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a Prajapati piled the fire; it kept being razor-edged; the gods in terror
did not approach it; they, clothing themselves in the metres, approached it,
and that is why the metres have their name. The metres are holy power; the
black antelope skin is the form of holy power; he puts on a pair of black
antelope skin shoes; verily clothing himself with the metres he approaches the
fire, to prevent injury to himself.
b The fire is put down as a treasure of the gods [1]. Now a treasure unguarded
others find, or he cannot recollect where it is; he steps on the fire-pan;
verily he makes himself its overlord, for guardianship. Or rather they say, 'It
should not be stepped on'; the pan is connected with Nirrti; if he were to step
on it, he would hand himself over to Nirrti; therefore it should not be stepped
on. He puts down the human head, for guardianship; and moreover this is just as
if one should say, 'Guard that for me' [2].
c Atharvan is Prajapati; Dadhyañc Atharvana is the fire, his bones are the
bricks; as to that the seer says, 'Indra with the bones of Dadhyañc'. In that
he piles the fire with the bricks, he piles up the fire with itself; he has his
own self in yonder world who knows thus.
d (The fire) to be piled is the body of Agni, Vaiçvanara is the self; in that
he offers to Vaiçvanara after the piling, he prepares its [3] body and mounts
it; the sacrificer thus prepares his body, in that he piles the fire; in that
he offers to Vaiçvanara after the piling, verily having pre pared his body he
mounts it with the self; therefore they do not cut off from it; verily living
he goes to the gods.
e He puts on dust with a verse addressed to Vaiçvanara; Agni Vaiçvanara is this
(earth), the dust is its piling; verily he piles Agni Vaiçvanara; Vaiçvanara is
the form dear to Agni; verily he wins the form dear to him.
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