Shatapatha Brahmana 8.5

8.5.1.1

pañcamīṃ citimupadadhāti | etadvai devāścaturthīṃ citiṃ citvā samārohanyadūrdhvamantarikṣādarvācīnaṃ divastadeva tatsaṃskṛtya samārohan

He lays down the fifth layer. For now, having laid down the fourth layer, the gods mounted it,--having completed what is above the air, and below the sky, they mounted it.

8.5.1.2

te 'bruvan | cetayadhvamiti citimicateti vāva tadabruvannita ūrdhvamicateti te cetayamānā divameva virājam pañcamīṃ citimapaśyaṃstebhya eṣa loko 'candayat

They spake, 'Meditate ye (ketay)!' whereby, doubtless, they meant to say, 'Seek ye a layer (kiti)! Seek ye from hence upwards!' Whilst meditating, they saw that fifth layer, the far-shining heaven: that world pleased them.

8.5.1.3

te 'kāmayanta | asapatnamimaṃ lokamanupabādhaṃ kurvīmahīti te 'bruvannupa tajjānīta yathemaṃ lokamasapatnamanupabādhaṃ karavāmahā iti te 'bruvaṃścetayadhvamiti citimicateti vāva tadabruvaṃstadicata yathemaṃ lokamasapatnamanupabādhaṃ karavāmahā iti

They desired, 'Would that we could make that world foeless, undisturbed!' They spake, 'Think ye upon this, how we shall make this world foeless, undisturbed!' They spake, 'Meditate ye!' whereby, indeed, they meant to say, 'Seek ye a layer! Seek ye how we shall make this world foeless, undisturbed!'

8.5.1.4

te cetayamānāḥ | etā iṣṭakā apaśyannasapatnāstā upādadhata tābhiretaṃ lokamasapatnamanupabādhamakurvata tadyadetābhirimaṃ lokamasapatnamanupabādhamakurvata tasmādetā asapatnāstathevaitadyajamāno yadetā upadadhātamevaitallokamasapatnamanupabādhaṃ kurute sarvata upadadhāti sarvata evaitadetaṃ lokamasapatnamanupabādhaṃ kurute parārdha upadadhāti sarvamevaitadetaṃ lokamasapatnamanupavādhaṃ kurute

Whilst meditating, they saw these Asapatnâ ('foeless') bricks; they laid them down, and by means of them they made that world foeless, undisturbed; and because by means of them they made that world foeless, undisturbed, these (are called) Asapatnâs. And in like manner does the Sacrificer, by laying them down, now make that world foeless, undisturbed. On all (four) sides he lays them down: on all sides he thus makes that world foeless, undisturbed. He places them on the other side: he thereby makes that whole world foe-less, undisturbed.

8.5.1.5

atha virāja upadadhāti | eṣā vai sā virāḍyāṃ taddevā virājam pañcamīṃ citimapaśyaṃstā daśa-daśopadadhāti daśākṣarā virāḍvirāḍeṣā civiḥ sarvata upadadhāti yo vā ekasyāṃ diśi virājati na vai sa virājati yo vāva sarvāsu dikṣu virājati sa eva virājati

He then lays down the Virâgs (far-shining bricks): this Virâg, indeed, is that far-shining (virâg) fifth layer which the gods saw. He lays them down by tens: the Virâg (metre) consists of ten syllables, and this layer is 'virâg.' He places them on every side; for he who shines (rules) in one direction only, does not shine far and wide, but whosoever shines in all directions, he alone shines far and wide.

8.5.1.6

yadvevaitā asapatnā upadadhāti | etadvai prajāpatimetasminnātmanaḥ pratihite sarvataḥ pāpmopāyatata sa etā iṣṭakā apaśyadasapatnāstā upādhatta tābhistam pāpmānamapāhata pāpmā vai sapatnastadyadetābhiḥ pāpmānaṃ sapatnamapāhata tasmādetā asapatnāḥ

And as to why he lays down those Asapatnâs. Now at that time, when that (part) of his body had been restored, evil beset Pragâpati on every side. He saw those foeless bricks, and laid them down, and by means of them he drove off evil, for foe means evil; and because, by means of them he drove off the foe, evil, therefore they are (called) 'foeless' (bricks).

