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SATAPATHA-BRÂHMAXA.
22. He then offers the wheyto the (divine) Coursers. Now the Coursers are the seasons, and the whey is seed: and thus the seed is cast properly, and the seasons bring forth the seed so cast in the form of these creatures. This is why he offers the whey to the Coursers.
23. He offers, as it were, behind the sacrifice : for it is from behind that the male approaches and impregnates the female. He first offers in the east. With O Agni, accept ... !'he repeats the Vashat, —this is in lieu of the Svishtakrit; and (the latter) 2 he offers in the east.
24. He then sprinkles (the whey) in the several quarters, with the texts (Våg. S. VI, 19 bug), The quarters !—The fore-quarters (pra-dis)!—The byquarters (à-dis)!—The intermediate quarters (vi-dis)! The upper quarters (ud-dis) !—To the quarters, Svâhâ 3!' Five are the quarters, and five the
Before the oblations of curds are made, the whey is poured off into a vessel (then optionally sprinkled with butter), and placed on the utkara, or heap of rubbish. After the stalk of grass has been thrown into the fire (see I, 8, 3, 19), or after the dismissal of the spoons (1, 8, 3, 27), the Adhvaryu takes the whey and sprinkles the barhis (the grass covering on the altar) with it. He then pours the remaining whey into the guhů spoon and calls on the Hotri to recite the invitatory prayer to the Coursers. Thereupon he betakes himself with the spoon to the north of the fire, calls on the Hotri for the offering-formula, and at the two concluding Vashats pours some of the whey into the east part of the fire. He then sits down and sprinkles the whey on the fire according to the several quarters, beginning in the east, and moving around from left to right (pradakshinam), with the respective texts, Vâg. S. VI, 19 b-e; after which he makes two more libations in the centre and east part of the fire, with VI, 19 f and g.
: The Kanva text has tadu instead of sa vai. On the oblation to Agni as the maker of good offering,' see 1, 7, 3, 1 seq.
o Svâhâ is uttered after each formula, — The quarters, Svâhâ l'&c.
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