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VIII KÂNDA, 7 ADHYAYA, 4 BRÂHMANA, 21. 149
the filling of soil is the flesh: thus, in covering the first layer with a filling of soil, he covers that (part) of his (Agni’s) body with flesh. [He does so] after laying down bricks, and bricks mean bone : he thus covers the bone with flesh. He does not cover (the altar-site) below (the first layer), whence these vital airs are not closed up below; but he covers it above, and thereby covers that (part) of his body above with flesh; and hence that (part) of his body above, being covered with flesh, is not visible.
20. The second layer is that (part of the body) which is above the legs and below the waist; and the filling of soil is flesh: thus, in covering the second layer with a filling of soil, he covers that (part) of his body with flesh. [He does so) after laying down bricks, and bricks mean bone: he thus covers the bone with Alesh. He places them on a filling of soil, and covers them with a filling of soil : he thus covers that (part) of his body on both sides with flesh ; whence that part of his body, being on both sides covered with flesh, is not visible.
21. The third layer is the waist itself; the fourth layer is that (part of the body) which is above the waist and below the neck; the fifth layer is the neck, the sixth layer is the head, and the seventh layer is the vital airs. This he lays down as the last (or highest): he thus makes the vital airs the highest of all this (universe), and hence the vital airs are the highest thing of all this (universe). He places it on a filling of soil; and the filling of soil means flesh; he thus covers (the channels of) the vital airs with flesh. He does not cover it above, whence these (channels of the) vital airs are not closed up above.
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