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II KÂNDA, 3 ADHYAYA, 4 BRAHMANA, 4.
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the great chant, whosoever, knowing this, offers the Agnihotra.
Fourth BRÂHMANA. 1. Once on a time the gods deposited with Agni all their beasts, both domestic and wild; either because they were about to engage in battle or from a desire of free scope, or because they thought that he (Agni) would protect them as the best protector.
2. Now Agni coveted them, and seizing them he entered the night with them. "Let us go back thither,' said the gods, and betook themselves to where Agni was concealed. Now they knew that he had entered there, that he had entered the night; and when the night returned in the evening, they approached him and said, 'Give us our beasts! give us back our beasts!' Agni then gave them back their beasts.
3. For this then let him respectfully approach the two fires : the fires are givers, and thereby he supplicates them. Let him approach them in the evening, for in the evening the gods approached (Agni). And whosoever, knowing this, approaches (the two fires), to him, indeed, they grant cattle.
4. Then as to why he should not approach them. Now in the beginning both the gods and men were together here. And whatever did not belong to the men, for that they importuned the gods, saying, • This is not ours: let it be ours !' Being indignant
the conclusion of the Agnikayana, consists of 3x 80 trikas (strophes of three verses each), or together 720 verses. On the frequent use of number 80 in the fire-ritual, see Weber, Ind. Stud. XIII, p. 167.
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