vi. 4. 10.

Brhaspati was the Purohita of the gods, Çanda and Marka of the Asuras; the gods had the holy power (Brahman), the Asuras had the holy power (Brahman); they could not overcome one another; the gods invited Çanda and Marka; they replied, 'Let us choose a boon; let cups be drawn for us also herein.' For them they drew these cups for Çukra and Manthin; then did the gods prosper, the Asuras were defeated. He for whom knowing thus these Çukra and Manthin (cups) are drawn, prospers himself, his foe [1] is defeated. Having driven away these two, the gods offered to themselves,' to Indra. 'Driven away are Çanda and Marka together with N.N.', he should say of whom he hates; with him whom he hates he thus drives them away. 'This is the first preparer, all maker', (with these words) they offered to themselves, to Indra, these (cups), for Indra kept making these forms. The Çukra is yonder sun, the Manthin is the moon; they depart towards the east, closing their eyes [2]; therefore men do not see them as they go east. Turning back towards the west they sacrifice, therefore men see them going west. The Çukra and the Manthin are the eyes of the sacrifice, the high altar is the nose. They offer having gone round (the altar) on both sides; therefore the eyes are on either side of the nose; therefore the eyes are held apart by the nose; they walk round on all sides, to smite away the Raksases. Now the offerings the gods made on the east, with them they drove away the Asuras who were in front [3]; with those on the west they drove away the Asuras who were behind; other sacrifices are made in the east, the Çukra and Manthin on the west; verily behind and in front the sacrificer drives away his foes; therefore offspring are engendered behind and are brought forth in front. In accordance with the Çukra and Manthin are offspring born, the eaters and the eaten. 'Engendering heroic off spring), come forth, Çukra, with pure radiance' [4], 'Engendering prolific offspring, come forth, Manthin, with mixed radiance', he says; 'the eaters are those who are heroic, the eaten those that are prolific. The offspring of him who knows thus becomes an eater, not eaten. The eye of Prajapati swelled; it fell away, it entered the Vikankata, it did not stay in the Vikankata; it entered barley, it stayed in barley; that is why barley has its name [5]. In that the Manthin vessel is of Vikankata and he mixes with groats, verily thus he gathers together the eye of Prajapati. The theologians say, 'For what reason does the Manthin vessel not go to the Sadas?' 'It is the vessel of misfortune', he should say; if it were to go there, the Adhvaryu would be blind, he would be ruined; therefore it does not go there.