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IX KÂNDA, I ADHYÂVA, 2 BRÂHMANA, 18. 173
lowest and the highest quantity, the gods made them their own milch cows; and in like manner does this (Sacrificer), having thus comprehended them by the lowest and the highest quantity, make them his own milch cows. Hence also he need not care to make many (cows) his own , for in yonder world that (Sacrificer), by means of the Brahman (holy writ), the Yagus, will make many (cows) his own. And in that he carries on the numbers) uninterruptedly, thereby he carries on, without interruption, his objects of desire.
17. And as to why he makes the bricks his own milch cows,—this fire-altar is speech, for with speech it is built up; and when he says, 'One, and ten, ... and a hundred thousand millions, and a billion,''one' is speech, and a hundred thousand millions is speech, and a billion is speech: it is Speech herself that the gods thereby made their own milch cow; and in like manner does the Sacrificer thereby make Speech herself his own milch cow. And in that he carries on the numbers) uninterruptedly, thereby it is Speech herself that he carries on :'Let these bricks be mine own milch cows, O Agni, hereafter in yonder world!' He thereby makes them his own milch cows in this world, and he also makes them his own milch cows in yonder world ; and thus they are profitable to him in both worlds, in this one and in the other.
18. [Vâg. S. XVII, 3], The seasons ye are,'for these (bricks) are indeed the seasons ;-lawsustaining,' that is, truth-sustaining;'—be ye season-abiding, law-sustaining I'--for the bricks
1? That is to say, he need not touch the altar more than once.
