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SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
are the middle: he thus causes the creatures to enter him in the very middle. He places them on all sides : on all sides he thus causes the creatures to enter him.
7. And, again, as to why he lays down the Vaisvadevi (bricks). At that time, when that (part) of his body had been restored, Pragâpati desired, “May I create creatures, may I be reproduced !' Having entered into union with the seasons, the waters, the vital airs, the year, and the Asvins, he produced these creatures; and in like manner does this Sacrificer, by entering into union with those deities, now produce these creatures. Hence with all (of these bricks, the word) sagush (in union with ') recurs.
8. [He lays down the Vaisvadevi bricks, with Vâg. S. XIV, 7], 'In union with the seasons,'—he thereby produced the seasons, and having entered into union with the seasons he produced (creatures) ;- in union with the ranges,'--the ranges, doubtless, are the waters, for by water everything is ranged (distributed or produced) here: having entered into union with the waters he produced (creatures); — in union with the gods,'— he thereby produced the gods,—those who are called
gods?;'-'in union with the life-sustaining gods,'— the life-sustaining gods, doubtless, are the vital airs, for by the vital airs everything living here is sustained; or, the life-sustaining gods are the metres, for by the metres (sacred writ) everything living is sustained here; having entered into union with the vital airs he produced creatures ;
· Lit. what they (viz. the Vedic hymns, according to the commentator) call gods:-Yat kimkid ity eva vedavádá akakshate.
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