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Satapatha Brahmana Part IV (SBE43), Julius Eggeling tr. [1897], at sacred-texts.com
10:5:4:11. Verily, this (brick-)built Fire-altar (Agni) is this (terrestrial) world:--the waters (of the encircling ocean) are its (circle of) enclosing-stones; the men its Yagushmatîs (bricks with special formulas); the cattle its Sûdadohas 1; the plants and trees its earth-fillings (between the layers of bricks), its oblations and fire-logs 2; Agni (the terrestrial fire) its Lokamprinâ (space-filling brick);--thus this comes to make up the whole Agni, and the whole Agni comes to be the space-filler 3; and, verily, whosoever knows this, thus comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler 4.
10:5:4:22. But, indeed, that Fire-altar also is the air:--the function of heaven and earth (the horizon) is its (circle of) enclosing-stones, for it is beyond the air that heaven and earth meet, and that (junction) is the (circle of) enclosing-stones; the birds are its Yagushmatî bricks, the rain its Sûdadohas, the rays
of light its earth-fillings, oblations and fire-logs; Vâyu (the wind) is its space-filler; thus this comes to make up the whole Agni, and the whole Agni comes to be the space-filler; and, verily, whosoever knows this, thus comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler.
10:5:4:33. But, indeed, that Fire-altar also is the sky:--the (heavenly) waters are its enclosing-stones, for even as a case 1 here is closed up so are these worlds (enclosed) within the waters; and the waters beyond these worlds are the enclosing-stones;--the gods are the Yagushmatî bricks; what food there is in that world is its Sûdadohas; the Nakshatras (lunar mansions) are the earth-fillings, the oblations and the fire-logs; and Âditya (the sun) is the space-filler;--thus this comes to make up the whole Agni; and the whole Agni comes to be the space-filler; and, verily, whosoever knows this, thus comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler.
10:5:4:44. But, indeed, that Fire-altar also is the sun:--the regions are its enclosing-stones, and there are three hundred and sixty of these 2, because three hundred and sixty regions encircle the sun on all sides;--the rays are its Yagushmatî bricks, for there are three hundred and sixty of these 3, and three hundred and sixty rays of the sun; and in that he establishes the Yagushmatîs within the enclosing-stones thereby he establishes the rays in the regions. And what is between the regions and the rays, is its Sûdadohas; and what food there is in the regions and rays that is the earth-fillings, the oblations and
the fire-logs; and that which is called both 'regions' and 'rays' is the space-filling (brick):--thus this comes to make up the whole Agni; and the whole Agni comes to be the space-filler; and, verily, whosoever knows this, thus comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler.
10:5:4:55. But, indeed, that Fire-altar also is the Nakshatras:--for there are twenty-seven of these Nakshatras, and twenty-seven secondary stars accompany each Nakshatra,--this makes seven hundred and twenty 1, and thirty-six in addition thereto. Now what seven hundred and twenty bricks 2 there are of these, they are the three hundred and sixty enclosing-stones and the three hundred and sixty Yagushmatî bricks; and what thirty-six there are in addition, they are the thirteenth (intercalary) month, the body (of the altar); the trunk 3 (consisting of) thirty, the feet of two, the (channels of the) vital airs of two 4, and the head itself being the (thirty-fifth and) thirty-sixth,--and as to there being two of these, it is because 'siras' (head) consists of two syllables;--and what (space) there is between (each) two
[paragraph continues] Nakshatras that is the Sûdadohas; and what food there is in the Nakshatras that is the earth-fillings (between the layers of bricks), the oblations and the fire-logs; and what is called 'nakshatras' that is the space-filling (brick):--thus this comes to make up the whole Agni, and the whole Agni comes to be the space-filler; and, verily, whosoever knows this, thus comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler.
10:5:4:66. Now, these (amount to) twenty-one Brihatîs 1; and--the heavenly world being the twenty-one-fold one 2 and the Brihatî (the great one)--this (altar) thus comes to be equal to the heavenly world, and to the twenty-one-fold Stoma (hymn-form) and the Brihatî metre.