8.5.1.7

tadvā etatkriyate | yaddevā akurvannidaṃ nvimaṃ sa pāpmā nopayatate yattvetatkaroti yaddevā akurvaṃstatkaravāṇītyatho ya eva pāpmā yaḥ sapatnastametābhirapahate tadyadetābhiḥ pāpmānaṃ sapatnamapahate tasmādetā asapatnāḥ sarvata upadadhāti sarvata evaitatpāpmānaṃ sapatnamapahate parārdha upadadhāti sarvasmādevaitadātmanaḥ pāpmānaṃ sapatnamapahate

And what the gods did, the same is done now. Evil, indeed, does not now beset this (Sacrificer), but when he now does this, it is that he wants to do what the gods did; and he thereby drives off whatever evil, whatever foe besets him; and because, by means of them, he drives off the foe, evil, therefore they are (called) the 'foeless' (bricks). He places them on every side: he thereby drives off the foe, evil, on every side. He places them on the other side: from his whole self he thereby drives off the foe, evil.

8.5.1.8

sa purastādupadadhāti | agne jātānpraṇudā naḥ sapatnāniti yathaiva yajustathā bandhuratha paścātsahasā jātānpraṇudā naḥ sapatnāniti yathaiva yajustathā bandhuḥ

He lays down (one) in front, with (Vâg. S. XV, 1), 'O Agni, drive away the foes of ours that are born, drive back those unborn, O knower of beings! cheer us, kindly and un-frowning! may we be in thy threefold-sheltering, steadfast protection!' as the text so the sense. Then behind, with (Vâg. S. XV, 2), 'With might drive away the foes of ours that are born, drive back, O knower of beings, those unborn! cheer us with kindly feeling! may we prevail! drive off our foes!' as the text so the sense.

8.5.1.9

sā yā purastādagniḥ sā | yā paścādagniḥ sāgninaiva tatpurastātpāpmānamapāhatāgninā paścāttathaivaitadyajamāno 'gninaiva purastātpāpmānamapahate 'gninā paścāt

That which is (placed) in front is Agni, and that behind is Agni: with Agni he (Pragâpati) then drove away evil both in front and in the rear; and in like manner now does the Sacrificer with Agni drive away evil both in front and in the rear.

8.5.1.10

atha dakṣiṇataḥ | ṣoḍaśī stoma ojo draviṇamityekādaśākṣarā vai triṣṭuptraiṣṭubhamantarikṣaṃ catasro diśa eṣa eva vajraḥ pañcadaśastasyāsāvevādityaḥ ṣoḍaśī vajrasya bhartā sa etena pañcadaśena vajreṇaitayā triṣṭubhā dakṣiṇataḥ pāpmānamapāhata tathaivaitadyajamāna etena pañcadaśena vajreṇaitayā triṣṭubhā dakṣiṇataḥ pāpmānamapahate

Then on the right (south) side, with (Vâg. S. XV, 3), 'The sixteenfold Stoma, vigour, wealth!' The Trishtubh consists of eleven syllables, and--the air being of Trishtubh nature--there are (in the air) four quarters. The thunderbolt is fifteenfold, and yonder sun is the sixteenfold wielder of that thunderbolt: with that thunderbolt, with that Trishtubh, he (Pragâpati) drove away evil in the south; and in like manner does the Sacrificer, with that thunderbolt, with that Trishtubh, now drive away evil in the south.

8.5.1.11

athottarataḥ | catuścatvāriṃśa stomo varco draviṇamiti catuścatvāriṃśadakṣarā vai triṣṭuptraiṣṭubho vajraḥ sa etena catuścatvāriṃśena vajreṇaitayā triṣṭubhottarataḥ pāpmānamapāhata tathaivaitadyajamāna etena catuścatvāriṃśena vajreṇaitayā triṣṭubhottarataḥ pāpmānamapahate

Then on the left (north) side, with, 'The forty-four-fold Stoma, lustre, wealth!' The Trishtubh consists of forty-four syllables, and the thunderbolt is of Trishtubh nature: with that forty-four-fold thunderbolt, with that Trishtubh, he (Pragâpati) drove away evil in the north; and in like manner does the Sacrificer, with that thunderbolt, with that Trishtubh, now drive away evil in the north.

