Praśna 5, Kaṇḍikā 19

1. These are the constellations fit for the renewing of the sacred fires, namely, Rohiṇī Punarvasū and Anūrādhā.

2. One should renew the sacred fires either in the rainy season or in the autumn.

3. The (Āhavanīya) fire should be established at midday. So is it said.

4. There is a view that one should establish all the fires atṃidday. There is another view that one should establish only the Āhavanīya, the Sabhya, and the Āvasathya fires at midday.

5. The rites up to the depositing of the Gārhapatya fire should be similar to those at the setting up of the fires.^[1]

6. One should deposit the Gārhapatya fire with all the sārparājñī verses.^[2]

7. The rites up to the lifting up of the Āhavanīya fire should be similar.

8. There should be (procured) darbha-blades which have grown out of stems once cut off,^[3] and which have dried up for a year. The Adhvaryu should light a faggot of such darbha-blades, and lift (it) up (which is to be deposited as) the Āhavanīya fire.

9. With the verse, “If I have scattered thee in anger, in rage or through misfortune, that of thee, O Agni, be in good order. We relight thee,”^[4] he should deposit the Anvāhāryapacana fire.

10. With the verse, “Whatever of thee scattered in rage was spread over the earth, that the Ādityas, Viśve Devas and the Vasus gathered together,”^[5] he should deposit the Āhavanīya fire.^[6]

11. With the verse,“May the mind rejoice in the light, the clarified butter; may it join this scattered sacrifice. May Bṛhaspati extend it for us. May Viśve Devas rejoice here,”^[7] he should pray to each of the fires when it is deposited.

12. The rites up to the offering of the Agnihotra without reciting any mantra should be similar.

13. He should offer the Agnihotra^[8] with the verse, “Seven are thy fire-sticks, O Agni, seven thy tongues, seven seers, seven dear abodes, seven priesthoods; sevenfold sacrifice to thee; do thou fill seven birthplaces with ghee.”^[9]

14. The rites up to the pouring out of the oblation-material should be as usual.

15. The Adhvaryu should pour out paddy for a cake on five potsherds to Agni.

16. It takes the place of the cake on eight potsherds.^[10]

17. There should be fifteen sāmidhenī verses; or seventeen.

18. The mantras to be recited prior to the last Anūyāja should be recited to oneself, except those for the sviṣṭakṛt.

19. The rites up to the Prayāja-offerings should be performed as usual.

20. In each of the first four Prayāja-formulas, the Hotṛ should insert a case-form.^[11]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The substances should be collected or not collected. If collected, they should be deposited with the relevant formulas. cf. Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.5.2.4. Or, one should collect five substances derived from the earth and five derived from the vegetable kingdom. cf. Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra V.27.7,8

[2]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.5.3.1. cf. V.7.2. Before depositing the fires, one should strew old darbha-blades into all the fire-places.

[3]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra V.27.10 has parutka for parukṇa.

[4]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.5.34,2.

[5]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.5.3.2.

[6]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra V.27.11 prescribes the depositing of all the other fires, that is, also the Sabhya and the Āvasathya with this verse.

[7]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.5.3.2.

[8]:

The sūtra reads tūṣṇīm agnihotram. Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra V.27.13 has mere agnihotram.

[9]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.5.3.2,3.

[10]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra V.28.1 prescribes a cake either on five potsherds or on eight potsherds.

[11]:

See the next sūtra.