Praśna 6, Kaṇḍikā 13

1. He should keep back some quantity for Consuming.

2. With the formula, “O Rudra, do thou be gracious; O Anārbhava, do thou be gracious; O Dhūrta, obeisance to thee, do not injure me.”^[1] he should cleanse up^[2] the (Āhavanīya) fire thrice by means of the ladle.^[3]

3. He should then raise it up towards the north.

4. In the same manner^[4] he should remove the smearings, place the ladle (upon the Barhis) with the formula, “Give me offspring,” and with the sacred cord suspended over his right shoulder and under the left arm, he should remove them upon the ground towards the south with the formula, “For Pitṛs thee; do thou impel the Pitṛs.”^[5]

5-6. He should touch water, and consume for the first time (the smearings) twice by means of his finger without making noise with the formula, “Thou art Pūṣan.” Having sipped water, he should consume it for the second time with the formula, “For the embryos thee, do thou impel the embryos.”

7. He should not allow it to touch the teeth.

8. Having turned towards the north, he should sip (the remnants of the oblation, namely, milk) by means of the ladle supported by the Barhis, with its handle towards the east or towards the north with the verse, “May this offering be generating for me offspring consisting of ten brave sons, all troops, bestowing the self, bestowing offspring, bestowing cattle, bestowing safety, bestowing the world, bestowing rains. May Agni give me plenty of progeny. Do thou, O Agni, render unto us food, milk, and semen virile,”^[6] in the evening, and with the verse, “... May Sūrya....”^[6] in the morning.

9. He should go out, cleanse the Agnihotra-ladle, and remove the smearings on the Barhis.

10. He should fill in the ladle with water, and pour it down towards the east—for the first time with the formula, “For serpents thee, do thou impel the serpents,” for the second time with the formula, “Do thou impel the serpents and ants,” and for the third time with the formula, “Do thou impel the beings other than the serpents.”

11. He should turn by the right.

12. He should not throw the Barhis on the Āhavanīya fire.

13. He should heat the Agnihotra-ladle with the formula, “The Rakṣas is burnt, the evil spirits are burnt.”^[7]

14. He should place the palm of his hand upon it.

15. Or (instead of heating the Agnihotra-ladle) he should heat the palm of his hand, and, with the formula, “For seven Ṛṣis thee; do thou impel the seven Ṛṣis,” he should toss the ladle upwards towards the north.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

See Caraka-kaṭha-saṃhitā VI.7.

[2]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra VI. II.3 has ativalgayaīi for atimārjayati.

[3]:

That is to say, he should pass the ladle three times over the fire.

[4]:

VI.12.8.

[5]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.5,2.3.

[6]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa II.6.3.5.

[7]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa III.2.2.2.