Section 4.17

4.17.1 Prajapati heated the worlds. From them, as they were heated, he drew their essences: fire from earth, wind from the middle air, and the sun from heaven.

4.17.2 He heated these three deities. From them, as they were heated, he drew their essences: Rig verses from fire, Yajus formulas from wind, and Saman chants from the sun.

4.17.3 He heated this threefold knowledge. From it, as it was heated, he drew its essences: Bhuh from the Rig verses, Bhuvah from the Yajus formulas, and Svah from the Saman chants.

4.17.4 If the sacrifice is damaged in a Rig verse, one should make an offering in the household fire, saying, "Bhuh, svaha!" With the essence of the Rig verses, with the power of the Rig verses, one repairs the damage to the sacrifice's Rig verses.

4.17.5 If it is damaged in a Yajus formula, one should make an offering in the southern fire, saying, "Bhuvah, svaha!" With the essence of the Yajus formulas, with the power of the Yajus formulas, one repairs the damage to the sacrifice's Yajus formulas.

4.17.6 If it is damaged in a Saman chant, one should make an offering in the offering fire, saying, "Svah, svaha!" With the essence of the Saman chants, with the power of the Saman chants, one repairs the damage to the sacrifice's Saman chants.

4.17.7 As one joins gold with salt, silver with gold, tin with silver, lead with tin, iron with lead, wood with iron, and wood with leather,

4.17.8 So, through the power of these worlds, these deities, and this threefold knowledge, one repairs the damage to the sacrifice. A sacrifice with a supervising priest who knows thus is indeed a sacrifice made whole by healing.

4.17.9 A sacrifice with a supervising priest who knows thus slopes toward the north. About a supervising priest who knows thus there is this song:Wherever it turns,there the man follows.

4.17.10 The supervising priest alone among the ritual priestsprotects the Kurus as a mare does.A supervising priest who knows thus protects the sacrifice, the sacrificer, and all the ritual priests. Therefore one should appoint as supervising priest only someone who knows thus, not someone who does not know thus, not someone who does not know thus.

4.17.1 Prajapati heated the worlds. As they were heated, he drew out their essences: fire from the earth, wind from the space between earth and heaven, and the sun from heaven.

4.17.2 He heated these three gods. As they were heated, he drew out their essences: Rig verses from fire, Yajus formulas from wind, and Saman chants from the sun.

4.17.3 He heated this threefold sacred knowledge. As it was heated, he drew out its essences: Bhuh from the Rig verses, Bhuvah from the Yajus formulas, and Svah from the Saman chants.

4.17.4 If the sacrifice is damaged on the side of the Rig verses, one should make an offering in the household fire, saying, "Bhuh, svaha!" With the essence and strength of the Rig verses, one repairs the damage to the Rig-verse part of the sacrifice.

4.17.5 If it is damaged on the side of the Yajus formulas, one should make an offering in the southern fire, saying, "Bhuvah, svaha!" With the essence and strength of the Yajus formulas, one repairs the damage to the Yajus-formula part of the sacrifice.

4.17.6 If it is damaged on the side of the Saman chants, one should make an offering in the offering fire, saying, "Svah, svaha!" With the essence and strength of the Saman chants, one repairs the damage to the Saman part of the sacrifice.

4.17.7 One joins gold with salt, silver with gold, tin with silver, lead with tin, iron with lead, wood with iron, and wood with leather.

4.17.8 In the same way, one repairs the damage to a sacrifice with the strength of these worlds, these gods, and this threefold sacred knowledge. A sacrifice has a healer when its supervising brahmin priest knows this.

4.17.9 A sacrifice slopes northward when its supervising brahmin priest knows this. There is this song about a supervising brahmin priest who knows this:"Wherever it turns, the man goes there.

4.17.10 The supervising brahmin alone, the officiating priest, protects the Kurus as a mare does."A supervising brahmin priest who knows this protects the sacrifice, the person making the sacrifice, and all the officiating priests. That is why one should choose only someone who knows this as the supervising brahmin priest, not someone who does not know this—not someone who does not know this.