Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ("of a hundred paths") 7.1.1

Being about to build the Gârhapatya (fire-place), he sweeps (its site) with a Palâsa (butea frondosa) branch. For when he builds the Gârhapatya he settles on that place; and whatsoever builders of fire-altars (there have been), they are indeed settled on this earth; and when he sweeps (that place) he thereby sweeps away those settled (there before hire), thinking, 'Lest I should settle on those already settled (here).'

[He sweeps, with Vâg. S. XII, 45] 'Off with you! away with you! crawl away from here!'--that is, 'Go off, go away, and crawl away from here!' he says this to those that crawl on their belly;--'Ye that are here of old and of late!' that is, 'both ye who were here of yore, and ye of the present day.'

'Yama hath given the settlement on earth (to this Sacrificer);'--for Yama indeed rules over the settling on this earth, and it is he who grants to this (Sacrificer) a settlement on this earth.

'The Fathers have prepared this place for him!' for Yama is the Kshatra (nobility, or ruling power), and the Fathers (deceased ancestors) are the clansmen; and to whomsoever the chief (kshatriya), with the approval of the clan, grants a settlement, that (settlement) is properly given: and in like manner does Yama, the ruling power, with the consent of the Fathers, the clan, now grant to this (Sacrificer) a settlement on this earth.

With a palâsa branch he sweeps; for the Palâsa tree is the Brahman: it is by the Brahman he thus sweeps away those already settled;--with a prayer (he does so), for the prayer is the Brahman: it is by the Brahman he thus sweeps away those already settled. He throws it (the branch) out towards the north.

He then scatters saline soil (over the hearth-site); for the Gârhapatya is this world, and salt means cattle: he thus bestows cattle on this world,--hence those cattle here in this world.

And again why he scatters saline soil. Pragâpati created creatures; he created them with different kinds of amnions: they did not agree together. He desired, 'May they agree together!' He made them to be of the same (kind of) amnion: hence even to this day, being of equal amnions, they agree together. And he who offers, offers thinking, 'May I be (born) with the same (kind of) amnion as the gods!' and when he scatters saline salt (in the hearth-site) he thereby becomes of equal amnion with the gods.

[He does so, with Vâg. S. XII, 46] 'Concord thou art!' for thereby they agreed together;--'fulfilment of desire;' for salt is cattle, and fulfilment of desire means cattle;--'In me may there be the fulfilment of thy desire!' that is, 'May there be on me cattle for thee!'--He covers with it the whole (circular) Gârhapatya; for the Gârhapatya altar is the womb, and the saline soil is the amnion: he thus covers the whole womb with the amnion.

He then scatters sand to keep (the saline soil, or amnion) from being scorched;--for sand is nothing else than the ashes of Agni Vaisvânara, and him, Agni Vaisvânara, he is indeed about to build up; and Agni does not scorch his own self.

And again why he scatters sand,--sand is nothing else than the seed of Agni Vaisvânara, and him, Agni Vaisvânara, he is about to build up; but nothing is fashioned from out of the seedless: 'May he (Agni) be fashioned from out of this seed!' so he thinks.

[He scatters it, with Vâg. S. XII, 46] 'Agni's ashes thou art! Agni's soil thou art!' for Agni's ashes are useless, and the sand is not useless: he thus makes it (the Gârhapatya hearth) to be useful. He covers with it the whole Gârhapatya; for the Gârhapatya altar is the womb, and the sand is seed: he thus fills the whole womb with seed.

He then encloses it with enclosing-stones; for the enclosing-stones are the womb: he thus encloses the seed here cast in the womb; and hence the seed which is cast is enclosed in the womb.

And, again, why he encloses it with enclosing-stones;--the Gârhapatya hearth is this (terrestrial) world, and the enclosing-stones are the waters: he thus surrounds this world with water,--it is with the ocean that he thus surrounds it on all sides, and hence the ocean flows round this world on all sides. (He puts up the stones) by turning to the right (or south), whence the ocean flows round this world (from the east) southwards;--by means of a dug out (hole, or moat), whence the ocean flows round this world in a moat.

[Vâg. S. XII, 46] 'Ranging ye are!' for he does range them;--'ranging around ye are!' for he does range them all round;--'upwards ranging get ye fixed!' thus he says, placing them upright: hence the ocean surges upwards; but were he to place them sideways, the ocean surely would all at once overflow all this (earth). He does not settle them, for unsettled are the waters; nor does he pronounce the Sûdadohas (verse) on them.

For the enclosing-stones are the bones, and the Sûdadohas is the breath; and there is no breath in the bones. With one and the same formula he lays down many bricks, for of one and the same form are the waters; and as to there being many enclosing-stones, it is because there are many waters.

The enclosing-stones, then, are the womb; the saline earth is the amnion, and the sand is the seed. The enclosing-stones are outside, and the saline earth is inside; for the womb is outside, and the amnion inside. The saline earth is outside, and the sand inside; for the amnion is outside, and the seed inside. He who is born is born from these: it is from them that he thus causes him (Agni) to be born.

