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II KÂNDA, I ADHYAYA, 4 BRAHMANA, 29.
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becomes, as it were, relaxed (on being touched by the fire): he should therefore, after holding it up, lay it down at the first (touching) with “ Earth! ether! heaven!” for thus no relaxation takes place.' Let him then do this in whichever way he may deem proper.
28. He (the sacrificer) then goes round to the east side (of the fire), and taking hold of the top part of the burning sticks he mutters (Vág. S. III, 5): ‘Like unto the sky in plenty, like unto the earth in greatness! When he says, 'Like unto the sky in plenty,' he means to say, 'Like as yonder sky is plenteous with stars, so may I become plenteous !' and when he says, Like unto the earth in greatness,'he means to say, 'As great as this earth is so great may I become!'-'On that back of thine, O Earth, that art meet for the worship of the gods'-for on her back he lays down that (fire) -
I lay down Agni, the eater of food, for the obtainment of food. Agni is an eater of food: “May I become an eater of food,' this is what he thereby says. This is a prayer for blessing,--he may mutter it, if he choose; or, if he choose, he may omit it.
29. He stands worshipping by (the fire) while muttering the (three) Rik-verses of the queen of serpents (Væg. S. III, 6–8)”,– Hither has come that spotted bull and has settled down before the mother; and before the father on going up to heaven.-She moves along through the luminous spheres, breathing forth from his breath: the mighty (bull) has illumined
These verses form the hymn Rig-veda X, 189, the authorship of which is ascribed to the queen of serpents (either Kadrů, or the earth, according to Mahidhara).
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