Praśna 1, Kaṇḍikā 8

1-3. The Adhvaryu, wearing his sacred cord over the left shoulder and under the right arm (and sitting) with his right knee bent (on the left thigh), should thrust the grain-stirring stick into the cooked rice, pour clarified butter over it,^[1] and offer oblations—the first with the formula, “To Soma drunk by the Pitṛs, svadhā, obeisance,” and the second with the formula, “To aṅgirasvant pitṛmant Yama, svadhā, obeisance.”^[2] He should offer the third oblation of the grains sticking to the stirring stick with the formula, “To kavyavāhana sviṣṭakṛt Agni, svadhā, obeisance.”

4. He should put the grain-stirring stick (on the fire) without reciting any formula.

5. He should take out a fire-brand out of the Dakṣiṇa fire with the verse, “May Agni drive away from this region the Asuras who adopt various forms, who seek offerings given with svadhā, and who carry away parāpur and nipur.”^[3]

6. The sacrificer, sitting with his left knee bent (on the right thigh) and wearing his sacred cord over the right shoulder and under the left arm, should pour down within the altar, dug out by a single draw of the wooden sword, three cavityfuls of water—the first to the father with the formula, “Do thou NN be washed,” the second to the grand-father with the formula, “Do thou NN be washed,” and the third to the great-grand-father with the formula, “Do thou NN be washed.”

7. At this very moment, he should offer, by means of the hand with the palm turned downwards, three balls ending towards the south, with the three formulas beginning with, “This for thee, O father, and (for those) who (come) after thee,”^[4] mentioning the name (of each of the ancestors).

8. If be has two fathers,^[5] he should offer the balls to the ancestors in both the lines.

9. Or he should have in view two (ancestors) with reference to each ball.

10. If his father is alive, he should offer (balls) only to the grand-father and the great-grand-father.

11. According to some teachers, one should not off er balls to the ancestors beyond the one who is living.^[6]

12. He should perform the rite ending with the offering.^[7]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra 1.8.1 says that one should pour out purified or unpurified clarified butter over the rice and place the stirring stick and the vessel of cooked rice within the altar.

[2]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra 1.8.6 mentions the view, according to which oblation to Yama should not be offered.

[3]:

Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā II.30. Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra 1.8.7 mentions in this connection the following additional verses : apayantv asurāḥ...(Mānava-śrauta-sūtra 1.1.2.8.), ye devāḥ pitaro..., and ye jñātīnām pratirūpāḥ...

[4]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā 1.8.5.1.

[5]:

That is, if he has been adopted.

[6]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra 1.9.8, says that one should finish the rice with the offering of cooked rice on the fire.

[7]:

That is, he should conclude the rite with the offering of cooked rice by means of the stirring stick. See 1.8.4.