The sacrifice is throughout symbolical.  The sacrificial straw represents the world; the metre used represents all living creatures, etc.,—­a symbolism frequently suggested by a mere pun, but often as ridiculously expounded without such aid.  The altar’s measure is the measure of metres.  The cord of regeneration (badge of the twice-born, the holy cord of the high castes) is triple, because food is threefold, or because the father and mother with the child make three (Cat.  Br. iii. 5. 1. 7 ff.; 2. 1. 12); the jagati metre contains the living world, because this is called jagat (ib. i. 8. 2. 11).

Out of the varied mass of rules, speculations, and fancies, a few of general character may find place here, that the reader may gain a collective impression of the religious literature of the time.

The fee for the sacrifice is mentioned in one place as one thousand cows.  These must be presented in groups of three hundred and thirty-three each, three times, with an odd one of three colors.  This is on account of the holy character of the numeral three.  ’But [=A]suri (apparently fearful that this rule would limit the fee) said “he may give more"’ (Cat.  Br. iv. 5. 8. 14).  As to the fee, the rules are precise and their propounders are unblushing.  The priest performs the sacrifice for the fee alone, and it must consist of valuable garments, kine, horses,[25] or gold—­when each is to be given is carefully stated.  Gold is coveted most, for this is ‘immortality,’ ‘the seed of Agni,’ and therefore peculiarly agreeable to the pious priest.[26] For his greed, which goes so far that he proclaims that he who gives a thousand kine obtains all things of heaven (ib. iv. 5. 1. 11), the priest has good precept to cite, for the gods of heaven, in all the tales told of them, ever demand a reward from each other when they help their neighbor-gods.  Nay, even the gods require a witness and a vow, lest they injure each other.  Discord arose among them when once they performed the guest-offering; they divided into different parties, Agni with the Vasus, Soma with the Rudras, Varuna with the [=A]dityas, and Indra with the Maruts.  But with discord came weakness, and the evil spirits got the better of them.  So they made a covenant with each other, and took Wind as witness that they would not deceive each other.  This famous covenant of the gods is the prototype of that significant covenant made by the priest, that he would not, while pretending to beseech } good for the sacrificer,[27] secretly do him harm (as he could by altering the ceremonial).[28] The theory of the fee, in so far as it affects the sacrifices, is that the gods, the Manes, and men all exist by what is sacrificed.  Even the gods seek rewards; hence the priests do the same.[29] The sacrificer sacrifices to get a place in devaloka (the world of the gods).  The sacrifice goes up to the world of gods, and after it goes the fee which