Praśna 12, Kaṇḍikā 9

1. The Adhvaryu should touch the structure with the formula, “Thou belongest to Viṣṇu; (I take thee) for Viṣṇu.”^[1]

2. He should cause the sacrificer to go out of the structure towards the east with the verse, “Viṣṇu is being praised for his heroism, like a terrible beast, wandering and living in mountain; in whose three wide strides all worlds reside.”^[2] He should cause him to take three strides. So is it said.

3. According to some teachers, he (himself) should go out.^[3]

4. The Havirdhāna should be constructed with the ends of its rafters pointing towards the east.

5. The Āgnīdhra fire-chamber should be constructed with the ends of the rafters pointing towards the east and with a door towards the south, half within the altar and half without.^[4]

6. The Sadas should be crosswise and extended towards the north.

7. In this connection this is the general rule: the Adhvaryu should not pass towards the east beyond the two Havirdhāna-carts.

8. If he passes beyond, he should move with a verse dedicated to Viṣṇu^[5] or to Kṣetrapati.^[6]

9. He should not pass towards the west beyond the Sadas.

10. If he passes beyond, he should move with a verse dedicated to Indra.

11. He should step up three steps towards the east from the westernmost peg, and fix up a peg there. This indicates the rear half of the Sadas.

12. Towards the south of the pṛṣthyā at a distance of one step, he should fix a post of udumbara in the middle of the entire Sadas.

13. With regard to the Sadas it is said that it should be nine aratnis broad and twentyseven aratnis long (from the south) towards the north. According to some teachers, it should be eighteen aratnis long towards the north.^[7]

14. According to some teachers, one should prepare the Sadas as extensive as would be sufficient for accommodating the (relevant) officiating priests, the Dhiṣṇya mounds and the visitors (prasarpaka).

15. Having taken the shovel with the sāvitra formula, the Adhvaryu should trace around a hole for the post of udumbara with the formula, “The Rakṣas has been marked around, the evil spirits are marked around. Here do I cut off the neck of the Rakṣas who hates us and whom we hate; here do I cut off the neck of the Rakṣas.”^[8]

16. Having dug up the pit, the Adhvaryu should sprinkle the post of udumbara with prokṣaṇī-water to which barley-grains have been added, by means of the hand with the palm turned upwards—the tip with the formula, “For heaven thee,”^[9] the middle part with the formula,“For midregion thee,”^[9] and the root with the formula, “For earth thee.”^[9]

17 The pouring down of water, the throwing of barley-grains, and the spreading out of sacrificial grass have been explained in connection with the sacrificial post (in the Animal-sacrifice).^[10]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.13.3.

[2]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa II.4.2,4; Maitrāyaṇī-saṃhitā III.8.7.; Caraka-kaṭha-saṃhitā XXV.8.

[3]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XI.9.1.

[4]:

It should have the ends of its rafters pointing towards the east, should have four posts, and should be closed on all sides. cf. Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XI.9.4.

[5]:

II.6.2.

[6]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XI.9.3 does not mention this divinity.

[7]:

Instead of eighteen aratnis Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XI.9.7 mentions unmeasured extent. Rudradatta has made a mention of eighteen aratnis, probably on the basis of the Śulbasūtra.

[8]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.3.1.1.

[9]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.3.1.1.

[10]:

VII.7.13.15.