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172
SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
milch cows; for the gods, having now appeased him (Agni-Rudra) by the Satarudriya and the water, and having driven out his pain and evil, returned (to the altar) and made the bricks their own milch cows; and in like manner does this (Sacrificer) now, after appeasing him by the Satarudriya and the water, and casting off his pain and evil, return and make the bricks his own milch cows.
14. And some say, 'Let him make them his own whilst sitting, for sitting one milks the cow. But let him rather make them his own standing; for that fire-altar is these worlds, and these worlds are, as it were, standing. And, moreover, one is stronger whilst standing.
15. (He does so), whilst standing (near the right thigh of the altar) with his face towards the north-east; in front stands that cow by the Sacrificer with her face towards the west (back), for from the right side they approach the cow which stands with its face towards the back (west).
16. And wherever he reaches (whilst stretching his arms over the altar), there he touches it and mutters this formula (Vag. S. XVII, 2), Let these bricks be mine own milch cows, O Agni!' for Agni rules over this making of cows, whence he addresses Agni out of so many deities ;-One, and ten'. ... and a hundred thousand millions, and a billion;'- for the one, to wit, one and ten, is the lowest quantity, and the other, to wit, a hundred thousand millions, and a billion, is the highest quantity; thus, having comprehended them by the
· The intervening numbers here omitted increase by multiples of ten.
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