History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c42.31

v3.c42.31

Āgrayaṇa iṣṭi is prescribed in the Āśv. śrauta sūtra II. 9 and other śrauta sūtras for those who have consecrated the three vedic fires (i e. āhitāgnis). According to Nārāyaṇa an āhitāgni is to perform this āgrayaṇa sacrifice of fresh corn according to the śrauta sūtra, but in case of difficulties he may do so in accordance with Āśv. gṛ. II. 2. 4 in the Tretā fires and that one who has not consecrated the three fires may offer the sacrifice in the *śālā* (i. e. aupāsana) fire. This āgrayaṇa rite is required even by the śrauta sūtra as to crops of rice, barley and śyāmāka¹⁹⁵⁵ only and no one was to make use of fresh corn of these three kinds without offering this sacrifice, but there was no restriction as to the use of other kinds of corn or as to vegetables &c. The word Āgrayaṇa is explained as¹⁹⁵⁶ 'that rite in which fresh fruits are first offered to gods' or 'that rite in which fresh corn is first offered or eaten'. The deities of the śrauta Āgrayaṇa are three, viz. Indrāgnī (or Agnīndrau), Viśvedevas, Dyāvāpṛthivī (heaven and earth), but in the gṛhya Āgrayaṇa, Agni Sviṣṭakṛt is added as the fourth (Śāṅ. gṛ. III. 8. 1, Āp. gṛ. 19. 7). Āśv. gṛ. (II. 2. 4-5) gives a very brief description 'united¹⁹⁵⁷ with the seasons, united with the manners, united with Indra and Agni, svāhā; united...with Viśvedevas, svāhā; united...with Heaven and earth, svāhā'—with these formulas a mess of cooked food is offered at the Āgrayaṇa by one who has set up the śrauta fires; also by one who has not set up the śrauta fires, (the same offerings are made) in the domestic (gṛhya) fire. Āp. gṛ. 19. (6-7) also is concise '(Now follows the description of) Āgrayaṇa for one who has not set up the śrauta fires. Having prepared a mess of cooked food with fresh corn, he offers oblations to the deities of the (Śrauta) Āgrayaṇa with Sviṣṭakṛt (Agni) as the fourth, he fills his mouth with grains of rice, swallows them, takes ācamana and having rolled up a lump of rice (from the mess of cooked rice) he throws it up on to the top of the dwelling with the next yajus (Ap. M. P. II. 18. 1).'