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268
SATAPATHA-BRÂHMANA.
in the highest heaven, know ye his form! When he cometh by the godward paths, reveal ye unto him the fulfilment of his wishes!'--as the text, so the meaning.--Awake, O Agni, and be watchful! ...'-'Whereby thou carriest a thousand, ...'-the meaning of these two has been explained 1.
48. With grass-bunch and enclosing-stick, with spoon, altar-ground and grass-cover, with verse of praise, lead thou this our sacrifice unto heaven, to go unto the gods!' that is, with these outward forms of our sacrifice make it go to the heavenly world!'
49. "What gift, what bounty, what fulfilment, what offering-presents there are of ours, --Agni Vaisvakarmana shall deposit them in heaven with the gods!'—that is, whatever we give, seasonably or unseasonably, that this firealtar of Visvakarman shall place in the heavenly world!'
50. Where the streams of honey and ghee are never-failing,-there, in heaven, Agni Vaisvakarmana shall place us with the gods!'as the text, so the meaning -
51. Eight Vaisvakarmana (oblations) he offers, - the Gâyatri consists of eight syllables, and Agni is of Gâyatra nature: as great as Agni is, as great
See VIII, 6, 3, 23. 24 2 The meaning of the verse is, however, far from certain. The above is Mahîdhara's interpretation, except that he takes 'yâh' to mean and what (other) streams there are.' It might, however, also mean-What streams of honey and ghee of ours are never-failing anywhere-Agni Vaisvaka, mana shall deposit them in heaven with the gods 1'-in which case due reward for sacrifice would be prayed for
