________________
VIII KANDA, 7 ADHYAYA, 3 BRAHMANA, 20. 143
that part of him (Pragâpati-Agni); and when he now lays it down in this place, he thereby restores to him what part of his body this is: that is why he lays it down in this place.
18. On the back of the sky, thee, the wide and broad one!'-for this (top of the altar) is indeed the back of the sky, and it is both wide and broad'; 'Sustain thou the sky! make firm the sky injure not the sky!'-that is, 'Sustain thy self, make firm thy self, injure not thy self (body)!'
19. For all out-breathing, off-breathing, through-breathing, up-breathing!'-the naturally-perforated (brick) is the vital air, and the vital air truly serves for everything here;-' for a resting-place, for a moving-place!'-the naturally-perforated (bricks) are these worlds, and these worlds are the resting-place and the movingplace; May Surya guard thee,'-that is, 'May Surya protect thee,'-'with mighty well-being,'that is, 'with great well-being;'-'with the safest roof!'-that is, 'with whatever roof (abode) is the safest.'
20. Separately he lays them down, for separate are wind and sky; and once only he 'settles' them: he thereby makes them the same, for vital power and vital air are the same. They are both of them stones and both of them naturally-perforated; for vital power and vital air are the same. He then pronounces the Sûdadohas over them,-the Sûdadohas means vital air; he thus makes them
1 Though, in the text of the formula, the adjectives are feminine, and evidently refer to the brick, the author here makes them neuter, referring them to 'prishtham,' the back (of the sky).
