Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ("of a hundred paths") 3.1

They choose a place of worship. Let them choose (the place) which lies highest, and above which no other part of the ground rises; for it was from thence that the gods ascended to heaven, and he who is consecrated indeed ascends to the gods. He thus sacrifices on a place of worship frequented by the gods; but were any other part of the ground to rise above it, he would indeed be lowered while sacrificing: let them therefore choose (the place) which lies highest.

While being high, that place should be even; and being even, it should be firm; and being firm, it should incline towards the east, since the east is the quarter of the gods; or else it should incline towards the north, since the north is the quarter of men. It should rise somewhat towards the south, that being the quarter of the Fathers. Were it to incline towards the south, the sacrifice would quickly go to yonder world; but in this way the sacrificer lives long: let it therefore rise somewhat towards the south.

Let not the measure of the sacrificial ground be exceeded on the east side, since such an excess would be in favour of his spiteful enemy. It may be so in the south, and also in the north; but that place of worship alone is thoroughly efficient where the measure of the sacrificial ground is exceeded in the west; for to him (who possesses such a one) the higher worship of the gods readily inclines. So much as to the place of worship.

Now Yâgñavalkya spake,--'We went to choose a place of worship for Vârshnya. Sâtyayagña then said, "Verily, this whole earth is divine: on whatever part thereof one may sacrifice (for any one), after enclosing (and consecrating) it with a sacrificial formula, there is a place of worship."

'It is, however, the officiating priests that constitute the place (or medium) of worship: wheresoever wise and learned Brâhmans, versed in sacred lore, perform the sacrifice, there no failure takes place: that (place of worship) we consider the nearest (to the gods).'

On this (ground) they erect either a hall or a shed, with the top-beams running from west to east; for the east is the quarter of the gods, and from the east westwards the gods approach men: that is why one offers to them while standing with his face towards the east.

For this reason one mug not sleep with his head towards the west, lest he should sleep stretching (his legs) towards the gods. The southern quarter belongs to the Fathers; and the western one to the snakes; and that faultless one is the one where the gods ascended (to heaven); and the northern quarter belongs to men. Hence in human (practice) a hall or shed is constructed with the top-beams running from south to north, because the north is the quarter of men. It is only for a consecrated, not for an unconsecrated person that it is (constructed) with the top-beams running from west to east.

They enclose it on every side, lest it should rain upon (the sacrificer, while being consecrated): this, at least, is (the reason for doing so in) the rainy season. He who is consecrated, truly draws nigh to the gods, and becomes one of the deities. Now the gods are secreted from men, and secret also is what is enclosed on every side: this is why they enclose it on every side.

Not every one may enter it, but only a Brahman, or a Râganya, or a Vaisya, for these are able to sacrifice.

Let him not commune with every one; for he who is consecrated draws nigh to the gods, and becomes one of the deities. Now the gods do not commune with every one, but only with a Brahman, or a. Râganya, or a Vaisya; for these are able to sacrifice. Should there be occasion for him to converse with a Sûdra, let him say to one of those, 'Tell this one so and so! tell this one so and so!'
This is the rule of conduct for the consecrated in such a case.

In the first place, having taken the two churning-sticks in his hand, he approves of the hall. Taking hold of the chief post of the front (east) side, he pronounces this sacrificial formula (Vâg. S. IV, 1), 'We have come to this place of worship on earth, wherein all the gods delighted.' Thereby that (place of worship) of his becomes acceptable to all the gods, as well as to the learned Brâhmans versed in sacred lore; and that (place of worship) of his, which those Brâhmans versed in sacred lore see with their eyes, becomes acceptable to them.

And when he says, 'Wherein all the gods delighted,' thereby it becomes acceptable for him to all the gods. Crossing over by means of the rik and sâman, and by the yagus;' by means of the rik and sâman, and the yagus, indeed, they reach the end of the sacrifice: 'May I reach the end of the sacrifice!' he thereby says. 'May we rejoice in increase of substance and in sap!' Increase of substance doubtless means abundance, and abundance means prosperity: he. thereby invokes a blessing. 'May we rejoice in sap,' he says, because people say of one who enjoys prosperity and attains to the highest distinction, that 'he rejoices in sap;' therefore he says, 'May we rejoice in sap!'

