Vedic Mythology c5.s3.t2.5

c5.s3.t2.5

Wood (2, 7⁶) or ghee (7, 3¹) is his food, melted butter is his beverage (2, 7⁶; 10, 69²). He is nourished by ghee poured into his mouth (3, 21¹; 5, 11³ &c.) and is an eater of oil (AV. 1, 7²). He eats and chews the forests with sharp tooth (1, 143⁵) or eats and blackens them with his tongue (6, 60¹⁰; 10, 79²). He is all-devouring (8, 44²⁶). He is nourished three times a day (4, 12¹, cp. 1, 140²; 7, 11³). He is sometimes spoken of as the mouth and the tongue by which the gods eat the sacrifice (2, 1¹³˙ ¹⁴); and his flames are spoons with which he besprinkles or honours the gods (1, 76⁵; 10, 6⁴). But he is more frequently asked to eat the offerings himself (3, 21¹⁻⁴. 28¹⁻⁶). With upright, god-ward form he strives after the ghee that is offered (1, 127¹). Though the regular offering to him is fuel or butter³, he is sometimes, and then nearly always with other gods, invited to drink the Soma juice (1, 14¹⁰.