Praśna II, Paṭala 3, Section 8

1.^[1] Now (follows) the sacrifice of the śūlagava (or spit-ox, for propitiating Rudra and averting plague in cattle).

2. In the fortnight of the increasing moon, under an auspicious constellation, he puts wood on the fire, strews (Darbha grass) on the entire surface around the fire, cooks a mess of sacrificial food with milk, sprinkles it (with Ājya), takes it from the fire, builds two huts to the west of the fire, and has the spit-ox led to the southerly (hut) with (the verse), 'May the fallow steeds, the harmonious ones, bring thee hither, together with the white horses, the bright, wind-swift, strong ones, that are as quick as thought. Come quickly to my offering, Śarva! Om!'

3.^[2] To the northerly (hut he has) the 'bountiful one' (led);—(i.e. the consort of the spit-ox);

4. To the middle (between the two huts) the 'conqueror' (i.e. a calf of those two parents).

5. He gives them water to drink in the same order in which they have been led (to their places), prepares three messes of boiled rice, 'spreading under' and sprinkling (Ājya) on them, and touches (the three beasts with those portions of rice) in the order in which they have been led (to their places), with (the Mantras), 'May he, the bountiful one, touch it. To the bountiful one svāhā! May she, the bountiful one, touch it. To the bountiful one svāhā! May the conqueror touch it. To the conqueror svāhā!'

6. After he has performed (the rites) down to the Vyāhṛti oblations, he takes the messes of boiled rice (to the fire) and sacrifices them (the first with the Mantra),

'To the god Bhava svāhā! To the god Rudra svāhā! To the god Śarva svāhā! To the god Īśāna . . . Paśupati . . . Ugra . . . Bhīma svāhā! To the great god svāhā!'

7. Then he sacrifices the consort's rice to the consort (of Rudra, with the Mantra), 'To the consort of the god Bhava svāhā! To the consort of the god Rudra . . . Śarva . . . Īśāna . . . Paśupati . . . Ugra . . . Bhīma . . . of he great god svāhā!'

8. Then he sacrifices of the middle portion of rice with (the Mantra), 'To the conqueror svāhā! To the conqueror svāhā!'

9. Then he cuts off from all the three portions of rice and sacrifices the Sviṣṭakṛt oblation with (the Mantra), 'To Agni Sviṣṭakṛt svāhā!'

10. Around that fire they place their cows so that they can smell the smell of that sacrifice.

11. 'With luck may they walk round our full face'—with (these words) he walks round all (the objects mentioned, viz. the fire, the three beasts, and the other cows), so as to turn his right side towards them, and worships (the śūlagava) with the (eleven) Anuvākas, 'Adoration to thee, Rudra, to the wrath' (Taitt. Saṃh. IV, 5), or with the first and last of them.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

8, 1. Comp. Āśvalāyana IV, 8; Pāraskara III, 8; Āpastamba VII, 20.

[2]:

3, 4. The text has mīḍhiuṣīm, jayantam.