History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c47.22

v3.c47.22

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.