1. Verily, those who become initiated for (a sacrificial session of) a year cross an ocean: the Prâyanîya Atirâtra is a flight of steps 2, for it is by means of a flight of steps that one enters (the water); and
3. The Abhigit is a foothold, a shallow place, such a one as (where the water reaches) either to the arm-pits, or to the neck, whence, having rested, they come out (of the water). The first Svarasâman is thigh-deep, the second knee-deep, the third knuckle-deep. The Vishuvat is a foothold (in the form of) an island. The first (Svarasâman) with reversed Sâmans is knuckle-deep, the second knee-deep, and the third thigh-deep.
4. The Visvagit is a foothold, a shallow place, such a one as (where the water reaches) either to the arm-pits or to the neck, whence, having rested, he enters (the deep water again). The Prishthya is suitable for swimming, and so is the Abhiplava, and so are the Go and Âyus, and so is the Dasarâtra.
5. The Mahâvrata is a foothold, a shallow place, such a one as (where the water reaches) either to the arm-pits or to the neck, whence, having rested,
7. But in the case of those who perform them as Agnishtomas, a hundred and twelve Agnishtomas, two hundred and thirty-four Ukthyas, twelve Shodasins, and sixty Shadahas. This, then, is how the year is obtained.
8. There are twelve months in the year, and their vital energy and power are the Prishthas; and by performing the Prishthas month by month, they obtain, in monthly portions 1, that vital energy of the year.--'And how do they obtain the vital energy of the thirteenth (intercalary) month?' Well, subsequent to the Vishuvat day they perform the Visvagit Agnishtoma with all the Prishthas 2, and thus indeed they obtain the vital energy of the thirteenth month.
9. Now, concerning this, Svetaketu Âruneya,
145:2 Or, a descent, a passage leading down to a bathing-place. 146:1 Gâdham eva pratishthâ,--it may be remarked that this is just the form in which an appositional compound is analyzed by native grammarians, as if it were 'gâdha-pratishthâ,' a foothold which is just a ford, a ford-foothold, as indeed it is written in paragraph 9. Cf. p. 66, note 4. 146:2 Or, bathe,--'prasnâti,' indeed, would really seem to mean here 'he swims forward.' 147:1 Lit., by the month, i.e. by monthly instalments; cf. Tândya Br. IV, 2, 9. 147:2 On Soma-days with all the (six) Prishtha-sâmans, see part iii, introd., p. xxi.
