________________
278
SATAPATHA-BRÂHMANA.
seed. Hence it (gold) is found in water, for he (Agni) poured it into the water. Hence also one does not cleanse oneself with it?, nor does one do anything else with it. Now there is splendour (for the fire): for he thereby makes it to be possessed of divine seed, bestows splendour on it; and sets up a fire completely endowed with seed. That is why he brings gold.
6. He then brings salt. Yonder sky assuredly bestowed that (salt as) cattle on this earth: hence they say that salt soil is suitable for cattle. That (salt), therefore, means cattle; and thus he thereby visibly supplies it (the fire) with cattle; and the latter having come from yonder (sky) is securely established on this earth. Moreover, that (salt) is believed to be the savour (rasa) of those two, the sky and the earth : so that he thereby supplies it (the fire) with the savour of those two, the sky and the earth. That is why he brings salt.
7. He then brings (the earth of) a mole-hill (akhu-karisha)”. The moles certainly know the
1 Sâyana interprets enena na dhavayati by 'he does not clean (his teeth) with it;'—the St. Petersb. Dict. by 'he does not get himself conveyed (driven by it.' The Kanva text has: Tasmad enad apsv evânuvindanty apsu punanty apsu hy enat prasiñkan nainena dhavayanti na kim kana kurvanti.
· Cf. Taitt. Br. I, 1, 3, 2: The sky and the earth were (originally) close together. On being separated they said to each other, “Let there be a common sacrificial essence (yagñiyam) for us " What sacrificial essence there was belonging to yonder sky, that it bestowed on this earth, that became the salt (in the earth); and what sacrificial essence there was belonging to this earth, that it bestowed on yonder sky, that became the black (spots) in the moon. When he throws salt (on the fire-place), let him think it to be that (viz. the black in the moon): it is on the sacrificial essence of the sky and the earth that he sets up his fire.'
* On the mythic connection of the white, sharp teeth of) the
Digitized by Google
