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262
SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
bottom as ashes. He now clears him thereof, and infuses speech into him thus freed from foulness. Having infused speech, he puts on a kindling-stick,
-and thereby regales him with food for the daywith, “Day by day bearing unremittingly;'—the meaning of this has been told : he prays for that same security and well-being for the day; and whatsoever he puts on thereafter by day, that he puts on as a libation offered to him.
3. Verily, day and night passing on come up to a year, and the year is everything here : he prays for that security and well-being for a succession of days.
4. And when they give him (the Sacrificer) the fast-milk, he puts on a kindling-stick, after dipping it into the fast-milk. Some, however, say, ' Let him not dip it into the fast-milk : he would be offering a libation, and it would be improper were one who is initiated to offer a libation.'
5. Let him nevertheless dip it in, for that (Åhavaniya fire) is his (the Sacrificer's) divine body, and this (real body of his) is his human one. Now were he not to dip it in, he would not be satisfying that divine body of his ; but when he dips it in, he does so satisfy that divine body. And in that it is a kindling-stick, it is not a libation; and in that it is dipped into the fast-milk, it is food, for the fast-milk is food.
6. And having put on the kindling-stick, he drinks the fast-milk; for that (fire) is his divine body, and this (body of his) is the human one ; and the gods (come) first, and then men: hence he drinks the fast-milk after putting the kindling-stick on the
fire).
7. [He puts it on, with Våg. S. XI, 83] 'O
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