Prapāṭhaka I, Kāṇḍikā 4

1.^[1] He then should silently offer the Balis.

2. Let him speak only what refers to the due preparation of the food. With guests he may converse, if he likes.

3. He then should take some portion of food which is fit for sacrifice, should pour over it some liquid fit for sacrifice (such as ghee, milk, or curds), and should sacrifice it silently in the fire with his hand.

4. The first oblation is sacred to Prajāpati, the second to (Agni) Sviṣṭakṛt.

5. He then should offer the Balis, inside or outside (the Agnyagāra), having well cleansed the ground.

6. Let him pour out water once, and put down Balis in four places, and finally sprinkle once (water on the four Balis).

7. Or let him for each Bali which he puts down, sprinkle (water) before and afterwards.

8. What he puts down first, that is the Bali belonging to the Earth. What in the second place, to Vāyu. What in the third place, to the Viśve devās. What in the fourth place, to Prajāpati.

9.^[2] Then he should offer other Balis (near) the water-pot, the middle (post, and) the door: the first Bali is sacred to the Waters, the second to the Herbs and Trees, the third to the Ether.

10. Then he should offer another Bali in the bed or in the privy. That Bali belongs either to Kāma or to Manyu.

11.^[3] Then (another Bali) on the heap of sweepings; that (belongs) to the hosts of Rakṣas.

12. The remnants of the Balis he should besprinkle with water, and should pour them out towards the south from right to left; they belong to the Fathers.

13. Let him sacrifice in the fire sitting.

14. Let him make the oblation to the Fathers sitting; the other (Balis he may offer) as it happens.

15. He should, however, offer those Balis himself as long as he stays at home.

16. Or another person who must be a Brāhmaṇa (should offer them for him).

17. Both the husband and his wife (should offer them):

18. This is the rule for householders.

19.^[4] The wife in the evening, the man in the morning: thus (it is stated).

20. He should offer such Balis of all food whatever, be it prepared for the Fathers, or for auspicious purposes (for instance, for being offered to Brāhmaṇas), or for (ordinary) purposes.

21. Only in the case of a sacrifice (this rule) ceases.

22.^[5] If rice and barley are prepared for one and the same meal, he should, having offered (Balis) of the one or the other (kind of food), consider his duty as fulfilled.

23.^[6] If the food is cooked at different times for one meal, he should perform this Bali ceremony only once.

24. If food is prepared at different places for one family, he should perform this Bali ceremony only from (the food which is prepared in) the kitchen belonging to the householder.

25. However (of the persons belonging to the family) he whose food becomes ready before (that of the householder), (that person) should offer the prescribed portion in the fire, and give to a Brāhmaṇa his share (of the food), and then should eat himself.

26. He whose (food becomes ready) after (that of the householder), should only eat.

27. Here they say also:

28. 'At the end of that offering of Balis let him pronounce a wish. Then it will be fulfilled to him.'

29.^[7] He himself, however, should offer the Āsasya Bali, from the barley(-harvest) till the rice(-harvest), and from the rice(-harvest) till the barley(-harvest). This is called the Āsasya Bali.

This Bali is called ā-sasya, because it is offered until (ā) the next crop (sasya) is ripe. As to the regulation that the sacrificer has to offer it himself, compare above, Sūtras 15-19.

30. Thus he obtains long life.

31.^[8] When a donation has been made, he should offer a Bali of chaff, of the scum of boiled rice, and of water. This is sacred to Rudra. This is sacred to Rudra.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

4, 1 seqq. The daily Bali offering. Khādira-Gṛhya I, 5, 20 seqq.

[2]:

According to the commentary the first of these three Balis has p. 23 to be offered near the water-pot, the second near the middle door of the house, the third (comp. Gautama V, 16) in the air. With the genitives the word samīpe is supplied. It is difficult to understand why the author, if his intention had been to state three places in which the Balis had to be offered, should have mentioned only two. Thus I believe that the right explanation is that-of Professor Knauer, who takes madhyama in the sense of the middle post of the house (comp. III, 3, 31).

[3]:

The commentary explains avasalavi nere, as is frequently the case, by pitṛtīrthena. I agree with the opinion pronounced in the Petersburg Dictionary, in rejecting this explanation.

[4]:

Comp. Manu III, 121.

[5]:

Kāla I take, as the commentator does, for bhojanakāla.

[6]:

Here again kāla occurs in the same sense. Comp. Khādira-Gṛhya I, 5, 34.

[7]:

Khādira-Gṛhya I, 5, 37. The barley-harvest is in the hot season, the rice-harvest in autumn (see Zimmer, Altindisches Leben, 243). The sacrificer offers barley from the barley-harvest till the rice-harvest; and rice from the rice-harvest till the barley-harvest. [fp. 25

[8]:

Khādira-Gṛhya I, 5, 30. The repetition of the last words makes it probable that this Sūtra was at one time considered the end of the first book. Comp. Introduction, p. 11.