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...
Praśna 13, Kaṇḍikā 20
1. At the cup for Aśvins with the formula, “For my ears....”[1]
2. At the Āgrayaṇa cup with the formula, “For my soul....”[2]
3. At the Ukthya vessel with the formula, “For my limbs...”[3]
4. At the Dhruva vessel with the formula, “For my life....”[4]
5. At the Atigrāhya cups respectively with the formulas, “For my lustre...,” “For my vigour...,” “For my splendour...”1
6. At the Ṣoḍaśin cup with the formula, “For my valour..,.”[5] if the sacrifice is a Ṣoḍaśin.
7. At the Droṇakalaśa with the formula,“Thou art the belly of Viṣṇu; do thou, giving splendour, be purified for my splendour.”[6]
8. At the Ādhavanīya with the formula,“Thou art the belly of Indra...”[7]
9. At the Pūtabhṛt with the formula, “Thou art the belly of Viśve Devas....”[8]
10. They should pray to the entire Soma with the formula,“Who art thou? Thou art Ka by name. For whom thee? For Ka thee, thee whom I have delighted with Soma; thee whom I have gladdened with Soma. May I be possessed of fair offspring; may I be possessed of noble heroes; may I be possessed of good splendour; may I be possessed of great abundance. Giving splendour to all my forms, do thou, giver of splendour, be purified for splendour, give it to me; let me partake of thee; here I cleanse thee.”[9]
11. One who desires to prosper should gaze; one desirous of brahman splendour should gaze; one who is ill should gaze; one who is practising abhicāra should gaze. So is it said.[10]
12. Then they should pray to the other substances;
13. The implements used for preparing the altar (thrown) on the rubbishheap respectively with the formulas, “May the wooden sword be safe; may the hammer be safe; may the rib (= knife) be safe; may the altar be safe; may the axe be safe for us.”[11]
14. He should pray to all the implements with the formula, “You are qualified for the sacrifice; makers of the sacrifice, do you acquiesce in this sacrifice.”[12]
15. To Dyāvāpṛthivī with the formula, “May the heaven and earth acquiesce.”[13]
16. To the spot (āstāva) towards the south of the cātvāla[14] with the formula, “May the āstāva acquiesce....”[15]
17. To the Droṇakalaśa with the formula, “May the Droṇakalaśa acquiesce.”[16]
18. To Soma with the formula, “May Soma acquiesce.”[17]
19. To the Āhavanīya fire with the formula, “May Agni acquiesce.”[18]
20. (To the gods[19] with the formula,) “May the gods acquiesce me; to the sacrifice with the formula, “May the sacrifice acquiesce.”[20]
21. To the Hotrakas with the formula, “May the Hotrās acquiesce in the acquiescence.”[21]
22. He should add to the formulas the relevant form of the root hve in the singular, duel or plural.
23. He should pray to the Āhavanīya fire with the formula, “Obeisance to Agni, the killer of Makha; may the glory of Makha reach me.”[22]
24. To the Āgnīdhra fire with the formula, “Obeisance to Rudra, the killer of Makha; guard me with obeisance.”[23]
25. To the Dhiṣṇya of the Hotṛ with the formula, “Obeisance to Indra, the killer of Makha; do thou not injure my power and strength.”[24]
26. To Dyāvāpṛthivī with the formula, “You two are firm, loose; united, guard me from trouble.”[25]
27. To Āditya with the formula, “May god Sūrya guard me from divine trouble.”[26]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.3.2.
[2]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.3.2.
[3]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.3.2.
[4]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.3.2.
[5]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.3.2.
[6]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.3.2.
[7]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.3.2.
[8]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.3.2.
[9]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.3.2. According to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XII.19.1,2, the Adhvaryu should gaze at the Āhavanīya fire with the major portion of this formula, and with another verse and the ending portion of the above formula, he should gaze at the Soma. In addition to the above, the Adhvaryu should, according to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XII.18.20, gaze at the pṛṣadājya with the formula, “For my cattle...;” at all the cups with the formula, “For my abundance.., at the Rtu [Ṛtu?] cups with the formula, “For my breasts....”
[10]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.3.3,4. According to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XII.19.4-6, the Adhvaryu should pray to the various cups and vessels with certain formulas involving the use of the word śṛta, and also certain verses.
[11]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.4.1.
[12]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.4.1.
[13]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.4.1.
[14]:
XIII.17.1.
[15]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.4.1.
[16]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.4.1.
[17]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.4.1.
[18]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.4.1.
[19]:
Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XII.20.1.
[20]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.4.1.
[21]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.4.1.
[22]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.4.1.
[23]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.4.2.
[24]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.4.2.
[25]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.4.3.
[26]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.4.3.