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286
SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
into relation with Indra. He may set up the fires under the first (Půrva-phalgunis)— whereby an - advancing (successful) sacrifice accrues to him; or he may set them up under the second (Uttaraphalgunis)—whereby a progressive (uttarâvat). improvement accrues to him.
12. Let him set up his fires under the asterism Hasta', whosoever should wish that (presents) should be offered him : then indeed (that will take place) forthwith; for whatever is offered with the hand (hasta), that indeed is given to him.
13. He may also set up his fires under Kitrå. Now the gods and the Asuras, both of them sprung from Pragâpati, were contending for superiority. Both parties were desirous of rising to yonder world, the sky. The Asuras then constructed the fire (altar) called rauhina (fit to ascend by), thinking, ‘Thereby we shall ascend (â-ruh) to the sky ?'
1 In the Taitt. Br. this asterism is not mentioned as suitable for the agnyâdheya. The Asv. S. II, 1, 10 omits both Hasta and Kitrâ; but permits the asterisms Visakhe and Uttare Proshthapade.
? In Taitt. Br. I, 1, 2, 4-6 this myth is related as foll "There were Asuras, named Kalakañgas. They constructed a fire (altar) with a view to (gaining) the world of heaven. They put, every man of them, a brick to it. Indra, passing himself off for a Brâhman, put a brick on for himself, saying, "This one, Kitra (the wonderful or bright one) by name, is for me!” They climbed up to heaven; Indra, however, pulled out his brick, and they tumbled down. And they who tumbled down, became spiders : two of them flew up, and they became the two heavenly dogs."' On this myth, Dr. A. Kuhn, Über entwicklungsstufen der mythenbildung,' p. 129, remarks: "The myth given in Homer's Od. xi, 305-325, of Otos and Ephialtes, who, in order to fight the immortal gods, piled Ossa on Olympos, and Pelion on Ossa, iv' oúpavds äußaros ein, and who are destroyed by Apollon, shows an obvious resemblance to these Indian myths; the more so, if we divest the latter of their Brahmanical forin, by which altar-bricks are sub.
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