Praśna 9, Kaṇḍikā 15

1. One should strew, round the fires, the darbha-blades with their ends pointing towards the south-east.

2. Holding a fire-stick below (the Agnihotra-ladle), he should proceed (towards the Āhavanīya fire).

3. He should mention the divinity pitṛmant Soma with regard to the first offering, and kavyavāhana Agni with regard to the second.

4. The wash-water should be sprinkled towards the south.

5. The sacrificial utensils should be given away to a Brāhmaṇa.

6. (Or) they should be thrown into water.

7. The lower crushing stone and the iron-utensils should be left at home for the use of his son.^[1]

8. If the clarified butter spills out while it is still not purified, one should give away an animal eating grass.^[2]

9. If the clarified butter spills out after it has been purified, one should give away as dakṣiṇā a variegated article which might be in his house.^[3]

10. According to some teachers, this should be the other way round—a variegated article if the clarified butter was not purified, and an animal eating grass if it was purified.^[4]

11. If clarified butter taken into a ladle spills out, one should spread a span of his thumb and fore-finger to the east of the spot where it spilt out with the formula, “To Bhūpati svāhā,” to the south with the formula, “To Bhuvanapati svāhā,” to the west with the formula, “To the lord of the Bhūtas svāhā,” to the north with the formula, “To Bhūta svāhā.”^[5]

12. Then he should sprinkle it with water. So says Āśmarathya. He should follow it with the verse, “By the Yajus I pour on thee offspring, life, and wealth. Instigated by Bṛhaspati, may the sacrificer here come to no harm.”^[6] So says Ālekhana.

13. According to some teachers, he should follow the spilt clarified butter with the formula, “To Bhūpati svāhā, to Bhuvanapati svāhā, to lord of the Bhūtas svāhā.”^[7]

14. He should not recite any formula with regard to the oblation.

15. According to some teachers,^[8] he should recite over the clarified butter the formulas beginning with, “The sacrifice has gone to the gods and to men; may its benediction guard me.”^[9]

16. If the Praṇītā-water spills out, one should take another water with the three verses, “You, waters, are healing; further us to strength to see great joy.—The most auspicious flavour that is yours, accord to us here like eager mothers.—To him may we come with satisfaction to whose dwelling you quicken us, O waters, and propagate us,”^[10] and offer an oblation with the verse, “My deed is performed...”^[11]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Compare Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra IX.11.5-16 with sūtras IX.14.18-15.7.

[2]:

= Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra IX.13.1.

[3]:

= Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra IX.13.2. According to some teachers, one should give a boon. cf. Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra IX.13.3.

[4]:

This is absent in the Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra.

[5]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa III.8.18 5. Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra IX.13.6 has bhūtyai svāhā instead of bhūtāya svāhā.

[6]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.6.1.1.

[7]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā II.6.6.3,4.

[8]:

Maitrāyaṇī-saṃhitā I.4.9; Caraka-kaṭha-saṃhitā XXXII.6.

[9]:

= Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra IX. 13.5; 10.16.

[10]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā.IV.l.5.1.

[11]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa III.7.11.2.