________________
84
SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
26. Thereupon four men take up the king's throne; two men, it is true, take it up for the human king, but four take up this for him who rules over everything here.
27. It is of udumbara wood-udumbara meaning sap and food-for (the sacrificer's) obtainment of sap and food : therefore it is of udumbara wood.
28. It reaches up to his navel, for it is there that the food settles, and Soma is food : therefore it reaches up to his navel. Moreover, there is the seat of the seed, and Soma is seed: therefore it reaches up to his navel.
29. He (the Adhvaryu) touches it with, 'Thou art the rightful seat (ritasadani) of Varuna!' He then spreads on it the black deerskin with, 'Thou art the rightful seat (ritasadanam) of Varuna !' and places him (Soma) thereon with, 'Seat thee on the rightful seat of Varuna!' The reason why he says, 'Seat thee on the rightful seat of Varuna,' is that he (Soma) is now of Varuna's nature.
30. Thereupon he makes him (king Soma) enter the hall; and in making him enter, he causes (the sacrificer) to say (Vâg. S. IV, 37; Rig-veda I, 91, 19), Whatsoever powers of thine they worship with offering, may they all encompass the sacrifice'! Go forth to our dwellings, O Soma, prospering our homes, ever helpful, bestowing abundance of men, not slaying our
bhavati). Sâyana (if the MS. is correct) takes it in the sense of ‘is Varuna himself,' etasmin krîtâvasare somo varuno bhavati.
Or,'may the sacrifice encompass them all,' if, with Grassmann and Ludwig, we read yagnah' instead of "yagñam.' This verse is likewise recited (at the same time) by the Hotri, see p. 79, note 2.
Digitized by Google
