Praśna 4, Kaṇḍikā 1

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

[The Duties of the Sacrificer]

1. We shall explain the sacrificer’s duties.

2. On the parvan-day the sacrificer should also get his hair and beard shaved.^[1]

3. After having offered the Agnihotra, the Adhvaryu should murmur the verse, “O gods, the knowers of path, do you secure the path for the sacrifice. Let the sacrifice be arranged from the wind through the god, the lord of mind,”^[2] and then, in the morning, should add fuel to the sacred fires.

4. He should receive (i.e. add fuel to) the eastern (—Āhavanīya) fire with the verse, “O Agni, may there be strength within me at the calls (in a battle). May we, kindling thee, swell our persons.. May the four quarters yield to me. May we (O Agni,) win the ārmies through thee as our chief.”^[3]

5. (He should receive) the other two fires (= the Sabhya and the Āvasathya) without reciting any mantra.

6, With the second^[4] verse, he should receive the Gārhapatya fire and with the third^[5] the Dakṣiṇa fire.

7. Or each one with three verses each.^[6]

8. He should murmur the last one,^[7] or put a fire-stick on the Āhavanīya fire with the same.

9. Some teachers prescribe the adding of fuel with the three Vyāhṛtis.

10. Others prescribe (the adding of fuel) with the verses^[8] mentioned in the yājamānakāṇḍa.

11. The sacrificer should pray to the fires to whom fuel is being added—to the Āhavanīya fire with the verses, “I receive Agni, who has a good chariot, who is refreshing, and who rises up by day following the rising sun, the Āditya, the highest light of lights. May Agni be delighted tomorrow at the sacrifice for the gods.—I receive the gods—the Vasus, the Rudras and the Ādityas together with Indra in their place with my prayer.—I receive those gods who have arrived on this auspicious full-moon day. May Agni, the carrier of oblations, bring them here. This oblation for them relating to the Full-moon sacrifice lies here with me;” or “the oblation for them relating to the New-moon sacrifice lies here with me,”^[9] as the case may be.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra IV.1.5 quotes the Vājasaneya view that the sacrificer should also get the hair on his body (loman) shaved, even though they are short. By the word loman Dhūrtasvāmin understands beard. According to Rudradatta, the sacrificer may or may not have the hair on his body shaved; or the word loman may mean beard. The sacrificer should also get his nails pared. He may or may not have his hair and beard shaved on the day other than the parvan-day, but he must hive them shaved on the parvan-day. By the word parvan Rāmāgnicit understands only the full-moon day.

[2]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa III.7.4.1.

[3]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā IV.7.14.1.

[4]:

“May all the gods—Maruts together with Indra, Viṣṇu, and Agni, be at my invocation. May the wide region be my guardian. May the wind blow towards me in connection with this desire.” Taittirīya-saṃhitā IV.7.14.1.

[5]:

“May the gods grant wealth to me through sacrifice. May the blessing be unto me; may the divine call be unto me. The old divine Hotṛs have won. May we ourselves be unharmed and rich in heroes.” Taittirīya-saṃhitā IV.7.14.1;

[6]:

The Āhavanīya with the verses 1-3, the Gārhapatya with the verses 4-6, and the Dakṣiṇa fire with the verses 7-9. in Taittirīya-saṃhitā IV.7.14.

[7]:

i.e. the tenth verse.

[8]:

Mentioned in the next sūtra.

[9]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa III.7.4.3-4,