8.5.1.12

atha madhye | agneḥ purīṣamasīti brahma vai caturthī citiragniru vai brahma tasyā etatpurīṣamiva yatpañcamyapso nāmeti tasyokto bandhuḥ

Then in the middle (the fifth), with, 'Agni's soil-cover thou art!'--the fourth layer indeed is the Brahman, and the Brahman is Agni, and this, the fifth layer is, as it were, the (soil-)cover of that (fourth layer);--'his sap, in truth: may the All-gods sing thy praises! Seat thee here, laden with Stomas, and rich in fat! Gain for us, by sacrifice, wealth with offspring!' as the text so the sense.

8.5.1.13

tām prācīṃ tiraścīmupadadhāti | etaddhaitayā prajāpatiḥ pāpmano mūlamavṛścattathaivainayāyametatpāpmano mūlaṃ vṛścati dakṣiṇato dakṣiṇataudyāmo hi vajro 'ntareṇa dakṣiṇāṃ diśyāmudyāmāya ha tamavakāśaṃ karoti

This one he lays down with its line-marks running eastward and crosswise; for by that one Pragâpati then cut out the root of evil, and in like manner does this (Sacrificer) now thereby cut out the root of evil. On the right (south) side (from the centre he places it), for the thunderbolt has a string on the right side;--inside the one in the southern quarter, for it is for the sake of extension that he leaves that space.

8.5.1.14

sā yā purastātprāṇaḥ sā | yā paścādapānaḥ sā prāṇenaiva tatpurastātpāpmānamapāhatāpānena paścāttathaivaitadyajamānaḥ prāṇenaiva purastātpāpmānamapahate 'pānena paścāt

The one which (lies) in front is the out-breathing, the one at the back the off-breathing: by the out-breathing he (Pragâpati) then drove away evil in front, and by the off-breathing in the rear; and in like manner does the Sacrificer now by the out-breathing drive away evil in front, and by the off-breathing in the rear.

8.5.1.15

atha ye abhitaḥ | tau bāhū sa yo 'syābhitaḥ pāpmāsīdbāhubhyāṃ tamapāhata tathaivaitadyajamāno yo 'syābhitaḥ pāpmā bhavati bāhubhyāmeva tamapahate

And the two on both sides (of the spine) are the two arms: whatever evil there was sideways of him, that he drove away with his arms; and in like manner does this Sacrificer now drive away with his arms whatever evil there is sideways of him.

8.5.1.16

annam purīṣavatī | sa yo 'syopariṣṭhātpāpmāsīdannena tamapāhāta tathaivaitadyajamāno yo 'syopariṣṭātpāpmā bhavatyannenaiva tamapahate

The soil-bedded one means food: whatever evil there was above him, that he (Pragâpati) drove away by means of food; and in like manner does the Sacrificer now, by means of food, drive away whatever evil there is above him.

8.5.1.17

sa yaddha vā evaṃvitprāṇiti | yo 'sya purastātpāpmā bhavati taṃ tenāpahate 'tha yadapāniti tena taṃ yaḥ paścādatha yadbāhubhyāṃ karma kurute tena taṃ yo 'bhito 'tha yadannamatti tena taṃ ya upariṣṭātsarvadā ha vā evaṃvitpāpmānamapahate 'pi svapaṃstasmādevaṃ viduṣaḥ pāpaṃ na kīrtayennedasya pāpmāsānīti

And, verily, whenever he, knowing this, breathes out, he thereby drives away the evil which is in front of him; and when he breathes backward, he thereby (drives away) that which is in the rear; and when he does work with his arms, he thereby (drives away) that which is sideways of him; and when he eats food, he thereby (drives away) that (evil) which is above him: at all times, indeed, even while sleeping, does he who knows this drive away evil. Hence, one must not speak ill of him who knows this, lest one should be his evil (enemy).

8.5.2.1

atha candasyā upadadhāti | etadvai prajāpatiḥ pāpmano mṛtyormuktvānnamaicattasmādu haitadupatāpī vasīyānbhūtvānnamicati tasminnāśaṃsante 'nnamicati jīviṣyatīti tasmai devā etadannam prāyacannetāścandasyāḥ paśavo vai candāṃsyannam paśavastānyasmā acadayaṃstāni yadasmā acadayaṃstasmāccandāṃsi

And, again, as to why he lays it down by means of Indra and Agni, and settles it by means of Visvakarman. When Pragâpati had become relaxed (disjointed), the deities took him and went off in different directions. Indra and Agni, and Visvakarman took his middle part, and kept going away from him.

