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History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c48: Chapter XXX. Darśa-Pūrṇamāsa

History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c48

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Chapter XXX. Darśa-Pūrṇamāsa

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²²⁷² Vide Tai. S. I. 1. 1-13, I. 6-7, II. 5-6, Śat. Br. I. (S. B. E. vol. 12 pp. 1-273), Āśv. I. 1. 4-I. 13. 10, Āp. I-IV, Kāt. II-IV. 5, Baud. I.

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The Darśapūrṇamāsa sacrifice is the pattern or archetype (*prakṛti*) of all other iṣṭis (which are called vikṛtis or modifications). The śrauta sūtras therefore describe first the Darśapūrṇamāsa at length, though in the order of time agnyādhāna comes first. Āśv. II. 1. 1 says that all iṣṭis, sacrifices in which an animal is offered and those in which soma is offered are explained by the Paurṇamāsa iṣṭi. According to Āp. III. 14. 11-13 a person, after he sets up the three fires, has to perform the Darśapūrṇamāsa throughout his life (till he becomes a saṁnyāsin) or for thirty years (after which he may stop) or till he becomes very old (and unable to perform the rite).²²⁷³

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²²⁷³ ‘यावज्जीवं दर्शपूर्णमासाभ्यां यजेत’ quoted by Śabara on Jai. X. 8. 36. Vide Śat. Br. XI. 1. 2. 13 (S. B. E. vol. 44, p. 5) for 30 years. ताभ्यां यावज्जीवं यजेत । त्रिंशतं वा वर्षाणि । जीर्णा वा विरमेत् । आप. III. 14. 11-13.

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The word ‘amāvāsyā’ literally means ‘the day when (the sun and the moon) dwell or are together.’ It is that *tithi* (day) on which both the sun and the moon are the nearest to each other, while paurṇamāsī is ‘the *tithi* on which the sun and the moon are at the greatest distance from each other.’ Pūrṇamāsa means ‘that moment when the moon is full.’ *Darśa* has the same sense as amāvāsyā. Darśa is taken to mean ‘the day on which the moon is seen only by the sun and by no one else.’ Darśa (*m*) and pūrṇamāsa (*m*) secondarily mean the rites that are performed on the amāvāsyā and the paurṇamāsī respectively.²²⁷⁴ An iṣṭi means a sacrifice in which the sacrificer employs four priests.

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²²⁷⁴ Vide वैजयन्ती on सत्याषाढ (I. 1. ‘संपूर्णा वा’) “गोभिलः । यः परमो विप्रकर्षः सूर्याच्चन्द्रमसौः सा पौर्णमासी यः परमः संनिकर्षः साऽमावास्या । ... तथा पूर्णो मासश्चन्द्रमा यस्मिन्क्षणे स इत्यपि पूर्णमासस्य निर्वचनदर्शनात् । ... यतो न दृश्यते सूर्यसहभावादतो ‘अमावस्यदन्यतरस्याम्’ (पाणिनि 3. 1. 122) इति पाणिनिसूत्यापि च सह वसतःश्चन्द्राकौवस्मिन्निति स्वमावास्याशब्दस्तथा च सूर्येणैव दृश्यते नान्येनेति दर्शशब्दो व्याख्यातः ।”.

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A sketch of the darśapūrṇamāsa iṣṭi is given below principally based upon the śrautasūtras of Satyāṣāḍha and Āśvalāyana.

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One who has performed agnyādheya should begin the performance of darśapūrṇamāsa on the first Full Moon day after it. The iṣṭi on the Full-moon day may occupy two days, but all the actions to be performed in it can be compressed into one day.²²⁷⁵ If extended over two days it is performed on the full moon day and the *pratipad* (the first day of the dark half that follows the Full Moon day), the former being called *upavasatha* day²²⁷⁶ and the latter *yajanīya* day. On the upavasatha day agnyanvādhāna (offering fuel-sticks into fire) and paristaraṇa are performed in the case of the pūrṇamāsa rite and on the yajanīya day the rest is performed. If it is the first pūrṇamāsa iṣṭi or the first darśa iṣṭi, then the sacrificer has to perform the Anvārambhaṇīyā iṣṭi, which is briefly described in the note below.²²⁷⁷

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²²⁷⁵ Vide com. on Kāt. II. 1. 16-17 'पौर्णमासे यद् द्वयहकर्तव्यमुक्तं तदेकस्मिन्नेवाह्न्यग्न्यन्वाधानादि कर्मापवर्गान्तं भवति। अस्मिन्पक्षे प्रातः प्रतिपद्दिन एव सर्वमग्न्यन्वाधानादि कर्मापवर्गान्तं कर्तव्यम्। न पूर्वेद्युरग्न्यन्वाधानदिने प्रतिपदः प्रधानकालत्वाद्दङ्गानां प्रधानकालस्य न्याय्यत्वात्। तत्र च व्रतोपायनीयाज्ञानादण्याज्ञानान्यतरागारशयनानि न भवन्ति। उक्तकालाभावात्। ...अन्यदुपनादि सर्वं भवत्येव।'

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²²⁷⁶ The Śat. Br. I. 1. 7 derives the word by saying that as all the gods betake themselves to the sacrificer's house and abide by him (from 'vas' with 'upa') it is called upavasatha. Com. on Āp. I. 14. 16 says 'श्वो यागार्थं अग्निसमीपे नियमविशिष्टो वास उपवासः'; 'यष्टव्यानां देवतानां योनिसमीपे वासः स उपवसथस्तत्संबन्धयहस्तौपवसथमन्वाधानदिनमिति यावत्।' com. on सत्याषाढ I. 3. p. 99.

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²²⁷⁷ At first two oblations are offered to Sarasvatī with two mantras from Tai. S. III. 5. 1. 1. and the anvārambhaṇīyā follows. In this a cake cooked on eleven potsherds is offered to Agni and Viṣṇu, a *caru* to Sarasvatī, a cake on twelve potsherds to Sarasvat and a cake on eight potsherds to Agni Bhagin. Jaimini (IX. 1. 34-35) establishes that the anvārambhaṇīyā is not repeated every time, but is performed only once. Vide Tai. S. III. 5. 1, Āśv. II. 8, Āp. V. 23. 4-9, Baud. II. 21 for further details.

