Brihadyatra 18: adhyāyaḥ 18

Chapter 18: The Planetary Sacrifice

Next, I will explain the planetary sacrifice; there, one should observe omens on the sacrificial altar:

if it is deficient in measure, there is ruin; if deflected from the cardinal directions, failure;

and [the altar] that is defective in its eastern, southern, western, northern, or central portions

causes the destruction, respectively, of the city, royal chaplain, queen, commander-in-chief, or monarch.

There, the image of Savitar is made of copper, the sacrificial ladle and kindling sticks of palāśa wood,

and the mantra is 'ā kṛṣṇena'; red perfumes together with agallochum;

the prescribed food excludes black gram, linseed, sesame, calotropis, kidney beans, and chickpeas;

and worship is with vakula, arka, agastya, palāśa, and śallakī flowers.

The sacrificial fee, to one hundred and eight brāhmaṇas / who have maintained the sacred fires,

consisting of a bull, gold, and land, should be given on behalf of the thousand-rayed Sun. (Sun)

For the Moon, the ladle and kindling sticks should be made from banyan, and the image from crystal;

the perfumes exclude benzoin and nakha, and the flowers are white;

the preliminary food consists of wheat, rice, barley, chickpeas, and cow’s milk; then the mantra

should be 'āpyāyasva'; and one should give to a knower of the four Vedas

a milch cow equipped with jewels, pearls, silk, and gold, / whose calves and limbs match in whiteness,

having silver hooves and horns, on behalf of the cold-rayed Moon. (Moon)

The kindling sticks are red karavīra, red perfumes, and the image is carved from sandalwood;

and the mantra is 'agnir mūrdhā'; the food consists mostly of jaggery and sixty-day rice;

copper, gold, coral, and woolen garments should be given as his sacrificial fee,

on behalf of the Son of the Earth, to Sāmavedic chanters who observe vows. (Mars)

The mantra begins with 'udbudhyasva', and the image is made of bronze;

the ladle and kindling sticks for the Son of the Moon are from madhūka or apāmārga;

the perfumes consist mostly of mixed substances, kālīyaka, saffron, priyaṅgu, and the like;

the flowers are mālatī, vakula, tilaka, madayantī, and others;

the food includes lentils, sesame, rice, mung beans, chickpeas, and the like; and the sacrificial fee is pure [cloth]

with silver and gems, for the Son of the Moon, to observers of vows belonging to the Atharvaveda. (Mercury)

The kindling sticks are aśvattha and arjuna; the image is of gold, but perfumes free from the fire-scent;

yellow flowers for Guru; the food consists of sesame, mung beans, and chickpeas;

one should give to Rigvedic scholars a middle-aged horse of a single color,

along with gold for its horns; and the mantra for Guru is 'bṛhaspate'. (Jupiter)

The image is of silver, intoxicating perfumes, and variegated, fragrant flowers;

the kindling sticks are jackfruit and udumbara; and the food is aphrodisiac for the Son of Bhṛgu;

the mantra begins with 'annāt parisrutaḥ'; and ornaments difficult for women to obtain

should be given to thirty-two worthy Adhvaryu priests. (Venus)

The ladle and kindling sticks are śāla and śamī; the mantra for the Son of the Sun is 'śaṃ no devīḥ';

the image is of iron; perfumes strong with benzoin, nut-grass, and oyster-shell;

black flowers such as girikarṇikā, linseed, spandanā, and añjana;

foods chiefly consisting of black sesame, black gram, chickpeas, and flat beans;

a female servant past her youth, along with tin, collyrium, lead, and black iron,

one should give on behalf of the Son of the Sun to elderly fools married to outcaste women. (Saturn)

The ladle and kindling sticks for Rāhu's oblation are vibhītaka or dūrvā grass;

and the mantra begins with 'kayā naś citraḥ', and the image is made of lead;

on behalf of the Son of Siṃhikā, one should bestow a buffalo on very aged

brāhmaṇas; whatever else is not specified is identical to [that of] the Son of the Sun. (Rāhu)

For Ketu, a bronze image; the mantra for Ketu is 'ketuṃ kṛṇvan';

worship with wild forest flowers; the ladle and kindling sticks made of khadira and kuśa grass;

the food is meat-rice; as sacrificial fee to a group of unworthy brāhmaṇas,

weapons and cheap goods should thus be given on behalf of Ketu. (Ketu)