Praśna 6, Kaṇḍikā 17

1. He should call out the preparer of the oblation only at the first time.^[1]

2. After having pounded all the varieties, he should release his speech.

3. He should put down the husks^[2] after the accomplishment of all the varieties.

4. He should not allow each variety to come into contact with the other two varieties until the combined procedure^[3] commences.

5. Or he may allow an oblation to come into contact with another belonging to the same kind of grains.^[4]

6. This procedure is to be followed hereafter in respect of different varieties of grains.

7. The rites up to the taking down of the oblations should be similar.^[5]

8. After having taken down the cake on one potsherd, the Adhvaryu should surround it with clarified butter.

9. The procedure of its offering is explained by the cake on one potsherd prescribed in the Vaiśvadevaparvan.^[6]

10. The difference is only this: He should not allow the surface of the cake to remain uncovered;^[7] he should not offer the oblations with the formulas representing the month-names.^[8]

11. The rites up to the offering of the oblations should be similar.^[9]

12. The sacrificer should follow the offering to Viśve Devas with the formula, “May I attain community with Prāṇas through the offering to Viśve Devas.”

13. He should follow the offering to Dyāvāpṛthivī with the formula, “May I attain abundance and stability through the offering to Dyāvāpṛthivī.”

14. With these formulas he should follow all the offerings to Viśve Devas and Dyāvāpṛthivī.

15. The rites up to the consuming (of the remnants of the oblations) should be similar.^[10]

16. The sacrificer should consume the remnants of the oblations of paddy with the verse, “O gods, lead us from good to the better. May we, O drop, attain thee through thy aid (that is, by partaking of thee). Do thou, wonder-working, enter us. Be propitious and kindly to our children, and to myself.”^[11]

17. Of śyāmāka grains with the verse, “May Agni consume first; he knew the oblation. May he, friendly to all, make the plants auspicious to us.”^[12]

18. There is a view that all the officiating priests should consume the remnants of the oblations with the relevant mantra. There is another view that only the sacrificer should consume his portion with it.

19. The sacrificer should give away as daksiṇā the first of the calves which were born before the ekāṣṭakā.^[13]

20. The sacrifice comes to an end in the prescribed manner.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

That is, at the pounding of the first variety.

[2]:

I.22.5.

[3]:

Beginning with the sviṣṭakṛt offering.

[4]:

Namely, the old paddy with the new paddy. Sūtras 1-5 presume the injunction in VI.16.25.

[5]:

I. II.10.3.

[6]:

VIII.2.15,16.

[7]:

With clarified butter.

[8]:

VIII.3.6.

[9]:

II.17.9. ff.

[10]:

III.6.18.

[11]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā V.7.2.4.

[12]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa II.4.8.7.

[13]:

The eighth day coming after the full-moon day of Māgha.