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On the morning of the full moon day the sacrificer, after the performance of his daily agnihotra, sitting on a seat of darbhas to the west of the gārhapatya, holding kuśa grass in his hand and performing prāṇāyāma and accompanied by his wife, makes a *saṁkalpa* (resolve) as noted below.²²⁷⁸ Then he says to the four priests viz., adhvaryu, brahmā, hotṛ and āgnīdhra 'I choose thee, so and so by name, as my adhvaryu, as my brahmā, as my hotṛ and as my āgnīdhra.' The adhvaryu takes fire from the gārhapatya, carries it to the āhavanīya mound and also to the dakṣiṇāgni mound and places a fuel-stick with its end to the east on the āhavanīya with the verse 'mamāgne varco'²²⁷⁹ (Ṛg. X. 128. 1, Tai. S. IV. 7. 14. 1). The adhvaryu and sacrificer perform *japa* by muttering three verses²²⁸⁰ (from Tai. Br. III. 7. 4 set out in Śat. I. 2. p. 71). While he is between the two fires (āhavanīya and gārhapatya) he mutters standing a verse 'antarāgni...manīṣayā' (Tai. Br. III. 7. 4). Then he offers a *samidh* into the gārhapatya fire with Ṛg. X. 128. 2 (= Tai. S. IV. 7. 14. 1, 'mama devā vihave'). The adhvaryu and sacrificer mutter two verses 'iha prajā &c.' and 'iha paśavo' (Tai. Br. III. 7. 4, Śat. I. 2. p. 71). The adhvaryu then places a *samidh* on the dakṣiṇa fire with 'mayi devā' (Ṛg. X. 128. 3, Tai. S. IV. 3. 14. 1). Then the two mutter a verse 'ayam pitṝṇām' (Tai. Br. III. 7. 4). Those who maintained sabhya and āvasathya fires offered samidhs to them with mantras²²⁸¹ (from Tai. Br. III. 7. 4).

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²²⁷⁸ The संकल्प is श्रीपरमेश्वरप्रीत्यर्थं पौर्णमासेष्ट्या यक्ष्ये; on amāvāsyā he employs the word दर्शष्ट्या for पौर्णमासेष्ट्या.

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²²⁷⁹ A mantra is ordinarily to be recited after saying 'oṁ'. But this is not the rule in śrauta rites and so this has not been stated in the text everywhere. The fuel-stick may be offered either by the sacrificer or by the adhvaryu (Kāt. II. 1. 2).

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²²⁸⁰ The first verse is अग्निं गृह्णामि सुरथं यो मयोभूर्य उद्यन्तमारोहति सूर्यमह्ने। आदित्यं ज्योतिषां ज्योतिरुत्तमं श्वो यज्ञाय रमनां देवनाभ्यः॥ This is repeated if the pūrṇamāsa iṣṭi extends over two days, but if performed in one day he has to say अद्य यज्ञाय for श्वो यज्ञाय. The third verse is इमामुर्जं पञ्चदशौ ये प्रविष्टास्तान्देवान् परिगृह्णामि पूर्वः। अग्निईव्यवाहिव तानावहतु पौर्णमासं हविरिष्ठमेषां मयि॥ On the darśeṣṭi he repeats आमावास्यं हविः for पौर्णमासं हविः in the above.

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²²⁸¹ There is a great divergence of view as to the mantras, the order of the fires and the number of samidhs. Kāt. (II. 1. 3–4) prescribes the offering of two samidhs in each fire (one with a mantra and the other silently). The hymn Ṛg. X. 128 or Tai. S. IV. 3. 14 is called 'Vihavya'. In the Ṛg. it has nine verses, in the Tai. S. it has ten. Some held that three verses of this hymn should be repeated for each fire (Āp. I. 1. 5). The order of fires was, according to some, first gārhapatya, then dakṣiṇāgni, then āhavanīya (Kāt. II. 1. 6). Some said that only the *vyāhṛtis* were to be uttered when offering fuel-sticks (Āp. I. 1. 7, Kāt. II. 1. 6). Another view was that fuel-sticks were to be offered silently.

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If the sacrificer is one who has already performed a soma sacrifice then he has to go through the ceremony called 'śākhāharaṇa'. Such a sacrificer had to offer *sānnāyya* (which is prepared by adding to fresh heated milk the sour milk or curds of the preceding night's milking ).²²⁸² According to the Tai. S. II. 5. 4. 1 sānnāyya was offered only by a somayājī. Sānnāyya was offered to Indra or Mahendra (Śat. Br. I. 6. 4. 21 and Kāt. IV. 2. 10). The Tai. S. II. 5. 4. 4 says that only one who is gataśrī (explained above in note 2259) can offer sānnāyya to Mahendra, while Śat. (I. 4 p. 103) says that for a year or two after soma-yāga the sānnāyya should be offered to Indra and then to Mahendra. In the full moon iṣṭi the deities to whom puroḍāśa (cake) is offered are Agni and Agniṣoma and in it ājya is offered to Prajāpati silently between the two puroḍāśas. In the new moon iṣṭi the deities of puroḍāśa are Agni and Indrāgni and sānnāyya is offered by a somayājī to Indra or Mahendra instead of the puroḍāśa to Indrāgni (Āśv. I. 3. 9-12).

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²²⁸² Vide Haug's tr. of Ait. Br. p. 443 for the preparation of sānnāyya.

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Now *śākhāharaṇa* (which applies only to him who has performed soma-yāga and only in darśeṣṭi) will be described. The adhvaryu fetches a fresh branch of the palāśa or śamī tree, which (branch) is taken from the eastern, northern or north-east side of the tree, which has many leaves and which has not a dried up end. Vide Jai. IV. 2. 7 about the text 'he brings a branch turned to the east' &c. He cuts it off with the words 'iṣe tvā' (Tai. S. I. 1. 1. 1), then touches water, makes it straight or wipes it down with 'ūrje tvā' (Tai. S. I. 1. 1. 1), brings it towards the sacrificial ground with a verse 'imām prācīm' (Tai. Br. III. 7. 4 set out in Āp. I. 2. 1, Śat. I. 2, p. 76). With that branch he drives away (or separates) from their mothers six calves with the mantra 'vāyavas sthopāyavas stha' (Tai. S. I. 1. 1. 1). The adhvaryu makes the cows (of the sacrificer) start for the pasture with the mantra 'devo vaḥ savitā prārpayatu...mā vaḥ stena īśata māgha-śaṁsaḥ' (Tai. S. I. 1. 1), invokes them, when they have started, with a mantra 'śuddhā apaḥ suprapāṇe pibantīḥ' (Ṛg. VI. 28. 7, Tai. Br. II. 8. 8 set out in Śat. I. 2, p. 79). Then he returns to the house of the sacrificer with 'dhruvā asmin......bahvīḥ' (Tai. S. I. 1. 1) and keeps the branch in a well-known place (so that it might not fall or be lost) on the sacred fire ground or on a wooden frame near the fires with 'protect the cattle of the sacrificer' (Tai. S. I. 1. 1). Jai. (III. 6. 28-29) states that śākhāharaṇa is meant for both evening and morning milking.

