Prapāṭhaka IV, Kāṇḍikā 9

1.^[1] One who desires to become a ruler among men should fast through a period of eight nights.

2. Then he should provide a Sruva spoon, a cup (for water), and fuel, of Udumbara wood,

3. Should go out of the village in an easterly or in a northerly direction, should put wood on the fire at a place where four roads meet,

4. And should sacrifice Ājya, turning his face towards the sun, with (the formulas), 'Food indeed is the only thing that is pervaded by the metres,' and, 'Bliss indeed' (MB. II, 6, 13. 14);

5. A third (oblation) in the village with (the formula), 'The food's essence is ghee' (ibid. 15).

6. One who is desirous of cattle, (should offer this oblation) in a cow-stable.

7.^[2] If (the cow-stable) is damaged by fire (?), (he should offer) a monk's robe.

8. On a dangerous road let him make knots in the skirts of the garments (of himself and of his companions),

9. Approaching those (of the travellers) who wear garments (with skirts).

10. (Let him do so with the three formulas, MB. II, 6, 13-15) with the word Svāhā at the end of each.

11. This will bring a prosperous journey (to himself) and to his companions. [Or: (He should do the same with the garments) of his companions. This will bring a prosperous journey.]

12. One who desires to gain a thousand cart-loads (of gold), should sacrifice one thousand oblations of flour of fried grains.

13. One who is desirous of cattle, should sacrifice one thousand oblations of the excrements of a male and a female calf;

14. Of a male and a female sheep, if he is desirous of flocks.

15.^[3] One who desires that his means of livelihood may not be exhausted, should sacrifice in the evening and in the morning the fallings-off of rice-grains, with (the formulas), 'To Hunger Svāhā!' 'To Hunger and Thirst Śvāhā!' (MB. II, 6, 16. 17).

16.^[4] If somebody has been bitten by a venomous animal, he should murmur (the verse), 'Do not fear, thou wilt not die' (MB. II, 6, 18), and should besprinkle him with water.

17. With (the formula), 'Strong one! Protect' (MB. II, 6, 19), a Snātaka, when lying down (to sleep), should lay down his bamboo staff near (his bed).

18. This will bring him luck.

19. (The verses), 'Thy worm is killed by Atri' (MB. II, 7, 1-4), he should murmur, besprinkling a place where he has a worm with water.

20. If he intends to do this for cattle, he should fetch in the afternoon an earth-clod taken out of a furrow, and should put it down in the open air.

21. In the morning he should strew the dust of it round (the place attacked by worms), and should murmur (the same texts).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

9, 1 seq. Khādira-Gṛhya IV, 3, 10 seq.

[2]:

Perhaps we ought to follow the commentary and to translate, 'When (the cow-stable) becomes heated (by the fire on which he is going to sacrifice),' &c. ('goṣṭhe^ऽgnim upasamādhāyaiva homo na kartavyaḥ, kin tv agnim upasamādhāyāpi tāvat pratīkṣaṇīyaṃ yāvad goṣṭham upatapyamānaṃ bhavati'). I have translated cīvaram according to the ordinary meaning of the word; in the commentary it is taken as equivalent to lauhacūrṇam (copper filings).

[3]:

Khādira-Gṛhya IV, 3, 6.

[4]:

16 seq. Khādira-Gṛhya IV, 4, 1 seq.