23. What odor of thine, O earth, came into being, which the herbs, which the waters bear, which the Gandharvas and Apsarases shared—with that do thou make me odorous; let no one soever hate us.
Ppp. adds, after bhejire, yas te gām açvam arhati; and it reads for our d tenā ’smān surabhīṣ kṛṇu, and, in our e, dvakṣata. The verse (11 + 11: 12: 8 + 8 = 50) is as well described by the Anukr. as the latter's system admits. Verses 23-25 ⌊so the schol.⌋ are called in Kāuç. 13. 12 and 54. 5 gandhapravādās (likewise in the comm. to 24. 24); they are also reckoned as belonging to the second varcasya gaṇa (see note to Kāuç. 12. 10).
24. What odor of thine entered into the blue lotus; which they brought together at Sūryā's wedding—the immortals, O earth, [what] odor in the beginning—with that do thou make me odorous; let no one soever hate us.
Ppp. has again tenā ’smān surabhīṣ kṛṇu, and dvakṣata. ⌊To the definition of the⌋ verse (11 + 11: 11 + 8 + 8 = 49) ⌊should be added "bhurij"⌋.
25. What odor of thine is in human beings (púruṣa); in women, in men, [what] portion, pleasure; what in horses, in heroes, what in wild animals and in elephants; what splendor, O earth (bhū́mi), in a maiden—with that do thou unite us also; let no one soever hate us.
Or, in d, mṛgeṣu hastiṣu may mean simply 'elephants' (lit. 'wild beasts having a hand'). Ppp. reads yas te bhāume puruṣeṣu...rucir yo vadhūṣu: yo goṣv açveṣu yo mṛgeṣu:...yad bhāume abhi sāṁ sṛja; and in g dvakṣata. If the verse contains an uṣṇih pāda (namely c, the resolution aç-u-eṣu being rejected), it is nicṛt as a çakvarī.
26. Rock [is?] earth (bhū́mi), stone, dust; this earth (bhū́mi) [is] held together, held; to that earth, gold-backed (-vákṣas) have I paid homage.
Ppp. reads, in a-b, pāṅsv aryā bhūmi stṛtā dhṛtā, and omits c, d. ⌊Cf. note to vs. 6.⌋
27. On whom stand always fixed the trees, the forest trees (vānaspatyá), the all-supporting earth that is held [together] do we address.
Ppp. reads for d bhūmyāi hiraṇyavakṣasi dhṛtam acchāv-. Vāit. 2. 8 quotes the verse to accompany the laying down of the enclosing sticks.
28. Arising (ud-īr), also sitting, standing, striding forth, with right and left feet, let us not stagger upon the earth.
The Anukr. seems to assume the resolution -kṛ-ā- in b. This verse and 33 below are quoted in Kāuç. 24. 33 to accompany the taking of three steps, while looking around, in the āgrahāyaṇī ceremony.
29. The cleansing (vimṛ́gvan) earth do I address, the patient (kṣamá) earth (bhū́mi), increasing by worship (bráhman); may we sit down, O earth (bhū́mi), upon thee, that bearest refreshment, prosperity (puṣṭá), food-portion, ghee.
Ppp. reads at the beginning vimargvāya, in b vāvṛdhānaḥ, in c puṣṭiṁ, in d bhāume. The verse is quoted four times in Kāuç.: in 3. 8; 24. 28; 137. 40, to accompany a sitting down in different ceremonies; and in 90. 15, when causing a guest to stand upon a cushion.
