PRAPATHAKA IV The Sattras (continued)

vii. 4. 1.

Brhaspati desired, 'May the gods have faith in me, and may I become their Purohita.' He saw this (rite) of twenty-four nights; he grasped it, and sacrificed with it. Then the gods had faith in him, and he became their Purohita. In those who knowing thus perform the twenty four night (rite) men have faith, and they become their Purohitas. There are the three days Jyotis, Go, and Ayus. The Jyotis is this (earth), the Go the atmosphere, and the Ayus yonder (sky) [1]; verily they mount upon these worlds. The three days occur in order; verily in order do they mount upon the world of heaven. There can be no Sattra where there is no Chandoma; in that there are Chandomas, there is the Sattra. The gods they win by the Prsthas, the cattle by the Chandomas. The Prsthas are force and strength, the Chandomas cattle; verily in force and strength, and in cattle they find support. They proceed with the Brhat and the Rathantara (Samans). The Rathantara, is this (earth), the Brhat yonder (sky); verily with them do they [2] proceed; verily also in them they find support. These indeed are the quick paths of the sacrifice; verily by them do they proceed to the world of heaven. (The rite is one) of twenty-four nights. Twenty four half-months make up the year; the year is the world of heaven; verily they find support in the year, the world of heaven. Now the Gayatri is of twenty-four syllables; the Gayatri is splendour; verily by the Gayatri they win splendour. There are Atiratras on either side, to secure splendour.