Praśna 1, Kaṇḍikā 6

1. In the Full-moon sacrifice, one should, after he has commenced the vow, fetch the Barhis and the faggot the next day.^[1]

2. In the New-moon sacrifice, on the previous day.^[2]

3. There is a view that in the Full-moon sacrifice (one should do) as he likes.^[3]

4. The Adhvaryu should prepare the veda of the darbha-blades^[4] with the formula, “Thou art the veda, do thou become veda for me through that through which thou hast become veda for the gods.”

5. He should prepare the veda of the shape of the knee of a calf (sitting with legs) contracted for a sacrificer desirous of cattle; of the shape of a basket (for collecting grains) for a sacrificer desirous of food; having three strands for a sacrificer desirous of Brahman-splendour. Some say that it should have a head of three strands.^[5]

6. Some teachers regard the first two alternatives as the normal ones.

7-8. The Adhvaryu should cut this (veda) at a distance of a span (from the base). According to some teachers, he should cut at a distance of a span from the cord tied to it.^[6]

9. He should deposit the ends of the veda markedly, and drop witbin the altar some of the leaves of the twig with which he has driven the calves.

10. He should cut the twig at the root and turn that cut-off portion into the fire-stirring stick (upaveṣa) with the verse, “Thou art the firestirring stick. (The officiating priests) preparing an oblation for Indra held thee as the server at the sacrifice. Do thou become auspicious and kind to us.”^[7]

11. With the formula, “Thou art a hundred-streamed strainer of the Vasus, thou art a thousand-streamed strainer of the Vasus,”^[8] he should prepare out of this (twig) a strainer equipped with darbha-blades, one span in length, having three strands, and not requiring twirling.

12. He should fix the lower ends (of the darbha-blades) with the lower end (of the twig) and the upper ends with the upper end; he should not tie a knot.

13. The sacrificer should follow the strainer, being prepared, with the verse, “The threefold darbha-blade fixed with the palāśa-twig is this much (that is) a span in length. May that strainer render the oblation, that is, the milk, most purifying in my sacrifice.”^[9]

14. The fire-chamber should be swept clean, and the fire-places besmeared (with cow-dung).

15. The two sāṃnāyya-kettles should be besmeared with cow-dung up to the portion furnished with gravel.

16. The sacrificer and bis wife should adorn themselves.

Footnotes and references:

[back to top]

[1]:

That is, on the pratipad.

[2]:

That is, on the new-moon day.

[3]:

If one so desires, one may commence the vow and fetch the Barhis and faggot on the full-moon day.

[4]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra 1.6.3 prescribes a different mantra, namely, “Through you have they known the altar, the earth,..,” (Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa III.7.4.12) for this rite.

[5]:

Dhūrtasvāmin explains this with “having three heads.”

[6]:

This view is held by Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra 1.6.6.

[7]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa III.7.4.13. Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra 1.6.3 adds that one should deposit markedly a piece of the twig, cut while preparing the fire-stirring sticks, with the verse, “From the third world...” (Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa. III.7.4.1). CALAND asks whether the remaining leaves of the twig are meant by this.

[8]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā 1.1.3.1. Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra I. 6.9 prescribes this formula for the fixing of the ends. cf. the next sūtra.

[9]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa III.7.4.11. Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra 1.6.10 prescribes the additional verse, “These breaths Prāṇa and Apāna....”

Other Dharmashastra Concepts:

[back to top]

Discover the significance of concepts within the article: ‘Prasna 1, Kandika 6’. Further sources in the context of Dharmashastra might help you critically compare this page with similair documents:

Adhvaryu, Sacrificer and wife, Full moon sacrifice, New moon sacrifice, Darbha-blade.