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The sacrificer²²⁸³ crosses by the west of the āhavanīya to its south and performs ācamana (sipping water). Then he contemplates on the sea and pays homage to the deities viz. Agni, Vāyu, Āditya and Vratapati in the manner set out below.²²⁸⁴

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²²⁸³ In the case of one who has not performed somayāga and who therefore offers no sānnāyya the actions from cutting off a twig to its being laid down are not done, but the first important matter that is begun in his case is fetching *barhis* (kuśa grass). Vide Baud. I. 1 'यस्तु वै न संनयति बर्हिः प्रतिपद्येत'.

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²²⁸⁴ अग्ने व्रतपते व्रतं चरिष्यामि तच्छकेयं तन्मे राध्यताम् । वायो व्रतपते व्रतं ... राध्यताम् । आदित्य व्रतपते ... राध्यताम् । व्रतानां व्रतपते ... राध्यताम् ।. Vide Tai. S. I. 5. 10. 3 for the first and Tai. Br. III. 7. 4 for all.

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*Barhirāharaṇa* (bringing in the bundles of sacred kuśa grass for use). There are various stages in this operation, each stage having its own mantra. The mantras are short prose formulæ which occur in the Tai. S. I. 1. 2. They are not set out in detail here. The various stages are: he (adhvaryu) takes up a sickle or the rib of a horse or ox kept to the north of the gārhapatya with the famous mantra 'devasya tvā savituḥ prasave ...... ādade' (I take thee at the impulse of God savitṛ &c.). He pays homage to the gārhapatya with a mantra. The sickle (but not the rib) is heated on the gārhapatya fire. He then goes to the east or north of the sacrificial ground (vihāra) for some distance, finds out a spot where the desired grass grows, leaves aside one clump of darbhas from those growing there and marks as many clumps of darbha as he feels would be enough for his purpose, leaves one clump or one or two blades with the words, 'I leave you aside as the portion of beasts', touches those darbhas that he intends to cut with 'this is for the gods', holds them by his closed fingers (of the left hand), rubs them upwards with his right hand, brings the sickle in close contact with them, repeats a mantra over the grass and cuts off as much as can be held in his closed fingers the nails of which touch each other. This first handful of blades that are cut is called *prastara*. Then he further cuts an uneven number of handfuls of darbhas (3, 5, 7, 9, 11),²²⁸⁵ repeating the same processes and mantras for each handful, touches the stumps from which blades are cut off with the mantra 'God Barhis! may you grow into a hundred shoots' and touches the region of his heart with 'may we grow into thousand branches'. He touches water and passes round a handful of darbhas a cord (śulba) from left to right, then puts thereon another handful of darbhas and passes a cord round it. In this way three or five handfuls are surrounded by a cord, which has its end stretched on the ground towards the east or north. Then heaps of blades are added on and over the last heap the *prastara* is placed. The whole is then firmly bound with the cord and a knot is made. He takes hold of the bundle thus tied, raises it up, places it on his head, returns with it by the way he went, keeps it inside the *vedi* on some grass (and not on the bare ground) near the spot where the middle paridhi would be. He pronounces over the barhis thus placed a mantra and keeps the barhis near the gārhapatya on a mat or the like. He also cuts off silently and brings along with *barhis* other darbhas called *paribhojanīya* and dried up kuśa grass also (*ulaparāji*).²²⁸⁶

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²²⁸⁵ Āp. I. 4. 3 and Baud. I. 2 speak of an uneven number of *muṣṭis*, while Sat. I. 2, p. 84 says they may be even or uneven in number.

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²²⁸⁶ The paribhojanīya darbhas are meant for making seats for the priests, the sacrificer and his wife. Vide Haug's tr. of Ait. Br. p. 79 for a note on *barhis*, paribhojanīya and *veda*. Āp. I. 6. 4 states that while making the veda bunch the mantra 'tvayā vediṁ vividuḥ' (Tai. Br. III. 7. 4) is recited.

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*Idhmāharaṇa* (bringing the wood-sticks). Twenty-one wood-sticks of palāśa or khadira are required, out of which 15 are meant for throwing into the fire at the time of repeating the sāmīdhenī verses, three are paridhis,²²⁸⁷ two samidhs are to be used at the two *āghāras* and the 21st is the stick for *anūyājas*. A cord is made of darbhas and spread on the ground with its end to the north, the idhma is heaped on it with a mantra (Āp. I. 6. 1, Sat. I. 2. p. 89). The bundle is tied with the cord and a knot is made and the idhma is laid alongside of the *barhis*. The pieces of wood that are thrown off when cutting the idhma are called *idhmapravraścana*. A bunch of darbhas called *veda* is made of the size of the knee of a calf by doubling and tying the darbhas with a cord and cutting the darbhas about one span above the tying cord and a mantra is repeated over it (‘vedosi’ &c. in Sat. I. 2. p. 90). This veda is employed in sweeping the vedi with a mantra. It is given to the wife when she has to repeat a mantra in any action (compare Āśv. I. 11. 1). The cut portions of darbhas of which veda is formed are called *veda-parivāsana*. These two, idhmapravraścana and veda-parivāsana, are placed together. He takes up a branch, cuts off its leaves (but not all) inside the vedi, so chisels one end of it as to make of it a shovel. This is called upaveṣa²²⁸⁸. He recites a mantra over it (upaveṣosi... bhavāsi naḥ, Āp. I. 6. 7, Sat. I. 3. p. 91). In the Full moon sacrifice the upaveṣa is made silently. He places on the upaveṣa a triple (made of three darbhas) band of darbhas in such a way that the roots and end portions of both are in contact but they are not tied together into a knot over it. The sacrificer invokes this triple band called pavitra with a mantra ‘trivṛt palāśe &c.’ (Tai. Br. III. 7. 4, Āp. I. 6. 10, Sat. I. 3. p. 92).

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²²⁸⁷ परिधि means an encircling stick of wood 'अग्नेः परितो धीयन्ते तानि काष्ठानि परिधयः' com. on Sat. I. 2, p. 88. They are of some sacrificial tree such as palāśa, kārśmarya, khadira, udumbara &c. They may be undried or dried but must have the bark on. The middle one is the thickest, that to the south is the longest, that to the north is the thinnest and shortest. Vide Āp. I. 5. 7-10 and Kāt. II. 8. 1 for paridhis. The paridhis are about three spans or one *bāhu* long, while samidhs are two spans (prādeśa, distance between the thumb and index finger when both are stretched away from each other).

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²²⁸⁸ अङ्गारप्रेषणार्थं काष्ठमुपवेष इति समाख्यायते । com. on Āp. I. 6. 7. It is one span long. Com. on कात्या. II. 4. 26 says ‘उपवेषोऽङ्गारोपोधनसमर्थं हस्ताकृति काष्ठम्’. It is of palāśa and one end of it is made to resemble a shovel.

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After this in the afternoon the piṇḍa-pitṛyajña is performed in the darśeṣṭi, but not in the pūrṇamāsa iṣṭi. Piṇḍapitṛyajña is separately described below.

