Praśna 13, Kaṇḍikā 6

1. The Adhvaryu should make the water enter the Havirdhāna by the western door; or by the eastern door. The sacrificer should, however, enter by the eastern door.

2. He should place the vasatīvarī water, the Ekadhana pitchers, and the Maitrāvaruṇa’s goblet under the northern Havirdhāna-cart.^[1]

3. Having placed the Hotṛ’s goblet in front of the axle under the southern Havirdhāna-cart, he Adhvaryu should proceed to offer the dadhigraha.

4. He should take up curds in a four-cornered cup made of udumbara, with the formula, “Thou art taken with a support, I take thee, full of light, for Prajāpati, full of light; for Dakṣa who increases ability, thee that art given to the gods having Agni as the tongue, righteous, having Indra as the highest, having Varuṇa as the king, having Vāta as the friend, having Parjanya as the inner part; for sky thee, for mid-region thee, for earth thee.”^[2]

5. He should carry forth the cup (towards the fire) with the formula, “O Indra, do thou smite the mind of him who bates us, who desires to oppress us; do thou smite him who practises evil against us.”^[3]

6. He should make the offering with the remaining portion of the Anuvāka, “For expiration thee; for inspiration thee; for cross-breathing thee; for existent thee; for non-existent thee; for water thee; for plants thee; for all beings, thee; I offer what is full of light to thee, Prajāpati, from whom the offspring were created unhurt, of bountious gifts, full of light.”^[4]

7. One should take up a cup of clarified butter for one who is desirous of lustre; of Soma for one who is desirous of the brahman-splendour; of curds^[5] for one who is desirous of cattle.

8. This very procedure should be adopted in connection with the taking up of the cup of clarified butter.

9. One, who is going to take up a Soma-cup, should pour down on the pressing skin as much quantity of king Soma as he considers to be adequate for a single cup.

10. He should again tie up the remaining Soma, fill in the Hotṛ’s goblet with vasatīvarī water, and cause the sacrificer to recite the group of formulas so that the water may be characterised as nigrābhya, “You are the nigrābhya-waters, heard by the gods. Delight my life; delight my expiration; delight my inspiration; delight my cross-breathing; delight nay eye; delight my ear; delight my mind; delight my speech; delight my person; delight my limbs; delight my offspring; delight my cattle; delight my house; delight my troops; delight me with my troops; delight me; let my troops not go thirsty.”^[6]

11. Having added vasativarī water to the Soma, he should, while he is about to press the Soma, recite over it the verse, “O well born (Soma-stalks), I have made you grow in my mind; O you born of order, may we enjoy your favour; may the divine plants in accord with Indra grant us the Soma for the pressing.” ^[7]

12. Whenever he has to press the Soma, the Adhvaryu should recite over it this very verse.

13. Then be should press the Soma on the crushing stone with the pressing stone,^[8]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

According to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XII.7.2,3 the vasatīvarī water in front of the axle, and Ekadhana-pitchers to the rear of the axle of the northern Havirdhāna-cart; the Maitrāvaruṇa’s goblet in front of the axle under the southern Havirdhāna-cart;the Hotṛ’s goblet on the imprint of the northern wheel of the southern Havirdhāna-cart in front of the wheel. Or vice versa. (That is, vasatīvārī to the rear of the axle and Ekadhana pitcher in front of the axle.) cf. CALAND’s Note on Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XII.7.3.

[2]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.5.8.1.

[3]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.5.8.1.

[4]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.5.8.

[5]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XII.7.8 prescribes that a cup of curds should be regarded either as a normal or an optional offering.

[6]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.1.8.1,2.

[7]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.1.8.2.

[8]:

See the next sūtra.