Questions of King Milinda Part 01

SR No.: 007681
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: T W Rhys Davids
Publisher: Oxford
Publication Year: 1890
Total Pages: 2695
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 47 MB

Page 1338

VII KÂNDA, 2 ADHYAYA, 3 BRÂHMANA, 6.
333
middle of him ; silently (he does so), for what is silent is undefined, and the undefined is everything : with everything he thus puts food into him.
4. He then offers thereon, when he (Agni) is built, he is born, and he is born here for all (kinds of) food; but that ghee is the life-sap (essence) of this universe, for it is the life-sap of both the waters and plants : he thus gratifies him by the life-sap of this universe. And as far as the life-sap extends, so far extends the body: he thus gratifies him by this universe. With (ghee) taken in five (ladlings, he offers),—the fire-altar consists of five layers, five seasons are a year, and the year is Agni : as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, with so much food he thus gratifies him.
5. And, again, why he offers thereon ;-when in the beginning the Rishis, the vital airs', put together this Agni, they gained for themselves that fore-share? in him : hence they are the fore-sharers. Thus when he offers on (the grass-bush) he thereby gratifies those Rishis, the vital airs, who gained for themselves the fore-share in him (Agni). With fivefold-taken ghee (he offers) : the significance of this has been explained.
6. And, again, why he offers thereon ;-whatever forms, whatever modes of chanting, whatever prishtha (stotras), whatever metres he is now going to bestow on Agni, for them he prepares this foreshare, and it is them he thereby gratifies. With
* See VI, 1, 1, 1.
* Literally, a share in front, in the first place, i.e. a preferential share, or fore-taste. Being accented separately, 'purastât' here, however, forms no compound with 'bhaga;' though it does in purastadbhaga,' fore-sharer. Cf. Taitt. S. V, 6, 4, 2.
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