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History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c47: Chapter XXIX. Śrauta (Vedic) Sacrifices

History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c47

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English

Contents

Chapter XXIX. Śrauta (Vedic) Sacrifices

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Introductory

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A deep study of Vedic sacrifices is quite essential for the proper understanding of the Vedic Literature, for arriving at approximately correct statements about the chronology, the development and the stratification of the different portions of that Literature and for the influence that that Literature exerted on the four varṇas and the caste-system, on the splitting up of the brāhmaṇas themselves among several sub-castes²²²² and on the institution of gotras and pravaras. Early European scholars generally paid scant attention to the deep study of the Vedic sacrifices and endeavoured to understand the meaning of the Vedas principally by reference to grammar, comparative philology and the comparison of several passages containing the same word or words. Max Müller put forward a tentative scheme of chronology based mostly on subjective considerations and prompted by the great prejudice felt by European scholars generally against admitting any great antiquity for the Vedas. Therefore the endeavour of most European scholars has been to show that the mantras could not have been composed before 1400 B. C. It is beyond the scope of this work to enter into any discussion about the dates of the various sections of the Vedic Literature. It must be here said, however, that I do not subscribe to the view that 1400 B. C. is the uppermost limit of the original composition of the Vedic hymns. The hymns may have been composed for aught we know several thousand years

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²²²² Some of the brāhmaṇa sub-castes such as the Kaṇvas, Maitrāyaṇīyas, Carakas and Jābālas owe their origin to their ancestors having studied particular Vedic Śākhās.

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[^Footnote mark printed as asterisk]*: In this chapter a few special abbreviations have been employed as follows: Āp. = Āpastamba-śrautasūtra (ed. by Dr. Garbe), Āśv. = Āśvalāyana-śrautasūtra (in the Bibliotheca Indica series), Baud. = Baudhāyana-śrautasūtra (ed. by Dr. Caland), Jai. = the Pūrvamīmāṁsā sutra of Jaimini with Śabara's bhāṣya (in the Ānandāśrama series), Kātyāyana-śrautasūtra (ed. by Dr. Weber), Sat. or Satyāṣāḍha = Satyāṣāḍha-śrauta-sūtra (in the Ānandāśrama series), Śāṅ=Śāṅkhyāyana-śrauta-sūtra (ed. by Hillebrandt in the B. I. series).

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before that date. Most of the Vedic Saṁhitās that we now have are arranged (except the Ṛgveda to some extent) definitely for the various aspects of the cult of the sacrifice and indicate a state of things when different priests were required for the sacrifices, who used *mantras* from the collections they had studied.

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For a thorough understanding of Vedic sacrifices, the several Veda Saṁhitās, the Brāhmaṇas and the Śrauta sūtras must be carefully studied. Among works in English that are very helpful must be mentioned, Haug's translation (with notes) of the Aitareya Brāhmaṇa, Prof. Eggeling's translation of the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa with notes (S. B. E. vol. XII, XXVI, XLI, XLIII, XLIV), Prof. Keith's 'Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upaniṣads', translation of the Black Yajurveda (2 vol. in Harvard Oriental Series) and of the Ṛgveda Brāhmaṇas (one volume in the same series), Kunte's 'Vicissitudes of Aryan civilization in India.' (1880) particularly pp. 167-232. Besides these Weber and Hillebrandt have written in German scholarly works on Vedic sacrifices; Caland and Henry published a very learned, exhaustive and methodical work in French on the Agniṣṭoma (1906). In this connection the late Dr. S. V. Ketkar's labours and researches embodied in his Marathi Encyclopædia (vol. 2 and 5) are worthy of special consideration, since they furnish a much-needed corrective to the somewhat one-sided views of most European scholars that have written on Vedic Literature, though one is bound to differ from him in several matters.²²²³ The following pages are based principally on the original texts, though here and there the works of modern scholars have been availed of.

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²²²³ Prof. Dumont's 'L'Agnihotra' (1939) came into my hands when these pages were passing through the press. Hillebrandt's 'Das Altindische Neu-und Vollmondsopfer' (Jena, 1879) and 'Ritual-Litteratur Vedische Opfer und Zauber' (1897, in the Encyclopædia of Indo-Aryan Philology and Antiquities) deservedly enjoy a high reputation among works on śrauta sacrifices.

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In his Pūrvamīmāṁsāsūtra, Jaimini submits thousands of texts to the principles of mīmāṁsā elaborated by him and arrives at definite conclusions on matters affecting the details of various sacrifices. An attempt has been made in these chapters on śrauta to include many of his conclusions, a task, which so far as I know, has not been essayed by any modern writer on dharma or śrauta up till now.

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The fundamental conceptions of *Yajña* (sacrifice) go back to Indo-European²²²⁴ antiquities though the traces are rather faint. But it is quite clear that the cult of the sacrifice had been much developed in the Indo-Iranian period. There is a very striking resemblance between the Vedic Agniṣṭoma and the Homa ceremony of the Parsis (vide Haug's Ait. Br. vol. I, Introduction p. 59 ff). There are numerous words indicative of the cult of the sacrifice both in the Vedic language and in the ancient Parsi religious books. For example, words like *atharvan*, *āhuti*, *uktha*, *barhis*, *mantra*, *yajña*, *soma*, *savana*, *stoma*, *hotṛ* do also occur in the ancient Parsi religious scriptures.²²²⁵ Though Vedic sacrifices are now very rarely performed (except a few simple ones like the Darśa-pūrṇamāsa and the Cāturmāsyas), they were in great vogue several centuries before the Christian era. Centuries after the advent and spread of Buddhism we learn from inscriptions and literary traditions that kings often performed the ancient solemn Vedic sacrifices and gloried in having done so. In the Harivaṁśa (III. 2. 39-40), in the Mālavikāgnimitra (Act V, which speaks of Rājasūya), in the Śuṅga Inscription from Ayodhyā (E. I. vol. XX. p. 54) Senāpati Puṣyamitra is said to have performed the Aśvamedha (or Rājasūya). In the Hathigumpha Inscription (E. I. vol. XX. at p. 79) king Khāravela is extolled as having performed the Rājasūya. In the Bilsad stone Inscription of Kumāragupta dated in the Gupta year 96 (i. e. 415-6 A. D.) it is stated that his great ancestor Samudragupta performed the Aśvamedha that had gone out of vogue for a long time (*cirotsannāśvamedhāhartuḥ*, in Gupta Inscriptions at p. 43). In the Pardi plates (of Cedi *saṁ.* 207 i. e. 456-7 A. D.) the Traikūṭaka king Dahrasena is described as the performer of Aśvamedha (E. I. vol. X. p. 53). The Pikira grant of Siṁhavarman (E. I. vol. VIII. p. 162) describes the Pallavas as the performers of many Aśvamedhas and another Pallava grant (in E. I. vol. I p. 2 at p. 5) refers to the performance of Agniṣṭoma, Vājapeya and Aśvamedha. The Chammak plate of the Vākāṭaka king Pravarasena II (Gupta Inscriptions No. 55 p. 236) speaks of Pravarasena I as the performer of many Śrauta sacrifices.²²²⁶

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²²²⁴ Vide Prof. A. B. Keith's 'Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upaniṣads' (1925), vol. II pp. 625-26 on 'the Indo-European Fire-cult' and pp. 257-312 of vol. I for 'the nature of the Vedic sacrifice'; 'L' Agniṣṭoma' by Caland and Henry, p. 469 ff.

