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IX KÂNDA, I ADHYAYA, I BRÂHMANA, 7. 157
4. He offers by means of an arka-leaf!,--the Arkatree (Calotropis gigantea) is food: he thus gratifies him with food.
5. He offers on (three) enclosing-stones :-these enclosing-stones are the (three) Agnis; and thus it is over Agni himself that these oblations of his become offered.
6. And as to why he performs the Satarudriya offering. When Pragâpati had become disjointed, the deities departed from him. Only one god did not leave him, to wit, Manyu (wrath) : extended he remained within. He (Pragâpati) cried, and the tears of him that fell down settled on Manyu. He became the hundred-headed, thousand-eyed, hundredquivered Rudra. And the other drops that fell down, spread over these worlds in countiess numbers, by thousands; and inasmuch as they originated from crying (rud), they were called Rudras (roarers). That hundred-headed, thousand-eyed, hundred-quivered Rudra, with his bow strung, and his arrow fitted to the string, was inspiring fear, being in quest of food. The gods were afraid of him.
7. They spake unto Pragậpati, We are afraid of this one, lest he should hurt us!' He spake, 'Gather food for him, and appease him therewith!' They gathered for him that food, the Satarudriya (offering), and thereby appeased him; and inasmuch as they thereby appeased (sam) the hundred-headed (satasirsha) Rudra, it is called Satasîrsharudrasamaniya, -and satasirsharudrasamaniya, doubtless, is what
1 That is to say, the leaf is used in lieu of the ordinary offeringspoon. Whilst making continual oblations on one of the three stones from this leaf, held in his right hand, the priest holds a piece of arka wood in his left hand. Mahidh. on Vâg. S. XVI, 1.
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