The Agnistoma Somayaga in the Shukla Yajurveda

by Madan Haloi | 2018 | 109,416 words

This page relates ‘Part 2.6: The Pashuyaga Sacrifice’ of the study on the Agnistoma Somayaga as described in the Shukla Yajurveda (dealing with Vedic Rituals). The Agnistoma sacrifice (lit. “praise of Agni”) connects god with men and is performed in the spring season. It is the model of all the Soma sacrifices and forms a large and complicated ceremony preceded by four preliminary ritualistic days. This thesis deals with all the details involved in the Agnistoma sacrifice.

Part 2.6: The Paśuyāga Sacrifice

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[Full title: Types of Sacrifices in General (6): Paśuyāga]

Paśuyāga or animal sacrifice is one of the four types of sacrifices cited above. Sacrifice performed by offering animals as oblation is known as animal sacrifice which is also known by the names Niruḍhapaśubandha and Paśubandha. The animal sacrifice can be performed as an independent rite and also as an aṅgayāga of Somayāga. Āśvalāyana calls the former as Niruḍhapaśubandha and the later as Saumika.^[1] The former is also known as svatantra and the later includes the following Yāgas–Agnīṣomīya, Savanīya, and Anubandhyā. The Niruḍhpaśubandhais of two types viz., haviryajñavidha and savavidha^[2]. It may be stated in this context that Jaimini is of the opinion that Agnīṣomīyapaśuyāga which belongs to the Somayāga is the model of Niruḍhapaśuyāga.^[3] But, Kane opines that the Niruḍhapaśubandha is the model of all animal sacrifices except the Savanīyapaśu and Anubandhyāpaśu^[4].

The Niruḍhapaśubandha is performed every year in the rainy season.^[5]

The Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra says as follows—

paśvijyā saṃvatsare saṃvatsare prāvṛṣi^[6].

According to Karka, the word prāvṛṣi comes from the word prāvṛṭ which refers to the rainy season. If it is performed once in a year,one should start it on the new moon or full moon day of the rainy season^[7]. On the other hand, it can be performed twice in a year in the interval of six months. In this case one should start it at the beginning of uttarāyana and dakṣiṇāyana.^[8] The sacrificer who performs this rite twice in a year needs not wait for new moon and full moon days.^[9] The Niruḍhapaśubandha requires six priests and they are Adhvaryu, Hotṛ, Pratiprasthātṛ, Maitrāvaruṇa, Brahmā and Āgnīdhara. It is to be noted here that though puro’nuvākyā is usually recited by the Hotṛ, in animal sacrifice the Maitrāvaruṇa recites the puro’nuvākyā and the praiṣa.^[10]

The number of yūpa used in animal sacrifice is eleven. The Śatpatha Brāhmaṇa^[11], the Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra^[12], the Āpastamba Śrautasūtra^[13] have stated that the Yūpas must be of palāśa, khadira, bilva and rauhitaka trees.

The main oblation material of Niruḍhapaśubandha is a he-goat.

The Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra indicates it thus—

chāgaṃ mantrāmnānāt/^[14]

Karka too makes it clear by saying–sa ca paśuśchāgo grahītavyaḥ^[15] /.The animal should not be devoid of any physical parts^[16], it should be pure and perfect.

In Niruḍhapaśubandha the main offerings are made with the different parts of the animal. On the command of the Adhvaryu, the slaughterer of the paśu i.e., the Śamitṛ kills the animal and various offerings are made to Indrāgnī or to Sūrya or to Prajāpati or to the deity whom the sacrificer wants to honour with offerings^[17]. The Adhvaryu extracts the omentum of the animal,the Pratiprasthātṛ heats it on the śāmitra fire and the same is offered on the āhavanīya fire by the Adhvaryu to Indra and Agni or Sūrya or Prajāpati. The Śamitṛ cuts up the different parts of the animal. It is to be noted here that the heart of the animal is kept on a pike i.e., śula known as hṛdayaśula which is roasted on the śāmitra fire.The other limbs are also cooked on the śāmitra fire. Thus the Adhvaryu offers the Paśupurodāśa baked on eleven potsherds to Indra and Agni.^[18] He also makes the sviṣṭakṛt offering to Agni. The Śamitṛ gives the hṛdayaśula to the Adhvaryu and he keeps it in between the yūpa and the āhavanīya fire. The tail of the animal is offered in Patnīsaṃyāja^[19].

In the Nirūḍhapaśuyāga, there are eleven Prayājas . During these offerings, the Hotṛ is directed by the Adhvaryu to recite the Yājyās from the Āprī hymns. Again, in the Nirūḍhapaśuyāga, there are eleven Anuyājas.^[20] In the Prayājas , ājya i.e., clarified butter is offering material. On the other hand, in Anuyājas, pṛṣadājya i.e., mixer of clarified butter and sour milk is the offering material.^[21] According to Jaimini, after the eleventh prayāja offering, the Adhvaryu should offer two Ājyabhāgas.^[22] But, Kātyāyana states that this rite is optional.^[23] The Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa prohibits these two Ājyabhāgas in Soma sacrifice as well as in animal sacrifice^[24].

On this Sāyaṇa expresses his view as follows—

paśusomayorājyabhāgau na kuryāt/^[25]

Āpastamba too supports this view by saying—

tau na paśau karoti/ na soma ityeke/^[26]

The animal sacrifice called Paśvekādaśīni is said to be particular kind of animal sacrifice which is performed on the model of Savanīyapaśu.^[27] The peculiarity of this animal sacrifice is this it uses eleven Paśus. Again, it may use eleven Yūpas for eleven Paśus or only one yūpa for all the Paśus.

The Nirūḍhapaśubandha can be performed as nitya and kāmya sacrifice.In case of nitya, it is performed in every rainy season.The Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa says that due to break up of regularity of the animal sacrifice all the sacrificial fires of the sacrificer become adversely affected and consequently the sacrifice himself becomes a victim of misfortune and lastly it also causes the destruction of the dwelling house and animals of the sacrificer.^[28] Again a person may perform this animal sacrifice to fulfil his desires. In this context too the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa says that by performing Paśubandha or Nirūḍhapaśubandha, the sacrificer attains animals.