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VIII KÂNDA, 3 ADHYÂYA, I BRÂHMANA, 12.45
now brings and lays down these (bricks), he thereby establishes them in the womb, on the lotus-leaf, and thus these (bricks) are not outside the fire-altar). He lays them down so as not to be separated from the naturally-perforated one; for the middle ? naturally-perforated one is the air : he thus places the regions so as not to be separate from the air. Subsequently 3 (to the central brick he lays them down): subsequently to the air he thus sets up the regions. In all (four) directions he places them: he thus places the regions (quarters) in all directions, whence the regions are in all (four) directions. [He places them) on all sides so as to face each other: he thereby makes the regions on all sides face each other, and hence the regions on all sides face each other.
12. And, again, as to why he lays down the regionals. The regions, doubtless, are the metres—the eastern region being the Gayatri, the southern the Trishtubh, the western the Gagati, the northern the Anushtubh, and the upper region the Parkti ;and the metres are animals, and the middlemost layer is the air : he thus places animals in the air,
it is explained as representing the foundation of the fire-altar, or rather, the womb whence Agni is born.
That is, not separated therefrom by other special bricks; though the full space of one brick is left between the Disyâs and the central brick. Perhaps, however, 'anantarhila' here means immediately after.
? That is, the second of the three svayam-âtrinnâs, the one in the third layer.
Uttara seems here and elsewhere to have a double meaning, viz. that of subsequent, and upper, or left, inasmuch as looking towards these bricks from the centre of the altar, they are placed to the left of the particular section of the anūkas.
See p. 26, note 3. "The metres are commonly represented as cattle.
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