Let him perform the rite of consecration (dîkshâ) in the afternoon. Previously to the shaving of his hair and beard he may eat of what he likes, or whatever comes to hand; for hereafter his food consists of fast-milk (vrata) only. But, if he does not care to eat, he need not eat anything.

Thereupon they enclose a place north of the hall, and place a vessel of water in it. Beside this the barber takes up his position. He (the sacrificer) then shaves his hair and beard, and cuts his nails. For impure, indeed, is that part of man where water does not reach him. Now at the hair and beard, and at the nails the water does not reach him: hence when he shaves his hair and beard, and cuts his nails, he does so in order that he may be consecrated after becoming pure.

Now some shave themselves all over, in order that they may be consecrated after becoming pure all over; but let him not do this. For even by shaving the hair of his head and his beard, and by cutting his nails, he becomes pure: let him therefore shave only the hair of his head and his beard, and cut his nails.

In the first place he cuts his nails, first of the right hand--for in human (practice) those of the left hand (are cut) first, but with the gods in this manner. First (he cuts those) of the thumbs--for in human (practice) those of the little fingers (are cut) first, but with the gods in this manner.

He first passes (the comb) through his right whisker--for in human (practice they comb) first the left whisker, but with the gods in this manner.

His right whisker he moistens first, with the text, 'May these divine waters be propitious unto me! The reason why he says, 'May these divine waters be propitious unto me,' is this: the waters are a thunderbolt, for the waters are indeed a thunderbolt; hence wherever these waters flow they produce a hollow, and whatever they come near that they destroy (lit. burn up). Hereby, then, he appeases that same thunderbolt; and thus appeased, that thunderbolt does not injure him. This is why he says, 'May these divine waters be propitious unto me!'

Thereupon he lays a stalk of sacrificial grass on (the hair of the whisker), with the text, 'O plant, protect me!' For the razor is a thunderbolt, and thus that thunderbolt, the razor, does not injure him. Thereto he applies the razor, with the text, 'O knife, injure him not!' for the razor is a thunderbolt, and thus that thunderbolt, the razor, does not injure him.

Having cut off (part of the stalk and hair), he throws it into the vessel of water. Silently he moistens the left whisker; silently he lays the stalk of grass on it; and having silently applied the razor thereto and cut through (it and the hair), he throws them into the vessel of water.

He then hands the razor to the barber, and the latter shaves off the hair and beard. When he has shaved the hair and beard,--

He bathes. For impure, indeed, is man: he is foul within, in that he speaks untruth;--and water is pure: he thinks, 'May I be consecrated, after becoming pure;'--and water is cleansing: he thinks, 'May I become consecrated after being cleansed!' This is the reason why he bathes.

He bathes, with the text (Vâg. S. IV, 2; Rig-veda X, 17, 10), 'May the waters, the mothers, cleanse us!' whereby he says, 'May they cleanse!' 'May the purifiers of ghee purify us with (heavenly) ghee!' For he, indeed, is thoroughly purified whom they have purified with ghee: accordingly he says, 'May the purifiers of ghee purify us with ghee!'--'For they, the divine, take away all taint;' now 'all' means 'every,' and 'taint' means what is impure; for they do take away from him every impurity: therefore he says, 'For they, the divine, take away all taint.'

He steps out (from the water) towards the north-east, with the text, 'Cleansed and pure I go forth from them;' for cleansed and pure he indeed goes forth from them.

He then puts on a (linen) garment, for completeness’ sake: it is indeed his own skin he thereby puts on himself. Now that same skin which belongs to the cow was originally on man.

The gods spake, 'Verily, the cow supports everything here (on earth); come, let us put on the cow that skin which is now on man: therewith she will be able to endure rain and cold and heat.'

Accordingly, having flayed man, they put that skin on the cow, and therewith she now endures rain and cold and heat.

For man was indeed flayed; and hence where-ever a stalk of grass or some other object cuts him, the blood trickles out. They then put that skin, the garment, on him; and for this reason none but man wears a garment, it having been put on him as his skin. Hence also one should take care to be properly clad, so that he may be completely endued with his own skin. Hence also people like to see even an ugly person properly clad, since he is endued with his own skin.

Let him, then, not be naked in the presence of a cow. For the cow knows that she wears his skin, and runs away for fear lest he should take the skin from her. Hence also cows draw fondly near to one who is properly clad.

