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 15, Kaṇḍikā 4
1. When (the Prastotṛ) calls him out, “O Brahman, we shall chant, O Praśāstṛ,” he should impel the Sāman-chanters with the formula, “him, O god Savitṛ, he has said this unto thee; do thou impel it; do thou offer it; Bṛhaspati is the Brahman; do not depart from the life-giving Ṛk, from the Sāman which protects the body. May your benedictions be true; may your intentions be true; do you speak the right and the truth; do you chant through the impulse of god Savitṛ.”[1] (He should recite the Stomabhāga:) “Thou art the ray; for dwelling thee; do thou win the dwelling,”[2] (and give out the call,) “om, do you chant.”
2. Similarly at each Stotra he should impel the Sāman-chanters to chant.
3. Similarly he should recite each subsequent Stomabhāga.[3]
4. He should recite twelve Stomabbāgas at the Agniṣṭoma; thirteen at the Atyagniṣṭoma;[4] fifteen at the Ukthya; sixteen at the Ṣoḍaśin; seventeen at the Vājapeya;[5] twenty-nine at the Atirātra; and thirty-three at the Aptoryāma.[6] So is it said.
5. After the Bahiṣpavamānastotra has been chanted,[7] he should cross over along the rear of the uttaravedi, and sit down towards the south. He should remain there only until the offering of the omentum of the Savanīya animal.[8]
6. After the omentum has been offered, be should sprinkle himself with water at that place where other officiating priests sprinkle themselves.
7. When the relevant officiating priests enter (the Sadas)[9] for the morning pressing, he should go round along the south of the two Havirdhāna carts, along the south of the Mārjālīya Dhiṣṇya, along the south of the Sadas, enter the Sadas by the western door, cross over along the rear of the Maitrāvaruṇa’s Dhiṣṇya, and sit down towards the south. So says Āśmarathya. He should cross over along the rear of the uttaravedi, go round along the north of the two Havirdhāna carts, along the south of the Mārjālīya Dhiṣṇya, enter the Sadas by the eastern door, cross over along the front of the Maitrāvaruṇa’s Dhiṣṇya, and sit down towards the south. So says Ālekhana.[10]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.7.1.
[2]:
Taittirīya-saṃhitā IV.4.1.1. III.5.2.1.
[3]:
The remaining eleven Stomabhāgas at the Agniṣṭoma are: “Thou art the approach; for the divine law thee; do thou impel the divine law.—Thou are the following; for heaven thee; do thou impel the heaven.—Thou art the joint; for midregion thee; do thou impel the midregion.—Thou art the propping; for earth thee; do thou impel the. earth.—Thou art the support; for rains thee; do thou impel the rains.—Thou art flowing forward; for day thee; do thou impel the day.—Thou art flowing after; for night thee; do thou impel the might.—Thou art eager; for Vasus thee; do thou impel the Vasus.—Thou art the knowledge; for Rudras thee; do thou impel the Rudras.—Thou art the brilliant; for Ādityas thee; do thou impel the Ādityas.—Thou art vitality; for the Pitṛs thee; do thou impel the Pitṛs.” Three more at the Ukthya: “Thou art the continuity; for offspring thee; do thou impel the offspring.—Thou art victorious in battle; for cattle thee; do thou impel the cattle.—Thou art wealthy; for plants thee; do thou impel the plants.” One more at the Ṣoḍaśin: “Thou art the winner, for whom the pressing stones have been arranged; for Indra thee; do thou impel Indra.” One more at the Vājapeya: “Thou art the overlord; for the vital breath thee; do thou impel the vital breath.” Twelve more at the Atirātra: “Thou art the restrainer; for the Apāna thee; do thou impel the Apāna.—Thou art the glider; for the sight thee; do thou impel the sight.—Thou art the bestower of strength; for the faculty of hearing thee; do thou impel the faculty of hearing.—Thou art threefold.—Thou art Pravṛt.—Thou art Saṃvṛt.—Thou art Vivṛt Thou art mounter.—Thou art descender. Thou art foremounter.—Thou art aftermounter.—Thou art wealthy.—Thou art brilliant.—Thou art gainer of good.” (Taittirīya-saṃhitā VI.4.1; III.5.2).
[4]:
Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XIV.10.4 does not mention the Atyagniṣṭoma. Baudhāyana-śrauta-sūtra XIV.20 and Satyāṣāḍha-sūtra X.8 (p. 1111) have mentioned it. The additional Stomabhāga prescribed for the Ṣoḍaśin should be employed also at the Atyagniṣṭoma.
[5]:
The Bhāradvāja-śrauta-sūtra-text dealing with the Vājapeya is not available.
[6]:
According to Baudhāyana-śrauta-sūtra XIV.20, the 29th, that is, the last Stomabhāga is to be repeated four times at the Aptoryāma. According to Rudradatta on Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XIV.10.4, the 29th Stomabhāga is to be divided into three different Stomabbāgas and, at the Aptoryāma the latter two, that is, the 36th and the 31st, and the 16th and the 31st (repeated) should form the four Stomabhāgas.
[7]:
XIII.17.11.
[8]:
XIII.19.10.
[9]:
XIII.19.11.
[10]:
Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XIV.10.6 prescribes this view.