8.5.2.2

tā daśa-daśopadadhāti | daśākṣarā virāḍvirāḍu kṛtsnamannaṃ sarvamevāsminnetatkṛtsnamannaṃ dadhāti sarvata upadadhāti sarvata evāsminnetatkṛtsnamannaṃ dadhāti

8.5.2.3

evaścanda iti | ayaṃ vai loka evaścando varivaścanda ityantarikṣaṃ vai varivaścandaḥ śambhūścanda iti dyaurvai śambhūścandaḥ paribhūścanda iti diśo vai paribhūścanda ācaccanda ityannaṃ vā ācaccando manaścanda iti p rajāpatirvai manaścando vyacaścanda ityasau vā ādityo vyacaścandaḥ

8.5.2.4

sindhuścanda iti | prāṇo vai sindhuścandaḥ samudraścanda iti mano vai samudraścandaḥ sariraṃ canda iti vāgvai sariraṃ candaḥ kakupcanda iti prāṇo vai kakupcandastrikakupcanda ityudāno vai trikakupcandaḥ kāvyaṃ canda iti trayī vai vidyā kāvyaṃ cando 'ṅkupaṃ canda ityāpo vā aṅkupaṃ cando 'kṣarapaṅktiścanda ityasau vai loko 'kṣarapaṅktiścandaḥ padapaṅktiścanda ityayaṃ vai lokaḥ padapaṅktiścando viṣṭārapaṅktiścanda iti diśo vai viṣṭārapaṅktiścandaḥ kṣuro bhrajaścanda ityasau vā ādityaḥ kṣuro bhrajaścanda ācaccandaḥ pracaccanda ityannaṃ vā ācaccando 'nnam pracaccandaḥ

8.5.2.5

saṃyaccanda iti | rātrirvai saṃyaccando viyaccanda ityaharvai viyaccando bṛhaccanda ityasau vai loko bṛhaccando rathantaraṃ canda ityayaṃ vai loko rathantaraṃ cando nikāyaścanda iti vāyurvai nikāyaścando vivadhaścanda ityantarikṣaṃ vai vivadhaścando giraścanda ityannaṃ vai giraścando bhrajaścanda ityagnirvai bhrajaścandaḥ saṃstupcando 'nuṣṭupcanda iti vāgeva saṃstupcando vāganuṣṭupcanda evas=cando varivaścanda iti tasyokto bandhuḥ

8.5.2.6

vayaścanda iti | annaṃ vai vayaścando vayaskṛccanda ityagnirvai vayaskṛccando viṣpardhāścanda ityasau vai loko viṣpardhāścando viśālaṃ canda ityayaṃ vai loko viśālaṃ candaścadiścanda ityantarikṣaṃ vai cadiścando dūrohaṇaṃ canda ityasau vā ādityo dūrohaṇaṃ candastandraṃ canda iti paṅktirvai tandraṃ cando 'ṅkāṅkaṃ canda ityāpo vā aṅkāṅkaṃ candaḥ

8.5.2.7

tadyāḥ purastādupadadhāti | prāṇastāsām prathamā vyāno dvitīyodānastṛtīyodānaścaturthī vyānaḥ pañcamī prāṇaḥ ṣaṣṭhī prāṇaḥ saptamī vyāno 'ṣṭamyudāno navamī yajamāna evātra daśamī sa eṣa yajamāna etasyāṃ virājyadhyūḍhaḥ pratiṣṭhitaḥ prāṇamayyāmarvācīśca parācīścopadadhāti tasmādime prāṇā arvāñcaśca parāñcaśca

8.5.2.8

atha yā dakṣiṇato | 'gnistāsām prathamā vāyurdvitīyādityastṛtīyādityaścaturthī vāyuḥ pañcamyagniḥ ṣaṣṭhyagniḥ saptamī vāyuraṣṭamyādityo navamī yajamāna evātra daśamī sa eṣa yajamāna etasyāṃ virājyadhūḍhaḥ pratiṣṭhito devatāmayyāmarvācīśca parācīścopadadhāti tasmādete devā arvāñcaśca parāñcaśca

