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1. THE sacrifice drawn out
with threads on every side, stretched by a hundred sacred ministers and one, -
This do these Fathers weave who hitherward are
come: they sit beside the warp and cry, Weave forth, weave back.
2 The Man extends it and the
Man unbinds it: even to this vault of heaven hath he outspun, it.
These pegs are fastened to the seat of worship:
they made the Sama-hymns their weaving shuttles.
3 What were the rule, the
order and the model? What were the wooden fender and the butter?
What were the hymn, the chant, the recitation,
when to the God all Deities paid worship?
4 Closely was Gayatri
conjoined with Agni, and closely Savitar combined with Usnih.
Brilliant with Ukthas, Soma joined Anustup:
Brhaspati's voice by Brhati was aided.
5 Viraj adhered to Varuna and Mitra:
here Tristup day by day was Indra's portion.
Jagati entered all the Gods together: so by
this knowledge men were raised to Rsis.
6 So by this knowledge men
were raised to Rsis, when ancient sacrifice sprang up, our Fathers.
With the mind's eye I think that I behold them
who first performed this sacrificial worship.
7 They who were versed in
ritual and metre, in hymns and rules, were the Seven Godlike Rsis.
Viewing the path of those of old, the sages
have taken up the reins like chariot-drivers.
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