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II KÂNDA, 3 ADHYAYA, 3 BRÂHMANA, 16.
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between (it and) the Gârhapatya (to his seat). For the gods do not know (this) mana; but when he now passes by them between (the fires), they know him, and think, “This is he that now offers to us.' Moreover, Agni (the fire) is the repeller of evil ; and these two, the Ahavaniya and Garhapatya, repel the evil from him who passes between them; and the evil being repelled from him, he becomes a very light in splendour and glory.
14. On the north side is the door of the Agni. hotra 2: thus (he approaches it) as he would enter (a house) by a door. If, on the other hand, he were to sit down after approaching from the south, it would be as if he walked outside.
15. The Agnihotra, truly, is the ship (that sails) heavenwards. The Åhavaniya and Garhapatya are the two sides 8 of that same heavenward-bound ship; and that milk-offerer is its steersman.
16. Now when he walks up towards the east, then he steers that (ship) eastwards towards the (enters the Âhavaniya house by the east door), circumambulates the fire from right to left (apadakshinam), and sits down in his place (south of the Ahavanîya fire and altar). The same circumambulation is performed by the wife, who thereupon sits down in her place, south-west of the Gârhapatya.
1 Or, 'the gods are not aware of (this) man' (na vai devâ manushyam viduh). The gods are supposed to be assembled around the altar; see I, 3, 3, 8.
I do not understand this, there being no door on the north side of the Ahavaniya fire-house. According to the commentator this passage is directed against those who make the sacrificer betake himself to the Ahavaniya from (or along) the south; and he quotes the words. dakshinena va' from Kâtyâyana, apparently IV, 13, 12, where it is said that the sacrificer, in going to the Ahavanîya, has to pass between the two western fires, or south of them.'
8.Naumande'? according to the commentator = bhitti (the two walls or sides). The Petersb. Dict. proposes the two rudders (or oars).'
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