Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ("of a hundred paths") 10.4.1

When the gods restored the relaxed Pragâpati, they poured him, as seed, into the fire-pan (ukhâ) as the womb, for the fire-pan is a womb. In the course of a year they prepared for him this food, to wit, the fire-altar built here, and enclosed it in a body; and, being enclosed in a body, it became the body itself; whence food, when enclosed in a body, becomes the body itself.

In like manner does the Sacrificer now pour his own self (or body), as seed, into the fire-pan as the womb, for the fire-pan is a womb. In the course of a year he prepares for it (his self) this food, to wit, the fire-altar here built, and encloses it in a body, and, being enclosed in a body, it becomes the body itself; whence food, when enclosed in a body, becomes the body itself.

He places him (the Ukhya Agni, on the fire-altar) with 'Vaushat!' for 'vauk' is he (Agni), 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.

Now that Arka (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 (rite) is his food: that makes the Mahâvrata (sâman) 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.

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.

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. They are made of gold: gold means light, and Indra and Agni are the light; gold means immortal life, and Indra and Agni mean immortal life.

It is these two, Indra and Agni, that they build up. Whatever is of brick that is Agni: whence they bake that (part) by fire, and all that is baked by fire is Agni. And what filling of earth there is (in the altar) that. is Indra: whence they do not bake that (part) by fire, lest it should be Agni, and not Indra. Thus it is these two, Indra and Agni, that are built up.

And the two become that one form, to wit, the fire which is placed on the built (altar), and hence those two, by means of that form, produce creatures. Now Agni, indeed, is this single brick, and into this the whole Agni passes: this, indeed, is the perfection of bricks,--it is that one syllable (akshara) 'vauk,' it is this into which the whole Agni passes, and which is the perfection of syllables.

It is this that the Rishi saw when he said, 'I praise what hath been and what will be, the Great Brahman, the one Akshara,--the manifold Brahman, the one Akshara; for, indeed, all the gods, all beings pass into that Akshara (imperishable element): it is both the Brahman and the Kshatra; and the Brahman is Agni, and the Kshatra Indra; and the Visve Devâh (all the gods) are Indra and Agni.' But the Visve Devâh (the All-gods) are also the peasantry: hence it is Priesthood, Nobility, and Peasantry.

And, indeed, Syâparna Sâyakâyana, knowing this, once said, 'If this my sacrificial performance were complete, my own race would become the kings (nobles), Brâhmanas, and peasants of the Salvas; but even by that much of my work which has been completed my race will surpass the Salvas in both ways;'--for this (Agni, the fire-altar), indeed, is (social) eminence and fame, and an eater of food.

And regarding this, Sândilya, having instructed Vâmakakshâyana, said, 'Thou wilt become eminent, famous, and an eater of food (rich);' and, indeed, he who knows this becomes eminent, famous, and an eater of food.

And this Agni is no other than Pragâpati. The gods, having restored this Agni-Pragâpati, in the course of a year prepared this food for him, to wit, this Mahâvratîya cup of Soma.

The Adhvaryu draws it by means of a cup, and inasmuch as he draws (grah) it, it is (called) a draught (graha, cup of Soma). The Udgâtri (chanter), by the Mahâvrata (sâman), puts flavour (vital sap) into it; and the Mahâvrata (sâman) being (composed of) all those (five) sâmans, he thus puts flavour into it by means of all sâmans (hymn-tunes). The Hotri puts flavour into it by means of the Great Recitation; and the Great Recitation being (composed of) all those Rik-verses: he thus puts flavour into it by all the Rik-verses.

And when they chant the hymn, and he (the Hotri) afterwards recites (the sastra), he (the Adhvaryu) offers that (cup of Soma) to him (Agni-Pragâpati) as the Vashat-call is uttered. Now 'vauk' is this (Agni), and 'shat' this sixfold food: having prepared it, he offers it to him as proportionate to his 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.

Now that Arka (flame) is this very fire-altar built here; and the Kya is this his food, to wit, the Mahâvratîya-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.

And this Agni is Pragâpati, the year: the Sâvitra (oblations) are one half thereof, and the Vaisva-karmana (oblations) the (other) half; the Sâvitra are eight digits (kalâ) 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.

And 'loma (hair)' is two syllables, 'tvak (skin)' two, 'asrik (blood)' two, 'medas (fat)' two, 'mâmsam (flesh)' two, 'snâva (sinew)' two, 'asthi (bone)' two, 'maggâ (marrow) ' two,--that makes sixteen digits; and the vital air which circulates therein, is the seventeenfold Pragâpati.

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 restless, consumed as he is by his vital airs; and hence he who suffers from fever becomes very thin, for he is consumed by his vital airs.

Now for that seventeenfold Pragâpati they prepared this seventeenfold food, the Soma-sacrifice: those sixteen digits of his are these sixteen officiating priests,--one should not, therefore, take a seventeenth priest lest one should do what is excessive;--and what vital sap there is here--the oblations that are offered--that is the seventeenfold food.

And when they chant the hymn, and when he (the Hotri) afterwards recites (the sastra), he (the Adhvaryu) offers to him that food as the Vashat-call is uttered. Now 'vauk' is this (Agni), and 'shat' this sixfold food: having prepared it, he offers it to him as proportionate to his 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.

Now that Arka (flame) is this very fire-altar built here; and the Kya is this his food, to wit, the Soma-sacrifice: 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. With this food he went upwards; and he who went upwards is yonder sun, and that food wherewith he went up is that moon.

He who shines yonder is indeed that Arka (flame), and that moon is his food, the Kya: 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. Thus much as to the deity.

Now as to the body. The Arka (flame), doubtless, is the breath (vital air), and the Kya is its food: that 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. And, indeed, that (Agni) is that (sun) as to the deity, and this (breath) as to the body.