Praśna 13, Kaṇḍikā 22

1. Then the Adhvaryu and the Pratiprasthātṛ should proceed with the offering of the Dvidevatya cups.

2. The Adhvaryu should give out a call (to the Maitrāvaruṇa), “Do you recite the puronuvākyā relating to the offering for Vāyu and Indra-Vāyu.”

3. The Pratiprasthātṛ should draw into the Āditya cup^[1] a portion from the cup for Indra-Vāyu^[2] (as a counter-cup) with the formula, “Thou art taken with a support; thou art seated in speech; for the two of speech, guardians for the two guardians of thought, for the two lords of this established sacrifice do I take thee.”^[3]

4. In connection with the counter-cups (Pratinigrāhya) some teachers say that they should be drawn from the Droṇakalaśa, and should be offered without being placed on the mound.^[4]

5. After having taken up the cup for Indra-Vāyu, the Adhvaryu should draw Soma from the Droṇakalaśa into the filling spoon and pour down āghāra-libation of that Soma on that place where the Upāṃśu cup was tbe verse, “O gods, may this sacrifice be harmless for plants, for our offered,^[5] with cattle, for our folk. Thou art harmless for all creatures; swell like ghee, O Soma.”^[6]

6. In this connection this is the general rule: one should offer the oblations of clarified butter, animal and the cake (etc.) in the middle of the fire; those of Soma along the direction of the beginning and the end of the āghāra-libation.

7. Having stood at that place from where he thinks he would make the offering without striding forth, one should cause the Āgnīdhra to announce.

8. Having gone across (towards the south), the Adhvaryu should say (to the Maitrāvaruṇa), “Do you address a call to the Hotṛ to recite the yājyā relating to the offering for Vāyu and Indra-Vāyu.”

9. At the vaṣaṭ-utterance (by the Hotṛ) he should make the offering (to Vāyu).

10. At the secondary vaṣaṭ-utterance the Adhvaryu and the Pratiprasthātṛ should make the offering.

11. The sacrificer should follow the offering with the formula, “Thou art bhūḥ, best of rays; guardian of Prāṇa; do thou guard my Prāṇa. Thou art dhūḥ, best of rays; guardian of Apāna; do thou guard my Apāna.”^[7]

12. If an elder cousin overcomes him, he should depress his thumb with his finger, if a younger the finger with the thumb, with the verse, “The enemy who, O Indra-Vāyu, is hostile to us, who seeks to assail us, O Lords of splendour, may I here hurl him below my feet, so that, O Indra, I may shine as the highest.”^[8]

13. The Pratiprasthātṛ should drop the remnants into the Adhvaryu’s cup, the Adhvaryu into the Pratiprasthātṛ’s cup; and the Pratiprasthātṛ into the Āditya vessel^[9] with the formula, “For gods thee.”^[10]

14. The Adhvaryu should hand over the cup to the Hotṛ for the partaking of the Soma with the formula, “In me is the wealth; in me is one who is preceded by wealth; O guardian of speech, guard my speech.”^[11]

15. The Hotṛ should receive the cup with the same formula.^[12]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

XIII.2.2.

[2]:

XIII.14.2.

[3]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.10.1.

[4]:

cf. Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XII.20.19.

[5]:

XIII.11.5.

[6]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.1.9.3.

[7]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.10.2.

[8]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.10.3.

[9]:

XIII.2.2.

[10]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.10.1.

[11]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.10.2.

[12]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XII.21.18-22 lays down the optional procedure with regard to the drawing and offering of the Dvidevatya cups: If the sacrificer feels that the enemy has transgressed him, the Pratiprasthātṛ should first draw his cup, offer it first and place it down first. If the Adhvaryu desires to make the sacrificer equal in valour with his enemy, both the Adhvaryu and the Pratiprasthātṛ should draw the cups simultaneously, make the offerings standing in front of each other, and simultaneously, and place down the cups simultaneously. If the Adhvaryu desires that the sacrificer who has obtained his kingdom should be removed from the kingdom, or that the sacrificer who is deprived of his kingdom should regain it, he should remove the Adhvaryu’s cup with the formula, “Here I remove N.N. belonging to the Gotra of N.N., son of N.N. from his subjects,” and place in its place that of the Pratiprasthātṛ with the formula, “Here I place N.N., belonging to the Gotra of N.N. and son of N.N. within his subjects.” The Pratinigrāhyas should be taken in different cups.