Part 4.5: Digging of the Uparavas

[Full title: Rites Performed on the Fourth Day: (d) Digging (khanana) of the Uparavas]

The act of digging of the Uparavas take place on the fourth day of the Agniṣṭoma. The word uparava refers to a hole dug in the earth which produces a sound when the soma stalks are pounded on it with a stone. These are four in number.^[1]

The Adhvaryu excavates the Uparavas below of the fore part of the shaft of the southern havirdhāna cart—

sa dakṣiṇasya havirdhānasyādho’dhaḥ praugaṃ khanati/^[2]

In order to dig the holes, the Adhvaryu takes the spade with the yajuṣ formula^[3] which runs as follows—

devasya tvā savituḥ prasave’śinorbāhubhyāṃ pūṣṇo hastābhyāṃ/ ādade nāryasi/^[4]

Kātyāyana states that the Adhvaryu performs his duties of marking the holes in the same manner as the pits for the sacrificial post are dug.^[5] The Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa and the Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra say that the order of out lining the holes is not serial, but diagonal. First, the Adhvaryu marks the south eastern hole, then the north western hole, then the south western hole and finally he marks the north eastern hole. The Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa states another option viz one may first mark the north western hole, then the south eastern hole, thereafter the south western and finally the hole belonging to the north eastern side. Apart from these options, one may also follow the normal clockwise order i.e., from the south-east to the north-east. It is noteworthy that whatever order the Adhvaryu follows, the north-eastern hole should be the last.

Moreover, the gaps between the holes should not be more than one span.^[6] The formula uttered in this ritual is—

idamahaṃ rakṣasāṃ grīvā api kṛntāmi/^[7]

The Adhvaryu excavates the holes by following the order of marking of the holes.^[8]

He digs the holes by uttering the following formula—

bṛhannasi bṛhadravā bṛhatīmindrāya vācaṃ vada rakṣohaṇaṃ valagahanaṃ vaiṣṇavīm/^[9]

Again, he follows the same order while he throws away the earth from the holes. In each round he has to utter one formula.^[10]

The formulae are respectively.^[11] —

(a) idamahaṃ taṃ valagamutkirāmi yaṃ me niṣṭyo yamamātyo nicakhāna/,

(b) idamahaṃ taṃ valagamutkirāmi yaṃ me samāno yamasamāno nicakhāna,

(c) idamahaṃ taṃ valagamutkirāmi yaṃ me sabandhuryamasabandhurnicakhāna/,

(d)idamahaṃ taṃ valagamutkirāmi yaṃ me sajāto yamasajāto nicakhāna/

Thereafter, applying a formula for all the holes, he gathers the earth dug up from the holes.^[12] The formula runs as follows—utkṛtyāṃ kirāmi/^[13] The depth of the holes should not be more than the length of an arm. As it seems, the holes are dug in such a way that these become internally connected either diagonally or clockwise^[14].Having completed the digging of the holes, these are ceremonially touched by the sacrificer in the order of excavation.^[15] Kātyāyana states that a formula is uttered with each act of touching.^[16] Karka states that the Adhvaryu makes the sacrificer to do so.^[17] The sacrificer is made to touch each hole with specific formulae.^[18]

The formulae are respectively.^[19] —

(a) svarāḍasi sapatnahā,

(b) satrarāḍasya-bhimātihā,

(c) janarāḍasirakṣohā,

(d) sarvarāḍasyamitrahā/

Then the Adhvaryu and the sacrificer touch the holes by jointly putting their hands in two separate holes. The Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa states that while the Adhvaryu touches the south eastern hole side, the sacrificer inserts his hand into the north-western hole. In that position they speak to each other. Thereafter, they change their position. While the Adhvaryu touches the south western hole, the sacrificer touches the north eastern hole. Here too, they speak to each other.^[20] Kātyāyana presents all these procedures in five Sūtras of his Śrautasūtra.^[21] In addition to this, comes the rite of sprinkling water on the holes.The Adhvaryu sprinkles water on the holes with yajuṣ formula.^[22] Karka while commenting on the text of Kātyāyana states that the holes are sprinkled separately.^[23] If the holes are sprinkled separately then the formula is repeated each time.

