________________
442
SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
most excellent of the gods; whence people say, • Vishnu is the most excellent of the gods.'
6. Now he who is this Vishnu is the sacrifice; and he who is this sacrifice is yonder Aditya (the sun). But, indeed, Vishnu was unable to control that love of) glory of his; and so even now not every one can control that (love of) glory of his.
7. Taking his bow, together with three arrows, he stepped forth. He stood, resting his head-on the end of the bow. Not daring to attack him, the gods sat themselves down all around him.
8. Then the ants said these ants (vamrt), doubtless, were that (kind called) 'upadika '''What would ye give to him who should gnaw the bowstring?'--'We would give him the constant) enjoyment of food, and he would find water even in the desert: so we would give him every enjoyment of food.'—' So be it,' they said.
9. Having gone nigh unto him, they gnawed his bowstring. When it was cut, the ends of the bow, springing asunder, cut off Vishnu's head.
10. It fell with (the sound) ghrin'; and on falling it became yonder sun. And the rest of the body) lay stretched out (with the top part) towards the east. And inasmuch as it fell with (the sound) 'ghrin,' therefrom the Gharma' (was called); and inasmuch as he was stretched out (pra-vrig), therefrom the Pravargya (took its name).
11. The gods spake, Verily, our great hero
That is, a certain species of ants that are supposed to find water wherever they dig. Cf. Weber, Ind. Stud. XIII, p. 139.
That is, the draught of hot milk boiled in the Mahavira pot, and hence often used as a synonym for the latter or the Pravargya.
Digitized by Google