Thereon he now builds it (the hearth): he
GÂRHAPATYA HEARTH. thereby fashions that infused seed; and hence the infused seed is fashioned in the womb.

He puts on (the circular site) four (bricks) running eastwards; two behind running crosswise (from south to north), and two (such) in front. Now the four which he puts on running eastwards are the body; and as to there being four of these, it is because this body (of ours) consists, of four parts. The two at the back then are the thighs; and the two in front the arms; and where the body is that (includes) the head.

Now he here fashions him (Agni) with wings and tail; for whatlike the seed is fashioned in the womb suchlike (offspring) is born: thus inasmuch as he now fashions him with wings and tail, he is born hereafter with wings and tail.

While being indeed furnished with wings and tail, people do not see him as one having wings and tail: hence one does not see the child in the womb in its proper shape; but hereafter they (will) see him as one having wings and tail, and hence one sees the child after it is born in its proper shape.

Four (bricks) he puts on first, for of him that is being produced it is the body (trunk) that is produced first. Sitting south (of the hearth-site) with his face to the north he puts on first one (brick) of the upper (north) part (of the trunk); and in this manner that Agni of his comes to be built up towards (or for the Sacrificer) himself.

[He puts it on, with Vâg. S. XII, 47; Rik S. III, 22, 1, &c.] 'This is the Agni wherein Indra taketh the Soma-juice,' for the Gârhapatya hearth is this (terrestrial) world, and the Soma-juice is the waters: Indra thus took up the waters in this world;--'into his belly, craving it,'--for the belly is the centre;--'thousandfold strength, like a swift racer,'--the thousandfold strength, doubtless, is the waters,--'thou, having gained, art exalted, O knower of beings!' that is, 'thou, being built, art built, O knower of beings!'

[The second brick, with Vâg. S. XII, 48] 'O Agni, what splendour is thine in the heaven,'--his splendour in the heaven doubtless is the sun;--'on earth,' that on earth is this fire;--'and that which is in the plants, in the waters, O holy one!' he thereby means the fire that is both in the plants, and in the waters;--'wherewith thou hast overspread the wide air,'--that is, the wind;--'brilliant is that light, surging, man-viewing;' that is, 'great is that light, surging, man-viewing.'

[The third, with Vâg. S. XII, 49] 'O Agni, thou goest up to the flood of the heaven;' the flood of that heaven doubtless is the waters (of the atmosphere): to them he goes by his smoke;--'hither callest thou the divine inspirers,'--the divine inspirers doubtless are the vital airs, for these inspire all thoughts;--'the waters approach (thee), they that are beyond the luminous sphere of the sun, and they that are below here;'--the luminous sphere doubtless is that world yonder where that (sun) is burning: he thereby means both the waters which are beyond, and those which are below that (sun).

[The fourth one, with Vâg. S. XII, 50] 'The Agnis Purîshyas,'--that is, the Agnis favourable to cattle; 'together with those of the streams (prâvana);' this is a form of starting (prâyana), for the Gârhapatya is indeed a starting of the fire;--'may they, benevolent, accept the sacrifice, the copious, salutary draughts!' that is, 'may they benevolently accept the sacrifice, the copious, innocuous draughts!'

He puts them down separately: what different desires there are, those he thereby lays into the self. He 'settles' them once: he thereby makes the self one. He pronounces the Sûdadohas verse on them; for the Sûdadohas is the vital air: by means of the vital air he thus makes him (Agni) continuous, joins him together.

Thereupon going round behind, he sits down on the north side with his face to the south, and puts on first the southern one of the two behind, with (Vâg. S. XII, 51), 'Potent nourishment, O Agni, the possession of kine,'--nourishment means cattle: he thus invokes for him the blessing of cattle;--'Grant thou perpetually unto him that calleth!'--he that calls doubtless is the Sacrificer; 'May there be to us a son, the perpetuator of the race,'--a son means offspring;--'let that, O Agni, be thy good-will unto us!' he therewith invokes a blessing.

Then the northern one, with (Vâg. S. XII, 52; Rik S. III, 29, 10), 'This is thy natural womb, whence born thou shonest forth,'--that is, 'this (householder's hearth) is thy primeval, perennial womb (birth-place), whence born thou wert enkindled;'--'knowing it, ascend, O Agni, and increase our substance!' as the text, so its meaning.

These two are his (Agni's) thighs,--separately he puts them on, separately he 'settles' them, separately he pronounces the Sûdadohas verse upon them, for separate are these two thighs. There are two of them, for there are two thighs. Behind he puts them on, for behind are those thighs. At their upper ends they are joined (to the central ones), for so are these thighs joined (to the body) at their upper ends.

Thereupon, going round again by the same way, he sits down on the south side, with his face to the north, and puts on first the northern one of the two (bricks) in front, with (Vâg. S. XII, 53), 'Ranging thou art: by that deity, Aṅgiras-like, lie thou steady!' Then the southern one, with, 'Ranging round thou art: by that deity, Aṅgiras-like, lie thou steady'!'