10:5:4:77. But, indeed, that Fire-altar also is the Metres; for there are seven of these metres, increasing by four syllables 3; and the triplets of these make seven hundred and twenty syllables, and thirty-six in addition thereto. Now what seven hundred and twenty bricks there are of these, they are the three hundred and sixty enclosing-stones and the three hundred and sixty Yagushmatîs; and what thirty-six there are in addition, they are the thirteenth month, and the body (of this altar),--the trunk (consisting of) thirty, the feet of two,
the vital airs of two, and the head itself being the (thirty-fifth and) thirty-sixth; and as to there being two of these, it is because 'siras' consists of two syllables.
10:5:4:88. Now the first ten syllables of this Brihatî, consisting of thirty-six syllables, make an Ekapadâ 1 of ten syllables; and the (first) twenty make a Dvipadâ of twenty syllables; and the (first) thirty a Virâg 2 of thirty syllables; and the (first) thirty-three a (Virâg) of thirty-three syllables; and the (first) thirty-four a Svarâg 3 of thirty-four syllables; and in that this fire-altar is built with all metres thereby it is an Atikhandas 4, and (so) indeed are all these bricks 5. And the three syllables 'ishtakâ (brick)' are a Gâyatrî tripadâ, whence this Agni is Gâyatra; and the three syllables 'mrid' (clay) and 'âpah' (water) 6 also are a Gâyatrî tripadâ: thereby also he is Gâyatra. And what is between (each two) metres is the
[paragraph continues] Sûdadohas; and the food which is in the metres is the earth-fillings, the oblations, and the fire-logs; and what is called 'metres,' that is the space-filling (brick):--thus this comes to make up the whole Agni; and the whole Agni comes to be the space-filler; and, verily, whosoever knows this, comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler.
10:5:4:99. Now, these (amount to) twenty-one Brihatîs; and--the heavenly world being the twenty-one-fold and the Brihatî--this (altar) thus comes to be equal to the heavenly world, and to the twenty-one-fold Stoma and the Brihatî metre.
10:5:4:1010. But, indeed, that Fire-altar also is the Year,--the nights are its enclosing-stones, and there are three hundred and sixty of these, because there are three hundred and sixty nights in the year; and the days are its Yagushmatî bricks, for there are three hundred and sixty of these, and three hundred and sixty days in the year; and those thirty-six bricks which are over 1 are the thirteenth month, the body (of the year and the altar), the half-months and months,--(there being) twenty-four half-months, and twelve months. And what there is between day and night that is the Sûdadohas; and what food there is in the days and nights is the earth-fillings, the oblations, and the fire-logs; and what is called 'days and nights' that constitutes the space-filling (brick):--thus this comes to make up the whole Agni, and the whole Agni comes to be the space-filler; and, verily, whosoever knows this, thus comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler.
10:5:4:1111. Now, these (amount to) twenty-one Brihatîs; and--the heavenly world being the twenty-one-fold and the Brihatî--this (altar) thus comes to be equal to the heavenly world, and to the twenty-one-fold Stoma and the Brihatî metre.
10:5:4:1212. But, indeed, that Fire-altar also-is the body,--the bones are its enclosing-stones, and there are three hundred and sixty of these, because there are three hundred and sixty bones in man; the marrow parts are the Yagushmatî bricks, for there are three hundred and sixty of these, and three hundred and sixty parts of marrow in man; and those thirty-six bricks which are over, are the thirteenth month, the trunk, the vital air (of the altar),--in his body there are thirty parts 1, in his feet two, in his vital airs two, and in his head two,--as to there being two of these, it is because the head consists of two skull-bones. And that whereby these joints are held together is the Sûdadohas; and those three whereby this body is covered--to wit, hair, skin, and flesh--are the earth-fillings; what he drinks is the oblations, and what he eats the fire-logs; and what is called the 'body,' that is the space-filling (brick):--thus this comes to make up the whole Agni, and the whole Agni comes to be the space-filler; and, verily, whosoever knows this, thus comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler.
10:5:4:1313. Now, these (amount to) twenty-one Brihatîs; and--the heavenly world being the twenty-one-fold and the Brihatî--this (altar) thus comes to be equal to the heavenly world, and to the twenty-one-fold Stoma and the Brihatî metre.
