Apastamba Grihya-sutra

by Hermann Oldenberg | 1892 | 21,043 words

The short treatise of Apastamba on the Grihya ritual forms one Prashna of the great corpus of the Apastambiya-Kalpa-sutra and stands, among the Grihya texts, in closest connection with the Hiranyakeshi-Grihya-sutra. Alternative titles: Āpastamba-gṛhya-sūtra (आपस्तम्ब-गृह्य-सूत्र), Grhya, Āpastambagṛhyasūtra (आपस्तम्बगृह्यसूत्र), Apastambagrihyasut...

Praśna 1, Section 1

1.[1] Now (follow) the ceremonies (the knowledge of) which is derived from practice (and not from the Śruti).

2. They should be performed during the northern course of the sun, on days of the first fortnight (of the month), on auspicious days,

3. With the sacrificial cord suspended over (the sacrificer's) left shoulder.

4. (The rites should be performed) from left to right.

5. The beginning should be made on the east side or on the north side,

6. And also the end.

7.[2] Ceremonies belonging to the Fathers (are performed) in the second fortnight (of the month),

8. With the sacrificial cord suspended over the right shoulder,

9. From right to left,

10. Ending in the south.

11. Ceremonies occasioned by special occurrences (are performed) according as their occasions demand.

12.[3] Having set the fire in a blaze, he strews eastward-pointed Darbha grass around it,

13. Or eastward-pointed and northward-pointed (grass);

14. Southward-pointed at sacrifices to the Fathers,

15. Or southward-pointed and eastward-pointed.

16. To the north of the fire he strews Darbha grass and (on that) he places the vessels (required for sacrifice) upside-down, two by two, if referring to ceremonies directed to the gods,

17. All at once, if to men,

18. One by one, if to the Fathers.

19.[4] The preparation of the (blades used as) 'purifiers,' the measure of their length, the preparation of the Prokṣaṇī water, and the sprinkling of the vessels are the same here as at the sacrifices of the new and full moon, (but are performed) in silence.

20.[5] To the west of the fire he pours water into a vessel over which he has laid (two grass blades called) purifiers, purifies (the water) three times with two northward-pointed purifiers, holds it on a level with his nose and mouth, places it to the north of the fire on Darbha grass, and covers it with Darbha grass.

21.[6] On the south side he causes a Brāhmaṇa to sit down on Darbha grass.

22. He melts the Ājya, pours it, to the west of the fire, into the Ājya-pot, over which he has laid two purifiers, draws coals (out of the sacrificial fire) towards the mirth, puts (the Ājya) on them, throws light on it by means of a burning (grass-blade), throws two Darbha points into it, moves a firebrand round it three times, takes it from the fire towards the north, sweeps the coals back (into the fire), purifies (the Ājya) three times with two northward-pointed purifiers, moving them backward and forward, and throws the purifiers into the fire.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

1, 1-11. The Paribhāṣās for the Pākayajñas.

[2]:

7-10. Comp. 7 with 2, 8 with 3, 9 with 4, 10 with 6.

[3]:

12 seq. Description of the regular form of a Pākayajña.

[4]:

Comp. Śrauta-sūtra I, 11, 6 seqq.

[5]:

This is the Praṇītā water.

[6]:

The Brahman.

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