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 25
1. The Adhvaryu should purify the flour by means of the strainers with each of the pādas of the Gāyatrī verse, “May god Savitṛ purify you with the flawless strainer, with the rays of the good sun.”
2-3. He should mix up the oblation-material with the praṇītā-water. Or with other water, having first purified it with the same formula.
4. He should take water from the praṇītā-goblet by means of a spoon and bring it supported by the veda.
5. With the formula, “The waters have joined with the waters, the plants with sap. Do you, rich ones, join with the moving ones, sweet ones with the sweet,”[1] he should pour that water into the flour.
6. With the formula, “You are born from the waters, do you become united with the waters,”[2] he should surround it with hot water by the right.
7. With the formula, “I unite thee for generation,”[3] he should mix up (the flour and the water) and with the formula, “Do you two become separated according to the shares,” he should divide (the dough) so that he will not be required to collect it again.
8. He should then touch the balls—the southern one with the formula, “To Agni thee;” the northern one with the formula, “To Agni-Soma thee,” in the Full-moon sacrifice; “To Indra-Agni thee” in the New-moon sacrifice, of one who is not going to offer sāṃnāyya.
9. With the formula, “Here I wipe out the face of the invading army,” he should remove the embers from the potsherds by means of the veda, take up the southern ball with the formula, “Thou art the head of Makha,”[4] and place it on the southern set of potsherds with the formula, “Thou art the caldron that contains all life.”[5].
10. In the same manner, he should take up the northern ball, and place it on the northern set of potsherds.
11. The further rites are performed on these (oblations) in the same order.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.8.1.
[2]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.8.1.
[3]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.8.1.
[4]:
Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa III.7 5.1.
[5]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.8.1.