Madhu in RV 5.30.15 The expression ayasmaya gharma signifies that the vessel is full of metal, i.e.Soma (signified by the pun word, madhu).
5.030.15 We have accepted, Agni, the four thousand cattle from the Rus'ama_s; and the glowing, the golden ewer prepared for the solemnity, we who are wise have accepted it. [The golden ewer: gharmas' cit taptah pravr.je ya a_sid ayasmayah: ayasmayah = made of metal, here, made of gold, hiran.yamaya kalas'a, a ewer; gharmas'cit = maha_vi_ra iva, that is, like the ewer or vessel so termed, containing a mixture of Soma, melted butter, and milk, perhaps put upon the fire: yad ghara ityatapat tad gharmasya gharmatvam it s'ruti].
(Griffith) RV 5.30.15 We have received four thousand head of cattle presented by the Rusamas, O Agni.
And we, the singers, have received the caldron of metal which was heated for Pravargya.
10.177.01 The wise behold their mind; (seated) in their heart the Sun made manifest by the illusion of the asura; the sages look into the solar orb, the ordainers (of solar worship) desire the region of his rays. [Illusion of the asura: asurasya = the supreme Brahma devoid of all disguise; aktam ma_yaya_ = united, to knowledge, all-knowing].
10.177.02 The Sun bears the (sacred) word in his mind the Gandharva has spoken it, (abiding) within the womb; sages cherish it in the place of sacrifice, brilliant, heavenly ruling the mind. [Sacred word: va_k: the three Vedas; Taittiri_ya Bra_hman.a 3.12.9: in the morning the deity moves in the sky with the hymns of the R.k, he abides at noon in the Yajurveda, at his setting he is extolled with the Sa_maveda; the sun moves accompanied by the three Vedas; gandharva: from gah (voices), and dhr. (to hold) = the breath of life].
10.177.03 I beheld the protector (the Sun), never descending, going by his paths to the east and to the west; clothing (with light) the (four) quarters of heaven and the intermediate spaces, he constantly revolves in the midst of the worlds.
(Griffith) RV 10.177 Mayabheda. 177
1. THE sapient with their spirit and their mind behold the Bird adorned with all an Asuras' magic might.
Sages observe him in the oceans' inmost depth: the wise disposers seek the station of his rays.
2 The flying Bird bears Speech within his spirit: erst the Gandharva in the womb pronounced it:
And at the seat of sacrifice the sages cherish this radiant, heavenlybright- invention.
3 I saw the Herdsman, him who never resteth, approaching and departing on his pathways.
He, clothed in gathered and diffusive splendour, within the worlds continually travels.
Sages observe him in the oceans' inmost depth: the wise disposers seek the station of his rays.
2 The flying Bird bears Speech within his spirit: erst the Gandharva in the womb pronounced it:
And at the seat of sacrifice the sages cherish this radiant, heavenlybright- invention.
3 I saw the Herdsman, him who never resteth, approaching and departing on his pathways.
He, clothed in gathered and diffusive splendour, within the worlds continually travels.
It appears to me that the puja posture has links to Pravargya. The symbolism is of the related Mahavira vessel (related to Pravargya), as the Sun, the "all seeing eye." See links to
Māyābheda sukta (RV 10.177.1-3) at:
http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2015/08/context-indus-script-decipherment.html
Context: Indus Script decipherment. Māyābheda sukta (RV 10.177.1-3) and hieroglyph components from mahāvīra, gharma pot in pravargya prefacing agniṣṭōma अग्निष्टोम Soma yajna
"Puja has unclear origins. J. A. B. van Buitenen states that "puja" emerged from yajna rituals, linking it to the Pravargya Vedic rite "[Axel Michaels (2004). Hinduism: Past and Present. Princeton University Press. pp. 241–242.)] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puja_(Hinduism)
Pravargya was a ceremony introductory to the Agniṣṭoma. "The whole Pravargya ritual has two distinct parts: the preparation of the earthen implements, especially the gharma or mahavira and the rites performed on the latter immediately after taking out of the furnace. These rites include the offering of hot milk to the Ashvins, and repeating it in the evening and so for three consecutive days preceding the upasad. At its conclusion, the implements used in this ritual, particularly the mahavira are carried in procession to uttaravedi and buried there." Pravargya cf. Houben, Jan E.M. (1991). The Pravargya Brāhmaṇa of the Taittirīya Āraṇyaka: an ancient commentary on the Pravargya ritual. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 3–7.See the commentary at The Pravargya Brāhmaṇa of the Taittirīya Āraṇyaka
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The symbolism of the Mahavira vessel (central to Pravargya process), is the Sun, the "all seeing eye." The Mahavira vessel has links to metallurgy. The nose signified on the vessel is Ka. mūgu, mū nose, forepart, snout, beak, nozzle; mūga, mūgi man with a nose. Koḍ. mu·kï nose. (DEDR 5024)*mukhahāra ʻ face string ʼ. [múkha -- , hāra -- 2]L.awāṇ. muhār ʻ nose -- rope ʼ; P. muhār f. ʻ nose -- rope for camel (CDIAL 10169) rebus: mũhe ‘face’ (Santali) mũh opening or hole (in a stove for stoking (Bi.); ingot (Santali) mũh metal ingot (Santali) mũhã̄= the quantity of iron produced at one time in a native smelting furnace of the Kolhes; iron produced by the Kolhes and formed like a four-cornered piece a little pointed at each end; mūhāmẽṛhẽt = iron smelted by the Kolhes and formed into an equilateral lump a little pointed at each of four ends; kolhe tehen mẽṛhẽt ko mūhāakata = the Kolhes have to-day produced pig iron (Santali).