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²²²⁵ Vide Hillebrandt's 'Ritual-Litteratur Vedische Opfer und Zauber' (1897) p. 11 for a long list of such words.

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²²²⁶ अग्निष्टोमाप्तोर्यामोक्थ्यषोडश्यतिरात्रवाजपेयबृहस्पतिसवसाद्यस्ऋचतुरश्वमेधयाजिनः। These very words occur in the Dudia plates, E. I. Vol. III. p. 258 at p. 260.

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The original worship of fire may have been individualistic as well as communal or tribal. The daily agnihotra was an individual affair; but as even simple iṣṭis like darśapūrṇamāsa required four priests, and Soma sacrifices required 16 priests and costly preparations, these sacrifices partook more or less of a public or at least congregational character. It appears that as most brāhmaṇas were poor and could not carry on even the daily agnihotra, which pinned them down practically to one place and did not allow them to move out of the village for securing their livelihood, even agnihotra must have been comparatively rare in early times. Such Vedic sentences as ‘one who has begot a son or sons and whose hair is still black should consecrate the Vedic fires’ (quoted by Śabara on Jaimini I. 3. 3 and cited on p. 350 above) establish that agnyādhāna was advised for brāhmaṇas when they had reached middle age (and not before). The daily agnihotra required the maintenance of at least two cows, besides thousands of cow-dung cakes and fuel-sticks. For the maintenance of agnihotra and the performance of darśapūrṇamāsa (in which four priests were employed) and the Cāturmāsyas (where five priests were required) the house-holder was required to be well-to-do. And the Soma sacrifices could be performed only by kings, nobles and the rich and by those who could collect large subscriptions. We find that kings while making grants often expressed that the object of the grants was to enable the brāhmaṇa donees to offer *bali*, and *caru* and to perform agnihotra. For example, in the Sarsavni plates of Buddharāja dated in Kaṭaccuri *saṁ.* 361 i. e. 609-10 A. D. the grant is made for *bali*, *caru* and agnihotra and in the Damodarpur plates (dated 443-44 and 447-48 A. D.) the grants are made for agnihotra and for the performance of the five daily yajñas.²²²⁷ During the centuries of Moslem domination no help from royalty could be expected and so the institution of Vedic sacrifices languished. In the last hundred years or so, solemn Vedic sacrifices have been performed only rarely. But, since many of the gṛhya ceremonies as set forth in the gṛhya sūtras closely imitate the procedure of the Vedic fire cult and Vedic sacrifices formed the first and foremost manifestation of the sentiments of faith and worship in India, a work dealing with Dharmaśāstra cannot be said to have dealt with its subject completely and adequately if the treatment of Vedic sacrifices were left out altogether, the following bare outline is presented here, the more so as sacrifices were the first *dharmas* according to Ṛg. X. 90. 16.

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²²²⁷ Vide E. I. vol. VI p. 294 at p. 298 ‘बलिचरुवैश्वदेवाग्निहोत्रादिक्रियोत्सर्पणार्थम्’ (in Sarasvni plates); E. I. vol. XV. p. 113 ‘अग्निहोत्रोपयोगाय’ (p. 130), ‘पञ्चमहायज्ञप्रवर्तनाय’ (p. 133), बलिचरुसत्त्रप्रवर्तनगन्धधूपपुष्पमापनमधुपर्कदीपाद्युपयोगाय’ (p. 143) of the Damodarpur plates.

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The Śrauta-sūtras contain a very detailed, meticulously accurate and vivid description of the several sacrifices that were performed in ancient times. These works were manuals compiled for the practical purpose of giving directions to those who engaged in such sacrifices. They are based on ancient Brāhmaṇa texts, which they quote at every step, many individual sūtras being couched in the very language of the Brāhmaṇas, and on actual practice and only bring together what was in vogue. The object of the following pages is not to present a thorough and detailed treatment of Vedic sacrifices, but only to indicate what the cult of the Vedic sacrifice was like and to furnish a brief description of some prominent sacrifices. The treatment is mainly based on the Śrautasūtras of Āśv., Āp., Kāt., Baud., Satyāṣāḍha with occasional references to the Saṁhitās and Brāhmaṇas. The several divergences among the sūtras, the paddhatis and modern practice are not generally dwelt upon for the sake of saving space. One very useful work is a compilation called 'Śrautapadārthanirvacana,' by Nageshwar Shastri published in the Benares Sanskrit series, though one of its drawbacks is that it gives no references to any texts. The Mīmāṁsā-vidyālaya at Poona has prepared sets of all the utensils required in sacrifices and has published an album containing pictures of utensils and maps of various altars required in Vedic sacrifices. The Cāturmāsyas, the Paśubandha, the Jyotiṣṭoma have been described in some detail, the darśapūrṇamāsa has been dealt with *in extenso*, and other sacrifices have been only briefly touched upon in this work.

