History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c47.s2.7.4

v3.c47.s2.7.4

He himself sits to the northwest of the āhavanīya facing the east, bends his knees, holds the sruc in his left hand and with the right hand offers the samidh ²²⁶⁶ in the midst of the āhavanīya fire with the mantra ‘rajatām tvāgnijyotiṣam’ (according to Āśv. II. 3. 15). Then he sips water with the mantra ‘vidyud-asi vidya me pāpmānam-ṛtāt-satyam-upaimi’ (Āp. VI. 9. 3, Āśv. II. 7. 16). When the samidh has caught fire and is burning brightly, he offers the first oblation (of milk) on the samidh about two finger-breadths from its root with the mantra ‘om bhūr-bhuvaḥ-svarom, agnirjyotir jyotiragniḥ svāhā’ (Vāj. S. III. 9). According to Kāt. he may optionally repeat the mantra 'sajūr devena' (Vāj. S. III. 10). According to Āp. (VI. 10. 8)²²⁶⁷ in the evening agnihotra the mantra is 'agnirjyotir' &c; while in the morning agnihotra it is 'sūryo jyotir-jyotiḥ sūryaḥ svāhā' (Vāj. S. III. 9). Then he places the sruc on the kuśa blades and looks at the gārhapatya with the thought 'bestow on me cattle'. Then he again takes up the sruc, makes a second offering (of milk) which is larger in measure than the first one, but this is offered silently, while he contemplates upon Prajāpati in his mind²²⁶⁸. This second offering is made to the east or north of the first in such a way that the two will not come in contact. He keeps more milk in the sruc than what is taken up in making the second offering. He then raises the sruc twice (thrice according to Āp. VI. 11.