(6) A rain-cloud, verily, is a sacrificial fire, O Gautama. The year, in truth, is its fuel; the thunder-clouds, the smoke; the lightning, the flame, the thunder-bolts, the coals; the hail-stones, the sparks. In this fire the gods offer King Soma. From this oblation rain arises.

(2) Gargya said: ' The Person who is yonder in the moon — him, indeed, I worship as Brahma I ' Ajatasatru said. ' Talk not to me about him! I worship him as the great, white-robed king Soma. He who worships him as such, for him soma is pressed out and continually pressed out day by day. His food does not fail.'

(5) From him comes Agni (fire), the sun being the fuel; from the moon (Soma) comes rain (Parganya); from the earth herbs; and man gives seed unto the woman. Thus many beings are begotten from the Person (purusha).

(6) c Yonder world, verily, is a sacrificial fire, O Gautama. The sun, in truth, is its fuel; the light-rays, the smoke; the day, the flame; the quarters of heaven, the coals; the inter- mediate quarters, the sparks. In this fire the gods offer faith (smddha). From this oblation King Soma arises.

(6) 'To Agni (fire), hail! '—he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. ' To Soma, hail! '— he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. c O Earth (bhur\ hail! '—he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. c O Atmosphere (bkuvas\ hail! '— he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. ' O Sky (svar), hail! '— he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. fO Earth, Atmosphere and Sky, hail! '—he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. ' To the Kshatrahood, hail! '— he makes an oblatioa in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. ' To everything, hail! ' — he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. c To the All, hail! ' — he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. pours off the remainder in the mixed potion.

(6) From him come the Rik, the Sâman, the Yagush, the Dîkshâ (initiatory rites), all sacrifices and offerings of animals, and the fees bestowed on priests, the year too, the sacrificer, and the worlds, in which the moon shines brightly and the sun.

(6) Whoever may wish, ( I would attain something great! — in the northern course of the sun, on an auspicious day of the 1 M % half month of the waxing moon, having performed the Upasad ceremony for twelve days, having collected in a dish of the wood of the sacied fig-tree (udambara\ or in a cup, all sorts of herbs including fruits, having swept around, having smeared around, having built up a fire, having strewn it around, having prepared the melted butter according to rule, having com- pounded the mixed potion under a male star, he makes an oblation, saying: — ' However many gods in thee, All-knower, Adversely slay desires of a person, To them participation I here offer! Let them, pleased, please me with all desires! Hail! Whoever lays herself adverse, And says, "I the deposer am!" To thee, O such appeasing one, With stream of ghee I sacrifice. Hail! ' a. ( To the chiefest, hail! To the best, hail! ' — he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. A Hail to breath (prana) \ ' To the most excellent, hail! ' — he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. A Hail to speech! £ To the firm basis, hail!' — he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. A Hail to the eye! 'To attainment, hail!'— he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. A Hail to the ear! ' To the abode, hail! ' — he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. A Hail to the mind! -where some of the same directions occur. Another parallel passage is Chand.

(9) The knowers of the Vedas, the drinkers of Soma, purified of sins, worshipping Me by sacrifices, pray for the way to Heaven. They having attained the world of Indra, enjoy the heavenly pleasures of the Devas.

(5) If a man performs his sacred works when these flames are shining, and the oblations follow at the right time, then they lead him as sun-rays to where the one Lord of the Devas dwells.

(6) Come hither, come hither! the brilliant oblations say to him, and carry the sacrificer on the rays of the sun, while they utter pleasant speech and praise him, saying: 'This is thy holy Brahma-world (Svarga), gained by thy good works.'

(6) This world, verily, is a sacrificial fire, 0 Gautama. The earth, in truth, is its fuel; fire, the smoke; night, the flame; the moon, the coals; the stars, the sparks. In this fire the gods offer rain. From this oblation food arises.

(6) Then he takes a sip, saying: — 'On this desired [glory] of Savitri — 'Tis sweetness, winds for pious man — "Tis sweetness, too, the streams pour forth. Sweet-filled for us let be the herbs' To Earth (b/iur), hail! [On this desired] glory of the god let us meditate. Sweet be the night and morning glows! Sweet be the atmosphere of earth ' And sweet th' Heaven-father (dyaus pita) be to us! To Atmosphere (bhuvas), hail! And may he himself inspire our thoughts' 6 The tree be full of sweet for us! And let the sun be full of sweet! Sweet-filled the cows become for us 1 7 To the Sky (svar\ hail! ' He repeats all the Savitri Hymn and all the « Sweet-verses/ and says: 'May I indeed become this world -all! O Earth (bhnr) and Atmosphere (bhuvas) and Sky (svar) \ Hail!' Finally, having taken a sip, having washed his hands, he lies down behind the fire, head eastward. In the morning he worships the sun, and says: c Of the quarters of heaven thou art the one lotus-flower! s May I of men become the one lotus-flower! ' s bear some lesemblance to the phrase which involves a play on words m the corresponding passage in Chand. 5. 2. 6, amo ndmd 'si ama hi te sarvam zdam, c Thou art He (ama) by name, for this whole world is at home (ama) m thee.' 8 A symbolic expression for ' pre-eminent.' Then he goes back the same way that he came, and, seated behind the fire, mutters the Line of Tradition (vamsa)* 7- This, indeed, did Uddalaka Arurn tell to his pupil Vaja- saneya Yajnavalkya, and say: « Even if one should pour this on a dry stump, branches would be produced and leaves would spring forth.

(3) Nourished by sacrifice, the Gods, give you desirable enjoyments. He who enjoys objects given by the Gods without offering them is verily a thief.