Praśna 5, Kaṇḍikā 7

1. After having recited the formula pertaining to the setting up of the sacred fire in accordance with the gotra of the sacrificer, he should utter the two Vyāhṛtis, bhūḥ bhuvaḥ.

2. Then the two sārparājñī verses, “Thou art the earth in depth, sky in breadth, midregion in greatness. In thy lap, O goddess Aditi, I place Agni, the food-eater for the eating of food.—The spotted bull has come and reached again the mother and the father faring to the heaven.”^[1]

3. The sacrificer should pray with the same two verses to the Gārhapatya fire after it has been deposited.

4. Then the Adhvaryu should recite the gharmaśiras formula, “Gharma is the head. May this Agni be dear to us together with the cattle. Do thou give brilliance to my son and grandson.”^[2]

5. The sacrificer should pray with the same formula to the Gārhapatya fire after it has been deposited.

6-7. Towards the end of the reciting of these verses and after having recited the two verses, “I spread the earth, the holy order; I set up the fire on the earth, the holy order; I set up the fire on truth.—O Agni, possessing the good Gārhapatya, burning out the evil spirits, making the dawns better, smiting the enemies, do thou give unto us abundance of wealth, food and strength,”^[3] the Adhvaryu should deposit the fire.

8. The sacrificer should pray to the fire, when it has been deposited, with the verse, “I am due to you; thou art due to me. Thou art my origin, I am thy origin. Belonging to me, O Agni, do thou carry the oblations (unto gods), O Creator of world, O jātavedas, like a son to his father.”^[4]

9. The Adhvaryu should cause the sacrificer to recite in the right ear of the horse the formulas called agnitanu, “O horse, do thou bring the form of Agni, being purified (pavamāna), dear to the cattle.—O horse, do thou bring the purifying (pāvaka) form of Agni dear to water.—O horse, do thou bring the brilliant (śuci) form of Agni, dear to the sun.”^[5]

10. He should light a faggot on the Gārhapatya fire and lift up that fire, which is the Āhavanīya, with the formula, “I lift thee up for vigour and strength, the sprinkler for might, long life, and splendour. Thou art the smiter of enemies, the smiter of Vṛtra.”^[6]

11. While the fire is being taken out (from the Gārhapatya fire), the Udgātṛ should chant the Vāmadevya Saman.

12. While taking out, the Adhvaryu should lift up the burning faggot.

13. He should not lift it up higher than the height equal to his mouth.

14. The burning faggot, which has been lifted up, should be held (by somebody) being supported (by sand collected in an earthen pan).

15. The Adhvaryu^[7] should fetch a fire from anywhere and, while being seated with raised knees, deposit it as the Anvāhāryapacana fire (in the relevant fire-place).

16. Or he should deposit the fire produced by churning by means of the two kindling woods.^[8]

17. After first having recited the formula pertaining to the setting up of the sacred fire in accordance with the gotra of the sacrificer, the Adhvaryu should utter the Vyāhṛti bhuvaḥ.

18. Then the two sārparājñī verses—the first, “Thou art the earth in depth...”^[9] and the third, “He rules thirty places; speech resorts to the bird; do thou bear it with the days.”^[10]

19. The sacrificer should pray to the Anvāhāryapacana fire, when it has been deposited, with the same two verses.

20. Then the Adhvaryu should recite the gharmaśiras formula,“The wind is the breath. May this Agni be dear to us together with the cattle. Do thou cook delicious food for the son and the grandson.”^[11]

21. The sacrificer should pray to the Anvāhāryapacana fire, when it has been deposited, with the same formula.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.5.3.1.

[2]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa I.1.7.1.

[3]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa I.2.1.20,21.

[4]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa I.2.1.20.

[5]:

cf. Maitrāyaṇī-saṃhitā I.6.2.

[6]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa I.2.1.21,22.

[7]:

The Āgnīdhra according to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra V.13.8 should deposit this fire while the Yajñāyajñiya Sāman is being chanted.

[8]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra V.13.9,10 prescribes that for a sacrificer desirous of prosperity, one should fetch the fire from either a Brāhmaṇa ora Rājanya or a Vaiśya, or a Śūdra who is wealthy. He should, however, not take food at his house henceforward. For a sacrificer who is desirous of food, one should fetch the fire from an oven; for a sacrificer, who is desirous of Brahman-splendour, one should fetch the fire from the burning top of a tree.

[9]:

V.7.2.

[10]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.5.3.1.

[11]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa I.1.7.1.