Praśna 10, Kaṇḍikā 10

1. The Adhvaryu should cook the vrata of the sacrificer on the Gārhapatya fire. That of the sacrificer’s wife on the Dakṣiṇa fire.

2. The expiation-rite, which is prescribed in connection with the spilling out of the Agnihotra,^[1] is applicable also to the vrata.

3. Some teachers regard only milk as the vrata.

4. This should not be so. One should cook the gruel in milk and regard it as vrata.

5. If the milk is inadequate, one should milk another cow, cook the gruel and regard it as vrata,

6. If there is no milk, one should cook it in water and use it as vrata.

7. If the sacrificer desires to eat curds, the milk should be turned into curds for him.

8. If he desires to eat food, one should pour for him parched barleygrains; one should pour for him flour of parched barley-grains; one should fetch ghee for him. Finally he should even consume fruit^[2] for the continuity of the Agnihotra. So is it said.

9. The Adhvaryu should carry the vrata-milk (along) the rear of the Āhavanīya fire, and give it (to the sacrificer).

10. He should then say to him, “O sacrificer, do you, who are embarking upon the vows, partake of the vrata, and (thus) observe the vows.”

11. Those, who are not consecrated, should not see the consecrated sacrificer partaking of the vrata (milk).

12. The sacrificer should wet both his hands with the formula, “We meditate, for our help, upon the divine thought, which is merciful, giving splendour, and carrying the sacrificer. May it lead us safely according to our will.”^[3]

13. With the formula, “May the gods, who are born of mind, employing the mind, the wise, sons of the wise, guard us, protect us. Obeisance to them; svāhā to them,”^[4] the sacrificer should consume the vrata at midnight.

14. After having consumed the vrata, he should sip water^[5] with the formula, “O waters, do you, when drunk, become auspicious to us, gracious in our stomach, in our womb. Full of food, propitious and harmless, do you become kind for our life.”^[6]

15. At sunrise, one, who is going to offer the vrata to the sacrifices, should cause the sacrificer to restrain his speech (by giving out the call), “Do you enkindle the fires; O sacrificer, do you restrain speech; O sacrificer’s wife, do you restrain speech.”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

IX.7.4.

[2]:

ĀpŚSX.16.11: apy antataḥ pippalāni. Rudradatta renders pippalāni by phalāni. Some of the Bhāradvāja-śrauta-sūtra MSS read pippalāni for phalāni.

[3]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.3.1.

[4]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.34. cf. Maitrāyaṇī-saṃhitā III.6.9.

[5]:

According to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra X.17.11, 12 he should touch his navel with this formula, and also murmur it after having sipped water.

[6]:

Maitrāyaṇī-saṃhitā III.6.9.