Now the woof of this cloth belongs to Agni, and the warp to Vâyu, the thrum to the Fathers, the fore-edge to the snakes, the threads to the All-gods, and the meshes to the asterisms. For thus indeed all the deities are concerned therein; and hence it is the garment of the consecrated.

Let it (if possible) be a new one, for the sake of unimpaired vigour. Let him (the Adhvaryu) tell (the Pratiprasthâtri) to beat it, in order that whatsoever part of it an unclean woman has spun or woven may become clean. And if it be a new one, let him sprinkle it with water, so that it become clean. Or let him be consecrated in one which is laid aside to be worn (daily) after bathing, without being soaked (in some sharp cleansing substance).

He puts it round him, with the text, 'Thou art the covering of consecration and penance;' heretofore, indeed, this was the covering of him as one unconsecrated, but now it is that of consecration and penance: hence he says, 'thou art the covering of consecration and penance.' 'I put thee on, the kindly and auspicious;' whereby he means to say, 'I put thee on, the kindly and pleasing one;'-- 'fostering a fair appearance;' for evil indeed is that appearance which he has heretofore fostered while unconsecrated; but now (he fosters) a fair appearance: therefore he says, 'fostering a fair appearance.'

He (the Adhvaryu) then makes him enter the hall. Let him not eat (the flesh) of either the cow or the ox; for the cow and the ox doubtless support everything here on earth. The gods spake, 'Verily, the cow and the ox support everything here: come, let us bestow on the cow and the ox whatever vigour belongs to other species!' Accordingly they bestowed on the cow and the ox whatever vigour belonged to other species (of animals); and therefore the cow and the ox eat most. Hence, were one to eat (the flesh) of an ox or a cow, there would be, as it were, an eating of everything, or, as it were, a going on to the end (or, to destruction). Such a one indeed would be likely to be born (again) as a strange being, (as one of whom there is) evil report, such as 'he has expelled an embryo from a woman,' 'he has committed a sin;' let him therefore not eat (the flesh) of the cow and the ox. Nevertheless Yâgñavalkya said, 'I, for one, eat it, provided that it is tender.'

Having brought water forward, he takes out (the material for) a cake on eleven potsherds for Agni and Vishnu; for Agni is all the deities, since it is in Agni that offering is made to all the deities. Moreover Agni is the lower half, and Vishnu is the upper half of the sacrifice: 'I will become consecrated after encompassing all the deities, after encompassing the entire sacrifice,' thus he thinks, and hence there is a cake on eleven potsherds for Agni and Vishnu.

Some then offer a rice-pap to the Âdityas. This is referred to (in the passage, Rig-veda X, 72, 8), 'There are eight sons of Aditi who were born from her body; with seven she went to the gods, but Mârtânda she cast off.'

Now Aditi had eight sons. But those that are called 'the gods, sons of Aditi,' were only seven, for the eighth, Mârtânda, she brought forth unformed: it was a mere lump of bodily matter, as broad as it was high. Some, however, say that he was of the size of a man.

The gods, sons of Aditi, then spake, 'That which was born after us must not be lost: come, let us fashion it.' They accordingly fashioned it as this man is fashioned. The flesh which was cut off him, and thrown down in a lump, became the elephant: hence they say that one must not accept an elephant (as a gift), since the elephant has sprung from man. Now he whom they thus fashioned was Vivasvat, the Âditya (or the sun); and of him (came) these creatures.

He spake, 'Among my offspring he shall be successful who shall offer that rice-pap to the Âdityas.' Accordingly he alone succeeds who offers that rice-pap to the Âdityas. Only that (cake) to Agni and Vishnu is, however, generally approved.

There are seventeen kindling-verses for it. In a low voice he offers to the two deities. There are five fore-offerings and three after-offerings. For the sake of completeness they perform the patnîsamyâgas; but he offers no samishtayagus, lest, having put on that garment of the consecrated, he should reach the end of the sacrifice before its completion; for the samishtayagus is the end of the sacrifice.

He (the sacrificer) then gets himself anointed (with fresh butter), while standing east of the hall. For, having been flayed, man is sore; and by getting himself anointed, he becomes healed of his soreness: for man's skin is on the cow, and that fresh butter also comes from the cow. He (the Adhvaryu) thus supplies him with his own skin, and for this reason he gets himself anointed.

