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II KÂNDA, I ADHYAYA, I BRÂHMANA, 9.
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savour of this earth : hence, by entering deeper and deeper into this earth, they (grow) very fat, knowing, as they do, its savour; and wherever they know the savour of this earth to be, there they cast it up. Hence he thereby supplies it (the fire) with the savour of this earth : that is why he brings a molehill. Moreover, they say of one who has attained prosperity (or splendour, srl) that he is purishya; and purisha and karisha' doubtless mean one and the same thing: it is, therefore, for his (Agni's or the sacrificer's) attainment of splendour (srl) that he brings a mole-hill.
8. He then brings pebbles. Now the gods and the Asuras, both of them sprung from Pragâpati, once contended for superiority. This earth was then trembling like a lotus-leaf; for the wind was tossing it hither and thither: now it came near the gods, now it came near the Asuras. When it came near the gods,
9. They said, 'Come, let us steady this restingplace; and when firm and steady, let us set up
âkhu (mole, mouse, rat), as of that of the boar, with the thunderbolt, see Dr. A. Kuhn's ingenious remarks, 'Herabkunft des Feuers und des Göttertranks,' p. 202. According to Taitt. Br. I, 1, 3, 3, Agni at one time concealed himself from the gods, and having become a mole, dug himself into the earth; so that the mole-hills thrown up by him, have some of Agni's nature attaching to them. The Taittirîyas also put on the hearth the earth of an ant-hill, which the Brâhmana (in the same way as our author does of the molehill) represents as the savour (or marrow, essence of the earth.
1 The primary meaning of karîsha is that which is scattered, or strewn about,' hence 'refuse, rubbish' and âkhu-karîsha,'molecast'). Its secondary meaning, as is that of purisha, is 'manure' (or perhaps also 'soft, rich mould'), an article naturally valued by an agricultural population. See I, 2, 5, 17, where purisha is taken symbolically to represent cattle.
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