Shatapatha Brahmana 8.7.1

He lays down two Ritavyâ (seasonal bricks). The seasonal (bricks) are the same as these seasons: it is the seasons he thereby lays down. And, indeed, the seasonal ones are everything here, for the seasonal ones are the year, and the year is everything here: he thus lays down everything here. And generative power they also are,--for the seasonal ones are the year, and the year means generative power: it is generative power he thus lays down (or bestows on Agni and the Sacrificer).

And, again, as to why he lays down seasonal (bricks),--the seasonal (ones) are the nobility and these other bricks are the peasantry: he thus places the nobility as the eater among the peasantry. He lays down (some of) them in all the layers: he thus places the nobility as the eater among the whole people.

And, again, as to why he lays down seasonal (bricks),--this fire-altar is the year, and it is joined together by means of the seasonal (bricks): he thus makes the year continuous, and joins it together, by means of the seasons. These (formulas of the seasonal bricks) begin in a different way, but end in the same way; for the seasons were created, and, when created, they were different.

They spake, 'While being thus, we shall not be able to procreate: let us unite with our forms!' They united in each single season with their forms, whence there is in each single season the form of all the seasons. As to their (formulas) beginning in a different way, it is because they were created different (or separately); and as to their ending in the same way, it is because they united with their forms.

He lays them down, with (Vâg. S. XV, 57), 'Tapa and Tapasya, the two dewy seasons,'--these are the names of these two: it is thus by their names that he lays them down. Tapa (the burner), doubtless, is yonder sun: from him these two seasons are not separated; and inasmuch as these two seasons are not separated from him, they are called Tapa and Tapasya.

'Agni's coupling-link thou art,'--this fire-altar is the year, and it is joined together by means of the seasonal (bricks): he thus makes the year continuous, and joins it together by means of the seasons;--'May Heaven and earth fit into one another! may the waters and plants fit into each other!'--he thereby makes everything here to fit in by means of the seasons:--'May the fires fit into one another, each singly, working harmoniously together for my supremacy!'--for these single bricks are the same as those fires: he thus says this so that they may fit in with each other for the supremacy of those two seasons:--'whatever fires there are, at one with each other, within these two, Heaven and Earth;'--as the text is, so is its meaning;--'let them draw together, fitting in with the two dewy seasons, even as the gods draw together unto Indra;'--that is, 'even as the gods are drawing together round Indra, so may they draw together for supremacy round these two seasons.' Two bricks there are, because the season consists of two months. Only once he 'settles' them: he thereby makes the season to be one.

And as to why he now lays down these two;--this fire-altar is the year, and the year is these worlds: the fifth layer of this (altar) is the sky, and the dewy season of this (year) is the sky; and when he now lays down these two (bricks), he thereby restores to his (Agni's) body what these two are thereto: this is why he now lays down these two (bricks).

And, again, as to why he now lays down these two;--this Agni (the fire-altar) is Pragâpati (the lord of generation), and Pragâpati is the year: the fifth layer is his (Agni's) head, and the dewy season is its (the year's) head; and when he now lays down these two (bricks), he thereby restores to his (or its) body what these two are thereto: this is why he now lays down these two (bricks).

He lays down the two seasonal ones prior to the naturally-perforated one and to the Visvagyotis; for the last naturally-perforated one is the sky, and the last Visvagyotis (all-light brick) is the sun: he thus places the seasons on this side of the sky and the sun; whence the seasons are on this side thereof. But generative power there also is (in these seasonal bricks): he thus places generative power on this side of the sky and the sun; whence procreation takes place only on this side of them, but stationary, indeed, is procreation beyond them, for just as many gods as there were of old, so many there are now.

Now, the (first) two seasonal (bricks) he lays down subsequently to the first naturally-perforated one, and to the first Visvagyotis; for the first naturally-perforated one is this (earth), and the first Visvagyotis is Agni: thereupon he places the seasons, whence the seasons are upwards from this (earth). But generative power there also is therein: he thus places generative power above this (earth); whence procreation only takes place above (upon, not under) this (earth).

