Praśna 9, Kaṇḍikā 7

1. If the Agnihotra-cow sits down when her calf is brought near her, one should raise her up^[1] with the verse, “Multi-formed Aditi providing share for Indra and Mitra-Varuṇa has risen up; she has given (long) life to the lord of the sacrifice.”^[2]

2. After having milked her, he should give her away to a Brāhmaṇa whose food he should not take thenceforward.^[3]

3. If the Agnihotra-milk spills out, one should cause another cow to be milked.

4. If the cow trembles while the cow is being milked, one should follow it with the verse, “The milk which is stuck to the ground, which has flown towards the plants and water, may that milk be in the house, in the cows, in calves and in me.”^[4]

5. Then he should add water to the milk with the verse, “I send you to the ocean; do you go to your birth place. May I be unbroken in offspring; let not the spilt milk be taken away from me.”^[5]

6. He should somehow offer it, cause another cow to be milked, and offer the Agnihotra. (This is if the Agnihotra-milk) spills out after it is milked out, (or) after the remaining milk is put over the fire.

7. If the Agnihotra milk spills out after it is milked out or a after it is put over the fire or if it boils out, one should milk the cow over it and offer. So says Āśmarathya. He should somehow offer it, cause another cow to be milked, and again make the offering. So says Ālekhana.

8. If the Agnihotra-milk spills out while being taken into the ladle, if it spills out after it has been taken, if it spills out after it is carried forward for offering, one should milk the cow over it and then offer. So says Āśmarathya.^[6] He should somehow offer it, cause another cow to be milked, and again offer. So says Ālekhana.

9. If the Agnihotra-milk spills out while it is being carried forward, one should sit down where it has spilt out, and again take milk into the ladle. He should somehow offer it, cause another cow to be milked, and again make the offering.^[7]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

According to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra IX.5.2, before raising her up, one should recite over her the verse, yasmād bhīṣā nyaṣadaḥ....

[2]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa I.4.3.1.

[3]:

Or, according to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra IX.5.3, he should somehow cause her to stand up and keep her for himself, and cause her to eat grass with the verse, sūyavasād bhagavatī....

[4]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa I.4.3.3.

[5]:

= Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra IX. 5.6.

[6]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra IX.5.8 agrees with this view.

[7]:

= Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra IX.6.1. Moreover, one should recite a verse addressed to Varuṇa, and offer an oblation of clarified butter with another verse addressed to Varuṇa.