History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c23.131

v2.c23.131

*Puṇyāhavācana* :—Although many elaborate descriptions of this are given in later digests like the Saṁskāraratnamālā, this was originally in ancient times a very simple and brief rite. The Āp. Dh. S. (I. 4. 13. 8) says that in ordinary life in all auspicious rites (such as marriage) all sentences begin with 'Om' as in saying 'puṇyāham', 'svasti', and 'ṛddhim'. The performer of a religious rite honours the assembled brāhmaṇas with *gandha* (sandalwood paste), flowers and *tāmbūla* (betel leaves) and requests with folded hands 'may you declare the day to be auspicious for such and such a ceremony which I, by name so and so, am⁵⁰³ about to perform' and then the brāhmaṇas respond by saying ‘Om, may it be auspicious’. Each of these three sentences (with svasti, puṇyāham and ṛddhim) is to be repeated thrice according to Baud. gṛ. śeṣa-sūtra I. 10. A verse of Yama says that the brāhmaṇas should respond without the syllable ‘om’ when the performer of the rite is a kṣatriya or a vaiśya.