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166
SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
whomsoever he hates, and whosoever hates him. He may say, 'So-and-so I cast into their jaws !' naming him whom he hates, and then he has no longer any hold upon him. But let him take no notice of this (injunction), for indicated of himself is he whom he who knows this hates.
40. In three turns he descends,—Agni is threefold: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, by so much food he thus gratifies them. With
Svâhâ' (he makes offering), for the Svâhâ is food: with food he thus gratifies them. Thrice (in three turns) he ascends from hence upwards,—that makes six, the significance of this has been explained?.
41. And as to why he descends in three turns,it is because he ascends in three turns: thus in as many turns as he ascends, in so many turns does he descend.
42. He then throws that arka-leaf 2 into the pit; for it is therewith that he performs that sacrificial work sacred to Rudra, and that same (leaf) is inauspicious; he now puts it away, lest any one should tread on this inauspicious (leaf), and suffer injury thereby: hence (he throws it) into the pit. And, again, as to why (he throws it into the pit,--the pit, doubtless, means the fire, and thus that fire consumes it. Now as to the (symbolic) correspondence.
43. As to this they say, 'How does this Satarudriya of his attain to (conformity with) the year, and Agni ? how does it correspond to the year, to
1 Of objects numbering sıx, the seasons commonly occur, e g. VI, 7, 1, 16.
? See paragraph 4. According to Kâty. Srautas. 18, 1, 6 both offering-utensils (the arka-leaf and the arka-stick) are thrown into the pit.
