb of all beings, even of trees, is in the middle.
27. And, again, why he places the fire-pan thereon ;—that same Pragapati who became disjointed doubtless is this same fire-pan, for the fire-pan is these worlds, and Pragàpati is these worlds. He places it on the mortar : he thereby establishes him (Pragâpati) in all that–breath, food, strength; and thus he places him so as not to be separated from all that.
28. Thereupon, having pounded the remainder (of the clay), and having put the fire-pan in its place, he throws (the pounded clay) in front of the fire-pan; for this is the place of that (remainder ?), and thus that (remainder) is not separated therefrom.
1 Viz., according to Sâyana, because they spring from the germ in the centre of the fruit.
s? Or, of it (the fire-pan). There is some uncertainty regarding this item of the ceremonial. Katyâyana's rule (XVII, 5, 44 'Having placed the Ukhâ (pan) on the mortar, pounded the remainder of clay, and thrown it down in front, with the text “Dhruvâ asi," (of) the Ukhâ'-is evidently intentionally vague. Mahîdhara (on Våg. S. XIII, 34) gives the following interpretation of it,— Having first silently placed the Ukhả on the mortar, then pounded the remaining clay, and thrown it down on the ground in front of the Ukhâ, let him place the Ukha thereon with two formulas.' According to this, the Ukhâ would only temporarily be placed on the mortar, its proper and permanent place (loka) being on the powdered clay in front (to the east) of the mortar. The text of the Brâhmana, as it stands, however, cannot possibly be construed so as to accord with Mahîdhara's interpretation. This would require some such reading as,-athopasayâm pishtvå, purastad ukhâyâ upanivapya lokabhâgam ukhâm karoti. See, however, paragraph 38 below, which evidently applies to the permanent position of the pan.
* For the genitive "asya' (viz. lokasya) with 'antarita?-instead
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