Praśna 6, Kaṇḍikā 2

1. He should pray to that fire beginning with the formula,“Thou art giver of life, O Agni; give me life. Thou art giver of radiance, O Agni; give me radiance. Thou art guardians of the body, O Agni; guard my body. O Agni, whatever is deficient in my body, do thou make that good for me,” and, in the evening, with the formula, “O thou of various splendour (citrāvasu), may I reach the end of thee in safety.”^[1] In the morning, (this last formula should be modified as), “O Arvāgvasu, may I reach the end of thee in safety,” (and should be recited) together with the prātaravaneka.^[2]

2. He should pray three times with the citrāvasu formula;^[3] three times with the arvāgvasu formula.^[3]

3. He should put fire-sticks on the Āhavanīya fire—the first with the formula, “Thou art a fire-stick of Agni; do thou guard me from imprecation;”^[4] the second with the formula, “Thou art a fire-stick of Soma; do thou become my guardian;”^[4] the third with the formula, “Thou art a fire-stick of Yama; do thou guard me from death.”^[4] Having put the fourth fire-stick with the formula, “Kindling thee, may we, full of radiance, strong, famous, having good heroes, kindle thee, giver of strength, giver of fame, infallible, and striker of the enemy, for a hundred years, O Agni, in the highest heaven,”² he should pray with the remaining Anuvāka, “Thou, O Agni, hast attained the radiance of the sun, the praises of the Rsis, thy beloved splendour. Thou, O Agni, hast the radiance of the sun; grant me life, radiance and offspring.”^[5]

4. He should wipe his mouth with the verse, “O Soma, may we enjoy, bearing the mind in our bodies under thy ordinance, and possessed of progeny.”^[6]

5. He should pray to the cowpen with the mantras, “I gaze on offspring, offspring of Iḍā, connected with Manu; may they all be in our house.—You are water; may I share your water. You are greatness; may I share your greatness. You are might; may I share your might. You are strength; may I share your strength.—You wealthy ones, stay in this place, this fold, this dwelling, this birth-place. Do you be here; do not go away; do you multiply for me.”^[7]

6. According to some teachers, he should murmur these verses while standing between the two fires.

7. He should touch the calf (of the Agnihotra-cow) with the formula, “Thou art composed of all forms; enter me with strength, with lordship of cattle, with abundance of wealth. May I prosper with your thousandfold prosperity; may your wealth rest in me,”^[8] and then pray to the Gārhapatya fire with the six verses, “We come, O Agni, to thee that shinest in the darkness, every day, paying homage with our devotion.—Lord of the sacrifices, guardian of holy order, shining, waxing in his own house.—O Agni, do thou become of easy access to us as a father to his son. Accompany us for our prosperity.—O Agni, do thou be our nearest, our protector, auspicious and affording shelter. Thee, O shining and most radiant one, we implore for favour for our friends. O Agni, bright, of bright fame, come hither in thy greatest splendour and give us wealth.”^[8]

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.5.5.3,4.

[2]:

VI.3.10.

[3]:

Given in the preceding sūtra.

[4]:

Maitrāyaṇī-saṃhitā I.5.2.

[5]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.5.5.4,5.

[6]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa II.4.2.7.

[7]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.5.6.1.

[8]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.5.6.2.3.

Other Dharmashastra Concepts:

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Discover the significance of concepts within the article: ‘Prasna 6, Kandika 2’. Further sources in the context of Dharmashastra might help you critically compare this page with similair documents:

Three times, Prosperity, Giver of life, Garhapatya fire, Ahavaniya fire.

Concepts being referred within the main category of Hinduism context and sources.

Ida, Givers of life, Protection and shelter, Greatest splendour, Bright fame, Fire-stick, Giver of strength, Radiance of the sun, Lord of the sacrifice, O Agni.