It is fresh butter,--for melted butter (ghee) belongs to the gods, and creamy butter to men. Here, on the other hand, it is neither ghee nor creamy butter; it should rather be both ghee and creamy butter, for the sake of unimpaired vigour: by means of that which is of unimpaired vigour he accordingly makes him of unimpaired vigour.

He anoints him from the head down to the feet in accordance with the tendency of the hair, with the text (Vâg. S. IV, 3), 'Thou art the sap of the great ones.' The 'great ones,' doubtless, is one of the names of those cows, and their sap indeed it is: therefore he says, 'thou art the sap of the great ones.' 'Thou art life-giving: give me light!' There is nothing obscure in this.

Thereupon he anoints the eyes. 'Sore, indeed, is the eye of man; mine is sound,' so spake Yâgñavalkya. Dim-eyed, indeed, he was (heretofore); and the secretion of his eyes was matter. He now makes his eyes sound by anointing them.

Now, when the gods slew the Asura-Rakshas, Sushna, the Dânava, falling backward entered into the eyes of men: he is that pupil of the eye, and looks like a young lad. Against him he (the sacrificer), now that he enters on the sacrifice, raises a rampart of stone all round himself, for the ointment is (produced from) stone.

It is such as comes from mount Trikakud; for when Indra slew Vritra he transformed that eye of his (Vritra's) into the mount Trikakud. The reason, then, why (ointment) from mount Trikakud (is used), is that he thereby puts eye into eye. Should he be unable to obtain any Traikakuda ointment, any other than Traikakuda may be used; for one and the same, indeed, is the significance of the ointment.

He anoints (the eyes) with a reed-stalk, for the reed is a thunderbolt. It is one with a tuft, in order to chase away the evil spirits. For rootless, indeed, and unfettered on both sides, the Rakshas roams along the air; even as man here roams along the air, rootless and unfettered on both sides: the reason, then, why it is (a reed-stalk) with a tuft, is to chase away the evil spirits.

The right eye he anoints first; for in human practice the left (eye is anointed) first, but with the gods (it is done) thus.

He anoints it with the text, 'Thou art the eye-ball of Vritra,'--for Vritra's eye-ball it indeed is;--'Eye-giving thou art: give me the eye!' in this there is nothing obscure.

The right eye he anoints once with the sacrificial formula, once silently; and the left one he anoints once with the formula, twice silently: thus he makes the left (or upper) one superior.

And the reason why he anoints five times, is that the sacrifice is of equal measure with the year, and five seasons there are in the year: he thus obtains possession of the latter in five (divisions), and therefore he anoints five times.

He then purifies him with a cleanser (pavitra, strainer) of sacred grass; for impure, indeed, is man:--he is foul within in that he speaks untruth;--and sacred grass is pure: 'Having become pure, I shall be consecrated,' thus he thinks;--and the stalks of sacred grass are a means of cleansing,-- 'Having become cleansed, I shall be consecrated,' thus he thinks; and therefore he purifies him with a cleanser of sacred grass.

It may consist of one (stalk of grass); for that blower (or purifier, the Wind) is one only, and in accordance with his nature is this (cleanser): hence it may consist of one (stalk).

Or there may be three (stalks); for one, indeed, is that blower, but on entering into man he becomes threefold, to wit, the out-breathing, the in-breathing, and the through-breathing, and in accordance with his measure is this (cleanser): hence there may be three (stalks).

Or there may be seven (stalks); for there are seven vital airs of the head: hence there may be seven (stalks). There may even be thrice seven,--one and twenty: such indeed is perfection.

He purifies him with seven (stalks) each time, with the text (Vâg. S. IV, 4), 'May the Lord of thought purify me!' The lord of thought doubtless is Pragâpati: he thereby means to say, 'May Pragâpati purify me!' 'May the lord of speech purify me!' The lord of speech doubtless is Pragâpati: he thereby means to say, 'May Pragâpati purify me!' 'May the divine Savitri purify me,'--for well purified indeed is he whom the divine Savitri has purified; therefore he says, 'May the divine Savitri purify me!'--'with a flawless cleanser;' for that blower (the wind) is indeed a flawless cleanser: 'with that one,' he means to say; 'with the rays of the sun;' for they, the rays of the sun, are indeed purifiers; therefore he says, 'with the rays of the sun.'

'O Lord of the pavitra' (means of purification),--for he (who is consecrated) is indeed the lord of the pavitra,--'of thee, purified by the pavitra,--for he is indeed purified by the pavitra';--'with whatsoever desire I purify myself, may I be able to effect it!' whereby he says, 'May I reach the end of the sacrifice!'

