Praśna 13, Kaṇḍikā 3

1. Then the Adhvaryu Should touch them with the formula, “You, residence of water, the fruits of ṛta, guardians of the world, the falcons, the guests, peaks of mountains, children of Prayut, do you invoke Indra with your sound; dispel the diseases with your noise; be set to work; carry on; carry the sacrificer to the heaven.”^[1]

2. The Adhvaryu should proceed with the rite of the Savanīya animal-sacrifice.

3. The procedure up to the takiṇg up of clarified butter should be similar.^[2]

4. Out of ordinary clarified butter, be should first take (a portion of) clarified butter into the pracaraṇī-ladle.^[3]

5. He should sprinkle with water by means of the hand with the palm turned upwards the sticks, which he would put on the fire on this day together with the faggot.

6. Whatever fuel he would put on the fire in between the two āghāra fire-sticks, he should put after first having sprinkled it with water.

7. The procedure up to the placing of the ladles (filled with clarified butter) should be similar.^[4]

8. With the verse, “I yoke the three stages of the sṇṇ for thee,”^[5] he should touch the ladles which have been placed.

9. Some teachers prescribe the arranging of the cups and goblets^[6] at this stage.

10. After having offered an oblation on the Āgnīdhra fire with the formula, “Do thou guard me from oral speech, from every imprecation,”^[7] the Adhvaryu should take down king Soma upon the pressing stones from between the two poles with the two formulas, “For heart thee, for intellect thee, for heaven thee, for the sun thee; raise aloft the sacrifice; carry the invokings unto the gods in the heaven.—O king Soma, come hither, descend; do not fear, do not tremble; let me not injure thee; do thou descend the offspring, let the offspring descend thee.”^[8]

11. After having offered an oblation on the Āgnīdhra fire with the pañcahotṛ formula,^[9] he should give out a call to the Hotṛ (asking him) to recite, the prātaranuvāka, “Do you recite verses for the gods coming in the morning; O Brahman, do you restrain speech; O Subrahmaṇya, do thou call out the subrahmaṇyā;^[10] O Pratiprasthātṛ, do you pour out grains for the Savanīyapuroḍāśa and cause the milk to be milked for the āmikṣā.”

12. If the Adhvaryu hates the sacrificer, he should initiate the reciting of the Prātaranuvāka after birds have commenced chirping.^[11]

13. The Subrahmaṇya should recite the subrahmaṇyā formula containing the mention of fathers (=ancestors) and sons (=descendants).

14. There is a view that, at this stage, one should pour out grains for the Savanīyapuroḍāśa and cause milk to be milked for the āmikṣā. There is another view that one should do so at a later stage.^[12]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The whole formula, except the last portion is from Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa III.7.9.

[2]:

VII.7.5.

[3]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XII.3.3,4 records two views: according to one, the Adhvaryu should take clarified butter for the Savanīya animal-sacrifice in the Āgnīdhra fire-chamber, and that for the Anūbandhyā animal-sacrifice on the uttaravedi. According to the other, be should take clarified butter for both these sacrifices to the rear of the uttaravedi.

[4]:

VII.7 9.

[5]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.1.6.2.

[6]:

XIII. 1.6.

[7]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.1.7.1.

[8]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.3.13.1.

[9]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XII.3.10,11: For a sacrificer desirous of heaven, he should make this offering; some teachers prescribe it as a normal one. Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XII.3.12 further records a general direction: The Adhvaryu should offer in the middle of the fire all oblations pertaining to a Soma-sacrifice, namely, those of clarified butter, animal-offerings and cakes (and others); the offerings of Soma should however, be made around.

[10]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XII.3.16 records a view according to which the call should be: subrahmaṇye subrahmaṇyām āhvaya.

[11]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XII.3.14 clearly says that the Adhvaryu should initiate the prātaranuvāka before men have begun to utter speech and birds have begun to ting.

[12]:

XIII.18.1.