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SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
waters1, and the lotus-leaf is water 2; and that man in yonder orb is no other than this gold man (in the altar): thus, by laying down these (in the firealtar), it is that (divine) triad he constructs. And after the consummation of the sacrifice it rises upwards and enters that shining (sun): one need not therefore mind destroying Agni, for he is then in yonder (world). Thus, then, in regard to the sacrifice.
7. Now as to the self (body). That shining orb and that gold plate are the same as the white here in the eye; and that glowing light and that lotusleaf are the same as the black here in the eye; and that man in yonder orb and that gold man are the same as this man in the right eye.
Though the sun itself does not consist of water, he at any rate floats along a sea of water; cf. VII, 5, 1, 8, 'For that indeed is the deepest of waters where yonder sun shines;' and there are waters above and below the sun, VII, 1, 1, 24; and the sun is encircled by 360 navigable streams, and as many flow towards it, X, 5, 4, 14.Sâyana, on the other hand, takes it to mean, 'for that (light) is water,' inasmuch as the sun's rays produce the rain,-arkisho hy âpah sûryakiramânâm eva vrishtikartrikatvât kâryakâranayor abhedena arkir vâ âpa ity uktam. Possibly this may be the right interpretation.
* See VII, 4, 1, 8, where the lotus-plant is said to represent the (cosmic) waters, whilst the earth is a lotus-leaf floating on the waters.
• According to Sâyana, he is so in the shape of both the sun and the Sacrificer's body or self,-yato-sminn agnim kitavân paratrâdityo bhavati, atognim parihantum nâdriyeta, kitam agnim ishtakâviseshena nâsayitam âdaram na kuryât, kutah, esho-gnir amutra bhavati, paraloke yagamânasarîrâtmanotpadyate; yad vâ parihantum prâptum sprash/um ity arthah, kityâgnisparsane doshasravanât. Sâyana, thus, is doubtful as to how 'Agnim parihantum' is to be taken, whether it means 'to injure the altar (? or extinguish the fire) by some brick,' or to 'knock against (touch) the altar.' The St. Petersb. Dict. takes it in the sense of 'to extinguish the fire,'
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