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We find that even in the remotest ages when the hymns of the Ṛgveda Saṁhitā were composed and compiled, the main features of the sacrificial system had been evolved. That there were three fires appears clear from Ṛg. II. 36. 4 (where Agni is asked to sit down in three places), I. 15. 4, V. 11. 2 ('men kindle Agni in three places'). The Gārhapatya fire is expressly named in Ṛg. I. 15. 12. The three *savanas* (i. e. pressings of Soma in the morning, mid-day and evening) are mentioned in Ṛg. III. 28. 1 (prātaḥ-sāva), III. 28. 4 (mādhyandina savana), III. 28. 5 (tṛtīya savana), III. 52. 5-6 and in IV. 12. 1 (where it is said that the sacrifice gives food to Agni three times on all days), IV. 33. 11. It may be affirmed that the sixteen priests²²²⁸ required in Soma sacrifices were probably well-known to the composers of the Ṛgveda hymns; Ṛg. I. 162. 5 mentions hotṛ, adhvaryu, agnimindha (agnīt or āgnīdhra), grāvagrābha (grāvastut), śaṁstā (praśāstṛ or maitrāvaruṇa), suvipra (brahmā?); Ṛg. II. 1. 2 refers to hotṛ., potṛ., neṣṭṛ, agnīt, praśāstṛ (maitrāvaruṇa), adhvaryu, brahmā; Ṛg. II. 36 speaks of hotṛ, potṛ (v. 2), āgnīdhra (v. 4), brāhmaṇa (brāhmaṇācchaṁsin) and praśāstṛ (v. 6). In Ṛg. II. 43. 2 we have *udgātā*. In Ṛg. III. 10. 4, IX. 10. 7, X. 35. 10, X. 61. 1 seven hotṛs are referred to and in Ṛg. II. 5. 2 the potṛ priest is spoken of as the 8th. The word 'purohita' occurs very frequently (Ṛg. I. 1. 1, I. 44. 10 and 12, III. 2. 8, IX. 66. 20, X. 98. 7). The Ṛgveda names Atirātra (VII. 103. 7), Trikadruka (II. 22. 1, VIII. 13. 18, VIII. 92. 21, X. 14. 16). The yūpa (the post to which the sacrificial animal was tied) and its top called caṣāla are mentioned in Ṛg. I. 162. 6. Ṛg. III. 8 is full of the praise of the yūpa. The person who killed the animal sacrificed (the śamitṛ) is mentioned in Ṛg. 162. 10 and V. 43. 4. The Gharina (the pot of boiled milk required in the Pravargya rite or perhaps the Dadhigharma in the mādhyandina savana) is mentioned in Ṛg. III. 53. 14, V. 30. 15, V. 43. 7. It was believed that the animal offered in a sacrifice went to heaven.²²²⁹ Fire for sacrifice was produced by attrition from two araṇis (vide Ṛg. III. 29. 1-3, V. 9. 3, VI. 48. 5). The darvī (Ṛg. V. 6. 9), sruc (Ṛg. IV. 12. 1, VI. 11. 5), juhū (Ṛg. X. 21. 3) are mentioned in the Ṛg. Numerous verses in praise of gifts occur in the Ṛg. which have been pointed out above (pp. 837-839). In Ṛg. III. 53. 3 there is a clear reference to the call or permission sought by the hotṛ (āhāva) and the response of the adhvaryu (*pratigara*).²²³⁰ Ṛg. X. 114. 5 speaks of the twelve *grahas* (cups) of Soma. In Ṛg. I. 28. 1-2 reference is made to the broad-bottomed stone (grāvan) used for beating Soma stalks, the mortar in which Soma is pounded and the adhiṣavaṇa (pressing) board. In Ṛg. I. 20. 6, I. 110. 3, I. 161. 1 and VIII. 82. 7 the wooden vessel called 'camasa' used for drinking Soma is spoken of. The word 'avabhṛtha' (concluding bath in a Soma sacrifice) occurs in Ṛg. VIII. 93. 23. In Ṛg. X. 51. 8-9 the words prayāja and anuyāja occur. The ten Āprī hymns of the Ṛgveda indicate that at the time of their composition the animal sacrifice had already some of the principal features that are seen in the śrauta sūtras.

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²²²⁸ The sixteen priests (ṛtvij) are: होता मैत्रावरुणोऽच्छावाको ग्रावस्तुदध्वर्युः प्रतिप्रस्थाता नेष्टोन्नेता ब्रह्मा ब्राह्मणाच्छंस्याग्नीध्रः पोतोद्गाता प्रस्तोता प्रतिहर्ता सुब्रह्मण्य इति। आश्व. श्रौ. IV. 1. 6, आप. श्रौ. X. 1. 9. Of these hotṛ, adhvaryu, brahmā and udgātṛ are the four principal ones and the three that follow each of them in the above enumeration are their assistants. The functions of the four principal priests are referred to in Ṛg. X.71.11. In Ṛg. II.43.1 we have the singer of Sāmans. In Agnihotra only adhvaryu is required, in the Agnyādheya, Darśapūrṇamāsa and other iṣṭis four priests are required viz. adhvaryu, āgnīdhra, hotṛ and brahman; in the Cāturmāsyas five are required viz., the four (of darśapūrṇamāsa) and the pratipasthātṛ; in the animal sacrifices a sixth is added viz., the maitrāvaruṇa. In Soma sacrifices all sixteen are required. In the cāturmāsya called sākamedha the āgnīdhra is addressed as *brahmaputra* (vide Āśv. Śr. II. 18. 12) and this may explain Ṛg. II. 43. 2 (cited on p. 27 above) where the word 'brahmaputra' occurs). Vide Tai. Br. II. 3. 6 and Baud. II. 3 for these provisions about the number of priests required. Some added a 17th priest called *sadasya* and Baud. II. 3 gave him three assistants also, though the Śat. Br. X. 4. 2. 19 forbids the employment of a 17th priest. There are other persons required in a sacrifice, such as the Śamitṛ, the camasādhvaryus, but they are not called ṛtvij. Vide Āp. XXII. 1. 3-6 for the Trikadruka called Jyotir, Gauḥ and Āyuḥ.

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²²²⁹ न वा उ एतन्म्रियसे न रिष्यसि देवाँ इदेषि पथिभिः सुगेभिः। हरी ते युञ्जा पृषती अभूतामुपास्थाद्वाजी धुरि रासभस्य ॥ ऋ. I. 162. 21. Vide also Ṛg. I. 163. 13. The Tai. Br. III. 7. 7 has the first half of Ṛg. I. 162. 21 and reads the 2nd half as 'यत्र यन्ति सुकृतो नापि दुष्कृतस्तत्र त्वा देवः सविता दधातु'

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²²³⁰ In the morning *savana* the hotṛ seeks permission in the words शोंसावोम् and the adhvaryu responds with 'शंसामो दैवोम्'.

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Some of the general rules applicable in all śrauta rites may be stated once for all. Vide Āśv. śr. I. 1. 8-22. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the sacrificer should always face the north, should sit down cross-legged, and the sacrificial materials (like kuśa grass &c.) should have their ends pointed towards the east. The sacred thread should be worn in all rites in the *upavīta* form, except where the *nivīta* or *prācīnāvīta* form is expressly ordained; wherever a limb (aṅga) is mentioned or no particular limb is mentioned, it is the right limb (hand, foot, finger) that is meant; wherever the word 'dadāti' (he gives) is used the yajamāna (the sacrificer) is the agent of the action. Kāt. Śr. I. 10. 12 states that the yajamāna is the actual performer in the case of gifts or repeating texts where the word 'vācayati' occurs in the sūtras or in anvā-rambhaṇa, or in choosing a boon, in the case of observances (such as truthfulness), and in the case of measures (i. e. when it is said that a thing should be of the height of a man, it is the sacrificer's height that is meant). When any rite is prescribed without expressly stating the performer, it is the hotṛ who does it and in the case of prāyaścittas wherever the words 'juhoti' and 'japati' occur the brahmā priest is the agent to do those latter acts. When the first *pāda* of a ṛk is mentioned for being employed in any rite the whole verse is intended to be recited; when the first words of a hymn are mentioned for being employed in a rite, but the words quoted in the sūtra do not amount to a *pāda*, the whole hymn is to be repeated in that rite; wherever more than the first pāda of a verse is mentioned, it is intended that three verses are to be recited (that verse and the two following). Japa, āmantraṇa, abhimantraṇa, āpyāyana, upasthāna and mantras that indicate the rite that is being performed are to be recited in a low voice (upāṁśu). A special rule (apavāda or viśeṣavidhi) is stronger than a general rule (prasaṅga).