10:5:4:1414. But, indeed, that built Agni (the fire-altar) is all beings, all the gods; for all the gods, all beings are the waters 1, and that built fire-altar is the same as those waters 2;--the navigable streams (round the sun) are its enclosing-stones, and there are three hundred and sixty of these, because three hundred and sixty navigable streams encircle the sun on all sides; and the navigable streams, indeed, are also the Yagushmatî bricks, and there are three hundred and sixty of these, because three hundred and sixty navigable streams flow towards 3 the sun. And what is between (each) two navigable rivers is the Sûdadohas; and those thirty-six bricks which remain over are the same as that thirteenth month, and the body (of this altar, the waters 4,) is the same as this gold man.
10:5:4:1515. His feet are that gold plate and lotus-leaf(that is) the waters and the sun's orb 5--are his feet; his arms are the two spoons, and they are Indra and Agni; the two naturally-perforated (bricks) are this earth and the air; and the three Visvagyotis (all-light) bricks are these deities--Agni, Vâyu, and
[paragraph continues] Âditya, for these deities, indeed, are all the light; and the twelve seasonal (bricks) are the year, the body (of the altar, and the gold man); and the five Nâkasads and five Pañkakûdâs are the sacrifice, the gods; and the Vikarnî the (third) Svayamâtrinnâ and the variegated stone 1; and the fire which is deposited (on the altar 1) is the thirty-fifth; and the formula of the Lokamprinâ (brick) 2 is the thirty-sixth;--that (gold man), indeed, the body (of the altar) is the end of everything here 3: he is in the midst of all the waters, endowed with all objects of desire--for all objects of desire are the waters 4; whilst possessed of all (objects of) desires he is without desire, for no desire of anything (troubles) him 5.
10:5:4:1616. Regarding this there is this verse--'By knowledge 6 they ascend that (state) where desires have vanished 7: sacrificial gifts go not thither 8, nor the fervid practisers of rites without knowledge;'--for, indeed, he who does not know this does not attain to that world either by sacrificial gifts or by devout
practices, but only to those who know does that world belong.
10:5:4:1717. The welkin is the earth-fillings (between the layers of brick); the moon the oblations; the Nakshatras (lunar mansions) the fire-logs,--because the moon resides in (or with) the Nakshatra, therefore the oblation resides in the fire-wood: that 1, indeed, is the food of the oblation, and its support; whence the oblation does not fail (na kshîyate), for that is its food and its support And what are called 'the gods' they are the space-filling (brick); for by (naming) the gods everything here is named.
10:5:4:1818 It is regarding this that it is said by the Rik (X, 12, 3), 'The All-gods have gone after this thy Yagus,'--for all beings, all the gods, indeed, become the Yagus here. Thus this whole Agni comes to be the space-filler; and, verily, whosoever knows this, thus comes to be that whole (Agni) who is the space-filler.
10:5:4:1919. Now, these (amount to) twenty-one Brihatîs; and--the heavenly world being the twenty-one-fold and the Brihatî--this (altar) thus comes to be equal to the heavenly world, and to the twenty-one-fold Stoma and the Brihatî metre.
381:1 That is, either the food obtained by the milking of the drink of immortality (amritadohânnam), or the verse Rig-veda VIII, 69, 3 (tâ asya sûdadohasah, &c.) pronounced over the 'settled' brick, and supposed to supply vital air to the different parts of Agni-Pragâpati's body (whence it is also repeated in the Brihad Uktham between the different parts of the bird-like body; cf. p. 112, note 1). Sây.
381:2 Sâyana seems to interpret this in two different ways,--oshadhivanaspataya eva purîshâhutisamittrayarûpâ etasya purîshâhutisamittrayarûpatvam uttaratra spashtîkarishyate; atha (vâ) yad dikshu ka rasmishu kânnam tat purîsham tâ ahutayas tâh samidhah.
381:3 See X, 5, 2, 8. Viz. 'inasmuch as all become fit for their work by being provided with fire.' Sây.
381:4 Or, the word-filler, the ruler of the world (lokâdhishthâtri). Sây.
382:1 Or, as (the valves, or shells, of) a pod are closed up.
382:3 See IX, 4, 3, 6.
383:1 On this inaccurate calculation (the real product being 729), resorted to in order to get a total amount equal to the number of Yagushmatî bricks (756), see A. Weber, Nakshatra, II, p. 298.
