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 3, Kaṇḍikā 1

[The New-moon and the Full-moon Sacrifices (continued)]

1. The Adhvaryu should spread out clarified butter as base in the Iḍā-pot and cut out the first portion from the southern half of the cake for Agni with the verse, “I cut out Iḍā beholden by Manu, ghee-footed, impelled by Mitra-Varuṇa, going in one direction, from the southern half without allowing it to touch the previous portion.”[1]

2 He should cut out a thin and long portion for the sacrificer from the eastern half forming the joint (of the portions cut out for the principal offering).

3. He should cut out the second portion for the Iḍā from the joint (of the eastern half and the southern half).[2]

4. In this manner he should cut out portions from all the oblations for the Iḍā.

5. These portions should be larger than those taken for the sviṣṭakṛt-offering.

6. Having poured out clarified butter over the Iḍā, he should carry it in between the oblations and the ladles, and hand it over to the Hotṛ.

7. Or the Hotṛ should himself catch hold of the Iḍā.

8. The Adhvaryu should go beyond the Hotṛ in front of him and by the south without leaving the Contact (of the Iḍā-pot).

9. The Hotṛ should hold the Adhvaryu by means of the Iḍā (-pot).[3]

10. The Adhvarju should sit to the rear of the Hotṛ and facing towards the east, and besmear the (first) two phalanxes of the forefinger of the Hotṛ.

11, He should first besmear the upper phalanx and then the lower one.[4] First the lower one and then the upper one, or vice versa, according to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra III.2.4.

12. He should return by the same route by which he had gone, sit down in front of the Hotṛ and facing the west, and give (to the Hotṛ’) the Iḍā from the Iḍā-pot.

13-14. He should spread out clarified butter once on the palm of the Hotṛ’s hand, put two portions of Iḍā on it, and pour out clarified butter once. Or the Hotṛ should himself cut out the second portion of the Iḍā.[5]

15-16. The Adhvaryu should spread out as base the clarified butter sticking to the Iḍā. (Similarly) he should pour out clarified butter sticking to the Iḍā.[6]

17. The Adhvaryu and the Hotṛ should touch the Iḍā while the Hotṛ is invoking it.

18. When the Adhvaryu comes to know the part of the invocationformula, “The divine Adḥvaryus have been called, the human Adḥ-varyus have been called.”[7]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

cf. Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa III.7.5.6.

[2]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra III.1.7-12 directs the Adhvaryu to take two portions for the Iḍā one after the other and then to cut out the portions for the sacrificer; it optionally mentions the view represented by Bhāradvāja-śrauta-sūtra.

[3]:

He should hold the Iḍā-pot between himself and the Adhvaryu.

[4]:

The Hotṛ should touch water beforehand, according to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra III.2.5.

[5]:

According to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra III.2.6, the Adhvaryu should give the first portion, and the Hotṛ should take away the second; or vice versa.

[6]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra III.2.8 adds that in the sacrifice of a pañcāvattin, the Adhvaryu should pour out clarified butter two times.

[7]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa III.5.8.3.

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