“Now, their knowledge further increased by the secret they had learned from the horse's head, they also knew how to restore the head of Makha. But did the "sweet," the Madhu, that only Indra and Dadhyafic5 knew and that Dadhyaic announced to the Asvins through the horse's head remain un- changed from the Rg Veda to the Brahmana
The R̥gVeda speaks of the "sweet" (madhu) of Tvastr, it also speaks of the fly that gave away the Madhu, the "sweet" (RV.1.119.9). Tvastr's sweet is Soma. Indra once stole the Soma from Tvastr (RV.3.48.4), whereas the fly betrayed the secret to the Asvins. In the ancient story of the Rg Veda, the secret of Soma is betrayed to the Asvins, by Dadhyanc, or else it is betrayed to them by a fly.6 Was the "sweet" that Dadhyafic knew the knowl- edge of Soma and where the Soma could be found? The horse's head of Dadhyafc was submerged in Saryanavat. 7 Saryanavat is a lake or river in mountains of Kuruksetra. It is rich in Soma. (RV.9.65.22,23; Say. on 1.84.14; cf. 10.35)…The Madhu in the Rg Veda has the secret of Soma for its content. This secret, the repository of Indra's strength, is revealed by Dadhyafic to the Asvins…
The secret knowledge by which the Asvins, the celestial Healers, restored the sacrifice is contained in the Mantras of the Hymn to the Light (RV.10. 170.1-3). It is these incantations which are meant by the Divakirtyas of which the Satapatha Brah- mana speaks (9B.4.1.5.15; SV.2.803-805; Uhya- gana.2.2.9). By the power of these words addres- sed by the Asvins to the Light radiating from the Sun the head of Makha is restored to the body of the sacrifice…
The other ingredients of the Mahivira pot are: earth from a termite hill25 for these termites had been divinized and made "first born of the world in return for the part they played in the severance of Visnu's head; earth turned up by a boar, for it was the boar Emusa-Prajapati that raised the earth herself-she was quite small then-into ex- istence.26 These two additional kinds of earth establish mythically the consistency and existence of the substance of the Mahavira vessel from the beginning of things…
In the Rg Veda however, it was another secret that Dadhyafic betrayed to the Asvins. This secret was "Madhu," the innermost "sweetness," Soma. (RV. 1.116.12; 1.117.22)…” https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/600319.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3A28411c01b9efbcd4484703f54b71c955
The Mahāvīra Vessel and the Plant Pūtika Author(s): Stella Kramrisch Source: Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 95, No. 2 (Apr. - Jun., 1975), pp. 222-235 Published by: American Oriental Society Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/600319
Gharma is called ayasmaya, ‘metal’ (RV 5.11.5) and referenced in SBr. 14.2.2.54.
Madhu is a pun on the word mr̥du‘iron’. meḍ 'iron' (Mu.Ho.) med'copper' (Slavic)
SantaliThe bees are metaphors for wax used in the lost-wax casting method.
माक्षिक mfn. (fr. मक्षिका) coming from or belonging to a bee Rebus: ‘pyrites’: माक्षिक n. a kind of honey-like mineral substance or pyrites MBh. (Monier-Williams)
उपधातुः An inferior metal, semi-metal. They are seven; सप्तोपधातवःस्वर्णं माक्षिकं तारमाक्षिकम् । तुत्थं कांस्यं च रातिश्च सुन्दूरं च शिलाजतु ॥ उपरसः uparasḥउपरसः 1 A secondary mineral, (red chalk, bitumen, माक्षिक, शिलाजित &c).(Samskritam)
Cf. Jan E. M. Houben, 1991, The Pravargya Brahmana of the Taittiriya Aranyaka: an ancient commentary on the Pravargya ritual, Delhi, Motilal Banarsidass Publ.