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IX KANDA, 4 ADHYAYA, 4 BRAHMANA, I. 249
16. He then touches it (the fire-altar) with (the formula of) the preliminary consecration (Vâg. S. IX, 39. 40), 'May Savitri quicken thee for (powers of) quickening'!... This (man), O ye (people), is your king; Soma is the king of us Brâhmanas!' he thereby excludes the Brahmanas (from the power of the king) and makes them such as are not to be fed upon (by the king).
FOURTH BRAHMANA.
AGNIYOGANA, OR YOKING OF THE FIRE-ALTAR; AND SOMA-SACRIFICE.
1. Then, early next morning 2, when about to bespeak the morning prayer, he yokes the Firealtar, thinking, 'With it, when yoked, I shall obtain;' and by it, when yoked, he obtains all wishes. He
of the altar is to take place, as in the case of the (preliminary) consecration at the Râgasûya, immediately after the oblations to the Divine Quickeners, and before the Svishtakrat oblation of the Pasupurodâsa has been performed. See V, 3, 3, 10, where a somewhat similar expression is used. One might have some doubt as to whether, both here and at the Râgasûya, there is any Svishtakrat at all to these Devasû-havîmshi, or whether the statement, 'There is the same svishtakrit and the same idâ,' applies not to them merely, but to them and the Pasupurodâsa. If this latter alternative were the correct one, we should, however, expect that something had been said on this point in connection with the Devasu oblations of the Râgasûya, and moreover the nature of the two oblations seems too different for such a partial identification, requiring as they do different 'praishas,' or calls, in the Svishtakrit (viz. ' yaga' the one, and 'preshya' the other); see also IX, 5, 1, 40, and note 3, p. 248; also Kâty. Sr. V, 11, 23-24.
1 For the complete formulas, see V, 3, 3, II, 12.
2 That is, on the first Sutyâ, or pressing-day.
That is, by calling on the Hotrz to 'Recite to the gods, the early coming!' see III, 9, 3, 10, with note thereto giving particulars regarding the Prâtaranuvâka.
