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I KANDA, 7 ADHYÂYA, 4 BRÂHMANA, 17. 213
13. He (the Brahman) receives1 it, with the text (Vâg. S. II, II b, c), 'At the impulse (prasava) of the divine Savitri I receive thee with the arms of the Asvins, with the hands of Pushan!'
14. And in like manner as Brihaspati then hasted to Savitri for his impulsion,-for, assuredly, Savitri is the impeller of the gods,—and said, 'Impel this for me!' and Savitri, the impeller, impelled it for him; and, impelled by Savitri, it did not injure him; so now also this one (the Brahman) hastes to Savitri for his impulsion,- for, assuredly, Savitri is the impeller of the gods, and says 'impel this for me!' and Savitri, the impeller, impels it for him; and, impelled by Savitri, it does not injure him.
15. He eats the fore-portion, with the text (Våg. S. II, 11 d), 'With Agni's mouth I eat thee!' for Agni, assuredly, it does not injure in any way; and so neither does it injure him (the Brahman).
16. He must not chew it with his teeth: 'lest this power of Rudra should injure my teeth!' so (he thinks), and therefore he must not chew it with his teeth.
17. He then rinses his mouth with water;-water is (a means of) purification: hence he purifies himself with water, (that is, a means of) purification. After he has rinsed the vessel,
enam (which is omitted in the Kânva text) really refers to Rudra's dart. Cf. par. 9.
1 According to Kâty. II, 2, 15, he first looks at it, with the text (Vâg. S. p. 58): 'With Mitra's eye I look on thee!'
2
According to Kâty. II, 2, 17, he previously puts it down on the shoulder of the altar, with the text (Vâg. S. p. 58), 'I put you down on the navel of the earth, in the lap of Aditi !' According to 19, however, this is optional (except when the Brahman does not eat the prâsitra immediately).
According to Kâty. II, 2, 20, the Brahman, having rinsed the
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