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SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
doing a good turn to one who has done him a good turn; for it is owing to these two that his creatures: did not perish. Hence he now restores his creatures by means of the out-breathing and inbreathing, bestows out-breathing and in-breathing on them: this is why there is a cake on twelve potsherds for Indra and Agni.
9. On both (fires) there is an oblation of curds. It is on milk that the creatures subsist and by means of milk that they were preserved: hence it is with that by which they were preserved and whereon they subsist, that he delivers them both ways from Varuna's noose, on the one side (he delivers) the upright and on the other those looking to the ground. This is why there is an oblation of curds on both (fires).
10. The northern one is offered to Varuna, since it was Varuna who seized his (Pragapati's) creatures: hence he thereby directly delivers them from Varuna's noose. The southern one is offered to the Maruts. It is for the sake of diversity that it is. offered to the Maruts ; for a repetition he would undoubtedly commit, were he to offer both to Varuna. Moreover, it was from the south that the Maruts intended to slay his (Pragâpati's) creatures, and with that share he propitiated them: for this reason the southern (oblation of curds) belongs to the Maruts.
11. Upon both (dishes of curds) he scatters karira-fruits?; for with karira-fruits Pragâpati
That is, his offspring and cattle. ? The fruit of Capparis Aphylla. According to Sayana, on Taitt. 1, 8, 3, it is karîra-shoots—which he says resemble the Soma-creeper (somavalla)—that are so used; but he also mentions that some authorities take karîra to mean the fruit. According to a sâtra he
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