History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c48.114
History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c48.114
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v3.c48.114.1
He takes out two blades (to be used later) for the anūyājas and keeps them separately to the east, feeds the āhavanīya with fire-wood, takes back the prastara from the hand of the yajamāna, and while holding the prastara himself places the three encircling fuel-sticks (*paridhi*) round the āhavanīya fire. The middle paridhi is placed on darbhas to the west of the āhavanīya with the tip towards the north with²³⁴⁸ 'thou art gandharva &c.'. While the middle paridhi is being placed the yajamāna recites a mantra (Tai. Br. III. 7. 6). The other two paridhis are laid to the south and north of the āhavanīya place with their tips to the east, the southern one extending a little beyond the āhavanīya place and touching the middle paridhi and the northern one also touches the middle paridhi. The yajamāna repeats two long passages when the southern and northern paridhis are being laid (portions of which are identical with that repeated by the yajamāna for the middle paridhi). The adhvaryu invokes the āhavanīya 'may the sun guard you against all injuries whatever' (Tai. S. I. 1. 11). He places (in the midst of the āhavanīya fire) two samidhs with their ends turned upwards on which the āghāras (will be offered later on), one to the south with the mantra 'O Fire, the wise one, may we kindle thee &c.' (vītihotraṁ tvā kave &c. Ṛg. V. 26. 3 or Tai. S. I. 1. 11) and the other to the north of it silently.
v3.c48.114.2
From the midst of the barhis he takes two darbhas of equal length, that have no blade hhooting from inside of them; these are called vidhṛti and are laid down on the barhis strewn on the vedi in the middle portion of the latter with their tips turned northwards with 'you two are the regulators of people'. When the vidhṛtis are being laid down the yajamāna repeats a long passage 'I cut off my enemies with the vidhṛtis……may you support life, progeny and cattle in me' (Tai. Br. III. 7. 6). The adhvaryu keeps the prastara bunch on these two vidhṛtis with 'sit in this abode of Vasus, Rudras and Ādityas' (Tai. S. I. 1. 11) and the yajamāna repeats a mantra 'this prastara is the support of both Prayājas and Anūyājas &c.' (Tai. Br. III. 7. 6). The adhvaryu places the juhū on the prastara in such a way that its rod will be alongside of the roots of the prastara bunch with a mantra.²³⁴⁹ The upabhṛt is placed to the north of the juhū in such a way that its root is very much to the west of the root of the juhū and it is underneath the *vidhṛtis*, and the dhruvā is placed to the north of the upabhṛt over the vidhṛtis and its root is very much to the west of that of the upabhṛt. The three should not be so placed as to touch each other. The yajamāna repeats three passages (all from Tai. Br. III 7. 6) addressed to the three ladles when they are being placed.
v3.c48.114.3
The adhvaryu lays down the sruva to the south of the juhū (or to the north of the dhruvā but a little behind its bowl) with 'thou art a bull possessed of strength, I seat thee in the extent of vaṣaṭkāra'. He places the ājyasthālī also in such a spot as space would permit. The yajamāna repeats a mantra for sruva and another for ājyasthālī (Tai. Br. III. 7. 6). The adhvaryu invokes the ladles (srucs) with 'these sat in the world of good deeds; O Viṣṇu! protect them, protect the sacrifice and the lord of sacrifice and me who bring sacrifice' (Tai. S. I. 1. 11, Vāj. S. II. 6). He invokes the clarified butter with 'you are all-pervading, belong to Viṣṇu and are the abodes of Prajāpati'. He takes in his hand the ājyasthālī together with the sruva and the veda bunch, removes with the veda bunch the burning coals from the southern puroḍāśa with 'Here do I remove the mouth from the attacking army' and then removes them also from the northern puroḍāśa. He invokes the puroḍāśa with 'O Sun, O Light, shine forth for great vigour.' He spreads a little clarified butter in the puroḍāśapātrī for each of the two cakes with 'I make a happy seat for you, I arrange for a seat full of pleasure with a stream of butter' (Tai. Br. III. 7. 5) and drops clarified butter over (i. e. performs abhighāraṇa) the southern puroḍāśa which is intended for Agni with 'May Agni whose source is ghee increase (or be pleased), may he accept the offerings, anoint the holes, anoint the skin;
v3.c48.114.4
I sprinkle thee that art good looking, that art dear to Agni and that securest wealth with the lustre of cattle (i. e. ghee) for Agni' (Tai. Br. III. 7. 5) and drops butter silently on the northern puroḍāśa. If the second offering be sānnāyya (instead of a puroḍāśa) he drops clarified butter over the boiled milk with a mantra 'May that self of yours that has entered cattle...go to the gods and secure heaven for me who am a sacrificer' (Tai. Br. III. 7. 5). He removes the puroḍāśa into the pātrī (vessel) from the potsherds without allowing it to break up into pieces and without making it roll about with 'this baked (puroḍāśa) that is moist and has broad prominences, that is the protector of the world, that is the generator of thoughts (or prayers) comes out for a bath' (Tai. Br. III. 7. 5). He brushes away the ashes (sticking on the back of the puroḍāśa) with the veda bunch and lays it down in the puroḍāśapātrī on the butter that has already been sprinkled over it with 'Sit on that, be firmly placed in nectar, O offering, that art the essence of rice grains,²³⁵⁰ with a favourable mind' (Tai. Br. III. 7. 5). He sprinkles clarified butter over it a second time and keeps it aside with 'mayst thou be strong.'