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X KANDA, 5 ADHYAYA, 3 BRAHMANA, 9. 379
that was done regarding those (fires) :-they establish them and build them up; they draw the cups for them; they chant on them and recite hymns on them, of that extent was the development of the Ear, of that extent its creation,-so great is the Ear thirty-six thousand Arka-fires; and each of these as great as that former (fire-altar) was.
8. That Ear created Work, and this condensed itself into the vital airs, into this compound, this composition of food1; for incomplete is work without the vital airs, and incomplete are the vital airs without work.
9. This Work, when created, wished to become manifest,- —more defined, more substantial: it sought after a self. It practised austerity: it acquired consistency. It beheld thirty-six thousand Arkafires of its own self, composed of work, built up of (or by) work: by work they were established, and by work built up; by work the cups were drawn thereat; by work they chanted and recited hymns on them,-whatever rite is performed at the sacrifice, whatever sacrificial rite there is, that was performed by work alone, as a work-performance, on those (fires) composed of work, and built up of work. And whatever beings here work by work that was done regarding those (fires);-they establish them and build them up; they draw the cups for them; they chant on them and recite hymns on them,-of that extent was the development of Work, of that
1 Sâyana explains 'samdegham annasamdeham' by 'annaprânâsrayam sariram,'-svayam asamdeham asarîram sat karma prânânnayor anyonyasâhakaryâd abhivriddhim vyatirekam makhyenâha, akritsnam &c. Sâyana would thus take 'samdegha' as equivalent to the later deha' (body), and in no depreciatory sense.
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