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II KÂNDA, 5 ADHYAYA, 2 BRÂHMANA, 4.
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whosoever, knowing this, offers this sacrifice: let him therefore perform this sacrifice.
SECOND BRAHMANA.
B. THE VARUNAPRAGHÂSA OFFERINGS. 1. Now it was by means of the Vaisvadeva that Pragâpati produced living beings. The beings produced by him ate (ghas) Varuna's barley corn; for originally the barley belonged to Varuna. And from their eating Varuna's barley corn the name Varunapraghâsâh (is derived).
2. Varuna seized them; and on being seized by Varuna, they became rent all over l; and they lay and sat them down breathing in and breathing out. The out-breathing and in-breathing forsook them not, but all the other deities 2 forsook them; and owing to these two, the creatures did not perish.
3. Pragâpati healed them by means of that oblation: both the creatures that were born and those that were unborn he delivered from Varuna's noose; and his creatures were born without disease and blemish.
4. Now when this (sacrificer) performs these offerings in the fourth month (after the Vaisvadeva), he does so either because thus Varuna does not seize his offspring, or because the gods performed (the same offering); and both the children that have been born to him and those that are yet unborn he thereby delivers from Varuna's noose, and his children are born without disease and blemish. This is why he performs these offerings in the fourth month.
1 Paridîrna, i.e. swollen, dropsical. ? In the St. Petersb. Dict. devatâ is here taken as 'organ of sense.'
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