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SATAPATHA-BRÂHMANA.
THIRD Adhyâya. First BRÂHMANA.
The AGNIHOTRA. 1. Verily, the Agnihotri cow is the speech of the Agnihotra, and her calf is its mind. Now these two, mind and speech, whilst being one and the same, are, as it were, distinct from each other : therefore they tie up the calf and its mother with one and the same rope; and the fire ?, indeed, is faith, and the ghee truth.
2. Now, as to this Ganaka of Videha once asked Yâgñavalkya, 'Knowest thou the Agnihotra, Yagñavalkya ?'-'I know it, o king,' he said. - What is it?'— Milk, indeed.
3. 'If there were no milk, wherewith wouldst thou sacrifice?'--'With rice and barley.'-—' If there were no rice and barley, wherewith wouldst thou sacrifice?'— With what other herbs there are.'*If there were no other herbs, wherewith wouldst thou sacrifice?'— With what forest herbs there are.' -If there were no forest herbs, wherewith wouldst thou sacrifice?'— With fruit of trees.'-'If there were no fruit of trees, wherewith wouldst thou sacrifice ?'— With water.'-—'If there were no water, wherewith wouldst thou sacrifice ?''
4. He spake, “Then, indeed, there would be nothing whatsoever here, and yet there would be offered—the truth in faith.'—'Thou knowest the Agnihotra, Yagñavalkya : I give thee a hundred cows,' said Ganaka.
5. Concerning this point there are also these
That is, according to Sâyana, the fire, or heat, produced by the rope. Instead of 'tega eva sraddha,' one would rather expect sraddhaiva tegah.'
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