Prapāṭhaka IV, Kāṇḍikā 3

1.^[1] From now onwards he has to perform (the rites) wearing his sacrificial cord over his right shoulder and keeping silence.

2.^[2] With his left hand he should seize a Darbha blade and should (therewith) draw (in the middle of the three pits) a line from north to south, with (the formula), 'The Asuras have been driven away' (MB. II, 3, 3.

3.^[3] Seizing, again with his left hand, a fire-brand, he should place it on the south side of the pits with (the verse), 'They who assuming (manifold) shapes' (ibid. 4).

4. He then calls the Fathers (to his sacrifice) with (the verse), 'Come hither, ye Fathers, who have drunk Soma' (ibid. 5).

5. He then should place pātra vessels of water near the pits.

6.^[4] Seizing, again with his left hand, (the first) vessel, he should pour it out from right to left on the Darbha grass in the eastern pit, pronouncing his father's name, 'N.N.! Wash thyself, and (may) those who follow thee here, and those whom thou followest, (wash themselves). To thee Svadhā!'

7.^[5] After he leas touched water, (he does) the same for the other two.

8. Seizing, again with his left hand, the Darvī spoon, he should cut off one-third of the mixture (of the different kinds of sacrificial food) and should put down (that Piṇḍa), from right to left, on the Darbha grass in the eastern pit, pronouncing his father's name, 'N.N.! This Piṇḍa is thine, and of those who follow thee here, and of those whom thou followest. To thee Svadhā!'

9.^[6] After he has touched water, (he does) the same for the other two.

10. If he does not know their names, he should put down the first Piṇḍa with (the formula), Svadhā to the Fathers dwelling on the earth,' the second with (the formula), 'Svadhā to the Fathers dwelling in the air,' the third with (the formula), 'Svadhā to the Fathers dwelling in heaven.'

11. After he has put down (the three Piṇḍas), he murmurs, 'Here, O Fathers, enjoy yourselves; show your manly vigour each for his part' (MB. II, 3, 6).

12. He should turn away, (should hold his breath,) and turning back before he emits his breath, he should murmur, 'The Fathers have enjoyed themselves; they have shown their manly vigour each for his part' (ibid. 7).

13. Seizing, again with his left hand, a Darbha blade (anointed with collyrium; chap. 2, 30), he should put it down, from right to left, on the Piṇḍa in the eastern pit, pronouncing his father's name, 'N.N.! This collyrium is thine, and is that of those who follow thee here, and of those whom thou followest. To thee Svadhā!'

14. After he has touched water, (he does) the same for the other two.

15.^[7] In the same way (he offers) the oil (to the fathers);

16.^[8] In the same way the perfume.

17. Then he performs the deprecation (in the following way):

18.^[9] On the eastern pit he lays his hands, turning the inside of the right hand upwards, with (the formula), 'Adoration to you, O Fathers, for the sake of life! Adoration to you, O Fathers, for the sake of vital breath!' (MB. II, 3, 8);

19. On the middle (pit), turning the inside of the left hand upwards, with (the formula), 'Adoration to you, O Fathers, for the sake of terror! Adoration to you, O Fathers, for the sake of sap!' (MB., loc. cit.);

20. On the last (pit), turning the inside of the right hand upwards, with (the formula), 'Adoration to you, O Fathers, for the sake of comfort! Adoration to you, O Fathers, for the sake of wrath!' (MB. II, 3, 9).

21. Then joining his hands he murmurs, 'Adoration to you, O Fathers! O Fathers! Adoration to you!' (MB., loc. cit.).

22. He looks at his house with (the words), 'Give us a house, O Fathers!' (MB. II, 3, 10).

23.^[10] He looks at the Piṇḍas with (the words), 'May we give you an abode, O Fathers!' (MB. II, 3, 11).

24.^[11] Seizing, again with his left hand, the linen thread, he should put it down, from right to left, on the Piṇḍa in the eastern pit, pronouncing his father's name, 'N.N.! This garment is thine, and is that of those who follow thee here, and of those whom thou followest. To thee Svadhā!' (MB. II, 3, 12).

25.^[12] After he has touched water, (he does) the same for the other two.

26. Seizing, again with his left hand, the vessel of water (Sūtra 5), he should sprinkle (water) round the Piṇḍas from right to left, with (the verse), 'Bringing sap' (MB. II, 3, 13).

27. The middle Piṇḍa (offered to the grandfather) the wife (of the sacrificer) should eat, if she is desirous of a son, with (the verse), 'Give fruit to the womb, O Fathers' (MB. II, 3, 14).

28. Or of those Brāhmaṇas (that person) who receives the remnants (of the sacrificial food, should eat that Piṇḍa).

29. Having besprinkled (and thus extinguished) the fire-brand (Sūtra 3) with water, with (the verse), 'Jātavedas has been our messenger for what we have offered' (MB. II, 3, 15)—

30. (The sacrificer) should besprinkle the sacrificial vessels, and should have them taken back, two by two.

31. The Piṇḍas he should throw into water,

32. Or into the fire which has been carried forward (to the east side of the pits, chap. 2, 18),

33. Or he should give them to a Brāhmaṇa to eat,

34. Or he should give them to a cow.

35.^[13] On the occasion of a lucky event (such as the birth of a son, &c.) or of a meritorious work (such as the dedication of a pond or of a garden) he should give food to an even number (of Brāhmaṇas).

36.^[14] The rite (is performed) from left to right.

37. Barley is used instead of sesamum.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

3, 1. Comp. I, 2, 3 seq.

[2]:

Kātyāyana-Śrauta-sūtra IV, 1, 8.

[3]:

Kātyāyana-Śrauta-sūtra IV, 1, 9.

[4]:

Kātyāyana-Śrauta-sūtra IV, 1, 10.

[5]:

See chap. 2, 36.

[6]:

9, 14. See chap. 2, 36.

[7]:

See chap. 2, 31.

[8]:

See chap. 2, 29.

[9]:

18 seq. Comp. Vāj. Saṃhitā II, 32.

[10]:

The Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā (loc. cit.) has the reading, sato vaḥ pitaro deshma, 'May we give you, O Fathers, of what we possess!'

[11]:

Comp. chap. 2, 32.

[12]:

See chap. 2, 36.

[13]:

Comp. Śāṅkhāyana-Gṛhya IV, 4.

[14]:

36, 37. Śāṅkhāyana-Gṛhya IV, 4, 6. 9. Regarding the use of sesamum seeds, see above, chap. 2, 35.