Praśna 14, Kaṇḍikā 24

[The Tail of the Sacrifice (Yajñapuchha)]

1. The Adhvaryu should start with the procedure of the Udayanīya Iṣṭi.

2. What (the characteristic of) the Prāyaṇīya Iṣṭi^[1] is, (should also be the characteristic) of the Udayanīya Iṣṭi.

3. This much should be different; the Adhvaryu should put into (the cooking vessel containing) the scrapings of the (rice offered in the) Prāyaṇīya Iṣṭi^[2] the rice-grains of the paddy poured out in connection with the Udayanīya Iṣṭi. Here he should not scoop out the cooked rice; nor should he place it within the altar with the ṣaḍḍhotṛ formula.^[3]

4. The Udayanīya Iṣṭi should be performed on the Śālāmukhīya fire.

5. The Hotṛ should recite as the yājyās (relating to the respective principal offerings) in the Udayanīya Iṣṭi those verses which were the puronuvākyās (relating to the respective principal offerings) in the Prāyaṇīya Iṣṭi.

6. Among the divinities having clarified butter for the principal oblation the Adhvaryu should make the offering to Pathyā Svasti^[4] last of all.

7. The sacrificer should not consume his portion.

8. The Iṣṭi should be concluded in the established manner.

9. The Adhvaryu should start with the procedure of the Anūbandhyā animal-sacrifice.

10. The procedure up to the formal dedication of the animal should be similar.^[5]

11. The Adhvaryu should formally dedicate a barren cow to Mitra-Varuṇa for the Anūbandhyā.

12. Some teachers prescribe three barren cows^[6]: a cow having two colours to Mitra-Varuṇa, one having many colours to Viśve Devas, and a red cow to Bṛhaspati. According to some teachers, one should make the middle offering to Viśve Devas in a low voice.

13. The procedure up to the offering of the omentum should be similar.^[7]

14. After the omentum has been offered, the sacrificer should have his hair and beard shaved in an enclosure on the' southern buttock of the altar.

15. Subsequent to the pouring out of the Paśupuroḍāśa relating to the Anūbanḍhyā animal-sacrifice, the Adhvaryu should pour out the Devikā oblations—a cake on twelve potsherds for Dhātṛ etc.^[8]

16. He should make the offering to Dhātṛ last.

17. The rice (to be offered to the four divinities) should be cooked in those vessels^[9] in which Soma was taken.

18. The offering of the Paśupuroḍāśa should be characterised by the giving out of a call to the Maitrāvaruṇa. In connection with the other oblations he should address the calls to the Hotṛ, “Do you recite the puronuvākyā,” “Do you recite the yājyā.”

19. In connection with all the offerings accompanied by the offering of the Paśupuroḍāśa, the Sviṣṭakṛt-offering characterised by the call to the Maitrāvaruṇa, should be common; the Iḍā should also be common.

20. The Animal-sacrifice should be concluded in the established manner.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

X.14.1 ff.

[2]:

X.14.11.

[3]:

X.14.10.

[4]:

X.14.14.

[5]:

VII.9.11.

[6]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XIII.23.14,15: In the Vājapeya, the Rājasūya, the Sattra, the sacrifice with a thousand dakṣiṇās or in the sacrifice in which all wealth is given away as dakṣiṇā, there should be three barren cows. If one desires that his sacrifice should be possessed of power, he should offer three cows in any sacrifice.

[7]:

VII.16.14.

[8]:

The other offerings are rice cooked in milk each for Anumati Rākā, Sinīvālī and Kuhū. cf. Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.4.9.

[9]:

XIV.20.11.