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 2377

VIII KÂNDA, 6 ADHYAYA, I BRÂHMANA, II. 103
thine overlords,' for the All-gods are indeed the overlords of that region ;-'Brihaspati is the repeller of shafts,' for Brihaspati, indeed, is here the repeller of shafts ;—'The Trinava- and Trayastrimsa-stomas may uphold thee on earth;'for by the twenty-nine-fold and thirty-three-fold hymns this one is indeed upheld on earth ;-'The Vaisvadeva- and Âgnimâruta-sastras may support thee for steadiness' sake!' for by the Vaisvadeva-and Ågnimâruta-sastras it is indeed supported on earth for steadiness' sake ;-May the Rishis, the first-born, magnify thee among the gods ...!' the import of this has been explained
10. Thus much, indeed, is the whole sacrifice, and the sacrifice is the self of the gods : it was after making the sacrifice their own self that the gods seated themselves on that firmament, in the world of heaven; and in like manner does the Sacrificer now, after making the sacrifice his own self, seat himself on that firmament, in the world of heaven.
11. He then lays down the Pañkakadà ('fiveknobbed') bricks; for the Nakasads are parts of) the sacrifice, and so indeed are the Pañkakûdâs the sacrifice: the Nakasads are these four sacrificial priests together with the Sacrificer as the fifth ; and the Pañkakadás are the Hotras. Now the Hotras are additional (to the officiating staff, or to the Hotri) and whatever is additional is an excrescence (kada); and hence, as they are five additional (bricks), they are (called) Pañkakudàs .
1 That is, the offices of Hotrakas, or assistants to the Hotri.
· These bricks would seem to have had some kind of protuberances or bulgings (kuda), or perhaps tufts, resembling a man's crest-lock or top-knot (kuda). Possibly, however, these five bricks,
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