8.5.2.9

atha yāḥ paścāt | ayaṃ lokastāsām prathamāntarikṣaṃ dvitīyā dyaustṛtīyā dyauścaturthyantarikṣam pañcamyayaṃ lokaḥ ṣaṣṭhyayaṃ lokaḥ saptamyantarikṣamaṣṭamī dyaurnavamī yajamāna evātra daśamī sa eṣa yajamāna etasyāṃ virājyadhyūḍhaḥ pratiṣṭhito lokamayyāmarvācīśca parācīścopadadhāti tasmādime lokā arvāñcaśca parāñcaśca

8.5.2.10

atha yā uttarataḥ | grīṣmastāsām prathamā varṣā dvitīyā hemantastṛtīyā hemantaścaturthī varṣāḥ pañcamī grīṣmaḥ ṣaṣṭhī grīṣmaḥ saptamī varṣā aṣṭamī hemanto navamī yajamāna evātra daśamī sa eṣa yajamāna etasyāṃ virājyadhyūḍhaḥ pratiṣṭhita ṛtumayyāmarvācīśca parācīścopadadhāti tasmādeta ṛtavo 'rvāñcaśca parāñcaśca

8.5.2.11

atha punareva | yāḥ purastādupadadhāti prāṇāste tā daśa bhavanti daśa vai prāṇāḥ pūrvārdha upadadhāti purastāddhīme prāṇāḥ

8.5.2.12

atha yā dakṣiṇataḥ | etāstā devatā agniśca pṛthivī ca vāyuścāntarikṣaṃ cādityaśca dyauśca candramāśca nakṣatrāṇi cānnaṃ cāpaśca

8.5.2.13

atha yāḥ paścāt | diśastāścatasro diśaścatasro 'vāntaradiśa ūrdhvā ceyaṃ ca

8.5.2.14

atha yā uttarataḥ | māsāste vāsantikau dvau graiṣmau dvau vārṣikau dvau śāradau dvau haimantikau dvau

8.5.2.15

atha punareva | yā prathamā daśadayaṃ sa loko yā dvitīyāntarikṣaṃ tadyā tṛtīyā dyauḥ semameva lokam prathamayā daśatārohannantarikṣaṃ dvitīyayā divaṃ tṛtīyayā tathaivaitadyajamāna imameva lokam prathamayā daśatā rohatyantarikṣaṃ dvitīyayā divaṃ tṛtīyayā

8.5.2.16

sa sa parāṅiva rohaḥ | iyamu vai pratiṣṭhā te devā imām pratiṣṭhāmabhipratyāyaṃstathaivaitadyajamāna imām pratiṣṭhāmabhipratyaityatha yottamā daśadayaṃ sa lokastasmādyathaiva prathamāyai daśataḥ prabhṛtirevamuttamāyai samānaṃ hyetadyadete daśatāvayameva lokaḥ

8.5.2.17

tā vā etāḥ | catvāriṃśadiṣṭakāścatvāriṃśadyajūṃṣi tadaśītirannamaśītistadyadyadetadāha tadasmā annamaśītiṃ kṛtvā prayacati tenainam prīṇāti

8.5.3.1

atha stomabhāgā upadadhāti | etadvai prajāpateretadannamindro 'bhyadhyāyatso 'smādudacikramiṣattamabravītkathotkrāmasi kathā mā jahāsīti sa vai me 'syānnasya rasam prayaceti tena vai mā saha prapadyasveti tatheti tasmā etasyānnasya rasam prāyacattenainaṃ saha prāpadyata

He then lays down the Stomabhâgâ (praise-sharing bricks). For at that time Indra set his mind upon that food of Pragâpati, and tried to go from him. He spake, 'Why dost thou go from me? why dost thou leave me?'--'Give me the essence of that food: enter me therewith!'--'So be it!' so he gave him the essence of that food, and entered him therewith.

