[[1-1-1]] [[Book-Chapter-Paragraph]] - Sanskrit Web

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'With a Yajus it is made, with a Yajus it is cooked, with a Yajus it is set loose, this pan; it is
therefore exhausted, it cannot be used again', they say. 'O Agni, yoke thy (steeds)', 'Yoke them that
best invoke the gods', (with these words) he offers in the pan; verily he yokes it again and thereby is
it not exhausted. He, who yokes Agni where the yoking is to be performed, yokes him (best) among
those who are yoking. 'O Agni [1], yoke thy (steeds)', 'Yoke them that best invoke the gods', he
says;' this is the yoking of Agni; verily he yokes him, and yokes him (best) among those who are
yoking. The theologians say, 'Should the fire be piled up with face down, or face upwards?' Now
the fire is piled in the likeness of birds; if he were to pile it face downward, the libations would
reach it behind; if upwards, it could not fly, it would not be heavenly for him; he puts down the
human head towards the east, face upwards [2]; verily the libations reach it in the mouth; he does
not pile it face upwards; verily it is heavenly for him. He offers with (a verse) addressed to Surya;
verily he bestows sight upon it; twice he offers, for there are two eyes; he offers with the same
verse, for sight is the same, for prosperity. The gods and the Asuras were in conflict, they deposited
their desirable wealth; the gods appropriated it by means of the Vamabhrt (brick); that is why the
Vamabhrt (supporting the desirable) has its name. In that he puts down the Vamabhrt, the sacrificer
by it appropriates the desirable wealth of his foe. It has a head of gold; gold is light, the desirable is
light; verily by light he appropriates the desirable which is light; there are two Yajuses, for support.
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The waters were the wives of Varuna; Agni longed for them, he had union with them; his seed fell
away, it became this (earth); what second fell away became yonder (sky); this is the Viraj, yonder
the Svaraj; in that he puts down two Viraj (bricks) he puts down these two (worlds). Now the seed
which yonder (sky) impregnates, finds support in this (earth), it is propagated, it becomes plants [1]
and shoots; them the fire eats. He who knows thus is propagated, and becomes an eater of food. If a
man be full of seed, one should put both down in the first layer for him; verily these in accord pour
seed for him; if a man have poured his seed, he should put one in the first layer for him and one in
the last; verily he encloses by the two (worlds) the seed he has impregnated. For a year to no man
[2] should he descend in honour; for these two (worlds) descend in honour for no man; that is their
rule. He who piles the fire without a head, becomes headless in yonder world, he who piles it with a
head becomes possessed of a head in yonder world. 'To thought I offer with mind, with ghee, that
the gods may come hither, delighting in the offerings, increasing holy order; on the path of the
moving ocean I offer all the days to Viçvakarman the undying oblation', (with these words) he puts
down the naturally perforated brick and offers [3]; that is the head of the fire; verily he piles the fire
with its head. He becomes possessed of a head in yonder world who know thus. The fire is piled for
the world of heaven; whatever is done out of order, that is not heavenly; the fire is heavenly; having
put down the layer he should stroke it, (saying), 'May the wise discern wisdom and folly, like backs
straight and crooked, like men; for wealth and good offspring, O god, grant us freedom, and keep
bondage from us.' Verily he puts it down in order. He piles (the fire) facing east; it becomes
heavenly for him.
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Viçvakarman, lord of the quarters, may he protect our cattle, may he protect us, to him homage!
Prajapati; Rudra; Varuna; Agni; lord of the quarters; may he protect our cattle, may he protect us, to
him homage!'
These are the deities, overlords of these animals; to them he is cut off who puts down the heads of
the animals. He puts down the gold bricks; verily he pays honour to these deities. The theologians
[1] say, 'In the fire he places the domesticated animals, with pain he afflicts the wild animals; what
then does he leave?' In that he puts down the golden bricks, and gold is immortality, by immortality
he makes healing for the domesticated animals, he hurts them not. The first naturally perforated
brick is expiration, the second cross -breathing, the third inspiration. Having put down the first
naturally perforated brick he should breathe out along it; verily he unites expiration with expiration;
Keith: Taittiriya-Samhita, Translation - Page 244 of 341