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 2, Kaṇḍikā 7
1. The Adhvaryu should fill in the ladles with clarified butter within the altar by means of the spoon in which he does not allow any balance to remain (each time.)
2. He should hold each of the ladles on the veda and take into the Juhū-ladle four spoonfuls[1] with each of the three formulas, “I grasp thee, shining with the shining, for every sacrifice, for the gods, for every prayer.—I grasp thee, radiance in the radiance, for every sacrifice, for gods, for every prayer.—I grasp thee, resplendant in the resplendance, for the gods, for every sacrifice, for every prayer.”[2] The fourth spoonful with the formula, “For a prop, a support, of the five winds I take thee.”[3]
3. With the same procedure, he should take the clarified butter into the Upabhṛt-ladle and the Dhruvā-ladle with the subsequent formulas.[4]
4. He should take out eight spoonfuls[5] into the Upabhṛt-ladle; and four spoonfuls into the Dhruvā-ladle; he should take out five spoonfuls[6] into the Dhruvā for a sacrificer who is desirous of cattle.
5. The sacrificer should follow (the taking out of the clarified butter) with the same formulas.
6-7. Or the Adhvaryu should take out the clarified butter only with the formulas prescribed for the Adhvaryu.[7] The sacrificer should follow (the taking out of the clarified butter) with the formulas prescribed for the sacrificer.[8]
8. He should take out clarified butter into the Juhū-ladle by means of the spoon filled in each time substantially; into the Upabhṛt-ladle a little less, and into the Dhruvā plentifully.
9. He should take out the clarified butter into the Juhū, holding it with its bowl at the height of the bowl (of the vessel), into the Upabhṛt, holding it at the middle height, and into the Dhruvā, holding it firm on the ground.
10. The clarified butter, which has been taken out into a ladle within the altar, should not be carried towards the west.
11. The Adhvaryu should not place any clarified butter on the rubbishheap.
12. He should recite over the prokṣaṇī-waterr the formula, “O divine waters, that go in front and first purify, do you lead forward this sacrifice, place in front the lord of the sacrifice. Indra chose you for the contest with Vṛtra; you chose Indra for the contest with Vṛtra. You are sprinkled with water,”[9] and address the Brahman with the words, “O Brahman, I shall sprinkle (the sacrificial faggot and grass) with water.”
13-14. Impelled by the Brahman, he should unfasten the sacrificial faggot and sprinkle it with water with the formula “Thou art a black antelope living in the lair; to Agni thee svāhā.”[10] He should sprinkle the altar with the formula, “Thou art the altar, to the Barhis thee svāhā,”[10] the sacrificial grass with the formula, “Thou art the Barhis to the ladles thee svāhā.”[10] He should sprinkle each of these three times.
15. He should place within the altar the sacrificial grass with its knot in front, and sprinkle—the tips with the formula, “For the heaven thee,”[11] the middle portion with the formula, “For the mid-region thee,”[11] and the bottom with the formula, “For the earth thee.”[11]
16. He should dip the tips of the grass into the ladle and then dip the roots.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Or fire, according to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra II.7.8, apparently if the sacrificer is a pañcāvattin.
[2]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.10.3.4.
[3]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.6.1.2.
[4]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.6.1.3: “For a prop, a support, of the five seasons I take thee. For a prop, a support, of the five quarters I take thee. For a prop, a support, of the pañcajanas I take thee. For a prop, a support, of the pot with five holes I take thee. For the brilliance of the Brahman, for a prop, a support, I take thee. For the might of the ruling class, for a prop, a support, I take thee. For the people, for a prop, a support, I take thee. For the excellence of strength. I take thee. For wealth of offspring, I take thee. For increase of wealth, I take thee. For splendour, I take thee. The earth ours, the oblation the gods, the benediction the sacrificers’; for the divinities of the gods, I take thee. For desire, I take thee.”
[6]:
Four or five, according to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra.
[9]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.5.1.
[10]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.11.1.
[11]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.11.1.