History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c48.26

v3.c48.26

*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).