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 2

1. He warms at the fire the implement with which he sacrifices, wipes it off with Darbha blades, warms it again, sprinkles it (with water), puts it down, touches the Darbha blades with water, and throws them into the fire.

2.[1] As paridhis (or pieces of wood laid round the fire) yoke-pins are used at the marriage, the Upanayana, the Samāvartana, the parting of the (wife's) hair, the tonsure of the child's hair, the cutting of the beard, and at expiatory ceremonies.

3. He sprinkles water round the fire, on the south side from west to east with (the words), 'Aditi, give thy consent!' on the west side from south to north with 'Anumati, give thy consent!' on the north side from west to east with 'Sarasvatī [sic], give thy consent!' all around with 'God Sāvitrī, give thy impulse!'

4. At ceremonies belonging to the Fathers (water is sprinkled) only all round (the fire), silently.

5.[2] Having put a piece of wood on the fire, he offers the two Āghāra oblations as at the sacrifices of the new and full moon, silently.

6.[3] Then he offers the two Ājyabhāga oblations, over the easterly part of the northerly part (of the fire) with (the words), 'To Agni Svāhā!' over the easterly part of the southerly part (another oblation) exactly like the preceding one, with (the words), 'To Soma Svāhā!'

7.[4] Having offered the chief oblations (belonging to each sacrifice) according to prescription, he adds the following oblations, viz. the Jaya, Abhyātāna, Rāṣṭrabhṛt oblations, the oblation to Prajāpati, the Vyāhṛtis one by one, the oblation to (Agni) Sviṣṭakṛt with (the following formula), 'What I have done too much in this ceremony, or what I have done here too little, all that may Agni Sviṣṭakṛt, he who knows, make well sacrificed and well offered. Svāhā!'

8.[5] The sprinkling (of water) round (the fire is repeated) as above; the Mantras are altered so as to say, 'Thou hast given thy consent,' 'Thou hast given thy impulse.'

9. The designation 'Pākayajña' is used of ceremonies connected with worldly life.

10.[6] There the ritual based on the Brāhmaṇa (holds good),

11.[7] (To which the words allude), 'He sacrifices twice; he wipes off (his hand) twice; he partakes twice (of the sacrificial food); having gone away he sips (out of the Sruc) and licks off (the Sruc).'

12. All seasons are fit for marriage with the exception of the two months of the śiśira season, and of the last summer month.

13. All Nakṣatras which are stated to be pure, (are fit for marriage);

14. And all auspicious performances.

15. And one should learn from women what ceremonies (are required by custom).

16.[8] Under the Invakās (Nakṣatra), (the wooers who go to the girl's father) are sent out: such wooers are welcome.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

2, 2. On the paridhi woods, comp. chiefly Hillebrandt, Neu-und Vollmondsopfer, 66 seq.

[2]:

The Śrauta rules on the two Āghāras are given Śrauta-sūtra II, 12, 7; 14, 1.

[3]:

Comp. Śrauta-sūtra II, 18, 5; Hillebrandt, loc. cit., p. 106, note 3.

[4]:

On the Jaya, Abhyātāna, Rāṣṭrabhṛt formulas, comp. Pāraskara I, 5, 7 seq.; Hiraṇyakeśin I, I, 3, 7 seq.; Taitt. Saṃhitā III, 4, 4-7.—The last formula occurs also in Āśvalāyana I, 10, 23; Hiraṇyakeśin I, I, 3, 6, &c.

[5]:

Comp. above, Sūtra 3.

[6]:

According to Haradatta, this Sūtra would imply that wheresoever the ritual described in the preceding Sūtras holds good, p. 255 another ritual based on the Brāhmaṇa, and more especially on the treatment of the Agnihotra in the Brāhmaṇa, may be used in its stead.

[7]:

Comp. Taitt. Brāhmaṇa II, 1, 4, 5; Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa II, 3, 1, 18. 21.—At the Agnihotra the sacrificer, having wiped off the Sruc with his hand, wipes off the hand on the Barhis or on the earth (Āpast.-Śraut. VI, 10, 11; 11, 4; Kātyāyana IV, 14, 20). As to the following acts alluded to in this Sūtra, comp. Āpastamba VI, 11, 4. 5; 12, 2.

[8]:

On the Nakṣatra Invakās, comp. Section 3, Sūtra 4. This Sūtra forms a Śloka-hemistich, on which Haradatta observes, 'This verse has not been made by the Sūtrakāra.'

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