Praśna 2, Kaṇḍikā 18

1. He should offer the portions, the latter to the east of the former and touching it, (in connection with all the offerings), up to the sviṣṭakṛt-offering.

2. Or he should offer (the oblations) along the āghāra-libation offered by means of the ladle.^[1]

3. Then in connection with the upāṃśu-offering, he should say to himself, “For Viṣṇu (viṣṇave),” and further say,“Do you recite the puronuvākyā (anubrūhi),” loudly.

4. He should take up the clarified butter as he had taken before,^[2] cross (the altar towards the south) and say to himself, “For Viṣṇu (viṣṇum)”^[3] and further say, “Do you recite the yājyā (yaja),” loudly.

5. At the vaṣaṭ-utterance he should make the offering.

6. Some teachers prescribe the upāṃśu-offering to Agni-Soma;^[5] others to Prajāpati.

7. This offering is to be made only in the Full-moon sacrifice.

8. Just as he offered a cake to Agni, similarly he should offer the last cake (with the difference that) in the Full-moon sacrifice (he should say) “For Agni-soma” (instead of “For Agni”), and “For Indra-Agni” in the New-moon sacrifice, if the sacrificer is not offering sāṃnāyya.

9-10. If the sacrificer is offering sāṃnāyya. the Adhvaryu should say (to the Hotṛ), “Do you recite the puronuvākyā for Indra,” or “for Mahendra,” if the sacrificer is offering to Mahendra.

11. He should spread out clarified butter as base in the Juhū and cut out two portions of hot milk and two of curds^[6] if the sacrificer is following the practice of talcing four portions; three portions if the sacrificer is following the practice of taking five portions.

12-13. He should spread clarified butter on the portion, cross (the altar towards the south), cause (the Āgnīdhra) to announce and (after the latter has responded,) say (to the Hotṛ), “Do you recite the yājyā for Indra” or “for Mahendra.”

14. At the vaṣaṭ-utterance he should make the offering.^[7]

15. He should recross (the altar towards the north) and offer an oblation pertaining to the parvan by means of the spoon in the Full-moon sacrifice—the one with the verse, “We perform a Full-moon sacrifice for the bull, the wealthy; may he bestow upon us manly vigour, a thousandfold abundance of prosperity. For Prāṇa, the Full-moon, bestowing good gifts, svāhā;” and the one in the New-moon sacrifice with the verse, “The New-moon is beautiful and lovely, swells exceedingly like a cow. May she bestow upon us manly vigour, a thousandfold abundance of prosperity. For Apāna, the New-moon, bestowing good gifts, svāhā.”^[3]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra II.19.9 prescribes that the Adhvaryu should offer the oblations along the āghāra-libation, each latter portion to the east of the former and touching it. Thus Āpastamba has prescribed as a single injunction what Bhāradvāja-śrauta-sūtra II.18.1,2 has prescribed as two optional directions. This is possible only if we understand, as already suggested by Rudradatta, the north east by the word east. Again, Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra II.18.8 prescribes that all the offerings are to be made between the points where the two Ājyabhāga-offerings were made. In order to avoid the discrepancy, Rudradatta and Dhūrtasvāmin take the two sūtras viz. Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra II.18.8 and II.19.9 as two optimal statements. Dhūrtasvāmin mentions a view according to which the Darvihomas should be offered between the two Ājyabhāgas and the oblation accompanying the vaṣaṭ-utterance along the srucyāghāra. Rudradatta represents this latter view.

[2]:

II.16.15.

[3]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra II.19.14 adds that the sacrificer desirous of prosperity should make the offering to Viṣṇu.

[4]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra II.20.1 prescribes that the sacrificer who has enemies should make the offering to Agni-Soma.

[5]:

According to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra II.20.4, he should first take curds and then milk or vice versa.

[6]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra II.20.4 prescribes that all liquid oblations should be offered through the beak of the ladle.

[7]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa III.7.5.13.