1. Verily, they who perform an Agnihotra enter upon a long sacrificial session:--the Agnihotra, indeed, is a sacrificial session ensuring death in old age 1, for people are set free from it either by old age or by death.
2. Here, now, they say, 'If either a team (yukta) were to drive through, or people were to walk to and fro, between the two fires of such a one performing an Agnihotra, and (being thus) a performer of a long session, what rite and what expiation would there be in that case?' He may, indeed, perform an expiation, and also offer an ishti; but let him disregard it, for he who lays down his two fires doubtless spreads himself all over these worlds.
3. His Gârhapatya is this (terrestrial) world, his Anvâhâryapakana (or southern fire) the air-world, and his Âhavanîya yonder (heavenly) world; and freely, indeed, birds, both combined (yukta) and single, pass to and fro in these worlds; and even if a whole crowd were to pass through between his fires, let him know that no harm and no hurt will come to him.
4. 'But, surely, there are three unclean animals, a vicious boar, a vicious ram 2 and a dog: if any
5. Let him proceed in this way:--Having taken either a bowl of water, or a pot of water, let him go on pouring it out from in front of the Gârhapatya up to the Âhavanîya, with this verse, 'Here Vishnu strode;' for Vishnu being the sacrifice, he thus continues the sacrifice by the sacrifice; and whatever is injured or unpropitiated in the sacrifice, for all that the water is the means of propitiation, and by water, as a means of propitiation, he thus propitiates it. Such, then, is the rite performed in that case.
6. They also say, 'If any one's Agnihotra (milk) were to be spilled whilst he gets it milked, what rite and what expiation would there be in that
8. And in case there should be a breaking (of the vessel), let him pour out a bowlful or potful of water, and, indeed, whatever is injured or unpropitiated in the sacrifice, for all that water is the means of propitiation, and by water, as a means of propitiation, he thus propitiates it. He does so with these utterances, 'Bhûr bhuvah svar (earth, air, sky);' for these utterances are all-expiatory 1:
11. And Âruni, indeed, said, 'His Agnihotra-cow, assuredly, is the sky, her calf is that blowing (wind), and the Agnihotra-vessel is this (earth). And, verily, the Agnihotra-cow of him who knows this does not perish, for how could yonder (sky) perish? Neither does the calf of the Agnihotra-cow of him who knows this perish, for how could that (wind) perish? Nor does the Agnihotra-vessel of him who knows this break to pieces, for how could this (earth) break to pieces? The rain-cloud showers down blessings: let him therefore think, "Unable to bear my glory and greatness, she (the Agnihotra-cow) has lain down: I shall become more glorious." Let him keep her for himself 1: he thereby takes glory (prosperity) to himself,'--thus spake Âruni. This, then, is the rite performed in that case.
12. They also say, 'If any one's Agnihotra-cow were to low whilst he gets it milked, what rite and
178:1 Literally, as would seem, 'old-age-deathed' (garâmarva), or perhaps, 'having old age for its extreme limit (maryâ).' The author apparently takes it in the former sense, though interpreting the compound in his own way. 178:2 According to Molesworth's Dictionary, 'edakâ' and 'memdhâ,' in Marâthî, mean both 'ram,' but the former 'is ordinarily understood 179:2 ? Or, thrown in (viz. into the pot, or urn). According to Âsv. Grihy. IV, 5, 1 seqq., it is, however, only the bones which are collected and placed in the urn. 180:1 Or, perhaps,--these (great) utterances are used with the 'Sarvaprâyaskittam' (libation for expiating every mistake). According to Kâty. XXV, I, 10, five verses are also to be muttered after 181:2 The reason why a Brâhman is thus chosen to serve as scapegoat doubtless is that his holy nature is supposed to be proof against such evil influences (cf. Weber, Ind. Stud. X, p. 64). 182:1 That is, he is not to give the cow to a Brâhmana; cf. Katy. XXV, 1, 27.
