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...

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Praśna 10, Kaṇḍikā 15

1. Gazing at her, the Adhvaryu should offer an oblation with the formula, “Thou art urging, grasped by mind, dear to Visṇu. May I attain the support of speech in that impulse of thine whose impulse is true, svāhā.”[1]

2. He should take another four spoonfuls, and with the formula, “Thou art bright; thou art nectar,”[2] he should take the piece of gold out of the clarified butter.

3. He should recite over that clarified butter the formula, “(Thou art) the offering to all gods.”[3]

4. He should recover the piece of gold, and pray to the sun with the formula, “I have mounted the eye of the sun, the pupil of the eye of Agni, when thou goest with thy steeds shining with the wise.”[4]

5. He should recite over the Soma-cow the formulas, “Thou art thought; thou art mind; thou art meditation; thou art dakṣiṇā; thou art holy; thou art supreme; thou art two-headed Aditi. Be thou going forward and backward for us. May Mitra fasten thee by the foot.[5] May Pūṣan guard the ways for Indra the overseer. May the mother approve thee, thy father, thy brother who has sprung of the same womb, and thy companion in the herd. O goddess, do thou approach god Soma for the sake of Indra.”[6]

6. The Adhvaryu should follow six right foot-steps of the cow with his right foot respectively with the formulas, “Thou art Vasvī; thou art Rudrā; thou art Aditi; thou art Ādityā; thou art Śukrā; thou art Candrā.”[7]

7. He should collect the earth from the seventh footprint with the formula, “May Bṛhaspati make thee rejoice in happiness; may Rudra perceive thee along with Vasus.”[8]

8. He should place a piece of gold on the earth, and offer four spoonfuls of clarified butter on it with the formula, “I pour thee on the head of the earth, on the sacrificial place, on the abode of Iḍā which is full of clarified butter, svāhā.”[9]

9. He should draw a line round the region, which has been covered by the clarified butter, by means of the wooden sword with the for mula, “The Rakṣas is enclosed, the evil spirits are enclosed. Here I cut out the neck of the Rakṣas. I cut out the neck of one who hates us or whom we hate.”[10]

10. With the same formula, he should draw round a line by means of the horn of black antelope.

11. With the formula, “Wealth be with us,”[11] he should pour out into a vessel that portion of earth which is mixed with clarified butter.

12. With the formula, “Wealth be with thee,”[12] he should hand over the vessel to the sacrificer.

13. With the formula, “Wealth be thine,”[13] the sacrificer should hand it over to his wife.

14. The Adhvaryu[14] should recite over the (earth from the) foot-print the formula, “May I not be separated from the fulness of wealth.”[15]

15. He should make the Soma-cow gaze at the sacrificer’s wife with the formula, “O goddess, gaze together with goddess Urvaśī. Let me attend on thee with Tvaṣṭṛ’s aid; rich in seed and bearing seed, may I get a heroic son in thy presence.”[16]

16. With the verse, “Do thou burst up the earth, break up this divine sky. Give us divine water; do thou, the commander, release the leatherbag,”[17] he should pour down a potful of water on the foot-print.

17. He should wash with water his both hinds together with a piece of gold, and should pour out a third portion of the earth of the footprint on the cold ashes of the Gārhapatya fire.

18. Similarly another third portion on the (cold ashes of the) Āhavanīya fire.

19. He should preserve the last third portion for anointing the axle (of the southern Havirdhana cart[18]).

20. The sacrificer’s wife should keep it in her residence.

21. With the piece of gold in his hand, the Adhvaryu should pray to Āditya:[19]

Footnotes and references:

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[2]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2 4.1.

[3]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.4.1.

[4]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.4.1.

[5]:

According to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra X.22.10 the Adhvaryu should gaze at the right front foot of the cow, and with the remaining portion of the formula, he should follow the cow proceeding eastwards.

[6]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.4.2.

[7]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.5.1.

[8]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.5.1.

[9]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.5.1.

[10]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.5.1.

[11]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.5.2.

[12]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.5.2.

[13]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.5.2.

[14]:

The sacrificer’s wife, according to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra X.23.5.

[15]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.5.2.

[16]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.5.2. According to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra X.23.7, the sacrificer’s wife should recite the latter part of this formula over the Soma-cow.

[17]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.5.2.

[18]:

XII.6.12.

[19]:

See the next sūtra.

Other Dharmashastra Concepts:

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Discover the significance of concepts within the article: ‘Prasna 10, Kandika 15’. Further sources in the context of Dharmashastra might help you critically compare this page with similair documents:

Aditya, Adhvaryu, Dakshina, Raksha, clarified butter, Black antelope, Divine water, Piece of gold, Evil spirit, Garhapatya fire, Heroic son, Sacrificer's wife, Ahavaniya fire, Recite over, Gold piece, Formula, Sacrifice formula.

Concepts being referred within the main category of Hinduism context and sources.

Sacrificial place, Wooden sword, Soma-cow, Footprint of the cow, Foot-print.

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