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192
SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
(destined): for in this way the deities are dependent on the sacrificial portions, or the portions are dependent on the deities: hence what fifth cutting there is (made by some), that is redundant, for-for whom is he to cut it? For this reason it consists of four cuttings.
8. But a fivefold cutting also takes place (with some people): fivefold is the sacrifice, fivefold the animal victim, and five seasons there are in the year,--such is the perfection of the fivefold cutting; and he, assuredly, will have abundant offspring and cattle for whom, knowing this, the fivefold cutting is made. The fourfold cutting, however, is the approved (practice) among the Kuru-Pañkalas, and for this reason a fourfold cutting takes place (with us?).
1 The four cuttings' of which each oblation of rice-cake consists are made in the following way: first, some clarified butter, 'cut out' or drawn from the butter in the dhruvâ-spoon by means of the sruva (dipping-spoon) and poured into the guha (this is called the upa starana or under-layer of butter); second and third, two pieces of the size of a thumb's joint, cut out from the centre and the fore-part of the rice-cake and laid on that butter; and fourth, some clarified butter poured on these pieces of cake (the technical name of this basting of butter being abhighârana). The family of the Gamadagnis, which is mentioned as always making five cuttings (Káty. I, 9, 3-4), take three pieces of cake instead of two, viz. an additional one from the back (or west) part of the cake. Yâgñika Deva on Kâty. quotes a couplet from some Smriti, in which the Vatsas, the Vidas, and the Arshtishenas are mentioned beside the Gamadagnis, as pankâvattinah or making five cuttings. At the Upâmsuyaga (low-voiced offering),– which is performed between the cake-oblation to Agni and that to AgniSoma at the full moon, and between the cake-oblation to Agni and that to Indra-Agni (or the sânnâ y ya, or oblation of sweet and sou milk, to Indra) at the new moon, and which consists entirely of butter,--the four cuttings are effected in the same way as described
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