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VIII KÂNDA, 7 ADHYAYA, 3 BRÂHMANA, 6. 139
means food: he thus puts food into the channels of) the vital air. In that manner? he covers the whole body (of the altar); whence the food which is put into (the channels of) the vital air benefits the whole body, extends over the whole body.
3. ‘Let him not strew it on (the place of) the naturally-perforated one,' say some, “lest he should stop up (the channels of) the vital airs, for the naturally-perforated one is the vital air. Let him, nevertheless, strew it, for the vital airs are sustained by food, and whoever eats no food his (channels of the) vital airs grow up (and close): hence he for whom they act thus, comes to exist in yonder world even like a dry, hollow tube. Let him, therefore, by all means strew (loose soil) on (the place of) the naturally-perforated one.
4. Having strewed it on the svayamâtrinna (place) he goes on covering (the altar) from the (brick) on the cross-spine up to the enclosing-stones. In the same way he goes on covering it from left to right behind the naturally-perforated one up to the one on the cross-spine again.
5. The body (of the altar) he covers first, for of (a bird) that is produced, the body is the first to be produced; then the right wing, then the tail, then the left wing : that is in the rightward (sunwise) way, for this is (the way) with the gods.
6. Now this loose soil, indeed, is the vital air ; he therewith covers the whole body : he thus puts vital air into the whole body. And, assuredly, whatsoever member thereof he should not reach, that member of him (Agni) the vital air would not
- Or, therewith (with loose soil).
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