Gobhila-grihya-sutra

by Hermann Oldenberg | 1892 | 44,344 words

The Sutra of Gobhila presupposes, beside the Samhita of the Sama-veda, another collection of Mantras which evidently was composed expressly with the purpose of being used at Grihya ceremonies. Alternative titles: Gobhila-gṛhya-sūtra (गोभिल-गृह्य-सूत्र), Grhya, Gobhilagṛhyasūtra (गोभिलगृह्यसूत्र), Gobhilagrihyasutra, Gobhilagrhyasutra....

Prapāṭhaka IV, Kāṇḍikā 2

1.[1] On the following day the Anvaṣṭakya (ceremony is performed),

2. Or on the day which follows after that.

3. To the south-east (of the house), in the intermediate direction (between south and east), they partition off (a place with mats or the like).

4. The long-side (of that place should lie) in the same (direction).

5. They should perform (the ceremonies) turning their faces towards the same (direction).

6. (It should measure) at least four prakramas (i.e. steps).

7. (It should have) its entrance from the west.

8.[2] In the northern part of that enclosure they make the Lakṣaṇa and carry the fire (to that place).

9. To the west of the fire he places a mortar so that it stands firmly, and husks, holding his left hand uppermost, one handful of rice-grains which he has seized with one grasp.

10. When (the rice) has been husked,

11. He should once carefully remove the husks.

12.[3] And then he should cut off a lump of flesh from that thigh and should cut it in small pieces on a new slaughtering-bench,

13. (With the intention) that the Piṇḍas (or lumps of food offered to the Manes) should be thoroughly mixed up with flesh.

14.[4] On the same fire he cooks one mess of rice-grains and one of meat, stirring up the one and the other separately, from right to left, with the two pot-ladles.

15.[5] After he has cooked them, he should pour (Ājya) on them, should take them from the fire towards the south, and should not pour (Ājya) on them again.

16. In the southern part of the enclosure (Sūtras 3 seq.) he should have three pits dug, so that the eastern (pit is dug) first,

17. One span in length, four inches in breadth and in depth.

18.[6] Having made the Lakṣaṇa to the east of the eastern pit, they carry the fire (to that place).

19. Having carried the fire round the pits on their west side, he should put it down on the Lakṣaṇa.

20. He strews (round the fire) one handful of Darbha grass which he has cut off in one portion.

21. And (he strews it into) the pits,

22. Beginning with the eastern (pit).

23. To the west of the pits he should have a layer spread out,

24. Of southward-pointed Kuśa grass,

25. Inclined towards the south.

26. And he should put a mat on it.

27.[7] To that (layer of grass) they fetch for him (the following sacrificial implements), one by one, from right to left:

28. The two pots in which sacrificial food has been cooked (Sūtra 14), the two pot-ladles (Sūtra 14), one brazen vessel, one Darvī (spoon), and water.

29.[8] (The sacrificer's) wife places a stone on the Barhis and pounds (on that stone the fragrant substance called) Sthagara.

30.[9] And on the same (stone) she grinds some collyrium, and anoints therewith three Darbha blades, including the interstices (between the single blades?).

31.[10] He should also get some oil made from sesamum seeds,

32.[11] And a piece of linen tape.

33.[12] After he has invited an odd number of blameless Brāhmaṇas, whose faces should be turned towards the north, to sit down on a pure spot,

34.[13] And has given them Darbha grass (in order that they may sit down thereon),

35.[14] He gives them (pure) water and afterwards sesamum-water, pronouncing his father's name, 'N.N.! To thee this sesamum-water, and to those who follow thee here, and to those whom thou followest. To thee Svadhā!'

36.[15] After he has touched water, (he does) the same for the other two.

37.[16] In the same way (he gives them) perfumes.

38.[17] The words in which he addresses (the Brāhmaṇas) when going to sacrifice, are, 'I shall offer it into the fire.'

39. After they have replied, 'Offer it,' he should cut off (the prescribed portions) from the two messes of cooked food (Sūtra 14), (and should put those portions) into the brazen vessel. He then should sacrifice, picking out (portions of the Havis) with the pot-ladle, the first (oblation) with (the words), 'Svāhā to Soma Pitṛmat,' the second with (the words), 'Svāhā to Agni Kavyavāhana' (MB. II, 3, 1. 2).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

2, 1 seq. The Anvaṣṭakya ceremony; comp. Khādira-Gṛhya III, 5, 1 seq.

[2]:

'They make the Lakṣaṇa' means, they prepare the ground on which the fire shall be established, by drawing the five lines. See above, I, 1, 9. 10; Gṛhya-saṃgraha I, 47 seq.

[3]:

As to the words 'from that thigh,' comp. above, chap. I, 5.

[4]:

Comp. chap. I, 6. The sacrificial food is stirred up here from right to left, not from left to right, because it is sacred to the Manes. The mess of meat consists of the meat treated of in Sūtra 11.

[5]:

Comp. above, chap. I, 7.

[6]:

18, 19. As to lakṣaṇa, comp. Sūtra 8 note.

[7]:

The last words of the Sūtra, translated literally, would be: 'following the left arm.' Comp. Śāṅkhāyana-Gṛhya II, 3, 2. They place the different objects aprādakṣiṇyena.

[8]:

See chap. 3, 16.

[9]:

See chap. 3, 13.

[10]:

See chap. 3, 15.

[11]:

See chap. 3, 24.

[12]:

As to the two classes of paitṛka and daivika Brāhmaṇas. comp. the note on Śāṅkhāyana IV, I, 2.

[13]:

Comp. the note, p. 932 of the edition of Gobhila in the Bibliotheca Indica.

[14]:

Regarding the sesamum-water (i.e. water into which sesamum seeds have been thrown), comp. Āśvalāyana-Gṛhya IV, 7, 11.

[15]:

He repeats the same ceremony, pronouncing his grandfather's, instead of his father's, name; then he repeats it for his great-grandfather.

[16]:

He gives perfumes to the Brāhmaṇas, addressing first his father, then his grandfather and his great-grandfather.

[17]:

38, 39. Comp. Āśvalāyana-Gṛhya IV, 7, 18 seq. Regarding the term upaghātaṃjuhuyāt, comp. Gṛhya-saṃgraha I, 111 seq. and Professor Bloomfield's note. Regarding the oblation made to Agni Kavyavāhana, comp. Āpastamba VIII, 15, 20: Agniṃ Kavyavāhanaṃ Sviṣṭakṛdarthe yajati.

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: