though he asks not for it.  For him who knows this, there is this Upanishad, or secret vow, ‘Beg not!’ As a man who has begged through a village and got nothing sits down and says, ‘I shall never eat anything given by those people,’ and as then those who formerly refused him press him to accept their alms, thus is the rule for him who begs not, but the charitable will press him and say, ‘Let us give to thee.’

“Now follows the attainment of the highest treasure, i.e., spirit.[18] If a man meditates on that highest treasure, let him on a full moon or a new moon, or in the bright fortnight, under an auspicious Nakshatra, at one of these proper times, bending his right knee, offer oblations of ghee with a ladle, after having placed the fire, swept the ground, strewn the sacred grass, and sprinkled water.  Let him say:  ’The deity called Speech is the attainer, may it attain this for me from him who possesses and can bestow what I wish for.  Svaha to it!’ ’The deity called prana, or breath, is the attainer, may it attain this for me from him.  Svaha to it!’ ’The deity called the eye is the attainer, may it attain this for me from him.  Svaha to it!’ ’The deity called the ear is the attainer, may it attain this for me from him.  Svaha to it!’ ’The deity called mind is the attainer of it, may it attain this for me from him.  Svaha to it!’ ’The deity called knowledge is the attainer of it, may it attain this for me from him.  Svaha to it!’

“Then having inhaled the smell of the smoke, and having rubbed his limbs with the ointment of ghee, walking on in silence, let him declare his wish, or let him send a messenger.  He will surely obtain his wish.

“Now follows the Daiva Smara, the desire to be accomplished by the gods.  If a man desires to become dear to any man or woman, or to any men or women, then at one of the fore-mentioned proper times he offers, in exactly the same manner as before, oblations of ghee, saying:  ’I offer thy speech in myself, I this one here, Svaha.’  ’I offer thy ear in myself, I this one here, Svaha.’  ’I offer thy mind in myself, I this one here, Svaha.’  ‘I offer thy knowledge in myself, I this one here, Svaha.’  Then having inhaled the smell of the smoke, and having rubbed his limbs with the ointment of ghee, walking on in silence, let him try to come in contact or let him stand speaking in the wind, so that the wind may carry his words to the person by whom he desires to be loved.  Surely he becomes dear, and they think of him.

“Now follows the restraint instituted by Pratardana, the son of Divodasa:  they call it the inner Agni-hotri.  So long as a man speaks, he cannot breathe, he offers all the while his breath in his speech.  And so long as a man breathes, he cannot speak, he offers all the while his speech in his breath.  These two endless and immortal oblations he offers always, whether waking or sleeping.  Whatever other oblations there are (those, e.g., of the ordinary Agni-hotri, consisting of milk and other things), they have an end, for they consist of works which, like all works, have an end.  The ancients, knowing this the best Agni-hotri, did not offer the ordinary Agni-hotri.