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III KÂNDA, 4 ADHYAYA, I BRÂHMANA, 10.
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worthy person comes, there all the inmates of the house bestir themselves, for thus he is honoured.
7. Let him take out (the material) with a different formula from that wherewith (one takes out) any other oblations', since, when he (Soma) is bought, he is bought for one special destination,- for the sovereignty of the metres, for the supreme sovereignty of the metres. The metres act as attendants about him ; even as the non-royal king-makers, the heralds and headmen, (attend upon) the king, so do the metres act as attendants about him (Soma).
8. In no wise, then, is it befitting that he should take out any (material for offering) solely for the metres *;' for whenever people cook food for some worthy persons, then the attendants about him, the non-royal king-makers, the heralds and headmer, have their share (of the food) assigned to them after (or along with their master): hence, when he takes out that (oblation to Soma), let him assign the metres a share in it along with (the deity).
9. He takes it out, with the text (Vâg. S. V, 1), Thou art Agni's body,-thee (I take) for Vishnu!' the Gâyatri is Agni: to Gayatri he thus assigns her share.
10. “Thou art Soma's body, — thee for Vishnu !' Soma is the nobility, and the Trishtubh
For the ordinary formula with which material for offering is taken out at an ishti, 'At the impulse of the divine Savitri, I take thee with the arms of the Asvins, with the hands of Pashan, thee well-pleasing to - !' see I, 1, 2, 17.
? According to Taitt. S. VI, 2, 1, the five portions are taken out for the metres Gâyatrî, Trishtubh, Gagati, Anushtubh, and Gâyatrî, with the texts, Thou art Agni's hospitable feast, for Vishnu (I take) thee,' &c.
3 Arhant' seems rather to mean "ruler' here.
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