Atharvaveda ancillary literature (Study)
by B. R. Modak | 1959 | 179,855 words
The essay studies the ancillary literature of the Atharva-Veda with special reference to the Parisistas. It does so by understanding the socio-cultural and philosophical aspects of ancient Indian life. The Atharvaveda addresses encompasses all practical aspects of life from health and prosperity to rituals and sorcery. This thesis systematically ex...
Part 3a.12 - The Samuccaya-prayascittani
[Full title: Ritual observances (12) The Samuccayaprayascittani]
It was noted above in the section dealing with the Atharva-Prayascitta that an error in respect of ritual must be rectified by making offerings to the respective divinities with appropriate
mantras. 461 It is supposed that if the faults are not expiated, 58 the persons concerned become sinful and are born as idiots, as blind persons, with disgraceful marks on their bodies etc. Hence every mistake in the srauta and grhya ritual must be atoned for. The Atharva-Prayascitta has described the expiatory rites relating to srauta ritual. The Samuccaya-prayascitta [prayascittani] (Atharvaveda-Parisistas 37) mentions the following expiatory rites which belong to the grhya ritual. 1) A pestle is used, together with a mortar, for pounding rice in a carutantra (cf. Kausika Sutra 61.18). If by mistake the pestle falls down, it is said to lead to terrible results such as the death of one's wife and the ruin of agriculture, cattle as well as progeny, as if struck by the thunderbolt of Indra. Hence one should sprinkle the pestle with santyudaka, should wipe it with aratiyoh ..., wash it with 60 yat tva sikva ... and should place it on the sacrificial grass. One should offer oblations with the two verses beginning with rajrah patitah ... (37.1.5-6) and with the three verses beginning with waire si sapatnaha..!. 59 61 One should put the remnant of the offering over the pestle and the 62 mortar with the prescribed mantras and should fill the 58. Cf. Manu Smrti XI.53. 59. Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension X.6.1. 60. Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension X.6.3. 61. Kausika Sutra 47.16. This is quoted in full. 62. These are Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension VII.85.1, 86.1, 91.1, 92.1, 117.1 and 118.1.
462 mortar with food. Then one should give away the pestle and the mortar, together with a garment and a cow by way of daksina. 2) If a crow touches the material of oblation, it indicates death to the performer. Hence one should offer oblations to Yama with the prescribed mantras followed by the word svaha. 63 3) If the vessel containing the clarified butter falls 64 down or tumbles, one should make offerings with the samnati with the mahavyahrtis and kusmanda mantras (Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension verses, 65 Vedic Index 114-24). 4) While performing a holy rite, the celebrant is required to wear a ring of darbhas, called pavitra, on his ring-finger. If the pavitra is lost in the midst of the rite, one should put on another pavitra and complete the rite. Then one should offer oblations with the prescribed mantras as well as with the Samnati verses and vyahrtis and give away a cow to the priest. 66 5) If the sacrificial grass strewn around the altar 67 catches fire before the completion of the rite one should 63. These are Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension VIII.1.1, 2.1; XI.4.1. 64. Cf. expiation nrs. 119, 121 in the section on the Atharva-Prayascitta above. 65. These are Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension IV.39.1 ff. Cr. Kausika Sutra 5.8. 66. These are Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension Vedic Index 51.1; XIX.40.1; VII.67.1; XIX.40.2-4. 67. Cf. expiation nr. 28 under Atharva-Prayascitta above.
463 extinguish the fire and make offerings with yad agnir barhih (37.5.2-6). Another barhis should be prepared, sprinkled with water, should be spread with the verse idam barhih.. (37.5.8) and should be covered with other blades of the sacrificial grass. 68 6) If one takes up by mistake the remnant of a previous offering for a subsequent offering, one should place down the oblation-material, should sip water with sam no devi. 69 and offer that material with the hemi-stich brahma 'param One should then make another offering with the verse brahmajyestha ... 70 71 7) If the oblation-material becomes impure due to a hair or an insect falling into it, the cause of impurity should be offered into ashes with the formula sambhu vava svaha. The oblation-material should be purified with darbhablades and another offering should be made. 8) If the upanayana ceremony is performed in the case of a boy whose teeth are moving or are fallen, the following expiatory rite should be performed. The father of the boy or the preceptor should undergo an initiatory vow inside or outside the house for twelve days. The priest should observe the 63. Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension I.6.1. 69. Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XIV.1.64. 70. Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XIX.22.21,23.30 71. Cf. expiation nr. 33 under Apray. above.