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If the sacrificer has celebrated the soma sacrifice at some time then he has to perform sāyaṃ-doha. When the householder has offered the evening agnihotra, he spreads darbhas to the north of the gārhapatya, washes the sānnāyya utensils (that are the same as are required for sāyaṃ-doha) in twos and lays them on the darbhas with their mouths turned downwards. The utensils are stated in the note below.²²⁸⁹ He then makes two pavitras (strainers, purifiers) of two darbhas that are alike in appearance and colour, a span in length, the tips of which are not cut, but which are cut from their stems with a knife or sickle by having a blade of grass or wood placed over them (but not with the nails) with a mantra 'pavitre stho' (Tai. Br. III. 7. 4) and are invoked with a mantra (prāṇāpānau &c.). The adhvaryu wipes them with water upwards (from the bottom) with the mantra 'you two are holy by the mind of Viṣṇu'. Jai. III. 8. 32 (and also Śabara thereon) says that the two pavitras and the vidhṛtis (described later on) are not taken from the cut barhis, but from the kuśa grass called paribhojanīya. The adhvaryu loudly announces 'purify the cow, the ropes and all the utensils'.²²⁹⁰ The adhvaryu places the two pavitras inside the agnihotra-havaṇī, pours water therein, purifies the water by moving the pavitras eastward and then backwards and raising them up thrice with their tips to the north by repeating the mantra in the gāyatrī metre 'devo vaḥ savitotpunātu' (Tai. S. I. 1. 5.

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1) once,²²⁹¹ there being a rest at the end of each pāda (and twice silently). He invokes the water with 'āpo devīr-agrepuvaḥ... (Tai. I. 1. 5. 1, Vāj. S. I. 12-13), then turns the mouths of the vessels upwards and sprinkles them thrice with the water (leaving no water in the agnihotrahavanī) and with 'may you purify for this divine rite, for the worship of gods' (Tai. S. I. 1. 3. 1). He keeps the two pavitras in a wellknown place. He waits for the cows coming from the pasture with a mantra 'etā ācaranti' (Tai. Br. III. 7. 4).²²⁹² The adhvaryu takes the upaveṣa with 'thou art dhṛṣṭi, impart brahma' (Tai. S. I. 1. 7. 1), takes out with the upaveṣa burning coals from the gārhapatya to its north. He places the ukhā on those coals and kindles burning coals round it with 'may you become hot with the tapas of Bhṛgus and Aṅgirases' (Tai. S. I. 1. 7. 2). Then he issues a direction to the milker of the cow "announce to me when the calf joins the cow ". He places the *śākhāpavitra* with its tip to the east (to the north in the morning milking) in the ukhā with a mantra, touches the ukhā and restrains his speech ²²⁹³ holding the *śākhāpavitra*. The person who is to milk the cow takes the abhidhānī (the rope) with 'adityai rāsnāsi' (Tai. S. I. 1. 2. 2) and the two nidāna ropes silently and makes the calf join the cow with 'thou art Pūṣan'.

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The adhvaryu issues a direction that no one is to pass between the cow that is being sucked by the calf and the sacrificial ground (vihāra) and all obey it. The adhvaryu invokes the cow with a mantra and the milker sits down near the cow to milk her with a mantra.²²⁹⁴ The householder repeats a mantra when the cow is being milked and another when he hears the sound of the streams of milk falling into the vessel. The milker brings the milk to the adhvaryu, who asks him 'whom did you milk, declare to us, (this is) an offering to Indra, it is vigour'. The milker refers to the cow by her name (such as Gaṅgā) and adds 'in whom milk has been placed for gods and men'. The adhvaryu replies 'she (the cow named) is the life of all'. The adhvaryu places the pavitra in the kumbhī (or ukhā) and pours therein the milk across the pavitra with a mantra. The adhvaryu gets two more cows milked in the same manner (i. e. with the same mantras &c.) except the directions (such as no one should come &c.). The only difference is that the names of the cows will be different (such as Yamunā) and that the 2nd and 3rd cows are referred to by him respectively as 'viśvavyacāḥ' and 'viśvakarmā' instead of 'viśvāyuḥ' (in his prativacana). After three cows are milked he loudly utters thrice 'milk much for Indra, may the offering (havya) increase for the gods, for the calves, for men; be ready for milking again'.

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If there are more cows (generally six are referred to) they also are got milked with the same mantras as for the first cow or silently and the adhvaryu does not hold his tongue, nor does he touch the kumbhī while the other cows are being milked. Jai. (XI. 1. 47-53) concludes that the passage of Tai. Br. about milking the other three cows is a mere anuvāda and not a *vidhi* and Śabara quotes passages of the śruti that on that night no agnihotra is offered with milk and the children in the house do not get any milk (as all milk is used up for the sānnāyya). When all are milked, if any drops have fallen about (on the ground &c.) he repeats a mantra (Tai. S. I. 1. 3. 1) and invokes the pot in which sānnāyya is to be prepared with a mantra. He washes the inside of the milking vessel with water and then pours that water into the pot (in which sānnāyya is to be prepared). He heats the milk and pours over it (i. e. does *abhighāraṇa*) clarified butter silently. He draws the heated pot from the burning coals in such a way as to make a line on the ground and places it to the east, north or north-east with a mantra. When the bottom of the heated vessel cools, he adds curds to it in order to coagulate the fresh milk with 'I add soma (i. e. curds) to thee in order to turn thee into curds for Indra' (Tai. S. I. 1. 3).²²⁹⁵ He adds to the vessel what remains sticking to the pot or sruc after agnihotra was offered with a mantra or silently.

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He pours water in the vessel that is meant as a lid or cover and places that cover or lid on the pot of heated milk. If the covering be of earthenware he throws thereon grass or a twig. He takes out the śākhāpavitra with a mantra (if a palāśa branch was used) or silently (if one of śamī was used) and keeps it in a secure place. He keeps the sānnāyya in the gārhapatya side of the vihāra on a śikya or some such contrivance with 'O Viṣṇu, guard the offering'.

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²²⁸⁹ अग्निहोत्रहवणीमुखास्रुपवेषं शाखापवित्रमभिधानीं निदाने दोहनमपस्त्याचं द्यावपात्रं वा पिधानार्थम् । सत्याषाढ I. 3. p. 93. These are eight. Vide Āp. I. 11. 5 for these. For agni-hotrahavanī and upaveṣa vide notes 2263 and 2288 above. *Ukhā* is the same as the kumbhī of Āp. *Ukhā* is an earthen vessel or pan. *Abhidhānī* is a rope for tying the cow (or the calf according to com. on Āp.). The two *nidānas* are ropes for tying the hind feet of the cow near her hoofs and knees. *Dohana* is the pot in which the cow is milked. There is a wooden or metal lid to cover the dohana. *Śākhāpavitra* is made from the branch out of which the upaveṣa was prepared and consists in the top of that branch which is tied round with three darbhas like a braid (according to Śr. P. N.).

