Adhyāya 25: Aśvamedha, continued

I GRATIFY Fresh Grasa with his teeth, A vakil with his gunriB, Clay with his tooth-sockets, Tegas with his fangs. The (tongue-tip for Sarasvati ; 1 gratify the root of the tougue and the palate with his neigh, Vaja with his jaws, the (4 1 f Waters with his mouth, the StallioQ with his testicles, the Aditjae with the beard, Path with his eyebrows.

Witli hisj breath I gratify Vata^ with hiaoutbreath the two Nostrils; with his lower lip the Upay&ma; with his up- per lip Existence. With his bright look I please Antara^ with his reflection Bahya; the Whirlpool with his head ; Thunder with his frontal bone ; the Lightning-flash with his brain ; Lightning with the pupils of hi* eyes ; Hear-

Hair: which has so often brashed them away. Active: the same word is an epithet of Indra. Hoofs: to renovtite tiieir shells with the horny material. Cf. A. V. IX. 4. 16 : They gave the hooves to tortoises.

The first rib is Agni's; the second V&yu's; the third

(On the left side) the first rib belongs to Indra-Agni ; the

The shoulders belong to the Maruts ; the first rib-cartilages

I gratify Pushan with the rectum ; Blind-worms with the

His chest belongs to Indra ; his belly to Aditi ; his clavicles

I gratify Separation with his navel ; Batter with his flavour; tl»e VV liters with his broth ; Sunbeams with his drops of fat; Hoiir-frost with his heat; Ice with his tnarrow; Hail- stones with his tears ; Thunderbolts with the rheum of his eyes ; Rakshasas with his blood ; Biight things with his limbs ; Stars with his beauty ; Earth' with his skin.

Four texts follow constituting the Inviting and Offwing Verges of the Sacritice of the Horse and other victims to Prajipati. Verse 10 is repeated from XIIL4and XXIII. 1.

Who by his grandeur, etc., as in XXIII. 3. ^

Whose, by his might, are these snow-covered mountains,

Giver of vital breath, of power and vigour, he whose com-

Ten stanzas follow con^titnting the Inviting and Offering Verses of the oblations of marrow or omentum and rice-cakes to the All Qods. They

M'y the auspicious favour of the Gods be ours, on us

Daksha: Strength ; a creative Power associated with Aditi, and therefore sometimes Identified with Prajapati.

Vj^ay the Wind waft to us that pleasant medicine, may Earth

H^im we invoke for aid who reigns supreme, the Lord of all

I Illustrious far and wide, may Indra prosper us: may Pushan

1 Vhe Maruts, Sons of Prisni, borne by spotted steeds, moving

f i5ods, may we with our eats listen to what is good, and with ■ our eyes see what is good, ye Holy Ones.

t. hundred autumns stand before us, O ye Gods, within

Aditi is the heaven, Aditi is mid-air, Aditi is the Mother

Slight us^not Varuna, Aryaman, or Mitra, Kihhuksh]

What time they bear before the Courser, covered with

Dear to all Gods, this goat, the share of Pashan, is firsw 1

When thrice the men lead round the Steed, in order, lb

Invoker, ministering priest, atoner, fire-kindler,

The hewers of the post and those who carry it, and thw

Forth, for the regions of the Gods, the Charger with liis

Let not the fire, smoke-scented, make thee crackle, nor i glowing caldron smell and break to pieces.

If one, when seated, with excessive urging hath with his

The four-and-thirty ribs of the swift Courser, kin to the

Of Tvaslitar's Courser there is one dissector: this is the cus-

Let not thy dear soul burn thee as thou comest, let not the

No, here^thou diest not, thou art not injured : only by easy

May this Steed bring us all-sustaining riches, wealth in

We will, with Indra and all Gods to help us, bring these

Agni, be our nearest Friend, etc., as in III. 25, To theo then, Most Bright, etc., as in 111. 26.