MEL CO. 464 vow for three days and then having taken bath with water to which milk and white mustard are added, he should wear white garments, perform the paurnamasa tantra upto the two ajyabhagas (Kausika Sutra 3.20) and offer oblations with the mantras 72 prescribed. The remnant of the offering should be put on the body of the boy, he should be made to sip santyudaka he should be sprinkled with it and should be bathed to the accompaniment of the mantras: Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension X.7.36, 41, 8.1; Vedic Index 55.3; VII.66.1, 67.1. V.27.1; 9) The Kausika Sutra (75-79) describes a marriage ceremony an essential part of which is the tying of an amulet of madugha (lacorice) to the ring finger (Kausika Sutra 76.8). If the amulet is lost, it indicates ruin to the newly wedded couple. Hence an amulet of putudaru should be prepared; if putudaru is not available, the amulet should be made of barley. The amulet should be tied with ayusmantau . (37.9.3) - having sprinkled the finger with gantyudaka. Fire-sticks should be offered with the samnati verses as well as the vyahrtis and a cow should be given to the priest by way of daksina. 73 10) If the fire gets extinguished before it is carried 74 forth to the altar or before oblations are offered into it 72. These are the Gayatri, Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XIX.9; IV.1.1; XI.6.1 and the mantras from the ayusya, varcasya, svasyayana, abhaya, aparajita and sarmavarma ganas. 73. Cf. Indische Studien V, p. 404 and Atharvaniya Paddhati (Journal of the American Oriental Society XIV,p.XV), 74. Cf. expiation nr. 27 under Atharva-Prayascitta above
465 the fire should again be carried forth with punas tva 'ditya 75 and offerings should be made with the samnati verses, the vyahrtis, the mantras of the two hymns Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension II.6 and VII.82, and the parisankhya-homas should be performed. 11) If the sacred fire enkindled in the marriage ceremony gets extinguished, fire should be brought with agnipranayana mantras (Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XIX.1.1-11), the praktantra should be performed, oblations of clarified butter should be offered 76 with the prescribed mantras and offerings of fire-sticks should be made. The sacred fire should be prayed to and a garment should be given away to the priest. 12) If the due time for a rite is passed over, one should perform the praktantra, recite the mantras: yan me 77 skannam ... and yad asmrti... and offer oblations of clarified butter with the twenty-one verses of the hymn tasmai pracya diso 78 13) If the fire gets extinguished after it is carried 79 forth to the altar it should be brought again with the 80 prescribed mantras and a fire-stick should be offered with 75. Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XII.2.6. 76. These are Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension Vedic Index 114-115, 117-119. 77. Kausika Sutra 6.1 and Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension VII.106.1. 78. Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XV.5. 79. Cf. expiation nr. 40 under Atharva-Prayascitta above. 80. These are Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension VII.66.1, 67.1; XII.2.6.
mama 'gne varco 81 466 Thereafter the remaining part of the ceremony should be carried on. 14) If the upayama vessel falls down from the hands, it should be taken up with yan me upayamo ... (37.14.2-3) and oblations of clarified butter should be offered with yan 82 me chidram ... and yad asmrti ... . 15) If the aruva falls from the hand while employed in offering, it should be taken up with yan me sruvam ... and oblations should be offered as in the preceding case. 16) If the girdle etc. of an initiated person gives way, another one should be brought. The vimecaniva should be hema should be performed, another learned Brahmana (amicana) should be invited and another water-vessel should be got ready. Then are should go out towards the north-east and should give away a garment to the Brahmana having sprinkled it with apam suktani. One should also give away a yainopavita 83 to the accompaniment of priyam ma krnu devesu . One should sit facing the east, should recite the mantras: 84 vinrgvarin ... and ma nah pascat...and make offerings with the vyahrtis, Gayatri and other prescribed mantras. 85 Then the abhyatana-homa should be performed. 81. Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension V.3.1. 82. Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XIX.40.1 and VII.6.1. 83. Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XIX.62.1. 84. Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XII.1.29 and 32. 85. These are Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XIX.9; IV.1.1; VII.6.1; 20.6.
467 17) If the girdle drops down or is worn out, it should be taken up with the Gayatri mantra, another girdle should be sprinkled with santyudaka and oblations should be offered with the great vyahrtis, the Gayatri and the other prescribed mantras. 86 18) If the water in the udapatra evaporates or is lost before the oblations are offered on the fourth day of the marriage ceremony (Cf. Kausika Sutra 79), water should be brought again with sam no devi... and the 'ta devi.... Oblations 88 67 of clarified butter should be made with the prescribed mantras and the remnant should be put into the water. Then offerings should be made with the vyahrtis and the samnati mantras (Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension IV.39). The verses apo bhrgangiro-rupan... and should be recited over the water-vessel and apam puspam... 89 a garment should be given away by way of daksina. 19) If the water-vessel tumbles before the completion of the rite, the verse yad udapatram... (37.19.2) should be set right. Water should be poured into it with punah purham... (39.19.4-5). 90 20) If the water-vessel breaks, the verse bhumir 86. These are Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XIX.9; IV.1.1; I.1.1; Vedic Index 55.3; XIX.27.5; XI.6.1. 87. Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension I.6.1 and Kausika Sutra 3.3. 88. These are Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension I.4.1, 5.1 and 6.1. 89. These occur in Gopatha Brahmana I.1.39. 90. Cf. Kausika Sutra 136.1 ff and expiation nr.125 in the section on the Atharva-Prayascitta above.
91 468 bhumim agat... should be recited over it. Another pot should be brought; the mantras: yady antarikse... and punar 92 mai tv indriyam..." should be recited over it and offerings 93 should be made with the prescribed mantras. It may be noted in respect of the Samuccaya-Prayascittani that a number of verses employed in the expiatory rites are not Vedic mantras but they resemble the Vedic mantras very closely. It may also be noted that the evil results arising out of the errors and accidents are, in many a case, transferred to the enemy and thus the whole thing is turned to one's own good as in the case of the Atharva-Prayascitta 94