Praśna 9, Kaṇḍikā 16

1. If a potsherd is broken, one should join it with the formula, “I join thee with the hundred-syllabled Gāyatrī.^[1]

2. Then he should throw it into water with the verse, “The cauldron is unbroken; sprinkling abundantly, it has returned to that place whence it came. The kindling wood, the altar, and all the enclosing sticks attend the life of the sacrifice.”^[2]

3. Then he should offer an oblation with the verse, “The thirty-three threads...”^[3]

4. Then he should accomplish another potsherd, and insert it among the potsherds with the quarter-verse, “May the cauldron reach the gods.”^[4]

5. This is if the potsherd is broken before arranging.

6. If a potsherd out of those arranged (is broken), he should arrange (a new one) with the same formula.^[5]

7. If a potsherd is lost, one should offer a cake on two potsherds to Aśvins, and a cake on one potsherd to Dyāvāpṛthivī.

8. The Hotṛ should be one belonging to the Bhṛgu gotra. A one-year old (bull) should be given away as dakṣiṇā, So is it said.^[6]

9. At whatever stage the potsherd might have been lost, the expiation-rite should be performed. So says Āśmarathya. It should be performed if it is lost after the potsherds have been used but before they have been discarded. So says Ālekhana,

10. If, while making the Patnīsaṃyāja offerings, one offers clarified butter over a potsherd, he should offer a cake on twelve potsherds to vaiśvānara Agni.^[7]

11. The Iṣṭi should be concluded in the prescribed manner.

12. One should perform this very sacrifice after having passed over a new-moon day or a full-moon day (without performing the relevant sacrifice).^[8]

13. One should perform this sacrifice if one consumes new grains without having performed the Āgrayaṇa sacrifice with those grains.^[9]

14. One should offer a cake on twelve potsherds to vaiśvānara Agni^[10] if a twin—either of cattle or of human beings—is born to one.

15. The puronuvākyā and the yājyā verses should be either in the Triṣṭubh or the Jagatī metre.^[11]

16. One should offer cooked vāstu grains to Rudra, it Rudra has been attacking one’s cattle.^[12]

17. One should cause a Niṣādasthapati to perform this Iṣṭi.^[13]

18. (In this Iṣṭi) the dakṣiṇā should be either a skin of a black antelope or a non-horned animal or an ass with short ears or a deer or a female deer or two hoof-like vessels full of śyāmāka grains or two shell-like winnowing baskets. So is it said.^[14]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

According to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra IX. 13.8, he should then hold it on the Gārhapatya fire, and offer clarified butter upon it with the verse, mano jyotir......

[2]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.5.10.4; = Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra IX.13.9.

[3]:

IX.14.4.

[4]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.5.10.4.

[5]:

= Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra IX.13.11.

[6]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra IX.13.15 records here the view of the Vājasaneyins that a spoonful of clarified butter should be offered with the verse, mahī dyauḥ pṛthivī ca na....

[7]:

= Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra IX.14.3.

[8]:

= Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra IX.14.4.

[9]:

= Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra IX.14.5.

[10]:

According to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra IX.14.7, a cake on thirteen potsherds to Maruts.

[11]:

According to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra IX. 14.9, the puronuvākyā and the yājyā should be respectively in the Gāyatrī and the Triṣṭubh metres.

[12]:

= Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra IX.14.11.

[13]:

For the attainment of heaven, cf. Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra IX.14.12,13.

[14]:

= Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra IX.14.14.