8.5.3.2

sa yaḥ sa prajāpatiḥ | ayameva sa yo 'yamagniścīyate 'tha yattadannametāstāścandasyā atha yaḥ so 'nnasya rasa etāstā stomabhāgā atha yaḥ sa indro 'sau sa ādityaḥ sa eṣa eva stomo yaddhi kiṃ ca stuvata etameva tena stuvanti tasmā etasmai stomāyaitam bhāgam prāyacattadyadetasmai stomāyaitam bhāgam prāyacattasmātstomabhāgāḥ

Now he who was that Pragâpati is this very Agni (the fire-altar) that is now being built up; and that food is these Khandasyâ (bricks); and that essence of food is these Stomabhâgâs; and he who was Indra is yonder Âditya (the sun): he indeed is the Stoma (hymn of praise), for whatsoever praises they sing, it is him they praise thereby,--it is to that same Stoma he gave a share; and inasmuch as he gave a share (bhâga) to that Stoma, these are (called) Stomabhâgâs.

8.5.3.3

raśminā satyāya satyaṃ jinveti | eṣa vai raśmirannaṃ raśmiretaṃ ca tadrasaṃ ca saṃdhāyātmanprapādayate pretinā dharmaṇā dharmaṃ jinvetyeṣa vai pretirannam pretiretaṃ ca tadrasaṃ ca saṃdhāyātmanprapādayate 'nvityā divā divaṃ jinvetyeṣa vā anvitirannamanvitiretaṃ ca tadrasaṃ ca saṃdhāyātmanprapādayate tadyadyadetadāha tacca tadrasaṃ ca saṃdhāyātmanprapādayate 'munādo jinvādo 'syamuṣmai tvādhipatinorjorjaṃ jinveti tredhāvihitāstredhāvihitaṃ hyannam

[He lays them down, with, Vâg. S. XV, 6. 7], 'By the ray quicken thou the truth for truth!'--the ray, doubtless, is that (sun), and ray is food; having put together that (sun) and the essence thereof, he makes it enter his own self;--'by the starting, by the law, quicken the law!'--the starting, doubtless, is that (sun), and the starting also means food: having put together that (sun) and the essence thereof, he makes it enter his own self;--'by the going after, by the sky, quicken the sky!'--the going after, doubtless, is that (sun), and the going after also means food; having put together that (sun) and the essence thereof, he makes it enter his own self. Thus whatever he mentions here, that and the essence thereof he puts together and makes it enter his own self: 'By such and such quicken thou such and such!'--'Such and such thou art: for such and such (I deposit) thee!'--'By the lord, by strength, quicken strength!' thus they (the bricks) are divided into three kinds, for food is of three kinds.

8.5.3.4

yadveva stomabhāgā upadadhāti | etadvai devā virājaṃ citiṃ citvā samārohaṃste 'bruvaṃścetayadhvamiti citimicateti vāva tadabruvaṃste cetayamānā nākameva svargaṃ lokamapaśyaṃstamupādadhata sa yaḥ sa nākaḥ svargo loka etāstā stomabhāgāstadyadetā upadadhāti nākamevaitatsvargaṃ lokamupadhatte

And as to why he lays down the Stomabhâgâs. Now the gods, having laid down the far-shining layer, mounted it. They spake, 'Meditate ye!' whereby, doubtless, they meant to say, 'Seek ye a layer!' Whilst meditating, they saw even the firmament, the heavenly world, and laid it down. Now that same firmament, the heavenly world, indeed is the same as these Stomabhâgâs, and thus in laying down these, he lays down the firmament, the heavenly world.

8.5.3.5

tadyāstisraḥ prathamāḥ | ayaṃ sa loko yā dvitīyā antarikṣaṃ tadyāstṛtīyā dyauḥ sā yāścaturthyaḥ prācī sā digyāḥ pañcamyo dakṣiṇā sā yāḥ ṣaṣṭhyaḥ pratīcī sā yāḥ saptamya udīcī sā

The first three (bricks) are this (terrestrial) world, the second (three) the air, and the third (three) the sky, the fourth the eastern, the fifth the southern, the sixth the western, and the seventh the northern regions.

8.5.3.6

tā vā etāḥ | ekaviṃśatiriṣṭakā ime ca lokā diśaśceme ca vai lokā diśaśca pratiṣṭheme ca lokā diśaścaikaviṃśastasmādāhuḥ pratiṣṭhaikaviṃśa iti

These twenty-one bricks, then, are these worlds and the regions, and these worlds and the regions are a foundation, and these worlds and the regions are twenty-one: whence they say, 'the Ekavimsa (twenty-one-fold) is a foundation.'

