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SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
heaven)!' for the horse is sacred to Pragâpati: with its own deity he thus supplies it. With, 'Parched grain, or parched groats?-in grainfood and in food from the cow'-he takes down the remaining food1 (from the cart) for the horse : he thereby makes the (king's) people eaters of food (prosperous);-eat ye, gods, this food! eat thou, Pragâpati, this food!' he thereby supplies the people with food.
9. Verily, fiery spirit and spiritual lustre pass away from him who performs the Asvamedha. The Hotri and the Brahman engage in a Brahmodya (theological discussion); for the Hotri relates to Agni, and the Brahman (priest) to Brihaspati, Brihaspati being the Brahman (n.): fiery spirit and spiritual lustre he thus bestows together on him. With the (central) sacrificial stake between them, they discourse together; for the stake is the Sacrificer: he thus encompasses the Sacrificer on both sides with fiery spirit and spiritual lustre.
10. [The Brahman asks, Vâg. S. XXIII, 9,] 'Who is it that walketh singly?'-it is yonder sun, doubtless, that walks singly, and he is spiritual
3
1 Viz. the material left over after what was taken for the Annahomas, XIII, 2, I, I seqq.
For a similar discussion between the four priests, prior to the offering of the omenta, see XIII, 5, 2, 11 seq.
'Tegas' is pre-eminently the quality assigned to Agni.
It must be remembered that the sacrificial horse here represented by the stake is identified with both Pragâpati and the Sacrificer.
The actual replies to the questions in Vâg. S. XXIII, 9 and 11, are contained in the corresponding verses ten and twelve; being given here in an expository way, with certain variations and
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