Skandapurana 5.179

The ṛṣis said: / "This is exceedingly wonderful, O Sūta, which has been recounted by you: / that a sacrifice was performed in that sacred field by the high-souled Brahmā. / 1

Whatever sacrifices there are on the surface of the earth, such as the Agniṣṭoma, / in those sacrifices it is indeed he himself, the Lord of the Gods, who is to be worshipped. / 2

Tell us: when he himself was sacrificing there, who indeed was worshipped? / What officiating priests were present there by whom that ritual born of the sacrifice / was all performed visibly? This is our supreme curiosity! / 3

And what sacrificial fee was given by him to those twice-born? / Who was appointed as the adhvaryu priest there by whom that sacrificial performance was made? / 4

Who was the hotṛ priest, and who was the āgnīdhra? Who presided as the brahmā priest there? / Who was present as the udgātṛ priest? Who was the preceptor in the sacrificial rite?" / 5

Sūta said: / "I shall recount to you all the origin of the sacrifice, / and what wonderful event occurred there, O eminent twice-born! / 6

Which members of the sacrificial assembly were present there, the officiating priests, the best of the twice-born, / and which sacrificial fees were distributed to them by that high-souled one / 7

while the god of gods, Brahmā of boundless splendour, was sacrificing. / Knowing that the four-faced one desired a sacrifice, Lord Śatakratu / 8

came along with all the hosts of gods in order to offer assistance; / and likewise the blessed Śambhu, together with all the hosts of gods. / 9

Seeing them arrived, assuming mortal forms, / Brahmā, full of humility and with folded palms, said: / 10

"Welcome to you, O best of gods! Grant me your favour! / Be seated according to proper decorum in these delightful places. / 11

I am fortunate, I am favoured, since you have come of your own accord; / whereas when summoned by mantras, you go to all long sacrificial sessions only with difficulty." / 12

The gods said: / "Tell us quickly, O lotus-born one, what is to be done here by whom; / in your sacrifice, O illustrious one, assign that duty in detail." / 13

Brahmā said: / "O Viśvakarman, go quickly for the preparation of the sacrificial pavilion, / and then the chamber for the wife, and likewise the sacrificial altars. / 14

And have all the fire-pits constructed in their proper places, / along with all the sacrificial vessels, the graha cups, and the camasa ladles. / 15

The sacrificial posts are to be made according to proper measurement, together with their top-rings, / and the pits for cooking must be made according to measure. / 16

Ten thousand and eight hundred bricks / must be made by you quickly for the altar-piling without delay; / 17

likewise, a golden man must definitely be made." / Saying "So be it," Tvaṣṭṛ then went away as swiftly as could be. / 18

Then the lotus-born one said to Bṛhaspati, the preceptor of the gods: / "O Bṛhaspati, you bring all the officiating priests worthy of a sacrifice, / 19

to the number of sixteen; this is not fitting for anyone else. / O Śakra, you must constantly render service to the twice-born: / 20

massaging their hands and feet, and rubbing the backs of those who are weary. / O Dhanādhyakṣa, the sacrificial gift suitable for the occasion must be given by you. / 21

Fine garments and gold, and whatever else is desired.
O Viṣṇu, you must always inspect what is to be done and what is not to be done,

whether it has been done properly or not, being ever vigilant.
And let all the guardians of the world protect every quarter
against the entrance of bhūtas, pretas, piśācas, and rākṣasas.

Whatever desire anyone desires, whether any cloth or wealth,
after considering it, the lord of the sacrifice must grant it to him.

Let the Ādityas, Vasus, Rudras, Viśvedevas, and the hosts of Maruts
become the servers of food for those who wish to eat."

In the meantime, Viśvakarman arrived in haste
and said to the lotus-born [Brahmā]: "The sacrificial pavilion is fully prepared;

everything else that was directed by you, O four-faced one, has been done."

Then Bṛhaspati, having approached the Grandfather, said:
"O god, I have brought the brahmins for the sacrificial rite.

Appoint these brahmins, sixteen in number, to the duties of officiating priests,
having personally examined them, O lord of the gods, for the successful performance of the sacrifice."

Then Brahmā, having personally looked at them and diligently examined them,
appointed them to the office of priests and then performed their honorific worship.

The seers said:
Tell us, O Sūta, the names of all the officiating priests;
and tell us, O Sūta, what office was assigned to whom there.

Sūta said:
Bhṛgu was then chosen by him for the office of hotṛ, O best of brahmins;
and the sage Cyavana likewise for that named maitrāvaruṇa.

Marīci was the acchāvāka, and the sage Gālava the grāvastut;
Pulastya stood as the adhvaryu, and Atri as the pratiprasthātṛ.

There the sage Raibhya was the neṣṭṛ, and there Sanātana was the unnetṛ;
Brahmā [the supervising priest] was Nārada, and Garga was the brāhmaṇācchaṃsin.

Bharadvāja was the āgnīdhra, and the hotṛ was Parāśara's son;
likewise in that sacred field the sage Gobhila was the udgātṛ.

Likewise Kauthuma was appointed as the prastotṛ in the sacrificial rite;
Śāṇḍilya was the pratihartṛ, and Aṅgiras was the subrahmaṇya.

These were the sixteen officiating priests for the success of that sacrifice;
they were made radiant with garments and ornaments, and treated with humility.

Then Brahmā himself, having performed the act of honoring them all
according to the rule stated in the Gṛhyasūtras, said with respect:

"Here I have sought refuge with you, O best of twice-born ones;
bless me, all of you, for the initiation into the sacrificial rite."

Thus ends the one hundred and eightieth chapter, called 'The Commencement of the Sacrificial Rite Following the Welcoming of the Brahmins Arrived at the Sacrificial Pavilion and the Appointment to the Posts of Priests and Others' in the Story of the Sacrifice of Brahmā, in the Nāgarakhaṇḍa, the sixth [section], in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa consisting of eighty-one thousand verses.