Praśna 12, Kaṇḍikā 2

1. Then the sacrificer should go through the intermediate consecration.^[1]

2. Standing towards the south, he should recite over the Āhavanīya fire the formula, “O Agni, the lord of vows, thou art the lord of vows. Let this body of mine be in thee; let this body of thine be in me. O lord of cows, let the vows of us who are holders of vows be together.”^[2]

3. He should fasten the girdle round his waist more tightly.^[3]

4. He should close his fists more closely.^[4]

5. He should drink only hot milk.

6. He should sprinkle himself with the madantī-water.

7. He should consume the milk with the formula, “O Agni, do thou guard us with thy Rudra form. For that form of thine, svāhā.”^[5]

8. The Barhis, which was used in the Ātithyeṣṭi,^[6] should be used for the Upasadiṣṭi and also for the Agnīṣomīya Animal-sacrifice.^[7] The prastara and the enclosing sticks should also be the same. So is it said.^[8]

9. After having performed the Pravargya-rite the Adhvaryu should proceed with the performance of the Upasadiṣṭi. Or he should first perform the Upasadiṣṭi.

10. The Barhis (which was) spread out (at the Ātithyeṣṭi) should itself be used for the Upasadiṣṭi. The enclosing sticks arranged formerly should themselves be used for the latter sacrifice.

11. The Adhvaryu should tie up a faggot of ten fire-sticks.^[9]

12. He should prepare the veda, strew round the sacred fires, wash his hands, arrange the utensils, strew the ulapa grass, prepare the two strainers, and say, “O sacrificer, do you restrain speech.”

13. Restraining his speech the Adhvaryu should touch the utensils.

14. He should formally accomplish the prokṣaṇī-water, call upon the Brahman, sprinkle the utensils with water by means of the band with the palm turned upwards, release his speech with the call to the preparer of the oblation-material, and carry as stambayajus the darbha-blades out of the Barhis itself.

15. Having stuck up the wooden sword erect, he should give out a call (to the Āgnīdhra), “Place the prokṣaṇī-water; keep the faggot; cleanse the spoon and the ladles, and come up with the clarified butter.

16. The procedure up to the taking up of clarified butter should be similar.^[10]

17. He should take up clarified butter only into the Dhruvā-ladle.

18. He should accomplish the prokṣaṇī-water, call upon the Brahman, sprinkle the faggot and the altar with water by means of the hand with the palm turned upwards, pour down the remnants of the prokṣaṇī water, recite over the (Āhavanīya) fire the specific formula,^[11] lay the first āghāra fire-stick (within the Āhavanīya fire-place), and then place within the altar first the Dhruvā4adle and then the spoon. (While placing the Dhruvā-ladle), he should modify the verse as, “This (ladle) is placed...”^[12]

19. He should recite over the clarified butter the formula, “Thou art Viṣṇu; thou art the seat of Viṣṇu, of Prajāpati.”^[13]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Which he is asked’to leave out later on. cf. XII.18.7.

[2]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.11.1,2. Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XI.1.15 optionally quotes ŚBr III.4.3.9 prescribing the putting of a fire-stick on the Āhavanīya: fire with this formula.

[3]:

X.6.10.

[4]:

X.7.3.

[5]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.11.2.

[6]:

X.21.1.

[7]:

XII.16.2.

[8]:

ABr I.25.

[9]:

Or as usual, that is, of fifteen, cf. Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XI.1.14.

[10]:

II.7.1.

[11]:

II.9.6.

[12]:

II.10.1. According to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XI.3.2, the modification should be, “These two are placed....”

[13]:

cf. II.10.2. īn view of the formula prescribed therein, it is reasonable to real the formula in this sūtra as dhāmā’si which reading is actually found in certain manuscripts as recorded in the footnote.