Bharadvaja-srauta-sutra
by C. G. Kashikar | 1964 | 166,530 words
The English translation of the Bharadvaja-Srauta-Sutra, representing some of the oldest texts on Hindu rituals and rites of passages, dating to at least the 1st millennium BCE. The term Srautasutra refers to a class of Sanskrit Sutra literature dealing with ceremonies based on the Brahmana divisions of the Veda (Sruti). They include Vedic rituals r...
Praśna 8, Kaṇḍikā 16
1. The Adhvaryu should start the rite of Pitṛyajña.
2. He should prepare towards the south-east of the Dakṣiṇa fire[1] a four-cornered altar of the dimensions equal to the height of the sacrificer.
3. Its corners should be facing towards the principal quarters, and the sides facing-towards the intermediate quarters.
4. He should enclose it on all sides, and prepare a door at the northern corner.
5. After having gone through the rites ending with the digging out of the altar, he should fetch fire from the Dakṣiṇa fire, and deposit it in the middle of the altar.
6. This is the Āhavanīya fire in this rite.
7. Here the formulas which speak about the Devas should be modified so as to mention both Devas and the Pitṛs, (for example) “Thou art impelled for the Devas and the Pitṛs,” “May I be capable of the rite for the Devas and the Pitṛs through you.”
8. There is another view that the formulas should remain as they are.
9. The rites up to the fetching of the sacrificial grass should be similar.
10. The Adhvaryu should cut the sacrificial grass together with the roots or at the roots.
11. The faggot should be longer and thicker than the normal one; the sacrificial grass should be longer and thicker than the normal one.
12. The rites up to the pouring out of grains should be similar.
13. Having suspended his sacred cord over the right shoulder and under the left arm, the Adhvaryu should pour out the grains from the southern side of the cart, or having suspended his sacred cord over the left shoulder and under the right arm from the northern side.
14. He should pour out grains for a cake on six potsherds to pitṛmant Soma, for dhānās to barhiṣad pitṛs, and for the meal (mantha) in the milk of a cow suckling an adopted calf for agniṣvātta Pitṛs.[2]
15. These oblations should be made of barley.
16. He should make the barley-grains wet by sprinkling prokṣaṇī-water over them, and pound them.
17. The rites up to the husking should be similar.[3]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
To the east of the Dakṣiṇa fire, according to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra VIII.13.2.
[2]:
Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra VIII.13.16: According to some teachers, he should pour out clarified butter for pitṛmant Soma, a cake on six potsherds to barhiṣad Pitṛs, and barley-meal to kavyavāhana Agni or Yama or aṅgirasvant pitṛmant Yama.
[3]:
I.22.9.