Part 4.1: Carrying forward of the Āhavanīya fire

[Full title: Rites Performed on the Fourth Day: (a) Carrying forward of the Āhavanīya fire (agnipraṇayana)]

The rite Agnipraṇayana is the rite of carrying in a ritualistic procession the āhavanīya fire to the nābhi of the uttaravedī with prescribed formula. As stated by Kātyāyana, the fire is carried in two portions by kindling two fire brands (Idhmas)^[1] Kātyāyana further states that the entire āhavanīya fire may be lifted from its hearth in two portions and carried it to the uttaravedī and the southern altar.^[2] The Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa as well as the Kātyāyana Śarautasūtra states the preparation of the Agnipraṇayana rite. Accordingly, two Idhmas are put in the āhavanīya fire and the upayamanī, sands or clay (meant for holding and carrying)the kindled Idhmas are also made ready. The Adhvaryu keeps himself busy in the rites like melting the ghee on the gārhapatya fire, cleaning the dipping spoon and the offering ladle etc. Moreover, having melted the ghee, the Adhvaryu scoops up the ghee five times in to the offering laddle by the dipping spoon. When the Idhmas get kindled, the Idhmas are taken in a vessel (agnyādhānapātrī) and under the vessel, the upayamanī i.e., a tray is placed. Then, having taken the melted ghee, the sprinkling water (prokṣaṇi), and the two kindled brands, the Adhvaryu asks the Hotṛ to recite the verses for the fire. After the Hotṛ has recited the first verse thrice the fires are carried to the uttaravedī. Thereafter being ordered by the Adhvaryu the Pratiprasthātṛ marks a line with the help of the sphya up to the antaḥpāta peg thereby connecting the gārhaptya to the peg.^[3] Thereafter the Adhvaryu takes the prokṣaṇī water and sprinkles it in the east, west, south and north of the uttaravedī with prescribed formula. He does it facing towards the north.^[4]

Chitrabhanu states that prokṣaṇī water refers to the water meant for sprinkling and it is purified through the Pavitras and it is used for sprinkling the sacrificial utensils.^[5] Sāyaṇa states that the Āgnīdhra by standing with his face towards the north scatters the water towards the eastern side.^[6] But, Vidyadhar is of the opinion that it is the Adhvaryu who scatters the water.^[7]

The formulae to be uttered during the sprinkling of water in the east, west, south and north are respectively^[8] —

(a) indraghoṣastvā vasubhiḥ purastātpātu,

(b) pracetāstvā rudraiḥ paśvātpātu,

(c) manojavāstvā pitṛbhirdakṣiṇataḥ pātu,

(d) viśvakarmā tvādityairuttarataḥ pātu/.

The rest of the prokṣaṇī water is poured outside the altar, on a place which is nearest to the southern aṃsa of the vedī.^[9]

During this time, the following formula is applied—

idamahaṃ taptaṃ vārbahirdhā yajñānniḥsṛjāmi/^[10]

In addition to this, comes the rite of making libation on the uttaravedī with clarified butter of five scoops. The Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa states that the libation is made while the Āgnīdhra holds the fire of kindled Idhmas on the uttaravedī.^[11] The peculiarity of this libation is that the libations done diagonally in the corners of the navel of the uttaravedī. First the Adhvaryu makes the libation on the southern corner of the eastern part i.e., the south-east corner. Then he makes libation on the northern corner of the western side i.e., the north-west corner. After this he makes libation on the southern corner of the western side i.e., the north-south and lastly he makes libation on the northern corner of the eastern side i.e., the north-east corner. Having made these libations in the four corners, the Adhvaryu finally offer one libation in the middle of the navel.^[12] The above mentioned four corners belong to Agni, Vāyu, Āditya, and Nirṛti.^[13] He makes these libations with yajuṣ formula uttering with each offering.

The formulae are respectively.^[14] —

(a) siṃhyasi svāhā,

(b) siṃhyasyādityavaniḥ svāhā

(c) siṃhyasi brahmavaniḥ kṣatravaniḥ svāhā,

(d) siṃhyasi suprajāvanī rāyaspoṣavaniḥ svāhā

(e) siṃhyasyāvaha devānyajamānāya svāhā.

