Chapter 6.1 - Special Aspects of Darśapūrṇamāsayāga

We have discussed the prayogavidhi regarding the Agnihotra sacrifice. But the Darśapūrṇamāsayāga (the new-moon and full-moon sacrifices) has some special aspects. Because two traids (trika) being combined to each other create two unique results which are conducive to the final unique results in the Darśapurṇamāsa sacrifices. This view is illustrated in the following discussion.

The Darśapurṇamāsa sacrifice is performed on the new-moon day (darśa) and on the full-moon day (pūrṇimāsī). There are three main sacrifices in the full-moon sacrifice. These are called ‘Āgneyayāga’, ‘Agnīṣomīyayāga’ and ‘Upāṃśuyāga’.

The Agneyayāga is enjoined by the sentence,

“yad āgneyo’ṣṭākapālo’māvāsyāyāṃ ca paurṇamāsyāṃ cācyuto bhavati ”^[1]

(Because [the cake] relating to the Fire, baked on eight thin tiles [arranged compactly together], is undecaying on the new-and the full-moon day).

The Agnīṣomīyayāga is prescribed by the injunction,

“tābhyām etam agnīṣomīyam ekādaśakapālaṃ pūrṇamāse prāyacchat”^[2]

([Indra] offered this [the cake] relating to the Fire and the Moon, baked on eleven thin tiles, to those two [deities] on the new-and the full-moon day).

The ‘Upāṃśuyāga’ has been prescribed by [the following sentence],—

“upāṃśuyājam antarā yajati”^[3]

(One should perform the Upāṃśu sacrifice in between).

And [the following sentence declares the full-moon day for the Upāṃśu sacrifice],—

“tāvabrūtām agnīṣomāvājyasyaiva nāvupāṃśu paurṇamāsyāṃ yajan”

(The two [deities], the Fire and the Moon, said, ‘Performing the Upāṃśu sacrifice to us with ghee alone on the full-moon day....’).

These three sacrifices make a group. These are restated in the sentence containing the word ‘knowing’ (vidvadvākya), viz.,

“ya evaṃ vidvān paurṇamāsīṃ yajate”^[4]

(He who knowing thus performs the full-moon sacrifice).

This sentence restates these three sacrifices as a group by the term ‘paurṇamāsīṃ’. This term is in the singular number. So, wherever we get the term ‘paurṇamāsīṃ’ (full-moon sacrifice) in the Vedas, we must understand the group consisting of the three sacrifices i.e. Agneyayāga etc.

The opponent puts a question: In the sentence, “yad āgneyo...” there is no word which denotes a sacrifice. So, how can it enjoin a sacrifice?

The answer is given by the Mīmāṃsakas. The word ‘āgneya’ (related to the Fire) is formed by the combination of the word ‘agni ’ and the affix ‘ḍhak’ denoting a prescribed deity. Hence, the word ‘āgneya’ means that this cake has the Fire for its deity. The word ‘āgneya’ is an adjective of cake. So, there is a relation of ‘sāmānādhikaraṇya’ between the word ‘āgneya’ and ‘puroḍāśa’ (cake). From this relation the connection of the word ‘āgneya’ with the material and the deity is known. This kind of connection between the material and the deity indicates a sacrifice, for this relation can not be found in any act other than a sacrifice. So, the material and the deity—these two must be accepted to relate to the act of sacrifice only, for a sacrifice is nothing but the dedication of something to a deity. Therefore a sacrifice is enjoined here by the assumed word ‘yajeta’ (should sacrifice) and this sacrifice is inferred from the expressed connection between the material and the deity. Thus we will get the meaning: One should bring about the desired object by means of a sacrifice in which the Fire is the deity and the cake is material, and which is to be done at a particular time such as the full-moon day. Sometimes, only the relation between the material and the deity is expressed. For example, “sauryaṃ caruṃ nirvapet” (One should set apart the porridge relating to the Sun). Here a sacrifice is enjoined and this sacrifice is inferred from its connection with the deity and material. So, one can not make any objection.

