________________
388
SATAPATHA-BRÂHMANA..
14. But, indeed, that built Agni (the fire-altar) is all beings, all the gods; for all the gods, all beings are the waters, and that built fire-altar is the same as those waters ? ;-the navigable streams (round the sun) are its enclosing-stones, and there are three hundred and sixty of these, because three hundred and sixty navigable streams encircle the sun on all sides; and the navigable streams, indeed, are also the Yagushmati bricks, and there are three hundred and sixty of these, because three hundred and sixty navigable streams flow towards : the sun. And what is between (each) two navigable rivers is the Sadadohas; and those thirty-six bricks which remain over are the same as that thirteenth month, and the body (of this altar, the waters ^,) is the same as this gold man.
15. His feet are that gold plate and lotus-leaf(that is) the waters and the sun's orb 6-are his feet; his arms are the two spoons, and they are Indra and Agni; the two naturally-perforated (bricks) are this earth and the air; and the three Visvagyotis (all-light) bricks are these deities–Agni, Vâyu, and
• 1 Viz. inasmuch as they are the foundation and ultimate source of the universe; cf. VI, 8, 2, 2. 3; and everything is contained therein, X, 5, 4, 3.
· Viz. inasmuch as the built Agni is the same as the sun, and the sun is surrounded by water; cf. p. 368, note 1.
8 It is not clear whether these rivers are meant to be different ones from those flowing round the sun, or whether they are the same as 'washing against the sun.
* Athokteshu paryayeshv agnyavayava - trayodasamâsâtmika âmà agnyatmany dhyeyênâm apâm âtmety arthai. Sây.
• That is, in regard to the sacrifice, the gold plate and lotus-leaf are his feet, and in regard to the deity, the waters and the sun's disk. Sây. They are, nevertheless, counted as four.
Digitized by Google