In the sacred ritual, the hidden part was gently lowered from its seat, and the bull carried it to its destined place, for he sustains the very nourishment of women. Mysterious words—Yakāsakau, śakuntikāhalag—were uttered in a deceptive manner, as the ritualist struck within the womb of the animal, producing the resonant sound “nigalgalīti,” marking his role as the holder. Again, the enigmatic utterances—Yako, asakau, śakuntaka, āhalag—were spoken, again deceiving. As if about to speak, the officiant’s mouth was restrained: “O Adhvaryu, do not address us at length.” The lineage of life was recalled: mother and father stood at the tip of the growing tree, and the father pressed his fist into the womb, saying “Pratilāmīti.” Mother and father played together at the tree’s summit, and once more, restraint was urged: “O Brahman, do not speak much to us.” Then, as if lifting a burden up a mountain, she was raised upward, her middle part swelling, as though purified by a gentle, cool wind. Likewise, he was lifted, his middle part moving, cleansed by the same wind’s touch. When her amniotic membranes thickened and settled, her testicles shifted like the ankles of a cow. When the gods revealed the adorned and broad-hipped one, she was guided by her thigh, reminiscent of the eye-sockets of truth. Yet, when the deer eats barley, he does not feel nourished as cattle do. Likewise, when a Śūdra is the lover of an Arya woman, he does not seek prosperity. Again, the deer eating barley does not feel greatly nourished, nor does the Śūdra consider such union as nourishment. “I have fashioned Dadhikrāvan, the victorious and swift horse,” the ritualist proclaims. “May his mouth be fragrant for us; may he carry us across to long life.” The metres—Gāyatrī, Triṣṭubh, Jagatī, Anuṣṭubh, Paṅkti, along with Bṛhatī, Uṣṇih, Kakubh, and the Sūcī verses—are invoked to bring calm. May the two-footed, four-footed, three-footed, six-footed, the irregular and regular metres, with the Sūcī verses, grant you peace. May greatness, splendor, all directions, the mighty, the cloud-like, and lightning-like voices, with the Sūcī verses, calm you. May your wives, O man, part your hair with wisdom; may the wives of the gods, the directions themselves, with the Sūcī verses, bring you tranquility. Silver, antelopes, lead, and yokes are bound together by action; let the boundaries and straps on the horse’s skin be securely fastened. Perhaps those who possess barley, or even the barley itself as it is crushed in order, are to be fed here—let food be made for them, those who honor the sacred grass with words of homage. Questions arise: “Who cuts you, who commands you, who binds your limbs? Who, indeed, is your binder, O sage?” Let it be the seasons, their joints, and the binders who command; with the energy of the year and its bindings, let them bind you. Let the half-months and limbs bind you; let the months cut and bind; let the days and nights, and the Maruts, crush and break you. Let the divine priests cut and command you; let your limbs at the joints make boundaries and bind. Let heaven, earth, atmosphere, and wind fill your opening; let the sun, together with the stars, make your world auspicious. Peace to your upper limbs, peace to the lower; peace to the bones and marrow, peace to your body. Further questions are pondered: “Who, indeed, walks alone? Who is born again? What is the remedy for winter? What is the great covering?” The answers come: The sun walks alone; the moon is born again; fire is the remedy for winter; earth is the great covering. “What is equal to the sun’s light? What lake equals the ocean? What is greater than the earth? Whose measure is unknown?” The answers are revealed: Brahman is equal to the sun’s light; the sky is a lake equal to the ocean; Indra is greater than the earth; the measure of the cow is not known. “I ask you, friend of the gods, if you have understood: in those three steps where Vishnu was worshipped, the whole world entered.” The response: “Indeed, I am in those three steps where the whole world entered; I swiftly traverse earth and sky, with one part, the back of this heaven.” Further inquiry: “In what did the person enter? What is placed within the person? O Brahman, we ask you—what will you tell us?” The answer: “In five, the person entered; those are placed within the person; I seek you here, and your wisdom is not from illusion.” “What was the former intention? What was the great speed? What was the pilippilā? What was the piśaṅgilā?” The reply: Heaven was the former intention; the horse was the great speed; the goat was the pilippilā; night was the piśaṅgilā. “Who is this Piśaṃgilā? Who is Kurupiśaṃgilā? Who leaps upon the branch? Who glides along the path?” The she-goat is Piśaṃgilā, the dog is Kurupiśaṃgilā. The hare leaps upon the branch, the serpent glides along the path. “How many are its droppings? How many syllables? How many offerings? In how many ways is it kindled? In the assembly of sacrifice, how many priests worship in due season?” The answer: Six are its droppings, a hundred syllables, eighty offerings, three kindling-sticks. In the assembly of sacrifice, seven priests worship in due season. “Who knows the navel of the world? Who knows the sky, earth, and atmosphere? Who knows the great origin of the sun? Who knows from where the moon was born?” The sage replies: “I know the navel of the world. I know the sky, earth, and atmosphere. I know the great origin of the sun, and I know from where the moon was born.” Thus, the mysteries of creation, sacrifice, and cosmic order are revealed, each question met with its answer, each ritual act harmonized with the universe, and peace is invoked for all beings.