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Other general propositions are: Yāga (sacrifice) is constituted by *dravya* (material), *devatā* (deity) and *tyāga* and yāga means abandonment of *dravya* intending it for a deity; *homa* means the offering of *dravya* in fire intending it for a deity. Yājatis (sacrificial rites) for which no express reward is declared²²⁸¹ by the texts are the aṅga (subordinate part) of the principal yāga. Mantras are of four categories viz. ṛk, yajus, sāman and nigada;²²⁸² ṛks are metrical; a yajus has no restriction as to metre, but it is a complete sentence (Kāt. śr. I. 3. 2); a sāman is sung; nigadas are *praiṣas* i. e. words addressed to another calling upon the latter to do a certain thing e. g. 'prokṣaṇīr-āsādaya, srucaḥ sammṛḍḍhi' (Kāt. Śr.

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²²⁸¹ यजतयश्चाफलसंयुक्तास्तदङ्गम् । कात्या. श्रौ. I. 2. 4; vide जैमिनि IV. 4. 34 for a similar rule.

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²²⁸² The division into ṛk, yajus, and sāman was made even before the Ṛk-saṁhitā was composed. For ṛk, vide Ṛg. X. 71. 11 and X. 90. 9, for *yajus* Ṛg. V. 62. 5 and X. 90. 9, for *sāman* Ṛg. VIII. 95. 7 and I. 164. 25 (the two famous chants called Rathantara and Gāyatra are named). The word 'nivid' occurs in Ṛg. I. 96. 2.

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II. 6. 34). They are yajus, but they are distinguished from ordinary *yajus* formulæ by the fact that nigadas are uttered loudly, while ordinarily a yajus is recited in a low voice. Jaimini in II. 1. 38-45 brings out this distinction between ordinary yajus and nigada. Vide Jaimini II. 1. 35-37 for the definitions of ṛk, sāman and yajus. Verses from the Ṛg. and Sāmaveda are recited loudly, all yajus are muttered in a low voice except āśruta (i. e. passages like 'āśrāvaya'), pratyāśruta (the response 'astu śrauṣaṭ'), pravara-mantra (agnir devo hotā &c., set out in note 1139 above), saṁvāda (requests and permissions as in 'brahman, shall I sprinkle with water' and 'yes, do sprinkle'), sam-praiṣa (summons to do something as 'prokṣaṇīr-āsādaya). Loudness is of three kinds, high-pitched, middle-pitched and low-pitched. The Sāmidhenī verses are to be recited in a middle pitch, all mantras in the rites from anvādhāna upto ājyabhāga in Jyotiṣṭoma and prātaḥ-savana are to be recited in a low pitch, while in all rites in darśapūrṇamāsa the mantras are to be recited in a low pitch from ājyabhāga to sviṣṭakṛt. The rest of the mantras in darśapūrṇamāsa after sviṣṭakṛt and in Tṛtīya Savana are to be recited in high pitch. Mantras that are being recited at the time of doing anything (and produce the idea 'I shall do it') are to be recited first and then the act is to be begun (e. g. cutting is to be done immediately on reciting 'iṣe tvā'). Vide Jaimini XII. 3. 25. An act is to be begun to be performed the moment the reciting of a mantra accompanying it is finished (Kāt. I. 3. 5-7). Utkara is the spot where the dust of the Vedi is swept up and *praṇītā* is water kept in a vessel to the north of the āhavanīya after repeating a mantra over it. The sacrificial ground where the fires are maintained is called vihāra (Śabara on Jaimini XII. 2. 1 says 'vihāra iti gārhapatyādiragnistretocyate viharaṇāt'). The way for going to or coming from the vihāra is between the praṇītā (water) and utkara in the case of iṣṭis (i. e. to the east of utkara and to the west of praṇītā) and between the utkara and the cātvāla pit in other cases (Āp. Śr. I. 1. 4-6, Kāt. Śr. I. 3. 42-43). This path for going to the vihāra is called tīrtha. The cātvāla is a pit which is required only in soma and animal sacrifices. Many sacrificial utensils are required out of which the sruva (which may be called the dipping spoon) is made of khadira wood and is one aratni in length and has a mouth (or bowl) that is rounded and is as wide as the front joint of the thumb. The sruc (offering ladle) is one cubit in length, has a bowl at one end of the shape and size of the palm, that has a spout resembling a swan's bill in shape. Sruc is of three kinds: juhū (ladle) made of palāśa, upabhṛt of aśvattha and the dhruvā is made of vikaṅkaṭa wood and all other sacrificial utensils are made of vikaṅkaṭa, but those that are not directly connected with homa are made of varaṇa tree; the sword called sphya is made of khadira (Kāt. I. 3. 31–39). The principal *yajñapātras* (or yajñāyudhas as they are often called) are given in the note below.²²³³

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²²³³ The Tai. S. I. 6. 8. 2–3 says 'यो वै दश यज्ञायुधानि वेद मुखतोस्य यज्ञः कल्पते स्फ्यश्च कपालानि चाग्निहोत्रहवणी च शूर्पं च कृष्णाजिनं च शम्या चोलूखलं च मुसलं च दृषच्चोपला चैतानि वै दशयज्ञायुधानि।'. Vide also Śat. Br. I. 1. 1. 22 for these ten and Kāt. II. 3. 8. Jaimini III. 1. 11 says that the passage about the ten yajñāyudhas is a mere anuvāda and not a vidhi and hence all are not to be employed in all actions, but only where each is suitable or is prescribed by a special text. Vide also Jai. IV. 1. 7–10. The adhvaryu or yajamāna places the *pātras* in twos at a time. The kapālas (potsherds) whatever their number form one pātra; they are pieces broken from a jar. The pairs are: sphya (the wooden sword) and kapāla, then the śūrpa (made of split bamboo or of naḍa grass or of reed) and agnihotra-havaṇī and so on. The com. on Kāt. II. 3. 8 says that whatever pātras may be required in the several rites are to be got ready and he enumerates many such pātras. The juhū, upabhṛt and dhruvā symbolically represent respectively the right arm, the left arm and the trunk of yajña. Vide Śat. Br. I. 3. 2. 2. The number of kapālas varies according to the rite that is performed and the sūtra of the performer. Besides the ten principal ones enumerated above there are others that are required viz. जुहू, उपभृत्, ध्रुवा, प्राशित्रहरण, इडापात्र, मेक्षण, पिष्टोद्वपनी, प्रणीताप्रणयन, आज्यस्थाली, वेद, दारुपात्री, योक्त्र, वेदपरिवासन, धृष्टि, इध्मप्रव्रश्चन, अन्वाहार्यस्थाली, मद्धन्ती, फलीकरणपात्र, अन्तर्धानकट. Vide com. on Kāt. I. 3. 36 for the names and sizes of all these and other utensils and for directions on the materials of which they are to be made. When the person who has maintained the sacred fires dies he is cremated with his Vedic fires and his wooden sacrificial vessels 'आहिताग्निमग्निभिर्दहन्ति यज्ञपात्रैश्च' quoted by Śabara on Jaimini XI. 3. 34. Vide Śat. Br. XII. 3. 5. 2. This is what is called प्रतिपत्तिकर्म of the utensils. This means that the utensils are placed on the several limbs of his corpse (e. g. the juhū in the right hand) and his body and they are burnt together. That is the final disposal of the yajñapātras. Jaimini (XI. 3. 43–44) declares that though the yajñapātras are set out in the 'śruti' texts when speaking about paurṇamāsī iṣṭi, still they are to be made ready at agnyādheya and are to be kept throughout since that date till the sacrificer's death and that their cremation with the sacrificer's body is their final disposal (pratipatti).

