Praśna 4, Kaṇḍikā 6

1. He should recite over the oblation-material being poured out^[1] the verse, “I invoke here Agni, the Hotṛ; the gods worthy of sacrifice whom we invoke, may these gods come in kindly mind. May the gods enjoy this oblation of mine.”^[2]

2. After haying uttered it, he should restrain speech up to the call to the preparer of the oblation-material.^[3]

3. He should recite over the entire sanctuary the formula, “Who unites thee? Let him unite thee.”^[4]

4. He should recite over the altar being cleansed^[5] the verse, “The young woman, having four tufts of hair, beautiful, having a face smeared with ghee in the midst of the region; do thou (O altar,) being cleansed (with the veda), yield desires of me, the sacrificer.”^[6]

5. He should recite over the stambayajus being carried away^[7] the verse, “O gods, he who hates me with his heart, his mind, his speech, his divine song, his act, his learning, and his anxious will, O Indra, I cut his head with the thunderbolt.”^[8]

6. He should recite over the rubbish-heap being formally received^[9] the verse, “I prepare a place for him who of you, O gods, practises chastity. The intelligent having a holy mind moves as a messenger among the regions of human beings.”^[10]

7. He should recite over the first as also the second tracing out of the altar^[11] the formula, “I receive thee with the pramā, ahhimā, pratimā and unmā,” and the verse, “Do thou, O Bṛhaspati, receive the altar. O gods, may the seats be pleasant for you. May the Barhis be well spread out within it. May the goddess earth be non-injurious to us.”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

I.19.10.

[2]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.5.10.3.

[3]:

I.21.6.

[4]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.5.10.3.

[5]:

II.1.4.

[6]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa III.7.6.4.

[7]:

II.1.5.

[8]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa III.7.6.4,5.

[9]:

II.1.10.

[10]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa III.7.6.3,4.

[11]:

II.2.1; 3.9.