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212
SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
He offers it close to the preceding one: he thus establishes the seven Rishis in the seasons.
22. And the third (cake) which he offers on the right side, is the vital airs; it is one of seven potsherds, for there are seven vital airs in the head. He offers it close to the preceding one: he thus puts the vital airs so as to be close to (not separated from) the head.
23. And the third (cake) which he offers on the left side, is the metres; it is one of seven potsherds, for there are seven metres increasing by four (syllables respectively). He offers it close to the preceding one he thus places the metres close to the Rishis.
24. And the Aranye nûkya is the seven (rivers) which flow westwards; it is one of seven potsherds, for there are seven of those (rivers) which flow westwards. It is that downward vital air of his. That Aranye.nûkya belongs to this Pragâpati; for the forest (aranya) is, as it were, concealed, and concealed, as it were, is that downward vital air; whence those who drink of these (downward flowing) rivers become most vile, most blasphemous, most lascivious in their speech. Whenever he here speaks of them as belonging to the Maruts, he makes them food for him (Agni)1 and offers it to him, and gratifies him thereby.
25. That Vaisvânara (cake), doubtless, is yonder sun, and the Mâruta (cakes) are those rays. They are of seven potsherds each, for the troops of the Maruts consist of seven each.
1 Probably, inasmuch as the Maruts (and the Mâruta oblations) represent the clansmen who are considered the legitimate 'food' or the chief, Agni Vaisvânara.
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