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²²⁹⁰ Most of the mantras in the sāyaṃdoha are taken from the Tai. S. I. 1. 3 and 5, 7 and Tai. Br. III. 7. 4 and they are not specified in each case. Some mantras are sautra. Each action is accompanied by a mantra which directly or indirectly refers to it. As the Ait. Br. I. 4 says एतद्वै यज्ञस्य समृद्धं यद्रूपसमृद्धं यत् कर्म क्रियमाणमृग्यजुर्वाभिवदतीति।

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²²⁹¹ According to Āp. I.11.9 the three *pādas* of the mantra accompany each act of *utpavana*. उत्पवनमुत्प्लवग्राभ्यां पवित्राभ्यामूर्ध्वपवनं शोधनम्पास्। याज्ञिका हस्तद्वयेन पवित्रे गृहीत्वोत्पुनन्ति तन्मूलमन्त्रेऽप्यस्। com. on Sat. I. 3. p. 94.

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²²⁹² From Āp. I. 11. 10 it appears that the mantra 'etā ācaranti' is recited by the sacrificer.

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²²⁹³ The com. on Āp. I. 12. 5 explains that 'vāgyamana (holding one's tongue) means 'not uttering any word except a mantra'. 'मन्त्रा-वृत्त्यस्यान्याहरणे वाग्यमनं यदि प्रमत्तो व्याहरेदिति लिङ्गात् ' com.

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²²⁹⁴ The cow is to be made to yield milk by the sucking of the calf and not by manipulating the udders with the hand. 'वत्सेन च दोहार्थं प्रसवः साध्यः ' com. on Śat. I. 3. p. 96. The तै. ब्रा. II. 1. 8 (न संसृ-शति) forbids manipulation of the udders with fingers to induce the flow of milk. Āp. I. 12. 15 says that there is an option as to whether a śūdra can be the milker in this sacrifice.

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²²⁹⁵ There were several views here about adding curds. One, two or three cows are milked on the day previous to the upavasatha day (i.e. on the 14th) and that milk is used to acidify the fresh heated milk of the evening of the upavasatha day. Another method was to milk the cow or cows on the 12th, then to add the curds of that to the milk of the 13th day and add all the curds of those two days to the milk of the 14th day i. e. milking and adding of curds was to go on continuously from the 12th, 13th and 14th or from 13th or from 14th. Vide Āp. I. 13. 12 and Sat. I. 3, p. 99. If no curds be available he adds either rice or pieces of palāśa bark or wild or village badara fruit or pūtīka plant (the pratinidhi of soma) to the milk to make it sour. Vide Āp. I. 14. 1, Sat. I. 3. p. 100.

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He brings another branch with which or with darbhas he separates the calves for the morning milking (on the principal day). The same procedure as for *sāyaṁdoha* is followed in the morning milking (of the principal day). There are a few differences as to mantras, as to not adding coagulating substance, which are passed over.

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After the *sāyaṁdoha* (evening milking) the adhvaryu directs (āgnīdhra or some other priest or himself) 'strew kuśa grass round the fires, first round āhavanīya, then gārhapatya, then dakṣiṇāgni' or the order may be first gārhapatya, then dakṣiṇāgni and lastly āhavanīya. The darbhas strewn on the south and north have tips turned to the east. The sacrificer mutters a mantra when kuśas are being strewn.

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Having done so much he observes the amāvāsyā as an *upavasatha*. Thus on the amāvāsyā day he performs agnyanvādhāna (offering fuel-sticks into fires), separating the calves with the branch, sāyaṁdoha, bringing *barhis* and *idhma*, preparing the veda and vedi and observing some vows. But two of these viz. separating calves from their mothers and sāyaṁdoha are performed only by him who has already performed a soma sacrifice. In the case of the pūrṇamāsa iṣṭi if spread over two days, on the Full moon day only agnyanvādhāna and strewing kuśas round the fires are gone through and on the next day are performed the bringing of barhis and idhma and making of veda and all the other rites. If the iṣṭi is to be performed in one day only, then kuśa grass is strewn round the fires after the making of the *veda* bunch.

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About sānnāyya Sat. states some divergent views. The Kāpeyas held that even one who has not performed soma-yāga may offer sānnāyya and the deity in his case will be Indra and after he offers Soma, the deity for sānnāyya will be Mahendra. According to Śabara on Jai. X. 8. 44 the Gopāyanas held that one who has not performed a soma sacrifice may offer sānnāyya. According to Sat. himself, for a year or two after Somayāga the deity will be Indra and then Mahendra if the sacrificer so desires. Persons of the Aurva and Gautama gotras and those who are *gataśrī* (vide note 2259) may if they like offer sānnāyya to Mahendra even before performing Somayāga. Compare Āp. I. 14. 8-11 and vide Jai. X. 8. 35-46 (about the two puroḍāśas and sānnāyya).

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On the principal day (i. e. the first day of the dark half in the case of pūrṇamāsa) the sacrificer offers his daily agnihotra before sunrise and begins after sunrise the performance of the pūrṇamāsa iṣṭi (and in the case of the darśeṣṭi before sunrise).

v3.c48.43

He washes his hands with water with the mantra "May I be able to carry out this rite meant for you two and for gods" (Tai. S. I. 1. 4. 1). From the place of the gārhapatya fire to the āhavanīya he spreads a line of dry kuśa grass continuously with their tips to the east (without leaving any space uncovered) with the mantra 'thou art the continuity of the sacrifice, I spread thee for the continuity of sacrifice, thee for the continuity of the sacrifice' (Tai. Br. III. 2.4) and then spreads another line of kuśas to the south and another to the north of this first line silently. To the south of the āhavanīya, seats of kuśa grass are made ready for the brahmā priest and the sacrificer, that of the brahmā being to the east of the seat of the sacrificer and directly to the south of the āhavanīya and of the sacrificer to the south of the south corner of the east side of the vedi. To the north of gārhapatya kuśas are strewn with their tips to the east or north and on them the sacrificial implements (yajñapātras) are placed in twos after being washed with water and with their mouths turned down, viz., the sphya and kapālas &c. (vide above note 2233 for the ten). This is called pātrāsādana (placing the utensils near).²²⁹⁶

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²²⁹⁶ Besides the above the following are also placed:—जुहूं चोपभृतं च स्रुवं च ध्रुवां च प्राशित्रहरणं चेदापात्रं च मेक्षणं च पिष्टोद्वपनीं च प्रणीताप्रणयनं चाज्यस्थालीं च वेदं च दारुपात्रीं च योक्त्रं च वेदपरिवासनं च धृष्टिं चेध्मप्रव्रश्चनं चान्वाहार्यस्थालीं च मदन्तीं च यानि चान्यानि पात्राणि तान्येवमेव द्वन्द्वं संसाद्य। बो. I. 4; vide also सत्याषाढ I. 4 which adds कुटरु, explained as पाषाणः कुट्टनसाधनम्.

