Bharadvaja-srauta-sutra
by C. G. Kashikar | 1964 | 166,530 words
The English translation of the Bharadvaja-Srauta-Sutra, representing some of the oldest texts on Hindu rituals and rites of passages, dating to at least the 1st millennium BCE. The term Srautasutra refers to a class of Sanskrit Sutra literature dealing with ceremonies based on the Brahmana divisions of the Veda (Sruti). They include Vedic rituals r...
Praśna 1, Kaṇḍikā 23
1. The spreading (of the skin of a black antelope) has already been explained.[1]
2. With the formula, “Thou art the supporter of the sky; may the skin of Aditi recognise thee,”[2] he should place the yoke-pin, with its thicker end towards the north, on the rear part of the neck of the skin of a black antelope.
3. He should place the lower crushing stone upon the yoke-pin with the formula, “Thou art a bowl of rock; may the rock recognise thee;”[3] and the upper crushing stone upon the lower crushing stone with the formula, “Thou art a bowl made of rock; may the rock recognise thee.”[3]
4. He should pour the grains upon the lower crushing stone with the formula, “Under the impulse of god Savitṛ, with the arms of Aśvins, with the hands of Pūṣan, I pour out upon the lower crushing stone acceptable to Agni.”[4] (He should say) “to Agni-Soma” etc. in accordance with the divinities.[5] He should do so three times with the formula, and the fourth time without reciting any formula.
5. He should crush the grains incessantly.[6]
6. With the formula, “To Prāṇa thee”[7], he should move the upper crushing stone forward; with the formula, “To Apāna thee,”[7] backward; with the formula, “To Vyāna thee,”[7] he should hold it in the middle part.
7. With the formula, “May I extend, for long, the life (of the sacrificer).”[8] he should finally move it forward.
8. He should cause the flour to fall upon the skin of a black antelope with the formula,“May god Savitṛ, of golden hands, take hold of thee.”[9]
9. With the formula, “I gaze on thee with undeceived eye,”[10] he should gaze at the flour which has fallen out.
10. He should give out a call to the preparer of the oblation-material with the words, “Do thou crush the grains without putting in (the particles which may fall out); make the flour fine.”[11]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
I.21.2.
[2]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.6.1.
[3]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.6.1.
[4]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā I I.6.1.
[5]:
For each successive divinity, he should repeat the entire formula, substituting the name of the divinity in the dative case for the words “to Agni.”
[6]:
Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra prescribes that he should do so with prāṇāya tva'pānāya tvā vyānāya tvā.
[7]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.6.1.
[8]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.6.
[9]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā. I.6.2.
[10]:
See Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.10.3.
[11]:
Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa III.2.6.4.