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IX KÂNDA, 5 ADHYAYA, I BRAHMANA, 53. 269
as is his measure, by so much food he thus gratifies him.
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52. When he has performed the Vaisvakarmana (oblations), he gives a name (to the fire of the altar); for when any one has been born sound and safe, they give a name to him, and now this (Agni) has indeed been born sound and safe.
53. Having given a name to him, he reverently approaches him; for this (Sacrificer) builds him with his (own) whole self, and were he not to give utterance now to this surrender of his own self, he (Agni) would now take away his (the Sacrificer's) self; but when he now gives utterance to this surrender of his own self, he (Agni) does not take away his self. [He approaches the fire] with the Anush/ubh verse (Vâg. S. XVIII, 67), 'What fires of the five races of men there are upon this earth, thou art the chiefest of them: quicken us unto life!'-the Anushiubh, doubtless, is speech, and all the metres are speech 2: he thus makes amends to him (Agni) by all the metres. Having stood by the fire, and lifted it, and churned it out, he offers the completing oblation *.
1 According to VI, 1, 3, 20, the newly built Agni is to be called 'Kitra,' the Bright one.
2 Or, are Vâk, the Veda, cf. IV, 6, 7, I seq.
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Or, 'having mounted it ;'-that is to say, he heats the churningsticks (arani) at the altar-fire, betakes himself with them to the old (Gârhapatya) fire-place; 'churns out' the fire, and offers on the fire thus produced.
The Udavasânîyâ-ishti, consisting of a cake on five potsherds for Agni (or a libation of ghee taken in five ladlings for Vishnu), is the same as for the Soma-sacrifice, IV, 5, 1, 13. But whilst there it is followed at once by the (evening) Agnihotra, or oblation of milk regularly performed twice a day; on the present occasion an additional oblation is performed.
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