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Then follows *brahmavaraṇa*.

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The sacrificer sitting on a seat with his face to the north then chooses his brahmā priest who faces the east near the utkara with the formula²²⁹⁷ 'O! Lord of the earth! Lord of the worlds! Lord of great being (Heaven?)! I choose thee as brahmā' (Tai. Br. III. 7. 6). The brahmā priest when so chosen mutters a long formula (which is given in Āp. III. 18. 4 from the Tai. Br. III. 7. 6 and part of which is translated here) 'I am the Lord of the earth, Lord of the worlds, lord of the great being. Being impelled by god Savitṛ I shall perform the duties of a priest. God Savitṛ! Here they choose thee (who art) Lord of speech, as the divine brahmā priest; I proclaim this to mind, mind proclaims to Gāyatrī ... the Viśve Devas to Bṛhaspati, Bṛhaspati to Brahmā, Brahmā is bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ, suvaḥ. Bṛhaspati is the priest of the Gods, I am the brahmā priest of human beings'. Then he loudly says 'O Bṛhaspati, protect the sacrifice' (*ibid.*) and crossing the altar by the west of the āhavanīya towards the south of the āhavanīya, stands to the south of his seat with his face to the north, takes a kuśa blade from the blades on the seat prepared for him, casts it to the south-west (the direction of Nir-ṛti, ill-luck) with the words 'avaunt,²²⁹⁸ Daidhiṣavya (son of a re-married widow?), get up from this place, occupy the seat of another, who is more ignorant than me' (Tai. S. III. 2. 4. 4.), touches water and sits down on his seat with face to the east with a mantra and then faces the āhavanīya with a mantra 'Here do I, impelled by God Savitṛ, sit on the seat of Vasu (or prosperity) lower in level (than the āhavanīya mound), I occupy the seat of Bṛhaspati, this I declare to Agni, to Vāyu, to the Sun, to the Earth' (vide Āp. III. 18. 4, Kāt. II. 1. 24). The brahmā is required to be the most learned in Vedic lore (brahmiṣṭha, as Āp. III. 18. 1 says) and he is to observe silence while mantras are being repeated and superintends all actions. His permission is asked by the adhvaryu at the time of doing most of the acts, such as leading forward the praṇītā water, sprinkling the bundle of fuel-sticks and kuśa grass. There are four priests in darśapūrṇamāsa (vide note 2228). The sacrificer also crosses by the west side of the āhavanīya to its south, throws away silently a blade of kuśa from his seat and then sits down on the seat prepared for him, with his face to the east. The adhvaryu takes two darbhas of equal thickness, the tops of which are not cut off and makes them a span in length by cutting off their roots (without using his nails).²²⁹⁹

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²²⁹⁷ The choosing of brahmā takes place on the north of the vedi near the utkara, and then the brahmā priest comes to the south of the āhavanīya either from the east side or the west side of the āhavanīya according to one's śākhā; vide (Kāt. II. 1. 21 and com.).

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²²⁹⁸ अहे दैधिषव्योदस्तस्तिष्ठान्यस्य सदने सीद योऽस्मत्पाकतर इति ब्रह्मसदनमीक्षते । ब्रह्मसदनातृणं निरस्यति निरस्तः पाप्मा सह तेन यं द्विष्म इति । कात्या. II. 1. 22-23.

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²²⁹⁹ The two darbha blades are called *pavitra* (neuter noun) and the process described here is called *pavitrakaraṇa* and has been described above.

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The adhvaryu, sitting to the west (or north) of the gārhapatya fire, takes a camasa (a rather flat vessel or pan) in which water is to be carried forward with 'to thee for Dakṣa' (Āp. I. 17. 1) and washes it thrice with water once with mantra and twice silently. The mantra is 'thou art made of plants, may you be washed for gods, may you shine for the gods, may you be pure for gods' (Āp. I. 16. 3). He keeps the two pavitras in the camasa and pours water in the camasa with 'who takes you, let him take you, for whom shall I take you, I take you for him, you for prosperity' (Āp. I. 16. 3) and at the same time contemplates on the Earth with 'I take you with this' (not uttered). He fills the vessel so as to leave some space at the top and purifies the water by the process called utpavana (described above in note 2291). He then invokes them with 'may the divine waters, that are the first purifiers and the leaders carry this sacrifice to the front, may they place the lord of the sacrifice in front, Indra chose you in his fight with Vṛtra, you chose him in the fight with Vṛtra, you are sprinkled' (Tai. S. I. 1. 5. 1). The adhvaryu then asks the permission of the brahmā priest in the words 'Brahman! shall I carry forward the water' and issues a direction 'sacrificer, observe silence'. The brahmā priest mutters a mantra 'Lead forward the sacrifice, sustain these deities, may the sacrificer be on the back of heaven. Place this sacrifice and the sacrificer in the world where the seven sages and other men of holy deeds dwell' and loudly says 'yes, do carry the water forward'. The adhvaryu then repeats the verse 'who carries you forward? Let him carry you forward. I carry forward the divine waters; may they sit round our sacrifice, conveying to the sacrificer thousandfold prosperity, the waters that delight in drink, having a shining (or oily) appearance'. He holds the water in a vessel which is covered by the sphya that has its tip to the east and that is held level with his nose and carries it forward without allowing even a drop to fall down. When the water is being carried the sacrificer invokes it with a mantra.²³⁰⁰ The adhvaryu places the water vessel (praṇītāpātra) on darbha grass to the north of the āhavanīya with the mantra 'you are sanctified by brahma (prayers); who employs you? Let him employ for (securing) all desires, for the worship of gods (Āp. IV. 4. 4)' and then covers the vessel with kuśas. All these acts constitute *praṇītāpraṇayana*. While the water is being placed near the āhavanīya the sacrificer invokes it with the immediately preceding mantra and passes his eye over the whole of the sacrificial ground. No one is to pass between the āhavanīya and the praṇītā water (Kāt. II. 3. 4).

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²³⁰⁰ The mantra is भूयः कश्च वाक् चक्षुः च श्रोत्रं चहृ च सं च पूर्वैः पूर्वैश्च पृच्छे-काश्वराः पूर्वऋजा विराजो या इदं विश्वं भुवनं ग्यानसुता नो देवेषितरसा संविदानाः स्वस्ति यज्ञं नयत प्रजावतीः । It occurs in आप. IV. 4. 4.

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The principal purpose of the praṇītā waters is that they are used for making the ground grains into a dough for puroḍāśa and their final disposal is to be poured into the vedi (Jai. IV. 2. 14-15). The adhvaryu comes back by the same way that he went, places down the sphya among the yajñapātras and touches the sacrificial utensils with his hand wearing a pavitra with the mantra 'may the divine groups enter into the sacrificial utensils'.