He then makes him pronounce the beginning of the benedictions (Vâg. S. IV, 5), 'We approach you, O gods, for desirable goods, at the opening of the sacrifice; we call on you, O gods, for holy blessings.' Thereby the officiating priests invoke on him those blessings which are their own.

He (the sacrificer) then bends his fingers inwards, viz. the two (little fingers), with the text (Vâg. S. IV, 6), 'Hail, from the mind (I take hold of) the sacrifice!'--the two (nameless or ring fingers) with, 'Hail, from the wide ether!'--the two (middle fingers) with, 'Hail, from the sky and earth!'--with, 'Hail, from the wind, I take hold (of the sacrifice)!' he clenches both fists. Not visibly indeed is the sacrifice to be taken hold of, as is either this staff or the garment,--but invisible indeed are the gods, invisible is the sacrifice.

Now when he says, 'Hail, from the mind (I take hold of) the sacrifice,' he takes hold of it from the mind;--in saying, 'From the wide ether,' he takes hold of it from the ether;--in saying, 'From heaven and earth,' he takes hold of it from those two, heaven and earth, on which this entire universe rests;--and in saying, 'From the wind I take hold of (the sacrifice)'--the wind being the sacrifice--he takes hold of the sacrifice directly.

And when he calls, 'Hail! Hail!'--the 'Svâhâ' being the sacrifice--he thereby appropriates the sacrifice. Here now he restrains his speech; the sacrifice being speech: he thereby appropriates the sacrifice.

He (the Adhvaryu) then makes him enter the hall. He walks along the back of the Âhavanîya and the front of the Gârhapatya,--this is his passage until the Soma pressing. The reason why this is his passage until the Soma pressing is this. The fire is the womb of the sacrifice, and the consecrated is an embryo; and the embryo moves about within the womb. And since he (the sacrificer) moves about there (between the fires), and now turns round and now back, therefore these embryos move about, and now turn round and now back. Hence this is his passage till the Soma pressing.

All formulas of the consecration are audgrabhana (elevatory), since he who is consecrated elevates himself (ud-grabh) from this world to the world of the gods. He elevates himself by means of these same formulas, and therefore they say that all formulas of the consecration are 'audgrabhana.' Now they also (specially) designate these intermediate ones as 'audgrabhana,' because these are libations, and a libation is a sacrifice. For the muttering of a sacrificial formula is an occult (form of sacrifice), but a libation is a direct (form of) sacrifice: hence it is by this same sacrifice that he elevates himself from this world to the world of the gods.

And again, the three libations which he makes with the dipping-spoon (sruva) are said to be 'âdhîtayagus.' The fourth libation is made for the sake of completeness; while the fifth, which is made with the offering-spoon (sruk, viz. the guhû), is the real audgrabhana-libation: for he makes it with an anushtubh verse, and the anushtubh is speech, and the sacrifice also is speech.

By means of the sacrifice the gods obtained that supreme authority which they now wield. They spake, 'How may this (world) of ours be unattainable by men!' They then sipped the sap of the sacrifice, as bees would suck out honey; and having drained the sacrifice and effaced its traces by means of the sacrificial stake, they disappeared: and because they effaced (scattered, yopaya) therewith, therefore it is called yûpa (stake).

Now this was heard by the Rishis. They collected the sacrifice, just as this sacrifice is collected (prepared); for even so does he now collect the sacrifice, when he offers those (audgrabhana) libations.

He offers five libations, because the sacrifice is commensurate to the year, and there are five seasons in the year: thus he gains it (the year) in five (divisions), and therefore he makes five libations.

Now then of the oblation (Vâg. S. IV, 7): 'To the Purpose, to the Impulse, to Agni, hail!' At the outset he indeed purposes to sacrifice. What part of the sacrifice (is contained) in this (first libation), that he now collects and makes his own.

'To Wisdom, to Thought, to Agni, hail!' with wisdom and thought he indeed conceives that he may sacrifice. What part of the sacrifice (is contained) in this (second libation), that he now collects and makes his own.

'To Initiation, to Penance, to Agni, hail!' This is merely uttered, but no libation is made.

