vi. 4. 5.

The Upançu Cup is breath; in that the cups are drawn beginning with the Upançu, they follow on breath. Aruna Aupaveçi used to say, 'At the morning pressing I establish the sacrifice and then I proceed with it when it has been established.' He first presses eight times; the Gayatri has eight syllables, the morning pressing is connected with the Gayatri; verily thereby he obtains the morning pressing. (He presses) eleven times on the second occasion; the Tristubh has eleven syllables, the midday pressing is connected with the Tristubh [1]; verily thereby he obtains the midday pressing. (He presses) twelve times on the third occasion; the Jagati has twelve syllables, the third pressing is connected with the Jagati; verily thereby he obtains the third pressing. This is what he calls the establishment of the sacrifice, to prevent loss; for what falls when the sacrifice is established is not lost. Or rather they say, 'The Gayatri is not open to question' at the morning pressing'; he who knows thus is not liable to question from his foe; therefore eight times in each case should press [2]. The theologians say, 'Other cups are drawn with a strainer; what strainer has the Upançu?' 'Speech is the strainer', he should reply. 'Be pure for the lord of speech, O strong one', he says; verily by speech he purifies him. 'With the shoots of the male', he says, for the shoots of the Soma are the shoots of the male; 'purified by the arms', he says, for by the arms he purifies him; 'thou art the god, purifier of gods', he says, for he being a god [3] is the purifier of gods; 'to those thee whose portion thou art', he says, for he draws him for those whose portion he is. 'Thou art he who is appropriated', he says; verily he makes breath his own; 'make our food full of sweetness for us', he says; verily he makes all food sweet for him; 'to all the powers of sky and earth thee!' he says; verily upon both gods and men he bestows the vital airs. 'May mind enter thee!' he says [4]; verily he attains mind. 'Fare along the broad atmosphere', he says, for the breath has the atmosphere as its deity. 'Hail! Thee, of kindly nature, to the sun!' he says; the gods of kindly nature are the breaths; verily in them he secretly offers. 'To the gods that drink the rays thee!' he says; the gods that drink the rays are the rays of the sun; that is their share; verily thereby he delights them. If he desire, 'May Parjanya rain' [5], he should rub (the cup) with the (palm of) the hand downwards; verily he brings down the rain. If he desire, 'May it not rain', he should rub with the hand upwards; verily he keeps up the rain. If he practise witchcraft, 'Slay N.N.; then will I sacrifice to thee', he should say; verily desiring the libation he slays him. If he be far away, he should stand until he is weary; verily he follows his breath and slays him. If he practise witchcraft [6], he should put (it) down (with the words), 'I set thee down on the breath of N.N.'; the breath is restless; verily he brings his breath to rest. He purifies by means of six shoots; the seasons are six; verily he purifies him by means of the seasons; thrice he purifies these worlds are three; verily he purifies him by means of these worlds. The theologians say, 'For what reason is it that three animals take by the hand?' In that thrice he draws separately the Upançu with his hand, therefore there are three animals which take by the hand, man, the elephant, and the ape.