Similarly, in the new-moon sacrifice, there are three principal sacrifices. Two of them are performed with curd and milk.

These two sacrifices are enjoined by the sentences,

“aindraṃ dadhyamāvāsyāyām”^[5]

(The curd relating to Indra [should be offered] on the new-moon day.)

And:—

“aindraṃ payo’māvāsyāyām”

(The milk relating to Indra [should be offered] on the new-mood day).

The third principal rite is enjoined by the sentence:—

“yad āgneya...”

(Because [the cake] relating to the Fire etc.)

These three sacrifices have been restated as a group in the sentence containing the word ‘knowing’, viz.,

“ya evaṃ vidvān amāvāsyāṃ yajate”^[6]

(He who knowing thus performs the new-moon sacrifice).

It has been restated by the means of the term ‘amāvāsyām’ (the new-moon sacrifice), which is in the accusative singular. So, wherever we get the word ‘darśa’ or ‘amāvāsyā’ in the Vedas, we must understand this group of sacrifices by the term.

One may ask that why these sacrifices are restated in the ‘vidvatvākya’ as a group or triad.

The necessity of this singularity is justifying the dual number in the sentence like,

“darśapūrṇamāsābhyām svargakāmo yajeta”

(One who desires heaven should perform the new-and the full-moon sacrifices).

Otherwise, in this sentence, there would be plural number, as ‘darśa-pūrṇamāsaiḥ’, for totally there are six sacrifices. The meaning of restatement (anuvāda) is the further mention of a thing already known from some other authoritative source of knowledge.

The above mentioned six sacrifices are principal sacrifices in this new-and full-moon sacrifices. The subsidiaries to these six sacrifices are Prayāja, Ājyabhāga and Anūyāja, which are mentioned without any reference to their results in the close proximity to the sacrifices relating to the Fire etc. which produce their respective results.

Now, the meaning of [the following sentence is],—

“darśapūrṇamāsābhyāṃ svargakāmo yajeta”

“one should bring about the unique result leading to heaven by means of the two groups of sacrifices called the new-and full-moon sacrifices, in combination with each other.”

Though the two groups belong to different times and for that reason there is a doubt that how they will combine with each other; yet each triad of sacrifices produces a unique result, and through these unique results the two different groups occurring at different times, can combine with each other.

One may ask the question: How each triad can produce its own unique result? The Mīmāṃsakas give the answer. Each triad with all its prior and posterior subsidiary rites like the Prayāja and Anūyaja, creates a unique result for the group. Since each triad can not by itself combine with all its subservient rites, so the three sacrifices produce three different initial results through which they combine with all their subservient rites.

In the same way, combination must be accepted among the subsidiary rites through their initial unique results, for they do not combine by themselves. So, the combination of the initial unique results accruing from the main rites with those producing from the Prayāja and the rest, constitutes the completion of the principal sacrifice.

Thus, in the full-moon sacrifice, the three unique results coming from the main three sacrifices, helped by the initial unique results producing from the Prayāja etc., create a unique result because of the group. In the new-moon sacrifice also, the three unique results accruing from the three main sacrifices, assisted by the initial unique results of its subsidiary rites produce a unique result because of the triad. These two unique results because of the triads, resulting from the three initial unique results of the sacrifices to the Fire and so on, create a comprehensive unique result. This unique result is designated as the final unique result which leads the sacrifice to its final result.

Thus it is shown that a prayogavidhi is one which inculcates this fact that for creating the final unique result, the principal rite should be performed along with its subsidiaries performed maintaining a fixed order.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā II. 6. iii. 3

[2]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā II. 5. ii. 3

[3]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā II. 6. vi. 4

[4]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I. 6. ix. 1

[5]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā II. 5. iv. 1

[6]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I. 6. ix. 2