Bharadvaja-srauta-sutra
by C. G. Kashikar | 1964 | 166,530 words
The English translation of the Bharadvaja-Srauta-Sutra, representing some of the oldest texts on Hindu rituals and rites of passages, dating to at least the 1st millennium BCE. The term Srautasutra refers to a class of Sanskrit Sutra literature dealing with ceremonies based on the Brahmana divisions of the Veda (Sruti). They include Vedic rituals r...
Praśna 3, Kaṇḍikā 15
1. In this connection this is the general rule: During the rites accompanied by mantras one should restrain speech; during the rites to be performed without reciting any mantra, he may do so if he so desires.
2. He should restrain speech since the carrying forth of the praṇītā-water up to the call to the preparer of the oblation-material.
3. He should restrain speech at every section (of the sacrifice). So is it said.[1]
4. According to some teachers, he should restrain speech even after the Prātaranuvāka[2] has been introduced, during the reciting of the sāmidhenīs,[3] during the offerings of the Prayājas[4] and the Anūyājas,[5] during the chanting of the Sāmans[6] and the recitation of the Śāstras.[7]
5. According to. some other teachers, he should restrain speech even during the rites which are being performed with the Ṛks, the Yajus and the Sāmans.
6. According to some teachers, the officiating priests dominate the sacrifice one by one. The sacrifice rests with the Hotṛ-priests when the rites are being performed with the Ṛks; with the Adhvaryu-priests when with the Yajus; with the Udgātṛ-priests when with the Sāmans; with the Brahman-priests when it is divided. Therefore, in the interim the Brahman should have his speech restrained.[8]
7. If the Brahman utters anything by mistake, he should utter the vyahṛtis, namely, bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ and suvaḥ or a verse dedicated to Viṣṇu.
8. Viṣṇu, indeed, is Yajña. (By reciting a verse dedicated to Viṣṇu) he joins the Yajña with the Yajña. So is it said.[9]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
The source of this quotation is not known.
[2]:
XIII.3.11.
[3]:
II.2.1.
[4]:
II.16.2.
[5]:
III.5.1.
[6]:
XIII.17.2.
[7]:
XIII.31.2.
[8]:
In a Soma-sacrifice there are four sets of the officiating priests belonging to the Hotṛ, the Adhvaryu, the Udgātṛ and the Brahman respectively. Each set consists of four officiating priests: The Hotṛs are—the Hotṛ, the Maitrāvaruṇa. the Acchāvāka, and the Grāvastut. The Adhvaryus are—the Adhvaryu, the Pratiprasthātṛ, the Neṣṭr. and the Unnetṛ. The Udgātṛs are: the Udgātṛ, the Prastotṛ, the Pratihartṛ and the Subrahmaṇya. The Brahmans are—the Brahman, the Brāhmaṇācchaṃsin, the Āgnīdhra and the Potṛ.
[9]:
The source of this passage is not known.