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Then follows *nirvāpa*²³⁰¹ (taking out handfuls of grains or a portion of other sacrificial material). The adhvaryu takes in his hand the ladle called agnihotra-havaṇī with 'thou art made of a tree for dakṣa' (strength). Then he holds it in his left hand and takes the winnowing basket (śūrpa) in his right hand with 'to thee for the all-pervading (yajña)'. Then he heats it (ladle) on the gārhapatya fire with 'the *rakṣas* (evil spirit) is burnt, the enemies are burnt'. He then touches water.²³⁰² The adhvaryu asks the permission of the sacrificer in the words 'sacrificer! shall I take out sacrificial material' and the sacrificer replies 'yes, do take out'. The adhvaryu then utters the words 'I go towards the wide space' and approaches a cart or wooden frame (śakaṭa) standing to the west of the āhavanīya or gārhapatya containing either rice or barley grains (in the husk), which has the shafts turned to the east or north, which has the yoke joined to it and is covered with mats. While touching the right side of the yoke he mutters 'thou art dhūr (destructive fire), injure the destructive (enemy), destroy him who seeks to destroy us and whom we seek to destroy'. He touches the left shaft and mutters the mantra 'thou art of the gods (i. e. belongest to them), thou art the purest (or the most generous), the fullest, the dearest, the best carrier, the best summoner of the gods'.

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He places (firmly touches with) his right foot on the left wheel (of the śakaṭa) with 'Viṣṇu traversed thee'. He mounts the cart with his left foot with 'thou art an unbent receptacle of *havis*, mayst thou be strong and not break (or bend)'. He makes an opening by removing the mats covering the śakaṭa and looks at the corn to be used for making the puroḍāśa and at the mats while repeating twice the mantra 'I look at thee with the eye of Mitra, do not be afraid, do not tremble, I shall not injure thee'. He touches the corn (to be used for puroḍāśa) with 'may you sustain strength', then touches his own heart with 'put milk in me' and touches water. Then he throws aside a blade of grass or clod of earth with 'warded off is the evil spirit', touches water and repeats the Daśahotṛ mantras.²³⁰³ He places the two pavitras in the winnowing basket (silently), takes one handful of the grain (from the cart) with 'may the five fingers give you for protection, and not to the enemy' (Maitrāyaṇīya S. I. 1. 5), puts (empties) the handful in the sruc (agnihotrahavanī) and puts in the winnowing basket (on which the two pavitras have been kept) four handfuls of grain by means of the agnihotra-havaṇī, three with the mantra (repeated thrice) 'at the command of god Savitṛ, with the arms of Aśvins, with the hand of Pūṣan I take out thee that art dear to Agni'²³⁰⁴ and the fourth silently. Jai. (IX. 1.

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36-37) concludes that this mantra is the same even in all modifications of the darśapūrṇamāsa and Śabara explains 'savituh prasave' as meaning 'urged by the yajamāna' (or when the sun rises), 'aśvins' as meaning the sacrificer and his wife (as they make a gift of the horse in agnyādheya) and pūṣan as meaning 'yajamāna' himself (who supports all). In Jai. XI. 4. 44-45 it is stated that the mantra for nirvāpa 'devasya tvā', the mantra for cutting off barhis (barhirdevasadanam dāmi) are to be repeated and not to be uttered only once. In Jai. V. 2. 4-5 it is established that all the saṁskāras are to be performed on all the grains after four handfuls are taken and not on each handful as it is taken out. The sacrificer invokes with a mantra while the adhvaryu is making the nirvāpa 'I call here Agni, the hotṛ and the gods that are well disposed to sacrifice; may the gods, pleased in mind, come and may they partake of this my offering.' Having finished the taking out of grains in four handfuls, (the adhvaryu) throws on them some more grains with his hand. If no cart is available, he keeps an earthen vessel on the sphya placed on the altar with its tip to the north or east and takes out the grains from that vessel (this is the modern practice) and then removes the wooden sword from underneath it. The same procedure is followed in the case of puroḍāśas for other deities.

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The adhvaryu touches the grains taken out with ‘this of the gods’ and touches the rest (remaining in the śakaṭa or vessel) with ‘this is ours together (with the gods).’ He invokes the grains taken out with ‘I take (or invoke) thee for increase and not for malevolence.’ He moves out of the mats covering the cart (or from near the vessel) taking with him the śūrpa with ‘thee I release from the fetters of Varuṇa’ (compare Maitrāyaṇī S. I. 1. 5). He looks at the sacrificial ground, the fires, the utensils, the priests with ‘may I see heaven’ and at the āhavanīya with ‘the light of Vaiśvānara (Agni).’ He gets down from the cart with ‘may the posts (or mansions) of Heaven and Earth, stand firm’ (if corn is taken from a vessel he only mutters these words). He invokes the grains that have fallen down (when four handfuls were taken out) with ‘to Heaven and Earth, svāhā’ and goes near the gārhapatya with ‘follow wide space (or sky).’ He puts down the śūrpa (containing the corn taken out) near the gārhapatya to its west (or near that fire on which in that particular rite he has to bake the cake) with ‘I make you sit on the lap of Aditi’²³⁰⁵ and consigns it to the protection of that deity (for which the cake is meant) with ‘O fire!

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protect the sacrificial material.’²³⁰⁶ The adhvaryu pours water in the (agnihotrahavaṇī) ladle to which the awns of the rice or barley grains stick and purifies it thrice with the two pavitras (blades of kuśa) held in the hands and with the mantra ‘may god Savitṛ &c.’ (vide p. 1024 above) and invokes it with ‘may the divine waters’ &c. Then the adhvaryu seeks the permission of the brahmā priest with ‘Brahman! shall I sprinkle’ (with holy water the sacrificial material). The brahmā priest mutters ‘sprinkle the sacrifice, sustain these deities &c.’ and loudly says ‘Yes, do sprinkle.’ The adhvaryu then sprinkles water thrice, once with the mantra ‘at the command of Savitṛ ...... I sprinkle thee that are dear to Agni' (or Agni and Soma or other deity as the case may be) and twice silently. One should so sprinkle that drops of water may not fall on the fire. He then upturns the sacrificial utensils (i. e. instead of their mouths being down, their mouths are now upturned) and sprinkles them thrice with water with 'may you become pure for divine rite, for worship of gods'.²³⁰⁷ The rest of the water taken for sprinkling is placed to the east of the gārhapatya (in a sruc). It is stated by Jaimini (IX. 1. 2–3) that the prokṣaṇa of the mortar and pestle or the mill-stones has an unseen spiritual result (apūrva).

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²³⁰¹ The mantras required here occur in Tai. S. I. 1. 4 and Vāj. S. I. 7 ff and so are not indicated in each place. 'देवताथैत्वेन पृथक्करणं निर्वापः' com. on Āp. I. 17. 10.

