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I KÂNDA, 7 ADHYAYA, 4 BRÂHMANA, 4.
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daughter,- either the Sky or the Dawn?. May I pair with her l' thus (thinking) he united with her.
2. This, assuredly, was a sin in the eyes of the gods. “He who acts thus towards his own daughter, our sister, [commits a sin]'they thought.
3. The gods then said to this god who rules over the beasts (Rudra), 'This one, surely, commits a sin who acts thus towards his own daughter, our sister. Pierce him!' Rudra, taking aim, pierced him. Half of his seed fell to the ground. And thus it came to pass.
4. Accordingly it has been said by the Rishi 3 with reference to that incident), When the father embraced his daughter, uniting with her, he dropped his seed on the earth.' This (became) the chant (uktha) called agnimâruta*; in connection with)
· For other versions of this legend about Pragâpati (Brahman)'s illicit passion for his daughter, which, as Dr. Muir suggests, probably refers to some atmospheric phenomenon, see Ait. Br. III, 33, and Tândya Br. VIII, 2,10; cf. Muir, Original Sanskrit Texts, IV, p. 45; I, p. 107. See also Sat. Br. II, 1, 2, 9, with note.
? The construction here is irregular. Perhaps this is part of the speech of the gods, being a kind of indirect address to Rudra in order to avoid naming the terrible god. Dr. Muir translates: "The gods said, “This god, who rules over the beasts, commits a transgression in that he acts thus to his own daughter, our sister: pierce him through."' In the Kanva MS. some words seem to have been omitted at this particular place. According to the Ait. Br., the gods created a god Bhatavat, composed of the most fearful forms of theirs. After piercing the incarnation of Pragâpati's sin, he asked, and obtained, the boon that he should henceforth be the ruler of cattle.
3 Viz., Rig-veda X, 61, 7, where verses 5-7 contain the first allusion to this legend.
• The âgnimâruta is one of the sâstras recited at the evening libation of the Soma-sacrifice; and made up chiefly of a hymn addressed to Agni Vaisvânara and one to the Maruts; and [following the stotriya and anurupa pragatha) a hymn to Gatavedas; [and one to the  pas, followed by various detailed
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