'To Sarasvatî, to Pûshan, to Agni, hail!' Now Sarasvatî is speech, and the sacrifice also is speech. And Pûshan represents cattle, because Pûshan means prosperity (pushti), and cattle also means prosperity, since the sacrifice means cattle. What part of the sacrifice (is contained) in this (third libation), that he now collects and makes his own.

As to this they say, 'These (three) libations are offered indefinitely; they are unestablished, without a god: therein is neither Indra, nor Soma, nor Agni.'

'To the Purpose, to the Impulse, to Agni, hail!'--not any one (god we obtain) from this! But Agni surely is definite, Agni is established: when he offers in Agni (the fire), surely those (libations) are thereby made definite, are thereby established: for this reason he offers at all libations with, 'To Agni, hail!' Moreover, these libations are called 'âdhîtayagûmshi.'

'To the Purpose, to the Impulse, to Agni, hail!' he says; for by his own mind he purposes to sacrifice, and from his own mind he impels it (the sacrifice) when he performs it: these two deities the Purpose and the Impulse--are meditated upon (âdhîta) in his mind.

'To Wisdom, to Thought, to Agni, hail!' he says; for with wisdom and thought he indeed conceives that he may sacrifice: these two deities-- Wisdom and Thought--are meditated upon in his mind.

'To Sarasvatî, to Pûshan, to Agni, hail!' he says; for Sarasvatî is speech, and the sacrifice also is speech: this deity--Speech--is meditated upon in his mind. Pûshan, on the other hand, means cattle, for Pûshan means prosperity (pushti), and cattle means prosperity, since the sacrifice means cattle: hence cattle-are meditated upon in his mind. And because these deities are meditated upon (â-dhîta) in his mind, therefore (these libations) are called âdhîtayagûmshi.

He then offers the fourth libation, with the text, 'Ye divine, vast, all-soothing Waters! Heaven and Earth, wide Ether! let us render homage unto Brihaspati with offering, hail!' This (libation) truly is nearer to the sacrifice, since he praises the waters, and water is sacrifice. 'Heaven and Earth! wide Ether!' he says, because he thereby praises the worlds. 'Let us render homage unto Brihaspati, with offering, hail!' he says; for Brihaspati is the Brahman, and the sacrifice also is the Brahman: for this reason also this (libation) is nearer to the sacrifice.

But the fifth libation which he makes with the offering-spoon (sruk), doubtless is the veritable sacrifice; for he offers it with an anushtubh (verse), and the anushtubh is speech and so is the sacrifice.

In the first place he pours the butter, which remains in the dhruvâ, into the guhû. He then ladles with the sruva three times butter from the melting-pot into the guhû: with what he takes the third time he fills the sruva.

He offers, with the text (Vâg. S. IV, 8; Rig-veda V, 50, I), 'May every mortal espouse the friendship of the divine guide! every one prayeth for wealth: let him choose glory, that he may prosper, hail!'

Now this (verse and libation) consists of five parts in respect of deities: 'visvo devasya' refers to the Visve Devâh; 'netur' to Savitri; 'marto vurîta' to Mitra; 'dyumnam vrinîta' to Brihaspati, since Brihaspati means dyumna (glory); and 'pushyase' (for prospering) refers to Pûshan.

This (libation), then, consists of five parts, in respect of deities;--fivefold is the sacrifice, fivefold the animal victim, and five seasons there are in the year: the latter he accordingly gains by this (libation) consisting of five parts in respect of deities.

He offers this libation with an anushtubh verse, because the anushtubh is speech, and the sacrifice is speech; so that he thereby obtains the real sacrifice.

As to this they say, 'Let him offer only this one: for whatever object the others are offered, that object he gains even by this one.' And, indeed, if he offers only this one, he would offer a full-offering; and the full means everything: hence he gains everything by this (oblation). And by filling the dipping-spoon (sruva), he fills the offering-spoon (guhû), and the latter he offers full. This, however, is a mere statement (of others’ views), but all (five) libations are offered.

He offers this one with an anushtubh verse. Being an anushtubh verse, it consists of thirty-one syllables. Now there are ten fingers, ten toes, ten vital airs, and the thirty-first is the body wherein those vital airs are contained; for this much constitutes man, and the sacrifice is a man, the sacrifice is of the same proportion as a man. Thus, whatever the extent of the sacrifice, whatever its measure, to that extent he takes possession of it by means of this (libation), when he offers it with an anushtubh verse of thirty-one syllables.