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All saṁskāras (like adhiśrayaṇa, paryagnikaraṇa, heating a sacrificial utensil) are to be done (except when expressly stated to the contrary) by the gārhapatya fire, but the cooking of a *havis* may be done on either gārhapatya or āhavanīya according to one's sūtra. When the material is not specified, *homa* is performed with clarified butter and all homas are done in the āhavanīya when there is no express text and the juhū ladle is to be employed in offering homa (Kāt I. 8. 44-45). Those parts that are to be done with Ṛg. mantras are to be done by the hotṛ priest (unless there be a special direction or reason to the contrary), the adhvaryu does what is to be done with Yajurveda, the udgātṛ with Sāmaveda and the brahmā priests with all the three Vedas²²³⁴ (vide Ait. Br. 25. 8). Brāhmaṇas alone are to be priests (Jai. XII. 4. 42-47). The sacrificer's wife is seated south-west of the gārhapatya fire and her face is turned towards the north-east (Kāt. II. 7. 1). At the beginning of an iṣṭi or other rite five operations (called bhūsaṁskāra) are to be performed on the mound (khara) of the āhavanīya and also on that of the dakṣiṇā fire viz. parisamūhana (sweeping round with wet hand) thrice from the east to the north, smearing thrice with cowdung (gomaya-upalepana), drawing with the wooden sword (sphya) three lines from south to north but towards the east (i. e. the last is to be in the east) or from east to west but towards the north, to remove the dust from those lines with the thumb and the ring finger, and sprinkling thrice with water (abhyukṣaṇa).

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²²³⁴ तदाहुर्ब्रह्मवादिनः । यदृचैव हौत्रं क्रियते यजुषाध्वर्यवं साम्नोद्गीथं व्यृद्धा त्रयी विद्या भवति। अथ केन ब्रह्मत्वं क्रियत इति । त्रय्या विद्ययेति ब्रूयात्। ऐ. ब्रा. 25. 8.

Agnyādheya

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²²³⁵ For the treatment of *agnyādheya* vide Tai. Br. I. 1. 2-10, I. 2. 1, Śat. Br. II. 1 and 2; Āśv. II. 1. 9 ff, Āp. V. 1-22, Kāt. IV. 7-10, Baud, II. 6-21.

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Gaut. (VIII. 20-21) enumerates seven *haviryajñas* and seven *somasaṁsthās*. Agnyādheya is the first of the seven *haviryajñas*. Agnyādheya is the same as agnyādhāna. It is an *iṣṭi*, which word means 'a sacrifice performed by a sacrificer and his wife with the help of four priests' (vide above note 2228). The details of a model iṣṭi are given later on under darśapūrṇamāsa. Agnyādheya occupies two days, the first day called *upavasatha* being taken up by preliminary matters and the 2nd with performance of the main rites. There are two times for the performance of agnyādheya. It may be done on one of the seven nakṣatras, viz., Kṛttikā, Rohiṇī, Mṛgaśīrṣa, Pūrvā Phālgunī, Uttarā Phālgunī, Viśākhā, Uttarā Bhādrapadā. Āp. adds other nakṣatras viz. Hasta, Citrā and states the several appropriate nakṣatras when the sacrificer desires certain results (V. 3. 3–14). According to Śat. Br. II. 1. 2. 17 and Āp. V. 3. 13 a kṣatriya should consecrate sacred fires on the Citrā nakṣatra. Or agnyādheya may be done on a parva day in spring by a brāhmaṇa, in summer, in the rainy season and autumn respectively by a kṣatriya, a vaiśya and an upakruṣṭa (for the latter vide p. 74 above). But even when choosing the season, one must have regard to the seven nakṣatras specified above. Āp. states that the setting up of the fires may take place on Full moon or New moon day and that *hemanta* or *śarad* is the proper season for a vaiśya, the rainy season for a rathakāra (carpenter) or all the varṇas may first consecrate the fires in *śiśira* (Āp. V. 3. 17–20). Vide Jai. II. 3–4 about the meaning of the Vedic passage 'a brāhmaṇa should set up fires in spring' (Tai. Br. I. 1. 2). The Śat. Br. (III. 1. 2. 19) appears to condemn the setting up of fires by reliance on nakṣatras and recommends (XI. 1. 1. 7) that agnyādhāna should be performed on the New moon of Vaiśākha on which there is Rohiṇī nakṣatra. In case of difficulty one may perform agnyādhéya in any season and if one has resolved upon performing a soma sacrifice one need not stop to consider the season or nakṣatra. The man who wants to perform agnyādheya must not be too young nor too old (vide p. 979 above).