8.5.3.7

atha yā aṣṭāviṣṭakā atiyanti | sāṣṭākṣarā gāyatrī brahma gāyatrī tadyattadbrahmaitattadyadetanmaṇḍalaṃ tapati tadetasminnekaviṃśe pratiṣṭhāyām pratiṣṭhitaṃ tapati tasmānnāvapadyate

And the eight bricks which remain over are the Gâyatrî consisting of eight syllables; but the Gâyatrî is the Brahman, and as to that Brahman, it is yonder burning disk: it burns, while firmly-established on that twenty-one-fold one, as on a foundation, whence it does not fall down.

8.5.3.8

taddhaike | veṣaśrīḥ kṣatrāya kṣatraṃ jinveti triṃśattamīmupadadhati triṃśadakṣarā virāḍvirāḍeṣā citiriti na tathā kuryādati te recayantyekaviṃśasampadamatho gāyatrīsampadamatho indraloko haiṣa yaiṣānyūnā virāḍindrāya ha ta indraloke dviṣantam bhrātṛvyam pratyudyāminaṃ kurvantīndramindralokānnudante yajamāno vai sve yajña indro yajamānāya ha te yajamānaloke dviṣantam bhrātṛvyam pratyudyāminaṃ kurvanti yajamānaṃ yajamānalokānnudante yaṃ vā etamagnimāharantyeṣa eva yajamāna āyatanenaiṣa u evātra triṃśattamī

Now some lay down a thirtieth (Stomabhâgâ), with, 'Beautifully arrayed, quicken thou the kshatra for the kshatra!' saying, 'Of thirty syllables is the Virâg (metre) and this layer is virâg (far-shining).' But let him not do so: they (who do so) exceed (this layer so as not to be) amounting to the twenty-one-fold, and to the Gâyatrî; and that undiminished Virâg, doubtless, is the world of Indra: in the world of Indra they raise a spiteful enemy of equal power (to Indra), and thrust Indra out of the world of Indra. And at his own sacrifice the Sacrificer assuredly is Indra: in the Sacrificer's realm they raise for the Sacrificer a spiteful enemy of equal power, and thrust the Sacrificer out of the Sacrificer's own realm. But, surely, that fire which they bring hither is no other than this Sacrificer: by means of his foundation it is he who is the thirtieth (brick) in this (layer).

8.5.4.1

tā aṣāḍhāyai velayopadadhāti | vāgvā aṣāḍhā rasa eṣa vāci tadrasaṃ dadhāti tasmātsarveṣāmaṅgānāṃ vācaivānnasya rasaṃ vijānāti

He lays them down on the range of the Ashâdhâ; for the Ashâdhâ is speech, and this (set of bricks) is the essence (of food): he thus lays into speech the essence of food; whence it is through (the channel of) speech that one distinguishes the essence of food for all the limbs.

8.5.4.2

yadvevāṣāḍhāyai | iyaṃ vā aṣāḍhāsāvāditya stomabhāgā amuṃ tadādityamasyām pratiṣṭhāyām pratiṣṭhāpayati

And, again, as to why (on the range) of the Ashâdhâ;--the Ashâdhâ, doubtless, is this (earth), and the Stomabhâgâs are yonder sun: he thus establishes yonder sun upon this earth as a firm foundation.

8.5.4.3

yadvevāṣāḍhāyai | iyaṃ vā aṣāḍhā hṛdayaṃ stomabhāgā asyāṃ taddhṛdayam mano dadhāti tasmādasyāṃ hṛdayena manasā cetayate sarvata upadadhāti sarvatastaddhṛdayam mano dadhāti tasmādasyāṃ sarvato hṛdayena manasā cetayate 'tho puṇyā haitā lakṣmyastā etatsarvato dhatte tasmādyasya sarvato lakṣma bhavati tam puṇyalakṣmīka ityācakṣate

And, again, why (on that) of the Ashâdhâ;--the Ashâdhâ, doubtless, is this (earth), and the Stomabhâgâs are the heart: he thus lays into this (earth) the heart, the mind: whence on this (earth) one thinks with the heart, with the mind. He lays them down on every side: he thus places the heart, the mind everywhere; whence everywhere on this (earth) one thinks with the heart, with the mind. And, moreover, these (bricks) are lucky signs: he places them on all sides; whence they say of him who has a (lucky) sign (lakshman) on every (or any) side that he has good luck (punyalakshmîka).

