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SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
naturally-perforated (brick);—thus when he now puts it on, he thereby puts upon this (altar-site) that (foundation1) which there was for his body: that is why he now puts it on.
5. He puts it on by means of Pragâpati, for Pragâpati thereby took back to himself (that foundation) of his body. [Vâg. S. XIII, 16] 'Steady thou art,' that is, 'Firm thou art, or established thou art; 'supporting,' for that which supports is a foundation; laid down by Visvakarman;' Visvakarman is Pragâpati, thus, 'laid down by that one;''May the ocean, may the bird not injure thee!' the ocean doubtless is the gold plate, and the bird is the man thus, 'May those two not injure thee!''Not shaking, steady thou the earth!' as the text, so the meaning.
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6. [Vâg. S. XIII, 17] 'May Pragâpati settle thee' for Pragâpati saw this first layer2;-' on the back of the waters, on the way of the ocean,' the back of the waters doubtless is this earth, and the way of the ocean is this earth; thee, the wide, the broad one!' for this earth is both wide and broad;-' broaden thou: thou art the broad one!' that is, ' broaden thou, and thou art the broad (earth, prithivt).'
7. [Vâg. S. XIII, 18] 'Thou art the earth (bhu),' for this is the earth; thou art the ground (bhumi),' for this is the ground;-'Thou art Aditi,' -Aditi is this earth, for this earth gives (dad)
1 The 'pratishthâ' (basis) of the bird-shaped Agni includes the parts on which the bird stands or sits, viz. the feet, and the hindpart of the body. Sâyana, on the other hand, takes it to mean the 'pumlinga,' which seems very improbable.
See VI, 2, 3, I.
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