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Agnyādheya means the placing of burning coals for the generation of the gārhapatya and other fires at a particular time and place by a particular person to the accompaniment of certain mantras.²²³⁶ Agnyādheya comprehends the several acts from the bringing of the *araṇis* (two wooden logs) to the offering of pūrṇāhuti. When this last takes place the person who engages in the rites attains the position of an āhitāgni (one who has consecrated the sacred Vedic fires). Agnyādhāna is meant for all sacrificial rites and not merely for enabling a man to perform darśapūrṇamāseṣṭi (Jai. III. 6. 14–15, XI. 3. 2). The sacrificer should bring home through the adhvaryu priest two araṇis from an aśvattha tree that grows inside a śamī tree with the mantra '*yo aśvatthaḥ śamī-garbhaḥ*' (Āśv. II. 1. 17). The branch to be cut must be one on the east or north side of the tree and its foliage must be turned towards the east or north. When the branch falls on the ground the portion of it that touches the ground should be used for making the lower *araṇi*. Two araṇis (logs of the branch) should be cut off, planed and formed into rectangular pieces and they should be allowed to become dry. In the lower araṇi there is a spot called *devayoni* (the place of origin of the god i. e. fire) which is 8 and 12 aṅgulas from the two ends of the lower araṇi (of 24 aṅgulas) where by means of a drill inserted in the upper araṇi fire is produced by attrition. According to Baud. each araṇi is 16 aṅgulas long, twelve in breadth and 4 in height, while according to Kāt. (as quoted in com. on Āp.) it is 24 aṅgulas long. According to Āp. (V. 1. 3) the aśvattha may not be growing inside a śamī tree. The two araṇis are invoked (abhimantraṇa) with the formula 'aśvatthād...dhehi āyur-yajamāne' (Tai. Br. I. 2. 1.) and the adhvaryu brings together on the altar (vedi) seven items that are earthy and seven items that are of wood or five of each or 8 earthy items (if those of wood are seven). The eight earthy items are: sand, saltish earth, the earth from a hole infested by mice, the earth from an ant-hill, the clay (sūda) from the bottom of a reservior of water that never dries up, earth that is struck by wild boars, pebbles, gold (Āp. V. 1. 4 ff.) with mantras appropriate²²³⁷ to each. The seven wooden items are: (parts of) aśvattha, udumbara, parṇa (palāśa), śamī, vikaṅkaṭa, a tree struck by lightning (or by wind or cold) and a lotus-leaf. Baud. II. 12 enumerates these somewhat differently. The sacrificer prepares a raised place for worship (devayajana)²²³⁸ sloping towards the east with the mantra 'uddhanyamānamasya' (Tai. Br. I. 2. 1), sprinkles it with water to the accompaniment of the mantra 'śam no devīr' (Ṛg. X. 9. 4=Tai. Br. I. 2. 1), and constructs a shed having the end of the principal bamboo or ridge turned northwards or eastwards. Beneath the middle of the ridge of the hut towards one end is the place (*āyatana*) meant for the gārhapatya fire; the place of the āhavanīya fire is to the east of the gārhapatya at a distance of eight prakramas²²³⁹ for a brāhmaṇa, eleven and twelve for a kṣatriya and vaiśya respectively or all may have it 24 steps (*pada*) or at a distance found by the eye to approximate to the distances stated (without actual measurement). The place for the dakṣiṇāgni is near the gārhapatya to the south-east after a third of the distance between the gārhapatya and āhavanīya. There are to be separate sheds for the āhavanīya fire and the gārhapatya in elaborate sacrifices but for the ordinary sacrifices like darśapūrṇamāsa one shed only is usually constructed which houses all the three fires. It is laid down that only Vedic rites are to be performed with the three fires, and that they were not to be used for ordinary cooking or for secular purposes (vide Jaimini XII. 2. 1–7). The sabhya fire is to be established in front of the āhavanīya in the gambling hall and the āvasathya fire is in a shed (for guests) to the east of the sabhya.²²⁴⁰

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²²³⁶ नारायण on आश्व. श्रौ. II. 1. 9. explains 'विशिष्टकाले विशिष्टदेशे विशिष्टपुरुषेण विशिष्टैर्मन्त्रैर्गाहपत्याद्यग्न्युत्पत्त्यर्थं यदङ्गाराणां निधानं तदग्न्याधेयमुच्यते । अग्नीनामाधेयमन्वाधेयं तत्कर्तव्यमित्यर्थः ।'.

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²²³⁷ In Tai. Br. I. 2. 1 occur most of the mantras referred to by Āp. under agnyādheya.

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²²³⁸ Several rules are laid down about the choosing of the place of worship (devayajana) in Śat. Br. III. 1. 1, Ait. Br. I. 3, Drāhyāyaṇa Śr. I. 1. 14–19 &c. It should be the highest place and in its vicinity there should be no spot which is on a higher level than it, it should be even and firm and incline towards the east or north, being a little higher in the south. It should have many plants growing on it and in front of it there should be water (a well &c.) or a large tree or a public road. The Śat. Br. III. 1. 1. 5 emphasizes that if one secures learned and skilful priests it does not matter what kind of sacrificial ground one selects. The Ait. Br. I. 3 requires that the dīkṣita is to walk about and sit usually in the devayajana, and he must not leave it at all at sunrise, sunset and when priests are engaged in āśrāvaṇa (saying 'O śrāvaya'). Vide Sāyaṇa on Tai. S. I. 2. 1 for yajñaśālā and com. on Kāt. VII. 1. 19–24 for the same. The yajñaśālā is called 'dīkṣitavimita' in the Ait. Br. I. 3 and it is the same as prācīnavamśa-śālā. Iṣṭis are performed in the prācīnavamśa-śālā, but the Uttaravedi required in animal, soma and some other sacrifices is outside it. Further rules are given under Agniṣṭoma.

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²²³⁹ According to the com. on Āp. V. 4. 3 a *prakrama* is equal to two or three *padas*, a *pada* being 15 aṅgulas (Baud.) or 12 aṅgulas (Kāt.). But the com. on Kāt. VIII. 3. 14 says that a pada is equal to two prakramas. The gārhapatya was also called prājahita (vide Jaimini XII. 1. 13) and the Dakṣiṇāgni was called anvāhāryapacana, because on it was cooked the boiled rice with which piṇḍa-pitṛyajña was performed on the new moon. Vide Manu III. 123, Tai. Br. I. 1. 10 and 'दक्षिणाग्नावन्वाहार्यं पचति' quoted by शबर on जै. XII. 2. 3.

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²²⁴⁰ The com. on Āp. V. 17. 1 notices divergent views about sabhya and āvasathya fires, some holding that these were not to be established at all, others holding that they are optional, while Āp. makes them obligatory.

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The sacrificer gets the hair on the head and face shaved, pares his nails and then bathes; the wife also does the same except shaving the hair on the head. The husband and wife are to establish fires after wearing two silken garments each, which are to be given up to the adhvaryu at the time of distributing dakṣiṇā (after the rite of agnyādheya is finished). The sacrificer should perform the *saṁkalpa* (words indicating resolve) of performing agnyādheya and choose his priests (ṛtvig-varaṇa)