These two are his (Agni's) arms,--separately he puts them on, separately he 'settles' them, separately he pronounces the Sûdadohas verse on them; for separate are these two arms. There are two of them, for there are two arms. He puts them on in the forepart, for these arms are here in front. At their upper ends they are joined (to the central ones), for so are these two arms joined (to the body) at the upper ends. Those two (arms) he puts on thus (from north to south), and those two (thighs) thus (from south to north): that is (from east to) southward, for thus it is with the gods.

Eight bricks he puts on (the hearth-site),the Gâyatrî consists of eight syllables, and Agni is Gâyatra: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, so great he thus builds him. Five times he 'settles' (the bricks)--the fire-altar consists of five layers; five seasons are a year, and Agni is the year: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, so great he thus builds him. Eight bricks he 'settles' five times, that makes thirteen,--thirteen months are a year, and there are thirteen layers of earth in the fire-altar: as great as Agni is, as great.as is his measure, so great does this become.

He then puts on a space-filling one: the significance of that one (will be explained) further on. Three there are in front,--threefold is Agni: as great as Agni is, as great as is his measure, so great he thus builds him;--and ten those that follow,--the significance of these (will be explained) further on. Or first two, then ten, and then one, for in this way they build up the pile,--these amount to thirteen: the significance of this has been told.

Both these kinds (of bricks) amount to twenty-one;--there are twelve months, five seasons, these three worlds, and yonder sun as the twenty-first: that sun he thus establishes in this fire-altar.

Moreover, there are twenty-one enclosing-stones,--twelve months, five seasons, these three worlds, and that Agni from yonder (sun) as the twenty-first: this Agni he thus establishes in yonder sun. And inasmuch as he puts on those (bricks) in this way, he thereby establishes those two (the sun and the fire) in each other, and (accordingly) those two are established in each other; for both of them he now makes out to be the twenty-first, and both of them are then here, as the Âhavanîya and the Gârhapatya.

He then throws thereon a layer of earth,--the significance of this (will be told) further on. He takes it from the edge of the pit (Kâtvâla); for the Kâtvâla is the same as Agni, and in this way does that which is of Agni's nature become his. It (the Gârhapatya altar) should be even with the mouth (of the fire-pan): the significance of this has been told.

It (the Gârhapatya hearth) measures a fathom (in diameter), for man is a fathom high, and man is Pragâpati (the lord of generation), and Pragâpati is Agni: he thus makes the womb of equal size to his (Agni's) body. It is circular, for the womb is circular; and moreover the Gârhapatya is this (terrestrial) world, and this world doubtless is circular.

He then pours those two (fires) together,--he thereby establishes concord between them--with (Vâg. S. XII, 57-60), 'Unite ye two, and get ye on together, loving, radiant, well-disposed, dwelling together for food and drink!--Together have I brought your minds, together your rites, together your thoughts: O Agni Purîshya, be thou the overlord, and bestow thou food and drink upon our Sacrificer!--O Agni, thou art the Purîshya, wealthy, prosperous: having made happy all the regions, seat thee here in thine own seat!--Be ye two unto us of one mind, of one thought, without guile! Injure ye not the sacrifice, nor the lord of the sacrifice, and be ye propitious unto us this day, ye knowers of beings!' He therewith pacifies them for (mutual) safety, so that they shall do no injury to one another.

With four (verses) he pours them together,--he thereby establishes concord between them by whatever four-footed cattle there are; and cattle being food, it is by means of food that he establishes concord between them.

Let him not look at that (pan) while empty: 'I must not look at the empty one!' so he thinks. Were he to look at the empty (pan), it would certainly devour him.

He then pours sand into it, for sand (sikatâ) is the seed of Agni Vaisvânara: he thus pours (sic) Agni Vaisvânara as seed into it. It should be even with the brim: the significance of this has been explained.

He then unlooses it, to keep it from chafing; for if that which is yoked is not unloosed it is chafed. Now when yoked there, it (the fire-pan) bore this Agni within it as seed, and him it has now brought forth. It now conceives a second time; for the 'Ukhâ' is a female, and hence when a female has brought forth the seed the first time, it conceives a second time.

[He unlooses it from the netting, with Vâg. S. XII, 61] 'Even as a mother her son, so hath the Earth borne Agni Purîshya,'--that is, Agni, favourable to cattle;--'she, the Ukhâ, in her own womb;' that is, the Ukhâ has borne Agni in her own womb;--'May Pragâpati, the all-former, release her, in concert with the All-gods, the seasons!' the All-gods doubtless are the seasons: thus Pragâpati, the all-former, releases it, in concert with the All-gods, the seasons. He deposits it north of the fire, at a cubit's distance: the significance of this has been explained.

He then pours milk into it,--it first receives seed, and now it receives milk; for the fire-pan is a female: hence when a female receives seed, then it receives milk. The sand is below, and the milk above, for the seed is below, and the milk above. He pours it into the middle, so that thereon he may place the human head.