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342
SATAPATHA-BRÂHMANA.
and 'shat (six)' is this six-layered food : having prepared it, he offers it to him as proportionate to this body, for food which is proportionate to the body satisfies, and does not injure it; but when there is too much, it does injure it, and when there is too little, it does not satisfy it.
4. Now that Arka 1 (flame) is this very fire which they bring here; and the Kya? is this his food, to wit, the fire-altar built here: that (combined) makes the Arkya” in respect of the Yagus. And the Great one (mahân) is this (Agni), and this vrata 3 (rite) is his food : that makes the Mahâvrata (saman) in respect of the Sâman. And 'uk' is this (Agni), and tha' his food that (combined) makes the Uktha (sastra, recitation) * in respect of the Rik. Thus, whilst being only one, this is accounted threefold.
5. Now Indra and Agni were created as the Brahman (priesthood) and the Kshatra (nobility) : the Brahman was Agni and the Kshatra Indra. When created, the two were separate. They spake, Whilst being thus, we shall be unable to produce creatures (people). let us both become one form!' The two became one form.
6. Now those two, Indra and Agni, are the same as these two, to wit, the gold plate and the (gold) man: Indra is the gold plate, and Agni the man.
1 See X, 3, 4, 2 seq. 2 That is, what relates to the Ai ka (the Fire, or Agnikayana).
$ That is, here, the Mahad uktham, or Great Recitation of the Mahâvrata day.
* Perhaps with the implied sense of 'fast-food,' fast-milk,' the milk taken by the Sacrificer during the initiation as his only food.
5 For the gold plate worn by the Sacrificer whilst carrying about