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by touching their hands with appropriate mantras and offer them madhuparka (vide Āp. X. 1. 13-14 for the mantras ‘agnir-me hotā &c.). In the afternoon or when the sun is over the trees the adhvaryu should fetch a portion of fire from the aupāsana (gṛhya fire) and kindle a fire called brāhmaudanika (one prepared for brahmaudana)²²⁴¹ to the west of the place for the gārhapatya or he may take up the whole of the aupāsana fire (of the yajamāna) or he may generate fire by attrition. He should prepare a sthaṇḍila (an altar of sand &c.) and should draw thereon three lines from west to east and three lines from south to north and should sprinkle water on the sthaṇḍila and then he should bring burning coals from the aupāsana fire and place them on the lines so drawn. If he takes up the whole of the aupāsana fire, then he should take on two leaves of udumbara a cake of barley flour and another of rice and should throw on the place of the brāhmaudanika fire the barley cake to the west and the rice cake to the east and then establish the fire thereon. The adhvaryu puts apart at night to the west of the brāhmaudanika fire on the red hide of a bull having the neck part to the east and the hair outside or on a bamboo utensil four dishfuls of rice²²⁴² grains after repeating the mantra ‘devasya’ and with the words ‘I set apart what is pleasing to prāṇa that is brahman,’ which are repeated four times (with prāṇa, apāna, vyāna and lastly with brahman only) or he may do so silently. He cooks the grains (of rice or barley) in four vessels filled with water, he does not cleanse the rice grains with his hand after pouring them into the water, nor does he drain off the water while cooking; some cook the grains in milk. From the cooked food (the brahmaudana) he takes some in a spoon (darvī) and offers it into (the brahmaudanika) fire with the mantra ‘pra vedhase kavaye’ (Ṛg. V. 15. 1 = Tai. Br. I. 2. 1). He should say ‘this is for Brahman; not mine.’ Having put the cooked food separately into four dishes and pouring plenty of ghee over it, the sacrificer draws the plates over the ground towards the priests without letting them go and brings them near the four priests who are descendants of illustrious sages. The remaining portion of the brahmaudana is drawn out of the pots, the rest of the clarified butter is poured over it and three samidhs of a citriya²²⁴³ aśvattha that are wet (not dry), that are a span in length and have on them their leaves and fruits are dipped therein and turned about therein with a mantra and then they are put on the fire to the accompaniment of three gāyatrīs (addressed to Agni) for brāhmaṇas, three Triṣṭubhs for kṣatriyas and three Jagatīs for vaiśyas (the verses are set out in Āp. V. 6. 3).

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²²⁴¹ The reason why ब्रह्मोदन is so called is given by Sāyaṇa on Tai. Br. I. 1. 9 ‘ब्रह्माणे देवमुद्दिश्य होमार्थं ब्राह्मणानामृत्विजां च प्राशनार्थं च पच्यमान ओदनो ब्रह्मोदनः’.

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²²⁴² The putting apart of grains from a large receptacle on to a smaller receptacle for use in sacrifice later on is called *nirvāpa*.

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²²⁴³ The Tai. Br. (I. 1. 9.) employs the words ‘citriyāśvattha-syādadhati’ and Sāyaṇa explains ‘अश्वत्थग्रामोऽश्वत्थचित्रक इत्युच्यते । योऽश्वत्थो ग्रामाद्बहिर्भूतस्तदीयाः समिध आदध्यात् ।.’

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When the samidhs are offered into fire he (sacrificer) gives three heifers to the adhvaryu and a similar number to each of the brāhmaṇas who eat the brahmaudana. This brahmaudana along with the gifts of heifers and offering of samidhs may be performed daily for one year before the date of agnyādhāna. These samidhs must be offered by everyone intending to set up the three sacred fires 12 days, three days, two days or a day before the day of *agnyādheya*. He (sacrificer) has to keep certain observances viz. he does not partake of flesh, does not cohabit, others do not take away fire from his house; he subsists (for three days) only on milk or on boiled rice, he has to speak the truth and to avoid sleeping on a cot. If for some reason the sacrificer is unable to perform agnyādheya in a year (or 12 days &c.) from the time he offered brahmaudana he should again cook brahmaudana, offer the samidhs and then should perform agnyādhāna when he can do so.²²⁴⁴ On the night previous to the day of agnyādhāna the adhvaryu (according to Bharadvāja, all the priests) keeps certain observances viz. he does not eat flesh nor does he approach his wife.

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²²⁴⁴ The Tai. Br.. I. 1. 9 says ‘ब्रह्मौदनं पचति’ ... प्राश्नन्ति ब्राह्मणा ओदनम् । ... पर्याने संवत्सरे नोपनमेत्समिधः पुनरादध्यात् ।’.

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On that night a goat having dark spots on its skin is tied towards the north of the place for the gārhapatya fire with a mantra ‘prajā’ agne &c.’. The yajamāna observes a vow of silence on that night and people keep him awake that night by playing upon a lute and a flute (but there is an option viz. he may not keep awake nor observe silence). The sacrificer remains awake the whole of that night placing pieces of wood on the brāhmaudanika fire with the verse ‘śalkair-agnim &c.’ (but if he does not keep awake he heaps on the fire logs of wood at one time and then goes to sleep).²²⁴⁵ At day-break the adhvaryu heats the two araṇis against that fire with two verses 'jātavedo bhuvanasya &c.' and 'ayam te yonir-ṛtviyaḥ' (both in Tai. Br. I. 2. 1). Then the brāhmaudanika fire is extinguished, the two araṇis are invoked with the verse 'agni rakṣāṁsi' and the yajamāna keeps waiting for the araṇis that are brought with the verse 'mahī viśpatnī.' The adhvaryu hands over the araṇis to the sacrificer with the verse 'dohyā ca te', who receives them with a verse and immediately invokes them with two verses. Both (adhvaryu and yajamāna) repeat in a low voice the formula 'mayi gṛhṇāmyagre &c.'. The adhvaryu arranges the place for the gārhapatya with the verse 'apeta vīta' and sprinkles it with water with 'śaṁ no devīr.' He does the same for the places (āyatanas) of the dakṣiṇa fire (to the south-east) and of āhavanīya, sabhya and āvasathya fires. Even since ancient times there have been agnihotrins who did not set up the sabhya and āvasathya fires. Half of the sand (that has already been brought among the sambhāras) is divided into two parts, one (i. e. ¼ of the whole heap) being scattered over the place of the gārhapatya and the other (¼) over the place of the dakṣiṇāgni. The other half of the sand heap is divided into three parts each of which is scattered in the places of the other three, āhavanīya, sabhya and āvasathya (but if no sabhya nor āvasathya is to be kept then the half is entirely scattered over the āhavanīya place). In the same way the other earthy materials are placed over the places of the fires with appropriate mantras. After he places the lime stones or pebbles on the various places he brings to his mind his enemy. Then he spreads the various materials on the fire places and after mixing together the materials of wood to the accompaniment of two mantras he scatters them just as he scattered the sand (after dividing them as stated above). He casts to the north over the materials a piece of gold on the place of the gārhapatya²²⁴⁶ and invokes it with a mantra and assigns at a distance a piece of silver for his enemy or throws it into water if he has no enemy. The same process (of casting a golden piece) is followed as to the places of the other fires. He removes the ashes of the brāhmaudanika fire (that has been extinguished as stated already) and in its place deposits the two araṇis from which he produces fire by drilling. When the first rays of the sun spread in the sky (i. e. before the sun's disc is seen, but the eastern horizon is lit up by rays) he places the upper araṇi on the lower one to the accompaniment of the 'daśa-hotṛ'²²⁴⁷ formulae. While generation of fire by attrition is proceeding a white or red horse from whose eyes no water drops (i. e. who is not blear-eyed) and whose knee is dark (or any horse with full testicles) is kept present and a sāman of Śakti Sāṅkṛti is sung; when smoke rises a sāman of Gāthina Kauśika is sung and also the verse 'araṇyor-nihito' (Ṛg. III. 29. 2).

