v. 2. 3.

Yama holds the overlordship of the whole extent of earth; he who without asking from Yama a place of it for divine sacrifice piles up the fire is piling it for Yama. 'Go hence', (with these words) he makes him fix (on the place); verily having asked from Yama a place of it for divine sacrifice, he piles the fire for himself. Seeking they could not find so much as an arrow point of it which was not covered with death; the gods saw this Yajus, 'Go hence'; in that he makes him fix with this [1], he piles the fire on a place freed from death. He throws up (the earth); verily he smites away any impurity in it; he sprinkles water on, for atonement. He puts down sand; that is the form of Agni Vaiçvanara; verily by his form he wins Vaiçvanara. He puts down salt; salt is the nourishment and the propagating; verily he piles the fire in nourishment, in propagation, and also in concord; for the salt is the concord [2] of cattle. Sky and earth were together; separating they said, 'Let us share together what is worthy of sacrifice'. What of yonder (sky) was worthy of sacrifice, it placed in this (earth), that became salt; what of this (earth) was worthy of sacrifice, it placed in yonder (sky) and that is yonder black in the moon; when he puts down the salt he should think of yonder (black); verily he piles the fire in that of sky and earth which is worthy of sacrifice. 'This is that Agni' is Viçvamitra's [3] hymn; by that Viçvamitra won the abode dear to Agni; verily by it he wins the abode dear to Agni. By the metres the gods went to the world of heaven; he places four (bricks) pointing east the metres are four; verily by the metres the sacrificer goes to the world of heaven. As they went to the world of heaven, the quarters were confused; they put down two in front, facing the same way, and two [4] behind, facing the same way; by them they made firm the quarters. In that he places two in front, facing the same way, and two behind, facing the same way, (it serves) to make firm the quarters; again, the metres are cattle; verily he makes cattle available for him. He places eight (bricks); the Gayatri has eight syllables, Agni is connected with the Gayatri; verily he piles Agni in his full extent. He places eight; the Gayatri has eight syllables; the Gayatri knows in truth the world of heaven; (verily it serves) to reveal the world of heaven [5]. He places thirteen world-fillers; they make twenty-one, the twenty-onefold Stoma is a support, the Garhapatya is a support, verily he finds support in the support of the twenty-onefold (Stoma), the Garhapatya; he who knows thus finds support in the fire which he has piled. He who first piles (the fire) should pile in five layers; the sacrifice is fivefold, cattle are fivefold; verily he wins the sacrifice and cattle. He who piles for a second time should pile in three layers; these worlds are three; verily he finds support [6] in these worlds. He who piles for a third time should pile in one layer; the world of heaven is in one place; verily he goes to the world of heaven by the single (layer). He makes (them) firm with mortar; therefore the bone is covered with meat; he who knows thus does not become diseased of skin. There are five layers, he makes firm with five (sets of) dust; they make up ten, the Viraj has ten syllables, the Viraj is food; verily he finds support in the Viraj, in proper food.