Praśna 10, Kaṇḍikā 21

1. Then the Adhvaryu should start the procedure of the Ātithyeṣṭi.

2. He should tie, along with the sacrificial grass, two leaves of sugarcane to be used as the two vidhṛtis, and the reed aśvavāla for being used as prastara. In the faggot he should tie enclosing sticks of kārṣmarya.

3. He should prepare a faggot consisting of twenty-two sticks.

4. The procedure up to the pouring out of the oblation-material should be similar.^[1]

5. The Adhvaryu should pour out the oblation-material while the sacrificer’s wife remains touching it.

6. Or he should pour out through the hands of the sacrificer’s wife.

7. He should take out the oblation-material five times with the formulas, “Thou art the guest-offering of Agni; for Viṣṇu thee.—Thtou art the guest-offering of Soma; for Viṣṇu thee.—Thou art the guest-offering of the guest; for Viṣṇu thee.—For Agni, the giver of wealth thee; for Viṣṇu thee.—For Soma-carrying eagle thee; for Viṣṇu thee.”^[2]

8. There is a view that in all these formulas he should join the sāvitra portion^[3] (at the beginning) and the juṣṭa- portion^[4] (at the end). There is another view that he should join them only in the case of (the first) three oblations.

9. There should be a cake on nine potsherds for Viṣṇu.

10. Hereafter, whenever there is an occasion to mention the principal divinity, Viṣṇu himself should be mentioned.

11. After having released his speech with the call to the preparer of the oblation-material, the Adhvaryu should unyoke the right-side bullock in the same manner.^[5]

12. With the formula, “Thou belongest to Varuṇa; may happiness and welfare be with us from the friendship with gods; may we not be deprived of duties towards gods,”^[6] he should take off the garment of king Soma.

13. With the formula, “Thou art Varuṇa, the possessor of ordinances,” he should take off king Soma.

14. With the verse, “O king Soma, do thou, whose leaves are without holes, come down among the offspring, longing for those who long thee, mild among the mild. Do thou come down among all offspring; may all offspring come down to thee,”^[7] he should take him down and carry him with the formula, “Go to the wide midregion.”^[8]

15. With the verse, “Thy splendours which they worship with oblations, may all these surround the sacrifice. Increasing the family-wealth, impeller, rich in heroes, not killing our heroes, O Soma, enter the dwellings,”^[9] he should carry him to the prāgvaṃśa through the eastern door.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

I.19.10.

[2]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.10.1.

[3]:

Devasya tvā savituḥ prasave’śvinor. bāhubhyām pūṣṇo hastābhyām.

[4]:

Juṣṭaṃ nirvapāmi.

[5]:

X.20.13-15.

[6]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.10.2. This entire formula seems to be presumed here in view of Satyāṣāḍha-sūtra VII.3.

[7]:

Caraka-kaṭha-saṃhitā II.7; Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā VI.26.

[8]:

Maitrāyaṇī-saṃhitā I.1.2; Caraka-kaṭha-saṃhitā I.2.

[9]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.10.1.