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II KANDA, 5 ADHYAYA, 4 BRAHMANA, 2. 417
is why (he sacrifices) to the sportive Maruts'. Thereupon (follows the performance) of the Great Oblation (Mahâ-havis): this (performance) is in accordance with that of the great (seasonable) oblation 2.
FOURTH BRAHMANA.
1. Verily, by means of the Great Oblation the gods slew Vritra 3; by means of it they gained that supreme authority which they now wield; and so does he (the Sacrificer) thereby now slay his wicked, spiteful enemy, and gain the victory: this is why he performs this sacrifice.
2. The mode of its performance (is as follows): They raise an uttara-vedi *; they use clotted butter; and they churn the fire. There are nine
1 Comp. Taitt. Br. I, 6, 7, 4: When Indra had slain Vritra (with the thunderbolt) he went to the farthest distances, thinking that he had missed (his aim). He said, 'Who will know this' [viz. whether Vritra is really dead or not, comm.]? The Maruts said, 'We will choose a boon, then we will know (find it out): let the first oblation be prepared for us! They sported (danced about) on him (Vritra, and thereby found out that he was dead).
That is to say, the Mahâ-havis, or Great Oblation, though apparently only an integral part of the Sâkamedhâh, is in reality its chief ceremony, and may therefore be considered as being itself on a par with the other seasonal offerings; hence it requires the five oblations common to all the Kâturmâsyas; see II, 5, 1, 8-11. The Black Yagus it seems does not use the term Mahâ-havis, but assigns more importance to the Mahâ-pitriyagña (see II, 6, 1, 1 seq.). See Apastamba's Paribhâshâs, 80, 81 (M. Müller, Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morg. Ges. IX), according to which the sacrifice to the Manes belongs to the Mahâyagñas.
The southern altar is not required at
See p. 416, note 1. See p. 392, note 1.
the present ceremony. See p. 404, note 1.
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