Part 4.12: Collection of Vasatīvarī water

[Full title: Rites Performed on the Fourth Day: (k) Collection (saṃgraha) of Vasatīvarī water]

It is to be noted here that over and above the above mentioned rituals, the rite of collecting of the vasatīvarī water for Somābhiṣava to be performed on the fifth day of the Agniṣṭoma is done on the fourth day itself. This water as it can be seen is kept over night. According to the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, this water is desirable (vara)for the dwellers (vaṣaṭ) of the sacrificial altar (i.e., the gods), so it is called so.^[1] The water should be collected from a stream having current and before the sun-set. If one fails to do so, the sacrificer should collect the water from his own home before the sun-set. This option is applicable only in case of the sacrificer who has already performed a Soma sacrifice. In cases of non applicability of this opinion, the water is to be taken either from a person who himself is performing a sacrifice on his own behalf or from his neighbour and so on as the water has been collected by them before sun-set. If neither of the options is available, the water should be collected from a flowing water body (river or stream) holding either a fire brand or a piece of gold over the water.^[2]

Thite while translating the concerned sūtra of the Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra states that the Adhvaryu collects the vasatīvarī water.^[3] The need of collecting the vasatīvarī water is to prepare the haviḥ of the soma. Sāyaṇa states that after the pouring of the water into the soma juice, the soma juice becomes haviḥ.^[4] Kātyāyana has recorded all these information in a few Sūtras along with the ritualistic order of collection of the vasatīvarī water. Accordingly, the vasatīvarī water is collected after having completed the rite known as vapāmārjana (i.e ., the rite of cleansing themselves and is done by the participants in the libation of vapā)of the Agnīṣomīya animal sacrifice.^[5]

The formula to be uttered in collecting the vasatīvarī water runs as follows—

haviṣmatīrimā āpo haviṣmā ā vivāsati / haviṣmāndevo adhvaro haviṣmā // astu sūryaḥ/^[6]

Having collected the vasatīvarī water, it is placed in the western part of the gārhapatya fire (i.e., old āhavanīya).^[7]

The formula to be uttered here runs as follows—

agnervo’panngṛhasya sadasi sādayāmi/^[8]

During the time of placing of the vasatīvarī water, the Adhvaryu directs the Subrahmaṇya priest to sing the subrahmaṇyā litany containing the names of the fathers and sons. The Subrahmaṇya priest has to mention the names of three forefathers and three decendants of the sacrificer. It is important to state here that according Kātyāyana, the vasatīvarī water should be collected after the offering of the omentum, but circumstances may change this ritualistic order.Because the time for collecting the vasatīvarī water has been given by śruti as day time i.e., before the sun-set. But, if the rite of offering of the omentum takes the whole day, then on such circumstance, one may have to collect the vasatīvarī water before the sun-set at though the rite of offering of the omentum has not yet been completed^[9] The Adhvaryu after having completed the rites related to Agnīṣomīya brings the vasatīvarī water in a pitcher to the altar and utters three times the words vyutkrāma (disperse). Then the sacrificer sits in front of the havirdhāna shed.^[10] Kātyāyana adds that the sacrificer takes his seat in the west of the uttaravedī with the soma stalks on his lap, while the wife of the sacrificer takes her seat in the western side of the śālādvārya fire^[11]. The Adhvaryu having taken the vasatīvarī water brings it through the southern door of the śālā to the uttaravedī and places on the southern śroṇi of the uttaravedī^[12].

