1. He then takes a lump of clay, as much as he thinks sufficient for the bottom part, with, 'Makha's head thou art!'--Makha, doubtless, is the sacrifice, and this is its head; for the Âhavanîya fire is the head of the sacrifice, and that Âhavanîya (fire-altar) he is now about to build: hence he says, 'Makha's head thou art!'
2. And, again, as to why he says, 'Makha's head thou art!'--when he (Agni) is built up, then he is born, and it is by the head (issuing first), by the top, that he who is born is born: 'when he is born, may he be born by the head, by the top!' so he thinks.
3. He spreads it out, with (Vâg. S. XI, 58), 'May the Vasus, Aṅgiras-like, fashion thee by the Gâyatrî metre!'--for the bottom part is this (terrestrial) world, and this the Vasus fashioned by means of the Gâyatrî metre; and in like manner does this one now fashion it by means of the Gâyatrî metre;--'Aṅgiras-like,' he says, for Aṅgiras is the breath. 'Thou art steadfast!'--that is, 'thou art firm,' or, 'thou art fixed;'--'Thou art the earth!'--for this bottom part is indeed the earth;--'Establish in me offspring, increase of wealth, lordship of cattle, manhood, clansmen for the Sacrificer!' For the Vasus, having fashioned this (terrestrial) world, invoked this blessing thereon; and in like manner does the Sacrificer, having fashioned this world, now invoke this blessing thereon. Having made it of the measure of a span (in each direction), he then turns up its edge on each side.
4. He then lays thereon the first (lower) side-part,
6. He then makes it (complete), with this fourth prayer, 'May the All-gods, the friends of all
8. He makes it just a span high, and a span sideways; for Vishnu, when an embryo, was a span long, and this (fire-pan) is the womb: he thus makes the womb of equal size with the embryo 1.
9. Were it larger than a span, he would make it smaller by that prayer; and were it smaller, (he would make it) larger thereby 2.
11. He then lays round the horizontal belt (or rim);--that is the quarters; for the gods, having made these worlds, the fire-pan, strengthened and encircled them by the quarters; and in like manner the Sacrificer, having made these worlds, the fire-pan, thus strengthens and encircles them by the quarters.
12. He lays this (rim) on the upper third (of the side), for it is there the ends of these worlds meet, and he thus makes them firm thereby.
13. [He does so, with Vâg. S. XI, 59] 'Thou art Aditi's girdle!'--in the sacrifice the string relates to Varuna: he thus lays this belt round after (expressly) making it one not relating to Varuna.
14. He then silently makes four upright (bands), for these are the quarters;--for the gods, having made these worlds, the fire-pan, made them firm on all sides by means of the quarters 2; and in like manner the Sacrificer, having made these worlds, the fire-pan, now makes them firm on all sides by means of the quarters.
15. These (vertical bands) run up to (the rim of) it, for they did then support it, and so do they now support it: thus that upper part of it becomes firm
17. This (fire-pan) indeed is a cow, for the fire-pan is these worlds, and these worlds are a cow: that horizontal belt is its udder; it is in the (upper) third of it, for the udder is in one-third of the cow.
18. He forms nipples to it, whereby he forms the nipples of the udder: it has four nipples, for the cow has four nipples.
19. Some, indeed, make it with two nipples, or also with eight nipples; but let him not do so, for those cattle which have fewer nipples than a cow, and those which have more nipples, are less fit to yield him a livelihood: hence they make this (fire-pan) less fit to yield a livelihood; and, indeed, they do not make it (like) a cow, but (like) a bitch, or a ewe, or a mare; hence let him not do so.
20. He then takes hold of its bowl, with, 'May Aditi seize thy bowl!' Aditi, doubtless, is Speech; and the gods, having then fashioned it, perfected it by means of Aditi, speech; and in like manner this one, having fashioned it, now perfects it by means of Aditi, speech.
21. Having grasped it with both hands, he sets it down, with, 'She, having fashioned the great (mahîm) fire-pan,'--that is, 'she, having fashioned the great (mahatîm) fire-pan;'--'the earthen womb for Agni;'--for this is indeed Agni's
235:1 Vishnu is identical with Agni, inasmuch as both are the sacrifice.
235:2 That is to say, if the pan, thus fashioned, is not quite of the exact measure, the formula is supposed to set this right.
236:1 Yasmin kâle dhanurvedânusârena dharmatah kshatriyâ yudhyante tasmin kâle pañkaprâdeseshur âsît, adhunâ tv iyam aniyataparimânâ vartante, Sây.
236:2 Viz. by means of the mountains, according to Sâyana.