Kātyāyana mentioning all these procedures adds that he makes the fifth libation looking at the piece of the gold.^[15] Vidyadhar states that during making the fifth libation the Adhvaryu looks at the piece of gold which has already been kept in the middle of the nābhi.

After the completion of libations, the Adhvaryu lifts up the offering ladle(sruk)^[16] and here, he utters this yajuṣ formula—

bhūtebhyastvā/^[17]

Then the Adhvaryu places three enclosing sticks in the middle and southern and northern sides of the navel of the vedī. He first places the middle stick then one in the southern side and another in the northern side of the navel. The enclosing sticks should be of pitudāru. With each act of placing the sticks he utters yajuṣ formula which have also been mentioned in the Śatapatha.^[18]

The formulae are respectively.^[19] —

(a) dhruvo’si pṛthivīṃ dṛṃha,

(b) dhruvakṣidasyantarikṣaṃ dṛṃha,

(c) acyutakṣidasi divaṃ dṛṃha

Vidyadhar states that the pitudāru means devadāru and the length of the enclosing sticks should be one prādeśa.^[20] Then the materials such as guggulu, grass of fragrant reed and hair from the head of a ram. If hair from a ram’s head is not available, the hair from any other part of the ram’s body are placed in the navel.^[21]

The formula to be uttered here is as follows—

agneḥpurīṣamasi /^[22]

On these materials, the kindled Idhmas are placed.^[23] This newly born fire becomes the āhavanīya fire and the original āhavanīya fire receives the designation of gārhapatya.^[24]

The Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra simply states it thus—

agniṃ praṇayati/^[25]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra , 5.4.2

[2]:

Ibid., 5.4.3; Thite mentions that the Adhvaryu carries it to the uttaravedī and the Pratiprasthātṛ to the southern vedī, Thite, op.cit., Vol.1, p.175, fn.1 under sūtra 5.4.8

[3]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa , 3.5.2.1-2; Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,5.4.2,7,9

[4]:

cf., prokṣaṇīradhavaryurādatte/ sapurastādevāgreprokṣati-udaṅtiṣṭhan/ athapaśvātprokṣati/ athadakṣiṇataḥ…/athottarataḥ…/ Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ,3.5.2.5-7; Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,5.4.10

[5]:

Chitrabhanu Sen, op.cit., p.94

[6]:

cf.,adhvaryoḥ prokṣaṇyādānavidhānāt agnipraṇetā agnīdeva agne uttarādibhyaḥ pūrvaṃ purastād purvasyāṃ diśi prokṣati udaṅudaṅmukhastiṣṭhan/ Sāyaṇa on Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa,3.5.2.5

[7]:

cf., vedimadhye sthitvā udaṅmukho’dhvaryuścaturbhirmantrairyathāliṅgamuttaravediṃ prokṣet/ Vidyadhar on Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,5.4.10

[8]:

Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā ,5.11(a,b,c,d)

[9]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa , 3.5.2.8; Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,5.4.11

[10]:

Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā ,5.11(e)

[11]:

cf., sa yaddhāryamāne’gnau uttaravedīṃ vyāghārayati…/ Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ,3.5.2.9

[12]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ,3.5.2.10-13

[13]:

Sāyaṇa on Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ,3.5.2.10-12

[14]:

Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā ,5.12(a,b,c,d)

[15]:

Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,5.4.12

[16]:

cf., athasrucamudyacchati/ Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ,3.5.2.13; Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,5.4.13

[17]:

Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā ,5.12(e)

[18]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ,3.5.2.15; Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,5.4.14

[19]:

Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā ,5.13

[20]:

cf., devadāruvṛkṣajaiḥ prādeśamātraiḥ paridhibhiḥ/ Vidyadhar Sharma on Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,5.4.14

[21]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ,3.5.2.16-18; Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,5.4.15

[22]:

Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā ,5.13

[23]:

cf., teṣvagniṃ nidadhāti/, Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,5.4.16;

[24]:

cf., yataḥ praṇayati.../ Sāyaṇa on Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ,3.5.2.2; cf. sa gārhapatyo’taḥ/ Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,8.3.26

[25]:

Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,8.3.19