Praśna 10, Kaṇḍikā 19

1. Having taken up king Soma, the Adhvaryu should get up with the formula, “I have arisen following the immortals with life, good life, with the sap of plants, with the force of the rains.”^[1]

2. He should carry him with the formula, “Go along the wide mid-region.”^[2]

3. With the formula, “Thou art the seat of Aditi,”^[3] he should spread out in the seat of the cart the skin of a black antelope with its neck towards the east and with the hairy side turned upwards.

4. He should place the king on it with the formula, “Do thou be seated on the seat of Aditi,”^[4] (and with the verse, “The bull has supported the heaven and the mid-region, has measured the width of the earth. He, the overruler, governed all worlds. All these are Varuṇa’s ordinances.”^[4])

5. He should enfold him with a garment with the verse, “Varuṇa has expanded the mid-region over the woods, swiftness in horses, milk in cows, will in hearts, the fire among the settlers, the sun in the heaven, and Soma on the mountain.”^[5]

6. With the verse dedicated to Sūrya, “The beams hold up god Jātavedas, the sun, so that all might see,”^[6] he should fasten the skin of a black antelope.^[7]

7. With the formula, “Come hither, O bulls, you who bear the yoke, not shedding tears, not killing our heroic progeny, and inciting the priests,”^[8] he should bring the bullocks of the cart near.

8. He should touch the two yokes as in the New-moon and the Full-moon sacrifices.^[9]

9. With the formula, “Thou belongest to Varun”^[10] he should lift up (the front portion of) the cart.

10. He should support the cart with a prop of the poles with the formula, “May Varuṇa support thee.”

11. With the formula, “Thou belongest to Varuṇa,” he should put the yoke-halter round (the neck of the southern bullock).

12. With the formula, “Thou art the pillar of Varuṇa; thou art the prop of the pillar of Varuṇa,”^[11] he should insert the yoke-pin.

13. With the formula, “Varuṇa’s noose is tied,”^[12] he should fasten the bullock.

14. In the same way he should yoke the northern bullock.

15. The Subrahmaṇya, who has taken two green twigs of palāśa or śamī, should take his seat between the two poles of the cart.

16. Then the Adhvaryu should give out the call, “(O Hotṛ), do you recite verses for Soma, who has been bought, being carried; O Brahman, do you restrain speech; O Subrahmaṇya, do thou invoke subrahmaṇyā.”

17. As soon as the first verse has been recited thrice (by the Hotṛ).^[13]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.8.1.

[2]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.8.1.

[3]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.8.1

[4]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.8.I. cf. Rudradatta on Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra X.27.10.

[5]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.8.1,2.

[6]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.8.2.

[7]:

To the Soma-cart from the front, with the neck above and the inner part outside, according to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra X.27.10.

[8]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.8.2.

[9]:

I.19.4,5.

[10]:

Maitrāyaṇī-saṃhitā I.2.6; KSII.7.

[11]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.8.2.

[12]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.8.2.

[13]:

See the next sūtra.