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²²⁴⁵ Tai. Br. I. 1. 9 has 'शल्कैस्तां रात्रिमिन्धिन्धीत। तस्मिन्नुपव्युषसमरणी निदध्यात्। Most of the mantras required here occur in Tai. Br. I. 2. 1.

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²²⁴⁶ Though gold is among the earthy materials, it was not dealt with while the other earthy things were being divided.

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²²⁴⁷ The daśa hotāraḥ are the ten sentences occurring in Tai. Ā. III. 1. viz. ओं चित्तिः सुक्। चित्तमाज्यम्। वाग्वेश्दिः। आधीतं बर्हिः। केतो अग्निः। विज्ञातमग्निः। वाक्पतिर्होता। मन उपवक्ता। प्राणो हविः। सामाऽध्वर्युः। Vide Ait. Br. 24. 6 for the ten in a different order. It should be noted that here ten things connected with the human body are identified with ten things connected with *homa*.

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He (the adhvaryu) invokes the fire with the mantra 'upāvaroha jātavedaḥ' (Tai. Br. II. 5. 8) the moment it is produced. Then the adhvaryu makes the sacrificer recite the *catur-hotṛ* (mantras)²²⁴⁸ and invokes the fire when kindled with the mantra 'ajannagniḥ'. When the fire is produced the yajamāna bestows on the adhvaryu the most desirable fee (i. e. a cow), which he accepts with a mantra. After the fire is produced, the yajamāna breathes over it with the formula 'prajāpatistvā' (Tai. S. IV. 2. 9. 1). The adhvaryu holds over the fire his folded hands turned downwards with a verse, makes it blaze forth by means of fuel-sticks with the words 'samrāḍasi' (Tai. S. IV. 3. 6. 2), holds it in his folded hands turned upwards, sits down on a seat and while the Rathantara and Yajñāyajñīya sāmans are being chanted, he establishes the gārhapatya fire on the *sambhāras* (the earthy and wooden materials scattered as above) by repeating certain mantras according as the sacrificer has a certain gotra²²⁴⁹ (or pravara) and the first vyāhṛti (i. e. bhūḥ) or the first two vyāhṛtis (bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ), the first two Sarparājñī formulæ and the first of the Gharmaśiras texts. The formula for establishing the gārhapatya according to the gotra is stated in note 2249. When establishing the gārhapatya on the sambhāras the adhvaryu further repeats certain mantras (given in Āp. Śr. V. 12. 2) and then the yajamāna invokes the fires with the mantra 'sugārhapatyo' (Tai. Br. I. 2. 1) a nd the adhvaryu makes the yajamāna repeat the Gharmaśiras formulæ. The adhvaryu strews darbhas round the gārhapatya (i. e. he does paristaraṇa).

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²²⁴⁸ The *catur-hotṛs* are the mantras in Tai. Ā. III. 1-5 commencing with 'cittiḥ sruk'. Vide also Tai. Br. III. 12. 5 and note 904 The Ait. Br. 24. 4 says 'देवा॒नां वा ए॒तद्य॒ज्ञियं॒ गुह्यं॒ नाम यच्चतुर्होतारः'. The daśahotṛ mantras in the preceding note are only a portion of the catur hotṛ (vide Sāyaṇa on Tai. Br. III. 12. 5). In the Tai. Br. I. 1. 8 it is said रथन्तरमभिगायते गार्हपत्य आधीयमाने। ... ... वामदेव्यमभिगायत उद्गुध्रियमाणे। ... ... बृहदभिगायत आहवनीय आधीयमाने।

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²²⁴⁹ When the sacrificer is a Bhārgava the formula is भृगूणां त्वा देवानां व्रतेनादधामीति भार्गवस्यादध्यात्. If he is an Āṅgirasa or any brāhmaṇa who is not a Bhārgava or Āṅgirasa the formulæ are respectively अङ्गिरसां त्वा &c. and आदित्यानां त्वा. In the case of a king, a kṣatriya, a vaiśya or a rathakāra sacrificer the formulæ respectively are वरुणस्य त्वा राज्ञो व्रतपते ... दधामि, इन्द्रस्य त्वेन्द्रियेण व्रतपते...दधामि, मनोस्त्वा ग्रामण्यो व्रतपते ... दधामि, ऋभूणां त्वा देवानां &c. Vide तै. ब्रा. I. 1. 4. for the mantras भृगूणां त्वा &c. The सर्पराज्ञी formulæ are भूमिर्भूम्ना द्यौर्वरिणाम्तरिक्षं महित्वा उपस्थे ते देव्यदितेऽग्निमन्नादायादधे। &c. in तै. सं. I. 5. 3 and in I. 5. 4 it is stated सर्पा वै जीर्यन्तोऽमन्यन्त स एतं कसर्णीरः काद्रवेयो मन्त्रमपश्यत् ... ... सर्पराज्ञियाऋग्भिर्गार्हपत्यमादधाति &c. सत्याषाढ says (III. 4) 'भूमिर्भूम्नेति चतस्रः सर्पराज्ञियः.' The formulæ called *gharmaśirāṁsi* are set out in Āp. Śr. V. 12. 1 and Satyāṣāḍha III. 4. They occur in तै. ब्रा. I. 1. 7 and are : घर्मः शिरस्तद्वयमग्निः सं प्रियः पशुभिर्भुवत् । छर्दिस्तोकाय तनयाय यच्छ ॥ वातः प्राणस्तद्वयमग्निः सं प्रियः पशुभिर्भुवत् । स्वदितं तोकाय तनयाय पितुं पच ॥ अर्कश्चक्षुस्तदसौ सूर्यस्तद्वयमग्निः सं प्रियः पशुभिर्भुवत् । यत्ते शुक्रं शुक्रं वर्चः शुक्ला तनूः शुक्लं ज्योतिरजस्रं तेन मे दीदिहि तेन त्वादधेऽग्निनाग्ने ब्रह्मणा ॥. Out of these घर्मः ... ... यच्छ is repeated when establishing गार्हपत्य, वातः प्राण ... ... पच, when establishing अन्वाहार्यपचन ('दक्षिणाग्नि) and अर्कश्चक्षु ...... ब्रह्मणा when establishing आहवनीय. Vide तै. ब्रा. I. 1. 8 for this. The Gārhapatya mound is circular, that of the Āhavanīya is square and that of the Dakṣiṇāgni is semi-circular. All three are about one square aratni in area.

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The procedure for establishing the āhavanīya is to be so arranged that the fire is actually established when half of the sun's disc rises above the eastern horizon. The adhvaryu lights fuel-sticks on the gārhapatya for being carried forward and he takes in a vessel the sand on which fire would be supported to the accompaniment of four verses. Then while carrying the fire, he raises a little the kindled bundle of fuel-sticks and holds the fire on the sand. Then the adhvaryu makes the yajamāna repéat in the right ear of the horse the Agnitanū formulæ (set out in Āp. Śr. V. 13. 7), holds the fire for some time and then lays it down in the place for the āhavanīya.

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