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Satapatha Brahmana Part IV (SBE43), Julius Eggeling tr. [1897], at sacred-texts.com


10:3:2

SECOND BRÂHMANA.

10:3:2:11. As to this they say, 'What metre and what deity are the head of the fire-altar?' The metre Gâyatrî and the deity Agni are its head.

10:3:2:22. 'What metre and what deity are its neck?' The metre Ushnih and the deity Savitri are its neck.

10:3:2:33. 'What metre and what deity are its spine?' The metre Brihatî and the deity Brihaspati are its spine.

10:3:2:44. 'What metre and what deity are its wings?' The metres Brihat and Rathantara and the deities Heaven and Earth are its wings.

10:3:2:55. 'What metre and what deity are its waist?' The metre Trishtubh and the deity Indra are its waist.

10:3:2:66. 'What metre and what deity are its hips?' The metre Gagatî and the deity Âditya (the sun) are its hips.

10:3:2:77. 'What metre and what deity are the vital air whence the seed flows?' The metre Atikhandas and the deity Pragâpati.

10:3:2:88. 'What metre and what deity are that downward vital air?' The metre Yagñâyagñiya and the deity Vaisvânara.

10:3:2:99. 'What metre and what deity are the thighs?' The metre Anushtubh and that deity, the Visvedevâh, are the thighs.

p. 331

10:3:2:1010. 'What metre and what deity are the knees?' The metre Paṅkti and that deity, the Maruts, are the knees.

10:3:2:1111. 'What metre and what deity are the feet?' The metre Dvipadâ and the deity Vishnu are the feet.

10:3:2:1212. 'What metre and what deity are the vital airs?' The metre Vikhandas and the deity Vâyu (the wind) are the vital airs.

10:3:2:1313. 'What metre and what deity are the defective and redundant parts?' The metre (of the verse) wanting a syllable (or syllables) and that deity, the waters, are the defective and redundant parts. This, then, is the knowledge of the body (of the altar), and suchlike is the deity that enters into this body; and, indeed, there is in this (sacrificial performance) no other prayer for the obtainment of heavenly bliss 1.


Footnotes

331:1 Atrâgnau lokyatâyai punyalokâvâptaye anyâ uktavyatiriktâ âsîh prârthanâ nâsti. Sâyana.


Next: X, 3, 3. Third Brâhmana