The Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads v1.c13.s2.27

v1.c13.s2.27

The horse appears also as representative of Agni in the ceremony of kindling the fire from the firesticks,⁴ a task of considerable trouble: during its performance, a horse, preferably white, but, if not, then red with black knees, looks on to encourage the advent of the flame: when the fire is kindled, a horse precedes it eastwards, and in its footsteps is the fire deposited. At a certain point in the rite the priest speaks in the horse's ear, asking it to bring forth that essence of Agni's nature, which is latent in cattle. In this case also the goat may play a part: the goat is often connected closely with Agni, and may be used to watch the production of the fire in the place of the horse. Or, if it is found impossible to produce the fire from the sticks, it is permissible to make an offering in the ear of a goat: then the offerer must refrain from goat flesh: or he may offer on Darbha grass, and then must not sit down upon it. The sense is clear: the holy nature of the goat or the grass prevents its being treated in the normal way. The goat, however, is not merely connected with Agni. As we have seen above, it is at least probable that the goat was used in the horse sacrifice and in the burial rite as a fetish of Pūṣan, the lord of the ways. The cow also could serve as a fetish, and in the ritual be hailed as Iḍā and as Aditi: in the Yajurveda the cow which is given in payment for the Soma is addressed as Aditi.