Praśna 2, Kaṇḍikā 4

1. (The Āgnīdhra should place) the sacrificial faggot towards the south and the grass towards the north.

2. He should take the spoon, the ladles and the prāśitra-vessel, and heat them over either the Gārhapatya or the Āhavanīya fire with the formula, “The Rakṣas is burnt, the evil spirit is burnt.”^[1]

3. He should cleanse the utensils by means of the veda-cuttings, distributing them over the utensils; or even not distributing them.

4. With the formula, “May I not brush the cow-pen; I brush thee that art strong and overcomest foes,”^[2] he should first cleanse the spoon, holding it with the surface above, by means of the tips of the veda-cuttings internally again and again, on all sides of the bowl again and again, the handle by means of the roots of the veda-cuttings.

5. With the formula, “May I not brush the speech, the Prāṇa; I brush thee that art strong and overcoxnest foes,”^[3] he should cleanse the Juhū-ladle, holding it with the surface above, by the tips of the veda-cuttings internally so as to end towards the east, by means of the middle portion externally so as to end towards the west, and the handle by means of the roots of the veda-cuttings.

6. With the formula, “May I not brush the eye, the ear; I brush thee that art strong and overcomest foes,”^[4] he should cleanse the Upabhṛt-ladle, holding crosswise by means of the tips of the veda-cuttings internally so as to end towards the west, by means of the middle portion of the veda-cuttings externally so as to end towards the east, and the handle by means of the roots of the veda-cuttings.

7. With the formula, “May I not brush the offspring, the womb; I brush thee that art strong and overcomest foes,”^[5] he should cleanse the Dhruvā-ladle just as the spoon.

8. With the formula, “May I not brush the form, the colour; I brush thee that art strong and overcomest foes,” he should cleanse the prāśitra-vesseel.^[6]

9. He should not allow the utensils, which are cleansed and which are not cleansed, to come into mutual contact.

10. If he allows them to come into contact, he should again heat them and cleanse.

11. With the formula, “I burn you with the sharpest glow of Agni,”^[7] he should heat the utensils which are cleansed.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.10.1.

[2]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.10.1.

[3]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.10.1.

[4]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.10.1.

[5]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.13.1.

[6]:

Optionally he should cleanse it without reciting any formula, according to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra II.4.8.

[7]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.10.1.