The formula to be uttered here runs as follows—

indrāgnyorbhāgadheyī stha/^[13]

Thereafter having taken back the water from the southern śroṇi of the uttaravedī, it is placed in its place i.e., in the front of the wife who is sitting till this time behind the śālādvārya fire. Thereafter the Adhvaryu again moving by the

west of the wife of the sacrificer, goes out from the śālā by the northern side of the uttaravedī and brings the vasatīvarī water to the northern śroṇi of the uttaravedī and places it there. Here one may apply the formula mitravaruna...etc ., but the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa does not emphasize on this formula. Rather, it supports the formula indrāgnyor...etc. which has already been uttered by the Adhvaryu while placing the vasatīvarī in the southern śroṇi.^[14] Kātyāyana has same view and adds that the wife has to touch the water.^[15]

The full form of the formula mitrāvaruṇa...etc. is—

mitrāvaruṇayorbhāgadheyī stha/^[16]

Eggeling while translating this sentence viz., sa uttareṇa niṣkrāmati of the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa makes it clear that the sacrificer goes out from the śālā by the eastern door along the north side of the altar.^[17] Once again, the vasatīvarī water is shifted to the āgnīdhrīya dhiṣṇya from the northern śroṇī of the uttaravedī.^[18]

It is done with the following formula—

viśveṣāṃ devānāṃ bhāgadheyī stha/^[19]

Kātyāyana mentions that the soma creepers which are on the lap of the sacrificer are again placed on the āsandī i.e., on the throne seat.^[20] Karka states that the throne is also placed in the āgnīdhrīya shed.^[21] After the placement of the soma in the āgnīdhrīya shed, it is the duty of the sacrificer to stay beside the soma for whole night in order to protect it. On the otherhand, the Adhvaryu directs the Subrahmaṇya priest to sing the subrahmaṇyā litany containing the names of the forefathers and descendants of the sacrificer. Then comes the rite of milking of the cow for preparing the parivāpa i.e., for Sarasvatī.^[22] Vidyadhar clarifies that parivāpa is the curd offered in each pressing on the pressing day.^[23] The sacrificer should provide a dwelling place, fragrant ointments, ornaments and twigs for tooth–cleaning to the Adhvaryu.^[24]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa , 3.9.2.16

[2]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa , 3.9.2.2-6, 8-12.

[3]:

Thite, op.cit , Vol.1, p.339, under sūtra 8.9.8.

[4]:

cf., somaraseṣvanupraveśād haviḥ sampadyate/ Sāyaṇa on Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, 3.9.2.7; Karka as well as Vidyadhar state that the vasatīvarī water is collected only for using with soma juice. cf., Karka on Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,8.9.6; cf., abhiṣutasya somasya vardhanārthaṃ yāḥ āpaḥ somarasena saha saṃsṛjyante tā vasatīvarya ucyante/ Vidyadhar on ibid., 8.9.6.

[5]:

Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,6.6.27; 8.9.6-9.

[6]:

Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā , 6.23.

[7]:

cf., tāāhṛtya jaghanena gārhapatyaṃ sādayati-agnervo.../ Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, 3.9.2.13; Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,8.9.10.

[8]:

Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā , 6.24 (a).

[9]:

Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,8.9.11-12.

[10]:

cf., atha yadagnīṣomīyaḥ paśuḥ santiṣṭhate atha pariharati vyutkrāmatetyāha/ agrena…/ Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, 3.9.2.13;.

[11]:

Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,8.9. 13-14

[12]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa , 3.9.2.13-14; Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,8.9.15-16.

[13]:

Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā , 6.24(b)

[14]:

cf., tāḥ punarāhṛtyāgreṇa patnīṃ sādayati/ sa jaghanena patnīṃ paryetya tāādatte/, sa uttareṇa niṣkrāmati/ tā uttarāyāṃ śroṇau sādayati/ Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, 3.9.2.14-15.

[15]:

Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,8.9.17-20.

[16]:

Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā , 6.24(c)

[17]:

F. Max Muller (ed.), Julius Eggeling(eng.trans.), op.cit, Part. 2, Books 3&4 , p.225; Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, 3.9.2.15.

[18]:

cf., tā āgnīdhre sādayati/ Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, 3.9.2.16; Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,8.9.21.

[19]:

Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā , 6.24(d)

[20]:

Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,8.9.22.

[21]:

Karka on ibid.,8.9.22.

[22]:

Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,3.9.23-24.

[23]:

Vidyadhar Sharma on ibid.,8.9.25.

[24]:

Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra , 8.9.25