Each of the two half-monthly sacrifices, the regular performance of which is enjoined on the Brahmanical householder for a period of thirty years from the time of his performance of the ceremony of agny-adhana, or setting up of a fire of his own,--according to some authorities even for the rest of his life--usually occupies the greater part of two consecutive days.

The Agny-adhana, or ceremony of establishing a set of sacrificial fires, on the part of a young householder, is, as a rule, performed on the first day of the waxing moon. Some authorities also allow the performance to take place at full moon, probably in order to enable the newly-married couple to enter on their sacred duties with as little delay as possible.

The Agnishtoma; The Diksha or Consecration; The Prayaniyeshti, or Opening-Sacrifice; Hiranyavati-Ahuti or Offering with Gold, and Homage to the Soma-Cow; The Buying of Soma; Procession And Entrance Of King Soma; The Avantaradiksha, Or Intermediary Consecration; The Upasads, or Homages; Preparation Of The Soma Altar With The High Altar; Construction Of Sheds And Preparation Of Pressing-Place And Hearths (Dhishnyas); The Vaisargina Offerings And Leading Forward Of Agni And Soma; The Animal Sacrifice; The Vasativari Water; The Soma Feast.

Now, once on a time, the gods, while performing sacrifice, were afraid of an attack from the Asura-Rakshas. They said, 'Let us completely establish the sacrifice: if the Asura-Rakshas should then attack us, our sacrifice will at least be completely established.'

Thereupon, while looking in the different directions, he mutters, 'Ours be your power, ours your manhood and intelligence ours be your energies!' For he who offers the Vagapeya wins everything here, winning as he does Pragapati, and Pragapati being everything here; having appropriated to himself the glory, the power, and the strength of this All, he now lays them within himself, makes them his own: that is why he mutters, while looking in the different directions.

Verily, in the beginning there was here the non-existent. As to this they say, 'What was that non-existent?' The Rishis, assuredly,--it is they that were the non-existent. As to this they say, 'Who were those Rishis?' The Rishis, doubtless, were the vital airs: inasmuch as before (the existence of) this universe, they, desiring it, wore themselves out (rish) with toil and austerity, therefore (they are called) Rishis.

'Yama hath given the settlement on earth (to this Sacrificer);' for Yama indeed rules over the settling on this earth, and it is he who grants to this (Sacrificer) a settlement on this earth.

He lays them down by ten and ten, for there are ten vital airs; and even though 'ten-ten' may mean many, times, here they mean only ten. Five times he puts on ten each time; for it is those five animals he bestows, and there are ten vital airs in each animal: upon all of them he thus bestows the vital airs.

This solemn and awful ceremony consists of 425 oblations to Rudra, the representative of the fearful aspects of life and nature, accompanied by appropriate formulas addressed to the various forms of the terrible god, and his associates, with a view to appeasing their wrath. These formulas make up a complete kanda of the Vagasaneyi-samhita, and constitute a special Upanishad.

The thumbs are males, and the fingers and toes females; the ears are males, and the eyebrows females; the lips are males, and the nostrils females; the teeth are males, and the tongue is a female: indeed the whole (body) consists of pairs, and with this body, consisting of pairs, that (vital fluid) enters this Agni (the fire-altar), consisting of pairs.

Now, indeed, the gods were at first mortal; and only when they had gained the year they were immortal; for the year is everything, and the imperishable means everything: thereby then accrues to him imperishable merit, the imperishable world.

Now, indeed, the gods were at first mortal; and only when they had gained the year they were immortal; for the year is everything, and the imperishable means everything: thereby then accrues to him imperishable merit, the imperishable world.

'Were he to offer measured (a specified number of oblations), he would gain for himself something limited:' he offers unspecified (oblations) for the obtainment of the unlimited. And indeed Pragapati spake, 'Verily, upon the oblations of drops I establish the Asvamedha, and by it, when established, I pass upward from hence.'

Now, indeed, the gods were at first mortal; and only when they had gained the year they were immortal; for the year is everything, and the imperishable means everything: thereby then accrues to him imperishable merit, the imperishable world.