Somasaṃsthā (7): Aptoryāma

[Full title: Forms (Saṃsthās) of Somayāga (7): Aptoryāma]

The Aptoryāmasaṃsthā is like an enlargement of the Atirātrasaṃsthā. The saṃsthā derives its name from the four additional Stotras and Śastras. The Stotras and the Śastras are known as Aptoryāma and are added in the third paryāya of the third soma pressing. Like the Atirātrasaṃsthā, this rite too contains three rounds. As the saṃsthā contains four more Stotras hence, the third round contains four additional Gaṇas apart from the Gaṇas of the Atirātra. Thus, including the sandhistotra and āśvinaśastra, the third round contains nine Stotras and Śastras. The Aptoryāma śastras are recited by the Hotṛ, Maitrāvaruṇa, Brāhmaṇācchasin and Acchāvāka.^[1] Moreover, it contains offering of four goblets meant for Agni, Indra, Viśvedevas and Viṣṇu.^[2] Of the four Gaṇas of Aptoryāma, the first two are led by the Adhvaryu and the other two are by the Pratiprasthātṛ just as it is done in Airātra^[3]. This saṃsthā is called so because of the belief that one can obtain (from the root āp)one’s desires through its performance. The Tāṇḍyamahābrāhmaṇa states that Prajāpati created the animals. But, all the animals went away from him. Then Prajapati performed the Aptoryāmasaṃsthā and regained the animals. Moreover, through this rite, the gods attained whatever they desired. Hence, the rite is called Aptoryāma^[4].

The Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa too contains a similar view and it shows the derivation as follows—

yadāpnot / tadaptoryāmasyāptoryāmatvam, iti /^[5]

Prajāpati attained the animals by performing this rite. So, the rite performed in order to attain something is called Aptoryāma. Thus, the word is formed from the two words viz., aptaḥ and yāma and the word yāma refers to yajña^[6]. The Yajñatattvaprakāśa states that aptaḥ means achievement and yāma means sacrifice^[7]. So, Aptoryāma means sacrifice for gaining something.

The Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa as well as the Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra^[8] also contain such explanation. Karka, while commenting on the Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra, states more clearly as follows—

prāptā iva yasmāt paśavo bhraśyante tasya aptoryāmobhavati.^[9]

The Āpastamba Śrautasūtra states that if one desires to attain all, he should perform the Aptoryāmasaṃsthā^[10].

Thus, the Aptoryāma saṃsthā contains thirty three Stotras, thirty three Śastras and nine Stomas viz.,

trivṛt, pañcadaśa saptadaśa ekaviṃśa caturviṃśa, trayastriṃśa, catuḥcatvāriṃśa, aṣṭacatvāriṃśa and triṇava.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Cinnasvamishastri, Pattabhiramashastri(ed.),op.cit.,p. 79

[2]:

Āpastamba Śrautasūtra , 14. 4. 14

[3]:

Cinnasvamishastri, Pattabhiramashastri(ed.), op.cit.,p. 74

[4]:

Tāṇḍya Mahābrāhmaṇa , 20. 3. 2 -5

[5]:

Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa , 2. 7. 14.1-2

[6]:

cf., yasmātkāraṇādanena kratuṇā paśunāpnot tasmātkāraṇādaptyartho yāmao yajña iti vyutpatyā tannāmasampannam / Sāyaṇa on Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa , 2.7.14. 2

[7]:

Cinnasvamishastri, Pattabhiramashastri(ed.),op.cit., p. 74

[8]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa , 13.7.1.9; cf., aptoryāmaḥ pra veva yasmātpaśavo bhraṃśeran / Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra , 23.1.20.

[9]:

Karka on Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra , 23. 1. 20

[10]:

cf., aptoryāmena sarvān kāmanavāpnoti / Āpastamba Śrautasūtra , 14.1.2.