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SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
THIRD BRÂHMANA.
c. The SÂKAMEDHA OFFERINGS'. 1. Verily, by means of the Varunapraghâsâh Pragậpati delivered the creatures from Varuna's noose; and those creatures of his were born without disease and blemish. Now with these Sâkamedha offerings,-therewith indeed the gods slew Vritra, therewith they gained that supreme authority which they now wield; and so does he now therewith slay his wicked, spiteful enemy and gain the victory: this is why he performs these offerings in the fourth month (after the Varunapraghâsâh). He performs them on two successive days.
2. On the first day he offers a cake on eight potsherds to Agni Anikavat?. For it was after
1 The performance of the Sakamedha offerings requires two days. In the first place after the Ahavaniya has been taken out' from the Gârhapatya-both fires are taken up by means of (or 'made to mount') the two kindling-sticks, and transferred (by
churning out') to another altar (the uttaravedi). On the first day oblations are then made to Agni Anikavat, the Marutah Sânta panâh and the Maruto Grihamedhinah, these being completed on the next morning by a Darvihoma to Indra, and an oblation of cake to the Marutah Krîdinah. Then follows the Mahâhavis, consisting-besides the five constant oblations-of oblations to Indra-Agni, Mahendra, and Visvakarman. In the afternoon takes place the Mahâpitriyagña, or (Great) sacrifice to the Manes (performed on a special altar and fire-place, south of the Dakshinagni); which is succeeded by the Traiyam bakahoma, or offering to Rudra Tryambaka, performed on a cross-way somewhere north of the sacrificial ground.
? That is, Agni, the 'sharp-pointed' or 'sharp-edged ;' an epithet apparently referring to the pointed flames or tongues of Agni. The St. Petersburg Dict. takes it to mean 'Agni, possessed of a face. Perhaps it may mean, 'Agni, constituting the front or van of the army.' In Sat. Br. III, 4, 4, 14, Agni is likened to the point (anîka) of the thunderbolt, Soma to its shaft (salya), and Vishnu
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