________________
356
.
SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
he who knows this departs from this world, then he passes into that body composed of the metres, stomas, vital airs, and deities; and verily having become composed of all that, he who, knowing this, performs this sacrificial work, or he who even knows it, ascends upwards.
THIRD BRAHMANA. 1. The Year, doubtless, is the same as Death, for hel it is who, by means of day and night, destroys the life of mortal beings, and then they die : therefore the Year is the same as Death; and whosoever knows this Year (to be) Death, his life that (year) does not destroy, by day and night, before old age, and he attains his full (extent of) life.
2. And he, indeed, is the Ender, for it is he who, by day and night, reaches the end of the life of mortals, and then they die : therefore he is the Ender, and whosoever knows this Year, Death, the Ender, the end of his life that (Year) does not reach, by day and night before old age, and he attains his full (extent of) life.
3. The gods were afraid of this Pragâpati, the Year, Death, the Ender, lest he, by day and night, should reach the end of their life.
4. They performed these sacrificial rites—the Agnihotra, the New and Full-moon sacrifices, the Seasonal offerings, the animal sacrifice, and the Soma-sacrifice : by offering these sacrifices they did not attain immortality.
5. They also built a fire-altar,—they laid down
1 Father Time, Pragâpati.
Digilized by Google