383:2 That is, Nakshatras considered as the bricks of which the fire-altar is constructed. The latter being identical with the year, the 720 bricks represent the days and nights of the year.
383:3 Thus Sâyana (madhyadeha),--the âtman (in that case, however, the whole body) is usually represented as consisting of twenty-five parts. Here the thirty parts would probably be the trunk, the head, the upper and fore-arms, the thighs and shanks, and the fingers and toes.
383:4 Viz. inasmuch as eyes, ears, and nostrils are in pairs. Sây.
384:1 The Brihatî verse consisting of 36 syllables, this makes a total of 756 syllables, or the same amount as that of the days and nights of the year, plus the days (36) of the intercalary month.
384:2 Viz. inasmuch as the sun is 'the twenty-first,' cf. I, 3, 5, 11; VI, 2, 2, 3: svargas tv âditya iti surake(tu)rûpo vâ lokah svargah ekavimsatisamkhyâpûrakah. Sây
384:3 The seven metres, increasing by four syllables from 24 up to 48, consist together of 252 syllables, and hence the triplets of them amount to 756 = 720 + 36 syllables.
385:1 The Ekapadâ is a verse consisting of a single pâda, and the Dvipadâ one of two pâdas, whilst verses in the ordinary metres consist of three or four pâdas.
385:2 The Virâg is a metre consisting of 1 to 4 (usually 3) decasyllabic pâdas; the one consisting of four such pâdas being, however, commonly called Paṅkti. Besides this, the principal, Virâg, there is, however, another consisting of 3 pâdas of 11 syllables each.
385:3 This name, which is here applied to a verse of 34 syllables, was in VII, 4, 1, 9 used of a verse of 10 + 10 + 11 + 11 = 42 syllables (Vâg. S. XI, 29); cf. Weber, Ind. Stud. VIII, p. 63.
385:4 That is, an over-metre, excessive metre, consisting of more than 48 syllables. The fire-altar, being built up with all the metres (viz. with the Khandasyâ bricks, representing the metres, cf. VIII, 3, 3, 1 seqq.), would thus-far exceed the latter number.
385:5 ? Thus Sâyana: kityâgnir atikhandâ iti yat tena sarvâ ishtakâ atikhandomayya ity uktam.
385:6 That is, the materials used for making bricks.
386:1 Viz. those required to make up the 756 Yagushmatîs.
388:1 Viz. inasmuch as they are the foundation and ultimate source of the universe; cf. VI, 8, 2, 2. 3; and everything is contained therein, X, 5, 4, 3.
388:2 Viz. inasmuch as the built Agni is the same as the sun, and the sun is surrounded by water; cf. p. 368, note 1.
388:3 It is not clear whether these rivers are meant to be different ones from those flowing round the sun, or whether they are the same as 'washing against' the sun.
388:4 Athokteshu paryâyeshv agnyavayava-trayodasamâsâtmika âtmâ agnyâtmanâ dhyeyânâm apâm âtmety arthah. Sây.
388:5 That is, in regard to the sacrifice, the gold plate and lotus-leaf are his feet, and in regard to the deity, the waters and the sun's disk. Sây. They are, nevertheless, counted as four.
389:1 For this stone, which was deposited near the Âgnîdhrîya shed, and afterwards placed in the Âgnîdhra hearth, see p. 243, note 2.
389:2 See VIII, 7, 2, 6.
389:3 See X, 5, 2, 6-8.
389:4 Sa eva . . . shattrimsadishtakâmayo hiranmayah purusha âtmâ sarvabhûtadevâtmanâm apâm agnyâtmanâ dhyeyânâm madhye vartate. Sây.
389:5 Sâyana does not explain this last sentence.
389:6 'Only by knowledge is such a body (self) to be obtained by all, not by hundreds of religious performances.' Sây.
389:7 Yatra svarûpe kâmâh sarve parâgatâ vivrittâh (? nivrittah) svayam akâmam ity arthah, tad âtmasvarûpam vidyayâ svarûpena ârohanti âpnuvanti. Sây.
389:8 Sâyana takes 'dakshinâ' as instrumental, in accordance with the comment offered by the Brâhmana, which, however, is probably not meant as a close grammatical explanation.
390:1 Viz. the staying (of the moon) in, or with, the Nakshatras, whose name is then made use of for a fanciful etymology.