Kātyāyana states it thus—

bhede mantrāvṛttiḥ sānnipātitvāt/^[24]

The formula runs as follows—

rakṣohaṇo vo valagahanaḥ prokṣāmi vaiṣṇavān/^[25]

The remnant of the sprinkling water is poured into the holes by reciting prescribed formula.^[26] This pouring of remnant water in the holes is called avanayana.^[27] The rite of spreading out of the sacrificial grass on the holes follows the act of pouring of the rest water into the holes, the Adhvaryu lays out barhiṣ on the holes keeping the head of the grass to the east and the north.^[28]

The formulae for the above stated two rites are—

(a) rakṣohaṇo vovalagahano’vanayāmi vaiṣṇavān/,

(b) rakṣohaṇo vo valagahano’vastṛṇāmi vaiṣṇavān/ respectively.^[29]

On the barhis, two boards meant for pounding the soma-stalks are placed with prescribed formula.^[30] On these boards, the soma creeper is pressed and hence, the boards are called adhiṣavanaphalaka.^[31] Katyayana states that on the boards are placed tender kuśa blades. The gap between the boards should be two Aratnis. These are placed after having washed them. The length of board is one aratni. These are placed with their upper parts facing towards the east or one may place them jointly.^[32] In order to fix the boards, earth is dumped round the boards with prescribed formula.^[33]

The formulae for the above mentioned two rites are respectively.^[34]—

(a) rakṣohaṇau vāṃ valagahanā upadadhāmi vaiṣṇavī/,

(b) rakṣohaṇau vāṃ valagahanau paryūhāmi vaiṣṇavī /

Again on the pressing boards, a red skin of a bullock called adhiṣavaṇacarma is spread out by cutting it into a round shape with prescribed formula.^[35] The formula runs as follows–vaiṣṇavamasi/^[36] On the soma pressing skin, soma-pressing stones are also placed.^[37] According to Sāyaṇa, stones are five in number.^[38] Here, the following formula is uttered–vaiṣṇavāḥ stha/^[39] Thus, having completed all the rites related to the Uparavas inside the havirdhāna shed, again a four cornered mound of sand is made by the Adhvaryu in the front part of the Uparavas. Chitrabhanu mentions that it is used as table for keeping the soma cups.^[40]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Vidyadhar Sharma on Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra , 8.4.26

[2]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ,3.5.4.3; cf. dakṣiṇasyānaso’dhah prayugaṃ khanatyuparavān / Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,8.4.26

[3]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ,3.5.4.4; Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,6.2.8

[4]:

Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā ,5.22(a)

[5]:

Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,8.5.1-2

[6]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ,3.5.4.5-7; Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,8.5.3-7

[7]:

Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā ,5.22(b)

[8]:

cf., tān yathāparilikhitamevayathā pūrvaṃ khanati/…, Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ,3.5.4.8-9; Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,8.5.8

[9]:

Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā ,5.22(c) -23(a)

[10]:

cf., tān yathākhātamevotkirati/..., Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ,3.5.4.10-13; Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,8.5.9

[11]:

Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā ,5.23(b,c,d,e)

[12]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ,3.5.4.13;8.5.10

[13]:

Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā ,5.23(f)

[14]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ,3.5.4.14

[15]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ,3.5.4.15;

[16]:

Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,8.5.11-13

[17]:

Karka on Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,8.5.13

[18]:

cf., khananakrameṇa caturṣu garteṣu yajamānahastasya sparśaṃ caturbhirmantraiḥ kārayediti sūtrārthaḥ/ Mahīdhara on Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā ,5.24

[19]:

Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā ,5.24(a,b,c,d)

[20]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ,3.5.4.16-17

[21]:

Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,8.5.14-18

[22]:

cf., sa prokṣati/…, Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ,3.5.4.18; Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,8.5.19

[23]:

Karka on Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,8.5.19

[24]:

Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,8.5.20

[25]:

Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā ,5.25(a)

[26]:

cf., athayāḥ prokṣaṇyaḥ pariśiṣyante–tā avaṭeṣvavanayati/, so’vanayati/ Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ,3.5.4.19-20

[27]:

cf., garteṣu prokṣaṇaśeṣodakasecanam avanayanaṃ.../ Mahīdhara on Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā ,5.25

[28]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ,3.5.4.20-21

[29]:

Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā ,5.25(b&c)

[30]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ,3.5.4.22

[31]:

cf., yayoḥ phalakayoruparisomo’bhiṣūyate te dve adhiṣavaṇaphalake…/ Mahīdhara on Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā ,5.25

[32]:

Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,8.5.22

[33]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ,3.5.4.22; Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,8.5.22

[34]:

VS ,5.25(d&e)

[35]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ,3.5.4.23; Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,8.5.23

[36]:

Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā ,5.25(f)

[37]:

cf., atha grāvṇa upāvaharati/ … /tān nidadhāti/ Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ,3.5.4.24

[38]:

Sāyaṇa on Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ,3.5.4.24; Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,8.5.24

[39]:

Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā ,5.25(g)

[40]:

Chitrabhanu Sen., op.cit., p.62