Praśna I, Paṭala 7, Section 23

1. (Then follow the Mantras), 'I know thee as the firm Brahman. May I become firm in this world and in this country.

'I know thee as the immovable Brahman. May I not be moved away from this world and from this country. May he who hates me, my rival, be moved away from this world and from this country.

'I know thee as the unshaken Brahman. May I not be shaken off from this world and from this country. May he who hates me, my rival, be shaken off from this world and from this country.

'I know thee as the unfailing Brahman. May I not fall from this world and from this country. May he who hates me, my rival, fall from this world and from this country.

'I know thee as the nave of the universe. May I become the nave of this country. I know thee as the centre of the universe. May I become the centre of this country. I know thee as the string that holds the universe. May I become the string that holds this country. I know thee as the pillar of the universe. May I become the pillar of this country. I know thee as the navel of the universe. May I become the navel of this country.

'As the navel is the centre of the Prāṇas, thus I am the navel. May hundred-and-onefold evil befall him who hates us and whom we hate; may more than hundred-and-onefold merit fall to my lot!'

2. Having spoken there with a person that he likes, and having returned to the house, he causes her to sacrifice a mess of cooked food.

3. The wife husks (the rice grains of which that Sthālīpāka is prepared).

4. She cooks (that Sthālīpāka), sprinkles (Ājya) on it, takes it from the fire, sacrifices to Agni, and then sacrifices to Agni Sviṣṭakṛt.

5.^[1] With (the remains of) that (Sthālīpāka) he entertains a learned Brāhmaṇa whom he reveres.

6. To that (Brāhmaṇa) he makes a present of a bull.

7. From that time he constantly sacrifices (yajate) on the days of the full and of the new moon a mess of cooked food sacred to Agni.

8. In the evening and in the morning he constantly sacrifices (juhoti) with his hand (and not with the Darvī) the two following oblations of rice or of barley: 'To Agni Svāhā! To Prajāpati Svāhā!'

9. Some (teachers) state that in the morning the former (of these oblations) should be directed to Sūrya.

10. Through a period of three nights they should eat no saline food, should sleep on the ground, wear ornaments, and should be chaste.

11.^[2] In the fourth night, towards morning, he puts wood on the fire, performs the (regular) ceremonies down to the (regular) expiatory oblations, and sacrifices nine expiatory oblations (with the following Mantras):

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

5, 6. In the commentary these Sūtras are divided thus: 5. tena brāhmaṇaṃ vidyāvantaṃ pariveveṣṭi; 6. yo^ऽsyāpacito bhavati tasmā ṛṣabhaṃ dadāti. (5. Therewith he entertains a learned Brāhmaṇa. 6. To one whom he reveres, he presents a bull.) The commentator observes that some authorities make one Sūtra of the two, so that the Brāhmaṇa who receives the food and the one to whom the bull is given, would be the same person.

[2]:

According to the commentary he performs the regular ceremonies down to the oblation offered with the Mantra, 'Thus thou, Agni' (see above, I, 3, 5, and compare Pāraskara I, 2, 8). Mātṛdatta says, prāyaścittiparyantaṃ kṛtvā sa tvaṃ no Agna ity etadantaṃ kṛtvā nava prāyaścittīr juhoti . . . vyāhṛtiparyantaṃ kṛtvā imaṃ me Varuṇeti catasro (I, 3, 5) hutvaitā juhoti.