Summary of the Darśapūrṇamāseṣṭi Sacrifice

[Full title: A Brief note on the sacrifices of the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa (1): Darśapūrṇamāseṣṭi]

The Darśapūrṇamāseṣṭi is the pattern or model of all iṣṭi type of sacrifice^[1]. The word ‘Darśa’ means the copulation of the sun and the moon (suryendu sangamaḥ) i.e. the new moon is known as Amāvasyā and the Purṇāmasi means the full moon day (Purnimā).

The Darśapurṇamāsa sacrifice comprises two performances-one on the new moon day (Amāvasya) and the other on the full moon day i.e. Purnimā. This includes the two days in the full moon and two days in the new moon days. In the full moon days, the ceremony starts in the morning of that day and ends in the forenoon of the following day i.e. Pratipada. Similarly in the new moon days the rite begins in the morning of that day and terminates in the forenoon of the following day. One who wants to perform this sacrifice for the first time should initiate with the full moon rite and follow it up with the new moon rite. One should not begin this ceremony in the new moon rite.

A person who is neither a bachelor nor a widower and belonging to three higher castes i.e. (Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya and Vaiśya) and one who has performed the Agnyādheya ceremony (i.e. the ceremony of establishing the sacred fire) has the right to perform the Darśapurṇamāsa sacrifice which starts on the full moon day. Four priests are necessary for this sacrifice. They are-Hotṛ, Adhvarju, Agnidhra and Brahmā. These four priests have equal power and importance in this sacrifice.

The procedure of performance of the Darśa and Purnamāsi is more or less identical. The rituals performed on the first day are mainly preliminary. These includes the preparation of the fire, the formal taking of a vow by the sacrificer which involves him abstention from certain kinds of food, specially meat and from all sensual pleasures, sleeping on the ground, the cutting of hair and beard, maintenance of silence and so on. In the second day, the performance begins with the fetching of the sacred water and the utensils necessary for the performance, preparation of the rice pap, preparation of the altar, girdling of the sacrificer’s wife with cord, her looking down upon the sacrificial butter, covering of the altar with the grass and laying three enclosing sticks around the fire. All these preliminary details are done along with the utterance of proper mantras. After the completion of these preliminaries the real sacrifice begins.

There are many ancillary oblations both in the new moon and full moon rites. Among them the three oblations are regarded as principal oblations.

The major three oblations of the full moon day are as follows–

• The first oblation comprising rice pap (purodāśa) is offered to the fire god Agni.
• The second oblation named as Upāṃśu yāga is offered to the four deities i.e. Prajāpati, Viṣnu, Agni and Soma.
• The third oblations consisting of rise pap offered to the couple of Agni and Soma.

Oblations of the new moon days:

• In the new moon days the first oblation of rice pap is offered to fire god Agni.
• The second oblation making with curd offered to Indra.
• The last oblation i.e. the third oblation of milk is offered to Indra.

The rites named as Prayāja, Anuyāja and Patni Samyāja are regarded as essential parts of this sacrifice and performed both in the new and full moon ceremonies. An offering to the fire god called Agni Sviṣṭakṛt marks the end of this offering. In Sviṣṭakṛt offering all Gods are invited. Then follows the iḍābhaksaṇa or the tasting of the remaining oblations by the priests. Among all the priests the Brāhmaṇa or the Superintending priest has the special share. While collecting the sacred oddment the priests touch the sacrificer. Then the rice cakes are distributed among them and everyone share the iḍā. After the performance of some preliminary rites, the sacrificer stride three steps in to the sacrificial ground and the sacrifice turns to an end.

The Darśapurṇamāsa is either (Nitya) obligatory or (Kāmya) wish yielding. It is Nitya for those who execute this in every new moon and full moon in all respects of their lifetime without any interval. In this respect, if any one breaks the performance he has to face some disaster called Pratyavāya. It is wish yielding or Kāmya for those who performed it only once or twice for the attainment of some desire.

In Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, the Darśapūrṇamāseṣṭi is mentioned first and it is the model of all sacrifices.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Āpa.Śr.Su-XXIV/3/32-“Darśapurnamāsābiṣṭīnāṃ prakṛtiḥ|”