Praśna 10, Kaṇḍikā 16

1. “O god Sūrya, we shall purchase Soma; we announce it to thee. Do you bring the times in order; do you bring the dakṣiṇās inorder, according to the time and according to the divinity.”^[1]

2. Some teachers prescribe the pouring out of the king (Soma)^[2] at this stage.

3. Together with a cart, they^[3] should go to the king (Soma) with the verse, “We have reached the path which leads to bliss, without a foe, whereby one defeats all his foes and wins wealth.”^[4]

4. The front plank (of the cart) is removed.^[5]

5. After having released the bullocks of the cart by the side of king (Soma), and having kept the cart facing him, the Adhvaryu should recite over him the formula, “Let thy stalk be mixed with stalk, joint with joint; may thy fragrance evoke the desire; may thy firm juice cause excitement. Thou art a householder; thy libation is bright.”^[6]

6. Towards the north of the king (Soma), he should spread on the skin a twofold linen-garment with its fringes lying to the east along the neck of the skin or turned upon the garment,^[7] and measure out (the bundles of) the king (Soma) upon it by means of his hand together with gold with the verse, “I send my prayer to god Savitṛ within the two bowls, the wise, having true impulse, the bestower of treasures, at whose impulse the resplendent light shines high. The golden-handed wise has measured the heaven with his form.”^[8]

7. He should measure out (each of the bundles) with one finger leaving out (the used one) each time.

8. In the case of all fingers he should join the thumb.

9. He should not measure out for the fifth time with that finger with which he had measured first. He should, however, measure out with that finger at the last time.

10. He should measure out five times with the formula, five times without reciting any formula.^[9]

11. With the formula, “For offspring thee,”^[10] he should collect the remaining stalks, fold together the borders of the garment, and tie the entire stock with a linen turban^[11] with the formula, “For Prāṇa thee.”^[10] With the formula, “For Vyāna thee,”^[10] he should loosen the tie.

12. Having loosened the tie, he should gaze at it with the formula, “Do thou breathe after the offspring; let the offspring breathe after thee.”^[12]

13. The sacrificer should recite over the king (Soma) delivered by the Soma-dealer the formulas, “Do thou speak unto Soma for me: ‘this is thy Gāyatrī part.’ Do thou speak unto Soma for me: ‘this is thy Triṣṭubh part.’ Do thou speak unto Soma for me: ‘this is thy Jagatī part.’ Do thou speak unto Soma for me: ‘do thou become the lord of Chandomas.’”^[13]

14. Then the Adhvaryu should say, “O Soma-dealer, is thy Soma for sale?”

15. The Soma-dealer should say, “Yes, it is for sale.”

16. The Adhvaryu should buy it with the formula, “I shall buy Soma which is full of vigour, full of sap, full of strength, and overcoming the enemy. I shall buy thy Soma with a cow.”^[14]

17. She has already^[15] been defined.

18. The Soma-dealer should say, “King Soma deserves more than that.”

19. The Adhvaryu should ask, “Does king Soma deserve more than that?”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Caraka-kaṭha-saṃhitā II.6.

[2]:

X.13.9.

[3]:

The Adhvaryu, the Brahman and the sacrificer. According to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra X.24.4, the cart should stand towards the west or north of king Soma with its pole ending towards the east or north, with its yoke tied, and resting on the ground with its chin.

[4]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.9.1.

[5]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra X.24.3 lays down that on the mountain the Soma should be carried on head. According to Rudradatta, this contingency arises if the sacrificial place is on the mountain.

[6]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.6.1.

[7]:

According to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra X.24.7 it should be threefold and should be spread with its fringes towards the east or towards the north and turned upon the garment.

[8]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.6.1.

[9]:

He should adopt the procedure for two or three or undefined times, cf. Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra X.24.12,13.

[10]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.6:1,2.

[11]:

Twofold, cf. Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra X.24.14.

[12]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.6.1,2.

[13]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.1.2.1.

[14]:

According to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra X.25.4, he should first offer the kalā of the foot of a cow, then the kuṣṭha. then the śapha, and then the foot.

[15]:

X.1419.