Praśna 6, Kaṇḍikā 10

1. In the evening he should sprinkle water with the formula, “I sprinkle round thee, the holy order, with truth,”^[1] and in the morning with the formula, “I sprinkle round thee, the true, with the holy order.”^[1]

2. According to some teachers, he should sprinkle round in the evening with the formula, “I sprinkle round thee with holy order and truth,” and in the morning with the formula, “I sprinkle round thee with truth and holy order.”

3. With the same formula, he should sprinkle round after having offered the Agnihotra.

4. He should drop water in an unbroken line towards the east starting from the Gārhapatya fire-place with the formula, “Thou art the continuity of the sacrifice; I carry thee for the continuity of the sacrifice; for the continuity of the sacrifice.”^[2]

5. He should take the fire-stirring stick with the formula, “Thou art the fire-stirring stick; do thou support the divine prayer,”^[3] and take out from the Gārhapatya fire burning embers towards the north with the formula, “You are the creators of beings; the fright of the people is dispelled.”

6. He should spread them out and put the Agnihotra-milk over them with the verse, “O jātavedas, do thou approve of this oblation, the footstep of Iḍā, rich in ghee, and movable. May the seven domestic animals, variegated, enjoy here.”

7. With the formula, “You are coming up; may I be equipped with progeny and cattle,” he should gaze at it, illuminating it with a lighted darbha-blade.

8. When it rises up or is just put over the fire, he should increase it with water by means of a spoon with the formula, “May I not deprive thee of thy power.”

9. Water should not be poured in the milk at the Agnihotra-offering of a sacrificer who desires lustre, or who desires Brahman-splendour, or who desires successfully to get out of exorcistic spells, or who desires that a heroic son may be born to him.

10. Having illuminated the milk with a lighted darbha-blade in a similar manner, he should carry that fire three times round the milk with the formula, “The Rakṣas is obstructed, the evil spirits are obstructed.”^[4]

11. Having heated the milk, he should take it down towards the north rubbing, as it were, to the ground with the formula,“Thou art heat giving abundance of wealth; do thou establish strength here.”

12. He should put the embers back into the Gārhapatya fire with the formula, “You are the good creator of all beings; the fright coming from the people is driven away,” take the spoon and the Agnihotra-ladle with the Sāvitra formula, and heat it over the Gārhapatya fire with the formula, “The Rakṣas is burnt; the evil spirits are burnt.”^[5]

13. After having heated them, he should touch them with the formula, “May the sacrificer and his wife remain uninjured.”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa II.1.11.1.

[2]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa III.2.4.1

[3]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.7.1.

[4]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.8.1

[5]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.2.1.