Agniveshyagrihyasutra 3.2.1

One who is about to perform the Aṣṭakā prepares an ox or a barren cow, rice grains, cooked food, honey, and clarified butter.

Purification is well known.

Having set up the sacred fire on the Anūrādhā asterism, strewn [darbha grass] around, and holding a single strainer, he then measures out the rice grains to the west of the sacred fire: “I measure out this cake of four platters, which removes distress upon the departure of the ancestors.

At the impulse of the god Savitṛ, with the arms of the Aśvins, with the hands of Pūṣan, I measure you out, acceptable to the ancestors”—repeating “to the ancestors you, to the ancestors you,” he thus measures out the four platters.

Having sprinkled [them] silently and released speech with the invocation of the preparer of the oblation (haviṣkṛt), he places this cake over the fire on potsherds in the form of a foot, just like a puroḍāśa sacrificial cake,

or on a single potsherd.

When it is cooked, having melted and strained the clarified butter and curd, he then circum-pours water: “O Aditi, assent!” eastward on the south side; “O Anumati, assent!” northward on the west side; “O Sarasvat, assent!” eastward on the north side; and “O divine Savitṛ, impel!” all around clockwise. Having circum-poured water and poured the two clarified butter libations, he offers the two clarified butter portions.

With clarified butter he offers an expiation: “You who lie across, I am the dividing boundary,”—thus.

“To you, of all-making nature, I offer with a stream of ghee, according to desires, svadhā, reverence, svāhā!”—thus.

Then, cutting off from the middle of this cake, having spread an underlayer and basted it above, he offers with an udumbara ladle:

“He offers the cake rich in ghee today, endowed with svadhā, for the satisfaction of the ancestors; carry the offering to the ancestors, I offer the oblations, according to desires, svadhā, reverence, svāhā!”—thus. Then, cutting from the front and the right side, he offers towards the west: “She indeed is the one who shone forth first; entering, she wanders within this one;

the bride has brought forth, bringing forth the newly born; three greatnesses attend upon her, according to desires, svadhā, reverence, svāhā!”—thus.

He offers the third: “The pressing stones of the mortar have made a noise, making water for the year-old ancestors.

On the Ekāṣṭakā, may we, possessing good offspring and heroes, become masters of wealth, according to desires, svadhā, reverence, svāhā!”—thus.

He offers the fourth: “The night that people welcome, as they do a cow approaching,

she who is the consort of the year, may she be very auspicious to us, according to desires, svadhā, reverence, svāhā!”—thus.

He offers the fifth: “O Prajāpati! None other than you has encompassed all these created forms.

With whatever desire we make offerings to you, may that be ours! May we be masters of wealth, according to desires, svadhā, reverence, svāhā!”—thus.

He offers the sixth: “Whatever I have done in excess in this rite, or whatever I have done deficiently here,

may Agni Sviṣṭakṛt, knowing, make all well-sacrificed and well-offered for me! To Agni Sviṣṭakṛt, offered to the well-offered, offered to all, the fulfiller of desires of all expiation offerings, according to desires, svadhā, reverence, svāhā!”—thus.

Having washed the ladle and laid it down, having wiped around in the same way and circum-poured water, and having given these ancestral balls of rice according to the procedure of balls of rice, he then touches this cake, rich in ghee and honey, with the formula for touching with faith: || 2