8.5.4.4

athaināḥ purīṣeṇa pracādayati | annaṃ vai purīṣaṃ rasa eṣa tametattiraḥ karoti tasmāttira ivānnasya rasaḥ

He then covers them with loose soil; for loose soil (purîsha) means food, and this (set of bricks) is the essence (of food): he thus makes it invisible, for invisible, as it were, is the essence of food.

8.5.4.5

yadveva purīṣeṇa | annaṃ vai purīṣaṃ rasa eṣo 'nnaṃ ca tadrasaṃ ca saṃtanoti saṃdadhāti

And, again, as to why (he covers it) with loose soil;--loose soil, doubtless, means food, and this (set of bricks) is the essence: he thus joins and unites the food and its essence.

8.5.4.6

yadveva purīṣeṇa | hṛdayaṃ vai stomabhāgāḥ purītatpurīṣaṃ hṛdayaṃ tatpurītatā pracādayati

And, again, as to why with loose soil;--the Stomabhâgâs are the heart, and the loose soil is the pericardium: he thus encloses the heart in the pericardium.

8.5.4.7

yadveva purīṣeṇa | saṃvatsara eṣo 'gnistametaccitipurīṣairvyāvartayati tadyāścatasraḥ prathamāścitayaste catvāra ṛtavo 'tha stomabhāgā upadhāya purīṣaṃ nivapati sā pañcamī citiḥ sa pañcama ṛtuḥ

And, again, as to why with loose soil;--this fire-altar is the year, and by means of the soil-coverings of the layers he divides it: those first four layers are four seasons. And having laid down the Stomabhâgâs, he throws loose soil thereon: that is the fifth layer, that is the fifth season.

8.5.4.8

tadāhuḥ | yallokampṛṇāntā anyāścitayo bhavanti nātra lokampṛṇāmupadadhāti kātra lokampṛṇetyasau vā ādityo lokampṛṇaiṣa u eṣā citiḥ saiṣā svayaṃ lokampṛṇā citiratha yadata ūrdhvamā purīṣātsā ṣaṣṭhī citiḥ sa ṣaṣṭha ṛtuḥ

Here now they say, 'Since the other layers conclude with Lokamprinâs (space-filling bricks), and no space-filler is laid down in this (layer): what, then, is the space-filler therein?' The space-filler, surely, is yonder sun, and this layer is he; and this is of itself a space-filling layer. And what there is above this (layer) up to the covering of soil that is the sixth layer, that is the sixth season.

8.5.4.9

atha purīṣaṃ nivapati | tatra vikarṇīṃ copadadhāti hiraṇyaśakalaiḥ prokṣatyagnimabhyādadhāti sā saptamī citiḥ sa saptama ṛtuḥ

He then throws down the loose soil. Thereon he lays down the Vikarnî and the naturally-perforated (brick); he bestrews them with chips of gold, and places the fire thereon: that is the seventh layer, that is the seventh season.

8.5.4.10

tā u vai ṣaḍeva | yaddhi vikarṇī ca svayamātṛṇā ca ṣaṣṭhyā eva tacciteḥ

But, indeed, there are only six of them; for as to the Vikarnî and the Svayam-âtrinnâ, they belong to the sixth layer.

8.5.4.11

tā u vai pañcaiva | yajuṣānyāsu purīṣaṃ nivapati tūṣṇīmatra tenaiṣā na citiratho lokampṛṇāntā anyāścitayo bhavanti nātra lokanpṛṇāmupadhāti teno evaiṣā na citiḥ

And, indeed, there are only five of them,--on the other (layers) he throws down the loose soil with a prayer, and here (he does so) silently: in that respect this is not a layer. And the other layers end with space-fillers, but here he lays down no space-filler: in that respect also this is not a layer.

8.5.4.12

tā u vai tisra eva | ayameva lokaḥ prathamā citirdyauruttamātha yā etāstisrastadantarikṣaṃ tadvā idamekamivaivāntarikṣaṃ tā evaṃ tisra evam pañcaivaṃ ṣaḍevaṃ sapta

And, indeed, there are only three of them,--the first layer is this very (terrestrial) world; and the uppermost (layer) is the sky; and those three (intermediate layers) are the air, for there is, as it were, only one air here: thus (there are) three, or five, or six, or seven of them.