Kanda XI, adhyaya 7, brahmana 3

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

1. Such a (sacrificial stake) as has much substance^[1] is not auspicious to cattle, whence he who desires to have cattle should not make such a one his sacrificial stake: but such a one as is of little hardness is auspicious to cattle, whence he who desires to have cattle should make such a one his sacrificial stake.

2. And such a one as, while being crooked, has a top like a spit, is called 'kapotī^[2]'; and whoever makes such a one his sacrificial stake certainly goes to yonder world before his full measure of life: therefore let no one wishing for long life make such a one his sacrificial stake.

3. And such a one as is bent at the top, and bent outwards^[3] in the middle, is a type of hunger (poverty); and if any one makes such a one his sacrificial stake, his dependants will certainly be hungry; therefore let no one wishing for food make such a one his sacrificial stake. But such a one as is bent at the top and bent inwards in the middle, is a type of food (prosperity): therefore let him who wishes for food make such a one his sacrificial stake.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

That is, as would seem, made of very hard wood. It cannot mean 'pithy,' because at XIII, 4, 4, 9, the Khadira (acacia catechu), a tree of very hard, solid wood, is mentioned as 'bahusāra.'

[2]:

Either 'that which has a pigeon (sitting) on it' (kapotin, viz. yūpa), or, as Sāyaṇa takes it, fem. of 'kapota,'--a female pigeon; i.e. a tree too much pointed at the top.

[3]:

That is, as would seem, bent to the opposite side from that towards which the top tends.