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X KÂNDA, 4 ADHYAYA, I BRÂHMANA, 18.
347
built here; and the Kya is this his food, to wit, the Mahâvratiya-graha : that combined) makes the Arkya in respect of the Yagus. And the Great one (mahân) is this (Agni), and this rite (vrata) is his food : that makes the Mahâvrata in respect of the Sâman. And 'uk' is this (Agni), and 'tha' his food : that makes the (Mahad) Uktha in respect of the Rik. Thus, whilst being only one, this is accounted threefold.
16. And this Agni is Pragâpati, the year?: the Sâvitra (oblations) are one half thereof, and the Vaisva-karmana (oblations) 2 the (other) half; the Sâvitra are eight digits (kala 3) thereof, and the Vaisvakarmana (the other) eight; and that which is performed between them is the seventeenfold Pragâpati. Now what a digit is to men that a syllable (akshara) is to the gods.
17. And loma (hair)' is two syllables, 'tvak * (skin)'two, 'asrik (blood)' two, 'medas (fat)' two, 'mânsam (flesh)' two, snäva (sinew)' two, 'asthi (bone)' two, 'maggâ (marrow)' two, that makes sixteen digits; and the vital air which circulates therein, is the seventeenfold Pragâpati.
18. These sixteen digits convey the food to that vital air ; and when they take to conveying no food to it, then it consumes them and departs (from the body): hence he who is hungry here, feels very
Or, perhaps, this Pragâpati-Agni is the year. 2 For these two sets of formulas and oblations, see IX, 5, 1, 43 and note.
3 A kalâ' is the sixteenth part of the moon's diameter, and then a sixteenth pait generally. • Pronounce 'tu-ak.'
For five of these parts of the body, see X, 1, 3, 4.
