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SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
198
Agni, the god, both make offering and bring hither the gods!'
21. 'The creation of strength hath upheaved me with upheaval, and Indra hath laid low mine enemies by subdual,'-as the text, so the meaning.
22. May the gods advance the Brahman both by upheaval and subdual; and may Indra and Agni scatter asunder mine enemies!'-as the text, so the meaning.
23. Now, the gods thereby (viz. by these four verses) wrested from the Asuras the four regions which are above yonder sun, and then ascended them; and in like manner does the Sacrificer thereby wrest them from his hateful enemy, and then ascend them. And by means of them the gods then attained to that place; and in like manner does this (Sacrificer) by means of them attain thither.
24. They then mount the fire-altar, with (Vâg. S. XVII, 65-69), 'By Agni ascend ye to the firmament!'-the firmament, doubtless, is the heavenly world: thus, by means of this Agni (fire-altar) ascend ye to that heavenly world!'-' holding the Ukhya in your hands,'-for the Ukhya (the fire in the pan) they do hold in their hands'; 'having gone to the back of the sky, to heaven, keep ye mingling with the gods!'-that is, 'having gone to the back of the sky, to the heavenly world, keep ye mingling with the gods!'
1 Viz. inasmuch as the firebrand now being carried forward to the great fire-altar, where it is henceforth to serve as Âhavaniya, was taken from the Gârhapatya fire, which itself is identical with the Ukhya Agni, or fire carried about by the Sacrificer in the Ukhâ, or pan, during his period of initiation. See p. 191, note 1.
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