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²³⁰² Whenever any mantra referring to evil spirits and the like is uttered, one has to touch water thereafter before doing anything else. Vide 'रौद्रं राक्षसमासुरमाभिचारिकं मन्त्रमुक्त्वा षिड्यमात्मानं चालभ्योपस्पृशेत्' कात्या. I. 10. 14.

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²³⁰³ The 'daśahotṛ' mantras are 'चित्तिः स्रुक् चित्तमाज्यं' &c. quoted in note 2247 above.

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²³⁰⁴ If the puroḍāśa is meant for Agni and Soma (jointly) as in pūrṇamāsa, the words 'agniṣomābhyām juṣṭam' will be substituted for 'agnaye juṣṭam' and the names of other deities in the cases of other puroḍāśas. Vide Kāt. II. 3. 21, Āp. I. 18. 1, Jaimini IX. 1. 38-39.

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²³⁰⁵ Aditi in this passage means the earth, according to the Tai. Br. III. 2. 4.

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²³⁰⁶ If the cake is meant for Agni and Soma then the mantra would be अग्नीषोमौ हव्यं रक्षेथाम्.

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²³⁰⁷ The com. on Kāt. II. 3. 40 याभिरद्भिर्हविषः पात्राणां च प्रोक्षणं कृतं ताः प्रोक्षण्यः अग्निहोत्रहवणस्थाः।

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The adhvaryu sits to the west of the gārhapatya, takes hold of the black antelope skin lying on the altar with 'thou art the whirl of the wind' and shakes it thrice on the utkara holding it in such a way that the neck portion is up and the hairy portion inside (towards himself) with 'destroyed is the evil spirit, destroyed are the enemies'. To the west of the utkara he spreads the antelope²³⁰⁸ skin with its neck portion westwards (Śat. Br. I. 1. 4. 5) and its hairy portion upwards with "thou art the skin of Aditi'. The portion²³⁰⁹ of the skin near the anus (of the animal) is twisted below the hairless part and both parts are held together with 'may the earth know thee'. While still touching the skin he places the mortar on it with 'thou art the adhiṣavaṇa (the utensil for pressing or beating the grains) made of a tree, may the skin of Aditi know thee'. Holding the mortar (ulūkhala) by the left hand he pours into its mouth the sacrificial materials (unhusked grains of rice or barley) thrice with 'thou art the body of Fire,²³¹⁰ thou art a prompter of speech, I take thee for the enjoyment of the gods' and a fourth time silently. He takes the pestle with 'thou art a stone (hard like a stone), though produced from a tree; mayst thou so strike this sacrificial material for the gods that it will be enjoyable to them!' and beats the grains in the mortar thrice with 'may I strike the evil spirit, the enemy of heaven, away!' (the mantra is recited only once according to Jai. XI. 4.

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42). After striking thrice the adhvaryu utters a summons to haviṣkṛt, with 'come, O Haviṣkṛt' (repeated thrice)²³¹¹. When the grains begin to be husked the adhvaryu utters a call to Āgnīdhra 'strike loudly'. The āgnīdhra takes *kuṭaru* (aśman, a stone) with 'thou art a stone, thou art one that makest a hymn of praise (or glory)' and he strikes therewith the large mill-stone (dṛṣad) that is placed on the altar (twice, once with mantra and once silently) and the smaller one (upalā) once with 'proclaim food (to the gods), proclaim strength; may you (all sacrificial utensils) proclaim that (the food) is full of excellent flavour; may we conquer the hordes (of enemies) by this noise'. The āgnīdhra may strike silently with the yoke-pin (śamyā) instead of using a stone (Āp. I. 20. 4). He repeats this thrice (i. e. striking with a stone or yoke-pin is done nine times in all). After this the sacrificer's wife or some one else (such as the āgnīdhra) threshes the grains in the mortar (Kāt. II. 4. 14). Jai. (XI. 1. 27) states that the beating has a seen purpose (viz. removal of husk) and so it is to be continued as long as required for effecting that purpose. Jai. (IV. 2. 26) further lays down that the Vedic sentence 'vrīhīn-avahanti' is a restrictive injunction (niyamavidhi) in that, when unhusking can be effected either by using the mortar and pestle or by some other method (such by using the nails) it restricts one to the former method.

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The adhvaryu then holds the winnowing basket near the mouth of the mortar to its east or north with the words 'thou art grown by rain'²³¹² (as it is made of bamboo) and touches the beaten grains (to be used for puroḍāśa) with 'you are grown by rain'. He then puts with his hand the beaten grains into the winnowing basket with 'may (the śūrpa) know thee' (the grains as its own). Holding the śūrpa over the *utkara* he thrice winnows the grains and frees them from the husk (which falls on the *utkara*) with 'thrown away is the evil spirit, thrown away are the enemies' (i. e. the husks are meant to be the portion of evil spirits). He makes the husks sticking to the śūrpa fall on the utkara with 'blown away are the enemies'. He puts the husks from the place of the utkara over the (middle) potsherd (on which the cake is to be baked) and places them (the husks) underneath the black antelope skin in its north-west corner with 'thou art the portion of evil spirits'. He does not look at these husks. He presses down with his hand the spot where the husks are kept with 'pressed down is the evil spirit'. He touches water, sprinkles the potsherd (on which the husks were) with water and keeps the potsherd in its place. He separates the husked and unhusked grains with 'may the wind separate you.' He then pours out the grains of rice from the śūrpa in the pot with the words 'may the god Savitṛ with his golden hands (rays) accept you'.

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He then takes them and pours them in the mortar and issues a direction (praiṣa) to the sacrificer's wife to make the rice free from the thin coating of husk.²³¹³ The wife or some one else or a *dāsī* (a maid-servant) does the threshing several times, then she hands over the pestle to the āgnīdhra who beats with the pestle the grains and then the wife does the final beating with 'may you become pure for the gods, shine for the gods, purify for the gods'. The adhvaryu puts the kaṇas (little particles of rice grains) separated from the polished grains of rice in a vessel, cleanses the polished grains that are in the śūrpa with water. That portion which remains after the grains are beaten thrice is made to flow towards the utkara with the water (collected in another vessel) that is used in washing the polished grains with 'this is the portion of evil spirits. May the waters carry it forward from this place, svāhā', the water being also poured inside the vedi. Then he repeats the whole procedure about the black antelope skin from its being taken up to its being spread already described. Then the adhvaryu places the yoke-pin (śamyā) with its head (kumba, thick part) to the north on the antelope skin with 'thou art the support of the heavenly world'; he establishes²³¹⁴ the larger mill-stone (dṛṣad) with its face to the east on the śamyā in such a way as to cover the śamyā with its western half with 'thou art intelligence (though) made of a stone;

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