Prapāṭhaka III, Kāṇḍikā 8

1.^[1] On the full-moon day of (the month) Āśvayuja, at the Pṛṣātaka ceremony, a mess of boiled rice-grains with milk, sacred to Rudra, (is prepared).

2. Of that (milk-rice) let him sacrifice, the first oblation with (the verse), 'To us, O Mitra and Varuṇa' (Sāma-veda I, 220), the second with (the verse), 'Not in our offspring' (Ṛg-veda I, 114, 8),

3.^[2] And (eight Ājya oblations) with the 'cow's names' (i.e. with the formulas), 'The lovely one art thou,' &c., with each (name) separately.

4.^[3] The rest (should be performed) according to the Sthālīpāka rite.

5. Having carried the Pṛṣātaka around the fire, turning his right side towards (the fire), and having caused the Brāhmaṇas to look at it (i.e. at the Pṛṣātaka), he should look at it himself with (the verse repeated by the Brāhmaṇas and by the-sacrificer), 'That bright eye, created by the gods, which rises on the east—may we see it a hundred autumns; may we live a hundred autumns!'

6. After he has entertained the Brāhmaṇas with food and has eaten himself, (the sacrificer and his family) should tie (to their arms, necks, &c.) amulets made of lac together with all sorts of herbs, for the sake of prosperity.

7. In the evening he should feed the cows with the Pṛṣātaka, and should let the calves join them.

8. Thus (the cows) will thrive.

9.^[4] At the sacrifice of the first fruits a mess of boiled rice-grains with milk, sacred to Indra and Agni, (is prepared).

10. Having sacrificed first a Havis offering of that (milk-rice), he sacrifices over that (oblation) four Ājya oblations with (the verses), 'To him who bears a hundred weapons,' &c. (MB. II, 1, 9-12).

11.^[5] The rest (should be performed) according to the Sthālīpāka rite.

12. The rest of the remnants of the sacrificial food he should give to eat to all (persons present) who have received the initiation (Upanayana).

13. Having 'spread under' water once, he should cut off two portions of the boiled rice-grains.

14. Three (portions are cut off) by descendants of Bhṛgu.

15. And over (these portions) water (is poured).

16.^[6] (After the food has been prepared in this way), he should swallow it without chewing it, with (the Mantra), 'From the good to the better' (ibid. 13).

17. In the same way three times.

18. Silently a fourth time.

19. After he has cut off a greater portion,

20. They may, if they like, chew that.

21. Having sipped water, they should touch their mouths, their heads, and their limbs from above downwards, with (the verse), 'This art thou' (ibid. 14).

22. In the same way (sacrifices of the first fruits are performed) of Śyāmāka (panicum frumentaceum) and of barley.

23. (At the sacrifice) of Śyāmāka (the Mantra with which the food is partaken of [comp. Sūtra 16], is), 'May Agni eat as the first' (ibid. 15).

24. (At the sacrifice) of barley, 'This barley, mixed with honey' (ibid. 16).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

8, 1 seq. The Pṛṣātaka ceremony; comp. Khādira-Gṛhya III, 3, 1 seq. A Pṛṣātaka is a mixture of milk or of curds with Ājya; comp. Khād. l.l. 3; Gṛhya-saṃgraha II, 59; Śāṅkhāyana IV, 16, 3 note.

[2]:

The 'cow's names' are given in the Gṛhya-saṃgraha II, 60; of the nine names given there the last is omitted at the Pṛṣātaka ceremony.

[3]:

See above, chap. 7, 20 and the note.

[4]:

9 seq. The sacrifice of the first fruits; comp. Khādira-Gṛhya III, 3, 6 seq.

[5]:

See chap. 7, 20 and the note.

[6]:

16, 20. Instead of asaṃsvādaṃ, saṃsvādayeran, I read p. 94 asaṃkhādaṃ, saṃkhādayeran. Comp. Khādira-Gṛhya III, 3, 13: asaṃkhādya pragiret, and the quotations in Böhtlingk-Roth's Dictionary sv. saṃ-khād and ā-svad.