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 19
1. At this stage[1] the Adhvaryu should offer the nāriṣṭha oblations with the verses, each verse ending with svāhā, “O sacrifice, thy ten bodies are worthy of a sacrificer. Let the sacrifice gratify them with ghee. May the sacrificer, praising the command of the two Nāriṣṭhas, be immortal in the divine (order) of the gods.—O Nāriṣṭhas having a hundred forces, let me gratify you with that part of strength which the gods furnished for you. Do you, smiters of distress, be gratified thereby.—I am in the place of gods doing good deeds. This my offering does not become false. I, knowing, make offering to the Nāriṣṭhas, for Indra has given a share to them.—May we, O Soma, not meet with misfortune. Do you, O Maruts, be gracious to us in this sacrifice. Let not (your) wrath reach us; nor dislike, nor sins and hatreds reach us.”[2]
2. Then he should say (to the Hotṛ) “Do you recite the puronuvākyā for sviṣṭakṛt Agni,”
3. He should spread out clarified butter as base in the Juhū and cut out, from the northern half of each of the oblations, one portion for the sacrificer who takes four portions, and two portions for the sacrificer who takes five portions.
4. These portions should be larger than those taken for the principal divinities.
5. The Adhvaryu should pour put clarified butter on the portions two times; he should not do so on the oblations.
6. He should 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 sviṣṭakṛt Agni.”
7. At the vaṣaṭ-utterance he should make the offering in the eastern half of the northern half (of the fire-place) beyond the spot where the earlier offerings were made.
8. He should recross (the altar towards the north) and place the two ladles in their respective places.
9. At this stage some teachers prescribe the (rite of) prāśitra; others prescribe it later on.[3]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra II.21.2 prescribes that the subordinate oblations should be offered at this stage or after the principal offering or before the samiṣṭayajus offering.
[2]:
Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa III.7.5.11-13.