1. Verily, the Agnihotrî cow is the speech of the Agnihotra, and her calf is its mind. Now these two, mind and speech, whilst being one and the same, are, as it were, distinct from each other: therefore they tie up the calf and its mother with one and the same rope; and the fire 1, indeed, is faith, and the ghee truth.
2. Now, as to this Ganaka of Videha once asked Yâgñavalkya, 'Knowest thou the Agnihotra, Yâgñavalkya?'--'I know it, O king,' he said.--'What is it?'--'Milk, indeed.'
3. 'If there were no milk, wherewith wouldst thou sacrifice?'--'With rice and barley.'--'If there were no rice and barley, wherewith wouldst thou sacrifice?'--'With what other herbs there are.'--'If there were no other herbs, wherewith wouldst thou sacrifice?'--'With what forest herbs there are.'--'If there were no forest herbs, wherewith wouldst thou sacrifice?'--'With fruit of trees.'--'If there were no fruit of trees, wherewith wouldst thou sacrifice?'--'With water.'--'If there were no water, wherewith wouldst thou sacrifice?'
4. He spake, 'Then, indeed, there would be nothing whatsoever here, and yet there would be offered--the truth in faith.'--'Thou knowest the Agnihotra, Yâgñavalkya: I give thee a hundred cows,' said Ganaka.
5. Concerning this point there are also these
6. 'He who is the swiftest in the worlds 5, that wise one is found staying abroad: thus (is manifested) his wisdom, thus he is kept up by his fires;'--he thereby means the mind: it is owing to his mind that there is no staying away from home on his part.
7. 'When, having gone far away, he heedeth not there his duty, wherein is that offering of his offered; (and wherein) do they, at his house, perform the offering of the progress?'--that is to say,--'When, having gone far away, he there heeds not his duty, wherein does that offering of his come to be offered?'
8. 'He who waketh in the worlds and sustaineth all beings, in him that offering of his is offered, (and in him) do they, at his house, perform the offering
46:1 That is, according to Sâyana, the fire, or heat, produced by the rope. Instead of 'tega eva sraddhâ,' one would rather expect 'sraddhaiva tegah.' 47:1 That is, according to Sâyana,--What form of Agnihotra does he recognise, when he goes to stay abroad? 47:2 That is,--How does he show his knowledge of the sacred obligation that one ought to perform the Agnihotra regularly twice a day for life? 47:3 That is to say, How is the continuity in the constant attendance to his sacred fires kept up by him? 47:4 Literally, 'How is non-staying abroad (brought about)?' that is to say,--How, though having to stay abroad, does he ensure the spiritual benefits of remaining at home? or, as Sâyana puts it, How is the fault of staying abroad, avoided?--asya pravasato yagamânasya anapaproshitam pravâsadoshâbhâvah. 47:5 Or, among (or in) beings. Sâyana supplies 'yagamânah' to 'yo gavishthah.'
