Praśna I, Paṭala 3, Section 11

1. He puts on the two ear-rings, the right one to his right ear, the left one to his left ear, with (the verse which he repeats for each of the two earrings), 'Virāj and Svarāj, and the aiding powers that dwell in our house, the prosperity that dwells in the face of royalty: therewith unite me.'

2.^[1] With (the Mantra), 'With the seasons and the combinations of seasons, for the sake of long life, of splendour, with the sap that dwells in the year: therewith we make them touch the jaws'—he clasps the two ear-rings.

3.^[2] With (the Mantra), 'This herb is protecting, overcoming, and powerful. May it make me shine with golden lustre; (may it make me) beloved among many people; may it make me full of holy lustre. Thou art not a bond'—he ties the pellet (of wood, mentioned above, Section 10, Sūtra 6) to his neck.

4.^[3] He puts on a wreath with the two (verses),

'Beautiful one, elevate thyself to beauty, beautifying my face. Beautify my face and make my fortune increase'—(and),

'(The wreath) which Jamadagni has brought to Śraddhā to please her, that I put on (my head) together with fortune and splendour.'

5.^[4] 'The salve coming from the Trikakud (mountain), born on the Himavat, therewith I anoint you (i.e. the eyes), and with fortune and splendour. (I put?) into myself the demon of the mountain (?)'—with (this verse) he anoints himself with Traikakuda salve, (or) if he cannot get that, with some other (salve).

6. With (the verse), 'My mind that has fled away' (Taitt. Saṃhitā VI, 6, 7, 2) he looks into a mirror.

7.^[5] With (the formula), 'On the impulse of the god,' &c., he takes a staff of reed (which somebody hands him), and with (the formula), 'Thou art the thunderbolt of Indra. O Aśvins, protect me!'—he thrice wipes it off, upwards from below.

8. With (the formula), 'Speed! Make speed away from us those who hate us, robbers, creeping things, beasts of prey, Rakṣas, Piśācas. Protect us, O staff, from danger that comes from men; protect us from every danger; from all sides destroy the robbers'—(and with the verse), 'Not naked (i.e. covered with bark) thou art born on all trees, a destroyer of foes. Destroy all hosts of enemies from every side like Maghavan (Indra)'—he swings (the staff) three times from left to right over his head.

9.^[6] With (the formula), 'The divine standing-places are you. Do not pinch me'—he steps into the shoes.

10.^[7] With (the formula), 'Prajāpati's shelter art thou, the Brahman's covering'—he takes the parasol.

11.^[8] With the verse, 'My staff which fell down in the open air to the ground, that I take up again for the sake of long life, of holiness, of holy lustre'—he takes up his staff, if it has fallen from his hand.

End of the Third Paṭala.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

11, 2. The end of the Mantra is corrupt. We ought to read, as p. 168 Dr. Kirste has shown, tena saṃhanu kṛnmasi (Av. V, 28, 13). Mātṛdatta says, saṃgṛhṇīte^ऽpidhānenāpidadhāti pratigrahasaṃgrahaṇayoḥ saṃyuktatvād ekāpavargatvāt.

[2]:

The Mantra, with the exception of the last words, is identical with the last verse of Section 10, Sūtra 6. Here the MSS. again have oṣadhe for oṣadhis.

[3]:

Comp. Atharva-veda VI, 137: yāṃ Jamadagnir akhanad duhitre, &c.; Pāraskara II, 6, 23.

[4]:

Regarding the Traikakuda salve, comp. Zimmer, Altindisches Leben, p. 69, and see Atharva-veda IV, 9, 9.

[5]:

He takes the staff with the well-known Sāvitra formula, 'On the impulse of the god Savitṛ . . . I take thee.'

[6]:

Āśvalāyana III, 8, 19; Pāraskara II, 6, 30.

[7]:

Āśvalāyana III, 8, 19; Pāraskara II, 6, 29.

[8]:

Instead of yamāyushe I propose to read āyushe. Comp. Pāraskara II, 2, 12.