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1. Now the putting on of fuel.

2 ¹ . He wipes with his hand (the ground) round the fire with (the formula), ‘Agni, glorious one, make me glorious. As thou, glorious Agni, art glorious, thus, O glorious one, bring me to glory. As thou, Agni, art the preserver of the treasure of sacrifice for the gods, thus may I become the preserver of the treasure of the Veda for men.’

3 ² . Having sprinkled (water) round the fire from left to right, he stands up and puts a piece of wood on (the fire) with (the texts),

‘To Agni I have brought a piece of wood, to the great Jātavedas. As thou, Agni, art inflamed by wood, thus I am inflamed by life, insight, vigour, offspring, cattle, holy lustre.

‘May my teacher be the father of living sons; may I be full of insight, not forgetful (of what I have learned); may I become full of glory, of splendour, of holy lustre, an enjoyer of food. Svāhā!

4. In the same way (he puts on) a second (piece of wood); and thus a third.

5. Or (each piece) with (the verse), ‘Thine is this’ (Vāj. Saṃh. II, 14).

6. Or (he uses) both (this verse and the formulas given in Sūtra 3).

7 ³ . The wiping and sprinkling (of water) round (the fire are repeated) as above.

8. Having warmed his two hands, he wipes his mouth with (the formulas):

‘Agni, thou art the protector of bodies. Protect my body. Agni, thou art the giver of life. Give me life. Agni, thou art the giver of vigour. Give me vigour.

‘Agni, what is deficient in my body, that restore to fulness.

‘May the god Savitṛ bestow insight on me, may the goddess Sarasvatī, may the two divine Aśvins, wreathed with lotus, (bestow) insight (on me).’