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________________ SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA. EIGHTH KÂNDA. THE BUILDING OF THE SACRED FIRE-ALTAR (continued). THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FIRST LAYER (continued). First ADHYAYA. FIRST BRÂHMANA. 1. He lays down the Prânabhritah (breathholders)?: now, the Prânabhritah being the vital 1 The constiuction of the first of the five layers of the altar which, as far as the special bricks are concerned, is now nearing its completion, may be briefly recapitulated here. The altar (agni) is constructed in the form of a bird, the body (âtman) of which consists of a square, usually measuring four man's lengths, or forty feet (Indian=c. 30 ft. Engl) on each side. The ground of the 'body' having been ploughed, watered, and sown with seeds of all kinds of herbs, a square mound, the so-called uttaravedi, measuring a yuga (yoke=7 ft. Ind.) on each side, is thiown up in the middle of the body,' and the whole of the latter then made level with it. In the centie of the 'body'thus raised, where the two 'spines'connecting the middle of each of the four sides of the square with that of the opposite side-meet, the priest puts down a lotus-leaf, and thereon the gold plate (a symbol of the sun) which the Sacrificer wore round his neck during the time of initiation. On this plate he then lays a small gold figure of a man (representing Agni-Pragâpati, as well as the Sacrificer himself), so as to lie on his back with the head towards the east; and beside him he places two offering-spoons, one on each side, filled with ghee and sour curds [43]
SR No.011120
Book TitleSatapatha Brahmana
Original Sutra AuthorN/A
AuthorMax Muller, Julius Eggeling
PublisherOxford
Publication Year1987
Total Pages433
LanguageEnglish
ClassificationBook_English
File Size36 MB
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