Let him not derange these (seasonal bricks) lest he should derange the seasons, for deranged are the seasons for him who dies: hence, in whatever place he lays down the first two, there let him lay down all.

But the seasonal (bricks), indeed, are also these (three) worlds: by the (different) layers he thus builds up these worlds one above the other. And the seasonal (bricks), indeed, are also the nobility: by the (different) layers he thus builds up the nobility above (the peasantry). And the seasonal ones, indeed, are also the year: by the (different) layers he thus builds up the year. Let him not thereafter place over them any other brick with a sacrificial formula, lest he should place the peasantry above the nobility.

Now these same (bricks) are indeed steppingstones, for by means of the seasonal (bricks) the gods then stepped over these worlds, hath from hence upwards and from above downwards: and in like manner does the Sacrificer now, by means of the seasonal (bricks), step over these worlds, both from hence upwards and from above downwards.

Now, the Karakâdhvaryus lay down here yet other 'stepping-stones'; but let him not do so, for they do what is redundant, and these are indeed (all) the stepping-stones.

He then lays down a Visvagyotis (all-light brick);--the last Visvagyotis, doubtless, is the sun, for in yonder (celestial) world the sun, indeed, is 'all the light': it is the sun he thereby sets up.

And, again, as to why he lays down a Visvagyotis:--the Visvagyotis, doubtless, means progeny, for progeny indeed is all the light:--he thus lays generative power into it (or into him, Agni and the Sacrificer).

He lays down the Visvagyotis prior to the naturally-perforated one;--for the last naturally-perforated one is the sky, and the last Visvagyotis is the sun: he thus places the sun on this side (below) the sky, whence he burns only on this side thereof. But there also is generative power therein: he thus places generative power on this side of the sky, whence procreation takes place only on this side thereof.

Now the (first) Visvagyotis he lays down subsequent to the first naturally-perforated one; for the first naturally-perforated one is this (earth), and the first Visvagyotis is Agni: he thus sets up Agni upwards from this (earth), whence the fire blazes upwards from here. But there also is generative power therein: he thus places generative power above this (earth), whence procreation only takes place above this (earth).

And the (second) Visvagyotis he lays down subsequent to the second naturally-perforated one (in the third, or central) layer; for the second naturally-perforated one is the air, and the second Visvagyotis is Vâyu (the wind): he thus places the wind in the air, whence that wind (has his abode) in the air.

These (three) then are the lights;--and when he lays down these (three Visvagyotis bricks) in this way, he thereby sets up those same lights so as to face each other; and hence the fire blazes upwards from this (earth), and yonder sun shines downwards, and that wind blows sideways in the air.

[He 'settles' the Visvagyotis, with, Vâg. S. XV, 58], 'May Parameshthin settle thee'--for Parameshthin saw this fifth layer;--'on the back of the sky, thee, the luminous one!'--for on the back of the sky is yonder luminous sun.

'For all out-breathing, and off-breathing, and through-breathing,'--for the Visvagyotis is the breath, and breath, indeed, is (necessary) for everything here;--'bestow thou all the light!'--that is, 'bestow thou the whole (or every) light;'--'Sûrya is thine overlord,'--he thereby makes Sûrya (the sun) its overlord. Having 'settled' it, he pronounces the Sûdadohas on it: its (symbolical) meaning has been told.

Now, these (bricks) are indeed stepping-stones, for by means of the Visvagyotis (bricks) the gods then stepped over these worlds, both from hence upwards, and from above downwards: and in like manner does the Sacrificer now, by means of the Visvagyotis, step over these worlds, both from hence upwards, and from above downwards.

Now, the Karakâdhvaryus lay down here yet other 'stepping-stones'; but let him not do so, for they do what is redundant, and these are indeed the stepping-stones.